Titanomachy_(A_Collection_of_Threats_for_Scion_Second_Edition).pdf - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)

DAVID CASTRO, RACHEL WITTER COLE, HIROMI COTA, ERYKAH FASSETT, ELLIOTT FREEMAN, DAVID FULLER, JIM GARDNER, VIOLET GREEN, JAMES MENDEZ HODES, DANIELLE LAUZON, SPIDER B. PERRY, MONICA SPECA, H. ULRICH

CREDITS Developer: Monica Speca Scion Lead Developer: Neall Raemonn Price Writers: David Castro, Rachel Witter Cole, Hiromi Cota, Erykah Fassett, Elliott Freeman, David Fuller, Jim Gardner, Violet Green, James Mendez Hodes, Danielle Lauzon, Spider B. Perry, Monica Speca, H. Ulrich Editor: Heather Rigby Artists: Shen Fei, Sam Denmark, Felipe Gaona, Niko Pope, Andrea Payne, Michele Giorgi Art Director: Mike Chaney Creative Director: Rich Thomas

SPECIAL THANKS Thank you for buying this product. If you found it through some illicit means online, we hope you like it well enough to purchase a copy.

REQUIRES THE USE OF SCION ORIGIN AND SCION HERO

© 2020 Onyx Path Publishing. All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material in no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. “Scion” and all characters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by Onyx Path Publishing. Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at theonyxpath.com.

2

TITANOMACHY

HOMECOMING 6

Su Dáji

43

The White Eyebrow, Betrayer of Shaolin

45

INTRODUCTION 10

Birthrights 46

Before We Begin

11

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS 12

TITANS OF THE TEŌTL 47 Citlali, Tzitzimime from Behind the Stars

47

Coyolxāuhqui, Who Gathered the Four Hundred

48 49 49

The Taxonomy of a Titan

13

Tenoch, Quinametzin of the First Sun

Titan Callings

13

Tlaltecuhtli, the Hungry

Adversary

13

Destroyer 13 Monster 13 Primeval 14 Tyrant 14

TITANS OF THE ÆSIR

15

Jörd 15 Nidhoggr 16

Birthrights 50

TITANS OF THE THEOI

51

Cronus 51 Echidna 52 Gaea 53 Birthrights 54

TITANS OF THE TUATHA DÉ DOMNANN 56 Balor, The Evil Eye

56

Belenus The Bright

58

Bres The Beautiful

58

Cernunnos, The Horned One

59

20

Domnu, Mother of Titans

60

Banasura, the Thousand–Armed King

20

Birthrights 60

Rangda, the Witch–Queen of Bali

21

Saita, the Untold Story

23

Surtr 17 Ymir 17 Birthrights 18

TITANS OF THE DEVÁ

Birthrights 24

TITANS OF THE KAMI

26

Fūjin 26 Goki 27 Princess Kiyo

29

Namazu 29 Raijin 30 Birthrights 31

TITANS OF THE MANITOU

32

Ae-pungishimook 32 Aniwye 33 Mishibizhiw

34

Misiginebig 34 Birthrights 35

NO SUCH THING AS TITANS

62

What About Evil Magicians?

62

What Do You Even Do All the Time?

63

Birthrights 63

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING 64 Titans at the Table

65

Theocentrism 65 Titanomachy 65 Designing a Chronicle

67

Player Involvement

67

Deciding Scope

67

Choosing Titans

68

Using Titan Scions in Your Series

70

Scions with a Purpose

70

One-on-One 71

TITANS OF THE NETJER

37

Apep, The Serpent of Chaos

37

Titan Scions as Ambiguous Figures

73

Aten, The One True Sun

38

Playing Titan Scions

74

Isfet, the Disharmonious

40

Encounters with Titans

74

Free-Range Titans

74

Titans Who Seek the Heroes Out

75

Prison Visits

75

Birthrights 40

TITANS OF THE SHÉN Ào Guāng

42 42

Kuāfù 43

Enemy Titan Scions and Cults

TABLE OF CONTENTS

71

3

Common Enemies

76

Working with Titanic “Allies”

76

Outside Context Problems

76

Titanspawn 76

Attack 101 Defense 102 Utility 102 Social 102

Calamity’s Children

76

Occult 102

Differing Dooms

77

Flairs 103

Procedural Play: Slights of Mind

77

Attack 103

The Hole Above the Heart

77

Defense 103

Jamming the Gears That Grind Down the World

78

Utility 103

Intrigue Play: Sweet Voices in the Night

78

Action Adventure Play: Bloody Handed Reckoning 79 Titans & Dragons

80

Nomenclature at The Table

80

Double-Dealing Bastards and Other Family Stories 81 Who Are You, Really?

81

The War Eternal

82

How to Use These Adventures

82

Diaspora 83 Act One: The Airport

83

Act Two: Intrigue

85

Act Three: Action

86

Storyguide Characters

87

Mortals 87 Scions 88 Antagonists 88 Lunar New Year

88

Learning of the Threat

89

Onward to New York City

89

Exploring Chinatown

89

Make a Plan

90

Lunar New Year’s Day

91

Conclusion 92 Bring Forth a Greater Thunder

92

Act 1: The Heir Apparent

92

Act 2: Drawing Lines

93

Act 3: Minutes to Midnight

94

Epilogue: Titanomachy Looms

95

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS 96 Designing Titanic Fights

97

Type of Encounter

97

Which Antagonists

97

Using the Terrain

100

Archetypes

101

Spawn 101 Titanic Minion

4

Qualities 101

101

Social 104

EXAMPLE ANTAGONISTS

105

Adze 105 Aegaeon 105 Aegaeon’s Fingers 106 Ào Jinru, Scion of Ào Guāng 107 Arachne’s Children (Giant Spider) 107 Banshee 108 Benandonner 108 Child of Apep 108 Chloe Eirini, Scion of Prometheus 108 Christopher Swong, Abasom 109 Daēva 109 Dullahan 110 Ed & Edie Jackson: Scions of Prometheus 110 Elementals and Demons 111 Elliot Jones, Druid to Orgos 112 Elric Ash, Scion of Surtr 112 Fomorian (Giants) 113 Fomorian (Beautiful Ones) 113 Fomorian (Aquatics) 113 Fomorian (Melted Ones) 114 Four-Eyed Dog 114 Gashadokuro 114 Grant Hicks, Priest of Echidna 115 Gremlins 115 Grootslang 115 Harionago 116 Hecatoncheires 116 Hyakki Yakou, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons 117 Indech, Son of Domnu 118 The New Indrajit 118 Internet Trolls (Greater) 119 Jameson Beaumont III, Scion of Gaea 120 Jiāolóng 120 Jishin, Scion of Namazu 120 Jötunn 121 Kelpie 121 Khalkotauroi 122 Kongamato 122

TITANOMACHY

Kraken 122 Lamia 122 Lillin 123 Maneto 123 Mary Li, Scion of Kuāfù 123 Merfolk 125 Micaela Standish, Scion of Fūjin 126 Mokele-mbembe 126 The Monster 126 Mukade 127 Nian 127 Nipahâhkatosow 127 Omukade 128 Oni 128 People of Gold 129 Phouka 130 Pierre Levett, Scion of Ae-pungishimook 130 Prince Annapolis, Scion of Metis 130 Rakshasa 131 Rayven Silverhair, The True Diana, Scion of Nyx 131 Roc 132 Rogue Kallikantzaros 132 The Saturnian Society 132 The Scorpion Folk 133 Selkies 133 Silent Storm 134 Silent Storm: Acolytes 134 Silent Storm: Undercover Agents 134 Silent Storm: Crafters 135 Silent Storm: Summoners 135 Silent Storm: Thunderbolts 135 Silent Storm: The Inner Circle 136 Sirens 136

Solomonar 137 Soucouyant 137 Starlight Solutions 137 Stymphalian Birds 138 The Thing in The Deep 138 Tikoloshe 139 Timothy Allgood, Titans’ Advocate 139 Tzitzimime Intruders 139 Vardoger 140 Wendigo 140 Wombyn of the Moon-Water, Followers of Rayven Silverhair 141

APPENDIX 142 New Alternate Rule: Collateral Building the Pool

142 142

Birthrights 143 Creatures 143 Cyclops (••••) 143 Fenrir’s Pups (•••) 143 Gu (•••) 143 Rahu’s Chariot (•••••) 143 Followers 144 Guides 145 Relics

146

Knacks 150 Knack Notes

150

Adversary Knacks

150

Destroyer Knacks

151

Monster Knacks

152

Primeval Knacks

155

Tyrant Knacks

156

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5

Between the crush of the crowd, the flashing lights on the stage, and the music pumping from speakers, getting her bearings was impossible. The revelry of the ecstatic faithful increased with every thundering note. Wherever she turned, she pressed into another mass of blurred-together faces — the same dim look of innocent hope wrapped up in the moment. Glancing down at the flyer gripped in her hand and then back up, Jennifer Walker shielded her vision toward the front stage and wondered what it was she had stumbled into. •••

Two weeks prior The blazing sun set as the Greyhound’s engine churned, coughing out thick clouds of black exhaust that obscured the view from the back of the bus. It took everything to keep herself from shaking in her seat, even knowing that what happened back in San Diego was soon to be hundreds of miles behind her by morning. When she boarded the bus, the driver was half-inclined to toss her off, believing the rail-thin young woman to be a homeless street kid attempting to hitch a ride with an unpaid fare. To the bus driver’s credit, his assessment of her was mostly correct; Jennifer spent the past two years after aging out of the foster care system drifting from shelter to shelter, or couch surfing with acquaintances or distant relatives that usually wanted her gone before the week was out. It was difficult to hold down a job without a permanent address, so she got by as best she could with odd jobs she found on the internet. That was its own sort of trouble.

6

Maybe she had asked for all this trouble. The job was just to clean up and tidy the condo of some big wig, self-described producer: fold his laundry, sign for any packages that came while he was out, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and maybe take the dog out for a walk. All standard tasks she had done before without incident. Besides, he came recommended by one of her regular contacts, a kindly, retired screenwriter who had worked with the fellow just shortly before taking a much-deserved vacation. The money would at least pay for another couple of nights in the co-living space she had found in La Jolla, and that definitely beat trying to jockey for a bed in a shelter that could go to a family in need. Having grown up without any semblance of actual family, Jennifer wasn’t going to be the one to see one split up on account of her circumstances. It just wasn’t right. If it were anyone other than a family, though? They’d probably have a broken nose and a missing wallet. Surviving on her had own desensitized Jennifer to a lot of things that would disturb more well-adjusted individuals; it wasn’t uncommon to look away from domestic violence among indigent populations and pretend you saw nothing. It was easier (and safer) to ignore it than to get involved. After a while, she had learned to disassociate from scenes of brutality — almost as if she hadn’t seen them at all. But this? This took the cake. She couldn’t have known what she was going to walk into. ••• It’s all fuzzy, though, and when Jennifer came to, she found herself on Black’s Beach, covered in sand and drenched in sweat, sea water, blood that — as far as she

TITANOMACHY

could tell — wasn’t hers. A banging headache pounded deep in her skull, pulsing behind her eyes and making it difficult to focus on even the simple task of putting herself back together. Thankfully, her time on the streets made getting back home without drawing attention easy, even in her compromised state. Pulling on the cleanest shirt she could find and stealing a black hoodie from one of the other occupants, she was packing up her duffle when a newsflash came on the television that was influencing the dreams of the passed-out druggies on the dilapidated couch. A candid shot of the big wig was full screen, under which the breaking news ticker displayed: LOCAL SAN DIEGO PRODUCER FOUND DISMEMBERED IN OWN HOME All color drained from her face; by the time the newscaster finished describing possible suspects, she cleared the door and booked it to the nearest bus station. The where didn’t matter; she later recalled asking the cashier at the ticket window, “How far will $60.32 get me?” Phoenix it was.

Starting over was always a pain in the ass, but she had done it so many times before that it was more like a minor inconvenience. After a week or so, she managed to integrate herself into a small collective of other runaway youths who pooled everything together as a means to get by. Meals were meager, and on more than one occasion she went whole days without eating, but at least the sense of community gave her a feeling of security after fleeing San Diego. Between losing weight and her freshly dyed, dark red hair, her appearance had changed enough to keep her under the radar — if the search for the apparent murderess had gone national. Truth be told, she hadn’t even bothered checking the news. None of the locals asked about her past, and she wasn’t about to tell them that she might have accidentally murdered someone, even if her memory of that night was murky. Still, a feeling of constant dread settled itself in the pit of her stomach. If she had done it, it was self-defense. Probably. “Hey, Jenny!” The words pulled her from her thoughts as a chipper young woman bounced up to her, cropped blond hair streaked in a veritable rainbow. How Caleeia managed

HOMECOMING

7

to remain so effervescently wholesome despite her homelessness had by and large remained a mystery. Thrusting a crumpled-up flyer toward Jennifer’s chest, she beamed. “You gotta check this out! Jamie said this guy legit has set up a village of tiny houses to help the homeless. You’ve been talking about wanting a fresh start, and this can’t possibly hurt at all!” Unfolding the wrinkled page, her dark eyes scanned over the text: PASTOR ZECHARIAH “ZECK” DENTON & THE CHURCH OF ILLUMINATION CORDIALLY INVITE ALL WAYWARD YOUTH TO THE NEW CENTER OF ENLIGHTENMENT FOR REFRESHMENTS AND COMMUNION “New beginnings: Stepping out of the darkness and into the light — a new approach to life.” Her gaze then flitted up to Caleeia, regarding the younger woman with amusement as she handed back the flyer with a shrug. “Not like there’s anything much better to do. There’ll be free food, right? The sunny blonde beamed brightly, fingering a pendant in the shape of a bird around her neck. “Let’s go together, then!” •••

Saturday, August 3rd “You weren’t created to live selfishly — you were created to serve the highest of beings and to be granted His blessings in return,” the voice boomed over the loudspeaker, warm and welcoming. The giant screens projected the image of the speaker for those who couldn’t manage prime seats: an impeccably groomed man, somewhere in his late 30s or early 40s. He was dressed in a manner that was both couture by design but also incredibly approachable — if there was a way to be both unbelievably wealthy and humble about it, he nailed it. The crowd roared in ecstatic response, some sobbed hysterically, hands reaching outstretched toward the man on the stage as he knelt down, smiling a smile so bright it was near blinding. When the lighting was just right, he looked as though a halo of brilliant light surrounded him. Jennifer had to admit the guy had charisma, and clearly what he was saying resonated with so many. “You’re going to go through tough times; that’s life. But I say this: Nothing happens to you, it happens for you, and it happens for a reason that you cannot yet fathom. We are in the midst of a war for the very soul of the world. There are those out there who wish to cloud the world in darkness with lies, guiding you away from the singular truth — only the light will free you from your sins and guide you toward the one righteous and true path.”

8

Caleeia managed to vanish into the crowd, and Jennifer cursed under her breath — they weren’t supposed to get separated. Pushing her way forward, it wasn’t until she made it to the front of the stage with her body slamming against a steel barricade that she realized her friend was nowhere to be found; her stomach churned. The whole arena went pitch black as two spotlights illuminated the man on the stage and the black hoodie-clad waif desperately trying to keep a low profile. All the other bodies and sounds faded out as he spoke. “All you need is to allow yourself to rise up from the darkness that binds you to where you are. You’ll never rise any higher than the way you see yourself. Yes, even you, Jennifer Walker.” The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and as she turned to look to the stage, she was face to face with Pastor Zeck. That gleaming smile that seemed warm and welcoming from so far away was more predatory up close. off.

“H-how—” Jennifer stuttered before she was cut

“How do I know your name?” A rich chuckle followed his words. How could something so bright sound so dark? Zeck held a hand out to Jennifer, gesturing for her to take it as he pulled her up effortlessly onto the stage with him. “A little bird told me, of course.” The words were met with a quizzical expression — brows quirked and chapped lips pursed so tightly they might as well have vanished. It was a look that said she was frankly unconvinced, and her crossed arms and defensive posture only furthered that aura of incredulity. “Your friend, the blonde girl. Caleeia, I believe it was.” Folding her arms across her chest, Jennifer’s scowl deepened, which led Pastor Zeck to smile more as he raised both hands up to show he was harmless. “She’s the reason you’re here, isn’t it? Caleeia is, how do you say, an associate of mine. One that I very much value and appreciate for bringing you to me.” He flashed another smile. Jennifer took three steps back and away from the man who seemed to glow brightly, even with the spotlight still on the two of them. “Look, Pastor Zach —” “Pastor Zeck.” “Whatever,” Jennifer spat, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. “Look, whatever the hell this is,” she gestured widely to the dark space that had been, until a scant few minutes ago, filled to the brim with energetic youth seeking salvation, or something darker. “I don’t want any part of it, okay? There isn’t anything you could offer me that I need.” Rich laughter once more echoed, and it was so consuming it forced Jennifer to cup her ears against the

TITANOMACHY

reverberation of it all.She felt as if the walls were closing in on her. The bright, glowing heat of the spotlight and sudden lightheadedness made her feel ill at ease. “Tell me, Jennifer, have you never wished to have someone look after you? To take care of you?” Even as he stepped out of the spotlight, he still radiated light. “It must have been hard for you, growing up without a family. Your mother passing before you could walk, your father... Well, he never was one to do muchafter sundown but cower, but I digress…” The pit in her stomach, one she could never seem to escape, blossomed wholly into a longing she hadn’t realized she had. As Zeck continued to approach her his radiance only shined brighter, and she averted her eyes to stop them from burning. “Aren’t you tired of all the running, Jenny? Of all the uncertainty of your life? Isn’t it time to finally put down roots with a family that wants you and cares for you? All you need to do is believe in the one righteous path, to strike at the false Gods who would wish to see the world fall into darkness. You’ve fought and won before, why not do it with a holy purpose?”

Zeck came to a stop just short of her and rested a hand upon her shoulder in an almost fatherly way. His other hand tilted her chin up to look at him. Jennifer knew something wasn’t entirely right here, that this whole surreal scenario was something that couldn’t possibly happen. Here she was, in the presence of something beyond human and beyond her meager comprehension. She was so tired of running and wondering where her next meal would come from. “I just… I just want to belong. To be wanted, instead of seen as a burden,” she managed to eke out as her defenses fell with the tears she didn’t realize had welled in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter who wants you or doesn’t want you, all that matters is that I want you. I choose you, bloodied hands and all. What more could you ask for?” Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Then, Aten smiled at his Chosen. Yes, she would do nicely.

HOMECOMING

9

CONTENT WARNING! As an antagonist book full of challenges for the children of the Gods, Titanomachy is full of frightening things like abusive parents, trans-exclusionary radical feminists, climate change, and centipedes that eat your brain. Storyguides using this book are encouraged to read Chapter Three: Antagonists in its entirety, and then discuss content that may appear in their chronicles with the players before they start to run. Always play safely!

W

elcome, Heroes. The second war against the Gods fast approaches. Are you prepared?

This book is filled with antagonists for Storyguides wanting to add a little extra thrill and danger to their Scion campaigns. Spread before you is an in-depth selection of deadly monsters, wicked plots, complex antiheroes, and unstoppable Titans to oppose your players’ characters. These elements bring an action-horror tone to any Scion game, whether it’s an ongoing chronicle or one that’s just getting started. Titanomachy adds the backdrop of the coming “Second Titanomachy” — a new phase in the eternal cold war against the Gods. In its pages you’ll find everything you need to enhance your Scion games, from the Titans themselves to their fearsome servants and all new adventure hooks. Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero are required to use this book.

BEFORE WE BEGIN T

he concept of the “Second Titanomachy” exists as a conceit of Scion’s internal fiction. Though the word comes from Greek, the idea is fabricated to add a background conflict to the setting of the World. We selected a rogue’s gallery of mythological personages that make dangerous and fearsome foes — ideal antagonists who want to control or destroy the World, ripe with story hooks for Storyguides to weave into the tapestry of their games. No, there’s no real-world mythological example of Fenris and Apep making a pact to devour the sun together, but that’s a terrifying prospect — one that only the Heroes of your game can stop. The pantheon classifications are for book organization. For example: Rangda is a Balinese figure, filed under Deva. Many Titans oppose the hegemony of the Gods, so can hardly be included as part of their pantheon. For other pantheons, the line between Titan and God cannot be distinguished. The classifications used herein are so Storyguides can easily locate and use these mythological figures in their Scion games.

before we begin

11

Well, that’s history for you, folks. Unfair, untrue and for the most part written by folk who weren’t even there. – Joanne Harris, The Gospel of Loki

THE TAXONOMY OF A TITAN

Failure Deeds: Be talked out of a great test or betrayal, allow the unworthy to rise unchallenged, avoid confrontation in favor of compromise, kill someone without telling them why you struck them down

n a world where pantheons use the term to mark their enemies, what defines a capital-T Titan? From the perspective of the people living in the World, that’s a difficult and sticky question to answer. The Devá especially are fond of calling anyone who opposes them a “Titan.” Defining what this book considers a Titan, however, is a much easier task.

DESTROYER

I

A Titan must have a Titan Calling: Adversary, Destroyer, Monster, Primeval, or Tyrant (see Titan Callings, below). Though they have a suite of Purviews akin to the Gods, a Titan cannot help but be obsessed or consumed by one of them. For example, Aten is the All-Encompassing Sun, while Echidna wholly embodies Fertility. Most importantly, as far as this book is concerned, a Titan must be a willing participant in the Titanomachy. The Titanomachy itself is a loose coalition of mythological personages unified in their desire to undo the current cosmological order of the World. For some, this means the utter destruction of everything, and for others, this means subjugating the World and its people to their rule. Regardless of how the Titan approaches the subject, each capital-T Titan desires fundamentally changing the way the universe works.

TITAN CALLINGS E

ach of the Titans presented herein have at least one of the five Titan Callings.

ADVERSARY Where the Trickster accomplishes goals through deceit and becomes a cultural example through their failures, the Adversary antagonizes. Sometimes, an Adversary’s antagonism is a means to an end — nothing pleases an Adversary more than watching her enemies rail against the pressure of her opposition. She is the fire by which they are forged, the grain upon which they are refined. Sometimes this opposition comes in the form of deceit and betrayal and occasionally through physical violence, though most Adversaries prefer to use their words and their connections to teach valuable lessons. Whatever the Adversary does, she does for a reason. A good reason if you ask her, and the ends always justify the means. Skills: Culture, Persuasion, Subterfuge Example Keywords: subversive, devil’s advocate, cunning, liar, adversity, opposition, betrayal, rivalry Fatebinding Roles: Jinx, Nemesis, Traitor

Adoption Deeds: Ruin someone’s life for the better, aggravate a friend into a change of heart

Though defined by their desire and capacity to break things, Destroyers are far from mindless brutes. For some Destroyers, this is the first step in the process towards rebirth; the flames must first burn and leave behind ash so that new life might rise. For others, it is to challenge the status quo, to see structures and order overturned. That being said, some Destroyers are just that: agents of utter destruction or entropy. Titans (and some Gods) with this Calling might be forces of nature, or the lingering void at the edges of creation. Nothing can stop a Destroyer from sundering what was once whole. Skills: Athletics, Close Combat, Science Example Keywords: destruction, entropy, threatening, sharp, crush, demolish, unmake Fatebinding Roles: Canary, Nemesis, Rival Example Titans: Citlali, Surtr Failure Deeds: Fail to destroy something priceless, refuse a chance to unmake something, assist another in creating a new structure or institution, allow yourself or someone to stagnate Adoption Deeds: Break something invaluable, perform an epic show of force, demolish something belonging to an enemy until there is no trace left

MONSTER Myths and legends drip with terrible creatures who swallow the sun, who chew at the roots of the World Tree, or who eat the flesh of humans. These creatures are Monsters; inhuman and grotesque of body, possessed of terrible might. Monsters are beasts of fear and hunger. They prey upon weak and gnaw at the fabric of reality. Some Monsters can learn to rearrange their forms, wearing pleasing disguises or bursting into a towering, horrific shape. Wherever a Monster lurks, tales of their fearsome presence spread like wildfire. Skills: Athletics, Medicine, Survival Example Keywords: shapeshifter, fearsome, bloody, hunger, deceiver, murderer Fatebinding Roles: Nemesis, Rival, Traitor Example Titans: Echidna, Rangda

Example Titans: Ifset, The White Eyebrow

titan callings

13

Failure Deeds: Refuse to take advantage of an enemy’s fear, fail to reveal your true nature when doing so would cause panic and terror, spare a terrified foe

Adoption Deeds: Allow something to return to its natural state, advance the cycle of something’s growth or decay, contribute to the damaging effects of a natural disaster

Adoption Deeds: Terrify an enemy into a change of heart, devour the flesh of your defeated foe, reveal your true face to someone you know fears you

TYRANT

PRIMEVAL Things of untamed primal power, Primeval Calling Titans are literal fixtures of the World. A Primeval is the depths of the ocean, the unforgiving disc of the sun, or the rage of a volcano. They are the land itself, implacable and austere. These are the most likely to have no shred of humanity, for they are too vast to ever understand something as small as the human mind. Whatever the Primeval represents, they embody it entirely. Skills: Academics, Occult, Survival

Skills: Empathy, Leadership, Persuasion Example Keywords: stern, unforgiving, absolute, selfish

Example Keywords: primordial, vast, infinite, elemental, conceptual, depths, universal Fatebinding Roles: Balm, Nemesis, Worshipper Example Titans: Cernunnos, Fūjin Failure Deeds: Allow a great source of natural energy to be harnessed by artifice or mortal forces, allow mundane or human concerns to guide your use of elemental forces, fail to stop the destruction of a font of natural power or place of primal majesty

14

While Leaders represent those in power who care for and guide their people, Tyrants crave power for themselves. A Tyrant desires unquestioning servants, sycophants, and yes-men. They cannot abide criticism and spare little thought for those they’ve stepped on so long as they rise to the top. A Tyrant’s word is absolute, inviolable. Their edicts must be obeyed, on pain of punishment. Titans with the Tyrant Calling think only of themselves and their own selfish gain. While a Tyrant may make fair-weather friends, their selfishness quickly drives them from others’ good graces.

Fatebinding Roles: Apprentice, Rival, Worshipper Example Titans: Aten, Cronus Failure Deeds: Treat your lessers with compassion, compromise your goals for someone else, allow one of your edicts to be broken Adoption Deeds: Coerce an enemy of equal power into your service, intimidate a large group into obeying you, seize vast political power unjustly

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

TITANS OF THE ÆSIR R

eviled and rejected, the Titans of the Æsir created the land, the sea, the sky which the Æsir later stole from them. Oftentimes, the boundary between Titan and God rests on a question of favor, intermarriage, or which version of an Edda someone consults; the ties between Titan and God are old, convoluted, and sometimes look an awful lot more like a network of scars. Some take their drive from a desire to once more ascend to prominence, some simply attempt to move on, and some live only to destroy what was stolen from them; they’d rather burn themselves to ash than leave the Æsir one plank of wood on which to stand.

J RD Aliases: Earth Mother, Births-Lightning The most beautiful of the Æsir Titans, Jörð’s birth came from tragedy: Her father’s brutal murder at the hands of three Asgardians gave rise to her sturdy body. She crafted herself from Ymir’s belly, making his rib bones into her thighs, smoothing his skin over her own muscles and bones. Nearly complete, she traveled the land looking for a material from which to craft her hair. She discovered the site of Ymir’s scattered teeth; in a moment of inspiration, she used them to create the small and sturdy dwarves. The dwarves gasped with wonder when they beheld Jörð and the two hearts beating in her chest. She promised them a seat at her table for eternity, and in turn, they crafted her hair of copper as a gift of fealty. She braided a lock of this fine hair into a circlet, which the dwarves keep in their deepest hall as a symbol of their allegiance to the Earth Mother. Odin claims the dwarves live in the earth because they spawned from maggots which fed on Ymir’s corpse; only Jörð and the dwarves know the truth. The foolish might assume that because Jörð is an Earth Mother, she’s warm and loving. Dispassionate and focused on the good of the many to the exclusion of the few, Jörð has watched far too many species driven to extinction by the predations of Gods and men to care much for the fate of individuals — even her Scions. Unlike her father, she cannot summon

life from nothing but instead transmutes living or once-living things into her own creatures. Her first child rose to assume Ymir’s Mantle, but the last child to whom she gave birth broke her heart. Jörð tried to love Odin for a while, briefly making the attempt to forgive him for his actions against her father. However, just as he was terrible and unjust to Ymir, he dealt terribly with her and left her to labor through the birth of their son in solitude and fear. Copper-haired Thor claims he’s the son of fair-haired Sif and dark-haired Odin. His true mother brushes her red hair and misses her son, but her heart has become bitter from the betrayal of both father and son. Callings: Guardian, Lover, Primeval Purviews: Beauty, Earth, Epic Stamina, Fertility, Passion (Love)

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA The most focused and effective of all the Æsir, Jörð has little use for the scattered brains of Ymir or the reckless destruction of Nidhoggr. She’s started looking outside her pantheon for companionship in recent years, utterly bored by the pointless and repetitive behavior of the rest of the Æsir. She can’t see past her own smothering and repetitive behavior to realize that — sadly — she’s just as bad as the rest of them ( just a little better organized).

OTHER PANTHEONS Jörð views the Æsir’s God counterparts with the undisguised disdain of a jilted lover and abandoned mother. The view that Rangda, the Witch-Queen of Bali, takes toward the modern world — and how actively she fights corrupting influences through modern means — intrigues Jörð, who often considers taking a trip to try to win the Witch-Queen to her side. The effectiveness of the Witch-Queen in creating change in the modern world gives Jörð a great deal of hope.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Jörð sends her Scions on missions to preserve the endangered creatures of the world at any cost, even their own

Titans of the Æsir

15

lives. The needs of the planet must outweigh a few puny mortal lives, especially when the planet itself is Jörð’s body. Never again will Jörð birth a child in any Incarnation, but she walks the world in search of children upon whom she can bestow the love that Thor rejected — her especial love lavished on those red-headed Scions she chooses and creates, gifting them with more potent relics and more intelligent Guides. However, she expects more from those children, sending them into dangerous battles and entrusting them with deadly intrigues. Perhaps she would lay down and rest if her last-born son would return home, but since Asgard fetes Thor as the beloved son of Odin and Sif, it’s unlikely that will ever come to pass.

NIDHOGGR Aliases: Corpse-Chewer, The Pretender, Delights-In-Chaos The base of Yggdrasil either contains Nidhoggr or brings him his food, depending on who you ask. Either way, the Titanic serpent curls around the base of the World Tree, gnawing at the support of everything-that-is. When he snaps his way through a tap root, earthquakes shake the ground above. The corpses of the disgraced tumble down to his lair, and the giant serpent cracks the bones of adulterers, liars, and cheats for their delicious marrow, scattering the calciferous fragments around the roots. Of all the Æsir Titans, Nidhoggr pays the least attention to the Gods themselves, His adversary is Níðhöggr, the dragon who claims that he’s the original of the pair, and Nidhoggr a cheap copy. Just look at those umlauts and accents in his name, written properly as the Sagas demand! Of course,

16

Nidhoggr and his Scions maintain that’s just because the old dragon can’t move with the times, and that’s why their people lag so far behind, drained of their relevance and power. Nidhoggr wants only to gnaw Yggdrasil down, bite through the last tap root and watch it all fall. Destroying the World will also destroy his counterpart. To Nidhoggr, this is just a lovely fringe benefit. Nidhoggr’s Scions — some adopted, some born, some chosen — are among the most feared of any Titan’s children. Much like their divine parent, Nidhoggr’s Scions love to destroy; they undertake elaborate operations to bring institutions, buildings, and even governments tumbling to the ground. Whenever they get even the slightest opportunity, they target the offspring of Níðhöggr, attempting to eradicate the children of their divine father’s nemesis. Mind, their father never seems to notice anything that they do, but they fight for his scant attention nevertheless. Those few who choose not to scrap for Dad’s attention find themselves taken in by other Titans or even Gods as foster children, often to the eventual dismay of those parents. The urge to destroy runs in the blood of these Scions, and fighting that urge becomes progressively more difficult the more powerful the Scion becomes. Callings: Destroyer, Monster, Primeval Purviews: Beasts (Reptiles), Chaos, Darkness, Death, Fortune, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA To the extent that Nidhoggr cares about anything other than destruction, he begrudgingly cares about the rest of the

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Æsir Titans. He really only cares about them inasmuch as they allow him to fulfill his desires to light the World on fire. Surtr may intend his sword for flames that renew, but that doesn’t mean Nidhoggr has to allow those flames to go out, or the renewal to occur. He has no use for the rest of the Æsir — save to occasionally pull his ass out of the fires he creates.

OTHER PANTHEONS Nidhoggr absolutely hates the Gods, though he pities his fellow dragons, most of whom suffered at the hands of Odin and his children. The Tuatha Dé Domnann make strange bedfellows as distant cousins regarded with a mixture of trepidation and hope. Perhaps the two will join forces and overthrow those who discarded them like so many gnawed bones after a longhouse feast.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Nidhoggr delights in destruction. Anything that causes confusion and chaos captivates the old serpent, especially if those same events annoy his draconic doppelganger. Nidhoggr takes only brief sojourns away from the World Tree in order to Incarnate and create the next generation of Scions; he barely pays any attention to his children after their initial Visitation, sending snakes and dreams to urge his Scions on to even greater acts of destruction. Make no mistake, they do not destroy to construct anything in its place. His children lead revolutions without any intention of rebuilding from the ashes; they constructed guillotines and watched The Reign of Terror with unfettered glee, never intending to help build a democracy after the heads got cleared away. Scions of Nidhoggr just want to watch the world burn.

SURTR Aliases: Freyr’s Bane, Who by Fire Unlike some Æsir Titans — not saying Nidhoggr, but definitely Nidhoggr — Surtr destroys for the delight of creating what comes after. He scrapes his fiery sword across the earth, lighting forest fires that encourage new growth, replacing old trees full of rot and worms. Surtr’s blade cuts down dried grass and overblown leaders both, clearing the way for the next generation. Even Ragnarok — the fabled end of the World in which Surtr’s prophesied fight with Freyr will ultimately destroy them both — leads to the rise of a new, sweet, and green Earth. Destruction brutally clears the way, and Surtr’s sword scythes across the ground to that end and to that end alone. Of the Æsir Titans, he is alone in his drive for regrowth and rebirth. Surtr’s sword, crafted by a Jötunn for him to carry from the south on the day of Ragnarok, contains the souls of every God, dwarf, elf and Titan that the Æsir slew in their battle for prominence. Every Jötunn Thor crushed with a hammer blow, every elf poisoned by Loki, every giant cheated and then beheaded by the Gods in their cleverness: The Jötunn Gerðr gathered them into her mouth. Then she bound together branches of ash and oak, twined them together with ivy vines, and breathed the souls out in a single, purified

burst of flame. The sword’s core transformed from wood into hammered iron, and the flame caught on tendrils of ivy, scorching away the leaves and burning to this day. Surtr had more sympathy for the burned leaves than for the lives destroyed by his work. He does, however, regard his sword as the holiest of all items, filled as it is with the souls of the slain. Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant Purviews: Death, Fertility, Fire, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Surtr cleaves to his duty above all things, and he doesn’t really understand the rest of the Æsir. Spurned love drives the rest of the Æsir Titans more than anything else: Their broken hearts lead them through follies. Surtr loves what he does and that motivates him more than anything else.

OTHER PANTHEONS Like most of the Æsir, Surtr is willing to form tenuous alliances with the Tuatha Dé Domnann. The rest he could take or leave, preferring to act alone. Surtr does not trust anyone else to uphold his particular ideals of destruction and rebirth.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Surtr spends all his time fomenting dissent and revolution, along with causing natural disasters. He delights in burning away old-growth forests and watching centuries-old dynasties fall. He destroys for the purpose of new creation. Surtr rarely creates Scions anymore. A few born Titans may still exist, descended from the Scions he created centuries ago, but after a perfunctory Visitation, he has little to do with those children, and their destructive great-grandfather generally leaves them alone. Most of them end up fostered to other Titans in the Æsir, but some may get snagged by the hungry Tuatha Dé Domnann, always eager for new fosters. Those Scions Visited by Surtr and then left alone thereafter invariably become problems for the people and cities around them; without guidance to temper their destructive urges into something which creates, Scions of Surtr might as well be Nidhoggr’s vicious children. Surtr reaches out around the World, encouraging the metaphorical flames of revolution as well as the literal flames consuming homes during wildfire season. Surtr’s Scions — those few who find one another — tell tales of his fiery home in Múspell. They believe that if they can find that realm, they will convince their father that they belong at his side. When Ragnarok comes, the children of Múspell will lead the final charge against the children of Asgard.

YMIR Aliases: The First Father, Venom-Born, Who in Solitude Before the time of humanity, Ymir made himself from nothing. By some stories, he was born from the venom that filled the first river. Bored of living alone in Ginnungagap, that grassless void, Ymir birthed the Jötunn from his own body, a grotesque parthenogenesis where he drew the first

Titans of the Æsir

17

Jötunn man from one armpit and the first Jötunn woman from the other. The first cow, Auðumbla, fed him and his children, and remains sacred to jötunar to this day. Cows are often used as messengers Ymir’s Scions. When Odin, Vili and Ve came to the home of Ymir, he showed them ultimate hospitality, offering them the first and creamiest portions of Auðumbla’s milk and sharing with them the secret wisdom of making cheese so that they might have food through the winter. In typical Asgardian fashion, Odin, Vili and Ve repaid Ymir for his kind hospitality by killing him: They smashed his skull open and tossed his brains into the air where the gobbets of cerebrum hung as clouds, braided his hair together and grew the braids as trees, sliced his veins to make the oceans from his blood, and laid his body down to dance upon and create Midgaard. His hipbones formed mountains, his thighbones rolled into long, low hills. His beating heart did not slow, however, and when the brothers left, Jörð birthed herself from his belly, midwifing herself into being as the Earth. She kissed her father’s heart and came to know from this the full story of his hospitality betrayed. With her tears falling upon Ymir’s heart, she took his Mantle onto herself. She split open her breast with her sharp fingernails and placed her father’s heart in her chest, carrying both hearts beating in synchrony. Whiile Jörð was busy giving birth to herself and discovering their treachery, the Asgardians created men. Once she had finished mourning her father’s betrayal, BirthsLightning lay in a field with one of those men, for she wished to have a child. When her firstborn Scion grew to maturity and majesty, the Earth-Mother told her the tale. Her daughter begged Jörð to grant her the honor of carrying on her grandfather’s legacy. With that legacy came the solemn obligation to seek revenge against the Asgardians for their breaches of hospitality. Jörð wept in gratitude, then opened her breast once more and placed Ymir’s heart into her daughter’s breast. Her daughter became her son, and Ymir stood astride the World once more. He alone of all the Æsir possesses the ability to create beings from earth and soil, from his sweat and tears. Even Jörð can only transmute such life as already exists — though she can resurrect those the Asgardians have unjustly slain. Callings: Leader, Liminal, Primeval Purviews: Beasts (Cows), Death, Earth, Fertility, Fortune, Order, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Demonized by their own children, the Æsir Titans live divine lives filled with bitterness and anger, driven by the sort of fury which rises from love twisted into something unrecognizable. When the love of a parent gets spurned so deeply — indeed to the point of brutal murder — that love, with nowhere to go, turns into a fiery anger which burns as brightly as Surtr’s sword and poisons the hearts of the Titans as thoroughly as the bitter rivers from which Ymir birthed himself. As he views the rest of the Æsir Titans as his children along with his Scions, he attempts to micromanage everyone’s plans, usually to their detriment.

18

OTHER PANTHEONS The new Ymir inherited all the Mantles of the previous, so despite his desire to avenge his grandfather-self, he has also inherited his grandfather’s literal scatterbrainedness (it’s a rough life when your mind is literally in the clouds). He can rarely keep his thoughts together long enough to form opinions on any of the other pantheons: When his thoughts get lined up enough for him to maintain a train of thought, revenge dominates them.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Ymir plots and plans to take Asgard for himself, but since his brain wisps across the sky, pieces scattered in the stratosphere, he rarely manages to put together a coherent plan for exactly how to accomplish that. At the very least, he prefers Scions that arise from his line to spend their time distracting, dissuading, and dismantling any organizations which might benefit the Asgardians. He especially dislikes the virulent strains of nationalism which have plastered Odin’s name all over them — and when you get a Titan to say, “You’re giving us a bad name,” that’s really something. Ymir rarely Incarnates, preferring instead to shepherd generation upon generation of Scions through Guides and dreams. His Scions seek his counsel by ascending high mountains until they stand among the clouds, whispering their needs into the brain of their father as those scattered bits of intellect drift inside the dome of the sky crafted cruelly by Odin. Ymir prefers all things under his purview to follow his precise directives, but he doesn’t make it easy on his Scions: The fact that he sometimes sends messages via the pattern of marbling in a cut of beef or the bubbles in a bottle of cream can make it difficult to please him, as it’s easy to misinterpret those arcane missives.

BIRTHRIGHTS Scions of the Æsir may have access to any of these Birthrights.

CREATURES Cows: Sacred to Ymir, the oldest Titan often uses these animals to send messages to his followers, and some of his Scions become dairy farmers in order to more readily obtain messages from him and Jörð. It’s not easy when the messages just as easily come from the splash of blood across the slaughterhouse floor as from the cud-chewing mouth of the animal itself. Hrafn: What, you thought Odin started that trend? Please. All the Æsir Titans use the dark-winged birds as messengers, and many of their Scions have these birds as companions, all the better to infiltrate Asgardian bands. Who’s going to question whether someone’s a true Son of Odin if he shows up with a pair of ravens on his shoulders, after all?

FOLLOWERS Dvergar: Not just Jörð’s favored messengers, the dwarves live in the depths of the earth and in fortified compounds in the wilderness or heavily armored townhouses

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

in metropolitan areas. The Scion who convinces dwarves to favor her will always have the very best arms and armor. Revolutionaries & Reactionaries: Nidhoggr’s children especially love to gather the impassioned to their side for the purposes of destroying just about anything. It doesn’t matter to them so much what the Molotov cocktail’s being thrown at so long as someone’s throwing them at all.

GUIDES Dvergar: The dwarves keep their compact with Jörð, treating her Scions as their siblings. Sometimes, rather than her own Visitation for Scions she chooses from among mortal humans, she sends a dwarf bearing her symbol instead. Ratatoskr: When not annoying Nidhoggr, the squirrel of the World Tree often delivers messages for the other Titans, carrying news with a side of malicious gossip. A titanspawn who spreads lies as easily as truths but moves speedily, so when no other messenger will do, the squirrel must be called upon.

RELICS Brains in a Bottle: A bit of a cloud captured in a specially prepared flask; this relic permits seven words of direct

communication with the Titan Ymir. The Scion may speak those seven words and receive a single response in return of seven words or less. The Titan may choose not to answer, but as these flasks are quite difficult to prepare and may only be used once, he usually rewards the user with a response. Using this item in combat requires an Action. Jörð’s Bracelets: Possessing one of these copper bracelets, woven out of the Titan’s dwarf-created hair, permits the wearer to draw strength from the earth whenever in direct contact with natural soil or rock. The exceptionally favored Scion who comes to possess a pair may use them to merge with the earth entirely, sinking into her mother’s breast for protection and succor. Nighoggr’s Tooth: A large tooth intricately carved into a highly decorated dagger, this weapon’s point can pierce any armor, and its porous surface makes a perfect vehicle for delivering poison into the wounds it creates. Ymir’s Skull Fragment: No larger than a thumbnail, this small piece of highly polished skull bone, when held up to the eye, allows the owner of this relic to view any location as if viewed from the sky. It does not permit the owner to see through any obstructions such as trees or roofs.

Titans of the Æsir

19

TITANS OF THE DEVÁ T

he Devá’s origin story consciously distinguishes between God and Titan, Devá and asura. The Devá’s sacred texts and their own memories hold that in the beginning, Gods and Titans belonged to the same category: all were asuras. Through self-identification with positive forces, the Devá set themselves apart. They were still a kind of asura, but that kind of asura was “Devá,” and that was important. Being a Devá isn’t just a matter of essence, it’s also a matter of choice and self-determination. You better show them you made the same choice unless you want sacred beef. This attitude, that individual powers must choose to be Gods rather than Titans, accords well with the views of the Shén, Teōtl, and Palas. The Theoi have different ideas about the definition of “God” and “Titan,” but they support the Titanomachy ardently enough that the Devá forgive their philosophical differences. They have no patience for the Òrìshà and Loa’s rejection of the category “Titan,” although all that confederation’s principals match the Devá’s definition of Gods. The Devá find the Atua, who gleefully identify as both Gods and Titans, deeply frustrating; they lean hard on the Apu to keep them in check. But the older, Vedic generation, including Indra, Varuna, Vayu, and Agni, have an easier time forgiving such transgressions, especially given the Atua’s compelling party line of “let’s fix the planet first so we have someplace left to fight each other.” Most controversially, many aggressive Devá are prone to accusing entire pantheons of Titanism. They frequently target the Yazatas and Æsir; the Devá’s antipathy with the Yazatas dates to the earliest conflicts between the Iranian and South Asian regions and the differences in religious practice there. The Æsir (and, for that matter, the Tuatha Dé Danann) often incur the Devá’s anger when they harbor and forgive unrepentant Jötunns or Fomorians. Yes, the Devá do this too — see Durga’s attitude towards Rangda, for instance, but they maintain that unlike Loki, asuras like Banasura have bent the knee and pose no threat. The Shén’s attitude that loyal service and hard work can rehabilitate Titans sometimes pleases, sometimes

20

discomfits the Devá, but the Devá and Shén have collaborated for so long that they can’t back out even when they do quibble over what to do with captured demons. The Palas also allow both Gods and Titans into their ranks, but they’re at least consistent, so the Devá give them a pass. The Devá’s detractors complain that every kind of behavior the Devá complain about in others, they themselves have done at some point. The Devá have no end of excuses for this situation.

BANASURA, THE THOUSAND–ARMED KING Aliases: Bana Listen carefully to the story of the cruel demon Banasura. Renowned equally for his thousand violent arms and wretched temper as for his penitence and vulnerability, Bana was Bali’s son. Bali also won fame for his transgressions, his devotion to the Trimurti, and his penance. Bana took after his father, engaged in punishing austerities until Shiva granted him a boon: to become Shiva’s own son, younger brother of Karttikeya himself. Devoted as he was, Bana’s arrogance and cruelty grew as he ruled over the City of Blood in modern-day Assam. It wasn’t until he quarreled with his daughter, Usha, that he clashed with the Devá. When his demonic armies caught Usha trying to elope, Bana first sent those armies to kill the man he assumed had misled his daughter. When they returned defeated, Bana went himself. Unable to defeat him by force of arms, he cast illusory spells to draw him from concealment, ensnaring him with serpent-headed arrows. An advisor identified the young man in question as Lord Krishna’s grandson, Aniruddha. Shortly after, Krishna attacked. Shiva appeared to defend Bana, but then retreated. Krishna ended up chopping off all but two of Bana’s arms. Bana apologized to his daughter and Krishna and has behaved well (at least by the Devá’s standards) ever since.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Even without 998 of his arms, Banasura is still a deadly enemy. An adept chariot-warrior with spear, mace, trident, sword, shield, and bow, he enjoys Shiva’s blessing and Karttikeya’s friendship. He has some sorcerous aptitude, specializing in illusion and invisibility spells. He also rules a city-state full of armed, aggressive demons.

on human blood. Once human, they transformed into undead beings through forbidden magic. Several species, or names for the same species, exist throughout Southeast Asia such as the Filipinx manananggal, Malaysian penanggalan, Thai krasue, Laotian kasu, Cambodian ahp, and Indonesian leyak.

Like King Ravana, Banasura originally ascended to power through religious devotion to Shiva and Shiva’s family; his fall was the cause of both his own arrogance and the Devá’s violent punishment. The Devá have essentially conquered and subjected Banasura. They cut off most of his arms and beat him down until he was too scared and tired to do anything but capitulate, otherwise he’d still be causing trouble. It’s might made right. Yes, he’s learned an important lesson about respecting his daughter’s romantic autonomy, but he has more so learned to fear the one who’s strongest.

An ancient witch called Rangda rules Bali’s leyaks. She demands utter respect, fear, and subservience from those she meets, repaying any slight a hundredfold with awful curses, shredding claws, and snapping fangs.

Callings: Adversary, Guardian, Tyrant Purviews: Deception, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Order

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA As the Titanomachy flares up, Banasura’s might is no longer consigned to the past. New leaders like Rangda and Saita campaign aggressively for new allies; Banasura has always hungered for others’ validation. Right now, he’s technically an ally of the Devá, particularly devoted to Shiva, but he remembers Shiva abandoning him the moment Krishna showed up and started shooting. He’s not sure how this went down.

OTHER PANTHEONS Banasura doesn’t know it, but the Devá have isolated him politically from most other pantheons. Only the Palas have been able to bypass their blockade; Bana professes interest in Buddhism, but he’s lonely.

CURRENT PRIORITIES An adherent of the Titans could vastly expand their power base in northern India by getting Banasura on their side. They might not even have to convince him to fight against the Devá; declaring his neutrality would be a huge public blow to the Devá’s power, which they could only answer through a show of force, or actually making concessions to him that he might like.

RANGDA, THE WITCH–QUEEN OF BALI Aliases: Calon Mahendradatta

Arang,

(controversially)

Queen

Bali, an island province of Indonesia, boasts more Hindus per capita than even Nepal or India. However, Balinese Hinduism diverges from the rest of the World’s, influenced by local religious tradition as well as Buddhism. Many Southeast Asian threats don’t exist elsewhere — for example, vampiric creatures capable of separating some body parts from others and flying around at night preying

Rangda’s origins are tied to two humans. One was Queen Mahendradatta (961-1011 CE), a Javanese princess who became Bali’s queen regnant. When her husband Udayana Warmadewa grew jealous of her political acumen and power, he exiled her for witchcraft, fouling the reputation of Mahendradatta’s matron Devá, Durga. Did Mahendradatta actually know evil magic before the exile? Did she learn it afterward out of spite? Did she consume another Titan’s power to earn the title “Witch-Queen?” Either way, she retaliated, causing a wave of monster attacks and epidemics that devastated Bali. After she died, she reincarnated in her son Airlangga’s time as Calon Arang, the evil witch who drew power from a magic scroll. Again, she visited curses and plagues upon the countryside. She would not be appeased until King Airlangga sent someone to marry Calon Arang’s daughter Ratna — but even this was a ploy to steal Calon Arang’s magic scroll and defeat her again. Unsurprisingly, her third reincarnation was the strongest. Finally done with humankind and their contemptible dread of the feminine power she and Durga represented, she manifested her final, demonic form: leyak queen Rangda. Rangda’s malevolent magic equals or exceeds any Southeast Asian witch’s or wizard’s. She’s flexible, anything bad for people — disease, drought, famine, natural disasters — is her specialty and her joy in life. Like other leyaks, she has fangs and claws, and can detach her head and entrails to flap around and attack people, biting them and ensnaring them with her tongue or entrails as if they are an octopus’s tentacles. However, her most dangerous ability is her command of other leyaks. At night, they flutter out across Bali to attack innocent people, though their much-vaunted taste for pregnant women is probably an exaggeration. Callings: Guardian, Judge, Monster Purviews: Death, Fertility, Health, Passion (Spite)

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Rangda is one of the South-Southeast Asian sphere’s two major monstrous political leaders, and threats to Devá sovereignty. The Devá have the numbers and firepower to overwhelm Rangda and her leyaks in direct combat, but it’s not that simple. She’s a fixture of Balinese religious life and a symbol of defiance against the patriarchy.

OTHER PANTHEONS Frustratingly, Rangda has the backing of the Devá’s hardest hitter: Durga. Rangda is a devoted Shaktist in general and follower of Durga in particular. She makes regular

Titans of the Devás

21

prayers, obeisances, and sacrifices to Durga. Rangda has also committed no atrocities in the last several centuries that can be confirmed, although leyak attacks and disasters which could possibly be traced back to a black magician have definitely occurred. Proving Rangda was behind such an attack could weaken the bond between her and Durga. Durga and Rangda share suspicion toward the pressures which precipitated conflict between Rangda and Bali’s historical governments. As a Javanese princess and then as a powerful witch, she was a human woman of staggering power who demanded the respect due to her position, enforcing her demands with threats of violent retribution — the standard means of enforcing one’s demands at the time. The problem was, her flavor of violence was gendered, and the backlash against her targeted both the nature of her feminine power, and her devotion to Durga, a Goddess explicitly associated with Shakti — now maligned as a villain. Rangda’s greatest enemy is no Devá. It is Barong, the lion- and dog-like protector spirit who is the chief of all

22

good Balinese spirits. Even Vishnu, Indra, and Karttikeya acknowledge his sovereignty when they venture into Bali. Whenever the more belligerent Devá start to wonder why no one has blasted Rangda off the map yet, Barong stops them. First of all, Rangda is his responsibility. Second, although they don’t admit it, Barong and Rangda need each other. Each balances the other, keeping them relevant.

CURRENT PRIORITIES For all her past villainy, Rangda’s present-day activities are anything but malevolent. She promotes the Shaktist religion and the worship of Durga, who often has a bad reputation in southeast Asia. With younger, more internet-savvy leyaks’ help, Rangda has learned to use social media and unironically embraced fourth-wave feminism, although like many well-meaning older relatives, she often forgets to vet the sources of the things she reposts. The jury is still out as to whether inflicting supernatural plagues on right-wing militias is really a productive solution to one’s problems.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Rangda lacks Saita’s aspirations to empire. She’s content to stay in Bali and cast her influence over Southeast Asia. She’s no conqueror; she’s about defense, not offense. She also lacks Saita’s youthful charisma as well as the monster-pride ideology which Saita’s Lankā runs on, and she has an automatic check on her powers in the form of the formidable Barong, who always overcomes her when the two face off. Nevertheless, she has one troublesome close confidante within the Devá and centuries of experience in being an evil queen of magic.

SAITA, THE UNTOLD STORY Aliases: None This story concerns itself with a great tale you have heard before, called the Ramayana, famed throughout the Hindu world, which you have listened to with faith. There are many Ramayanas, and who can say which is the truth? For among them there is one which threw the World into upheaval and enraged the Devá themselves. We will not relate it in its entirety, but instead say the difference between this one and that which

you have heard before: Ravana, the Demon King of Lankā, did not kidnap Queen Sita. He rescued her from a marriage in which she was unhappy, which she could not escape — except by pretending the departure was no fault of her own. A second story, a corollary to this one, is even less conscionable to those who love righteousness, profit, and pleasure, or those who exalt fidelity as the queen of virtues: Ravana and Sita were in love, and their true love birthed a child. When she was born, during the Battle of Lankā, she could not be safe amidst the chaos and blast of astras. So Ravana and Sita wrote down all the knowledge in their 11 heads on the inside a jar. They sealed the infant within and hid it aboard their mothership Flowery Vimana. Only in 2011, when the fortress reawakened, did it eject the jar to land on Lankā’s shores. Through networking, backstabbing, disguise, misdirection, and stratagem, the woman who emerged grew in power, gained allies, and dethroned powerful crime bosses and strongmen on the island. She gained attention on the world stage when she seized control of Ravana’s rebuilt castle, declared herself his heir, and told the World her scandalous story of tragedy and love. Saita is a rakshasi like her alleged father. She is formidable in battle, with multiple heads, fanged maws, many arms, claws dripping with venom, and kalaripayattu training she learned from her stasis jar. However, she much prefers to wield intrigue and deception. She can magically transform her appearance and voice to mimic others. Unlike many rakshasas who lack the skills to make the most of their disguises, she also has extensive performance training as a kathakali dancer. She can also mind-control others to the point of outright possession, a practice she finds morally unconscionable except in dire situations. She can, however, only subsist on spoiled food and human flesh; if you worry you might be dealing with Saita disguised as someone else, try offering her fresh food. Callings: Adversary, Leader, Monster Purviews: Artistry, Beauty, Deception, Earth, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Order, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Saita is now Lankā’s most powerful monster. The island teems with unruly monsters from around the World, many of whom acknowledge no single leader. Nevertheless, many more flock to Saita’s banner, especially asuras, daityas, rakshasas, yakshas, nagas, trolls, yōkai, ponaturi, and others traditionally labeled “monsters.” In response to the Titanomachy and the Devá’s aggressive labels of “asura” for all their enemies, Saita has constructed a party platform which brings monsters from all around the World together.

OTHER PANTHEONS Saita has had little time to connect with other pantheons. She’s made diplomatic overtures to the Atua, Òrìshà, and Loa, but talks with all those groups stalled out when she found none of them sufficiently excited about monstrous identity. Earlier this year she disguised herself as a made-up Devá and visited Spain, France, and Italy, ostensibly to foster contacts among European deities, but actually because she

Titans of the Devás

23

needed a vacation and wanted to go on wine and cheese tours. Nevertheless, several Nemetondevos and Theoi are now friends with “Jaya, the Goddess of stratagems, a Devá of no consequence, please don’t mention me to the others.”

CURRENT PRIORITIES The Monstrous Defense Party, or DRP (based on the Hindi initials), encourages beings all around the World who have been maligned as monsters or inhuman to join under a banner of mutual support — and, more controversially, pride. There is some debate within the party as to whether humans who have been demonized or othered because of race, gender, sexuality, or ability should be allowed to join the party. Right now, membership is open to them on a provisional basis with the understanding that the policy may change in the future. That way, they can at least have a few humans on their posters, which helps membership. The party tends towards little faith in capitalism with a socialist approach to economics, although it is not particularly disciplined in its economic ideals. The DRP’s enemies criticize Saita’s party as encouraging monstrous violence. They also accuse her of monstrous nationalism or monstrous supremacy; in response, she reminds her detractors that nationalism from a context of historical disenfranchisement at the hands of other aggressive nationalists should not be equated with white supremacy, Aryan supremacy, or similar movements. In addition, while the DRP disavows Hindu nationalism in scathing terms, monsters who belong to such minority religions as Buddhism, Jainism, Mazdayasna, and Islam have complained that the party uncritically considers Hinduism the norm, and pays too little attention to less common intersections of monstrous identity and religious practice. There is also considerable dissension within the party’s ranks as to the DRP’s advocacy of monstrous separatism in places like Lankā. While the idea of a monster island of their own makes sense in the South Asian context, attracting monsters from other parts of the World will require acknowledging that some monsters (vampires, for instance) need human society to function. DRP recruiters and organizers plastering walls with posters featuring Saita’s image are the most prominent monsters in any given region where the players’ characters might go. They appear where there are lots of South Asian expatriates, but that’s most big cities these days. The battle for the party’s soul is far from over. Saita is popular and charismatic, but she is warlike in mindset and runs her party like an army. That approach won’t last if the DRP actually gains mainstream recognition. It’s growing fast and likely to splinter or to fall under the sway of another politically savvy monster.

BIRTHRIGHTS Daityas, asuras, and other South and Southeast Asian Titans wield many of the same doomsday weapons as the Devá, winning them (frustratingly enough) through the same acts of devotion as the Devá’s Scions. Who has more these days? Who can say? If the Devá’s enemies ever massed their arsenals, could even the Devá keep up?

24

CREATURES The Off-Target Animals: Many South Asian divine missiles transform in midair into magical animals like serpents, raptors, or mongooses. Soldiers who launch astras around tend not to miss. But every now and then, when 10,000 animals fall from the sky, one or two hit no one… and when the battle is over, they scurry off and go on with their lives. In various places throughout Asia where the Devá have done battle, little populations of intelligent but nonspeaking animals with both mundane and astra ancestry have thrived since those battles first happened. Now, as the Titanomachy flares up and the great arms race begins, several desperate factions who want to keep up with the Devá have dispatched hunters and poachers to find these animals, capture them, and bring them to be reverse-engineered (whatever horrific thing that means) into superweapons.

FOLLOWERS Rakshasas: These large, intelligent humanoids have skin of blue, red, or some hue between. They bear a combination of tusks, fangs, and envenomed claws, and sometimes more heads or arms than average humans. Most rakshasas know sorcerous spells of illusion, suggestion, and even possession or mind control, taught via academic or family traditions; they can also alter their size and shape to look like other beings such as humans. They subsist primarily on spoiled meat, though they can also eat human flesh to survive. The feminine form of rakshasa is rakshasi, although rakshasas often have a “shrug-emoji” attitude toward gender given their ability to modify their physical characteristics and presentation as they please; “rakshasx” has begun to catch on in America and Canada. Millions of rakshasas live throughout Asia and the Asian diaspora, often in rural areas where they don’t have to worry about mobs with pitchforks and torches. Some magically disguise themselves to survive in the human World. They can and do fall in love with and reproduce with humans; those children exhibit both human and rakshasa characteristics. Relations between humans and rakshasas, however, are historically strained. Most conflicts have been over territory, with human pastoralists and agrarians pushing into rakshasa hunting grounds, or desperate rakshasas raiding human settlements when game is scarce. Humans have gotten the better of most of these conflicts, which sometimes take on a moral character: “Rakshasas are cannibalistic inhuman demons, so we need to kill them,” or, less often, “Humans are land-hungry forest-burners so we need to scare them off for good.” In addition, cries of “rakshasa” sometimes color human-on-human violence. Human imperialists like to claim rakshasas have infiltrated South Asian indigenous populations, who historically share territory with rakshasas and maintain more civil diplomatic relations with them. The Ramayana details a human perspective on the most significant clash between humans and rakshasas; the rakshasa version of that story blames human expansionism and xenophobia, coupled with Rama’s mistreatment of Sita, instead of their Hero Ravana.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Almost all rakshasas are politically minded; their whole existence is politicized. Gods, Titans, and their Scions who want rakshasa help need to prove they’ll help make the world safer for them. If so, rakshasas make cunning and formidable allies.

GUIDES Shukracharya: One of the legendary Seven Sages, Shukra is a celestial being associated with the planet Venus, who historically serves the asuras and daityas as a teacher and advisor. He also worships Shiva and founded the Velleeswarar Temple in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

RELICS: VIMANAS In mundane parlance, the word “vimana” denotes either the rocket-shaped highest tower in a temple, or a mundane aircraft, and there’s a reason for that. Whereas Devá mostly ride gigantic magical animals to get to work and battle and so forth, the forces arrayed against them often prefer the original vimanas: magical flying machines of diverse sizes and shapes, built for residential, transit, or combat roles. They range in size from the “chariot” class to the “palace” class. The smallest chariot-class vimanas are nimble hover-speeders or fighter craft with room for two demons, the “driver” and the “archer,” though they might seem more like a pilot and a gunner to us. Some asuras who rely on hand weapons prefer chariot-like affairs. Others pilot massive armatures which two demons of like minds operate in tandem, or complex and beautiful iron birds with closed canopies and panoplies of heat-seeking arrows, rotary vajra cannons, sorcerous illusion amplifiers, and the like. “But why don’t the Devá have these?” Well, they kind of do. For what it’s worth, now that the vimana below has been discovered, the Devá, after not really worrying much about vimana technology since they reached the pinnacle of

pantheonic power, are trying to catch up by designing a new, advanced chariot-class vimana which they can mass-produce and distribute to their rathis. It hasn’t gone well. The फ-Panchatrimshat Vajra II has cost the Devá staggering quantities of money, soma, and Vishvakarman’s precious time. Once it’s finished and stops blowing up and nearly killing all the test pilots who haven’t got Epic Stamina, it will be able to take off and land from any airstrip no matter how small, fly under enemy radar, and function in roles from dogfighting to astra attack runs against terrestrial targets. It’s become a byword for any kind of large-scale project that’s really not worth it. Super Space Battle Fortress Flowery Vimana is an example of the largest kind of vimana, a palace-class craft. Kubera, an evil monster king turned Devá of wealth who is also known as Duōwén Tiānwáng andBishamonten, originally built it to take his family and court for pleasure cruises. When Ravana stole Lankā from him, though, he kept the Flowery Vimana. He was midway through tricking it out with traps, weapons, and doomsday devices when the Ramayana happened. Rama jacked it to fly home after the Battle of Lankā, then returned it to Kubera. It remains an important symbol of Kubera’s, appearing in miniature form in his East Asian statues. There’s only one problem, indicated by the shrinking size of the temples in the hand of Kubera’s statues over time: He doesn’t actually have it anymore. Sometime in the last three centuries, someone — Nézhā? Sarutahiko? Loki? — stole it. In 2011, the Curiosity Rover ran into it on Mars. It looked like it had been there a while. But when Curiosity bumped into it, it immediately powered up and launched into Martian orbit (after recharging Curiosity’s batteries, for some reason). It also launched a single escape pod, which splashed down in the ocean beside the island of Lankā.

