VOLUME 5: OTHER SUPERNATURALS

Children of the Damned................................................2Akasha (Queen of the Damned)................................7De Lioncourt, Gabrielle.............................................8De Lioncourt, Lestat (Master of Ennui).....................9De Point du Lac, Louis.............................................10

Conn MacEogan..........................................................12Personal Equipment................................................12The Mansion (Alexandria, Virginia).........................13Vehicles..................................................................14Multi-Purpose Rounds (12 Gauge)..........................15Conn’s Retinue........................................................15

Chen, Jamie (Conn’s Adopted Daughter)..............15Geiger, Robert (Covert Operations Head).............15Glens, Kathy (Golcondic Toreador Bard)...............16Harmon, Sean (Conn's Security Supervisor).........16MacEogan, Beth (Conn's Ward)............................16MacEogan, Jenny (Healer & Conn's Wife).............17Manoi-MacEogan, Elann (Conn's Ghostly Lover)...17Marie, Catherine (Daughter of Haqim)..................17Peace, Mark (Conn's Head of Security).................17Walker, Forrest (Conn's Research Head)..............17Wayne, Logan (AU Crusader)................................17Security Officers (DC)...........................................19

Immortals....................................................................20Highlander: The Gathering Rules............................20An Immortal Player's Guide....................................35Kurgan (Immortal Assassin)....................................44MacLeod, Connor (The Highlander)........................45MacLeod, Duncan (The Reluctant Immortal)...........48Ramirez, Juan Sanchez Villa Lobos (Mentor)...........50Ryan, Richie (Immortal Thief).................................51

Other Supernaturals....................................................54434 ZHJ (Doom Ride)..............................................54Aries (Incarna Spirit of War)....................................54Bradford, Mona (Artist)...........................................54Caine (Father of the Damned)................................55Dracul Brothers (Thaumavores)..............................55

Marcus Dracul (Vampire Bygone).........................55William Dracul (Wolfman Bygone)........................56

Haight, Samuel (The Skinner).................................57Hellboy (Demonic Hunter)......................................58Maria (Gypsy Seductionist).....................................60Myers, Michael (Boogeyman)..................................60Ogdru Hem (Demonic Servants).............................63Ogdru Jahad (Seven Gods of Chaos).......................64Predator (The Hunters)...........................................66Reanimated (Undead).............................................69Species (Extinction Agents)....................................71Tooms, Victor Eugene (Serial Killer)........................74Trioxin Ghouls (Relentless Cannibals).....................75Venusian Zombies (The Living Dead).....................76Voorhees, Jason (Demonic Killer)............................77Xenomorphs (Alien Menace)...................................80Yamura, Hito Okasa (Barabbi Custos Ninja)............86

Werewolves & Bete.....................................................88Bites off the Buttons (Guard Dog / Teenager).........88Helena (Outcast).....................................................88Hofstetler, Pat and Vince (Ronin Garou Twins).......88Moonchilde, Serenity (Philanthropist).....................88

Wraiths........................................................................89Houston, Allison (Tortured Unliving Artist)..............89Vendredi, Lewis (Spectre).......................................89

Index...........................................................................90

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CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED

Beware spoilers for those that have *not* read Queen of the Damned! Stop reading now if you haven't... These rules are a set of hacks, fixes and patches that turn your VtM rules into something more specific to the world of Louis and Lestat. They don't pretend to be perfect or cover everything, but they should work OK if you're familiar with the books.

Changes from Vampire the Masquerade: In the world of Anne Rice there is no concept of Generation, no Camarilla, no Sabbat and no Clans. Vampires do not Frenzy: there is no Beast and no-one can be Blood Bonded. They do, however, have a Spiritual component that sometimes influences their actions. There is a single 'master vampire' who is very old and sired all vampires. This is not the same as the Caine situation. The manner in which offspring are weaker than their Sires is not the same as in Vampire: the Masquerade. Anything not explicitly mentioned in these rules is the same as in Vampire the Masquerade.

Feeding: Vampire feeding is much the same as in Vampire: the Masquerade, except that vampires tend to use more blood simply waking up and powering their undead bodies than the Vampire: the Masquerade vampires, who tend to sink most of it into Disciplines. Not all vampires know about concealing fang marks by using a little of their own blood to heal the wounds (vampire 'saliva' will not suffice). They should take care not to accidentally create new vampires when doing this. Vampires soon develop a clear idea of how close a victim is to death, so accidental creation of vampires in this way is rare. In general, it should be harder for vampires to conceal where they have fed. Fortunately, there are other arteries in the body besides the neck. Feeding from the wrist is most convenient and is easier to conceal wounds there. Removing the hands of murder victims is not just something that the Mafia does.

Blood Bonding: Characters cannot be Blood Bonded. Drinking another vampire's blood has no such effects; it does not matter how often or how much. Vampires can fall in love and have all the normal emotional bonds that mortals have; these are quite enough for anyone to cope with. Optionally, you may want to keep Blood Bonding. It depends on how you interpret the Chronicles; there is some sort of spirit connection between all vampires, but it is not really the same as a Blood Bond.

Ghouls: You will have to decide for yourself whether ghouls fit in with the Chronicles. From Queen of the Damned, it seems that something akin to a partial transformation into a still living vampire occurs. Certainly there is some sort of 'connection' to the net of vampires, a gaining of spiritual powers and so forth.

The Beast and Frenzy: It is possible for a vampire to badly lose her self-control, but nothing like the Frenzy of the Beast. Some Disciplines and magicks may invoke Frenzy; they are treated as normal because they introduce a supernatural rage. Otherwise there are no checks for Frenzy, even when facing fire.

Panic, Rage, Fear and Guilt: Vampires still feel these things. A referee may ask for rolls, but the consequence of failure will not be Frenzy; it will be the milder human equivalent. The vampire automatically 'rides the wave' if she chooses to, and has the normal chances to fight the emotion. Failure does not bring disaster and botches do not bring Derangements. This is not to say that a vampire in panic is in control anymore than a mortal in panic is in control. It is merely a matter of degree. Vampires can panic when exposed to fire, sunlight and other threats to their unlives. The intensity of the panic will depend on the threat to the vampire's life. The Frenzy rules will work fine, just remember that there is no Beast. Rituals and Disciplines that control the Beast will not work unless their purpose is to induce a clearly defined emotion.

Humanity: Humanity is treated as in Vampire: the Masquerade. There is no excuse for actions committed while in a state of panic or rage. Botches may lead to Derangements. A vampire that loses all Humanity is madder than a Malkavian, and will soon destroy herself. The character is under control of the Storyteller, who will determine what it does. It will probably become destructive and dangerous before it meets the Final Death. This is what happened to the ' Queen'. The Humanity/Torpor length table applies as normal, as do most other restrictions, except for the daytime action limit (see below).

Spirit: Vampires are composed of three parts in a symbiotic relationship: the body, the 'human' soul of the vampire and the spirit that ties the soul into the corpse and animates it. The Spirit inhabits and feeds off the vampire's blood. As the vampire gets older, it will find that its body grows less and less 'real' and that it becomes more and more a manifestation of the spirit. Thus, old vampires simply crumble away when destroyed because their body is nothing more than a fine crystalline honeycomb reinforced and animated by the all powerful Spirit blood symbiote.

Spirit is a characteristic that measures the purity or 'Spiritualness' of the vampire's blood. The higher it is, the more supernatural the vampire becomes. The purity of a vampire's blood increases naturally with age as the symbiotic spirit refines and replaces the physical part of the host. If the vampire feeds often and richly on fresh blood, then this process is slowed: more physical material is introduced. If the vampire fasts, then her blood grows more potent and unnatural. When a vampire creates a Childe she must give away some of this spirit force and weaken herself. Vampires that understand this loathe doing so, but many are not aware of this problem. Vampires can also give their spirit force away to other vampires with weaker force.

Character Creation: Character creation is much the same as in Vampire: the Masquerade, except that you do not have a Clan and you do not have any choice about spending the three points of starting Disciplines. You receive only four points to spend on Backgrounds; you cannot buy the Generation background, but you can buy the Spirit trait with Freebie points instead.A starting vampire begins with a Spirit of 2 and may spend Freebie points to increase this rating. Each freebie point is worth 5 Spirit.

Starting Disciplines: Auspex 1, Potence 1, Presence 1 and Celerity 0.

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Characters may buy extra Discipline points with Freebies according to the limitations of character development. This may mean that they will need to spend points on Spirit as well.

Celerity is listed as zero on the starting Disciplines because all vampires have the Discipline, but cannot put points into it until they have a Spirit of 20 or more. Though new vampires are "moving faster" than mortals, they are not fast enough to warrant the power of Celerity. A character with even Celerity 1 is twice as fast as a mortal. However, there is no cost to purchase the Discipline of Celerity. It merely costs 4 Experience Points for the first point. If buying Celerity (through Freebie Points) for a starting character then there is no cost for a 'new discipline', only the extra point cost. Obviously, you must buy Spirit of 20+ first. Use of Merits and Flaws from the Player's Guide is recommended. Most Neonates will probably need the extra points for Spirit. Archetypes should be considered non-optional. Players are advised to buy Humanity fairly high, as it affects much more than under the original Vampire: the Masquerade rules. Starting Spirit is equal to 2. Each Freebie point spent on Spirit buys 5 extra points.

Psychokinesis: Level 1 – Leaping: The vampire may leap increased distances and heights. Multiply the normal distance per success in Strength + Athletics rolls for leaping by five. Level 2 – Air: With this power the vampire may cause the air to move as she wills. Nothing above a 'strong' wind is possible, and only in a 30 foot radius of the vampire. The wind may slam doors, blow out candles, put lightweight thrown objects off course and drive rain. Control is not subtle. The vampire cannot be too tricky with the wind. This power costs 1 Power Point per turn to keep running, double that if a strong wind is desired. Level 3 – Earth: This level allows solid objects or liquids of any material to be moved and controlled. People may be lifted or pushed back, cars thrown, walls blown apart etc. Twenty-five lbs. of material can be affected for every Power Point spent. These points must be spent each turn that the power is being used. If used to do damage, 10 Power Points per point of Strength of the attack must be spent in addition to the Power Points to affect the mass of the target. Level 4 – Flight: The vampire may fly. The speed limit is the vampire's Spirit multiplied by five in feet per round. The vampire needs many turns to reach top speed and cannot maneuver well. Most tricks require rolls of a new Skill: Flying. Level 5 – Fire: This allows the vampire to destroy her enemies in a ball of flame. For every Power Point spent, one aggravated wound is done to the target. These hits cannot be avoided by any physical means, but they may be soaked with Fortitude and some magic may protect. Vampires are only safe if they have Protean 10 in operation. The target may also spend Willpower to avoid the damage at a rate of one point of Willpower per wound level.

Protean Powers: There is no evidence of traditional shape shifting in the Vampire Chronicles. There is only one option for each of the Protean powers above level six, and only one level below five is usable under these rules. The powers available are: Claws [2], Flesh of Marble [6], Movement of the Slowed Body [8], Body of the Statue [9] (a new power), and Body of the Sun [10].

A Note on Protean 2: A character with Protean 2 and Potence 2 can easily grip onto stone, brick or wood and support themselves. This allows them to leap or crawl up the side of buildings with great speed. Combined with Psychokinesis, this power is even more inhuman.

Protean 9 - Body of the Statue: This Discipline is the only Protean level 9 power. This Discipline allows the vampire to slow all bodily and spiritual functions. This results in a state like Torpor, but the vampire does not need to deplete her Blood Pool. To enter this state the vampire must concentrate for at least eight hours, spending five power points every hour, and spend one Willpower point. Once the state has been entered, the vampire need only calculate blood loss (11-Humanity) once every ten years. To leave the state, the vampire must succeed in a Willpower roll against difficulty 9. At the end of a time period equal to the vampire's normal Torpor length she will regain one Willpower point. Power Points can be regained, but they recover their full value only every ten years, rather than overnight. Disciplines which can be used in Torpor may be used while in this state, and the vampire may move very slowly - 4000 times as slowly as normal. The vampire has some consciousness of her surroundings, but things move very rapidly and a Perception + Alertness roll against Difficulty 9 is required to notice any particular thing which is relatively transient compared to the vampire's time scale. The vampire may act at normal speed for a round by making a Willpower roll against Difficulty 8 and spending ten Power Points. The vampire must roll at the start of each round she wishes to act; if she fails a roll, she stops where she is (relative to normal time). She may try again the next round.

Auspex: The level 5 Auspex power, Astral Projection, is replaced with the level six power The Dreaming. The Dreaming is the level five power under these rules. Astral projection as described in Vampire: the Masquerade is impossible for Anne Rice's vampires.

Generation: Some things in Vampire: the Masquerade that are not explicitly replaced by these rules are controlled by Generation. A character with a higher Spirit is equivalent to a lower numerical Generation than one with lower Spirit.

Power Points and Blood Points: A vampire has a Power Point pool which is used instead of Blood Points to activate Disciplines. Blood Points are only used up when a vampire awakens from sleep, for healing, in rituals that use blood and when blood is given to other vampires. The important point is that exerting power does not make a vampire "thirsty". Power Points are recovered only when the vampire sleeps for the night, or during Torpor. A staked vampire cannot recover Power Points in any event. A vampire will recover all of her Power Points in a day's sleep. (If it becomes necessary to know, assume that the rate of recovery is 1/10th of the total per hour of sleep).

The size of the character's Blood Pool is determined from the following table. Blood Points are not used for as much under these rules as in Vampire: the Masquerade.

Spirit Blood Power Round Spirit Blood Power Round1-2 10 1 1 25-29 17 8 23-5 11 2 1 30-34 18 9 3

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6-10 12 3 1 35-40 19 9 311-12 13 4 1 41-45 20 10 413-17 14 5 1 46-50 20 12 518-20 15 6 2 Per each 50 points +121-24 16 7 2 Per each 10 points +1 +1

Limits to Spending Spirit and Blood Points: A character can spend the same number of Blood Points per round as Power Points. The value on the Spirit/Blood Points/Power Points/Points per Round table applies to both of these values.

Spirit Rolls: The Storyteller might think of some minor vampiric ability that is not already covered by a Discipline and is not significant enough to justify a new one. In that case it is always possible to roll Spirit directly. Divide the vampire's Spirit by 200 (round up fractions) and roll that number of dice (from 1 to 5 in most cases). Other Attributes may be added; for instance, Spirit + Empathy to 'feel' someone's emotions (without reading their aura, which is a much more powerful ability).

Character Development: Characters may learn Abilities normally as in Vampire: the Masquerade. The Disciplines they may have are limited by their Spirit rating (see the table below). This is the list of possible Disciplines. You will notice that certain levels are missing: for instance, Protean 1 is not allowed but Protean 2 is. In this case, the intermediate level must be bought, but it cannot be used. The missing Disciplines do not fit in with the world model and simply do not exist.

Disciplines do not have a Clan and non-Clan Experience Point cost. Instead, each Discipline has a different cost.

* Disciplines are those that all Neonate vampires start with. The Protean 9 Discipline is a new power that replaces Protean 9 from Vampire: the Masquerade - see the section on Protean. Auspex 5 has been changed. Psychokinesis is a new Discipline. Animalism and Dominate are not allowed. Thaumaturgy should only be available to NPCs, such as very old vampires with backgrounds of magical ability. Not all Thaumaturgy will make sense; see the rules that refer to the Beast, Frenzy, Blood Points and so on.

Spirit Disciplines allowed1-20 Auspex 1, Potence 1, Presence 1, Fortitude 1, Protean 221-40 Potence 2, Fortitude 2, Celerity 1, Presence 241-80 Potence 3, Fortitude 3, Celerity 2, Presence 381-200 Fortitude 4, Presence 4, Psychokinesis 1201-250 Auspex 2, Celerity 3, Potence 4251-300 Presence 5, Obfuscate 2, Fortitude 6301-350 Auspex 3, Presence 6, Potence 5, Psychokinesis 2351-400 Celerity 4, Fortitude 7, Obfuscate 3, Auspex 4401-450 Presence 7, Obfuscate 4, Auspex 6, Psychokinesis 3451-500 Celerity 5, Fortitude 8, Obfuscate 5, Auspex 7501-550 Protean 8, Auspex 8, Obfuscate 6, Presence 8551-600 Auspex 9, Obfuscate 7, Presence 9, Fortitude 9, Psychokinesis 4601-700 Auspex 10, Obfuscate 8, Presence 10701-850 Fortitude 10, Obfuscate 9, Psychokinesis 5851+ Protean 10

Attributes Over Five: Vampires may raise attributes above 5 only once they have 500 Spirit or more. This usually equates to great age, but not always.

Increasing Spirit during Play: For every ten game years that a vampire is in play, its Spirit will increase by one. For every five years that a vampire is in Torpor, its Spirit will increase by one. This is mutually exclusive to the above; a vampire in Torpor is not 'in play'. One Experience Point buys one Spirit point - this is accomplished through fasting and drinking less often. Spirit may be increased by drinking the blood of a higher Spirit vampire. The victim need not be killed. Every Blood Point drunk is worth 1 Spirit Point. A vampire cannot drink more points than his Blood Pool limit will allow before his Spirit is increased. The victim's Spirit cannot be reduced below one by this process. If the victim's Spirit is reduced to one then no more Spirit can be gained by drinking their blood. Neonates should find it impossible to drain a Methuselah, and would have to feed several nights in a row to increase much in Spirit. Also, once a victim's Spirit has been drained to the level of the drinker, no more Spirit can be drained by that individual.

DisciplineLevels

AllowedXP start

/ increase DisciplineLevels

AllowedXP start

/ increaseAuspex 1-4, 6-10 */7 Potence 1-5 */4Celerity 1-5 */4 Presence 1-10 */3Fortitude 1-10 7/3 Protean 2, 8, (9), 10 7/4Obfuscate 1-9 10/6 Psychokinesi

s 1-5 15/6

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Example: Rogatian the Diablerist captures the ancient Madelline. He imprisons her and begins to feed. Madelline has a Spirit of 411 and 57 Blood Points; Rogatian has a Spirit of 220 and 37 Blood Points. If he waits until he is very low on blood and begins drinking, he could drain up to 37 Spirit and Blood Points at once, leaving him with 257 Spirit and 41 Blood Points, and her with 374 Spirit and 20 Blood Points. The next night he somehow contrives to do the same. After his second feast, he now has 298 Spirit and 45 Blood Points. Madelline is left with 333 Spirit, no Blood Points, and two Aggravated Wound Levels. The next night he cannot drain more than 35 Spirit, because that would drain her to 298 (his starting level). He can, however, drain as much blood as his body can hold.

The Embrace: For every Blood Point that a vampire gives her Childe during the Embrace, the Childe gains one Spirit Point. She must give at least one, but she may opt to give much more. Mechanically, this is treated as if the Childe were Diablerizing his Sire and all Diablerie rules apply. The Childe does not have a Blood Point limit on this first drink, but the Childe must have less Spirit than the Sire at the end of the process. The Sire is in control at all times during the Embrace. The process of the Embrace burns all the Blood Points, so the Childe will have no blood in her Pool when the Embrace is finished.

Example: Lestat decides to make Louis into a vampire. Lestat has 124 Spirit and has a maximum Blood Pool of 28 Blood Points. He has only 25 Blood Points on the night that he creates Louis. He gives Louis 24 Blood Points. Louis will have a Spirit of 24. Lestat now has one Blood Point and Louis has none. Louis has a 16 point Blood Pool because of his spirit of 24. If Lestat had been full of blood, he could have created a vampire with 28 Spirit. After embracing Louis, he has a Spirit of 100 and a Blood Pool of 25.

Optionally, a vampire can imbue a single Blood Point with up to half her Spirit when creating a Childe. You may consider this more appropriate.

Optional Rule - Spirit Recovery: These rules assume that when a vampire gives away Spirit it is gone permanently and must be regained by the normal means. We present these optional rules for those who prefer to see the great and mighty vampires remain that way.

If a vampire's Spirit is sharply reduced, due to Diablerie, creating strong Childer, or for some other reason, the natural strength of the blood will tend to reassert itself. Make a note of the maximum Spirit that the vampire has managed to continuously maintain. If her Spirit is ever reduced below this value, it will tend to return to it. The speed of return is up to the Storyteller.

Method One: At the end of each year that passes while the vampire's Spirit is below the recorded level, average the vampire's current Spirit with her recorded Spirit and make that the new value (round fractions up). You may find this a bit slow for your campaign, in which case you can change the time step to a month or even a week.

Method Two: Pick some arbitrary time span to spread the recovery over and allocate points evenly during that time.

In either case if the vampire gains some Spirit from somewhere that puts her back up to or over her original Spirit, then the recovery procedure is halted, the Spirit having reached its natural level. There is no equivalent 'dissipation' of stolen Spirit.

Vampire Thirst: Vampires must spend (11-Humanity) Blood Point(s) when they awaken each night. If they do not want to spend the Blood Points, they may spend a point of Willpower instead. This allows vampires to control their hunger. The less human vampires have less control and use more blood instinctively. A vampire cannot go below zero Blood Points from hunger. If she is about to lose more Blood Points than she has, she must spend a Willpower point instead. If she has no Willpower left, then she loses all remaining Blood Points and enters Torpor. A vampire on zero Blood Points is not necessarily in Torpor, however (see Torpor).

The reference in the books to the slowing of the heartbeats does not mean that vampires cannot drink vessels dry, it simply means that they must stop the joy of the Embrace - the linking of spirits - before the last drop is drunk, and that they should not try and drink from a mortal at the moment of death. A mortal who is 'drained' will usually not suffer spiritual separation for a minute or two after death. Vampires have a sense for this and can avoid being sucked into death with their victims.

A vampire on low Blood Points (less than 10% of his Blood Pool) must make a Humanity or Willpower roll (player's choice) at the sight of blood, or have a strong desire to drink. This does not mean that they Frenzy, only that they have a strong desire. It is possible to suppress this desire by spending a Willpower point. If the desire is restrained, the vampire will probably regain control. Once they have more than 10% of their Blood Pool in their system, the hunger subsides.

It is possible to have zero Blood Points under these rules. There is no special effect, except hunger. See also the section on combat.

Day Time Activity: Vampires sleep during the day because spirit activity is suppressed by the sun. Powerful spirits (and vampires) can act during the day, although vampires do tend to catch fire if they aren't careful. Vampires below Spirit 500 cannot awake during the day. Lesser creatures may act during the day, but only with simple instincts. A vampire may grab and kill an attacker, perhaps even drink from them. They may not speak, walk about or otherwise stir from their resting place - except perhaps to roll out of the path of sunlight instinctively. There is no dice pool limit for Humanity, but the difficulty of acting instinctively while asleep is high: any action attempted during the day has a Difficulty of three higher than normal.

The mighty vampires can awake for short times during the day, and can perform some actions in a sort of sleep haze, without awakening at all. Whatever they do, they are restricted to a number of dice equal to (Spirit-500) divided by 50, rounding fractions up. There is no dice pool limit for Humanity. To awaken at all, the vampire must make a Stamina + Fortitude roll. Base the Difficulty on the stimulus. If they do not awaken, they may still act instinctively. How much they can do is up to the referee. They can move very slowly under semi-conscious control;

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any rapid action is limited as for lesser vampires unless they awake. One might assume that older/high spirit vampires automatically have the Light Sleeper Merit.

Combat: Claws are available from Protean 2; they increase damage from Brawling attacks. They also decrease the Difficulty of climbing. They do not do aggravated wounds to vampires; neither do fangs. They may wound Lupines (if there are any) at the Storyteller's option. In this world, only fire, sunlight and possibly acid do aggravated wounds to vampires. What wounds Lupines (if there are any) is up to the Storyteller.

A vampire may be killed outright by decapitation or removal of the heart or brain. Decapitation requires 3 successes on the to-hit roll, and the attack must do three unsoaked wound levels. The attacker must also be using an appropriate edged weapon. It is harder to remove the heart so it is not generally a useful tactic. An Incapacitated vampire is easy to decapitate, as the attacker may accumulate successes and the Difficulty is generally much lower (of course, it depends on what else is going on). Optionally the attacker may remove the heart instead; the procedure is the same. Staking uses the same rules as Vampire: the Masquerade. It is harder to remove the heart of a staked vampire, mainly because there is a stake through it. The victim is still immobilized, however, and ripe for decapitation and other nasty things. A staked vampire is treated as Incapacitated for purposes of how hard they are to kill.

A vampire may still die from aggravated wounds. A vampire does not die from extreme wounding that causes her to run out of Blood Points. A vampire that runs out of blood after being incapacitated is in Torpor, and does not die unless one of the other causes of death occurs, such as taking an aggravated wound, being beheaded, and so on.

Healing: For the purposes of healing an aggravated wound, the 'Blood Points per Round' rating of the vampire is the limit to the number of Blood Points that can be allocated to heal aggravated wounds per night. It takes seven Blood Points to heal an aggravated wound. Therefore, a Neonate will probably take a week to heal an aggravated wound. As in Vampire: the Masquerade, it also costs a Willpower point to heal an aggravated wound. Fearsome vampires may be able to heal more than one aggravated wound per night; all that is required is that they have an allowance of 14+ Blood Points per Round, that they spend the Blood Points, and that they use the required Willpower points.

Obviously, aggravated wounds are healed more slowly than in Vampire: the Masquerade. In cases where the vampire has also lost many Blood Points, the scarring and disfigurement will not go away until the vampire has healed all the wounds and completely filled her Blood Pool. It follows that even though older vampires can sustain terrible wounds that would destroy a mortal or Childe utterly, it takes a long time to recover from such wounds.

When a vampire has been incapacitated, she loses a Blood Point for each further wound, as in Vampire: the Masquerade. If she takes wounds while Incapacitated and at zero blood points, she suffers the Final Death.

Death by Blood Loss: If a vampire can have zero Blood Points, then there must be some other way to explain death by Diablerie. The answer is that a vampire with zero blood points takes aggravated wounds when blood is drunk thereafter. Vampires have more blood than the recorded points. For every complete multiple of the 'Blood Points per Round` allowance that is drained from them while at zero Blood Points, they take an aggravated wound. Therefore, they can be on negative Blood Points and still be 'alive'.

Example: If the vampire can spend three Blood Points per Round, then every three Blood Points beyond zero drained from her will inflict one aggravated wound. If she started unwounded and was reduced to seven Blood Points below zero, she would take two aggravated wounds.

This only applies to loss of blood. A vampire cannot go into negative Blood Points by any other means. Wounds can sap a vampire's blood once incapacitated, but in that case Blood Points cannot go below zero. A vampire with less than zero Blood Points is inevitably in Torpor or dead. A vampire with zero Blood Points is only in Torpor if she is also incapacitated or has no Willpower remaining.

Torpor: A vampire can voluntarily enter Torpor by using up all of her Blood Pool and Willpower. This is easily done; the vampire simply sinks to zero Blood Points by not feeding and then spends Willpower not to feed until she has none left. A vampire can enter torpor by being reduced to negative Blood Points due to Diablerie, or by being incapacitated and having zero Blood Points left. Once she has slept out her Torpor, as determined by her Humanity, the vampire is 'reset' to zero Blood Points and if Incapacitated, is automatically healed to Maimed. She may then leave Torpor by spending a Willpower point. (She also regains all her Willpower points from sleeping out her Torpor, also see below). Such mystical healing is due to the character's spirit feeding off of other energies than blood. A vampire cannot voluntarily enter Torpor unless she has no Willpower points left. When Lestat entered Torpor, he was in such a state of depression and defeat. When a vampire has been in Torpor for the correct length of time for her Humanity, she regains all of her Willpower points. She may then come out of Torpor. If a vampire is in Torpor, the Storyteller should not give her any Willpower back for 'end of story', or the Torpor rules would break down. A vampire cannot end her personal story while she sleeps in Torpor; Torpor is not an end, it is an interlude.

Designer's Notes: These rules make for a very different game. Vampires can be killed more easily at the lower levels because of their weaker Disciplines - they cannot even heal an aggravated wound. At the higher levels they become much more dangerous because their Blood Pool and Spirit are separate, and activating powers does not mean losing damage absorbing capability.

Sadly, all characters are much more alike. The absence of Clans and many of the Disciplines makes specialization less likely and new Disciplines are very costly. This does allow more opportunity for characters to develop through role-playing because they are not limited by Clan mindsets.

Humanity should be more important from a role-playing standpoint. Though there are extra mechanics to encourage this, the restrictions on character development by numbers should encourage character development through characterization.

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The sorts of scenarios that one might expect to play are very different. Politics tend to be less important. Only in the larger groups of vampires, such as in Paris, would there be political activity on the same scale as the Camarilla. The personal horror of the vampire's struggle to cope with existence becomes more important. If you want characters to advance as rapidly as in Vampire: the Masquerade, you must give out more Experience Points. Many Experience Points have to be sunk into increasing Spirit and Disciplines are generally more expensive.

I've done my own thinking upon what is possible in the Vampire Chronicles with regards to Disciplines, and I do not agree with several of the interpretations given.

The classical Disciplines all of Anne Rice's characters possess are: Auspex, Celerity, Potence and Presence. Animalism: Not really shown in the series. (Actually, it's shown a lot, albeit only the lower levels. There are a

number of instances where various characters call to animals or convince them to do things for them (Lestat getting his horse to break his tether, for instance). Granted, it's primarily the lower levels, though.)

Auspex: Heightened Senses, Spirit's Touch, Astral Projection, true Telepathy, the Dreaming, an ability to understand machines, an ability to project one's consciousness into the lives of others--these are all demonstrated.

Celerity: Louis, as a Fledgling, moved faster than the eye could see. As did Baby Jenks. (True, which is why all vampires start with this Discipline at level "0". Peter Wake's contention is that fledglings just aren't moving *twice* as fast as mortals yet.)

Dominate: Demonstrated by several Vampires. Fortitude: Look at Pandora placing her hands in Azim's fire . . . Among other things. Obfuscate: Armand had demonstrated many, many aspects of Obfuscate, including an ability to block

telepathy and vanish into shadows. (This is sticky. The telepathy blocking is more of an outgrowth of his basic mental powers, and in The Vampire Lestat, his ability to hide in Shadows is specifically described as nothing supernatural- just a careful stepping from dark to dark, and Lestat and Gabrielle were able to pick it up instantly.)

Potence: All had Potence. Presence: Not all had Presence, but it was extremely common. Protean: The effects of red eyes without the appearance. Claws? Heh. Flesh of Marble, Movement of the

Slowed Body . . . (Not so much Gleam of Red Eyes as Heightened Senses, really. Perhaps a somewhat more powerful version, but I don't think any of the AR vampires could actually see in total darkness. I don't buy the Claws thing, myself; I think it was in there just to explain the wall climbing bit.)

Thaumaturgy: Well, now . . . Silly. Several turns to psychokinetically fly at full speed? Akasha demonstrated instant acceleration, and Lestat

showed no lag... Chalk this one up to game balance, I think.

Akasha (Queen of the Damned)As told in the novel, Akasha was originally a Queen in Kemet, the land that would eventually become Egypt; she

and her husband King Enkil wanted their people to turn away from their cannibalistic ways and encourage the eating of grains. Rice describes Akasha as a lovely young woman who was "almost too pretty to be truly beautiful, for her prettiness overcame any sense of majesty or deep mystery." Underneath her physical beauty, Akasha is a fundamentally dark, empty, nihilistic person with no sense of morality, ethics, or human compassion; her actions are almost always based on her insatiable need to fill her own inner emptiness.

Akasha eventually becomes fascinated by the spirits of the supernatural, forcibly bringing the red-haired witch sisters Maharet and Mekare to her court to commune with these spirits. Against their advice, Akasha forces the witch sisters to seek answers from the spirits to countless shallow questions she asks, but the ensuing answers, some in the form of obscene gestures, ultimately enrage the

Queen by confirming her inner emptiness - “She had asked questions of the supernatural, a very foolish thing to do, and she had received answers which she could neither accept nor refute." One spirit in particular, a bloodthirsty, aggressive entity called Amel, threatens Akasha and ultimately stages a weak but demonstrative attack against her. Akasha, in turn, has Mekare and Maharet publicly raped by her servant Khayman for their "witchcraft", and banishes them from Kemet.

One year later, the twin witches are recalled to the kingdom by Khayman, where they learn that Amel had kept his presence in the kingdom and that, when the King and Queen were coincidentally assassinated by supporters of cannibalism one night, the spirit of Amel joined with Akasha's soul as it rose from her body, re-entering her body through her wounds and fusing with her heart and brain to create an entirely new being: the vampire. Amel's deadly lust for human blood thus passed to Akasha. Akasha then took her king Enkil and passed the "Dark Gift" onto him, transforming Enkil into a vampire, and then made Khayman, who then passed it on to Mekare and Maharet. It was Mekare who tells the Queen what kind of being she has become, as well as explaining her newfound sensitivity to sunlight and thirst for blood.

As her progeny proliferate, Akasha's need for blood diminishes. Eventually she (along with Enkil) becomes a living statue, kept safe for centuries by guardians who know that she is the source of their existence and immortality. After one of these guardians tires of the task, he places Akasha and Enkil in the sun; vampires worldwide are burned or destroyed as a result of all being linked by the spirit of Amel that still resides in Akasha.

Akasha draws the vampire Marius to her and urges him to take her and Enkil out of Egypt. Marius does so and protects them for nearly two thousand years. At one point, Maharet stabs the statue of Akasha in the heart; as Maharet feels the energy leave her own body, it confirms the legend that to kill Akasha is to annihilate all vampires.

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In 1985, the vampire Lestat wakes Akasha from her trance with his music. She rises and becomes a relentless destroyer, killing most of her vampire progeny worldwide while simultaneously kidnapping Lestat, who becomes her lover and cohort. She spares 13 vampires from her slaughter - either ancient vampires she can't easily destroy, or Lestat's loved ones - and demands that they join with her in her plan for a new world order: to kill 99% of the world's men and to set up a new Eden in which women, with Akasha as Goddess, reign. A heated philosophical discussion ensues; while Akasha insists that her plan is for the benefit of humanity in the long run and will usher in a new era of peace, Maharet boldly defies her and points out the underlying truth: that Akasha simply wants to dominate and be worshipped, to once again subject everyone to her will, and to once again create a new system of religious dogma to fill her inner emptiness, with absolutely no regard for the lives at stake.

The surviving vampires all refuse to join with Akasha, but before she can destroy them, the vampire Mekare arrives at the scene and shoves her into a glass wall. The broken shards decapitate Akasha. Maharet and Mekare then immediately grab Akasha's heart and brain. Mekare eats the brain and then the heart, and thereby the soul of Akasha; as Mekare does so, she takes into herself the source of the spiritual fusion with Amel and becomes the new life force of the vampires, while Akasha's ancient body finally disintegrates into colorless dust.

Nature: Visionary; Demeanor: Visionary; Spirit: 1000; Power Points: 107; Points Per Round: 24; Blood Pool: 115; Strength 10, Dexterity 10, Stamina 10, Charisma 7, Manipulation 5, Appearance 8, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 6; Virtues: Conscience 0, Self Control 4, Courage 6, Humanity 0, Willpower 10; Talents: Acting 1, Alertness 5, Dodge 1, Leadership 3, Intimidation 5, Subterfuge 4, Seduction 3; Skills: Ancient Egyptian Etiquette 3, Stealth 1, Style 3, Public Speaking 2; Knowledge: Investigation 1, Occult 3, Vampire Lore 5, Ancient Egyptian Law 3, Grasp of 20th century 2, Astrology 1; Disciplines: Celerity 5, Fortitude 10, Potence 5, Protean 8, Psychokinesis 5, Auspex 10 (Clairvoyance, The Dreaming, Eagle's Sight, Sense Emotion, Souls Scan, Pulse of the Canaille), Obfuscate 7 (Mind Blank, Cloak), Presence 9 (Love, Mind Numb, Mask Empathy, Heart of the City); Merits/Flaws: Over Confident, Light Sleeper, Higher Purpose, Concentration, Fast Learner, Dark Fate

Notes: It's hard to pick Archetypes for Akasha because she's completely mad. Akasha doesn't make conscience rolls; she is too far gone to feel any sort of remorse. Akasha's abilities are generally poor as she learned few skills in her days as a mortal; she was a noble and needed only social skills to get by. As a vampire, she had little need of any skills. After her awakening, she was so powerful that she had no need of mortal skills. Akasha is too inhuman to have Empathy with anything or anyone and was cruel and selfish even in life. In terms of game play, vampires of this power level are probably best handled as plot devices.

De Lioncourt, Gabrielle Gabrielle came from a prosperous Italian family. She was educated and had traveled to and lived in many cities in

Europe. Then she was married at a young age to Lestat's father, the Marquis d'Auvergne. Gabrielle gave birth to 8 children, but only 3 survived. Out of these sons, the youngest (Lestat) was to become her favorite. She and Lestat shared a special bond: they both were trapped in a place they hated and struggling endlessly to escape.

Gabrielle was cold and uncaring to everyone. She was the only person who was educated in her family and read her books every day, yet lacked the patience to teach her sons to read or write anything. Over the years she was forced to sell two of her heirloom jewels from an Italian grandmother to aid Lestat, the only person she loved and cared for. She lived life through him; he was the male part of her. She suffered a rapidly declining health due to bad winters and multiple childbirths. It eventually developed into tuberculosis.

She funded Lestat's trip to Paris with his friend Nicholas de Lenfent by giving him one of her rings to sell and advising him to hitch a ride on the postal carriage. Lestat became an actor there and was far happier than he ever was back home. He was grateful and loved his mother for all that she had done for him over the years so he sent letters to her telling her about his life in Paris. She encouraged his acting career, which gave him lot of strength. She carefully hid her rapidly declining health to keep him strong.

Lestat was made into a vampire by Magnus, and inherited near-inexhaustible wealth when Magnus killed himself in a bonfire. He repaid those who helped him with gold and indulged in his new-found wealth. To hide the truth from Gabrielle, Lestat told her tales of going to the Bahamas, marrying a rich woman and coming into vast wealth. Intrigued, she went to Paris to see her son before she died. Lestat went to see his mother the second night she was in Paris and tried to hide the truth from her, but she found out upon closer inspection of Lestat's changed appearance that he had become a vampire. When Gabrielle began dying right in front of him, a desperate Lestat made her a vampire.

Lestat was now the maker, parent, and teacher, while Gabrielle became the fledgling, the child and the student. Lestat took her to his tower where they lived happily for months. Things changed when Lestat destroyed the satanic cult headed by Armand, found a theatre and made Nicholas into a vampire. After this, Lestat and Gabrielle went traveling around the world. Gabrielle became increasingly distant and cold to her son. They finally parted in Egypt just after the French Revolution. Gabrielle went into the deep jungles of Africa and Lestat went underground to sleep for 2 years.

Gabrielle was off exploring the world on her own for the next 200 years. She did not reappear until 1985. She was there to help her son fight against Akasha and help save the world. During this time, she developed a slight bond with Marius, but nothing became of it and she drifted away from everyone again. Gabrielle resurfaced for the last time after Memnoch the Devil, in The Vampire Armand while Lestat was in his catatonic sleep.

Nature: Loner; Demeanor: Loner; Spirit: 41; Power Points: 10; Points Per Round: 4; Blood Pool: 20; Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 1, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Virtues: Conscience 4, Self Control 3, Courage 5, Humanity 5, Willpower 8; Talents: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2,

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Intimidation 1, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 2; Skills: Horsemanship 1, Etiquette 3, Music 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3; Knowledge: Bureaucracy 1, Finance 1, Investigation 2, Law 1, Medicine 1, Occult 2, Politics 1; Disciplines: Celerity 2, Auspex 1, Potence 3, Fortitude 3, Protean 2, Obfuscate 1, Presence 3; Merits/Flaws: Common Sense, Fast Learner

Notes: Another playable character. Gabrielle is well read and intelligent, but has yet to develop much concrete knowledge about the world. She understands people well, but does not need them.

De Lioncourt, Lestat (Master of Ennui)Lestat is the seventh son of the marquis d'Auvergne and was born in the 14th Century not 1760, in

Auvergne, France in a castle belonging to his ancestors. Despite his apparent highborn background he grew up in relative poverty; his ancestors squandered the family riches. As the youngest in the family, Lestat stood to inherit nothing.

Perhaps the most pivotal moment in his mortal life was when he was nearly killed by a pack of wolves he was hunting in mountains surrounding Auvergne. He returned home a different person, determined to follow his own path.

He goes into a deep depression about his encounter with the wolves and the meaning of life, and with a friend, Nicolas, he leaves Auvergne and heads for Paris, intending to become an actor. During a performance, he attracted the attention of an ancient vampire named Magnus, who abducted and held him prisoner.

Finding Lestat, Magnus made him a vampire. However, Magnus, weary of life, committed suicide soon after by throwing himself on a huge bonfire, leaving Lestat to fend for himself without any kind of guidance. Lestat found himself heir to nearly inexhaustible wealth, and began an adventure that led him all around the world.

Throughout his long life, Lestat was plagued by common philosophical questions, such as "Are my actions good or bad?", "Is there a God?", "Am I in His plan?", "What happens after death?", "What makes a person happy?" He found himself more in love with humanity than ever before, even if his relationship with mankind was savage. For a while, he saw life as "the Savage Garden", filled with beauty and death.

In the space of only a few centuries, Lestat became one of the most powerful of all vampires, surpassed only by the most ancient ones who age in the millennia. This was in part because the blood he received from Marius, one such ancient, was incredibly powerful, and because he had a relationship with the vampire queen Akasha.

Because of his boldness, Lestat's seniors referred to him affectionately as 'the Brat Prince', a title of which he was very fond. He was very vain and concerned with fashion, and would pause mid-narrative to remind the reader what he was wearing. Sexually ambiguous (and most likely bisexual), he was attracted to whomever most interested him at the time. Most of his early experiences were with male companions. He himself explained this by saying the women in previous centuries simply weren't that interesting. Later in the series, Lestat offhandedly mentions that he is frightened of women and finds them extremely and egregiously distracting.

One such male companion was Louis de Pointe du Lac, a young Creole from New Orleans whom Lestat turned into a vampire in the 18th century in 1791 to be exact. For almost a century, Lestat and Louis lived, traveled, and killed together. Though Louis claimed that Lestat made him into a vampire because Lestat merely wanted his fortune, Lestat refutes these claims in his own book and says it was rather because he fell "fatally in love" with Louis.

Their relationship started badly with mistrust and half-truths, though Lestat gradually came to regard his friend as a kind of student, albeit one who often resisted his "teachings" on killing and living life as a vampire. There was a certain element of feelings implicit in their relationship, but whether it was actually consummated is a matter of debate.

Lestat and Louis "adopted" a young orphan named Claudia in 1795, and Lestat turned her into a vampire over Louis' objections, as to tie Louis to him, who wished to leave Lestat. While Lestat spoiled her and tried to teach her how to become a vampire, it was Louis she truly loved, and ignored Lestat on several occasions, something he resented greatly. In 1860, after 65 years of living together, Claudia struggled with the reality of what she was... an immortal who would never grow into a woman.

She rebelled and tried to kill Lestat by giving him a dead boy who appeared merely unconscious for feeding (in the VCs, vampires cannot drink blood from dead humans or it will carry death), then cutting his throat, and, with the help of Louis, dumping him in a swamp near the Mississippi, after he came back, she tried yet again by burning down the French Quarter house they lived in, horribly disfiguring him. After Claudia and Louis escape Lestat, Armand, the leader of a coven of vampires, briefly takes them under his wing.

In the late 1920s (1988 in the film version), Louis once again discovered Lestat, who was again living in New Orleans in a catatonic state. Louis turned his back on him in pity and disgust. This version of events is again refuted by Lestat, who said that he had no contact with Louis in that era, although he had been visited by Armand around that time. Whatever the truth, Louis and Lestat reunited in the 1980s, only to be caught in the events that are detailed

in The Queen of the Damned.Overall, Lestat tends to be an extreme brat. He tends to gloss over his faults and exaggerate (or make up)

his virtues. This is confirmed in the book The Tale of the Body Thief, where Louis attacks Lestat for constantly claiming in his books that certain events move him to tears. Louis sarcastically remarked that although he knew Lestat for more than two centuries, he did not remember him crying at all.

(at the time he Embraced Louis); Nature: Bon Vivant; Demeanor: Gallant; Spirit: 100; Power Points: 17; Points Per Round: 6; Blood Pool: 25; Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Virtues: Conscience 3, Self Control 3, Courage 5, Humanity 6, Willpower 7;

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Talents: Acting 3, Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Empathy 2, Leadership 2, Streetwise 1, Singing 4; Skills: Horsemanship 1, Etiquette 2, Melee 2, Music 2, Stealth 3, Survival 2; Knowledge: Finance 2, Investigation 3, Law 1, Vampire Lore 2; Disciplines: Celerity 2, Auspex 1, Potence 3, Fortitude 4, Protean 2, Obfuscate 1, Presence 3, Psychokinesis 1; Merits/Flaws: Over Confident, Light Sleeper, Daredevil

(during his association with Akasha); Nature: Cavalier; Demeanor: Gallant; Spirit: 750; Power Points: 82; Points Per Round: 19; Blood Pool: 90; Strength 7, Dexterity 6, Stamina 6, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Virtues: Conscience 4, Self Control 3, Courage 5, Humanity 5, Willpower 9; Talents: Acting 3, Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Empathy 2, Leadership 3, Streetwise 2, Singing 4; Skills: Horsemanship 1, Etiquette 2, Melee 2, Music 2, Stealth 3, Survival 2, Drive 3; Knowledge: Finance 2, Investigation 3, Law 1, Vampire Lore 5; Disciplines: Celerity 5, Auspex 2, Potence 5, Fortitude 7, Protean 8, Obfuscate 3, Presence 9 (Love, Enrage, Mind-numb, Heart of the City), Psychokinesis 5; Merits/Flaws: Over Confident, Light Sleeper, Daredevil

De Point du Lac, LouisLouis de Pointe du Lac was born in France in 1766, to a Roman Catholic family who immigrated to North

America when he was very young. His mother, sister and brother, Paul, lived just outside New Orleans on one of their two indigo plantations, named Pointe du Lac after the family. This was the place where Louis' brother died, after a terrible quarrel with Louis. Louis had always thought that he was to blame and never got over the guilt of his brother's death. He became self-destructive, cynical and desperate, and longed for the release of death, but lacked the courage to commit suicide. He took to frequenting taverns and getting into duels in order that someone might make the decision for him and kill him to end his misery.

It was one of these nights, in a tavern brawl, that he caught the eye of the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, who, "fatally in love" with the tragic Creole planter, appeared to him as an angel and offered him an alternative to his desperate, meaningless life. Lestat, upon seeing for the first time Louis' "fine black hair" and deep green eyes, was completely and immediately seduced not only by Louis's beauty, but also by his seeming lack of regard for life; "He seduced the tenderness in me." Lestat made Louis into a vampire, his immortal companion in 1791, and it was with Louis whom he would live, love, and kill with for nearly a century to come.

However, Lestat was damaged from his own experiences in France and the Old World. He was not as gentle a tutor or as much of a friend as Louis would have liked... one of the central themes in Interview with the Vampire. An example of this is an anguished comment recalled by Louis in his memoir, where he muses: "I was thinking (...) how sublime friendship between

Lestat and me might have been; how few impediments to it there would have been, and how much to be shared." While Louis and Lestat were often at odds with one another, they did eventually form an uneasy sort of truce, with Lestat gradually coming to regard his friend as a kind of soul mate, albeit one who resisted his "teachings" on killing and living life as a vampire. There was a certain element of sexual attraction implicit in their relationship, but whether it was actually consummated is a matter of debate.

Interview with the Vampire details an ersatz familial relationship between Louis, Lestat and a third vampire, Claudia. Louis, in a moment of weakness, feeds from the six year old orphan, and Lestat contrives to make her into a vampire to, in his own words, "bind Louis to (him)". In saving Louis' life by giving him Claudia to love and look after, he destroyed Claudia by forever condemning her to the form of a six-year-old child.

Louis finally found a sort of peace with his "family," he taking the "maternal" role with Claudia, Lestat the paternal, and finding contentment in their family home at Rue Royale. Claudia, however, gradually matured in mind (if not body) and came to hate both of her "parents" for giving her immortality, in her own words, "this hopeless guise, this helpless form". She rebelled against Lestat, attempting to kill him in 1860 and escaped with Louis to the Old World to look for other vampires.

In Paris, the "father" and "daughter" finally found what they were looking for: fifteen vampires who disguised themselves as human mummers at the Theatre des Vampires. However, in the eyes of these vampires, Louis and Claudia are criminals. They had both attempted to kill their maker, Lestat and therefore ought to pay for their crime with their lives. Louis managed to escape death, however, as Lestat who appeared suddenly at the Theatre pleaded for his life.

Louis burned down the Theatre in a rage after Claudia's death and drifted through the world and time with the Theatre's leader, Armand, whom he was in awe of and loved. They separated very late in the 20th century in New Orleans.

In the early 1970s, Louis later claimed to have discovered Lestat in New Orleans, lost in a catatonic state. Louis turned his back on him in pity and disgust. {This was a fabrication by Louis to lead Daniel to Lestat's haunt, on which Lestat remarks in his memoir, "Louis (...) had all but drawn a map and placed an X on the very spot in New Orleans where I slumbered (...) and what his intentions were, were not clear.")

Louis and Lestat were reunited at the end of the novel The Vampire Lestat in 1985 when Lestat was a rock superstar. In the events of The Queen of the Damned, Louis and many other vampires came together at Maharet's house in the Sonoma Compound to fight against Akasha.

At the end of Merrick, one of the Vampire Chronicles, Lestat gave Louis some of his immensely powerful blood (containing the power of some of the oldest and most powerful vampires in the world) to save Louis' life.

Nature: Caregiver; Demeanor: Bon Vivant; Spirit: 24; Power Points: 7; Points Per Round: 2; Blood Pool: 16; Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Virtues: Conscience 4, Self Control 3, Courage 3, Humanity 7, Willpower 6; Talents: Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Dodge 1, Empathy 3, Leadership 1; Skills: Horsemanship 1, Etiquette 3, Music 1, Stealth 2, Survival 1; Knowledge:

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Bureaucracy 2, Finance 3, Investigation 3, Law 2, Medicine 1, Occult 1, Politics 2, Science 1; Disciplines: Celerity 1, Auspex 1, Potence 2, Fortitude 2, Protean 2, Obfuscate 1, Presence 2; Merits/Flaws: Code of Honor, Soft Hearted

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CONN MACEOGAN

That is not dead which may eternal lie, and with strange aeons, even death may die. Original Character Concept: Billy Rowlette, 1993; Revisions: Preston Halcomb, 1993 – 2006; Last Revised 12-12-2006

Conn MacEogan was a member of an order of Druids in Celtic England. One of the Druids discovered a ritual for the creation of mummies. The Druid was, in fact, an ancient Setite vampire, the last of her kind to know the ritual. It was only tried once, and Conn was its recipient. Since then, Conn has grown in power and knowledge. He plays the part of the decadent hedonist through the ages. Today, he is the most public of the mummies, sponsoring world renowned parties on college campuses. He owns houses in Langley, Alexandria, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Berlin, London, Wales and Venice.

Over the years, Conn has amassed a great fortune. This is in part because of his tenacity. He spends time between lives gathering as much Ba as possible. He never misses his yearly parties, occurring on May 7th each year. This Great Party is orchestrated at centers of learning around the world. He has even garnered the respect of the vampires of the Camarilla. He is especially close to Willie Scott, Tremere Primogen of Washington D.C. He spends much of his time at his home in Alexandria.

Conn has a long standing friendship with the Gurahl. He employs one as his Head of Research. Many of the people he employs are kinfolk to the Gurahl or other Changing Breeds. This is especially true of his security staff. All security personnel in his Alexandria house are Gurahl kinfolk. Conn has a number of people who he has confided his secret to. They are his Inner Circle, consisting of a Virtual Adept, a Salubri, a Toreador, a reprogrammed HIT Mark and a Gurahl. These people he has met over the years and helped. Legally, he is married to Jenny, the Salubri healer and has adopted the Virtual Adept Beth.

True Name: Gael MacLlyr; Known: Gaelus Macchius; Current: Conn MacEogan; Birth Year: 1290 bce; First Death: 1263 bce; Affiliation: Independent; Sekhem: 10; Ka: 8; Ba: 7; Willpower: 9; Humanity: 7; Strength 4 (5), Dexterity 5 (7), Stamina 5 (7), Charisma 4 (6), Manipulation 4, Appearance 5 (7), Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 2 (3); Talents: Awareness 4, Brawl 5, Dodge 5, Gymnastics 4, Poetry 3, Seduction 5, Swimming 4; Skills: Archery 3, Begging 2, Drive 4, Etiquette 4, Fast Draw 4, Firearms 5, Meditation 4, Melee 5, Performance 5, Pilot 4, Scribing 3, Singing 5; Knowledges: Astrology 5, Computer 4, Cosmology 4, Enigmas 3, History 5, Linguistics 5, Medicine 4, Mythology 4, Occult 5, Science 4, Thanatology 4; Lore: Changing Breed 4, Kindred 4, Mage 3, Spirit 4, Wyrm 3; Backgrounds: Contacts 8, Fame 4, Influence 5, Journal 5, Resources 7, Status 3, Supernatural 5, Tomb 5; Virtues: Integrity 4, Joy 4, Memory 4; Merits: Clear Sighted, Holdings (10 Locations), Immunity to Alcohol, Iron Will, Nine Lives, Soothing Voice; Flaws: Compulsion for Parties, Compulsion for Sex; Maneuver (Difficulty, Damage): Body Slam (7, Special); Grapple (6, +0); Kick (6, +1); Punch (5, +0); Throw Multiple Opponents (Number of Opponents +4 (Min 6 only when Defending), 5); Wrist Lock (6 (Only When Defending), 5)

Hekau: Alchemy 4, Amulets 5, Celestial 4, Necromancy 3, Ren-Hekau 5; Rituals: Level One - Asking the Trees, Body Preservation, Forgetting the Tree, Grip the Water, Naming the Warning, Potion of Resilience, Simple Elixirs (All), Simple Philters (Love, Courage), Simple Poisons, Simple Tonics, Stormwalk, Weather Magic, Wood Ward; Level Two - Amulet of Cloud Walking, Becoming the Tree, Command the Beast, Lesser Talismans (All), Mend Flesh, Perfume of Longing, Revisit Death, Weather Magic; Level Three - Become Animal, Call the Stars, Command the Thinking, Complex elixirs (Appearance, Charisma, Dexterity, Manipulation, Stamina and Strength), Complex Philters (Love), Complex Poisons, Complex Tonics, Metal Ward, Scarab, Separate Ba, Tears of Isis, Weather Magic; Level Four - Enslave, fortify Flesh, Naming the Body's Destruction, Nature Ward, Potion of Separable Ka, Read the Tree of Life, Weather Magic; Level Five - Buckle of Isis, Greater Talisman (Appearance, Charisma, Dexterity, Manipulation and Stamina), Whispers to My Body

Languages: Bantu, Cherokee, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Japanese, Old Norse, Romany, Russian, Scots Gaelic (Native), Spanish, Welsh (Modern), Welsh Gaelic

Instruments: Drums, Guitar, Lyre, Piano, Violin Effects of Heightened Attributes: Dexterity 7: Two extra actions per turn. Blinding Reflexes; Stamina 7: Two

extra Bruised health levels. Conn is immune to all non-magical diseases and poisons; Charisma 6: Commanding presence. People will actively try to please Conn.; Appearance 7: Everyone sees their own ideal. People may disagree about the character's appearance, other than that it is stunning.

