Powers granted by demons to those who serve them or who
enter into pacts with them are referred to as Investments. The power source
for Investments lies within the demons themselves, not the ones who use
the new ability. Powers are referred to as Investments
because the power is an actual investment by which the demon receives the
individual's soul at the end of the investment period.
Investments are the most common demonic gifts, but there
are others. Curses placed upon enemies, wealth, political power, luck, personal
service, valuable secrets and objects of desire are also possible trade-offs.
Some of these, such as luck, valuable secrets and curses, are very subtle,
leading to suspicions without any proof. Because of this, some of these
other possibilities can be better than Investments, depending on the situation.
Investments have ratings that roughly refer to their power
level. Gaining a power means the individual is under a formal arrangement,
called a Pact. The wording in these Pacts is always exact, and the document
is full of fine print. The demon may ask for things other than a soul in
return, but that is uncommon.
Keep in mind that there are no hard and fast rules for
making Pacts with demons; it is better to roleplay this type of activity.
The following is meant as a guideline for granting Investments. An Infernalist
does not actually sign over his soul until the more extreme Pacts have been
written.
Size of the Pact Investment Points Gained
Minor 1
The following list of Investments provides Storytellers
with basic values for certain types of powers. They should feel free to
change what they do not like and add those they create. Some demons can
only offer certain Investments, based on their own powers and position.
A vampire who acquires even a single Investment develops
what is referred to as a Witches' Nipple. This is the place through which
the demon pours the hellacious force, thus granting the Investment.
Investments
One Point
Aquatic: This Investment allows
the Infernalist to move about as freely underwater as a fish. He can swim
as fast as he can run and has his full Dexterity score. The Infernalist
takes on a slightly aquatic look, reducing his Appearance by one. If the
Infernalist is a mortal, he also acquires gills, making him amphibious.
Bat Ears: This simple Investment
gives the Infernalist sonar like a bat's. The Infernalist can "see"
via reflected sound waves. Accordingly, there must be sound for this Investment
to work, but the sound does not have to be loud or ubiquitous.
Body Armor: This Investment
grants the Infernalist an extra
die with which to soak damage. It can be taken up to five times.
Grim Jaws: This odd Investment
increases the strength of the Infernalist's jaws and teeth to a remarkable
level, letting the Infernalist chew through practically anything. Certain
versions of this Investment make it possible for the Infernalist to stretch
her jaws so far that she can swallow objects as large as a child within
two turns. Despite the connotations of this Investment, the Infernalist's
face and mouth appear normal except when this power is in use.
Kiss of Hades: The Infernalist
with this Investment can burn flesh with his kiss. It requires one Blood
Point to do so, but the Infernalist causes three dice of aggravated burn
damage with the touch of his lips. As with biting, the victim must first
be grappled or surprised.
Lashing Tail: The Infernalist
gains an actual tail from this Investment. The tail is small, but can be
used as a whip at short range, causing two dice of aggravated damage. However,
the tail must remain well hidden, or everyone will know the Infernalist's
secret.
Magic Sense: This Investment
allows the Infernalist to sense any reasonably large expenditure of magical
energy within 500 yards of her person. This power costs nothing to use,
but the Infernalist must concentrate for it to work. This power will not
pick up any Disciplines other than Thaumaturgy.
Razor Fangs: Much like the
Protean power Wolf's Claw, this Investment increases the size and sharpness
of vampire's fangs, though it costs one Blood Point to do so. The vampire
is able to cause terrible aggravated wounds with the fangs and adds an extra
die to damage caused by them.
Razor Fingers: This power is
just like Razor Fangs above but functions on the vampire's fingernails.
This also requires one Blood Point to use.
Smell Fear: The vampire can
smell if someone within 100 feet is afraid. This Investment costs one Blood
Point and requires intense concentration.
Two Points
Invisibility to Animals: The
Infernalist becomes completely invisible to animals, though some will still
smell the Infernalist at the Storyteller's option. Such animals will cower
in fright before Infernalists with this power.
Pheromone Powers: The Infernalist's
body exudes strange pheromones that make mortals more susceptible to Dominate,
reducing their current Willpower rating by half when determining the difficulty
numbers for the Discipline. It effects all mortals within 30 feet of the
Infernalist.
Psychic Tracker: Infernalists
with this Investment can track someone using clairaudience. This power will
not give them the location of their target, but they will know when they
are getting closer to him. This power costs one Blood Point per hour used.
Three Points
Cause Vertigo: This Investment
allows the Infernalist to influence a victim's sense of balance. The victim
suffers great difficulty in standing, much less moving, and mortals feel
nauseous. The victim must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll (difficulty
5 to stand up, difficulty of 7 to move about or take any action). This power
can be used against any number of opponents, but requires one Blood Point
per victim. The affects last five turns.