Titans of the Devás

25

TITANS OF THE KAMI F

tried to move their father’s boulder, only succeeding in hearing the anguished pains of each other.

The Primordial Izanami died giving birth to the fire Kami Kagutsuchi and seven other new Kami. Her husband Izanagi flew into a rage and murdered the newborn fire God while Fūjin looked on in horror. The bloody infanticide began a chain of events that led to the creation of 16 Kami, including Takemikazuchi.

In time, the boulder was replaced with a gate and both of the Primordials bore more children, filling out the ranks of the Kami in Takamagahara and Yomi. Despite their cruel treatment, the Yomi-born Kami sought out their sibling Kami in the Overworld, becoming part of the community, defending it as ferociously as they guarded their own homeland of Yomi. Raijin and Fūjin became two of Kannon’s most loyal guardians, ensuring that the bodhisattva-turned-Kami’s teachings spread throughout Japan. To say nothing of their kamikaze, divine storms, that repeatedly destroyed invading fleets, keeping Japan safe.

or many Japanese, the division between the Kami and their Titans is irrelevant, but the Gods themselves view things in a very different light. The Kami see themselves as the rightful guardians of humanity, having conquered them over 2,000 years ago. The Titans have little reason to trust their siblings, having been betrayed one time too many. Indeed, these Titans were born in an act of betrayal.

After waking up in Yomi, Izanami called out to her husband, beckoning him so that she could be released from the Underworld. Izanagi vowed to recover her and set off. Reunited, the couple was poised to create a new generation of Kami. As Izanami went into labor, she retired to a lightless cave and asked her husband to not look upon her. After swearing not to peek, he created a magical torch and saw what death had done to her body. Covered in rot and maggots, she flew into a rage that Izanagi had broken his word, sending the first of her eight newborns, Raijin and Yomotsu Shikome, after him. He fled, blocking the opening to Yomi with a boulder behind him, leaving his wife and their children to rot in the shadowy caves of the Underworld. The majority of the Kami know nothing of Izanagi’s infanticide or betrayal, having been born after it. Even Ebisu, the eldest, remains ignorant, thanks to his infirmity keeping him bedridden during the bloody events. Fūjin saw everything. From the murder of his baby brother Kagutsuchi to the imprisonment of Raijin, he had a front row seat to the tragedy of the Primordial family. For years, Fūjin and Raijin

26

of Japan.

In time, Takamagahara grew too crowded with Kami and the heavenly Kami set their sights on conquering the Reed Plain, their name for Japan in the World. Some mortals there saw their chance to become powerful and threw their lot in with their would-be conquerors, accepting the Heavenly Kami’s invasion. Other residents of the World rejected the invasion of the Heavenly Kami, chief among them Namazu, the great catfish. Though her tail slapped with the force of thunder, Takemikazuchi eventually pinned her and imprisoned her under the rock formations

Though most Titans hail from Yomi, some, like Fūjin and Kiyo, hail from Takamagahara. Former mortals unwilling to accept the Heavenly Kami’s yoke, like Namazu, also joined. Still others are powerful members of the Yōkai races, like oni and tengu, such as Goki and Zenki.

F JIN Aliases: Futen, Kaze-no-Kami, Shinatsu Hiko Second in seniority only to Ebisu, Fūjin was born before Izanami died in childbirth with Kagutsuchi, leaving

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

him to grow up longing for the day when she would return from Yomi and reunite the Kami. Instead, Izanagi betrayed his wife, sealing her and her Titans in Yomi, a betrayal that forever changed Fūjin’s world. The anguish of seeing his family torn in half set off a transformation that made his flesh rip and tear, reforming as a green giant — the first oni. As much as he longs to see the Kami reunited under a single banner, he can never forget the look on Raijin’s face as their father crashed a boulder between them, forcing them to grow up apart. Since then, Fūjin has had every possible job within the Heavenly Kami. His status as an oni gave him a special bond with magical creatures, allowing him to look after them. He took care of sailors, bequeathing strong winds to those who kept his name on their lips. The more time he spent in a parental role, the worse he felt, knowing that fathers inevitably betray their children. So, when Raijin returned to Takamagahara to guard Kannon, Fūjin leapt at the chance to serve as a simple guard. There, he had no responsibilities other than destroying anyone who would do his new family harm. It didn’t last. Once Kannon’s foes were dead or placated, there was nothing else for Fūjin. He took to defending Japan with his brother, destroying entire fleets of invaders with their kamikaze. Now? Now, there’s nothing left to fight. Fūjin spends his time throwing typhoons at anything that bothers him, and everything bothers him. Fūjin sees the World as only a realist nihilist can; he’d blow it up, but then where would he put his stuff? No, the World has value, if only as his current home. Both Yomi and Takamagahara hold nothing but bitter memories for him. The Reed Plains of the World might not be especially useful to him, but at least it’s better than the other worlds. Besides, Raijin’s here, and any place that has his brother is acceptable. Callings: Destroyer, Fortune, Primeval Purviews: Epic Strength, Passion (Anger), Passion (Familial Ties), Sky

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Fūjin’s place among the Kami is a complicated matter. When he’s in his human form of Shinatsu-Hiko, he’s recognized and respected as one of the eldest Heavenly Kami. Of course, he’s only appeared as Shinatsu-Hiko a handful of a times in the past millennium. Yes, that hand is oni-sized, but you get the point: His human form is a costume, a relic put on for special ceremonies and hung up soon thereafter. He is the first oni: His giant form, green skin, and fangs mark him as inhuman, as a second-class citizen in his homeland. All the Heavenly Kami know that their elder brother belongs among them regardless of what form he takes, but they sure don’t show it. Even as Shinatsu-Hiko, he doesn’t get along with Takemikazuchi; it’s nothing personal, but Fūjin’s first memories of the war God are watching him crawl out of the blood of slain brother Kagutsuchi, then watching their mother die.

As a stranger in his own home, Fūjin abandoned Takamagahara for the World a long time ago, digging his claws deep into its mysticism. The more people work their will on the World, the more he learns. His wind is destructive, but he sees deeper possibilities for his powers, such as opening doors within pantheons. With an unusually large number of Scions and cosmological shifts happening thanks to the Titanomachy, Fūjin knows the time for change is here.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Fūjin isn’t yet sure how to bring about his dream, but seeks to restore his family to happier days, namely by resurrecting his mother Izanami. Of course, not only would this be a metaphysical challenge to pull off, it would undoubtedly throw off the balance of power throughout the World and Takamagahara. It would also involve rewriting or destroying the rules of Yomi, leaving potentially millions of dead free to escape back to the World.

GOKI Aliases: Kōkō The Rear Demon, Goki is everything that her husband Zenki is not. She has to be; brutes with foolish plans don’t try to attack from behind. As one of the two guardians of Enno Gyōja, the founder of the Shugendō religion, she has had to defend her master against a surprisingly wide assortment of threats, from mortals who feared the upstart religion, to Kami who feared that this new blend of Shintō and newer religions would throw Takamagahara into chaos. Of course, it turned out that Enno Gyōja was simply ahead of his time. In the following centuries, syncretism quickly became the norm for Japanese religions, with people blending beliefs together. With time, En found his place as a small Kami, removing the threats against his life, finally allowing Goki and Zenki to settle down in peace. Of course, all the peace in the world doesn’t change the fact that Goki spent 100 years looking out for the next threat. Her eyes scanning for the next Kami who’d take it upon himself to prevent the ascetic monk from establishing his beliefs. Being unarmed, she relied on her quick wits and knowledge of magic to defeat threats. In rare cases, she used her oni strength to crush foes, but such work was better left to her axe-wielding husband. Callings: Guardian, Liminal, Monster Purviews: Health, Journeys, Order, Prosperity

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Goki and Zenki are still together, over 1,000 years after their marriage. Despite this and their service to the people of Japan, they’re given zero respect from the Kami. The combination of their race and religion has made it nearly impossible to speak to any of the Kami, let alone travel to Takamagahara. The Heavenly Kami in particular have made their feelings on the matter clear. Which is why the two oni found a nice mountain to retire to. Together, they founded a village of Scions, which has intermarried enough with humans to have changed into

Titans of the Kami

27

something new. Hundreds of years later, Goki senses the oncoming Titanomachy. She doesn’t know what it is, but she knows that her loved ones are in danger and she’s the only one capable of protecting them. Zenki’s trusty axe is of little use when the threat could come from anywhere. The only way she knows to prevent the Kami and Titans from trampling her family while they tear each other apart is to shatter their minds, something she’s well-equipped to do. All she needs is enough Truth Water to break apart their

28

belief systems, and they’ll drop into a coma until their brains unlearn everything with even a hint of falsity.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Goki has been stalking Kami, Titans, and Scions of all sorts lately. Anything supernatural to venture out in the mountains south of Ōsaka has her full attention. With tourist season approaching, the number of Scions seeking to enjoy the trails and fresh air is rising, as is the number of them being hospitalized for unknown causes.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

the temple bell, as the rest of the monastery burned around them. Then, she whipped the bell with her flaming tail until it melted around her now-very-ex boyfriend. Theoretically, she can transform into anything or anyone she wants to but rarely takes a form other than her beautiful human woman form or her great, green dragon form. Regardless of which form she takes, fire obeys her whim, turning bursts of her rage into deadly infernos. Despite the dangers of a relationship with her, Kiyo has found constant success at romance in the World. Some of her lovers have even died of natural causes. Over the years, her mastery at attracting, keeping, and indoctrinating lovers has grown. These lessons have allowed her to become a minor social media celebrity — minor only because her Scions outshine her, an outcome that Kiyo could not be happier about, so long as they stick up for themselves ruthlessly. Callings: Adversary, Destroyer, Lover Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Fire, Passion (Love)

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA As a dragon, Kiyo isn’t particularly welcome in Heaven or among the Kami, but that has less to do with her monstrous ideas about relationships and more to do with Ryu being uncommon among the rest of the immortals. Of course, love Kami have stronger feelings, with Kisshouten holding her in total contempt, while Ama-no-Uzume thinks Kiyo’s right to stick up for herself and love passionately. Other love Gods are similarly polarized in their opinions. The Kami’s plan to mostly ignore Kiyo and hope she doesn’t get too bad has failed badly. Where most of the Kami have failed to grasp the importance of the internet, she’s focused on it, using the low barriers to worldwide communication to spread her views of love and sexuality. The idea that people are entitled to their partner’s attention has found fertile ground in abusers of all sorts, spreading around the World. Although it would be inaccurate and even harmful to blame Kiyo for the abuse and violence caused by her followers, she’s certainly making matters worse. From J-pop to Nashville country, her claws are everywhere.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Thanks in part to the Ra-Shi-Ku’s omnipresent social media presence, Kiyo has an endless stream of suitors for both her and her children. Though she doesn’t fully comprehend the power of the internet, she understands this new form of magic well enough that her ideas of love and loyalty regularly infect new minds. Her army of teens and 20-somethings may not seem threatening, but they’re collectively responsible for hundreds of murders in the Tokyo area alone.

PRINCESS KIYO Aliases: Kiyohime One of the dragons of Japan, Kiyo is a Titan of love, albeit toxic love. Not that she sees it that way. She’s not above using her powers on mortals to make them fall in love with her, nor does she take break ups well. As far as she’s concerned, her lovers are to place her first, before work, family, friends, children, or enlightenment. Failure to prioritize her results in a grisly death, most famously the complete destruction of the Temple of Dōjōji, where she trapped a recent ex inside

NAMAZU Aliases: Ōnamazu Japan’s most famous prisoner, people throughout the island nation get alerts with her face on them every time she tries to escape, giving them time to take cover seconds before her seismic waves whip through the earth. Two thousand years ago, she was just a large fish in the Pacific, but she

Titans of the Kami

29

had the temerity to stand up for herself when the Heavenly Kami spilled out of their homeland to invade the World. A lengthy battle later, and she was trapped in the very bedrock of Honshū, Japan’s largest island. In the years that followed, she lay trapped beneath a massive stone and resisted the only way she had left: She ate. She ate everything and everyone she could pull into her mouth, growing larger every day until Takemikazuchi’s rock no longer held her in place. It was no use; by growing large enough to cast off the rock, she was now too large to squeeze through the tunnels that the Kami and smaller fish used. Though she was strong enough to rock the entire island with her tail, the cave she was trapped in did not break. Since then, she’s plotted her revenge. She couldn’t change her size to shrink through the tunnels, but she could change shape, growing ovaries so that she could create her own children. It didn’t take long for her eggs to spread throughout the sea. Most grew into monstrous sea creatures, although some washed up on the shore as confused human infants. Given the nature of many Japanese Heroes, such as Momotarō who emerged from a peach, few suspected that her Scions were anything more than gifts from the Gods. Though she remains trapped beneath Honshū, she is far from powerless. Each day, she creates more titanspawn and Scions. The more offspring, the more agents she has loose upon the World. Some feel called to destroy their mother’s prison, although most of them have enough humanity to realize that they should ensure Japan doesn’t slide into the ocean during the jailbreak. Almost as many feel her rage at Takemikazuchi, seeking vengeance. Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Monster Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals), Earth (Quakes), Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Water

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Prior to her current incarceration, Namazu had a brief run in with the Greek Titan Typhon, a perpetually furious serpent-man. His mate, Echidna — famous mother of most so-called Mediterranean “monsters,” showed Namazu better hospitality. Now, the great carp and the she-viper are the best of friends, swapping parenting stories of their improbably large broods. It hasn’t helped Namazu escape, but it has made the centuries of captivity more bearable. If Namazu ever gets free, these two monster moms will be able to combine their forces. Naturally, Namazu doesn’t have a particularly good relationship with most of the Kami, having been identified as a threat and locked away permanently. Despite the disrespectful belief, more than a few Kami see Namazu’s earthquakes as proof that she’s a violent threat, as if she could avoid bumping into the walls of her cell. Making her prospects for allies bleaker, she’s never been allowed out, nor allowed to state her case: That she’s served her time and deserves to be set free instead of indefinitely detained. Instead, she plies at her goal of breaking free. Of course, that’s been her number one goal for almost two millennia,

30

so she had given up by the time her Scions found her. She was shocked at the existence of mini submarines but deeply grateful that her children had not forgotten about her. After her Scions’ first expedition, she redoubled her effort, spawning children of all sorts as quickly as possible.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Thanks to the internet and the increasingly interconnected World, Namazu’s incarceration may be over. Now, mini-sub owners and seismologists are just a video chat away and groups of her Scions can coordinate on projects, such as programming a fleet of submersible robots, acquiring a staggering amount of mining explosives, or commandeering a research vessel. Whether or not the seismic equipment onboard will be good enough to free the Great Catfish without throwing Honshū into the Pacific is anyone’s guess.

RAIJIN Aliases: Raiden, Ikazuchi, Kaminari-Sama, Narukami, Raikō The oldest of the Yomi-born Kami, Raijin witnessed Izanagi’s betrayal first-hand, leaving it to him to tell the rest of them that they were cut off from the rest of their family. Fūjin was their only contact with the outside world, his body grown monstrous with rage over their father’s misdeeds. Together, Fūjin and Raijin strained daily for years to rescue the trapped Kami. His howling winds and Raijin’s booming thunderbolts blasted the boulder but did nothing to dislodge it. Each failed rescue attempt flooded Raijin with such rage that his body soon matched his older brother’s. By the time the Buddhist Kami merged their afterlives with Yomi, creating new entrances and exits, Raijin was ready to do nearly anything to be accepted by his siblings in Takamagahara. To that end, he signed up as one of Kannon’s 28 guardians, ensuring that the bodhisattva would remain alive to pass on his wisdom. Able to finally reach to the skies to throw his lightning bolts, Raijin’s powers grew, surrounding him with massive drums that thundered day and night. In time, Kannon also betrayed Raijin, ordering the Titan to surrender himself or suffer at the hands of mortals. Once again, he was betrayed and abandoned. He vowed to never allow that again. He would never again swear loyalty to the Kami or to Takamagahara. Instead, he would use his lightning as he wished, destroying whatever got in his way. Together with his brother Fūjin, he laid waste to entire fleets. Once the people of Japan started to give offerings and prayers to the Titans, Raijin and Fūjin formed a supernatural protection racket, obliterating those who failed to show respect. Despite his new violent life, he became the head of a new family, raising his son Raitarō with the love that his father never showed him. Since then, life’s been good to the lightning Titan. Although terrified of being a bad father, he eagerly spends his time in the World creating Scions. He’s found his niche in organized crime, guiding and mentoring the heads of the yakuza groups, as well as criminal organizations outside Japan. In a way, he’s the father of thousands now.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant Purviews: Passion (Familial Ties), Sky, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA If the Japanese Titans have a leader, it’s Raijin but he doesn’t want the job, so they don’t. The point stands: Titans look to him for their cues. As he practices his martial skills and builds an alliance with Ryujin’s dragons, they see a battleplan, a path towards victory. Those perceptions are pretty damn accurate. Raijin knows that the Titanomachy is coming and that the Heavenly Kami will be the ones to strike the first blow. His criminal syndicates and partnerships with dragons are all part of a bigger plan to completely annihilate the first Kami to take a swing. Although Raijin has nothing but contempt for Kannon exploiting their relationship and stealing his freedom, the Buddhist icon still has nothing but respect for their favorite drummer. Likewise, Ryujin, the Dragon King, has been neighbors with the lightning Kami for hundreds of years. Despite millions of lightning bolts being hurled over the years, Raijin has taken pains to prevent damaging Ryujin’s domain, the Pacific Ocean, something that Ryujin notices and appreciates.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Raijin’s latest plan is his most ambitious and has already caused defections among Kami Scions. By quietly directing Hachiman’s Scions to attack innocents, he can ensure that his own Scions can record evidence of brutal crimes. Then, he blackmails Hachiman’s Scions into his syndicate, incorporating them into a new family. And Raijin will never abandon his children.

BIRTHRIGHTS Scions of the Kami may take any of these Birthrights.

FOLLOWERS Oni: Although not particularly bright, oni are strong as hell, capable of guarding against harm and bad luck, as well as inflicting both. Ra-Shi-Ku: Officially “Rabbu Shiku Kurabu” or “The Love-Sick Club,” #RSK is definitely a fan club and not a Kiyo-worshipping cult. “Club” is right there in the name! The Ra-Shi-Ku would literally die for Kiyo’s titanspawn, but they usually just provide resources and expertise. Sōkaiya: Masters of agitation and public embarrassment, the sōkaiya are (technically non-violent) yakuza

groups. They use their booming voices and megaphones to disrupt corporate and political meetings, shouting down all opposition and pushing their leader’s agenda.

RELICS The Bell of Dōjōji: These small, bell-shaped amulets contain the concentrated essence of Kiyo’s love. Forged from remnants of the molten bell that killed Anchin, they simultaneously inspire lust and fear. Fūjin’s Bag: A long, shawl-like sack full of wind, Fūjin’s Bag literally blows away problems and takes people’s breath away. Kaminari 808: An electronic drum pad with percussive power, the Kaminari 808 devastates dancefloors with its bass, sometimes literally. Nikkei Titan: This full-size pickup truck has a seemingly unlimited towing capacity and a deceptively spacious bed, making it perfect for stealing heavy things. It also has a wildly comprehensive safety restraint system and an unbreakable bumper for louder approaches. Truth Water: This jar of water is one of Goki’s symbols, filled with sacred water that forms the backbone for many of her mystic arts. A splash from it can render people invisible, heal injuries, or flood someone with the absolute truth of their current path, convincing them to turn away.

CREATURES Kraken: Namazu’s most internationally famous titanspawn, kraken are squids of legendary size, often reaching 100 feet long by the time they’re physically mature. Like their mother, kraken never stop growing as long as they have enough food to eat. Raijū: A wolf made of lightning, Raijū is swift, loud, and dangerous, the perfect companion for Raijin and his children. The rambunctious beast often leaves destruction in its wake, not from any malice but simply because few things can withstand the force of playful lightning.

GUIDES Wayfinders: Sixty-two generations ago, Goki and her husband Zenki founded a Scion village 100km south of Osaka in Shimokitayama. Although time has rendered the oni blood of the villagers thin, they see the paths of the World keenly. They walk the lines between worlds, crossing between Terra Incognita easily. There are very few places they don’t know how to get to discreetly.

Titans of the Kami

31

TITANS OF THE MANITOU F

or every force of nature in existence, there is a diametrically opposed force that counteracts the progress of the other. This constant struggle and desire to be triumphant drives these wayward creatures on toward their goals. It may be a fool’s errand, running counter to the way of creation, but these beasts — who were once seen as Gods but turned away from their pantheon — know that you cannot have life without death or light without darkness. To do so would deny the fundamental dynamic of the universe, and should that cease, no one knows exactly what would happen. It could very well mean their own destruction, but they don’t seem too concerned on that front — ignorance is bliss, after all — and the cost of knowing is simply just a price they aren’t willing to pay. To support his goals, Aepungishimook sows discord among his prodigious children, even going so far as to appear to their Scions and guiding them down a path that leads them away from apotheosis. When the West Wind comes blowing, few can withstand its fury, and he has left more than his fair share of destruction in his wake. Misiginebig the Horned Serpent and Mishibizhiw the Underwater Panther, too, engage in their own form of chaos by disrupting water ways, terrorizing Animikii, and being general nuisances. Aniwye, meanwhile, bides his time until he once again attains his true form and unleashes his stench of death and disease upon the world. Despite these destructive and monstrous impulses, these Titans are still considered Manitou and treated as such — at least by their own pantheon. As if the Manitou were not already held in low regard for considering many creatures as one of their own, they are looked upon with further suspicion because they acknowledge that their Titans are still effectively “part of the family.” Not everyone has to like who is in the family, but they are family even if they are

32

a serial philanderer, a giant skunk, a horned serpent, or an underwater cat-snake.

AE-PUNGISHIMOOK Aliases: The West Wind, Death

Few welcome death regardless of the form it takes, and Ae-pungishimook is no exception. Just as there is always life, so too has there been death. As with Geezhigo-Quae, Aepungishimook has always been a force within the universe, taking what he wishes when he wishes, and laughing at those who attempt do everything in their power to fight against him. Little can defeat death, and he reminds those in his presence that they are powerless to stop him from doing whatever he chooses. He is decay not for entropy’s sake but for renewal and rebirth. Without him, the cycle of life would cease, throwing the universe out of balance. A giant even among Titans, Ae-pungishimook has always existed and — at least until a Scion rises up and defeats him — will continue to exist. That may be precisely what he wants. Where Aepungishimook goes, creation withers and wilts in his footsteps. Taking the form of gales, tornados, and sandstorms — whatever causes the most disruption to humanity, he traverses the World with a singular ambition: Purge the mistake of humanity from Earth. To this end, he has manipulated other Titans, Gods, and Scions alike into doing his bidding. Even his own sons are pulled into his plans, and he knowingly takes advantage of Pukawiss’s desire to be accepted. Many have attempted to capture Aepungishimook to hold him accountable for his numerous misdeeds, but each time he manages to slip the rope and run amok some more. Seeing the World as a place that needs to be corrected rather than protected, Ae-pungishimook’s handiwork is

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

OF GODS AND TITANS There was a time when Tawiscara (Scion: (Scion: Hero, Hero, pg. 89) was more Titan than God, and to some degree, he still shows Titanic inclinations. His penchant for chaos, death, and being the opposite to his brother Ioskeha and the rest of the Manitou, often aids in pushing forward Ae-pungishimook’s plans, however inadvertently it may be. It doesn’t help that he still holds a grudge against the rest of the Manitou for their refusal to accept him as he is, and it may only be a manner of time before Tawiscara throws off the Mantle of God and embraces his true self.

found all over the World as storms and natural disasters. The greater the human suffering and disruption to their society, the better. There is nothing he won’t do, and no one he won’t manipulate into doing his dirty work for him. This includes his Scions, who often suffer from the same circumstances of birth as their Godly half-brothers — most never know their father, and even when Ae-pungishimook appears to them, he is detached from the suffering his absence as caused them. Their needs and wants are secondary to his grand design, and those that fail to heed the wishes and commands of the West Wind eventually find themselves meeting his other dominion: death. Callings: Judge, Liminal, Primeval Purviews: Chaos, Death, Deception, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Fertility, Fire, Order, Sky

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Ae-Pungishimook knows that Geezhigo-Quae and Muzzu-Kumik-Quae are nervously watching his every move out of genuine concern. He is, after all, still Manitou, even if he actively works against them and all that they have created. Far from winning father of the year awards, AePungishimook continues to taunt his sons, distracting them from the hunting of wendigo, and generally ensuring that his own influence continues to grow unabated.

OTHER PANTHEONS There is good reason for the Manitou to be wary of other pantheons — they’ve watched as the worshipers of these Gods come to their shores, multiply, and take more and more from the earth than they have ever given back. These Gods claim to be righteous and willing to help others, but the Manitou have a long memory and the wounds of the recent past ache still. Ae-pungishimook has found readily available allies among the Æsir, who also seek their own end of days. It does not matter how it happens so much that it does; that would be enough to please him.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Some people want to rule the World, others would rather see it destroyed and made anew in their vision. Aepungishimook, more than any other Manitou, sees humanity as a blight that needs to be brought to heel for the sake of creation. As the World edges nearer to climate catastrophe, Ae-pungishimook finds himself egging it on and encouraging

humanity to further glut upon their own willful ignorance of the destruction they are inevitably bringing down upon themselves.

ANIWYE Aliases: Aniwaaye, Mishi-Zhigaag

Aniwo’ye,

Giant

Skunk,

Far from welcomed in civilized circles, Aniwye the Giant Skunk has embraced that he is forever an outcast due to his ability to raise a stink so bad that people die from smelling it. Between that, and his habit of hunting down humans to devour, he became a beast feared from great lake to great lake. Whole villages would send out their best warriors to prevent Aniwye from coming any closer and infecting the land with his pestilence. Others opted to pack up their lives and flee, hoping to avoid becoming an entrée or choking on Aniwye’s noxious flatulence. There was little that could be done against a skunk that was as tall as the trees — at least until Nana’b’oozoo strolled up and clubbed Aniwye so hard with a peace pipe that he exploded into tens of thousands of smaller versions of himself scattered around the World. Defeated and stripped of his might (and still annoyed about that), Aniwye has been patiently waiting for his time to come again. His influence over his avatars across North, Central, and South America has grown as their natural predators’ populations shrink. While diminished in size, Aniwye and his children appear as less threatening; small and easily concealable in bushes makes it easier to spread their putrid scent and mark their territory. They love to wreak havoc, causing mischief and getting into fracases with domesticated pets or getting into power transformers and cutting power to manufacturing facilities, disrupting local businesses, and hurting small communities reliant on those industries. Who cares if it inconveniences humans or disrupts economies? Skunks (and their old-world cousins, the stink badger) do what they want. On occasion, a group of these skunks band together and form a super-skunk reminiscent of Aniwye’s true glory and terrorize a neighborhood before being quashed by a Scion of Nana’b’oozoo. Easily manipulated, Aniwye has been the unwitting patsy of many a ne’er-do-well who wish to utilize his prodigious stench and minions for their own goals. Even Aepungishimook, whose son was the cause of Aniwye’s initial defeat, managed to get the giant skunk on his side in hopes to

Titans of the Manitou

33

force Muzzu-Kumik-Que’s hand in raising up Turtle Island once more. The World is Aniwye’s oyster, and there is very little Aniwye and his children fear; they know their time will come again, even if it is taking longer than hoped. Then all shall fear and quake in his presence — at least until some other noteworthy Hero comes along and clubs them apart once more. Callings: Destroyer, Hunter, Warrior Purviews: Beasts (Skunks), Chaos, Death, Earth, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, War, Wild

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Petty and temperamental, Aniwye eagerly seeks out ways to bring low any Scion of Nana’b’oozoo and will follow anyone (or anything) that promises to bring together all his disparate parts so he can once more assume his true form as the monster of all skunks and ravage creation as he pleases.

OTHER PANTHEONS Many pantheons look down upon Aniwye, seeing him as an easily manipulated target for their own agendas. Aniwye, on the other hand, is usually grateful for the occasional courtesy extended to him, even if it is tenuous at best and downright abusive at worst. Wily opportunists like Loki have utilized Aniwye against the Æsir, while the Kami politely offer their assistance at a distance so that they don’t become tainted by association.

World to lay waste. Never mock Mishibizhiw while standing on a shore; they will bring the water to you and drag you down, never to be seen again. There are those who have earned their protection — a powerful boon against those that would seek them. This boon does not come without a price, and more than one would-be Scion has found themself on the wrong side of Mishibizhiw’s capricious nature. No one knows exactly what Mishibizhiw desires. It might be to flood the World (as Ae-pungishimook wishes) so that they are no longer limited to rivers and waterways, or it may just be to sit back and watch everyone else squabble over petty tit-for-tat victories. Regardless of the outcome, Mishibizhiw always manages to win. Caring little for the World outside its own riverbed, Mishibizhiw must be coerced into action — for good or ill. On more than one occasion, eager minions of other Titans or Gods have made the attempt to steal Mishibizhiw’s copper horde from deep within their watery realm. Most who make such an attempt are never seen again and, if they manage to survive, have made a powerful enemy that will not relent until their treasure has been retrieved. There are tales of Scions that needed to bargain with the Underwater Panther in order to cross a particular arduous stretch of river. Callings: Adversary, Hunter, Trickster Purviews: Beasts (Felines, Serpents), Chaos, Death, Deception, Earth, Epic Stamina, Fortune, Sky, Water, Wild

CURRENT PRIORITIES

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA

It’s all about returning to true form for Aniwye, and once he has achieved that goal it is all over for those who mockingly scorned him and considered him nothing more than a joke. Aniwye will remember those who were kind to him and those who took advantage of his diminished state — it will determine who gets eaten first and who is saved for last.

Being a man-eating ophidian mostly bound to bodies of water makes it difficult to nurture relationships, but Mishibizhiw and Misiginebig are known to work together on occasion with Titans such as Tiamat to sow chaos and discord throughout the World — though unbeknownst to them, Tiamat has other goals in mind that are separate from the Manitou.

MISHIBIZHIW

OTHER PANTHEONS

Aliases: Matchi-Manitou, Underwater Panther, Water Lynx With the head and paws of a great cat and scales and dagger-like spines like a fish, Mishibizhiw’s dominion are the rivers of the world. It is there they draw their power and eagerly waits for victims to come to them. Sometimes referred to as the Water Lynx or, among the Ojibwe, as the Underwater Panther, they have many forms; their most known and most powerful form is of the undertow found in rivers. In this form, Mishibizhiw drags the unprepared into the river’s depths, either devouring them whole or taking them to the Underworld to be judged by Ae-pungishimook. Being a mercurial creature who acts without rhyme or reason, Mishibizhiw does as they please often without any manner of repercussions — except when it comes to going on land, which greatly diminishes their power. Beware: That does not mean that they should be taken lightly. Even when weakened on land, Mishibizhiw still causes massive storms, which flood rivers and allows them to go anywhere in the

34

Mishibizhiw, like many Manitou, has a reasonable distrust of other pantheons stemming from poor relations and nearly being wiped out by the newcomers. Still, that doesn’t mean that the enemy of their enemies cannot be a fair-weather friend. Among those most likely to have forged an alliance are the Òrìshà, who seem to hold the Manitou in a neutral regard.

CURRENT PRIORITIES While Mishibizhiw revels in chaos, they do not wish to see the world destroyed. It may be the natural way of things — as all things are meant to pass on and be reborn anew — but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or enjoy the status quo. Instead, Mishibizhiw focuses their energies on culling the herd, playing with humanity, and instilling a healthy fear of rivers into a whole new generation of children.

MISIGINEBIG Aliases: Manitou

Great

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Horned

Serpent,

Wewiwilemita

Misiginebig — the Great Horned Serpent — long dwelled in the shadow of other Manitou, regarded as a non-threat. Much like Mishibizhiw, she takes pleasure in devouring those who wander into the deep waters of the Great Lakes. Her dominion are the placid lakes that humanity believes are calm, tame, and most importantly safe. One encounter with the Great Horned Serpent and it becomes apparent that she is just as vicious and cruel as her river-dwelling compatriot, if not more so. She relishes in dragging people away from the shore, beneath the waves, and consuming them. More people swim in lakes, after all, making for easier prey — something that she gloats over with Mishibizhiw. He may be the most powerful creature in the Underworld, but she is the more efficient killer. Rare is the individual who stumbles upon Misiginebig in her true form: A serpent as large as a tree trunk with horns upon its brow. Rarer still is the individual unchanged by seeing the Great Horned Serpent in all her glory, as those that look upon her either go blind, insane, or both. Her scales glow like embers, with the brightest ones each a different color upon her body. The meaning of these spots is a much-debated mystery, but Misiginebig is protective of her seventh spot. Interested parties surmise that this spot is a weakness or perhaps the source of her power. Misiginebig lays large clutches of eggs and births titanspawn in unending quantities. She sends them out into the world to sow discord and chaos in her name. Often, they find their way to smaller bodies of water where urban legends arise about monsters that eat wayward campers. Every now and then she spirits away a small child of her choosing and molds them into her perfect champion, a Titan-worthy Scion. It usually ends poorly for the champion, who often is not

ready to be hunted down by Gods, Scions, and Thunderbirds alike. Callings: Creator, Liminal, Monster Purviews: Beasts (Serpents), Chaos, Death, Deception, Earth, Fertility, Fire, Water, Wild

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Clever and capricious, Misiginebig holds no loyalty to any but herself, and only works with others when there is some benefit to her. It’s not frequent she allies herself, and certainly there are drawbacks — for the other party, at the very least. The sole exception to this is Mishibizhiw, with whom she will work with when the fancy strikes her.

OTHER PANTHEONS Misiginebig sees the other pantheons as intruders and is aggressive toward any that may approach her. Old wounds heal slowly, and like all Manitou, she remembers what happened the last time interlopers were trusted. Never again.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Continuing to grow her brood even larger, Misiginebig hopes to expand her sphere of influence around the world, be it through Scions or titanspawn. Having too many children, however, is a problem and often enough Misiginebig does not offer much in the way of guidance. Due to this, they are frequently defeated by other Scions, but the setback of their deaths means little to Misiginebig — she’ll just choose another or lay more eggs and continue on.

BIRTHRIGHTS Like their Godly brethren, the Birthrights for Scions of the Titanic Manitou come in a multitude of forms — some are functional while others might be a biohazard.

Titans of the Manitou

35

CREATURES Animal Dodaems: The most available Birthright, these creatures act as a conduit for communication between a Scion and their Titanic patron, and typically take a similar form. These animals are larger and hardier than their non-dodaem counterparts. Lynx: A keeper of secrets, Lynx is an unconventional dodaem. It is cautious and makes careful decisions weighing both potential outcomes before acting. Serpent: Impulsive and primal, Serpent values shrewdness and imparts wisdom to those that know to seek its counsel. Skunk: Demanding respect, Skunk admires strength and values taking time to ensure that all goes according to plan.

FOLLOWERS Wendigo: Death and destruction follow Wendigo. These titanspawn will do the bidding of not only their

36

Titanic patron, but their progeny as well. They are relentless in their devotion and will destroy all that opposes the will of the Titans.

RELICS Eau de Aniwye: Who needs a stink bomb when you can spritz some eau de Aniwye and befoul an entire area with the all-encompassing stench of a giant skunk? It is a sure-fire way to clear a room — or several city blocks — in a pinch. Raw Copper Bangles: Imbued with the power of Mishibizhiw, these bangles offer protection against storms and lightning. The downside is that it makes the wearer a target for Thunderbirds who know that the bracelets come from their eternal nemesis, the Underwater Panther. Pawaugun: Though not the peace pipe Ae-pungishimook gave to Nana’b’oozoo, this pawaugun, when smoked from, brings all parties of a dispute to the table under the banner of mutual respect.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

TITANS OF THE NETJER E

verything about the Gods of the Netjer revolves around balance, about one thing opposing another, and their Titans reflect this. For every being of goodness there is an opposing force, something that exists only to cause that being strife, or to imbalance the World. Through truth and order, through Ma’at, the World continues to turn, and the sun rises on each new day. These villains seek to destroy or warp all that. It is not in the nature of the Netjer to bind their Titans away. Kemeticism doesn’t allow for it, as it would throw off the balance of the universe. Re should no more kill Apep permanently than Apep should be allowed to kill Re. There is no more measure to prove your caliber as a Hero than to have a worthy enemy to defeat. The Gods of Egypt defeat their enemies over and over, in some cases nightly, because evil only has to catch them slipping to win once.

APEP, THE SERPENT OF CHAOS Aliases: A’pāpī, Aapep, Apepi, Aphōph, The Enemy of Re, Lord of Chaos, Serpent from the Nile, The World Encircler Apep, the serpent who wants to consume to the sun, has a onetrack mind. His serpentine form slithers in the waters of Iteru, recovering while Re floats in the daylight. When the Mesektet, the golden sun barge and floating Underworld of its own, enters Duat, Apep attacks unceasingly with different strategies. Some days he succeeds in devouring Re for a time, causing an eclipse, in the World. It ends when Set and others cuts Apep open and save their brother. While his methods are as varied as there are days, his goal is single-minded: to devour Re and cast the World into the chaotic darkness from which it was born. Apep cares not for the rest of the World. He cares only for the death of his hated foe. Born of the discarded umbilical cord of Re, Apep is the dark opposite of his brother — a force of chaos and enmity where Re is a force for order and good. While he is bound to swim in Iteru, he plans his next

assault against the Gods, and one day, their spears will miss, their courage will falter, and he will devour his prize. The World Encircler, Apep’s body lines the bottom of Iteru, stretching the entire length of Duat. More than once he has wrapped all the Mesektet in his coils. His thrashing causes earthquakes and his wrestling with Set births thunderstorms. His venom is the most caustic of acids, and he has a mesmerizing gaze that leaves the weak-willed delirious. The Chaos Snake doesn’t care what happens to the World when he succeeds in consuming Re, and hasn’t thought about his existence would be like then, either. Apep seldomly chooses Scions, but when he does, they are those who have been wronged by the Netjer. When the offending act causes them to die momentarily (only to be resuscitated before passing through the Hall of Two Truths) that is when Apep comes to them. Their anger at the Gods, especially Re, brings them to Apep’s attention. Upon returning to life in the World, they gain his blessings if they swear to use them against the Netjer. Causing strife among and for their followers is just one of many stratagems the Enemy of Re employs in his eternal war. Callings: Adversary, Monster, Warrior Purviews: (Snakes), Darkness

Beasts Chaos,

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Apep doesn’t readily abide friendships or allies, as allies are nothing but distractions from the task at hand. He’s the most hated enemy of the Netjer; he can’t remember how many of the Gods have joined the defense of the Mesektet and Re. Other than Re, Set holds Apep’s enmity most, for when Apep finally swallows the sun God, it is Set who cuts open the Chaos Serpent to save him. If Apep has any goal outside slaying Re, it’s to distract Set and cause him to miss the Meseket’s nightly departure.

Titans of the Netjer

37

OTHER PANTHEONS The Serpent from the Nile has no mind for other things than its goal of consuming Re, and thus the sun. Other Titans in the World long for the same, and it is not uncommon to see them working together, despite their dissimilar pantheons. Scions and followers of Fenrir or Tlaltecuhtli, who want to consume parts or the whole of reality, tend to work famously with those of Apep.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Apep wants to eat Re and believes that weakening Re’s power will make that easier. As the Netjer are so interconnected, nearly every God has been bound to Re, there are scrolls as long as a person is tall with Gods’ names affixed to his. Apep’s Scions are bid to harass Netjer agents wherever they can be found, but those who have garnered his full attention while he sleeps and heals during the daylight hours know of his grandest stratagem: wholesale destruction of all Re’s holy places in the World. This attack must take place

38

all at once on the winter’s solace, when the Mesektet’s ride through Duat is its longest.

ATEN, THE ONE TRUE SUN Aliases: Aton, Atonu, Itn, The Light Which is in the Sun Disc, Shu, Sol Invictus Formerly one of the multitude of beings that had a connection to the sun God Re, Aten was the sun disk, worshiped by some as one of the many Gods of the Netjer. This lasted for centuries until they decided that they were more than just one aspect of the suite of Gods, but the one true God — not only of the sun but of all existence. They appear as whichever gender they believe would be most favorable, though their true form is a genderless being with bronze skin and shining eyes. Their light blinds the eyes of those faithful to other Gods, as they are the only light in the darkness of false Gods. Aten was a jealous God, playing a supporting role under Re but never getting as much adoration for the work they

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

no more. Akhenaten ruled over an Egypt who worshiped the new Titan, Aten. Aten possesses a solipsistic worldview. They are the only God. All other beings that call themselves Gods are deceivers, agents of evil darkness hiding the truth of the universe from humanity. Within a decade of Akhenaten’s death, the first cult of Aten collapsed, and with it their power base. Another 16 centuries passed before another group succeeded Akhenaten. In the guise of the Roman Sol Invictus, a tall Latin man with a blazing crown of sunlight, Aten walked with many an emperor, absorbing Rome into their cult, until Scions from both the Netjer and Theoi joined forces to thwart them. Nothing matters other than the banishing of darkness through everlasting light. Through their light, Aten ignites the flame of fanatical faith in anyone who sees it, a flame so bright it burns out belief in anything else. Aten is a jealous Titan, but they are as generous as they are covetous. They go to wherever the darkness is strongest, appearing when they believe humanity needs their radiance most. Whatever help Aten gives is only to ease their targets into belief, for they want to be loved willingly. Only in rage caused by skepticism at being the only true God do they turn up the light. Callings: Adversary, Leader, Tyrant. Purviews: Deception, Fire, Prosperity, Sun.

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA

contributed to the World. They were the Sun Disk, the physical form of the sun as it rolled in the vault of the sky. It had to be their brethren, the other Netjer, who kept the adulation that they deserved, as what else could it be? Who were they to deny them what was theirs? Did not the breath of life itself come from the sun? Weren’t they the sun itself, and thus, should be the first and only deity deserving of worship? Amenhotep IV — a co-regent of Egypt, who ruled alongside his father — refused to give up total control of the nation to his second son, the rightful heir. Bitterness brewed in the heart of the future Pharaoh. On the longest day of the year, Aten appeared to him as a dark-skinned man with a wide and bright smile cutting the darkness of his thick beard. He told Amenhotep that he will be the Pharaoh, as he deserves, if he kneels and lets the light of the one true God wash over him. He prostrated himself before the being and let them burn the darkness of false Gods from him. His father died, and within the first five years of his reign, Amenhotep IV was

Walking the earth among mortals wherever the disc of the sun shines, Aten gathers flocks to them like a shepherd. They reach into the hearts of people who believe they deserve more than they have, or that they possess something hidden by opposing forces. Through the blessings of Aten, they are given the chance to shine. Many follow them because it is how they were raised, some because Aten has appeared to them and performed a miracle, or one of Aten’s missionaries rescued them from harm. Some of these missionaries are Scions of Aten themselves, who have a spark of Aten’s light within their soul, along with a too-bright smile and charismatic eyes. All things that grow under the sun are good, after all.

OTHER PANTHEONS Aten doesn’t form relationships with those who do not worship them, if you do not believe in them or work for them, then you are their enemy. This doesn’t lead to working relationships with other Titans, but Aten sees them the same as the Gods: agents of darkness who hide humanity from their glorious truth. Thankfully for them, most Titans are too busy with their own agendas to interfere too much.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Currently Aten works in the guise of a televangelist, though each church sees Aten as a different person. From miracle peddlers to prosperity gospel preachers, they bring faith and belonging as a tall blonde woman with a radiant tan and warm smile. Working as the leader of the Church for Illumination in Amarna, Arizona, Aten completed the Center of Enlightenment: a new megachurch that can hold

Titans of the Netjer

39

upwards of thirty-five hundred worshipers. Topped by shining glass, the pulpit gleams with radiance regardless of the sun’s position in the sky.

ISFET, THE DISHARMONIOUS Everything about Kemeticism, the multiform religion of those who follow the Netjer, is centered around dualism. All things have an opposite. The light has the dark, war has peace, and Ma’at has Isfet. Where there is order, truth, and justice, there is also chaos, lies, and violence. In the darkest parts of the night, there is always Isfet. Aliases: Asfet, That Which is Difficult, Troublesome, She Who is Meant to be Overcome While both good and evil exists in the world, people are inherently neither. They have free will to choose a just path — those whose hearts will be lighter than a feather when they pass through the Hall of Two Truths, or to choose a selfish path — those whose hearts are so heavy with darkness they will never leave the Hall. The latter group, whether they know it or not, serve Isfet. None of them began with an evil heart; at every turn, they had two choices: turn back to Ma’at or walk further into darkness. Those who think only of themselves walk by Isfet’s side. If one has ever met Isfet twice, they’d never know it; she never appears in the same form twice as Isfet has no true form. She can appear as a willowy blonde with seafoam eyes or a short woman with eyes as dark as oil and ruby lips that whisper everything you want to hear. Every word she speaks is a sweet honeyed lie that makes the sins she wants you to commit so much easier to perform. She doesn’t have a plan, other than the ruination of those who work for order and truth. She smells the true nature of things and knows any absolute truth, though cannot speak it. She speaks in halftruths and complete and utter lies, playing puppeteer with the web of confusion she weaves. The truth is like ash in Isfet’s mouth, a flavor she spits out only if it reveals the lies of others. Isfet changes identities like most change clothes. Discord and strife follow in her wake. She drives people to give into their darkest natures and put themselves before their communities and ideals. She creates the most Scions of the Netjer Titans, seeking those with dishonest livelihoods and who lie to themselves. She loves best those who lie to themselves, doing terrible things for what they believe to be for good reasons. Evil acts in the pursuit of just causes are the sweetest succor to Isfet. Callings: Adversary, Primordial, Trickster Purviews: Chaos, Darkness, Deception, Passion

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA No one should trust Isfet. She breathes deception and misleads the remet, or people of Egypt, into acts that weigh down their heart. That said, Isfet is always willing to work with any Titan who undermines the Netjer Gods and their worshippers. Her followers harass the Gods whenever they

40

can: obscuring the truth, promoting false gospels, or fueling the infighting among the Netjer.

OTHER PANTHEONS A man after her own deceitful heart, the White Eyebrow is a common compatriot of Isfet. Two peas in a pod, they come together often when her shady path takes her to his usual haunts. Isfet is more than happy to spread lies and untruths about any pantheon. Through the lessons of Tezcatlipoca and the aid of Isfet, the Ozomantli of the Second Sun learned to hide their appearance and walk as the humans of the World.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Isfet is a busy woman, plucking the strings on a dozen or more plots. She walks in Aten’s shadow, posing as other members of the Netjer, and toying with believers. Once they think she will help them, she vanishes, leaving bitterness in their hearts, coals ready to be set alight by Aten. Elsewhere, her cult runs blogs, news sites, and other media outlets, each taking a different spin on discrediting or misleading the public on the Gods’ recent doings.

BIRTHRIGHTS CREATURES Bennu: Firebirds that are said to have willed themselves into being by their own want to exist, Aten claimed them as their own. Each carry a spark of Aten’s light within them, and they move without fear. Should they die in the service of their Titan, they know that they will be reborn in righteous fire. Nehebkau: Two-headed snakes that inhabit the banks of Iteru born of Apep’s venom and coagulated blood mixed with water and mud from Duat, these creatures are fearless attackers. They strike from two directions and cannot be ambushed. It is said that Re, as Atum, used his spear (or finger) to keep these serpents on the banks of the river as Mesektet floated by, lest he have to fight them and Apep.

FOLLOWERS Order of the Revealing Light: One of the groups that Aten has revealed themselves to, using their light to show these once noble crusaders the truth of the World, that they are the only true God, The Order is a global cabal pulling the puppet strings of society and governments. The Order gave up their quest to retake the Holy Land to bring Aten’s light to those lost in the darkness and now operate as wealthy businesspeople. Using their wealth as an attestation of their power, they run a “charity” that delivers good works — and Aten more worshipers. Re Watch News Network: The largest anti-Netjer media company, their writers, podcasters, radio hosts, and television personalities aggregate news of the Netjer. As a cult of Isfet, they exist only to make propaganda about the Gods. As Isfet prospers in a post-truth world, the RWNN gets plenty of views.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

GUIDES Vicky Lee Thomson: The most popular content creator for RWNN and host of the flagship podcast Truth Between the Pyramids, wherein she goes into a diatribe against the latest news about the Netjer, their Scions, and whatever current events had broken recently. As Isfet is feeding her the “facts” for the show, the truth is highly relative. While other media sources make fun of her, she’s already been brought onto other RWNN programing because of her meteoric rise. Zechariah Denton: More commonly known as Pastor Zeck, this televangelist for the Church of Illumination has been touched with Aten’s glowing power that gleams in his eyes and his too-bright smile. Thousands come to the newly opened Center of Enlightenment to worship Zeck’s brand of heliocentric prosperity gospel and thousands more watch it

simulcast online. Each prayer is to the glorious Sol Invictus, or Aten the one true God.

RELICS Dawn’s Gold Coronet: An unassuming relic, Dawn’s Gold Coronet is a simple gold ring worn on the head. When activated, the wearer is backed by the blinding light of the sun itself, making them both hard to look at and unable to be looked away from. Fang of Night: One of many broken or shed fangs of Apep during his nightly battles with the Netjer Gods, this tooth is the size of a kukri and generates the Titan’s noxious venom. Mask of the Faceless: A sheet of tanned leather that allows the wearer to appear as someone else.

Titans of the Netjer

41

TITANS OF THE SHÉN N

o one knows exactly how many Shén there are in the World. Nor could anyone reliably pick a line that would split them into Gods and Titans. At least a dozen Shén, like Sun Wukong, would pee on the line and then stand on both sides of it. This isn’t to say that there are no Titans; it’s just that no one agrees on who they are. Depending on whom you ask, someone might be a Shén, a Titan, a Lóng, or some completely different category. This confusion of terminology has done little to stave off the Titanomachy, though. Indeed, in the lands where the Shén roam, the battles are paradoxically more personal and anonymous. Many conflicts have little to do with a particular Shén’s stance on Titans and more to do with old grudges and family squabbles. At the same time, the dense hierarchal structure of the Shén that inspired much of China’s history has made it inevitable that plenty of fights are simply groups of lower ranking Shén slugging it out, with neither group having ever heard of the other. Of course, all that assumes that they bother to fight at all. As much as some Shén love a good war, plenty more are content with assimilating ne’er-do-wells. After all, that policy’s been working well enough for thousands of years. Even the mortals of China have benefited from it, with the Han, Mongols, and Manchu each taking turns blending the Middle Kingdom’s culture into the mélange that it is today. One particularly notable byproduct of this cultural mixing is how fractured the Shén’s aspects have become. Aspects have drifted, split, and merged over the millennia, creating a cosmology where more than a few of the Shén have aspects that oppose them. Sometimes, a God is literally their own worst enemy.

42

O GU NG Aliases: Ao Kwang, Cānglóng, Dōnghăi Lóngwáng, Qīnglóng, Ryūjin, Thanh Lóng, Xiănrén The Great Blue Dragon of the East, Áo Guāng has been done with the Shén and their nonsense for a long time. Though technically still welcome in Tian, he hasn’t set claw there in decades. He undoubtedly has an aspect or two that wants to be a good little Shén and help keep Heaven in order, but, as a whole, Áo Guāng can’t stand them. They are a pack of murderers and thieves, Prince Nezha and Wu Kong especially. He’d rather see Heaven plunge in flames to the World than live there. As the oldest Dragon King, Áo Guāng has control over the sea creatures and dragons of the East China Sea, as well as the sea itself. Any storms in the western Pacific are there with his consent. But his control doesn’t extend just to his realm; it also encompasses his very being. Like most eastern dragons Áo Guāng is an accomplished shapeshifter, sometimes dwarfing mountains and other times appearing as a small garden snake. Having sworn off the Shén and Heaven, Áo Guāng has set his sights a little lower. The World is an exciting realm, full of possibilities. There, he’s been able to influence international trade, exploiting his mastery of the sea and China’s manufacturing capabilities to turn the shipping companies in his pocket into powerhouses. In the arena of capitalism, being a literal monster is an advantage, a fact that his Scions well understand. Callings: Destroyer, Monster, Tyrant Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals, Dragons), Sky (Storms), Water

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Áo Guāng recognizes the shifting weather patterns and temperatures of the World and can’t wait for things to get worse. If climate change were a car, Áo Guāng would be a brick on the accelerator. Why bother trying to save the planet when the temperature will be fine again in a few million years? The less concern for the planet’s health, the more riches flow into his coffers. All the humans will be dead, but what concern is that to a dragon? If the mortals are willing to sacrifice climate stability in favor of money, who is he to stand in the way? After all, the worst thing that could happen is Heaven will be devoid of bipeds, and who cares about them? Naturally, Áo Guāng and Nezha get along about as well as toasters and bathtubs. It’s unlikely that the two of them can cross paths without coming to blows. Aside from that, most Shén see Áo Guāng favorably enough. After all, he’s royalty and has taken the endless jibes and pranks in stride. But if any of them were to take a closer look in his eyes, they’d see that Áo Guāng no longer sees Shén as fellow Gods; the World has only his followers and his prey. Fortunately for his followers (and Scions), Áo Guāng takes great care of those on his side. The gifts he bestows are all reflections of his bestial nature, reminders that he is the original king of monsters. Whether his Scions seek to dominate the battlefield, the stock market, or the courtroom, they are heavy hitters with Birthrights that augment their command of lesser beings.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Áo Guāng’s pursuit of a World without bipeds has recently shifted into high gear, with a three-pronged effort. Diplomatic envoys within the World’s civilian governments argue against environmental policies that would hamstring industry and newer, more alluring shipping fleets are being constructed, reducing the cost of transporting goods around the world to pennies. At the same time, freak accidents ravage renewable power sources.

KU F Aliases: None The giant Kuāfù has led a life forever framed by the idea of overreaching himself. He sought to beat the sun in a foot race. No matter how fast the sun flew through the sky, Kuāfù was just below it, easily keeping pace through thousands of miles. Of course, the sun never tires and those who labor beneath it develop thirst. Halfway around the World, Kuāfù’s need for water was so great that he gulped down the Yellow River. That wasn’t enough; his body failed, and he dropped dead. Then, he found himself on the front lines of the war that transformed Huángdì from a simple warlord into the Yellow Emperor. Naturally, Kuāfù chose wrong and sided with Chīyóu. After dying (again), Kuāfù found himself permanently on the outs in Tien for the crime of losing the Battle of Zhuōlù against Huángdì.

Kuāfù has had millennia to obsess over the whys and hows of his loss, most notably being crushed under billions of tons of water thanks to the dragon Yinglong. After much consideration, Kuāfù reached the conclusion “fuck Huángdì.” It doesn’t even matter what Huángdì stands for; Kuāfù stands for the reverse. If one likes a C-pop group, the other backs their rival. If the Yellow Emperor says he likes bubble tea, Kuāfù says bubble tea sucks, you suck, and how dare you even say such treacherous words. Kuāfù can back up that bluster. Despite being famous for losing twice, he’s still the Shén who made the Yellow River vanish. He’s as fast as the sun. He’s still a giant. Anyone willing to take him on in physical combat had better be ready to duck a sedan-sized fist going Mach 30. Callings: Adversary, Creator, Liminal Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Journeys, Order, Passion (Devotion), Sun, Water (Drought)

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Kuāfù’s not exactly on friendly terms with the Gods of the Shén or the dragons of the Lóng, as he’s been playing a cat and mouse game of who can murder the other’s aspect first with Huángdì ever since the battle of Zhuōlù. Although the Lóng ordinarily wouldn’t care, the fact that Yinglong was responsible for Kuāfù’s first death has gotten them more involved than they’d like. Despite being on the outs with most of the Shén, Prince Nezha still likes and respects Kuāfù; the Titan’s help was instrumental in returning the sun to the World and defeating Shiji Niangniang. Nowadays, Kuāfù spends his time defeating challenge after challenge. If there’s a race, he’s there. A drinking contest? He’ll finish everyone’s mug before they can reach for it. With countless victories behind him, his legendary failures lie farther behind him. At least that’s what he tells himself.

CURRENT PRIORITIES The skirmishes with Huángdì have gone on long enough; Kuāfù wants decisive victory. Plans are already underway to murder every one of the Yellow Emperor’s 200 aspects simultaneously. If that weren’t dramatic enough, he’s arrived at the conclusion that the only way to regain face from his loss against the sun is to prove that everyone else would have lost, by sending waves of droughts to show people what it’s like to lack the water necessary for survival.

SU D JI Aliases: Dá Jĭ A literal man-eater, Su Dájĭ was born a mortal and rose to be the most infamous fox spirit of them all, after only a brief period of being dead. Powered by the spirit of a huli jing, she conquered her husband and his Shang Dynasty, turning one of the dominant dynasties of the era into a site of debauchery. Orgies became commonplace at the palace — which wouldn’t be bad if she hadn’t abused her beguiling powers and social status to bolster the number of participants; few orgy-goers were there of their own free will. Also, sometimes people were tortured, executed, and/or eaten

Titans of the Shén

43

during these events. No, Dájĭ’s orgies were not good, clean, fun. They were the bad sort that make it into history books. That was deliberate. Through violence, magic, and cruelty, she made her mark on history just as indelibly as she scarred her victims. She may have driven the Shang Dynasty into flaming ruins, but her name lived on, propelling her from her humble origins to Titanhood. Like any other huli jing, Dájĭ has the gift of gab, able to talk circles around anyone, molding their beliefs to one that better serves her needs. Where most foxes are content with bilking wealthy people out of their fortunes and living comfortably, Dájĭ has weaponized her voice. Few can listen to her without losing their humanity, agreeing to help her in the torture, murder, and devouring of her victims. This erosion of her victims’ souls suits Dájĭ just fine. For her the World is just a toy, filled with mortals for her to play her version of “Fuck, Marry, Kill.” She has no interest in politics unless it gets her power, which of course means that she plays politics all the time. Like their mother, her Scions find themselves called to political office, not to serve but to be served. After all, why should they campaign and put in years of work when they can simply take advantage of human greed and dazzle someone already in office? Callings: Adversary, Lover, Tyrant

44

Purviews: Artistry (Excess), Beasts (Foxes), Beauty, Passion (Lust), Prosperity

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Dájĭ’s influence is everywhere, not just in China. Though her original modus operandi is out of reach these days, figuratively consuming people has become commonplace. She’s used her powers to encourage CEOs and world leaders to devour smaller companies and nations, stripping them of all their value before casting their bones aside. Independent businesses aren’t immune to her reach; by stirring human lusts, she turns neighbor against neighbor, creating brutal trade wars that don’t stop until someone’s utterly destroyed. Many Shén would like to completely bar her from Heaven, but for good or ill (mostly ill) Dájĭ has had a tremendous influence on Chinese culture, making it impossible for the Shén to ignore her. Complicating matters, her tenure as King Zhou’s consort led to more than a few Shén who owe her for their rise to power. No one denies that she tortured, murdered, and ate a lot of people — they’re just reluctant to do much about it.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Dájĭ’s ready to take her game to the next level. Instead of playing with a business here and there, she’s aiming at taking over the World’s military industry, controlling the global

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

weapons trade. Next month’s military technology conference involves 100 nations, trillions of dollars, and thousands of testosterone-driven people who will literally tear each other apart to be her puppet.

against impact except in specific vulnerable points. The handful of martial artists who have survived him in combat recommend stabbing weapons into vulnerable points rather than assaults of attrition.

THE WHITE EYEBROW, BETRAYER OF SHAOLIN

His eponymous fighting style is direct and aggressive, overwhelming foes with rapid combinations of explosive hand strikes and the occasional kick. These boxers rapidly change level to disorient foes, dropping low to reduce their target silhouette as they defend before springing up and using the strength of their legs to drive the next attack home. Of course, they always wield weapons given the opportunity: swords wielded singly or paired, whips, staves, crutches, rakes, and wooden benches.

Aliases: Bak Mei (Cantonese), Bái Méi (Mandarin) Stories about the White Eyebrow are as numerous as the mentions of his name, but a few details remain constant:

• He was a Chán Buddhist monk at the Shaolin Monastery who studied Daoist esoterica. • He achieved immortality through sinister means: Daoist black magic, slaughtering a Titan and devouring its heart, something like that. • He belonged to the Shàolín community during one of the monastery’s many destructions and was widely implicated in said destruction, but his involvement was never proven. • He is a hand-to-hand combatant of legendary skill, who founded the White Eyebrow boxing style. • He has resurfaced throughout history in many times and places, far more than one human could accomplish during a single lifetime. • He cannot be trusted. Since the Monastery’s destruction, the White Eyebrow has disappeared for long periods, then reappeared to attach himself to various political organizations. He has ties both to Wŭdāng Clan’s Daoist priests — notorious for their political machinations — and to the White Lotus Society’s mostly-benign Buddhist-Manichæan syncretists and other fringe religious believers. He participated in the White Lotus Rebellion at the end of the 18th century, though he did not commit enough to save Wáng Lún from failure and death. Whenever he attaches himself to a new organization, he professes allegiance to their philosophy or mission but always protects his own neck first. His skill and infamy attract the attention of the power-hungry, who break from their former allegiances to answer to him before all. Through these aspirants, he has slowly built up a worldwide following that festers wherever there is interest in Chinese boxing. Anyone who finds a Wŭdāng, White Lotus, or even Chán cell anywhere in the world must wonder: Have they fallen under the sway of the White Eyebrow? The White Eyebrow is a competent tactician and strategist who well understands that the art of war is based on deception. His legions of followers will fight to the death to protect him and his secrets, although most are cannon fodder with more muscle than sense or technique. The heavily armed teachers and elites are the real threats (they may even know a secret technique or two, though none knows all his tricks). He himself is among the deadliest living martial artists, notorious for his “death touch” — a series of pressure points which, struck in order, cause cardiac arrest. With Shàolín iron body techniques, he has immunized himself

If you’re in a Buddhist, Daoist, or Chinese cultural organization, sooner or later the White Eyebrow will come calling. Got a titanspawn problem? Opposing pantheon’s Scions kicking sand in your face? The old man can help, providing human resources, training, weapons, or money — he has lots of cash to spare after several centuries’ careful investment. He knows you don’t trust him. He knows you know better. But when you’re desperate, and he’s powerful and can offer help…well, sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. Especially when those beggars are titanspawn pushed to the edge. The White Eyebrow’s organization is formidable but vulnerable. Since he recruits betrayers, they can be encouraged to betray him or one another in turn. In fact, his own organization is well aware of this, to the point he never trusts any individual with all his secrets. Also, like all bullies, he’s a coward; when he knows it’s really crashing down around his ears, he’ll be the first one to light foot it out of there. Callings: Adversary, Sage, Warrior Purviews: Deception, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Health, War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA The White Eyebrow cares about one thing above all others: himself. He nonetheless recognizes relationships’ utility in getting him ahead, or at least giving him someone to shove in front of him when the shooting starts. The White Eyebrow would never, ever, ever get emotionally invested in a student. Not even a singularly talented, dedicated one who actually challenges him as a martial artist and a teacher. Nope. Definitely not. Means to an end. That’s all. That’s all!