Personal EquipmentBriefcase: Crossbow with 5x Magnification Scope (Diff: Variable, Damage 3), 25 Bolts: 10 Steel Tips, 5 Silver

Tips, 5 Cold Iron Tips, 5 Jade Tips; Daggers (Diff: 4, Damage +1): Cold Iron (Nape of Neck), Silver (Left Forearm), Steel (Right Boot); Fighting Rings (Diff: 6, Damage +1): Cold Iron (Greater Talisman of Dexterity), Jade (Greater Talisman of Stamina), Rowan Ring (Used as a 2 foot long stake when activated), Silver (Lesser Talisman of Strength), Steel (Wood Ward), Platinum (Metal Ward); Firearms: S&W M640 (Left Boot, Diff: 6, Damage 4, Rate 3, Clip 5, Conceal P, Range 12), Glock 17 (Shoulder & Back of Pants Holster, Diff: 6, Damage 4, Rate 4, Clip 31, Conceal J, Range 25); Magical Items: Greater Talisman of Appearance (Tore, right wrist), Greater Talisman of Charisma (Necklace), Lesser Talisman of Manipulation (Earring, right ear), Gurahl Klaive (Diff: 6, Damage +3 aggravated); Miscellaneous Equipment: Binoculars, Body Armor (Class 4, +4 Dice to Soak, -2 Dice to Dex), Katana (Diff: 6, Damage +5), Reinforced Neck Guard (Class 2, +2 Dice to Soak), White Phosphorous Grenades (Diff: Variable, Damage 12 Dice - 1 die per two yards from blast center)

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Permits and Licenses: Central Intelligence Agency Identification, Class 3 Firearms Permit (Concealed Carry and Automatic Weapons Ownership), Credit Cards (Total of $250,000 credit), Driver's License (District of Columbia), Driver's Permit (International), Federal Bureau of Investigations Identification, Firearms Dealer Permit, Interpol Identification, Medical License, Master's Degree in Biology, National Security Agency Identification, Passport, Pilot's License (Commercial and Private), Private Investigator's License

The Mansion (Alexandria, Virginia)Conn's mansion in Alexandria is a testament to his vast fortune and obsession with worldly goods. It is a

large house with many levels both above and below ground. It is located on the grounds of the Chinquapin Park, which Conn purchased from the city of Alexandria. The whole park is now surrounded by a large fence, and is no longer open to the public. Conn holds all his private parties here, as well as the occasional community fundraiser.

The mansion is a gigantic architectural nightmare in and of itself. The walls are made of strong outer material and reinforced inside with armor plating. The house resembles nothing so much as a gigantic castle combined with an antebellum estate. The grounds of the park have been landscaped so that no trees exist within a hundred yards of the house, but the surrounding land is filled with them. Conn's garden is the only hint of large plant growth anywhere near the mansion.

Conn employs an elite group of security personnel to guard the house. The security forces are all Gurahl kinfolk. They retain their racial ability to resist the delirium and have access to Gifts that Conn has helped them to learn. Conn's Head of Research, Forrest Walker, is a Gurahl himself. He has contributed greatly to the training of the security team. All exterior walls of the Mansion are reinforced to provide an armor rating of 6/10. All the interior walls have an armor rating of 6/8. Areas that are highly secured (anything marked secure below, and all of the basement levels) are even better protected. They have an armor rating of 8/12 and are protected by an entry system. This system is a combination of voice recognition and keypad code entry. Security cameras and motion sensors monitor all areas of the mansion. The sensors have a Perception of 10 that is used to detect intrusion. Secure areas have a rating of 15 or better.

Basement (Level Four): The fourth level of the sub-basement is a secured crypt area used for Conn's time in the underworld. The sensors on the intrusion alarms are sensitive, providing a Perception of 20 when activated. The walls are thickly reinforced with heavy armor plating. They have an armor rating of 8/20 and are impregnated with Primium. When in a season of sleep, Conn is guarded by his most elite people, and Jenny uses her powers to communicate with him in the Underworld. Through Magickal rituals and powers, Conn's people help hi to return as quickly as possible from his sleep.

Basement (Level Three): This level of the sub-basement comprises most of the research labs in the complex. It contains laboratories capable of handling chemical and biological research. It has a labs rated at Biosafety Level 3+ for handling dangerous contagious diseases. It also contains a full medical laboratory and treatment center. The equipment here is state of the art, to say the least, and has a few upgrades allowing it to treat the more 'unusual' members of Conn's staff.

Along with the labs, there are some other areas in this level that are of note. There is an extensive private library, comprising the most rare or unusual of the collection that Conn has amassed over the years. This level also contains a high-security complex. It contains the monitors and electronic control systems for the entire complex. It also contains sleeping quarters for u to five people (guards that are on duty). The last part of this level is an ultra-secure holding area. It contains cells that are lined with Primium and reinforced with titanium steel armor. The walls of the cells have an armor rating of 8/17 and are protected by a combination of mechanical and electronic locks. The sensors in the holding cell area are increased to a Perception of 17 with Kirlian cameras to detect spiritual activity in the area.

Basement (Level Two): This level contains most of the storage for 'unusual' items in the complex. It also contains an armory complete with melee weapons and firearms. The main tactical meeting area is also located on this level. The meeting area contains a large table and video monitors. There is enough room to seat twenty people comfortably. This room is connected into the computer network around the house, allowing monitoring of all systems in the complex, as well as full use of the communication systems.

There is a large storage area on this level that Conn uses to store his more sensitive items. Within its walls are a number of magical and ancient items Conn has collected over the years. Boxes and shelves are stacked with enough items to make a Tremere die with envy. Objects of special importance to Conn are stored on another level of the complex, inside his Trophy room.

The armor room is located within a highly secure area of the floor. It contains a large number of ancient suits of armor, as well as many pieces of modern armor. The contents of the armor room are Class I (30, AR 1, Dex -0), Class II (20, 2, -0), Class III (20, 3, -1) Class IV (15, 4, -2) and Class V (10, 6, -3)

The weapons room contains many weapons, all kept in peak operation condition. There are a multitude of ancient weapons Conn has collected over the years, as well as the finest in modern weaponry. Conn has enough resources to conduct a war, and the intelligence to know how to use it to best effect. The contents of the weapons room are as follows. Explosives & Incendiaries: Concussion Grenade (# 500, Difficulty Var, Damage 8 - 1/vard, Rate Dex, Conceal P, Range Str x 10), Fragmentation Grenade (50, Var, 12 - 1 yard, Dex, P, Str x 10), Smoke Grenade (50, Var, 10'x10' cloud, Dex, P, Str x 10), White Phosphorous Grenades (50, Var, 12 – 2 / yard (aggravated), Dex, P, Str x 10); Firearms: Glock 17L (# 20, Difficulty 6, Damage 4, Rate 4, Clip 31, Conceal J, Range 30), Glock 18 (25, 6/7, 4, 4/FA, 31, J, 25), H&K MP-5K (30, 6, 4, 3/FA, 30, J, 35), H&H 700 Nitro Express (10, 6, 10, 2, 2, N, 175), Ithaca M37 Stakeout (10, 4, 8, 2, 5, T, 7), M-14 (15, 7, 8, 3/FA, 20, N, 275), M60 GPMG (3, 7, 8, 5/FA, 100, N, 800), Micro-Uzi (15, 6, 4, 3/FA, 30, J, 25), Sig SGG-3000 Sniper Rifle (5, 7, 7, 2, 5, N, 275), Smith & Wesson M686 (20, 6, 5, 2, 6, J, 30), SPAS-12 Shotgun (15, 6, 8, 3, 8, N, 20); Melee Weapons: Kabar Marine Combat Knife (# 30, Difficulty 4,

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Damage +1, Conceal J), Katana (15, 6, +5, T), Police Baton (15, 6, +2, T); Ranged Weapons: Silver Coated Razor-Wire Bola (# 10, Difficulty 7, Damage 3 + 1/Turn, Conceal T, Range Str x 10), Shuriken (100, Var, +(# used), P, Str x 10)

Basement (Level One): This level of the house consists of Conn's private garage. It includes a secure entrance at the rear of the house from ground level. Entry requires voice and key code entry from the outside, though the door can be opened from the inside without trouble. Contained within the garage are enough tools and spare parts to completely repair any of Conn's special vehicles. The garage is equipped with enough tools and parts to build vehicles from scratch. There is room for about fifteen vehicles, plus Conn's Semi in the underground garage, which extends out beyond the house about five hundred feet.

External Garage: This garage is a normal garage, the one that is used by the residents of the house for their personal vehicles. The building houses approximately ten cars on a normal basis, with a large parking area elsewhere on the property for special events and employees. Note that this area has minimal provisions for the repair of the vehicles that it houses. Equipment and tools can be moved between this area and the underground secure garage by a special tunnel in case they are needed.

First Floor: The first floor consists of the main areas of the house that the public is ever likely to see. It includes a ballroom, dining area, game and recreation room and a library. There are several offices on this floor, as well as a home theatre room contained within the recreation area. The main kitchen is situated off the dining room. Also, an external garden opens directly off the ballroom.

Everything here is suitable for public consumption. Nothing untoward is allowed to go on here, and every egress is heavily monitored by both Magickal and mundane means. The security system on the entrances will alert Conn and his staff to any unwanted entry and will attempt to detect what type of enemy has entered the premises. Roll the Perception of the system against a difficulty of 9 to detect what type of being has entered.

Second Floor: The second floor begins entering Conn's personal domain. It consists mostly of a large library and a well protected and soundproofed shooting range. There are also five bedrooms on this level. Beginning here, security becomes a major issue. The shooting range has a very impressive key coded entry system. The rooms on this level are all monitored by security cameras as well as being swept about once an hour by devices 'borrowed' from the Technocracy. These will detect the presence of Supernatural influence in the area with a Perception roll (9).

Third Floor: The third floor of the mansion contains three bathrooms, three bedrooms and the master bath and bedroom. This floor also contains a complete recording studio that is used by Conn and Kathy Glens. Also located on this floor is a computer room containing terminals linked to the main computers in the subbasement. This room requires an access code to enter. There is also a dojo / workout area for the training of the staff and for the personal use of the residents of the house. The rooms on this level are all monitored by security cameras as well as being swept about once an hour by devices 'borrowed' from the Technocracy. These will detect the presence of Supernatural influence in the area with a Perception roll (9).

Fourth Floor: The fourth floor contains five bedrooms and bathrooms. This floor contains a small kitchen and dining area. It also houses a large home theater room complete with five rows of seats (30 total). Conn has a library of over 10,000 movies in the latest format recording, with more added every day. This floor contains one secure area, the trophy room. This contains many items that Conn has collected over the years. The rooms on this level are monitored by security cameras as well as being swept about once an hour by devices 'borrowed' from the Technocracy. These will detect the presence of Supernatural influence in the area with a Perception roll (9).

Fifth Floor: The fifth floor contains an additional two bathrooms and bedrooms. Conn's inner sanctum and private dueling area also contained here. These two areas are considered secure. The floor also houses a private library containing approximately 30,000 volumes on various subjects of interest to Conn. The rooms on this level are monitored by security cameras as well as being swept about once an hour by devices 'borrowed' from the Technocracy. These will detect the presence of Supernatural influence in the area with a Perception roll (9).

VehiclesDRUID One - Type: 18-Wheel Truck; Safe Speed: 70; Maximum Speed: 110; Maneuver: 8; Brake: 3; Armor

Rating: 8/8 (Light Armored Vehicle) Limousine - Type: Luxury Car; Safe Speed: 70; Maximum Speed: 110; Maneuver: 6; Brake: 2; Armor Rating:

8/10 (Fully Armored Vehicle) Viper Mark IV- This vehicle was designed by a team of experts in Conn's employ. The more mundane

systems were assembled at by O’Gara-Hess and Eisenhardt in Fairfield, Ohio. Beth, Conn's ward, helped design the more advanced components. The vehicle resembles a Dodge Viper, but this is only a cosmetic choice on Beth's part. The outer shell of the car appears light, translucent green. This is because the body is an alloy of titanium and a metal that Mages call Primium. This alloy gives the car an armor rating of 7/10. Also, any direct True Magick affects against the car or its occupants are resisted by three dice of countermagick. Specially bonded Primium in the windows and tires gives them the same protection. Also, the tires contain special run-flat inserts that allow them to hold their shape when punctured. The central control computer in the vehicle is a sentient Trinary computer. This computer has a personality designed to compliment the driver of the vehicle. The vehicle has many built-in sensors which can use its Perception rating to detect many things, from heat to electricity to movement to Magickal energy. The Viper Mark IV has the following stats: Perception 8, Intelligence 3, Wits 2, Safe Speed 120, Max Speed 210, Maneuver 12, Brake 12. The Trinary computer adds two dice to all rolls made to pilot the car. The vehicle may also autopilot itself with a dice pool of three. While not the best of pilot's, the ability of the car to drive itself can prove very useful.

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Multi-Purpose Rounds (12 Gauge)This ammunition was created by Conn to deal with a wide range of supernatural threats. The multi-purpose

rounds (MPR) are meant to be fired from a 12 gauge shotgun. The most immediate combat effect is the fact that they reduce the range of the gun by half. They also reduce the damage of the shot to a three. There are other side effects, however. While not as damaging to a firearm as a phosphorous round, the materials in the MPR will damage a shotgun's barrel. A shotgun can fire about 100 MPR before its barrel becomes damaged by the exotic materials and it can no longer be used. The contents of each MPR are listed below:

Silver Nitrate: Not only does this cause aggravated damage to lupines and other shape-shifters, it is also poisonous in its own right. For two turns after being shot, anyone with silver nitrate in their system will continue to take one health level of soakable damage (not soakable by Garou).

Prayer Beads: Not so much beads as just small pellets of wood, they have been blessed by a priest of at least True Faith level one. If a vampire is struck, he will find his body wracked with pain (-2 dice to all actions) until he can heal himself. If five or more successes are scored on the hit roll, the vampire's heart is hit and he takes one health level of aggravated damage and suffers the pain of a standard hit.

Cold Iron: Chunks of this metal are included in the mix. It will cause aggravated damage to Changelings. Jade: Powdered jade is included to help defeat the defenses of some oriental Kindred. It will cause

aggravated damage to some Kui-jen. White Phosphorous: A small amount of WP is used in the MPR. It will ignite one round after the shot has

fired, doing one die of aggravated damage to most creatures. If a full success is scored to hit, the WP enters the targets body and the target will take one die of aggravated damage per turn for three turns. Difficulty to soak the damage is a 7.

Primium Pellets: Each round contains three small pellets of Primium, a Magickal substance. If a full success is scored (three or more), at least one of the pellets has entered the mages body. This causes aggravated damage and when the mage tries to affect reality his difficulty is increase by one for every pellet in his system. These numbers remain until the pellets are physically removed and the modifiers are cumulative. If hit with enough of them, a mage will be unable to use True Magick until surgical means are used to remove them.

Conn’s Retinue

CHEN, JAMIE (CONN’S ADOPTED DAUGHTER)Kuei-Jin Thrashing Dragon; Strength 5 (8), Dexterity 4(6), Stamina 4(6), Charisma 3(0),

Manipulation 2, Appearance 4(0), Perception 3(4), Intelligence 3, Wits 3 - (stats when Demon Shintai is used); Talents: Alertness 3, Dodge 5, Empathy 2, Expression 5, Subterfuge 2; Skills: Drive 3, Firearms 1, Martial Arts 5, Meditation 5, Melee 4, Portents 3, Stealth 3; Knowledges: Finance 4, Linguistics 3, Occult 2, Rituals 4, Science 3 Backgrounds: Contacts 3, Horoscope 5 (3 or 5), Resources 5, Rites 5; Disciplines: Chi'iu Muh 5, Demon Shintai 5, Equilibrium 3, Flesh Shintai (Dex) 4, Yang Prana 4; Rites: Construct the Dragon Bone Prison (3), Way of the Lone Walker (2); Virtues: Yang 7 (Imbalance), Yin 3, Hun 3 (Visionary), P'o 4 (The Monkey) ; Special: Balance Yang, Dance of the Thrashing Dragon 4, Demon Chi 4, Direction Center, Willpower 8; Attacks: Elbow Strike (5, +1), Grapple (6, Special), Kick (6, +1), Pressure Point (8, +3), Punch (5, +0), Spinning Kick (7, +2), Throw (7, +0), Thunder Kick (8, +3); Demon Form: Reptilian Monkey with a prehensile tail, third eye and a hard scaled hide (+2 Soak Dice). The Demon carries an unholy Katana (6, +5 aggravated) that blazes with dark Chi energy.

GEIGER, ROBERT (COVERT OPERATIONS HEAD)Robert is a former agent of the United States Government. He has been many things in

his life. He began his career in a secret government experiment in psychic powers. Project Nemesis was designed to create psychic warriors for the Army. Robert gained vast psychic powers which eh used for the CIA. This all changed one hot summer in Detroit.

Robert was called to investigate a secret government storehouse in Detroit. Alarms had been triggered indicating the storehouse had been breached. Robert discovered a group of vampires who were squatting there. The undead managed to kill Robert, but this was not the end. Robert separated his spirit from his body and entered the Umbra.

Robert managed to survive the Umbra for many months. Finally, Robert found a new body. He possessed a young Garou in the throes of Harano. Robert used his new body to hunt down his killers. After a brutal fight, Robert was incapacitated. A Gangrel in the group took pity on Robert. The Gangrel took him to a group of Garou that he had a friendly relationship with. Robert was taught the ways of Gaia and his soul found a peace he had never known.

All that changed when Robert was attacked by a group of Sabbat vampires. Robert was drained to the point of death then given the Vinculum. The unexpected happened and Robert was resurrected as an Abomination. Robert took a long trip into the Umbra searching for a cure. He began a long search seeking out clues to Golconda, a state of vampiric Nirvana. He hoped that this would cure him of the Beast. Golconda, however, eluded him Conn found the answer to this dilemma, and Robert found him. Conn used a version of the ritual of Rebirth on Robert. He mummified Robert, and when he awoke he was forever changed. The ritual made him human again, though not truly Mortal. He possessed powers from his previous forms, with very few of the weaknesses. Robert joined Conn as his head of Covert Operations.

Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 5, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 2, Brawl (Kailindo) 5, Dodge 3, Empathy 3, Streetwise 5; Skills: Drive 2, Etiquette 1,

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Firearms 4, Melee 4, Stealth 4, Survival 2; Knowledges: Computer 3, Covert Culture 1, Investigation 5, Linguistics 3, Occult 5; Numina: Astral Form 5, Clairvoyance 3, Pyrokinesis 5, Psychometry 3, Telepathy 4; Disciplines: Auspex 1, Fortitude 1, Obfuscate 1, Potence 1, Quietus 1; Gifts: Sense Wyrm, Shroud; Merits: Kinfolk, Razor Fingers, Regeneration (As Garou); Backgrounds: Allies 4, Favors 5, Influence 2, Rank 1, Resources 3; Special: Willpower 10; Notes: Claws do 5 dice of aggravated damage, and are difficulty 6 to hit. One willpower must be spent to activate them.; Combat Maneuvers: Forceful Wind (Diff 8, Damage +2), Tornado Kick (Diff 7, Damage +2)

GLENS, KATHY (GOLCONDIC TOREADOR BARD)10th Generation Toreador; Strength 3, Dexterity 6, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3,

Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 5; Talents: Brawl 6, Creativity 6, Dodge 5, Empathy 5, Gymnastics 3, Leadership 4, Seduction 4, Swimming 1; Skills: Archery 1, Drive 3, Etiquette 4, Firearms 4, Melee 6, Music 8, Repair 4, Scribing 1, Singing 2; Knowledges: Area Knowledge: Chicago 3, Computer 2, History 4, Linguistics 3 (English, French, Japanese, Spanish, Welsh), Medicine 2, Music Trivia 5, Occult 4; Disciplines: Auspex 4, Celerity 7, Fortitude 5, Obeah 3, Potence 3, Presence 5; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Fame 2, Resources 4; Virtues: Conscience 5, Self-Control 5, Courage 5; Special: Willpower 9, Humanity 10, Blood Pool 13; Notes: Kathy's high stats are the result of her status in Golconda. She has no trait limits, and only needs to spend one blood point per week to sustain her. She also isn't susceptible to Frenzy.

HARMON, SEAN (CONN'S SECURITY SUPERVISOR)Kinfolk; Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2,

Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Dodge 5, intimidation 4, Streetwise 2; Skills: Animal Ken 3, Drive 4, Etiquette 3, Firearms 4, Leadership 4, Melee 4, Security 4, Stealth 3; Knowledges: Bureaucracy 2, Computer 3, Investigation 3, Law 2, Linguistics 1 (English, Welsh), Medicine 4, Occult 3; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 4, Resources 4;Gifts: Mother's Touch, Scent of the True Form, Sense Wyrm; Merits: Kinfolk (Gurahl); Equipment: Metal Ward, Wood Ward

MACEOGAN, BETH (CONN'S WARD)Elizabeta "Beth" MacEogan was adopted by Conn when she was a small child. Beth had suffered a spinal

cord injury at birth that left her paralyzed from the waist down. Conn provided everything he could to make her life better. She is, to this day, his most cherished person.

As a child, Beth became interested in computers and electronics. At the age of fifteen, Beth met a friend online. Her friend, Hyperion, told her many things about hackers, technology and a 'mythical' thought police. Beth slowly became more in tune with her own self, and with Hyperion's help, she awoke her Avatar. With that epiphany, Beth became the newest member of the Virtual Adept Tradition.

Beth's greatest triumph involved her adopted father. When Beth was eighteen, Conn participated in a raid of a Technocracy construct. The group found an experimental form of cybernetic enhancements. With the help of her Mage contacts, Beth retrofitted these devices and created biomechanical legs for herself. These legs are prone to system failures due to Paradox, however. The legs normally have Strength of 2, but with an Arete (6) roll, Beth can increase this.

Each success adds one point of Strength for one hour. The difficulty for this roll is always 6. Thus, if she gets three successes on her Arete roll, her legs' Strength becomes five for three hours. If she botches her roll, the leg's Strength goes to 1 for one hour, and the signals become garbled so it is hard for her to walk.

Beth wears four amulets designed for her by Conn. Two rings made of silver and pale jade act as a Metal Ward and a Wood Ward, respectively. A bracelet made of bronze on her right wrist is an Amulet of Strength +2. A silver necklace acts as an Amulet of Stamina +2. These amulets will not work for anyone except Beth.

Virtual Adept; Strength 2 (4), Dexterity 3, Stamina 3 (5), Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 2; Talents: Alertness 5, Awareness 3, Brawl 4, Intuition 3, Seduction 2, Streetwise 2; Skills: Firearms 3, Meditation 1, Repair 3, Research 4, Survival 3, Technology 5; Knowledges: Computer 5, Electronics 5, Enigmas 4, Hacking 5, Linguistics 3 (English, French, Latin, Spanish, Welsh), Occult 5, Science 3; Spheres: Correspondence 4, Entropy 1, Forces 3, Life 3, Matter 2, Prime 3, Time 1; Backgrounds: Avatar 3, Dream 2, Library 4, Resources 5, Sanctum 4; Special: Willpower 10, Arete 5, Essence Questing, Paradox 2 (minimum), Quintessence 15

MACEOGAN, JENNY (HEALER & CONN'S WIFE)6th Generation Salubri; Strength 2, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception

6, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Acting 5, Alertness 2, Art 2, Brawl 4, Dodge 5, Empathy 5, Masquerade 3, Seduction 5; Skills: Animal Ken 2, Archery 5, Dancing 4, Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Meditation 3, Melee 4, Music 2, Stealth 3; Knowledges: Biology 3, Clan Knowledge: Salubri 4, Linguistics 2 (English, Spanish, Welsh), Medicine 5, Naturalist 3, Occult 5, Psychology 3, Science 2; Disciplines: Auspex 7, Fortitude 7, Obeah 7, Potence 3, Presence 2; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 3, Fame 2, Resources 5; Virtues: Conscience 5, Self-Control 5, Courage 5; Special: Willpower 10, Humanity 10, Generation 6, Blood Pool 30 Notes: Jenny's high stats are the result of her Generation and her status in Golconda. She has no trait limits, and only needs to spend one blood point per week to sustain her. She also isn't susceptible to Frenzy.

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MANOI-MACEOGAN, ELANN (CONN'S GHOSTLY LOVER)Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 4, Perception 3, Intelligence 4,

Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 2, Awareness 4, Brawl 3, Dodge 5, Empathy 5, Expression 3, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Crafts 1, Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Meditation 4, Melee 3, Performance 3, Stealth 2; Knowledges: Enigmas 4, Investigation 3, Linguistics 4 (English, French, German, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Russian, Scots Gaelic, Spanish, Welsh (Modern)), Medicine 1, Occult 4; Arcanoi: Argos 4, Embody 5, Fatalism 2, Keening 3, Moliate 2, Outrage 4; Backgrounds: Allies 1, Artifact 3, Contacts 3, Eidolon 3, Haunt 5, Legacy 1, Memoriam 4; Passions: Help Conn (Hope 5), Protect Conn's 'Family' (Duty) 5; Fetters: Conn MacEogan 5, A Golden Torc 5, Conn's Mansion 5; Special: Willpower 9, Pathos 10

Shadow: Archetype Leech; Angst 4; Dark Passions: Destroy Conn (Hate) 4, Use Passion for Pain (Lust) 4; Thorns: Bad Luck, Death's Sigil 3, Freudian Slip

MARIE, CATHERINE (DAUGHTER OF HAQIM)Player: Sharon Brewer-Rowlette; 9th Generation Assamite; Str 2, Dex 3, Sta 3, Cha 4,

Man 4, App 4, Per 2, Int 2, Wits 2; Abilities: Dodge 3, Empathy 3, Firearms 3, Mimicry 3, Music 3, Occult 3, Public Speaking 3, Science 3, Scrounging 3, Singing 3; Disciplines: Fortitude 1, Melpominee 3, Obfuscate 1, Presence 1, Quietus 1; Backgrounds: Herd 1, Resources 3, Retainers 4; Flaws: Hatred (Conn MacEogan and Osiris), Notoriety, Vengeance; Virtues: Conscience 3, Courage 4, Self Control 3, Humanity 4, Willpower 6

PEACE, MARK (CONN'S HEAD OF SECURITY)Modified HIT Mark NT-1; Strength 4, Dexterity 5, Stamina 6, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception

4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Dodge 4, Mimic 5; Skills: Drive 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms 6, Leadership 3, Melee 4, Research 3, Security 5, Survival 5, Technology 5; Knowledges: Computer 4, Cosmology 1, Cultures 3, Enigmas 3, Investigation 3, Law 3, Linguistics 3 (English, French, German, Latin, Welsh), Medicine 3, Science 3; Notes: By rolling Intelligence + Mimic (6), Mark can shape shift into anything of equal mass. He can even imitate other people, and moving objects. Mark regenerates one Health Level per turn until destroyed. He can also form weapons with his body and create other offensive attacks, listed below. Blades (Difficulty 6, Damage 7); Shock-Touch (Difficulty 6, Damage 4)

WALKER, FORREST (CONN'S RESEARCH HEAD)Forest Walker (Black Bear) Ursine Rishi (The Half Moon) Gurhal; Strength 4 (7, 9, 8, 7), Dexterity 5 (5, 4, 3, 5),

Stamina 5 (8, 10, 9, 8), Charisma 2, Manipulation 4 (2, 1, 1, 1), Appearance 3 (1, 0, 3, 3), Perception 5(6, 4, 7, 7), Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Brawl 5, Dodge 2, Empathy 4, Intimidation 5, Primal-Urge 5, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Animal Ken 4, Drive 4, Etiquette 3, Firearms 5, Melee 5, Performance 3 (Storytelling), Repair 3, Stealth 5, Survival 5; Knowledges: Computer 1, Enigmas 5, Investigation 5, Linguistics 2 (English, Spanish, Welsh), Medicine 5, Occult 5, Rituals 5, Science 4; Backgrounds: Allies 3, Contacts 5, Resources 5, Rites 5; Merits: Huge Size, Umbral Affinity; Special: Willpower 10, Rage 5, Gnosis 8, Honor 3, Succor 3, Wisdom 2; Gifts: All as needed Rites: All as needed, plus enhanced Rite of the Long Sleep; Form Difficulty: Homid 6, Arthen (Glabro) 7, Crinos 6, Bjornen (Hispo) 7, Ursus 6

WAYNE, LOGAN (AU CRUSADER)Dark Claw is a combination of Wolverine and Batman who exists only in the temporary Amalgam Universe

created when the DC and Marvel Universes combine. At the age of 5, after witnessing his parents' murder at the hands of an armed robber, Logan Wayne was sent to live with his uncle in Alberta, Canada. His uncle was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and was ambushed and murdered by poachers a short time after his arrival in Canada. After the death of his uncle, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police sent Logan to live in a home run by nuns and as soon as he was old enough, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, landing in the same outfit as Creed H. Quinn.Both Logan and Creed were submitted to the Weapon X project, the Canadian Super-Soldier program. It was here that Logan had adamantium bonded to his bones and he learned of his metamutant nature. Throughout the course of the project, the other subject, Quinn, became increasingly insane and would later become Dark Claw’s most dangerous foe, the Hyena.

The Weapon X project was terminated due to its dual failure: Logan was ineffective as a weapon because he possessed a conscience, and Creed was criminally insane. The files were deleted and the existence of the program was utterly expunged with the exception of a few fragments of notes by a Professor Carter Nichols later uncovered by the Huntress.

After the collapse of the Weapon X program, Logan decided to fight crime to avenge his parents’ death. He spent years traveling the world, training himself to intellectual and physical perfection and learning a variety of crime-fighting skills, including criminology, forensics, martial arts, gymnastics, and disguise. Beyond academia, Logan acquired more "practical" skills. While abroad, Logan learned all 127 major styles of combat, from Aikido to Yaw-Yan. Frenchman Henri Ducard made him an apprentice in man hunting. The Ninja Clan Yoshinda schooled Logan in stealth and the ways of the shadow warrior. African Bushmen taught hunting techniques, while Nepalese monks revealed healing arts. He even studied ventriloquism from practitioners of the art.

To the world at large, Logan is an irresponsible, superficial playboy artist who lives off his family's personal fortune and the profits off the sales of his paintings. Logan guards his secret identity well, as only his sidekick

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Sparrow (a combination of DC's Robin and Marvel's Jubilee) and the Huntress know of his superhero alter-ego. However, his arch-nemesis, the Hyena (A combination of the Joker and Sabretooth), also knows his secret as he was also a part of the Weapon X program which gave Dark Claw his adamantium skeleton and awakened his latent metamutant powers. Dark Claw also uses the name "Patch Malone" when going undercover; a combination of Wolverine's occasional disguise as the eye patched "Patch", and Batman's undercover identity of "Matches Malone".

Dark Claw's base of operations, while solo, is New Gotham City, a fictional city modeled primarily after the Marvel Universe’s New York City and the DC Universe’s Gotham City. New Gotham City is specifically altered to emphasize the "dark side" of an urban environment.

Dark Claw is a metamutant with a number of both natural and artificial enhancements to his physiology. Dark Claw possesses a "healing factor" which allows his cells to regenerate damage within minutes or even seconds. This ability extends to his nervous system as well as his smaller bodily organs, like his eyes. This ability also gives him immunity to most diseases, poisons, and drugs, as well as a limited immunity to fatigue. Like Wolverine, the healing factor presumably slows down his aging.

Dark Claw also possesses superhumanly acute senses, enabling him to see and hear distant objects more clearly than a normal human, and identify and track someone by scent. Dark Claw’s physical appearance displays number of animal-like mutations, including a set of fang-like canines among his teeth, and more famously, six slightly curved retractable claws housed within his forearms, which he can release from beneath his knuckles.

Dark Claw’s skeleton, including his claws, have been laced with the indestructible metal adamantium, rendering his bones unbreakable. Due to the adamantium, the limiting factor on what his claws can cut through is his own strength, rather than the resiliency of the claws. The adamantium interferes with his bones' ability to produce red blood cells, but is compensated by his healing factor.

Dark Claw has extraordinary hand to hand combat ability, and, alongside Super-Soldier is considered one of the finest combatants on Earth. He can use most weapons, long or close-range, and is an accomplished pilot. Dark Claw is extremely well trained in espionage and covert operations due to the training he received in the Weapon X program. He is also a brilliant tactician and master of all 127 major martial arts. Dark Claw is considered to be the Sherlock Holmes of the Amalgam universe and has Batman's genius-level IQ alongside Wolverine’s animal instincts. Dark Claw's major mode of transportation is his stealth-like helicopter the "Claw-Copter" which is mostly piloted by his sidekick, Sparrow.

Dark Claw's costume is a mixture of Wolverine’s yellow and blue and Batman’s traditional dark scallop hemmed cape version. The cowl on this costume takes its shape from Wolverine, but incorporates the fangs and bone structure of a bat's face along with its wings going up the cowl. The latter part of the mask was taken, in part, from a design for an alternate Batman costume seen in the one shot book Batman: KnightGallery. Assume that Logan has any equipment listed under Bruce Wayne in this entry, though he may not have access to all of it after his dimensional jaunt.

Alter ego: Logan Wayne; Team Affiliations: Judgment League Avengers; Notable Aliases: The Taloned Avenger, The Clawed Crusader, Patch Malone; Quantum 5; Quantum Pool 75 (Regenerate every 15 minutes); Willpower 10; Taint 4; Strength 5, Dexterity 5, Stamina 5 (5, Durability, Hardbody, Regeneration), Perception 5 (1, Bloodhound, Hyper Enhanced Hearing), Intelligence 5 (1, Enhanced Memory), Wits 5 (1, Quickness), Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3; Skills: Academics 3, Awareness 5, Arts 3, Athletics 5, Biz 3, Brawl 5, Bureaucracy 4, Command 4, Computer 3, Drive 4, Endurance 5, Engineering 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms 4, Interrogation 3, Intimidation 5, Intrusion 4, Investigation 5, Legerdemain 4, Linguistics 5, Martial Arts 5, Medicine 3, Melee 5, Might 4, Perform 3, Pilot 4, Rapport 4, Resistance 5, Science 2, Stealth 5, Streetwise 3, Style 5, Subterfuge 4, Survival 5; Backgrounds: Allies 5, Backing 5, Cipher 4, Contacts 5, Dormancy 2, Followers 4, Influence 4, Node 3, Resources 6; Merits: Concentration, Devotion, High Pain Tolerance, Quantum Recovery 3, Taint Resistant; Flaws: Enemy (Rogues Gallery), Intolerance (Criminals), Secret Identity (5), Vengeful; Quantum Powers: Armor 5 (Primium Skeleton), Claws 5 (Strength +7 Damage aggravated due to Primium coating), Innate Countermagick (Primium Skeleton) 2 dice, Quantum Regeneration 5; Soak: Bashing 25, Lethal 20, (Healing rates are seven times better than any normal human’s. Lifespan 250+ years. Dice pool penalties reduced by five. Three Extra Bruised Health.)

SECURITY OFFICERS (DC)Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2,

Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 3, Dodge 4; Skills: Drive 2, Firearms 3, Melee 3, Security 3, Stealth 2; Knowledges: Computer 2, Investigation 2, Law 1, Linguistics 1 (English, Welsh), Medicine 2, Occult 2; Backgrounds: Allies 1, Contacts 2, Resources 3; Gifts: Scent of the True Form; Merits: Kinfolk (Gurahl); Equipment: Metal Ward

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IMMORTALS

Highlander: The Gathering Rules"Sit down, lad, and listen. I know that you have many questions about what has happened to you, and,

probably about me as well..."Aye, I know all about what happened - the car crash, and how you woke up to find yourself lying in the

hospital's morgue, your wounds gone, as if they were never there, and you're walking around as if nothing happened. You did the smart thing, running away like that... If you'd stayed, they'd never have left you alone, running tests and such stuff. As it is, you are officially dead. 'Tis better that way, son, both for you and those you knew... You see, we're not like them. You were, but you're not anymore. Yes, I know you don't understand! Just listen, and be still! This is hard enough to explain without you interrupting every second minute!

"Before you 'died', you were just like any other man... You could be wounded, you grew older every year, you needed to go see the doctor when you were sick. Just like any normal person. Except for one thing. You had inside you a spark of life bigger and brighter that anyone else's. All that's changed now - when you 'died', that spark burst into flame, and it's power and strength cured your wounds, and brought you back to life. I know it sounds weird, but just trust me, ok? Who else you gonna listen to?

"The Quickening is the name given to that flame that burns inside of you. It could be described as your life force. Every living thing has this force inside of them, and it ties them together, heals their wounds, keeps them alive. However, it can be extinguished all too easily. When a man's life force dies, he dies with it. When you were wounded in the car crash, your life force was pushed down to no more than a tiny spark, and you appeared dead to the medics... Then it exploded, and grew, until it was bigger than any mortal man's. A million times more powerful. So powerful that it can heal wounds that would kill any mortal man. So powerful, it could bring you back from the very brink of death.

"Aye, I said 'mortal man', son. Why? For the simple reason that you are not mortal anymore, son. Neither am I. The same thing happened to me as happened to you - I was killed and reawoke again.. Here, take this sword, and draw it across my arm. Go on! Do it! Good and deep! Don't worry about me...

"Now see this wound? What would you normally do if you got a wound like this? Go to the hospital or some such thing, and get stitches and a massive bandage. Am I right? Well, watch... Already, the blood's stopped flowing. In a few minutes, it'll begin to heal, and before the end of the day, you'd never know I'd been hurt at all. Why? It's the Quickening! The same thing would happen if I got shot, or if I was burnt. It works the same way with you as well! Your Quickening healed the wounds you sustained in the car crash...

"I don't know why it happens. It just does... I'm not an expert - I'm just like you - I was living a normal life, until I was killed in battle against a raiding party of Vikings. Aye, Vikings, son... No, I'm not from Scandinavia, I'm from Ireland. I was born at a place called Brugh na Boinne, near the Hill of Tara, in the Kingdom of Midhe, in Ireland. I was taught all this, just as I am teaching you, by a man called Liam Mac Dara... He was well over three thousand years old by the time I met him.

"Now? He's dead... Aye, I know I said we're immortal, but there is one way we can die - If your head is removed from your body, you'll die. Now, listen carefully, because this is the most important part. You asked me why I carry a sword. I'll tell you. When one immortal kills another, by beheading his opponent, the defeated immortal's Quickening flows into the victor, and he become more powerful. All the dead immortal's strength, power, knowledge and experience transfers itself into the one who beheaded him. That's what happened to Liam Mac Dara. He was killed in France, by a German immortal, who I killed two hundred years ago.

"I don't know precisely what it is... Some say that the winner of the Prize would become a God. Some say it would mean the end of the world. One thing that is certain - the winner of the Prize would have all of the immortal Quickening that ever existed, and would be powerful beyond belief. He would have all the strength, knowledge and experience of every immortal that ever lived. So, down through the ages, immortals have been fighting each other, looking forward to the day of the Gathering, when a few of us shall remain, and we'll come together in one place to fight each other for the Prize. The time of the Gathering draws near, and you must prepare yourself to fight other immortals, many of whom will have hundreds of years experience.

"How many of us? I don't know... Perhaps one man in a million is born an immortal, perhaps even less. We come from every race, creed, religion, and region. The Quickening doesn't seem to discriminate between black, white, or, indeed, any other skin-color. I have fought and killed immortals from Europe, China, and South America.

"I have also fought other creatures."We are not alone in being different from mortal man in this world of darkness. There are other

supernatural creatures, who you shall meet in the course of your life. I have lived among the Garou a lot - Werewolves, shapeshifters... Both man and wolf, or a mix of both.. Ferocious creatures... There are other shapeshifters as well - the Corax, who could be described as were-ravens, the Bagheera, werecats, and many others... None are as common as the Garou, though, and all are mortal, and age and die naturally, although they are much more robust than mortal men, and can heal faster then normal, though not as fast as we can. But there are others who can live for as long as we can; the Kindred, for instance - Vampires, are they, undead creatures who must drink the blood of mortals to survive. They can live for many centuries. They do not age, but they can die from normal wounds, even though, like the Garou, they heal at an advanced rate. There are Magi, who wield Magick, twisting reality with their incantations and spells. There are faeries, ghosts, Spirits, I've been told, and evil, horrible things from places other than this Earth of ours. You may encounter them, as you travel. Most will be either friendly, like many of the Garou, or simply neutral, unless you enroach upon their turf... But other will try to kill you. It is truly a World of Darkness we live in, with many secrets that are hidden from mortal man. Of all these

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supernatural creatures, we are the least common, and, some would say, the most powerful, as all the rest can either grow old, or die normally. A two-thousand year old Vampire will still die if you burn it, whereas I have heard of an immortal, who, accused of being a witch, was burnt at the stake, and survived. Just remember that, no matter how badly wounded you are, you will always totally recover, without scars or permanent injury, but remember that if you are lying unconscious, or unable to move, it can be very easy for someone to come along and take your head.

"Ah, whisht, lad! So many questions! You'll get your answers in time... You'll have to learn all you can about this world, and the creatures you'll encounter. You'll have to learn how to live without drawing attention to yourself. You'll have to learn how to hide your immortality from normal people. I'll teach you everything I can, and then I'll have to leave you. But the most important thing you'll ever learn is how to fight. All immortals fight using swords, although I met one who uses an axe. Aye, uses. He's still alive, and is my friend. He saved me from a group of Hunters once. The Hunters are a group of mortals who wish to kill us all off. They capture immortals and behead them, allowing their Quickening to disperse into the ether.

"You'll have to learn how to use a sword, for that is the only way you can defend yourself, and it's the only way you can defeat other immortals. You can't cut a man's head off with the barrel of a gun, you know. I was given this sword by Liam Mac Dara. It is thousands of years old, crafted by blacksmith magicians over five thousand years ago. It's a silver Celtic longsword, and is a part of me. Get that bundle from over there. Bring it here, lad...

"This is an English Broadsword, crafted from steel in the middle ages. I took it from an immortal I killed in London almost a hundred years ago. Take it. It's yours. Make it part of yourself, an extension of your body. And extra limb. When you do that, it will become part of you to such an extent that your Quickening will embrace it as part of you and make it stronger. Feel it's weight. Swing it around a bit, get used to the feel of the blade... That's it...

"Before we start, there is one thing I must tell you. We have certain traditions - laws, if you want to call them that... No immortal will ever break them, for they are practical, and have a sound reason for existing. The Golden Rule is this: We must never fight on holy ground. None of us will break that rule. And holy ground means more than just churches and the like. The spiritual places of the Garou, and the sites of Mage's magical sites have the same effect. Don't worry, though. You'll be able to tell when you are standing on holy ground. Much the same way as you'll be able to know other immortals. Remember you were dizzy when you first saw me? That's the way we sense others of our own kind. You'll feel it everytime you're in the same vicinity as another immortal. You're feeling it right now, are you not, except that it's been suppressed because of the amount of time we've spent together. Well, if another immortal came near us, you'd get another buzz, and you'd know that there was one nearby.

"Well, enough talk! It's time for you to learn something other than theory. Come on, let's teach you the art of swordsmanship! Without it, you won't last long. Before long, you'll have to face immortals with hundreds, even thousands of years experience. To survive, you'll have to defeat them in battle. If you don't kill them, they'll kill you. The Prize awaits one of us, and the Gathering draws near..."

Foreword"With my sword and my head held high, Got to pass the test first time..." - QueenThis version of 'Highlander: The Gathering' is a slightly updated and edited version of the Second Edition

hat I've cobbled together especially for EuropeanGenCon'95. It includes some of the stuff that will eventually make it's way into the Third Edition, which will include a cosmology for the Immortals (ie. where they come from), plus expanded background, and may include LRP rules that will enable Mind's Eye Theatre players to play Immortals.

However, we're not sure whether or not we'll actually do a Third Edition, as the copyright owners, Panzer and Davis, recently asked Hank Driskill to not release any more editions of H:tG, and to consult with Thunder Castle Games on the design of the official Highlander Roleplaying game. So, at the moment, everything's up in the air.

However, in the meantime, enjoy these rules, and please do get back to me, by mail or email, telling me what you think of them, along with any ideas you might have. Remember - we're not some huge, remote, impersonal games company; we're just a pair of guys who like doing Highlander/Storyteller crossovers, whose rules happened to become very popular. :) - John

'Highlander: The Gathering' (the Rules) is copyright of Hank Driskill and John Gavigan. You may download and print one copy only of these rules out for use in your own games only. You may not redistribute these Rules without the permission of the authors - this means that you may not make extra copes of these Rules, whether as an electronic file, hard copy or any other format, to pass onto anyone else, without the permission of the authors. Doing so is breach of copyright. If you wish to repost these Rules, create a mirror of this web site, or utilise these rules in an online game (this includes, but is not restricted to MUSHes and MUDs), you should request permission from the authors.

To do otherwise is a breach of copyright, and is against the law.Any and all copies of these Rules you do download, store, print out or repost, must remain in their original

state, with this Copyright Declaration included with every part of the Rules.The use of the "Highlander" name and quotes from the series and film Highlander in these Rules is not a

challenge to the ownership of the rights to the Highlander movie, nor of the ownership of the rights to the Highlander television series by Rysher Entertainment. Nor is the use of the name "Highlander" a challenge to the rights of Thunder Castle Games, Inc. to publish the Official Highlander Trading Card Game and the Official Highlander Role Playing Game.

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The pictures in this Rules are from the film Highlander and the Highlander TV series, and are reproduced here without the consent of the owners of either the film or series. The Storyteller series of Roleplaying games is published by White Wolf Inc. and the use of their trademarks in these Rules is without their permission.

There Can Be Only One! . . . . . . © 1994 by Hank Driskill & John Gavigan

Introduction"In the end, there can be only one." - RamirezImmortals seem to appear at random from the human population. One in a million perhaps, maybe less.

They are born of humans, raised as human, and (to most) appear quite human. They age, living a normal life, until they first are killed. Then, they miraculously recover, and begin their lives as immortals. Immortals cannot have children. They do not age, and do not get sick. They cannot drown, or die from any conventional injury: they will always recover, no matter how severe the damage (in the series, it was mentioned that one immortal was burned at the stake, and recovered from it). The only way for them to die is to have their head removed from their body.

Down through the ages, a legend has been passed from mouth to mouth - that of the Prize. The legend says that at a time when the number of immortals in the world grows small, the remaining immortals shall feel an urge to travel to a far-away land, where they shall fight until only one remains. The final survivor shall win the Prize. No one knows exactly what this Prize is, but to win it is the goal of every immortal, as it is assumed that the person who wins it would be, in effect, a god.

The term Quickening refers to the lifeforce of an immortal. It is the sum of all his knowledge and power, all of his strength and experience. It is a life force so strong that it keeps the immortal from aging and heals his wounds at an advanced-speed. Quickening is what the immortals fight for: when they fight, they fight to literally absorb their opponent's lifeforce into themselves, thus making themselves more powerful.

Before we can discuss the creation of immortals as characters, we must decide what Quickening means, and how to represent it in the Storyteller system. It shall be discussed in depth later on, but, for now, a simple explanation will suffice.

Quickening in the World of Darkness"The sensation you're feeling, is the Quickening." - RamirezQuickening is the power of an immortal and represents their life force. In the Storyteller system, all living

things have a Pattern whioch defines their very being. In immortals, this Pattern is more tightly woven than with other living beings. The Quickening is therefore also similar to Quintessence, the magical "raw power" that fuels Patterns and also is used by Mages to do their magick. Only when they die is their Quickening released. Mages cannot pull Quickening from an immortal, nor can they alter an immortal's Pattern in any way. Without their Quickening, an immortal is nothing. It is what keeps them alive. The total loss of Quickening is directly related to death. When an immortal dies, it is not because his head is no longer attached to his shoulders - it is because he has lost his Quickening - his life force.

Mages hold Quintessence within their bodies because of their Avatar. To the supernaturally-trained eye, immortals will often be confused with Mages: they have an excess of raw energy within them. The Garou likewise store mystical energy within them, according to their Gnosis. Immortals are therefore occasionally mistaken for Garou as well. Unlike Garou or Mages, however, immortals do not "spend" their Quickening, it is a permanent part of them.

In the Storyteller system, we keep track of the "power" of an immortal with an attribute called (surprisingly enough) Quickening. Much like Vampiric disciplines, Garou gifts, or a Mage's spheres, Quickening allows immortals to perform superhuman feats. The higher the immortal's Quickening, the more abilities he has and the more powerful he becomes. Quickening is a "catch-all" attribute, and has many powers associated with it, not all of which are related.

Gaining Quickening"If your head comes away from your neck, it's over."- RamirezUnlike Vampires, Garou, or Mages, there is only one way for an immortal to gain Quickening: through

fighting and killing another immortal. This makes it more difficult for them to increase in power, as time alone does not make them more powerful. As you will see in Chapters Two and Three, they receive compensation for this limitation.

When two immortals fight, their Quickening becomes "loosened" somewhat, as the combatants focus all their energies on the duel. When one wins the battle (by removing the other's head), he absorbs the Quickening of the loser, gaining the loser's power and knowledge. However, a small part of his opponent's Quickening escapes, and this, combined with the paradox caused by the transfer of Quickening, haoc on the surrounding area, causing the explosions, lightning, etc. associated with duels between immortals.

When an immortal emerges victorious, slaying another, he absorbs most, but not all of his opponent's Quickening. The excess Quickening is released into the ether, where it is, in effect, raw power. The most common manner in which power exists and is channeled on our planet is as electricity. Therefore, usually (but not always), the released Quickening will find that the easiest way for it to disperse is to transform into electricity, and disperse through conducting materials in the vicinity. This results in massive overloads, which cause the explosions, lightning, etc. associated with duels between immortals.

The Rules"Holy ground, Highlander! Remember what Ramirez taught you!" - Kurgan

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The immortals have rules of engagement: these rules are traditions, with a basis in common sense, and all immortals follow them. These rules are each based around Quickening, and the gain and loss thereof.

The Golden Rule for immortals is that they must never fight on Holy Ground. None will violate this rule, for they have too much to lose. Thus, Holy Ground can become a haven or sanctuary for immortals; a place where they retreat when faced with an impossible opponent. It is not known precisely why this is - it is known that it is physically possible for immortals to fight one another while on Holy Ground, but no immortal has ever beheaded another in such a duel. Some say that the earth itself will not allow the death of an immortal, and that an immortal who attempted to behead another would be swallowed up by the earth, although this seems strange when one considers that mortals can be killed freely on Holy Ground. Another theory is that, were an immortal's Quickening to be released on Holy Ground, it would be absorbed into the earth itself, instead of passing to the vistor.

But, what exactly is "Holy Ground? Obviously, churches and graveyards fall under this description, but so also do Buddhist shrines, ancient sacred sites and the caerns of the Garou. It is safe to say that any site which would be considered to be a Node by a Mage is holy ground to an immortal. This includes many sites which would not normally be considered holy or sacred, such as haunted houses and occult libraries. Luckily, immortals automatically sense whether they are standing on holy ground or not, as they experience a sensation similar to that which they experience upon encountering another immortal.

The second of the two main rules is that the immortals always fight one on one. Why is this? A pair of immortals, with their centuries of experience, could work quite effectively together to whittle down the "surplus population", as it were. Why do they not team up? In the first episode of the series, Connor and Duncan (who are friends and even Clansmen) refused to team up to battle the decidedly evil Slan Quince...

The answer to this riddle comes from the way the Quickening transfers itself upon it's release - If two immortals are present, and there are no other factors involved (such as being on holy ground), the Quickening will transfer into the person who actually took the dead immortal's head. In one episode in the series, Duncan duelled with another immortal, but Amanda stepped in at the last moment and took the other immortal's head, thus gaining the Quickening.

Thus, if two immortals battle an enemy, only one of them will receive the Quickening from the battle. Not only will they receive their own Quickening, and that of the loser, but also a fraction of their ally's. This stealing of an ally's knowledge and power is not a pleasant thing for the ally, to say the least, and is therefore something that no immortal desires. Hence, the rule "always fight one on one" has developed.

These are the only two real rules. Evil immortals will stop at nothing else to gain Quickening: friends and loved ones are often pulled in as pawns in the battles, as are helpless innocents who have nothing to do with the Gathering... no one is truly safe, although it is only a particularly evil immortal who would take the head of a new immortal, who hasn't yet learnt how to defend himself.

The Gathering"From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries, leading many secret lives.

Struggling to reach the time of of the Gathering, when the few who remain, will battle to the last." - RamirezThe legend of the Gathering has been passed down from immortal to immortal, through the ages... The

Gathering is the name given to the time when but a few immortals remain. They shall feel "an irresistible pull towards a far-away land... To fight for the Prize." In this respect, immortals are doomed to fulfill a pre-determined role. It is their destiny to battle one another until a single immortal emerges victorious. According to the series, the time of the Gathering is upon us, and the Prize is waiting to be won.

