By Corvus (corvus@eurekanet.com)
As there are many subgroups within each larger category there are far too many opinions to cover here; only the pertinent ones, the ones most often encountered by the Eternal, are covered.
"The parasites can make good allies and deadly foes. Some of 'em fight to stay human, some of 'em don't give a flying pig. Always watch your back when dealing with vampires."
"I've lived for three hundred years, and I've never seen anything like that. You must be joking."
"I don't know whether to call these guys the best or the worst of all worlds -- immortality, spirit power and philosophical might. Treat them with respect."
"These beings that call themselves the Kamiyooso, or the Eternal -- they carry the wisdom of the Ages. As the Fifth Age gives way to the Sixth, we may find ourselves with them as allies."
"Lycanthropes are generally good guys, if you can stand their mannerisms. Seems there's a split among the different races, but maybe they'll get their act together."
"These creatures might be of Gaia -- then again, they might not. Some of them help us, some of them fight us. Most just keep to themselves. What are they really?"
Traditions
"Why is it that these guys all go around and around the mountain of what they call Ascension telling everyone else as loud as they can that their way is the only way to go up the mountain?"
"Their very nature appeals to certain ideals of Ascension. We must strive to understand them." Euthanatos
"Should I love these guys, or hate 'em? They think something like we do, but they sometimes get too interested in the death aspect of it. Generally they have a clue."
"These 'phoenixes' must certainly represent the proof of our vision of Ascension."
Technocracy
"Get a life! Big Brother can't save the world; all he'll do is crush everybody under his bootheel."
"We officially deny the existence of any such creature. If there were such a thing it would be exterminated."
Nephandi and Marauders
"These guys are great examples of Discord. Avoid them."
"These supposed reincarnations are nothing more than stories told to stave off the fear of the Everlasting Night."
"Of course I know what a phoenix is . . . wanna see one?"
On those rare occasions where Eternal and Restless come into contact, the results are . . . interesting.
"To be stuck at the bottom of the Wheel like that must drive you nuts. Thank the Elements that doesn't happen to us."
"Don't torture me with false and unattainable hopes. I have enough to worry about."
"I could care less about whatever those things are. I have a job to do."
"The Dreamchildren make for great companions, but if you stay with 'em too long you'll start thinking like they do, and then it's 'Hello Discord!'"
"We remember their gifts to us so long ago. With their help we can fight through the Winter to a new and glorious Springtime."
"Must be pretty creepy coming back into a cadaver like that. Still, I understand how they think, and they understand us pretty well too."
"They do naturally what we do through magic. We do not suffer their constant memory loss, but they can summon their past selves for aid on occasion. A fair trade in my opinion."
"What can I say? Except for a few things, I'm almost mortal myself. I just happen to know more than most people."
"A phoenix? That's the firebird that rises from the ashes of its own pyre, isn't it?"
Gypsies
"These folks know how to live. I wish they would trust a little more; I'd love to travel with them for a while."
"We have seen them, yes. They must be judged on their own individual merits."
The scores compared are the being's own ability, not necessarily the level or rating of the power used. In other words, a vampire with Dominate 4 will use the level one Discipline ability Command the Wearied Mind more effectively than a vampire with Dominate 1. Elements like duration, damage and range do not change, but the effect's potency over other supernaturals does.
Example: A Nosferatu vampire has Obfuscate 3 and is using Obfuscate 2, Unseen Presence. A Rank Four Garou nearby is attempting to use the (level one) Gift: Sense Wyrm to find any corruption in the area. The Storyteller knows the Nosferatu bears the scent of the Wyrm (the Nosferatu has a low Humanity). If the vampire is using Obfuscate, can the Garou sense him? The Garou is Rank Four, and the Kindred's Discipline rating is only 3, so the Garou has a chance of detecting him.
'Has a chance' is the operative phrase here. This system does not override the existing systems: the ability is not automatic. In other words, the Garou must still roll Perception + Occult (just like any other Garou using Sense Wyrm); if he has no succeses, then he doesn't detect the corruption. With one success, he will detect the Nosferatu.
Now, what if the Garou were Rank Three? He would have power equal to the Nosferatu's Obfuscate 3. The result would depend on a roll. The Garou would roll Perception + Occult, while the Nosferatu would roll Wits + Stealth (just like any other Kindred using Unseen Presence). Whoever has the most successes wins. If the Nosferatu won, he would remain unseen and undetected. If the Garou won, he would sense the Nosferatu. Ties go to the defender; in this case, the Nosferatu would remain hidden. Since the Garou is the only one actively searching, the Nosferatu gains the benefit of the tie.
What if the Garou were only Rank Two? His Gift would not be powerful enough to penetrate the Obfuscate. However, the Storyteller should let the player roll anyway and simply tell her that her character senses nothing."
-- Book of Storyteller Secrets
Each individual section below gives specific details relating to the relevant type of being. When traits are in question, a good general rule of thumb is to compare Memory to "positive" traits such as Quintessence, Glamour, Pathos, Rage and Gnosis, and Discord to "negative" traits such as Paradox, Banality and Angst (though Rage can also be considered negative in many instances). For instance, when using a lycanthrope fetish item, the Eternal would roll Memory against the fetish's Gnosis in the activation.
Any Kindred feeding from a phoenix must make a Self-Control roll (difficulty 6 plus the number of Blood Points ingested, maximum 10). Failure subjects the vampire to a burst of the Eternal's memory, rendering him helpless for a number of turns equal to the number of Blood Points ingested. A botch gives the vampire a Derangement on top of the incapacitating memory (if the Eternal has Discord Derangements, it will usually copy one of them).