OTHER PANTHEONS The White Eyebrow’s closest friends are in the Chinese immortal community. The “faerie world” of the Chinese backcountry brushes up against the “rivers & lakes” of worldwide martial arts, and the White Eyebrow rules over their intersection. He’s really good at scoring invitations to the Asian pantheons’ social functions, where he acts like a jerk, but an interesting jerk, so people still listen to him. Only the Palas completely refuse to talk to him. He has also won some positive attention by publicly backing the occasional good cause — for example, throwing his network’s weight behind the Atua’s crusade against climate crisis. It’s not just

Titans of the Shén

45

to get in good with them, though; there’s no point in immortality if there’s nowhere to live in 200 years.

has hairs. Famous for creating the World’s first peach, all it takes to plant a seed of life is to drive the end into the earth.

CURRENT PRIORITIES

The Meat Forest: This Terra Incognito is the site of a constant party where an entire lake of wine and a forest where steaks literally grow on trees waits to be consumed. Of course, the guests also wait to be consumed.

The White Eyebrow always plays the long game. He spends centuries setting up the pieces before making a serious move, and never strikes a moment too early. The time’s coming for one of those, though; with the Shén dithering about what to do about him, he’s got choices. Should he take out a world leader who’s abetting climate change? Seize control of a worldwide martial arts organization? Hanging out with the Atua, who straddle the line between God and Titan, has him wondering: Now that he’s stolen Titanhood, could he steal divinity as well? What would that even mean, given how powerful he’s already become? He doesn’t like the idea of all the Fatebinding it would probably involve, but he’d like to have the option. Always good to have options.

BIRTHRIGHTS RELICS The DRAGON System: Humans are squishy, flightless, and flammable things that make little sense for children of Lóng Titans. Enter the DRAGON, a modular armor system that shores up all these human failings. Need a more covert profile? Put on less. That’s the way of the DRAGON. Kuāfù’s Walking Stick: Despite its simple wooden appearance, this stick has planted more trees than Wu Kong

46

FOLLOWERS Peach Couriers: Kuāfù’s personal delivery service, these messengers are fearless, driving and biking through traffic with their cargo. Peach’s agents obey neither the laws of nations nor physics, often sprinting straight up the sides of buildings to avoid wasting time with elevators.

GUIDES Huli Jing: Fox spirits are one of the most inscrutable supernatural species alive. Though powerful enough to deal deadly blows, they rarely take a direct path to their goals, whatever they might be, making them the perfect allies of Dájĭ’s Scions.

CREATURES River Kings: Each of the thousands of rivers, streams, canals, and other waterways of China (and beyond) is the domain of a small dragon. These Lóng aren’t world breakers like Gōnggōng, but none of them should be underestimated; each of them has lived for centuries in a world that’s hostile to dragons.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

TITANS–OF THE TEO TEOTL T

he existence of the Teōtl is one of constant peril. The World ended four times previously, and it will, should the Gods be lax in their duties, end again. All their Titans wait at the edges of existence, chomping at the bit for their chance to lay waste to the World. For the Teōtl themselves, their Titans are equal parts people slighted in the inglorious past and monsters. While trying to run the World, they failed multiple times, wiping the slate clean with each iteration — even in that, they failed. Those who remained fled their destruction and await their revenge. The vanquished enemies of the Teōtl are never truly dead! The blood and hearts that the Teōtl demand, seemingly bloodthirsty to outsiders, are all that stands in between the World and its destruction. The Teōtl have failed four times before and they’d be damned if they do again.

jaguar claws and eagle talons. Like her sisters, she descends on wings of darkness with empty eye sockets and ravenous hunger. Her twinkling light mesmerizes the weak-willed, leaving them easy targets for her predation. It has been foretold that when the fifth sun fails and the World finally ends, the Tzitzimime will fly to Earth and devour all. Citlali will lead her sisters on that night, but until then they are restless and hungry. They will not wait until they are allowed to hunt. The Tzitzimime choose women first and foremost when making Scions; women who are hungry and angry with the restrictions of their societies. There’s no record of them ever choosing a man. Callings: Destroyer, Liminal, Monster Purviews: Darkness, Death, Stars

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA

CITLALI, TZITZIMIME FROM BEHIND THE STARS

The Tzitzimime are well versed in the Scions of the Teōtl, the Scions that fight back against their predation. If not for the children of the Gods, they could hasten the great feast. They regard Scions of Citali as their mortal sisters and the Tzitzimime love them as the heralds of the great feast to come.

Aliases: None Before her fall to earth, Citlali served as Ītzpāpālōtl’s aide-de-camp and relayed her orders to the other chieftains of the Tzitzimime. When Ītzpāpālōtl lingered on earth, she took command of the army of starlit demons. Her former commander was not only accepted as a God among the Teōtl but allowed to feed on the sacrificed hearts of the Mēxihcah people. This enraged the Tzitzimime, but especially Citali — their new leader. Citlali has found ways for her titanspawn sisters to descend from the night sky outside of eclipses and the five days of Nemontemi. For hundreds of years under Ītzpāpālōtl, they were limited to these few moments of revelry, but since the abandonment of her people, Citlali assumed their leadership. She graciously allows them to fall to Earth whenever they wish and feast to their heart’s content. Citlali is six-and-a-half feet tall and looks like a humanoid skeleton shimmering with cold starlight, bearing

OTHER PANTHEONS Great hunters, Citlali and the other Tzitzimime welcome all who wash themselves in blood and revel in violence. They welcome God, mortal, creature, or Titan to join them when the final fight begins.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Citlali wants to escape the night behind the stars and lead her people to their promised final battle. No longer satisfied with just hunting when allowed, she has been testing both the limits of her prison and the vigilance of her guards. Citlali has found a loophole, on the longest night of the year (during the height of Ītzpāpālōtl’s power), the walls of their prison thin. It is no small wonder than Citlali has her former commander in her sights.

Titans of the Teōtl

47

COYOLX UHQUI, WHO GATHERED THE FOUR HUNDRED Aliases: The First Enemy, She Who is Painted with Bells Coyolxāuhqui never believed in the miraculous nature of her mother’s, Cōātlīcue, pregnancy with Huitzilopochtli. She thought her mother had brought dishonor upon their family by having some tryst and lying about it. Thus, she brought together her 400 brothers, the Centzonhuitznaua, to rebel against their mother and slay her before this child could be born. At the summit of Coatepec Mountain in a shrine dedicated to herself, Cōātlīcue watched Coyolxāuhqui lead her Titanic brothers up the slopes. Cōātlīcue gave birth to the Champion of the Mēxihcah fully formed and as an adult, armored and armed with his Xiuhcoatl. Huitzilopochtli slew Coyolxāuhqui in the first moments of this epic battle and cut her limb from limb. He threw her head into the night sky to become the moon, where she waited, dead and bound until the Coyolxāuhqui Stone in Mexico City was broken decades ago and undid the binding magic, allowing her slow resurrection. Coyolxāuhqui hates the Teōtl. Hundreds of years after her defeat on Coatepec Mountain she’s become the symbol

48

of the enemies of the Mēxihcah. Though she was dead, she nevertheless watched as captives of war were made to climb the Huēyi Teōcalli in Tenochtitlan, only to be slain at its top and thrown down its back stairs, mimicking her defeat at the hands of Huitzilopochtli. The dishonor from her mother’s dishonesty about Huitzilopochtli’s conception, as well her defeat and binding by her youngest brother were not insult enough — the people who she once thought of as family mock her every year. As the moon, she presides over the nighttime sky, when Huitzilopochtli retreats from the Cihuateteo, the spirits of women who died in childbirth. Watching his daily failure against these night spirits pleases her, and she learns of changes in his strategies since last they fought. She relays this to her brothers during the new moon, when she is least bound. Coyolxāuhqui seeks the fall of Teōtl, but her thirst for vengeance won’t be satisfied while there is the blood of the Teōtl and their Mēxihcah followers to be spilled. The Mēxihcah are complicit in their God’s actions, as they took part in rituals that kept her bound and dismembered while offering worship to Huitzilopochtli. All reality be damned if she can have her vengeance. Only the reassembly of her body and leading her brothers into combat against Huitzilopochtli matters. Callings: Adversary, Leader, Warrior Purviews: Darkness, Health, Moon, War

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Of the Titans of the Teōtl, none are more aggressive than Coyolxāuhqui. She watches the Gods from the night sky and never stops plotting their end. She will resort to anything to destroy Huitzilopochtli and his pantheon. Since the Coyolxāuhqui Stone was moved, she made no short work pulling enough of her body together to create Scions. Her children are never anyone who believes in the cause of the Teōtl. She often chooses those who are on the short end of dealings with the Gods, or bitter that a loved one sacrificed themselves.

OTHER PANTHEONS As the Teōtl have just begun to interact with other Gods, Coyolxāuhqui knows nothing of alliances that were forged after her dismemberment. Since waking in 1978, she’s aware of other Gods but regards them with apathy. She will tolerate their existence until the Teōtl and Mēxihcah are wiped from the face of the Fifth World. If they can survive the earthquakes that will destroy it, more power to them. That said, she and her 400 siblings take up arms and will ally with any power looking for the end of all things. Members of the Centzonhuitznaua have been seen speaking with Surtr’s forces about Ragnarok.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Coyolxāuhqui has been gathering her brothers, the Centzonhuitznaua, by appearing to the mightiest of them each month during the new moon. Through this and her visitations to her Scions, she builds a rebel army that will, sooner rather than later, take on the Teōtl at the heart of their power, Mexico City.

TENOCH, QUINAMETZIN OF THE FIRST SUN Aliases: Builder of Tenōchtitlan Famed for being the founder and builder of Tenōchtitlan, the seat of Teōtl power in what is now Mexico City, Tenoch is one of seven giants of the First Sun. He survived the hunt that claimed his brethren. Trapped in an Axis Mundi, Tenoch suffers, bound in darkness and tormented by the sounds of his people getting devoured by Tezcatlipoca’s invisible jaguars. Lost there, his rage at this injustice burns ever brighter. The death of the First World had nothing to do with the Quinametzin. They were good giants and built sites important both to ancient and modern Mēxihcah. Quinametzin founded Teotihuacan, La Mixteca, Xilotepec, Xicallancatl, Tollan and others, their buildings left intact for the inhabitants of five Worlds to live in. The rivalry between Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl brought about its destruction. The Smoking Mirror wasn’t good enough to be the sun and the Feathered Serpent ousted him. These were the machinations of the Gods, and the Quinametzin did nothing to cause it. They could have lived in the next World, flourishing under the Second Sun of the White Tezcatlipoca. Instead, they were hunted and made to flee into the sanctuary that became their prison.

As the builder of the heart of the Teōtl empire, Tenoch leads what few individuals remain. His rage ignited those of the others. How dare Tezcatlipoca destroy the people he created because he failed at his prescribed task? Was it the Quinametzin who had failed? No, they laid the foundations of what would be the Teōtl’s empire, yet they paid the price. While Tenoch, like his giant brothers and sisters, can’t leave the Axis Mundi where they are trapped, if he could, he would go back to the cities that they built and tear them down. For Tenoch himself, that means stomping through Mexico City and breaking the city’s center, where the Gods hold their power. He built the damn place and knows all its secrets, mundane or otherwise. Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Tyrant Purviews: Artistry (Architecture), Epic Strength, Epic Stamina, Forge

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Tenoch and the other Quinametzin are willing to work with anyone who has been the victim of their cold and heartless Gods. Thanks to their imprisonment, only those who can find their Axis Mundi can receive any aid from them. If they do, however, and can escape the invisible jaguars, the giants of the First Sun reward them by crafting all manner of objects, including forging new Scions. The Quinametzin consider anything they make a weapon against Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, and the rest of the Teōtl.

OTHER PANTHEONS It is difficult for Tenoch to contact the Titans of other pantheons as he and the other giants are imprisoned. When sought out, they will aid anyone who can convince them that their enemy is a God that deserves to be brought low. The Quinametzin are not dumb brutes, and their craftsmanship makes them the most sought out weaponsmiths among Titans.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Despite living for millennia of imprisonment in their Axis Mundi, its nature makes it difficult to explore. This is both because of its pitch-black darkness, and because invisible jaguars attack each time they leave their small sanctuary. Part of the cost for their help always includes reports of what petitioners encountered on their way in and out of the Axis Mundi. They crave escape most and have spent thousands of years preparing to wreak their vengeance against the Gods who betrayed them. Anyone who can help with that has the full aid and support of Tenoch and the other Quinametzin.

TLALTECUHTLI, THE HUNGRY Aliases: Cipactli, The Earth Monster In the beginning, the universe was a watery void, save for a small spit of land upon which Tonacacihuatl and Tonacatecuhtli birthed the four Tezcatlipocas, who in turn begot the other Teōtl. They tried to create the universe, but their first attempts failed. Anything they created in the void

Titans of the Teōtl

49

around them was devoured, for they were not the only beings in the water. Tlaltecuhtli lurked there. No matter how many things they made, she ate them and hungered still. Tlaltecuhtli is the hunger of the wilds outside civilization. Whatever they built, it was hers to destroy and devour. To create the World, the Gods had to defeat the wild nature around them, as did the Mēxihcah people later. To do this, the Black Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, dunked his foot into the void and baited Tlaltecuhtli to bite. When he pulled her up, the other Tezcatlipoca defeated her and bound her as the foundation upon which the five Worlds were built. Her head became the sky, her tail the Underworld, and her corpse dismembered and buried as the earth. The Earth Monster appears as a gigantic crocodile with stony skin and a mouth filled with gnashing dagger-like teeth. It doesn’t matter what or how much she eats, she will always have room for more. Even vanquished and dismembered she hungers, and it is only through the Gods feeding her with human blood that she doesn’t awaken and come for the rest of the World. There is no evil or good with Tlaltecuhtli, no right or wrong, just a world ripe for devouring. She is the jungle outside the light of the village, the truth of the natural world that skyscrapers and order allow humanity to ignore or worse — forget about. Those who remember that everything exists to devour or be devoured, and who embrace their own hungers, sometimes find themselves Scions of the Earth Monster. She struggles against her binding, and when she does, storms form and the earth quakes. Even in death, she hungers. Callings: Destroyer, Hunter, Monster Purviews: Beasts (Crocodiles), Death, Earth, Wild

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Of the Teōtl Titans, Tlaltecuhtli is the least malevolent. As long as she feeds on human blood, she is sated. If the Gods and their followers neglect her ceaseless hunger, she awakens. Her Scions, however, want to free her so that the World can return to the Primordial chaos that birthed it. Only when their mother is unbound and restored can she be returned to life, and the great feast can begin.

OTHER PANTHEONS Tlaltecuhtli wants the World to be the way she knew it: an all-consuming void. She allies with many an apocalyptic monster, and through dreams commands her Scions to aid them. Apep, Fenrir, and others who want to devour reality receive Tlaltecuhtli’s aid.

50

CURRENT PRIORITIES It has been too long since last the Earth Monster was fed, as the Teōtl have been too busy with other Titans to address their commitment to keeping the foundation of the World sated. Her Scions feel this hunger as well, and know that the deeper it grows, the more she awakens and the closer she is to freedom.

BIRTHRIGHTS Scions of the Teōtl may acquire any of these Birthrights.

CREATURES Cihuateteo: The spirits of women who died in childbirth, these ghosts attack the armies of Huitzilopochtli in the twilight sky, routing the sun each night. Cipactlispawn: Ancient crocodilian beasts, the massive reptiles are fearsome combatants both on land and in the water.

FOLLOWERS Masones de los Cinco Soles: Once a small nonprofit group of historians looking into the founding of various sites in Mexico, they are now a secret organization funding and outfitting explorations of the Quinametzin Axis Mundi. They bring out blueprints and plans for wonderful and powerful structures in return for aiding in the mapping and eventual discovery of a weak point for the giants of the First Sun to escape through. Conētlmētztli: The Children of the Moon are couriers, smugglers, spies, and assassins who work in service of Coyolxāuhqui and the Centzonhuitznaua, hoping one day to be granted her blessings for the work they do in the dark of the night.

GUIDES Centzonhuitznaua: While the eldest of the 400 warriors of the southern stars are Titans in their own right, most of the them are titanspawn. They remain ready for a fight, regardless of who or what they may be fighting. Xelhua: The giant with the most sites to his name, Xelhua has always been too focused on creating to lead his people, leaving that task to Tenoch. A master of both architecture and magic, his creations are always devastatingly powerful.

RELICS Obsidian Butterfly Blade: Harvested from the shadowy wings of a Tzitzimitl, these volcanic glass blades shimmer darkly with a hypnotic malevolent light.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

TITANS OF THE THEOI T

he ancient Greeks created the word Titanes to mean Strainers, referring to those who tear at the cosmic order, who defy the divine justice of the Gods. The Theoi assert theirs was the first Titanomachy — it’s hard to argue otherwise when they named the concept and guard the cell of the King of Titans himself. Not all the Theoi’s adversaries pace subterranean prisons, however. Some escaped into obscurity. Others are allowed conditional freedom, the fates of their kin dangling overhead like swords. Still they strain at their social and moral confinements, undermining Godly rule in subtle, canny ways. They may not even back the old broadbeards fuming underground, but all are eager to see Zeus’s kingdom fall.

weight of the last child he snatched and swallowed whole. Unbeknownst to him, his desperate wife Rhea had switched the newborn with a stone. So it was that Cronus the Cunning was outmaneuvered by a boulder, the infant Zeus survived in hiding, and Fate was proved ever ineffable. Zeus’s quest to release the Gigantes, his war for Olympus, his wife Metis’s scheme to free the Gods from Cronus’s gullet — these myths have found their places. Zeus found his at the head of the Theoi. And Cronus his, leashed by unbreakable chains beneath Tartarus. The King of Titans commands a body enormous beyond conceiving. Within is concealed a freezing vacuum and monstrous appetite, particularly for his kin. While Cronus originally reigned over the concept of rulership, he now encompasses time as well, especially entropy, and literal and figurative reaping. This and his infamous sickle syncretized him with an Italian harvest God, now his fairer Mantle Saturnus.

CRONUS Aliases: Khronos, King of the Titans, Saturnus Sing to me, O Muses, of the second King of Heaven, ruler of a Golden Age, the undisputed commander of Gods and causality. He plots the ambush of his royal father, craving butchery. He awaits the birth of another radiant babe, his stomach howling. He is the tomb of his own children, he is the heat-death of the cosmos, he is the adversary of the divine, and he is hungry. While his four elder brothers seized their father Uranus and held him fast at the corners of the earth, Cronus lifted his adamant sickle and hacked the King of Heaven to pieces. So it was that Cronus the Wily became the second King, of crooked wit and fearful drive. Though some claim he ruled over a blissful Golden Age, his ruthlessness earned the bitter enmity of many — including his mother Gaea. Upon the unjust imprisonment of his brothers the Gigantes, Gaea delivered to him that familiar refrain of Theoi prophecy: However great, the father will be defeated by an even greater son. For Cronus, there was a simple solution to this riddle of Fate: He devoured his children as soon as they were born, imprisoning them within his empty, frozen body. Confident in the merits of this plan, he overlooked the unusual

Selfish and paranoid, Cronus is not known to patronize Scions. He does, however, beget many Titanic omens, even when the World’s stage is otherwise q u i e t . His heaving under Tartarus knocks souls off-course, triggers horrific earthquakes and sparks winter storms. Gates swing open, conveying the expectant and unwary alike to his cell within Tartarus. To what end these omens appear, no Olympians are sure, but they do know this: Even in prison, Cronus has not admitted defeat. He will rule again whatever the cost — not out of lofty ideals but simply because he must. Callings: Adversary, Destroyer, Tyrant Purviews: Death, Deception, Earth, Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Fertility, Frost, Order, Passion (Hunger)

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Though he’s not above granting clemency to “free” Titans who return to his court, Cronus hates the Theoi

Titans of the Theoi

51

and their allies beyond measure — Rhea especially, for her ruse with the stone, and were he to learn of Metis and her little emetic she’d earn his wrath as well. As unyielding as ever, Cronus plans to rule the World in the same manner as before, this time with every God decaying within his frostrimed belly.

peak of Olympus, likely after clearing the World of this age of humanity in your traditional deluge. Why change a perfect plan?

OTHER PANTHEONS

Sing, O Muses, of the mother of monsters! The mother of the unloved, her wretched babes wagered liked pawns! Sing of murdered children! Of their matron’s venom-rage, of the end of man, and the end of Heroes! Loathsome worm and squirming dragon, the lover of inimical Typhon, the enemy of beloved Apollo! She whose birth-pangs will end the World — Monster! Mother! Echidna!

As King of the Titans and paterfamilias of the xenophobic Theoi, Cronus is contemptuous of literally everyone. He already waged Titanomachy without barbarian help and intends to do it again. That said, Cronus now sends cryptic communications to Apep in the South, and his emissaries have been intercepted en route to Giants of the First Sun — sticky topics the Theoi have not yet divulged to the Netjer or Teōtl.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Cronus longs to be reunited with his adamant sickle, once used to sever Heaven from Earth, supposedly on an unknown island in the Ionian Sea guarded by Theoi watchdogs. His four brothers, the Pillars of Heaven, have already slipped their less-artisanal bonds and now maneuver titanspawn to search for the only thing that can break Cronus’s chains. He also seeks a new wife (as Rhea is dead to him, perhaps soon literally), one that will breach Tartarus to guide him back into the World. After millennia of chauvinism, he’s begun considering “barbarian” Titans. Then he will unroll his maw to feed on the flesh of his degenerate children and resume his reign from the frozen

52

ECHIDNA Aliases: Dracaena, She-Viper

Gaea and Tartarus have long commingled in various inscrutable ways. As such, it is well known that when Mother Earth and Hell decide to love each other very much, nothing useful or tolerant of humanity can come of it: Echidna being the prime example. The Gods abhorred Echidna, an unmanageable monster, even before she took a mate and began to breed. While the Theoi claim she chose Typhon out of a perverse need to spawn the most horrifying creatures possible, Aphrodite is first to admit (with a shudder) that she seems to genuinely love him. Certainly, they are a match made in — well, somewhere. Typhon couldn’t have successfully stolen Zeus’s tendons without Echidna’s low, twisted cunning. When Apollo took vengeance by filling Echidna with arrows, she would have putrefied in Pythia’s sunlight if Typhon hadn’t stolen away with her to Tartarus. No, Echidna and Typhon truly love

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

each other, just as they truly love the abominations their union creates.

subterranean nursery, and a lot of food, because she’s eating for A Dreadful Number Larger Than One now.

From the waist up, Echidna is a beautiful maiden, albeit with cold doll-eyes and a poisonous expression. From the waist down, however, Hell takes over: Her legs fuse into one abominable appendage, long and serpentine, frilled and bristling with venomous spikes. You are likely to find her coils miles before you catch sight of her unapproachable maiden-half. More infamous than her terrible visage are her numerous depraved children: Hydra, Scylla, Chimaera… you may have heard of a few. Agonizingly to Echidna, her children’s only worth to the World is in how much fame they bring the Hero who kills them.

Echidna is also concerned with silencing oracles — she wasn’t born yesterday, and she knows prophecies lead Heroes to her children’s lairs. She will stop at nothing to achieve a World that exists only for her and her spawn: everything a fetid bog and everyone in terrified quiescence.

Echidna is begrudgingly aligned with proponents for Titanomachy only because she hates the Theoi and their Scions with a venom that suffuses her horrifying body. She will always put her family first. Echidna’s Scions are those of the same mind: mothers, survivors of violence, and creators joyfully cultivating the ill-advised things they make. She births or adopts Scions as caretakers for her children, or as wardens for their spawning grounds and cults. Callings: Creator, Guardian, Monster Purviews: Beasts (Serpents), Chaos, Darkness, Epic Stamina, Fertility, Fire, Passion (Maternal Love), Wild

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Above all else, Echidna loves Typhon and her children. Every action and alliance serve to protect these loves; a Titanomachy with no place for her twisted family leaves her cold. She wouldn’t have aligned with the Titanomachy at all if Gaea, whom Echidna venerates, hadn’t entreated her. That said, Echidna exults in undermining the hunter twins Apollo and Artemis, as well as Rhea, whom she considers her rival for the Purview of motherhood. Interactions with her Scions are curt, similar to a haughty aristocrat treating the nanny. If left alone, Echidna’s only plan would be to outbreed the Gods — with the rise in “Bestia Incognita” advocacy, this plan may be crazy enough to work.

OTHER PANTHEONS Monster-mothers lead solitary lives, but Echidna gets along famously with Misiginebig, much to everyone’s horror and dismay. Her gamekeeper cults have spread attitudes of radical monster acceptance across national boundaries, causing the Shén no amount of grief when a titanspawn finally roped into gainful employment no-call-no-shows and goes back to terrorizing the locals. Other pantheons keep their distance from Echidna’s clan, and she likes this just fine.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Echidna is gravid again. This is far from uncommon, but her gamekeeper cults are unusually restless, and her activist Scions are squeezing global legislatures to increase protection of “Bestia Incognita.” Something really special is on the way. Echidna’s primary concerns are pre- and post-natal care for the baby (or babies); namely, she needs an enormous

GAEA Aliases: Allmother, Gaia, Ge, Mother Earth Sing at last, O Muses, of the Allmother, unbegotten and self-delivered. Bearer of the Titans — Land and Sea and Firmament lay honors upon her. Namer of beasts — the creatures of the World owe fealty to her. Adversary of Heaven — her sons war and betray in deference to her. From her is all produced and given! She attends to the growing, so grow tall, grow strong. She leads in the reaping, so die for her, and die well! When Uranus thought to smother her and trap her own children within her body, it was Gaea who planted the seed of insurrection in Cronus’s mind, and granted him a murder weapon she personally forged for him. When Cronus gorged himself on infants in a clumsy attempt to outwit Fate, it was Gaea who provided Rhea with the stone and the cunning instructions to hide her lastborn son. When Zeus dared defy her, it was Gaea who came closest to starting a second Titanomachy, leading her Gigantes sons and Typhon himself against the youngest King of Heaven. Gaea, smiling and elegant, has been instrumental in two wars of heavenly succession. She’s looking forward to her third. Gaea chooses to appear as a well-bred, matronly woman, buxom and soft, barely old enough to be a grandmother. As a primeval of Earth, her powers are varied — the source of prophetic fumes, she is the Theoi’s first oracle. The literal fundament, she can conceal creatures and concepts on or within her figurative body. The origin of all Theoi, she exploits even the canniest God or Goddess. Though she currently holds the Mantle of Mother Earth, Gaea herself is not motherhood — she is survival for only the fittest. She prefers sacrifices of black sheep, as her once-universal worship in Greece dictated, and she prefers children who obey. However, never say Gaea doesn’t love her family. She happens to love the cycle of succession more. If there is an abler king, she will help him ascend, and well… there are so many possible times and manners of Zeus’s fall. Naturally, Gaea plans to be there, with weapons and alliances forged, her titanspawn and Scions in formation. Said Scions must be obedient, and never indulge in weakness; Gaea has been known to disown Scions who depend too much on her assistance. Terrible as this seems, Gaea never fails to seek justice for a hurt Scion, often going to dramatic lengths for vengeance. Callings: Creator, Primordial (Earth), Tyrant Purviews: Beasts (Black Sheep), Earth, Epic Stamina, Fertility, Fortune, Health, Prosperity, Wild

Titans of the Theoi

53

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Gaea cultivates close relationships with her daughter Rhea and granddaughter Hera, who either don’t suspect her machinations or are powerless to oppose them. While Gaea is neither confined nor tortured like other Titans, she knows her status with her grandchildren is tenuous, so refrains from direct actions, relying instead on intelligent titanspawn and Scions. A parthenogeneticist, Gaea is known to create Scions more often than she adopts or begets them, leaving her free to craft exactly the tool she needs in the moment she needs it; the result is a semi-divine legion equipped with adamantine weapons and breathtaking mother issues. Gaea wishes to return to the days of her universal worship, to create unimpeded once again, and to continue guiding the divine lineage of the Theoi.

OTHER PANTHEONS In the last decade, Gaea has struck up an unusual alliance with Coyolxauhqui and the eldest Centzonhuitzanaua. The Allmother has much in common with what she would otherwise consider vicious barbarians; all wish for the end of their respective pantheons and have some experience at the attempt of it. Of all her entanglements, however, she finds most promising her connections with the Gods of the Tuatha Dé Danann, who revile Zeus and harbor no ill-will toward pantheon-labelled Titans. Were the Theoi to learn of this collusion, Gaea would need to pluck every string she could to manipulate her way back into their favor.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Gaea keeps tabs on several different prophecies regarding Zeus’s succession by another: Notably, his son by Metis, his son by Thetis, his child by a thrice-living mortal, and his child by a two-headed serpent. She is confident in having found three candidates fitting these criteria, and while she counsels from afar and equips them for war, she continues the search for others. Ultimately, Gaea means to guide one to the throne of Olympus, so that yet another generation of kings is under her control.

BIRTHRIGHTS FOLLOWERS CompACTS: Created in the ‘60s as a cult to Morris Blackburn, Scion of Echidna and animal rights ecoterrorist, Compassionate Advocacy for Creatures Transmundane or Significant now operates as a secular multi-national cult to Echidna’s propagation. Echidna leverages CompACTors to protect or advocate for her titanspawn targeted for extermination. Doomsday Preppers: Mortals fearing the end of the World, whatever shape it may take. Gaea takes notice of those who hoard resources for their own survival, whether they’re as sophisticated as the Saturnian Society (p. XX) or as isolated as hill folk. She visits them with dreams of her impending Titanomachy, which naturally takes their prepping to the next level.

54

Harpyiai Titanes: Horrific hybrids of women and raptors, harpies were born of the ichor spilled upon Cronus’s sickle. Usually bound in service to the Erinyes, these Harpies choose to serve Cronus and his interests rather than Olympus. Horai: Minor Goddesses of weather and the orderly procession of seasons, dutiful attendants of Gaea’s favorites. There were originally numerous Horai, but they’re down to four and dwindling in power. Their rage at climate instability only burns brighter. Ichthyocentauroi: Born when Cronus coupled with the nymph Philyra in horse-form, these are centaur with fishtails and lobster-claw antennae. Patient chaperones and adept seafarers, they attend allies of Aphrodite and Poseidon, though their loyalties are often brought into question by hawkish Theoi.

GUIDES Chiron: The first centaur has built a reputation and brand as Preeminent Heroic Mentor, despite being Cronus’s son. An expert in fields from gymnastics to medicine, his impressive list of references includes Heroes like Achilles, Heracles, and Sybilla Kostanian — the latter a modern graduate known primarily for crossing the Pacific in five soaring leaps. Curiously, Chiron is known to have definitely, definitely died 2000 years ago. His reappearance in the early 2000s have many Theoi conspiracy theorists trading suspicions. Enkelados: A giant who served in the Gigantomachy — Gaea’s attempt at a second Titanomachy — until Athena threw the island of Sicily at him. He’s subsumed the volcanic essence of the island and now appears more fearsome than before, belching fire with his shouts and threats. He’s set on a rematch with the Theoi and will provide combat training to anyone who can help get him there. Sphinx: A daughter of Echidna with a mortal’s head, a lion’s body, an eagle’s wings, and a serpent’s tail. Sphinx is too clever by half, and delights in terrorizing others with her intellect. Solving one of her riddles is the only way to gain her respect or her tutelage. Typhon: A treacherous, shape-shifting giant, veteran of the Gigantomachy, Gaea’s lieutenant, and Echidna’s mate. He variably appears winged, with serpents for legs or for fingers, or up to 100 heads, or any other feature that will leave mortals screaming. He has an unusual gift for strategy and psychological warfare and loves anything to do with undermining Zeus. The Wyomese Bear: A grizzly bear roughly the size and weight of a tractor unit, with six legs, an invulnerable hide, and twice the usual number of teeth, currently stalking the interior midwestern United States. All local wildlife obeys its commands and those of its ward.

RELICS Blood of Uranus: A vial of syrupy, wine-dark fluid, glittering with cold stars. When applied to any part of Gaea’s body (otherwise known as the World), this grotesquely

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

fecund liquid has the potential to create a new creature never before seen — from as crude as a beast to as sophisticated as a God. Echidna’s Scales: A chip of Echidna’s lower-body chitin, hard as a carbide alloy, ranging in size from smartphone to riot shield. Echidna’s scales are usually weaponized — they are especially conductive of poison, and wounds caused by the scale are guaranteed to infect.

Echidna’s Venom: A high-density polyethylene container of some of the most potent contaminant slime ever to curse the World. Rots non-living organic material, erodes metal, causes numerous infections. Curiously, has no effect on plastic. The Mother’s Bones: A waterproofed canvas bag full of various stones of impossible age. Throwing one over your shoulder so that it lands on the bare earth will cause it to metamorphize into a fully armored myrmidon with perfect discipline and obedience.

Titans of the Theoi

55

TITANS OF THE TUATHA DÉ DOMNANN T

he winner writes the history, that much is true of the history of both humans and the divine. For the Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann, the winners have determined not only who’s “good” and “bad,” but who’s even a member of the pantheon itself, as opposed to falling into Titanhood. Those who claim themselves as Titans follow the lead of Domnu and use her name as a banner. A relatively lesser-known pantheon, the Tuatha struggle to survive in the modern age of The World, and the Titans even more so.

BALOR, THE EVIL EYE Aliases: The Deadly One, King of Drought, The PiercingEyed, The Smiter Balor died. Everyone knows this. Everyone knows that after he locked his daughter up in a tower — so she could never have children, thereby warding against a prophecy that his grandson would kill him — his daughter became pregnant by the son of Dian Cécht. Everyone knows that Balor set his grandson adrift on the sea to kill him, and that Lugh returned as a grown man and threw a spear through his grandfather’s single dread eye. The stories of Balor’s death, and the hole his great and fiery eye burned into the ground, forming a deep lake, are told to children and form one of the best-known stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Lugh handsomely rewards bards who tell the most flattering and elaborate versions of Balor’s death. Balor died, and his body tumbled into the hole his dread eye burnt into the earth. Balor’s body lay still on the droughtwracked earth until his mother, Domnu, ran from the sea, screaming her agony and grief. Her tears filled the deep basin, and her screams shook the earth, causing waves which carried

56

his body to her empty arms. He’d been her first favorite, the child she bore during the Incarnation that loved Buarainech, the best-beloved and most mercurial of her children. Whether the tears of the primal mother brought her favorite child back from the dead or that Mantle passed to another one of her doted-upon children, Balor walks the earth again, much to Lugh’s chagrin. After that terrible war, he slept for several centuries, content to leave the World to its own business. His eye stayed closed, and drought did not plague Ireland, nor famine touch her shores. Two centuries ago, he woke, and resumed wandering the length and breadth of the World. Whenever four of his servants pry back the seven lids on his single massive eye, he gazes upon the land and grasses dry and leaves wither. Forest fires break out when he blinks the first lid. The sea warms when he gazes upon it. Indeed, in recent centuries Balor’s realization that he can warm the waters and raise magnificent storms has made this one of his very favorite hobbies. He’ll never forgive Lugh for that spear to the eye, and while his grandson celebrates those bards who tell the story of his death, Balor seeks out those same bards and wreaks havoc upon their lives. He never kills them directly, instead causing them misery and heartbreak. Family farms fail, loved ones fall ill or meet untimely ends by tragic accidents: driedout old trees fall suddenly, a beloved infant succumbs to heat stroke, car engines explode.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

Balor had enough of children centuries ago, and unlike other Tuatha Dé Domnann, he has no desire for progeny. The others create and adopt in order to increase their numbers, but The Deadly One has no plans for such things. Lugh still lives, after all; his first child didn’t work out so well for him. Of course, Balor’s plans don’t usually work, and he’s the king of the accidental Visitation. Callings: Destroyer, Tyrant, Warrior Purviews: Chaos, Death, Fire, Health, War

prominence. No one wins when families this intertwined fight in front of the children, after all.

OTHER PANTHEONS Balor plays rather nicely with most of the other Titans who bring famines: The more the merrier! He roams the World looking for like-minded compatriots and staying out of the business of his Tuatha siblings trying to overthrow each other over and over. Except, of course, Lugh. There’s always an exception for Lugh, who just needs to pay.

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA

CURRENT PRIORITIES

Of all the Domnann, Balor has the least interest in ruinous struggles between Gods and Titans (save, of course, for Lugh). He’s very much enjoying the way that the World has started growing warmer. The fact that he can wreak havoc on the World and enjoy the famines he creates? Delightful. Perhaps he’s just aware that it’s all pointless posturing: With as close-knit and interbred as both sides have become, any attempt at an overthrow would most likely look more like the World’s most horrifyingly bad wedding reception, with a million old grudges and family ties all bubbling into toxic

That whole “playing with other Titans and making famines” thing? Balor avoids making Scions by causing chaos in the World. Famine has so many different meanings in the World these days, and he’s learning about all of them. Some people claim the Library of Alexandria’s fire came from Balor’s eye. One of Balor’s accidental Scions, Jeremiah Glover, claimed to have invented the concept of the “food desert” and gloried in the wonderfully modern famine which followed in his footsteps. His father certainly showed Glover an immense amount of favor.

WHAT’S IN A NAME The phrase 'Tuatha Dé' roughly translates to 'the folk of'. The Titans and Gods from this pantheon of bitter internecine struggles differentiate themselves by whose folk they are: do they claim membership within the Tuatha Dé Danaan, following the Goddess Danu, or the Tuatha Dé Domnann, the folk of the Titan Domnu? This matter of nomenclature matters very deeply to those on either side of this family divide, and characters slip up at their peril. Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann

57

BELENUS THE BRIGHT Aliases: Bright-Eyed, The Shining God Belenus, and the other Titans like him in the Tuatha Dé Domnann, occupy a sort of liminal space of belonging and not-belonging. Many minor Gods from Gaulish and Welsh pantheons — especially those rejected in the modern age of the World, stripped of their former worshippers and ignored by the pantheons in which they “should” be found — have found themselves a home in the Domnann. Some have gratitude toward the pantheon for taking them in, and others, like Belenus, accepted the offered hospitality to have a space in which to lick their wounds. Other minor figures like Belenus exist under the Domnann umbrella, with the Shining God as their putative leader. Whatever humanity Belenus once possessed has burned away over years in exile, barely surviving. The Mantle of the God perhaps fell into the hands of a former Scion when the original died during Roman rule: Whatever happened, Belenus’ place within the Tuatha Dé Domnann cannot now be disputed. If the God died, the Titan lives, Mantle passed to another. Once the proud patron of cities, he clung to what little power remained and was swept up into the Domnann, taking up the space within that pantheon to which all worship of the Sun funneled. He greedily spies upon the Tuatha Dé Danann from his daily crossing of Ireland’s blue sky, holding the arch of the World aloft with one hand as the other holds the reins of his steed. Of course, whether he tells his fellow Titans the whole and complete truth about what he sees depends on who’s asking. Callings: Primeval, Sage, Tyrant Purviews: Beasts (Horses), Epic Strength, Journeys, Liminal, Sun

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA In his belonging and not-belonging stage, Belenus struggles constantly for a place within the pantheon. Some years he seems secure, yet others he’s jockeying for position; while other Domnann eagerly take in all refugees, he pushes against the adoption of new entities. After all, he’s got his place, what’s wrong with pulling the ladder up after him?

OTHER PANTHEONS Where Belenus gets along with other pantheons, he finds the most delight in sharing space and time with his fellow sun Gods. He spends a lot of time with the Theoi (after all, he was strongest when the Romans ruled the ground from which his worship grew) and will gladly ally himself with pretty much any Titan whose job includes “draw a chariot across the sky.”

CURRENT PRIORITIES Of all the Domnann, Belenus most actively seeks Scions: He lures those hungry for strength to his side and manifests to seek out mothers for yet another generation of sun-bright warriors. Belenus actively preys on the insecurities of his Scions, playing them off one another in order to attempt

58

to spur them to greater achievements. Of all the Tuatha Dé Domnann, he’s one of the most actively involved in the World, and the lives of his Scions. His Scions vie for his favor, attempting to please him by collecting relics and besting one another in ever-greater displays and feats of strength.

BRES THE BEAUTIFUL Aliases: Eochu Bres, The Fomorian Flower, He Who Drinks, The Inhospitable Alone of all the Tuatha Dé Domnann Titans, Bres’s beauty measures up to the Danann. Half-Fomorian, he ruled Ireland after the Fomorians fell at the hands of Nuada’s army, and Nuada’s hand fell to the earth. Imperfect of body, Nuada could no longer claim kingship, and so Eochu Bres became king instead. However wisely he might have wanted to reign, he didn’t. The one thing the bardic tales get right about Bres the Beautiful is the fact that he ruled so poorly that he drove his kingdom to ruin and misery. While plating everything in his palace in gold, he flung himself into unwinnable wars, his people starved, and everyone who advised him to turn from his destructive ways was declared a failure. Miserly, despotic and narcissistic, Bres fell prey to his own self-involvement, consumed by his desire to prove himself the greatest ruler, a far greater ruler than any Danann. As his self-obsession grew, the other Gods grumbled and strained against the yoke of his leadership, until Dian Cécht created a silver hand for Nuada so he could rule once more. The silver handed Tuatha Dé Danann unseated the Fomorian Flower. Bres has held a grudge about that for centuries, nursing it like the night’s final pint. Bres is by far the most physically beautiful of all the Domnann Titans, outstripped only by his internal ugliness. Short-sighted, hot-tempered, and self-infatuated, he spends a great deal of his time obsessing on how to braid his sunset-colored locks. Callings: Adversary, Guardian, Tyrant Purviews: Beauty, Order, Passion (Insecurity), War

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Given the persistent rumor that the entire Tuatha pantheon grew from a single band of Irish, Gaulish, and Welsh Scions who ranged across Europe and eventually settled in what would become the UK and France before ascending to Godhood, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the difference between Titanhood and Godhood where the Tuatha and Fomori are concerned is largely a matter of politics and interpersonal relationships. They fight like only family can, and the divisions between Godhood and Titanhood often come down to who cheated on whom and who found themselves cast out as a result of some breach of etiquette large or small ages ago. The stories paint the Gods in a flattering light, because in the end, they won, and the Titans didn’t. Bres dwells on this fact more than anyone, and the entirety of his energy focuses on returning himself to the top of the heap from which he’s fallen. Only Domnu thinks more about how to unseat the Tuatha Dé Danann than Bres.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

IRISH CERNUNNOS Once, the Mantle of Irish Cernunnos was a God of the wild just like his Gaulish counterpart. This Mantle was lost and taken up by the Demigod when he ascended to Titanhood. Now, they both exist — two aspects of the same, former deity — though the Titan cares little for his other self.

OTHER PANTHEONS As obsessed as he is with righting the “wrong” done to him when Nuada tossed him out of power, Bres pays almost no attention to other pantheons. His obsession knows almost no bounds, and for the last two millennia, he’s been focused on getting back the throne he lost. Bres really doesn’t give a single fig about the other pantheons. At all.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Bres the Beautiful intentionally creates Scions with great abandon, but rarely pays them much attention; most of the children who rise from his bloodline end up adopted by other Domnann, or even Gods or dragons. His inability to guard and shepherd anything properly doesn’t mean that he doesn’t try, but it does mean he almost inevitably fails. If he becomes fixated upon an idea, however, woe betide the child tasked with tending to it: He’s all or nothing, and when he’s all, he’s Bres the Tyrant — micromanaging every aspect of his current project.

CERNUNNOS, THE HORNED ONE Aliases: The Green Father, The Green Man, Lord of Wild Things, The Stag One solitary entry in a single work 1,000 years old notes the existence of Cernunnos; every other reference or inference about the Horned One comes from representative art carved from wood or crafted from fine metals. For a long time, the Tuatha Dé Danann and their Scions assumed him either a stray figment of a single bard’s imagination or the remnant of a continental deity long-gone. Then, in the beginning of the 20th century, an Incarnation of Cernunnos appeared to a young woman in Barna Woods near Galway. A tempestuous love affair — the first of many — resulted in the first of Cernunnos’ first Scions of the modern age. Of course, this Cernunnos didn’t begin life as a Titan, and this Horned One doesn’t date back to prehistory. Once a repressed Victorian woman among Ireland’s Protestant elite, he decided such a constrictive life didn’t suit him and left it behind when Domnu granted him one of her rare personal Visitations. She gifted him an oaken carved staff, as much metaphorical as practical. The Green Man’s divine mother poured favor and fortune on him, sending him into conflict after conflict in the first three decades of the 20th century. Each time, her current favorite child returned a little less human and a little more Titan. A long stint in the woods of Belgium during a particularly long World War winter, the events of which he will never speak, stripped away the

last of what made Cernunnos anything but a Titan. He took his place among the Domnann, claiming the Mantle of The Green Father. None of the Domnann deign to acknowledge the existence of the other Cernunnos, believing the Gaulish God an imposter at best. Callings: Hunter, Primeval, Trickster Purviews: Artistry (Primitive), Beasts (All), Deception, Epic Dexterity, Forge, Fortune, Wild

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Cernunnos finds most of the other Domnann — save Domnu herself — largely boring. Stuck in the past, incapable of reinventing themselves, and frankly dull as fuck, he avoids them as much as possible. He’d rather Incarnate and talk to humans than spend another minute with dull Balor, self-obsessed Bres, or any of the rest of his insecure relations, constantly living out their worst selves over and over and trying to figure out how to make the same mistakes yet again.

OTHER PANTHEONS Cernunnos delights in spending time with any of the other Wild-oriented Titans, and sometimes can even be found cavorting with Gods. Dionysus? He’s all right, and Furies delight the Green Man in their reckless abandon. Of all the Domnann, he holds the least grudges, and spends the most time reveling in the green places left in the World. If someone can treat him to a good hunt, he’ll consider them much more favorably.

CURRENT PRIORITIES Much like his mother, Cernunnos takes an extremely active interest in the World, and Incarnates more than most Titans. He adopts Scions of other deities but has no compunctions about Incarnating in order to seed more of his children around the world. The rise of Wicca provided a fertile field for this Titan, and he actively fed and shaped the nascent faith through the latter half of the 20th century. He stalks what few wild places remain in the World, wearing any one of a plethora of diverse faces — even the faces of his siblings and rivals. He takes especial interest in those Scions whose paths seem likely to follow his, as well as investing heavily in artistic Scions (especially neo-primitive artists) and in those devoted to the survival of animals native to his home. Two of his best loved Scions disappeared without a trace when the Wombyn of the Moon-Water first became active in Ireland during the early 1990s, leading to the Titan bearing a grudge the size of Ireland itself. Cernunnos would grant great favors to whoever brings him either the head of their

Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann

59

leader or the bones of his children so he might inter them in one of the ancient passage tombs his children watch over.

DOMNU, MOTHER OF TITANS Aliases: The First Deceiver, The Other Face, She of the Dark Waters An endless network of rivers stretches across the face of the earth, feeding into the ocean which surrounds Ireland. Every droplet runs to the sea, and from the sea, all life rises. Such truths come from the mouths of those who whisper prayers to Domnu, the creator and destroyer who holds both birth and death in the watery depths of her womb, her grave. The Tuatha Dé Danann insist that Danu’s role as primordial Goddess of waters stands unchallenged, but the Titans know the secret truths. They know that beneath the beneficent mask of the birthing Goddess lies the terrible hunger and wrath of the hurricane, the endless, devouring depths of the sea. Domnu founded the Tuatha Dé Domnann and named it after herself; she gathered the lost children of the Danann and Fomori together under her sway. She sent out whispering messengers on the waves, merfolk, selkies, and dark twisted fae. Balor answered her summons, having been swept out to sea by gale-driven waves and held hostage on a chunk of driftwood until he consented to Domnu’s rule. Cernunnos, certain of a choice seat at the primal mother’s side, came willingly. Once those two joined Domnu’s brood, the rest of the knockabout children fell into line. Perhaps Domnu and Danu are one, wearing different masks to speak to each group of children. Perhaps the pair are bitterly divided sisters, driven apart by wars which claimed offspring and stories and time. Whatever the case, Domnu interferes in the World far more readily than Danu: She sends her dappled-skin selkies and salt-licked merfolk to deliver messages to her Scions and makes frequent use of the messengers of other Titans. Whatever belongs to the Domnann belongs to her, after all, and has no qualms about using anything which the other Tuatha Dé Domnann claim as their own. Domnu may not actually have qualms about anything, ever: No one’s ever seen her appear uncertain about a course of action. Born Scions of Domnu outnumber those she chooses or crafts from salt and sand; like the ocean in which she dwells and which she is, Domnu’s fluidity means her Incarnations partner with humans of all genders, and she takes delight in those among her Scions who embody that fluidity themselves. Most of her children never hear from her directly, receiving messages instead from commandeered Guides. The Scions most likely to receive direct Visitations from Domnu, to look upon one of her Incarnations, are those which embody fluidity with the same ease as their Titan mother. Upon those children she bestows her most lavish favors, encouraging that malleability of spirit and form. Callings: Guardian, Primeval, Sage Purviews: Chaos, Death, Deception, Epic Stamina, Journeys, Water, Wild

60

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA The deliberate destruction of their history and the politics between the Gods and Titans have led to some spectacularly self-serving behavior among the Tuatha Titans — some of whom should more properly be referred to as Fomori, and indeed, the Dagda insists that all members of the Tuatha Dé Domnann are and always were Fomori, regardless of the facts of the matter. The Tuatha Titans, led by Domnu, take in all manner of refugee entities — those rejected from other groups — in order to increase their number. In addition, she’s grown notorious for “poaching” the Scions of other Titans, and sometimes the Scions of Gods. Highly speculative and unverified rumors state she’s even managed to steal away one or two dragon offspring. She treats the rest of her pantheon like her children, for good or for ill, and while Bres sometimes tries to push her out of control of the pantheon, he always fails.

OTHER PANTHEONS Domnu delights in the company of other pantheons, none more than the Æsir, who she treats like distant cousins more than a different pantheon. She definitely wants to convince the Æsir Titans to her side for whatever she’s got planned for Odin and the Dagda. She’s oddly protective of her Welsh brethren, perhaps out of an understanding of the shared roots of their pantheons. According to some traditions, the Fomorians are descendants of Ham, son of Noah. Being descended from a seafaring people, this line of thought resonates with many modern Tuatha Titan Scions, a thought encouraged by Domnu. She actively seeks to better her relationships with other pantheons, consolidating power.

CURRENT PRIORITIES In modern times, her active networking has brought the Tuatha Titans new members, both from ascended Scions and those deities they took in. Domnu runs her pantheon like a PTA mom: mostly benevolent, happy to bring in newcomers, but woe betide the person who doesn’t bring lemon bars to the bake sale. She eagerly adds Scions and Titans both to the pantheon she views as her brood whenever possible. Little makes Domnu happier than watching Scions from any of the Domnann rise in prominence. Someday, she promises the other Domnann, they’ll be on top again, and the Gods ground under their heel. Someday.

BIRTHRIGHTS CREATURES Hounds: The hound holds a particularly central place in Irish mythology, and Scions of the Domnann tend to own the traditional hunting dogs of their parents’ home. Sea Creatures: Scions of Domnu particularly have an affinity for sea creatures of all types: dolphins, sentient lobsters, giant squid. The more monstrous and absurd their creature companion, the more their Titanic mother adores the child who keeps said creature.

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

FOLLOWERS Bards: A mainstay of Irish tradition, the Scions of the Tuatha Dé Domnann gather bands of bards. As a great deal of their history depends on the winners writing the stories, the Titans impress upon their children the importance of getting someone to tell the story right this time. Historic Revisionists: If you can’t fix history, you can attempt to rewrite it. Domnann Scions often gather around themselves any number of new age jewelers, creative historians with weekly podcasts, and avid Wikipedia editors; the Domnann feed their reconstructionist followers an improved version of history, which casts their parents in a more favorable light, often including a false line about the purity of their lineage.

GUIDES Selkies: Domnu delights in employing selkies, some she created herself, and others she tempted away from their allegiance to the Tuatha Dé Danann. She prefers their company to most other creatures, delighting in keeping a court of smooth, seal-skinned swimmers in her deep, watery home. Pale as pearls and sleek as eels, the selkies tempt mortals

away from actions which interfere with Domnu’s plans and carry messages to her Scions. Divine Foster Parents: The Tuatha Dé Domnann don’t just raise the Scions of Gods and other Titans as their own, they actively attempt to poach them. They vacillate between heaping gifts on their foster children and meddling in their lives in destructive ways. Occasionally, those Scions break free from the abusive cycle that being adopted by a bitter Titan represents and find their actual divine parents, and sometimes they don’t, instead embracing that cycle of lavished attention and scorched-earth disdain.

RELICS The Eye of Balor: This fist-sized pearl, when held aloft in the air, reveals concealed enemies and hidden treasures. Rumors hold that more than one Eye of Balor exists, but the one capable of wilting every plant in a field on which its holder stands hasn’t been seen in nearly 200 years. Cernunnos’ Staff: Not a singular relic but a name given to a class of relics crafted by the Horned God and granted to his favored Scions and followers. Sometimes a quarterstaff, sometimes an iron-headed spear of the sort carried by Vikings, every staff’s haft bears elaborate primitive-style carvings of the God — or at the very least, his horns.

Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann

61

NO SUCH THING AS TITANS by Èshù Èlégbara

I

suppose you may be wondering why I called you here today. I want to talk to you about why the Titanomachy is an invalid concept, a waste of your time at best and a warmongering rampage at worst. In this essay I will… Our modern identity as the transatlantic Òrìshà and Loa is inextricable from our history with chattel slavery, imperialism, and colonialism. As such, we intimately understand the othering process, by which beings more similar than they are different divide into “us” and “them.” When you want to oppress and delegitimize someone, you must categorize them differently from you, thus, the distinction between God and Titan. Call someone a monster, you make it okay to fight them, hurt them, take what’s theirs. This is literally the plan when it comes to the Titanomachy. Gods intend to overwhelm Titans by force and seize land, Purviews, and worshippers. The justification for this process? “Titans are bad, and they’re going to hurt people or attack us if we don’t attack them first.” If you know the history of dehumanization applied to humans, especially on racial and religious grounds, some of this categorization should start to look familiar to you. The transatlantic slave trade relied on categorizing Africans as less human than human — dividing the World into “humans” and “natives.” Note also the instances where the Titanomachy just happened to match a battle between those Gods’ and Titans’ real-world followers. Look at Huángdì and Chīyóu. Rama and Ravana. Tuatha Dé Danann and Fomorians. Look, sure, some Titans are bad. So are some Gods. Moreover, is bad behavior inherent to their nature, or a choice? I argue that the idea of “inherent evil” is inherently invalid. A virus causes damage by its very nature, but we don’t call it evil. It’s an automaton. A Titan truly consumed

62

by its nature to the point where it causes damage, then, cannot be called truly evil. Our vision of the ideal World includes all Gods and Titans who commit to our worldwide community. There will still be misbehavior, both divine and Titanic, whatever those are. We shall respond to it in proportion; we will condemn no being by a title that describes their essence.

WHAT ABOUT EVIL MAGICIANS? You’ve probably heard before that we warn about the threat posed by evil magicians — àjé, in Yorùbá. Malevolent magic can hit you hard without you having any idea where it came from. But as with Gods and Titans, there’s no inherent evil in magic. Witchcraft, for instance, has a bad reputation — how often are accusations of witchcraft insecure men lashing out at the idea that people who are not men might accumulate power or learn to defend themselves from the patriarchy’s threats? Know also that when we discuss evil wizards and witches, we refer not just to literal sorcerers cooking up children in cauldrons or casting curses from remote hermitages surrounded by monsters. Yes, those exist and they’re a problem, but there’s an even more important lesson: Pay attention to sources of harm and danger that aren’t right in front of you, hidden on purpose or by chance. Nowadays, widespread magical curses aren’t the most common threat, but some system of oppression keeps almost everyone in the World down, whether or not they realize it. Most commonly, that’s because they’re poor, or because they’re affected by climate crisis. The problem, then, is that we see the curse (poverty or climate change) but not the wizard (the one percent, politician, or executive who profits from others’ poverty and the planet’s collapse). I’m not

CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

even saying we need to condemn them as evil or Titans — although some are evil or Titans or both, sure, whatever. We need to hold them accountable for their behavior and bring that behavior to an end.

before we fight them… well, okay, we might, but it won’t be “Titan.” We’ll come up with something cleverer by then.

WHAT DO YOU EVEN DO ALL THE TIME?

CREATURE

I’m glad you asked. We don’t spend all our time drinking palm wine and playing video games (although we definitely have ample time for that). In global politics, the Òrìshà and Loa are always ready to help with de-escalation and mediation. If a conflict’s been going on a long time and the Gods and Titans involved don’t know how to stop it, we volunteer to help out. You want neutral ground where you can discuss things? Come to West Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, New York, or New Orleans. We’ll find you someplace. You want to learn to deal with Titans without murdering them? We’re very proud of you. If you can’t think of anything, we’ll drop by to counsel you. You know what? If it turns out there’s really nothing for it except for fighting someone, we’ll help you with that, too. We’re not gonna call them a nasty name

BIRTHRIGHTS Agemo’s Chameleons: Agemo the Chameleon is the divine courier who works together with Èshù to carry messages between the Òrìshà, from Olorun in Heaven on down. He is creative and fashionable, changing colors to express his thoughts and moods (although not to match his surroundings — he’s plenty stealthy already). A host of subsidiary chameleons help him out, and they can help you too!

RELIC Eleguá’s Head: A little concrete dome with a point at the top and eyes and a mouth made of cowries, which represents Eleguá in Cuba and Puerto Rico. A cleric stuffs the inside with sacred herbs, then seals it up. Put it by the door to your home or apartment to guard the threshold. Give it offerings of candy on Mondays, but please make sure the chocolate is fair trade. You can eat the candy afterward.

No Such Thing As Titans

63

Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. — Mark Twain

W

hile the Titanomachy is a part of any Scion game, making it central to your story requires some extra consideration. This chapter provides information on how to incorporate Titans into your chronicles and provides guidance on how to increase or decrease the threat level of your game accordingly. Additionally, we give some consideration to using Scions of Titans in your game, and the role they play in the Titanomachy.

TITANS AT THE TABLE T

he first thing to consider when running a game set in the Titanomachy is how much Titan do you want your players’ characters to deal with? Answering this question requires answering several underlying questions such as: Do you even want the characters to deal with Titans? Or, just titanspawn, or maybe even just their cults; which Titans do you want to include at your table? How violent and open is the Titanomachy in your game? These questions don’t necessarily need hard and fast answers, though thinking about them before the game starts helps you focus your story and provides you with a framework for ensuring you use the Titans to their fullest. Scion: Mysteries of the World presents several elements to change the scope of your game. Using the Theocentrism and Titanomachy elements can help you answer your questions about including Titans in your game and ensure both the Storyguide and the players are on the same page about their expectations. Theocentrism considers how many and which pantheons you want to include. This sets the focus of the game and provides you with story elements rooted in one or many pantheons. Titanomachy considers how prevalent Titans are in The World. Are they locked away in presumed safety, or is there all-out war between Gods and Titans?

THEOCENTRISM Theocentrism is an important factor to consider for any game, and when trying to decide which Titans to include, this can guide you. From single-pantheon focused games to all pantheons with equal focus, deciding which Titan to include as your main antagonist can change the tone or theme of the game. Knowing that you want to include Titan activity, and have it matter, should also help you pick which pantheons to focus on. Focusing a game on Titans and then making the Òrìshà your only pantheon means that the distinction of Titan is lost completely. Meanwhile, centering the Devá means that Titans and their spawn are around every corner, or at least that the characters are constantly planning for war.

WAR ON TITANS If you want to make your game about a war with Titans — either direct or indirect — then ensure you include a pantheon or two who care about defeating their Titans. You don’t need all pantheons represented, but for there to be a war someone has to have a problem with the other side. If you plan to only include a single pantheon as the focus of the game, you can still include Titans from the other pantheons, or consider having your Gods declare all other pantheon Gods as Titans. If you include all or some pantheons, then it might still behoove you to pick a single Titan or set of Titans to be the focus of your story. The players’ motives make the war interesting. You might find it daunting to run a game centered around the many conflicting goals of several pantheons’ Titans. The Titans may present a united front. Maybe a single Titan keeps them focused on the same goal and taking out the leader could end the war entirely. Think about which pantheons’ Titans make the most sense for teaming up and think of reasons why the other pantheons’ Titans are not involved. Maybe they are still locked away, or maybe they are all dead now.

TITANIC PROBLEMS If you choose to make Titans a background element, you can easily dial your Theocentrism all the way down to a single pantheon. Here, Titans might serve as major players who cause problems all over The World, and the worshippers always know exactly who to call on when problems arise. Your game might play a bit more as a supernatural enforcement squad as the characters get called in to deal with all manner of issues. You could also lean on the fact that most Titans do not share goals, making each new threat feel different and unique. Each new titanspawn or Titan cult comes with its own agenda, allowing for a more episodic feel to dealing with Titanic threats.

TITANOMACHY When deciding how to include Titans in your game, you need to decide how present they are. Will the characters eventually come face to face with Apep, who has been antagonizing them through proxy for the entirety of the game? Or, do they simply need to defeat the Cult of Apep who has been attempting to thwart them at every turn? How present and dangerous is the battle with Titans in The World? Even if a Titan is antagonizing the characters, how much support their Gods are willing to give depends on how much the Gods care about what is going on with the Titanomachy right now. If the Gods are at peace with the Titans, they are unlikely to want to start up another war by encouraging their Scions to fight or kill a Titan.

Titans at the Table

65

The following are some suggestions on how to include the Titanomachy depending on where you want to set the level of the threat you’ve chosen. The premise here is that the Titans are free to act, at the very least through proxy, even if the Gods believe the Titans neutralized.

A WAR OF ATTRITION Pre-Visitation Scions, or newly Visited Scions, are going to deal with mundane or low-level threats. This is a great place to insert Titan cults and legendary creatures who work for Titans or titanspawn. In a war of attrition situation, the Titans are behind the scenes, and not acting overtly. This might not always be the case, as their actions might spark a war, or they may finally make a move against the Gods once they think they’ve weakened them enough. Of course, it’s the Scions’ jobs to try to stop that from happening. Maybe a Titan is out in The World and is trying to undermine the Gods to help free his brethren. Maybe the Titan is trying to bring about another war and is waiting until the right time to strike. The Titans do not have to be the ones actively meddling in the situation. Maybe a cult is attempting to undermine an oblivious God and make way for the coming of their Titan. The scheme could be something only a single Titan is involved in, or an entire group of one pantheon’s Titans could be seeking opportunity while the Gods ignore them. Consider turning the Titanomachy down low in this kind of scenario. If the Gods ignore Titans or if they are at peace with one another, then the discovery that a Titan is behind a series of strange cultist events feels like a mystery to discover why the Titan is doing this. This is a good place to have the Titans and their followers engage in subtle antagonism and obscured goals. The characters’ main objective might not be to defeat the Titan but to uncover their plots and reveal them to the pantheons. The Gods might not offer any assistance or guidance on the matter as they are convinced that the Titans are now peaceful, or they fear being the first to start another war.

COLD WAR The default state of Scion assumes a cold war between the Gods and the Titans. The bonds holding the Titans in check are weak, and they strain against them hoping to break free. Your game may revolve around the characters attempting to prevent all-out war by thwarting titanspawn or discovering a Titan’s plans and stopping them before it’s too late. If you intend for titanspawn to be the primary antagonists, this is a good place to set your game. Titans are major players, but characters are unlikely to face them. Titanspawn may have cultists or other legendary creatures working with them, giving the Scions a run for their money as they try to stop a catastrophe from happening. Preventing an all-out war is still a relevant goal for the characters, but everyone is clear about the Titan’s goals here and they have the support they need from their divine parents. In a cold war situation, Titans may be working alone or in groups trying to free others. Their goals are more

66

open, but their methods are still subtle and covert. Being at a standstill means either collectively the Titans aren’t powerful enough to challenge the Gods, or the Gods are fearful that they won’t win a full fight. They still want to undermine the other side but gathering resources and strength are more important goals. The characters must work in secret, as overt action will spark a war that no one really wants. These fights are often between the children of the main actors, from titanspawn to Scions on either side.