The Prize"I know! I know everything! I am everything!" - ConnorThe immortals battle for "The Prize": either for themselves, or to keep it from falling into evil hands.

Mankind would suffer an "eternity of darkness", as the movie said, if the Prize came to an evil immortal.What is the Prize? It's not really necessary to define it in game terms, since the immortal who gains it will

become in essence a god. The film left the subject slightly vague, except to say that Connor could read people's thoughts if he concentrated, and could also have children, grow old and die.

This much is for sure - the winner of the Prize would possess all the Quickening from every immortal that ever walked the earth. Millennia worth of experience and knowledge, from immortals of every race, all over the world would be his. He could well be the most powerful single being in the world.

On the other hand, it may well be that the legend of the Prize is simply a tale, and that the Gathering will never take place. Perhaps, new immortals will continue to be born forever, thus ensuring that there will never be a single victor. In any case, for Immortals, the Gathering is similar in many ways to the Apocalypse for the Garou, or Gehenna for the Kindred - a fate that no one really believes in, or as some Garou might say, something that will never happen "in our lifetime". The big difference for immortals is that a lifetime can last forever. To an immortal, it matters little whether the Prize is but a legend. He must battle on, for if he stops, he will surely lose his head.

Character Creation"I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings..." - QueenIt may seem appealing to run an immortal in a Storyteller Chronicle, especially as it is, in ways, an

extremely powerful character type. However, in my opinion, it is more difficult to create an immortal character than any of the others created so far. When you are generating a Mage, Garou or Vampire character, there are plenty of traits such as gifts, backgrounds, disciplines, spheres and so on to play with, and the mythos is already set out in

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the rule-book. In effect, the whole thing is presented to the player in a neat little package, and all they have to do is follow the rules, write down a few figures and they can play their character.

Immortals are different. Each one is unique. There is no pre-designed background for immortal characters. Their very nature prohibits the type of society that holds so much of the role-playing potential for Garou, Mages and Kindred. Like these characters, the immortal is a normal person who discovers that he has a special destiny. However, unlike Garou and Kindred, they can see no reason why they and not someone else, have been chosen to be immortal. In some ways, they are similar to Mages in this respect, but the one major difference between immortals and other characters is time - often, immortals discovered their heritage hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Deciding how this character spent those years, and working out the beliefs, knowledge and outlook that he has brought with him from this time, is a task the player must carry out before he should be allowed to roleplay an immortal in a Chronicle.

One might argue that this has already been explored with Vampire and Mummy. In Vampire, however, one is encouraged to begin with a young vampire, so as not to unbalance the game: elder vampires, while a curiosity, do not often "adventure" with their younger brethren, but instead are embroiled in the politics of the Camarilla. They also tend to be much more powerful, and less human than their younger Kin. Likewise, although Mummies are in many ways human, their thoughts and desires are nothing like the mortals around them.

There are other disadvantages to playing an immortal - like vampires, they cannot enter the spirit world under their own steam, but must use a portal or be "pulled" in by another supernatural. Their supernatural powers are often less powerful than those of vampires and other supernatural creatures. Also, every immortal must be on his guard at all times, lest another immortal come searching for him, something which few other supernaturals have to do. And, finally, immortals must labour to conceal their true nature from mortals without an organisation such as the Camarilla or the Sabbatt to aid them. Thus, we feels that the advantages associated with playing an immortal are balanced out by the disadvantages.

Immortals are a very unique character class, due to their humanity: despite the centuries behind them, they are still human... along amongst mortals; hidden; but still human in mind and soul unlike most of the other supernatural creatures. This humanity makes them unique and interesting characters to explore and roleplay. As in Vampire, we reccomend that players new to Storytelling or Highlander play a 'new immortal' character - ie. one who only discovered his true nature quite recently, in game terms. However, we do not want to discourage experienced roleplayers from playing older immortals, and have included rules to allow players to generate immortal characters up to one and a half millenia in age. However, in order to prevent munchkinous or 'twink' characters, we reccomend that Storytellers should make it a condition for any immortal character, no matter what age he is, that the player fully flesh out the character by givinghim a full background, and documenting their entire life. This will generally deter players who wish to play an immortal simply because he is immortal, mainly because most munchkins will baulk at having to document a 1,500 year long life.

Concept: To begin the creation process, settle on the concept for the immortal. When and where was he born? What was his life up until his first death like? What was their profession? How did he experience his first death, and what was the reaction to his miraculous revival? Did he have an older immortal to act as his mentor like Ramirez did for Connor, or did he have to learn for themselves what it means to be an immortal? Did he leave his some and family, or stay and watch them grow old and die? If so, how did it affect him? Where has he been in the intervening years? What has he been doing? Has he been involved in any historical events? How much does he know about the other supernatural creatures, like the Kindred and Garou? Does he even know that they exist? Where has he settled and live today, or is he a wandering, traveling from one place to another, never staying in one place for long? What does he do and how does he conceal his true nature from those around him? Pick a strong nature, something that drives him and makes him cling to life, rather than just let go. Immortals do not age, but without a will to survive an immortal will almost certainly will lose his head...

Attributes: Immortals are shown to be in superhuman health, strong and fast, and also intelligent and perceptive. They are almost perfect spedimens of humanity - fit, attractive, and charismatic... so, in the World of Darkness, they are far superior to the mortals in all their attributes. Give them 7 Primary, 6 Secondary, and 5 Tertiary attribute points, instead of the "normal" 7/5/3 split that Garou, Kindred and Mages receive.

Abilities: Immortals start with 13 Primary, 9 Secondary, and 5 Tertiary abilities provided they are "young" (less than 100 years). Older immortals will have more abilities; fighting this to achieve "play balance" is a wasted effort in the Storyteller system. The storyteller is the ultimate judge; if he doesn't want 2000 year old immortals overpowering his game, then he shouldn't allow 2000 year old immortals at all: allowing them but restricting them to 13/9/5 is ludicrous. Also, as they age, their maximum ability score (5 for mortals) will increase, allowing scores of 6+ for various abilities. Players should be allowed to choose Abilities from any of the games, but obviously, there are restrictions. For example, it seems unlikely that an immortal would have the Primal-Urge or Rituals Abilities from Werewolf.

Players should be encouraged to think up their own abilities, thus helping make their character unique. For example, the Knowledge History might be a common one among immortals (and is in fact included on the character sheet) - remember Connor relating the significant events of 1798 to Brenda?

Use the chart below for a reasonable split of abilities based on age.

Age Primary Secondary Tertiary Max Backgrounds

0-100 13 9 5 5 7100-250 18 13 8 5 9

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250-500 23 17 11 6 10500-1000 28 21 14 7 111000-1500 33 25 17 8 12

Advantages"You cannot die, MacLeod... Accept it!" - RamirezThe Quickening characteristic is the most important to an immortal... it defines their power, and is very

useful in battles with other immortals. Beginning immortals begin with 1 Quickening; this may be increased by spending Freebie points, as discussed below.

Immortals have no "virtues" in the Vampire/Werewolf sense. Like Mages, their only characteristic is Willpower, and like Mages, they start with a base Willpower of 5.

Backgrounds: Immortals begin the game with points in Backgrounds, according to the chart below. See the section on Abilities to see the arguments regarding age vs. play balance.

The following backgrounds are possibilities for immortal characters. See Vampire for explanations of most of these backgrounds (except for Arcane, which comes from Mage).

Allies: Friends who can be counted on to help the character out. They probably know of his immortality.Contacts: The number of information sources the character possesses.Fame: The character's renown in the mortal world.Influence: The character's political or social sway or power in the mortal world.Mentor: An older immortal who advises and, to a certain extent, looks after the character:

1. Mentor is less than a hundred years older than you.2. Mentor is between 100 and 300 years older than you.3. Mentor is between 300 and 600 years older than you.4. Mentor is between 600 and 1000 years older than you.5. Mentor is between 1000 and 1200 years older than you.6. Mentor is over 1500 years older than you.

Storytellers should bear in mind the possibility that an immortal character's mentor might be killed, unless they have "retired".

Resources: Wealth, belongings, and monthly income.Arcane: (See Mage: the Ascension) Immortals tend to have a tendency to scatter headless bodies around

them, yet they don't seem to draw attention to this fact: hence the Arcane. Also, isn't it strange how they manage to hide such large swords inside those trenchcoats of theirs?

Finishing TouchesImmortals get 18 freebie points to spend. Again, this gives them more points in attributes and abilities than

their fellow players, but this is balanced by their inability to raise Quickening except through killing other immortals. Also, their very nature makes them hunted by the Technocracy, fellow Immortals, and of course the Watchers/Hunters (these are outlined in Chapter Five).

Item Freebie Cost Item Freebie CostQuickening 7 points per dot Willpower 1 point per dotAttributes 5 points per dot Backgrounds 1 point per dotAbilities 2 points per dot

Spark of Life"Ya talk funny, Nash... where ya from?" "Lots of different places..." - Garfield & NashThis is a very important part of character creation, and, unfortunately, one that is skipped over far too

often. This is a role-playing game, and the Storyteller system is designed so that players can immerse themselves in their character. However, you cannot do this if you don't know your character.

Appearance: "Who cut your hair?" "I am in disguise... this way, noone will recognize me." - Connor MacLeod and Kurgan. What does your immortal look like? How does he dress? Is he a classic member of the "trenchcoat brigade", or has he settled on another method of carrying his weapon (like the Kurgan and his briefcase)? These sort of decisions help determine a look, and also are useful for game play later.

Contacts: "Hi, Brenda. I did what you asked. I spent all night going through the old deeds to Nash's house on Hudson Street, right back to the original owner, Montague, in 1798..." – Rick. How long has your character been in his current home? What friends has he made? Unlike Vampires, Garou, or Magi, immortals live amongst the humans and (for the most part) treat them as equals. Hence, they make connections with the human race, which will come up during game play (either for help or for hostages, depending on Storyteller mood).

Outlook: "Love is for poets." - Connor MacLeod. What kind of personality does your immortal have? Is he dark, moody and unfriendly, or bright and extrovert? What drives them, keeps them going? Is the ambition to win the Prize the thing which consumes their lives, or do they revel in life generally? The things that have happened to an immortal down through the years can often affect his outlook on life - love and war are probably the most common ones, but other things can greatly influence the way a person views life.

Quirks: "I have something to say... It's better to burn out, than to fade away!" – Kurgan. Immortals are often unusual individuals. Note from the series: Gregor's tendency to put mortals into danger to get a secondary rush from it, or Amanda's tendency to doublecross her partners. These things help define the character, and yet aren't

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shown in the characteristics above. Perhaps your character has a phobia or a hatred of some particular thing. Perhaps your character is afraid of heights, and has a hatred of Vampires... Pick interesting quirks, and write them down; they will add greatly to the role-playing experience. See also the Merits and Flaws section below.

One of the most important things to remember when writing up your character's background is that, unlike the Garou and the Kindred, (and the Mages, to a certain extent), immortals are human. They may live for extraordinary lengths of time, but they are still very human, with the very same feelings and thoughts as us.

Personality ArchetypesVampire introduced Personality Archetypes to help define characters' personalities. A character has two

archetypes - his Nature and his Demeanor, and the key to using Archetypes effectively is understanding the difference between the two.

A character's Nature is her true personality - that which she is, but will not necessarily reveal to other characters in the Story. People do not bare their soul to everyone they meet, and thus they develop false fronts.

A character's Demeanor is this false front. While a character's Nature would only change in exceptional circumstances, her Demeanor can be as consistent as their Nature, or it may change frequently. Also, if the player so chooses, a character's Nature and Demeanor may be the same.

Personality archetypes are also a method of (re)gaining Willpower, as the Storyteller will award Willpower when a character lives up to their Nature/Demeanor.

Merits and FlawsVampire also introduced the Merits and Flaws system, which is a method of really making your character

seem alive and individual. Merits and Flaws are purchased just before you spend your freebie points. They cost or give between one and five freebie points - ie. purchasing a five point merit would mean you had five less freebie points to spend, while taking a five point flaw would mean that you had an extra five freebie points to spend. Merits and Flaws are also tied to Willpower, but less so than the Natures and Demeanors.

The full rules for Personality Archetypes, and Merits and Flaws can be found in the Vampire, Werewolf and Mage Players Guides but here are some Merits and Flaws from Elysium, White Wolf's elder vampire sourcebook, which adapt well to ancient immortals.

Mummy Companion (5 pt Merit): You have a Mummy as a close companion.Paranoia (2 pt Merit): You are slightly paranoid about concealing your true nature, and avoiding such

groups as the Watchers and Hunters, and you are always on the lookout. -1 difficulty to spotting ambushes, etc.Code of Honor (1 pt Merit): Against supernatural persuasion to violate code - +3 dice/+2 diff. to opponent

(ST choice).Emotional Isolation (1 pt Flaw): You seem cold and without feeling. You have a +1 modifier to all Social rolls

involving emotions, and cannot spend xp points on the Empathy Talent.Ennui (1 pt Flaw): You are world weary and rarely pay attention to those people you know - +1 modifier to

any Perception rolls involving people you know. Due to belief in the predictability of others, you also a +1 modifier to the difficulty level of the first action taken following a surprise (ambush, etc.)

Anachronism (2 pt Flaw): You have been an immortal for some time, and are unable (or unwilling) to keep up with the changing times. An Intelligence roll is needed whenever you have to deal with something from a later period than your own mortal days. If the rollis failed, total the net failures, and use this total as a negative modifier to your attempts.

Routine (2 pt Flaw): Settled into Routine - go to same places at the same time of day, week, month, or year. The Storyteller may lower the difficulty for anyone trying to surprise you by 1-3 points.

Curiosity (2 pt Flaw): Mysteries irresistible.To resist temptation, make a Wits roll vs. diff. 5 for simple, undangerous things, up to diff. 9 for dangerous things.

Lifesaver (3 pt Flaw): Human life is sacred, won't take a person's life. Never willingly endanger the lives of innocents, but will kill evil or inhuman creatures. Senseless death repulses you.

Chapter Three: The Quickening"Hey, it's a kind of magic!" - ConnorQuickening is the force that makes the immortals "special": that mystical energy within them, that makes

them immortal and gives them their powers. In this chapter, we will discuss what Quickening means in the rules, and how immortals increase in power.

Quickening DiceThroughout the discussion of the various powers, mention will be made of rolling Quickening to perform

some feat. This behaves exactly as with Spheres of power in Mage: roll a number of dice equal to your Quickening, against a difficulty of six. Count successes to find how much benefit has been gained.

Quickening Powers"You can't drown, you fool! You're immortal!" - RamirezThe powers listed below are based off of various powers shown in the Highlander movie and TV series. They

are loosely based off of various powers listed in the Mage book, and occasionally make mention of the power they were most similar to.

Next to each power is a mark of what level of Quickening is necessary to first exhibit this power.

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* Sense Quickening: Some immortals gain this ability even before they suffer their first death, since they still are considered to have a Quickening of 1. This ability is similar to the level 1 Prime spell Sense Quintessence (see Mage): using this ability, an immortal will sense another immortal nearby. No specific information on the immortal's identity is given, nor is the location of the immortal known, merely that the immortal is near. Sense Quickening also allows the immortal to sense when they are standing on holy ground. Likewise, an immortal can sometimes sense other beings with free quintessence in them (such as Mages and Kindred), although a perception roll may be necessary for this. Usually, no roll is needed for sensing holy ground, and sensing other immortals is usually left to Storyteller's discretion (to pick a dramatic moment.)

* Breathe Water: With this ability, immortals may survive indefinitely underwater, drawing oxygen from the water. This is not the same as not breathing: it has been shown that immortals do breathe, and that poison gas will affect them (although it cannot kill them). Total absence of air will reduce the immortal to incapacitated after a certain length of time, and he won' recover until he can, once more, breath.

** Empower Weapon: Often in both movie and series, the clash of swords during a battle between two immortals is accompanied by electrical discharge. Using their Quickening, immortals can enfuse their weapon with raw power, causing them to do more damage, and also causing the discharges shown. An immortal can empower any edged melee weapon in this way (axe, sword, knife). One additional damage success is scored per success rolled (see Quickening Dice above for details). Note: The extra damage done by Empower Weapon is aggravated, although the normal damage done by the weapon is not.

Example: Duncan swings his trusty katana (difficulty 6, Strength + 5 damage), and hits. He rolls Str 3 + 5 = 8 dice for damage, difficulty 6 (using the Vampire 2nd edition rules), to determine damage. Since his katana is empowered, however, he rolls an additional 5 dice for his 5 Quickening, also against difficulty 6. Any successes scored on this roll count as aggravated damage. The defender gets one soak roll against both damages, and soaks aggravated first.

** Heal Self: In Chapter Four, the "normal" healing chart for immortals is given. Using their Quickening, however, an immortal may choose to heal even faster from wounds received. By taking a round and rolling Quickening, an immortal may heal a number of wound levels equal to the successes rolled. Note that this is done once per wound only, the rest must heal normally. Note also that if an immortal is taken to incapacitated (or beyond) before he has a chance to heal, he must first heal to crippled, then roll his dice in Heal Self. Also, aggravated wounds may not be healed in this manner, and must heal according to the chart.

Example: Richie the new immortal gets in a fight with an unsuspecting group of gang toughs, and after finishing them off he begins to recover from his wounds. Three wounds (3/1/2 levels) for a total of six wound levels (crippled). He rolls his Quickening of 2, healing 1 from the first, healing the second, and getting no successes on the third wound, over a period of three rounds. The remaining four wound levels must heal normally (which means he'll be fully healed in little over a half hour).

*** Empower Self: Using his Quickening, an immortal may increase his physical attributes, by one for every success rolled. The effect lasts for an entire scene, and is usually done only during challenges. After using Empower Self, an immortal will feel weak (-1 to dice pool) for an hour or more.

Example: Connor squares off with Fasil, and the battle begins. Connor rolls his Quickening of 7, gaining four successes, and puts two points into Stamina and two in Dexterity. Fasil is in trouble.

**** Speed of the Stag: Like Empower Self, an immortal may use his Quickening to increase his actions in a turn (much like the vampiric discipline of Celerity). One extra action may be gained per success rolled, and the extra actions last for an entire scene. As with Empower Self, the immortal will feel weak for some time after using this power.

***** Ignore Wounds: At this level, the immortal's recuperative powers have become so potent that they no longer need spend time to heal. One wound level is healed each round, with no roll required (although an immortal may still take a round to heal more, using the level 2 power Heal Self). Also at this level, an immortal may heal aggravated wounds as if they were normal wounds, using Heal Self above.

Example: The Kurgan, after ending the pitiful Ramirez's life and taking his Quickening, stops to rest. Ramirez had one lucky swing that nearly took the Kurgan's head, doing four normal wounds and one aggravated. The four normal wound levels healed over the next four rounds, and the Kurgan takes a round to heal the aggravated wound after the battle is over. A scar is left on his throat, however, to remind him of how close Ramirez's blade came...

The LastThe "Sense Quickening" power is related to another power, which has been dubbed the "Last". The massive

amount of Quickening present in an immortal means that they are able to "tune in" to their surroundings, and to the life forces around them, effectively giving them a sixth sense, similar to the "Danger Sense" gift from Vampire. This manifests itself in many ways. In the film, the examples we saw included MacLeod and Ramirez "tuning in" to the stag's life force on the sea shore, Kurgan's ability to guess Connor's name, even though he had never seen him before, Connor's knowledge that someone (Brenda) was following him, and the way in which he knew of the gun and the tape recorder in Brenda's apartment. This power is one that should be administrated at the Storyteller's discretion. At appropriate times - ie. when the Storyteller decides, not the player - the ST should do a Quickening roll, and, depending on the amount of successes the player gets, he should reveal a certain amount of information. Also, the player can decide that his character is going to tune in to a particular animal, and, in this way, he can feel what the animal feels, and, at higher levels of Quickening (5+), he may be able to catch glimpses of what the animal is actually seeing and hearing. However, the animal must be nearby.

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This power is an unreliable one, and manifests itself irregularly and in strange ways. This power is designed to help negate the advantage that Garou and Kindred have, through possessing Gifts and Disciplines, and is aimed at providing the immortal character with a useful, yet erratic source of information. The Storyteller should use her discretion in the dispensing of such information.

Gaining and Losing QuickeningImmortals can only increase Quickening by taking another immortal's head. When they have successfully

finished their opponent, they gain the opponent's level in Quickening x 2 in "Quickening Experience". Like study points in Mage, these are spent equally with experience to increase an immortal's Quickening. As outlined in the Experience Chart (Chapter Four), it costs Current Level x 6 to increase Quickening. This is the only way to increase Quickening. The victor also gains one point in an ability, for each point of Quickening the loser had. These ability points come from the knowledge of the loser, and must be placed in abilities that the loser had at a higher level than the victor. If the victor has higher scores in every ability of the loser, the victor gains nothing.

Example: Frank Colt beheads Butra the assassin, and takes his Quickening. Frank has a Quickening of 2, and Butra had a Quickening of 3. Frank gets 3x2 = 6 Quickening Experience, which he uses with 6 "normal" experience to raise his Quickening to 3 (which costs 12 points). He also gains three points in abilities, one each in three areas where Butra had more skill than him.

There is one condition under which an immortal may lose Quickening. If two immortals fight a third and take his head, then one of the immortals who has emerged victorious will absorb all of the Quickening from the experience: all of the loser's and one of his partner's. Thus, he gains (loser+1)x2 in Quickening Experience, and his partner loses one point in Quickening (if he only has one, he dies from the experience). The partner also loses one point in an ability, which also goes to the victor (the storyteller picks which ability, but it has to be one that the victor is inferior to his partner in). This loss of power and knowledge keeps even the friendliest of immortals from agreeing to be a partner...

The Side Effects of QuickeningQuickening is the lifeforce of an immortal, and can only be taken by removing his head. In the World of

Darkness, there are many other ways to remove someone's power, none of which will easily succeed against an immortal. Some examples include:

Vampires gain no sustenance from drinking the blood of an immortal, and cannot kill him by doing so (although they can drive the immortal to incapacitated). The blood is worthless to them. Nor can an immortal be Embraced and become a Vampire.

Mages cannot use Prime effects to remove Quintessence from an immortal, or to destroy it (a la Flames of Purification, Prime 4). An immortal's pattern is immutable. The immortal gains his Quickening in automatic countermagick successes to resist any Prime effect directed against him. The one exception is when an immortal loses his head: if a Mage with talent in Prime is present, he can in fact potentially become the "victor", stealing the loser's Quickening as Quintessence (one point of Quintessence per point of Quickening), and gaining a point of the winner's as well. The Mage rolls his Prime versus the winner's Quickening in a contested roll. The Mage gains no ability from the experience, but the 'winner' still loses one point in some ability.

Example: If Frank Colt beheads Butra the Assassin in the presence of a Mage with a score of 3 in his Prime sphere, Frank and she would contest to see who actually absorbed Butra's Quickening. If Frank lost, the Mage would gain four points of Quintessence (three for Butra and one from Frank), while Frank would lose 1 Quickening (taking him to 1) and 1 point in some ability.

Likewise, Immortals are practically immune to any effects of the Life sphere, or the healing discipline of Obeah (see Mage and the Vampire Player's Guide, respectively), whether the effect is beneficial or not. Assume their Quickening in automatic successes, to resist any effect or counter any successes rolled against them.

An immortal's mind, spirit, and body are tightly held by their Quickening. Although mind effects (the Mind sphere, Dominate, or Presence) may affect the immortal, his mind cannot be pulled from his body, nor may his spirit be removed without his head being removed first. This is not a contested roll, this is automatic.

Chapter Four: Systems"You've the devil in you!" - DougalThis chapter details how immortals gain experience, how they heal, and details the new combat system for

sword duels.

Experience"You've no knowledge whatsoever of your potential!" - RamirezAn immortals, like Elder Vampires, finds it harder to improve her skills through experience as she ages,

reflecting the difficulty an immortal has in gaining new abilities as she becomes more and more set in her ways.

100-250 251-500 501-1000 1001-1500 1,501+New Ability 3 4 5 6 7Virtue CR x2 CRx3 CRx3 CRx4 CRx4Ability CR x2 CR x2 CR x2 CRx3 CRx3Attribute CRx4 CRx4 CRx4 CRx5 CRx5

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The experience cost for increasing an immortals Quickening is equal to her current rating x 6, half of which is normal experience, and half of which is Quickening experience.

Healing"Who wants to live forever?" - QueenImmortals recover from wounds much more rapidly than mortals. In Chapter Three, using Quickening to

heal was discussed. Without the use of Quickening, however, immortals still recover from crippling wounds in a short period, although the pain and immediate effects suffered from the wounds are the same as would be experienced by a mortal. For example, if the wound suffered would cause a mortal to become unconscious, then it will generally cause an immortal to fall unconscious. Examples of serious wounds suffered by immortals in the series include immolation, falling from a cliff, being shot in the head, and others. Without the use of Quickening, immortals heal using the following chart.

Bruised: One Round; Hurt: One Minute; Injured: Two Minutes; Wounded: Five Minutes; Mauled: Thirty Minutes; Crippled: One Hour; Incapacitated: Two Hours

Combat"Don't lose your head!" - RamirezCombat is a fact of life for an immortal. Whether he or she likes it or not, unless they learn how to use a

sword, and, more importantly, are prepared to use it, they will surely lose their head. You can't run forever, and if you try hiding, you'll eventually be found by another immortal. Only by killing your fellow immortals in combat can you hope to survive and have any chance of winning the Prize.

When two immortals meet, they sense each other through the Quickening. They don't have to do battle, (we have seen in both the movie and the series how two immortals may become friends), but it is the time of the Gathering, and it is their destiny to battle until only one remains. They have no choice in the matter.

The normal Storyteller combat rules are basically pretty useless when it comes to staging detailed sword duels. It is desirable to be able to play out duels between immortals as detailed fights, with each combatant able to choose different tactics, moves, etc. For immortal player characters, these duels are often the climax of the story, and just running a simple combat sequence can be frustrating for the player involved. Remember that, in these duels, the player is fighting to increase his power, in a battle where he has a very real chance of dying... The player is fighting for his knowledge and power, pitting it against another to the death. Thus, we recommend that the following combat system be used for duels between immortals.

Stage One: InitiativeIn normal combat, the combatants will normally try to be the first to attack, in the hope of inflicting damage

first. However, in sword combat, things work a little differently. Sometimes, one combatant may elect to try and surprise the other, by ambushing them and attacking them before they have a chance to draw their weapon. In such cases, use the normal rules for Initiative and Surprise, although note that an immortal can practically never be taken completely by surprise by another immortal. The Quickening sees to that.

With sword-duels, the round takes on a new meaning - Basically, a sword combat round is the length of time it takes for one person to attack the other. This system splits sword combat up into a series of bouts. A bout is a series of rounds, during which there is no pause in combat. At the start of a round, both players roll for Initiative. Then they announce what their actions are going to be. Because sword combat is reactive - ie. you don't know what you're going to do until your opponent has done something - the player with the higher Initiative must announce what they intend to do first.

Normally, the player with the higher Initiative will decide to attack, and, if so, his opponent must either defend or dodge. Alternatively, the character with the higher Initiative may decide to either do some other kind of action, such as leaping onto a table, or they may decide to wait and see what their opponent is going to do. If they do either of these things, combat has basically stopped, and they must begin another bout.

A bout begins with both combatants facing each other, weapons at the ready. It is up to the players themselves who actually moves first and initiates combat. Once one of the combatants announces theat they are attacking, both players make a standard Initiative roll - Wits + Alertness, against a target number of four. However, instead of deciding who acts first (as this has already been decided), the difference between the two combatants number of successes achieved is added to the dice pool of the player with the higher Initiative.

Example: Connor and the Kurgan are facing off. They circle each other for a few minutes, before Connor makes an attack. He rolls Wits (3) + Alertness (4), and gets 6 successes. The Kurgan rolls Wits (4) + Alertness (3), getting four successes. Thus, Connor gets an extra two dice to add to his Attack roll.

After this initial round, Initiative is rolled as normal, but, its role during the bout is slightly different than the one it has in normal combat. The character with the higher Initiative gets to act first, presumably attacking, and the other person must defend. Both players make their respective attack and defense rolls and that combat round ends, and the combatants roll their Initiative for the next round. The following modifiers apply:

The use of the Quickening power, Speed of the Stag confers an extra three Initiative dice upon the immortal using it.

The person who Attacked during the last combat round gains an extra die to add to their Initiative roll for this round.

If a combatant successfully repelled an attack by his opponent in the last round (ie. by getting an equal or greater amount of successes on his defense roll than his opponent got on his attack roll), then he also gets an extra Initiative die.

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For every three successes by which a combatant's attack/defense roll exceeds his opponents roll, they gain an extra Initiative die. These rules may seem very complicated right now, but will become clearer later on. You struggle for a

moment, then the fight sparks anew.Decapitation: This is an Aimed Attack at the neck, requiring a Perception + Melee versus a difficulty of your

opponent's Dex + Dodge. To decapitate, you must reduce your opponent to one level past Incapacitated.Type: AttackDifficulty: Opp. Dex + DodgeImage: With fluid-like agility, you swing your sword around, and, before your opponent can block you, your

blade slices through his neck, and his head falls to the ground.(Note that, quite often in the duels fought in Highlander, the two immortals fight until one of the

combatants is disarmed and driven to their knees, admitting defeat. It is rarely a lucky shot that chops off the head, but more often a defeat of the spirit.)

This is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of all the possible maneuvers, but more a guide to help Storytellers decide the types of rolls and difficulties which should be applied to various maneuvers. Ideally, combat should take the form of a semi-live action roleplay combat scene, with the players describing what their character does, and demonstrating (safely, of course) if necessary. The Storyteller then decides what rolls should be made and against what difficulties.

Dodging: On some occasions, it may be necessary to dodge a blow rather than parry it. On these occasions, the target rolls his Dexterity + Dodge against a target number of six. The successes on this roll are subtracted from the successes of the Attacker. If the attacker's successes are eliminated, the target manages to dodge the blow.

Stage Three: ResolutionDamage is resolved as normal - The attacker rolls the Damage dice pool for that weapon, against a target

number of six, each success causing the target to lose a health level. The target makes a Soak roll, rolling his Stamina (difficulty 6) and subtracting his successes from his opponent's.

Example of Combat: Connor is squaring off against the Kurgan (See the Appendix for their respective stats). They circle each other for a few moments, Kurgan makes his first move - a normal attack. Both players roll for Initiative, Connor getting six successes, and the Kurgan gets five. Kurgan make his attack roll - Dex+Melee - getting five successes. Connor tries to parry the Kurgan's attack, and makes his Defense roll - Dex+Melee plus an extra die, ass he got more one more success on his Initiative roll than Kurgan. Connor also rolls five successes, and manages to parry the Kurgan's blade.

Both roll Initiative for the next round, and both have an extra die to add to their Initiative pool - The Kurgan because he attacked last round, and Connor because he managed to successfully parry Kurgan's attack. Kurgan gets four successes, and Connor gets six, winning the Initiative, and getting two dice to add to his dice pool. Connor decides to try a Feint, and makes his roll - Manipulation + Melee plus his two Initiative dice against a target number of nine - his weapon's normal difficulty plus three. He gets two successes. Because a feint can't be parried, Kurgan is left with no option but to try and dodge. Rolling Dexterity + Dodge against a difficulty of six, he gets five successes - Connor's blade slices through thin air.

The third round of combat starts, and both players roll for Initiative. The Storyteller decides that, seeing as Kurgan's Dodge successes exceeded Connor's Attack successes by three, Connor will be slightly off-balance at the start of this round, due to having swung his sword through thin air. Thus, Connor's difficulty is five instead of four, to reflect this. Connor decides that he needs get working and thus uses his Quickening to get the Speed of the Stag, which gives him an extra three Initiative dice, in addition to the die he receives for having attacked last round. The Kurgan rolls his Wits + Alertness and gets five successes. Connor follows suit and gets seven successes, which means he has two dice to add to his dice pool. He decides to try to disarm the Kurgan, and rolls Dexterity + Melee against a difficulty of six, not forgetting his extra two dice, and gets a massive seven successes. Kurgan rolls Dex + Melee but gets several botches, and can only manage three successes. Connor manages to flick the Kurgan's sword from his hand.

Kurgan's in trouble.This is primarily an arbitrary combat system, designed to aid the Storyteller and players in Storytelling the

duels which occur, rather than restricting them to a framework of rules. As ever, if you don't like part of these rules, don't use them. We don't come around and inspect how you play these games. Well, not too often, anyway...

WeaponsThe sword is the traditional weapon of an immortal. The reasons for this are fairly simple - the sword is the

oldest weapon with which you could efficiently decapitate someone, and the first immortals would have used them. They would have passed the tradition on to the immortals who followed them. Until relatively recently, the sword was the main personal weapon. It's only within the last few hundred years that we have begun using guns, and you can't chop a man's head off with a gun. In fact, not counting the battle axe, there still is no practical weapon which can be used to decapitate someone in a duel, and because immortals always learn their ways from other immortals, it is only natural that the sword has become the traditional weapon for immortals.

An immortal will often have a weapon which he has used for many centuries. Ramirez, for example had has his katana for over two millennia by the time he met Connor. To an immortal, a sword is more than just a piece of steel. It becomes an extension of their body - they keep it with them most of the time, and it becomes an old friend, in effect. There are no hard and fast rules for weapons as regards weapons difficulties and damage, etc. A rough guide is that the bigger and heavier sword is, the harder it is to use, but the more damage is inflicts. The Katanas

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used by Connor, Duncan and Ramirez are all Difficulty 6, Damage: Strength + 5. But the Kurgan's two-handed sword is Difficulty 7, Damage: Strength + 6, being, as it is, both heavier and more difficult to use. Kastagir's Saber is Difficulty 6 and Damage: Strength + 4, reflecting that it is normally used with only one hand.

It's a good idea to describe your weapon in detail, as part of fleshing out your character. If possible, get hold of a weapons catalog, from a company like Noble Collection, for example, which sells a wide variety of swords and axes, and pick a weapon (Noble Collection is one of many distributors for Marto USA, the suppliers for the Highlander movies and TV show). An immortal's choice of weapon helps define who they are. Connor's Katana reflects his honor and values, and the way in which he uses skill, more than brute strength to win duels, while the Kurgan's two-handed sword reflects his harshness and brutality. Also, how do you carry your weapon? In a long coat, like Connor, or have some other method, perhaps? All these details help to flesh out your character, and enrich the role playing experience.

Highlander Katanas by Tim Layne (tazz@ramlink.net)I origially created these weapons for Immortals in the WoD. These weapons were forged by Nakano the

Sorcerer (Highlander 3, the Final Dimension) All are Katanas, and the relevant ability is (duh!) melee.Lion Soul: Katana with lion head on pommel; Powers: Lion Soul is the most well rounded weapon of the

group. It reduces the difficulty of all attack rolls by 2, but increases all parry rolls difficulty by 2. It also allows the user an extra dice to determine the hit, damage, and soak.

Falcon Wing: Katana with a falcon head pommel; Powers: Falcon wing is a potent weapon, granting the wielder a Dexterity bonus of 2, and lowering all relevant to melee rolls difficulty to 4.

Dark Magic: Daemon headed pommel, handle is etched with Japaneese runes of death, disease, pestillence, etc. Used by Kain in Highlander 3.; Powers: Dark Magic lives up to it's name; it's an evil blade. For every wound level of damage it does to the opponent, the wielder gets one wound level back.

Dragon's Fire: The katana used by Conner MacLeod. To get it, you must kill him first.; Powers: Dragon's Fire is the strongest of the katana's enchanted by Nakano. All of the powers of the immortals are increased in power, as are disciplines, gifts, etc. Treat as double effect for everything.

Sabba: A friend of mine once had a Malkavian who thought himself Tommy, the White Ranger, from power ranger fame. He owned a katana, and spoke to it, like Tommy spoke to Sabba, his sabre. He believed it spoke back to him. Looks like an ordinary katana.; Powers: In the hands of any other being except a Malkavian, this is just your basic katana (diff 6, strength +5) But in the hands of a Malkavian, it's true power shines through. Sabba will speak to the Malk, offering sage and true advice. It lowers the difficulty to 5, and increases the damage to strength +6.

Chapter Five: The World of Darkness"Fighting to survive, in a world with the darkest powers..." - QueenHighlander-style immortals fit perfectly into the World of Darkness. The movie Highlander is listed as one of

the inspirations for the World of Darkness - a world where supernatural beings walk among us without our knowledge. However, immortals are very different from other supernatural creatures in one very important way - Unlike the Kindred, Garou and Mages, immortals don't have their own society, for very obvious reasons. In a world where various groups such as the Sabbat and the Technocracy vie for power, immortals are wildcards - powerful individuals; mavericks who can be useful allies or dangerous enemies. They have no clearly defined role, unlike the Garou, for instance, and instead, follow their own destiny, towards the Prize.

Immortals don't go around in groups, for very obvious reasons. Therefore, there will normally only be a single immortal player character in a Chronicle, and the other PCs will presumably be one of the other character types detailed in the Storyteller games released so far - Kindred, Garou, Mage or Wraith. This brings up the interesting topic of what the other characters actually know about the immortal character. Given that immortals are probably the rarest of all the supernatural beings (excepting Mummies), it's reasonable to assume that it's not exactly common knowledge that these guys are immortal, and can only be killed if their head is chopped off. If assessed using supernatural powers, an immortal's aura will look very similar to a Mage's, or perhaps a Changeling's - They store within them a large well of power, not unlike Quintessence. However, it will soon become obvious that an immortal cannot manipulate magick, nor does he possess powers like that of a Faerie. Normally, an immortal won't reveal his true nature to people, without a very good reason, and it is very unlikely that he will reveal the method by which he can be killed.

Although immortals are, after all, immortal, and don't necessarily need to eat, sleep, and so on, failure to do so will result in them becoming weak, although they can never die of hunger or exposure. However, hunger and cold make immortals as uncomfortable as they do mortals, and therefore, it is desirable to have a roof over one's head, and money, in order to make your life more comfortable. Unlike other supernatural beings, immortals don't have Caerns, Nodes or Crypts. Instead, they will most probably live amongst mortals.

During their extended lifetimes, immortals are likely to amass huge amounts of wealth. However, like Vampires, immortals must maintain a masquerade - the illusion that there is nothing strange about them. This can be difficult, and can involve having to leave worldly assets behind. In the film, Connor used to leave his goods to children who had died whilst very young, and "die", only to return after a suitable interval to assume the identity of the dead person and claim their inheritance. This is probably the best way of ensuring that an immortal doesn't have to give up whatever worldly possessions he has earned when he has to move on, in order to prevent his true nature being discovered. Doubtless, there are immortals who travel around quite a bit, but it's likely that, after several centuries of traveling, an immortal may wish to stay in one place for a while.

Obviously, if an immortal has settled down in one place, they will need to have some way of paying for their lifestyle on a day to day basis. Duncan, for instance, has extensive stock holdings, but he is also an antique dealer,

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as Connor was. What better job for a man who was alive when many antiques were new? Other professions which require a knowledge of the past may also attract immortals, like a history professor, for instance. Who better to describe the Civil War than someone who was actually there? Immortals' supernatural abilities mean that they are practically perfect as soldiers, or something similar. What could be better than a soldier who isn't just simply unafraid of dying, but is actually unable to die? Most immortals will no doubt have been involved in some sort of conflict at some point in their lives, unless they actively avoided it.

Were an immortal's secret to become known, the results could be potentially disastrous. Imagine what would happen were a company such as Development Neogenetics Amalgamated or Pentex Inc. to discover that immortals exist - they would stop at nothing in an attempt to discover the secret of immortality. Therefore, an immortal character must be careful to guard his secret, and maintain the facade of normality.

Antagonists"How do you fight such a savage?" "With heart, faith, and steel..." - Connor, RamirezIn this section we will discuss how Immortals are likely to interact with the other supernatural beings in the

World of Darkness, as well as other individuals and organizations, such as the Inquisition.Vampires: Immortals are quite likely to run up against the Kindred of any city they visit - Kindred feed off

mortals, while Immortals are more likely to try and protect the them. Kindred seek to control and they will normally try to destroy that which they are unable to control. Immortals don't often fit into their schemes, which makes them dangerous. However, as much as an immortal can be a powerful enemy, they can also be a powerful ally. It is possible that individual immortals and vampires can become friends and allies, for both have one major trait in common - both have the potential to live for an inordinate length of time. Both understand what it is like to live for much longer than mortals. Added to this is the fact that, unlike mortals, immortals have nothing to fear from Vampires - as has been stated before, immortal blood holds no sustenance for Vampires, and immortals cannot be Embraced, nor made into Ghouls. However, unlike many Kindred, Immortals are still innately human, and the bestial nature of many Kindred will repel them. If an immortal has a Vampire as a friend, it is likely that the Vampire will have a high Humanity.

Werewolves: Immortals are more likely to join the Garou than the Kindred. The Garou fight for a simpler time, a time the immortal may well remember. The Garou also fight against the desecration of Gaia, and, as PC immortals are likely to follow in the hero mold of Connor and Duncan MacLeod, it is extremely likely that Garou and Immortals would consider each other to be brothers, fighting on the same side, against the destruction of a mother earth the Immortals have watched being desecrated over the centuries. Add to this the fact that Garou Caerns are Holy Ground, and a refuge for immortals, and it becomes obvious that the Garou and Immortals are very likely allies. However, there is a possibility that some immortals may come up against the Garou, especially if they have amassed great wealth, and control portions of man's world which the Garou do not appreciate. Such immortals may be considered by the Garou to be agents of the Wyrm. In general, however, Immortals are much more likely to form friendly relationships and allies the Garou than anything else.

Mages: Immortals and Mages don't mix well. This isn't because of any direct conflict, but because Mages will often wish to acquire the immortal's Quickening, in order to empower their own node. Also, Mages, like the Kindred, are often distrustful of that which they can't control, an immortals' immunity to magic of both the Prime and Life spheres makes them a danger. On the other hand, immortals make useful allies, powerful and yet not beholden to any clan or tribe. Also, the Mages' nodes are Holy Ground, like the Caerns of the Garou. However, what immortal is likely to feel comfortable in a place surrounded by people who could gain a lot of power for themselves by beheading him?

Wraiths: It's likely that Immortals and Wraiths do not normally interact very much, due to the simple fact that while Immortals inhabit the mundane world, Wraiths dwell in the Deep Umbra and rarely manifest themselves on Earth. It should be noted, however, that because of the manner in which the Quickening binds an immortal's being together, Immortals cannot be possessed.

Changelings: Like the Garou, the Sidhe are likely to form strong alliances with Immortals, as they are, in many ways, kindred spirits - human, and yet wielding powers which no mortal can possess. Both Immortals and Changelings strive towards a goal which is their destiny to pursue - Immortals strive to win the Prize, while the Sidhe dream of returning to Arcadia, to join with their faerie kin. The Sidhe's relationship with the Garou (especially the Fianna), is also likely to result in Changelings and Immortals becoming friends and allies. Certain members of the Fey may also hold clues to the origins of the Immortals...

The Wyrm: Minions of the Wyrm, such as Fomori and the Black Spiral Dancers are very likely to attempt to kill any Immortals they come across, as Immortals are likely to be considered to be of neither the Wyld nor the Weaver alone, but of both - their role as wildcards and mavericks is a trait of the Wyld, yet the Weaver holds their body and spirit together. Suffice to say that the Wyrm would consider Immortals to be enemies.

Governments: It is highly unlikely that the Government knows, or even suspects that there are immortals out there, although there may be a section of the FBI or some similar organization which is carrying out an investigation into the possibility that there is a serial killer going around, chopping people's heads off. Witnesses of Immortal duels are likely to be given the same amount of credibility as the ex-Marine was in the movie - ie. none at all. On the other hand, Immortals are likely to have to tread carefully, and take extra care, when trying to hide their immortality from individuals in government departments, and so on. However, immortals are much more likely to run into trouble when trying to deal with the police. Particularly if they are murder suspects, like Connor was in the film. An immortal had better make sure that his cover is unshakable if he comes under investigation by the police or FBI.

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The Inquisition: The Inquisition is likely to have encountered immortals during the Dark Ages, when they would have been considered to be witches, or "in league with Lucifer", as Kate said. The punishment for such heresy was burning at the stake, and at least one immortal in the series has survived such an ordeal. It's very unlikely that the Inquisition knows of the existence of Immortals. However, see the information on the Watchers below.

The Watchers: The Watchers are a group which predates the that Arcanum, and, although they have links with the Arcanum, the Arcanum proper is unaware of the existence of Immortals. The Watchers are. They have spent centuries studying the immortals, chronicling their exploits, but not interfering. They keep accurate records of all new immortals, who has taken who's head, and (like the immortals themselves) wonder as to who will gain the Prize, and what this Prize is. Watchers are mortals, and are chosen for their "normalness". They don't stand out in a crowd, they blend. They don't trigger the immortal's senses, and are trained to observe. Their only distinguishing feature is a tattoo on their wrists, a circle with a holy symbol of their order within. This allows them to easily recognize one another, and to remind them of their mission.

The Hunters: In recent years, a rogue branch of the Watchers has formed. This group has links with the Inquisition. Fueled by paranoia, it's members have decided that they cannot wait and hope that the immortal who gains the Prize is a good person. They actively hunt and kill immortals, removing their heads and allowing their knowledge and power to be lost to the Ether. In this way, they seek to stop any immortal from achieving the power of the Prize. These "Hunters" view immortals as the greatest danger ever to face mankind... both the Watchers and the Hunters are detailed in the series, and some of the main characters in the second season are members of these groups. Although the other supernatural beings, such as Werewolves and Vampires aren't mentioned in the series, it's possible that in the World of Darkness their mission may have expanded to include Vampires, Magi, and any other beings they perceive to be a danger.

StorytellingRunning a Chronicle with a group with an immortal is something of a challenge. Physically, Immortals are

among the most powerful characters in the Storytelling system, but there are disadvantages to playing an immortal, when compared to a Vampire, a Werewolf, or a Mage. All three possess powers which an Immortal cannot match. Many Vampiric Disciplines and Garou Gifts bestow advantages which the Quickening is unable to match, and the Magick wielded by Mages, while Immortals are immune to the effects of the Life and Prime spheres, can be very dangerous indeed. Another major difference is that Immortals are bound to the mundane world, and cannot pierce the Gauntlet to travel to the Umbral Spirit World.

The Last is designed to help even out these differences, and the Storyteller should actively be thinking about what an immortal may sense through the Last throughout a Story. Note that an immortal player character should not have to ask whether he senses anything through the Last - it is designed to be a random way of giving the Immortal knowledge which he couldn't normally know, and isn't an ability or a Gift to be activated at will. Consider the various instances in the film where an immortal knew something he really shouldn't have - Connor finding Brenda's gun and tape recorder; Kurgan knowing that "there is one among them named Connor"; Connor sensing Rachel's presence and asking what she was looking at; and so on.

It is also necessary to keep in mind the aims and desires of the various characters in a group - obviously, the aims of a Garou, for example are different from that of a Vampire. The Werewolf may wish to increase his Renown by combatting the Wyrm, while the Vampire might want to extend his power and influence. However, an immortal has but one aim - to win the Prize. The only way of doing this is to kill other immortals and take their Quickening. The Storyteller should always make sure that there is a reason for the Immortal character's presence in the group, and for him aiding the other characters. The Mages and the Garou may have teamed up to thwart the Technocracy's plans, as it is in both their interests, but, a player with an Immortal character could quickly discover that he is just riding along in this situation, with no advantage to his character being readily apparent. It is important to ensure that the actions of the group as a whole don't conflict with the aims of any of it's individual members.

It can be advantageous if the Immortal character has ties to other members of the group, instead of just being an extra member of the team, whom no one really knows. He might be kin to a Garou, or an ally of a Vampire or a Mage. What is important is that he is actually part of the team, and not just an add-on.

Hopefully, this supplement will bring a new dimension to your World of Darkness games, and will provide even more enjoyment for both Storyteller and players.

Last Words"Now it ends." - KurganJohn: I loved Highlander from the first time I saw it - It remains one of my favorite films to this day.

Everything about it appealed to me, from the story to the music. When I discovered Hank's rules for running a Highlander character in the World of Darkness one night while browsing through the now-defunct soda.berkeley.edu Storyteller ftp site, I pounced on them immediately. The prospect of playing an immortal in the World of Darkness had never occurred to me, but I was sold from the start. Using Hank's rules, I ran an immortal in a friend's Storyteller Chronicle, in a fairly large group with Vampires, Garou and Magi player characters. Diarmuid Mac Aonghusa, as I called the character, was an Irish immortal, and kin to the Garou Fianna tribe. The other players, exasperated with the, in their opinion, unpronounceable name I chose for the character, dubbed him "DeDannan", after the ancient Celtic race, the Tuatha De Dannan, and referred to him as "The Celt". The first time DeDannan fought another immortal, one of the major deficiencies of both the Storyteller system and Hank's

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rules became quickly apparent - the lack of rules for Storytelling detailed sword-duels. I designed a crude system of sword-fighting rules, and later adopted the rules for Glaive duelling from the Werewolf Players Guide. As time went by, other small deficiencies cropped up, and various ideas occurred to me. I've never really been happy simply as a player of role-playing games; I've always preferred designing games to actually playing or GMing... Eventually, as my ideas mounted up, I gave in to temptation, and embark on a revision of Hank's rules. Not a complete re-writing, but some additions, and a fair bit of editing. To my relief, Hank liked the ideas I had, and we made it a joint effort. Thus, Highlander: The Gathering Second Edition was born. Unlike Hank, I'm not exactly a Highlander fanatic. I've never really been that impressed by the series, preferring the film both for it's mood and atmosphere, and because I like both Christopher Lambert and the character of Connor Mac Leod more than I do Adrian Paul or Duncan. However, I am fanatical about the film, and I've seen it more times than I can count. My credentials as far as game design go are slightly better. As well as being a manic roleplayer and a World of Darkness fanatic, I'm also a freelance game designer, and I've been involved in the development of the Storyteller series, particularly Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Just to reiterate - while these rules are copyright of us, their authors, we do not dispute the ownership of the rights to the Highlander film and series by the writers and producers of the respective productions. This is not an official Highlander roleplaying game. We do believe that Epitaph studios are currently developing the Official Highlander roleplaying game. The Storytelling roleplaying system and the World of Darkness setting were developed by and are copyright of White Wolf Inc. By copyrighting these rules, we do not dispute the ownership of any of these trademarks. We simply wish to see that our efforts in putting together these rules aren't exploited by anyone else. Just one last thing - Always remember that, although there are plenty of "rule"s to be found in these pages, there really is only one important rule to be considered when you are using the Storyteller system, no matter whether you're playing a Werewolf, an Immortal or a Mage - There are no rules. What is contained in these pages are mine and Hank's ideas - our suggestions for playing an immortal in the World of Darkness. Admittedly, I'd like to think that I'm a good enough game designer to have put together something that will suit and appeal to most people, but I doubt if I'm that good...

At the moment, my email address of csc086@cent1.lancs.ac.uk is looking as though it might change, so, if you have any comments on these rules, Hank would be the best person to send them to. Don't lose your head!

Hank: Wow. When I sat down to write the first edition Highlander rules, my hope was that someone out on the net would eventually read them, and maybe even like what they read...

I've had over 300 people personally request the Highlander rules, independent of who knows how many have gotten them off the ftp sites or mosaic pages they live on now. Like I said, Wow... thanks!

I gave my credentials in the first edition rules, so this is just a recap. I started roleplaying when my dad bought D&D the week it came out, in the mid-70's (I was 8). I've since played and/or gamemastered in over a hundred campaigns, lasting from a few weeks to several years. I've always been a Highlander fan, and between Duncan's katana and the movie poster on the wall most people who enter my home guess that pretty quickly...

A lot has changed the past nine months, since the first edition came out. I'm finishing my PhD this summer, and in September 1994 I begin work at Digital Domain in Venice, CA, doing computer effects for Jim Cameron (y'know, the T2/Aliens/Abyss guy. He owns the company) and others. My life is changing so quickly... I'd just like to thank John for having so many things to contribute that it warranted a new version, and my wife (of almost five years now... and she still likes me... another Wow!) for putting up with me staying up nights to bounce e-mail ideas and editing/layout ideas with this guy in the UK...

For awhile still, people can reach me at driskill@cs.utah.edu. This address will forward to my DD account in September... as before, my only "payment" for these rules is that you send us mail, and tell us what you think: good or bad, ideas help. Who knows, we may make you write the third edition...{center smiley here}.

PS: To subscribe to the Highlander mailing list, send mail to listserv@psuvm.psu.edu with a message body that says simply sub highla-l yourname@yoursite. Likewise, you can subscribe to the vampire mailing list, vampire-l, by sending mail to listserv@wizards.com, the same way. There is also a werewolf-l and mage-l, at the same address. For more info on the Highlander mailing list, contact the list admin, Debbie_Douglass@DL5000.bc.edu.

An Immortal Player's GuideOf all the net supplements that have been written for the World of Darkness one of the oldest and the best

is Highlander: the Gathering by Hank Driskill and John Gavigan. Many people have had much enjoyment from adding Immortals into the World of Darkness.

Despite some talk of there being a 3rd edition of these rules, it hasn't happened, and it does not seem likely that it will. So I have collected together rules from the net that people have written for Highlander plus the extra information in the 2.1 edition and put them together with my own rules and ideas. This is therefore an unofficial supplement to an unofficial supplement, and all of its contents are presented simply as ideas to enhance the use of Immortals in your game.

Merits and FlawsMost Merits and Flaws described in the various books are available to Immortals. Obviously those that apply

to a specific type of supernatural and their society are not, but in general those available to mortals are available to Immortals too. In addition, some Merits and Flaws are presented here specifically for Immortals. The maximum that can be spent or gained from Merits and Flaws is 10 Freebie Points.

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PsychologicalAdrenaline Junkie: (1-2 pt Flaw) Although all Immortals are, well, basically Immortal, you feel you constantly

have to prove it. Given the choice between the safe and possibly dangerous ways of attaining a goal, you inevitably take the dangerous path. Examples: never climb down from a tree or building when you can jump; jump into burning buildings even if there aren't any people in there to rescue; drink absinthe (wormwood) on a regular basis; carve ritual tattoos all over your body and watch them heal; always play chicken with other cars. Unlike certain daredevils who do this for a thrill, you are addicted to these experiences, and could not stop if you wanted to.

