Appendix

 

CURSES

"Curses are our reminder that this world is the only pure realm left. It is our last bastion against our ancient foes."

Whisper, Court of Fate

 
Below is a large list of ideas that both Chroniclers and players can use. They can make excellent material for ideas for Fugue Triggers as well, since many Fugue Triggers can be related to various Curses, and they can even be used for new Supernatural Drawbacks. This list is only here to serve as example, as Chroniclers are free to come up with hundreds of ideas for new curses and rate them accordingly

· The Immortal cannot cross a threshold without knocking, being invited, etc. The Immortal cannot leave an area if anyone is looking at him. Doors the Immortal goes through lead to places other than where they are supposed. The Immortals cannot open doors or pass other barriers himself. The Immortal cannot pass onto holy ground.

· The smell/sight of some common thing (roses, garlic, milk, perfume, human sweat, certain symbols, food, etc.) becomes nauseating to the Immortal.

· When she is passionate (or angry, lustful, extremely joyous, etc.) the Immortal's eyes glow, she makes sounds like her Himsati, she partially shape-shifts, etc.

· The Immortal cannot be seen in mirrors or captured on film or video or audio or some combination. The Immortal's image remains on mirrors for a period of time after walking away from it.

· The Immortal casts the shadow of his Himsati when in human form, the shadow of his human form when in Himsati. The Immortal's shadow pushes other shadows out of its way.

· The Immortal develops a common bane deformity permanently (forked tongue, premature white hair, odd coloured eyes, eyes of his Himsati, an extra digit on each hand, fangs, hooked or clawed nails, etc.).

· The Immortal's voice reverberates when she talks, or speaks with the combined voice of her avatars. Her voice causes pain to mortals around her who can hear her speak. Her spoken words appear as graffiti on walls nearby. The Immortal cannot speak unless asked a question or spoken to.

· Fire burns an unusual colour, burns cold, intensifies, goes out, starts, dims, etc., in the presence of the Immortal. Nothing will burn at all in the Immortal's presence.

· Objects stain, warp, tarnish, rust, age, change colours, etc., when the Immortal touches them.

Alternatively they could move away when the Immortal nears them, toys could animate near the Immortal, etc.

· Plants wither, warp, move, flourish/bloom, or try to grab the Immortal when in her presence. Food products rot/spoil/come alive again, in the Immortal's presence.

· It is always darker, colder, warmer, brighter, the shadows are deeper, etc. around the Immortal.

· Wherever the Immortal's shadow touches, that area/thing collects a film of dust, is stained with blood, changes colour, burns, etc.

· The Immortal's hair and clothes are constantly blown about by an unseen, unheard wind. The Immortal's hair turns to tentacles or snakes and strikes others around him at random.

· The Immortal cannot eat in the presence of others or must consume amounts of food far more than normal to be satisfied.

· The Immortal's shadow pushes other shadows out of the way.

· The Immortal attracts certain types of animals (birds, mice, cats, etc.), mortal media, crime, plagues, children who are fascinated with his magical nature, fog or storms follow him and herald his approach into a city, etc.

· The Immortal is constantly mistaken for someone else, dead loves ones, lost friends, famous people, etc.

· The Immortal is magnetized, cries tears of blood, coughs up strange objects, sheds his skin like a snake, gives off a strange pungent odour, his hair turns to glass/metal when cut, etc.

· Objects fall from shelves, pictures on walls tilt at odd angles, objects become "lost", candles and wax melt into strange shapes, etc. in the Immortal's presence.

· Buttons and clasps fall off of others in the Immortal's presence.

· The Immortal inspires jealousy in mortals, gives them "goose bumps", makes them nauseous, causes nightmares or hallucinations, etc., whenever they are in his presence

· The Immortal has mental delusions (being watched, followed, hears voices that aren't there, etc.) The Immortal suffers from stigmata or psychosomatic appearance of wounds that do not invoke pain.

· Dwellings the Immortal enters act on their own accord (becoming cluttered, unorganized, doors slamming on their own, furniture rearranging itself when no one is looking, etc.)

· The Immortal becomes fascinated with certain objects, symbols, smells, etc.

· The Immortal's skin is an odd shade (bluish, greenish, rosy, etc. but not enough to truly look bizarre.) or feels like fur, scales, bark, etc. but looks completely normal, or is hot/cold to the touch.

· Knives (or other bladed weaponry) become dull in the Immortal's hands; normal items become edged and cut those who handle them, including the Immortal.