OPEN WARFARE In open warfare, the Titans and the Gods are in Worldshattering fight with one another. This is a dangerous place for Scions, who are expected to fight on behalf of their pantheons against their most dangerous enemies. Titanspawn are regular antagonists and the Titans act in the open. It’s hard to have open warfare without the Titanomachy dial being turned most of the way up, but that doesn’t preclude having some Titans still entrapped. A war could break out after a single pantheon’s Titans are all free and trying to free others. If you want Titans to be behind the scenes players in this kind of game, make titanspawn and cults the major actors. In this case, multiple titanspawn might be working together to free their Titan, and wreaking havoc wherever they go. Cults and titanspawn range from small or formidable threats, to larger than life. If you want your Scions to go toe-to-toe with Titans, then turn the Titanomachy dial all the way up. Titanspawn become run of the mill antagonists and the focus of the game comes from taking down one or two key Titans or breaking up a Titan ring. In an open warfare state, you don’t have to worry about subtlety or obfuscation. While that can still certainly be a factor — as Titan’s goals are often alien — total destruction is goal enough. Here the characters aren’t working in the background to prevent a war, they are instead trying to stave off a tide, or end the war all together. This allows for a focus on strategy, big epic fights, and the need for greater assistance from the Gods. It’s a great place to set Demigod or God Tier games but can also work for Hero Tier games as the Scions clash against the armies of Titan supporters.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN It’s easy to think you need to adjust the Titanomachy element if you want to include Titans into your game. You might want Titans to feel like a constant threat or want them to be a background element. You can achieve this goal with somewhere between the three suggestions above by simply introducing a single Titan and a long-term scheme which the Scions need to suss out. There isn’t a war on, or even the threat of a war, just a single Titan and its followers. Consider making the definition of Titan here more loose than normal. Everyone knows a Titan when they see one — those with inhuman goals and uncaring desires. But they aren’t the only ones with the label. One wrong move on the part of a God, and they risk being labeled a “Titan.” The politics of Titanhood is on the table, and the Gods may use

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the threat of that label against one another in their own plots. The characters may end up embroiled in a plot to take down a God labeled as “Titan” and must make decisions regarding how they feel about that. Characters risk going from a Scion of a well-respected God, to the Scion of a Titan. To make matters worse, now their pantheon expects them to turn against the Titan or risk being labeled titanspawn or a traitor.

DESIGNING A CHRONICLE A

fter you’ve decided that you want to focus your story on Titan plots, and decided where to set your Theocentrism and Titanomachy for the game, it’s time to decide what kind of stories you want to tell, how you want to tell them, and how involved the players are in telling these stories. Sometimes finding out the truth behind a mystery is as interesting a goal as taking down a titanspawn in a big, epic, final battle. While a game could and should involve elements of procedural, intrigue, and combat play, your game can certainly focus on one aspect over the others.

PLAYER INVOLVEMENT The first thing you should do is talk to your group about the kinds of stories they want to play through. There’s no point creating a long, involved investigation into a mysterious Titanic threat when your players just want to have their characters beat up titanspawn. Likewise, there’s no need to throw fight after fight against a group of players who want their characters to be able to use social influence to solve their problems. Once you know what kinds of stories the players are interested in, you can decide on your story elements, but that doesn’t have to be the end of player involvement. Players can help tell you the kinds of things they want to see in-game through picking Deeds. Band Deeds should always come with a conversation at the table, and if you’ve done a good job of setting up the game’s major elements the players are likely to use that to go after your plot. Don’t discourage them from setting their sights on slightly different goals or changing their approach through the use of Deeds. Also, design your game to play to the characters’ strengths. If the characters have combat focused Callings, then the players will feel more involved when they can use their combat Knacks. While all Callings have Knacks to use in all situations, which Knacks the players choose informs the kinds of actions they want to take.

DECIDING SCOPE No matter the setting you’ve chosen — from a single pantheon hunting rogue Titans to all-out war — you need to consider the scope of the game within The World. When thinking about scope, consider how much effect the characters are going to have on The World, and what kinds of threats they’ll face. The game could be centered around small threats at street level where Scions must use their Godlike powers to muddle through complex situations

rather than big ones. Or, the characters could jet-set throughout Terra Incognita making wide-sweeping changes felt throughout The World. The scope of your game helps you decide what kinds of antagonists to include and helps you focus your game’s story appropriately.

STREET LEVEL Street-level games focus on a small area, maybe one town, or a single neighborhood. The characters deal with local problems, take care of their neighbors, and when they save the day, they are saving the city from corruption, or a single person’s life. While the threats might be difficult or huge, their effects only stretch to the localized area. The characters spend most of their time in The World. They may need to go to a Terra Incognita every now and then, maybe to retrieve an item or talk to someone, but then they return home. If they move to another part of The World, it’s for the same reasons: Their focus is on the local.

• Children in the neighborhood are going missing. A cult of Cronus is kidnapping them to secure power for their patron. Can the characters find the children and save them before Cronus gains their power? • A contact or ally to one of the Scions has been overtaken by Raijin’s influence. He is feeding the Titan information on the Scions’ activities and whereabouts. Can they find out and stop him before this causes major problems? • The Mayor has struck a deal that outlaws worship of Devá Gods. Who is behind this new legislation?

THE WORLD Games that span The World aren’t necessarily set all over the globe, but instead have the characters moving from place to place to solve issues, deal with big threats, and solve World-affecting issues. When they save the day, they are saving a location from utter destruction, or they are protecting the whole World from a major threat. Character actions may impact The World, but usually because they are acting to prevent catastrophe. The characters are involved in Worldspanning events, they are not changing The World as they go. While the characters may spend all their time in The World, this scope of game could see them spending a great deal of time traveling between Terra Incognita solving issues there or collecting necessary information, assistance, or items. A game may take place completely in a single Midrealm or Underworld as the characters try to solve issues there.

• Several Jötunn have entered Hel and have closed the gates from which the dead pass through. The Æsir’s dead are now traveling to other Underworlds and causing problems. Can the characters find out what the Jötunn want and get them to reopen the gates?

designing a chronicle

67

• A titanspawn of Apep has besieged Cape Town while at the same time another has besieged Lagos. Can the characters stop them both at the same time? • A rift has opened from Mag Mell, and Denizens of that realm are pouring into The World. The only way to close it is to find a sealing Relic and use it both inside Mag Mell and then The World.

TERRA INCOGNITA Games with a scope of Terra Incognita span both The World and the Terra Incognitae. Characters go where they are needed to handle major threats that could be Worldending or impactful enough to make irrevocable changes to The World. When the characters save the day, they are saving The World from destruction, or an Underworld from being taken over, or a Midrealm from collapse. The characters split their time between The World and Terra Incognitae. The game takes place between multiple Terra Incognita, with the characters needing to travel all over to solve issues, find allies, collect rare Relics, and defeat hidden foes.

the characters stop the Titan plot before Mount Meru and The World get caught in the crossfire? • Olympus and Duat have fallen, the other Overworlds are embattled. The Titans are winning, and for now they wage their wars in Terra Incognitae instead of The World. Can the characters turn the tide of the war before the fighting bleeds into The World?

CHOOSING TITANS Which Titan (or Titans) you choose to focus your game around helps determine what kind of game you’ll be running. Some Titans focus on ending The World, while others simply want to kill a single God or pantheon, and still others only want to survive without the Gods interfering. Each Titan has a nuance of how they act, what kinds of actions they take, and what their titanspawn or cults might be doing. The following gives some suggestions of Titans found in this book including motives and some ideas of what their followers and children might be up to in various scenarios.

• Cronus has escaped his bonds and is on his way to destroy The World. Can the Scions prevent him from making it to The World before it’s too late?

Aniwye: Right now, Aniwye is scattered around The World in tiny pieces and wishes nothing more than to reunite his parts. He lets himself be manipulated, in hopes that he can garner power to hopefully regain his true form. Until then, he lets the Gods mock him, as long as they think he’s useful enough to give him aid. They’ll soon be sorry.

• Titans are amassing on the island of Lankā, with the intent to make a play to invade Mount Meru and bring down the Devá once and for all. For their part, the Devá are gearing up for all-out war. Can

• A Scion of Aniwye is collecting his pieces from around The World and attempting to reunite them. She works in secret, slowly packing up skunks and stink badgers where she finds them and smuggling

68

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

them across national borders. Can the characters find her? And if they do, will they help or hinder her? • Aniwye’s children seem to be under the control of a someone else. Aniwye has made a deal with the Irish God, Donn to create problems for his enemies. But in this effort Aniwye’s children are wreaking havoc all across Europe. Can the characters stop Aniwye’s children, or offer him a better deal? • Titanspawn with a distinctive skunk-like appearance are showing up across the Americas and killing people with their toxic stench. Nothing seems to make them leave, and they each must be put down. Aten: Aten seeks worship and devotion above all things. They believe they are the only one worthy of worship and will do whatever it takes to steal followers and worshippers from others. If they can take down the other Gods, great, but taking their followers is just as good. Aten mobilizes their cults for conversion, sending them out to proselytize and gain followers. Even if these new followers don’t use Aten’s name proper, they know the worship is directed to them.

• An Aten cult has taken over the airwaves, becoming one of the most consumed evangelical broadcasts both on TV and radio. This cult, led by one of Aten’s Scions, seems ready to sweep The World. • Aten wishes to show The World their glory and power of the light. They have sent a titanspawn to cast perpetual light onto Dubai preventing night in the area. The titanspawn refuses to leave, attacking any who get too close. • A trail of titanspawn attacks and bodies leads directly to Aten and their cults. But even the cults seem confused by the accusation. Will the characters try to help Aten’s cult, or let them take the fall? Citlali: Citlali and her sisters, the Tzitzimime, want nothing more than to come down to The World and devour the hearts of humanity, feasting until they have their fill. Who cares if it is the end of The World? She hungers and she wants to feed. She is searching for ways to get herself and her sisters into The World, and when she succeeds, no one will be safe.

• One of Citlali’s Scions is searching for a way to open a gateway into the night sky. She believes there’s a Relic that would serve as a key, and is accumulating all that she can find, through hook or crook. Can the characters find the Relic before she does, or will they simply wait until she has it to strike? • Citlali sends her titanspawn to The World on long nights, testing her theories before her final descent. Far to the north, where the night lingers for days, titanspawn ravage the countryside, killing everyone they can find. Can the characters hunt them all down and eliminate them?

• A cult has formed to Citlali, those who believe the end of The World is nigh and that she should come soon. They work behind the scenes in attempts to hasten a signal that the end times have come, and they have insidiously infiltrated governments The World over. Can the characters root them all out? Echidna: Echidna’s goals are simple and straightforward: ensure a place for her family, keep them safe. She will do anything for her family and hates the Theoi and any support who them with a burning passion. Her titanspawn are one and all terrifying monsters, but she does not direct them in attacks or terror for fear that they might be killed. Instead, she creates and creates hoping to simply outnumber the Gods at some point.

• A Scion of Echidna is smuggling titanspawn from Hel to other Underworlds, hoping to keep them safe, but they are rampaging through their new environments. Can the characters track down the Scion and divert her, would they help her? • Echidna is entreating Titans from other pantheons to help her protect her family from Theoi Heroes and Gods. Such an alliance could tip the scales in the Titan’s favor. Where do the characters stand on such an alliance? • Titanspawn are spilling out of various Terra Incognitae into The World, and Echidna is claiming ownership of them, even if they aren’t hers. Killing them will enrage her but letting them stay in The World risks the lives of mortals. Kuāfù: Kuāfù wishes nothing more than to overcome his past failures and sees destroying Huángdì as his surefire way of doing that. He plots for ways to kill the Yellow Emperor, and all his incarnations and Mantles, and sends his children after the Shén God as often as he can.

• Kuāfù has a plot to kill Huángdì once and for all. All his Scions and titanspawn are in on it, but they don’t quite have enough hands to finish the job, so the plot waits for recruitment. • A cult to Kuāfù has decided to take umbrage at the sun for defeating him in their race. They are entreating various sun Gods and their Scions to visit, then attempting to assassinate them one and all. Can the characters stop their plot before it goes too far? • A Scion of Kuāfù has inherited his father’s competitive spirit and has sent out a challenge to any other Scion for a race around The World. He doesn’t plan to play fair though, remembering how the sun killed Kuāfù with thirst. Will the characters try to beat him, or will they assist someone else in their attempt? Namazu: Namazu’s one goal is to free herself from her prison. She has worked towards this end for two millennia, and the end appears to be in sight. But despite her best efforts, the Kami view her as a threat, so even with modern technology, her freedom is not yet assured.

designing a chronicle

69

• Namazu’s Scions have teamed up and plan to blow a hole in the underwater caverns she is trapped in for her to escape. Unfortunately, they carry enough firepower to crack open the whole of Honshū island. Will the characters try to redirect their course, or stop them completely? • A Namazu cult has decided that her thrashing earthquakes are blessed visions and a way for them to gain power. They have been enticing her to thrash within her prison more and more, causing larger and larger earthquakes which threaten to destroy everything built on the island. • Namazu’s titanspawn fill the sea around her prison. Knowing that she might be freed soon, she is preparing a great battle against the Kami for her long internment. Can the characters entice the titanspawn away, or possibly convince Namazu to let go of her grudge if they help free her? Rangda: Rangda is happy to remain on Bali alone and without trouble. She tries to champion women as much as she can, but her methods are less than helpful. All she really wants is for women to have the respect they deserve and to be left alone, both things she’s willing to do literally anything to ensure.

• Rangda is creating a proverbial wall around Bali, made entirely of magic. The Devá see this as aggressive action and are ready to attack her. Durga, normally the one who talks them down, is nowhere in sight. Barong, the guardian spirit of Bali, sees nothing wrong with her actions and have warned the Devá that to come there will incite a war. • A few of Rangda’s older titanspawn are disgruntled with her new turn towards benevolence. They are rampaging through India in her name, trying to drum up support from other Titans to free her from Bali, despite her protests that this is not what she wishes. • A Rangda cult has started to hit the streets in her name to fight fascism, alt-right groups, and MRA activists. While noble in intent, their methods are slash and burn, leaving many innocent people hurt in the wake. Can the characters curtail their activities, or harness them and give them a stronger direction? Surtr: Surtr destroys to create. He doesn’t care what he topples if something new comes along behind it. His destructive capacity is extreme, and he revels in natural disasters and revolutions in the name of creation. His titanspawn bring terror and destruction in their wake, and his cults form in revolutionaries and ecoterrorists. His goal is simple, and he works toward it as often as possible: tear down the old to make way for the new.

• A cult to Surtr is fomenting dissent in nations around The World, attempting to incite revolutions in even the most stable of nations. But even a stable nation could use dissidents and those who

70

oppose oppressive rules. Do the characters try to stop Surtr’s cult before things get out of hand, or utilize them to see what new changes they can create? • Natural disasters are wreaking the west coast of the United States from Seattle to San Diego: fires rage, earthquakes shake the area, and flood waters fill the streets. Surtr seems ready to destroy the entire coastal area, but no one knows where he is to stop him. Can the characters find him before he does even more damage? • Surtr’s titanspawn are wreaking havoc in France, tearing through Paris without any apparent end goal. There is no creation to their madness, and it seems that they are off Surtr’s normal script. Can the characters stop them before the city lies in ruins?

USING TITAN SCIONS IN YOUR SERIES T

itan Scions make great antagonists for Hero Scions; they’re tough opponents but not too tough. They’re intelligent foes — unlike mere monsters, they plan ahead and adapt on the fly to whatever the Heroes do. They readily enlist allies to their cause: Titanspawn, other Titan Scions, or the mortal members of a Titan cult. Best of all, if you keep increasing the level of your Titan Scions (from Rival to Nemesis to Titanspawn), they’ll grow along with your Heroes. This lets them become recurrent adversaries who’ll plague your Heroes through an arc, a season, or even the entire series.

SCIONS WITH A PURPOSE When Titans produce Scions, they have specific purposes in mind. After all, Titans seldom bother themselves with humans; Titans don’t have love affairs with mortals, nor do they invest the time and effort to create a Scion unless they’ve got a solid reason. Beyond that, many Titans are imprisoned and have a limited scope for affecting anything outside their cells. If they use precious energy for creating a Scion rather than trying to bash down the walls of their jails, it’s because they’re driven to thrust a Scion out into The World. Echidna wants Scions who’ll nurture her children. Aten wants Scions who’ll spread their fanatical faith. Nidhoggr wants Scions who’ll wreak devastation on everything. If a Titan can’t be everywhere at once, the next best thing is a family of formidable offspring devoted to the Titan’s will. Of course, Titan Scions may choose to defy their parents’ wishes, but that’s asking for trouble. Titans don’t forgive. If you’re using Titan Scions in your series, ask why the Titan went to the trouble of making the Scion to begin with. What was the Scion supposed to accomplish? What might the Titan do to force an unruly Scion into carrying out the mission as planned?

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

TITAN SCIONS DON’T WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD Many full-fledged Titans want to rip the World apart, or at least up-end the status quo beyond recognition. Titan Scions, on the other hand, don’t want to go that far. After all, many Scions grew up as humans until their parents/patrons transformed them. Even if a Scion had a difficult childhood — all too common for people with Titan-sized emotions and impulses — the Scion is still attached to the World and has no interest in seeing it demolished. Besides, if the World is shattered, what comes afterward? Odds are it will be much worse than things are now. Few Scions are willing to roll those dice. Even when Titan Scions have the Destroyer Calling, they don’t want to destroy everything everything.. If their parents do want the World obliterated, this clash of desires causes friction. At the very least, the Scions have to thread the needle: They need to do enough to keep their parents happy without risking total annihilation.

Afterwards, if the Scions survive, their parents will give them even more difficult work: more Heroes to destroy, more saints to corrupt. However, most Titans view their children as single-use tools. They don’t want or expect their Scions to advance to high Legend ratings. Titans don’t appreciate rivals and are apt to sabotage their offspring if the Scions become too powerful.

ONE-ON-ONE

A single Titan Scion may be a dark mirror for one of the Hero characters. The Scion resembles the Hero in many respects — perhaps one or more shared Callings or Purviews — but tramples moral restraint into the ground. For example, consider Eric Donner, Scion of Thor (see Scion: Hero, p. 172). If Eric excels in fighting the Titanomachy on behalf of the Gods, Surtr might decide to create a Scion designed as a direct counterbalance. Eric’s Callings are Creator, Guardian, and Warrior, so the new Titan Scion might have Destroyer, Adversary, and Warrior: Callings chosen to make the Scion an imposing enemy for someone like Eric. For added effect, the new Scion might be someone who already knows Eric — a Fatebound Rival, a former lover, or anyone who blames Eric for some misfortune. Such a connection means the new Scion has a direct motivation for causing Eric trouble, as well as inside information about Eric’s personality and how to hit him where it hurts. You can use a similar scenario with any Hero in your series. Suppose the Hero encounters a chimaera and immediately tries to slay it. In the subsequent fight, the monster breathes spouts of fire which ignite nearby buildings. A mortal whose loved ones die in the blaze might pray to any Titan who’ll listen, asking for enough power to take revenge. Many Titans would jump at the chance to transform this mortal into an eager Scion.

Creating an enemy this way is especially appropriate if the Hero’s actions crossed a moral line. Myth and folklore often make Heroes pay a price for rash actions or for taking the easy way out. Earning a powerful enemy is classic blowback for a Hero’s impulsiveness or wanton neglect of duty. A Hero’s nemesis may be a direct reflection: If the Hero is a Warrior, the Titan Scion might also be a Warrior. But opposites can also produce explosive confrontations. The Titanic opponent of a fighter may be a smooth-talking manipulator or a mastermind. Such a change-up forces Heroes out of their comfort zone. If a Hero is good in combat, clever villains never offer a target to hit. Instead, a Titan Scion might set traps, or frame the Hero for a crime. (See “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” on p. XX for examples of how Prince Annapolis manipulates public opinion against any Heroes who oppose him.) Such tactics force players into a corner; then they have to think their way out instead of using their fists.

ENEMY TITAN SCIONS AND CULTS A single Titan Scion is dangerous, but a Scion supported by a cult can be lethal. Mortal cultists aren’t as powerful as Scions, but they can assault the Heroes from many directions at once; while some cultists spy on the Heroes, others spread rumors, threaten the Heroes’ allies, and generally cause havoc. In combat, individual cultists aren’t much of a challenge, but the force of their numbers can whittle Heroes down. Clever strategy and tactics multiply this effect; if Heroes are surprised by a well-planned ambush, they can end up in serious trouble. Kevlar and machine guns, however, are trifles compared to occult resources. Longstanding cults have Relics

YOU CAN’T GET RID OF ME THAT EASILY! Titan Scions can’t be Fatebound to Heroes — Scions can only be Fatebound to characters of a lower Tier. However, an entertaining Titan Scion often becomes a recurring antagonist. Perhaps the Scion is fated to keep locking horns with a particular Hero. using titan scions in your series

71

and lore that give cultists real power. For example, the lower ranks of a cult may be mere muscle, but upper ranks could be skilled in sorcery, or could include legendary creatures like kitsune or titanspawn. Titan cults may also train members to perform special rituals, drawing on the power of their patron Titan to achieve dramatic effects. Finally, Titan cults often have enough cash to purchase major game-changers; for example, they could buy high-level Relics or crucial information from a dragon. How many mythological figures have been defeated because an enemy learned they had a hidden vulnerability?

to eradicate the cult, but the risk is simply too great. Any concerted effort to take down Silent Storm will provoke a hurricane-sized reprisal.

EXAMPLE CULT: SILENT STORM

Titan cults make it their business to accumulate as much occult knowledge as possible. Silent Storm, for example, assigns its members to steal secrets or coerce information from anyone who has it. In addition, cults use Terrae Incognitae as hideouts, safe houses, training compounds, and even headquarters.

As an example of a powerful Titan cult, consider Silent Storm: a centuries-old cult originating in Japan and dedicated to Fūjin and Raijin. For more on Silent Storm, see p. XX. Members of the cult either start by learning techniques of stealth and swordplay, or else mastering blackmail, bribery, and extortion in order to control politicians and other people with social influence. Cultists who show sufficient aptitude are eventually trained in magic. Some become summoners, capable of summoning supernatural creatures to bedevil the cult’s enemies. Others learn to forge swords with blades that are ritually enhanced to be sharper than mortal steel, or how to make poisons and drugs that leave no trace on their victims. But the cult’s most terrifying power belongs to the innermost circle. These secret masters wield control over weather itself: Through lengthy rituals and sacrifice, they can unleash a devastating typhoon upon any target on Earth. The force of this threat makes governments tremble; those who know about Silent Storm would dearly love

72

Silent Storm is devoted to Fūjin and Raijin, but also to the Titanomachy in general — the cult aids any Titan Scions who have a plan to hurt the Gods. If your Heroes interfere with a Titan Scion who’s on an important mission, don’t be surprised if the Scion strikes back with the help of a team of fanatic Silent Storm acolytes.

OCCULT LORE AND TERRA INCOGNITA

A Titan Scion fleeing from your Heroes might escape through a gate that the Heroes can’t open or use a Terra Incognita as a secret staging area for an army. One moment the Heroes’ home city looks safe, but the next, hordes of enemies surge out of a gate no one knew was there.

FATEBINDING CULTISTS Cultists are usually mortals, and therefore can be Fatebound to Heroes — most commonly as Nemeses, but conceivably as Jinxes, Rivals, or Traitors. While the Fatebinding may apply to specific individuals, it may also apply to a class of cultists or an entire cult. For example, the warriors of Silent Storm may be Fatebound Nemeses of

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

GOOD ENEMIES DON’T STAY DEAD In Scion Scion,, death doesn’t have to be permanent. If your Heroes manage to kill a Titan Scion, the Scion’s story doesn’t end there — especially if the Scion has been a great villain, you can bring them back in suitably dramatic fashion. After all, killing a Titan Scion sends them to an Underworld. Once there, the Scion may forge an agreement with their parent Titan or with someone else completely, perhaps a different Titan, or even a God in search of a ruthless minion. The Scion insists, “Give me more power and return me to the World so I can do your bidding.” Soon the Heroes find themselves facing an old enemy, except now, the enemy has new Purviews, new Boons and Knacks, new Relics, and new objectives.

a particular Hero; no matter how many cultists the Hero defeats, he keeps on encountering more.

ENEMY TITAN SCION BANDS A single Titan Scion is bad; a Scion supported by a cult is worse; but a Band of Titan Scions is the stuff of nightmares. Heroes facing such a Band must muster all their assets and ingenuity for any hope of survival. To use a Band of Titan Scions as adversaries for your Heroes, decide what holds the Scions together. Titan Scions don’t usually play well with others; just as fullfledged Titans fixate on their Purviews, Titan Scions can be driven by tunnel-vision obsessions. They have no interest in supporting fellow Scions — their blood demands they follow their own path. If you intend to use a Band of Titan Scions as villains, they should share a common goal, or at least common characteristics. For example, they all might have the Destroyer Calling. If the Titan Scions live for destruction, the Band will happily work together on anything that promises mass mayhem. On the other hand, a mix of Titan Callings can also work, provided the Scions have a plan combining subtle corruption and gross devastation. Suppose your Heroes have proven themselves effective in slaying minor titanspawn. Titan Scions may decide to eliminate the Heroes before they threaten more important operations. A simple plan could assign Destroyers to demolish a building or two, after which Adversaries plant evidence to blame it on the Heroes. This would be especially effective if some of the Destroyers have Purviews similar to members of the Hero Band. If everybody knows one of your Heroes has the Wild Purview and a house is ripped apart by a sudden eruption of trees shooting up out of the ground, who’s bound to be the prime suspect? The Enemy of My Enemy: One interesting possibility is a team-up between Titan Scions who have previously challenged your Heroes individually. For example, suppose your Heroes start their careers by stopping a combat-heavy Destroyer on a rampage. Next, they track down a clever Scion assassin who’s helping a cult by murdering their enemies. Finally, the Heroes deal with a cunning Adversary who has wormed their way into a top government post and is using that position to undermine the Gods. The Heroes

manage to defeat these foes one by one, but then the enemy Scions unite for revenge on the Heroes who opposed them. With a combination of muscle, brains, and influence, the three Titan Scions make a terrifying triple threat. Multiple enemies joining forces provides a great “Oh shit!” moment for your players. If the individual Titan Scions were difficult to handle on their own, putting several together is wonderfully intimidating. Encourage the Heroes to be clever and strategic, rather than simply charging in with Knacks and Boons a-blazing.

TITAN SCIONS AS AMBIGUOUS FIGURES T

itan Scions aren’t always clear-cut villains. Most have a human side, so their emotions can be tugged in multiple directions. Few Titan Scions are uncomplicated “good guys,” but they can serve as complex characters whose intentions keep your players guessing. Some Titan Scions have no interest in cooperating with their parents. Why help a destructive monster escape from prison? Why be a soldier in some ridiculous war that’s literally ancient history? Since many Titan Scions are temperamentally unsuited for respecting authority figures, they laugh at the idea of obeying their parents’ orders. In fact, they may actively rebel against the Titans who made them — just as Zeus rebelled against Cronus, and Cronus rebelled against Ouranos. This doesn’t make such Titan Scions good. The enemy of your enemy can still be an amoral backstabber who likes to watch things burn. They may help your Heroes on one job, then double-cross them on another. After all, it’s in their nature; even if they try to behave themselves, temptation overcomes good intentions. A Scion of Ae-pungishimook may not be able to resist committing murder. A Scion of the White Eyebrow sees nothing wrong with manipulating everyone in sight. A Scion of Ravana might take what she wants when she wants it, and why does it matter if others get hurt? Even when Titan Scions resolve to do the right thing, they’re still

Titan Scions as ambiguous figures

73

wracked by intense impulses. Trusting them too much is asking for trouble. Titan Scions with the Adversary Calling are fair-weather friends. They act as if they’re helping the Heroes but have ulterior motives. A Scion of Isfet, for example, spends time with a Band of Heroes in order to sow discord, to magnify disagreements and aggravate grievances. Maybe the Scion has a long-term goal, or maybe they’re just making trouble to amuse themselves. An Adversary might exploit Heroes as a means to an end — once the Heroes have used their skills to sneak into an enemy stronghold, the Scion might grab a valuable Relic and run, setting off alarms on the way to keep the Heroes busy while the thieving Scion escapes. Ambiguous Titan Scions work best when Heroes can’t guess what the Scion might do. Sometimes the Scions playthings straight, behaving honorably and helping the Heroes accomplish their goals. However, just when the Heroes think a Titan Scion is on their side, the Scion sells them out to their enemies. The Scion might do so with regret, saying: “I’m sorry I have to do this, but I serve a higher cause.” If the Scion is convincing enough, the Heroes might even believe the character still has some good deep down, and the complicated relationship continues.

PLAYING TITAN SCIONS A

player can choose to play the Scion of a Titan — see p. XX. A Titan Scion is mechanically identical to a Hero, save that she must have a Titan Calling. However, being a Titan Scion should always have a narrative effect on the Scion’s behaviors and the Storyguide characters’ attitudes. Storyguide characters treat Titan Scions in accordance with their views on Titans. Those who are hostile to Titans (e.g., the Devá, Theoi, and Teōtl) are also aggressive toward Titan Scions, at least until the Scions have thoroughly proven themselves. Those who are more accepting (e.g., the Manitou and Òrìshà) may still be wary, but will be less inclined to shoot first and ask questions later. The player characters in a Band might follow the same pattern. If a player wants to bring a new Titan Scion into an existing Band where some members are strongly anti-Titan, the Storyguide should discuss the situation with everyone involved. Some players may be intrigued by the story possibilities arising from friction between characters; others may prefer to avoid such contentions. The Storyguide should help players talk things through and come to a consensus. If the players accept the new character, the Storyguide should work with the group to arrange a suitable scenario for initial contact between the Titan Scion and the rest of the Band. The circumstances should be conducive for establishing whatever relationships the players have agreed to. Someone playing a Titan Scion may walk a fine line, especially if the character has a Titan Calling. The character’s Titan blood makes them prone to inhuman behavior; the challenge of portraying such a character flaw makes Titan

74

Scions interesting. However, the player must be sensitive to other players at the table. A character committing evil acts may be genuinely upsetting to those present, and saying, “It’s only a game,” doesn’t make everything all right. It’s useful for groups to discuss this possibility before anything regrettable happens, then to establish boundaries and protocols for dealing with disturbing content. Use safety tools at your table, if you think this may become an issue. That said, Titan Scions are fascinating characters as part of a Band of Heroes. Someone who constantly struggles with their “dark side” is a great source of drama, both when they succeed in containing antisocial impulses and when they fail. Coping with the character’s Titanic inclinations can easily generate good short-term and long-term Deeds.

ENCOUNTERS WITH TITANS T

itan Scions make perfect antagonists when you need characters who’ll keep appearing in ongoing roles. However, nothing beats a full-fledged Titan for intimidating impact. Scions at the Hero level are unlikely to face a Titan in all its power, but even an Incarnation is a monumental threat. For Heroes, facing a Titan Incarnation should be a rare and fearsome event: A pivotal moment in a season, whether it takes place in an early episode to spur the Heroes into action, or at a climax when everything’s on the line. One way or another, the encounter should be memorable. It should have a purpose, it should happen dramatically, and it should have epic consequences. Hero-level characters have little chance of defeating a Titan Incarnation in combat — not unless they have powerful allies or exactly the right weapon to force the Titan to yield. Instead, the Heroes must use their wits or make a deal. Perhaps making a deal is why the Heroes meet the Titan in the first place: Either they approach the Titan because they need something only the Titan can provide, or else the Titan confronts the Heroes to demand they perform a task. In either case, the Titan will try to squeeze the Heroes into a painfully hard bargain.

FREE-RANGE TITANS

While some Titans are locked away from the human World, others walk among us. For example, the White Eyebrow currently teaches martial arts at his own private kwoon in China (see p. XX). Heroes can arrange to meet with him, provided they pay for the privilege. Other unbound Titans are harder to find — tracking them down might be a challenge in itself — but they’re still somewhere on Earth, even if it’s high in the Himalayas or on an uncharted island. Why seek out a Titan? Sometimes Heroes need assistance and only a particular Titan will do. For example, the Heroes need to enter a Terra Incognita and the only person who’s ever been there is the White Eyebrow. Nobody else knows where the gate is or how to open it. The Band needs him to lead them through dangerous territory in order to reach their goal.

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

PORTRAYING TITANS When the Storyguide portrays a Titan, pay attention to the Titan’s Callings and Virtues. They’re shorthand for the Titan’s goals and personality. When a Titan sets a price for helping a Band of Heroes, the task should further the Titan’s aspirations. If the request is too extreme, clever Heroes can make persuasive counteroffers by appealing to the Titan’s biases. Consider Coyolxauhqui, enemy of the Teōtl. She has the Moon as a Purview and Dominance as a Virtue. If Heroes want her help, she may demand they kill all the followers of a Teōtl Scion. However, she may settle for a counteroffer where the Heroes use their resources and influence to start a program sending humans to the moon. Such a program would empower Coyolxauhqui’s Purview and therefore Coyolxauhqui herself. Titans aren’t fools and they should never be portrayed as easy to dupe. Nevertheless, they’re consumed by their Purviews, and this gives them tunnel vision. Storyguides should bear this in mind when portraying Titans. With caution, player characters might exploit a Titan’s proclivities.

A Band of Heroes can’t force a Titan to do what they want. However, when a Titan does help, the assistance comes at a price. The Titan might want the Band to procure a Relic or eliminate an enemy. Perhaps the Heroes must perform a ritual or discipline a titanspawn who’s defied the Titan’s orders. Maybe the Titan only needs a few drops of a Hero’s blood in order to make a new Titan Scion. As Storyguide, you should offer tasks your Heroes will agree to. A Titan’s request shouldn’t be painless — it should make the players sweat, either because it’s difficult or because it’s morally questionable. At the same time, Titans can’t ask too much; both players and characters have boundaries, and they’ll reject demands that go too far. Be prepared to negotiate and let the Heroes make counteroffers. The White Eyebrow’s initial request might be, “If you want my help, betray the local cult of Thor by planting evidence they committed a crime.” However, the White Eyebrow may be satisfied if the Heroes agree to teach at his school for a week, thereby lending it an air of respectability. If they’re desperate enough for the White Eyebrow’s help, they’ll grudgingly say yes. The decision ought to come back to haunt them — dealing with Titans should always have consequences. For example, White Eyebrow is sure to double-cross the Heroes; it’s in his nature. On the other hand, the results shouldn’t be too disastrous. Otherwise, the Heroes will decide they’ll never deal with Titans again, and where’s the fun in that?

TITANS WHO SEEK THE HEROES OUT Heroes might seek out Titanic help, but when the tables turn, Titans come calling with big favors to ask. As payment, the Titan will offer something valuable — perhaps a Relic, useful information, or support for the Heroes from the Titan’s worshippers. Make an offer the Heroes can’t refuse, something too good to pass up. Help tied to a long-term Deed or a Band Deed is especially good; if the White Eyebrow says, “I’ll

tell you who killed your mother,” a Hero will be strongly inclined to say yes, even if the task is ethically questionable. Alternatively, the Titan may use threats and provocation. Coyolxauhqui, for example, may use her Moon Purview to blot the moon from the sky above the Heroes’ home city until they agree to do what she wants. If that doesn’t work, she’ll change the face of the moon to an unflattering likeness of one of the Heroes. Make life hard for the Heroes but don’t completely infuriate them; if, for example, Coyolxauhqui threatens the Heroes’ loved ones, players aren’t likely to give in. Instead, they’ll declare a total scorched-earth war on Coyolxauhqui and all her minions. Whether the Titan uses a carrot or a stick, performing a task for a Titan makes a strong starting point for an arc or season. It propels the Heroes into action and establishes the Titan as an ominous presence who’ll eventually need to be dealt with. Hero characters probably can’t defeat the Titan permanently, but they can foil the Titan’s schemes and gain a temporary victory… until next time.

PRISON VISITS Many Titans languish in prisons forged during the First Titan War. This confinement forces their aid to be indirect, if they offer it at all. Still, a Titan may have information the Heroes need. Titans are as old as the universe itself — they know secrets from the earliest days of The World and before. Many Titans have also ventured into unholy places or delved into the depths of forbidden knowledge. In this case, the Heroes must visit a Titan’s place of punishment. Such journeys are legendary — descending into an Underworld or a Terra Incognita where the Titan writhes in chains. As Storyguide, you should make the travel feel suitably epic. It might require multiple episodes and incorporate many features of mythological quests: fights with monsters, bargaining with guardians, making sacrifices, everything you might find in a Hero’s journey and then some. One does not simply walk into Tartarus. As an alternative, Heroes might communicate with the Titan through other means. Perhaps it’s enough to enact a

Encounters with titans

75

blood ritual, thereby opening a direct channel to the Titan’s cell. Perhaps they can speak with the Titan through dreams. It may even be possible to converse with a Titan through an intermediary; by meeting and making a deal with a titanspawn, Prophet, or Exemplar, the Heroes can get a conduit to speak with the Titan, much like talking to a medium during a séance. Incarcerated Titans don’t casually share information. They demand a price, likely a task the Heroes must perform. The task should be something that furthers the Titan’s goals — ideally adding to the Titan’s strength or weakening their cage. As before, Storyguides must gauge what the players and characters are willing to do. Heroes are apt to refuse tasks which will obviously break a Titan free. Remember, though, that Titans aren’t all subtle schemers. Suppose the Heroes need to incinerate a supernatural object that doesn’t seem flammable; Prometheus is more than willing to help, no questions asked. Choosing a Titan whose Callings and Purview align with what you want to do may be a quick and easy solution to your problems. Still, there may be unforeseen repercussions. In myths, “quick and easy” is often a recipe for disaster.

COMMON ENEMIES D

ire circumstances can make for strange bedfellows. Even if Heroes despise a Titan or a Band of Titan Scions, there may be good reason to work together against a common foe. An obvious common enemy is another Titan. For example, Aten has a special loathing for the Netjer, but Aten’s hatred doesn’t stop there. Aten believes, “There can be only one.” Aten wants to destroy all Gods, all Titans, and anything else that gets in the way. If such a Titan is close to corrupting or destroying a substantial portion of The World, Heroes may need to combine forces with their usual opponents in order to end the threat.

WORKING WITH TITANIC “ALLIES”

OUTSIDE CONTEXT PROBLEMS The term “outside context problem” refers to something so unprecedented, you can’t conceive of it happening… until it does. An unexpected catastrophe may bring Heroes and Titans together in more than a short-term alliance of convenience. For example, consider how the Tuatha Dé Danann and Fomorians might react to outsiders invading Ireland. Yes, they might continue their usual feuds, but they might set aside their differences and form a united front. If this goes on long enough, who knows what might develop? Titans are famously resistant to change, but myths still slowly evolve. As Storyguide, you might decide that a sufficiently large crisis can literally change The World. Perhaps the crisis could be an invasion from some unimaginable place outside known existence, or perhaps some basic truth of reality might begin breaking down. A change in mythic level (e.g., in Genre or Theocentrism) could realign everything, including old hatreds and relationships. Such a transformation can revitalize your series if the game starts getting routine. It also reflects the way that real-world mythology responds to major historical transitions. Myths don’t end, they adapt. Your Gods and Titans may, too.

TITANSPAWN

CALAMITY’S CHILDREN

T

When Heroes operate on their own, they try to minimize casualties and collateral damage. Titanic allies, however, seldom care who gets hurt. They may even delight in carnage. Keeping Titan allies in check increases the Heroes’ burdens when they’re already busy fighting a powerful enemy. Titanic allies may also be impulsive. Rather than biding their time or using stealth, they charge into confrontations. On the other hand, they may play it safe in the face of danger, letting the Heroes take the greatest risks. Titanic allies shouldn’t be totally unreliable, but a Titan’s notions of how best to approach a problem are bound to clash with the Heroes. Storyguides shouldn’t neglect these complications. Titanic allies aren’t compliant or “nice” — they act on their own. If they have no other choice, they’ll join forces with the Heroes to fight a pressing danger, but the Titanomachy persists in the background. Once the united battle is over, the greater war resumes.

76

As an example, suppose a Band of Heroes and a Band of Titan Scions are after the same prize: a crucial Relic held in a Terra Incognita. This Otherworld brims with deadly creatures and the two Bands are sure to die if they fight each other as well as the monsters. This gives both sides an incentive to arrange a truce while they deal with immediate problems. However, the truce can’t last; the question is: Who breaks it first?

itanspawn are natural opponents for a Scion or Band to encounter. Created by forces that do not care for the fate of humanity and which are often inimical to a Scion’s divine parents, titanspawn represent an immediate and powerful presence that Scions cannot ignore. Though they lack the immediately skycracking furor of a full Titan, the mere presence of titanspawn in a story indicates a threat to more than just an individual Scion or Band. The incidental presence of titanspawn in The World causes misery, strife, and death, while their intentional deployment heralds a new front in the ancient war between Titan and God. Many titanspawn are either powerful enough or of such Otherworldly construction that mortals cannot meaningfully slow, much less stop them. Even the least of Jötunns can carve a path of mayhem and woe through The World, wrecking the lives of countless mortals and despoiling the land without supernatural intervention. The idlest emanation of Aten corrupts and twists those it encounters into fanatic, zealous puppets dancing on strings of cosmic light. Titanspawn worthy of the name demand action from even the most self-interested or lackadaisical of Scions, for The World cannot withstand their presence for long.

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

While Gods themselves are generally beyond direct attack by all but the greatest of titanspawn, their holy places, worshippers, and relics are not. The Quinametzin have schemed against Teōtl holy places and relics long before The World found its current shape, but their efforts represent a very real threat to the Teōtl Gods. Destruction, desecration, or theft of their sacred sites and Fatebound favorites can weaken or distract the greatest of divinities, and few Gods are so secure in their power that they would willing vie with Titans with any such handicap. Titanspawn are a potent tool in the Storyguide’s rogue’s gallery: When they appear, Scions should immediately have cause for concern. Even if a Band’s current activities have nothing to do with an inhuman disciple of White Eyebrow, crossing paths should present rising pressure to do something. This might be merely to investigate what a practitioner of supernatural martial arts and cultivator of invidious power is doing in their neck of the woods. The potential of World-shaking danger is present from the moment titanspawn emerge in the story, no matter what else is going on.

DIFFERING DOOMS This doesn’t mean that the presence of titanspawn invariably results in violence. While it’s certainly possible that a Hydra (Scion: Hero, p. 295) that’s rampaged through a series of small towns makes for a fantastic set-piece battle, dealing with the toxic fallout from the thing’s death may be an even more serious problem. A Scion preempted by a Vardoger may want to rip the creature limb from limb, but without understanding, out-thinking, and out-maneuvering the tricky creature, they’ll never even have the chance to try. Even if a Scion can bring themselves to strike the inhumanly beautiful face of a fair Fomorian plotting to create an international incident on Irish soil, attacking someone who’s become a high-ranking member of mortal government may not be conducive to a positive outcome. Just as the means of confronting titanspawn can vary, so too can the ends. It’s possible that some titanspawn might become allies of convenience or even long-term friends of a Scion or Band. Titanic Scions certainly have enough similarities with those of the Gods to find common ground, but even amongst those titanspawn with monstrous forms, there are few thinking creatures that are singularly antagonistic. Given the temperament of many titanspawn, this can be just as perilous as confronting them directly, but there are few Scions who would argue that a Jötunn is not a powerful ally, or the Hecatoncheires not a terrifyingly potent friend. Beyond allies of the moment, a Band of Scions may wish to work towards befriending titanspawn for reasons of ideal and virtue. After all, the Shén’s handling of destructive and dangerous entities proves that even the most hazardous beings can work towards goals in line with the continual existence and flourishing of The World. The Òrìshà might well argue that trying to bring them into the fold is what they deserve.

PROCEDURAL PLAY: SLIGHTS OF MIND S

weet ignorance of the divine and supernatural is an indulgence only mortals can afford, and sometimes it gets them killed. For Scions intent on directly confronting titanspawn, it’s rank foolishness. Forewarned is forearmed, and rare is the Scion who can afford to go up against titanspawn without at first knowing their enemy. By their very nature, titanspawn send mortal legions fleeing and gird themselves well against mundane means of destruction. On the simplest level, understanding their enemy allows a Band to confront a Hydra with fire or a Nian with firecrackers and red banners. Beyond tactical advantage, learning about Titanic threats may clue a Scion onto the telltale signs of the Men in Black, which in turn allows them to discover machinations designed to usher more dangerous things into The World. When it comes to plots hatched by brilliant Fomorians, Scions of Metis or Ravana, or outer horrors such as the Tzitzimime, the Scions may need not only to discover the enemy plan but develop a response more complex than smiting it away.

THE HOLE ABOVE THE HEART When discovering knowledge about a titanspawn’s origins, vulnerabilities, or weaknesses is the prelude to a more traditional fight, a procedural information gathering roll is a fine tool to discover Achilles’ heels and silver bullets (Scion: Origin, p. 73). This can serve as a quick opportunity for the Storyguide to introduce background elements that make the titanspawn’s place in the context of story or setting clearer, to use Complications to seed further dangers for the player characters, or to take advantage of potential Stunt choices that reveal what role the titanspawn plays in the future. An overly successful information gathering roll gives an interested Scion the opportunity to track down the family history of a gui or Fomorian at little cost, but their choice to do so instead of other, more efficacious Stunt choices may provide the Storyguide with useful guidance as to where the player’s attention lies. If the titanspawn requires a particular consideration to even have a confrontation be possible, such as the Vardoger’s advanced mimicry or the invincibility of certain monsters, such facts should be the Leads in any relevant information gathering rolls. If, on the other hand, they represent more general weaknesses for the titanspawn, such as a troll’s weakness to church bells or a hydra’s vulnerability to fire, they can safely be included as Clues alongside a more central mystery — how to corner the troll before it escapes back into the steam tunnels beneath the city, for example, or figuring out what exactly is hunting the fisherfolk off the coast of Spain. It’s not always necessary to use the procedural gameplay system to reveal titanspawn weaknesses. It’s often appropriate if a Scion learns of their enemy’s bane through the organic development of a scene or story, from a reliable ally or even from a boasting enemy’s slip-up. However, when a Storyguide uses the procedural system, it’s important not to obfuscate the choices the players have. If the

Procedural Play: Slights of Mind

77

players don’t know that they can ferret out the secrets of the hydra’s weakness as they hunt it out, or if they don’t know they can ask questions about its relationship with its monstrous parent, or if they don’t know they can find out its deep secrets as an author of aquatic dei-fic, they’ll never engage with that content. It’s never a bad idea to offer more information, and a failed roll can be an excellent opportunity to offer details about the dangerous, macabre, or frightening abilities of the titanspawn as consolation along with the mandatory Lead.

JAMMING THE GEARS THAT GRIND DOWN THE WORLD Discovering and dismantling the plans of cunning or insidious titanspawn could take up an entire Session, Arc, Season, or even Story. A clever and potent Jötunn or Fomorian could spell ruin for the Worldly followers of a God or pantheon, and even such unlikely enemies as a driven and willfully monstrous tikoloshe or literal internet trolls could usher in untold suffering for countless mortals and Denizens. Other times, unraveling the plot of gremlins or a sapient flock of Stymphalian birds may be part of a procedural scene in a larger session, and figuring out a Rakshasa’s machinations may function as an overture to facing them in direct conflict… or coming to a mutually acceptable accommodation. The seriousness, consequences, and play time devoted to such plans will vary from game to game: It’s quite possible that one Band of Heroes will discover the goal of the Centzonhuītznāhua to sacrifice Mexico City and fuel their sister’s resurrection — along with how the 400 southerners plan to do it — in a single information gathering roll, while a different game will see its Scions spending an arc figuring out how and why their town’s community center is threatened by cultists of Isfet intent on weakening the Netjer’s presence in The World. In either case, the backbone of procedural information gathering gameplay provides solid guidance: Make sure that the players find the Leads that enable the story to progress, while rewarding the characters with useful Clues and other benefits for successful investigation. A simple information gathering roll generates those benefits through Stunt purchases, the players spending success to figure out how a strange demonic follower of Banasura intends to consume all the wealth in the State Bank of India and discover his weaknesses, the best time to counteract his plans, or which of his mortal agents are cowed into submission by fear and which are truly loyal. When the Storyguide slowly reveals the plot in extended play, a Band might discover these facts more organically. A scene with a friendly sage reveals the demon’s ancient hatred of music; a scene where the Band matches wits with the disguised demon at a party gives them an opportunity to ferret out his timetable; the Band spends an entire session rounding up and interrogating the mortals the demon has in thrall. These sessions devoted to investigating titanspawn plots don’t use the simpler rolled resolution, but still benefit from the Lead and Clue framework. Even if the players inadvertently insult the sage and don’t learn of the

78

demon’s sensitive ears, then spend the entire party distracted by the dessert table, and then focus on the entirely wrong mortals they’ve captured, the Storyguide can and should still present them with the evidence to guide them towards the resolution of the plot: The sage’s servants let slip about the demon’s insatiable appetite for wealth, an innocuous party-goer mentions the major finance event happening in Kolkata the next week over the pastry tray, a defiant servant of the demon gloatingly spells out the stakes for the Scions even when captured, allowing the game to progress to the confrontation with the demon at the culmination of his plot. This doesn’t remove the importance of successful investigation; whether through procedural rolls or clever inquiry in larger scenes, a Band that tracks down more information about their enemies and their plots should have meaningfully better narrative results, advantages in the final confrontation, and a tidier outcome to the whole affair. However, the Lead and Clue framework ensures that the most feckless of Scions (or unluckiest of players) can meaningfully pursue the plot, and that a few bad beats of investigation don’t leave the Storyguide or players spinning their wheels in frustration.

INTRIGUE PLAY: SWEET VOICES IN THE NIGHT H

oneyed words. Unholy allegiances. Whispered promises. Titanspawn offering these instead of immediate destruction capture mortal hearts, gain the loyalties of oncereliable Denizens and supernatural creatures, and sway Scion and divinity away from their pantheons. Oftentimes, such suasion exists as the background to current threats, an explanation for why the Heavy Metal Centaur Club of Central Ohio has turned against their former Theoi friends or why the naga investors in downtown Delhi have agreed to allow rakshasa businesspeople to take over unprecedented swaths of the banking sector. Other times, it exists as the meat of the conflict: Can the Scions prevent the Saturnian Society from turning the Centaur Club against the Theoi? Can the Band convince the naga that the rakshasa’s predatory business practices would inflict ruin and suffering, or even make the rakshasa reconsider their business model? Oftentimes, the end point of a titanspawn social threat are people, organizations, or societies becoming weapons in the titanspawn’s hands. This may involve the titanspawn securing their target’s loyalty, convincing them that their goals align with the titanspawn’s own, or poisoning their target’s heart against what they truly wish to degrade or destroy. Especially early in a story, Scions may encounter the works of titanspawn before they encounter the perpetrators, as the Band attempts to convince the Heavy Metal Centaur Club to turn back to their support of the Theoi and figure out what made them so furious at the cult of Zeus. Using the intrigue rules from Scion: Origin (p. 77),

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

such a challenge involves dealing with multiple problematic Attitudes, cultivated by the titanspawn manipulating them. The Centaur Club’s leadership may have an Attitude –2 towards The Theoi Who Abandoned Us, an Attitude 1 towards Our Saturnian Friend, both of which will make changing their behavior (“Stop vandalizing Theoi shrines!”) and their beliefs (“The Theoi aren’t your enemy!”) more difficult. When dealing with an organization rather than a single important character, convincing enough of the membership to make a difference can also be an issue, which the Scions may have to deal with through additional Milestones, or through an effect that allows them to act at a wider Scale. When dealing with those suborned by titanspawn, Complications involving the titanspawn becoming aware of the Band’s efforts or learning things about the Scions that they’d rather not be public knowledge are wholly appropriate, and useful for foreshadowing ongoing enemies and continuing threats. Dealing with a titanspawn in the act is a different matter. Clashing with a Fomorian socialite at a society gala or a rakshasa DJ at a rave becomes a matter of actively countering each other’s influence over neutral characters and diverting their attention. Such contests are concerned with the atmosphere they take place in, as Scions and titanspawn consider approaches that work best for a ritzy charity event, an impassioned union meeting, or a loud and crowded rave. The Attitudes of characters not yet convinced by the Scions or the titanspawn may be lower, allowing for swifter attempts to influence them to pay off, beliefs and behaviors up for grabs without barriers of existing Enhancement getting in the way. Such scenes also allow the Scions and titanspawn to try to affect each other directly: Intrigue actions and Stunts may intimidate the other side to better act against them

later, trick them into giving up valuable information, or try to bring them over to one’s own side. These possibilities offer the chance for high drama, but Storyguides should take care to keep stakes and possibilities transparent. If a player wants their character to convince an enemy to consider switching sides, but the Storyguide has determined that’s impossible due to the length of the scene, the enemy being a dead-set villain or inimical evil predatory entity should be clear up front so the player doesn’t waste intrigue actions or Stunts on an unobtainable goal. Similarly, it’s important to set the required number of Milestones and available number of attempts early and to keep them transparent for the players. This both helps prevent players from trying the same approach repeatedly in an attempt to brute force a solution and allows them to make meaningful choices on how they use their resources to meet their goals in the scene.

ACTION ADVENTURE PLAY: BLOODY HANDED RECKONING S

ometimes, there are no words that will do. The beast will not calm. The warrior will not set aside their sword. Sometimes, perhaps often, Scions must fight titanspawn. In many cases, this is the natural consequence of titanspawn presence in the story. Omakude, for example, demand a forceful response, and “beat them until they are no more or they flee back to whatever hole they crawled out from”

Action Adventure play: bloody handed reckoning

79

is a reasonable goal. Many Storyguides and Bands of Scions are already well equipped to run and play such conflicts. However, considering the goals and motives of the titanspawn alongside the circumstances and location of the battle can result in more dynamic fights and potentially give Scions more meaningful options for dealing with the creature than “can I afford the Critical stunt?” Even creatures of appetite and fury such as the hydra and kraken are in search of prey. Trying to prevent loss of life and minimize collateral damage from encountering such hunting beasts in an inhabited area dramatically changes the nature of a fight from fighting them along a lonely strip of shore. A roc tearing apart an airport to try to recover a stolen egg allows a Band to try and shorten the fight by convincing the people who stole the egg to give it up, if they’re able to do so while simultaneously warding off the roc’s attacks. Situations like these raise the stakes, suggest potential consequences, and offer additional resources for the Scions from the Complications surrounding the fight. Titanspawn with beyond-bestial faculties and desires offer even more possibilities. A rakshasa thief attempting to steal sacred muscle cars from a Tuatha Dé Danann-run bodyshop doesn’t need to kill anyone to complete his goal, and likely won’t try; instead, the conflict becomes an action scene about trying to stop him from getting the keys into the car and the car onto the road. Losing in such a conflict also doesn’t spell doom for the Scions; instead, it opens a chase scene, segueing from one element of action adventure play to another. Terminal fights, where the titanspawn and Scion Band alike are seeking each-others’ destruction, benefit from textured and interesting surroundings. The specific place often matters less so long as the Storyguide has thought of interesting ways for it to be interacted with. A showdown in the empty desert can be complicated with dust storms, shifting dunes, collapsing hollows, and other shifting conditions, and can offer options to its combatants from turning the environmental hazards against their opponents to the old sand-in-your-eyes trick.

TITANS W

&

DRAGONS

hile Titans exist as Primordial beings of nature, forces of creation and destruction whose very personages represent humankind’s earliest attempts to explain The World and its creation, dragons insist that they existed in The World before Titans, before Gods, before anyone. The Titans, as a whole, find fault with this, as dragons claim to precede the creation of The World which many Titans were present for, and indeed represent. Titans assert, very loudly and to anyone who will listen, that they walked the earth before humanity rose, before the Gods displaced and bound them, and that dragons merely pretend at their age, at their primacy. Titans loudly declare that they created The World, rather than merely standing in for primal creative and destructive forces in the minds of the hairless apes from whom they choose their Scions.

80

So, who’s right? Dragons claim to predate humanity, which, if their claims hold true, would support this assertion to an extent, but if the Titan tales contains the truth, Titans came first. Then there’s the matter of names which show up on either side of the ledger, appearing both as dragons and as Titans. Apophis: dragon or Titan? For that matter, Apep or Apophis — which name fits the embodiment of chaos? How do the dragons and the Titanomachy deal with beings who meddle on both sides, and for that matter, are they even the same beings? Has The World got to deal with two Primordial forces of chaos which rose from the Nile Delta? Scion’s core theme of the uncertainty of myth guides the answers: Most of these questions are best answered “yes.” Yes, Apep is a Titan. Yes, Apophis is a dragon. If that confuses everyone in the Titanomachy — the Gods and the dragons — that’s just fine with Apophis. The World never provides Apep with enough tasty confusion snacks, so more can only be better for the serpent. We mean dragon. Err, Titan.

NOMENCLATURE AT THE TABLE T

he overlap between dragons and Titans presents unique storytelling opportunities and challenges. Confusing characters with a dragon and a Titan sharing a name? Fantastic. Making your players tear out their hair trying to remember whether the Storyguide characters they just spoke to claimed to be a Scion of the dragon Apep or the Titan Apep? That makes for a much less enjoyable session and will likely cause your players to enjoy the intricate plotting you’ve got planned for them much, much less. Before introducing conflicting and confusing information during a session, it’s best to introduce the idea of duality on an out-of-game level, in discussion with the players. While everyone’s settling down at the table and setting out their dice, books, and snacks, Storyguides may want to point their players to this very section in order to prepare them for the potential confusion to come. Help players understand from moment one that the Storyguide hasn’t set out to confuse the players but the characters. Once everyone’s on the same page that the material itself has a certain amount of confusion baked in due to that mythological duality, dealing with the inevitable “wait, was that Apep or Apophis, did we get scales or Primordial chaos” becomes much, much easier. Likewise, bringing these ideas up ahead of game allows neurodiverse players or players with memory issues to discuss with the Storyguide ways to manage out-of-game confusion which could interfere with player involvement and enjoyment. A few options: Most Titans and dragons have multiple names and Mantles, making it possible for a Storyguide to assign one variant to a Titan and one to a dragon, at least in out-of-game conversation. Referring to the dragon only as Apep, and the

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

Titan only as Apophis, makes it immediately clear to which entity the Storyguide refers when she says, “Apep’s followers were responsible for that bombing last session, remember?”

individuals who can lay a trap for them. Dragons plan longterm and outwitting a dragon is, if not the best way to win their respect, definitely a solid pathway to their respect.

For those Titans and dragons who have only one name and no Mantles but exist on both sides of the aisle, Storyguides may wish to assign a color signifier, or simply make it explicit to which entity they refer by calling them “The Dragon [Name]” and “The Titan [Name].”

Titans, while they work to either win over or defeat dragonkind, experience great confusion when confronted by anyone who has the opportunity to leave the dragons and doesn’t choose to do so. After all, the dragons have long lived in essential exile, an ancient people in diaspora, and so any side that isn’t “ground under the heel of both Titan and God” represents an improvement, in the Titans’ eyes. At the end of the day, though, anyone can choose to stick with the losing side.

DOUBLE-DEALING BASTARDS AND OTHER FAMILY STORIES H

ow do Titans and dragons deal with those entities who play both sides? For that matter, does Apep actually play both sides, or do two entities exist? Titans, having been focused for millennia on the activities of the Gods who shunned, ejected and bound them, can find themselves surprised by the fact that dragonkind even still exists as a force to be reckoned with in the least. This can leave them faced with a second front in their eons-long war, challenged not just by Gods but by dragons. What’s worse, these dragons, on the whole, deeply dislike and distrust any entity who does not exist solely and wholly as a dragon. Those pantheons containing individuals who share names or Mantles with dragonkind often find themselves unable to make significant alliances with dragons, despite their best efforts. Titans, on the whole, would rather have dragons as allies against the Gods, after all. A few exceptions exist, of course, with some dragons — The Kami and the Shén, for example — less concerned with whether someone calls themselves a dragon or a Titan and more concerned with how well a particular member navigates the bureaucracy. They represent a deep and resounding exception, however: The dragon Níðhöggr would chew on the bones of the thing that shares his name, if only he could get his claws on Nidhoggr. Chew on them, spit them out, trample them under the roots of Yggdrasil, and then somehow chew them up again. That sort of attitude doesn’t really lend itself to alliances, and so Titans — and their Scions — can often find themselves dealing with trouble from Gods and dragons alike. While dragons generally don’t like anyone they view as traitors to dragonkind, the Titans can’t see how anyone would view their company as anything other than advantageous in the long run and keep trying to pull more and more dragons into their pantheons. They’ve had limited success, usually by appealing to safety where the dragons have had insecurity, driven from their homes. Likewise, Titans make headway with dragonkind by displays of wile and long-term planning, as dragons prize cunning very highly. Most individuals wouldn’t take very kindly to finding out that they’ve been the target of a long confidence scheme, but rather than being off-put, dragonkind respects those

If Titans can’t have dragons as allies, they’ll just have to make do with them as enemies. Dragons employ quite sidelong methods of dealing with The World, and make plans which play out over decades, centuries, millennia. Titans tend toward more direct paths to their desired ends, but not always. When two immortal masters of deceit play chess over a city or a continent, Scions and the children of dragons find themselves caught up. The rest of The World gets dragged back and forth, tangled in the warp and weft of the webs the competing sides weave, tear apart, mend and tear again. The answers as to how Titans and dragons interact, as with the myths and the individuals themselves, will always vary. No single viewpoint represents the entirety of dragonkind or the Titanomachy, nor does any single viewpoint fully reflect the thoughts of a single dragon or a single Titan on the matter. These grudges have run deep for millennia. Said grudges have thus had an awful long time to mature, and like a very fine wine, develop top notes and undertones. The viewpoints of even a single Titan on the matter of the place of dragons within the Titanomachy might — and should — shift from day to day, situation to situation, depending on the events of the story as it unfolds.

WHO ARE YOU, REALLY? S

o, what’s the real answer? Is Apep both a dragon and a Titan in one being, or is Apophis the dragon and Apep the Titan serpent? Are they two individuals, or one individual playing two sides in an endless struggle, pitting dragons and Titans against each other? Again, the answer to all those questions might very simply be “yes.” That’s up to the Storyguide’s intentions for a specific chronicle. What looks like Apep and Apophis struggling over a single character’s loyalties, arguing whether she’s a Titan Scion or a dragon’s child, or fighting with one another over a relic, might legitimately be what it seems: two individuals with very similar tastes and names fighting over the same handbag at a Nordstrom sale. On the other hand, perhaps those two individuals share and overlap, like Gentle Annie, The Morrigan and Badb sharing a single teenage body and swapping out perspectives. Perhaps Apep doesn’t have full awareness of what Apophis does, and vice versa.

who are you, really?