Anachronism: (2 pt Flaw) You have been an immortal for some time, and are unable (or unwilling) to keep up with the changing times. An Intelligence roll is needed whenever you have to deal with something from a later period than your own mortal days. If the roll is failed, total the net failures, and use this total as a negative modifier to your attempts.

Code of Honour: (1pt Merit) You have a personal code of ethics to which you strongly adhere. You can automatically resist most temptations that would bring you into conflict with your code. When battling supernatural persuasion that would make you violate your code, you either gain three extra dice to resist the supernatural persuasion, or the opponent's difficulties are increased by two (Storyteller's choice). You must construct your own personal code of honour in as much detail as you can, outlining the general rules of conduct by which you abide.

Curiosity: (2pt Flaw) Even all the years of life, the lure of something new or unknown still calls to you. In most circumstances your curiosity easily overrides your common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Wits roll verses difficulty 5 for simple things like "I wonder what's in that drawer?" Increase the difficulty to things like 9 for "I wonder what's inside that vampire's haven?"

Emotional Isolation: (1 pt Flaw) You have seen too many friends die over the years, and now wish to spare yourself the pain by avoiding becoming close to anyone. You often seem cold and without feeling, but you are now safe from pain. You have a +1 modifier to all Social rolls involving emotions, and cannot spend experience points on the Empathy Talent.

Ennui: (2 pt Flaw) You are world weary; you have seen enough to know that nothing is ever truly new. You rarely pay attention to those around you and assume that you know all there is to know about them. This gives you a +1 modifier to any Perception rolls involving people you know. Due to belief in the predictability of others, you also a +1 modifier to the difficulty level of the first action taken following a surprise (such as an ambush.)

Flinch: (2 pt Flaw) Because your original death was fairly painless, you are afraid of pain and will go to great lengths to avoid it. Make a Willpower roll to do anything which might involve a great deal of pain (like jumping off a building or running into a burning building).

Lifesaver: (3pt Flaw) You believe that human life is sacred and will not take a person's life except under extreme circumstances. You may not ever willing endanger the lives of innocents or in any way participate in a killing. You have no problems with killing animals (for the right reasons) and will kill evil and inhuman creatures to protect others if necessary (be very careful however with you definition of evil...). You can defend yourself if attacked, although you will only kill the attacker if you have no other choice, even if they are another Immortal attacking you. Senseless death in all forms repulses you.

Technophobia: (1-5 pt Flaw) You are unable to comprehend or operate anything that was invented after your first "death". Add +3 to difficulties involving such items or devices. If you are under 60 years old, it's a 1 point flaw; if you are under 150, it's 2 points; under 400, 3 points; and over 600, 5 points.

Routine: (2 pt Flaw) Through the ages you have settled into Routine. You tend to go to same places at the same time of day, week, month, or year. If others have studied you behaviour the Storyteller may lower the difficulty for trying to surprise you by 1-3 points depending on the nature of the situation.

Pacifist: (5 or 7 pt Flaw) Due to religious beliefs or just amazing morals, you are unable to take another's life. In any circumstance involving violence you must attempt to get away or simply accept the consequences of the violence; you are incapable of fighting. Should you commit a violent act, you will become violently ill, and will be almost unable to live with yourself. Characters with this flaw tend to live exclusively on Holy Ground, or are very good at hiding. The five point version of this flaw allows you to defend yourself (or others) but only in life or death circumstances (i.e., against an Immortal out for your head). The seven point version precludes violence of any sort, and you may not purchase fighting skills of any sort.

Paranoia: (2 pt Merit) You know that there are many people out to get you, Hunters, other Immortals, the Inquisition and who knows what else. You go out of your way to prepare contingency plans, vary your movements and habits, and otherwise make yourself a difficult target. As a result you are less likely to be attacked unawares. You have -1 difficulty to spot ambushes and the like.

Weak Persona: (4 pt Flaw) Your persona is strong enough for normal circumstances, but when you are infused with the knowledge and memories of another Immortal (by taking their heads) the conflict is just too much sometimes. You must test for Overpowering Quickening everytime you kill another Immortal, no matter what their Quickening was. This cannot be taken along with Iron Will.

Supernatural"It's good to be a myth" - MethosBonding Blood: (5 pt Merit) An Immortal with this merit can Blood Bond others to her, using the normal

rules for Blood Bonds. Note: for a character who takes the merit Bonding Blood, the flaw Tasty Blood becomes a three point merit.

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Distinctive Quickening: (3 pt Flaw) Other Immortals can tell who you are (if they have ever met you before) by the "taste" of your Quickening as you get near. Methos has something like this, and I'm not sure, but I think Kalas had it too.

Endurance: (1 pt Merit) Immortals do not die, but they do weaken if they go for prolonged periods of time with food, water, sleep, or air. An Immortal with this benefit never needs to eat, drink, sleep, or breath. However, most still enjoy food and drink -- it makes them feel human.

Holy Ground Aversion: (2 pt Flaw) Thisis similar to the Painful Detection Flaw, but only applies to holy ground. The Immortal must spend a Willpower point to enter holy ground.

Hidden Quickening: (6 pt Merit) Other Immortals cannot sense you, although you can sense them. If they should become aware of you, however, and kill you, they can still get your gifts.

No Sense of Quickening: (6 pt Flaw) You can not sense when other Immortals are nearby. You can still kill them and get the Quickening Experience, but you just can not 'feel' them coming.

Painful Detection: (3 pt Flaw) The Immortal's Detect Immortal and Sense Holy Ground are accompanied by extreme pain, sometimes the pain of their first death, or maybe just the kicked in the groin/really bad cramps pain. The Character must make a Stamina check vs. difficulty 6 The net failures are subtracted from all actions until the character is off the holy ground or out Immortals range; check each time the power is activated.

Powerful Quickening: (3 pt Merit) You absorb more ambient quintessence (Quickening) when you kill another Immortal, and there is less 'leakage' of their Quickening. (1.5 the normal amount of Quickening experience points).

Quickening Power: (3-7 pt Merit) You have some unique supernatural ability as a result of you Quickening. The cost of the power varies with how potent it is. The rough equivalent of a first level of a Discipline or Gift would be three. The equal of a second level would be four, and so on, up to a fifth level, which would be would be seven. Using such powers always requires a Quickening roll. Example powers include animal control, creating illusions and entering dreams. The power should always be in the nature of the Quickening, and of the character. Note that if an Immortal takes your head, they may take your power to on a successful Quickening roll, this can make you a tempting target. The Storyteller is always the final arbitrator of all such powers.

Quiet Quickening: (3 pt Merit) For some reason, your Quickening are short and quiet. Windows don't break, cars don't explode, and dogs don't run for cover. General replacement effects are: Bright, holy light transfixes you for a minute or two; animals gather around and look at you in wonder; gentle rain falls; rainbows cross the sky over head; you simply have a quick orgasm and get it over with.

Slow Healing: (2 pt Flaw) An Immortal with this flaw heals her wounds at a normal rate (e.g., a paper-cut on her finger will take a couple days to heal). However, she can still use her Quickening to heal wounds.

Soft Touch: (2 pt Merit) Your change from mortal to Immortal life was gentle, and so it is more difficult for other Immortals to detect you. Immortals have to make a Perception + Quickening roll against difficulty 7, or will see you as simply mortal. (This is the Immortal equivalent of Baby Face.)

Strong Aura: (5 pt Flaw) The Immortal radiates a particularly strong, unique aura which is automatically sensed by any supernatural creature possessing Auspex or its equivalent. Unless the vampire/mage/etc is familiar with Immortals (not very likely) he will be puzzled by the immortal's presence, and will probably cause trouble for her at some point. Even a vampire who knows about Immortals will most likely cause problems for the character -- such kindred are most likely Elders and Methuselahs who are jealous of their territory and very paranoid: they will want to know what the Immortal wants and who sent her.... Princes in particular are not too enthusiastic about the prospect of decapitated bodies cropping up in their cities. Deduct 2 from the difficulties of all attempts to detect you as a supernatural; other Immortals will get advanced warning if you are near.

Supernatural Metabolism: (2 pt Merit) Immortals do feel the symptoms of any drugs/poisons/etc that enter their system, although they cannot die from an overdose. An Immortal with this merit is completely immune to the effects of any drug or poison that is inhaled, injected, or consumed. The Immortal could drink a gallon of pure alcohol without becoming slightly intoxicated. However, the alcohol is still in her system, and while the Immortal could walk in a straight line or touch her nose without a problem, she would still utterly fail a breath test. Note that this merit only applies to poisons and drugs that have specific biological targets in the body, not to corrosive substances. For example, if the Immortal drinks battery acid she would still have a bad case of heartburn, or if she inhales vescicants like chlorine or mustard gas, her lungs are history until she heals them. But the Immortal will be pretty much immune to the effects of most other substances, including nerve gases, biological toxins like snake venom or botulism toxin, general anaesthetics, heavy metals like lead, arsenic or mercury, and of course any narcotic.

Tasty Blood: (3 pt Flaw) Vampires get no benefit from drinking an immortal's blood. However, kindred tasting the blood of an Immortal with this flaw will get an incredible rush. The vampire will seek out the Immortal on future nights and may Frenzy if denied the blood. Incidentally, for the Immortal, the Kiss is not enjoyable at all.

"Thousand-Yard Stare": (2 pt Merit) When Immortals have died their first death, they get a glimpse of what is beyond, and some take that with them when they come back to life. An Immortal with this merit can unnerve any who meet her gaze, be they vampire, Garou, mage, or human, although not Wraiths and Mummies, who know all about seeing death. The Immortal gets a bonus of three dice to any roll involving intimidation. An additional benefit is a vampire will not be able to gaze into the immortal's eyes long enough to Dominate her unless the vampire scores three successes on a Courage roll (difficulty 7).

Unbeating Heart: (1 pt Flaw) After the immortal's first death, her heart just never started beating again. This actually makes it possible for her to pass as a Kindred, but imagine what a vampire-hunter will do ("They're running around during the day, now?!").

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Unfortunate Quickening: (3 pt Flaw) For some reason, luck just isn't with you. Any time you behead another Immortal and experience the Quickening, weird events occur which generally cause you some damage. Examples: Lightning strikes the stone staircase you're on, plummet to the ground; a survivalist nut with a Mac-10 uses you for target practice; a fireworks factory is standing nearby and lights up; the cops hear the sprinklers in the underground parking lot go off and come to investigate; you lose your footing and fall into the river.

Immortal Society, Watchers and Hunters"I don't care if he's a damned cop, it'll be self-defense, man!" "Yeah, and what are you gonna tell 'em? That

you're an Immortal and he's a member of a secret organisation and they're trying to kill you?" - Carl and DuncanDuel Mentors: (1pt Merit) You have had the fortune to study under more than one Immortal mentor

although it is highly unlikely that you studied under them at the same time. As such you may purchase the Mentor background more than once. Keep track of the background points spent on your Mentor's separately. Remember that both of them may ask thongs of you, and it is possible this could cause a conflict of loyalties.

Estranged Mentor: (3pt Flaw) You and your mentor have fallen out over something in the past. Perhaps you didn't live up to his expectations, or maybe he didn't live up to yours. Whatever the reason, your former Mentor is out there somewhere, and should you meet up again he will have no hesitation in taking your head. Remember your Mentor will know a great deal about you, including your habits and your fighting style. You may not spend any points on the Mentor Background.

Friendly Watcher: (5 pt Merit) The Watcher and Immortal are good friends (e.g. Duncan and Joe). However, the Watcher will still keep to the rules, and will rarely give away information on other Immortals. However, if someone is coming after you, he may just drop the odd hint.

Ignorant: (5 pt Flaw) You know you're special -- you realise that somehow, you cannot die, age, become sick, etc. However, nobody has ever really educated you on what it means to be an Immortal. You probably do not even know that you will die if you lose your head, and you certainly do not know that there's a bunch of other Immortals well-trained in swordsmanship who are out to relieve you of your head. Note that an Immortal with this flaw either tends to be very young (no other Immortal has got around to seeking her out yet) or she might have the above merit - Hidden Quickening (she's old, but other Immortals are not aware of her existence).

Immortal Enemy: (1-5pt Flaw) All Immortals have many enemies, each other, the Hunters, the Inquisition. However there is an Immortal out there specifically looking for you for some reason. Its likely you have fought each other before, and maybe you have killed someone he cared about. This Immortal doesn't just have a grudge, he is out there looking to do harm to you and those you care about. The value of the Flaw depends upon how old the Immortal is, a 1 point enemy is not a powerful as you, although she can still be dangerous, 2 points is another of about your age and power, while for more points, your enemy is older or more dangerous and for 5 he is likely to have no trouble at all slicing you up should you fight face to face.

Immortal Friend: (1-5pt Merit) You have an Immortal friend you can trust. In the dangers of your existence you have a firm friendship with one of your own kind. Someone who understands you predicament, will watch your back and won't take your head. As with the Flaw Immortal Enemy, the cost of the Merit depends upon the power of your comrade. Unfortunately, since Immortals must fight one on one, there is little you can do to protect each other against the greatest threat to either of you, other Immortals. This Merit can be taken several times to represent several friends. The Storyteller should also remember that friends are not retainers or stooges, even if they are less powerful than the player, and they are not always around. Two Immortal friends may not meet each other for decades, even centuries.

Known Watcher: (1 pt Merit) The Immortal knows that the Watchers exist, and that there is a person watching him/her, just taking notes. However, she does not know who this person is.

Mummy Companion: (5pt Merit) You have one of the world's few mummies as a companion or close associate. Your relationship is one of relative equality, as you are both one of the few creatures that can understand each other. The Reborn will help and advise you from time to time, but will expect the same treatment in return, such as minding their affairs while they are dead, and they are neither a constant companion nor a source of free Amulets or Alchemical potions.

Really Friendly Watcher: (7 pt Merit) The Watcher will betray other Immortals to you. Note this will risk him being expelled from the Watchers. If this happens obviously this merit is lost, and said jaded Watcher may become a Hunter (Storytellers discretion) Rogue Watcher: (5 pt Flaw) Your Watcher has turned Hunter. Think of having a really diligent Vampire Hunter after you who knows your bank account, your job, where you live, etc.

Sanctuary: (4 pt Merit) You have access to a place of Holy Ground where you can stay if necessary. Maybe the local priest is your friend, or you own property built on an ancient burial sight. However, if the location is a node or caern, other supernaturals may have an interest in it, and while you may be safe from Immortals there, you may not be safe from them.

Well Known Watcher: (2 pt Merit) The Immortal knows about the Watchers, and knows who her watcher is. The Watcher himself may or may not know that his Immortal knows about her.

PhysicalNeck Injury: (2 pt Flaw) At some point, the Immortal has sustained a vicious injury to the throat (most likely

a near decapitation by another immortal). There is a nasty scar on the immortal's throat, and he speaks in a horrible, grating voice. All social rolls suffer a penalty of two dice. On the plus side of this, the Immortal gets a bonus of two dice on intimidation rolls.

Pain Tolerance: (5 pt Merit) Although Immortals cannot die, they can still feel pain, and they do not particularly enjoy it. Immortals normally have a high tolerance for pain, because little compares to the agony of

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their first death when they become fully Immortal. However, those with this pain are virtually insensitive to painful stimuli. Thus, the Immortal would not hesitate to jump off the World Trade Center, or stick a knife in his heart to prove to someone she cannot die. In game terms, the Immortal reduces the wound penalties on her dice pool by three. If the Immortal is reduced to "incapacitated", she can still take actions with a penalty of four on her pool (unless, for example, her limbs are physically cut off -- the Storyteller is the final judge). Note: Immortals with this merit are pretty much immune to the effects of the Dark Thaumaturgy Path of Torture (Storyteller's Guide to the Sabbat).

New Combat Maneuvers"You're better with a blade than her, yes. You're stronger than her, yes. But if you keep letting her walk

away, one day she gets lucky and takes your head - yes!" - MethosSteel Wall: The warrior rolls as his attack roll Dexterity + Melee, difficulty 7. Any success on this roll add to

the number of parry dice he has on any Defense roll he makes during the turn. Any attempt made to Brawl from the front by any attackers results in automatic damage on whoever tries to attack him hand-to-hand, as if a successful attack roll had been made. The warrior may attempt only parries in this turn; Type: Defense; Difficulty: 7; Image: The warrior begins to swing to his weapon in a complex flowing pattern, weaving a wall of steel in front and around him, moving forward slightly with each pass.

Tendon Slice: Skilled if somewhat unscrupulous warriors can attempt to slice the tendon's of a foe's wrists and ankles. Doing this requires Melee 4, Dexterity 2 and a bladed weapon. If two or more Health Levels are taken by the victim, the tendons are cut. Wrists become useless, and a successful tendon slice to the ankle can cripple a mortal opponent for life unless excellent health care or magical aid can be rendered.; Type: Attack; Difficulty: 9; Damage: As weapon; Image: With deadly precision, the warrior quickly strikes, whipping his blade across his opponents vulnerable wrist or ankle.

Jab: This quick strike serves to test an opponent's Defenses.; Type: Attack; Difficulty: Weapon Difficulty -1; Damage: Strength -2; Image: With a quick, fast strike the warrior tries to pierce his opponents Defenses.

Head Wound: Different from the normal aimed attack, the purpose of this strike is to slash the opponent's head causing him to bleed. The blood will then obstruct his vision in subsequent rounds adding +1 to the difficulties of their strikes on the following turn. This lasts for one turn per Health Level done by the attack, or as long as it takes to heal the wound, which ever is less, although there is a minimum of one turn's effect, even if the wound is healed the blood does not instantly disappear.; Type: Attack; Difficulty: Weapon Difficulty +2; Damage: Strength -2; Image: The warrior swings his blade at his opponent's head, cutting him on the forehead and causing blood to spill down his face and into his eyes.

Paired Weapons: A character needs to have a Dexterity + Melee dice pool of at least five to use paired weapons, although is unlikely to present much of a problem to most Immortal characters. A character with two weapons can choose to either attack with both or use one to defend. If attacking the character must split her dice pool, but gains an extra dice to the pool. If defending the difficulty of Melee and Brawl attacks against the character are increased by one.

New Knowledge - Immortal LoreLike all Lores the knowledge is hard to come by, and for those people not belong to the groups that

normally possess it a good reason is required to have it a character creation.1: You know that Immortals exists, and beheading them kills them.2: You know of the Quickening, and the Prize.3: You have heard of some of the more famous Immortals.4: You know of many Immortals, and the deeds of the more famous.5: You know who killed who, where, when and with what.Possessed by: Immortals, Watchers, Hunters

New ArchetypesReluctant Immortal: Eternal life was thrust upon you, and you didn't want it. You yearn for a normal life -- a

small circumscribed, safe little life, blissfully ignorant of the greater things to which your eyes were forcibly opened. A life without having to watch over your shoulder for another sword-wielding maniac looking for your head. You know you can never go back to being mortal, and you don't want to die just yet, but you can't shake the yearning to be normal. Your moods will often swing between denial and depression. Gain one permanent point of Willpower when you realise and accept the truth about what you have become. This should occur only after long soul-searching and some excellent role-playing. After this choose another Nature, perhaps one related to the catalyst for change.

Masquerader: No, this doesn't mean you like vampires. Rather you feel that life is complex enough for those who only have one lifetime. For Immortals it can dissolve into chaos if too many things from the past all come home to roost at once. The only way to avoid this is to leave as little trace of yourself as possible -- to leave no footprints in the sands of time. Mortals are far better off never knowing that creatures like yourself walk among them -- and secrecy protects you from the unwelcome attention of Hunters and other Immortals. Regain one Willpower point whenever you resolve a situation without anyone finding out, or even suspecting, that you are more than just an ordinary mortal.

Attribute Maximums

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Rather than limit an Immortal's Attributes and Abilities by age, it makes more sense to limit it by Quickening. It is the supernatural power of the Quickening that allows an Immortal the superhuman prowess. This makes the higher Quickening levels more useful and allows successful young Immortals to progress to supernatural levels of power, providing an extra incentive, as if one was needed, to take heads. It also places the higher levels of Attributes and Abilities within the reach of all player characters, although they will have to work hard to get it.

Quickening Stat Maximum Quickening Stat Maximum1-5 5 6 67 7 8 89 9 10 10

Quickening and NuminaHedge Magic and Psychic Phenomena: Immortals who had these powers in before their 'death' do not lose

them afterwards. During character creation an Immortal can purchase such powers at a cost of 7 freebie points per dot. Hedge Magic is more common among older Immortals, who often come from a time when it was practised more widely. Psychic Phenomena are generally a more recent occurrence, and tends to be possessed by newer Immortals, although both powers a rare even among such an exceptional group.

An Immortal may try to power such abilities through their Quickening rather than force of will. To do this a Quickening roll is required, and the Immortal must score as many successes as the level of the power they are trying to use. If she succeeds the power works with no Willpower expenditure. If she fails, the Willpower point can be spent as normal. If the roll botches, the power automatically fails, and the Willpower point is lost. Note that any normal Attribute + Ability roll must still be made, and required foci must still be used.

There is a price to pay for having such powers however. If an Immortal with these powers is slain, the victor may take points in these Numina in the same manner as Abilities (instead of, not as well as). This make Immortals with such powers very tempting targets.

The only Numina that is forbidden to the is the Psychic Phenomena of Astral Projection. Since an Immortal's spirit cannot leave her body while alive, it is not possible to ever learn or use this power.

True Faith: Unlike other Numina, True Faith cannot be taken by another Immortal, as it comes from belief, not knowledge. An Immortal who possesses True Faith cannot use it as countermagick against any power which her Quickening protects her, but may use it normally for anything else. Several Immortals have developed True Faith after their first "death" believing that they have been restored to life to fulfill some holy cause.

Dark Powers: The Infernal and the WyrmImmortals are as good or bad as the human populace from which they come. Like humans, some seek

power in places best left alone. Immortals may practice the black arts, the Ritualis Infernal (see the Book of Madness and WoD: Sorcerer). Some practised it before their death, others took it up afterwards seeking any power that could help them in their quest for the Prize. Unlike other Hedge Magic, points in Pit Craft cannot be taken from a defeated Immortal as the power does not flow from themselves but from Inferno. Such powers can still be fuelled by the Quickening. For those who traffic with demons, Infernal Investments may still be gained.

For those who choose to deal with the Wyrm, they may also benefit from its dark gifts. Since Immortals cannot be possessed, they cannot become Fomori. However, like other servants they can be rewarded with similar powers for loyal service. The Immortal's resistance to body altering powers does nothing to stop the gifts of their dark patron, beneficial or not, and Immortals who serves the Wyrm for too long may find themselves with a Taint or two.

Magical ItemsAn Immortal who is lucky enough to get their hands on a Talisman or a Fetish can use such an item, up to

the third level of power. They can do so by rolling their Quickening, difficulty the items Arete or Gnosis. In the case of Fetishes, an initial roll must be made to attune themselves to the item. For Talismans, any Paradox gained goes to the Talisman. 10 or more points accumulated will destroy it.

An Immortal's Sword"Choose your ground, choose your weapon, and face what is to come." - RebeccaAlthough few Immortals would describe their weapon as 'just' a piece of steel, in few cases is there

anything magical (or magickal) about it. However, when the Immortal uses the Empower Weapon ability, some of his Quickening enters the sword, making it more "real".

When empowered, the sword is more resistant to any supernatural powers. The Immortal may roll his Quickening to resist any powers that affect the weapon (such as the Matter Sphere or the Heat Metal Gift).

Immortals and the UmbraAlthough Immortals have no natural power to enter the Umbra, it is possible that they may find themselves

there (Spirit Magick, Hand from Beyond). When in the Umbra, an Immortal is capable of physically interacting with spirits and ephemera. Any damage received in the Umbra from spirits and attacks can be soaked by a Quickening roll. Also an empowered weapon may inflict damage upon spirits.

Unless the Immortal has some points in Cosmology or Spirit Lore it is unlikely that she is even aware that the spirit world exists.

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Pre-ImmortalsA Pre-Immortal is someone who has the potential to become an Immortal, but has not yet experienced her

"death". To all normal intents and purposes they are simply human beings with no special powers or abilities. Even supernatural powers cannot normally detect their latent abilities, although anything that reads their future or fate may reveal that something special is in store for them. Pre-Immortals have no special advantages or powers granted by their status, and generally count as Witness for Vulgar magic and are subject to the Delirium and the Fog.

If a Pre-Immortal is beheaded or subject to complete destruction (e.g., reduced to a pulp in a car crusher) they simply die. There is no release of Quickening and no power that can be gained.

New Quickening PowersLike the Kindred's Disciplines, the powers of Quickening above 5 are not fixed. Rather their nature depends

on the nature of the Immortal who develops them. Keep in mind that Quickening powers are rarely very flashy. They are often more subtle in nature, effecting the Immortal themselves, or the minds of those around them.

When an Immortal reaches Quickening levels above five, they receive one power at the new levels. Additional powers at the same level may be purchased. These cost level x5 experience points, but do not require and Quickening experience, just time and practice. Like the lower level powers, they all use a Quickening roll if any roll is required.

Level SixSense of Quickening's Form: This is a superior version of the level one power. The Immortal can sense the

mystic energies around them, the different forms they take, and when that energy is being manipulated. This allows the Immortal to sense the presence of the types of supernaturals nearby, and the use of any supernatural power. The more successes scored, the more information gained. One would tell the general type of creature (e.g., shapeshifter, vampire) or the type of power (Sphere, Gift etc.). Three or more will reveal more specific detail (e.g., Bone Gnawer Garou, Setite vampire, Forces sphere). Five will reveal an exact power (e.g. Life 3, Blissful Ignorance). Note that Immortals cannot recognise something they do not know of, or have not seen before, and while they may recognise a power it does not mean they know what it is called. Immortals who score five successes with this power can sense Pre-Immortals if they are in the immediate vicinity.

Shield of the Mind: The Immortal can protect his mind from any outside interference. This includes mind control (e.g., Dominate, Obedience), emotion control (e.g., Presence, True Fear) illusions, invisibility and mindreading. In the case of illusions and invisibility, it will only work if they are mental in nature, and not physical (e.g., it would protect against Chimestry, Obfuscate or the Mind Sphere, but not a Forces rote that bends the light). This requires a Quickening roll, with each success deducting from the opponents. This roll is in addition to any other resistance allowed by the power. Note that the roll will only protect the Immortal, not others influenced by the power.

Power Strike: When the Immortal strikes with her blade, there is a large electrical discharge. This power functions as the Empower Weapon ability, except all of the damage done in the attack is aggravated.

Level SevenSwiftness of the Steel: By channelling his Quickening through the blade, the Immortal becomes one with his

weapon, a truly terrifying opponent. The Immortal makes a Quickening roll, and providing he scores at least one success he may add his Quickening to his Dexterity + Melee dice pool for the rest of the scene. If he is taking several actions in the turn (e.g., using Speed of the Stag) the dice can be added to one action, or split over several, but it is not added to every action.

Blur of Speed: The Immortal can react with amazing swiftness. Add the Immortal's Quickening to any initiative dice pool.

Tap the World Mind: The Immortal can tap into the collective unconscious of the human race, rather like a Mage using the Dream background. For every success on the Quickening roll the Immortal gains one point in a desired ability. This new rating does not add to the Immortal's own, but rather replaces it for the scene. This power can only be used once per scene.

Level EightRead the Soul: Using this ability the Immortal may 'tune in' to a person and know her mind. The target must

be either visible to the Immortal, or close by and the Immortal is aware of her presence. The Immortal must make a Quickening roll, resisted by the target's Willpower (difficulty 7). The more successes the Immortal gains, the more he know about the target.

Successes Knowledge Gained1 Target's current thoughts and emotions.2 Basic knowledge about the target (occupation, close family, etc.), and short term plans.3 The target's long term plans, and rough detail of her history.4 The target's dreams, hopes and desires, and exact details of her life history.5 Knowledge of the target's most deeply buried secrets, that even he does not acknowledge.

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With three or more successes, the Immortal may even see through the persons eyes. While doing this, he cannot see through his own however.

Overwhelming QuickeningSometimes when a very powerful Immortal is killed, absorbing her Quickening can have a profound affect

upon the victor of the duel. The accumulated weight of possibly centuries of memories and knowledge cannot but have a strong influence on her killer as they flow into him. An example of this would be when Darius killed the Good Immortal in Paris and was forever changed by it.

In game terms this only happens when an Immortal beheads an opponent whose Quickening rating is higher than both the victor's Quickening and his Willpower. When this happens roll the loser's Quickening resisted by the victor's Willpower, both at difficulty 6. If the victor wins the roll, or it is a draw then nothing happens. If he loses by one or two success then he has become overwhelmed with thoughts and memories of the Immortal he has slain; in this case he assumes the Nature of the defeated Immortal. He can opt to spend a Willpower point and return to his previous nature for one scene, however he can only spend Willpower that he either had either before the Nature change, or that he gained while acting under his original Nature to do this.

Once he has spent as many Willpower points as his victim's Quickening score he may resume his old nature. If he runs out of Willpower points that can he can spend to act under his original Nature, the Nature change becomes permanent. If he loses the roll by three or more successes then again the Nature change is permanent. The only way for him to regain his old nature is through extensive role-playing.

Although the player will be aware of the change in her character's Nature, and consequently his behaviour, the character will not be aware that he is acting differently until either someone actually points it out to him or he performs an act so contrary to his old Nature that he cannot but help realise that something has happened.

Healing and DamageIts generally assumed that only decapitation can kill an Immortal, but that is not completely true. Should an

Immortal suffer such catastrophic injuries that her body is destroyed or completely obliterated then she will also perish. Examples of this would include being at ground zero of a nuclear explosion, being pulped in a car crusher or explosive decompression.

It is also possible for certain supernatural powers to destroy them. Again it takes either something that totally wipes them out, like the Ren-Hekau spell that wipes a person from existence, or a power that somehow targets what they are, like the Renew the Cycle Gift that destroys creatures that should be dead. If you are using the damage rules from Vampire Revised Edition, then Immortals can soak Bashing, Lethal and Aggravated damage with their Stamina. They heal all damage at the same rate, although Heal Self will heal two levels of Bashing damage per success rather than one. If you are using the World of Darkness: Combat rules than treat Stun damage in the same way.

Permanent WoundsIt is very rare for an Immortal to take a wound that doesn't completely heal, but there are some

circumstances. Wounds to the throat or neck will heal, providing they don't decapitate the Immortal, but always leave a scar of some sort. Also its sometimes possible for Aggravated wounds to leave a mark. Should the Immortal try to heal and Aggravated injury with Quickening, rather than letting it heal "normally", and botch his Quickening roll he will be left with a scar. In the case of extreme damage like a severed limb, a botched roll indicates it does not regrow.

Immortals and... (Crossover)"Leaving's no problem, but killing me . . . that's not as easy as it looks." - DuncanVampires: Embracing an Immortal is simply a waste of good Vitae, although draining their blood can drive

them to Incapacitated. To make matters worse, the vampire now has inert blood in her system. This blood will take up space in the Vampire's system (i.e., fill up space in the Blood Pool) but cannot actually do anything. The only solution is for the vampire to bleed this blood out of her body. A vampire will realise that something is not right with the blood the moment she starts to feed on it. If a vampire embraces a Pre-Immortal then she will trigger his "death". The Pre-Immortal drained of blood will not revive upon tasting the Kindred's blood, leaving the Lick to wonder what went wrong. The new Immortal will recover like any other after experiencing his first "death".

Ghouls: An Immortal cannot be Ghouled, as consuming vampire blood has no effect on them. A Pre-Immortal can be Ghouled and Blood Bound as normal, and he may even learn Disciplines. If he dies however, the stirring Quickening will purge the Vitae from the System. This has the advantage of breaking the Blood Bond, but he will also lose any Disciplines that he possessed. In the stunningly unlikely event a Revenant becomes an Immortal she suffers the same effects as a Ghoul; in addition her body will no longer manufacture any Vitae.

Garou: It is not possible for an Immortal to also be a Garou, or any other form of shapeshifter. All shapeshifters have an intimate connection with Gaia through their Gnosis. By contrast, an Immortal's spirit self is bound up in his Quickening and incapable of experiencing this connection. For the record, Immortals are not subject to the Delirium that the shapeshifters induce. An Immortal cannot use any Garou Rites, even if he has the Rituals Knowledge and knows how to perform them as the spirits will not recognise and obey him.

Kinfolk: It is quite possible for an Immortal to be a Kinfolk. In this case she must purchase the Merit Kinfolk (see Kinfolk: Unsung Heroes for more detail). An Immortal Kinfolk cannot learn Gifts or have any Gnosis; her Quickening prevents the spiritual connection that would be required to have such powers. She can however gain Renown in the same manner that other Kinfolk can, providing that there is a Garou Sept that would accept them. A

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Pre-Immortal Kinfolk is indistinguishable from any normal Kinfolk. Although his dormant Quickening will prevent him from learning any Gifts or acquiring Gnosis, these are rare powers even among Kinfolk, and it is highly unlikely that any significance would be attached to his lack of such abilities.

Mages: An Immortal's Avatar is already Awakened upon the moment that they first die, but its nature is fixed and it cannot utilise the powers of True Magick. Even a Pre-Immortal cannot be Awakened in any manner except through killing her. An Immortal does not count as a Witness for Vulgar Magick.

Wraiths: A dead Immortal killed in a duel cannot become a Wraith; the only possibility is that he died and no-one took his Quickening. In such circumstance he might become one of the Restless, although he would not have any of his old Quickening powers. Like other supernaturals Immortals are not affected by the Fog. An ex-Immortal Wraith cannot become Risen, as it seems whatever protects them from possession in life protects their corpses from the Puppetry Arcanos in death.

Changelings: It is not possible for a Fae soul to enter the body of even a Pre-Immortal. Even latent the Quickening simply does not allow the space for it to enter. Assigning an Immortal Banality can be rather tricky. On the one had some of them are old enough to remember the times when the Fae walked the earth. On the other, their long lived have left many of them jaded, and incapable of experiencing wonder. In general the older an Immortal is, the higher her Banality is likely to be. Immortals are affect normally by the Mists.

Kinain: An Immortal can be Kinain, but he may not posses Glamour, unless Enchanted, or use any Arts. As with Kinfolk and Gnosis, the Quickening prevents such powers and its internalised nature prevents an external connection, in this case with the Dreaming. Even Pre-Immortals cannot enjoy such powers.

Fomori: Since an Immortal cannot be possessed, it is impossible for him to become a Fomori. A Pre-Immortal could, however become a Fomori but upon his "death" the Bane is ejected from his body, causing them to lose all Powers and Taints.

Gypsy: A Pre-Immortal Gypsy can have a Blood Purity rating and enjoy the advantages of the Blood Affinities. However when the Quickening stirs the spiritual nature of her blood undergoes a radical change, and such powers are lost. The Blood Purity rating can be retained, but only to determine social bonuses and penalties.

Supernatural PowersIn general any Immortal is highly resistant to any power that alters her body, whether the power is

beneficial or not. The Immortal gets her Quickening in automatic successes to resist such powers. Remember also that she cannot be possessed, and her soul cannot be remover from her body.

Aura Reading: An Immortal's aura appears quite bright, but is very close to his body. Immortals with high Quickening show electrical type sparks in his aura; these flare more brightly when a Quickening power is used. Note that Immortals with Awareness 3+ can read auras.

GiftsScent of the True Form: This will detect Immortals against a difficulty of 7 (and remember any Arcane

rating). If the Garou succeeds she will know that the Immortal is not human, but she will not recognise what he is unless she know an Immortal's 'scent'.

Sense the Unnatural: This power will also detect Immortals, again the Garou will need some experience of Immortals to know what she is sensing.

Sense Weaver: An Immortal's static nature means that he will usually be detectable with this Gift.Fatal Flaw: Three or more successes on this Gift will reveal an Immortal's vulnerability to decapitation.Mother's Touch, Whelp Body, Wither Limb, Open Wounds, Curse of Dionysis: With all these Gifts, the

Immortal gets his Quickening as automatic successes to resist.Renew the Cycle: This awesome Gift will affect Immortals, who after all have died and are still around. If the

Gift succeeds then the Immortal dies and his Quickening earths itself in the surroundings. A nearby Mage with Prime may try to take this power as when an Immortal dies in a duel, but no other Immortal can gain it.

SpheresLife and Prime are covered in the main rules. Scanning with either of these Spheres will also reveal that

there is something unusual about an Immortal: his Prime energies are tightly locked into his body and his Life patterns are not subject to age and restore themselves at a vastly accelerated rate. Note that the Quickening protects against Entropy 4 as well, when targeted at the Immortal's body.

CharmsPossession: This charm has no effect at all on Immortals, however they are effected normally by such

charms as Influence or Suggestion. Note that since Immortals cannot be possessed there is no such thing as an Immortal Fomori. If an Immortal was possessed before he 'died' the spirit is ejected upon the Immortal's death.

DisciplinesDominate: The Dominate power of Possession and any similar higher level abilities will not work on an

Immortal.Obeah, Valaren and Chi'iu Muh: These Disciplines cannot be used to remove an Immortal's soul from his

body; any attempt to do so will simply fail. Healing powers are resisted automatically with Quickening.Quietus: The Quietus powers that reduce a victim's physical attributes have their successes reduced by the

Immortal's Quickening.

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Vicissitude: As with other powers that affect an Immortals body, his Quickening counts as automatic successes rolled against those rolled by the Vicissitude user. Each success after that on the Vicissitude roll is treated as one health level of aggravated damage for the purpose of regenerating it, which an Immortal's body will begin to do automatically.

ArcanosPuppetry: Immortals are immune to this power.

FaithFaith has no direct effect on an Immortal, although one with True Faith may be able to bless an area so that

it counts as holy ground. Obviously any area that has a faith rating is holy ground, even if such a place is not a node. An Immortal's Quickening will count against faith healing, as with any other kinds.

Kurgan (Immortal Assassin)Alias: Victor Kruger; Age: 2,990 (at time of death); Found: 1005 BC, Russia; The

Kurgan is a fictional character from the first Highlander film, portrayed by actor Clancy Brown. He is an Immortal and the main antagonist to the character Connor MacLeod in Highlander, and the latter's last opponent in the Gathering. He is also mentioned on Highlander: The Series.

The Kurgan's true name is never stated. His tribe, the Kurgans, were infamous for their cruelty, and were known to "toss children into pits full of starved dogs, and watch them fight [for the] meat" for amusement.

The Kurgan hired himself out to Clan Fraser in their battle with the MacLeod clan, in exchange for allowing him to be the one to kill Connor MacLeod. In the midst of the battle, the Kurgan challenged MacLeod. Before Connor could strike, he was run through with the Kurgan's broadsword. However, Connor's cousins Angus and Dougal (along with other members of his clan) beat the Kurgan back, rescuing Connor from certain beheading. The Kurgan promised he would finish it, screaming: "Another time, MacLeod!!" Five years later, fellow Immortal Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez sought out the now fully-Immortal MacLeod as the only hope of defeating the Kurgan. However, the Kurgan discovered this, and tracked them down to MacLeod's home. MacLeod was away, but Ramírez and Heather MacLeod, Connor's wife, were there. He battled Ramírez, who managed to slice Kurgan's throat (though not deep enough to behead him) before being impaled and decapitated himself; all while Heather watched. After taking Ramirez's Quickening, the Kurgan raped Heather and departed. MacLeod returned shortly after, narrowly missing his enemy.

The two would meet again in 1985, in New York City, where the Gathering was to take place. During this time, the Kurgan was going by the alias "Victor Kruger." The last six Immortals at this time were himself, MacLeod, Sunda Kastagir, Iman Fasil, Osta Vasilek, and Yung Dol Kim. Vasilek was beheaded by the Kurgan in New Jersey before he learnt of Fasil's death in Madison Square Garden at the hands of the Highlander. He then defeated both Kim, as well as Connor's friend Kastagir, leaving just the two of them. In order to throw Connor's concentration off, the Kurgan kidnapped his then-girlfriend, a screaming Brenda Wyatt, and raced all the way to the abandoned Silvercup building while driving down the wrong side of the highway, playing chicken and running over pedestrians while gleeflully singing the theme from "New York, New York."

MacLeod followed them to the site, where he and the Kurgan faced each other in deadly combat, with Brenda's life at stake. After almost killing MacLeod, the Kurgan was distracted by Brenda bashing him over the head with a pipe. This distraction gave Connor the time needed to gather his composure, and the two ancient warriors clashed once more. MacLeod's calmness, maturity, and skill all proved to be superior to the Kurgan's, and ended up beheading his foe, his essence passing to the Highlander, winner of the Prize.

The Kurgan is mentioned in the episode "The Watchers." After Darius's death in Paris, in 1993, Duncan MacLeod returned to Seacouver to learn more about the Watchers, and the Hunters. His investigation led him to Joe Dawson, a Watcher, who had no alternative but to tell him who they were. To exemplify the Watchers' knowledge, Dawson showed Duncan his cousin Connor's, the Kurgan's, and his own personal databases. In the Kurgan's database, the data revealed more of his victims: Ivan Trotski and Flavio Parocchi. According to Dawson, Connor MacLeod did the world "a lot of good" by killing the Kurgan. In the Watcher Chronicles DVD supplements, it's also mentioned that from 1981 to 1985, the Kurgan was watched by future leader of the Hunters, James Horton.

In the final shooting draft of the Highlander II: The Quickening screenplay, it was revealed that the Kurgan was in fact originally sent from the planet Zeist to Earth by General Katana in order to hunt down Connor MacLeod and Ramirez before either of them could win "The Prize," and therefore return to Zeist. The scene was scheduled for filming, and actor Clancy Brown contacted about reprising his role in the sequel, but Brown was not willing to abide the rather extensive pre-production requirements (makeup, costuming) a second time, and declined.

Played by Clancy Brown; Nature: Deviant; Demeanor: Bravo; Born: ?; Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Abilities: Alertness 3, Awareness 4, Athletics 3, Brawl 7, Dodge 5, Intimidation 6, Leadership 4, Streetwise 5, Subterfuge 2, Drive 4, Firearms 5, Melee 8, Repair 4, Stealth 2, Survival 6, Computer 1, Finance 3, Investigation 2, Law 3, Linguistics 5, Medicine 2, Occult 4, Politics 3, Science 2; Backgrounds: Arcane 3, Contacts 2, Fame 1, Resources 3; Quickening 8; Willpower 8; Weapon: Two Handed Sword (difficulty 7, Str+6=11 dice)

MacLeod, Connor (The Highlander)Alias: Highlander, Adrian Montagu, Jacques Lefebret, Alfred Nicholson, David

Carruthers, Rupert Wellingford, Russell Nash; Age: 506 (currently 489) / 485 (at time of

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death); Found: 1518, Glenfinnan, Scotland; Immortality: 1536; Mentors: Ramírez, Nakano; Pupils: Duncan MacLeod; Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series. In the films, he is portrayed by Christopher Lambert. The character of Connor MacLeod is divided between many separate continuities; the original movie, each sequel, the television series, and the animated series. Although varying from leading man to supporting character in each different continuity, Connor's importance to each continuity's story is not to be overlooked. In the first three Highlander films, Connor MacLeod is the main character, and is officially the final Immortal. Highlander II and Highlander III pose different (and contradictory) accounts of Connor's life post-1985, but both hold to the original film's assertion that Connor is the "only one" remaining after the events of The Gathering.

Connor MacLeod was born in 1518 in Glenfinnan, Scotland near the shores of Loch Shiel. During a battle between the Clan MacLeod and the Clan Fraser in 1536, he faced an evil Immortal referred to as The Kurgan, and was dealt what should have been a fatal blow. When Connor did not die, the townspeople (including his family) believed his recovery was the work of witchcraft, and threatened to burn him at the stake. Connor's kinsman, and Clan Chieftain, Angus MacLeod, instead demanded that he only be banished. Connor wandered around the land until he met Heather MacDonald, the daughter of a blacksmith. The two fell in love, and married in 1539. In 1541, he met an Immortal named Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez, who became Connor's mentor and taught him the ways of Immortals, and of The Game.

Ramírez taught Connor the overriding rule of the Immortals: There can be only one. Connor, Ramírez, and others like them were destined to fight each other until only one was left. By beheading another Immortal, the winner would gain the fallen Immortal's strength, and the last alive would have the power of every Immortal that ever existed, a mysterious power beyond comprehension known as "The Prize." One night, The Kurgan, while Connor was absent, found his home, killed Ramírez, and raped Heather. Decades passed, and Heather finally died of old age. It was at this point that Connor left Scotland to explore the world. Connor MacLeod led many different lives under a variety of aliases, constantly keeping his immortality a secret. In 1985, MacLeod found himself living in New York in the guise of Russell Nash, an antiques dealer. In the continuity of the original movie, this was the time of The Gathering, when the few Immortals that remained were to fight until the last. While fighting in The Gathering, Connor had to deal with being a suspect of several beheadings. He started to fall in love with forensics expert Brenda Wyatt. In the end, it came down to MacLeod against his ancient enemy, The Kurgan. After The Kurgan kidnapped Brenda, MacLeod faced and defeated him, thus winning The Prize. He then returned to Scotland with Brenda.

Due to the fact that there are two major versions of this movie, the original movie and the 1994 and 2004 Director's Cuts, there are two different versions of the story.

Original Version - In the mid-1990s, the ozone layer had begun to rapidly disappear, and an ozone hole covered most of planet Earth. After the death of his wife Brenda Wyatt in 1995, the now-mortal Connor became the supervisor of a team attempting to create an artificial shield, which would cover the planet and protect it from the Sun's radiation. In 1999, the team succeeded in its goal, and Earth gained its artificial shield, filtering sunlight in place of the ozone layer. MacLeod was proud in having apparently saved humanity. However, the shield had the side-effect of condemning the planet to a state of constant night, and humanity could no longer see the sun, the moon, or the stars. Humanity began to lose hope, and fell into a sharp decline. The Shield fell under the control of the Shield Corporation, taxing for its services for the purposes of profit. Meanwhile, Connor, as years passed, had physically aged into a frail old man, and expected to eventually die of natural causes. He had also been able to learn the source of his immortality. Connor was a reincarnation of an alien humanoid from planet Zeist. In fact, all Immortals had been reincarnations from exiled criminals from Zeist (though the "reincarnation" aspect never made it into the actual film).

He was chosen by the reincarnation of Ramírez to be the leader of a rebellion against the rule of the evil General Katana. The reincarnation of Ramírez, who seemed to possess magical powers, made a magical bond with MacLeod that could never be broken. Whenever Connor needed his help, Ramírez would come. However, the rebellion failed, and Ramírez and Connor were sent to Earth to play The Game as Immortals, which would eventually be won by Connor. In 2024, a number of terrorists, led by Louise Marcus, tried to take down the Shield. Louise discovered that the ozone layer had been reformed, and the Shield was no longer needed. The Corporation, which was aware of this, attempted to hide it from the general public to maintain its profit-margins. Meanwhile on Zeist, General Katana was still alive. His information seemed to indicate that Connor wanted to return to Zeist. He decided that could not happen, and sent his Immortal henchmen Corda and Reno to Earth to decapitate him. Louise managed to reach MacLeod first, and asked for his help in taking down the Shield. To Louise's disappointment, she found the passionate person she once admired to have grown into "a tired old man." MacLeod explained that he was dying, and expressed his disapproval of terrorism. Before Connor and Louise could finish their conversation, Corda and Reno reached Earth.

The battle led to Connor becoming Immortal once again. Corda and Reno located MacLeod and attacked. MacLeod, however, decapitated them both, and in the process, through the Quickening, regained his youth. While he absorbed their energy, Connor summoned Ramírez, who revived in Glencoe, Scotland, the location of his death. Meanwhile, Connor found a new lover in Louise. Elsewhere, Katana also arrived on Earth and had a brief indecisive meeting with Connor. Soon enough, Connor was also reached by Ramírez. The latter joined MacLeod and Louise in their plan to take down the Shield. Katana predicted this, and forged an uneasy alliance with the Shield Corporation. The conflict between the two sets of allies eventually lead to the deaths of Ramírez (sacrificing himself to save Connor and Louise) and Katana (killed by Connor in their final confrontation). MacLeod succeeded in taking down the Shield by using the combined energies of his final Quickening from Katana. Connor, mortal again, began a

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new life with Louise. Note: In the TV cut, Connor claimed his Prize by returning to Zeist, with Louise accompanying him.

Highlander II: Renegade Version / Highlander II: Special Edition - In these versions of the movie, the Immortals were not aliens from Zeist. Instead they came from a distant past on Earth. Some events are also changed, the most meaningful being the rescue attempt from Connor, Louise, and Ramírez to free MacLeod's old friend and co-supervisor of the construction of the Shield, Dr. Allan Neyman, from a high-security prison. Neyman had betrayed the Shield Corporation by telling Connor the truth about the ozone layer's status. Neyman eventually dies in Connor's arms. Ramírez also gives his life for Connor and Louise in the prison. Both Neyman's and Ramírez's deaths occur in the Shield Corporation in the longer cut, instead of the high-security prison.

Sometime after the death of Heather, Connor travelled to Japan to request training from the Immortal Japanese sorcerer Nakano, an acquaintance of Ramírez. Nakano held his residence in a cave of Mount Niri, and had gained a reputation as a master of illusion. The training was never completed. Fellow Immortal Kane was also interested in mastering the power of illusion. Nakano had denied him training two centuries ago. Kane gained in experience and ability since that time. He made his way across Asia in order to reach Nakano again. When Kane reached the cave, he soon defeated and decapitated Nakano, despite MacLeod's attempts to prevent this. However, the energies released during the battle caused the cave to collapse. Connor managed to escape, but Kane was left trapped. He was soon forgotten, and his situation prevented him from participating in the Gathering of 1985, thus meaning The Game was still on, and MacLeod was once again Immortal.

In 1994, Connor was again a widower. In 1987, Brenda, his last wife, had died in a car accident in Scotland after only two years of marriage. He was left alone to raise their adoptive son John. They had settled in Marrakech, Morocco, and Connor was at peace for the first time in centuries. This peace would prove short-lived, though. In Japan, archaeologist Dr. Alexandra Johnson had started excavating Nakano's cave in order to discover whether or not the sorcerer's legend was based on actual fact.

Kane managed to escape the cave, and challenged MacLeod. Connor, meanwhile, started falling in love with Alex. When Kane kidnapped his son John, Connor went to his rescue, and had his final battle with Kane. Connor decapitated him, and finally won The Prize. Now truly mortal, Connor started his new life with Alex and John.

In the timeline of the television series (which retcons the first film to allow for more Immortals to exist post-1985), Connor, after the death of Heather in 1590, decided to travel throughout the world. He returned to Scotland in 1625, and met Duncan MacLeod, a fellow Immortal from the same clan, but nearly 75 years younger. He became Duncan's mentor, and took him under his wing. Their relationship, over the hundreds of years they shared, grew and evolved from a father-son relationship to a brother-to-brother friendship.

Many fans chose to include Highlander 3 into this continuity, ignoring the references to the Prize and the fact that Connor rewon the Prize. However, no official stance has ever clearly stated whether that film can be viewed as part of the continuity set by the TV series.

Connor's first appearance in this timeline was on the first episode of the TV series ("The Gathering"). In that episode, which occurred in 1992 (though no date is given in the episode), Connor was following Immortal Slan Quince who hunted and killed Immortals and their loved ones for a living. Quince's next target was Connor's clansmen Duncan, who had retired from The Game, and was living with mortal Tessa Noël. After a first failed attempt of confrontation between Duncan and Quince, Connor tried to convince Duncan to return to The Game to help the forces of good defeat the forces of evil, and prevent The Prize from falling into the wrong hands. After Duncan beheaded Quince, Connor left Duncan and Tessa to pursue his own path. Connor would not appear for the rest of the series, but would be mentioned several times.[4]

In the present day, both Connor and Duncan MacLeod were forced to fight a very powerful Immortal named Jacob Kell. Neither of them were strong enough to win on their own, so Connor ordered Duncan to take his head (and therefore his power and wisdom). After much reluctance, Duncan was forced to kill his teacher and friend of almost 400 years, and was eventually able to slay Kell (Connor's last words were "Goodbye, Duncan – my true brother"). Duncan buried Connor in the Highlands, in Glencoe, next to his first wife Heather's remains, where he bade him to at last find his peace.

Connor MacLeod also makes an appearance in Highlander: The Animated Series, which again presented a continuity different from that of the original movie or television series. The animated version of Connor appeared only in one episode. When fighting against evil Immortal Kortan, Connor was defeated. He, then, prophesied the coming of the series hero Quentin MacLeod, who would defeat Kortan. He was promptly beheaded by Kortan.

Connor was regarded by his pupil and lifelong friend Duncan MacLeod as one of the greatest Immortals out there, and held the highest respect for him, in turn. Connor taught Duncan how to live, why they live, and it was only reasonable Duncan felt he owed him a lot. Though they did not see each other a lot in Connor's final years, they were very close, and their friendship was as strong as it had always been for the nearly 350 years they had known each other. Their relationship was like a father and son, or brother-to-brother.

Heather was Connor's first and most beloved wife, who was present at the death of Ramirez, and was raped by The Kurgan, which she never revealed to Connor. There were recurring instances of Heather's depression at Connor's immortality during her life, as revealed in Highlander: Endgame. Connor remained with Heather until her natural death, and was so disillusioned that he abandoned his beloved Scotland, and began wandering the world. However, Connor never forgot Heather, and continued to honor her memory until his own death, at which point he was laid alongside her by his successor, Duncan MacLeod.

"Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez," original name Tak Ne, was one of the most legendary and greatest of the Immortals. By 1541, at the age of 2,437 years old, he was living in Spain, working as the Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V under the name of "Ramírez." He sought out Connor MacLeod, and took him under his wing, teaching him the rules of the Immortals. Most importantly, he warned him of the Kurgan, who gave him his first

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death, and prepared him for it — believing that Connor would be the one to end his reign of terror. Connor and Ramirez enjoyed a good friendship, rising from father-son to equals. Although their training lasted for a very short time, Ramirez left an indelible impression on the young Highlander — a taste of the theatrical, the wonder of the world beyond Scotland, and most of all, the connection between "all living things." Ramirez asked Connor to leave Heather, to save him from the pain of her inevitable loss, from old age. Connor refused to do so. In 1542, while Connor was away hunting, the Kurgan returned. Ramirez, although leaving a permanent scar in Kurgan's neck, lost the fight, and died at the hands of the Kurgan. Connor buried Ramírez next to his home in Glencoe and, after Heather died, he used his own broadsword as Heather's grave marker, and he began using his mentor's katana, a tribute to his old mentor. The katana was destroyed in 1994, by Immortal Kane, in a ferocious fight in a Buddhist Shrine in New York. MacLeod retreated, and recreated the sword on his own, leaving the handle the same, as a continuing tribute to his mentor.

Jacob Kell was a clansman of Connor's, and his childhood friend. He was also a latent Immortal. He had been adopted by priest, and grew up to be a religious man, following in his father's footsteps. When Connor came back to life after his death in the battle against the Clan Fraser, Kell believed Connor had been possessed by the devil, and wished to burn him. However, Connor was just expelled from the clan. Years later, he was part of a group that planned an ambush on Connor, luring him to Glenfinnan to save his mother, who had been sentenced to be burned alive for giving birth to the Devil. Ignoring Connor's pleas, he incarcerated him, and burned his mother. Enraged, Connor escaped, and killed Kell and his foster father. Kell would later come back to life, and start a personal vendetta against Connor, killing Rachel Ellenstein along the way. Being, according to The Watchers record, the single most powerful Immortal alive, his next target was Duncan MacLeod. Yet Connor anticipated him, and offered his head to Duncan, who, after some reluctance, beheaded Connor. Connor's subconscious within Duncan would be instrumental in killing Kell.

All movie continuities except for Highlander: Endgame show Connor as the victor of The Game. In Highlander, he is the last Immortal and recipient of The Prize. However, the following movies would attempt to establish, with varying amounts of difficulty, that The Game was not over. Connor obviously defeated great Immortals during his life, but the movies did not have time to show it like the series did for Duncan MacLeod, so only seven beheadings are known to take place in the movie timelines. Adding to those seven beheadings are two more from the Highlander script, and several from the new Highlander comic series: Mulet, 1815; Jack, 1888; Iman Fasil, 1985; The Kurgan, 1985; Tasya Desny, 1986; Khabul Khan, 1994; Kane, 1994; Corda, 2024; Reno, 2024; General Katana, 2024. Highlander: EndGame reveals that as of 2000s, Connor MacLeod has taken 262 heads.

Introduced in the expanded continuity beginning with the TV series, there is a secret organization known as The Watchers. In the Watcher Chronicles CD-ROM, a few Watchers were attributed to Connor. It is briefly mentioned in Highlander: Endgame that somewhere in his life, Connor met Methos and the Watchers, and he later joined their Sanctuary. It is questionable whether he joined of his free will (knowing the place he would enter), or whether he entered the Sanctuary forcefully. Here is a list of all of Connor's known Watchers: Alistair McDougal (1625-1630), Nathaniel Post (1872 – 1873), Dana Brooks (?? – 1992), Matthew Hale (Sanctuary Supervisor, 1992-2000)

Nature: Reluctant Immortal; Demeanor: Autist; Born: 1518; Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Abilities: Alertness 3, Awareness 4, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Dodge 4, Intimidation 3, Intuition 3, Leadership 1, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 4, Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Melee 6, Stealth 4, Survival 3, Bureaucracy 2, Computer 1, Finance 3, Investigation 2, Law 3, Linguistics 3, Medicine 2, Occult 1, Politics 2, Science 2; Backgrounds: Allies 1, Arcane 2, Contacts 2, Resources 5; Quickening 7; Willpower 7; Weapon: Katana (difficulty 6, Str+5=8 dice)

MacLeod, Duncan (The Reluctant Immortal)Alias: Highlander, Mac; Age: 414; Found: December 21, 1592(1592-12-21), Glenfinnan, Scotland;

Immortality: 1622; Mentors: Connor MacLeod, Hamza el Kahir, Graham Ashe, Hideo Koto, May-Ling Shen, Otavio Consone; Pupils: Felicia Martins, Devon Marek, Jean-Philippe de Lefaye III, Amber Lynn, Gregor Powers, Richie Ryan, Michelle Webster, Claudia Jardine, Danny Cimoli; Duncan MacLeod, also known as the Highlander, is a fictional character from the Highlander universe. A successor to Connor MacLeod, the main character of the Highlander movies, Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for Highlander: The Series and its spinoff movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source. An Immortal, he is portrayed by actor Adrian Paul.

The show does not tell Duncan's story in chronological order. Instead, the primary sequence of events is set in a present time which actually corresponds to the years during which the six seasons were filmed, i.e. 1992-1998, and extensive use of flashbacks is made to show Duncan's memories and their implications in present time. It is established in the pilot episode "The Gathering,"[1] set in 1992, that Duncan is almost 400 years old and thus was born in 1592 during a battle in Glenfinnan, Scotland to a woman who had been part of an army engaged in attacking the Scottish Highlands.[citation needed]

In the second episode, "Family Tree," Duncan's father and Chieftain of Clan MacLeod, Ian MacLeod, states that the newborn Duncan was a foundling given to his wife Mary to replace the stillborn son she had delivered, and raised to be his successor. The same episode also shows how Duncan is brought home fatally wounded in battle, dies in front of his father, and awakens with his wounds completely healed. Because his family believes his resurrection is a sign of witchcraft, he is cast out from his clan after being disowned by his adoptive father. The Watcher Chronicle of this episode states that it happens in 1622 during a dispute with the Clan Campbell. In "The Gathering," Duncan and Connor MacLeod explain how Connor, who had undergone a similar ordeal in 1536, found Duncan in 1625, told him about his immortality and became his mentor.

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The Series' various flashbacks show Duncan live through many adventures across four centuries, including visiting Renaissance France[citation needed] and Italy ("The Hunters"), traveling to China ("The Road Not Taken")[5], witnessing the French Revolution[citation needed], becoming a Sioux warrior ("The Gathering")[1], fighting in World War I ("For Tomorrow We Die") and II ("Mortal Sins"), and generally fighting for justice against evil. In 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, he meets Immortal Darius who has rejected war, and never fights in war as a soldier again.[citation needed] The Series especially focuses on adventures shared with friends Amanda and Hugh "Fitz" Fitzcairn.

During his life, Duncan meets and learns many things from many people that mold him to become a great Immortal. He meets many other Immortals: some become mentors, some become friends and some become enemies. Beginning as a reckless, uneducated, and somewhat arrogant man, he gradually changes and matures as he travels the world until he becomes the wise, educated and compassionate character of present times. He is an expert in many subjects, fluent in many languages (Gaelic, English, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, German, and Arabic) and skilled in many forms of martial arts. He has had many occupations including soldier, bodyguard, newspaper editor, World War I ambulance driver, chauffeur, and World War II Resistance fighter. More recently he is an antiques dealer, a dojo owner and a part-time History teacher.

1992-1998 is a critical period for Duncan. Being the years during which the Series was filmed, they are also the years in which the Series' "present time" is set and thus depict many important events in his life. The pilot episode "The Gathering" shows Duncan returning to The Game after a period of semi-retirement with his girlfriend Tessa Noël and a meeting with clansman and mentor Connor MacLeod[1]. Across the Series Duncan meets many old friends and enemies again, many old debts are repayed between them and Duncan kills many Immortals. He loses people he cares about, including Tessa, the love of his life ("The Darkness"), Immortal friends Darius ("The Hunters") and Hugh Fitzcairn ("Star-Crossed"), and mortal friend Charlie DeSalvo ("Brothers in Arms"). He befriends Richie Ryan ("The Gathering"), mentors him after his First Death "(The Darkness)" and teaches him the ways of the Immortals, then accidentally kills him in 1997 ("Archangel"). He meets Joe Dawson, who reveals to him that there is an organization known as The Watchers who secretly observes all Immortals ("The Watchers"). He also meets Methos, the legendary oldest Immortal ("Methos"), and eventually defeats the demon Ahriman ("Armageddon").

Because Highlander was a syndicated series including European producers[citation needed], the first part of each season was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia and the second part in Paris, France. This is why Duncan travels back-and-forth every six months.

In Highlander: Endgame, it is revealed that Immortal Jacob Kell has spent the last four centuries killing all people close to Connor MacLeod because Connor had killed Kell's adoptive father. He also gathered a posse of Immortals who would overpower other Immortals, allowing Kell to then enter and take their heads. In the 1990's, Connor hid in a place called The Sanctuary, where Immortals were protected from The Game by the Watchers. Ten years after Rachel's death, Kell attacked the Sanctuary, and Connor was believed to be dead along with the other Immortals sheltered there. Duncan has visions of this evil act and investigates. He discovers Connor had been spared by Kell, so as to make his life even more of a misery. Kell wants to kill Duncan only to agonize Connor further, and given the number of Quickenings he has received, he would succeed in doing so. Therefore, Connor forces Duncan to kill him, to absorb his power, thereby enabling Duncan to defeat Kell. Duncan once again has to lose a friend but in the end he understands that Connor's death was necessary and it was the only possible way for him to kill Kell. Duncan buried Connor in the Scottish Highlands, in Glencoe, next to his first wife Heather's remains.

In Highlander: The Source, Duncan has married a mortal woman named Anna, and has since separated from her. He is reunited with her at the Elder's monastery, and he joins in the quest to reach the Source after the death of Joe Dawson. As he grows close to the Source, he becomes mortal along with the other Immortals in the group (which includes Methos). Soon after making love to Anna, he overcomes the Guardian and enters the Source with her. She reveals to him that she is pregnant with their child. For an accurate account of Duncan's life, see Duncan MacLeod Timeline.

Duncan is portrayed as being tall, thin and brown-haired. Like all Immortals, his ageing process stopped at the moment of his First Death when he was 30. Thus he's been looking like a man in his early thirties for four hundred years and will do so until, if ever, he is beheaded. His injuries heal very quickly[6] and when he is killed by any means other than beheading, he revives some time later fully healthy again.

Duncan was raised to be the next chieftain of his clan and this fact influenced his personality. He has a strong moral conscience and a sense of nobility; he protects the weak and innocent and punishes the evildoers. He is known to be very loyal. He is referred to by more than one character as a "Boy Scout" and tends to see things in terms of black and white, being often criticized - sometimes in jest, sometimes not - for his rigid sense of honor and his determination to intervene in events that often place him in danger. He feels responsible for others and when he thinks people died because of him, he feels he has to avenge them. He mentors new Immortals even when he has doubts about them.[7] Like all Immortals, he is unable to have children but he likes them and takes care of those he meets. He is very respected by both mortals and Immortals and considered by some to be one of the prime contenders for The Prize[citation needed].

Duncan enjoys life. As Connor said, he has "all the fun and most of the good women".[1] Although he is a womanizer, he shares his life with a few women he grows to love. Those who are mortal, he remains loyal to their memories and cherishes the moments he had with them. He is perfectionist and keen to learn new things, be it reading, playing Shakespeare or fighting skills (see below). He is cunning and very difficult to catch because he has experienced most of everything life has to offer. He has a very good memory and can remember things that happened centuries ago.

As an Immortal, Duncan takes The Game with a grain of salt. He fulfills his duty and defends his head when he is challenged but he is not bloodthirsty and occasionally spares his opponents, especially female Immortals.

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Indeed, he does not hunt other Immortals for their heads, but he fights evil ones if they attack people he cares about. As he tells Alexei Voshin, "if you harm people I care about, I'll send you to hell the hard way".[8] Unlike Connor, for example, he does not consider The Game his primary purpose in life and sometimes retires from it.

Duncan is not prejudiced against mortals (Indeed, despising mortals is an attribute of most evil Immortals). Duncan is generally very generous to mortals, and almost always tries to avoid hurting them. Being four hundred years old, he has seen dozens of them age and die and thus acutely, and sometimes bitterly knows how fragile they are. "I have mourned more friends than I can count. Death is part of my life." For this reason, he protects them, especially from evil Immortals and from the dangerous consequences The Game can have for them. He feels they have nothing to do with it and should not suffer from it. He doesn't usually tell them about his immortality except when he trusts them with his life. He never gets used to death, especially the death of his lovers. As he tells Tessa : "No matter how many years go by. Or how many times you say goodbye to those you care most about, when they leave, you..." [Tessa: "Die..."] "...yes. When they die, you're naked and alone." But it never prevents him from involving himself in life again.

After becoming a mentor to Richie, he matures into something of a father-figure, with a stronger, more confident outlook on life. After Richie's death, he becomes a darker, brooding character acutely aware of the fragility of life and his participation in The Game decreases. Despite the fact that he was exiled from his own clan after his First Death in 1622, he remains proud of, and faithful to, his Scottish heritage. He usually introduces himself to other Immortals as "Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod" and fought for Scottish independence whenever he could, including the Battle of Culloden in 1746 ("Take Back the Night"), eventually trying to steal the Stone of Scone in 1950 ("The Stone of Scone"). Executive Producer Bill Panzer thinks, "once you've hurt him, he doesn't forget. And Immortals have a long time to remember, and sooner or later you will cross his path."

Duncan considers himself "an old soldier" and fighting has been part of his life since the beginning, when he was raised to be a warrior. Being a perfectionist, he always seeks to improve himself and never misses an occasion to learn new skills. He first learned swordsmanship (he can fight with both hands), then discovered martial arts during his travels in East Asia. His sword is a katana, featuring a Dragon's Head, which was given by Samurai warrior Hideo Koto over 200 years ago during his travellings to Japan. Duncan should have inherited the Claymore of his (adoptive) father, Chieftain of the Clan MacLeod, but because he was exiled the sword was instead kept within the clan. (In one episode he finds his father's claymore hanging as an antique in a scottish tavern, and uses it to kill the immortal who killed his father some time after he was exiled) In fact, Duncan usually tries to avoid killing mortals even when he is forced to fight them, and goes out of his way to use non-lethal methods. Although MacLeod has fought in many armed conflicts and is skilled with firearms, he is reluctant to use them and rarely does so throughout the series.

Duncan is an exceptionally excellent swordsman among Immortals. Although he is not one of the oldest Immortals in the Game, he has defeated numerous Immortals who are much older than himself, and many villainous Immortals with fearsome reputations.

In the TV series continuity, Duncan is the favourite to win The Prize. In Highlander: Endgame it is established that Duncan has taken 176 heads. Here's the list of all of Duncan's known Quickenings:

1. Timothy of Gilliam, 1625 (Gilliam beheads himself. Duncan's first Quickening.)

2. Unknown British Soldier, 1632 (Duncan's first beheading.)

3. Nerissa, 16324. Michel de Bourgogne, 1670 5. Charles Browning of York,

17306. Nasiradeen Satish, 1781 7. Violane Armand, 1842 8. Danny O'Donal, 1889 9. Khordas, 1897 (The 10. Aziz Mirza Bey, 191711. Farid Al'Zafir ibn Muhunnad,

191712. Marcus Korolus, 1925 13. Richard Tarsis, 1930 14. Benjamin Deeb, 1987 15. Slan Quince, 199216. Howard Crowley, 1992 17. Caleb Cole, 1992 18. Alexei Voshin, 1992

(Beheaded by a propeller blade.)

19. Walter Reinhardt, 1992 20. Andrew Ballin, 1993 21. Grayson, 199322. Christoph Kuyler, 1993 23. Carlo Sendaro, 1993

(Beheaded by a train.)

24. Gabriel Piton, 199325. Alfred Cahill, 199326. Michael Moore, 199327. Anthony Gallen, 199428. Tommy Sullivan, 199429. Xavier St. Cloud, 1994 30. Nicholas Ward, 199431. Artur Drakov, 1994 32. Nefertiri, 199433. Luther, 199434. Martin Hyde, 1994 35. Michael Kent, 199436. Kern, 199437. Paul Karros, 199438. John Durgan, 199439. Axel Whittaker, 1994 40. Brian Cullen, 1994 41. John Garrick, 1994 42. Peter Matlin, 1994 43. Lyman Kurlow, 1994 44. Michael Christian, 1995 45. Ernst Daimler, 1995 46. Lucas Kagan, 1995 47. Antonius Kalas, 1995 48. Kanwulf, 1995 49. Andrew Cord, 199550. Tyler King, 199551. Peter Kanis, 199552. Terence Kincaid, 1995 53. Simon Killian, 199554. Paul Kinman, 199555. Kamir, 1995

56. Annie Devlin, 199657. James Douglas, 1996 58. James Coltec, 1996 59. Sean Burns, 1996 60. Damon Case, 199661. Morgan D'Estaing, 1996 62. Avram Mordecai, 1996 63. Jacob Galati, 1996

(Beheaded by Watcher Jack Shapiro.)

64. Roland Kantos, 199665. Haresh Clay, 199666. Johnny 'K' Kelly, 1996 67. Gerard Kragen, 1996 68. Taro Honda, 199669. Niccolò Machiavelli, 1996 70. Gavriel Larca, 199671. Ingrid Henning, 199772. Caspian, 199773. Kronos, 1997 (Double

Quickening with Methos who beheaded Silas at the same time.)

74. Callestina, 199775. Otavio Consone, 1997 76. Lord Byron, 199777. Richie Ryan, 1997 78. Devon Marek, 199879. Liam O'Rourke, 199880. Connor MacLeod, 2000's 81. Jacob Kell, 2000's

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Played by Adrian Paul; Nature: Judge; Demeanor: Reluctant Immortal; Born: circa 1590; Strength 3, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Abilities: Acting 2, Alertness 1, Awareness 3, Athletics 4, Brawl 6, Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Intuition 2, Leadership 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 3, Drive 3, Etiquette 1, Firearms 3, Melee 6, Repair 1, Stealth 3, Survival 4, Computer 2, Finance 2, Investigation 3, Law 1, Linguistics 4, Medicine 1, Occult 1, Politics 1, Science 1; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Arcane 2, Contacts 1, Mentor 4, Resources 4; Quickening 5; Willpower 8; Weapon: Katana (difficulty 6, Str+5=8 dice)

Ramirez, Juan Sanchez Villa Lobos (Mentor)Age: 2437 (at time of death) (Highlander), 2920 (second death) (Highlander II); Mentors: Nakano, Graham

Ashe; Pupils: Otavio Consone, Connor MacLeod; Ramírez is a character from the fictional universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actor Sean Connery. He is an Immortal. Ramírez only appeared in Highlander, Highlander II: The Quickening, and was mentioned in Highlander: The Series.

It has been suggested, that Ramirez's real name is Tak Ne, which given his Egyptian background could be very true. Ramirez married three times until he finally decided having loved ones was no longer worth the grief resulting from losing them. Among his wives was Shakiko, a Japanese princess whose father, the great swordsmith Masamune gave Ramírez a "dragon head" katana in 593 BC. During this time, he also trained with the ancient Immortal Nakano, from whom he learned the arts of Metallurgy.

By 1541, he was living in Spain, working as the Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V under the name Juan Sánchez Villalobos Ramírez. He sought out the Highlander, Connor MacLeod, and took him under his wing, teaching him the rules of the Immortals. Most importantly, he warned him of The Kurgan, who gave him his first death. In 1542, while Connor was away hunting, the Kurgan returned. Though Ramírez had not been his intended victim, the Kurgan was not fussy, and a battle ensued, and while Ramírez nearly managed to decapitate his foe, he ultimately lost both the fight and his head. Connor buried Ramírez next to his home in Glencoe and, after Heather died, he started using his mentor's katana, using his own broadsword as Heather's grave marker.

In 2024, Connor was an aging old man who had won The Prize, killing The Kurgan along the way. He had also learned the origin of the Immortals. They had been exiled from their society and had reborn as Immortals. The one that had exiled both Ramírez and Connor was the tyrannical ruler of their society General Katana. Katana, to avoid the risk of MacLeod returning to his world (as was his right for winning The Game), sent two henchmen, Reno and Corda, to kill MacLeod. They failed, which resulted in Connor's rejuvenation through the Quickenings that ensued. Also, during the Quickening, Connor summoned Ramírez, who was resurrected, now fully aware of his and all of the Immortals origins. He tracked MacLeod down to New York, and helped him and Louise Marcus in their fight against Katana and the corrupt Shield Corporation. Ramírez eventually gave his life again to allow Connor and Louise to escape a trap.Ramírez was referenced in Highlander: The Series, in that two individuals whom Duncan MacLeod met had also previously encountered Ramírez. The first was Graham Ashe, an Immortal who had been Ramírez' mentor. The second was Otavio Consone, an Immortal who had been one of Ramírez' other students.

Played by Sean Connery; Nature: Mentor; Demeanor: Gallant; Born: 896 BC; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 5, Intelligence 5, Wits 4; Abilities: Acting 3, Alertness 4, Awareness 5, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Dodge 3, Empathy 2, Intimidation 3, Intuition 4, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4, Etiquette 4, Leadership 4, Melee 7, Music 3, Repair 2, Stealth 3, Survival 5, Finance 4, Investigation 5, Law 4, Linguistics 6, Medicine 4, Occult 3, Politics 4, Science 3; Backgrounds: Arcane 3, Resources 5; Quickening 6; Willpower 9; Weapon: Katana (difficulty 6, Str+5=8 dice)

Ryan, Richie (Immortal Thief)Alias: Bill Powell, Richard Redstone; Age: 23 (at time of death); Found: 1974, Seacouver, U.S.; Immortality:

1994; Mentors: Duncan MacLeod; Pupils: KennyRichie Ryan was an orphan, a foundling, who grew up as a thief in Seacouver. A life of crime was beckoning

Richie Ryan the night that he broke into "Noël and MacLeod Antiques" in 1992. A few weeks short of his eighteenth birthday, he was already a skilled thief, but fate was to overtake him. If he was shocked to see the owner of the store, Duncan MacLeod, coming at him with a Japanese sword and threatening to cut off his head, he was astounded when two more men appeared (Connor MacLeod and Slan Quince), also carrying swords, and all three seemed ready to use the weapons they carried. He beat a hasty retreat, straight into the arms of the police. The antiques store owner refused to press charges, but intimidated Richie into saying nothing about what he had seen. Intrigued, he started following MacLeod, only to see the man finish what had started that night in the store, by beheading Slan Quince. Richie would then be "adopted" by MacLeod and his girlfriend Tessa Noël. With them he learned the truth about Immortals and had many adventures concerning them with Duncan. In mid-year they moved to Paris and the adventures continued.

After the trauma of Darius' death in Paris, Duncan, Tessa and Richie returned to the States, where Duncan uncovered the secret of the Watchers. It was to be a traumatic discovery. Tessa was kidnapped by renegade Watcher Pallin Wolf, and although Duncan rescued her, she and Richie were gunned down and killed by a mugger

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on their way back to the store, ("The Darkness"). Richie revived to find MacLeod cradling Tessa in his arms and himself immortal.

Later on, Richie, who was now immortal, ran into some trouble, as he and Duncan MacLeod ran into an Irish immortal named Annie Devlin. She was about to kill a British ambassador. She was stopped by Richie, who ended up killing Annie's husband. She swore revenge. Duncan knew her well and told Richie he needed to defend himself. So Duncan trained Richie to use a sword, initially a katana. He instructed him specifically in her favorite move, and the counter to it. Despite Duncan's attempts to talk Annie out of it, she would not be swayed from her desire for vengeance. Richie went to face Annie and they fought. The training worked, and Richie disarmed Annie, but found he could not kill her. Having spared her life, she was persuaded to let him live too, and gave up her quest for revenge.

Later that day at Duncan's loft, Duncan gave Richie his first sword, a Spanish Rapier. Duncan had trained Richie to fight with a katana, but probably decided a rapier would allow Richie to keep his distance in a fight, emphasizing his speed over his size.

Richie met an immortal named Mako, who was chasing a young woman, Laura Daniels. Richie intervened to save her, and took her back to Duncan to get help. Richie put her under his protection. But they discovered she was wanted for murder, and Mako was a bounty hunter, tracking down those on the run from the law. She claimed she killed her husband in self-defense, but the local law was corrupt and she would never get a fair trial. Mako was an immortal who lived by the letter of the law. Duncan met Mako a long time ago and he knew Mako won't give up. Richie and the girl made a run for it. They stop at a hotel and spent the night together. Then Mako found where they were staying. They ran again, but Richie realised that they couldn't keep running forever. Laura still wanted to run, and tried to pull away from Richie. Mako, driving his truck, ran into the girl and killed her. He claimed it was an accident, but Richie, enraged, attacked Mako. The fight went into an abandoned store and swords got involved. Duncan arrived and saw the girl was dead, then went inside and saw Richie fighting Mako. According to the rules, he could not intervene, but he tried to talk them both out of it. Richie and Mako end up in a room full of paint and tables. Mako got up on a table and fell in, becoming trapped. He struck at Richie, cut him, and Richie struck back, taking his head. That was when Richie received his first Quickening. Later, back at Duncan's loft, Duncan told Richie it was time to go and take his own path of immortality.

A couple of months later in France, Richie was on his motorcycle going to Marseille, he was being followed by an immortal named Martin Hyde. Martin was using Richie to lead him to Duncan MacLeod. When Richie stopped at a gas station and got some gas and had some coffee, he sensed an immortal, got his sword out, demanding the immortal to show his face. The clerk's husband was murdered by Martin Hyde. After she came out and saw her husband dead and saw Richie with a sword, she thought Richie killed him. Richie got on his bike and left. He arrived at Paris, he went to Duncan's barge and asked for his help. Richie told Duncan everything that has happened. Duncan figured out it was Martin Hyde, an immortal who used younger immortals to lead them to their teachers so he can take their teacher's head. The police arrived and Richie tried to get away, but was caught by the police and was arrested. He is identified as the killer by the gas station clerk. Richie went to jail for murder and Duncan had to find a way to prove his innocence. Duncan figured a way to help Richie by setting up Martin Hyde, and proving he is the murderer. It worked, Martin killed himself though. Richie was free. Martin escaped from the morgue. Duncan went off to face him and defeated him. He and Richie renewed their friendship, they had a drink of a great vintage cognac.

As motorcyclist, Richie was getting better and was competing in France, however in a twist of events, he "died" and had to flee the country. MacLeod gave him a passport and during this time was trying to rekindle his relationship with the beautiful surgeon Anne Lindsay. However, he met there the former Cossack voivode Ivan Kristov, who turned into prime Russian mobster, organising crime and heroin trade for the Russian mafia. When one of his smugglers - his mortal girlfriend Tasha was saved by McLeod - Kristov threatened Duncan, saying that he didn't want to fight Duncan, but he would if he has to. At the end, Kristov captured Richie (who still hadn't left the country) to blackmail MacLeod to kill Tasha in the spare of Richie's life. Duncan arrived to save Richie and started knocking off Kristov's men. Meanwhile Richie easily untied himself while Kristov wasn't watching and challenged him. Duncan witnessed the lightnings of quickening and raised his sword, but for latter's happiness, Richie emerged victorious, beating the Cossack's prowess.

Back in Seacouver, Richie concentrated on training, running the dojo and letting MacLeod fight his own battles. Buying a hot dog on the street, he watched a young man walk by, ("Leader Of The Pack"). It took a moment for him to remember the face of the punk who killed Tessa. He chased Roscza, who ran to the police. Roscza denied shooting Tessa, but Richie brought back the memory to the reformed junkie, but left him alive with the knowledge that he was a murderer.

Accompanying his foster-mother’s daughter Maria to a modelling agency, Richie met Kristen Gilles, the beautiful agency owner and an immortal, ("Chivalry"). Ignoring warnings from both Duncan and Methos that Kristen was bad news, Richie fell in love, only for the insanely jealous Kristen to try to kill him and Maria. As both Duncan and Richie harboured feelings to her, both couldn't gather enough courage to kill her, although she wasn't a capable swordswoman, relying mostly on seduction. At the end it was Methos, who appeared without compunctions and beheaded her, though Richie still found it hard to accept that Methos took her head to stop her doing it again. As Methos by this time acted as one of the Watchers, by the alias - Adam Pierson - the Watchers think that it was Richie who beheaded her.

Later on, at the beginning of the new year, Richie returned in America with Duncan, who had just broken with Lindsay and was to meet the "old" Indian chief James Coltec, but Coltec had just received the Dark Quickening and only the quick intervention of MacLeod prevented him from beheading Ryan. Later, when MacLeod received the quickening himself and with graceful arrogance fought the youngling, this time only the quick intervention of

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Joe Dawson stopped MacLeod from his killing his own protege. Ryan fled, with all his faith broken, after his own teacher and best friend tried to kill him. From there, Ryan decided that it's all about the Game, that MacLeod did it, so he started to train frantically and devoted himself to headhunting. He travelled across the country on his motorbike, and as he was an experienced rider, he was able to feed himself through racing and wagering. Due to his being trained by MacLeod - one of the finest immortal swordsmen - Richie took a lot of heads on his killing spree, rarely if ever fleeing.

He returned the following Autumn, still picking fights with any immortal who crossed his path. Dawson came to warn MacLeod to watch over Richie, who was "walking the edge", provoking and challenging everyone. After he killed the 900-year-old Carter Wellan with relative ease for no more reason than the Game, Haresh Clay, Wellan's friend, swore revenge. Ryan was unprepared as Clay attacked him right at his own dwelling and Richie thought that it was Duncan, coming again to persuading him. Clay nearly took Richie’s head, breaking his Spanish Rapier in the process.

Richie went to Joe for help. The Watcher was likely to help him, but at this time, his relationship with Duncan was strained, due to the Watcher's oath, he refused to lend him money for a new sword. So Richie tried for a weapon by breaking in to a museum. But Clay was stalking him and confronted him there. Richie broke in to an exhibit to try and grab a sword, and was arrested as the alarm went off. Duncan paid his bail and got him out of jail, offering to rebuild their shattered friendship. He gave Richie a new sword, one that had belonged to an old teacher of Duncan's, Graham Ashe, who had been killed by Clay.

Richie and Duncan rebuilt their relationship, this time as equals, and Richie reluctantly stepped aside so that Duncan could settle the old score with Clay. Duncan defeated Clay and offered to let him walk away, but Clay refused and accepted his death.

Jennifer Hill came to Seacouver, looking for Duncan to avenge her husband, Alec, as she was "Haunted" by her husband's ghost. Duncan went to San Francisco to honour his vow to Alec and take the head of the immortal Gerard Kragan, who they think killed Alec. Richie looked after the grieving Jennifer. They felt a mutual attraction - much to Joe Dawson's horror. Joe told Richie it was he who had killed Alec. Richie had only known him as an unnamed immortal. He had killed him the summer before, when Alec had picked a fight with him. Alec had been on his way to kill Kragan, in a bad mood, and tried to take it out on Richie when his bike got in the way. Unfortunately for Alec, Richie was in a bad mood too after Duncan's attack on him. Fatal road rage.

Despite knowing this, when Jennifer came to Richie's apartment and tried to seduce him, Richie was unable to say no. He said later he felt like something was just pushing him to be with her. It was theorised by Joe that this might be the effect of Alec's Quickening within him. However, the moral complications plagued Richie's conscience, and he felt the need to confess. First to Duncan, who reluctantly forgave him. Then to Jennifer, who oddly enough did not. She felt used and abused, and went to Duncan to get him to kill Richie. When the Highlander would not kill his friend, she went back and shot Richie, then was about to kill him with his own sword. Duncan got there in time to talk her out of it. With the agreement of Alec's ghost, Jennifer let Richie live.

When a new Immortal came to Seacouver with a message of peace, Richie was ready and eager to hear it, fed up with his own killing spree. When Richie interrupted a fight between MacLeod and William Culbraith, Duncan began to doubt his own worth as a teacher, but when Richie told him that he had learnt his new nonviolence from 'Methos', Duncan was enraged. Methos turned up at the loft and was amused to find that the "other Methos" was in town. This mysterious immortal and his gospel of peace had cost several of his converts their heads and Duncan didn't want Richie at risk. He persuades Methos to reveal his identity to Richie, to prove that the other man was a fake. But Richie tells them he believes in the message, not "The Messenger". Methos found his impersonator, confronted him, but decided not to kill him. Culbraith had no such compunctions and, after taking the imposter's head, tried for Richie's. Richie, having given up his sword, was very vulnerable. But Duncan arrived in the nick of time, staying out of the fight but returning his blade, and Richie defeated Culbraith.

Richie left Seacouver and made his way back to Europe, using the name of Richard Redstone. After a decidedly unusual courtship with Marina LeMartin, (she kidnapped him and tied him to her bed), in "The Ransom Of Richard Redstone", it seemed he was about to settle down. But a night at the Opera with Duncan was a prelude to disaster, ("Archangel"). MacLeod swore he saw James Horton on the Quai by the barge that night. At first reluctant to believe, Richie found himself defending Duncan to a sceptical Joe and Methos, but then he saw Horton holding a gun to Joe’s head. After telling MacLeod where they were, he went in to try and rescue Joe, unaware that what he had seen was an illusion. He came upon Duncan fighting invisible enemies. From Duncan's point of view, he was fighting a demon calling itself Ahriman, which had taken the form of his great enemies Horton and Kronos and that of his student, Richie. Before Duncan could distinguish illusion from reality, he struck, taking Richie’s head. Joe and Methos found the distraught MacLeod kneeling over his pupil’s body, but it was left to Joe to bury Richie with his sword after MacLeod and Methos both disappeared. Duncan never fully recovered from the death of Richie.

Richie's fighting style was marked by his thieving skills, with "dirty" tricks like kicks into the groins, jerky shifting and deceptive moves. As Ryan was taught by Duncan MacLeod, who is one of the finest immortal swordsmen, his skills were considerably increased. Combined this with hard training in the dojo, despite his young age, he was one of the strongest adversaries. For his 3 years, he had killed some highly experienced swordsmen, including many very old immortals, for example Mako (~700 years) Ivan Kristov (~400 years) and Carter Wellan (~1000 years). Here are Richie's Quickenings seen on the series. As he spent some time on the road challenging and fighting everyone on his way, his number of Quickenings is probably higher. His quickenings include: Mako, 1993; Ivan Kristov, 1995; Mikey Bellows (beheaded by a train), 1995; Alec Hill, 1996; Carter Wellan, 1996; William Culbraith, 1996

Played by: Stan Kirsch; Born: circa 1973; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 2; Abilities: Acting 2, Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2,

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Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 1, Drive 4, Firearms 1, Melee 3, Repair 2, Security 3, Stealth 1,Computer 1, Finance 1, Investigation 1, Law 2; Backgrounds: Contacts 2, Mentor 3, Resources 2; Quickening 2; Willpower 6; Weapon: Saber (difficulty 6, Str+4=7 dice)

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OTHER SUPERNATURALS

434 ZHJ (Doom Ride)Marauders are by definition unpredictable, but often their servants are even more dangerous. And

sometimes they even turn their victims into servants; 434 ZHJ is a horrific example. What most mages first notice is the smoke; it smells of blood. Then the roaring noise. Then it suddenly appears out of the shadows, shredding, devouring and destroying. Shocked survivors tell confusing stories about a man-car descending upon them, impaling flesh upon rusty pipes and shafts and drinking the gushing blood through what could be a mouth, or could be a motor hood with teeth.

The story behind this umbral terror is known to only the Marauders and 434 ZHJ itself. Several years ago a cabal of Bai Dai descended upon a small British village, rending reality with Paradox and dragging the buildings screaming into the Deep Umbra. Among the victims was also another kind of being than the wailing and easily shattered sleepers, a vampire. When the Bai Dai found the frenzied man-beast they immediately took a liking to him and decided to reward him for his hunger. They took a car that had followed the buildings into the Abyss and merged the screaming undead with it, filling its tanks with blood and paradox. Then they left it, too involved with ruthlessly exterminating the number three from reality to care about what they had done.

Seven months and seven days later 434 ZHJ broke through the Gauntlet in a night-club in Soho, killing 5 people before being driven back by a paradox backlash. A few hours later a baglady witnessed how something awful crashed through one wall in a back alley, collapsed into a bloody pile on the ground, and then jumped into the sky roaring like a lion. Since then 434 ZHJ has appeared in the most unlikely places, breaking the Gauntlet to attack people and then withdrawing as paradox caught up with it.

A huge hybrid between car, man and beast. 434 ZHJ is over three meters tall when it stands up, and masses at least a ton. Its consists of a warped mixture of undead flesh, rusty car parts and dirt, dripping blood, oil and smoke. Its arms and legs end in broken wheels and metal claws. Its body is partially human, partially a car, ending in a huge head dominated by a gaping mouth/hood filled with metal teeth and a roaring engine that massacres any flesh it bites on. Instead of eyes it has two powerful red lights.

Sometimes 434 ZHJ walks like a man, sometimes it bounds like a tiger and sometimes it moves like a car. No man can outrun it in an open area, and in enclosed spaces it can easily reach out with its claws and pipes. It is hideously strong, and its metal-flesh is highly resistant to damage. Even worse, it can heal itself using the blood and flesh it devours.

Strength (Machine) 7, Dexterity 3, Stamina (Metal) 5, Charisma 0, Manipulation 0, Appearance 0, Perception 2, Intelligence 1, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 3, Brawl 4, Intimidation (bestial) 6; Skills: Drive (self) 4, Repair 2; Willpower 5; Arete 5

The metal flesh corresponds to three automatic successes on the soak roll. To affect it, Matter combined with Life is needed.

434 ZHJ has rusty iron claws, doing Str + 3 damage, a fanged hood (Str + 2 damage, each health level damage gives it a blood point) and various loose shafts, pipes, sharp edges and doors (Str damage, difficulty 5 to hit. The pipes can drain blood).

Umbral Breach: 434 ZHJ can crash through the Gauntlet, opening a temporary portal. This damages it somewhat, giving it half the gauntlet thickness health levels damage.

Blind: By shining its lights straight into the eyes of a victim, it can temporarily blind the victim. This increases all difficulties with 5. The victim has to succeed with wits + alertness with difficulty 7 to look away in time, each success decreases the difficulty by one.

Regrow: Each blood point (roughly equal to one damage level) it ingests, it can heal itself one level. It can also add blood points temporarily to its physical attributes, raising them for the duration of the scene.

Aries (Incarna Spirit of War)Rage 9, Willpower 10, Gnosis 10, Power 750 (+1 for every month of wars in the world) Charms: Airt Sense

(1), Armor (1 per soak die), Incite Frenzy (3, Rage vs. Target's Willpower), Materialize (52), Tracking (5) Materialized Form: Str 10, Dex 8, Sta 12; Skills: Brawl 8, Dodge 8, Intimidation 8, Melee 8; Miscellaneous Attacks: Blast Flame (6, 1 damage per two power spent), Lightning Bolts (6, 1 damage per two power spent), Sword (6, 15 Aggravated); 10 Health Levels

Bradford, Mona (Artist)Player: Mari Adkins; Hollow One; Nature: Survivor; Demeanor: Deviant; Essence:

Pattern; Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics (Graceful) 3, Awareness 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Expression 3, Intimidation 1, Intuition 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Drive 1, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Leadership 1, Stealth 2, Survival 2, Technology 2; Knowledges: Computer 3, Cultures 3, Investigation 3, Linguistics (French, German) 2, Lore 3, Occult 3, Science 1; Spheres: Forces 2, Life 1, Matter 1, Mind 2, Prime 1, Spirit 1, Time 2; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Arcane 2, Contacts 2, Dream 2, Node 2; Arete 3; Willpower 6

Caine (Father of the Damned)1st Generation; Str 10, Dex 14, Sta 15, Cha 7, Man 9, App 5, Per 15, Int 8, Wit 9; Talents, Skills &

Knowledges: Caine has anywhere from 5 to 10 dice in all areas; Disciplines: Caine possesses all abilities of the Vampiric form at least at level 10. All physical Disciplines (Celerity, Fortitude and Potence) are possessed at a level of 15. He can create new Disciplines at will and can learn any Discipline created by others almost immediately;

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Backgrounds: Age 20, Allies 10, Contacts 10, Elder Status 10, Influence 10, Military Force 4, Resources 10; Merits: Acute Senses (All), Ambidextrous, Berserker, Danger Sense, Eat Food, Eidetic Memory, Guardian Angel, Holdings (10), Huge Size, Iron Will, Mansion, Natural Linguist, Occult Library, Unbondable; Flaws: Ennui, Hunted, Paranoia (Extreme), Taint of Corruption, Territorial; Demonic Investments: Army of the Damned, Body Armor (5 Dice), Hell Skinned, Infernal Passage, Infernal Ranking, Invisibility to Animals, Journey to the Spirit Realm, Magic Portal, Magic Sense, Razor Fangs; Other: Callousness 5, Instincts 5, Morale 5, Path of Caine 10, Blood Points / Per Turn Unlimited / 20

Dracul Brothers (Thaumavores)

MARCUS DRACUL (VAMPIRE BYGONE)As a Bygone, this Vampire is a Thaumavore. However, it can extract Quintessence from its victims' blood,

so it is not dependent on Nodes or Mages for its existence in physical reality. The Vampire needs about 1 Quintessence per week to maintain its unlife. In civilized areas, this can increase to 1/day, while very superstitious or appropriate surroundings (Transylvanian Castles) reduce it to 1/month. In addition, the Vampire uses up extra Quintessence when it has accumulated Paradox; each day when it sleeps it loses one extra Quintessence which cancels one accumulated Paradox.

Strength 6 (Inhuman), Dexterity 3, Stamina 6 (Inhuman), Charisma 2, Manipulation 5 (Compelling), Appearance 4 (Fascinating), Perception 3, Intelligence 4 (Experienced), Wit 5 (Cunning); Abilities: Alertness 3, Awareness 3, Brawl 4 (Grab and Bite), Dodge 2, Intuition 3, Intimidation 4 (Gaze), Subterfuge 4 (Urbane), Etiquette 4 (Old Fashioned), Melee 4 (Sword and Shield), Stealth 4 (Silent as Death), Culture 3, Enigmas 4 (Wisdom of the Ages), History 4 (Personal Experience), Linguistics 4 (Old Forms), Occult 5 (Ancient Secrets); Backgrounds: Followers 2, Resources 4, Avatar 3, Destiny 5; Willpower 10; Arete 5; Quintessence 10; Paradox 0; Health Levels: OK,OK,OK,OK,OK,-1,-2,Becomes Mist

Image: The Vampire is a tall, pale, imposing, nobleman. There is something fascinating, exotic, almost hypnotic about him. He exudes power and confidence, yet great restraint and patience, as well. When he does lose his temper he is as ferocious as any wild beast.

Weaknesses: The vampire is repelled by crosses, holy water, etc, cannot walk on consecrated ground, cannot recite from the scriptures. He cannot cross running water (natural streams and rivers), though he can be transported over such in his coffin. He sleeps, helpless, in his coffin (which must contain earth from his grave) during the day (during which time his soul is tormented in Hell). He cannot enter a dwelling unless invited (but only needs to be invited once). He cannot consume normal food or drink, casts no reflection and is repelled by garlic or wolvesbane. He takes Aggravated damage from fire and from (direct) sunlight as if engulfed in flame.

Powers: The Vampire recovers any non-Aggravated damage upon awakening each night (Aggravated damage is also healed but uses 1 Quintessence/HL). He can only be permanently slain by fire, sunlight, a stake through the heart followed by decapitation, or the consecration of all his coffins and the earth they contain. He has a remarkably developed Will; he can CounterMagick any direct effect without using up his Arete pool. Anyone drained of blood by the Vampire is cursed to rise as a Vampire within three nights. Such Vampires are little more than beasts (Mental and Social Attributes of 1, no skills or knowledges and their only powers are 'Scent the Life' and 'Drink the Life' below). If the Vampire drains a willing victim over three nights, it becomes a fully sentient, fully powered Vampire, like himself.

Drink the Life (Prime 5, Life 4): This effect allows the Vampire to obtain the Quintessence he needs to maintain his mockery of life by drinking the blood of the living. (The effect costs no quintessence to use, the Vampire must succeed in a STR + Brawl contest to grab and bite a resisting victim. Each success on the Vampire's Arete drains 1 HL (Aggravated) from the victim, and gives the Vampire 1 Quintessence. This effect is coincidental, oddly enough.)

Hypnotism (Willforce, Mind 4): The Vampire's dread gaze can overwhelm the will of nearly any Mortal. The Vampire can command the Hypnotized victim to perform nearly any act, can plant post-hypnotic suggestions, and alter memories. Multiple uses can leave the victim insane, or a 'broken' puppet of the Vampire, or both. The victim has no memory of what occurs while she is Hypnotized. (Costs one Quintessence, and requires an Arete roll, Diff 7. If it works, instead of normal Resistance, the victim and the Vampire make contested Willpower rolls each time a new command is given. The Vampire's difficulty is always 6; the victim's varies based on the command, from 8 for simple commands she might be tempted to obey anyway, to 4 for unspeakable acts. This effect is coincidental.)

Reveal the Beast Within (Life/Matter 3): The Vampire is not really a human being anymore. If he chooses, he can abandon his human form for one that more accurately represents his inner nature: a blood-drinking bat or predatory wolf. (Costs one Quintessence, and requires an Arete roll, Diff 7, 8 with witnesses; only one success is required, and there are no penalties for assuming the animal form (it is 'natural' to the Vampire). As a bat, the Vampire loses two OK HLs but, has +2 DEX, can fly at twice his normal running speed, and has a -2 on his dodge and stealth difficulties. As a Wolf, he has enhanced (-2 diff) senses of smell and hearing, can run at twice normal speed, bite for STR+1 Aggravated damage (but not use 'Drink the Life,' above), and has +1 STR, +1 DEX, and +3 STA. This effect is VERY vulgar.)

Blush of Life (Prime/Life/Mind 2): Though the Vampire is a creature of the night, he can move about during the day, though it is not his natural time, and his powers are weak. (Costs one Quintessence per scene, no Arete roll required. The Vampire appears completely human, and, in fact, takes damage as if he were human for the duration of the effect (though he will still vanish into mist if taken below Incapacitated) and can be affected by Life

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Magick, as well. This effect temporarily suspends the Vampire's vulnerability to sunlight (though it is still unpleasant to him). While using this effect, no other Vampiric power can be called on, and the Vampire's STR and STA are both reduced to two. This effect is coincidental, there's no such thing as Vampires.)

Scent the Life (Life/Prime 1): The Vampire can smell blood in even the tiniest amounts, and has the predator's instinct to track his prey once scented. He can also tell much about any person whose blood he tastes. (Costs no quintessence to use. The Vampire roll PER + Awareness (difficulty 4 to note the presence of fresh blood, 6 to track or identify a specific victim, or 8 to infer the Magickal powers of a victim). This effect is coincidental.)

WILLIAM DRACUL (WOLFMAN BYGONE)The more modern version of the werewolf, the wolfman is an individual cursed to kill on the nights of the

full moon. This is the Lon Chaney Jr. type of lycanthrope that becomes a hairy brute, but never actually turns into a wolf. Like most werewolf bygones, the wolfman has no human memories or compunctions when transformed -- in fact it is supposed to be driven to murder those it loves the most -- and no memory of what has transpired once it has returned to human form. The Curse is generally transmitted by the bite of another wolfman. However, plagues of werewolves are not common, as the wolfman is extremely homicidal, and victims rarely survive to suffer the effects of the curse, unless they kill or otherwise drive off the wolfman after being bitten.

Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 2, Intelligence 3, Wit 2; Abilities: Alertness 3, Awareness 1, Athletics 3, Brawl 4 (Claws), Dodge 3, Intimidation 3, Drive 2, Firearms 1, Melee 1, Stealth 3, Medicine 1, Occult 1, Science 1; Backgrounds: None; Willpower 5; Arete 0; Quintessence 10; Paradox 0; Health Levels: OK,-1,-1,-2,-2,-5, Incapacitated, As Wolfman: OK,OK,-1,-1,-1,-2,-2,Incapacitated

Image: The Wolfman looks like a perfectly normal, though possibly haunted or disturbed, human being. It may show some of the classic signs of the werewolf, but this is far from certain. As the Curse progresses, the Wolfman often acts less and less human, becoming more prone to violence and anger. Even more sinister is the Wolfman who gains a measure of control over the Curse, coldly deciding when to transform and whom to kill. A Wolfman suffering from Pattern Bleeding becomes a physical and emotional wreck, as the starving beast within him tries vainly to reassert itself -- he may be unable to eat, or crave raw meet, neglect to change (or wear) clothes, visibly sicken and waste away, or evince symptoms of paranoia, manic-depression (bi-polar disorder), schizophrenia or other form of violent madness. A Werewolf who gets more than enough kills (has 10+ Quintessence), on the other hand, is vital, self-assured, and occasionally even particularly charismatic.

Weaknesses: The Wolfman involuntarily changes forms on the nights of the full moon (this is approximately three nights out of the 28 day lunar cycle) and resumes his human form by daybreak. The Wolfman is driven to kill on nights of the full moon. It will prefer to attack solitary victims by surprise, but may also be drawn to stalk those it particularly loves or hates. Once the Wolfman attacks, it always tries to kill, retreating only if confronted with Wolvesbane or Silver. The Wolfman loses all of his human intelligence and memories while transformed, acting on instinct. It avoids bright light, loud noises, crowds of people, and the like much like a normal animal would. But, it's bloodlust overcomes even those instincts eventually. The Wolfman cannot approach the herb, wolvesbane, though it will not be easily kept at bay with a single sprig (Willpower roll to attack).

The Wolfman may have one or more of the classic signs or marks of the werewolf such as hairy palms, brows that meet in the middle, a prominent widow's peak, etc. Victims of this form of lycanthropy become increasingly agitated on the days before the full moon, and are given to anti-social behavior, explosive temper, odd cravings for raw meat, and the like, during that time. Most wolfmen are also wracked with guilt and self-loathing, once they realize what's happening to them. Dependent on Quintessence: Since the Wolfman is a Bygone, it needs Quintessence, which it gets by killing innocent victims, or in some cases, specifically, those he loves. A Wolfman who does not kill at least one human victim during the three nights of the full moon suffers Pattern Bleeding. The effect of the Pattern Bleeding is not simple wounds, but illness or madness: the Wolfman loses Willpower and Stamina, instead of HLs. Each transformation uses up 1 Quintessence or 'bleeds' a Willpower or Stamina point (ST's choice), if none is available, and the Wolfman also needs one Quintessence per month just to live. A kill yields 10 Quintessence, so a Wolfman can kill once a month and survive quite easily, and can even miss a kill in one month out of three or four.

Transformation: On nights of the full moon, the Wolfman turns into a bestial fusion of human and wolf. This ugly fur-covered humanoid form is larger and stronger than the human form (STR +2, STA +2), has claws and fangs (STR + 1 Aggravated damage), and heightened senses of smell and hearing (-2 PER rolls). The Wolfman can only be killed by silver, though there can be specific conditions. Any other form of normal damage is regenerated at 1HL/turn. Aggravated damage other than silver hurts the werewolf, but may not be enough to kill it permanently (ST's option). The effects of silver vary. Silver weapons do Aggravated Damage. Silver bullets do Aggravated, Unsoakable, Damage. A Silver bullet through the heart (+2 diff, minimum 3 successes), or one fired by someone who loves the wolfman, is instantly fatal.

Voluntary Change: Some Wolfmen can control their transformations; assuming the wolfman form voluntarily requires a Willpower roll (base difficulty 8, +1 during day, -1 if the wolfman is particularly angry) and uses up a point of Quintessence. A difficulty 9 Willpower roll allows the Wolfman to resist changing on the 1st night of the full moon. The difficulty is 10 on the 2nd night, and the transformation cannot be resisted on the third night, unless the Wolfman has voluntarily changed, and killed, before then.

Self-Control: Some Wolfmen can maintain some level of conscious thought while transformed. The Wolfman can spend a point of Willpower to resist attacking a specific person, to seek out a specific victim, avoid a trap he

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knows of as a human, or otherwise use his human intelligence or memories. If he also has Voluntary Change, the Wolfman can spend a Willpower and make a difficulty 8 Willpower roll to resume human form at a time of his choosing.

Contagious Bite: If the Wolfman attacks and injures, but does not kill, a victim, that victim will in turn become a werewolf. This effect is automatic against sleepers with no Magickal protection. It can be countered by mages with knowledge of Life and Entropy (3 successes) will keep the Curse from being transmitted, but curing one already cursed is much more difficult (Life & Entropy 4, and an extended ritual).

Haight, Samuel (The Skinner)Samuel Haight was Kinfolk of the Garou, but was never satisfied with just being Kinfolk. Haight's father and

cousins had known the glory of being Garou, and he resented their existence. From other kinfolk, Sam learned about the other supernatural powers that existed. His fascination with the occult even led him to try learning from the Verbena, but to no avail; in the words of his teacher, his "Avatar would not awaken." Haight continued in his quest, eventually leading him against a vampire he assaulted and managed to kill. Samuel took the vampire's blood when he left. He had learned in his travels that the blood of vampires was healing and life extending. He also took all the books of magic the vampire possessed. Through trial and error, bolstered by rich vitae, he started teaching himself Thaumaturgy. As he traveled the world, learning more of the art of Thaumaturgy, he came across a ritual that changed his life, The Ritual of Sacred Rebirth. With the ritual Haight could become a Garouhimself, if he was willing to pay the price. With the Skins of 5 Garou, he could become a werewolf. (This is detailed in the book Valkenburg Foundation.) He slaughtered and skinned the necessary number of Garou and used the ritual. In the process he became a pawn of the Wyrm. Chased by other Garou, he used The Spirit Skin Necklace to escape into the Umbra. Faced with his actions, he went somewhat mad. Using his Fetish, he fled into the deep Umbra and into the lair of Ischen, a demon locked into a section of the umbra ages ago. The creature desired to use Sam's fetish to escape the umbra. The unintentional intervention of several Sabbat vampires foiled the creatures attempts and allowed Haight back into the material world.(This is detailed in ST Handbook to the Sabbat.) Haight, now known as "The Skinner", had worked for Pentex before his "rebirth" and saw no reason not to return to his previous employers. Through Pentex he met Robert Allred who sent him to the Amazon Basin, to gather more pelts for the creation of a new tribe for Pentex called The Skin Dancers. While locked in Ischen's domain, he learned several new tricks. What he didn’t learn from the demon, he stole from the Dreamspeaker Oracle El Dorado, using the power of a fetish, Conquistador's Sword. The sword was meant to steal El Dorado's power, but shattered in the attempt, leaving Sam with a rudimentary level of knowledge in several spheres. With the Garou on this trail, he once again escaped by slipping into the umbra when the werewolves saw him apparently torn apart by elementals of the Wyld (see Rage Across the Amazon). Haight next attacks the Crombey Farm Chantry. He meant to barter for the right to learn from the Verbena, but was refused. With the help of a chantry member who betrayed his family, Haight was able to rip the power of the chantry's World Tree away, taking a branch of the tree as a source for the powers containment. He killed Allison Crombey and gained the enmity of the Verbena.(see The Book of Chantries.) A few months later Sam appears in New Orleans, this time coming to the aid of Camarilla, informing the kindred of a vampiric slaving ring and gaining the friendship of several kindred. Several weeks prior to this, he encountered a small Orphan chantry, slaughtering the mages and forcing the power of their Node into his staff (see New Orleans by Night.) Haight has decided to end his battles. He has discovered lore that will now lead him to what he thinks is an Antediluvian’s Haven (the 4th Generation kindred is actually a Methuselah, but Haight doesn’t know the difference). With the blood he hopes to obtain, Haight plans to drop from sight and expand his Skin Dancer Tribe. He does not realize that peace is beyond his reach; he has overstepped the laws of gods, man and creation. Now his soul is ravaged by madness, his mind is drifting into Quiet and his power is threatened by Paradox. Haight is running on borrowed time, and his final race fuels Shaitan's awakening. The Chaos and death he causes may very well herald the beginning of Gehenna...

