Bonus Content: Scapegoat, Hubris, and Noblesse Oblige (Patreon)

For this week's bonus content, I'm giving you sneak peeks of a few more Scars - Scapegoat, Hubris, and Noblesse Oblige:

Controlled Scar: Scapegoat (• to •••••)

Keywords: Social; Subtle

The Deviant’s presence has a deleterious effect on the ones he cares about.

At Magnitude •, choose a Persistent Scar with a Magnitude equal to the Magnitude of Scapegoat (the secondary Scar). When the Remade activates the entangled Variation in the presence of a Loyalty Touchstone, that Touchstone suffers the effects of the secondary Scar until the end of the chapter unless the Broken succeeds on a Scar Resistance roll. The maximum number of victims the secondary Scar can affect at a time cannot exceed (6 – Scar Resistance). The Scar must be one that can meaningfully affect a Baseline. If the Scar has no viable victims to target in the current scene, Scapegoat gains the Bystander Deviation below.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Cohort: The secondary Scar also affects members of the Deviant’s cohort.

•            Enduring: The secondary Scar plagues the victim longer, lasting until the end of the story. If paired with the Bystander Deviation, it is usually permanent.

•            Persistent: In addition to taking effect when the entangled Variation is active, up to once per chapter, at a time of the Storyteller’s choosing, it imposes its secondary Scar even when the Variation isn’t active.

•            Sympathetic: The secondary Scar can fall upon a target who isn’t present in the current scene.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but choose two Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude ••, but choose three Magnitude •• effects.

At Magnitude •••••, as Magnitude ••, but the Deviant suffers from all four Magnitude •• effects.

Deviations

Bystander (+0 Magnitude): The secondary Scar doesn’t affect Loyalty Touchstones. Instead, it affects innocent bystanders (Baselines who are not Conviction Touchstones, Loyalty Touchstones, or enemies). However, the Broken does not have the option to make a Scar Resistance roll to suppress this effect and Scapegoat becomes an Overt Scar. If no viable bystanders are present, the Variation works normally but no one suffers the secondary Scar.

Random (+0 Magnitude): Choose a number of potential secondary Scars equal to 1 + Scar Magnitude. Whenever you impose a secondary Scar due to Scapegoat, randomly select which one affects the victim at random.

Cruel (+1 Magnitude): As Random and exclusive with it and with Merciful, but the Storyteller chooses which secondary Scar to impose, and it seems calculated to maximize the Deviant’s anguish.

Merciful (–1 Magnitude): As Random and exclusive with it and with Cruel, but the Broken’s player decides which secondary Scar to impose.

Persistent Scar: Hubris (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle

The Broken is certain he’s the smartest one in the room and that there is no problem that his intelligence and Variations can’t overcome if he puts his mind to it. Moreover, he wants everyone else to know it.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant is prone to gloat over his successes (and any enemies in his power), to brag about his intelligence and Variations, and to talk about his plans even to enemies. Whenever this causes a complication for the Remade or his cohort, he takes a Beat.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and choose one:

•            Brag: Whenever someone asks the Broken about himself, he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll to resist the urge to openly hint either at his Variations, his shocking plans for the future, or his past crimes. At this Magnitude, he need not be blunt or specific — particularly if doing so in present company is a bad idea, such as when he is being interrogated by the police — but anyone reading between the lines should be able to glean enough information from his not-quite-confession to pursue further lines of inquiry.

•            Toy: Whenever the Deviant has an enemy in his power — whether because they surrendered or were incapacitated — he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll in order to kill them or let them die. If he lets them live, he cannot simply keep them prisoner or hand them over to someone else. He must either give them an opportunity to win their freedom (which need not be fair but must not assure their failure) or contrive a satisfying and elaborate method of execution that incidentally gives them a chance to escape. This does not affect the Broken’s ability or willingness to kill a Conviction Touchstone out of hand.

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, and choose one:

•            Balanced: The Deviant suffers both Magnitude •• effects.

•            Boast: The Remade must have chosen Brag as his Magnitude •• effect. As Brag, but the Broken can’t roll to resist at least hinting about his secrets. Moreover, if asked direct questions about any of the secret topics, he must make a successful Scar Resistance roll or lay out the truth in excruciating detail even when doing so is a terrible idea.

•            Gloat: The Deviant must have chosen Toy as his Magnitude •• effect. The Remade’s enemies are so far beneath his notice that they don’t even warrant him killing them anymore. The Toy effect now applies to his Conviction Touchstones. Additionally, the Broken doesn’t even toy with lesser enemies, instead freeing them a short while later, usually after regaling them with lengthy monologues meant to impress upon them how intelligent and powerful he is.