81

On the other hand, the entire fight over that particular character’s lineage and loyalties might merely represent part of an extremely long con by a single individual, playing both sides against the middle to some end that the players must uncover. Perhaps Apep is a dragon pretending to be a Titan on Sundays in order to confuse everyone and serve his latest gambit. Perhaps Apophis and Apep, dragon and Titan, are the same thing. With literal eons to plan, members of the Titanomachy and dragons set out their plans over generations, so any of these things could be true, or more than one of these things could be true. The real question a Storyguide answers when making those decisions is: “What’s important to the story that we’re telling together?” Whether or not the answers to any of these other questions even matter in the least comes down to what kind of story you intend to tell. Answering that question first makes it much easier to sort through all the other questions above and how they matter to the story you’re running, and the table you’re sharing. With that said, if you choose to explore the effects of the multiplicity of myth on The World and the lives of your Scions, adding dragons to a game with Titans and Gods permits the Storyguide to layer in even more difficulties and existential complexities. It is entirely possible for multiple characters to have the same parent while also not at all having the same parent, or not being aware they have the same parent. Some entities exist as dragons, Titans, and Gods. Whether or not those individuals represent three faces of a singular individual, three separate individuals, or something in between represents one of the great story possibilities, and one of the metaphysical questions, of Scion. A Storyguide could, if desired, plan an entire storyline around three children of three different versions or aspects of the same name. The slow revelation of the parentage of all three parties, and the questions of who each party actually serves, provides a fantastic focus for a chronicle. If that works for your table and your troupe, then go for it! The important thing, when employing dragons and Titans who share a name and a lineage in a Scion story, is to only confuse the players in enjoyable ways which enrich the story. Getting player buy-in ahead of time on the level of confusion they may encounter, and discussing any potential accessibility requirements, makes for a more harmonious table down the road. Once the Storyguide has player buy-in, and players know that they’re right to be confused because the topic is intentionally confusing, roll on with the snarled and tangled lines of your story. The overlap and muddle are all part of the duality of myth; stories overlap and intertwine, and the only true rule about generalities in mythology is that for every generalization, an exception must exist. Just make like Apep and embrace the chaos.

82

THE WAR ETERNAL

Titanomachy is an impossibly broad concept: a war that is either cold or hot, personal or global, immediate or long in planning. For some, this wide-open space may be all they need to get up and go, so to speak — and Godspeed to you, brave Storyguides. For others, however, this may feel akin to being tossed in the ocean and commanded to swim for shore. Consider the three adventure shells provided below a kind of life vest. Even if you are already an accomplished swimmer, it doesn’t hurt to bring extra flotation.

HOW TO USE THESE ADVENTURES If you are considering starting a new campaign, “Diaspora” is best suited for a fresh start and new players; it is both structured to demonstrate the three areas of action — action-adventure, intrigue, and procedural — and includes summaries for potential pre-made characters, complete with hooks into the story. As written, it can be run as a one-shot at a convention or similar event, or it can be placed into a pre-existing campaign as the next arc to be tackled. “Diaspora” is a locked-room mystery involving theft of ancient Relics, murder, and imposters, with a sense of urgency and an apocalyptic boss fight with a Scion of A Áo Guāng. With a detailed setting and suggested lines for Storyguide characters, it also serves as a great introduction for new Storyguides who want to jump in with Scion’s Titanic themes first, while also introducing new players to the concept of Titanomachy and who would be invested in it. For more experienced players and Storyguides, “Lunar New Year” provides an open-World game concept with multiple possible solutions to the story questions and can be used as either a fresh campaign start or as the next arc of a campaign already in progress. The adventure provides suggestions for how to hook characters into the orbit of the doomed Chinatown wards within New York City, regardless of whether they have contacts there or within the Shén pantheons, allowing for players to either make characters specifically suited to the adventure or bring characters from past games into the fray. It also provides immersive details for anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure of visiting the Big Apple, while allowing room for fantastic embellishment. If you have players eager to interact with Titans and their Scions, “Lunar New Year” puts the Titanic influence up-front from the very beginning, as a Scion of Kuāfù keeps constant pressure on characters to resolve the disaster in the big city… but still has the potential to surprise them, as the White Eyebrow meddles in areas where they’d least expect him. “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” can also be used as a new campaign or, by design, be slotted into a campaign or arc that is already underway. Set in an unspecified city in North America over a variable length of time, this adventure provides “tentpole” scenes — scenes that are crucial to

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the adventure’s story — as well as “B Plot” scenes — optional divergences that serve to flesh out the story and provide player characters with additional stakes and more context. Focusing on the messy politics of Titanomachy and the potentially gray morality it conjures, “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” features a socially gifted Scion of Metis claiming Fate itself has ordained him Zeus’s replacement. If your players don’t mind facing tough decisions and empathizing with the bad guy, “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” will likely scratch that itch for them. As always, none of these adventures are considered “canonical,” or even immutable. Any number of details can be twisted, rearranged, or even thrown out to better fit your game, your timeslot, and your players’ needs. If your players want to bring different characters to Guarulhos International Airport, there’s no reason why they can’t. If you’d like to play out the disaster of “Lunar New Year” but with a Yule tourism town suffering under the smiling oppression of a Scion of Aten, feel free to change what must be changed. If your players can’t stand intrigue and you just want to see them sock Prince Annapolis in his smug handsome face, ditch the glad-handing and have him draw steel. Your desire to strain against that which must be changed is a noble thing and should never be locked away.

DIASPORA

São Paulo, Brazil is home to more people of Japanese ancestry than any other city outside Japan. It’s also one of the fiercest battlegrounds between the Kami, Shén, Lóng, and various Titans. Thanks to the Gods’ focus on each other instead of climate change, São Paulo’s deep into its worst drought in centuries. Hundreds of thousands of Paulistanos have already died. In a rare show of clarity, Ryūjin sent a set of Dragon Pearls to end the drought and purify existing water sources. In a typical show of shortsighted greed, someone stole them. The Scion courier, Jorge Tanaka, is turning the airport upside down, but the Heir of the Dragon King needs help. He’s been making frantic calls to the police and a nearby Band of Brazilian Scions in the hopes that the elemental Relics can be recovered swiftly. • Kazuhiko Barbosa finds this whole affair terribly exciting. Who would steal from a dragon? What purpose do they have for the Pearls? Kazuhiko can’t help but think that the answer to these questions will be gloriously illuminating, not just for the current predicament but for larger issues within the Titanomachy. Certainly, it’s a tragedy, but surely they can be recovered with a little brainstorming. The son of Hotei loves a good puzzle. • Akane Machado, first of Takemikazuchi’s shock troopers, is a little disappointed that the frantic call from Jorge was for a scavenger hunt. She understands the gravity of the situation but digging through bags and questioning smugglers seems a little below her.

Still, a mission is a mission and she’s going to succeed even if she has to beat a confession out of someone. • Miguela Silva was the one who took Jorge’s call. It wasn’t actually her phone, but no daughter of Loki would let someone else do the talking when she could be the one to collect information and figure out an angle. On the way to the airport, she’s running down possible motives and suspects, as well as ways the Pearls could have been stolen. She’s going to find the thief and add their secrets to her repertoire. Oh, and recover the Relics. • Zhenyi Lee is deeply disturbed by the loss of the Pearls. The severity of the drought means that this theft could spell the deaths of thousands in the next few days. If that weren’t alarming enough, her father Laozi texted her a cryptic message: “They’re not what they seem.” She’s not sure what to expect at the airport, but she knows she’s not going to like it. • Leilani Kameāloha isn’t technically part of this Band. Hell, she wasn’t even planning on being in São Paulo this week but taking a layover here and complaining loudly got her a free hotel room and enough airline miles that they were actually paying her to take the trip. She went out of her way to volunteer to help, though. The daughter of Maui knows more than a little bit about tracking down and punishing evildoers.

ACT ONE: THE AIRPORT Full of raw elemental power, Dragon Pearls grow slowly, one-by-one under the chins of many East Asian dragons, particularly the Lóng. Since even the smallest takes over a year to grow, they’re as rare and valuable as they are potent. Thirty-six hours ago, Jorge Tanaka boarded a plane carrying five of them. One hour ago, he landed in São Paulo, ready to use the Pearls’ power to clean the waterways and end the current drought. Sometime during the flight, someone stole the Pearls. Jorge had the Pearls in his carry-on. He stayed awake as long as he could on the day-long flight. He kept his bag close at all times. He did everything right, so how’d he lose the Dragon Pearls? Thankfully, the international terminal has a police station built in and they took his call seriously enough to get the five-story building locked down in short order. Unfortunately, airport police aren’t used to dealing with this sort of thing, leaving only a few uniformed officers and rookie Detective Oliveira to assist in the recovery. Before exiting the plane, Jorge checked his bag feverishly for the missing Pearls and then made two calls: one to Zhengyi Lee and one to the Polícia Federal (PF) station in the airport. Although the police swiftly close down Terminal 3, all the other passengers from his flight had already deplaned, complicating the recovery of the Pearls. Field: São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport

SCENE DETAILS Owing to the seriousness of the situation, the supernatural terrorism team of the federal police (Grupo de Contraterrorismo Sobrenaturales) have surrounded

diaspora

83

Terminal 3 and are preparing to make entry as the players arrive. Before they can, power in the terminal cuts out, dropping the building into darkness as the air fills with screams. The GCS and players burst through a window high up on the wall, dropping into the Baggage Claim.

POINTS OF INVESTIGATION Baggage Claim The scene they land in is something out of a horror movie, with roughly 100 people literally clawing at the doors. The players are immediately overwhelmed by a tide of human bodies begging them for help and trying to force their way out. Making matters worse, the GCS considers saving people secondary to recovering the Relics and will react to desperate civilians roughly, at best. If the players wish to keep folks unharmed, they’ll have to calm everyone, commandos included. With a few moments of calm, they find Jorge and a handful of airport police tearing through suitcases, a mangled body riding the baggage conveyer belt, and a dozen

84

unmoving people scattered around the room. If they can get Jorge and the airport police to stop searching long enough for some questions, he’ll report that none of the bags nor the passengers have the missing Pearls. Detective Oliveira admits that they were looking for the Pearls, not Clues, so they have almost certainly missed something. If the players can control the scene well enough to Survey for Clues, they’ll be able to learn that the people scattered around have been trampled. Some are still alive, albeit severely wounded. Medical attention can save their lives. They’ll also learn that the mangled body is very dead. It has a passport for Jackson Dias. It looks as though his neck was broken and before being dropped from a great height and thrown onto the conveyer. Through extra Clues, Interpretation, and Q&A Stunts, or relevant Knacks, players can learn:

• If the crowd can be managed well enough to match names to the flight manifest, the players will learn

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

• Deep handprints on the transformer and scrapes in several directions. Someone used it as a club. • Despite clearly being beaten with the transformer, Bo has no broken bones. This is a dead Scion. Nonmedical investigation, such as magical detection, will also reveal Bo’s nature. • A rack of uninterruptible power supplies, which resembles a shelving unit of car batteries, has been overturned. Technologically savvy Scions can determine that this was probably used to keep sensitive systems, like security, working in case of power failure. • An empty keycard envelope with the airport hotel’s logo. If the players completely bypass the Baggage Claim and rush to investigate the power outage, they can arrive in time to save Bo Chen’s life. Rushing into the room spooks the attacker who escapes, leaving Bo Maimed but still clinging to life.

Hotel Unusual for airports, São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport has a small hotel built into Terminal 3. Although too cramped to be luxurious, the hotel is pristine. The front desk attendant looks out of her mind with fear. When questioned, she reveals that a flight attendant from Air Brazil recently passed by, although the guest didn’t provide a name. With any successes, the players are able to match the clerk’s description of the guest to the missing Luiz Itoh. She also reports that it has already been searched by GCS commandos. Because of this, when the players investigate Bo Chen’s room, they find a flight attendant uniform on the bed and a closed bathroom door with the shower running. If they use any extraordinary senses or actually enter the bathroom, they will find a dead, naked man in the shower. He has no identifying marks, although his physique certainly suggests he was a GCS agent.

that three passengers are unaccounted for: Luiz Itoh, a flight attendant for Air Brazil; Bo Chen, an art dealer; and Jackson Dias, a student.

• The commando was killed by a single strike to the back of his head. Whoever killed this highly trained officer took him completely by surprise.

• Whoever killed Jackson Dias was monstrously strong. • An unclaimed and untagged roller bag with aircrew uniforms from five different airlines and an empty dry-cleaning bag.

• One GCS agent, Lucas Martins, has not responded to radio calls since being sent to investigate the hotel.

• The rest of the aircrew from the flight had never seen Luiz Itoh before, although he seemed nice.

Power Distribution Center Here, the players find the signs of a nasty melee, with blood and smashed equipment everywhere. A transformer the size of a large refrigerator lies far from its mount and sparking wires. Even untrained eyes will be able to find the broken body of Bo Chen underneath the transformer. Further investigation may uncover:

Whoever Luiz Itoh really is, they’ve gotten away, wearing the uniform and face of this officer. If the players don’t think to inform the police that one of the GCS commandos is an imposter, Det. Oleveira will.

ACT TWO: INTRIGUE Whoever has the Pearls is a violent Scion, but they must still be in Terminal 3; no vehicles or personnel have left the building and it’s surrounded. Their little stunt with stealing a cop’s uniform hasn’t gotten them anywhere. Unfortunately, escaping Arrivals means they’re probably in Departures. Locating an imposter will be much harder since the only accurate record of check-ins has no power.

diaspora

85

THE FAIL-STATE If the players fail to sort out the Jorges, DJ has the opening he needs to make a beeline for the outside. He’ll have a round head start on escaping, transforming, and heightening the storm. Worse, if they accuse BJ of being the imposter, he’ll attack DJ, who will destroy one of the Pearls to transform the BJ in a draconic monster before fleeing the scene, feigning being distraught. Everyone present has a ticket and a matching ID, but that proves little. Things get far more complicated when the Band moves to Departures and finds Jorge Tanaka helping to calm the passengers there, organizing them to make things easier for the investigators. This is a problem since Jorge Tanaka is just now entering Departures with the Band and the investigators. Each Jorge accuses the other of being a shapeshifter. Making matters worse, the skies are darkening; there’s a storm coming. Field: The Departures floor of Terminal 3

SCENE DETAILS It doesn’t take much investigation to determine that Departures Jorge has plenty of witnesses supporting his claim as having been there since before the power went out. It doesn’t help matters that the Band found Baggage Jorge with blood on his hands and face and several dead bodies. Deeper investigation reveals:

• Both Jorges are related to Ryūjin. • Calling Jorge’s phone causes both of their phones to ring. Scions with technological skills may correctly hypothesize that one of the phones is a clone. Determining which requires specialized equipment not present or the clever use of an appropriate Knack. (Departures Jorge’s is the cloned phone.) • Using any sort of lie-detecting Knack on either Jorge triggers a Clash of Wills.

INTERROGATING DEPARTURES JORGE This Jorge’s (“DJ”) drive for this scene is to have Baggage Jorge (“BJ”) arrested. He’s the true son of the Dragon King and appears completely bewildered at the whole affair. He, like others in Departures, is aware that something awful must have happened, but he’s been waiting at his gate.

• If asked about his many phone chargers, DJ simply states that he likes helping people and often carries many phone chargers with him on flights. • Searching DJ’s bag or asking for ID reveals he’s holding a well-used passport for Jorge Tanaka. • He’s the true son of the Dragon King. (True.) • He just wants to do the right thing. (True, but he’s not telling everything.) • He has no idea who BJ is. (Lie.)

86

INTERROGATING BAGGAGE JORGE This Jorge still has blood on his hands. He swears that surveillance video will confirm that he was the one to exit the plane, make the call, and that he has not fought anyone. Of course, the surveillance system went offline with the power, so that alibi is impossible to verify. BJ’s drive for the scene is to prove he’s the real Jorge.

• The blood on his hands is not from fighting. • Searching BJ’s bag or asking him to provide his passport reveals that he has a passport of someone named Luiz Itoh. He becomes alarmed at this revelation. • BJ was unaware he had Luiz Itoh’s passport. (True.) • He has no idea who DJ or Luiz Itoh is. (True.)

INTERROGATING PASSENGERS All the passengers nearby swear that DJ has been here the whole time. He was nice enough to lend his phone charger. When pressed for details, they reveal that they distinctly remember him being present before the power went out, as well as helping to keep people calm.

• DJ was definitely present before the power went out. (This is true.) • He helped keep people calm after the lights went out and the screaming started. (This is false, but they believe it to be true. Careful questioning will get them to admit they’re not sure.) • Seven passengers report that they received a phone charger from him. • One passenger admits that they didn’t really need their phone charged and that DJ was kind of pushy about offering. If the players correctly accuse DJ of being Luiz, the fight starts before he has a chance to crush two of the Pearls to shape the battlefield. He can draw on their power without using his hands, so he’ll be able to transform no matter what, but investigative players can get in a few hits before his Armor and Scale go through the roof.

ACT THREE: ACTION The players have finally cornered Luiz Itoh, although he’s not going down without a fight. The good news is that he no longer has the Pearls. The bad news is that he crushed two of them, the first summoning the nastiest storm system the

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

FIELDS AND COMPLICATIONS Pearls:: Although there are only three surviving Dragon Pearls, there’s still hope for ending the drought of Pearls São Paulo but not if the Pearls are destroyed during the fight. Of course, catching them when the winds are blowing them around would be a challenge even without the kaiju-wannabe rampaging nearby. If a player or Jorge wants to deliberately use one of the Pearls, they can destroy it to end the storm. Of course, that leaves one less Pearl to end the drought. Cyclones:: Although Luiz Itoh summoned them, they’re out of anyone’s control. Anyone doing something Cyclones clever that requires them to stand still — using a sniper rifle, for example — is likely to be involuntarily accelerated to 100 miles per hour. Worse, if one of the cyclones takes a Pearl, it will turn into a full hurricane. Lightning:: Making matters worse still, lightning hammers the airfield. Thankfully, the strikes go after the Lightning tallest object — usually Luiz, but occasionally the various aircraft nearby. Aircraft:: São Paulo-Guarulhos is a major travel hub, with dozens of planes still on the ground. Due to the Aircraft fears of a terrorist attack, they’ve all been moved from Terminal 3, but they’re still nearby and fully fueled. If the Band can’t keep the fight contained, there’s a real risk of explosions. Even worse, the taxiway is only about 500 feet away, with over 1,000 passengers trapped aboard the various planes. Commandos:: A handful of the GCS were outside when Itoh smashed his way onto the tarmac. They’re in an Commandos excellent position to get the passengers to safety, but good luck convincing them to do that instead of getting vengeance for their fallen comrade. Jorge:: If Jorge transformed, he stumbles onto the tarmac, carelessly destroying everything in his path. He is Jorge not hostile, but the trauma of being turned into a giant monster has put him into a panic attack. Flailing limbs the size of trucks are dangerous regardless of their intent.

players have ever seen and the second transforming him into a 30-foot tall beast, dark blue scales covering his body. Despite the booms of lightning and howl of four cyclones touching down around the confrontation, Luiz Itoh’s low growl is deafening. Field: The Storm of the Century

SCENE DETAILS Luiz has one goal here: to destroy the PCs. His attempts to escape have been thoroughly thwarted and it’s time for monsters to do what monsters do. He is a Scion of Áo Guāng who was originally tasked to block Ryūjin’s plan, a particularly egregious display of aspects disagreeing. Although he might have been reasonable this morning, he’s taken far too many lives for him to believe that he can surrender the Pearls and get out of this with his freedom. His initial plan was clean and involved no deaths, but he’s had to improvise since then. Instead of stealing the Pearls and flying out before Jorge noticed, he’s had to destroy power transformers, murder, and steal extra identities. Taking the commando’s uniform didn’t even let him leave the building! Luiz’ frustration level is at an all-time high, especially after having to weather the players’ interrogation. He’s done trying to do things his way; he’s ready to do them Áo Guāng’s way. Although GCS moved aircraft away from the terminal, all flights have been grounded ever since word of a supernatural terrorist attack got out. There are roughly 40 small and midsize aircraft spread out over Terminals 1 & 2. On the taxiway, there’s another dozen large, long-range airplanes, having evacuated from Terminal 3 or landing just before the chaos.

Most of the planes on the taxiway have over 100 passengers each. Passengers who are now trapped in the storm and easily within reach of the rampaging titanspawn. (Storyguides who want to increase the stakes further can use the Collateral pool on p. XX to further imperil the passengers and players.) It’s not all bad, though. The GCS have transitioned from searching and surrounding Terminal 3 to taking shots at Luiz. The commandos are doing minor damage, although the weather is keeping them from being able to aim and they did not pack heavy weapons.

STORYGUIDE CHARACTERS MORTALS

DETECTIVE OLIVEIRA Archetype: Professional Drive: To recover the Dragon Pearls; to prevent further death Primary Pool (7): Investigation, Socializing Secondary Pool (5): Athletics, Shooting Desperation Pool: 3 Defense: 2 Starting Attitudes: Players (0), GCS (2), Jorge (–1), Luiz(–1) Health: 2 Initiative: 5

storyguide characters

87

GCS COMMANDOS Archetype: Mooks — 6 present in the scene Drive: To prevent further death Primary Pool (5): Close-Quarters Combat, Shooting, Small Unit Tactics Secondary Pool (4): Endurance, Infiltration, Intimidation

ANTAGONISTS LUIZ ITOH, SCION OF THE TITAN ÁO GUĀNG Archetype: Monster Drive: To escape with the Dragon Pearls; to destroy anything or anyone in his way

Desperation Pool: 2

Primary Pool (11): Smashing Attacks, Collateral Damage, Feats of Strength

Defense: 1

Secondary Pool (9): Disguise, Faking Emotions

Health: 1

Desperation Pool: 5

Initiative: 3

Defense: 2

Extras: Group Tactics. The Grupo de Contraterrorismo Sobrenaturales have never found themselves fighting a titanspawn in a hurricane, but it’s not that far removed from their training. If you know how to shoot, move, and communicate under automatic fire, you know how to do it while lightning bolts are flying. So long as at least three commandos are alive, they receive +1 Defense and a +1 Enhancement to any combat action.

Starting Attitudes: Players (1), GCS (–1), Olivera(–1), Jorge(–3)

SCIONS JORGE TANAKA, SCION OF THE DRAGON RYŪJIN Archetype: Professional Drive: To recover the Dragon Pearls; to prevent further death Primary Pool (7): Feats of Strength Secondary Pool (5): Academics, Close-Quarters Combat, Culture Desperation Pool: 3 Defense: 2 Starting Attitudes: Players (1), GCS (0), Olivera(1), Luiz(–3) Health: 6 Initiative: 5 BO CHEN, SCION OF PRINCE NEZHA Archetype: Rival Drive: To prevent further death; to be awesome Primary Pool (9): Art Knowledge, Unarmed Secondary Pool (7): Endurance Desperation Pool: 5 Defense: 3 Health: 6 (2 damage) Initiative: 6

88

Callings: Monster Purviews: Leadership, Shapeshifting, Sky (Storms) Health: 6 Initiative: 9 Size (Scale 2): Once Luiz transforms, he enjoys a +4 Enhancement on rolls to smash, move quickly (but not nimbly), and eat commandos. Natural Weapons: After transforming, his hands are replaced with claws, making it impossible to disarm him without literally dis-arming him. Heavily Armored: Luiz’ draconic scales provide Hard (3) Armor. Invulnerable (Electricity): Neither tasers nor lightning bolts deal damage to Luiz, although electrical current may pass through him, injuring others. Naturally, he also has the Resistant (Electricity) tag. Destructive Force (p. XX): Luiz is more destructive than normal. Any scene with him gains 2 Collateral. Bringing the House Down (p. XX): When attacked, Luiz may spend 1 Tension to damage a nearby structure or object to create Expendable Cover. Note: Most structures and objects near him are full of civilians and/or jet fuel. Add 1 Collateral.

LUNAR NEW YEAR

In this adventure, the machinations of Mary Li (see p. XX), a Scion of Kuāfù, are disrupting life in the Chinatowns found throughout New York City. This disruption is all part of her campaign to conquer all territory she feels belongs to her father. The dangers of a chaotic Scion in the middle of the city would be bad enough, but the Lunar New Year is on the horizon, and community leadership is concerned that they will have to cancel the traditional celebration. If the festivities do not happen, it would have disastrous results, as the mighty beast Nian feasts on any Chinese neighborhood that does not ward it off with the power of tradition. The characters must travel to New York, research the problem, and come up with a solution all while being confronted by servants of Mary Li and her divine family.

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

LEARNING OF THE THREAT If the characters have any contacts tied to New York City or the Shén (especially if any of them are Shén Scions), getting them involved is a simple process. Contacts or servants of their celestial parents can reach out with grave concerns for the coming Lunar New Year. Have the connections explain that the plotting of a Scion of Kuāfù is causing chaos in the Asian communities of New York City, specifically the Chinatowns in Brooklyn, Flushing, and Manhattan. Explain to the players that these communities contain just shy of a half-million people in relatively dense areas. An unchecked Scion could create a lot of collateral damage very quickly with loss of life almost certain. Don’t have the messenger give too much more information about the threat from Nian or the players will not spend time asking questions once they arrive in the city. If the characters do not have a built-in connection to the Shén or New York, consider using this as an opportunity to introduce a Titan Scion that is attempting to fight for good (or at the very least order). Chloe Eirini, the Scion of Prometheus in the Antagonist chapter, would make an excellent example of this idea, but the Storyguide should feel free to create their own. The Titan Scion has become aware that a fellow Titan Scion is creating an explosive situation in New York and reaches out to the characters to get their assistance. If the players seem hesitant to help a Titan Scion, or if they decide to have their character act aggressively in an assumption that anything tied to Titans must be evil, have the Titan Scion go above and beyond in an attempt to defend themselves passively. If it becomes clear the characters are going to keep taking an aggressive stance, have the Titan Scion drop a letter with details of the situation, and flee the battle. Alternatively, the Storyguide could have a character provide the plot hook to them by approaching them randomly with an omen of danger coming to New York’s Chinatowns. This person might be an avatar of White Eyebrow, betraying their own family’s work. Is the Shén Titan testing her, or is he compelled by his nature to stab those he should care about in the back? Or perhaps he finds the idea of Kuāfù, a Titan famous for failing, having offspring also doomed to fail too humorous to pass up. All the above motivations are valid, and it is up to the Storyguide to decide what works best in their story.

ONWARD TO NEW YORK CITY The initial trip to New York should not be overly complicated. A wide range of contacts or situations can justify a flight from the Band’s local city to New York. While the trip to New York is without incident, arriving in any of three significant Chinatowns will have some difficulties. Local authorities have blocked off much of the street traffic in and out as followers of Shén Titans that have come to join Mary Li are actively damaging storefronts and intimidating trivial NPCs when the Scion Band arrives. Regardless of which Chinatown they head to first, the initial followers they encounter are a joke sent by White Eyebrow as an

empty gesture of support to Mary Li. Every year, many westerners travel to Asia to learn martial arts in the lands it originated. Since kung-fu films became popular in the 1970s, White Eyebrow has been appearing to as many of these tourists as he can to teach them his ancient style of White Eyebrow Boxing, and in return, they become his foot soldiers. Little do the students know, their teacher is showing them incorrect techniques. White Eyebrow finds it amusing to watch outsiders practice moves appropriate for Hollywood, but not nearly as deadly as the Shén Titan’s art. It is these foot soldiers that are harassing local law enforcement at barricades when the Band approaches. Treat these as Mooks with the Martial Arts Quality. Allow players to take a more indirect or stealth-based approach if they wish. Traveling through the alleyways or down into the subway tunnels are both options but should call for an appropriate check if backing away after the Scions notice the students. If the Band does take an alternative route, still give the students a chance to notice the Band’s approach, but with a Complication. If not bought off, a fight breaks out when the students see the characters — as the fools have no way of knowing the difference between a human and the child of a God. This fight should be a cakewalk. If the players are more focused on the procedural or intrigue aspects of the game, this fight scene can be montaged, instead. At the end of the battle, a local police officer thanks the Scions for their help and offers to give them a description of the particular Chinatown they have entered. The Players’ Characters now have an Enhancement on checks to find their way in this neighborhood. Also, the police will remove the roadblocks for that neighborhood, opening transportation back up.

EXPLORING CHINATOWN How the locals will greet the Band while exploring Chinatown depends on if they encountered and defeated the western students. If the characters entered by subway or stealth through the alleyways, the neighborhood approaches the Band with caution. Recent outsiders have brought trouble, making the usually friendly locals justifiably nervous. In this scenario, the Storyguide should consider giving a Complication to social checks until the Band earns the community’s trust. If the Band did defeat the students on the way to the town, they are greeted with cheers as the neighborhood hails them as Heroes and should give them Enhancements on social checks as long as they continue to help the city. The Storyguide should customize the description of Chinatown based on which neighborhood the Band has entered. Manhattan Chinatown is filled with recessed stores and street vendor carts, lining most of Canal Street’s uphill length, ending at the Manhattan Bridge. The Band will deal with crowds of people and many fragile structures, like the above vendor carts, which can lead to a lot of collateral damage if a fight breaks out here. Flushing Chinatown is just as crowded as Manhattan’s but has a very different layout. Flushing is one of Queens’ major transit hubs, with a steady flow of buses filling the streets. The 7 Line goes through this area connecting Grand Central Station and

Lunar New Year

89

Times Square. The influence of Chinese culture is more apparent here as many street signs and business fronts are in both English and Mandarin . While there is less for a rampaging titanspawn to break here, the things that could be destroyed are vitally important. The collapse of the 7 Line would impact the city as a whole, and the Band still must consider the crowds of people. Finally, the Brooklyn Chinatown is not as crowded as the others, but it spreads out and merges with multiple other Asian neighborhoods, particularly a sizable Vietnamese population. The Brooklyn neighborhood would likely be the best place to direct conflict if the Band comes to that, but at this point, the Scions probably need to explore and gather information about where Mary Li is and what her plan entails. No matter which area they choose to explore, the Scions must learn about Nian and how the great beast will rampage through any Chinese neighborhood or town that does not hold a traditional Lunar New Year’s celebration. While exploring the Storyguide should allow the Band to run into some or all the following spread between the Flushing, Brooklyn, and Manhattan Chinatowns: • The Drum Maker: An older man has been in charge of leading a young crew of craftsmen and women in the creation of traditional festival drums for many years. Mary Li’s goons have trashed the his shop, and unless he can get new supplies, the neighborhood he is in won’t have enough drums to scare off Nian. The Drum Maker knows where the characters can get supplies, but they will need to travel areas guarded by more of Mary Li’s followers, and some of them are much stronger than the students the party has already faced. The Storyguide can design nearby warehouses or businesses that Mary Li’s followers have taken over. Review the list of Antagonists in this book and Scion: Hero to find foes strong enough to present a challenge to the Band.

wearing red and banging a drum. This information is vital if the players wish to solve this situation through a physical fight with Nian. • Visiting Monks: A small group of visiting Buddhist monks traveled to the city to have religious and philosophical discussions at a New York Buddhist temple. The characters will find them in the middle of combat with the followers of Mary Li. As outsiders themselves, and coming from a very private community, the monks will not want to have more than a passing conversation with the characters, and as such, initial social interactions will receive a Complication, though the characters can lessen the Complication if they helped fight off Mary Li’s followers. If the characters know to ask about Mary Li or any other antagonist, and they succeed on an appropriate social roll, the monks will explain the history of Kuāfù. They will tell how Kuāfù’s existence has been filled with failures from attempting feats he was not qualified to accomplish, such as beating the sun in a race or fighting Huángdì, one of the greatest of the Shén Gods. The legend should help paint a picture of what drives Mary Li. • Patrolling Martial Arts Centaurs: If the players enjoy more of an action-adventure approach to Scion, consider having some of Mary Li’s martial arts centaurs patrol the neighborhoods looking for the ones that took out the martial arts students. The Storyguide should make this encounter very cinematic, with combat going from the streets into the front door of one business and out the back. Don’t be afraid to add some verticality to the fight with centaurs leading them onto the roofs of small buildings or have a group of the martial arts students making their best Hollywood wire-fu attempts as they try to jump from rooftop to rooftop or balance on thin ledges (unwisely giving themselves Complications).

• The Costume Designers: A young adult brother and sister inherited the most popular shop in their neighborhood to get festival costumes. In addition, a small band of centaur trained in the actual martial arts (use the rules for centaurs and add the Martial Arts Quality) has kidnapped several of the designer’s seamstresses, so while they have the supplies to make the costumes, they do not have the staff to accomplish it in time for the festival. If the characters decide to help, they can find the centaurs in an unused subway tunnel. Storyguides should customize the number of martial arts centaur to the skill and power of the characters.

MAKE A PLAN

• Community Elders: The eldest members of this neighborhood are often practicing tàijí at a local community center. If the characters have already defeated some of Mary Li’s followers, the elders will share the full legend of Nian. The tale will reveal that the titanspawn has a weakness to loud noises and the color red. They will tell the story of how one of the Shén disguised as an older man defeated Nian by

The procedural option involves researching what the neighborhoods need to make the Lunar New Year’s celebration happen. Storyguides can take advantage of the Information Gathering rules (see Scion: Origin) to represent the characters searching the neighborhoods for the right resources and information needed to host the Lunar New Year’s celebration. If the characters have chased off

90

The characters have one week to plan how they will deal with the coming of Nian. Players that prefer the action-adventure approach will want to prepare for a fight. While this is a valid option, the Storyguide should remember that Nian is a Titanspawn Tier antagonist and will be a nearly impossible fight for any Band lower than Heroic Tier. Even at Heroic Tier, make sure the characters run into the community elders while exploring the neighborhoods, as their advice will be vital to defeating Nian in a direct physical encounter.

MAKING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR’S HAPPEN

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the martial arts recruits, the locals will be happy to assist the characters, and as a result, the Information Gathering check should have an Enhancement. The Storyguide should customize the results of the Information Gathering to the Band’s strengths. If one or more Scions are skilled at crafting, consider that the materials needed for the celebration are around, but the villagers are short-staffed, and allow the Crafting rules (see Scion: Origin) to come into play. If the Band does not contain a crafter, Information Gathering can find that the Drum Maker and the Costume Designers have the skill to make the items, but they need the characters to go into antagonist territory to gather supplies or to free kidnapped staff. Note that the characters may already know the above information from just exploring the neighborhoods.

STOPPING THE CONFLICTS If the Band prefers to solve adventures through intrigue, they have the option of motivating the communities to stand up against the followers of Mary Li. Motivating the community requires a series of social rolls that should play out as private conversations with the prominent members of the neighborhoods. These rolls should have Complications or Enhancements based on what the Band has already done (or failed to do) for those specific communities, such as defeating the Shén Titan’s followers.

Alternatively, the Band can attempt to convince Mary Li of the damage she is doing. An Information Gathering check reveals she has claimed a shrine to Huángdì as her base of operation. Combat or stealth is needed to get by a group of Yoagui that guard the shrine. Finally, they will need to convince Mary Li that she needs to stop her activities, or everyone is in danger. This social check will be made with a Complication as Mary Li firmly believes she is redeeming her father’s legacy and does not wish to walk away. It is worth noting that convincing Mary Li to stop her activities in New York will not keep her from trying to conquer someplace else. Of course, the Band may decide to physically handle Mary Li, which the Storyguide could decide angers servants of Kuāfù, opening up an antagonistic relationship that can quickly become a campaign.

LUNAR NEW YEAR’S DAY Nian awakens from its mystical lair in the hills at dawn of Lunar New Year’s Day. If the great dog-lion hears drumming or sees a large amount of the color red, it will avoid that location and try to feed on a different neighborhood. If the characters wish to defeat Nian in combat, they want to either have covered their various weapons in the color red or have a way of making a continuous loud noise (it is ultimately up to the Storyguide what qualifies as constant loud

Lunar New Year

91

noise, but in tradition it’s drums and other musical instruments). Used to an entire town covered in red and making a massive racket, Nian will not be initially intimidated by just the characters, even if they are wearing red and banging drums. Give the players time to plan how and where they will face Nian. Storyguides should reward appropriate Enhancements for creative battle preparation.

FRIGHTENING NIAN AWAY If the characters have managed to assist the Drum Maker and the Costume Designers in finishing preparations for the Lunar New Year’s Day celebration, then describe how the terrifying creature Nian can be seen standing on the edge of one of the Chinatowns, pacing and watching. If the characters have gone this route, have a small group of Yoagui show up to disrupt the celebrations. If the Storyguide feels this is not a big enough final challenge, they should feel free to include some martial arts centaurs and more martial arts students. While the inevitable fight with the followers should be winnable, build tension by describing how the conflict causes some of the dancers and drum players to scatter, causing Nian to perk up and get a little closer to the neighborhood. As long as the characters manage to defeat the Yoagui, the festival will continue and eventually Nian will leave, looking for a quieter location to consume.

CONCLUSION If the characters defeated Nian in physical combat, the titanspawn vanishes to its hidden lair, where it will recover over several years, giving the people of New York plenty of time to prepare for its return. If the characters manage to help make the festival happen, Nian will return next year, but the Asian communities are safe for now. Either way, the locals will be honoring the characters names for years to come. The Storyguide might choose to use this as a more extensive campaign. Since the characters are aware that Mary Li is attempting to conquer anything that she feels belongs to her father, they know that many others could use their help. If this is the direction the Storyguide chooses to go, consider having Mary Li a few steps ahead of the characters, at least at the first few Chinese communities. If the characters are almost ready to achieve Demigod power, perhaps this campaign can lead to a showdown with Kuāfù himself.

BRING FORTH A GREATER THUNDER

It’s all over the news, both national and global: Plouton Financial Holding, the 10th most valuable corporation on the international market, is ripped apart by scandal with hundreds of incriminating documents leaked to the press and executives resigning in shame—among them prominent Hellenistic leaders and a disgraced Scion of Zeus. The Western economy quavers before ruin as reigning legislators argue over bailouts. At the center of the whirlwind of chaos is one man, handsome and sincere, who only wanted to do the right thing but has somehow set the world on fire.

92

In the flurry of TV and radio appearances to come, he finally lets the world know just who he is, and what he’s been waiting for. His name is Prince Annapolis, he is himself a son of Zeus, and his mother, Metis, told him his fate: he will replace his father as the King of the Gods. Will your players support his reforms of the Theoi, or oppose him on grounds of Titanic bias? Will they be successful in averting Titanomachy, or will they sound its horns? And, perhaps most difficult of all, will they survive the chaos swarming around the Prince of the Gods? Bring Forth a Greater Thunder is an adventure shell focusing on the political chaos, intrigue, and in-fighting a second Titanomachy could evince from The World’s pantheons. It can be used either as a drop-in for a campaign already in progress, or as the basis for a new one—the scenes are designated as either “tentpoles,” which are required for the adventure’s progress, or “B Plot,” which are optional and only recommended if this adventure will be the sole focus of your campaign. Concrete details for the Storyguide characters and the locations for each scene are left open to allow for customization to fit a game’s specific needs. The most important influencing characters are sketched roughly enough to be reshaped as needed to fit your table group. Also, Prince Annapolis’s consulting and finance offices are located in a North American city dear to your players, with locations that can be fleshed out in play.

ACT 1: THE HEIR APPARENT The first act focuses on dragging the players into Prince’s orbit. If no one in the party is connected to the Theoi, this may seem a bewildering situation—check the sidebar The Divine Political Field on p. XX for a quick litmus test of where each pantheon stands regarding the newest Theoi upstart, if you need ideas for what sort of divine imperative might be compelling your players into the situation.

TENTPOLE SCENES Airborne Peril: Citizen journalists live-blog about a small private jet buzzing the city, trailing smoke and fire, flying dangerously low, trailing a flock of enraged Stymphalian birds. The player’s characters are urgently summoned to a small park at the foot of an iridescent tower, home of the Golden Prince Consulting offices. Two helicopter pilots urge the player’s characters into the small copter with only the punchiest explanations: they were told the characters would be the best people to call to deal with the situation. Time is of the essence in assisting the jet pilot and deterring the frenzying monsters—if the players dawdle, the jet crashes somewhere in the city, though the pilot miraculously survives. Reina Correa: At the landing/crash site, the players will meet Reina Correa, Scion of Nuada. The only other thing in the jet is a reverently wrapped weapon: the Spear of Lugh. If the players succeeded in the previous scene, her Attitude toward them is positive and she answers a few of their questions before a sleek black vehicle arrives to pick

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

PRINCE ANNAPOLIS AND THE SOCIAL GAME Prince Annapolis has an immense talent for Intrigue that cover for his relative weaknesses in Action or Procedural situations. By Divine Right not only grants him five constantly-available bodyguards, but also material goods and equipment he can use to overcome physical challenges, with enough foresight or common sense. For situations where By Divine Right’s resources aren’t enough, he uses Obligation with figures he bribes or blackmails into service. As a man who rarely picks up the sword himself, Prince uses Reflected Intent to protect from goons or assassins and buy himself time to creep into an aggressive player character’s good graces. If the player’s characters intend to turn public opinion against him with incontrovertible facts, Hail Eris! only makes the public double-down on their love for him. Prince should be a nightmare to face in any arena—otherwise, why would the Theoi worry about him?

her up. If they were unsuccessful, Reina is angry and impatient, and they must adjust her Attitude by helping her reign in the damage caused by her crash. Reina’s drive for the scene is To deliver the Spear of Lugh and my services to Prince Annapolis; she is noble, competent, and boastful, proud of her role as emissary of the Tuatha Dé Dannan to the Theoi’s heir apparent.

B PLOT SCENES Mine by Night: Clergy at the temple to Hera out in the suburbs complains of upsetting localized disturbances: small tremors plague the scenic hill upon which their temple rests, and recently all seasons cycled through in one day, obvious Titanic omens. The following Clues can be given away to successful investigators: a hidden tunnel on the far side of the hill, enormous humanoid footprints, and a pile of animal bones, clean and empty of marrow. Following the tunnel leads to a crude under-hill mining operation. If the player’s characters stake out the location into evening, a nearby Gate opens to spit out a giant: Klytios, a son of Gaea. He will continue mining and that night find his prize: a deposit of lustrous green-gray ore in a boulder the size of a refrigerator. Unless the player’s characters intervene, he will leave with it through the Gate and the hill will return to normal. Klytios’s drive is To find adamant for Mother; he is determined, loyal, and brutish, and will under no circumstances allow anyone else to take the adamant. Sky Guardian, Guardian of the Sky: Prince’s apparent heroism in blowing the whistle on Plouton Financial has

already generated not one but several cults. One is a group of Deifans rallied under the banner of FYeahPrinceDaily, a streaming channel run by big name fan @DipteraTerror. In a mad bid to gain his attention, they are spreading a video challenge known as Sky Guarding, where supplicants climb the highest point possible in their area and perform various dangerous stunts. Any mortals the player’s characters have in their orbit have the potential to contact them in urgent need of help talking down a young Deifan (drive: To make Prince Annapolis notice me!) in the middle of their viral hazing. Unfortunately, if the player’s characters get up on that building’s ledge, too, someone might record and post it with a misleading thumbnail... Prince’s Fate: The player’s characters receive messages and visitations from their respective pantheons, requesting they verify the truth of Prince’s claim to Olympus. Any number of outlets can serve to provide information on his past, the details of which are summarized on p.XX: a deep-dive into printed and broadcast news regarding the Annapolis tidal power station in the mid-80s, requests for attendance records, visits to an oracle, etc. If any of the players are of the Theoi, they instead receive instructions to not confirm the truth of Prince’s fate—it is very much real, and the Theoi as a whole are at Defcon One.

ACT 2: DRAWING LINES The second act focuses on pressuring the party into choosing a side in Prince’s inevitable war. Pay attention to the public faces player characters present to his

THE DIVINE POLITICAL FIELD Prince’s claim to the throne of Olympus isn’t treated seriously at first. The Theoi haven’t graced it with a response (in fact, the Theoi haven’t responded to anything since he committed this public Deed—they are unusually silent). The Netjer are skeptical that he could overthrow Zeus but anxious that he may. The Tuatha Dé Dannan are unquestionably on Prince’s side, eager to see someone put Zeus in his place. The Devá are horrified and infuriated at the idea of a self-avowed Titanspawn Scion openly declaring war like this, and the Teōtl begrudgingly agree with them. On the other side, the Æsir are sympathetic to the Theoi’s plight but barely able to conceal their excitement. The Kami and Shén pretend to care when the Devá are looking but hope they won’t be asked to get involved. The Manitou aren’t certain replacing Zeus is a bad thing but understand this has nothing to do with them. And the Òrìshà plan to watch and laugh while the whole thing unfolds. Bring Forth a greater thunder

93

supporters—whether they seem to support him, oppose him, or otherwise stay out of it. Different opportunities present themselves as a result, and the Prince’s court should be adjusting their Attitudes toward the player’s characters as necessary. Make sure to always keep the pressure on, from multiple outside sources, for the player’s characters to pick a side or change their minds!

TENTPOLE SCENES Security Detail: If the player’s characters seemed positive towards Prince, Reina contacts them to ask for their help: they have evidence of a divine plot on Prince’s life, and his security team would consider it a favor owed if the player’s characters lent their assistance in defusing it— Prince’s vast resources would be at their disposal. If they showed no strong opinion either way, Abhijeet will contact them as well, and the player’s characters will be expected to choose. Attempted Regicide: If the player’s characters are openly hostile to Prince, a man named Abhijeet Bhagat, Scion of Durga, establishes contact with them. He is head of a small Band composed of Devá, Teōtl, and Netjer Scions, directed by divine authority to assassinate Prince. They want the player’s characters help setting the ambush. To reject this offer is tantamount with siding with Titans (which may come as a shock to player’s characters who had yet to hear Prince’s mother is a Titan). Abhijeet’s drive is To avert Titanomachy by assassinating Prince Annapolis; he is disciplined, thorough, and severe. If they showed no strong opinion either way, Reina will contact them as well, and the player’s characters will be expected to choose. Then Came the Shots: Without player-character help, Abhijeet’s Band of three manages to coordinate a surgical attack to coincide with a brief time in which Reina and her Spear are not present. If the player’s characters are helping, they’re either Reina’s distraction, or they’re stepping in for the kill while Abhijeet leads Reina away. Surprisingly (one would say, fatefully), three other Scions emerge from the woodwork to defend Prince. Prince will escape with or without dire injury. Intertheological Incident: Prince’s people are spinning this as theological terrorism, and the Theoi are incontrovertibly behind it. Prince publicly reasserts this is why he wants to rise to the throne—to reform a corrupt pantheon. The three Scions who recently joined him are revealed to be of the Òrìshà, Manitou, and Æsir, pantheons who previously asserted neutrality. The player’s characters are put on blast for their role in the attack—supporting Prince may earn them ire from their own pantheons, especially the Devá; refuting his claims puts them in the unsympathetic media spotlight as well; continuing to claim neutrality increases the pressure from both sides, with Prince’s delivering bribes and others delivering threats.

B PLOT SCENES The Adamant Razor: Vines carpet Prince’s office tower overnight, and prophecies flood the collective supernatural subconscious: the great Allmother Gaea is at her secret

94

forge, working a new weapon. In her first appearance since the defamation of Plouton Financing, Athena herself approaches player characters neutral or loyal to Prince. She all but begs them to intercept a dangerous Titanspawn ripping its way into the earth below Prince’s tower, intent on seizing the adamant razor for itself. The goddess requests they follow Cronus’s Titanspawn into Gaea’s forge and confiscate the razor before anyone else can seize it. Athena is willing to offer any number of rewards but will under no circumstances assist. This scene could potentially branch off into a small side-adventure, depending on how the player’s characters respond. We Have Reviewed Your Report Carefully: The young Deifan the player’s characters may or may not have helped made national news, drawing attention to Prince’s dangerous online cult. One of them, at least. Another, a guild of anarcho-capitalist “techbros,” are targeting known Deifans of Prince Annapolis for nuclear-level online harassment, for drawing negative attention to Prince. One of them, Nico Sarkopoulos, an employee at Golden Prince Holdings, has doxxed the family of the Deifan the player’s characters previously assisted. If the player’s characters ask Golden Prince to hold Nico accountable, they are unresponsive, even as the family begins to receive death threats... Prince’s Past: Divine guides and patrons further call on investigative characters to verify Prince’s claims of balance and reform, noting that every corporation and government entity he’s consulted with appear to have been unbalanced by scandal. Successful investigation leads to evidence that Prince did, in fact, manufacture or even undertake most of the scandals himself, but the entities in question were already of questionable ethical standing to begin with. Was it the wrong thing for the right reasons?

ACT 3: MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT The third act is about building on consequences of the choices made in Act 2, and drawing ever closer to what seems to be an inevitable Titanomachy. In fact, unless the players pull some truly exceptional heroics and third-option-choosing before the final scene, a second Titanomachy should feel unavoidable at this point.

TENTPOLE SCENES Audience with the Prince: Player’s characters who expressed loyalty or still maintain neutrality receive invitations to a meeting at Golden Prince Holdings. Prince Annapolis himself conducts a meeting with representatives from the Kami and Shén, with emissaries of Apollo and Hermes in attendance. He lays out a stunning case for joining him, hitting home the story of how his mother was unfairly used and manipulated by a corrupt ruler who is now unfit to reign. It can be inferred from his talking points that nearly all of the Theoi either agree with his platform or have resigned themselves to his Fate. To the player’s characters, he inexplicably offers the material resources to solve any problem or secret that has been haunting them,

CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

in return for their sworn obligation to his cause—in fact, literally using Obligation to seal the deal. The Last Hoplite: Insider information leads Viktoria Markova, a Scion of Ares, to the front doors of Prince’s tower. She contacts neutral or openly hostile characters and attempts to recruit them to her army of hoplites for a final resistance plan, in conjunction with what remains of Abhijeet’s Band. She plans to infiltrate the office tower, storm Prince’s meeting with the Kami and Shén, and take Prince and the Theoi defectors prisoner. Her drive is To show the Titans we won’t go down without a fight; she is assertive, clever, and impetuous. Rejecting her offer of recruitment ends the conversation immediately: she has no time to deal with traitors. Spybreak!: If the player’s characters are attending the meeting, news of Viktoria’s invasion interrupts shortly after Prince makes his offer to them. If they are with Viktoria, they are well within the tower when security finally responds and puts the building under lockdown. Viktoria, Abhijeet’s assassins, and their contingency of hoplites contend with tower security while Prince’s Band of four try to force their way down through security to get to them. Unless the player’s characters concoct a way to defuse the situation, the tower and most of the corporate park are destroyed in the ensuing battle. Prince escapes via unknown means below the tower, into a Gate leading to Gaea’s forge in Tartarus.

B PLOT SCENES Part-Time Reliquarians: If she was allowed to, Gaea finishes her adamant razor and hands it off to a trusted lieutenant to deliver to Prince—namely, a player character, who must now fight to protect it from Theoi agents and Titanspawn. If Gaea was thwarted and the razor confiscated, the player’s characters are under tremendous pressure from Prince’s people to deliver it to him—first by bribes, then by physical threats. A New Golden Apple: @DipteraTerror posts a tearful apology video to her stream, and 24 hours later

FYeahPrinceDaily is gone. Nico Sarkopoulos is dragged from his home in cuffs, trying to hide his face from cameras. Prince and his Band are publicly mournful, but don’t deny this is for the best, as neither cult truly took his beliefs to heart. There’s a new cult now, of course—a social club, carefully cultivated by Prince and his closest associates. The player’s characters are straight-up blackmailed into joining, using their past mistakes in the campaign or anything Prince knows he can dangle over them.

EPILOGUE: TITANOMACHY LOOMS The thread is spun and the shears are primed. At the height of a shattering earthquake, Prince reemerges from Gaea’s forge, magnificent in sleek, iridescent black armor. Any surviving members of his Band, and other divine and semi-divine supporters, rally to him immediately. At this point, even the use of an Astra would not be sufficient to physically stop him, as either Reina with the Spear of Lugh or Titanic intervention would prevent his total dissolution, though not necessarily everything else around him. He prepares to tear a path through the veil of The World to the peak of Olympus (either with the adamant razor explored in the B Plot, or the direct assistance of Gaea). The journey directly into Olympus forces Prince to undergo a sudden, painful apotheosis into demigodhood. In the battle that ensues, Fate is shown ever ineffable—Prince triumphs over Zeus and the odds, ripping away his mantle of King of the Gods and hurling Zeus down from the peak of Olympus. The force of Zeus’s impact with Tartarus expels Metis, Prince’s Titan mother, from his gut... but it has another effect as well. The second Titanomachy has not truly begun until this moment, the moment Zeus is severed from his Fate as King of Heaven and the chains of the imprisoned Titans fall away. Cronus shakes free of his ancient bonds and rises to meet his nephew—whom he does not recognize as his new king.

Bring Forth a greater thunder

95

Vilification, by its definition, creates an antagonistic struggle, an us-versus-them mentality, that throws us all into a senseless battle-royale. — Miguel Syjuco, Illustrado

W

hen dealing with Titans, you’ll find a wide variety of Antagonists, from small time cultists doing low-level dirty work, to enormous Titanspawn. The following chapter gives information on designing fights with a Titan’s followers, new Archetypes for specific kinds of Titanspawn, new Qualities and Flairs, and a slew of new Antagonists to include in your Scion games at all levels.

DESIGNING TITANIC FIGHTS I

n a game designed around the Titanomachy, characters are likely to run into any number of titanspawn, cultists, legendary creatures, and other people who are working for Titans. Including all these things into your game may feel haphazard, or out of theme. We present a great deal of Antagonists in this book, so how do you know which ones to use, and when to use them?

TYPE OF ENCOUNTER Ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your encounter. Most encounters are designed to end in a fight, and we’ll cover that in a moment, but first let’s talk about encounters that utilize the intrigue rules. Not all antagonism is physical. Sometimes Antagonists are trying to thwart us through social maneuvering or false leads. Consider having long-term Antagonists act in ways that antagonize the characters without devolving into a fight. Maybe a known Titan supporter shows up at a charity ball and the characters must convince the town’s mayor that he isn’t trustworthy, but he has the mayor’s ear and he is trying to convince her that the characters are dangerous. A fight would only prove his point. Maybe a titanspawn is not rampaging through town, but instead mind controlling people to kill others. Interrogation reveals that the creature is looking for something in particular, and would go away if offered the right incentive. Even if you plan for a social interaction between an Antagonist and the characters, it may devolve into a fight, and that’s okay. You still want to consider what the Antagonist does in a fight. Does she run away when she sees that talks have gone south? Does she call in reinforcements to distract the characters? Does she fight with all her might? The same can be said for encounters designed for the characters to fight. Sometimes the players decide that they want their characters to charm the pants off everyone in the room, including the trained mercenaries of Fūjin who are itching for a fight. Let them do it. They might have some pretty terrible Attitudes and atmospheres to overcome, but

that doesn’t mean that the mercenaries can’t suffer defeat at the hands of a well-spoken oratory.

WHICH ANTAGONISTS In social encounters, you only need to know who the major players are: who pulls the strings and how does that person interact with the characters. You might decide if minor characters are around, but that’s less of a worry. Combat encounters need more consideration when trying to decide who is involved. From bystanders to the main attraction, you need to decide which characters are involved, where they are, and what they’re doing during the combat. Innocents may flee, or try to hunker down, minions may try to pin down a single character, or distract the characters while the main Antagonist prepares for a major attack. When trying to decide which Antagonists to include, how many, and what threat levels, you should take into consideration not just what power level the Antagonists are, but also the capabilities of your characters. Even characters all at the same Legend rating are not as capable in combat as the next. The characters’ Knacks, Purviews, and Birthrights make a huge difference in their capabilities in a fight. Remembering who has what might be difficult; consider making cheat sheets of Knacks and Boons for each player so they remember what they have available, and the Storyguide knows what the characters are capable of. In general, decide which Antagonist archetype to use in a combat scenario based on the characters’ Legend rating, but deciding which Qualities and Flairs to include should consider the characters’ capabilities in other areas. This also goes for how many of each Antagonist type to include in a single combat. That said, the following contains general guidelines for number of Antagonists at different archetypes based on the characters’ Legend rating.

PRE-VISITATION Pre-Visitation characters should only be that way for a short period of time, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t run into higher level threats as a way to introduce them to their new roles as Scions. You may want to stick to archetypes from the Scion: Origin book, but the Scion: Hero Foe, Rival, and Nemesis archetypes map decently well to the Professional, Villain, and Monster archetypes. These Hero-level archetypes reduce Defense and Health for each of these archetypes while keeping the dice pool the same but watch out for the increased Enhancement on one or more actions.

designing titanic fights

97

Most of your Antagonists should only have a few Qualities or Flairs, maybe one of each. Mooks shouldn’t have any, they aren’t strong enough.

• Mooks/Foes: Mooks and Foes go down in one hit. They are best paired with other Antagonists, though if you decide to create an encounter with just this level of Antagonist, consider having two Mooks per player character, or one Foe per player character (since they roll more dice). Consider including one Mook/Foe per two player characters when accompanied by another Antagonist. • Professional: Professionals often show up together or with Mooks. Include a single Professional with several Mooks, or two to three Professionals in a single combat. If you want to use Foes with Professionals, reduce the number of Foes to match their more deadly nature. • Villain/Rival: Villains are generally singular; this is especially true if you use a Rival instead. You can add a couple of Mooks to a Villain fight but no more than one per three player characters. • Monster/Nemesis: A Monster or Nemesis is a formidable opponent for Pre-Visitation characters and should only show up alone in combat.

LEGEND 1-2 As full Scions, you may choose to include Scion: Origin Mooks in fights, but for the most part you will be using Scion: Hero archetypes. If you wish to use Professionals and Villains as lower level Antagonists, remember that you could add one more than suggested for their similar archetypes in Scion: Hero. All your Antagonists should have a few Qualities and Flairs, even Foes might have a Quality or two. If you are grouping Antagonists to a theme, such as a titanspawn and its followers, consider giving them all the same Qualities or a Flair in common. If you want to make the combat particularly difficult, pick Qualities that your characters don’t necessarily have ready counters for.

• Foes: Scions can generally handle one Foe per player character if they are alone, or one Foe per two player characters if paired with a higher-level Antagonist. • Rival: Rivals show up alone or in groups of two or three. Rivals alone often have Foes with them. • Nemesis: Nemeses are generally singular characters, though they might have a single Rival or a couple of Foes tagging along with them if you want to make the fight more difficult. • Titanspawn: Titanspawn are highly formidable Antagonists to Scions at this level of Legend. Use sparingly and consider only using one as a final boss to a longer plot arc. Titanspawn should be fought alone at this Legend rating. You can decrease the deadliness of a titanspawn by reducing the number of Flairs and Qualities it has overall, and do not include Scale.

98

LEGEND 3-4 While still Hero-level, higher Legend characters have access to more Purviews, Birthrights, and Knacks, and they can spend more Legend in a combat giving them greater versatility or allowing them to perform Feats of Scale more often. This means they can handle larger scale fights, and fight more often.

• Foes: Scions can generally handle two Foes per player character if they are alone, or one Foe per player character if paired with a higher-level Antagonist. • Rival: Rivals rarely show up alone, always with Foes or other Rivals in tow.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

• Nemesis: Nemeses are still singular characters and can fight alone. Consider giving them more Qualities or Flairs to deal with a well-equipped group. Nemeses at this level often appear with Foes or Rivals to back them up. • Titanspawn: At this Legend rating, titanspawn are still formidable opponents, but the characters are likely to fare better against them. While they can easily fight alone, they might have a single lesser archetype with them, or a couple of Foes. Consider giving your titanspawn Scale, though maybe not more than Scale 2 in any one area.

LEGEND 5+ At Legend ratings higher than Hero-level, the characters increase in Tier and so do their Antagonists. The advice given above for Legend breaks between 1-2 and 3-4 Legend should hold true for Antagonist archetypes at both Demigod (Legend 5-6 and 6-7) and God (Legend 8-9 and 10-11) Tier. Antagonists at higher Tiers start to get more abstract as well, so the very large monsters, such as Goliaths or Titans should be reserved for single Antagonist combats rather than part of an ensemble.

designing titanic fights

99

DEMIGOD AND GOD The Antagonists we include in this chapter are all made at the Hero Tier. That doesn’t preclude using them in your Demigod or God Tier games. If you wish to power up Antagonists to fit into those games, use the following rules: • Tier 2 and 3 characters reduce their target number for successes on the dice. Therefore, dice pools do not need to be as high for larger than life monsters to succeed. Primary dice pools should not exceed 11. • Consider adding Scale. If an Antagonist is already a bad-ass, and you don’t necessarily want to increase its Tier, then give it Scale to compensate. Though you might not want to have its Scale go over 5. • Tweak Qualities and Flairs to fit the bill. If a Quality or Flair describes an archetype (such as Vengeful Blood), consider upgrading the archetype. Consider upgrading the bonus to Enhancement, Defense, Armor, or Complications by +1 at Demigod, and +2 at God. Regeneration may turn into Reincarnation, either perfect or in a weakened state. • Add immunities or single weaknesses. Higher level creatures may be immune to multiple sources of damage, or all sources of damage except a single one. • Increase Health. You can do this either by using the Segmented Quality (p. XX), or simply increasing how much damage the creature requires to kill it. • Apply Scion Demigod or God templates. You can apply Knacks and Purviews from Demigod or God as Qualities or Flairs to the Antagonists to make them on par with characters at those Tiers.

POWERED UP AND DOWN You may find an example Antagonist that you are excited to use in your game but feel is not quite powerful enough, or too powerful. You can easily tweak an example Antagonist’s template to make it either more or less difficult to deal with. You can change out basic archetypes to change the Antagonist’s stats, but you can also exchange Qualities or Flairs, give them less or more of the same, and generally adjust any of the Antagonists provided to your satisfaction. This is a great way to create an ensemble of Antagonists who are all similarly themed, either spawning from the same Titan, or part of the same cult, but at different power levels. Antagonists with the Vengeful Blood or Offspring Qualities create additional Antagonists in a fight. Consider theming Vengeful Blood Foes or Offspring after their creator, giving them the same Qualities, though you don’t necessarily have to give them the same Flairs.

USING THE TERRAIN Encounters do not occur in vast expanses of empty space. Instead they happen in city streets, crowded malls, on cruise ships, while falling down waterfalls, and any myriad of other interesting locations. When designing your encounter, think of where the characters are going to be engaging. Fields add interesting elements to any encounter by introducing unique elements that characters must overcome or deal with while they also fight with the Antagonists. Fields can have no or many different effects at the same time. An open expanse of grass at mid-morning may have no Field effects, while a midnight run through a frozen tundra may have both the Dark and Extreme weather Complications.

100

All Field effects have the same mechanic, which is that they impose a Complication to certain actions. The following example Fields state the level of Complication they impose in the title, then describe the effect and consequences of not buying off the Complication.

CROWDED (2) The Field is crowded with people or things making it hard to push through. The default move action is no longer reflexive and players must roll Athletics + Appropriate Attribute to overcome the myriad barriers. Additionally, characters cannot Rush in a crowded Field. Characters suffer the Complication when they take move actions. Failure to buy off the Complication could result in an Injury Condition, getting lost, getting turned around, or getting moved to another range band as the crowd moves you.

DARK (2) The Field is in pitch darkness, either because of the environment or through magical means. Characters suffer the Complication to actions that require sight, and if the area is anything other than completely flat, the Complication also applies to move actions. Failure to buy off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, going prone, or simply missing a target. Sources of light can eliminate this Complication, depending on the source. Small sources might eliminate it for a range band but attempting to take actions on something outside the light’s range reinstates the Complication. Characters may have supernatural abilities to negate this Complication for themselves or others (such as creating light).

EXTREME WEATHER (3) The field is in an extreme state. It could be the frigid winds of the arctic, or the unbearable heat of the desert — either way, acting is difficult. Characters suffer the Complication on all actions

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

taken while in the Field unless they have an immunity. Failure to buy off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, slowed movement, or a debilitating Condition from dehydration or frostbite giving a +2 Difficulty for actions until treated.

GAS CLOUD (3) A choking gas fills the field. This could be smoke from a fire, noxious fumes, poison gas, or a cloud surrounding a titanspawn. Characters suffer the Complication on all actions taken while in the Field. Unless a character doesn’t have to breath, they are affected by this Complication, holding your breath while in it may stave off poison but doing so still creates a difficulty to act. Failure to buy off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, an increase Difficulty towards actions requiring speech, an increased Difficulty in actions due to wracking coughs, or gaining the Poisoned Condition at a rating based on the Storyguide’s discretion.