Breed: Homid; Tribe: Skindancers; Auspice: Theurge; Essence: Dynamic; Tradition: Orphan; Nature: Deviant; Demeanor: Architect; Strength 5 (7/9/8/6), Dexterity 3 (3/4/5/5), Stamina 5 (7/8/8/7), Charisma 5, Manipulation 5 (4/2/2/2), Appearance 2 (1/0/2/2), Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Brawl 3, Dodge 4, Intimidation 5, Primal Urge 3, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 4; Skills: Animal Ken 3, Drive 2, Firearms 5, Leadership 5, Meditation 4, Melee 4, Stealth 4, Survival 5; Knowledges: Computer 2, Enigmas 4, Investigation 4, Linguistics 3, Occult 5, Politics 4, Rituals 5; Backgrounds: Allies 5, Avatar 5, Fetish 5, Library 4, Resources 5; Disciplines: Thaumaturgy 5 (Blood 5, Movement of the Mind 3, Lure of Flames 2, Spirit Thaumaturgy 1, Weather Control 2, Donning the Mask of Shadows 2nd, Puissant Shield 4th, Ritual of Sacred Rebirth 5th, Ward versus Lupines 3rd); Gifts: Bane Protector, Blood Omen, Curse of Aeolus, Heightened Senses, Inspiration, Razor Claws, Thieving Talons of the Magpie, Unseelie Faerie Kin, Visceral Agony, Wyrm Hide; Rotes: Better Body, Channel Quintessence, Darksight, Divided Sight, Elemental Blast, Erode Matter, Mold Tree, Rip the Man Body, Ripple through Space, Sense Life, Sense Quintessence, Slay Machine, System Havoc; Spheres: Correspondence 2, Entropy 3, Forces 3, Life 2, Matter 3, Prime 2, Spirit 4; Virtues: Conscience 0, Self-Control 4, Courage 5, Humanity 2, Willpower 9, Arete 5, Rage 10, Gnosis 8, Quintessence 8, Paradox 2

Fetish - Shedding the Spirit Skin Necklace (Level 5, Gnosis 7): This necklace is actually a mummified snake painted with bizarre runes. It allows the wearer to reform in the Umbra as if he were a spirit. The area he reforms in is random. Normally it is linked to an area under the dominion of the Wyrm.

Talisman – Staff of the World Tree (Arete 6, Quintessence 200): Special Power: Countermagic 9 Dice, adds 4 dice to all counterMagick rolls; If used to defend against more than one attack, Quintessence in the staff is converted to Paradox. The staff does Strength +3 health levels of aggravated damage and makes the user undetectable to supernatural detection methods.

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Hellboy (Demonic Hunter)Alter ego: Anung Un Rama; Team Affiliations: Bureau for Paranormal Research and

Defense; Notable aliases: Anung Un Rama, The World Destroyer, The Great Beast, The Beast of the Apocalypse; Abilities: Knowledge and experience of fighting the supernatural, Demonic strength and durability, Immune to fire, Heals quickly, Good with languages, Invulnerable Right Hand of Doom is key to the end of the world, Formerly wore the Crown of the Apocalypse.

As a demon named Anung Un Rama, Hellboy was brought to Earth as an infant by Nazi occultists. He was rescued by Allied forces and raised by the United States' Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). Hellboy grew up to be a large red-skinned demon with a tail, horns (which he files off, leaving behind his signature stumps), and a big stone right hand. Although a bit gruff, he shows none of the malevolence thought to be intrinsic to demons, and works with other strange creatures in the BPRD. Hellboy has been dubbed as the "World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator".

Hellboy is a creature summoned in the final months of World War II by Grigori Rasputin, on Tarmagant Island, a small isle just off the coast of Scotland, having been commissioned by the Nazis to change the tide of war ("Project Ragna Rok"). He appeared in a fireball in a ruined church in East Bromwich, England, on December 23, 1944. Hellboy proved not to be a devil, but a little devil-like creature with red skin, horns, a tail, and a large stone right hand — hence the name given by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm.

Taken by the U.S. forces to an Air Force base somewhere in New Mexico, Hellboy was raised by the United States Army and by the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), a U.S. government agency dedicated to combating occult threats.

As an adult, Hellboy became the primary agent for the BPRD alongside several other human and quasi-human agents. It must be pointed out that up to 2007, Hellboy has only appeared once in all of the several BPRD mini-series and that is in the fourth issue of The Universal Machine. His fellow agents include Kate Corrigan, a professor of folklore at NY University; Abe Sapien, an amphibian humanoid ("ichthyo sapien"); Liz Sherman, a pyrokinetic young woman; and Roger, an unusually large homunculus.

During a visit to Bromwich Church, Hellboy learned of his parentage: he was conceived some 300 years earlier by a witch, Catherine Tanner-Tremaine, and a demon Prince of Sheol. Hellboy did not exist as a baby in the real world at this point in time; the prince's 'favorite son' was a power waiting to be born. Hellboy's "Mother" also had children, a nun and a priest who now haunt the church, dying in an attempt to stop the demon from claiming their mother on her deathbed.

In the comics, Hellboy is at least semi-famous, having been granted "honorary human" status by the United Nations in 1952 and being known as the "world's greatest paranormal investigator." As such, he interacts regularly with normal humans, most of whom are not presented as overtly reacting to his strange appearance (though his primary interactions in the comics are with law enforcement officials from different organizations, the military, and various "scholars of the weird"). In the film version, however, Hellboy is kept under lock and key, and considered simply an "urban legend" by the general populace.

Hellboy's adventures in the comics span the 1940s to the present day, and involve elements such as sorcerers, Nazis, the Thule Society, hollow earth explorers, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and other oddities, such as the Ogdru Jahad. Several of the storylines deal with Hellboy's Right Hand of Doom and its purpose in initiating the Apocalypse.

Much in the same vein as fellow comic book superheroes Daredevil, Batman, Blade, and Wolverine, Hellboy is a hero constantly haunted by the knowledge of his past. In "Wake The Devil", the second graphic novel, he says of his past, "I like not knowing. I've gotten by for fifty-two years with not knowing. I sleep good not knowing."

Hellboy's superhuman abilities would seem to stem from his demonic nature. While his specific powers and abilities have never been explicitly described in the comics, Hellboy is much stronger and more physically durable than an ordinary human being. The movie makes much of the idea that Hellboy is fireproof. However, in the comics and subsequent novels Hellboy is not actually fireproof. He can be burned and damaged like any living thing but he is possessed of a "healing factor" (much like Marvel characters Wolverine or Hulk) that allows him to recover from wounds at an incredible rate. In "The Lost Army" Hellboy was noted to be able to see farther than the normal human, and quickly heal from fatal wounds, one example being he once took a sword thrust through his chest and out his back. He also has the innate ability to comprehend ancient and magical languages. He has been savagely beaten by large monsters on several occasions and survived, often with relatively minor injuries. On one occasion, Hellboy directly charged an MG-42 machine gun and took numerous bullets to the chest before destroying the gun. The extent of Hellboy's strength is unclear, but he has, for example, torn down a large tree and hurled it at an opponent. He has also thrown opponents weighing at least four to five hundred pounds.

Hellboy also seems to age differently from normal Humans. In the story Pancakes he is two years old but appears to be far older. In the story Nature of the Beast he appears to be a full grown adult but as this story is set in 1954 he is merely ten years old. His rapid maturation is in contrast to his actual rate of aging, which seems to be much slower than normal. Throughout the sixty year span of the comics he does not appear to age beyond the point he reached maturity.

In addition to his natural gifts, Hellboy carries a variety of items, such as holy relics, horseshoes, and herbs, in his utility belt, as well as a variety of grenades and other demolition tools; these often come in handy when fighting supernatural beasts. He commonly carries an oversized pistol. In the film adaptation, this gun is called the "Samaritan," and Hellboy states that he uses "Really big bullets" containing silver shavings, holy water, cloves, "the works" (as said by Hellboy in the movie) to ensure the weapon's effectiveness against supernatural creatures. It is also stated that the gun is fashioned from melted-down church bells and fragments of the True Cross. It should be

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noted, though, that Hellboy is, by his own admission, a lousy shot, preferring to mix it up in hand-to-hand combat whenever possible and eschewing most weapons.

The Samaritan was given to Hellboy by the Torch of Liberty at the age of twelve. The weapon is named for the Good Samaritan, a man who did kindness to strangers without expectation of gratitude. The Catholic-raised Hellboy was familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan is an oversized, large caliber four-round revolver. It fires its bullets with adequate power to easily penetrate virtually any material. The gun itself has unearthly resistance to almost all forms of attack, and includes grips carved from fragments of the True Cross. The metal of the gun is forged from a combination of Irish church bells, cold iron from crucifixes, blessed silver, and other mystic metals.

The Samaritan only holds four of its oversized rounds, and is difficult to load with the large fingers on the Right Hand of Doom. As a result, Hellboy usually tries to load with his left hand when possible. He is only able to fire the Samaritan with his left hand, again due to the size of the fingers on his right. At one point in the film version of Hellboy, he asks Agent Myers to load the gun for him, although the nature of of the tracker bullets seem inimical to Myers, he had also recently recived an injury to his arm though.

Creature Killers: Creature Killer rounds are tipped with explosive shells that contain white oak, holy water, garlic, silver and cold iron shavings. These ingredients, each bearing a folkloric power to impede evil and/or specific monsters (e.g. vampires, werewolves, witches, etc.), have the potential to injure many of the foes Hellboy may face.

Trackers: Tracker rounds contain a phosphorescent green liquid that will drip from the wound they open on a target, allowing the target's path to be easily followed in low-light situations.

Hellboy's right hand, referred to as the "Right Hand of Doom", consists of a large forearm and hand that seems to be made from red stone. The Hand is effectively invulnerable and feels no pain, and is much like a sledgehammer when used to punch an enemy. Of course, being far larger than an ordinary human hand, the Right Hand of Doom is not very suitable for use with most objects, so Hellboy relies on his average-sized left hand to operate weapons and devices, although it has proved flexible enough to catch a fly. Because of this, he is most likely ambidextrous.

As revealed in the graphic novel collection Strange Places, the Right Hand of Doom was formerly the right hand of one of the "greater spirits" that watched over the burgeoning Earth, and the hand the spirit used to create the dragon Ogdru Jahad. With that same hand, he bound the dragon, but then his fellow spirits turned upon him for his deeds, and destroyed him utterly - save for his right hand, which was kept and preserved by many races throughout history, including the first race of man. As the hand which created and bound the Ogdru Jahad, it is also the key which will "loose and command" them; in other words, it is a catalyst that will bring about Armageddon. The comic books themselves never actually mention how the Right Hand of Doom would actually perform these tasks; it is only ever announced that this is the case and that someone or something intends to do it with or without Hellboy's consent. It is made clear that it is not even necessary for the arm to be attached to Hellboy at all, even on its own it would perform its tasks. However, it has been suggested that if Hellboy dies while the the Hand is attached to him, it would become useless. He has thus come to the conclusion that the only way to prevent it falling into the wrong hands is to keep and protect it.

In Seed of Destruction, Hellboy is confronted by Grigori Rasputin and begins to find out what he is doing on Earth and who summoned him there. His purpose will be to command the powers that Rasputin is about to unleash upon the world. Hellboy denies this version of his destiny and refuses to be controlled. Attempting to release the Ogdru Jahad, Rasputin is killed, harpooned through the chest by Abe Sapien under the control of the ghost of Elihu Cavendish.

In Wake the Devil, Hellboy meets the goddess Hecate. Addressed as "Anung Un Rama", he is told that his arrival on Earth signals its end. At the climax of the story, Hellboy is swallowed by Hecate in the form of an iron maiden and some kind of otherworldly conflict ensues, in which he is told that his right hand is a key to open the pit. Again Hellboy refuses, this time breaking off his newly re-grown horns, revealing what those two circles on his forehead are.

In Box Full of Evil (collected in the The Right Hand of Doom TPB.), Igor Bromhead gains power over a demon, Ualac, by using that demon's name. Hellboy is also bound by his name, "Anung Un Rama", and the Crown of the Apocalypse, which he wears but is invisible to him, is taken. In taking the crown, Ualac is changed into a much more powerful demon. Hellboy finds out what his name means: "Anung Un Rama, World Destroyer, The Great Beast..." "...and upon his brow is set a crown of fire..." This is not who he is, and so not his name any longer. Ualac is defeated. The crown is kept for Hellboy by Astaroth, in Pandemonium, the capital city of Hell; and a seat is reserved for the former in the House of the Fly.

In Strange Places, Hellboy's apparent destiny as the on-bringer of the Apocalypse continues to attract supernatural attention. After seeking advice from a fabled African witch-doctor, Hellboy dives to the treacherous ocean bottom. The Bog Roosh, a sinister sea hag, manages to capture him using an enchanted nail and a trio of flighty mermaids. The Bog Roosh then reveals her plan to prevent the end of the world by dismembering Hellboy and sending his Right Hand to the deepest depths, robbing the Ogdru Jahad of their key into this world. With the help of the third mermaid, Hellboy manages to defeat the hag, but is lost beneath the sea for two years.

After washing up on the shores of an unknown island, Hellboy inadvertently resurrects an ancient mystic who alone holds the knowledge of the secret history of the universe. The origins of God, angels, the Earth, the Ogdru Jahad and their spawn are revealed, as well as the exact source of the Right Hand of Doom. Unfortunately for the mystic, he's been brought back to life by Hellboy's blood, and is driven insane by its demonic nature. Hellboy manages to defeat the increasingly malevolent being, as well as destroy the gargantuan Urgo-Hem, an Ogdru Jahad spawn that prowls the island. These struggles are watched with great interest by the Daoine Sidh, especially a

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certain changeling with an old grudge against Hellboy. The denizens of this faerie kingdom realize that Hellboy has left whatever destined path was meant for him, but none seem to doubt that the Ogdru Jahad will make use of his Hand in one way or another. The goddess Hecate seems content to simply wait for the end of the world to which she will bear witness, but Gruagach the changeling will not bow out of existence peacefully.

(Note: Hellboy is a true demon and is always in ‘apocalyptic’ form). Strength 7, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Talents: Awareness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 4, Brawl 5, Dodge 3, Intimidation 3, Intuition 2, Leadership 3, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 1; Skills: Animal Training (Cats) 4, Demolitions 1, Firearms 2, Melee 3, Security 2, Stealth 1, Technology 1; Knowledges: Academics 3, Computer 1, Investigation 4, Law 1, Linguistics 5, Occult 4, Politics 2, Religion 4, Research 3, Science 1; Backgrounds: Allies 5, Contacts 5, Eminence 3, Influence 4, Paragon 3, Resources 5; Lores: Awakening 5, Earth 2, Fundament 1, Humanity 1, Paths 3, Spirit 3; Virtues: Conscience 3, Conviction 3, Courage 4, Faith 7, Torment 3, Willpower 7; Apocalyptic Form: Immune to Bashing Damage, Increased Size, Irresistible Force, Night Vision (Extra Limbs, Gaping Maw, Ichor, Spikes); The Samaritan: Difficulty 7, Damage 10, Holy rounds do aggravated damage to most supernaturals. Tracer rounds leak tracer fluid for 1d10 minutes each

Maria (Gypsy Seductionist)Family: Lupines; Element: Water Str 1, Dex 5, Sta 4, Cha 4, Man 4, App 5, Per 2, Int 2, Wits 2; Talents:

Alertness 1, Athletics 1, Brawl 4, Dodge 2, Empathy 4, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Etiquette 2, Melee 2, Music 2; Knowledges: Investigation 1, Law 1, Linguistics 2, Occult 4; Blood Affinities: Luck 3, Spirit of the Wolf 5, Zapaderin 4; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 3, Fame 2; Virtues: Conscience 2, Self-Control 5, Courage 5, Humanity 7, Willpower 10, Blood Purity 4

Myers, Michael (Boogeyman)"I always knew what he was, but I never knew why." - Dr. Loomis, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.The terror of Michael Myers began on October 31, 1963, when six-year-old Michael donned a child's clown

mask and murdered his seventeen-year-old sister, Judith, in cold blood. The boy was taken to the Smith's Grove sanitarium in Warren County, Illinois, where he remained for the next fifteen years. On October 30, 1978, Michael escaped and returned to his hometown of Haddonfield to hunt down and kill his younger sister, Laurie.

Michael killed many of Laurie's friends but failed to kill her. His psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis, entrapped him in an explosion but was badly wounded in the fire. Michael was hurled into a coma, in which he remained for 10 years; during which time, his sister Laurie died. However, she was survived by her daughter, Jamie.

Michael woke up from his coma on October 31, 1988 and immediately headed for Haddonfield to kill his niece. Once again, he was pursued by Dr. Sam Loomis, but he still managed to kill many more natives of Haddonfield. Aided by Dr. Loomis, Jamie and her family eluded Michael, and he was wounded by shotgun blasts and blown down a well.

Unsurprisingly, Michael did not die in 1988. After his fall into the well, he drifted into a river and was found and cared for by a blind man. During this time, Michael was catatonic, but a year later on Halloween, Michael sat up, killed the blind man, and headed back to Haddonfield.

Intent on murdering his niece, he killed many more people as he carved a path toward her. Unfortunately for Michael, Dr. Loomis suspected his return and was ready for him. This time, Loomis did not attempt to kill Michael but rather capture him. With Jamie as bait, Loomis lured Michael into a steel net, and he was subsequently taken by the police to the station for holding. But an unknown assailant killed the officers and freed Myers, who then disappeared, as did young Jamie.

For six years, Michael Myers and Jamie Lloyd remained missing. On October 30, 1995, Jamie, who had been held with her newborn son by an evil witch cult, escaped. Outraged, the cult sent Michael after her. She was found and slaughtered, but not before she hid her child.

The cult, secretly led by the infamous Dr. Wynn (head of the Smith's Grove sanitarium), recovered the child. Michael returned to the cult, but not as a servant as they believed. He proceeded to kill the entire cult and attempted to kill the child as well, but he was stopped by Dr. Loomis and Tommy Doyle. However, when Loomis returned to finish Michael off, he had once again disappeared.

For the next three years, Michael again remained hidden until he discovered that his sister Laurie Strode had faked her death and now lived in California under the name Keri Tate. Michael went after her and her seventeen-year-old son.

Laurie, without the protection of Dr. Loomis, had to face Michael alone for the first time. She managed to pin Michael beneath a van and decapitated him with a fire axe. Michael Myers is presumed dead.

What could drive a young boy to become a relentless psychotic killer? In truth, Michael is not psychotic but is rather the victim of the Curse of Thorn: an ancient Samhain ritual of the Celts in which a boy was chosen to sacrifice his family to Arawn, the god of death. This sacrifice, insured that the rest of the village was spared the wrath of the dark god. The practice was forgotten by man, but not by the dark entity known as Arawn. Through the centuries, young men have suddenly gone "crazy" on the night of the Samhain and killed their families. Myers is the latest victim of the bloodthirsty Celtic god of death.

Because Michael Myers has become a living shell for the dark power of Arawn, his entire family must die before he can rest in peace. He will continue to pursue any relatives until his bloodline has ended. He will not stop, ever.

As terrifying and powerful as this makes Michael, he is not without his limits. He can be wounded and he can be "killed". However, mortal wounds simply cause him to go catatonic until the proper time for him to rise again. On Halloween nights on which a specific constellation appears in the sky, Michael is healed of all infirmaries and revitalized to complete his mission. It is unknown if age will ever affect him.

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What then is Michael Myers in the World of Darkness? Michael is a dark entity empowered by a malevolent Bane known as Arawn. In the times of the Celts, Arawn was worshipped as a god of death. Since that time, the powers of the Bane have waned, but not his desire for blood.

Arawn has the ability to empower a single human with his essence once per year. This person must then murder his family for the glory of Arawn. He is no longer in control, being subsumed by the mental domination of the Bane. At times, a possessed person has moments when Arawn is not in control; however, these moments are rare and very brief.

Arawn delights in death and terror and enjoys hunting and killing the friends of his prey before going after them directly. While this makes him terrifying, it is also a weakness that has allowed many victims to escape him. Unfortunately for Arawn, once he chooses a host, he remains tied to that host until his mission is complete. This effectively makes his hosts immortal until the death of their entire families.

Arawn always possesses males, but it is not known if this is by choice or necessity. A host does not have to be a child, but the sadistic Arawn prefers children.

Arawn only has the power to possess a host on Halloween nights in which his symbol appears as a constellation. If Arawn has no host on such a night, he chooses a young boy to possess. The child is then a pawn to his will and begins killing his family members. If all of his family is not killed, the boy will continue to make the attempt each Halloween in which the constellation is in the sky.

A host of Arawn possesses greatly enhanced stamina, being able to withstand tremendous punishment. If too much damage is inflicted, the host will go catatonic until the next appropriate Samhain. At this time, all wounds suffered are healed and the host is at the height of its power. This does not occur on every Halloween, and it can be decades between each possession. There have been times in which the dark Samhain occurred in

consecutive years.It is not known if a host can be permanently killed. Arawn's current host, Michael Myers, was decapitated by

his sister in 1998. It is impossible to determine if this released Michael from the curse or if he will rise again upon the next Samhain. If Myers is truly dead, a new family will soon be victim to the bloodlust of the dark Bane.

Strength 8, Dexterity 4, Stamina 8, Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 0, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Skills: Alertness 3, Area Knowledge: Haddonfield 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 4 (Strangling), Drive 2, Hunting 2, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Investigation 2, Melee 5 (Knives), Occult 3, Security 3, Stealth 5 (Lurking), Tracking 2; Willpower: 8

Iron Will: The unique nature of a host renders it immune to mind-affecting supernatural attacks. This includes Dominate, Presence, Dementation, Mind Sphere, and the like.

Pain Tolerance: Arawn's hosts are not much affected by pain. Often, Michael was stabbed or shot and not even slowed by the wounds. Consider a host to have these health levels: Ok, Ok, Ok, -1, -1, -2, Incapacitated.

Physical Enhancement: Arawn grants his host tremendous physical abilities. If his host is a child, its Strength and Stamina are 6. If the host fails to kill its family and grows into a man, he gains the Merit Huge Size and has Strength and Stamina of 8.

Rejuvenation: If wounded, a host is able to shake off damage. Unlike a werewolf, this damage does not heal, it is simply ignored. If a host is hurt, he will "heal" a Health Level per turn. While the damage is still apparent on the body, it does not affect the host in any way, and he effectively "regains" a Health Level. If a host is reduced to Incapacitated, this healing does not continue. The host will instead go catatonic until the next dark Samhain, at which point all wounds are healed. If a host is wounded but not Incapacitated, the wounds truly heal at the same rate as a normal human. It is not known if decapitation will permanently kill a host. It is important to note that a host does not take normal and aggravated damage, all damage is treated the same way.

Example: Michael Myers is stabbed in the chest by his sister. He is badly injured and collapses; however, in a few moments, he sits up apparently unharmed. She pulls his mask off, and wounds he had suffered are still there, but he is unaffected by them. Later that night, Michael is caught in an explosion and badly burned. Rather than die, he goes catatonic. The next dark Samhain doesn't occur for 10 years. At that time, Michael sits up and is in perfect health, although horribly scarred.

Talents, Skills, & Knowledge: A host of Arawn has certain abilities even if the host himself never learned them. These are granted by Arawn. For example, Michael Myers, who spent 15 years in an insane asylum, knows how to drive and knows to cut phone and power lines and the like. No matter who the host is, he has (in addition to whatever he knows himself) these abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 4 (Strangling), Intimidation 5 (Physical), Drive 2, Melee 5 (Knives), Security 3, Stealth 5 (Lurking), Investigation 2, Occult 3

Cult of Arawn: There really are death cults sacrificing people to dark gods, and they have existed for centuries. The Cult of Arawn is a pagan group of fallen Verbena. These Nephandi worship the dark Bane Arawn and serve his will and have many human followers in covens all over the world. Not just a few vampires are members of the cult as well, many of which are Sabbat. In ancient times, the Lhiannan bloodline was closely tied to the cult, and it may be that members of this bloodline remain hidden by the cult to this day.

The cult remains hidden throughout the world, being involved in many aspects of society. They are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals hiding a dark and bloody secret. This cult sacrifices humans in the name of Arawn, increasing his power, and their own.

The cult is led by Nephandi Verbena and hedge wizards. More than one Tremere has joined the cult as well, but most cultists are normal humans. At least 11 vampires serve the cult along with their ghouls, and a few Black Spiral Dancer packs work for the cult.

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A host of Arawn will often aid cult members in their goals; however, if goals conflict, the host will take its wrath out upon the cultists. For example, the coven led by Dr. Wynn was slaughtered by Michael Myers when they tried to prevent him from killing his niece's son.

Arawn: Rage 10, Gnosis 9, Willpower 9, Power 60; Charms: Airt Sense, Agony, Armor, Corruption, Possession, Reform

Dr. Wynn (Verbena barabbi); Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 3, Perception 3 Intelligence 5, Wits 4; Skills: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Cosmology 3, Culture 2, Drive 2, Enigmas 4, Etiquette 3, Intuition 2, Leadership 4, Medicine 4 (Psychology), Occult 5 (Magic), Research 3, Subterfuge 3, Survival 1; Spheres: Life 4, Mind 3, Spirit 2, Entropy 2, Time 1, Matter 2, Correspondence 3, Prime 2; Arete: 6; Quintessence: 9; Paradox: 3; Willpower: 7

Kindred: One of the Damned cannot be possessed by the Bane Arawn. It is possible that older vampires remember Arawn and know how to confront him. In fact, the vampires of the Lhiannan bloodline often venerated and worked with Arawn. If any survive to the present time, they could still be involved with the death god (note that the Lhiannan bloodline is thought to have died out in the 14th century). A vampire's ghoul could be possessed by Arawn, but all ghoul powers would be instantly lost. A host cannot be ghouled or Embraced.

Changing Breeds: A true Bete cannot be possessed by Arawn; however, a Kinfolk is as easy a target as a normal human. In fact, many a Fianna kinfolk have been possessed and slaughtered their Garou relatives. Arawn must be careful going after Garou as they have the ability to face him in the Umbra.

Mages: An Awakened mage cannot be possessed by Arawn. Mages cannot force him out of a host, however. The only known way to end the curse is the death of all of the host's relatives. A hedge wizard can easily be possessed.

Wraiths: Arawn has created numerous wraiths over the centuries. His hosts cannot affect them any more than a normal human would be able to. Wraiths of his victims could attempt to save other surviving family members.

Changelings: Arawn and the fey have a long history. Changelings can be possessed by the Bane, and he then tries to kill mortal and faerie relatives. He knows enough to use cold iron on his faerie victims.

Mummies: As of yet, Arawn has not encountered any mummies. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Arawn possessed a relative of a mummy. Would Arawn be trapped forever in that host as he could not kill the Undying relative?

Gypsies: The Rom have encountered the bogeyman before. They are not singled out as enemies by Arawn, but a number of them have died at his hands. A gypsy can be possessed.

Fomori: Hosts of Arawn are in many ways similar to the fomori. While not helping or hindering each other, it is possible for their paths to cross. Generally it is fatal to the fomori in question. Fomori cannot be possessed by Arawn, as they are already possessed by other Banes.

Immortals: Arawn has had hosts brought down by Immortals before. He has yet to possess a relative of an Immortal. If an Immortal becomes his target, they can be killed by decapitation. It could take a long time before the host would succeed, but unlike mummies, the task is possible. Immortals cannot become hosts to Arawn.

Ogdru Hem (Demonic Servants)After awakening, the demonic Ogdru Jahad gave birth to the 369 Ogdru Hem. The Ogdru Hem are

essentially weaker versions of their parents, but even so they wield unimaginable power. All of the Ogdru Hem were imprisoned by the Watchers, but many are now re-emerging, with the aid of Rasputin and other agents of the Ogdru Jahad. Many of the Ogdru Hem are without bodies and exist, invisibly, in the air. These evil spirits are used to help raise the Ogdru Hem that have bodies (such as Katha-Hem) out of their earthly prisons.

Sadu-Hem: Imprisoned on Earth so that the Ogdru Jahad would "always have a foothold in the world from which they were banished", Sadu-Hem was discovered by Rasputin in the Gorinium temple at the top of the Arctic circle. Rasputin remained in a trance near the statue until the arrival of Professor Trevor Bruttenholm and the Cavendish exploration party. The newly-awakened Rasputin and Sadu-Hem devoured most of Bruttenholm's exploration party. Bruttenholm was allowed, under heavy psychological compulsion, to return to America, where Rasputin and Sadu-Hem installed themselves below Cavendish Hall. Physically, Sadu-Hem appeared as a gruesome mass of tentacles and snapping claws, with a cluster of eyes and feelers serving as its head. Sadu-Hem was to act as the conduit between Rasputin and the Ogdru Jahad, but was destroyed after Abe Sapien speared Rasputin to death and Liz Sherman set the entire place on fire. Although Sadu-Hem was apparently destroyed, a small piece of him was discovered in the Cavendish Hall ruins over a decade later. Director Manning had the specimen of fungus preserved in a New Jersey lab, until Sadu-Hem grew strong enough to absorb a human form and escape. Fleeing to Crab Point, Michigan, Sadu-Hem converted an entire town into vicious frog monsters before he was again immolated by Liz Sherman.

Urgo-Hem: Urgo-Hem was freed from imprisonment through the blood of a 16th century Spanish priest. The priest had spent time in Tenochtitlan before it burned, and had learned the history of the Ogdru Hem there. After being persecuted by the inquisition for his knowledge, the priest was eventually squirrelled away by a secret order dedicated to preserving treasures of the ancient world. When Hellboy stumbled across him, the priest's blood releases Urgo-Hem. Apparently an aquatic beast, this child of the Ogdru Jahad resembled an eyeless serpent with sharp crustacean legs lining its pale underbelly. After a bloody conflict, Urgo Hem impaled itself on the mast of a nearby shipwreck, and Hellboy escaped. Urgo-Hem appears in "The Sword of Storms" animated film, where Liz immolates it, after a prolonged battle near the ocean.

Katha-Hem: Katha-Hem was the third of the Ogdru Hem to be set loose upon the world, and by far the most powerful. While Sadu-Hem was foretold to bring about the plague of frogs, the arrival of Katha-Hem was an

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indication that the world would begin to change. Summoned out of the ether by the occult rituals of the frogmen and the Zinco Corporation's Mr. Pope, (also known as the Black Flame) Katha-Hem towered as large as a mountain and began marching across the Midwestern United States. Atop a tripod of spidery legs, Katha-Hem resembled a twisted, tentacled tree, its canopy an inferno of hellish blue fire, and numerous green-toothed maws lining its trunk. American artillery failed to make a dent in the mammoth creature, while any humans who ventured too close were turned into monsters by a strange green gas emitted from its body. Just as the President was about to resort to a nuclear strike, the BPRD's Liz Sherman managed to burn Katha-Hem to ashes, using an ancient artifact that mysteriously amplified her powers by a thousand times. Katha-Hem's destruction (and the apparent mass suicide of the frog monsters) appeared to bring the plague of frogs to a conclusion.

The Conqueror Worm: The Conqueror Worm from the story of the same name is sent by space-borne monsters to devour the Earth. It could turn people into frog monsters (like Sadu-Hem before him) with its otherworldly breath and was preparing to devour the entire planet when it was defeated by Roger the Homunculus and the ghost of Lobster Johnson. It was told that once the Worm had destroyed all life on earth, it would call the Ogdru Jahad from their prisons.

Sammael the Desolate One: A hellhound from the Hellboy movie is a presumed member of the 369. His many aliases included the "Hound of the Resurrection", as every time he died, new Sammaels would hatch from the many thousands of eggs it had laid in a dark environment. As Rasputin says for each that fall two shall rise. Sammael was sealed in an urn and placed inside a statue at a museum by the Vatican until it was released by Rasputin, who enabled Sammael to be reborn in twos every time he died, which made Sammael a more significant threat. It was only by Liz Sherman's pyrokinesis that Sammael and its spawn were defeated though one seemed to have survived, as indicated by a scene after the credits. While Sammael has more in common, physically, with the frog monsters than with a full-blown Ogdru Hem; he is described by Abe Sapien as the "Son of Nergal", who is one of the seven Ogdru Jahad. One of Sammael's numerous titles, the "Seed of Destruction", is homage to the comic storyline of the same name, which first introduced the Ogdru Jahad.

"Behemoth": The worm-like Behemoth from later in the film was also possibly an Ogdru Hem, serving as Rasputin's god. Every time Rasputin died, he brought back a piece of his master with him. Once Rasputin was killed for the final time, the Behemoth erupted out from his body, much like Urgo Hem was released through the priest's blood in Hellboy: The Island, and grew to gigantic size. The Behemoth was very similar in size, appearance, and temperament to Sadu-Hem. Hellboy killed it via a belt of grenades through the throat. It might also be of interest to note that some fans have compared the Behemoth's tentactled appearance with Cthulhu of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. This is not entirely innappropiate as Lovecraft's works served as one of the inspirations for the Ogdru-Hem and their parents the Ogdru-Jahad

Thunder and Lightning: Two evil Japanese storm demons sealed within the Sword of Storms. They can not be considered Ogdru Hem, but rather as brothers to the Ogdru Hem, whom were referred to as "the Dragons". The two used Hellboy to break the sword in order to release them so they could summon their brothers, only to be sealed again in the two broken pieces of the sword.

Ogdru Jahad (Seven Gods of Chaos)The Ogdru Jahad are seven ancient beings who threaten to destroy Earth. They are the Dragon of

Revelation, and are destined to bring about the end-times. They were imprisoned in their Golden Cocoons by the Right Hand of Doom shortly after the creation of Earth, but not before they spawned 369 children, known as the Ogdru Hem.

Mostly inspired by the Great Old Ones of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos (with some ancient Egyptian influences as well), the Ogdru Jahad are serpentine/crustacean entities which once resided on, and presided over, Earth. They are pitiless, chaotic, bent on destruction and subjugation and often so horrific in appearance that the mere sight of one of them sometimes induced madness. They are also, in a way, darkly analogous to the Holy Trinity. Just as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are individual entities yet one at the same time, the Ogdru Jahad are seven who are one. Currently, they are trapped in crystal prisons in the heart of the void. They are listed as follows: Amon-Jahad, Adad-Jahad, Namrat-Jahad, Irra-Jahad, Nunn-Jahad, Beuu-Jahad and Nergal-Jahad.

In the beginning of time, God created an order of spirits. Of these, many of the greater spirits were sent to newborn Earth to oversee it as Watchers. One of these spirits created the Ogdru Jahad out of fire and mud. The other spirits proceeded to set spells and wards about the Dragon, and even infused it with fire once again, but still the being remained lifeless. However, when nighttime came, the Ogdru Jahad awoke and was instilled with purpose and function. The Dragon gave birth to the first living creatures of the Earth: the three hundred and sixty-nine Ogdru Hem.

The watchful spirits, upon seeing the creation of these abominations, went to war with them. Some of the monsters were forced out of their bodies and into the wind, while others were entombed in the earth. The Ogdru Hem were eventually all disposed of (though many of them clung to existence still), until only the Ogdru Jahad remained. The spirit that had first created the Dragon raised his hand and bound the monster in a prison of crystal and placed it in the heart of the abyss. The other Watchers, however, no longer trusted the one spirit, and so they struck him down and destroyed all his remnants, save for one: his right hand. After that, God looked down in fury on what had happened, and exacted his retribution on the Watchers for botching their task: some were cast down into the pit, while others were stranded on the Earth to breed monsters.

Of the original spirits, many of the lesser ones were now given substance by God and took up residence on Earth as the first men, the Golden People, the pre-humans. They dwelled in the land of Hyperboria, and they took the right hand of that one spirit as their holy object, and at the request of Thoth, their greatest king, attached the hand to a great statue. The statue stood for ten thousand years, until finally Hyperboria became corrupted. Thoth

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began to worship Heca-Emem-Ra, the Black Goddess (presumably this is an early incarnation of Hecate), and as a result the statue left its place in Thoth's garden and destroyed the city, before finally hurling itself over a cliff. The only remnant of the statue was the original right hand. As for Hyperboria, it was crushed by the Ice Age, which triggered the second race of men (humanity) to come forward.

After that, the hand was somehow recovered, and later grafted onto Hellboy's arm before he was summoned by Rasputin. The arm is the key to freeing the Ogdru Jahad from their prison and thus triggering the apocalypse (hence the moniker "the Right Hand of Doom"). Hellboy is aware that he must keep the hand, as it would be more dangerous to try to rid himself of it. Attempts have already been made to separate Hellboy from his arm, both to protect the world and to hasten its destruction. Hellboy believes he is the best protection the arm can have.

While certain events have made it clear that the Right Hand of Doom is the Key to releasing the Ogdru Jahad, the actions of Herman von Klempt and the frog monsters suggest that there may be other means to the same end. The summonings of the Conqueror Worm and Katha-Hem were meant to lead to the Ogdru Jahad's freedom, yet Hellboy's right hand had no role in these schemes. Whether there are numerous ways to unlock the Dragon's prison, or whether Von Klempt and the frogs were simply doomed to failure without possession of the Right Hand, remains a mystery.

The Ogdru Jahad await the downfall of man. They want to destroy the universe, and the only way to do that is to destroy man. However, there is dissent as to what the Ogdru Jahad truly intend. Professor Herman von Klempt believes that once man has been destroyed, the three hundred and sixty-nine Ogdru Hem will rise up from their prisons, free the Ogdru Jahad and burn the Earth to ashes. Similarly, the Bog Roosh was plagued with dreams in which Hellboy's hand is taken and used to free the Ogdru Jahad, who then burn the earth to cinders. Rasputin, on the other hand, seems convinced that the desire of the Ogdru Jahad is to create a new, perfect world out of the ashes of the old one, where the final race of man can live under the subjugation of the Dragon. He tells Inger von Klempt that her grandfather was unable to see beyond the destruction of the human race, and that a new Eden does indeed await the final race of man. Hecate also strongly implies that there will be a "new world to come" during a conversation with Rasputin in the Conqueror Worm epilogue, but mentions that she cannot see that far ahead, and that death could await them just as easily. In The Third Wish, the Daoine Sidh explicitly state that it is prophesied that a new world shall rise from the old due to the Right Hand of Doom.

After being imprisoned in the void, the Ogdru Jahad turned their considerable forces toward finding a way to escape their confinement and exact their revenge on the world. Since they are trapped in deep space, their contact with humanity is sparse at best. However, since the Ogdru Jahad are supremely powerful psychic entities, they have been able to establish contact with mortals on Earth in order to coerce them into doing their bidding. Thus far, it appears as though many of these individuals were misled as to the true intentions of the Ogdru Jahad.

In order to contact the Ogdru Jahad, it appears as though the Nazis utilized the skulls of individuals from the past who had been able to receive communications from the Ogdru Jahad, including St. Jerome (the translator of the Vulgate Bible), St. Dominic de Guzman (founder of the Dominican Order), Abbot Hugh of Cluny, St. Ambrose (bishop of Milan), and Edward the Confessor (king of England).

In Austria in 1939, the Nazis attempted to open relations with space-borne monsters by sending them the corpse of one of their greatest scientists, Dr. Ernst Oeming, in the hopes that the creatures would use it as a vessel and return to Earth. On March 20, 1939, even though the mission, which took place at Hunte Castle, was interrupted by the arrival of Lobster Johnson and several American troops, the launch went ahead as planned. The castle, however, was left in ruins, and all parties were killed except for Herman von Klempt. The creatures received the spacecraft, and responded by placing one of their own inside Oeming's lifeless body.

After the events of Wake the Devil, Herman von Klempt is provided with the truth about the Oeming mission and the details of the return of the capsule. The invisible space monsters showed von Klempt the destruction that would result from releasing the worm they had planted within Oeming's body. Once the world had been overtaken by the worm, the Ogdru Hem would be released from their prisons, and they would, in turn, release the Ogdru Jahad, who will reduce the world to ashes. Despairing over the failures of his best laid plans, and inspired by Rasputin posing as the angel of death, von Klempt returned to Hunte Castle and set to work.

Von Klempt succeeded in bringing Oeming's capsule back to Earth, and from it rose a massive juggernaut known as the Conqueror Worm. Spewing forth a noxious gas, the worm turned von Klempt's human agents into frog-men, then devoured them immediately to feed its insatiable hunger. Only quick intervention by Hellboy and Roger the Homunculus, aided by the ghost of Lobster Johnson and a mysterious alien, managed to halt the worm's feasting march. Herman von Klempt watched in dismay as his plans were foiled, only to be grabbed by Roger and heaved off a cliff to his final death.

After being poisoned, shot, and hurled into the icy waters of the Neva, Rasputin was contacted by the Ogdru Jahad. They sent him visions explaining their nature and what they wanted from him, namely, to release them from their prison, help bring about the end of the world, and make way for a new world. After the visions in the river, however, Rasputin waited to be contacted again.

Eventually, after years of silence and waiting, Rasputin was approached by Heinrich Himmler, head of Hitler's SS. Recognizing this as an opportunity to acquire the resources needed to establish a stronger connection to the Ogdru Jahad, Rasputin joined forces with the Nazis and soon assembled a team of Nazi occultists, comprised primarily of Ilsa Haupstein, Leopold Kurtz, and Prof. Doktor Karl Ruprecht Kroenen. This team was known as Project Ragna Rok On December 23, 1944, Rasputin and his colleagues opened a doorway into the void, and Hellboy was brought forth, albeit unbeknownst to the Nazis (but not to Rasputin). After this apparent failure, the Allies won World War II and Rasputin and his allies scattered. Rasputin himself travelled to a hidden temple in the distant Arctic dedicated to the Ogdru Jahad. Inside, he sat at the foot of a statue of Sadu Hem for almost fifty years until he

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was disturbed by Professor Bruttenholm, providing a catalyst for his, and Sadu Hem's, sudden re-awakenings. Ilsa, Kroenen and Kurtz relocated to the frigid north of Norway and cryogenically froze themselves until Rasputin's return, though they did not revive themselves until after Rasputin's failure at Cavendish Hall.

In Wake the Devil, while trying to strike back at Hellboy by using Ilsa's connection to a Romanian vampire, Rasputin brings Hellboy into the clutches of the Hecate (yet another twisted version of the Holy Trinity). Hecate threatens Hellboy with his destiny, and in the end Hellboy prevails. Retreating to the abode of his grandmother, Baba Yaga, Rasputin tries to come to terms with the fact that the Ogdru Jahad manipulated him. He realizes that the Ogdru Jahad were behind his latest venture, though he alone is responsible for the failure. He also must deal with the fact that rather than saving Ilsa, he instead sacrificed her to Hecate, who would use Ilsa's corpse (and the Iron Maiden which contained it) as her new body.

Moreover, in Conqueror Worm, Hecate tells Rasputin that he had no hope in trying to awake the Dragon in the events of Seed of Destruction - the only power that can free the Ogdru Jahad is Hellboy's right hand, and Rasputin is nothing more than a tool with which to manipulate and manoeuver Hellboy. Upon hearing this, Rasputin loses control and attacks Hecate, who virtually destroys him, leaving nothing more than a tiny shard of his soul for the Baba Yaga to preserve in an acorn shell.

As the Ogdru Jahad advance their plans on Earth, it becomes evident that they intend to introduce a new "final" race of man, in the form of the frog-monsters seen in Seed of Destruction. A version of these monsters return in Conqueror Worm when the contaminated space capsule triggers the soldiers to transform into frogmen, and again in A Plague of Frogs when a resurrected Sadu Hem transforms an entire town into frog-monsters. The monsters are extremely powerful, both psychically and physically. A single creature was able to overpower Hellboy below Cavendish Hall, and in A Plague of Frogs, it is revealed that the frogmen are able to shift between their human and frog forms, allowing them to pass unnoticed in populated areas. Moreover, the frogmen can exert a degree of telepathic influence over their victims, confusing them with illusions and mind-tricks.

The frogmen are linked to the Ogdru Jahad, and are being employed to free the Ogdru Hem who were imprisoned by the Watchers at the beginning of time. Once the Ogdru Hem are free, the Ogdru Jahad will follow. Currently, due to the events in B.P.R.D.: A Plague of Frogs, numerous frogmen have escaped the clutches of the B.P.R.D. and are moving across the North American countryside. These nests seem constructed around the purpose of praying to the Ogdru Hem, and in certain locations relics and items have been found which spawn vicious and lethal Ogdru-Hem-like creatures. Moreover, the frogs have transcended their human limitations and have developed the ability to convert their bodies to biological factories, producing thousands of tadpoles which become frog monsters.

After the events of B.P.R.D.: The Black Flame, it would appear that the frog monsters have been dealt a major setback. Whether or not their invasion has been halted by the destruction of Katha Hem remains to be seen.

Predator (The Hunters)Encounter One: Central America, 1987, an American Special Forces unit encountered a large bipedal alien.

Before being defeated by Major Dutch Schaefer, this alien hunted down and killed most of the SpecWar unit. The Major and a female hostage were the only survivors of the rampage. Before dying, the creature activated an explosive that destroyed around 200 acres of rain forest. Maj. Schaefer reported that the creature had advanced technology, with the ability to bend light so as to appear translucent. It was armed with laser weaponry and knives. The predator seemed to ignore those it did not perceive as a threat, such as the unarmed female.

Encounter Two: New York City, 1995, a fleet of alien ships arrived in New York; however, their cloaking devices made them invisible. Soon, violent murders began taking place, such as the death of groups of drug dealers, police officers, etc. Suspecting that this was the work of the aliens encountered in 1987, the military tried to cover up all of the murders. Unfortunately, Dutch's brother was a detective for the NYPD, and the predators marked him for the Hunt. Detective Schaefer started a war with the predators in the middle of Manhattan, which resulted in the aliens getting annoyed with the human resistance. No longer having any fun, the predator ships left.

Encounter Three: Yamal Peninsula, Siberia, 1996, a predator ship crash landed in the frozen wasteland. Almost immediately, Russian military personnel at local oil stations were slaughtered. U.S. military was dispatched in an effort to either capture the alien ship or destroy it to prevent it from falling to the Russians. Being one of the few to ever combat the predators, the military brought in Detective Schaefer to help. Once again, the predators took only minor injury from humans, and once they fixed their ship, they left.

Encounter Four: Los Angeles, 1997, predators began hunting the armed elements of the L.A. society: gangs, police, armed subway passengers, etc. They used spears, nets, and boomerang-like blades, somewhat different weaponry than seen before. A predator was badly injured by a police officer, Mike Harrigan. It tried to activate an explosive device like the one used in 1987, but Officer Harrigan stopped it. He chased the alien to its ship and killed it; however, the ship contained a dozen more aliens. Instead of killing him, they gave him a trophy: a flintlock pistol of Earth origin, marked 1750. After the gesture of respect, they took off and left Earth.

Other Encounters: After the great war against the Xenomorphs (see Aliens: The Breeding), man once again encountered the predator aliens. These aliens were spreading the infestation of Xenomorphs and then hunting them for sport. When things got out of hand, they were aided by a human named Machiko Noguchi, who was accepted by one of the predator Leaders due to her fighting prowess. She spent a year Hunting with the predators and ultimately betrayed them at the planet of Bunda. She had believed that the predators had rules against Hunting intelligent beings and was horrified to find that they would Hunt humans. She killed many of the predators and left the rest stranded on Bunda, a planet now infested with Xenomorphs.

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The aliens, called Predators, are known in their own tongue as Yautja, a reptilian race whose entire society revolves around hunting and combat. They also have a bizarre sense of honor, and anyone who defeats one of them is greatly respected.

Physically, the Yautja are larger and taller than adult humans, standing at least seven feet tall but often much taller. Females, who have not been seen by man, are even larger; the female Yautja are known to occasionally throw their mates during moments of passion. Yautja have reptilian skin of mottled red, green and yellow patterns. Like humans, they have two arms, two legs, and two eyes. Their mouths have four mandibles around them, much like a set of lips. Children are smaller versions of the adult, and a male will typically father seventy or more "suckers" in his lifetime. Yautja have long hair that is braided into dreadlocks in an extremely painful ritual taking months to perform, and any Yautja exhibiting pain during the process is forced to endure it again.

Yautja young are trained by the elder warriors known as Leaders and travel in packs with one until they become Blooded. A Blooded warrior is one who has survived a Hunt against the Kainde Amedha (their name for the Xenomorphs, literally translated: Hard Meat). After such a Hunt, the survivors have the emblem of their Leader etched into their forehead and skulls with Xenomorph thwei (blood). They are then adults in society and are allowed to Hunt on their own.

Ships of Blooded warriors travel the galaxy in search of the ultimate sport. They will Hunt anything that will fight for survival, and thus, their favorite prey is Kainde Amedha and Oomans, as they call them. Oomans, or Soft Meat, are the most challenging of their prey, for they are clever and shoot back.

Life consists of two things for the Yautja, hunting and breeding. The Hunt is sacred. In fact, the methods of Hunting and combat are known as the Path, and it has very specific rules to be followed. It is dishonorable to Hunt something that is not a threat. The Yautja will generally ignore unarmed Oomans, especially women. If a person is skilled enough to be dangerous without weapons, the Yautja will be more than happy to fight. Of course, they consider a Kainde Amedha dangerous anytime.

The older the predator, the less likely it is to use firearms. Any Yautja can shoot something to death, but it takes a real warrior to kill with knives and bare hands. For the same reason, not all Yautja use their stealth suits. The truly brave (stupid?) Hunt the Xenomorphs with only their bladed gauntlet.

Yautja will make good Hunting by stocking an area. They will capture a Xenomorph Queen (no easy feat) and harvest the eggs. These eggs are then scattered in an area with suitable hosts. After a few days, the Yautja will come in and Hunt the bugs. With the bugs' known penchant for survival, this results in the inevitable spread of aliens around the galaxy.

Beings of other races who prove worthy on a Hunt may well be accepted into the Yautja society. Such adopted beings are Blooded like a normal warrior. Of course, many Yautja, especially the young, resent the fact that a non-Yautja runs with them. Prepare to be challenged... often.

A Yautja's status and pride is measured by the power of the creatures it Hunts. The Yautja claim the skulls of their prey as trophies. Such trophies are treated with great honor, and they are polished and displayed at home. The trophy skull of an Ooman is the centerpiece of any collection. The highest insult in Yautja society is to be killed by another Yautja who then smashes your skull rather than claim it as a trophy. It is a way of saying you were not worthy. This is a tremendous dishonor to the family and Leader of the Yautja thus killed. On the converse, it is a great honor to have your skull displayed by your killer, as it shows they considered you a noble conquest.

The Yautja have been coming to Earth to Hunt for centuries, maybe longer. Almost always they have come in tropical areas during extreme heat waves. Often these have been isolated areas such as deep in the rain forests of Central America, Africa, and Asia. Just how long Earth has been their private game reserve is unknown, but some think that they may have hunted the dinosaurs into extinction.

There are no "formal relations" between humans and Yautja; the predators do not try to communicate with people. Does a human hunter try to talk to deer? To them, humans are primatives useful for sport, not allies. Occasionally, a human will earn their respect, but it is very rare.The U.S. military is convinced that the predators could wipe out the planet if they were provoked. Thus, standard procedure is to allow the predators to Hunt for a while and then leave. Efforts to assault or contain them have been disasterous at best.

Since the military has discovered the Yautja, they have desperately tried to acquire their technology while preventing others from getting it. The Yautja have no desire for anyone to get their equipment, and a dying Yautja will (if possible) blow up his body and all equipment. If a Yautja dies before destroying himself, his fellow hunters will come to his location and destroy all evidence of their existence. To date, the U.S. military has not been successful in capturing any technology from the aliens.

The movies take place on 20th century Earth, while some of the novels take place far in the future. Thus, a modern predator chronicle is highly possible. As much as the Yautja enjoy hunting humans, imagine their ecstasy in fighting the supernatural.

Kindred: Vampires would be prime targets for the Hunters, as they are tougher than most humans. Ghouls are in the same boat. A vampire who does not have a full blood pool will be quite cooler than most people, thus harder for the Yautja to see. Impose a one point penalty to the Yautja trying to fight such a hard to see target. A vampire cannot feed on a Yautja, they are simply too alien. No one has ever tried to Embrace a Yautja, but it is possible that it would work. A Yautja could be ghouled by a Kindred.

Changing Breeds: I can hardly imagine a better foe for a Yautja than a crinos werewolf! Garou are more likely to become Blooded than most any other supernatural. Their tough physical abilities and natural hunting instincts makes them perfectuly suited as allies or opponents to the Yautja.

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Mages: Mages are seen as normal humans. If perceived as a threat, they will be killed. If not, they will be ignored. Mages have the ability to be dangerous without any exposed weapons. As Yautja generally ignore humans who are unarmed, this could give a wily mage an edge. Once.