At Magnitude ••••, the Deviant suffers from all three Magnitude ••• effects.

Deviations

•             Calling Card (+1 Magnitude): The Remade feels compelled to take trophies or leave a calling card whenever he makes a significant accomplishment. Choose an appropriate type of calling card or trophy; failing to leave/take this when the opportunity arises inflicts a minor Instability on the Broken. A calling card makes it easier for the conspiracy (or the authorities) to identify his handiwork; leaving a calling card makes this Scar count as Overt for the conspiracy’s next surveillance roll. A trophy makes it easier for the Broken’s crimes to be traced to him; if investigators gain access to his trophy collection, he suffers the Hunted Condition.

Persistent Scar: Noblesse Oblige (• to •••••)

Keywords: Mental, Social; Subtle

The Broken suffers a supernatural compulsion to fulfill the desires of strangers.

At Magnitude •, the Deviant’s player may accept a Beat whenever she performs a random act of kindness for a stranger that results in a complication for her or her cohort.

At Magnitude ••, as Magnitude •, and up to once per chapter the Storyteller may choose a character the Remade is compelled to help. The Deviant must ensure that the target fulfills a Vice, Virtue, Aspiration, or esoteric drive (such as furthering a Touchstone). The Remade knows which person is her target but doesn’t automatically receive knowledge of his desires; she needs to learn that information on her own. Unless the target accomplishes his goal before the end of the next chapter, the Deviant suffers one of the following at the beginning of the following chapter, chosen at the time she develops this Scar:

•            Health: The Remade suffers a point of lethal damage that cannot be healed by supernatural effects.

•            Power: This Scar becomes Controlled instead of Persistent and gains the Repeatable keyword. The Deviant cannot activate the entangled Variations unless she has fulfilled the obligation since the beginning of the previous chapter.

•            Stability: The Broken suffers a minor Instability.

•            Will: The Deviant loses a point of Willpower.

If the Storyteller chooses a new target, it frees the Remade from any existing obligation (and potential consequences for failing to uphold it).

At Magnitude •••, as Magnitude ••, but the Broken has fewer avenues by which to satisfy her compulsion. Choose two of the following when the Deviant develops this Scar, and helping the target fulfill these no longer satisfies the conditions of this Scar: Esoteric, Short-Term Aspiration, Long-Term Aspiration, Vice, or Virtue.

At Magnitude ••••, as Magnitude •••, but only one type of desire satisfies the conditions of this Scar.

Deviations

Except for Compelled, all the below Deviations are only allowed if the base effect is Magnitude •• or higher.

•            Guided (–1 Magnitude): The Deviant automatically learns one of the target’s relevant desires that can be used to satisfy this Scar.

•            Aware (–2 Magnitude): Exclusive with Guided, the Remade automatically learns all the target’s relevant desires that can be used to satisfy this Scar.

•            Compelled (+0 Magnitude): Rather than the choice of target being wholly at the Storyteller’s whim, it must be someone matching certain criteria, one who takes a certain action, or a combination of the two. For example, the Broken might be compelled to bring joy to children, perform a service for the first person to pay her fee, or grant the last wishes of the dying. Targets can include Conviction Touchstones and other enemies (but not cohort members, Loyalty Touchstones, or other close allies) as long as they meet the criteria. The Deviant’s obligation to a target persists until a new viable target presents himself, with each satisfied desire of the current target replaced with a compulsion to satisfy another until a new target is acquired.

•            Costly (+1 Magnitude): The price of failure to satisfy this Scar is higher — aggravated damage for Health, medium Instability for Stability, and three Willpower for Will. This Deviation is not available if the Remade’s price is Power.

•            Multitudinous (+1 Magnitude): Choose a second price of failing to satisfy this Scar (Health, Power, Stability, or Will). The Deviant suffers both.

•            Crushing (+2 Magnitude): As Multitudinous and exclusive with it, but the transformed suffers three prices of failing to satisfy the Scar.

•             Unyielding (+1 Magnitude): Continued failure to satisfy this Scar causes the Remade to wither away. Any damage, Instability, or Willpower lost to this Scar cannot be healed/replenished until the Broken successfully satisfies the Scar. If the price is Power, fulfilling her obligation does not allow the Deviant to activate the entangled Variation until the beginning of the next chapter.