LOUD (2) Music, industrial noises, or ear-splitting racket fills the Field. Characters suffer the Complication when attempting to take social actions, and risk severe miscommunication if they do not buy it off. Additionally, this counts as a negative atmosphere for intrigue play.

SLICK (3) Something saturates the Field making it slick. It could be ice, oil, water from heavy rains, or slime from a titanspawn. Characters suffer the Complication when making move actions, and fall prone if they fail to buy off the Complication.

SOCIAL CODE (2)

Unlike the Foe, the Spawn’s only advantage is numbers. In a fight against a Scion, this is doubly true. They may look and act like smaller versions of the titanspawn who created them, but Spawn have no agency on their own. Defeat the creator, defeat the Spawn.

Primary Pool: 6 Secondary Pool: 4 Desperation Pool: 2 Health: 1 Defense: 0 Initiative: 1 Extras: All Spawn have the Group Tactics Quality. Spawn share Qualities from their titanspawn progenitor but have no Flairs.

TITANIC MINION Not everyone working directly for a Titan is a titanspawn, or a Scion. Titans find Legendary creatures, and cultists who will do their bidding regularly. These people make formidable opponents, especially when they have the backing of a Titan along with his blessing.

Primary Pool: 11 Secondary Pool: 9 Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 2

The Field is dominated by a social norm and rules you must follow. You might be at a dinner party with strict social etiquette and rules, a location that follows a specific cultural norm, or a space filled with a majority culture, race, or gender that the character does not share, and acting outside the expected social code could cause issues. Characters suffer the Complication when attempting social actions. Failure to buy off the Complication results in a –1 shift in attitude of those who witness the faux pas, a change in the atmosphere to hostile, or another appropriate social consequence.

WEIGHTLESS (2) The Field is non-standard, either in a Terra Incognita, or the characters might be in free fall. Characters attempting to make any move action must roll Athletics + Dexterity, and suffer the Complication. Failure to buy off the Complication results in moving too far or too little, getting turned around, or engaging with the wrong target.

ARCHETYPES

SPAWN

Antagonists found in this book utilize archetypes from both Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero. The following archetypes are useful for creating minions for both titanspawn and Titans that fall outside the normal scope of the archetypes found in Scion: Hero.

Initiative: 7 Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s choice). Titanic Minions gain a Knack as a Quality from one of their Titan’s Callings.

QUALITIES

This section includes new Qualities for Antagonists.

ATTACK This set of Qualities enhance their ability to make attack actions.

DESTRUCTIVE FORCE The Antagonist is more destructive than normal. Any scene the Antagonist is in which utilizes the Collateral rules immediately gains two Collateral dice. Any time Collateral is rolled during a scene in which the Antagonist is present, gain access to the following Stunt: Demolition (2 successes): Rubble and debris fill the Field, and pits and holes pock its surface. For the rest of the scene, normal move actions are no longer reflexive, and characters suffer a +3 Complication to move. Failure to buy off the Complication results in falling prone as you trip over rubble or fall into a hole.

Qualities

101

ENTRAP The Antagonist has a natural weapon that she can use to pin a target. It could be a web or spine that she shoots at her target, or a stinger at the tip of a long tail. When making an attack with that weapon, the Antagonist can choose the Pin Stunt as though she were in control of a grapple with her target.

DEFENSE The following set of Qualities grant additional defensive abilities.

LIVING LARGE The Antagonist might not be Godlike, but that doesn’t stop them. When someone of a higher Tier targets the Antagonist with a Boon or magical ability, they count as the same Tier for effects such as making the Boon free to use against characters of lower Tier or not gaining a Clash of Wills.

MALLEABLE SKIN The Antagonist has skin that is either sticky or so pliable that it moves out of the way. A successful attack against the Antagonist immediately initiates a grapple with the Antagonist in control. While in the grapple, the Antagonist has access to the Disarm and Sunder Stunts.

RADIATING AURA The Antagonist radiates with a deadly aura, such as fire or extreme cold. Anyone attempting to attack the Antagonist suffers a +2 Complication. Failure to buy off the Complication results in a single Injury Condition appropriate to the kind of aura.

UTILITY Neither attack nor defense, these Qualities give Antagonists interesting capabilities outside of combat.

DARKVISION The Antagonist has the ability to function to their full capacity when in darkness. Do not apply Complications from effects that would penalize the character for being in the dark, such as the Dark Field Condition.

ONE STEP AHEAD The Antagonist is preternaturally good at getting away. She may be faster than most or just good at taking advantage of the scenery. Whenever the Antagonist is attempting to escape a situation or is being chased, she gains +2 speed Scale.

SEGMENTED Prerequisites: Rival, Titanspawn, or Titanic Minion Archetypes

102

The Antagonist exists in a segmented form. When you choose this Quality, select a number of segments that makes sense (ex. the hydra has three segments, one for each head). Each segment has the same number of Health, which adds up to no more than twice the archetype’s maximum Health. The Antagonist is not fully defeated until all segments are Taken Out. Segments count as allies to the Antagonist for the purposes of Flairs that heal or buff allies. Certain Qualities may come from the segmentation, such as an extra arm or an extremely long tail. Take note that the Antagonist may not have access to those Qualities if that segment is Taken Out.

SOCIAL These Qualities boost an Antagonist’s ability in intrigue play.

DEADLY CHARM Everyone seems to love the Antagonist, helping her win loyal followers and making it hard to sway her. Whenever the Antagonist must defend against an intrigue action or compete to sway a group of people, she gains +2 leadership Scale.

IMPOSING PRESENCE Everyone can tell that the Antagonist is not someone to mess with and few willingly engage with him. While the Antagonist is in the scene, the Field has the atmosphere of Fear at a rating of –2. Additionally, trivial targets flee if he so much as looks at them wrong or raises his hand for violence.

OCCULT This new Quality interacts with the very nature of the World.

TITANIC PRESENCE Prerequisite: Titanspawn or Titanic Minion Archetype The Antagonist is more than just awe-inspiring and terrifying to behold, it also radiates the energy of the Titan who created it. Being in the World is not its native place, and it brings with it a piece of whatever realm the Titan lives in. Wherever the Antagonist goes, it opens a rift to the Terra Incognita that the Titan currently exists in, subsuming part of the Field and displacing reality. Only characters with a Legend rating can oppose or attack the Antagonist, and anyone attempting to move through the Field suffers a +3 Complication to their Move action. Failure to buy off the Complication sends them through the rift. If you are using the Collateral rules, then buying off the Complication made by Titanic Presence adds one die to the Collateral pool.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

FLAIRS

Action: Simple Cooldown: End of Session

This section includes new Flairs for Antagonists.

ATTACK These Flairs grant Antagonists fearsome attack powers.

APOCALYPTIC RAIN Cost: 1 Tension Duration: One Scene

This Flair may be activated any time the Antagonist takes damage. The Antagonist makes an immediate attack on a solid structure or object using a weapon of her choice. The resultant debris and dust fill the area, creating Expendable Cover for the Antagonist. If they spend successes equal to the object’s size Scale, it is destroyed completely. If you are using Collateral rules, this Flair adds one die to the Collateral pool.

Subject: One Field Range: Extreme

HIDDEN IN THE MASSES

Action: Simple

Cost: None

Cooldown: End of Session

Duration: One Scene

The Antagonist creates a rain of Titanic proportions. It could be anything like fire from the heavens or large pieces of debris, whatever it is comes down fast and furious and fills the Field. Actions taken in the Field suffer a +2 Complication. If not bought off, the character suffers one of the following depending on the nature of the rain: an Injury Condition; the Condition On Fire where the characters loses one point of Soft Armor each round or suffers an Injury Condition — if the Soft Armor is 0 this Condition lasts until the character is put out or seeks medical attention; the Condition Concussion which gives a +1 Difficulty to all actions until the character receives healing. If you are using Collateral rules, this Flair adds one die to the Collateral pool.

MIASMA

Subject: Self Range: Close Action: Simple Cooldown: End of Scene The Antagonist has exerted such influence over her followers that they would die to protect her. After this Flair is activated, if at least one of her followers is around, the Antagonist may redirect any attacks that hit her to one of her followers who is at close range.

UTILITY For different, unique abilities that do not apply strictly to combat, use these new Flairs.

CREATE SPAWN

Cost: 1 Tension

Cost: 1 Tension

Duration: Condition

Duration: One Scene

Subject: Multiple Targets

Subject: Self

Range: Long

Action: Simple

Action: Simple

Cooldown: All summoned Spawn are Taken Out

Cooldown: Once the last Condition has ended The Antagonist releases a poison on her victims. It could be a spray of liquid, a belch of gaseous fumes, or even just a light dust which pours out from the Antagonist’s skin. Non-trivial targets may make a Clash of Wills. Anyone affected by the Miasma gain the Poisoned Condition with a rating equal to the Antagonist’s Desperation Pool.

DEFENSE These Flairs help Antagonists stay alive during fight scenes.

The Antagonist breaks off pieces of herself or generates smaller versions of herself that fill the Field. She creates a number of Spawn equal to her Desperation Pool. Each Spawn represents a single Health level for the Antagonist. If all the Spawn are Taken Out, the Antagonist suffers a number of Health damage equal to the number of Spawn destroyed. Alternatively, the Antagonist can subsume a Spawn as a simple action to regenerate a single Health point. The Spawn are an extension of the Antagonist, acting on her command and whim. If the Antagonist is Taken Out or leaves the scene in any other way (vanishing or fleeing), the Spawn stop acting.

BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN

RITUAL MAGIC

Cost: 1 Tension

Cost: 1 Tension

Duration: Instant

Duration: Variable

Subject: One range band

Subject: Variable

Range: Long

Action: Simple Flairs

103

Cooldown: One session

Prerequisite: Rival or higher Archetype

Acting alone or in a group, the Antagonist can create great effects by performing ritual magic. The Antagonist (or group) must spend the prior scene enacting the ritual. The ritual can conjure, dispel, or change nearly anything, though mostly through narrative effects. They could call up a hurricane out of a clear day, summon a titanspawn, remove a Scion’s magical effect on an area, destroy a Relic, etc. If the ritual would affect a non-trivial character, they trigger a Clash of Wills. If the ritual is interrupted or the ritualists fail to complete the ritual for any reason, the magical energies erupt out of the ritual space and create a Field Condition imposing a +2 Complication to enact Flairs, Boons, or Marvels. If not bought off, the magic overload creates a backlash against the user as appropriate at Storyguide’s discretion. This could be an Injury Condition or some narrative effect that has the magic going wild.

The Antagonist merges its own mind with that of the victim. This isn’t a full takeover, instead, the victim is still fully capable of making her own decisions and actions, though the Antagonist acts as an atmosphere modifier of –3 to all actions. Storyguides should decide an appropriate atmosphere, but generally this manifests as anger, fear, or indifference. Additionally, the victim gains access to a single Flair the Antagonist has. While merged, the Antagonist hears, sees, and experiences everything the victim does and can send mental direction to the victim, though she doesn’t have to follow them. It is up to the Storyguide if the Antagonist is capable of functioning on its own during the merger.

READ MINDS Cost: 1 Tension Duration: Instant

SOCIAL These Flairs enhance an Antagonist’s prowess in intrigue scenes.

Subject: One character Range: Long

MERGER

Action: Simple

Cost: 1 Tension

Cooldown: Three rounds

Duration: Indefinite Subject: One character Range: Close Action: Simple Cooldown: End of Scene

104

The Antagonist pulls information from her target’s mind. It could be anything from the name of the CEO at their company to what they had for breakfast that morning. The information must be a single discreet bit of information. Gain +1 Enhancement in rolls utilizing that information. If the character is a non-trivial target, they get a Clash of Wills.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

EXAMPLE ANTAGONISTS T

he following are some example Antagonists. As always, these are made to be guidelines for creating your own Antagonists, and you are free to take these and modify them to suit your game.

ADZE The Adze are ghosts able to possess people and transform them into witches. Adze suffered misfortune, jealousy or poverty in life, and often use their power to give others who suffer the chance to change their lot. Unfortunately, the power the Adze offers comes with terrible consequences. The Adze come before the living in the form of a glowing firefly that becomes the glowing image of their ideal self when they lived, with eyes like smoldering embers. They offer the power to change lives, and those who accept it become Abasom, their spirit merged with the Adze. The Abasom gains sorcerous might from the Adze while possessed, but they twist the Fates of those around them. Bad luck afflicts the Abasom’s friends and family as the Adze saps strength from them to feed the Abasom’s own capabilities. Adze speak to the Abasom in dreams, encouraging them to use their power. Their suffering in life often drives the Abasom to use their power on those who have wronged them, and perhaps those they are jealous of as well. Adze often do not realize the trouble they cause, seeing what they offer as a gift to the downtrodden that justifies itself. Most Adze have pleasant if not sad demeanors, in shocking contrast to Abasom, who typically become domineering and cruel.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Incorporeality Flairs: Curse, Merger, Ritual Magic, Shapeshifter, Sorcery Drive: Help those in poor circumstances change their lot Primary Pool (9): Finding Unfortunates, Offering Power, Wielding Magic Secondary Pool (7): Hiding from Mortals, Knowledge of Past Life Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 AEGAEON An ancient and obscure child of Gaea and some Titanic or Primordial oceanic force, Aegaeon has been an elusive

presence since the dawn of the World. Avoiding Uranus’s imprisonment of his half-siblings, Cronus’s continued persecution of the same, and the ascendant Zeus’s wrath after he sided with the Titans, Aegaeon’s avoidance of Primordial, Titanic, and Divine wrath would be impressive enough on its own. The fact that he is the size of the loyal Hecatoncheires yet still unknown by many Theoi is evidence that this strange creature is as subtle as he is huge. His voice is as deep as the Ocean’s abyss and as sweet as mountain springs, and when he speaks from the darkness mortals, Denizens, and even Scions find themselves thinking what good advice he gives and how rude it would be to do anything but what the rumbling voice says. He’s quietly co-opted cults and villages in the past, agencies and whole governments in the modern day. Aegaeon dispenses excellent advice gleaned from ages of hiding in the darkness and guides those that follow his guidance to great material success… even as they become part of his strange nature, social extensions of his will just as surely as his hundreds of hands are. Those in Aegaeon’s thrall begin to show signs of his influence, their homes and workplaces subtly dark and damp, the scent of sea-flooded caves and sounds of water running deep underground perceptible to those sensitive to supernatural influence. Aegaeon moves his pawns gently, quietly using them as mortal tools to prod Titans and Scions into direct conflict with each other. A government land-leasing agency will let slip to a Band of Theoi that agents of Cronus stalk what seems like a gate to Tartarus; a family of fishermen will let a Scion of Metis know that local priests of Zeus and Poseidon are trying to raise a sunken Relic from the local bay. Aegaeon doesn’t much care who wins such conflicts, as long as his agents are able to weaken gates and pry wider pathways between the Worlds. His agents work towards a day when the cracks will be wide enough that Aegaeon can rip the gates to the Overworld and Underworld ajar, spilling into the World and seeing all the realms catastrophically coexist. For Aegaeon loves his mother Gaea more than his own life, and his plans all aim to see her singular and triumphant and supreme over the Theoi and every other pantheon — Titans and Gods and Scions in abject terror trembling at her feet. His plans may be impossible, or at least impossibly difficult, but the strangest of the Hundred Handed has worked for so very long to see them come to pass. Aegaeon is impossible to look at properly: A mass of too many shifting man-sized hands stained the color of wine, held by limbs like the sinews of the World or the trunks of great trees, disappearing back into shifting watery darkness. Surely, he stands like a man. Or perhaps his arms and hands ring his open mouth like some obscene sea creature,

Example Antagonists

105

distant relative to the kraken and hydra. Few see him at all, instead finding themselves confronting the organizations and groups he has quietly mastered, Aegaeon’s presence only obvious to those who recognize the strange traces of water, salt, and darkness. Agenda: Co-mingle the World and the Otherworlds in a bid to bring his mother Gaea to endless dominance. Hooks: Strangely helpful mortals alert a Band to activities of their enemies on multiple occasions, while others strike at the last minute to try to steal away powerful Relics or disrupt pathways to the Otherworlds, both leaving behind signs of water, soil, and salt traceable back to Aegaeon. An organization friendly to a Band begins to act strangely, as they accept advice from a strange, unseen sponsor. A Band’s efforts to secure the border between the World and dangerous Midrealms or Underworlds are repeatedly interrupted by all manner of mortal and supernatural interlopers, forcing them to discover and then confront the elusive source of their troubles.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Stand Tall, Tough as Nails, Unseen (except as watery darkness and grasping hands; Aegaeon’s segments are still targetable even while he is unseen), Unstoppable Flairs: Mass Concealment, Mastermind Drive: Exalt Gaea as the supreme deity and cast down all other gods. Primary Pool (13): Fascinate and Charm, Master the Will of Others, Offer Excellent Advice 106

Secondary Pool (11): Evade and Disappear, Move Like Water Beneath the Earth, Tear Apart Anything or Anyone Within Reach Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 4 Segments: 4 (5 Health each) Quality: Unseen Flairs: Mastermind AEGAEON’S FINGERS Those mortals suborned by Aegaeon don’t know his nature, his goals, or even his name. Instead, they know that following the voice’s advice makes good things happen, and when the World is too much for them, they can just relax and let themselves become the industrious extensions of something bigger than they are. This lets them work through hunger, fatigue, and adversity, though signs of the Hecatoncheires’s presence manifest as they push themselves beyond mortal limits. Scions may notice that the city councilman who keeps permitting construction dangerously close to holy ground leaves behind the smell of the ocean after a speech, or that the helpful research librarian who points them in the direction of ever more dangerous titanspawn seems to always leave behind sandy footprints.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Archetype: Mook

Primary Pool (11): Act Imperiously, Control Water

Qualities: Group Tactics

Secondary Pool (9): Boss Around Minions, Recruit Lackeys

Flairs: Selfless Shield Drive: Follow Aegaeon’s good advice, and in doing so serve him

Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Leader 2, Monster 3, Lover 1

Primary Pool (5): Follow Orders, Quietly Support or Sabotage

Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals), Prosperity, Sky (Storms)

Secondary Pool (4): Hide Traces of Their Work, Violently Defend Aegaeon’s Plans

Health: 5

Desperation Pool: 2

Defense: 4 Initiative: 9

Health: 2

Extras: Ào Jinru gains the Armor Piercing and Unstoppable Qualities when subject to her Monstrous Urges (see p. XX).

Defense: 2 Initiative: 5 Extras: Aegaeon’s Fingers promoted to Professional due to Group Tactics gain Give Orders as a Primary Pool ability and +1 Enhancement for actions Follow Orders. ÀO JINRU, SCION OF ÀO GUĀNG Ào Jinru always felt stifled living in the Dragon King’s palace beneath the waves. While she led a life of opulence in her father’s palace, attended to by lobster servants, tuna stylists and clam attendants, she never felt like she ruled them. She wanted the fear and respect that all creatures beneath the sea had for her father, not through him but through her own actions. Ào Jinru can’t help but resent her father. She deserves to be the one everyone fears! One night, she left his palace behind for China, where she works to make her name the one everyone respects (and fears). Ào Jinru has a pale complexion and vivid blue eyes surrounded by azure scales most mistake for makeup. Ào Jinru is celebrated among the youthful Hanfu Movement for her regal sense of fashion, wearing hanfu festooned with azure dragons and pearls. When enraged, she transforms into a monstrous azure dragon with scales that ripple like water. Agenda: Ào Jinru has become a Titanic influence in Shenzhen, a capital for technology, manufacturing and shipping in southern China. Corporate competition is a deadly game that she plays exceedingly well, though she cares little for her father’s plans. Aware of her lineage, Shenzhen’s elite are terrified of her but not enough to avoid doing business with her. Her uncle Ào Quin has become an eager ally in her ascent to power.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: By Divine Right, Chimera Hide, Cloak of Dread, Diplomythic Immunity, Grand Entrance, Mystic Arsenal (a scepter topped with an enormous pearl from the Dragon King’s palace, channels Sky), Titanic Stature Flairs: Leader of the Pack, Voice of Seven Thunders, Weather Tyrant Drive: Gain vengeance upon Shanghai’s social elite and begrudgingly do her father’s bidding

ARACHNE’S CHILDREN (GIANT SPIDER) Arachne was once a mortal who wove the most beautiful tapestries, and had the gall to be better than a God. Athena, jealous of her abilities challenged her to a weaving duel, and when she lost, she destroyed Arachne’s tapestries and struck the girl to the floor. Arachne tried to hang herself out of fear, and Athena punished her by turning her into a spider. Hundreds of thousands of spiders, all crafters and beautiful web-weavers, descend from Arachne’s lineage — each sore about their mother’s lot in life. Arachne’s children resent the Gods and work to protect mortals from their trickery and careless acts. They act as guardians of the weak and predators of those who would take advantage. They do not care for the Gods — the Theoi especially, but all Gods are guilty of treating humanity without care. Arachne’s children are not the only spiders tied to mythology. From Jorōgumo’s fire breathing spiders to Anansi’s children and Areop-Enap who created the World and all other spiders, these creatures have a sordid relationship to the pantheons. Most serve as protectors and nurturers, creating safe havens for the downtrodden. Others act as tricksters, but for the most part, the children of spiders are loyal to those who treat them well. Giant Spiders can be found throughout the World, though most are in hiding as they have been hunted down by those who are fearful of them. They inhabit nearly every Overworld, Midworld, or Underworld without fail. While most of Arachne’s children are helpful, woe betide those who cross their paths. Once someone has been named a ward, they brook no argument about dealing with trespassers. If one of the Theoi are involved, they might just take revenge for their mother, regardless of whom they are supposed to be guarding.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Entrap, Mystic Arsenal (Purview: Journeys), Natural Weapon, One Step Ahead, Wall Walker Flairs: Create Spawn, Shadow Step

Example Antagonists

107

Drive: Protect a location or ward

Archetype: Titanspawn

Primary Pool (11): Attacking, Scuttling

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Collateral Damage, Destructive Force, Stand Tall, Unstoppable

Secondary Pool (9): Hiding, Negotiating, Spying Health: 5

Flairs: Bringing the House Down, Detonation: Close Combat, Making Space, Second Wind, World Shaking

Defense: 4

Drive: Defeat Scions of the Tuatha Dé Danann

Initiative: 9

Primary Pool (13): Melee Attacks, Rock Throw

BANSHEE

Secondary Pool (11): Craft: Earth Formations, Intimidation

Desperation Pool: 6

Strange, tiny creatures. The size of these constantly weeping, always keening women leads Scions to underestimate the damage these fae creatures can cause. Banshees herald the death of someone within hearing range of their screams, and they bring about those ends. Oftentimes this occurs because someone has murdered a woman or child, as the banshees have a keen interest in their fates. Rumors persist that some didn’t begin as banshee, but the ghosts of murdered women, raised from their graves and gifted with fae vengeance and immortality. Their allegiance lies with the Tuatha Dé Domnann, though not with any particular Titan within the pantheon; when the Tuatha Dé Danann cast them out as undesirable fae, the Domnann took them in.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Miasmic Presence, Regeneration, Vulnerability (Holy Symbols) Flairs: Dread Gaze (Banshee Scream), Long Arm, Shadow Step Drive: Herald death or avenge wrongdoing Primary Pool (9): Scream, Tracking Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5

Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 4 CHILD OF APEP Chaotic, undulating icons of Apep are frequent decoration in the hideouts of the Chaos Snake’s cults. He gifts the most destructive and successful of his followers with the Children of Apep, devastating animate weapons made to sow destruction. Each Child is an enormous fire-breathing serpent with the head of a crocodile and envenomed kukri-like fangs, their scales of flint catch sparks when these constructs animate. These creations grew infamous when a Child of Apep was animated in the heart of the Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo, where it nearly slew an Incarnation of Re and the cultists who had activated it. Once awakened, these constructs don’t distinguish between friend or foe, they simply destroy.

Archetype: Nemesis

Health: 3

Qualities: Baleful Touch, Destructive Force, Perfected Soldier, Tough as Nails, Toxic

Defense: 3

Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Under Pressure

Initiative: 6

Drive: Slay anything nearby once roused Primary Pool (11): Close Combat, Serpentine Writhing

BENANDONNER The Scottish giant named Benandonner heard rumors that a mighty warrior guarded Ireland. He sought to prove himself superior to any champions the Tuatha Dé Danann could produce and built a bridge from Scotland to Ireland to challenge Fionn Mac Cumhaill to combat. Believing Benandonner too powerful for him to defeat in a fair fight, Fionn thought of a plan to trick the giant. Oonagh, one of Fionn’s wives, greeted the towering man on the shores of Ireland with a baby carriage containing Fionn dressed as a baby. When Benandonner witnessed the size of Fionn’s baby, he became terrified by the father’s possible size. He fled in terror, destroying the bridge behind him and as a result creating the Giant’s Causeway. Today, Benandonner plans on using the new Titanomachy as an opportunity to challenge the most significant Scions the Tuatha can produce.

108

Secondary Pool (9): Tracking Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Size: 1 CHLOE EIRINI, SCION OF PROMETHEUS Chloe grew up in modern-day Athens with a single mother who juggled raising a daughter, working multiple jobs, and humanitarian work. Chloe’s mother always told her that her father was some war protestor that left Greece to handle “family matters,” but never returned.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

As Chloe grew from a small child to a young woman, she watched her mother sacrifice for the impoverished and the oppressed. When Chloe graduated from high school, her father returned and explained the coming Titanomachy. Prometheus called for his daughter to fight by his side, but Chloe’s mother had always taught her the value of peace and to love everyone. She knows what she must do. Agenda: Now that Chloe knows her father was partially responsible for introducing destruction and war to the World, she plans on searching for Scions (Hero or Titan) of any pantheon in an attempt to work together to prevent the damage from their parent’s conflicts. Chloe has a wisdom that is beyond her years, which makes her a natural leader and motivator. She is friendly and confident but has little patience for those that always turn to violence to solve problems. As she gathers support for her cause, she will need the aid of Scions to help the innocent mortals that will suffer in the second Titanomachy. Hooks: Chloe makes a good source for a Storyguide wishing to present tasks that contribute to ending the Titanomachy by helping communities or protecting the innocent. Chloe might contact the players’ Scions through a mutual ally and give any number of tasks (possibly one of the adventures provided in this book).

appeared before him, heard his troubles, and offered him the means to change things. Since accepting Akasi’s power, Chris has turned his life around. Within months he’d replaced his boss at work after she suffered an “accident.” His brother doesn’t bother him anymore, and his mother passed away, granting him more time to indulge himself. Chris has been approached twice by followers of the Òrìshà offering to free him from the “curse,” but he fears losing the power and Akasi’s guidance. The first time, he simply ran away, pretending he’d lost control. The second time, he sought out allies in New York to rid himself of exorcists too concerned with his condition and found titanspawn. He’s not afraid to go further if he has to; the power is just too sweet. Hooks: The Band is enlisted by a follower of the Òrìshà to help Chris. He plays the victim at length, making out his magic to be wild and uncontrolled, when he is in fact using it to cause misfortune and endanger the Scions so that they’re easy work for his Titan allies. Chris is eager to use underestimation to lower their guard.

Archetype: Foe/Rival (see below) Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Willful Flairs: Sorcery

Archetype: Nemesis

Drive: Live large and trick anyone who tries to stop him

Qualities: By Divine Right, Regeneration, Willful

Primary Pool (9): Bossy Boots, Do Magic

Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Touch of Asclepius

Secondary Pool (7): Fake Empathy

Drive: Stop the Titanomachy and repair the damage caused by her father

Desperation Pool: 5

Primary Pool (11): Gathering Intelligence, Leadership

Defense: 3

Secondary Pool (9): Empathy, History (Specializing in Deeds and Legends) Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Adversary, Creator, and Primeval (Fire) Purviews: Epic: Stamina, Fire

Health: 3 Initiative: 6 Extra: Chris only retains his power as long as Akasi is merged with him. If she should leave him, he drops to the Foe Archetype and loses his Sorcery Flair. DAĒVA

Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal: A book of Greek philosophy penned by a long-dead Scion. Grants Chloe the Order Purview. CHRISTOPHER SWONG, ABASOM Christopher Swong was down on his luck when an Adze came along and offered him power. His boss had been harassing him at work, his brother needed more money after he crashed his car for the fourth time, and his mother’s health was declining. It had all become too much! To top it all off, he’d gotten the flu. With everyone too busy to even bring him medicine, he trekked alone through New York’s snow-swept streets. On a side street he saw the strange form of a glowing firefly, and the Adze called Akasi

Daēva is a term the Yazatas use to describe any evil entity. In truth, daēva are a specific type of creature: The spawn of Angra Mainyu, as bent on destruction and darkness as their father. Much like a Titan is to a pantheon, the daēva are to evil creatures. The Yazatas label anything and everything evil a daēva, even spirits and creatures from other pantheons. True daēva are vile beings with ill intent towards humanity. They play vicious pranks on people to get them to hurt themselves, sometimes to hurt others, but often to worship the daēva as false Gods above the Yazatas. Those who fall into their worship end up dead, or worse, at the hands of these demons. A true daēva is a terrible entity to behold and each one has control over a specific putrefying force: one for evil thoughts, one for discontent, one for inaction, one for oppression, one for destruction, and one for famine and plague. Each one creates lesser daēva minions of their own to do their bidding, to wreak havoc in the World and destroy humanity.

Example Antagonists

109

DESIGN NOTES: DAEVA Nearly every religion or pantheon has some kind of demonic figure. The daēva is just a type of demon, but this entry can work well for any other demonic force you want to put your characters up against. Demons can also come in any size or flavor, so feel free to downgrade this template as necessary to show off lesser and greater versions of the same demonic type. Archetype: Titanspawn

Archetype: Rival

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Imposing Presence, Mystic Arsenal

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Armor Piercing, Regeneration, Vulnerability (Gold)

Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Thousand Faces, and choose two of the following — Curse, Illusions, Plague Touch, Read Minds, Seeing Red, World Shaking

Flairs: Dread Gaze, Long Arm, Penetrator, Shadow Step

Drive: Drive humanity to depravation and destruction Primary Pool (13): Attacking, Being Charming Secondary Pool (11): Getting Everyone’s Attention, Lying, Sneaking Desperation Pool: 7

Drive: Claim victims for Domnu to craft into more Dullahan Primary Pool (9): Horseback Riding, Whip Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3

Health: 10

Initiative: 6

Defense: 4 Initiative: 10

ED & EDIE JACKSON: SCIONS OF PROMETHEUS

DULLAHAN The Headless Horseman wasn’t invented by Washington Irving; these dark fae have existed since the first horse threw the first rider and broke their neck. Servants of the Tuatha Dé Domnann, Dullahan answer to Domnu, who raised them from the dead. A headless rider atop a black horse, acting as a single terrifying entity, roams the night in search of victims to horrify and devour. The rider carries its head on the pommel of its saddle or under its arm. The mouth of the detached human head stays permanently fixed in a hideous rictus of pain, though sometimes the Dullahan speaks through that twisted grimace, the better to petrify its victims. Despite being detached from the body, the head’s eyes constantly scan, shimmering in the darkness even when there is no light. Popular culture depicts headless horsemen as only ever men, but Dullahan may present as any gender they choose. Domnu gifts the Dullahan with whips crafted from human spines when she creates them from fallen warriors. Funerary candles appear along roadsides where the Dullahan have ridden, burning endlessly, never melting down. Vulnerable to gold, putative victims may divert or destroy Dullahan by sacrificing a valued item crafted of high-quality gold. One cannot simply purchase their way out of a Dullahan’s path: The sacrifice must hold great significance, such as a grandmother’s ring or inherited watch.

Ed and Edie are the sweetest old couple you’ll ever meet. There’s absolutely nothing suspicious about them. They just really like setting things on fire. They’ve been part of the dei-fan community for decades — they met at the first-ever God Con in 1968 and still attend every year, even though they’re in their 70s. When they won a multimillion-dollar lottery several years ago (thanks, Bast!), they went on a World tour of mythological hotspots, during which they paid their respects to all their favorites. Somewhere in the Caucasus, they met Prometheus and gushed in admiration. A moment later, they were Chosen. Now, they commit arson any time a new Hero comes to town. Ed and Edie aren’t malicious, they just enjoy seeing Heroes in action. It’s easy — no one ever suspects them. It’s like they’re invisible! Before they torch a building, Ed and Edie always make sure it’s unoccupied. Usually.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Invulnerability to Fire, Unseen (Easily Ignored) Flairs: Red Herring, Sorcery (Fire) Drive: Share the gift of fire with the World Primary Pool (11): Seeming Innocuous, Setting Fires Secondary Pool (9): Buying Whatever They Want, Getting Support from Dei-fans Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5

110

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Elementals face their targets in physical combat. Demons are more subtle, imposing appropriate Emotional Conditions instead. Both elementals and demons attack using the Curse Flair.

Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 ELEMENTALS AND DEMONS An elemental is an independent being split off from a Primordial source (see Scion: Origin, p. 34). For example, a fire elemental is a creature of living fire, spun off from a fire Primordial such as Muspelheim. Some elementals may have high intelligence, while others are about as smart as dogs.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Invulnerability (to their element) – Elementals, Unseen – Demons Flairs: Curse Drive: Obey the summoner’s commands

Summoned “demons” are similar but less visible or tangible. For example, a creature of the Passion (Fear) Purview is commonly called a fear demon. It clings invisibly to its victim’s back. An elemental or demon is a solidified piece of divine power and can be spotted with Scent the Divine, or other magic-identifying Knacks or Boons.

Primary Pool (11): Stealth, Touch Attack

Elementals and demons are lesser forms of daēva spirits, often serving as minions to a true daēva. They can also be servants of sorcerers, e.g. Silent Storm summoners.

Defense: 4

Secondary Pool (9): Surprise Ambush, Tracking Targets Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Initiative: 9

EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS Effect: You suffer +1 Difficulty on any action that doesn’t directly give vent to the emotion. For example, in the Fear Condition you must flee or cower, otherwise, you suffer increased Difficulty. Momentum: Every time the increased Difficulty from your Condition causes a failure, add another point of Momentum to the pool. Resolution: The Condition is resolved when you suffer three failures because of it, or when you imbue 1 Legend for a scene to resolve it, or when you succeed in a dangerous or risky action that defies the emotion. Example Antagonists

111

ELEMENTALS AND DEMONS Elementals are associated with dangerous Purviews, such as Fire, Frost, Sky, and so on. Demons are typically associated with Passions. However, with some ingenuity, you can create elementals or demons associated with any Purview. For example, a darkness elemental might impose the Blind condition. A fortune demon might impose bad luck (similar to gremlins, see p. XX). A wild elemental might cause vines to sprout up and attack the target. A health demon might cause injuries by slowly draining life force, and a death elemental might enervate the target, pushing them towards death.

ELLIOT JONES, DRUID TO ORGOS Elliot Jones was born and raised in Houston, Texas, but his family was long descended from Gauls in Ireland. His mother claimed to be a druid of Cernunnos, though they never saw or heard from the God despite the horned paraphernalia covering the small home. When Elliot tried to contact the Nemetondevos himself, he received only the barest hint that the Gods were still out there. Elliot persisted and kept up the old ways just like his mother taught him. Though he never liked Cernunnos, he didn’t know enough about the other Gods to dedicate himself strongly in his druidic practices. It was no wonder when Orgos blessed Elliot’s rituals, that he simply accepted the blessing without question. Who was he to guess at the Gods’ methods if one of them wanted to help him out, and who was he to argue with the scythe wielding creature who bestowed the blessing? Before long, Elliot became Orgos’ connection in the World again, which started with murdering his own mother and sending her soul to the great wheel for interrogation. He travels the World doing the bidding of his patron, and while Elliot is not a Scion or Godly in any way, he has a potent benefactor and titanspawn to call upon if things get hairy.

Archetype: Titanic Minion Qualities: Baneful Touch (Destroyer) - Twitchy, Willful Flairs: Mystic Arsenal, Sorcery (Death, Deception) Drive: Bring death to those who deserve it Primary Pool (11): Druidic sorcery (+1 Enhancement), Shooting Secondary Pool (9): Driving, Persuading Others, Scythe Attacks Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 2

Enhancement: 1, Tags: Brutal, Reach, Two-Handed. ELRIC ASH, SCION OF SURTR Elric cannot remember from where he came. His earliest memory is waking up in the still-smoking remains of an apartment complex in Sweden. The confused young man hitchhiked as far away as he could, meeting many interesting people along the way and learning about the different aspects of humanity. These weeks were crucial in shaping the personality of this Incarnate shell of Surtr. By the time followers of Surtr visited Elric and revealed his destiny, the Scion had already learned to appreciate the World too much to burn it to ash. Despite this learned compassion, Elric cannot help what he is. There are still times when he will lose track of time, only to discover he has set something ablaze. Agenda: Elric is compelled to watch the World burn, but also values the beauty and depth of life around him. Unfortunately, his destructive urges keep winning and he has once again hit the road to run from himself. Elric’s short term goal is to stay moving and not to make new attachments, so he does not hurt anything he cares about. His long-term goal is to get control of his urges and, if needed, find a way to confront his true self, the Titan Surtr, in the hopes of ending his need for destruction once and for all. Hooks: The Storyguide can introduce Elric in several different ways. The Band might be in a tight spot as the Titan Scion wanders through, allowing him to save the characters and show them that not all Titan Scions are evil. If introduced this route, consider allowing the players to invite him temporarily into their Band as an ally. This will make them a significant part of Elric’s struggle once it becomes apparent that he cannot fully control the destructive urges inside him. As an alternative approach, let the Band know that an arsonist has been traveling across the country, setting terrible fires. When they track Elric down, he turns out to be a sympathetic character, remorseful for his actions. Do the characters eliminate Elric as a threat, or do they take compassion on him and help the Titan Scion on his quest to control the destruction he was created to do?

Initiative: 7

Archetype: Nemesis

Extras: Elliot has been gifted with an Ankou scythe. This is a four-dot Relic with the following traits:

Qualities: Baleful Touch, Helpless Fascination (Fire), Tough as Nails

Purview: Death, Motif: The cold embrace of death,

Flairs: Detonation (Range), Second Wind, Under Pressure

112

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Drive: Tear down the old ways

FOMORIAN (BEAUTIFUL ONES)

Primary Pool (11): Athletics, Survival Secondary Pool (9): Brawl, Craft (Fire) Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant Purviews: Fire, Wild Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Old running shoes Elric found in the smoldering remains of a building. Grants access to the Journey Purview. FOMORIAN (GIANTS) The Fomorians claim that they are Ireland. For the underground giants, this is quite literal. Domnu birthed the giant Fomorians from vast underground caverns that share passageways with the Underworld. The giants have simple desires and equally simple tactics, focused on protecting Irish soil and when possible, expanding it, but always through blunt force. Over the years, the Fomorians have come to consider anywhere with a large Irish population to be part of Ireland and as such many northeastern American cities have seen Fomorian giants climbing out of their sewer systems. While they are most protective of the local population, their unexpected appearance has raised alarms with local government and law enforcement.

Archetype: Monster Qualities: Invulnerability (Earth Metals), Stand Tall, Subterranean Movement Flairs: Sorcery (Earth) Drive: Increase and protect their patch of land Primary Pool (11): Brawl Attacks, Rock Throw Secondary Pool (9): Underground Navigation, Underground Survival Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 6 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Size: 2

When Domnu raised the giants from the Earth, she exhaled from the effort, and part of her beauty escaped her lungs, traveling on the breeze. Wherever this beautiful wind touched life, it transformed into something humanoid but entirely more exceptional. The beautiful ones, as they are known, found themselves scattered throughout the World. Now, they use their charm to influence the direction of global politics with the ultimate goal of returning to reclaim their homeland. With the appearance of Fomorian giants in major American cities, the beautiful ones have worked their way into the local government of those cities to make sure the Irish population can excel and grow.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: A Thousand Ships Flairs: Dread Gaze, Hidden in the Masses, Hypnotic Charm, Retcon, Sorcery (Beauty) Drive: Reclaim their homeland Primary Pool (11): Etiquette, Manipulation Secondary Pool (9): Lies, Sensing Motives Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Mystic jewelry that provides the Deception Purview. FOMORIAN (AQUATICS) When Domnu realized her most beautiful children were scattered far from their homeland, she wept great tears into the sea. Where her tears landed, new life formed and desired to be closer to their mother. Now, a race of fish people patrols the waters surrounding Ireland as well as any sizable population that pays respects to the Titans of the Domnann, striking at any that would bring harm to their homeland. Recently a gang of aquatic Fomorians has been interrupting merchant vessels throughout the Atlantic, for reasons that remain a mystery.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Group Tactics Flairs: Sorcery (Water)

FOMORIANS The Fomorians are a race of beings that come in many different forms. As mythology cannot agree on their physical appearance or their specific origins, this book provides four examples. Storyguides should feel free to create more, remembering that all Fomorians should be tied to a primal and often destructive aspect of nature and while not always evil, opposed to anything that would harm their claim of Ireland and the Irish people. Example Antagonists

113

Drive: Control the waters that circle Ireland/Tuatha territory Primary Pool (7+1): Melee, Swimming Secondary Pool (5): Navigation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1

Archetype: Rival

Defense: 1

Qualities: Heavily Armored, Incorporeality, Natural Weapon (Claws, Teeth), Vulnerability (Fire)

Initiative: 4

Flairs: Making Space, Second Wind

FOMORIAN (MELTED ONES) When the first men came to the shores of Ireland, the Fomorians were already there. Domnu called for her children to seize the invaders and drag them down into the tunnels deep below the earth and toss them in the rivers of lava. As the men burned, their cries of pain moved Domnu to pull them out, saving half of their bodies from perishing. The other half had turned into a horrifying combination of ash and melted flesh. Driven mad by the experience, the melted ones wander the World, drawn to anywhere Fomorians suffer. If a band of Scions defeats other Fomorians, they can be assured that it is just a matter of time before one or more melted ones visit them.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Baleful Touch, Radiating Aura, Tough as Nails, Willful Flairs: Second Wind, Sorcery (Fire) Drive: Burn all enemies of the Fomorian race Primary Pool (9): Brawl, Feats of Endurance Secondary Pool (7): Athletic Feats, Tracking Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 Extras: +2 Enhancement to Stunts other than Inflict Damage FOUR-EYED DOG While not the only four-eyed dogs around, the most famous are the dogs who stand at the gates to Naraka, guiding in souls and keeping out those who do not belong. When a soul gets lost, or is resistant to go to Naraka, Yamaraja sends his dogs into the World to seek them out. When in the World, they aren’t completely there, with one paw in the Underworld. This makes them appear ghostly and transparent, though they are fully capable of interacting with the material World. All four-eyed dogs are creatures of a liminal nature, existing both in the World and in Underworlds at the same time. They sniff out death, attracted to it. Many view them as bad luck, as they come around when someone is close to death, drawn by the nearness the person has to the Underworlds.

114

Four-eyed dogs are harmless to any who aren’t a ghost trying to escape their fate in an Underworld. They have been known to attack people who get in their way, or try to stop them from completing a mission, which isn’t always to just escort a soul, so much as to ensure that soul leaves the body when it should. Those clinging to life may find a four-eyed dog bearing down on them ready to rip soul from body.

Drive: Seek out souls to usher to an Underworld Primary Pool (9): Biting, Pouncing, Sneaking Secondary Pool (7): Hiding, Tracking Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict Damage GASHADOKURO Gigantic skeletons of those that died from starvation or in battle, the terrifying titanspawn known as Gashadokuro is one of the worst creatures to stalk the lands of the Kami. Every night at the witching hour, those stalked by the titanspawn can hear a wailing on the wind. That cry is the only clue that Gashadokuro is hunting, as the giant is entirely invisible. Any foolish enough to wander alone at night may find themselves being lifted into the sky by invisible boney hands, their screams ending as an unseen mouth bites off their head. While not interested in the Titanomachy, the globalization of the World has brought them to different countries, and it may be time for some powerful Scions to put an end to these nightmares.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Life Drain, Natural Weapon (Giant Teeth and Bony Fists), Unnatural Hunger (Blood), Unseen, Unstoppable, Vengeful Blood (Smaller Skeletons) Flairs: Long Arm, World Shaking Drive: Feast on the blood of its victims Segments: 4 (5 Health each) Primary Pool (13): Bite, Stealth Secondary Pool (11): Grapple, Perception (Smell Blood) Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 4

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

GRANT HICKS, PRIEST OF ECHIDNA Fear has driven Grant Hicks into a bargain with monsters far beyond his imagination. One weekend, when he was a young man drinking beers and listening to music in the swamps of Mississippi, his brother was devoured by a lamia. The police were too afraid to investigate, and the community blamed his family for his brother’s delinquency. Grant grew older, angrier, and disillusioned. When he joined the True Delta Patriots, a far-right militia group interested in stockpiling guns and self-governance, he thought he could finally protect his family from the useless government, frightening outsiders, and the monsters in the swamps. But Grant hadn’t realized what the True Delta Patriots were really into. They had joined a coalition of extremists called the Neo-Gaean Front. The True Delta Patriots have become an enforcement arm in Mississippi, summoning the very creatures that Grant feared, to use as weapons in their “fight for freedom.” Grant realized this was power, and if he wanted to protect his family and his way of life, he had to make sure that when the monsters came hungering for flesh, they’d eat the other bastard and not him. Agenda: Grant has become a major leader of the True Delta Patriots. He leads rites to summon Echidna’s children as weapons in their war and has become a grim believer of the Titans in the process. In his dreams, voices whisper from Tartarus, demanding that certain people die. Grant has sacrificed enemies and friends to these voices. He will do whatever is needed, as long as they don’t call for him.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: A Cage of Words Flairs: I have Friends, Ritual Magic, Sorcery, Spray n’ Pray Drive: Offer the Titans others so he will be spared Primary Pool (9): Lead Militia, Shoot Guns, Summon Monsters Secondary Pool (7): Bunker Preparation, Coordinate Militia Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 Notes: Grant uses Ritual Magic to summon titanspawn primarily, though his patrons may convey other rituals to him via dreams.

developed elaborate superstitions about how to ward off gremlins and protect airmen and engineers both. Of course, the more superstitions emerge, the more the servicemen believe in the gremlins, and the stronger they get. Modern pilots have no fewer superstitions than those pilots a century ago who took rickety biplanes up to fight over the trenches of World War I. Thus, gremlins remain. Did these strange little humanoids emerge, full-formed, from the superstitions of those first aviators and crewmen, or did something much older adapt to these new beliefs? Wherever they came from, the gremlins still plague mortal and Scion alike, throwing wrenches figurative and literal into all forms of travel, not just aircraft. Some theater techs speak of “show gremlins” or “theater gremlins,” just as harmful as the travel-focused ones; they drop lights on performers and cause fires.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Unseen, Vulnerability (Sunlight), Wall Walker Flairs: Detonation, Penetrator, Shadow Step Drive: Wreck things and have fun Primary Pool (9): Biting, Destroy Machinery Secondary Pool (7): Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 GROOTSLANG When the Òrìshà were creating the creatures of the World, they experimented with many forms, shapes, and sizes. One was too large, too smart, and too greedy to be allowed to exist: the grootslang. The Òrìshà attempted to break all the grootslang in half, which gave the World snakes and elephants. Some grootslang escaped being torn apart and hid from the Gods. The massive tusked snakes hid in gemstone covered caves. The creatures came to associate gems with safety and power. Now, the grootslang use their cunning to devise plans that lead to them acquiring more gemstones. As the second Titanomachy starts, more than one Scion has made deals with grootslang for both noble and sinister purposes.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Heavily Armored, Helpless Fascination (Gemstones), Natural Weapon (Tusks), Obligation, Toxic (Bite) Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Immobilize, World Shaking

GREMLINS No one knows exactly where the gremlins came from, or what they were before they became gremlins. They emerged during the 20th century: Aeronauts began whispering to one another during the World Wars about strange creatures who’d begun causing plane malfunctions. Gremlins take great delight in cursing pilots to fiery death in ways the most skilled aviators can’t juke, roll, or dodge. Pilots and mechanics have

Drive: Gather all the precious stones Primary Pool (13): Bite, Manipulate Secondary Pool (11): Appraise (Gemstones), Grapple Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10

Example Antagonists

115

Defense: 4

Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Second Wind, World Shaking

Initiative: 10

Drive: Keep all the Theoi Titans in Tartarus

Size: 3

Segments: 4 (5 Health each)

HARIONAGO The Harionago walks the streets at night, sending smiles at anyone she catches glancing at her. If the stranger diverts their gaze and keeps walking, the monster lets them go. If they instead return the smile, the Harionago strikes. The Harionago’s hair reaches out, entangles the unsuspecting victim, and squeezes the life out of them. As the second Titanomachy draws near, the Gods of the Kami have advised their faithful to be fearful of walking alone at night, as creatures like the Harionago appear with concerning frequency. No one is quite sure what is creating more of these predatory monsters, but some would pay enterprising Scions to get to the bottom of it.

Primary Pool (13): Feats of Strength, Grappling, Melee Attacks Secondary Pool (11): Athletic Feats, Ranged Attacks Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10

Archetype: Monster Qualities: Natural Weapon (Vicious Bite), Twitchy Flairs: Immobilize, Long Arm, Spray N’ Pray Drive: Hunt prey foolish enough to wander the streets at night Segments: 2 (3 Health Each) Primary Pool (11): Hair Attacks, Urban Stealth Secondary Pool (9): Getting Attention, Tracking Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 6 Defense: 4 Initiative: 11 HECATONCHEIRES The Hundred-Handed, three children of Uranus and Gaea, Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges were critical to the Theoi Gods winning the first great Titanomachy. The Hecatoncheires realized the destruction the Titans would cause if left unchecked. The decision was made to turn on their family and fight alongside Zeus to help imprison the Titans in Tartarus. After the Titanomachy, the Hecatoncheires swore to guard Tartarus for eternity, but as a new Titanomachy brews the jailers fear an attempt to break out of the prisons. The Hecatoncheires are trying to find a way to see an attack on Tartarus coming. Followers of the Theoi have been helping the Hundred-Handed by searching the World for Scions that can stop threats that are getting near the various entrances to Tartarus. If the Theoi Titans ever break out, the Hecatoncheires would leave massive trails of destruction in their crusade to return the prisoners.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Armor Piercing, Destructive Force, Perfected Soldier, Stand Tall, Tough as Nails, Unstoppable 116

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 4 HYAKKI YAKOU, THE NIGHT PARADE OF ONE HUNDRED DEMONS When the Kami invaded the Reed Plain, there were many Yōkai who resisted. The descendants of these vanquished rebels held that anger in their hearts. Meeting in secret, they devised a method of showing their displeasure with the Kami rule, to gather in the night to play music, sing

songs, and speak the truth of their pain. Mortals loyal to the Kami grew to fear these chaotic gatherings, which appeared as night fell and cleared out with the sunrise. They came to call them the Hyakki Yakou, or the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, a name that they bear as a badge of honor. Whenever the Kami got wind of them, they would send their Scions to disrupt the proceedings and slay the Yōkai participating. Over the centuries, this has reduced the enthusiasm of many and radicalized others. If they will not be heard peacefully, then they will be heard in the crash of an iron club. These groups of the Night Parade have long aligned themselves with troublemaking Titans like Raijin and

Example Antagonists

117

Fūjin, courting their abilities to disrupt Kami agents and communities.

Primary Pool (13): Deception, Investigation, Medicine

Much of the Night Parades numbers are comprised of oni who have a natural talent for concealing themselves and their villages from the prying eyes of Takamagahara. Though some mortals, particularly occultists, align themselves with the Night Parade’s cause, most view the mortal population warily. To the Hyakki Yakou, most mortals are simply collaborators with the Kami occupation of the Reed Plain.

Secondary Pool (11): Blades, Survival

Agenda: The Hyakki Yakou most often appear as peaceful protesters, a pandemonium of self-expression and emotion that terrifies unwitting mortals but leaves them unharmed. Radicals, tired of Kami suppression and human collaboration sack temples, damage infrastructure and prey on mortals for their part in the occupation. Many seek to aid Fūjin in his plan to restore Izanami, hopeful that such an event would destabilize the Kami grip on the Reed Plain. The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is an event the Band might come across, or be called upon to investigate. Storyguides should use the antagonist information in this chapter to define individual members.

INDECH, SON OF DOMNU One of Domnu’s first children, created by her out of saltwater and mud, Indech has assumed the role of physician to the Tuatha Dé Domnann, a role previously vacant. Indech has actively discarded his humanity; his experiments in creating life spawned The Monster and many other creations, smaller but no less twisted. Many centuries old, the once-human spends the vast majority of his time in a massive underground cave system which he’s converted into a laboratory. Indech emerges largely only to spend time with his mother — who he adores beyond all reasoning — and to search for Relics to power his next experiment. While his creations may wreak havoc, Indech himself tends not to bother anyone, unless they’ve got a Relic he wants, or a particularly useful body part which he could incorporate into his next design…. Indech’s body reflects his many experiments; he has incorporated others’ body parts and Relics into himself. Much the same way that tattoo artists practice on themselves, Indech did his earliest, crudest work on his own corpus. His work has involved a fair deal of grave-robbing and trading in stolen Relics. As a result, very few pantheons don’t have a bounty on Indech’s head.

Archetype: Titanspawn Callings: Primeval, Sage Purviews: Chaos, Death, Epic Stamina, Wild Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Life Drain, Regeneration, Vulnerability (Fire) Flairs: Curse, Plague Touch, Touch of Asclepius Drive: Create new and interesting monsters; make Mother proud 118

Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 THE NEW INDRAJIT It is unimaginable that a rakshasa would live and not know Indrajit’s name. Eternally loyal child! Gentle loving husband! Warrior beyond compare! Born Meghanada, Indrajit won his name defeating the Storm Lord Indra himself, rescuing his father from the Devá. Only his father’s war with Rama would lead Indrajit into a battle even he, slayer of armies and conqueror of heaven, victor over Hanuman and Lord Indra and countless lesser lights, could not win. It’s no surprise that after his death, Indrajit’s name is a watchword for excellence and might amongst rakshasa in the modern World. With the rising tide of the rakshasa welfare movement, chants of “Ravana reborn!” are often followed by “I am Indrajit!” Rakshasa devote themselves to excellence in pursuit of the cause. For in pursuit of their people’s safety and prosperity, could any rakshasa do less? Yet someone… something… stirs in the World and beyond, hands clutching divine weapons, mouth forming the words of holy wrath. It cannot be the Indrajit who saved Ravana and defeated Hanuman; that man is surely dead. Is the new Indrajit someone piecing back an ancient and mighty Mantle, seeking to remake the peerless warrior and challenge Ravana reborn for leadership of the rakshasa? Or is it something worse, a fake rakshasa master of battle assembled from stolen magics, pilfered divine Relics, and constructed to strike at rakshasa, Devá, and the World at large? Agenda: If this truly is a claimant to Indrajit’s Mantle, they will likely attempt to perform greater and greater deeds in pursuit of Fate and divine recognition. While there are far worse individuals to emulate than Indrajit, assembling a Mantle forged from earth-shaking conflict isn’t going to be pleasant for those witnesses, much less involuntarily participants. On the other hand, if some schemer has raised up an identikit “Indrajit” and supplied their creation with magical potency to wreak havoc and ruin relations between rakshasa and the wider World, “Indrajit” is likely to strike public targets and cause mayhem until someone can put their invincibility to a proper test. Hooks: Rakshasa have been congregating around spots rumored to be related to Indrajit’s return, causing nervous mortals to get other Scions and supernatural beings involved. It’s a dangerous climate for a true claimant of the Mantle to return to, and a recipe for disaster if a false Indrajit were to attack groups already prone to distrusting rakshasa. Astras and other supernatural weapons have gone missing, pilfered from locations in the World, Terra Incognitae,

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

and beyond. Is an overzealous claimant to Indrajit’s Mantle recovering what they think belongs with it? Or is some malefactor loading down their terror weapon with enough divine firepower to cause real damage to the World?

Archetype: Nemesis/Titanspawn Qualities: Perfected Soldier, Willful (Nemesis); Apocalyptic Presence, Unstoppable (Titanspawn) Flairs: Molon Labe, Penetrator, Shapeshifter, Under Pressure (Nemesis); Detonation, Making Space, Seeing Red (Titanspawn) Drive: Create and assume Indrajit’s Mantle to lead the rakshasa or bring ruin to rakshasa, Devá, and mortal alike Primary Pool (11/13): Leadership, Martial Excellence (+2 Enhancement), Strategic Planning (Nemesis); Destruction, Distraction, Ruin (Titanspawn) Secondary Pool (9/11): Civic Planning, Magical Knowledge, Stealth (Nemesis); Despoiling the Sacred, Insults, Leaving False Trails (Titanspawn) Desperation Pool: 6/7 Health: 8/10 Defense: 4/4 Initiative: 9/10 Size: 1 (Nemesis) or 2 (Titanspawn) Extras: Soft Armor (Nemesis); Mystic Arsenal (Astras and mythic weapons of dubious provenance, both) INTERNET TROLLS (LESSER)

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Group Tactics (Online Pile-On), Institutional Disbelief, Miasmic Presence Flairs: Mastermind, Thousand Faces (Online) Drive: Pwn those who think they’re so damned righteous Primary Pool (9): Computer Security, Persuasion Secondary Pool (7): Emojis, Memes Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 INTERNET TROLLS (GREATER) Greater internet trolls are like the classic trolls of legend: Fierce, hairy giants who grind human bones to make their bread. They don’t hang out under bridges or in caves; these trolls hang out on the internet. They travel through cables, ride fiber optics, or hitchhike on wi-fi to come bursting out of your phone, desktop, tablet, or any other connected device. After that, you know the drill: grind, bones, bread. Greater internet trolls aren’t too bright, but work well when a Titan Scion dispatches them through the internet to devour an enemy. Often, they work in tandem with lesser trolls; if someone gives grief to a lesser troll, a greater one may piggyback on a tweet and step straight out of the screen. Remember, don’t feed the trolls!

Some internet trolls are mundane shit-stirrers. Others are truly trolls.

Archetype: Titanspawn

Lesser internet trolls are creatures created from the Purviews of Chaos, Deception, or Passion (Hate.) They know exactly what to say to infuriate their targets, and how to convince gullible people with lies. They have an intuitive understanding of what they can get away with without triggering watchdog algorithms. They stay up-to-date on techniques for avoiding computer trace-backs. Tracking down a troll takes serious skill.

Flairs: Seeing Red

Internet trolls are devoted to the Titanomachy; they sow confusion and damage the reputations of Heroes and Gods. In person, internet trolls are cowardly pushovers, but online, they can be lethal — many an unstable person has been goaded into violence by these monsters.

Qualities: Heavily Armored, Institutional Disbelief, Sure-Footed, Vulnerability (Church Bells), Vulnerability (Sunlight) Drive: Crunch, munch, brunch Primary Pool (13): Smash n’ Bash, Sniffing Out Prey Secondary Pool (11): Cleaning Their Plate, Signal Surfing Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10

LOL TROLLS Both lesser and greater internet trolls benefit from not being taken seriously. No one imagines something nine feet tall can emerge from a screen and bite off the head of whoever’s at the keyboard. It’s a joke, right? Witnesses are rare: Greater trolls don’t stop until they’ve smashed everything and eaten everyone in the building. Fee-fie-foe-fum, they smell the blood of an Englishman. Once the dinner party’s over, greater trolls disappear the way they came. Forensic teams immediately know a troll was responsible — they leave gory buckets of evidence — but nothing indicates how the troll got in or out of the building. Anyone suggesting the internet might be responsible is likely to be ignored by the sheer absurdity of the suggestion. Example Antagonists

119

Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 JAMESON BEAUMONT III, SCION OF GAEA Jameson Beaumont III of the Fairfield Beaumonts is a model of American success. Raised by money older than the nation, Gaea has carefully cultivated the influence of the family, gifting them with prosperity in exchange for service. At Beaumont-Clarendon Investments, Jameson has manipulated countries and economies on behalf of his true mother, all to prove worthy of paradise once she has toppled the usurper Zeus from his throne. Jameson believes that the World is divided between the weak and the strong. He will do anything to preserve his place in Gaea’s paradise, and he remains vigilant against sentiment that would allow the weak to flourish. After all, prosperity would lose its value if everyone could partake in it. Agenda: Jameson does the bidding of Gaea no matter what she may ask, for he knows that what she has given to his family she can take. When not receiving orders from his mother’s grim idol underneath the family estate, he leads the Saturnian Society in its apocalypse-inducing activities. Jameson courts some Titan Scions to assist him, while doing his best to thwart others who he fears might use their power against him, such as Prince Annapolis. At every step, he checks meticulously for signs of weakness in his work, ever fearful that a humble mistake may cause him to fall from Gaea’s grace.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: By Divine Right, Captain of Industry, Haughty Summons, Hidden in the Masses, I Have Friends, Perfect Poise, Present Dread, Flairs: Divine Providence, Divine Right, Mastermind Drive: Bring about Gaea’s new World and prove himself worthy of it Primary Pool (11): Run the World, Scheming, Silver Tongue Secondary Pool (9): Ivy League Education, Self-Defense Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Leader 2, Tyrant 3, Guardian 1 Purviews: Metamorphosis, Order, Prosperity Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal (a branch from a Golden Age tree, grants access to Prosperity purview) JIĀOLÓNG When Chinese villages and towns on the water flood with sudden violence, local radio reports a new Jiāolóng has been born. Sometimes called Flood Dragons, these Lóng dwell

120

within the rivers and seas of China. In their natural guise, they are serpentine creatures with the head of a fish-like tiger and brilliant white scales around their neck. Like most Lóng, they are natural shapeshifters able to assume human form and become as big or small as they need. They naturally command the tides, and all sea creatures obey their desires. Most of the Jiāolóng are courtiers of the Dragon King Ào Guāng, and often act as his agents or handmaidens to his children. They are fiercely powerful warriors and are said to enjoy the taste of mortals, though decorum might prevent them from indulging.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Flight, Perfected Soldier Flairs: Leader of the Pack (Sea Creatures), Shapeshifter, Weather Tyrant Drive: Protect their charge on pain of death Primary Pool (9): Close Combat, Draconic Courtier Secondary Pool (7): Keeping Vigilant, Navigating Bureaucracy Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 5 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 Extras: When using Shapeshifter to assume its Lóng form, the Flood Dragon gains +1 Size. JISHIN, SCION OF NAMAZU Jishin was not born to a divine parent. His dad was a professional sumo wrestler, and his mother was a demolitions expert for her father’s construction company. Jishin was always a large child, but the taunts of the other kids meant nothing to the quiet boy. While the others played sports or focused on their studies, Jishin was admiring what his mom did, learning everything he could about explosives and structural weaknesses. On the weekends he would cheer his father on in one match after another. The genuine love for destruction gained the attention of the Titan Namazu, who watched Jishin grow and not only step into his mother’s footsteps but gain a reputation as a skilled demolitionist in his own right. At that point, Namazu decided to reach from where she was trapped and pull strings to challenge the young man. Jishin found himself presented with opportunities to destroy buildings that were not on the schedule. Criminals and shadowy figures approached him, wanting to hire him to destroy buildings, sometimes ones that were still occupied. Much to the horrors of the local community, Jishin passed the challenges and was visited in a dream by the great Namazu. Agenda: Jishin sees his Visitation as permission to push things further. Namazu has given her blessing for Jishin to create bigger and more devastating explosions until the earth itself shakes, and that’s precisely what Jishin plans to do. Early confrontations with law enforcement have made Jishin take his time picking his targets and always have an

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

exit plan. Having caused as much destruction as he can likely get away with in Japan, Jishin has started traveling the World. He is always on the lookout for larger targets and ways to cause more extensive destruction. Hooks: Jishin is a walking powder keg waiting to destroy whatever gets in his way and this ranges from a person in front of him on the street to a building blocking his view of the sky. A Storyguide could have reports of seemingly random explosions around the city. When local authorities looked into it, they were confronted by a man that was far too powerful to be a mere mortal. Law enforcement is seeking help from anyone that thinks they can deal with a one-person demolition crew.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Collateral Damage, Destructive Force, Twitchy, Unnatural Behavior (Compulsive Destruction) Flairs: Detonation (Range), Penetrator, Tripwire, World Shaking Drive: Make the World shake and tremble! Primary Pool (11): Demolitions, Finding Weak Spots Secondary Pool (9): Heavy Lifting, Keeping Balance Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Monster Purviews: Earth (Quakes), Epic Strength Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 11 Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Jishin has a zippo that he uses to light his many fuses. The zippo never runs out of fuel and gives Jishin access to the Fire purview. JÖTUNN Jötunn in the sagas didn’t always refer to giants, but in the modern age of the World, the word ‘Jötunn’ has come to solely mean “Æsir-related giants.” Massive humanoid creatures, Jötunn stand absolutely no chance of blending in with the normal press and flow of humanity; instead, they stay in the few truly wild places left in the World. While the Æsir named the Jötunn, creatures like Sasquatch also fall under the umbrella of that name these days. Unlike the smaller Jötnar, the largest Jötunn do not seek out havoc to wreak. They’ve had enough of war. Generally shy and timid, they prefer to live on their own in their isolated homes, and rarely bother anyone unless someone bothers them first. Invade the home territory of a Jötunn, however, or — Heaven forfend — interfere with their children, and you’ve got a fight on your hands. Those not wishing to fight a Jötunn often find them amenable to gifts; they’ve no use for modern technology and find baubles insulting, but a finely crafted story might make amends for accidental trespass.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration, Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water) Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under Pressure Drive: Be left alone to raise their families in the few remaining wild places in the World Primary Pool (13): Grappling, Punching Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Woodlore Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 KELPIE Where some humans fall prey to the lure of a beautiful human of whatever gender attracts them, others just can’t resist the lure of a graceful horse. Kelpies found their meals somewhat lacking in the last two centuries, however, as the horse has gradually fallen out of favor. Rumors abound that some few Kelpies have begun perfecting their new shapeshifting, so that the once-common horse shapeshifters might these days take the form of gorgeous old Bentleys just sitting there, engines purring, ready to lure in the next generation of drivers. Of course, fae have a hard time changing, so the Bentleys might be several decades out of date even if the shapeshifters do manage this new feat. While a Kelpie has the ability to mostly change shape into a human, they cannot change the shape of their feet. Kelpies perpetually and only ever have hooves — a dead giveaway for those would-be victims who would prefer to stay alive. The equine fae commonly live around and in the lochs of Scotland, and reputedly an entire herd of them live in Loch Ness. Not surprisingly, they’ve followed the Scottish people in their emigration to the United States, with multiple Kelpies found wherever there’s a significant Scots population. The herd at Loch Ness can’t hold a candle to the herds roaming rural Pennsylvania, and a perhaps-surprising number make their home in North Carolina as well.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Invulnerability (Toxins), Toxin (Bite or Claw), Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh) Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, Shapeshifter Drive: Lure humans in. Eat. Don’t piss off Nessie. Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6

Example Antagonists

121

KHALKOTAUROI

KRAKEN

Two enormous bulls, crafted by Hephaestus and gifted to King Aeetes, the Khalkotauroi have always served as guardians of Relics sacred to the Theoi. Most famously the Khalkotauroi guarded the legendary Golden Fleece which they served as an obstacle when Jason attempted to obtain it. With parts of their body made of the finest bronze and literal fire in their bellies, the bulls breathe flames at thieves coveting their Relics. With the rise of a new Titanomachy, the Gods of the Theoi have relocated the Khalkotauroi to an unknown location, to defend something of extreme importance.