Magic Portal: An Infernalist
using this Investment creates a dimensional alteration that allows her to
pass through a solid object as if it were not there. Using this power costs
one Blood Point.
Walk the Walls: The Infernalist
with this Investment can walk or crawl on any surface capable of supporting
her weight, including walls and ceilings. The Infernalist moves at normal
walking or crawling speed. It seems like the center of gravity shifts for
the vampire, making the desired surface pull on the Infernalist as if it
were the ground.
Four Points
Guardian: The Infernalist with this Investment is gifted
with a demonic protector of some sort. The creature is a petty thing of
limited ability, such as an imp. The creature will serve the vampire, offering
whatever protection it can. The Infernalist has an empathic tie to the creature
so each knows where the other is at all times, along with each other's current
emotional state.
Toxic Blast: The Infernalist
with this Investment can spew forth a foul liquid blast of demonic energy.
The blast originates from one chosen source, such as the mouth, eyes, nose,
or fingertips. The liquid disappears five turns after it jets. Until that
time, it is a foul-smelling, acidic, blackish-green goop. It costs one Blood
Point to cast a single blast of the energy that is broad enough to coat
a human-sized object. The toxic blast hits on a Perception + Firearms roll
(difficulty 6) and causes five dice of aggravated damage.
Two Dimensional: This Investment
allows the Infernalist to lose all width, becoming nonexistent from the
side. The Infernalist can move through small cracks using this power and
appear invisible if viewed only from the side. Note that while the character
is two dimensional, he can still interact with three-dimensional space normally.
It costs one Blood Point to utilize this power.
Five Points
Hell Skinned: This Investment
grants the Infernalist immunity to natural flames and all natural heat.
It does not protect against magical fire or sunlight.
Life Leech: The Infernalist
with this Investment can drain the Willpower of mortals (including ghouls
and lupines), converting it to Blood Points. This requires physical contact
and a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll difficulty of the target's Conscience + 3). Every success
converts a point of Willpower to vitæ. Victims reduced to 0 Willpower
through this Investment become catatonic until they can regain a point of
Willpower - an unlikely proposition at best.
Master of the Domain: With
this Investment, the Infernalist knows of anything happening within his
domain as soon as it happens. He can mark off a 500-square-foot area, and
will always be aware of what happens there as if he were watching it from
above.
Six Points
Atrophic Touch: A Infernalist
can cause one of a victim's extremities to wither away to nothingness. The
victim loses no Health Levels and feels no pain, but the limb disappears.
It costs a Blood Point and a point of Willpower to use this power, and the
Infernalist must touch the limb to be effected; she must then succeed in
a resisted Willpower roll (both against a difficulty of 6).
Teleportation: The Infernalist
can use Teleportation to immediately pop from one location into another.
The range on this Investment is 100 feet, but the Infernalist does not necessarily
have to see his target location. It costs one Blood Point and a point of
Willpower to use this Investment.
Turn to Toad: This Investment
allows the Infernalist to turn her victim into a toad. The effects last
for one night per success on a Wits + Animal Ken roll (difficulty of the
target's Willpower). It costs a Blood Point and a point of Willpower to
use this power.
Seven Points
Infernal Passage: This Investment
grants the Infernalist the right to pass through the realms of Hades without
fear of harm. This Investment can be given only by extremely powerful demons.
This Investment does not provide the Infernalist with a means of entering
this realm.
Journey to the Spirit Realm:
The Infernalist with this Investment can travel through the spirit realms
known to the lupines as the Umbra. It costs one Blood Point per hour of
travel. The vampire's body actually becomes noncorporeal for the journey.
Summon Hellions: This Investment
allows the Infernalist to summon three minor demons to provide immediate
protection from danger. The demons will not put their own forms in danger,
but they will try to protect their charge as well as they can. It costs
one Blood Point to use this Investment.
Eight Points
Army of the Damned: This awesome Investment allows the
Infernalist to call forth nine minor demons to fight for the character until
their earthly forms are destroyed. It costs a Blood Points to use this power.
Nine Points
Infernal Ranking: This Investment
grants the Infernalist a minor status among the truly damned. The Infernalist
is a superior to minor demons, but she cannot force them to do anything
they refuse to do. However, punishing a disobedient underling is accepted
and expected, so those of lesser power usually do as they are told.
Ten Points
Rejuvenation: This Investment permanently transforms a
vampiric Infernalist into a mortal. The Infernalist is immune to any further
attempts to Embrace her and will most likely die if it is forced upon her.
The Infernalist will now age normally.
Average favor 2-3
Important 4-6
Important and dangerous 7-8
Give soul freely 9-10