· The Immortal's presence causes bygone radio broadcasts to repeat over radios playing in his vicinity, or scrambles television and/or radio signals, or turns non-Immortal made music twisted and warped sounding, movies talk interactively with the Immortal, etc.

· The Immortal's reflection cracks mirrors, his voice breaks glass when he sings (or speaks).

· The Immortal must shout/whisper whenever he talks, or perhaps whenever he tells a lie.

· The Immortal leaves wet footprints or animal footprints in human form (and vice versa) wherever she goes.

· Liquids evaporate rapidly when the Immortal is nearby. Water turns to blood when she touches it. Beverages effervesce in the Immortal's presence.

· The Immortal is allergic to a certain substance (sunlight, silver, garlic, wood, holy items), and takes a pain penalty when near them or additional damage when struck by them.

· The Immortal must assume her Himsati under a certain conditions (full moon, when in water, etc.) or can only change back and forth during certain times or conditions.

· Mortals she's thinking of can hear the Immortal's thoughts.

· The Immortal may not directly tell a lie, or may not directly tell the truth.

· The Immortal cannot abide the presence of blood (even a menstruating woman), or great beauty.

· The Immortal's heartbeat is faintly audible, even if she is invisible.

· Electrical devices in the vicinity of the Immortal experience surges, brown out, or begin to act wildly and strange. Machines will not work for the Immortal without the use of serenades such as Gremlin.

· The Immortal is a plague carrier, be it mortal or technical (a computer virus for example)

· Things run backwards (watches, drains, running water, etc.) in the Immortal's vicinity.

· The Immortal assumes the form of one of his avatars on the avatar's birthday and cannot change back until the day has passed. The Immortal changes into one of his avatars at random each night and changes back at dawn. The Immortal assumes the form of a child in the presence of mortals.

· Animals cry out whenever the Immortal's name is mentioned, birds speak his thoughts aloud, thunder cracks whenever the Immortal is struck, and other odd sources of sound can occur.

· The Immortal's breath coats objects in frost.

· The Immortal only gains nutrition from certain things or can only eat certain things (raw meat, flesh, drinking blood, liquids, plants, sex, etc.

· The Immortal's sense of sensations is reversed (experiences pleasure as pain, etc.)

· The Immortal's presence causes animals to fight one another.

· The Immortal may not use serenades during the day.

· The Immortal cannot refuse a request for her aid.

· The Immortal can only sleep surrounded in earth or in some other circumstance.

· Anyone the Immortal kills reanimates and hunts for her.

· The Immortal has the overwhelming urge to kill his sexual partners the Immortal cannot play serenades for 24 hours after not being chaste; the Immortal gains sustenance only from intimacy; anyone the Immortal loves becomes a magnet for danger.

· Mortals age in the Immortal's presence.

· Printed words the Immortal reads become scrambled on the page.

· The Immortal's kiss is poisonous, his touch causes orgasms or pain or some other sensation in Immortals and cannot be stopped.

· Sunlight causes the Immortal to turn to stone, burn, etc. The Immortal glows under moonlight.

 

Himsati Specific Curses

We provide a small number of example ideas should the Narrator deem that the curse be related to the Immortal's specific Himsati. This can be the case if the curse was gained while the character had Himsati natures active during the gaining of the curse.

INSECTS/ARACHNIDS
· Buzzing insect sounds accompany the Immortal, the Immortal makes insect sounds while sleeping

· The Immortal is afraid of birds, spiders, etc.

· Things the Immortal touches become covered in webbing

· The Immortal has compound eyes

· Alcohol harms the Immortal or the Immortal cannot abide it

· The Immortal is inactive in colder temperatures

· The Immortal's blood turns into stinging/biting insects that attack all around the Immortal (including the Immortal) when it is spilled.

· Insects double in size and become aggressive around the Immortal

· The Immortal undergoes a complete metamorphosis of his human form each season

· The Immortal's touch leaves painful insect bite marks on those he cares for.

 

REPTILES/AMPHIBIANS

· The Immortal's eyes turn reptilian or he makes reptilian or amphibious noises when angry, lustful, etc.

· The Immortal leaves a slimy coating on anything he sits on (like a frog)

· The Immortal is attracted to water

· The Immortal snores by croaking like a frog when asleep

· The Immortal is completely hairless except his head

· The Immortal has a set of retractable fangs or forked tongue

· The Immortal's hands and feet are webbed, or shaped more like a slender lizard.

· He sheds his skin, eats insects, smells like a reptile, can't breathe air

· His tongue is elongated and sticky and gives him a speech impairment

· Makes rattlesnake noises when about to attack (even when trying to be stealthy).