As long as humans have sailed the seas, they have told tales of the kraken. More significant than most whales and capable of sinking all but the largest ships, this mighty titanspawn patrols the oceans with one goal in mind: remove everything that does not belong on the sea. While historians of the World cannot agree on the exact origins of the kraken, most agree that it is somehow tied to the Æsir, as its earliest appearances place it in Scandinavian waters. Each year Heroic Scions will search the oceans for the great beast and the kraken ends a few Legends early.

Archetype: Monster

Archetype: Titanspawn

Qualities: Heavily Armored, Invulnerability (Fire), Natural Weapon (Horns and Hooves)

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force, Entrap, Keystone (Salt Water), Natural Weapon (Mighty Tentacles and Beak), Unstoppable

Flairs: Seeing Red, Spray N’ Pray Drive: Stand guard Primary Pool (11): Fire Breath, Horn Attack Secondary Pool (9): Feats of Stamina, Hooves Desperation Pool: 5

Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Long Arm, Miasma, Penetrator, Shadow Step Drive: Clear the ocean of mortal influence Segments: 2 (3 Health each) Primary Pool (13): Swimming, Tentacle Attacks

Health: 6

Secondary Pool (11): Stealth, Tracking

Defense: 4

Desperation Pool: 7

Initiative: 9

Health: 10

Size: 2, +1 Scale Bonus

Defense: 4 Initiative:10

KONGAMATO In the rivers and swamps of Zambia and Congo dwells a creature of the prehistoric age. Known to locals as Kongamato (“Breaker of Boats”), these giant pterosaurs have survived through multiple extinction events and into the modern era. No Òrìshà God or mortal sorcerers take credit for preserving this creature — the World has many mysteries even to the divine. The long-beaked beast gets its name from multiple reports of it attacking and sinking small fishing vessels. Locals have recently posted want-ads for Scions to reduce the Kongamato population.

Archetype: Monster Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Heavy Coils) Flairs: Here I Come, Penetrator Drive: Find food and survive Primary Pool (11): Claw, Flight Maneuvers

Size: 3 LAMIA The lamiae are cursed beings, serpentine shapeshifters compelled by Fate to devour children. The lamiae in their true form appear as fanged, beautiful people with either a serpentine lower body or legs of writhing serpents, though they may disguise their nature outside of battle. All are descendants of Lamia, a lover of Zeus. For their affair, Hera slew her children and cursed her to spread her pain to others for all eternity. Modern lamiae are transformed in young adulthood and feel a compulsion to consume blood, with the blood of children as the most satisfying. Horrified and embittered by their cursed nature, many turn to serving the Titans and their cults, seeking vengeance against Zeus — and Hera especially for their curse.

Archetype: Rival

Desperation Pool: 5

Qualities: Heavily Armored, Imperfect Disguise, Natural Weapon (Talons and Fangs), Unnatural Behavior

Health: 6

Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Seeing Red, Thousand Faces

Defense: 4

Drive: Devour children and take revenge on the Theoi for their curse

Secondary Pool (9): Perception, Tracking

Initiative: 9 Size: 1

Primary Pool (9): Close Combat, Seduction, Sneaking Secondary Pool (7): Fleeing Reprisal

122

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Desperation Pool: 5

Secondary Pool (9): Grapple, Perception

Health: 3

Desperation Pool: 5

Defense: 3

Health: 6

Initiative: 6

Defense: 4 Initiative: 9

LILLIN Whether the lillin actually came into being birthed by Lilith, the first woman made by God as told in Jewish midrashim, or whether they simply claim to be her children and come from a similar-but-different pantheon, the lillin insist that their mother gave birth to them in a cave just outside Eden. When three angels came to demand Lilith return to Eden and Adam, and she refused to do so, the angels killed 100 of her children for every day she did not return; the lillin claim to be the Earth-bound specters of those hundreds and hundreds of children. They roam the earth looking for suitable humans to possess; despite the midrashim, they don’t kill children, since they claim that they themselves died as innocent children. More often than not, they get up to mischief rather than doing any actual harm.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Disembodied, Life Drain Flairs: Curse, Mirror Mirror, Plague Touch Drive: Cause trouble. Have fun. Primary Pool (9): Mischief, Quick Wits, Scheming Secondary Pool (7): Stealth, Trickery Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 MANETO The word maneto is very similar to the Algonquin word for God, which is what many believe the great horned serpent to be upon seeing its massive body stretching longer than many ships. Maneto lurk in any body of freshwater large enough to hold their tremendous length. The serpents patrol the waterways looking for food and any mortals that are foolish enough to swim in deep waters. Currently, several maneto are patrolling the waters around Manitoulin Island in Ontario. No one knows if they are guarding the Manitou sacred space or trying to prevent followers of the Manitou Gods from reaching the island.

Size: 2 MARY LI, SCION OF KUĀFÙ Mary is the oldest of three siblings, raised in Flushing, Queens by her mother and well-meaning but overworked stepfather. She soon learned the hardships of being a stranger in a strange land. She watched her mother and step-father get told to go back to China. She helped pick her siblings back up when bullies would shove them down. She watched as the influential people on the television were always white men, and a wave of anger grew inside her. Her mother refused to discuss Mary’s biological father, who left shortly after conceiving her littlest brother. “Focus on the future. Take advantage of the opportunities America gives us,” was all her mother would say about the family’s past. Determined to discover her heritage, Mary saved money through high school and, with her mother looking on in tears, booked a flight to Beijing to explore China. Agenda: Mary Li has discovered that much of China mocks the name of her father, who she has learned is Kuāfù. Seeing this as another denial of her history, Mary embarked on a journey to take over any area that she feels is lying about her father. Kuāfù has granted his daughter many followers to help her accomplish this task, though so far, he is not getting personally involved. Mary is a passionate woman that can sometimes be quick to anger but always is focused on elevating her interpretation of her heritage. Currently, her plans have impacted a few small towns, but she is looking to travel back to New York and educate the large Chinese population on who her father is and more importantly, who she is. Hooks: Mary Li is a modern-day conqueror, and if she manages to take Flushing or any Chinatown in New York, the World will know her name. Her actions are unknowingly moving the Titanomachy along, and she will eventually become a significant threat if no one stops her. Storyguides can provide rumors of a Titan Scion trying to take over predominantly east Asian neighborhoods in New York City. If she is ignored for too long, and she ascends to Demigodhood, the World will contend with a severe threat.

Archetype: Nemesis

Archetype: Monster

Qualities: By Divine Right, Imposing Presence, Martial Arts (Heroic), Willful

Qualities: Heavily Armored, Keystone (Water), Natural Weapon (Horns and Teeth), Vulnerability (Electricity)

Flairs: Hidden in the Masses, Knockout, Reflected Intent, Shadow Step

Flairs: Immobilize Drive: Keep mortals out of the water Primary Pool (11): Bite, Swim

Drive: Tear down the old ways Primary Pool (11): Intimidation, Martial Arts Secondary Pool (9): Chinese History, Leadership Desperation Pool: 6 (9)

Example Antagonists

123

Callings: Adversary, Creator, Liminal Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Order Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal (A bronze spear gifted to her by her father. Grants access to the War purview.) MATTHEW REEDER, SCION OF ATEN The leader of Clear Light Church, an apocalyptic Evangelical group operating out of a compound in northeast Pennsylvania, Matthew grew up in the mountains. He knows the land like the back of his hand, and he knows its people well, too. He knows who they are and how to speak to them. He knows how to lead them with a combination of cajoling, threatening, and playing on their fears of outsiders with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other. Matthew’s the one who made their church financially self-sustaining and who now locates and directs them toward their targets. Of course, the One True God he’s leading them to worship isn’t what they expect — instead it’s a World-conquering Titan. Oops. The thing is, Matthew knows. He and his parent delight in duping their easily manipulated followers and twisting scripture to chaotic, deadly ends.

Archetype: Nemesis Callings: Adversary, Warrior Purviews: Beasts (Snakes), Chaos, Darkness, Deception Qualities: By Divine Right, I Have Friends, Life Drain Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, World Shaking Drive: Amass Followers. Feed Relics and anything else to Dad. Primary Pool (11): Brainwashing, Divination, Tracking Secondary Pool (9): Firearms, Oration, Survival Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal (Matthew wears a gold holy symbol, blessed by a priest of the One True God. It grants access to the Sun purview.) Clear Light Church Clear Light Church holds few beliefs sacred. They believe to a person that the end of the World is nigh. They believe that only one God exists, and all others pretend to a throne of which they can never become worthy. They believe that they’ll survive the coming end times if they wipe every pretender and all their children from the face of the earth.

124

The Clear Light Church puts on a kind, folksy face for the government and media, but the moment the cameras turn off and the census-taker has left, they go right back to preparing for the coming apocalypse and hunting Scions. None of them have any idea that Matthew Reeder is one of the pretenders they hunt. At least half a dozen Scions and Guides from multiple pantheons have met their end courtesy of weaponry wielded by Clear Light Church members. Relics from those Scions lie buried in secret caches across the hundreds of acres the Church owns in Monroe County, Pennsylvania — Matthew doesn’t want them destroyed, a fact that confuses some of his followers.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Perfected Soldier Flairs: Molon Labe Drive: Follow the word of Matthew & prepare the World for the Second Coming by destroying all Pretenders

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Primary Pool (7): Firearms, Tracking, Woodlore Secondary Pool (5): Endurance, Very Specific Biblical Knowledge Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1 Defense: 1 Initiative: 4 Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s choice) MERFOLK Human mythology has inflicted hundreds of quite mistaken roles on merfolk: Stories cast them as longing lovers or girls singing about forks with seashells pasted to their chests. Supposed scientists deny these stories and substitute other incorrect ones, calling merfolk the delusions of lust-wracked

sailors upon viewing a manatee. The merfolk of the World not only exist, they hunger, and bear far more resemblance to sharks and piranha than to delicate femme seductresses. They change their coloration and form in order to lure in targets and engage in echolalia that mimics human conversation. Those are simply lures, ways of bringing dinner to the metaphorical table. Merfolk have no gender and no interest in congress with humankind; they reproduce via parthenogenesis, and humans make delicious meals, nothing more. They shift their apparent gender for the same reason they shift their coloration: for hunting. Some merfolk have poison glands in their cheeks, the better to stun a victim upon biting them, and others cause paralysis by means of an ichorous coating on their claws.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Group Tactics, Invulnerability (Toxins), Toxin (Bite or Claw), Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh) Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, Shapeshifter

Example Antagonists

125

Drive: Eat. Swim. Eat. Swim. Eat.

MOKELE-MBEMBE

Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 MICAELA STANDISH, SCION OF FŪJIN Micaela Standish was born from a brief affair between her mother, a soldier stationed in Okinawa, and her father, the Titan Fūjin. Their time together was brief and sweet, and for a moment Fūjin thought he could live a happy life with his new family. But he feared becoming his father. Like so many other Scions he has fathered, he left Micaela behind, and turned his attention back towards the wind.

When the disaster struck that removed the mighty dinosaurs from the surface of the earth, at least one managed to survive. A towering, long-necked beast fled from the fires and smoke into deep jungle and found a place to hide. The skies about the canopy went dark, but the lone dinosaur managed to sleep, which is what it did for countless ages. Many years later, humans would make it to the Congo, stumble on evidence of a surviving dinosaur and the legend of Mokele-mbembe was born. Mokele-mbembe is not usually an aggressive creature but will defend itself if threatened. Since its discovery, groups of humans have hired Hunter Calling Scions to help track the monster, but no Scion has managed to slay it yet.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force, Heavily Armored, Natural Weapon (Claws and Fangs), Stand Tall, Unstoppable

Micaela’s mother never seemed to recover from their brief tryst, pining for Fūjin in a way that infuriated Micaela. She inherited her father’s tempestuous moods and affinity for the stranger creatures in Japan; these yōkai told her of her father’s anger with the Kami, and Micaela resolved to aid their struggle. If Micaela can shake the very heavens of Takamagahara, she might finally meet the father who has loomed so large over her life.

Flairs: Penetrator, Seeing Red, World Shaking

Agenda: Micaela is a militant organizer of the Hyakki Yakou, using knowledge gleaned from her time as a soldier to train all kinds of Yōkai in squad tactics and the usage of modern weaponry. To the fine military mind of Bishamon, her refined tactics are obvious. The Fortune of War is gravely concerned for his Scions, who are often the target of Micaela’s temple-breaking operations.

Defense: 4

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: All Disaster, Complete Privacy, I Have Friends, Presence of Magic, The Voice of the Storm Flairs: Bolt from the Blue, Second Wind, Spray n’Pray, The Watchful Spirit, Weather Tyrant Drive: Draw Fūjin’s attention through calamity Primary Pool (11): IED-Crafting, Marksmanship, Military Strategy Secondary Pool (9): Revolutionary Logistics, Yōkai Etiquette Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Liminal 2, Primeval 4, Sage 1 Purviews: Chaos, Sky, Yaoyorozu-no-Kamigami Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Micaela is protected by a squad of oni who often wait in ambush around her. Mystic Arsenal (A storm satchel fashioned after Fūjin’s bag of winds, channels Sky) 126

Drive: Eat, sleep, eat again. Primary Pool (13): Bite, Stomp Secondary Pool (11): Charge, Tracking Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Initiative: 10 Size: 3 THE MONSTER Poor thing. It’s not The Monster’s fault that Indech made him out of spare parts. A false hand of Nuada, an eye someone claimed once belonged to Balor, even a bit traded from someone who claimed to have gotten it off one of the Netjer — The Monster’s body doesn’t match, doesn’t fit, and hurts. All the time. He hurts. All. The. Time. Mismatched legs make walking painful, hands which don’t want to open or close properly, and a digestive system stitched together from the leftovers Indech fished out of canopic jars means that the eating may not hurt that much, but the two hours after each meal pass in agony. He must eat, though, because (unfortunately) he’s alive. He must move, too — even laying down doesn’t provide him with relief. If someone could, by some means, provide him with a single painless night’s sleep, The Monster would owe them a debt for the rest of his agonizing life. Much like the creature first written about by a teenage girl during one long, very cold summer, The Monster’s far more intelligent than most people might assume. No shambling, groaning creature, this. The Monster wants nothing more than to find his creator once more. He would like a few carefully selected words with Indech.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Archetype: Titanspawn

NIAN

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration, Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water) Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under Pressure Drive: Find his maker and make him meet his maker Primary Pool (13): Oratory, Punching Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Grappling Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 10 Defense: 4

In the hills of China, a great beast slumbers for most of the year. Part lion, part canine, the size of a small building, Nian waits until the first day of the lunar calendar before searching the country for humans to devour. For many years this titanspawn terrorized the people, leading to a fearful New Year’s Day. Seeing this, the Shén taught the people that Nian could not stand the color red or loud noises. From that point forward, Lunar New Year has included large festivals, filled with dancing, drums, and a lot of red. With the second Titanomachy brewing, many smaller towns struggle to prepare for the traditional festival. Without outside help from some brave Scions, Nian may feast once again.

Archetype: Titanspawn

Initiative: 10 MUKADE Mukade are demons resembling the jungle centipede. Though they come in many sizes small and large, most often they are swollen to the size of a small dog and grow larger over time. Their carapaces are etched with leering faces, their legs glow a fiery orange in dim lighting. Mukade envy the wisdom of others, seeking to steal it for themselves by devouring the brains of their victims. Often, they crawl through the nose or ears of sleeping hosts to devour their brain, lying in the cavity to digest their meal of wisdom. The wisest of them may puppeteer the bodies of victims, using one host to find others who might offer them more wisdom or a better home. Subtle creatures by nature, Omukade’s children often target tourists, using mind-eaten hosts to board planes to travel wherever modern conveyance can take them. This network of mukade spies serve their patriarch and his allies, spying on Scions and subverting cults through their infiltration. In addition, some mukade serve Bishamon as guardians of treasure and shrine, using their natural battle prowess and venom to strike down the kami’s enemies.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Imperfect Disguise (victims of Possession look sickly), Natural Weapon (Wicked Bite), Super Soldier, Wall Crawler, Toxic Flairs: Possession, Read Mind Drive: Devour the brains of interesting people Primary Pool (7): Crawling Quickly, Fighting, Hunting Prey Secondary Pool (5): Impersonate Victim, Investigation Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1 Defense: 1

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force, Heavily Armored, Invulnerability (Manmade Weapons), Natural Weapon (Wicked Bite), Regeneration, Tough as Nails, Vulnerability (Loud Noises), Vulnerability (Red) Flairs: Making Space, Penetrator, Second Wind, Seeing Red, Suck It Up, World Shaking Drive: Sleep till New Year and then feast Primary Pool (13): Bite, Claw Secondary Pool (11): Athletic Feats Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 4 NIPAHÂHKATOSOW All wendigo suffer from a forbidden hunger for the flesh of humans. The hunger clouds their minds, but in rare cases, intellect holds out and creates a unique specimen. Nipahâhkatosow, a name meaning “they starved to death” or “they died of hunger,” is an intelligent wendigo that discovered it could manipulate the minds of weak-willed or desperate humans. Wanting others to experience the hunger that drives it, Nipahâhkatosow finds starving people or small groups of isolated humans getting dangerously low on supplies and implants the dark idea of cannibalism into their minds. The clever wendigo is long-lived, his bony fingers in every last recorded case of cannibalism within the past century. With the Titanomachy starting, Nipahâhkatosow is looking forward to the chaos that will ensue. Where war breaks out, the desolate and the lowest in society run out of food, and the wendigo will be there to provide dining suggestions.

Initiative: 4

Archetype: Monster

Extras: Against a trivial opponent, Possession gains a Duration of Indefinite. Read Mind may only be used on the victim of Possession. Removing mukade from a victim is extremely dangerous and may require healing magic, miracles, or advanced surgery.

Qualities: Imposing Presence, Natural Weapon (Claws and Teeth), Super Soldier, Twitchy, Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh) Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Seeing Red, Sorcery (Frost) Drive: Spread the hunger

Example Antagonists

127

Primary Pool (11): Claw, Manipulation Secondary Pool (9): Craft (Trap Making), Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 6

Archetype: Titanspawn

Defense: 4

Qualities: Destructive Force, Life Drain, Natural Weapon (Vicious Bite), Tough as Nails, Unstoppable, Wall Walker

Initiative: 9 Size: 1

Flairs: Create Spawn, Eye of the Swarm, Mastermind, Apocalyptic Presence

OMUKADE Many centuries ago, the Dragon King called upon the Hero Tawara Tōda, Scion of Hachiman to slay the demon called Omukade. The largest and greatest of his kind, Omukade had grown hundreds of feet long, his dark carapace gleamed in the sun, his thousands of red legs like torches upon Mount Mikami at night. Like all mukade, he possessed an urge to devour brains, particularly those of a dragon, to learn the secrets of enlightenment. Omukade invaded the Dragon Palace beneath Lake Biwa in his hunger and Tawara Tōda slew him, hacking his body into hundreds of pieces. He set the corpse of the demon alight, his brood squealing as they wriggled free of his burning flesh. Tawara Tōda slew all of them. All save one. The heir of Omukade was more careful than his father. He hid within villagers and bandits as he grew, until he reclaimed the Titanic size that was his birthright. Omukade reborn possessed a subtlety that his father lacked, hiding beneath the earth in modern Japan. From caverns he

128

directs his brood to spy and parley with the allies of Titans, those who promise him his greatest desires. Omukade hungers for two things: to taste the brains of dragons, as was denied to his father, and to take vengeance upon Hachiman and his Scions.

Drive: Devour the brain of a dragon Segments: 2 (3 Health each) Primary Pool (13): Destroy Enemies, Guide His Brood, Terrify Mortals Secondary Pool (11): Environmental Destruction, Moving Underground Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 ONI Oni are among the most well-known species of Yōkai, appearing throughout the folklore and popular culture of Japan, though few of them care for this spotlight.

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Villainized by the people of the Reed Plain, many live apart from mortals in oni villages hidden among rural communities and Terra Incognitae. Oni are physically imposing beings, renowned for their strength and endurance. A talent of oni gone mostly unnoticed by mortals is an uncanny ability to conceal themselves, most often used to avoid abuse and fearful treatment. Oni are typically larger than mortals, standing over six-feet tall, with either a single horn or multiple horns, as well as sharp claws. Most commonly their skin is red, blue, or green, but a few are other colors. Some rare oni, often hailed as lucky in their communities, are born with a third eye. Traditional elements of oni culture include wearing their hair free, a tiger-skin loincloth, and an iron kanabo. Modern oni experiment with hairstyles from all over the World that are better suited to their frizzy hair. Hunting tigers has become much more difficult as well, so most settle for clothing with tiger-skin patterns, such as scarves, jackets or pants. Oni working with Raijin in Japan’s criminal underworld are infamous for their tiger-skin suits. A raised iron kanabo has become a symbol of oni resistance to discrimination from the Kami and affiliated mortal communities. Those who wield these weapons are often participants in political movements such as the Hyakki Yakou and bear them as a symbol of pride in the face of oppression.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Martial Artist (Heroic), Natural Weapon (Horns) Flairs: Red Herring, Seeing Red Drive: Overcome oppression or live peacefully Primary Pool (7): Battle, Superhuman Endurance, Superhuman Strength Secondary Pool (5): Hiding, Personal Interest Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 3 Defense: 2 Initiative: 4 Extras: Many oni are truly massive in size and fearsome in battle and are treated as Rivals with the Unstoppable Quality. Oni may possess the Mystical Arsenal Quality, reflecting enchanted hats, cloaks, or other clothing which grant +2 Enhancement to move about unseen. PAZUZU Pazuzu — a leftover from a pantheon which no longer exists — sleeps underneath the desert. When he rises, at 12-feet tall, drought follows in his wake. His horrific breath wilts plants and melts glass from windowpanes. A human body, the head of a lion or a dog as it suits him, black ragged wings, a scorpion’s tail, and the talons of an eagle mean that this hungry titanspawn never gets mistaken for anything but a ravenous, monstrous creature. However, in

the excessively unlikely event that Scions convince Pazuzu to take up his old job of protecting humanity from other evil entities despite being a demon himself, he’ll make an intensely valuable ally.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Miasmic Presence, Regeneration, Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water) Flairs: Curse, Eye of the Swarm, Suck It Up, Weather Tyrant Drive: Be left alone. Pazuzu’s old and tired. Primary Pool (13): Biting, Kicking, Weather Control Secondary Pool (11): Hunting, Long Distance Travel, Perceptions Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 PEOPLE OF GOLD The smiling strangers will tell you this: In the days that Cronus ruled the universe, humanity didn’t need to hunt or farm for food, weave cloth or build shelter to protect themselves from the elements. All were in accordance with the master of the cosmos, wise in all the ways of the World, and there was no need for humanity to suffer or strive. When Zeus struck down Cronus, when the Titans fell before the younger Gods, there were no more Golden people for a long time. Humanity more fit to live in a World sullied by Zeus’s usurpation and poisoned by Cronus’s spilt blood inherited the earth, born to struggle in a World no longer fruitful beneath the hand of its rightful master. Isn’t that just awful? The smiling strangers believe that story so very much, even though they live in the World once more — beautiful figures with perfect bodies, perfect health, perfect teeth, and a perfect master to serve. For ages, the shades of the people born into paradise gave advice and wisdom to living humanity, treating mortals like beloved, if unfortunate, grandchildren. Even as the conflict between God and Titan threatens to return, Golden humanity are typically kind to most mortals… which has been complicated by the fact that in some corner of a Terra Incognita, the ancient beings have returned to full-bodied life. They are no longer trying to ease the lives of modern humanity: They’re going to fix the World, free the king of the universe, and remake the shape of the earth so that they can live without need or want ever again. They’re just so positive, so perfect and kind and sweet, they can easily talk their way into mortal friendships, organizations, and governments. Sure, there will be a whole lot less of mortal humanity around when they’re done, to say nothing of all these needless supernatural creatures and extra Gods, but the first humans to worship Cronus are willing to make that sacrifice for the survivors’ sakes. Isn’t that just great?

Example Antagonists

129

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Group Tactics, Institutional Disbelief Flairs: None Drive: Free Cronus and recreate Golden Age earth Primary Pool (7): Golden Tongues (+1 Enhancement), Good Advice Secondary Pool (5): Cheerful Violence, Mythic Landscaping Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1

of what he wished. This destiny weighed on him terribly, drove him to rebel. His youth was destructive — half spent learning sorcery, the other dedicated to doing the opposite of what others told him to. As an adult, Pierre no longer believes he can run from his destiny. Instead, he must prevent it at all costs. Agenda: He presents himself as a willing ally to his father, working with windigoag and other titanspawn to bring his plans to fruition, all while looking for opportunities to sabotage their plans at their most vulnerable. If people must die for him to stop the World’s ends, then he considers that a worthy sacrifice.

Archetype: Nemesis

Defense: 1 Initiative: 4

Qualities: Always Been Here, Martial Artist (Heroic), Master of the World, Unobtrusive Visitor

PHOUKA

Flairs: Cast the Runes, Curse, Red Herring, Ritual Magic, Sorcery

The phouka exist in a liminal state common to Irish fae: Depending on how someone approaches them, they might either show favor or curse anyone who interacts with them. Gift a phouka with a fine silk coat and he’ll guarantee your marriage stays filled with love for all your days, but neglect him and he’ll steal your shoes, your girlfriend, and your horse. Little wonder, then, that the Tuatha Dé Domnann find the little tricksters so delightful; anything which causes trouble to the Tuatha Dé Danann and their Scions delight the Irish Titans through and through. The Domnann sometimes send their Scions to treat with the phouka and send them off to annoy their rivals (and their Scions).

Drive: Infiltrate Titan Cults to prevent the end of the World Primary Pool (11): Infiltration, Self-Justification, Sorcery Secondary Pool (9): Charisma, Staff Fighting Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Liminal 2, Sage 2, Primeval 3 Purviews: Death, Deception, Wyrd Health: 5 Defense: 4

Archetype: Rival

Initiative: 9

Qualities: Obligation (Equal Exchange – must give a gift of equal or greater value for all gifts freely given by mortals)

Extras: Mystic Arsenal (His mother’s rune-carving staff, channels Wyrd)

Flairs: Curse, Shadow Step

PRINCE ANNAPOLIS, SCION OF METIS

Drive: Get shiny things! Primary Pool (9): Scheming, Trickery, Quick Wits Secondary Pool (7): Stealth, Things Long Forgotten Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 PIERRE LEVETT, SCION OF AE-PUNGISHIMOOK Ae-pungishimook would have Pierre serve his grand design, something the Scion does everything in his power to stop. Caught between two traditions, Pierre’s mother was a völva, a sorceress who traveled the World seeking mystic secrets and drew the attention of the West Wind. His birth was difficult, and his childhood even more so. She never lied to him: She believed it was his Fate to be a herald of Ragnarok, a wind to scour life from the World, regardless

130

When a 20 megawatt powerplant harnessed the tidewaters of the Annapolis River Sound in 1984, an observant engineer consecrated the turbines to Zeus in a fairly typical act of faith. What was not typical was the child born in the first moment of the Annapolis Royal Generating Station’s electrical generation in a crack of strictly nonregulation thunder. As the ancient power of the tide found itself again harnessed to a dynamo of lightning, Metis’s long frustrated influence and her endless cunning bore a child of the Olympian might and Titanic depths. Prince Annapolis leads a charmed life, prophetic dreams from his mother guiding him through foster care, the Canadian education system, high powered business schools, and the halls of power and multinational corporations… all so that he could properly unleash himself upon the World. Prince is a high-handed agent of chaos and downfall, slipping into organizations and governments as a highly paid consultant before turning to lead the masses as an innovative guru. In his wake, town councils, boardrooms, and presidential cabinets transform into nests of backstabbing and graft, and popular movements turn into

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

navel gazing pits filled with screamed arguments and recriminations, until Prince sets them off against another target. Agenda: Prince Annapolis works to dethrone Zeus and free his mother, but that’s far in the future. Until then, he practices toppling authorities and upending hierarchies, always with an eye to hurting Theoi interests or gaining useful allies for his continuing work. Titan, Scion, God, or other; he’s not picky about his allies, and if they fail to prove useful, they may very well turn into his next targets. Hooks: A popular politician’s reelection campaign dissolves into accusations of corruption and bribery; someone keeps getting friends and allies of the Theoi caught up in the investigation. A real estate firm begins buying up property worryingly close to local holy sites, and then the accusations of illegal dumping begin. As the Band’s friends begin turning on one another, Prince Annapolis approaches the Band and tells them he can make it stop, if they’ll just do him one little favor…

Archetype: Nemesis

rakshasa navigate such treacherous conditions, whether the root causes are misunderstanding or bigotry. Rakshasa come in a dizzying array of forms, though they tend towards a larger stature than most humans and possess a notable pair of fangs. Many hide their true forms behind illusions, but in an era of a swelling rakshasa rights movement, many refuse to hide their heritage any longer.

Archetype: Professional Flairs: Illusions OR Shapeshifter Drive: Secure the future Primary Pool (7): Feats of Strength, Leadership, Self-Defense Secondary Pool (5): Legendary History, Magic Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 2 Defense: 2 Initiative: 5 Extras: Sorcery-inclined rakshasa may possess both Illusions and Shapeshifting, as well as the Sorcerer Flair.

Qualities: By Divine Right, Obligation Flairs: Hail Eris!, Reflected Intent Drive: Topple Zeus and free Metis, in that order Primary Pool (11): Deception, Leadership, Sowing Chaos Secondary Pool (9): Academics, Combat Desperation Pool: 6 Callings: Adversary 3, Leader 2, Trickster 1 Purviews: Chaos, Deception, Metamorphosis, Order Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 RAKSHASA Traditional enemies, occasional friends, and continual neighbors of the Devá, the rakshasa have a reputation for man-eating ferocity, shapeshifting sorcery, and inhuman appetites, but most are simply people trying to make their way in the World. Their long history in Lankā and its surrounding environs has led to the creation of many legendary warriors and sages amongst their number, and many seek to keep those traditions of martial and sorcerous skill alive in the modern day. However, equal numbers look towards more contemporary careers, leading towards burgeoning enclaves of rakshasa professionals all around the globe. Sometimes, this leads to conflicts with bigots or entrenched interests with little desire to see supernaturally potent newcomers set up shop in their neck of the woods. Rakshasa often find themselves caught between defending themselves and their interests and getting tarred by ancient calumnies against them, a situation in which they have few allies. Bands of Scions are uniquely qualified to help

RAYVEN SILVERHAIR, THE TRUE DIANA, SCION OF NYX Born Karen Foster, Rayven came into her power as a Scion of Nyx in the early 1990s, when Dianic Wicca had just emerged as the next big thing. Taking a page from the Big Blue Book of Witchcraft, she did her parent proud by gathering a group of impressionable young women around her and forming an extremely devoted and virulent cult. She’s styled herself as The True Diana for nearly 30 years, and her cult, the Wombyn of the Moon-Water, has grown in numbers and power since. The first generation of Wombyn Warriors raised within the cult has begun giving birth to the second generation — via carefully-selected sperm donors — and Rayven rules over them with an iron fist shaped by radical feminist dogma. Those few who dare question how Rayven plans on overthrowing the gender-based kyriarchy with a mindset which only reinforces binary gender stereotypes quickly find themselves outside the cult’s inner circle, shamed and “cancelled” by the cult’s members. Those who question Rayven’s gender-essentialist doctrine must either be brought back in line or ejected from the cult with prejudice — sometimes without their lives. Two Scions of Cernnunos went missing 20 years ago after interaction with the cult, and their divine father holds a serious grudge — any Scion bringing back actionable intelligence to the Domnann Titan will find themselves heaped with gifts and praise.

Archetype: Nemesis Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant Purviews: Chaos, Darkness, Fertility, Passion (Insecurity) Qualities: By Divine Right, Rage of Herakles

Example Antagonists

131

Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Shadow Step Drive: Maintain control over her coven and maintain a pure lesbian community untainted by anyone she considers impure — bisexual women, transgender people, men… Primary Pool (11): Brainwashing, Divination, Lorecraft Secondary Pool (9): Knives, Oration Desperation Pool: 6

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Twitchy Flairs: Tripwire

Health: 5

Drive: Wreak havoc and get away with it

Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Mystic Arsenal (A silver pendant cast in the symbol of Diana. Grants access to the Moon purview) ROC

Primary Pool (7): Wreck (+1 Enhancement for breaking stationary objects), Bedevil and Prank, Scurry Away Secondary Pool (5): Bargain and Barter, Remember Ancient Lore Desperation Pool: 3

History is not clear on the origin of the great bird known as the roc, but the Yazata claim the mighty creature. Like an eagle the size of a tank, rocs migrate to where they can find large prey, famously known to carry elephants away in their talons. Clever Gods and Titans have pulled strings to redirect herds of large creatures towards a rival’s interest, knowing that rocs would soon follow. Villages have come to realize the Gods play games like this and have taken to reaching out to Scions when herds of large prey find their way near civilization.

Archetype: Monster Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Beak and Talons), Twitchy Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red Drive: Find food — the larger, the better. Primary Pool (11): Claw Attack, Grapple Secondary Pool (9): Flight Maneuvers, Spotting Prey Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 6 Defense: 4 Initiative: 11 Size: 2 ROGUE KALLIKANTZAROS Squat, chthonic imp-like creatures opposed to the Slavic Bogovoi pantheon, Kallikantzaros traditionally work towards the World’s destruction by sawing away at the World Tree’s roots… until they inevitably fail, distracted by their annual 12 day vacation to bedevil mortals in the World. Sometimes, one tires of their continual failure and chooses to stay in the World, putting their mischievous minds and talent for ruin towards more achievable ends. Though small and often comical looking by mortal standards, Kallikantzaros are able to plot and enact the

132

destruction of buildings, infrastructure, and even natural places with alarming swiftness through their infernal industry. Oftentimes, titanspawn, cultists, and others who need havoc wrecked with some matter of deniability seek out the Kallikantzaros, since for them specific employers mean little; most of them are happy to break things and see them stay broken for once.

Health: 1 Defense: 1 Initiative: 6 THE SATURNIAN SOCIETY A confraternity of the wealthy elite in the World, the Saturnian Society is a charitable organization comprised of people with more money than they know what to do with, dedicated to expending that money to make the World a paradise anew. Behind glitzy photo opportunities and large, performative checks made out to celebrities born in crisis, the Society is a mystery cult dedicated to Gaea. Each level of initiation includes further indoctrination into the cause through innocuous propaganda about the deserved helplessness of the less fortunate and the importance of preserving the worthy few through whatever crises will afflict the World next. CEOs, hedge fund managers, and magnates from countries all over the World represent their membership. As they become more deeply involved, compromising legal and financial ties are created between initiates and the Society until those who won’t advance further are comfortably ensnared in Gaea’s machinations, and those with the right attitude and aptitudes are told of the World that once was. Enslaved muses sing of the Golden Age before Zeus and the Theoi felled the Titans: When Cronus ruled and Gaea watched over him, the earth was a paradise, a garden where none suffered and the worthy enjoyed prosperity beyond imagining. The Society serves Gaea, who has promised them a place in the new Golden Age if they do her bidding and prepare the World for what will come next. The Society’s members prepare opulent bunkers, redoubts, and hidden temples to preserve them when the Titans remake the World. They are confident that they will be judged worthy by Gaea when the time comes. Some publicly flaunt these installations through television programs and online videos to underscore themselves in the eyes of

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

the public as harmless eccentrics, all the while putting very real efforts to bring about the end. Members of the Society make extensive use of private security and the latest technologies in pursuit of the agenda of their Titanic patron. The most prestigious families of the Society are aided and guarded by People of Gold (p. XX) that Gaea has recruited to her cause. Unwittingly, Society literature leaked on conspiracy websites has birthed a blue-collar offshoot called the NeoGaean Front, an international movement comprised of far-right militias and similar extremist groups in the World that convert old bunkers into chthonic temples to worship the Titans and beg for mercy when the end times come. Through dark money organizations, the Society bankrolls some of these groups to use against their enemies; a hammer that disguises the agenda of Gaea as mundane radical action or terrorism. Neo-Gaeans destroy local infrastructure and assassinate political figures, augmenting their weaponry and fanaticism with deadly sorcery. Agenda: The Society decries the current state of the World, the rise of nationalist, apocalyptic nuclear fears, and worry over climate change, all while dedicating considerable resources to making these things possible. Each member seeks to destabilize the World to make the cleansing of unworthy humanity easier so that when they emerge from their hideaways after the World has ended, it will be into paradise. Among their most enthusiastic partners towards this end are the agents of the Titan Ào Guāng. His Scions enthusiastically collaborate with the Saturnian Society on apocalyptic policy and profit-seeking, though they care little for the Society’s master. The Saturnian Society is an organization that characters might encounter or be called upon to research or infiltrate. Storyguides should use any other Antagonist write-up in this chapter to reflect individual members.

Scorpion Folk are surprisingly helpful and chatty. Scorpion Folk suggest alternatives to visitors seeking access to the mystic pathways they guard; not to avoid trouble, for who could trouble Tiamat’s destroyers? Not to thwart the seeker’s goals, for what lies beyond the doors of the Underworld for most mortals but their own deaths? No, Scorpion Folk help visitors for the simple reason that they want to. Mortal lives are short and often brutal, and the Scorpion Folk are, by and large, uninterested in making the tiny creatures’ lot any worse. This isn’t to say that a Band of Heroes or even Demigods can cavalierly approach and demand information about the local entries to the Underworld or Otherworldly paths. Doing so is a good way to convince Scorpion Folk to rouse themselves to action, and younger life in the World would do well to remember that while Tiamat was slain, the Scorpion Folk never died.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Baleful Touch, Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Dread Gaze, Penetrator (Ranged) Drive: Guard their charges and watch mortal life figure itself out Primary Pool (13): Every Sort of Violence, Knowledge of Otherworldly Paths, Sentry Duty Secondary Pool (11): Good Natured Advice, Terrify Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 8 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Size: 3 Segments: 2 (4 Health each)

THE SCORPION FOLK

Flairs: Dread Gaze, Penetrator

Created to wage war on the younger Gods by furious Tiamat, the Scorpion Folk are fit for cosmic violence. Enormous creatures of terrifying individual puissance, they curdle the very air with their presence, their visages alone enough to rout mortal armies, slay with a glance, and inspire terror in the hearts of Heroes. Chitinous scorpion legs bear tremendous humanoid trunks, shaded by gigantic wings. Some carry bows or other weapons in their mighty arms, but many don’t bother. After all, Tiamat created the Scorpion Folk to murder the Heavens. But they didn’t. Marduk slew Tiamat, and the Scorpion Folk found themselves instead tasked by the new masters of reality to guard the passages between the World and elsewhere: primarily gates and doors to the Underworld, but on occasion other Axis Mundi and Otherworlds. Their very presence wards off most visitors; few mortals can survive, much less enjoy, the company of Scorpion Folk. On the occasion that a supernatural creature, a Scion, or a particularly robust mortal succeeds in doing so, however,

SELKIES Selkies spend most of their time delivering messages for Domnu, the central and eponymous Titan of the Tuatha Dé Domnann. When they’re not delivering messages, they occupy their time by swimming and eating things. As lifestyles go, it’s quite enviable, with the slight disadvantage that when selkies come ashore, they must remove their seal skins and drop them on the sand. This leaves them vulnerable to having their skins stolen by creepy Irish fishermen attempting to trap themselves an unspeakably beautiful seal-wife. Unfortunately for fishermen, capturing one selkie means the rest will show up in short order, which invariably ends with a waterlogged corpse being identified by the knit of its Fair Isle sweater.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: A Thousand Ships, Obligation Flairs: Curse, I Have Friends

Example Antagonists

133

Drive: Deliver messages for Domnu; keep their skins safe from gross fishermen Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 SILENT STORM Silent Storm is a Titan cult dedicated to Fūjin and Raijin. The cult originated in Japan some five centuries ago. Initially, they were merely bandits, using Fūjin’s and Raijin’s names as an intimidation factor for the victims they terrorized. However, Scions of the two Titans heard about these bandits and stormed in to take control, molding the gang into an aggressive group worshipping their Titan parents. Sometime later, Scions of Ào Guāng maneuvered into positions of power within the cult, giving Silent Storm a more orderly level of organization and also expanding outward from Japan to establish chapters around the World.

SILENT STORM: ACOLYTES All members of Silent Storm begin as acolytes, trained to be silent intruders who steal and kill with unquestioning obedience. Training takes place in a Terra Incognita, away from prying eyes. New recruits receive intensive indoctrination in loyalty to the cult, as well as training in stealth, parkour, covert entry, and swordplay. They’re subjected to rituals which heighten their physical prowess, including the ability to see in deepest darkness. Acolytes are trained to resist interrogation — they choose to die by means of poison hidden in a false tooth, rather than divulging secrets of the cult. When necessary, acolytes are deployed in large squadrons, especially when they expect strong opposition from the police, military, or Hero Scions.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Group Tactics, Shroud, Super Soldier Flairs: Shadow Step Drive: Obey orders given by one’s superiors Primary Pool (7): Intrusion, Swordfighting Secondary Pool (5): Occult Knowledge, Resisting Interrogation

Silent Storm illustrates what a well-established cult might look like, with many levels of membership and a wealth of resources accumulated over the years: Relics, sorcery skills, occult lore, and access to Terra Incognitae, as well as mundane wealth and influence.

Desperation Pool: 3

Use Silent Storm as a template for other Titan cults by replacing each cultist circle with something comparable. For example, instead of Silent Storm’s stealthy sword-bearing acolytes, the lowest level of a different cult might consist of ex-military foot soldiers or classical Amazons.

Extras: Darkvision

Agenda: Silent Storm seeks power, pure and simple. The cult’s chosen path to power is to amass supernatural knowledge and materials, often stealing valuables from whoever owns them, or by using blackmail, extortion, etc. to get what the cult wants. Over the years, Scions of many different Titans have dominated the cult’s leadership. While the goal of cult members is still to increase the cult’s power by all available means, they believe they must eliminate or neutralize all Heroes who stand in the way of their ambitions. Silent Storm and the Night Parade of One Hundred Devils: Micaela Standish (see p. XX) wants to bring Fūjin a measure of peace, while Silent Storm capitalizes on his rage. The leaders of Silent Storm don’t believe Micaela will succeed in her efforts, so they mostly avoid confrontations with her and her allies. They also use Night Parade as convenient scapegoats when Silent Storm wishes to hide its actions under “louder” yōkai activities. As for Micaela, she sees Silent Storm as an impediment to achieving her goals, but she isn’t ready to declare an all-out war against them. A clever Band of Heroes could join with one side against the other, despite the many risks of allying with Titans.

134

Health: 1 Defense: 1 Initiative: 4

SILENT STORM: UNDERCOVER AGENTS Silent Storm’s undercover agents are trained to infiltrate and manipulate. They take positions in businesses, governments, and other organizations to steal secrets and influence important decisions. When necessary, they plant false evidence, hack computers, or blackmail colleagues to undermine enemies and to claim positions of power. They even use sorcerous rituals to change their appearance and impersonate others, often as a way of incriminating innocents. Undercover agents are masters at covering their tracks, even using untraceable poisons or apparent “accidents” to remove anyone who might expose them. Hero Scions opposing Silent Storm may find themselves denounced in the media, hassled by police, monitored by government watchdogs, and accused of crimes they didn’t commit.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Cage of Words, Perfected Soldier, Toxic Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Mastermind, Thousand Faces Drive: Know someone’s secrets and bend them to your will Primary Pool (9): Coercion, Forgery, Stealth

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Secondary Pool (7): Covering One’s Tracks, Disguise, Sabotage Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 SILENT STORM: CRAFTERS To defeat Hero Scions and other enemies, high-level members of Silent Storm need special weapons, poisons, and magical materials. These are created by cultists who have shown an aptitude for creating dangerous objects through dangerous means. To become crafters, acolytes or agents are promoted to undergo years of harsh preparation in the hidden compound within the cult’s Terra Incognita. They must endure transformative rituals which reconstruct the crafter, body and soul, to imbue them with the Forge Purview. Only a third of the candidates survive; the rest become raw materials used in the craftworks. At the end of the initiation process, surviving crafters are visibly inhuman, contorted into forms more fitting for their work. For example, weaponsmiths have hands like iron tongs for working with red-hot metal while alchemists have grotesquely mutated heads with eyes on the front but mouth and nose on the back to avoid inhaling fumes from the potions they make.

Archetype: Villain Qualities: Imperfect Disguise, Invulnerability (to some appropriate source of damage, e.g. fire for smiths, poisons for alchemists) Flairs: Sorcery (Forge — Magic Weapons) or (Forge — Unnatural Poisons), or some other limited class of Marvelous objects Drive: More power! What would happen if we added more blood…? Primary Pool (10): Crafting, Enchanting Secondary Pool (8): Invention, Strength and Endurance Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 4 Defense: 3 Initiative: 7

SILENT STORM: SUMMONERS Why endanger expensively trained acolytes when you can summon a fire elemental or a fear demon to plague those who oppose you? Silent Storm’s summoners call elementals and demons into the World and compel them to bedevil specified targets. Often the targets are Heroes, but they may be anyone whom the cult opposes. For example, if a mob boss resists paying protection to the cult, a lust demon can ensure the boss is accused of infidelity and the scandal becomes public news — unless the cult is paid off. Problem solved. Summoners undergo similar training to crafters, with similar results. A summoner can only summon one class of entity, e.g., fire elementals (Fire Purview) or fear demons (Passion (Fear) Purview). Truly gifted summoners can summon entities even more powerful than elementals, e.g. daēva spirits and other titanspawn. In order to send a summoned entity to attack a target, the summoner must be able to perceive the target or needs a personal item belonging to the target.

Archetype: Villain Qualities: Imperfect Disguise Flairs: Sorcery (of a Purview corresponding to the creature summoned) Drive: Come, my pretties, and make our enemies howl! Primary Pool (10): Controlling Summoned Creatures, Summoning Secondary Pool (8): Scheming, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 4 Defense: 3 Initiative: 7 SILENT STORM: THUNDERBOLTS Thunderbolts are high-powered cultists: Titan Scions, Titan minions, or intelligent titanspawn. They may be connected with any Titan, not just Fūjin or Raijin. Since Silent Storm is a global organization, they accept any titanspawn or Scion who takes a binding oath of loyalty. This includes rogue Hero Scions from any pantheon. Thunderbolts operate in Bands with other Thunderbolts, or as leaders for teams of mortal cultists. The cult uses Thunderbolts in accordance with their

OTHER SILENT STORM SORCERERS A cult like Silent Storm can benefit from many other types of sorcerers, such as diviners (Stars Purview), healers (Health Purview), and people who can bestow curses and blessings (Fortune Purview). All are produced through similar training programs with similar mutations and statistics. Example Antagonists

135

TITAN SCION THUNDERBOLTS Thunderbolts don’t rashly confront Heroes in fair combat. If they meet Heroes face-to-face at all, it’s under circumstances where the Heroes can’t simply start a fight, or where the Thunderbolt has a foolproof method of escape. Thunderbolts only go toe-to-toe with Heroes in the climactic battle of an arc or season.

abilities; those well-suited for combat may head up strike teams, while those better suited for intrigue may plan and/ or run programs of subversion.

Archetype: Titanspawn

Thunderbolts answer to the cult’s innermost circle, but are allowed substantial independent authority. Every local chapter of Silent Storm is led by a Thunderbolt, as are special project divisions. A Titan Scion Thunderbolt may serve as the dominant villain of an arc or season.

Flairs: Curse, Retcon, Sorcery (Sky Purview), Weather Tyrant

The stats below represent a typical titanspawn Thunderbolt.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Unnatural Hunger Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Sorcery (Any Purview) Drive: Pursuing an agenda that fits a Titan Calling or Virtue Primary Pool (13): Combat, Leadership Secondary Pool (11): Furthering Silent Storm’s Goals, Scheming Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Extras: Mystic Arsenal (All Thunderbolts are given lighting-glass staves that allow them to access the Sky purview) SILENT STORM: THE INNER CIRCLE The inner circle of Silent Storm are seven cultists of great age and power. Typically, they are intelligent titanspawn or Titan Scions, although mortal sorcerers sometimes manage to seize a place within the circle. Members rise to the inner circle when a previous member dies. Often members kill their predecessors, a crime the cult overlooks. To avoid unsuitable upstarts, cultists who slay an inner circle member must still be ratified by the surviving members. The inner circle may enact a ritual to send a Category 5 hurricane anywhere in the World. This ritual takes three days and costs the life of one of the seven inner circle members. The sacrificial member is chosen at random, and none of the participants know which of their lives will be lost. Inner Circle cultists are ready to die for their cause without question, so this ritual is not performed lightly.

136

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Obligation, Regeneration

Drive: Power! More power! Primary Pool (13): Leadership, Planning Secondary Pool (11): Foresight, Intimidation Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Extras: Ritual Magic (Hurricane); Mystic Arsenal (The Inner Circle have an enchanted scrying ball, granting access to the Fortune purview.) SIRENS Unlike merfolk, who bear no particular allegiance to any pantheon, sirens have close links to the Theoi, first and foremost. Other pantheons sometimes take them in or make use of them as necessary for their current ends. Sirens love to cause chaos above all else; the fact that after chaos they get a delicious meal of human bone marrow makes things all the sweeter. Sometimes they lure, sometimes they freeze their targets in place — whatever works best in the present moment. Sirens don’t necessarily sing, and despite pop-culture portrayals, they don’t necessarily present as sexy femmes. Their song conforms itself to whatever they think will best lure their prey: A prize-winning chef might hear a voice that promises the recipe for a dish no one’s known how to create for 1,000 years.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Claws), Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh) Flairs: Dread Gaze (Song), Hypnotic Charm, Shapeshifting Drive: Delicious human mealtime. Mmm. Primary Pool (9): Bite, Claws, Singing Secondary Pool (7): Flight Maneuvering, Intimidation Desperation Pool: 5

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

its victims, leaving marks upon their flesh, before offering that blood to demons and other terrible creatures for more power.

Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 SOLOMONAR There are tales throughout Europe of a school where forbidden arts are taught by “the Devil.” The Black School, also called the Scholomance, holds class for those aspiring sorcerers. Students learn to wield sorcery, to command the weather, and to ride dragons. When their studies are complete, they are unleashed into the World to wreak havoc and bring vengeance upon those who wronged them. In simpler times, they targeted peasants for retribution, raining hail from the backs of serpents while clad in their signature white robes. The modern Solomonari are a more subtle breed. Several have taken to offering their services to the highest bidder as mercenaries. Others claim to do the work of “the Devil,” allying themselves with Titan cults who have need of sorcerers. These Solomonari look nothing like the folktales suggest, wearing fashionable, modern clothes and expensive jewelry purchased with the fruits of their illicit labor. All dye their hair red; occasionally they wear the ancient, enchanted robes of their predecessors to channel greater magical power under the cloak of night. The Gods do not know who the true patron of the Scholomance is, but several deities such as Thoth, the Dagda, and Zalmoxis would like to know.

Archetype: Rival Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Willful Flairs: Curse, Ritual Magic, Sorcery, Weather Tyrant Drive: Use sorcery to enrich themselves; punish those who have wronged them Primary Pool (9): Occult Lore, Serpent-riding, Sorcery Secondary Pool (7): Agricultural Study, Socialite Lifestyle Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 3 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 Extras: Solomonari possess flying serpent mounts, modeled as four-dot creatures with the following Knacks and Qualities: Flight, Unstoppable. SOUCOUYANT Soucouyants are witches that appear in the guise of reclusive elderly men and women by day. At night, they shed their skin, concealing it in a mortar, and transform into a flying fireball. No walls or doors stop them from entering homes, for as long as the tiniest crevice should be present, they may slip through. The Soucouyant drinks blood from

Many Soucouyants have made unwholesome pacts with spirits to gain their power, but others are victims of a pledge made by their forebears, cursed to become a Soucouyant and drink blood. Root doctors seek these victims out, hoping to break the curse put upon them by àjé, the evil magicians they often serve. Soucouyants are drawn to the spirits that dwell in silk cotton trees, who may command them to do evil, or merely to defend the land against aggressors.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Fangs), Radiating Aura, Unnatural Hunger Flairs: Here I Come, Shapeshifter Drive: Drink blood from the community and survive Primary Pool (7): Attacking Victims, Breaking and Entering Secondary Pool (5): Harmless Elder, Occult Lore Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1 Defense: 1 Initiative: 4 Extra: The Soucouyant only gains access to its Qualities when it uses Shapeshifter to enter its fireball form. It retains Unnatural Hunger in all forms. STARLIGHT SOLUTIONS It came flitting down to earth and into the World on March 7, 1970, as the moon crossed the sun’s path in a total solar eclipse. The greatest of Tzitzimime battled jaguar warriors and the Teōtl’s Scions across the Pacific, into Oaxaca State, and finally over the Atlantic, but it was a lesser thing. Instead of contributing to the fight, it slid northward, towards the very edges of the eclipse path. Its greater brethren tried to make a blood soaked three hours last for eternity, ultimately failing as Heroic efforts by mortal, Scion, and divinity alike thwarted Tzitzimime ambitions to end the dominion of the Gods and plunge the World into a final ecstasy of starstrewn bloodshed. While the greater Tzitzimime failed, died, and fled back to space, however, the lone thing sunk magical hooks like barbed bony fingers into the mind and soul of an unfortunate junior engineer at Cape Canaveral, Florida. When the sun’s return sent its remaining brethren howling back to the void, some black miracle allowed it to stay intact and in control of its new, fleshy vessel. Nearly a half-century later, private spaceflight has become big business in the World. Humanity has launched more than 8,000 objects into orbit or beyond, and a remarkably successful tech darling known as Starlight Solutions has accounted for several of them in recent years. Of course, the mind behind their payloads and missions isn’t really a part of humanity at all. The parasitic thing, no longer a proper

Example Antagonists

137

member of the Tzitzimime, now merrily puppets dozens of doomed mortals that it works towards awful ends. Even as Starlight Solutions pushes the envelope on both manned and unmanned spaceflight, the thing at Starlight’s helm finds new and wicked ways to reach out to the Tzitzimime and other creatures waiting in the lightless void with the hopeful tools of humanity. If Starlight Solutions succeeds, they will turn the sky into the greatest Axis Mundi of all, a single continuous gate to spinning blackness and continual horror. Constantly probing at paths in the empty sky to Otherworlds of every sort, Starlight Solutions and its master often find lesser victories along their quest for the ultimate moonshot, opening pathways back down to Earth for its master’s brethren, the Centzonhuitznaua, and any other hungry, angry, or foul thing in the dark that will help bring about the end of the Teōtl and the beginning of an age of endless darkness and feasting. Agenda: Dozens of directly controlled humans and hundreds of unaware contractors give the thing behind Starlight Solutions impressive reach with little risk for exposure; an eccentric tech startup raises few eyebrows when it sends its employees to take celestial measurements at remote Central American mountains or to recover remains of some fallen celestial fragment off the coast of California. When discovery looms, Starlight Solutions tries to fight by proxy; releasing anything from hired guns to monstrosities its missions have plucked from the night sky on snooping Scions, in an attempt to hide the company’s true nature behind catspaws and intermediaries. After all, Starlight Solutions just had an article about them in Wired; how could they have anything to do with the murderous celestial spirit that tried to kill the Band? Hooks: Someone is stealing artifacts potentially relating to the Teōtl from still operational archaeological sites; Starlight Solutions is funding the digs out of a sense of social responsibility, so surely, they couldn’t be involved. A Starlight Solution launch-and-return has proven too successful, as whatever they brought back has decided to go to war with the World, leaving a trail of carnage that can be traced back to the source. An academic the Band used to rely on for consultation has disappeared, only to reemerge working for Starlight Solutions. Is the benefits package really so good that they’d cut off all contact with their old friends?

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Disembodied, Life Drain Flairs: Mastermind, Possession Drive: Turn the entire sky into a Gate, letting all manner of horrors into the World, and to make sure next quarter profits look good until then Primary Pool (11): Aerospace Engineering, Magic, Scheming Secondary Pool (9): Befriending Horrors, Finding Additional Capital, Murder

Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 STYMPHALIAN BIRDS Initially the pets of Artemis, the Stymphalian birds are large, with sharp bronze feathers and poisonous dung. The birds fled their home to escape from wolves that attacked them back in ancient Greece. Since that time, they have reproduced and spread out, keeping to the Mediterranean. The Stymphalian birds are most famous for being hunted by Hercules as his sixth great challenge. Throughout the years, many Scions have tried to tame Stymphalian birds as pets, and some have even taken them on as part of their Birthright. Some keep the birds as a sort of perimeter guard for large estates, now that perilous times are upon the World.

Archetype: Monster Qualities: Flight, Heavily Armored, Natural Weapon (Beak and Talons), Sniper, Toxic (Dung) Flairs: Spray N’ Pray Drive: Survive while watching out for wolves Primary Pool (11): Flight Maneuvers, Range Combat (Feathers or Feces) Secondary Pool (9): Beak Attack, Perception Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Size: 1 THE THING IN THE DEEP Something lurks in the deep waters of the World; sometimes sailors say it looks like a giant squid, sometimes reports claim it appears to be a jellyfish the size of a cruise ship. Whatever sort of monster truly lurks in the deep, every time that giant thing moves, tsunamis crash over low-lying shore areas. The Thing in The Deep has rested in the deepest parts of the ocean for millennia, but as ocean temperatures rise, the smaller fish on which it fed change their patterns. The Thing has become restless, moving around in its deep ocean bed more and more. Sooner or later, circumstances will force it to come to the surface to feed.

Archetype: Titanspawn Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration, Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Iron) Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under Pressure Drive: Eat and be left alone to eat

Desperation Pool: 6

Primary Pool (13): Bite, Swimming

Health: 5

Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Grappling (Tentacles)

138

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Desperation Pool: 6

Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Mastermind

Health: 10

Drive: Ensure the System works

Defense: 4

Primary Pool (11): Cross-Examination, Knowledge of the Law, Presenting a Case

Initiative: 10

Secondary Pool (9): Personal Promotion, Working the Court of Public Opinion

TIKOLOSHE Brought into existence by sorcerers, the tikoloshe is made of polluted water and spite. Looking like a small, stocky human (similar to the dwarves of the Æsir), it comes into being knowing that it is going to make someone’s life miserable. The tikoloshe uses a variety of abilities to torment their summoner’s foes and has been a critical factor in mortal wizards defeating Scions in battle. Now that the next Titanomachy has begun, opportunistic wizards strategically summon tikoloshe to serve their sinister plans, which so far involve cursing whichever side they like the least. Since tikoloshe are not banished upon their master’s deaths, a few have been set loose and act as free agents.

Archetype: Professional Qualities: Twitchy Flairs: Curse, Illusions, Sorcery (Water) Drive: Cause trouble for their targets Primary Pool (7+1): Manipulation, Stealth Secondary Pool (5): Gather Information, Tracking Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 2 Defense: 2 Initiative: 5 TIMOTHY ALLGOOD, TITANS’ ADVOCATE The golden thread underlying all justice systems is the presumption of innocence. Until the accused have their day in court — a fair and impartial court — no one should condemn them. Imprisoning Titans for millennia is history’s greatest crime. Timothy Allgood is a tireless advocate for the Titans’ release. He’s on every talk show; he has testified before government panels in 18 countries; he’s received millions of dollars in contributions from citizens just like you. And whenever Heroes fight titanspawn or Titan Scions, he makes their lives hell. Allgood may be a Titan Scion himself, or he may just be a showboating contrarian asshole. He’s licensed to practice law everywhere in the G20, and he never breaks the tiniest regulation. He pushes to prosecute anyone on the side of the Gods, and to acquit anyone affiliated with Titans. Heroes may dislike kraken and scorpion folk, but they loathe Timothy Allgood.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Cage of Words, Center of Gravity

Desperation Pool: 6 Health: 5 Defense: 4 Initiative: 9 Extras: Living Large TZITZIMIME INTRUDERS Rattling through the darkness outside the warm circle of the World, soaring through the void of uncreated things in the light of the unkind stars, the Tzitzimime wait. Adorned with the hands and hearts of mortal victims, their skeletal bodies clothed in deathly raiment, only the Teōtl’s efforts hold the Tzitzimime at bay, until the day they descend to devour humanity. Only on rare occasions can a few Tzitzimime filter down to possess, hunt, and plague mankind, taking advantage of doleful cosmic timing to wreak havoc. Not all the skeletal horrors are satisfied with waiting in the cosmic wasteland for the Teōtl to falter. Indeed, some are not satisfied with waiting for the occasional solar eclipse or the quintet of Nemontemi days to descend to Earth and torment humanity. Instead, they sow seeds during those critical periods, allowing themselves to creep back down from the Otherworldly darkness on days that should be barred to them. The Teōtl’s powers leave such offenders weakened, but no less cruel or hungry when they stand on the yet-unforsaken World. Such Tzitzimime turn their foul power on unfortunate lone mortals, possessing them by magical force, brute coercion, or foolish bargaining. Many Tzitzimime use their human suits to undermine Teōtl rituals, establishments, and protections, but some wish to run wild in human society, causing chaos, bloodshed, and loss for their own self-glorification.

