Sunnikuse
The Bohagande regard their inheritance in much the same way that a man living on the frontier might have viewed his rifle. Used properly, it can be the difference between unlife and Final Death. To others, it’s a weapon that seems to inflict harm indiscriminately. Sunnikuse (or “medicine”) is the bloodline’s unique ability to direct the hand of Fate, as dangerous as this practice is. Gifted in the art of stealing luck from others, twisting the outcome of situations to their advantage, and even hoarding good fortune, Bohagande are as deadly and feared as any Gunslinger of old. They have an uncanny ability to sense the presence or absence of luck in an individual, and use that knowledge for their own good.
Every application of Sunnikuse, whether it involves a simple touch (as with Jinx) or a momentary gaze (Evil Eye), leaves a victim with a discernible sense of doom. The victim may not always know the source of the sinking feeling (most Bohagande seek to Camouflage their depredations with some justifiable charade, such as a game of billiards or Three Card Monty), but she always experiences a terrible sense of unease and impending failure. The greater the potential loss, the more powerful the impression received. Successive uses of Sunnikuse against the same subject only amplify her sensation, eventually convincing any but the most obtuse victim that a Jonah is somehow responsible for her bad luck.
Each time Sunnikuse is used, Wits + Occult is rolled for the subject to recognize that the Jonah is somehow behind her sense of doom. A normal success suggests that there is some vague connection between the Bohagande and the bad luck. An exceptional success fully exposes the Bohagande’s complicity. Perhaps the vampire is even caught with a hand in the proverbial cookie jar, actively doing something strange near or in regard to the intended victim.
There are ways in which a potential victim can protect herself from this Discipline. Most cultures believe that certain items, expressions or practices provide a measure of defense against bad luck. The more involved or complicated the charm, the greater the protection granted. It’s important that the individual truly believes in the power of the charm, however. It is this belief that staves off disaster, not the object itself.
To a Bohagande’s benefit, a host of events, items and circumstances — crossing the path of a black cat, breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder — are ascribed with the power to cause bad luck. If a subject of Sunnikuse is in the vicinity of such circumstances or performs such actions, she is easier to affect with the Discipline. Some Jonahs exploit these superstitions and try to arrange for such ill omens to be present when they use this power, both to increase its usefulness and to provide sources of blame for the ill fortune that befalls a victim.
Every application of Sunnikuse, whether it involves a simple touch (as with Jinx) or a momentary gaze (Evil Eye), leaves a victim with a discernible sense of doom. The victim may not always know the source of the sinking feeling (most Bohagande seek to Camouflage their depredations with some justifiable charade, such as a game of billiards or Three Card Monty), but she always experiences a terrible sense of unease and impending failure. The greater the potential loss, the more powerful the impression received. Successive uses of Sunnikuse against the same subject only amplify her sensation, eventually convincing any but the most obtuse victim that a Jonah is somehow responsible for her bad luck.
Each time Sunnikuse is used, Wits + Occult is rolled for the subject to recognize that the Jonah is somehow behind her sense of doom. A normal success suggests that there is some vague connection between the Bohagande and the bad luck. An exceptional success fully exposes the Bohagande’s complicity. Perhaps the vampire is even caught with a hand in the proverbial cookie jar, actively doing something strange near or in regard to the intended victim.
There are ways in which a potential victim can protect herself from this Discipline. Most cultures believe that certain items, expressions or practices provide a measure of defense against bad luck. The more involved or complicated the charm, the greater the protection granted. It’s important that the individual truly believes in the power of the charm, however. It is this belief that staves off disaster, not the object itself.
To a Bohagande’s benefit, a host of events, items and circumstances — crossing the path of a black cat, breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder — are ascribed with the power to cause bad luck. If a subject of Sunnikuse is in the vicinity of such circumstances or performs such actions, she is easier to affect with the Discipline. Some Jonahs exploit these superstitions and try to arrange for such ill omens to be present when they use this power, both to increase its usefulness and to provide sources of blame for the ill fortune that befalls a victim.
Related Ethnicities
Bonus | Condition
+1 | A black cat or broken mirror is nearby
+2 | Target is under a ladder
+3 | It’s Friday the 13th
+4 | A fortune teller told the victim that something terrible would happen this evening
+5 | The victim is already convinced he is jinxed or cursed
Penalty | Charm
–1 | Target has a lucky rabbit’s foot or mouths a protective prayer
–2 | Target received a blessing from a holy authority that same day
–3 | Target knows the truth about what the Bohagande can and cannot do
–4 | Target has a rare artifact that legend ascribes with miraculous powers
–5 | Target knows the Bohagande’s secret name
Luck stolen through use of Sunnikuse cannot come from or later be used for Humanity or degeneration rolls made for either the Bohagande or a target. In essence, while the Storytelling System may call for a dice roll to determine Humanity and degeneration, luck does not play a factor in whether a character retains his morality or sanity.