The following scales portray how well your character functions under certain circumstances while keeping their Beast in check.
The following scales portray how well your character functions under certain circumstances while keeping their Beast in check.
All creatures of the blood have a dark force deep inside of them, the dread Beast Within. They balance these atavistic urges with whatever empathy and moral code they are still able to keep. The Children of the Night perform a precarious dance on a razor's edge with each passing night.
Your characer sheet will give you a choice as to the state of your Humanity, which might be classified as caring, detached or monstrous.
All three tiers have different ways of dealing with the demands of the Beast. There is a set of views and specific actions associated with each condition, which describe how your character can or cannot curb their bestial urges. They are explained in detail in your brief.
You will also find a Touchstone on your character sheet. This is another character which your character has become so inspired by and attached to that some vestigial part of their own Humanity is experienced vicariously throught that other person.
As a result, as long as that person is in your character's immediate proximity, any bestial urges are calmed and resulting behaviour effecticely nullified.
Conversely, when that special person is hurt or even killed in your character's presence, this will lead to a Frenzy, where the only objective is to protect the Touchstone (if that's still possible) and attack and punish the offender without holding back.
The driving force of Kindred or Ghoul existence is the Hunger, forever gnawing at their insides, forever driving them to hunt, be it socially or physically. Ghouls are hooked on Kindred vitae, Kindred desire the blood of mortals, and the eldest of the species prey on their own kind.
When a character is fed upon, heals their wounds, or uses a discipline, their Hunger increases by one step.
Feeding on a single vessel decreases Hunger by one step.
The first stage of Hunger is being famished. A famished character is seriously 'hangry' and finds their emotions intensified and darkened. Your character sheet describes what happens when one of your Compulsions, which can be either one of Rage or of Regret, are triggered.
The final condition is to be ravenous. A ravenous character is driven by the needs of their Beast and will make feeding their primary objective. Your character sheet describes how your character approaches the hunt, depending on their degree of Humanity.
A ravenous character can no longer use blood of their own volition. They can also not be drained to decrease another's Hunger, instead it will directly damage their Health.
Kindred are survival machines. Their bodies are immune to any disease or substance harmful to humans, they don't tire out physically, they feel the pain of injury to a lesser degree, and any wounds inflicted on them will mend in a short span of time. Even the half-mortal ghouls share this miraculous stamina, albeit to a lesser degree.
When a character is injured during a physical altercation, they get progressively worse. Only the blood will repair that damage.
It takes 10 minutes of resting time and increases Hunger by one step to mend one Health level.
The first injury a character receives makes them wounded. A wounded character can still moved around slowly, engage in social interactions, and use their disciplines. They cannot actively engage in physical violence, however, and, when attacked, they lose all draws in a Battle of the Beasts.
If a character is injured further before healing they become torpid. A character in torpor is completely unable to act of their own volition and absolutely defenseless. They can still dimly perceive their surroundings and speak in pained whispers.
A character who has entered torpor and has no blood to heal their wounds, must rely on being fed by another to be restored.