Archetype: Rival (Intruder)/ Titanspawn (during an eclipse or the Nemontemi) Qualities: Flight, Life Drain Flairs: Possession, Sorcery (Darkness, Stars) Drive: Devour humanity, the World, and cavort in its destruction Primary Pool (9/13): Flight, Magic, Murder Secondary Pool (7/11): Knowledge of the Darkness, Stealth Desperation Pool: 5/7 Health: 3/10 Defense: 3/4 Initiative: 6/10

Example Antagonists

139

VARDOGER

WENDIGO

The Vardoger started as an agent of chaos, a spirit predecessor or a doppelganger arriving before a person and doing a thing before the original can do it. With the coming second Titanomachy, the Vardogers have made themselves available to a broader range of clientele, be it Titan, God, or enterprising Scion. Several Bands of Scions have already fallen victim to the Vardogers who delay a character, then replace them at critical planning meetings. The Vardoger then pushes for ideas that serve their employer, and by the time the real Scion arrives, the Band has already fallen into a trap.

Archetype: Villain Qualities: A Cage of Words, Get Out of Jail Free Flairs: Sorcery (Fortune), Thousand Faces Drive: Cause chaos for their target Primary Pool (9): Deception, Stealth Secondary Pool (7): Manipulation, Surprise Attacks Desperation Pool: 5 Health: 4

Every wendigo contains a hunger that would scour the World of flesh. Among the greatest dangers known to the Manitou, windigoag are cannibal giants, creatures of ashen grey complexion and skeletal, emaciated forms. Windigoag have devoured entire communities and grown to towering heights as a result, yet always their bones push out against their skin, for their hunger may never be sated. Maudjee-Kawiss, Oshoshi, Skanda, and Artemis have fought alongside their Scions to contain the windigoag away from the World, but their efforts have failed to stop more subtle infiltrations. A wendigo may hide in the slums, devouring society’s most vulnerable, and some have even learned to disguise themselves as sickly looking mortals followed by the stench of death. The darkest rumors among the Manitou say that the windigoag may have learned to transform avaricious mortals into more of their kind.

Archetype: Nemesis Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force, Life Drain, Tough as Nails, Unnatural Hunger, Unstoppable

Defense: 3

Flairs: Making Space, Seeing Red, Suck It Up, World Shaking

Initiative: 7

Drive: Sate the hunger for flesh

140

CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Primary Pool (13): Close Combat, Devouring Innocents Secondary Pool (11): Finding Food Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 10 Defense: 4 Initiative: 10 Extras: Most windigoag are Size 1-2, though the most powerful may be Size 3 or even 4. WOMBYN OF THE MOON-WATER, FOLLOWERS OF RAYVEN SILVERHAIR For the past 30 years, Rayven’s followers have maintained a compound in rural Oregon. The coven keeps itself in the black by creating and selling handmade artisanal soaps as well as running a small publishing house. Said publishing house, Moon-Water Press, exists solely to put out volumes of Rayven’s writing as well as tractates by other sympathetic (and female) writers. With the advent of the internet, the Wombyn have taken to social media as a new means of recruiting and swaying young women, especially isolated young lesbians. They swamp newly-out teenage girls and young adult women with adoration and sympathy and slowly begin introducing the teenagers to exclusionary rhetoric. The Wombyn have gotten so good at

propagandizing their radical, trans-exclusionary rhetoric online that many of their targets regurgitate rhetoric which excludes literally everyone but cisgender lesbians from “legitimate” status, all the while insisting their rhetoric does not exclude anyone. By the time the Wombyn finish their work, they’ve usually added another member to their ranks. They’re growing so quickly these days that a few cult members have suggested purchasing more land or expanding to a second location. Rayven’s loath to give up having immediate direct control over her followers, however.

Archetype: Foe Qualities: A Cage of Words, Helpless Fascination (Dianic Imagery) Flairs: I Have Friends, Seeing Red Drive: Support Rayven. Create a pure matriarchy populated only by XX-chromosome humans. Destroy or convert anyone who doesn’t fit into their restrictive mold. Primary Pool (7): Almost-True Lore, Propagandizing, Woodlore Secondary Pool (5): Grappling, Stealth Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 1 Defense: 1 Initiative: 4

Example Antagonists

141

APPENDIX This section introduces new rules for adding Titanic flavor to Scion games, whether new or ongoing. It contains brand new Knacks corresponding to each Titan Calling as well as Titanic Birthrights and the Collateral rules, for adding an element of destructive danger.

NEW ALTERNATE RULE: COLLATERAL I

n games of enormous power and massive effect, there’s some expectation that buildings will crumble, crowds will scatter, and havoc will be wreaked on a huge scale. This can present an interesting way to provide increased stakes and add a level of dramatic tension to a game.

BUILDING THE POOL At the start of any ongoing campaign or a one-shot, the Collateral pool begins with zero dice. Whenever the players’ characters take any of the following actions, add one die to the pool for each applicable action.

• Performing marvels

• Harm (2 successes vs trivial targets/any successes over Defense): Either a major character is hurt by an environmental disaster caused by the characters’ actions or the power unleashed causes injury (or death) to any number of trivial bystanders. • Incite (2 successes): Onlookers turn against the characters, furious with them for their wanton destruction. The triggering character has +1 Difficulty to social interactions for the rest of the session for each time this Stunt is chosen, to a maximum of +3. • Pin (2 successes vs trivial targets/any successes over Defense): A massive piece of rubble falls either on a major character in the scene, or on any number of trivial bystanders, trapping them until they break free or are rescued. • Raze (Successes equal to Size): Destroy an object established in the Field such as a building, the getaway car, an armored vehicle, etc. • Rift (5 successes): An aspect of an Overworld, Underworld, Terra Incognita, or other cosmological place associated with the rolling character appears, subsuming part of the Field and displacing its reality. Threats from this Otherworld may appear, if dramatically appropriate. Reality reasserts itself at the end of the scene.

• Performing Feats of Scale • Making any roll enhanced by Scale • Rolling a pool with divinity dice • Failing to buy off applicable Complications • Certain Stunts (this will be noted) • Special Flairs or Antagonist abilities The pool builds until it reaches 10 dice, and the number of dice in the pool roll over from session to session until it hits 10. Once it has been filled, any actions that would add additional dice instead add Enhancement. At the end of any round in combat or after all player characters have taken their actions outside of it, the player whose action caused the pool to fill then rolls all 10 dice and the Storyguide chooses from the following Stunts: • Echo (3 successes): Alter the Field with an aspect of the rolling player’s Purviews. A building might sprout

142

flowers, a road could turn into a river, trees become metal sculptures, and so on. These changes persist until the end of the scene.

• Scatter (2 successes): All trivial or non-magical targets (including followers and Mooks) flee the area, out of terror or self-preservation. Even well-drilled military units will run. This is a fear effect for the purposes of Knacks and Boons. Once the pool has been rolled, it resets to zero, and resumes filling back up as normal. If the Collateral pool is rolled before it reaches 10, reset the value to zero unless otherwise stated. Some actions may cause the Collateral pool to be rolled immediately. If so, the triggering player rolls it right away and the Storyguide chooses the Stunts, as normal.

APPENDIX

Some actions, Powers, Flairs, or other mechanics, may specify that the Storyguide must choose certain Collateral Stunts. When they apply, this is not optional, and the Storyguide must spend successes on the mandated Stunts first, before choosing any others. Players may engage with the Collateral pool in the following ways: • Unchecked Abandon: When a character makes any action with unchecked abandon, she may declare before she rolls any number of Enhancement, up to +5. The Storyguide adds an equal number of dice to the pool instantly, which may cause the pool to empty. • Devil’s Bargain: Once per session, a character may take a devil’s bargain, and any Collateral they would add to the pool during that action is instead given to the Storyguide as Tension.

BIRTHRIGHTS

FENRIR’S PUPS (•••) Housebreaking a puppy the size of a pony requires Heroic patience, divine strength, and a very large mop. Nonetheless, some Scions — and not just of the Æsir — take custody over Fenrir’s cast-offs and unwanted runts, tempering their titanspawn natures with love, structure, and luck. Pups grow to the size of a warhorse relatively quickly but cannot grow any larger without Fenrir’s milk (or feasting on the raw heart of a God or Scion). They share their progenitor’s shadow-nature; as they mature, their black fur darkens to the color of a starless night and their presence causes nearby light to flicker and dim.

Qualities: Armor Piercing, Natural Weapon (Claws and Teeth), Willful (against miracles invoking light) Flairs: Shadow Step Drive: Defend my master Primary Pool (9): Pack Tactics, Standing Guard, Stealth

T

hese new Birthrights present a panoply of strange gifts the Titans might bestow on their Scions — or that Heroes might steal as trophies from the bodies of their defeated foes.

Secondary Pool (7): Athletics, Eating the Inedible, Endurance, Tracking

CREATURES

Health: 3

Monsters and other “friendly” things that might assist the Scion.

CYCLOPS (••••) One-eyed giants born of Gaea and Uranus, the cyclopes are the epitome of big, dumb muscle. They lack much of the (active) malice of their Titanic cousins but are nonetheless monstrous, possessed of the urge to tear down walls, break bones, and otherwise unmake whatever they come across. A few have been brought to heel through either patient tuition or powerful magic, receiving a reprieve from Tartarus to serve the interests of the Theoi and their Scions. They sometimes boast that no one can defeat them; ask Odysseus how that turned out.

Qualities: Unstoppable

Desperation Pool: 5 Defense: 3 Initiative: 6 GU (•••) Wicked magicians (and rogue Shén) know the power of poison — creeping, subtle, vicious. Those cruel enough to fulfill their purpose at any cost create venomous familiars known as gu. To do so, they collect all the poisonous creatures they can find — lizards, toads, centipedes, snakes, and scorpions — and seal them in an earthen pot with strange incantations. Once they have consumed one another, all that remains is the victor: A creature whose loathsome bite delivers a powerful, cursed venom.

Qualities: Natural Weapon (Bite/Sting), Toxic Flairs: None

Flairs: Penetrator

Drive: Destroy my master’s enemies

Drive: Impress others with my might Primary Pool (11): Feats of Strength, Swaggering Braggadocio Secondary Pool (9): Grappling, Stubborn Will Desperation Pool: 7

Primary Pool (7): Envenoming Targets Secondary Pool (5): Slithering and Creeping, Stealth Desperation Pool: 3 Health: 3

Health: 5

Defense: 3

Defense: 5

Initiative: 6

Initiative: 9 Extras: Cyclopes have Size 2 by default, or Size 3 for an additional dot.

RAHU’S CHARIOT (•••••) The asura Rahu sometimes lends out his chariot and its eight horses, each black as night and limned in the shadowy

Birthrights

143

penumbra of an eclipse. It streaks across the sky like a meteor, leaving a trail of stardust that tangles Fate wherever it falls. The eclipse-mares of Rahu’s Chariot fight as one and share health levels; if Taken Out, they flee from the World and return to their master’s stables to recover.

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Flight

Consultant Tags: Access (Shén Bureaucracy), Helpful

Flairs: None

NYMPHSTAGRAMMERS (••)

Drive: Streak, brilliant and bold, across the sky! Primary Pool (11): Carrying Cargo, Flying, Inspiring Awe Secondary Pool (9): Feats of Endurance, Trampling Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 5 Defense: 5

While originally devoted strictly to nymphs, the social media sensation Nymphstagram has diversified in the past few years and now includes nature spirits of all origins and identities — as long as they’re attractive. Top Nymphstagrammers have connections to all the most glamorous hot spots, eateries, and resorts in this World and many others, making them valuable assets for Scions in high society. For an additional dot, your Follower is descended from a Titan, and gains the Smooth tag when dealing with their relatives.

Initiative: 9

FOLLOWERS Groups of other characters (not necessarily all human) who are willing to assist the Scion.

DRAGON SECRETARY (••) The chief bureaucrats and scribes of the Dragon Kings are lesser (least, really) dragons themselves, busy with tallying treasure and scheduling calamities. Often worked to the point of exhaustion and subjected to relentless hours by

144

Ào Guāng and his brothers, dragon secretaries sometimes escape and make their way in the World as peerless factotums, capable of navigating even the labyrinthine regulations of the Shén.

Entourage Tags: Access (Luxury resorts, one Overworld or Underworld)

STAR DEMON BODYGUARD (•••) While Ītzpāpālōtl has assigned Tzitzimime as honor guards for high priests and other holy servants, other star demons have struck out on their own. One co-op — IxTech

APPENDIX

in Harlem — is renowned above others, offering Tzitzimime muscle to presidents and Scions alike, as long as they can pay in cash and blood.

Heavy

charges always to meditate on what they fight for, and to measure the cost carefully. Asset Skills: Integrity, Leadership Guide Stunt (1-3 successes): You can ignore the atmosphere of a scene by spending successes equal to the atmosphere’s intensity.

Tags: Savage, Terrible (Strength), Tough

GUIDES Monsters, ghosts, and stranger things who act to assist and teach your players’ characters.

ÀO QUIN (•••) The Dragon King of the South China Sea is majestic, red-scaled Ào Quin. While his brother Ào Guāng contents himself with counting his treasures and causing storms, Ào Quin is a vicious capitalist whose shell companies hold significant government contracts at every port along his sea. He takes apprentices and interns from around the World, so long as they have dragon-sized ambitions and flexible morals. Under his claw, they learn to navigate the bureaucracies of both Heaven and Earth, filling their treasure-houses at every step. Asset Skills: Culture, Persuasion Guide Stunt (2 successes): Apply to any intrigue or procedural roll. You become aware of the web of debt present in a room, sensing who owes what to whom and their general feelings about these debts. Purview: Fortune

BARON SAMEDI (•••) Handsome, swaggering, obscene Baron Samedi is the Loa lord of the dead. While he’s not down with the apocalypse (for one thing, it’d be too much work), he’s just as skeptical of anti-Titan prejudice as his Òrìshà cousins. To that end, he plays Godfather to Titanic Scions who catch his attention, especially those who seek to build a life for themselves beyond the Titanomachy and the schemes of their progenitors. Asset Skills: Integrity, Subterfuge Guide Stunt (4 successes): When you take on a new identity and put your past to rest, the Difficulty of tracking you down increases by +3. This effect ends if you answer to your previous name or act to repeat any major mistakes. Calling: Trickster

CIHTLI (•••) At once domineering and doting, Cihtli is one of Tzitzimime and held in esteem even among their number for her ruthlessness. When her granddaughter Mayahuel escaped to the World with her lover, it was Cihtli who ordered the star demon hordes to rip her own granddaughter’s flesh from her bones. She has lived with the image of Mayahuel’s desecrated body for millennia, but her wrath outstrips her love. As a Guide, she plays patron to Scions who have been betrayed by their children and grandchildren, stoking their bitterness and rage. Asset Skills: Survival, Technology Guide Stunt (2 successes): You discover the whereabouts of a character to whom you have either a positive or negative Attitude rating. Purview: Stars

MADEMOISELLE GULLET (•••) Once a French-Algerian physician, now a servant to the soul-eater Ammut, Mademoiselle Gullet traded her freedom away to avoid Wesir’s judgment of her (admittedly lacking) soul, offering herself freely to Ammut in an act of stunning hubris — and in a rare moment of satiety for the beast. Despite her own drive to consume wicked souls and powerful Relics, she sometimes imparts her ruthless brand of wisdom and pragmatism to younger Scions, with a special softness for those who (like her) serve particularly greedy and demanding patrons. Asset Skills: Close Combat, Firearms Unique Knack: When you Inflict Damage, spend Momentum and you shear off a piece of your enemy’s soul. When you have a few minutes of uninterrupted time to focus on digesting the soul, ask one question about the character’s hopes, fears, dreams, or regrets and the Storyguide will give you a useful answer worth +3 Enhancement when you bring it to bear. Calling: Monster

CARMUN (••) Once a Scion of Athena sailed the World and heard the song of the Titan Aegaeon calling her to greatness. He showed her a land ripe for conquest, and so she went to far-off Éire, wed her sons to Fomorian brides, and took kingdoms by the spear while the Tuatha were busy fighting their own Titans. What became of Carmun? She grew too strong to be ignored, as is ever the case of empires. We know only that she died in grief, and that she is bound to the World still, where she serves as an earnest counselor to war-like Godlings and titanspawn alike, hoping to help them avoid a similar Fate. As an advisor, she asks her

GRIGORI RASPUTIN (•••) Poisoned, shot, thrown in a river — Rasputin’s durability is every bit as great as it was said to be. None are sure who to blame for Grigori Rasputin; the deities Chernobog and Veles are often implicated, but both deny any hand in his Visitation. The rumor, then, is that Rasputin stole or tricked his way into becoming a Scion, conspiring with divinities so old that none could remember their names. Whatever the source of his strange, Titanic powers, Rasputin eagerly attaches himself to Scions in need of a strong hand and spiritual guidance, serving them as a loyal advisor and entangling them to the point of emotional dependency.

Birthrights

145

Asset Skills: Medicine, Persuasion Guide Stunt (1 success): Apply this stunt to any social roll. You temporarily charm a character who has received your advice or ministrations (or who cares about someone who has done so), increasing a positive Attitude by one or decreasing a negative Attitude by one until the end of the session. You can purchase this stunt multiple times on a single roll, but each purchase must apply to a different character. Purview: Epic Stamina

HECATE (•••••) Ambiguous Hecate, goddess of crossroads and patron of witches, lives in a World of gray: God and Titan, sympathetic to both and loyal to neither. Little wonder that she is drawn into the orbit of Scions unable to reconcile their natures, though she is more likely than not to help them find further questions rather than answers. Compassionate but ever-distant, she demands rigorous intellectual honesty from those who walk in her company, lest her favor sour. Asset Skills: Academics, Occult Guide Stunt (1-2 success): Apply to any procedural or other sensing roll. You become generally aware of any magical or miraculous effects in your immediate presence. Spend two successes instead to focus on a single effect, discovering its nature and receiving a clue as to its creator or purpose — your call. Unique Knack: When you have time to work sacred magic and a powerful symbol of a Purview (such as a masterpiece painting for Artistry, or a hermetically sealed room for Darkness), you may imbue Legend to bind it into yourself. While so bound, you can use it as a channel for marvels as if it were your own.

LADY MACBETH (•••) She’s not actually Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth wasn’t real, even in the World, but the woman born as Siobhan Cassidy in 1892 was an actress who committed to method acting before method acting was even a thing. So beautiful she was, and so deep was the art of her rage and despair, that she drew the eye of Bres the Beautiful, who Chose her. Now she is lost forever in the role that earned her the blessings of a Titan, playing patron to those with the ambition to seize power by any means necessary. In the fleeting moments when she is just Siobhan, she displays not despair but self-satisfaction at how she has portrayed the lady — and how she will portray her in the days to come as she seeks to inspire a usurper capable of bringing about the Titanomachy. Asset Skills: Leadership, Persuasion Guide Stunt (2 successes): You sour a character’s feelings towards love or duty, reducing their positive Attitudes by two for the rest of the scene. Purview: Artistry

RAHU AND KETU (•••) Shadowy and mysterious presences among the asura, Rahu and Ketu are two halves of a single entity who tricked

146

their way into immortality. In punishment for the theft of sacred amrita, Rahu and Ketu were cleaved from one another, and now circle the World unable to reunite. Their influence over Fate makes them powerful allies to any Scion. Because they are irreparably separated, only one or the other appears at a time, and they often ask their mentee to relay messages between them like a childhood game of telephone. Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Technology Unique Knack: You cloak your actions so that supernatural attempts to detect your identity from the available evidence instead suggest that it was someone else. You can choose the general nature of the fake — their pantheon, Purview, and Callings — but you cannot disguise yourself as a specific divinity. Purview: Stars

TAWISCARA (•••) Tawiscara was born of his divine mother’s armpit; no one is really sure if that was the cause of his wickedness, or just an omen predicting it. As the counterpart to his brother Ioskeha, he revels in making things worse and is credited with such famous inventions as darkness, weeds, sickness, and thorns. The supreme contrarian has fostered Scions of every stripe but usually takes on either those who already revel in the darker side of life or the naïfs who must be broken of their willful ignorance. Asset Skills: Science, Technology Guide Stunt (2 successes): After a few moments of tinkering, you can introduce a vulnerability to an object that provides +1 Enhancement when exploited. Alternatively, you can introduce a Complication that applies to anyone using it, like slowing down an alarm’s trigger or making airplane seats even less comfortable. Calling: Adversary

RELICS Objects of power that Scions might inherit — or steal!

BALORIAN EYE (•••) When great Balor lifts the seven lids from over his eye, his gaze wrecks terrible destruction over all that he sees. Clever artisans — Fomorian, sidhe, or otherwise — have oft taken inspiration from that dreaded sight, working clever replicas of glass and crystal. When imbued with Legend, the Scion can painlessly (but gruesomely) remove one of her own eyes without risk or complication and then replace it with this Relic. If she reclaims her Legend, the Balorian eye pops out and her original eye can be placed back in, where it will heal with only minor redness and irritation. Knack: Spend Momentum to reveal the Balorian eye in all its faceted splendor for a number of actions equal to your Legend. Anyone who looks upon you suffers a wracking illness as a condition that inflicts +2 Difficulty on vigorous activities (including combat rolls) and resolves after a night’s rest. Targets who avert their eyes suffer +1 Difficulty against you until they look or the eye’s magic dims.

APPENDIX

BENNU’S PLUME (••)

FENRIR’S FANG (••••)

Purview: Sun

Purview: Frost

Motif: “The sun always rises anew”

Motif: “The World ends in ice”

Enhancement: +1 when used for writing meant to enlighten or uplift Sometimes called the Egyptian phoenix, the bennu bird is a graceful heron venerated as a bringer of renewal and held as sacred to the gods of the sun —even jealous Aten. Bennu birds consecrated to Aten and his blinding light are boon companions to his devotees, and Scions who pluck a blue-gray feather from them find it channels Aten’s own power. All too often, it also serves as a channel for Aten’s attention and wrath — for the Titan does not share.

CURSED COPPER GOODS (••••) Purview: Death, Water Motif: “Terror comes from The World beneath.” Wondrous treasures may be made by anyone brave enough to steal from Mishipeshu, who jealously guards the copper veins of his Underworld home with both vigilance and malice, denying it to God, Scion, and titanspawn alike. Those who manage to steal away a measure of cursed copper find it resonates with Mishipeshu’s own power, granting them dominion over water and death. Traditionally, Relics of cursed copper take the form of small beads worked into jewelry or belts, but modern Scions have also fashioned keys, knives, and one very cursed bottle opener. Cursed copper can be fashioned into weapons and armor for an additional dot. Weapons usually gain the Messy and Aggravated tags, leaving festering wounds that weep muck and saltwater. Armor becomes Cumbersome and Resistant to damage from ghosts and other deathly powers. Knack: You instantly know if Mishipeshu is within (Legend) miles of you. If you invest Legend, this effect extends to any Underworld-related threat, giving you a sense of both direction, distance, and nature. Flaw: Mishipeshu instantly knows if you are within (Legend) miles of him.

DEMONIC AYOYOTES (•••) Enhancements: +2 to intimidate or frighten Worshipers of the Teōtl — and the Teōtl themselves, for that matter — adorn themselves for ceremonial dances with leather bands strung with shells. These ayoyote are worn on the wrists or around the ankles, adding percussion to every step and movement. The star-demons of the Tzitzimime have their own ayoyotes, but instead of nut shells, they prefer to string them with the chipped bones of their fallen foes. The sound of bone-on-bone can be heard over almost any interference, and it is accompanied by the low moans of the dying. Flaw: The rattling of the ayoyotes adds +2 Difficulty to Stealth attempts; the deaf can feel the terrible sound thrum through their bones. Purview: Stars

Sharp are the fangs of wolf Titan Fenrir, and cold enough to pierce the sun’s fire-flesh. The wolf and his mad pups have hunted the sun time and again, and only the intervention of the Gods and their Scions has forestalled Ragnarok. From the wolf’s corpse, they pluck a fang — a long, sharp blade nearly a foot in length. These fangs make prized weapons, although many Æsir are disquieted by the distant howl that the weapon makes when swung. Tags: Concealable, Lethal, Melee, Thrown Knack: Spend Momentum to have Fenrir’s Fang quench all lights and flames within long range. Flames and light sources large enough to have Scale are immune. This inflicts +1 Difficulty to vision-dependent actions in areas of low light, or +2 Difficulty in complete darkness. This effect persists for the rest of the scene.

GLUTTONOUS PACK (•••) Born of greed and hunger, a wendigo grows every time it consumes human flesh — and its appetites are endless. Scions with the fortitude and ingenuity to remove a wendigo’s innards find their stomachs have been transformed into thick, leathery duffels, studded with human teeth instead of buttons. A low, churning rumble can be heard from within. Knack: In addition to storing as much as a normal duffel bag, a gluttonous pack can store up to (owner’s Legend) items regardless of their size or weight, so long as they can be fit through the pack’s three-foot opening. These items are completely undetectable by any inspection and can be retrieved by the owner with a simple action.

ILLUSION–WEAVING TALONS (•••) The rakshasa are master illusionists to rival even the subtlest Gods; with their long, elegant talons they weave smoke, shadow, and story to ensnare the unwary and deceive great sages. Those same talons are prized trophies for conquering Scions, who break them off and fashion them into jewel-studded nail guards to grant themselves a measure of rakshasa skill. Modern, fashion-conscious Scions sometimes transform them into press-on nails instead, but their length — usually in excess of four inches — makes this incredibly inconvenient. Knack: You gain access to the Ephemera Boon (Scion: Hero, p. 246); if you already have it, you instead gain a +1 Enhancement bonus to Clash of Wills rolls and can extend its effect to long range.

KANAME–ISHI (•• TO ••••) The Titan Namazu is held in place by the kaname-ishi, or pinning rock, which Takemikazuchi used to weigh down the Titan and limit her thrashing. In so doing, he quieted the earthquakes that shook Japan, or at least diminished them. Other kaname-ishi exist, often in the hands of Kami Scions who must subdue titanspawn. Although these

Birthrights

147

stones are often little more than unworked stone, some are engraved with pictograms or prayers, or else wrapped in sacred shimenawa ropes.

NEZHA’S HEART (••) Purview: Health Motif: “Sacrifice balances the scales of life”

Tags: Bashing, Pushing, Stun, Thrown Knack: When purchasing the Line Drive Stunt after an attack with the kaname-ishi, you may imbue Legend to pin the foe under the stone’s immense spiritual weight. This is a Complication with a level equal to the kaname-ishi’s dot rating; if not bought off, the target cannot rise from prone. Outside of combat, this power can be used to anchor ships and weigh down airplanes as if the kaname-ishi weighed its rating in tons. This weight never inflicts unintended structural damage — even the flimsiest boards can support the kaname-ishi if placed atop with a purpose.

LESSER GOLD–BANDED ROD (••) Ào Guāng has politely requested (and then demanded, and then threatened, and then pleaded) for self-styled Heroes to stop wrecking his palace. When Sun Wukong claimed a magically-expanding rod — the “pillar holding down the sea” — he inspired generations of copycats to rob Ào Guāng’s palace in search of similar wonders. Suffused with the Monkey King’s myth, almost any rod stolen from the palace can exhibit some measure of power; Sun Wukong’s own Scions sometimes use these burglaries as a way of initiating newly Visited siblings. Tags: Bashing, Melee, Reach, Stun

In Ào Guāng’s palace, there is a box in a chest in a vault in a chamber that no one else is allowed to enter. Within the box is the heart of a God, still beating but long since desiccated into a leathery pod. This is the heart of Prince Nezha, who offered his internal organs to Ào Guāng in exchange for freeing his parents. Although Nezha has since been resurrected, Ào Guāng treasures the heart as proof of his victory over the troublesome prince and draws from it a measure of the prince’s own divine power. It has changed hands between them many times over the centuries, stolen from one on the other’s behalf and stolen back again. Knack: Although it holds no special powers of its own, both Ào Guāng and Prince Nezha value the heart and suffer +2 Difficulty to avoid bargains that offer it as payment.

PHANTASMIC GARB (•••) The World is full of stories about ghost-women clad in white. Those who lay them to rest, whether by striking them down or finishing their Earthly work, sometimes claim their softly-radiant gowns in recompense, granting them a measure of unearthly allure and an affinity with the World of the dead. Tags: Soft (1)

Knack: When imbued with Legend, the staff shrinks to the size of a toothpick, giving it the Concealable tag or extends dramatically, granting it the Two-Handed tag and allowing the bearer to make melee attacks at short range.

Knack: Creatures of death recognize you as one of their own; unless given evidence to the contrary, they will presume you are a friend and have a positive Attitude towards you.

MONKEY’S PAW OF THE SECOND SUN (•••)

Flaw: When worn in sunlight, the garb gives you a terrifying mien, making you seem like a wraith. Unless given evidence to the contrary, mortals have a negative Attitude towards you, often rooted in fear, disgust, or disquietude.

Purview: Deception Motif: “The phantoms of a fallen World” Little remains of The World as it was during the Second Sun of the Teōtl except for the dark prison- World of the monkeys who held dominion over that age. This paw belonged to one of the unfortunates, lost as it reached desperately to escape its prison. It is withered and stiff, a single finger pointing in outrage; wielded as a talisman, it can evoke the shadow-stuff of that lost age… but it is filled with a dark and subtle mischief. Knack: Once per scene, you may make a wish on the monkey’s paw, producing sumptuous food, fine clothing tailored for its intended wearer, subtle perfumes, or other luxuries. If you spend Momentum, you may instead conjure a bounty — enough of the chosen good to feed or outfit dozens. At the end of the scene, these treasures quickly rot into darkness and maggots; anyone who partook of the food must succeed at a Resistance-based roll to keep it down. Flaw: Once per session, if the paw has been used, the screeching voices of the Monkeys of the Second World can make a demand — an action that will demean or embarrass the wielder for their amusement. If you refuse, the Storyguide gains one Tension.

148

RIVER–DRINKING SKIN (•••) Enhancement: +1 to defend or counter Water Boons or marvels, or similar effects A king among the asura, the great dragon Vritra’s thirst is so immense it can’t be slaked by 100 rivers, or 1,000, or all the rivers of The World! Waterskins made from Vritra’s flesh — or the flesh of his titanspawn minions — are similarly relentless, absorbing water wherever it is found. Knack: Spend Momentum to spread drought up to long range, providing the skin’s Enhancement bonus to everyone nearby and reducing the size- or force-based Scale of such effects by one. Water evaporates or recedes, and even the sea dips down to low tide as the waterskin devours moisture wherever it is found.

SACRED ARROWS (••) Enhancement: +2 against supernatural monsters Many are the gifts of the Manitou, and among those gifts are countless sacred arrows, each imbued with will and purpose. While these arrows may fly true, however, not all strike a killing blow — the Titan Misigniebig is peppered

APPENDIX

with the shots of would-be Heroes, and those who track the Horned Serpent are sometimes fortunate enough to recover such a Relic when an arrow finally works itself loose from the beast’s ancient flesh.

are usually battered and threadbare, and the winds inside rouse from time to time in fitful motions. Scions who claim a storm-satchel must attend it carefully, for it is a willful Relic, as spirited and mercurial as its Titanic master.

Knack: A character wounded by a sacred arrow cannot remove it; it must be taken out by the one who fired it or else work itself free over a number of days equal to (5 – Legend). You gain +1 Enhancement to track the target.

Flaw: Once per session, the Storyguide can have the storm-satchel take an action with a pool of six dice, leaping from the Scion’s grasp in a burst of wind. These actions are mischievous, but never (knowingly) dangerous.

SHADOW–SNAKE COUTURE (•••)

SURTR BLADES (••••)

Enhancement: +2 to stealth at night or in dark places The couture of the enigmatic clothier known as Snakewrangler is prized among fashion-forward Scions. These outfits are sewn from the skin of the Titan Apep, whose scales are so black as to consume all light that touches them. Snakewrangler acquires her stock when Apep sheds his skin every decade or so; although she has a waiting list of clientele, she gladly makes an exception for anyone brave enough to bring flesh freshly cleaved from the Titan himself. Tags: Soft (2)

SILK SPIDER SHAWL (••••) Purview: Beasts (Spiders) When a jorogumo — a spider-yōkai — hungers, it transforms itself into the guise of a beautiful young woman and lures travelers into its webs. Their silk is as study as iron; those who escape with a sample of it find it resonates with a jorogumo’s cunning and often have it spun into a cloak, scarf, or shawl. Knack: Spend Momentum to transform the shawl into a set of spindly silken legs for the rest of the scene. With them, you can move effortlessly up walls or across ceilings.

SINISTER HAND (••) Enhancement: +2 to curse others through marvels, Fortune Boons, or similar powers When a Scion of the Òrìsha defeats a sorcerer, she often takes their left hand — not as trophy, but as punishment. It is the left hand that works wicked spells, the left hand that inflicts curses. Scions usually burn these hands in ritual purification, but they sometimes keep them, transforming them into tools by which the sorcerer’s magic may yet benefit those he wronged. Knack: When held by someone suffering from a supernatural Condition or Complication, the sinister hand points in the direction of the source, giving a vague indication as to distance (generally either “right here,” “nearby,” “a ways off,” or “far away”).

STORM SATCHEL (•)

The fire giant Surtr will raze the World at Ragnarok with his ever-burning sword. While this apocalyptic weapon has few true peers, it did not emerge from the forges of Jötunheim in a single attempt. A dozen prototypes (and a dozen more knockoffs) circulate among Scions and titanspawn. Each is a two-handed sword cast from iron that never cools, radiating red heat and the smell of sulfur. Most are engraved with images of Surtr’s inevitable triumph over the Gods, but the knockoffs born of Godly forges instead feature crude parodies at the giant’s expense. Jötunn titanspawn often seek out Surtr blades regardless of their own parentage, both for their destructive power and the prestige of reclaiming these weapons from the children of the Gods. Tags: Aggravated, Lethal, Melee, Piercing, TwoHanded, Unconcealable Flaw: Abilities that sense divine presence, such as Scent the Divine (Scion: Hero, p. 224), automatically activate and detect a Surtr blade within long range. Æsir Scions oft describe this as a distant peal of horns, calling them to Ragnarok.

SWADDLED STONE (••) For the love of her child, the Titan Rhea fooled her brother-consort Cronus into swallowing a rock instead of baby Zeus. Swaddled stones evoke that ancient bit of subterfuge, convincing their mark they are something far more valuable than lumps or rock sewn into stiff woolen swaddling. Knack: The Scion can spend Momentum to make the swaddled stone appear as if it were an object or small creature of her choosing. Anyone of a lower Tier believes the illusion automatically, while characters of the same Tier or higher can resist with a Clash of Wills. If traded away or stolen, the swaddled stone always returns to the Scion by the end of the session through a series of unlikely occurrences arranged by Fate. A Scion can spend Momentum to recall the stone immediately, finding it in an unlikely place without further explanation.

TAIKO OF THE THUNDERS (•••) Purview: Sky

Purview: Sky

Motif: “The sound and the fury”

Motif: “The power of the winds, unleashed” In tales of the storm titan Fūjin, he carries a bag full of winds, but in truth, his bags are many and manifold, and he is apt to misplace them. These rough-spun bags

Enhancement: +2 when using the Boon Bold from the Blue (Scion: Hero, p. 259) Raijin likes drums. Raijin loves drums. Raijin, whose music is the sound of the thundering heavens, is truly the

Birthrights

149

PULL THE TEETH, PLUCK THE FEATHERS Many of the Relics described here may be taken as trophies from defeated foes — but why stop at taking only one fang from a defeated Fenrir? He’s there at your mercy, isn’t he? Well, the object is only half the magic. Not every fang is Fenrir’s Fang, because quickening a tooth into a Relic is about the hunt — it gets as much power from your work in retrieving it as from the beast you retrieved it from. If you pluck a bennu bald, you’ll end up with one Bennu’s plume and a lot of really neat feathers that are probably pretty and really fun to collect. best at appreciating drums in the whole World. His collection includes literally millions of every shape, size, and make, but most famous among them all are the taiko drums that bear his tomoe symbol. In the heat of battle, these drums oft go missing, and whatever rage he has at those who would abscond with them is quickly forgotten, for if Raijin likes anything more than having drums, it is making new ones.

KNACKS T

he following Knacks are available for characters that have one or more of the Titan Callings: Adversary, Destroyer, Monster, Primeval, or Tyrant. Many of these Knacks may seem appropriate for Scions of Gods that aren’t particularly Titanic; and some Gods may fit the definition of one of the Titanic callings particularly well. It’s fine to give Scions access to Knacks and even Callings from this section that fit their concept and their parent’s nature. Storyguides shouldn’t hesitate to allow players to use this material on that basis. The Theoi and Tuatha possess many familial ties to their Titanic kin, while the Atua and Guarani might even be considered more Titan than God on the whole. Using these Callings and Knacks for themselves and their Scions is particularly appropriate.

KNACK NOTES Some of these rules refer to the Collateral rules. If you’re not using Collateral, any Knacks or other effects that would specifically add Collateral instead add Tension to the Storyguide’s available pool. Some of these powers create or summon followers or creatures. It’s a good idea to record the skill blocks for any Birthrights you want to summon up during play both for ease of use and out of consideration for the Storyguide.

ADVERSARY KNACKS Adversary Knacks let you understand a person’s weakness and turn it against them, whether to destroy them or force them to change. Adversary knacks are based around opposition and betrayal.

HEROIC KNACKS All Those Lovely Enemies: You sniff out enmity. Pick one target in a scene; you know anyone who they have

150

serious negative feelings for (an Attitude of at least –2 or worse), and anyone else present who has negative attitudes towards your target. If your target has an Attitude of 2 or higher towards you (negative or positive), this works automatically. If not, make a Knack Skill roll, with a Difficulty equal to their Tier. Can’t Kill the Rooster: Spend Momentum during combat to gain Enhancement to your Defense equal to the Attitude targets have towards you for the scene. (A general Hatred of Scions would not apply, but a specific hate of your character would, for example.) Familiar Wounds: When you make an attack against a target with a weapon owned by someone with at least a +2 Positive attitude towards the target, you may choose to change the damage type between Bashing, Lethal, and Aggravated freely, and you may give the weapon the Brutal or Piercing Tag. If you are the owner of a weapon you use with this Knack, the weapon is destroyed after a causing an Injury, Fate recoiling on it. Let’s Contain Multitudes: You may possess both positive and negative Attitudes towards an individual or organization and choose which applies for any given intrigue roll. You may choose to create corresponding Attitudes in a target when using the Shift Attitude roll, in which case a successful roll creates an additional Attitude rather than shifting their existing feelings. For example, if a character had an Attitude –2 of serious loathing towards you, you use Shift Attitude to create a matching Attitude +2 for being strangely compelling or too annoying to kill. If you do this, your target may not use their Attitude enhancement when trying to resist your Shift Attitude roll. Nothing Is Inevitable: When you spare the life of a defeated enemy who has a negative Attitude towards you, you gain the Condition “Force of Opposition.” This grants you +2 Enhancement to any rolls related to thwarting that enemy’s plans or aiding their other enemies, applied before you roll. You may resolve this Condition at any time to heal all damage conditions they or their allies have dealt to you. Otherwise, it resolves at the end of the story. Sudden but Inevitable: When you attack a target who has a positive Attitude towards you, whether physically in combat or socially in intrigue, you may add that Attitude’s rating as Enhancement. In many cases, this will result in the target removing that Attitude, and replacing it with a negative Attitude.

APPENDIX

True Friendship: During intrigue, you may treat positive Attitudes towards an individual as Enhancement for encouraging the belief “acting against my friend’s desires is in their best interest” or encouraging the behavior “I will oppose my friend’s desires as soon as I possibly can,” instead of your target gaining that Attitude as Enhancement to resist your roll.

IMMORTAL KNACKS At Your Side, In Your Way: Whenever someone you have a negative Attitude towards is in mortal peril, or someone you have a positive Attitude towards is about to succeed at a major goal, you know that it’s occurring — though not the details of the event. You may spend Momentum to appear in their scene, as long as you are both in the same World or within five days travel in the same Otherworld. Note: This may apply to other players’ characters (especially if they’re about to achieve a Deed) with that player’s permission. Contra Mundum: Opposing the World is easy, because the World always opposes itself. Pick an individual, organization, or thing. Your actions to rally characters or items against that target increase their Scale for leadership purposes by your Tier or your target’s Attitude towards you, whichever is higher. You may spend Momentum to change your target for Contra Mundum once a session. Enemies Forever: Pick a target who has at an Attitude of –2 or worse towards you. Neither you nor your target can die unless the other does the killing, or you are both somehow killed simultaneously. This Knack can target only a single target at a time, which you may change once per session. Evil Appearing: When you initiate combat or intrigue with an unsuspecting target, all characters of a lower Tier must either abandon them, refuse to intervene, or suffer +2 Difficulty on all their rolls in the Scene. If the target has a positive Attitude towards you, they suffer the Complication “Collateral Betrayal” at a rating of their Attitude for the scene. It turns lower Tier characters against them until bought off. If the target has a negative Attitude towards you, they suffer the Complication “Blinded by Anger” at a rating of their Attitude for the Scene. It reduces their Defense in Combat or resistance pool in intrigue for the next roll by the remaining rating if not fully bought off. From Hell’s Heart: The distance your combat or intrigue actions can affect a target increases based on their Attitude towards you. At Attitude 2, your combat actions can target them up to long range in combat and your intrigue actions can affect them at any distance they could normally perceive you from, without penalty. At Attitude 3, you can target them from anywhere within extreme range. At Attitude 4, anywhere on the same continent. At Attitude 5, anywhere in the World, or anywhere within five days travel in an Otherworld. They may attempt a counterattack or social action at the same range after you make an attack, however, and after you have successfully attacked or influenced a target at this range, you can’t use this power again against the same target for the rest of the session.

Nothing Is Forbidden: Against targets with an Attitude of 2 or higher towards you, you gain access to the following stunts in combat: Blood Like Wine (variable): Immediately resolve this as an Influence action with the number of successes spent on it against the target. And the following stunt in intrigue: Tears Like Honey (variable): Immediately resolve this as an Inflict Damage stunt with the number of successes spent on it against the target. Bystanders must successfully Clash of Wills against you to understand the nature of what transpired in either case. Opposition Without Limit: When you command, rally, or intrigue enormous forces to oppose another character, imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale Satisfaction or the Knife: Once per session, when you demand something from someone with an Attitude of 2 or higher towards you, they must choose to either admit your righteousness or your might. If they admit your righteousness, you gain +1 Scale for purposes of convincing them in intrigue for the rest of the session; if they admit your might, you gain that Scale instead for purposes of combat against them. You may not attempt to influence which they choose with intrigue or supernatural suasion.

DESTROYER KNACKS Destroyer Knacks bestow the power to crush and destroy objects and enemies alike. They are driven by the concepts of destruction and forcefulness.

HEROIC KNACKS All Fall Down: When purchasing the Knockdown or Shove Stunts, you may grant yourself the Shockwave tag, applying the same Stunt against everyone at close range with Defense equal to or less than your original target. If you spend Momentum, it applies at short range instead, affecting up to (Destroyer) non-trivial targets. Asphalt Apocalypse: Spend Momentum to either tear up everything around you out to short range, or everything in a direct line from you out to long range. Anyone caught in the effect is knocked back one range band, and the affected area becomes difficult terrain. Baneful Touch: When you touch someone, spend Momentum to curse their body, mind, or will. They suffer +1 Difficulty to either Physical, Social, or Mental actions as a special cursed Condition until you either grant them mercy or they receive supernatural healing from someone of your Tier or higher. Characters may only be affected by one iteration of this Knack at a time, even if targeted by different Scions. The Momentum cost is waived against trivial characters. Bust Down the Walls: You gain +2 Enhancement on actions to brute force your way through obstacles, whether you’re breaking down doors, muscling past the bouncer,

Knacks

151

or barreling down a booby-trapped hallway. If you spend Momentum, this Enhancement applies before the roll. Break the Aegis: Shields, armor, walls — all are as dust before the Destroyer. After a successful attack, you gain access to the following stunts: No Shelter (1 or 3 successes): Destroy the target’s cover, and any other potential source of cover in close range. If the target has Heavy cover, this costs three successes. Rend and Rust (1+ success): Lower the value of a target’s Soft or Hard armor tag by one until the end of the fight. You can purchase this stunt multiple times to degrade more powerful armor. Entropic Eye: Once per scene, you may roll your Knack Skill to examine nearby vulnerabilities. You may spend a banked success to ask one of the following questions and get an accurate, useful answer from the Storyteller. When you act on these answers or advise another character to do so, gain +1 Enhancement.

• What vulnerabilities does this (character, object, or structure) have? • How can I inflict maximum damage against this (character, object, or structure)? • Where is this (character, object, or structure)’s blind spot? • What here can give me an advantage against this (character, object, or structure)? Mantle of Unmaking: You have +1 Defense against attacks made at close range. When you use the Disarm Stunt (Scion: Origin, p. 116), you may destroy a mundane weapon instead of simply disarming it. Shattering Grasp: When you lay hands on an object or structure with a size-based Scale less than your Destroyer dots, roll Knack Skill. With any successes, it shatters instantly. Spend Momentum and destroy any object you can perceive without needing to touch it.

IMMORTAL KNACKS By Will Alone: Choose a number of non-Birthright weapons equal to your Destroyer dots. When you make an unarmed attack, you are treated as if you were armed with one of these weapons, gaining all the appropriate tags.

This doesn’t actually produce a literal weapon, but if you make a finger gun at someone, they’ll still end up with a gunshot wound, no bullets required. This Knack cannot be enhanced by Master of Weapons. Crushing Aura: Anyone in close range of you is subject to dangerous terrain, which causes a +1 Injury if not bought off. You may reflexively designate up to your Destroyer dots in characters who are immune to this aura, so be careful around houseguests and crowds. Herald of the End: When you work to destroy a person, place, or thing that can be measured with Scale (overthrowing a World leader, razing a city, or bankrupting a multinational corporation), you may imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale. Redacted by the Void: You are a non-entity who distorts the records of the World. Any evidence of your presence in a scene is automatically destroyed at the scene’s end unless purposefully preserved by a being of your Tier or higher with a successful Clash of Wills. Actions to tail, track, or hunt you suffer +2 Difficulty. Trivial characters instantly forget about you once out of your presence; supernatural effects meant to restore or read their memory return only static and white noise. Salt the Earth: When you destroy something, make a Knack Skill roll. With any successes, you do it so completely that no trace of the thing remains. With five or more successes, you may spend Momentum to erase the thing from the memories of others. This only affects targets on a personal level, unless you perform a Destroyer Feat of Scale. The Walking Dread: Spend Momentum to create an atmosphere of existential dread and nihilism across the Field as desecrated territory. This atmosphere has a strength equal to half your Destroyer dots, rounded up, and overrides the current atmosphere unless it is backed by an effect of your Tier or higher, resolved by a Clash of Wills. Characters in your desecrated territory suffer a Complication equal to your Destroyer dots; if not bought off, they either cower or flee.

MONSTER KNACKS Monster Knacks unleash your inner beast, often transforming your flesh to match. They are powered by the concepts of transformation and predation.

CONDITION: MONSTROUS URGES Some Knacks either force you to succumb to your Monstrous Urges or become more powerful when you do. It’s up to you and the Storyguide to determine the exact nature of those urges, but by default, you are compelled to solve any problem that presents itself with force. Effect: You suffer a significant (3+) Complication on any task that requires logic, calm consideration, tact, or restraint as you struggle against your instincts. Momentum: Every time your urges cause you trouble, add a point of Momentum to the pool. Resolution: Withdraw to a place of safety where you have time to collect your thoughts or commit a heinous act of rage that you’ll regret when you snap out of it. 152

APPENDIX

Characters with any dots in Monster gain access to a Monstrous Urge — a condition that reflects the beast that dwells within them. You can activate your Monstrous Urge anytime you are injured, threatened, or embarrassed.

HEROIC KNACKS Chimera Hide: While under the Monstrous Urges Condition, your flesh transforms, becoming chiton, blubbery hide, scales, or some other form of natural armor. When you take this Knack, you may spend up to your Monster rating on tags to determine the effects of your armor. If you take Hard armor, any damage dealt to it heals as if it were your own flesh; if you invoke Chimera Hide again before it has a chance to heal, the damage still remains. This Knack replaces any other form of natural or worn armor as your monstrous hide bursts through anything that might contain it. Fear Made Flesh: When you interact with someone, you learn their biggest fears and phobias. You can subtly change your features to evoke those fears, gaining +1 Enhancement to intimidate, frighten, or coerce them, which applies before you roll. The target suffers +1 Difficulty to any action they take against you while in your presence. Nightmare Stalker: When you injure, intimidate, or frighten someone, you may mark them as your prey. If you do, roll your Knack Skill and bank the successes. You gain access to the following Stunts, which can only be used by spending these banked successes. If you declare another

character to be your prey, you lose any previously banked successes. No Rest for the Wicked (2 successes): Your prey is unable to fall asleep naturally, inflicting the insomnia Condition, which prevents a character from sleeping and inflicts +1 Difficulty on complex mental action, or +2 if they haven’t slept in more than two days. This Condition resolves in 72 hours, or after eight hours of rest under the effects of prescription-grade narcotics. Under the Bed (4 successes): You appear near your prey the next time they enter a place of refuge and safety. Red of Claw and Fang: You gain a monstrous Natural weapon, like a stinger, horns, or spines. It has the Natural tag, and a number of additional tags equal to your Monster Calling. Attempts to conceal this feature have a +1 Difficulty, but you can spend Momentum to hide it, causing it to retract into your flesh; it may then be released as a reflexive action. You can take this Knack (Monster) times, creating a new Natural weapon each time. Taste for Blood: The first time that you injure or are injured by an enemy in a scene, roll your Knack Skill and bank the successes. You gain access to the following Stunts for the rest of the scene, and may spend banked successes to activate them after a successful attack. Frenzy (2 successes): You may inflict an additional injury condition. You cannot stack this with the Critical Hit Stunt. Until the end of your next turn, the Difficulty to hit

Knacks

153

you is reduced by one. This Stunt can only be bought once per fight.

Monstrous Urge, the Momentum cost is waived the first time this Knack is used.

Trouble the Wound (2 successes): Until the end of their next turn, the target increases their Difficulty penalty from Injury conditions by two, to a maximum of five.

Won’t Go Down: You gain an additional Bruised Injury level and reduce the penalty of Maimed Injuries to +3. If you have three or more Monster dots, gain another additional Bruised level.

Toxic Blood: Your blood (and saliva) changes to suit your whims, allowing you to transform it into either poison or medicine. You gain a library of mundane compounds equal to your Monster dots, and may reflexively shift the effects of your blood between them. Most are treated as inflicting the Poisoned Condition (Scion: Origin, p. 125) but can include choices like soporifics, paralytics, or even relatively benign substances like aspirin. Unearthly Appetite: You are capable of safely eating anything, so long as it fits in your mouth, and gain nutritional value from it. If you consume something that has been intentionally poisoned, spend Momentum to negate any harmful effects. This cost is waved while under the effects of your Monstrous Urge. Appetite for Victory: When a non-trivial enemy is Taken Out by you, spend Momentum and heal one Injury, starting with the most severe. This cannot heal any Injuries taken to Armor, except the natural armor granted by the Chimera Hide Knack. While under the effects of your

154

IMMORTAL KNACKS Birth by Blood: Spend Momentum and suffer a +2 Injury condition to use your flesh and blood to create a monstrous creature. This creature must be something you are familiar with and have a rating equal to or less than your Monster dots. Your spawn serves you loyally but not sacrificially; if pressed to the verge of death, it will flee and return when healed. It lasts as long as the Injury Condition that created it, but once that has healed, it will waste away over the course of a few hours unless bought with experience, granting it true, independent life. It Was Me All Along: Once per scene, you can reflexively have a trivial character reveal that they were you all along, ripping off their form to reveal your own underneath. The Storyguide can veto this declaration if it is literally impossible for you to be there — such as a sanctuary anathema to your kind, or a prison with no entrance or exit.

APPENDIX

Predator’s Instincts: When you give in to your animalistic urges on an epic Scale (hunting dragons as prey, devouring a paramilitary force, or rampaging through the Metropolitan Museum of Art), imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale. Strange Skins: You can shapeshift into a number of alternative forms. These forms are built as creatures, none of which can have a rating higher than your Monster dots, and you may have up to twice your Monster dots in forms overall. When in an alternate form, you can use their primary dice pool instead of your own. You suffer +2 Complications when your animal form interferes with your actions. Changing your shape is a simple action, or reflexive if you spend Momentum. You may purchase this Knack up to (Legend) times, each time adding a number of dots to your form library equal to your Monster rating. These repurchases do not take up additional Knack slots. Terrifying Roar: You unleash a blood-curdling roar that sends even the bravest into retreat. Spend Momentum and roll your Knack Skill. With any successes, characters out to long range suffer a +2 Complication. Trivial characters flee automatically, while characters of lesser Tier add your Monster dots to the Complication. If not bought off, affected targets must flee the scene. Titanic Stature: When you are under the Monstrous Urges condition, you grow to more than twice your normal size and take on a fearsome mien with throbbing veins and corded sinew. Your size provides you +1 Scale, and you can spend Momentum to apply the Shockwave tag to any attack that leverages your giant form.

PRIMEVAL KNACKS Primeval Knacks allow you to inhabit, exemplify, and resonate with aspects of the World such as weather, seasonal change, or the land itself. They are driven by the concepts of embodiment and environment.

HEROIC KNACKS Land’s Favor: Whenever you’re in combat, you can conspire with the land to provide you with Hard Cover instantly available to you. Suddenly present old growth trees, remarkably out of place plinths of ancient stone, and strangely durable layers of ice are all possible. If an enemy destroys or circumnavigates the cover, they have to deal with +2 Complication for “Annoyed Land” and find themselves unceremoniously exposed to your attacks. If not bought off, any subsequent attacks gain Arcing against them. At Home in a Hurricane: You may spend Momentum to ignore all Complications and Difficulty increases from environmental Conditions or Fields for a scene, and instead gain +2 Enhancement to any actions that would have been affected by those environmental conditions. If a character of an equal or higher Tier created the environmental effect, you must make a Clash of Wills, but expend no Momentum if you fail.

Whispering Weald Verse: During procedural information gathering play, you may always target the landscape or long-lasting environmental features with any of the available approaches for finding clues. This may open up additional avenues of investigation, and also allows you to ignore any Complications involving enemies overhearing or interlopers noticing you. Ten Ton Hammers: When you labor over acts of creation and construction, you can wield the World itself as a tool; your fires rage like those of the sun, your bellows the seasonal winds, your hammers the mountains themselves. When using the procedural crafting rules, you can automatically satisfy one Milestone with your Primeval industry. Whirling Cosmos: You’re in tune with the cyclical nature of the seasons, the tides, the planets, or some other inevitable change in nature. You may spend Momentum to gain the following bonuses for the next three rounds; only one each round, and only once each (i.e., you could use Zenith on the first round, Rising on the second, and Falling on the third, but not Zenith on the first and second and Falling on the third, or Zenith twice on the first). Rising: You gain +2 Enhancement for an Attack action. Zenith: You gain +2 Enhancement for a non-Attack action Falling: You gain +2 Enhancement for Defense. Chasing the Storm: When you take a rolled Movement action or make a Chase roll, you gain access to the following Stunts: Churning Wake (variable successes): Any opponent attempting to move closer or pursue you must resolve a “Storm Hazard” Complication equal to this Stunt’s successes. This inflicts Injury Conditions based on its unresolved rating. Wreathed in Thunder (1 success): You create expendable Cover where you end your movement, which your enemies may not benefit from.

IMMORTAL KNACKS All Disaster: Make a Primeval skill roll. With any successes, you fill an area with primal eruptions as you call them forth from the World, whether they be storms, earthly upheavals, unlikely rains of celestial objects, or improbably violent waves. The more successes, the larger the disaster. In combat, spend Momentum to do this quickly, distributing successes to making “Primal Hazard” Complications in local Fields of your choosing. They inflict Injury Conditions based on their unresolved rating. Disaster always calls further disaster; add one to the Collateral pool whenever you use this Knack. Always Been Here: You may choose to ask a place for help, whether it’s an ancient valley, a verdant meadow, or a trash-stuffed alleyway incongruously crammed between two high-rise condos. When you do, spend Momentum and make a Knack skill roll. Success allows you to call forth allies from natural and supernatural inhabitants of the place alike, as either the Creature or Followers Birthright, with

Knacks

155

a rating equal to your Primeval Calling. Such monsters and strange legions follow you loyally for up to a day and a night, or until you use this Knack again. Earthblood and Starflesh: Once per session, you may choose to discorporate into elemental energies and primal matter, becoming part of the landscape or local weather effects. This removes any Bruised Conditions you have, and you can’t be attacked or otherwise interacted with by anyone without appropriate supernatural abilities (who must still win a Clash of Wills to target or affect you). At any point later, you may reform and resume normal existence, either at the location you discorporated or in the presence of a friendly character who was there when you initially used this Knack. Never Not at Home: You are not negatively affected by Field Conditions or other environmental complications, and gain access to the following Stunt on all actions. Redirect the Flow (2 successes): An ally of your choice benefits from the protection of Never Not at Home for the rest of the Scene. The Bones of the Universe: You know the secret structure of the World and beyond, and may move through passages ancient when the Gods were young. When you choose to travel, you may travel from like to like, putting a boat into the water on the Great Lakes only to emerge from Lake Victoria, walk into the Sahara and walk out of the Gobi, or even dig through a snowbank in Alaska to emerge from the snowpack in the Alps. Such travel takes no longer than a day’s travel (about eight hours). While native dangers or obstructions from either your entry or exit might bar your way, those otherwise trying to track or waylay you must make a Clash of Wills to intercept you before you reach your destination. If the connection between elements you travel through is tenuous (“Well, Central Park and the Amazon both have trees!”) or relies on the constructions of man (such as going from sewer system to sewer system), spend Momentum to use this Knack. The Voice of the Storm: You may send forth your intent into the World, delivering messages through the patterns in leaves, the whispers in crashing waves, or the crackling of fire. This allows you to communicate with any willing target, while you may spend Momentum to deliver messages to unwilling targets. In either case, you may choose to allow them a short reply, and may make intrigue actions targeting them. The World Entire: When you work to turn existing natural forces to your will on a massive scale, such as rerouting rivers, directing wildfires, or taking advantage of a tidal change, imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale.

TYRANT KNACKS Tyrant Knacks enable you to impose your will on others, or make them suffer for disobeying you. They are driven by the concepts of oppression and authority.

156

HEROIC KNACKS A Voice Like Doom: During intrigue play, whenever you try to Shift Attitude or Atmosphere during intrigue play to create feelings of fear or to Encourage Behavior to enforce obedience, you may choose to increase the Collateral pool by up to your Tyrant Calling in dice. For each die you add to the Collateral pool, add +1 Enhancement, which applies before you roll. Crushing Inquest: During information gathering play, you gain access to the following Stunt: Tyrant’s Weight (1-3 successes): For each success you spend, create an atmosphere of Fear for any social encounters with a rating equal to the successes spent for the rest of the session. Present Dread: You may spend Momentum to create the following Complication for anyone opposing or attacking you for a Scene: “Aura of Oppression” (+2): Failing to resolve this Complication creates an Attitude of fear for the character attempting the action towards the Scion who created it equal to the Complication’s unresolved rating. Ready Displeasure: Whenever someone who serves you or has sworn to follow you disobeys the spirit of your orders, you immediately know (though not what exactly they did or why they did it). Reward the Obedient: You may make a Knack skill roll against a target, opposed by their Integrity + Composure or Resolve or most relevant dice pool. On a success, create the condition “Tyrant’s Command” on them. Anytime a character suffering from the “Tyrant’s Command” condition disobeys you, you may end the Condition to instantly inflict one damage to the target. Otherwise, the Condition resolves after they’re away from your presence for at least a day. Tools of Tyranny: Intrigue actions or physical attacks made by your sworn subordinates (including followers or beasts) against targets with an Attitude of fear towards you or in an atmosphere of fear gain Enhancement +1. If you’re present, intrigue actions benefitting from this Knack resolve an additional Milestone on a success, while physical attacks gain the Brutal tag.

IMMORTAL KNACKS Absolute Terror: The dread you inspire warps attempts to oppose or harm you. Foes attacking or opposing you suffer any Attitudes of fear they possess towards you as additional Difficulty on their rolls, while foes opposing you with inanimate objects that should happen to fear you must overcome their weapon’s Attitude as Complication or be disarmed. Faceless Legions: Make a Knack roll. On a success, you gain followers equal to your Tyrant rating for the remainder of the session, your personal gravity drawing weak-willed humans and lesser supernatural beings to your service. If they fail a roll, you may dismiss them, make an example of them, or disdainfully abandon them. If you do, you lose

APPENDIX

access to Faceless Legions for the rest of the session, but you gain your Tyrant dots in Enhancement to succeed at whatever they failed at. You may not have more than one group of followers collected by Faceless Legions bound to you at once.

Squirming Masses: When attempting to inflict fear or coerce obedience on a huge Scale, such as cowing an army or demanding the labor of an entire country, imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale.

Haughty Summons: You may call a character sworn to your service or a Birthright similarly attached to you to your side in a frightful wind. Spend Momentum: If they could plausibly come to your side in a scene, they arrive immediately; a day, they arrive at the end of the Scene, any longer, they arrive at the next dawn or dusk. If supernaturally kept from meeting your call, you may Clash of Wills against whatever force holds them in durance. Birthrights need not be capable of their own conveyance normally to respond to the summons; players’ characters must always give consent to be affected by this power.

The Fear: The fear and terror you cause is absolute, even affecting targets that would normally be unable to feel fear such as unintelligent constructs or inanimate objects. Trivial opponents are unable to target you with physical attacks or other actions to hinder you, barring outside supernatural means, and you may inflict Attitudes of fear or similar emotions on normally invalid targets, such as “fearless skeleton warriors” or “that wall.” Lower Tier foes must succeed at an Integrity + Composure or Resolve or most relevant dice pool rollto affect you, which counts as a normal action in action-adventure play. Foes protected against fear by supernatural means may make a Clash of Wills roll to oppose your ability to create dread.

Solipsistic Disdain: Once per scene, you may spend Momentum to ignore an attack against your person, refusing to acknowledge its existence and becoming utterly unaffected by any of its effects. If this was in response to an ambush or surprise attack, you may use this Knack without spending Momentum and may use it one more time during the Scene.

Wicked Industry: When crafting, you may always count “the toil of desperate servants” and “dire plots planned in darkness” as Milestones.

Knacks

157

Titanomachy_(A_Collection_of_Threats_for_Scion_Second_Edition).pdf - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kieth Sipes

Last Updated:

Views: 5551

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kieth Sipes

Birthday: 2001-04-14

Address: Suite 492 62479 Champlin Loop, South Catrice, MS 57271

Phone: +9663362133320

Job: District Sales Analyst

Hobby: Digital arts, Dance, Ghost hunting, Worldbuilding, Kayaking, Table tennis, 3D printing

Introduction: My name is Kieth Sipes, I am a zany, rich, courageous, powerful, faithful, jolly, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.