Wraiths: The wraiths are beyond the ministrations of the Yautja.Changelings: The fae may be ignored if they aren't perceived as a threat. Their powers may help them

against the Yautja, but not as useful as a mage. Going toe to toe with a predator is not advised.Mummies: Mummies do have the comfort of knowing that even if they are killed by the Yautja, they'll come

back some day. As mages, their powers could give them an edge against unsuspecting predators.Gypsies: Gypsies are basically normal humans with a few special perks. Many of those perks won't do much

good against a Yautja.Fomori: The Wyrmspawn are prime targets for the Hunters, as they are beyond human. It is conceivable

that a Yautja could be possessed by a Bane, but this has never once happened in the past.Immortals: Immortals have much to fear from the Yautja. The fact that immortals carry swords and are

experts with them makes them prime targets. Keep in mind that the Yautja take skulls as trophies, so an Immortal killed by a Yautja will be decapitated!

Xenomorphs: The Yautja could make an unexpected ally in a war against the bugs. It may even result in some characters becoming Blooded. Regardless of the the fact that the Yautja are probably the ones who started the alien infestation!

Blooded Warrior: STR 7, DEX 4, STA 8, CHA 2, MAN 2, APP 0, PER 4, INT 3, WIT 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Brawl 6 (Street Fighting), Dodge 3, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Mimicry 3, Throwing 2; Skills: Blind Fighting 2, Firearms 4 (Shoulder Cannon, Razor Net, or Burner), Hunting 4, Melee 6 (Spear, Gauntlet, or Disc), Survival 4 (Tropical), Stealth 3, Tracking 4; Knowledges: Medicine 1, Military Tactics 3, Science 1, Yautja Language 5; Willpower 8; Path 7; Background: Equipment 6, Allies 2, Fame 3, Leader 2

Young Warrior: STR 7, DEX 4, STA 8, CHA 2, MAN 2, APP 0, PER 4, INT 3, WIT 2; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Brawl 5 (Street Fighting), Dodge 3, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Mimicry 3, Throwing 2; Skills: Blind Fighting 2, Firearms 4 (Shoulder Cannon, Razor Net, or Burner), Hunting 4, Melee 6 (Spear, Gauntlet, or Disc), Survival 4 (Tropical), Stealth 3, Tracking 4; Knowledges: Medicine 1, Military Tactics 2, Yautja Language 5, Science 1; Willpower 8; Path 6; Background: Equipment 4, Leader 3

Leader: STR 7, DEX 4, STA 8, CHA 2, MAN 2, APP 0, PER 4, INT 4, WIT 5; Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Brawl 7 (Street Fighting), Dodge 3, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Mimicry 3, Throwing 3; Skills: Blind Fighting 3, Firearms 3, Hunting 4 (Kainde Amedha, Ooman, or other favored prey), Melee 7 (Spear, Gauntlet, or Disc), Survival 4 (Tropical), Stealth 3, Tracking 4; Knowledges: Medicine 2, Military Tactics 3, Science 1, Yautja Language 5; Willpower 9; Path 10; Background: Equipment 9, Allies 3, Fame 5, Contacts 4

Female: STR 10, DEX 4, STA 8, CHA 2, MAN 3, APP 0, PER 3, INT 3, WIT 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Dodge 1, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Mimicry 3; Skills: Stealth 2, Survival 3; Knowledges: Medicine 2, Science 1, Yautja Language 5; Willpower 8; Path Females do not follow the Path

Neutralizing Blood: The thwei (blood) of the Yautja is a natural neutralizer to the thwei of the Kainde Amedha. Instead of the normal 5 levels of acid damage inflicted by Xenomorph ichor, Yautja take only 2 (which can be soaked as normal). They take no damage from the thwei of an alien crossbreed (see Aliens: The Breeding).

Pain Threshold: Due to their vicious upbringing, the Yautja are better able to handle pain than many other creatures. Thus, they have Health Levels as such: OK, OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Incapacitated. They heal at the same rate as a human being.

Temperature Resilience: The Yautja only show up on Earth during extreme heat waves and seem to prefer temperatures of 100 degrees or more. To what extremes they are capable of surviving is unknown; however, when a Yautja ship crashed in Siberia, the warriors functioned in temperatures of -60 degrees F without any problems.

Thermovision: The Yautja see in patterns of heat. Living beings are seen as bright yellow and red objects. If a being can hide its heat signature, it becomes invisible to the Yautja.

Thick Skin: The Yautja in Predator II takes a couple of shotgun blasts at point-blank range. This seems to indicate a thick resilient flesh. Assume they have a natural armor rating of 2.

Man Dif Dmg Man Dif DmgBite 5 Str + 1 Kick 7 Str + 2Claw 6 Str + 1 Grapple 6 Str

Please note that the Yautja have no natural aggravated attack.Yautja Technology: The Yautja are technologically years beyond 20th century man. Whether they made this

technology themselves or stole it is unknown. Most of their developments are designed for war, but they do have space ships capable of interstellar travel. Most of their weaponry is made of a strange, unearthly material they call dlex which is lighter and tougher than steel. Please note that dlex does not inflict aggravated damage.

Weapon Dif Dmg Weapon Dif DmgBlade Gauntlet 6 Str + 2 Razor Net 8 SpecTelescoping Spear 7 Str + 3 Shoulder Cannon 6 8Smart Disc 6 Str + 3 Burner 7 Spec

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Blade Gauntlet: The Yautja have a retractable dual-bladed gauntlet much like the claws of Wolverine. This gauntlet is grooved to allow the thwei of the Kainde Amedha to flow away from the hand. The gauntlet costs one Equipment background point for players.

Telescoping Spear: This is a two foot tube that telescopes outward to seven feet and is tipped with deadly barbs. This spear is used in melee combat, and may be thrown as well. When thrown, it accelerates itself towards its target. The spear costs one Equipment background point for players.

Smart Disc: Like a razor-edged frisbee, this hand-held blade may be thrown or used to slash. Much like a boomerang, it returns loyally to the hand of the thrower, but this is due to electronics, not aerodynamics. The disc costs two Equipment background points for players.

Razor Net: This hand-held device fires a wire net at its target. The net is razor sharp and inflicts damage upon those pinned beneath it. It inflicts three levels of damage upon impact (soakable). For every turn that an entrapped being struggles, it takes damage equal to its own Strength + 2. The net is only large enough to entrap one creature roughly Yautja-sized, but it fires with enough force to pin a creature against a wall or thick column. The net costs one Equipment background point for players.

Shoulder Cannon: A shoulder mounted laser cannon with a red beam targeting system, this weapon is often discarded by older warriors. For those who choose to use it, it can fire 30 blasts before having to recharge. This laser cuts through kevlar and similar types of armor with ease; targets wearing such armor receive no protection. The shoulder cannon costs two Equipment background points for players.

Burner: A weapon never used in the movies, this is often carried by Yautja on bug Hunts. It is a hand-held flame thrower which can fire five times before being reloaded. Each blast is equivalent to a blast of napalm. The burner costs one Equipment background point for players.

Shift Suit: Known as 'awu'asa' to the Yautja, the shift suit allows the wearer to bend rays of light, in effect becoming translucent. Add 5 to the Stealth dice pool of any wearer of an active shift suit. This only affects vision, in no way dampening sound or reducing the smell of the predator. Creatures whose "sight" is not based on reflected light will not suffer this penalty (i.e. the Kainde Amedha have no eyes). The suit is notoriously unstable in water, and getting one wet will shut it down. The 'awu'asa' costs four Equipment background points for players.

War Helmet: The great masks of the of Yautja enhance their vision, allowing them to see in other spectrums such as infrared. Although this takes time to adjust, it can present a harsh surprise to those who believe themselves invisible to the predator (as demonstrated in Predator II). The special lenses in their helmets also allow the Yautja to see each other when they have enabled their shift suits. The helmet costs two Equipment background point for players.

Mass Explosive: Worn by the Yautja in both films, this device can destroy everything in a 200 acre radius. Anyone in the blast radius will take 27 points of soakable fire damage. This is not worn in the novels. The explosive costs three Equipment background points for players.

Medical Kit: Vital to anyone who lives on combat, the medical kits of the Yautja include bladed instruments, fire sources, drugs, powders, and various other disgusting items. With these, they are able to cauterize wounds and stop bleeding. They can even extract bullets from their own bodies, albeit painfully. A Yautja with a med kit and a little time can stop the most serious aspects of their wounds. In Predator II, the Yautja used his kit to stop the bleeding from the stump of his severed arm. The process, though agonizing, allowed him to continue the Hunt. Using a med kit, a Yautja may heal a single Health Level of wounds (Medicine roll, difficulty 7) per injury. The med kit costs one Equipment background point for players.

Player Character Yautja: Yautja do not speak any human languages. They are great mimics, but cannot duplicate all sounds produced by the human mouth. Yautja physical attributes are naturally much higher than humans; thus, their initial point allotments reflect this. A male Yautja's maximum Strength and Stamina is 8. All other attributes have a maximum of 5, except for Appearance, which is automatically 0. Build a Yautja character with a 15/7/4 attribute allotment. Primary abilities must be either Talents or Skills. Their ability allotment is 22/20/6. They also have 20 Freebie Points. The majority of Yautja have an ability limit of 6 points; however, the awesome Leaders can have abilities up to 7 points. They also have 5 points to distribute among Backgrounds. Appropriate backgrounds include Fame, Contacts, Allies, Equipment, and Leader (treat just like Mentor). Add the character's Perception and Wits to determine beginning Willpower. Beginning Path is their Intelligence plus Wits. These point values seem high at first glance, but keep in mind that the Yautja have no supernatural powers. The Yautja are not human, and thus they do not have a Humanity rating. Instead, they have a rating in Path which is their dedication to their hunter society and code of ethics. There are rumors of a renegade Yautja clan that do not follow this code.

Hierarchy of Sins10 Using anything other than one's bare hands in a Hunt unless training the Young Yautja.9 Using firearms or burners during a Hunt unless training the Young Yautja.8 Failing to practice combat skills on a daily basis.7 Passing up the chance to Hunt extremely dangerous prey (i.e. Kainde Amedha or Oomans).6 Showing cowardice, fear, or pain.5 Passing up the chance to Hunt moderately dangerous prey.4 Accepting one less powerful than oneself as a leader.3 Hunting those unworthy or non-threatening.2 Backing down from a fight.1 Losing face in Yautja society.

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Reanimated (Undead)The events leading up to the Miskatonic Massacre began in 1985 in Arkham, Massachusetts, when a young

medical student, Herbert West, began attending Miskatonic University. Mr. West had been researching human consciousness and re-animation, and he brought his work with him to Miskatonic. Mr. West believed that consciousness lied not only in the brain, but throughout the entire body. Based upon this, he developed a serum that had the potential to re-animate dead flesh. All he now needed were subjects upon which to experiment.

Herbert convinced his roommate, Dan Cain, to assist him in his work, and they successfully brought a corpse back to life. Unfortunately, this creature was insane and attacked the young scientists. During the fray, the dean was killed by the monster. Taking advantage of the opportunity to experiment on a fresh body, Mr. West injected his serum into the corpse of Dean Halsey. Once again, the injection worked, and the dean came back from the dead but was soon locked away by the police, who thought him a lunatic. His colleague, Dr. Hill, examined him and realized that West's theories were true. Dr. Hill decided that he would steal Mr. West's work and take credit for it himself. Outraged, West murdered Dr. Hill by decapitating him with a shovel. After this heinous crime, he injected Dr. Hill's head and torso with his serum. Dr. Hill returned to life, attacked Mr. West, and stole the serum. Dr. Hill planned to create an army of the living dead, as he had discovered a method of controlling the re-animated.

Realizing the threat that Dr. Hill posed, Mr. West tried to stop him. They fought and Mr. West succeeded in injecting Dr. Hill's body with a massive dose of the serum. This overdose caused the body to destroy itself as it violently reacted to all of the fluids. Even without a body, Dr. Hill's head was still conscious; however, the re-animated Dean Halsey caved in the side of the skull, apparently killing Dr. Hill. Unfortunately for Mr. West, he was caught in the death throes of Dr. Hill's body, and he seemed to be killed as well. By the time the police arrived, many people had died, and a number of the re-animated were roaming around. They were gathered up and were assumed to be insane. The disaster became known as the Miskatonic Massacre.

The Bride and the Crypt: Unsurprisingly, Herbert West escaped from the Miskatonic Massacre. He and Mr. Cain completed school and became doctors, and having gained no wisdom from their past mistakes, the pair continued their research. In need of many fresh bodies, they volunteered as doctors in a war in South America. After a few close brushes with death, the two returned to the States with new knowledge on how to animate the dead. Dr. West discovered that by lashing, sewing, or otherwise connecting dead body parts, he could create re-animated beings other than full bodied humans. Dr. West began to steal body parts from the hospital where he worked, and his research led him to assemble many bizarre beings. After he would make such a creature, he would bury it in an old crypt to dispose of it. In short time, Dr. West came up with a plan for designing a superior human being. For this task, he gathered "choice" body parts from the hospital and morgue and assembled them into his idea of a perfect woman. Much like Frankenstein, Dr. West became obsessed with his creation and was determined to complete it at any cost.

Dr. West had entered Dr. Hill's head into a circus sideshow, but unknown to him the head had been found by the police and returned to storage with the rest of the evidence at the Miskatonic Massacre. Still able to control his re-animated fellows, Dr. Hill escaped and brought his zombies to Dr. West's home to seek revenge upon West for turning him into a creature. Dr. West succeeded in animating his "bride", but she was far from a perfect creature: assembled from dead tissue, she was a hideous mockery of life. After being rejected, she went crazy and attacked everyone in West's laboratory. Finally, in rage, she ripped out her own heart and slowly fell apart. During her rampage, Dr. Hill's minions had invaded West's home and broke into his lab.

Left with a single avenue of escape, West fled to the crypt he had buried his creations in, and they turned upon him. The commotion caused the barrow to collapse. Dr. Cain survived and pulled himself from the rubble along with his girlfriend. However, Hill and West remained trapped. Dr. West is assumed to have perished in the cave-in, while the head of Dr. Hill, still animated, is trapped below the earth.

The Re-Animated: The glowing green serum developed by Dr. Herbert West has the unique ability of re-awakening consciousness in dead tissue. Proving his theory that consciousness lies throughout the body, his serum is able to give "life" to dead tissue even without the presence of a brain. The fluid, once exposed to dead flesh, reacts almost immediately causing, the dead to return to a semblence of life. It is important to note that those returned are not alive and do not require oxygen, food, or other staples of life. Likewise, these dead beings do not age, grow, heal, or otherwise change from the moment of re-animation. The serum apparently preserves the tissue it affects, preventing decay in most any environment.

When injected with the serum, a corpse will re-animate within a few minutes. The corpse ceases to rot and appears to be a functioning human being. The behavior of a re-animated person is largly determined by the amount of time the corpse has been dead. Once a body dies, the brain deteriorates quickly. The sooner a person is revived soon after death, the less the damage.

In general, after four minutes of death, the brain begins to suffer permanent damage. A person brought back from death within four to twelve minutes will suffer the loss of a point in one of his or her mental abilities (randomly determined loss from Perception, Intelligence, or Wits). For each additional minute after 12, another point is randomly lost among mental faculties. No attribute can drop below one point, so if the attribute randomly chosen is already at one, choose again. It is possible for re-animated to be brought back with only one point in all mental attributes.

If a person is revived quickly enough, most mental damage can be avoided. These beings, while technically zombies, are not much different than the people they were in life, but those brought back with significant brain damage are often mindless killing machines. However, becoming a re-animated is an extremely traumatic experience, which often drives those going through it insane. When anyone, no matter how much time has passed, becomes a re-animated, he must roll his Willpower vs. a difficulty of 8. Success prevents the development of a derangement due to the experience. Failure results in a random derangement determined by the Storyteller. If a re-

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animated botches this roll, he gains a permanent derangement and loses one point from all mental attributes (minimum score of one).

Endurance: The re-animated do not rely upon functioning organs or any other requirements of life. Thus, they can suffer much more damage than a living being and still survive. Even destroying the brain will not stop them, as they have consciousness in all parts of their body. Note that consciousness is not intelligence, so damaging the brain will destroy knowledge and reasoning abilities. Assume that a whole re-animated corpse has twice the amount of Health Levels as a normal living being of its species. Re-animated body parts, of course, have fewer Health Levels unto themselves. Please keep in mind that a re-animated can be rendered immobile by destroying appendages and the like. The re-animated do not heal, and all damage they take accumulates.

Immortality: Dr. West's serum prevents any further rot from affecting the body. Thus, unless destroyed, anything re-animated will exist forever. They do not require food, air, water, or anything else.

Strength: Unlike a typical zombie, a re-animated has greater strength than a normal human because the serum greatly enhances the physical power of those injected with it. Consider a re-animated being to have an additional point of strength than in life.

Bit by Bit: As Dr. West discovered, individual parts of corpses can be re-animated, as can collections of parts that have been attached by some means. There are very few limits to the monstrosities that could be made, and Dr. West created beings that would make a Tzimisce proud. Like all re-animated, these creatures are not truly alive, and they have the same abilities and limitations as any other re-animated.

When consciousness is revived in body parts, they are able to function with other revived parts attached to them. However, this is rudimentary intelligence at best, and without a brain, such a collection of parts would have only one point in Intelligence, Wits, and Perception. A creature assembled with a brain would be controlled by that brain and have the surviving mental faculties of it (see above).

It is entirely possible that someone could create a zombie re-animated with multiple heads. If this is done, then only one brain will be in control of the rest of the body. The brain of the being with the highest Willpower will be the dominant entity, but any other re-animated brains may spend a point of Willpower to obtain dominance for a scene. Likewise, the controlling brain could spend a point to prevent this.

In theory, there is no limit to the amount of body parts that could be assembled, but they must all be animated at the same time for them to work together. Thus, finding enough fresh tissue for massive creatures may present a problem. In any case, the head should be as fresh as possible to minimize brain damage. These creatures have Health Levels determined by the amount of tissue in their bodies. Use the following table as a guideline for determining how much total Health a re-animated has. This table accounts for the double Health Levels of the re-animated, do not double this total at the end. Arm 2 HL, Head 2 HL, Leg 2 HL, Torso 4 HL, Parts of Parts (Not cumulative with Arms and Legs): Foot or Hand 1 HL

Kindred: Vampires cannot feed upon the re-animated; the blood is foul and provides no value to the Kindred. If injected with the serum, all of the vampire's physical attributes are cut in half until he or she can purge all the contaminated blood from his system. The blood can still be used to power vampiric abilities, but consider a contaminated blood pool to only contain half the number of points as it should. A deceased ghoul can be brought back as a re-animated zombie. Unfortunately, all ghoul powers are lost, as they stem from the interaction of vampire blood and living tissue. A dead body will no longer sustain these heightened powers.

Changing Breeds: Any of the Bete can be brought back to life by the serum just like any other living being. This will sever all ties to Gaia and the Umbra, thus all special powers are lost. Re-animated shape shifters are stuck in breed form, do not regenerate, cannot step sideways, and they do not have access to Gifts. Most Bete will find a way to destroy themselves if they become a zombie.

Mages: A dead mage can be re-animated, but he loses the power of the Awakened. No re-animated can learn or manipulate True Magick. In theory, a re-animated which retains enough mental capacities could learn and use Hedge Magick. It is highly possible that Technomancers or Sons of Ether discover the serum and start making re-animated. In fact, it may be that Dr. Herbert West was one of the Sons of Ether himself.

Wraiths: Of course, wraiths cannot become one of the re-animated. However, once a re-animated truly dies, it is possible for him to become a ghost.

Changelings: If a changeling becomes a re-animated, he is flooded with Banality and forgets his faerie nature. No re-animated can retain changeling powers. Once the re-animated is destroyed, it is possible for the fey nature to be reborn like a normal changeling.

Mummies: A mummy is almost the exact opposite of a re-animated. A mummy cannot become one of these zombies, and a re-animated corpse will not become a mummy if it receives the Spell of Life.

Gypsies: A gypsy is basically a normal human being. If a gypsy becomes one of the re-animated, all powers of gypsy blood are lost.

Fomori: In some cases, it would be difficult to tell a re-animated and a fomor apart. If a fomor becomes re-animated, all physical disabilities remain, but the powers of the possessing Bane are lost. The result is most likely some very disgusting re-animated corpses. Re-animated cannot be possessed by Banes.

Immortals: This is an interesting situation. The only way to kill an Immortal is to decapitate him. As Dr. West has proven, a head and body can be re-animated separately. There is no reason to assume that a dead Immortal could not be re-animated. However, all powers of the Immortal are lost. Imagine the surprise an immortal would have when one of his slain foes comes shambling back from the grave for him!

Species (Extinction Agents)We made her female so she would be more docile and controllable. - Xavier Fitch, Species

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This project is based on the films Species and Species II. Like many of my previous works, I don't always follow the films to the letter. I have added some of my own ideas based on unexplored aspects of the films. Please visit my web page (http://www.wku.edu/~charles.plemons/) for updates of this and other World of Darkness projects.

This may be freely distributed by anyone in any format as long as credit is given to the author but cannot be distributed for profit for any reason.

Known History: Encounter One - Mankind is not alone in the universe. In January of 1993, man received instructions from an unknown alien intelligence telling how to create a combined alien/human DNA sequence. Ten human embryos were injected with the The First SIL DNA sequence, and one was allowed to develop. This creature, code name SIL, grew at an astonishing speed. A decision was made to terminate the project, but SIL escaped the lab, after which the creature matured and took on the form of a full grown human female. A team was assembled to track down this woman and eliminate her. SIL was driven by an overwhelming desire to mate. After succeeding to do so, she bore a child in an amazingly short period of time. Soon after the birth, both SIL and her child were destroyed. Unfortunately, the alien DNA infected a rodent and survived. What became of this alien is unknown.

Encounter Two - In an effort to study the aliens and defend against them, another embryo was allowed to develop. This project was simultaneous with man's first steps on Mars. A trace of alien DNA was accidentally The First SIL picked up in a soil sample. This DNA went through the rapid growth typically associated with these beings and broke free. It proceeded to infect two of the three crew members. Once they returned to Earth, they were discovered to be infected, and one crew member was exterminated before she could cause much damage. However, the other infected member, Patrick Ross, escaped and began to breed. It was discovered that the second SIL, Eve, had a psychic connection with Patrick. By exploiting this, a team was able to track down Patrick and his children. Eve and Patrick succeeded in mating before Patrick killed her. He was then destroyed using human blood with genetic defects (sicklecell anemia). Once again, not all of the aliens were destroyed, and one of Patrick's children survived. Also, the child of the union between Eve and Patrick ripped its way from the corpse of its mother. The fates of these beings are unknown.

Origin and Behavior: The origin of this alien species is unknown. But DNA traces of it still exist on Mars from millions of years past when it destroyed the then thriving planet and left it dead. If brought into the proper environment, this DNA will develop into a full SIL.

Each cell of the alien's body contains its entire genetic code which can be injected into the cells of other beings like a super virus. It can replicate at an amazing speed, and it can take over a human sized host in a few minutes. Once in a host, a SIL has a variety of forms. Its natural form is a writhing mass of tentacles. It can also retain the appearance of its host; however, to a degree, the alien can alter this form at will. This altered state has a thick carapace-like skin and long tentacles. It still retains the basic shape and residual look of its host, but it is utterly alien. Also, a "male" SIL is much larger in this form than a "female".

Infection of a host enables an alien to breed with members of the host's species. Driven with an instinct to breed, these beings will continuously pursue this endeavor. The alien can sense genetic defects in beings and will not mate with them. It has been proven that SIL DNA cannot adapt to flawed DNA, and it will die if exposed to it. A SIL cannot change hosts, because it bonds genetically immediately upon entering a host creature.

No pureblood alien has yet been encountered. The ones on Earth have acted solely on instinct, not some grand racial scheme to destroy the Earth. They live to breed and survive and will destroy anything that tries to stop them. It is not known if there is a SIL society on some uncharted planet or if they merely act as a virus preying on everything they encounter.

SIL Lifeform: A SIL is a very versatile creature capable of surviving in many extremes. In their natural form, a flowing pseudo-liquid with tentacles, they appear not to require air. They also seem to exhibit the ability to hibernate indefinitely until a suitable host is found. This is how they have survived on Mars when other life forms were unavailable.

In natural form, this alien race cannot breed; however, it can grow at an amazing speed. In Species, one grows from the size of a single cell to the size of a small room in minutes. Its growth limits are unknown, because it was incinerated soon after. This species is required to bond with a host and use it to breed.

A SIL is a true symbiote, and most of its advantages come from its ability to bond with any known animal. A SIL cannot use a plant as a host. Once a host is taken, the SIL acquires the instincts and thought processes of the being possessed as well as retaining its own. It can still be mildly influenced by things that normally influence the host, but the SIL is in control, so this is a dangerous endeavor.

If two SILs were to breed (requiring that they possess hosts fertile with one another), the resulting offspring would be a pureblood. Such a creature has never been encountered by man. A pureblood has no host, but it resembles the hybrid form of its parents. This is the only form this creature has. A pureblood is stronger and faster than its parents, and it is fertile, but only with other purebloods. Note that purebloods do not have to mate with other purebloods of the same host species.

Host vs. Grown: A SIL that finds a host has some advantage over a SIL grown in a lab. The SIL automatically attains the knowledge of the host, and is aware of what it is. A SIL that is grown doesn't know exactly what it is and is forced to live by instinct. It also must learn about behavior. Fortunately, a SIL learns rapidly, but it still takes time. If properly isolated, a SIL grown with human DNA will not have knowledge of human behavior or language. It has been noted that a SIL grown with human DNA can be appealled to in human terms to a limited degree. This will not work in cases where instinct overrides such thoughts.

Abilities and Characteristics: Carapace - In hybrid host/alien form, a SIL has a carapace covering its body giving it a natural armor rating of 1 for resisting firearms and melee weapons. All purebloods have this advantage at all times. Climbing - In hybrid form, a SIL has greatly enhanced climbing abilities. The SIL in Species climbed and

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jumped with astonishing agility. The ability to climb could be greatly affected by the type of host the SIL has acquired.

Enhanced Abilities - The alien species greatly enhances the physical abilities of its host. Add 2 points to Strength, 1 point to Dexterity, and 1 point to Stamina. The host retains all memories and knowledge, but it will eventually lose control to the alien being. It takes one day per point of Intelligence before the alien asserts itself completely. Meanwhile, the host slowly begins to realize that things are not right. When threatened or presented with an opportunity to mate, the host blacks out and the alien takes control and subsequently the host has no memory of what occurs while the SIL is in control. A pureblood takes most of its physical attributes from its parents. However, it is larger and more powerful than they, so add 1 point to the Strength and Stamina of the father SIL for the attributes of the pureblood child.

Regeneration - The SIL species; extraordinary regenerative capabilities, put even the Garou to shame. The films show the SILs being riddled with bullets yet jumping back to their feet within seconds. A SIL has as many Health Levels as its host and can regenerate damage at 2 Health Levels per turn. All damage can be regenerated, even if reduced to 0 Health unless the damage is aggravated. Even lost limbs can be regenerated in record time. SILs are vulnerable to fire, acid, supernatural attacks, and particularly so to genetic defects in DNA. Such used against them causes aggravated damage. For example, in Species II a SIL is killed when pierced by a pitchfork tipped with blood containing defective DNA.

Tentacles - A SIL can utilize its tentacles in any form. For a pure SIL with no host, tentacles are the only means of movement and attack. In human host form, tentacles generally sprout from the back, the mouth, or the chest. When in hybrid form, the tentacles are on the back of the head and can sprout from the mouth, nipples, back, and possibly other locations. These do not do aggravated damage to creatures other than SILs. However, SILs are intelligent creatures and may well attack with fire or other ways dangerous to the supernatural. Their intense strength also gives them the ability to dismember their opponents.Toxin Resistance: A SIL is vulnerable to all toxins that affect its host. However, if it survives exposure to a specific toxin, complete immunity results. It is unknown if this immunity is passed to its offspring.

Maneuver Difficulty Damage Maneuver Difficulty Damage Bite 5 Strength Punch 6 StrengthGrapple 6 Strength Tentacle 6 Strength + 1Kick 7 Strength + 1

Use in the World of Darkness: How do you use the SIL species in the World of Darkness? This race can easily be incorporated into a chronicle, and they make a great enemy for any type of character. If the Storyteller is opposed to introducing such a dangerous creature to Earth, a Horizon Realm would make a great place for an infestation.

Kindred: The vampires cannot become a host for the aliens. Also, the blood of the Kindred acts as a poison in the same way that defective DNA does. Thus, neither can ghouls become hosts to the SILs.

Changing Breeds: Unfortunately for the Changing Breeds, their DNA, although unique, is not flawed. Thus, most of the Bete can be hosts to a SIL. Certain Gifts may allow this infection to be stopped or slowed. The natural regenerative abilities of the Changing Breeds resist the SILs automatically. Thus, it takes twice as long for a SIL to gain total control. The Ratkin are diseased creatures, and they will not be used as hosts. Their blood can be used as an aggravated weapon against the SILs as well. Once totally dominated by a SIL, all Gnosis is lost as is the ability to step sideways. Gifts can still be used as long as they aren't powered by Gnosis. The ability to change forms is retained as well.

Mages: The Awakened are susceptible to SIL infection like any human or animal. Once infected, the ability to manipulate True Magic is lost. Although the memory of how to use magic and its effects are retained, True Magic is now forever lost to the individual. A SIL with a mage host will acquire understanding of magic, and thus, becomes very dangerous to surviving wizards.

Wraiths: Of course, a wraith cannot become a host to the aliens. However, if a wraith observes a friend or loved one become a host, it may feel compelled to warn the living of this danger. A Risen cannot become a host either.

Changelings: The fae are prime hosts for the SIL, as are most humans. However, once a Changeling becomes a host, all memory of the fae self is lost. The faerie soul is not destroyed, but it will not reawaken in this lifetime.

Mummies: A mummy cannot become a host to the SIL. Although they are still living humans, they have been altered in such a way that they are unsuitable for bonding. However, mummy blood is not toxic to the aliens.

Gypsies: Like the Changing Breeds, Gypsies have genetic differences, but they are not flawed. Thus, a Gypsy can be possessed. Bonding with a SIL destroys the Rom blood powers, but understanding of them remains.

Fomori: These poor creatures are at least safe from the host hunting SIL. They are so riddled with disease and decay that no SIL would attempt to bond with one. Their blood is not poisonous to a SIL, unless the fomor has the power Toxic Secretions.

Immortals: The Quintessence of the immortals prevents a SIL from establishing a symbiotic bond. This, however, does not make the blood of an immortal dangerous to SILs.

Living Dead: The living dead (see Zombies: Night of the Living Dead) have passed beyond life and therefore are unsusceptible to bonding with a SIL. If bitten by a living dead, a SIL's natural immune system will destroy the contagion.

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Lycanthropes: These beings (see Lycanthrope: The Changing) are flawed to the SIL, and their blood is toxic to the aliens.

Xenomorphs: The Xenomorphs, also known as the Kainde Amedha, are the monsters from the film Alien ( see Aliens: The Breeding). A SIL can bond with a Xenomorph without problem, but such a creature would be sensed by the Hive and hunted. The blood of a Xenomorph, which is highly acidic, is dangerous as an acid to the SILs, unless the SIL has a Xenomorph host.

Yautja: These are the creatures from the film Predator (see Predator: The Hunt). The Yautja are susceptible to bonding with the SILs and would result in a creature of tremendous strength. It is probable that the Yautja, if aware of the existence of the SILs, Hunt them like they do the Kainde Amedha.

Chronicle Ideas: Invasion - The Earth is in trouble, the alien species is spreading like wildfire. Anyone could be an alien. All life is threatened, and any combination of characters could come together to fight the creatures. A great way to involve characters of all different types.

Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My! People are disappearing from a rural area. The evidence points towards a large predator of some sort. However, none of the well armed hunting parties have returned. Of course, this predator is host to a SIL, and it is breeding. A great rural chronicle for Garou or Gangrel.

Mad Scientist - Like in the first film, scientists create a SIL and it breaks free. The troupe could either be the ones asked to hunt it, or they encounter the being in its quest to breed a planet of aliens. Unless told what they are dealing with they could have a very difficult time tracking and killing the creature.

Red Planet - Perfect for a Void Engineer or Garou chronicle, the characters go to Mars. However, as in Species II, one or more of the explorers are infected by the alien being. This is a perfect way to see how long before the troupe turns on one another as they begin to suspect one another.

Statistics: SIL (From Species): Strength 6, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 4 (Jumping), Brawl 4 (Tentacle), Dodge 2, Intimidation 2, Seduction 4 (Alluring); Skills: Disguise 2, Drive 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Security 1; Knowledges: English 5, Enigmas 4 (Discovery), Investigation 2; Willpower 7

Eve - Female Human/SIL (Species II): Strength 6, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5, Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 5, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 4 (Jumping), Brawl 4 (Tentacle), Dodge 2, Intimidation 2, Seduction 4 (Alluring); Skills: Stealth 3, Survival 3, Security 2; Knowledges: English 5, Enigmas 4 (Discovery), Investigation 2, Medicine 1, Science 1; Willpower 6

Patrick Ross - Male Human/SIL (Species II): Strength 8, Dexterity 4, Stamina 6, Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 5, Perception 4, Intelligence 5, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 4 (Jumping), Brawl 5 (Tentacle), Dodge 2, Intimidation 4 (Physical), Public Speaking 3, Seduction 3; Skills: Drive 2, Etiquette 4 (Military), Firearms 1, Melee 2, Pilot 5 (Spacecraft), Stealth 3, Survival 3, Security 2; Knowledges: Computer 3, English 5, Enigmas 4 (Discovery), Investigation 2, Medicine 1, Politics 3, Science 3; Willpower 7

Tooms, Victor Eugene (Serial Killer)Detective Frank Briggs, who worked on Tooms cases in both 1933 and 1963, said he felt

that Tooms is a sort of symbol of all the world's atrocities. Environmental illness, toxins, chemical poisonings and pollution are certainly among the atrocities of the modern world. Eugene Victor Tooms would have been born a while after the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. If his mother had been an overworked, stressed-out factory worker, unprotected from soot, dust and the beginnings of industrial pollution, perhaps his exposure to these elements began at conception, thus caUSing the genetic mutation. The fact that he needs livers could be because they accumulate the toxins in our bodies and his mutation (which also allows him to hibernate for 30 years) thrives on that. (Boy, he must *Iove* coming out of hibernation THESE days, with so many poisons floating around!) When Tooms hungrily sniffs the air, like an animal smelling out its prey, he may be using a heightened sense of smell to

smell potential victims' livers in order to pick the "best" ones. Maybe this means the biggest or juiciest (yrg!) or the livers with the most of whatever makes a liver yummy to a hibernating, geneticmutant serial killer. In light of the above "toxicity theory", I feel he can detect the level of toxins in others and the sniffing is to find the victims with the most toxic livers, like going for the biggest piece of cake, or whatever. Mmm, mmm, good!

In Tooms' court hearing, Dr. Pamela Koretsky said that his "chromosomal analysis and computerized axial tomagraph" were normal. (Duh: 'spose she's related to Dr. Aaron "I-can-rehabilitate-anyone" Monte??) But when Scully had him checked (Tooms, not Monte, although maybe Monte ought to be checked, too...) right after his capture, the results were abnormal. We know he can change his muscles and bones dramatically in a short amount of time, but CHROMOSOMES?? Well, he can change everything else, why not those too? The exact nature of his mutation is as yet unknown. And remember, after he was caught, he had no idea how much trouble he was really in, so he might not have seen a need to mutate his chromosomes to a "normal" state. Once in the institution, he could mutate his chromosomes to appear "normal", when he realized he would need to trick the doctors into letting him out. After all, he's intelligent enough to stay alive and not be caught all of these years. And since he has recently emerged from hibernation after 30 years, he might not have been aware at first that such things could even be tested.

Modern science tells us that if a lobe of the liver is removed, it will grow back. Since livers apparently provide regenerative properties, this could explain a few things about Tooms. He appears unusually youthful for someone over 100 years old: the livers' bile/toxins might replenish or rejuvenate his skin cells and body tissues, therefore allowing him to remain young and spry. Liver is also said to fortify brain cells and just may be the reason

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he is so intelligent. That combined with other mutant properties may be what allows him to stay hidden for so many years.

Nature: Deviant, Demeanor: Jobsworth, Concept: Mutant, Haven: Under a Condemned Building, Age: 100+; Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4 (Sure he looks puny but he can overpowered Mulder, Scully, and several others), Charisma 3/1 (drops considerably when hungry), Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Intelligence 2, Perception 2, Wits 2; Talents: Athletics 3, Brawl 5, Subterfuge 5; Skills: Animal Ken 3, Drive 2, Stealth 3, Pick Pocket 3; Knowledges: Sewer Lore 3, Medicine 2, Investigation 2; Backgrounds: Resources 2; Virtues: Conscience: 0 (he eats livers for heavens sake), Self Control 3 (although obsessive in his hunting he's proven he can hold his urges back), Courage 2; Merits / Flaws: Enemy (Elderly Police officer), Obsession (victims), Compulsion (takes souvenir from all of his victims); Humanity 0; Willpower 6

Contortion: Tooms by dislocating his joints can escape bonds imprisonment or as he demonstrated in the show crawl down chimneys or ventilation systems with ease.

Stretch: Tooms may extend his limbs by as much as 15 feet but loses a point of strength for every 5 feet extended.

Night Vision: Tooms apparently can see in the dark though his eyes turn an eerie green when this occursHibernation: Tooms if he eats five human livers may hibernate for up to 30 years, in which he does not age.

He may end this at any time but must have a "nest" to do it

Trioxin Ghouls (Relentless Cannibals)In the early 60's, military scientists were trying to create a chemical weed-killer to use on marijuanna

plants. One of the scientists working on the project was a Sabbat ghoul. This ghoul modified the weed-killer making it a deadly virus, and added some vampiric blood just to see what would happen. The substance created was called Trioxon. Only one batch of the modified trioxon was tested on a field in a remote community. The substance killed the local town people and animated their bodies. The Army moved in to contain the situation, but found that these Living Dead could not be killed. In the end they forced their bodies into 50 gallon drums for storage. Most of these Living Dead bodies are still in storage at a top secret facility.

The commander of the project kept the incident a secret, even from the rest of the Army. Eventually, though, Army intellegence found out about it. They took control of the drums too late. Several of them had been lost in shipment. The drums that were used to contain the bodies were designed to hold waste nuclear material and labeled with a 1-800 number to notify a nuclear clean up team. This number is now connected directly to an Army Intelligence Living Dead Containment Team.

There are two types of Living Dead: The low-intelligent, instinct-driven Dead, and the high-intelligent Dead. The low-intelligent Dead are created when a Living Dead kills or bites a normal human, transfering the Trioxon virus. These dead have an intelligence of 1, but after feeding on human brains they can experience an "insight" where their intelligence jumps to 2 for a few minutes. This allows them to scheme for a way to attract more people (In the Return of the Living Dead II after killing a cop, one Dead grabbed the radio and said "send more cops") The high-intelligent type are created when a living human is exposed to Trioxon gas, the military substance that created the Living Dead problem. These Dead maintain their intelligence, but are subject to a Living Dead form of frenzy.

The Living Dead need human brains to satisfy their hunger. Military scientists believe it is the brain's electrical energy that attracts the Living Dead. Tremere researchers, however, believe it is a manifestation of the beast and that since vampiric blood was used in creating the Trioxon virus, it is blood they are really after. But for some reason, only blood within the brain gives them nourishment. All Living Dead have a "sense brain" ability that detects a living human even if their sensory organs are destroyed. Thus a blind Living Dead would be able to follow a human, but not know how to find the door to the house. Vampires appear as other Dead and will not be attacked.

If a human is bitten by a Living Dead, he will become infected with the Trioxon virus. He will die painfully in a number of hours equal to his stamina. He will reanimate as a low-intellegent Living Dead and will be hungry for human brains. Living dead cannot be killed, except by totally incinerating their bodies. When they are animated, the entire body becomes "alive." Chopping off their heads, or chopping off body parts will not stop them. Each part will remain "alive" but the intelligence of the Dead will reside in the brain. Destroying the brain does not diminish intelligence below 1. In fact, several are animated after their brains have been devoured by other Dead. (This fact has medical science wondering about the exact location of consciousness in humans.)

Vampires gain no sustenance from Dead blood. In fact, it causes an aggravated wound and infects them with the Trioxon virus. They are immune to the effects, but they can pass it to a human Herd. If the vampire passes the virus to a human, the human will become sick and die with in Stamina number of hours. The human will become a low-intelligent Living Dead. To rid himself of the virus, the vampire must bleed himself bone dry. He must remain without blood for several hours so the remaining virus dies off. Friends may help him avoid a starvation frenzy by staking him in the heart. They must be careful about injuring him too much, though, or he may go into torpor.

Creation as a player character: Only the high-intelligent type is worth creating as a character. Generate the stats and then increase stamina by 1 and add Potence 2. Raise Courage by 2. Lower Dexterity by 1. An intelligent Living Dead will have a Humanity rating as a Vampire. When humanity drops to 0 they become low-intelligent. The intelligent Dead needs one blood point per day to remain intelligent. (One brain provides one blood point). The blood must come from the blood left in the brain after the human is dead. Blood from other parts of the body will not do. Nor will vampire blood. If the Dead does not receive his blood point for the day he will become low- intelligent until he gets it.

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The Dead may eat more in order to develop a blood pool. The pool may be no more than to 5. The Dead may use the extra blood points for healing damage (they never got the chance in the movies), or to hold them over for a few days. If the character has less than 2 blood points he must roll self-control to avoid frenzy when feeding. This character must also be aware that whoever he kills to get his daily alotment of brain-blood will animate as a low- intelligent Dead. (Licking your fingers, then reaching in for more brains transfers the Trioxon virus to the corpse) To prevent the corps from animating, the brain must be removed by instruments before being eaten. But if the character frenzies when eating he'll just "dig in" and ignore trying to prevent animation.

A Living Dead Character may be fun for the short-term. But since he must kill to feed, his humanity will drop to 0 in a short time. Vampires will want the Living Dead stopped immediately. A Living Dead contamination that goes out of control can not only wipe out the local human population, but cause the destruction of the city as well. A Living Dead contamination has already caused one city to be nuked by the Army Intelligence Living Dead Contamination Containment Team (AILDCCT). Living Dead will have a hard time just trying to make friends with vampires. (Would you make friends with someone who spreads a deadly food poisoning bacteria at the grocery store where you shop?)

Venusian Zombies (The Living Dead)The Venus Explorer is sent into space by NASA and returns to Earth contaminated with bizarre radiation. In

a panic, the U.S. government blows up the probe, and the radiation is spread out over a large area. This radiation has a terrible effect on the bodies of the dead: it allows the dead brains to function again in a limited capacity.

Overwhelmed by an urge to devour the living, the corpses rise up and spread across the continent attacking the living. Whole cities are demolished -- silent tombstones of a civilization lost. The dead walk in search of any living being to sate their hungers. Only handfuls of people still live, and they are holed up waiting for the day when the zombies break through the defenses and add them to their ranks.

Any being who dies in an area of contamination becomes a zombie within a few minutes. Also, a person bitten by a living dead will die in a few hours (Stamina x 2 hours) and re-animate as a walking corpse. This corpse is consumed with the desire to eat the living although it takes no nourishment from it; in fact a zombie without a stomach will still gorge itself on living flesh.

The living dead require no rest and shamble along endlessly, but they are slower than a living being (half walking speed) and very uncoordinated. They are easily shoved out of the way or knocked over. Unfortunately, wounds don't affect them very much. A shotgun blast in the chest will knock one down, but won't truly hurt it. The zombie will drag itself back up and continue the pursuit. The only way to kill it is to destroy the brain. Bullets, knives, spikes: anything driven into the brain will cause the corpse to collapse, but don't confuse this with decapitation. Zombies rot, but much slower than would a normal dead body. According to Dr. Logan in Day of the Dead, a living dead can continue to function for ten to twelve years before rotting away. This makes the likelihood of survival of humanity much less likely.

The mental capacities of a zombie are rudimentary at best. They do not reason very well and do not employ any kind of strategy other than charging. They do seem to have some memory of their old lives, often imitating things they once did. These imitations are very basic, such as sitting behind the wheel of a parked car for no apparent reason. In Day of the Dead, the zombie Bub remembers how to fire a gun. He also remembers saluting military personnel. These memories do not equal their old skills, but if a zombie remembers something, it can do it at a maximum skill level of 1.

Zombies are weaker than living humans (reduce Strength by 1) and they are very uncoordinated (reduce Dexterity by 2). Zombies have a minimum of 1 in any physical attribute and have the same amount of Stamina as they did in life. This makes most people a match for a zombie one-on-one, but they generally attack in groups. They do not use coordinated attacks or pack strategy; they just mill around and swarm anything that looks alive. They simply drag prey down and start biting (they inflict bite damage as a normal human).

An outbreak of the zombie radiation in the World of Darkness may not be as disastrous with the supernatural elements able to fight the creatures. However, the odds are still in favor of the living dead.

Kindred: The living dead ignore one another, and many vampires would be inclined to think they would be ignored as well; however, the blood of the living flows through the veins of a vampire. The living dead will tear into a vampire as readily as a human, much to the surprise and ultimate demise of the Kindred. Vampire blood has no effect on the living dead. Ghouls are seen as food as well, and a ghoul who is bitten will become a living dead just like a normal person. Once this occurs, all ghoul powers are lost. Vampire blood will not heal the infection. A vampire who is bitten will not die, but he is now a carrier and will turn anyone he bites into one of the walking dead.

Changing Breeds: A dead Bete will become a living dead just like any other person. A were-creature who is bitten may not die, depending on its abilities to fight off disease. This requires the use of Gifts, regeneration is insufficient. Of course, all supernatural powers are lost when the corpse re-animates.

Mages: A mage is seen as food like any other human, but mages have a better chance of surviving with their magic. Also, a mage with sufficient power can neutralize the poison if bitten. However, magic cannot be used to return a living dead to real life. A mage who comes back as a living dead cannot use magic.

Wraiths: The wraiths cannot be harmed by the living dead. However, victims of the undead often become wraiths, as do many of the living dead themselves when they are finally killed. It is important to note that a Risen will be ignored by the living dead.

Changelings: A Changeling will be seen as food like a human. If a Changeling becomes one of the living dead, his fae soul is held in the body until it dies. After that, he may be reborn like any faerie.

Mummies: A mummy cannot become a living dead, but he sure can be eaten by one. Hopefully, by the time the mummy is reborn, all of the living dead will have rotted away.

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Gypsies: Just like a normal human being.Fomori: A fomor is seen as food as well. If it becomes one of the living dead, any physical deformities will

remain, but no Bane powers. If a fomor is bitten and has the proper powers, he may be able to survive.Immortals: An immortal cannot be turned into a living dead; however, they are endangered by them. Often,

bodies are ripped asunder by the living dead. This often includes the head!The living dead are not servants of the Wyrm, but their corrupt existence is an aspect of it. Thus, all living

dead reek of Wyrm taint. No self-respecting Garou would allow such a creature to exist. However, the disease that makes these creatures exist can be passed by the saliva in their bites as well as in their blood. Woe to anyone who bites one of the walking dead; the effect is the same as being bitten by one.

Radiation from Venus does not have to be the only cause of a living dead infestation. A mage's experiment gone horribly awry could easily cause this. The mage would most likely be a Son of Ether or a Progenitor. A corrupt Tzimisce or Giovanni vampire could create these monstrosities as well. However, controlling them would be another matter entirely. A Void Engineer could encounter something in the Deep Umbra that has this effect on corpses and bring it back to a Horizon Realm or Earth. A Nephandi is a perfect reason to bring out the living dead. Even if there is no contaminated area, the living dead can still spread by bite. An insane Fallen One could be building a small army for his own evil purposes. They could be used against the characters, or they could get out of control and start an infestation.

Voorhees, Jason (Demonic Killer)"Yeah, that really scared the shit out of him." - Elizabeth, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. This work is

based on the nine films in the Friday the 13th series and relies heavily upon ideas proposed in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. This is simply one possible way to involve Jason Voorhees in a Chronicle. No doubt, new updates will be made after the upcoming release of New Line's Jason vs. Freddy film (tentatively titled A Nightmare on Friday the 13th).

On Friday, June 13, 1946, a boy named Jason Voorhees was born. He lived near Camp Crystal Lake with his mother Pamela for 11 years until the summer of 1957, when he drowned in Crystal Lake. He died due to the negligence of two camp counselors who decided to fool around rather than watch the children. His death drove poor Pamela over the edge. She proceeded to start fires and perform other terrorist acts in an attempt to close the camp. In her mind, she was doing the world a favor by keeping other children from dying at the camp.

Despite Pamela's efforts, the camp was re-opened numerous times. Finally, the unhinged Mrs. Voorhees started murdering camp counselors. By that time, she could not differentiate between them and the counselors from years ago and held them all accountable for her son's death. Her killing spree claimed ten lives before she was decapitated by one of the counselors, Annie, the sole survivor. Unfortunately for Annie, she was murdered by an unknown assailant a few months after the massacre, and the case was never solved.

A few years later, Camp Crystal Lake was re-opened, and the murders began again. Somehow, a hulking Jason Voorhees had returned from the grave and was killing everyone around Crystal Lake. The deformed Jason masked his hideous visage with a pillow case pulled over his head. This brutal killer was brought down by a female counselor who cleaved him with a machete.

Unsurprisingly, Jason did not die from the machete wound, and the murders soon began again. Jason took a hockey mask from the corpse of one of his victims, donned it, and from that point on was not seen without the mask. Many more people died before an axe wound to the head seemed to kill the brute.

Jason's body was carted to the local morgue where he did, of course, revive. He carved a bloody trail straight back to Crystal Lake, but he was brought down by a twelve-year-old boy named Tommy Jarvis who freaked out and began hacking into Jason with a large machete. Jason was dead and buried, but poor Tommy went insane.

Tommy Jarvis spent the rest of his childhood being transferred from one institution to another until finally ending up at a home near Crystal Lake. Soon after, "Jason-style" murders began again. Everyone immediately suspected that Tommy had flipped out and was emulating the psycho Jason. It was discovered that Jason Voorhees was not the killer this time, but neither was Tommy. A local man had gone crazy after the murder of his son, and he was venting his rage by pretending to be Mr. Voorhees.

Still haunted by the memory of Jason, Tommy decided to destroy the body of his nemesis. Thus, Tommy returned to Crystal Lake and dug up Jason's body. In a fit of rage, he began stabbing the corpse with a large iron spike, but as Tommy prepared to burn the body, a bolt of lightning struck the spike, and Jason Voorhees re-animated.

Tommy eventually succeeded in trapping Jason at the bottom of Crystal Lake. Of course, Jason did not remain there, but was accidentally freed by a young psychokinetic woman. Once again, he began killing everyone at Camp Crystal Lake that he could. Eventually, he was dragged back to the bottom of the lake, but a few years later, a passing boat's anchor snagged his body and pulled it into some submerged cables. A jolt passed through the body, and Jason came rushing to the surface.

Jason rode on the boat to the river and out to sea. He climbed onto a cruise ship and began killing everyone aboard. The ship sank, and Jason went with the survivors to Manhattan where he ran amok until being killed in the sewers.

Years later, murders once again started at Camp Crystal Lake. The FBI sent a special team to hunt the killer, and Jason Voorhees was blown to pieces. The FBI gathered up all the parts of his body and returned to Washington D.C. to study them. Once there, Jason's spirit possessed one of the agents and headed straight back to Crystal Lake.

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Jason was forced to jump from body to body as only a Voorhees could sustain his spirit. He tried to possess his baby relative, but he was stopped at every turn. Finally, he was able to inhabit the dead body of his sister and return to his full terrifying strength. However, he was killed and his soul was sent to hell where, to this day, he is thought to remain.

Strength 8, Dexterity 4, Stamina 8, Charisma 1, Manipulation 3, Appearance 0, Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 3; Skills: Alertness 3, Area Knowledge: Camp Crystal Lake 4, Athletics 3, Brawl 4 (Crushing), Dodge 1, Hunting 3, Intimidation 5 (Physical), Melee 5 (Machetes), Occult 4 (Demonology), Security 2, Stealth 5 (Stalking), Throwing 4 (Knives), Tracking 2; Willpower: 8

What is Jason Voorhees, and why can't he be stopped? After Jason's death in 1957, his mother went insane and began dabbling in the occult. Her grief caused her to desperately search for a way to bring her son back to her. In a way, Pamela succeeded. Using knowledge gleaned from the Sumerian Necronomicon (the Book of the Dead), Mrs. Voorhees attempted to summon Jason's soul back to his body, but instead, she brought forth a demon from the pits of hell. This demon possessed the dead body of young Jason. Having been summoned by Pamela, the demon was forced to serve her will by taking the role of her son. After her death, the demon was free from the bindings imposed by Mrs. Voorhees.

This demonic entity was confined to the area surrounding Crystal Lake. Jason was able to leave the area for short times, but always headed back at the first opportunity. While on Earth, Jason has been effectively immortal. Serious wounds have had little effect on the body, resulting in a nearly unstoppable creature.

The entity inside Jason Voorhees is utterly evil. It cannot be killed by conventional means, and it passes that on to its host. The demon is about a foot and a half in length and resembles a skeletal lizard with only two legs. It is rarely seen, as it resides inside the heart of Jason. If Jason's body is utterly destroyed, the demon can possess any other human being. Unfortunately for the demon, other bodies are not as functional as Jason's. Thus, it must continuously switch from body to body. If the demon can enter the body of a blood relative of Jason Voorhees, then it regains full strength and once again looks like the hulking monstrosity known as Jason.

What is not known is how much of the real Jason's personality survives. It is entirely possible that "Jason Voorhees" is solely a corpse animated by a demon and is in no way influenced by the long dead child. If this is the case, then Jason Voorhees is not a murderer, his body is simply being used by one of the Hellspawn. At times Jason has shown some recognition for others, such as his mother Pamela. In fact, he even avenged her murder. However, it is not uncommon for summoned minions to seek revenge for the death of their masters. This raises the question, what of the real Jason Voorhees' soul? Has he been damned by his mother's actions and forced to co-reside with this demonic entity in his decaying corpse? Perhaps he does, and perhaps he enjoys it.

