Call of Courage
Crúac ••, Nightmare ••
Using Nightmare to feed is problematic, but for Acolytes who practice the Call of Courage, feeding is almost beside the point. This is a Devotion for those whose destiny it is to be the Minotaur, Grendel or Baba Yaga. Call of Courage frightens the weak and draws the strong. It’s not a safe Devotion, but many find it a deeply satisfying one.
Effect
The Acolyte who uses Call of Courage radiates a sense of deep unease. This radius starts about 10 yards out from him, and every success he rolls pushes it out another 10 yards. All mortals inside that radius are affected, but supernatural beings are immune.
Every mortal affected gets a sense of the Nosferatu’s location, accurate to about 10 yards. The subject with the highest Willpower feels frightened, but with a growing conviction that the only way to resolve his terror is to go straight to where the Acolyte is and confront his fears. Everyone else feels that going there is the most foolish and dangerous thing anyone could possibly do.
This sense cannot, by itself, compel a mortal into a particular action. Rather, it imparts a grave challenge to one bold individual and a warning to all others. Whether subjects choose to heed this mystic impulse is up to them — usually. If the Storyteller wants a mechanical means to determine (or enforce) the reaction of a mortal subject, she may pit the vampire’s Manipulation + Intimidate + Nightmare versus the subject’s Resolve + Composure in a reflexive, contested roll. If the vampire wins this contest, he may instill a sense of dreadful destiny in the subject, compelling the mortal to seek out the vampire’s position. This may come in the form of a grim vision, a phantom voice or even just a fleeting feeling.
This power does not undermine a subject’s intelligence, exactly. The subject doesn’t simply march carelessly to his doom. Rather, he feels that, even though it may be a trap, it is a trap he was meant to confront and overcome. He may be afraid, he may go in the maze armed and armored, but he goes.
Subjects who are not drawn — those who are frightened of the vampire’s position by the Call of Courage — are likewise free to make their own decisions whether to stay or go. If the Storyteller needs a mechanical means to settle the issue, the same contested action as above can be used, except that mortals avoid the vampire’s position if the vampire wins the contest.
The dread oozing out of the Acolyte is more of an emotional or spiritual fear, as opposed to the trembling terror inflicted by other uses of Nightmare. Thus, no dice pool bonuses or penalties affect mortals who stay or go. Nonetheless, the most common outcome of Call of Courage is to bring the bravest mortal nearby into direct conflict, alone.
Every mortal affected gets a sense of the Nosferatu’s location, accurate to about 10 yards. The subject with the highest Willpower feels frightened, but with a growing conviction that the only way to resolve his terror is to go straight to where the Acolyte is and confront his fears. Everyone else feels that going there is the most foolish and dangerous thing anyone could possibly do.
This sense cannot, by itself, compel a mortal into a particular action. Rather, it imparts a grave challenge to one bold individual and a warning to all others. Whether subjects choose to heed this mystic impulse is up to them — usually. If the Storyteller wants a mechanical means to determine (or enforce) the reaction of a mortal subject, she may pit the vampire’s Manipulation + Intimidate + Nightmare versus the subject’s Resolve + Composure in a reflexive, contested roll. If the vampire wins this contest, he may instill a sense of dreadful destiny in the subject, compelling the mortal to seek out the vampire’s position. This may come in the form of a grim vision, a phantom voice or even just a fleeting feeling.
This power does not undermine a subject’s intelligence, exactly. The subject doesn’t simply march carelessly to his doom. Rather, he feels that, even though it may be a trap, it is a trap he was meant to confront and overcome. He may be afraid, he may go in the maze armed and armored, but he goes.
Subjects who are not drawn — those who are frightened of the vampire’s position by the Call of Courage — are likewise free to make their own decisions whether to stay or go. If the Storyteller needs a mechanical means to settle the issue, the same contested action as above can be used, except that mortals avoid the vampire’s position if the vampire wins the contest.
The dread oozing out of the Acolyte is more of an emotional or spiritual fear, as opposed to the trembling terror inflicted by other uses of Nightmare. Thus, no dice pool bonuses or penalties affect mortals who stay or go. Nonetheless, the most common outcome of Call of Courage is to bring the bravest mortal nearby into direct conflict, alone.