A Most Elusive Specimen

By Mike Darling

Author's Notes

Having long been a fan of White Wolf's Storyteller system, I thought that the time had come for me to do as so many others have done, and offer up my own creations to the general public. This first installation details the most rare of all creatures in the World of Darkness, though I can only claim credit for the actual text, not the idea itself. At first, this character will seem shocking in the extreme, but please bear with me; it is well worth the read to find out how this most rare of specimens operates. I'm sure it will become an interesting and off-beat part of your chronicle, if only for the sheer novelty value. So, without further ado, I give you...

HOMO SAPIENS (The Regular Guys)

Homo sapiens, or "Normal Man" first appeared in the World of Darkness in the small sliver of time after Caine slew his brother, but before Gaia drew Her chosen warriors. There is much speculation as to the origin of this strange animal, but most hold that it was created when a breed of ape-like creatures began to use tools and walk upright. There are many factions in the Gothic-Punk world that would like to get their hands (paws, essences...) on it. The most remarkable thing about these creatures is that they are totally mundane -- they have not been Embraced, are not Kinfolk, are not Awakened, nor even are they ghouls, revenants, enchanted, or gifted with Numina. They show no talent for magick at all, and rumours persist that when they die, they simply stop existing. Unbelievable, but there are those out there who have claimed to have met one. Rare in the extreme, Homo sapiens lives in total obscurity its entire life, never aware that all around it are powerful supernatural forces. While related to Kinfolk, ghouls, etc., it must be made perfectly clear that these poor beings share none of the special abilities of their cousins. Most go through their lives in straightforward, ordinary jobs, without being recruited for special government taskforces, or even approached by Pentex. Needless to say, they are on the verge of extinction as the world embraces more and more supernaturals. As a whole, Homo sapiens are difficult in the extreme to find. There is currently only one living member of this group in North America, and he lives surrounded on all sides by secrets and cover-ups. Another "Normal Man" was said to live in central Canada, but closer investigation found that he was in reality an Awakened Gypsy Kinfolk, who was later recruited to serve as a Fomorach in a Pentex battle against a Mummy. Plans are currently underway to find more Homo sapiens, preferably female, so that some sort of breeding program can be set up. If successful, such a program could ensure a race of menial labourers for whoever wins the Ascending-Gehenna-Apocalypse.

Character Creation

To create one of these strange creatures, use the stats listed in the Vampire Player's Guide for Mortals (remembering, of course, that Mortals and humans are not the same), but you must make sure that humans do not take any Supernatural Merits or Flaws, are in no way related to Vampires, Werewolves, Mages, or Changelings, do not possess Numina, and are not employed by government-types in a global takeover scheme. Also, they must never be subjected to Wyrm-toxins, Glamour, the Embrace, spiritual persuasion, psychic probing, magical rituals, Pranks, or accidental falls into Vhujunka-infested Black Spiral Hives, lest they cease being mundane humans. So there you have it -- the most elusive being in the entire World of Darkness. Hope you enjoyed it. Now I can get on with creating my Ananasi-Mokole hybrid, the Draconids.

About the Author

Mike Darling currently lives in Ontario, with much too much free time on his hands. He is an Enchanted Fianna-Silent Strider Metis Abomination, who is Truly Faithful that we are all figments of Malkav's imagination.