Damage Resistance: Jason Voorhees is extremely resistant to damage, being able to take tremendous amounts of punishment with little effect. The massive and brutal killer has Health Levels of OK, OK, OK, OK, -1, -1, -2, -2, -5, Incapacitated. In addition, Jason automatically soaks one level of damage when wounded.

Iron Will: The demonic Jason Voorhees cannot be Dominated or influenced with powers such as Presence. Such powers simply fail when used against him. However, being a demonic entity, he is susceptible to Magicks and wards against the forces of hell. It is reasonable to assume that he could be affected by True Faith as well.

Physical Prowess: The demon possessing the body of Jason has drastically increased the mass of the corpse until it is a hulking monster. Jason dwarves most people, and his strength is phenomenal. Consider him to have Strength and Stamina of 8.

Regeneration: Much like a werewolf, Jason recovers a Health Level of damage every turn he is not in combat. This regeneration ends when reduced to below Incapacitated. Also, he cannot regenerate aggravated damage. Jason takes aggravated damage from certain supernatural attacks (vampire fangs, werewolf claws, Prime Magicks, etc.) as well as from wounds inflicted by his blood relatives. Jason will regenerate a level of aggravated damage every day. It is important to note that fire does not inflict aggravated damage upon him.

As most anyone could tell you, Jason Voorhees is not one easily defeated. Many have tried, but no one has been able to keep this monster down. Numerous times, Jason has been sorely wounded, only to come back at a later date. It seems that coincidence has also played a part in his continued existence. A few times, a large jolt of electricity has re-awakened the demon inside of Jason.

If Jason Voorhees is wounded with aggravated damage to the point of Incapacitation, he goes dormant. He will remain in this state until his awakening is triggered by outside stimulus. For example, jolts of electricity, psychokinetic disturbances, etc. Once re-awakened, Jason is at full strength. No matter how much damage is inflicted upon him, he cannot be killed on Earth. If his corpus is destroyed, the demon inside of him will possess another human being.

The demon can attempt to possess a human if a piece of Jason's body is within 20 feet of a viable candidate (treat the possession as a resisted Willpower roll; Jason needs 5 successes to possess). Once in a new host, the demon will seek out a relative of Jason Voorhees. If he can find a relative, dead or alive, he can take over that body and resume his normal form. In any body other than that of a Voorhees, normal decay sets in immediately, and the corpse can literally fall apart around him if he does not switch bodies.

If Jason can grapple an opponent, he can automatically possess his victim. It takes 2 turns for the demon to crawl out of his current host's mouth and down the throat of his victim. This possess is automatic if not interrupted. If Jason's victim has a Willpower of 7 or higher, he can influence Jason's actions up to twice a day. Otherwise the victim has no control over the possessed body. Once the demon leaves a body, the corpse begins to rapidly decay, becoming a skeleton in minutes.

In a body other than a Voorhees, Jason is somewhat weakened. He only has a Strength and Stamina of 6, but other abilities remain. His biggest limitation is that he must find new bodies to possess from time to time. It is

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this ability that has allowed the apparently destroyed Jason to return to Camp Blood time after time. One has to wonder, how deep must blood ties run for Jason to be able to possess a relative?

Destroying the body is not the only way to combat Jason. At times, he has been temporarily stopped by such acts as chaining him to the bottom of the lake where he drowned. He remained thus until accidentally freed by a psychic. There are numerous such methods for fighting Jason, which could work with mixed results. If Jason cannot be sent back to hell, capturing him in some way is a viable option.

Jason Voorhees is one of the most notorious serial killers in the World of Darkness, having committed at least 125 counts of murder in the past twenty years. Jason does not have a preferred method of murder, seeming to kill indiscriminately with whatever is at hand, including his bare hands. He is ruthless and some of his tactics are listed here for those unfamiliar with the Friday the 13th series.

Machetes: Jason often ends up with a machete. If any weapon could be considered his "favorite", it is this. He has been known to slash and stab with it, or even hack bodies to pieces. Three of Jason's 125 murders happened with one swing of a machete when he decapitated three people at once.

Thrown Objects: Jason is deadly accurate with thrown items. He does not normally carry weapons specifically for throwing, but if he happens to be near one, he won't hesitate to use it. He is infamous for some long distance shots that he has made, as well as the brutal power behind such a toss. He has been observed throwing a dart through a man's skull from some distance away.

Brute Strength: Jason's strength is unsurpassed. One of his most famous tactics is to grab a person's head with both hands and crush the skull. He has also been known to snap the spine of his victims or break their necks. At times he has even twisted the head off a person's body. Jason has, on numerous occasions, simply punched his hand through the torso of his victims.

Miscellaneous Acts of Cruelty: Few killers are as creative as Jason Voorhees. In his twenty years, he has shoved garden shears into a woman's eyes, wrapped a strap around a man's head and twisted it until his skull crushed, and worse. In one of his most famous murders, he grabbed a woman in her sleeping bag and whipped her into a tree with enough force to kill her.

Never underestimate Jason, as he can turn any situation into a deadly one. He has no remorse and is driven by pure hatred. His extreme strength makes him deadly with anything that he cares to use as a weapon. As many of his victims are dismembered or decapitated, he is very dangerous to supernatural creatures.

Kindred: Jason has yet to encounter any of the Kindred, but they are not immune to his predations. If necessary, it is possible for the demon to possess a vampire. It would still be subject to the restrictions of vampires (sunlight, etc.), but it would gain the enhanced physical nature as well. Ghouls can also be possessed. Jason Voorhees cannot be made a ghoul or vampire, nor can he be Blood Bound.

Changing Breeds: As Jason haunts the forests of New York, it is only a matter of time before he meets up with some of the were-creatures. As Garou inflict aggravated damage and travel in packs, it is likely that Jason would be put into one of his dormant states. Garou can be possessed just like humans. Garou have no innate resistance to this or special powers against the demon, as it stems from Hell, not the Umbra.

Mages: Being more powerful than the average person, mages have a greater chance of surviving an encounter with Voorhees. A powerful mage may even be able to send Jason back to hell for all time. An enterprising Nephandus may try to ally with or control Jason. Most likely this would result in a very dead Nephandus.

Wraiths: Jason has created 125 potential wraiths. How many are out to avenge their deaths? A wraith could become an unsuspected ally in a Chronicle involving Voorhees. Jason has no innate ability to sense or combat the dead.

Changelings: A faerie could very easily die at the hands of Jason; however, if he kills one with cold iron, it is by happenstance, not design. The fey can be possessed by the demon.

Mummies: In a way, Jason is very much like a mummy, being able to recover from death. Unlike the Undying, Jason can be finally defeated, it is just yet to happen. Jason cannot possess a mummy, even a Bane mummy.

Gypsies: Being storytellers by nature, the Rom know to avoid the area of Crystal Lake. But then, how often do gypsies roam the backwoods of New York state? Some of the gypsy charms against evil may well work against Jason Voorhees.

Fomori: Jason shares many characteristics with fomori, as both are the results of possession by evil spirits. However, Jason has many significant differences. Jason is not allied with the Wyrm or fomori, and he will kill them just like anyone else. Lucky for the fomori, Jason cannot possess them.

Immortals: Jason has not yet fought any Immortals, but it is just a matter of time. Bear in mind that Jason often decapitates his victims, so he is potentially lethal to them. The demon cannot possess an Immortal

Xenomorphs (Alien Menace)Encounter One: The first humans to encounter the Xenomorphs were the crew of the transport ship

Nostromo, a class M star cruiser owned by Weyland-Yutani Corporation. In the year 2122 A.D., the crew received orders from Mother (the ship's computer) to investigate a beacon on an unexplored planetoid (designated LV-426, Acheron, in orbit around Zeta 2 IV) where a derelict ship of unknown origin was discovered. Inside were the calcified remains of a large alien species, as well as thousands of pods which appeared to be eggs. One of these eggs hatched, and the entity inside attached itself to the face of one of the Nostromo's crew, Kane. He was brought aboard the Nostromo by an android doctor, but the "facehugger" could not be removed safely. Within a few hours, it removed itself and died, and crewman Kane seemed to have a complete recovery. Unfortunately, mere hours later an embryo implanted in his chest burst forth, killing him. The alien life form proceeded to grow until it was a

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large black creature resembling an insect, which began to hunt down and consume everyone onboard ship. Finally, the alien was eliminated by Lt. Ellen Ripley when she blew it out of an escape hatch into open space.

Encounter Two: Thirty-seven years after the Nostromo incident, a colony of human teraformers settled LV-426. Twenty years after the colony was founded, all contact was lost, and a rifle platoon of United States Colonial Marines was scrambled to clear and contain the compound. Lt. Ripley, recently recovered from cryo-stasis and being the only surviving human to ever see an alien, was asked to accompany them. The compound was found to be devoid of human life, except for a small child, Rebecca Jordan. All of the colonists had been used as incubators for alien eggs; thus, the compound was swarming with Xenomorphs. The marines were overwhelmed and quickly cut down, and once again, Ripley was forced to destroy the aliens on her own. A nuclear meltdown caused the destruction of the compound and all aliens within. Only Ripley, Corporal Hicks, Rebecca, and the android, Bishop, survived to return to their ship, the Sulaco; however, the alien Queen stowed away on their UD-4 dropship and came with them. It proceeded to rip Bishop in half and tried to kill the humans. As she had done before, Ripley blew the alien out of an airlock.

Encounter Three: Alien Hanging from Ceiling A fire on the Sulaco caused all the survivors of the second encounter to be jettisoned in an escape pod which subsequently crashed upon prison planet Fiorina "Fury" 161. Only Ripley survived the impact. An alien "facehugger" was hiding aboard, and it proceeded to impregnate a dog. This birthed a four-legged Xenomorph which began devouring the inhabitants of the prison. Being a prison colony, there were no firearms to use against the creature. Thus, one Xenomorph was enough to eliminate almost everyone in the compound. Ripley discovered that she was impregnated with a Queen embryo. If hatched, it could start a whole new generation of aliens. Ripley was determined to eliminate the quadruped alien and then herself. She succeeded in destroying the alien, and moments later, she dove into a furnace as the Queen ripped out of her chest. Both were incinerated.

Encounter Four: Two hundred years after the last "incident", scientists still sought an Alien/Human Crossbreed ~ Ripley 8 alien with which to experiment in hopes of using it for medical purposes, weapons, and genetic crossbreeding. To get a viable specimen, scientists used DNA taken from the scene of Ripley's death. Once impregnated by an alien, the DNA of the host is altered to include that of the growing Xenomorph. The scientists used advanced cloning methods to attempt to grow a new Ripley with a Queen growing inside. Seven attempts failed horribly, resulting in grossly deformed entities. The eighth time was a charm. This new Ripley survived and the Queen was surgically removed. The scientists, of course, allowed the Queen to mature and produce eggs. The new Ripley was allowed to live as well. The clone Ripley was not fully human, however. The DNA of the alien had combined with hers, and she became something else entirely, with superhuman abilities and alien traits. When the aliens broke free, it was up to her to once again stop the ship from reaching Earth. The DNA combination had an unexpected effect on the alien Queen as well. She began exhibiting human traits, such as developing a womb instead of laying eggs. This resulted in the birthing of a whole new breed of alien. All the aliens, including the new breed, were destroyed when the ship crash landed on Earth; however, the new Ripley survived. What became of her is unknown.

Other Encounters: According to the novels, which were written before Alien: Resurrection, the Xenomorphs made it to Earth. Alien Mouth A corporate facility experimenting upon a Queen alien was raided by a group of religious fanatics. These cultists believed that the Queen Xenomorph was the new Messiah. They got themselves impregnated by the aliens and fled across the globe. The aliens possess a survival mechanism allowing a Drone to mutate into a Queen, and thus the aliens began building nests all over the world.

Military forces hunted down these nests and destroyed as many as possible; however, the Xenomorphs learned how to better hide them and started making many very small nests rather than large ones. Soon things got out of hand, and within six months, Australia was declared uninhabitable. Within a year, over a billion humans had been killed, and a mass exodus of Earth was begun.

The Earth was dominated by the Xenomorphs, and the humans left behind lived their lives as prey for the bugs. Many join cults that believed they could ally with the aliens by feeding them other humans. After a few years, the Earth was a wasteland swarming with bugs and those insane enough to worship them.

It was not until one of the great Queen Mother aliens was brought to Earth that the favor swung back to mankind. The aliens swarmed to the great Queen and were destroyed in a massive nuclear blast. Twenty years after the original infestation of Earth, man once again reigned, while the Xenomorphs survived only in isolated areas.

Numerous scientists attempted to experiment on the aliens, causing one disaster after another. However, most of these events occurred at isolated outposts. To date, all such outposts had been destroyed. Also, on many occasions in which man encountered Xenomorphs, it was due to the efforts of the Yautja (see Predator: The Hunt). This often resulted in violence between humans, aliens, and Predators.

Xenomorph Life: Xenomorphs are organized into Hives, with a Queen being the absolute head. She lays thousands of eggs in a birthing chamber. Drones protect the Queen and procure life forms for the eggs to implant. In the darkest reaches of space live Queen Mothers, true giants of the race. The average Queen Mother is even larger than a Queen and is as fast as a Drone. Queen Mothers rule over huge numbers of separate Hives, and their personal Hive is full of the largest of Drones. A Queen Mother can only be born of an alien ingesting Royal Jelly from the Hive of an existing Queen Mother.

The species of aliens known as Xenomorphs live distinct stages of life. The Xenomorph life cycle is thus: an egg hatches a small alien, often referred to as a "facehugger" (known scientifically as an ovipositor). This critter attaches itself to the face of a living being and implants an embryo inside the torso. This embryo gestates for 12 to 48 hours before ripping and chewing its way out of the chest cavity. The resulting alien takes many DNA traits from its host, and careful observation can reveal the nature of the animal an alien spawned from. These young aliens

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grow to full maturity within a few hours and begin acting upon their instincts. Members of a Hive will begin gathering living beings to impregnate. If there is no Hive, they will begin killing every living thing they find. If there is no Queen, one of the implanted aliens will develop as one, or a Drone will evolve into a Queen.

All "facehuggers" look the same, spider-like beings with a long tail, and they can impregnate a large variety of beings. The films show bugs born of human and dog hosts, and the books tell of a Hive born of rhino-sized herbivores. Aliens can be birthed from any animal large enough to contain a gestating alien. This rules out cats, bats, rats, and other small animals. Humans, dogs, cattle, sheep, moose, rhinos, tigers, gorillas, etc., are all fair game. Aliens take some of their genetic make-up from their host; thus, a biped host will produce a biped bug, etc. Once implanted, the alien radically alters the host's DNA so that it will be suitable for the alien to incubate within. This amazing ability is what allows the Xenomorphs to spawn from such a variety of animals. Aliens cannot gestate in plants, but it is not known if they can birth from reptiles or other more exotic creatures. Given their tremendous adaptive abilities, they most likely can.

Adult Xenomorphs share certain characteristics, they have a shiny black carapace over their entire bodies; thus, the resemblance to insects. This carapace is silicon based and harder than steel. Their green blood is a super acid (perhaps a type of hydrofluoric acid) and can eat through flesh, armor, steel, plastic, glass, and just about anything exposed to it. Xenomorphs have no eyes, so bright lights and absolute darkness have no affect on them. It is theorized that they may "see" using psychic vibrations. This psychic sense allows them to detect emotions such as fear and pain. Each emotion is seen as a color to the aliens. Also, their "visual" awareness extends in a 360 degree arc around their heads. The mouth of the alien is unique: a fanged maw that contains a toothed tongue within. This tongue is able to extend from its face about a foot and creates a puncture motion, enabling the alien to pierce armor.

All observed aliens have had tails which seem to have something to do with their communication abilities. They are able to slap with them, and the Queen can use hers to stab like a large blade. The aliens are exceptional climbers, even able to suspend themselves upside down from ceilings. It is unknown if a surface can be too smooth for them to climb. Unfortunately, the Drones possess a devious intelligence, the Queens even more so. All aliens have tremendous cunning and are experts at hunting and ambushing. As an example, to escape a cell, the aliens kill one of their own in order to make it bleed. The blood eats through the floor, and out they go. They are smart enough to plan and lay traps.

The Xenomorphs do have sexes; however, the average Drone is neuter. Those who do have a sex are generally female. Males do occasionally get the chance to mate with the Queen but are killed soon after. All Queens are, of course, female. There are no Kings in the Xenomorph society. It is important to note that Queens are born pregnant and do not need males to perpetuate the race.

The Hive: Xenomorphs are social creatures who live and die for the Hive with no concern for their own safety. A Hive will swarm over intruders until one or the other is completely annihilated. No retreat, no surrender.

A Hive is marked by a horrible stench, reminiscent of rotting eggs and meat. Aliens secrete an enzyme that is used to create their Hive. They mold it in a pattern much like the inside of a rib cage. This enzyme is brittle, and can be broken fairly easily (Strength roll, difficulty 6). The inside of the Hive is very warm and humid, and in great numbers Hives can alter the weather systems of an entire planet. After the alien infestation on Earth, freak thunderstorms and intense heat waves were found throughout the world.

The Hive generally encompasses a large area with the Queen's chamber of eggs and Drones in the center. Along the walls leading to the chamber, living beings are bound to await impregnation. The bodies will be suspended in the enzyme (which is much more difficult to break when bound by it, Strength roll, difficulty 9). Also in the egg chamber is the sac of Royal Jelly (see below). A typical Hive will have huge Drones (add 1 to Strength and Stamina) protecting the Queen and eggs. Also note that the Xenomorphs leave the bodies of the incubators hanging in the Hive. When an area gets full, they simply move the birthing process elsewhere. This results in chambers "decorated" with the grisly remains of their prey.

Aliens are intent on breeding. In one case, aliens captured a ship full of humans, but rather than lay eggs in all of them, they kept one male and one female alive and forced them to mate. In order to ensure the propagation of future hosts, aliens feed their captives; however, their diet consists of the rotting flesh of those already used to birth aliens. They force this repulsive meal down the throats of captives. Heaven help any survivors of such an imprisonment, derangements are definitely in order.

Xenomorph Psychology: The aliens do have individuality; however, thinking and existing in such a state is terrifying to them. They prefer to live with others of their kind in constant telepathic contact with one another. The thoughts of each individual alien is broadcast to the other Drones and the Queen for approval. Thus, any ideas or knowledge is instantly sent to the entire Hive.

Aliens are completely devoted to the Hive, or creche, as they refer to it. To protect the creche and serve the Queen is all that gives meaning to the lives of the Xenomorphs. A Drone will sacrifice itself for the Hive without a moment of hesitation.

Queens continuously transmit feelings of intense love and belonging. A Drone cut off from these feelings will suffer from a loneliness humans cannot possibly understand. Such an alien will try to return to the creche in any way possible. It is not known how far a Queen can broadcast such emotions, but the signal from a Queen Mother was strong enough for some humans on Earth to sense all the way from Hiveworld.

Unfortunately, these feelings of love do not extend to species outside their own. Everyone else is viewed as to their benefit to the creche, either as hosts or as food. They have no concepts of peace or co-existence. To them, only the Xenomorphs should survive. The aliens have no dreams of conquest or any other such motivation, living only to decimate all other races.

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One of the most terrifying aspects of the Xenomorphs is their racial memory. Once something is transmitted to the Queen, all of her future offspring will remember it. For this reason, the Xenomorphs became progressively more difficult to deal with throughout the films. All aliens in the second through fourth films were descendants of the same Queen. Thus, all remembered every encounter they had with humans and how to deal with them. An entire Hive learns at the same time.

This kind of intelligence makes the Xenomorphs even more dangerous than previously believed. A strategy or trick that worked on one alien won't work on any of the others from the same Hive. In all likelihood, good ideas will be used right back upon their enemies. Few species could stand up against such creatures for long, and so far mankind has been lucky.

Royal Jelly: The mysterious substance known as Royal Jelly is found only in the heart of a Hive, in the chamber of the Queen. It is this substance that is fed to aliens to cause them to grow into Queens when it is time to expand the colony. The uses of the Jelly are tremendous to humans as well.

After Earth was reclaimed from the Xenomorphs, scientists began studying the Jelly and its uses. The result was a drug called Xeno-Zip (referred to as Fire in slang), produced by the chemical company Neo-Pharm. Upon taking a capsule of this, human senses, abilities, and endurance were heightened dramatically. Of course, the military decided to use it for "super soldier" experiments.

Unfortunately, Fire has many drawbacks. First of all, it is the most addictive drug ever designed. It takes an iron will to be able to stop taking the drug after trying it even once. Also, the threats of overdose are very serious. A person being burnt up by Fire is a terrifying sight. The instincts of rage become so great that a person will immediately attack every living creature around him until either himself or the object of his wrath is destroyed. No one has ever recovered from an OD on Xeno-Zip.

A person taking a normal dose of Xeno-Zip adds one Die to ALL dice pools. An extra action may also be taken every turn until the drug wears off (1 Hour minus (Stamina * 10 minutes)). He or she gains all the benefits and drawbacks of Acute Senses of Sight, Hearing, and Touch. Willpower is considered 10 for the duration as well.

When someone overdoses on the drug, they gain all of the above, plus all Health Levels are doubled. However, the poor person will attack any living being he can find until he is destroyed, or he dies when consumed by Fire (same duration as above). Rarely, a person will not go on a killing spree but will instead push himself beyond the brink. For example, a runner overdosed during the Goodwill Games and ran himself through a metal grate. Needless to say, it was fatal.

Hiveworld: Hiveworld is the home of the aliens living in this quadrant of the galaxy. This is not the homeworld of the Xenomorphs as a whole, only the ones encountered by man. The planet orbits the star Achilles II, the fourth of ten planets. It is planet G-435, a class Alien Swimming M planet covered in a shallow, toxic ocean. The clouds are thick and somewhat poisonous to humans. Man can live for only a short time without a environmental suit of some kind. The greenhouse effect is rather intense, with a humid, steamy atmosphere the result. The ground is flat and rough, with fungus-like plants growing from the noxious water. Brutal winds scour the surface and the gravity is somewhat higher than on Earth.

The planet is ripe with seismic activity; earthquakes are common and volcanoes dot the landscape. There is very little to welcome visitors, and the inhabitants are even worse. Not only does the planet swarm with Xenomorphs, but other predators prowl the barren land. Massive, winged reptiles patrol the skies in search of prey. Their wingspans are at least twenty feet across and their mouths are huge and lined with sharp teeth. Interestingly, these creatures don't hunt the Xenomorphs.

At one time, the planet was host to two huge alien Hives, home to thousands upon thousands of aliens. The two Hives were engaged in a genocidal war (see Red Ants below) when discovered by humans. As a gift, the humans left a nuclear bomb in each Hive, blowing them from the face of the planet. It is unknown if Xenomorphs from either race survived past the 22nd century on G-435; however, given the aliens' proven ability to survive, count on it.

Alien Drone: STR 4, DEX 5, STA 5, CHA 0, MAN 0, APP 0, PER 4, INT 3, WIT 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 4 (Climbing), Brawl 4 (Bite), Dodge 2, Intimidation 5 (Physical); Skills: Survival 3, Stealth 4 (Silence), Security 2, Spit 4, Hunting 3, Tracking 3; Willpower 8

Facehugger Alien: STR 4, DEX 5, STA 3, CHA 0, MAN 0, APP 0, PER 4, INT 1, WIT 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 2 (Facehuggers may only Grapple), Dodge 2; Skills: Stealth 4 (Hiding); Willpower 6

Queen: STR 8, DEX 4, STA 8, CHA 0, MAN 0, APP 0, PER 3, INT 4, WIT 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 4 (Bite), Dodge 1, Intimidation 5 (Physical); Skills: Stealth 2, Survival 3, Spit 3, Security 2; Willpower 9

Queen Mother: STR 10, DEX 4, STA 12, CHA 0, MAN 0, APP 0, PER 3, INT 5, WIT 5; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 5 (Bite), Intimidation 7 (Physical); Skills: Stealth 2, Survival 3, Spit 3, Security 2; Willpower 9

Alien Crossbreed: STR 5, DEX 4, STA 6, CHA 0, MAN 0, APP 0, PER 3, INT 3, WIT 4; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Brawl 5 (Bite), Dodge 2, Intimidation 5 (Physical); Skills: Stealth 2, Survival 3, Security 2; Willpower 8

Acidic Blood: The green blood of an alien can eat through most anything, including wood, metal, plastic, flesh, glass, and polymers. When wounded, their blood tends to spew from their bodies. Anyone within five feet of an alien when it is wounded is splattered with blood. One point of blood is spewed per wound level. Those sprayed must try to make a Dexterity + Dodge roll with a difficulty of 8. Each success negates one blood point's worth of acid damage. Each blood point inflicts 5 levels of aggravated damage which can be soaked. The blood oxidizes soon after death, making it harmless. Note that using a melee weapon against an alien is suicidal; not only does one risk being sprayed with blood, the acid will destroy the weapon in one turn, unless it is made of dlex (see Predator: The Hunt).

The novels make an interesting point about combating the Xenomorphs. A body shot tends to cause the aliens to spew forth lots of acid as above; however, the head does not spurt as badly. Thus, a shot to the head only

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spews a blood point for every two wound levels inflicted. A combat strategy humans have learned in the Alien-Earth War is to shoot at the knees or the head of the aliens so blood spray is minimal. Once an alien has its legs blown out from under it, it is much easier to shoot in the head. In other words, aim low.

Acidic Spit: The Xenomorphs possess the ability to spit acid up to 15 feet. This spit is not nearly as corrosive as their blood but is still extremely dangerous. The acid inflicts one point of aggravated damage for every success on a Dexterity + Spit roll, difficulty based on cover of the target, etc.

Birthing: Newborn aliens rip their way out of their hosts. They do this in one turn, causing a horrendous mess that is fatal to normal humans and animals.

Camouflage: Within a Hive, the bugs blend in almost perfectly with their secretions, which makes them very difficult to spot (Perception + Alertness roll, difficulty 8). Also, the aliens are invisible in the infrared spectrum.

Carapace: The hard silicon exoskeleton of the bugs gives them an armor rating of 3. This only applies to firearms and melee weapons, not fire and cold. The weapons used in the novels and films are carbines which fire 10mm armor piercing exploding bullets. Smaller, less powerful rounds literally bounce off of the Xenomorphs. It is not unreasonable to assume that anything less powerful than a 9mm round will not even have a chance to harm an alien (this would include .22, .25, and .32 rounds) unless shot inside the mouth.

Climbing: An alien can climb all but the slickest of surfaces. This includes the ability to hang suspended from walls and ceilings. Like insects, they don't seem to ever tire from "hanging on."

Communication: Aliens communicate through a kind of psychic process that uses an organ in their cranium. This communication can be picked up on radio waves but is mostly indecipherable. In theory, a psychic can pick up these signals as well but is unlikely to understand them. It might be possible to disorient a group of aliens with a radio set to the proper frequency. These communications can also cause severe nightmares in nearby humans. During the early days of the Alien-Earth War, if people were having nightmares about aliens it was a good indication of a nearby nest. In fact, some people could sense the calling of the great Queen Mother from another planet in this galaxy. Their dreams were of intense feelings of love and belonging, like they were being summoned by their mother.

Cunning: Aliens like to stalk and ambush and are sly enough to cut power lines and the like. Also, they often make use of unexpected openings. For example, in Aliens, they come in over the ceiling tiles. In Alien Resurrection, they lay a trail of weapons like bread crumbs down a dead-end corridor.

Extraordinary Senses: Aliens have no eyes but can "see" in a 360 degree arc around their heads. They can smell and hear at least as well as the average human, but it is unknown if they have a sense of taste. They feel pain. It is assumed that they move with a kind of psychic sonar, much like a bat, but this is yet to be proven. In Alien Resurrection (the novel), the aliens distinctly detect color and movement, maybe as well as humans.

Ferocity: An alien has no fear. It will fight until you or it dies. It is also aggressive, and once a battle is joined, all of its Hive mates will charge as well. Also, they will put up a chase. In game terms, this means that the aliens never need to check Willpower to continue fighting.

Health and Healing: A Drone has as many Health Levels as an average human. A Queen has double that number, and a Queen Mother has three times as many! The "facehuggers" only have 5 health levels (OK, -1, -2, -5, Incapacitated). Aliens do not have the rapid healing abilities of many of the supernaturals in the World of Darkness. They heal at the same rate as humans.

Hive Mind: Drones often cannot exist for long outside the Hive. An imprisoned Drone will gradually become listless and lose a point of Willpower per week until it dies. There are exceptions to this, the egg pods, the life span of which is unknown. The same egg clutch that infected the Nostromo infected the colony, Hadley's Hope, on LV-426 a full 57 years later. A Drone that is away from a Hive, but is in a suitable habitat will evolve into a Queen and setup its own Hive.

Resilience: Xenomorphs can be burnt, fire does damage to them just like most living things; however, extremes in heat and cold don't seem to affect them. So, while fire is an effective weapon, molten lead is not. They also seem to be somewhat afraid of fire, if they are really afraid of anything. An alien can survive in the vacuum of space for an undetermined amount of time. Their blood superheats to keep the creature warm in the absolute cold of space. In Alien Resurrection, a Xenomorph is sprayed with liquid nitrogen, causing the creature pain but no lasting damage. They apparently don't breath, or are able to store air in their bodies.

Swimming: In Aliens, one of the Xenomorphs swims up to Rebecca and captures her; however, it is unknown how long they can remain underwater. In Alien Resurrection the aliens show an amazing aptitude for swimming, being fast and graceful. One even jumped out of the water up to 15 feet. This is not surprising, as Hiveworld is covered in shallow water. If the aliens can truly exist without air, then there could be Hives entirely underwater.

Teeth and Claws: An alien has sharp spindly six-fingered claws that shred flesh and clothing easily. Although this damage is not aggravated, the bite of the alien does inflict aggravated damage.

Man Dif Dmg Man Dif DmgBite 5 Str + 2 (Agg) Grapple* 6 StrClaw 6 Str Tail Slap 7 Str + 1Kick 7 Str + 1 Tail Stab** 7 Str + 2

*A Grappled opponent may be drug off to the Hive, or bitten at Difficulty of 4. **Only a Queen may stab with its tail.

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Alien/Human Crossbreeds: There are two basic types of crossbreeds, aliens with human characteristics, and humans with alien characteristics. First, the alien. In the film, the alien crossbreed had a grey carapace and was bipedal and had a humanlike skull that was greatly elongated. This being had human eyes and a hole that functioned as a nose. Unlike its relatives, this new alien had no toothed tongue within its mouth (in the novel, it does). It was somewhat larger than the typical alien and was hostile towards both aliens and humans. It had red blood rather than green but was still somewhat acidic.

The clone Ripley appeared almost completely human; however, she had many special attributes, notably her enhanced physical strength and stamina. At one point, she punches her way into an access panel. She also punches a large mercenary and sends him across the room. She had some mental abilities similar to that of the aliens, but she was not dominated by the Hive instincts.

Player Character Crossbreeds: The most common crossbreeds would be created by scientists of some sort, such as Progenitors, Sons of Ether, Pentex, etc. Of these creations, 1 in 20 would be fertile, capable of breeding with others of their kind. Their children would be fertile as well. A crossbreed could also breed with a human, but this could be extremely hazardous to their mate, especially for males (see details on crossbreed blood below). Children from such a mating would be human, but with short tempers and violent tendencies.

All player character crossbreeds are humans with alien traits. They possess heightened senses beyond human norms (all crossbreeds have the Merits Acute Hearing and Acute Sense of Smell). They are also much tougher than humans, having a maximum Strength and Stamina of 6. It is important to note that their bones and muscle tissue are much stronger than human norm; thus, what appears to be a small woman could possess the strength of a large body builder. Their fingernails are green and sharp and made of the same silicon base as a Xenomorph carapace; thus, they are extremely strong. They can use these to inflict Strength +1 non-aggravated damage.

Crossbreeds are able to heal severe injuries, recovering from wounds three times faster than a human would. They also do not scar. They cannot, however, regenerate lost limbs or organs. A crossbreed can be extremely dangerous when wounded, as they have inherited the acidic blood of the Xenomorphs. This blood is nowhere near as caustic as a pureblood but is still hazardous. The red blood of a crossbreed inflicts 3 points of aggravated damage rather than the 5 points from a Xenomorph. It is handled in all other respects, exactly the same way. This blood will damage all that it touches, including clothing, weapons, friends, and anything else it comes in contact with. Also, a human male having sexual relations with a crossbreed must be wary, as any blood will be a disaster. Crossbreeds are immune to the blood of Xenomorphs and other crossbreeds.

The crossbreeds share many mental patterns with their alien relatives. This tends to make them act in a manner many would consider "alien". Thus, no crossbreed may have a Humanity rating above 5. They are also prone to violence, having a Rage pool just like a Garou. This pool can be used to gain extra actions like a werewolf, etc.

Xenomorphs are able to communicate with crossbreeds, and the aliens will not attack one, as it seems to them as "one of the family". The only exception to this is when the Xenomorphs are attacked by a crossbreed. A crossbreed can sense and understand the "language" of the Xenomorphs without a problem, but being individualistic rather than hive minded, they do not have to obey the commands of the Queen. It is important to note that crossbreeds share the same racial memory as the Xenomorphs; however, a crossbreed will not transmit knowledge unless actively trying to do so.

Crossbreeds are built upon an attribute base of 7/5/3 like a new vampire. They also have an ability base of 13/9/5. They have no natural aggravated attack, unless they care to wound themselves to get at their blood.

Vampires cannot gain nourishment from a crossbreed, and trying to do so will probably severely injure or kill the Kindred. A crossbreed can be ghouled, however. If this is done, their acidic blood is diluted greatly, inflicting only 1 point of aggravated damage. The crossbreeds cannot become lycanthropes (see Lycanthrope: The Changing). If drained of blood, a crossbreed can be Embraced by a vampire; however, like the ghouled crossbreed, the new vampire would have slightly acidic blood. Crossbreeds cannot Awaken, but they could theoretically be taught hedge magic.

Red Ants: Red Ant Alien Drone A few years after the aliens took control of Earth, mankind visited Hiveworld. They captured the Queen Mother and took her to Earth to use as bait. With the Queen gone, some surprising changes took place on Hiveworld. Apparently, the Queens weed out genetic deviants from the Hive, but without a Queen, this didn't happen. While a new Queen Mother was growing from a Drone, a number of deviant Drones were born. Being different, they fled the Hive. After moving about a hundred miles away, they started a colony of their own, and a Queen was born.

These new deviants developed a distinctly red hue to their exoskeletons. Once the new Queens assumed control of their respective Hives, they immediately went to war to destroy each other. Both sides bred thousands of Drones and attempted to commit genocide upon each other. They were at a standstill until the humans came and nuked both Hives.

The "Red Ant" aliens were unique to Hiveworld, and they may well be an extinct breed; however, if even one survived, mankind may well encounter them again. Fortunately, the xenophobic nature of the aliens means that the Reds and Blacks will war with each other whenever they encounter one another. The greatest threat to the Xenomorphs could be themselves.

The genetic differences were the appearance of recessive genes (such as coloring) that had no effect on the abilities of the Red aliens. They are exactly like the Blacks in every aspect except for some minor changes on a genetic level that makes the Blacks want to exterminate them. An infestation of Red aliens would be the same to humans as that of a Hive of Blacks.

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Exotic Aliens: This section is entirely optional, and it is included here due to overwhelming requests for its design. As anyone who has seen the Alien films knows, the Xenomorph in Alien3 was birthed from a dog and was somewhat different than the previous aliens. Also, Kenner released a huge number of action figures of various exotic types of aliens. These figures took on characteristics of the host species to produce very strange and exotic alien Drones. Thus, requests have come flooding in requesting details on all these special breeds.

Alien Queens never develop exotic characteristics from their hosts, the Queens are the source of Xenomorph perfection, and that is unwavering. Each Queen will look like every other Queen. Likewise, the facehugger aliens are always identical. As they are born without a host, there is no basis for exotic facehuggers. All Drones share some common characteristics as well. Coloring is always black (or red if of that breed), they always have the acidic blood, armoring, ability to spit, communicate the same, share the same ferocity, senses, resilience, and Hive Mind. Their size, methods of attack, and other physical attributes may change due to their body shape.

A Hive may have one or one hundred different "types" of aliens in it, depending upon the availability of hosts. A Hive born entirely of human hosts will all be exactly alike, but one with access to humans and cattle would have two different types of Drone. For simplicity, the Storyteller should choose the dominate strain of alien in the Hive that players will encounter if they roam.

Humans often make the mistake of believing the Xenomorphs are savage animals. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The Queen will utilize the special abilities of her children to best advantage. A Hive with a large number of hosts becomes even more dangerous and less predictable.

Big Cat Alien: These aliens are birthed from a large predatory cat, such as a panther, cougar, lion, tiger, etc. They are sleek and slender and lightning quick. They are great stalkers and can attack from a pounce. They, of course, move on four legs and can move and climb like most other Drones. Differences: Add 1 to Dexterity, Add 1 to Stealth

Dog Alien: The familiar dog alien, this creature is large but a quadruped. It moves very quickly and can fit in even smaller spaces than other Drones. Differences: Add 1 to Dexterity, Subtract 1 from Strength

Gorilla Alien: The gorilla aliens are very similar to the familiar humanoid aliens. They are around six feet tall and are very stocky in the chest. Their arms are much longer than a humanoid alien. They are great climbers as well and have the ability to move through trees like apes. They are much stronger than normal Drones. Differences: Add 1 to Strength, Add 1 to Athletics, Add 1 to Grapple Damage

Predalien: Perhaps the most dangerous exotic alien of all, these horrors are birthed from a Yautja host! These brutes are hulking monsters over 8 feet tall with a heavy set frame and the characteristic predator mandibles around their alien mouths. They are fast and deadly and often used to guard the Queen. Differences: Add 2 to Strength, Add 1 to Stamina, Add 3 OK Health Levels

Snake Alien: These are truly exotic aliens born from large snakes of some sort. Like a snake, they have no arms or legs, being forced to slither. Their large size and heavy armor makes them somewhat slow, but they are exceedingly dangerous. The flexible creatures can slip through smaller openings and under many floors. Like a snake, they have a lightning fast bite, and they inject their acidic blood through their large fangs! They retain the tongue of other Drones as well making their bite very dangerous. Differences: Subtract 1 from Strength, Subtract 1 from Dexterity, Add 1 to Stealth, Add 1 to Bite Damage, plus each bite injects a point of acid blood (5 dice of damage)

Use in the World of Darkness: How do the Xenomorphs fit in the World of Darkness? The books and films take place in the future; however, there is nothing saying that they cannot be used in a modern day chronicle. The aliens make a perfect nemesis for a party of Void Engineers. Once encountered, they are hard to get rid of, so an expedition could easily bring some bugs to Earth, or even a Horizon Realm.

Kindred: A Xenomorph would not attempt to lay an egg in a vampire; however, the territorial bugs would definitely kill a vampire if found. It would be interesting to see what effect vampire blood would have on an alien. Could they be ghouled, and if so, could they be controlled? Sounds like a potentially disastrous experiment much like found in the novels. Ghouls can be used as incubators, with unknown results. The trauma will put them at incapacitated when the baby emerges, and they will die unless supernatural intervention occurs. But what about the resulting alien? Will it have powers of a ghoul and addiction to vampire blood? What about a ghouled Queen? A vampire with a high level of Auspex might be able to communicate with the Xenomorphs.

Changing Breeds: The Xenomorphs have been known to implant humans and dogs, so there is no reason why a Garou could not be impregnated; however, most beings are rendered helpless in a cocoon of secretions so a "facehugger" can attach itself. Assuming a Garou could be imprisoned thusly, an alien could grow inside it. A Garou that has an alien rip its way out of it may die. It is immediately rendered incapacitated, and it will die if in Breed form. If not in Breed form, or if it is Metis, it will heal at the normal Garou rate. This damage is not aggravated, but it does require a roll on the battle scars table.

Mages: Mages are basically normal human beings with extraordinary abilities. If another mage were able to heal the impregnated mage (or any other human) during exodus, he would survive, but he would be at the incapacitated Health Level. With no outside help, the process is fatal. Mages cannot heal themselves while a newborn Xenomorph claws its way out of the torso.

Wraiths: Having no physical form, wraiths have nothing to worry about. Many a wraith has been created by a birthing Xenomorph, however. It would not be odd for a Hive to have wraithly denizens. A Risen wraith, like the vampire, is of no use to an alien and will be attacked like a threat to the Hive.

Changelings: A faerie can be impregnated just like a human. This will not cause death to their fey souls, but it will kill them in this life.

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Mummies: A mummy is, for all intents and purposes, a normal human being to the bugs, and an alien could gestate inside one. If the corpse is kept in the Hive, this could result in a horrible fate as the mummy returns to life over and over.

Gypsies: Like the mummy and the mage, these beings are treated as normal humans.Fomori: Assuming it can be captured, it is just as useful as a human. Depending on the powers of the

Fomor, it may or may not survive the birthing. Would the resulting alien be Wyrm tainted or even a form of Fomor in itself?

Immortals: The immortals are of great use to the Hive, as they can birth alien after alien. Such an agonizing existence would definitely result in some serious derangements.

Yautja: The alien beings from the movies Predator and Predator II, these hunters pride themselves on their abilities to Hunt the bugs. Aliens can grow inside a Yautja host. For more information about the interaction between these two races, see Predator: The Hunt.

Yamura, Hito Okasa (Barabbi Custos Ninja)A deadly ninja warrior once trained by McAllister. He has sworn to kill his former

master due to his abandonment of the ninja code. He has engaged McAllister on several occasions with different levels of success. He is also a master of disguise. He has himself trained at least one "Occidental" as a ninja. In his last duel with McAllister, he believes he is winning, and even manages to break the Master's katana, but loses when McAllister turns his overconfidence against him. He sometimes takes espionage-related "jobs" while pursuing his former master, but is more often working at cross-purposes to the villain of the episode.

Str 8, Dex 8, Sta 8 (11 Soak Dice), Cha 2, Man 3, App 3, Per 5, Int 3, Wits 5; Talents: Alertness 5, Athletics 1, Brawl 5, Dodge 5, Empathy 1, Intimidation 4, Leadership 1, Streetwise 5, Subterfuge 5; Skills: Acrobatics 5, Archery 5, Demolitions 4, Drive 3, Etiquette 1, Firearms 4, Melee 5, Music 1, Repair 2, Security 4, Stealth 4, Survival 5; Knowledges: Computer 2, Investigation 3, Linguistics 2, Medicine 3, Occult 3, Science 1; Backgrounds: Arcane 5, Contacts 4; Special Abilities: Aport Object (Ninjato), Chameleon Coloration (Full), Immunity (Death, Disease and Poisons), Lighting Speed (4 actions / turn), Mystic Shield (4 dice counterMagick), Nightsight, Regeneration (one willpower per health level healed); Merits: Catlike Balance, Double Jointed; Flaws: Alien Appearance (Full Body Tattoos); Virtues: Humanity 3, Willpower 10; Attacks: Flying Kick (7, +2); Grapple (6, Special); Jab (6, +1); Kick (7, +1); Ninja Take Down (9, Incapacitate); Punch (6, +0); Spinning Back Kick (7, +2); Tiger Claw (6, +2); Shuriken (Var, +number thrown); Ninjato (6, +4 aggravated); Health Levels: -0, -1 (x5), -2 (x2), -5, Incapacitated

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WEREWOLVES & BETE

Bites off the Buttons (Guard Dog / Teenager)Ragabash Lupus Bone Gnawer (Rottweiler); Strength 3 (5, 7, 6, 4), Dexterity 2 (2, 3,

4, 4), Stamina 3 (5, 6, 6, 5), Charisma 3, Manipulation 3 (2, 0, 0, 0), Appearance 3 (2, 0, 3, 3), Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Dodge 2, Expression 2, Intimidation 2, Primal Urge 5, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 1; Skills: Animal Ken 2, Etiquette 2, Stealth 2, Survival 3; Knowledges: Enigmas 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Linguistics 2; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 1; Gifts: Cardboard Mansion, Open Seal, Scent of Sweet Honey; Renown: Glory 1, Honor 1, Wisdom 1, Rank 1; Rage 4, Gnosis 5, Willpower 5

Helena (Outcast)Black Fury Ronin; Str 3 (5-7-6-4), Dex 4 (4-5-6-6), Sta 5 (7-8-8-7), Cha 3, Man 2 (1-0-0-0), App 5 (4-0-5-5),

Per 3, Int 2, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Empathy 2, Expression 2, Prima-Urge 5, Subterfuge 2; Skills: Animal Ken 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms I, Melee 4, Performance 2, Stealth 4, Survival 4; Knowledges: Enigmas 1, Linguistics 1, Occult 2, Rituals 1; Gifts: Leap of the Kangaroo, Mindspeak, Resist Pain, Sense Wyrm, Smell of Man, Speed of Thought; Backgrounds: Fetish (Klaive) 4, Resources 1; Flaws: Dark Fate, Nightmares, Taint of Corruption, Vampire Companion; Virtues: Gnosis 5, Rage 9, Willpower 7

Hofstetler, Pat and Vince (Ronin Garou Twins)Former Tribe Glass Walkers; Breed Homid; Auspice Ahroun; Willpower 9, Rage 5, Gnosis 6; Strength 3 (5, 7,

6, 4), Dexterity 3 (3, 4, 5, 5), Stamina 3 (5, 6, 6, 5), Charisma 3, Manipulation 3 (2, 0, 0, 0), Appearance 3 (2, 0, 3, 3), Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 4; Talents: Alertness 4, Brawl 3, Dodge 2, Empathy 3, Primal Urge 3, Streetwise 3, Subterfuge 2, Skills: Drive 2, Firearms 4, Heavy Weapons 3, Repair 3; Knowledges: Computer 3, Enigmas 3, Law 2, Occult 3, Rituals 3; Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 2, Kinfolk 3, Resources 3; Gifts: Persuasion, Razor Claws, The Falling Touch, Control Simple Machine (Level One), Spirit of the Fray, Cybersenses (Level Two), Disquiet (Level Three); Attacks: Claw (Diff 6, Dmg +2 Agg), Bite (Diff 5, Dmg: +1 Agg)

Moonchilde, Serenity (Philanthropist)Player: Elmer Gilbert; Homid Galliard Child of Gaia; Str 2 (4-6-5-3), Dex 2 (2-3-4-4), Sta 2 (4-5-5-4), Cha 3,

Man 3 (2-0-0-0), App 4 (3-0-4-4), Per 3, Int 3, Wits 2; Talents: Brawl 1, Dodge 3, Empathy 1; Skills: Animal Ken 2, Drive 1, Melee 2, Leadership 1, Stealth 1, Survival 2; Knowledges: Computer 1, Linguistics 3, Medicine 3, Occult 3, Rituals 3; Gifts: Mindspeak, Mother's Touch, Persuasion; Backgrounds: Pure Breed 5, Resources 5; Merits & Flaws: Ambidextrous, Intolerance (Tzimiche), Mixed-Morph, Persistent Parents; Virtues: Glory 2, Honor 0, Wisdom 1, Rank 1, Rage 4, Gnosis 5, Willpower 7

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WRAITHS

Houston, Allison (Tortured Unliving Artist)Str 1, Dex 3, Sta 2, Cha 3, Man 2, App 5, Per 3, Int 2, Wits 3; Talents: Alertness 3, Athletics 1, Awareness 3,

Dodge 2, Empathy 4, Expression 1; Skills: Crafts (Painting) 5, Meditation 3; Knowledges: Enigmas 2, Investigation 1, Linguistics 2, Occult 3, Science 1 Arcanoi: Argos 2, Embody 5, Keening 2; Backgrounds: Eidolon 4, Legacy 1, Memoriam 3, Relic (Paint Brush) 1; Passions: Find Last Painting (Loss) 2, Find Old Lover (Love) 5, Inspire Artists (Greed) 2, Protect the Falls (Regret) 1; Fetters: Cumberland Falls 3, Mary (Lover) 4, Painting of Cumberland Falls 3; Virtues: Willpower 7, Pathos 10

Shadow Nature: The Freak Thorns: Dark Allies (1), Shadowface (4), Shadowplay (5), Shadow Trait: Manipulation +1; Angst: 2; Dark Passions: Find Old Lover (Greed) 4, Kill People at Cumberland Falls (Hate) 3

Vendredi, Lewis (Spectre)Uncle Lewis made a deal with Satan to sell cursed antiques. He broke the pact, and died under mysterious,

supernatural circumstances. The store went into probate (no one wanted it) and Micki and Ryan inherited it. Lewis appears in quite a few episodes and when he does, he serves one of two purposes: 1.) Sets up the plot by describing past occurrences through flashbacks or 2.) Is trying to come back to life. Lewis was married once, but his wife died as a consequence of his pact with Satan ("Hellowe'en"). She was against it.

While it appears that R.G. Armstrong also plays the auctioneer in ("Eye of Death"), he doesn't. Apparently the actor who plays the auctioneer in that episode looks remarkably similar to Armstrong, but it is not him.

Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil. He would sell cursed antiques and receive enormous wealth and eternal life (though not eternal youth, as he found out ), but one day he breaks the pact by sealing the antiques in his "curse-proof" vault in the basement, as a result the devil comes for him. The Antique store went into probate - and Micki and Ryan are the next relatives to inherit it. Several times during the show, Lewis tries to come to life again or to bring the devil to earth, each time with a little more force and success. Lewis was married once to a woman who couldn't stand his cold-heartedness, Ryan’s father knew him when he was still a child. Lewis entered the world of black magic and witchcraft early, someday then he must have crossed path with Jack Marshak. When he formed a coven (circle of witches and sorcerers) and finally made a deal with Satan their ways departed again. Whenever Lewis appears, he emanates evil and tries to fulfill wicked plans.

Lewis Vendredi was the man who started it all. He made the deal with the Devil in order to acquire wealth and power, but eventually rejected his pact. The Devil was none too pleased with this and put him right on an express elevator to Hell in the pilot episode.

Lewis was terrified of poverty, and of growing old and dying; the reasons for this terror were never made clear. He was a childhood friend of Jack Marshak and eventually got Jack to teach him magic, and then proceeded to learn about things that Jack wanted nothing to do with. He married a woman named Grace who disapproved of his use of magic and who later died, which changed Lewis greatly. It was not too long after when he made his deal with the Devil. Jack even served as an unwitting partner, supplying Lewis with antiques after the tragedy which befell his son Peter. Lewis apparently had a short memory when it came to the money he owed others, a fact which irritated Jack greatly before he learned of Lewis' death.

Lewis has appeared several times on the series, usually attempting to escape from Hell and return to position selling his cursed antiques. Each time his plans have been thwarted by Micki, Ryan and Jack... but not by much. Each encounter has ended in a close call. Lewis has lost all semblance of his humanity (if he ever possessed any) and is now in the full-time position of trying to escape from Hell.

Lewis also left several surprises behind for our heroes. Secret compartments are hidden throughout the store containing files on some of the objects and the curses placed on them. He even constructed two whole concealed rooms, one on the main floor and another beneath the Vault in the basement. Besides that, on one occasion a powerful member of a witches' coven he had created returned to take a powerful tool Lewis had created... and almost drove Ryan insane. Lewis never appeared in the third season, but there was always the feeling that he might try again... and that one day, he might win.

Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4; Talents: Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3; Skills: Crafts 1, Drive 2, Etiquette 3, Firearms 1, Meditation 3, Melee 4, Repair 1; Knowledges: Bureaucracy 1, Enigmas 3, Investigation 2, Linguistics 2, Occult 4, Politics 1; Backgrounds: Haunt 3, Memoriam 3, Shadowlands 4; Arcanoi: Embody 5, Hive Mind 1, Larceny 5, Outrage 4, Puppetry 1, Shroud Rending 4, Tempest Weaving 3; Fetters: Curious Goods 5; Dark Passions: Corrupt World (Hate) 3, Kill the Interlopers (Hate) 5, Work for Devil (Greed) 4; Virtues: Being (Hate) 7, Angst 8, Corpus 8

Psyche: Confessor; Compassion 2, Passions: Destroy Antiques (Hope) 3, Fronds: Penance 6

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INDEX

434 ZHJ.....................................................................54Akasha........................................................................7An Immortal Player's Guide......................................35Aries.........................................................................54Bites off the Buttons.................................................88Bradford, Mona.........................................................54Caine........................................................................55Chen, Jamie..............................................................15Children of the Damned.............................................2De Lioncourt, Gabrielle...............................................8De Lioncourt, Lestat...................................................9De Point du Lac, Louis..............................................10Dracul, Marcus..........................................................55Dracul, William.........................................................56Geiger, Robert..........................................................15Glens, Kathy.............................................................16Haight, Samuel.........................................................57Harmon, Sean...........................................................16Helena......................................................................88Hellboy.....................................................................58Highlander: The Gathering Rules..............................20Hofstetler, Pat and Vince..........................................88Houston, Allison........................................................89Kurgan......................................................................44MacEogan, Beth........................................................16MacEogan, Conn.......................................................12MacEogan, Jenny......................................................17

MacLeod, Connor......................................................45MacLeod, Duncan.....................................................48Manoi-MacEogan, Elann............................................17Maria........................................................................60Marie, Catherine.......................................................17Moonchilde, Serenity................................................88Multi-Purpose Rounds...............................................15Myers, Michael..........................................................60Ogdru Hem...............................................................63Ogdru Jahad..............................................................64Peace, Mark..............................................................17Predator....................................................................66Ramirez, Juan Sanchez Villa Lobos...........................50Reanimated..............................................................69Ryan, Richie..............................................................51Species.....................................................................71The Mansion (Alexandria, Virginia)...........................13Tooms, Victor Eugene...............................................74Trioxin Ghouls...........................................................75Vendredi, Lewis........................................................89Venusian Zombies....................................................76Voorhees, Jason........................................................77Walker, Forrest.........................................................17Wayne, Logan...........................................................17Xenomorphs.............................................................80Yamura, Hito Okasa..................................................86

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