· Tadpoles spontaneously generate in any water the Immortal touches, drinks, etc.

· Is fascinated or afraid of reptiles, considers human prey

· His hair is transforms to snakes, is legless in water, becomes too stiff to move in cold temperatures

 

BIRDS

· Feathers appear in the area after the Immortal leaves

· Casts a bird shadow, his reflection in human form is that of his Himsati

· Only four digits on each hand, sleeps standing up

· Makes a goose honk sound when startled

· Migrates each fall, is fascinated by high places, builds a nest out of handy materials to sleep in

· Must swallow small stones to grind food up

· Part of his body is feathered

· Can only see well at great distances

· Can't speak but must sing like a bird

· Causes females he touches to become pregnant and lay an egg that hatches into a bird

· Is fascinated with small and/or shiny objects

 

MAMMALS

· The Immortal is hairy, has unusual ears, pants like a dog when hot, has whiskers

· Becomes exceedingly territorial

· Acts like he has fleas all the time

· Must sleep outdoors

· Head only changes into Himsati form at specific times or circumstances

· Is a carrier of rabies

· Has hoofed feet and animal like legs

· Sleepwalks in Himsati form during full moons

· Presence in an area sends mammals into killing frenzies

 

AQUATIC HIMSATIS

· Leaves wet footprints

· Fresh water turns salty near the Immortal

· Bleeds salt water instead of blood

· Smells like brine

· Has no eyelids

· Must keep skin wet or loses youth and beauty until the skin is made wet again.

· Has barbells (fleshy whiskers around the mouth like a catfish).

· Can only see in shades of green, blue and violet like a fish

· Has gill slits

· Presence causes rip tides, high winds, large waves

· Body becomes encrusted with barnacles

· Arms turn into tentacles

· Must submerge self in water to turn into Himsati or to turn back

 

ESOTERIC HIMSATIS (Elementals and Plant Himsatis)

· Fire burns weird colours near the Immortal

· Rooms get darker when the Immortal enters

· Plants touched suddenly bloom

· Metal tarnishes around the Immortal or at his touch

· Ice melts into strange shapes

· Flames burn cold in his presence

· His voice just shatters glass

· His human shadow bites anything in the area, painful but causes no wounds

· Touch cracks stone

· Must remain in the sunlight to digest his food

· Touch causes frostbite

· If the Immortal shouts, lightning strikes nearby. His voice is as loud as thunder.

· Sunlight burns the Immortal

 

Glossary

Abzulim: First race of Immortals, formed from the earliest terrestrial creatures; now extinct.

Avatar: Persona created by Lethe, stored in the Vox.

Believers: Humans who willingly assist Immortals.

Bright Bloods: Humans, usually allies to Immortals, who reincarnate often and whose faith allows them to control the Essence flows.

Calling: Purpose within the Perpetual Society.

Chimera: Immortal with multiple Himsati forms, originally created by the Abzulim.

Court: Gathering of Immortals with a similar purpose and sphere of influence

Creche: Capitol of a Court’s primary Mantle, their main stronghold.

Elementals: Immortals created from elementals.

Ennui: Disconnection from the body, an unaware state; often caused by the weight of experience or an emerging avatar.

Fugue: State of distraction, caused by the triggering of a memory from one of the Avatars.

Himsati Immortal’s original and true form.

Lethe: Process of submerging consciousness, storing the mind in a Vox, creating a new persona, and attaining physical rebirth.

Maker: Bright Blood whose power allows him to create and maintain a otherworld ream for his Immortal master.

Mantles: Realms located in the Twilight World, maintained by a Maker and inhabited by Immortals.

Naturals: Immortals created in the beginning with an animal Himsati.

Natures: Powers reminiscent of the Himsati form, such as claws, wings, etc.

Pantheon: Group of Immortals who works together.

Paragon: The leader of a Court.

Perpetual Society: The gathering of Immortals for the survivors of the Great Betrayal.

Primal: An Immortal formed from an element, energy, or plant rather than an animal.

Progeny: Human infected with Shards of the Sanguinary, or turn-coat Immortal.

Sanguinary: Mad God that seeks to restore its own form by cannibalizing the Vox of all Immortals.

Serenade: Use of the Vox and Essence to create a change in reality.

Shian-Rhi: Martial Art developed by Naturals Immortals, which is based on an Immortal’s shapeshifting abilities.

Triad: Group of three Shadowen forming a hunting pack.

Vox: Shard of the Sanguinary, located in the throat which stores the Avatars, allows Serenades, and is the main brain of the body.