Disciplines
Auspex 2 (Aura Perception) will allow the vampire to see the Eternal's Phantoms as separate, varying patterns of color slightly fainter than the Eternal's own aura (depending upon the Integrity, anywhere from almost as bright to just a faint hint of color) if their Intregrity is 3 or more. Those Kindred with the knowledge: Phoenix Lore will be able to recognize these signs as indicating an Eternal, though this Knowledge is so ridiculously rare that Eternal have nothing to be concerned about....
Mytherceria 1 (Fey Sight) can give faint indications of a non-mortal nature, but will not reveal the fact that the character is a phoenix; perhaps the Kiasyd could mistake the character for a changeling, lycanthrope or perhaps a mage of some ability.
Psyche 2 (Befuddle) will not affect Malkavians or Kiasyd.
The Embrace: Upon being Embraced, the Eternal keeps both Memory and Discord, but they never change one way or another. The phoenix-turned-vampire can never make a Memory roll or spend Memory points, as she is cut off from most of what made her a phoenix; all she really remembers is that she was a phoenix in the first place. The Discord no longer causes the same trouble it once did, unless the Storyteller is feeling vicious. Phantoms fall silent.
Gifts
Create Element (Metis level one): Metis who associate with Eternal learn of the element of Energy and can utilize it accordingly.
Sense Wyrm (Metis level one): Eternal normally will not show any Wyrm taint, but particularly cruel or nasty ones (Storyteller's discretion) might.
Madness (Metis level five): This will cause a rise in temporary Discord of two.
Sense the Unnatural (Lupus level two): The difficulty of this is 10; success will indicate an elemental kami-like nature in the phoenix.
Elemental Gift (Lupus level five): As with Create Element, Garou in the know can use this to control the element of Energy.
Thieving Talons of the Magpie (Ragabash level five): This can copy Birthrights.
Firebringer (Ragabash level six): This also can copy Birthrights.
Feral Lobotomy (Theurge level five): This will definitely inspire a Subversion attempt.
Scent of the True Form (Philodox level one): This can detect a phoenix, but the Garou will probably not understand what the Eternal is (putting it down to a kami-like spirit).
Song of Rage (Galliard level three): With enough successes (five or more) this can cause a phoenix to Metamorphose!
True Fear (Ahroun level two): This could cause a Subversion attempt.
Snarl of the Predator (Get of Fenris level two): This Gift can cause a Subversion attempt.
Elemental Favor (Red Talons level three): Again, those who know the Eternal can use Energy with this.
Curse of Dionysis (Red Talons level five): The transformation lasts only for the duration of the scene (and might cause a Subversion attempt; at the very least, the Eternal will probably be pissed off.)
Icy Chill of Despair (Shadow Lords level three): This might cause a Subversion attempt.
Sense Magic (Uktena level one): This Gift can sense Birthrights.
Call Elemental (Uktena level four): Another one that can be used for Energy with the proper knowledge.
Sense Primal Nature (Bastet Metis level one): The Eternal's Elemental nature will cause this Gift to show them as being of Nala (the Wyld).
The Paradox of Time (Bagheera level four): Eternal are usually resistant to this Gift, but if their Discord is 6 or over, they are just as likely to become confused as any other (and gain a temporary point of Discord to boot).
Mousemaze (Bubasti level two): Three successes will cause a Subversion attempt at -1 difficulty for the Phantom.
Weight of a Heart (Swara level one): A radical shift can cause the gain of temporary Discord.
When a Gift states that it might cause a Subversion attempt, this effect is due to one simple thing -- the shifter scaring the bejezus out of the psyche so that a the mental "driver's seat" is left wide open.
Birthrights
Akasha 1 (Spirit Eyes) can sense a shifter, as well as detecting spirits and Fetishes.
Concord 3 (Serenity) can temporarily relieve Harano.
Akasha 1 (Spirit Eyes) can detect shapeshifters.
The Change: Those phoenixes born into bodies destined to becopme shapeshifters can utilize their Birthrights up to the time of the First Change (which generally means most of these Eternal don't even realize they're Eternal by the time they realize they're Garou or such). As with vampires, the character can no longer spend or roll Memory. The character gains a level in Past Life equal to one dot of Past Life for every two dots of Memory she has, however, so use the Past Life system from Werewolf instead of rolling Memory. Discord does not change and has no other effect unless the Storyteller feels strange. Phantoms "vanish." Spirits of their Element will be more inclined to be friendly toward the Eternal/shapeshifter.
Countermagick: Mages with the appropriate Spheres can attempt to counter Birthrights. Elemancies will usually require Forces (and occasionally Matter), while non-Elemantic Rights involve Mind (Psyche and Concord), Entropy (Nemesis), Spirit (Akasha), or Time (Anamnesis and Concord). Prime can be utilized in all instances.
Detection: Mages using Prime can determine a phoenix's supernatural nature, while Forces (or Matter) can give an exact definition.
Quintessence: Quintessence can be siphoned off an Eternal using Prime and Forces (Matter in the case of an Earth Eternal); a phoenix has as many points of Quintessence as permanent Memory plus Willpower. Taking this Elemental Quintessence has a couple different effects beyond inflicting one aggravated Health Level of damage for each two points of Quintessence taken; first, if all the Quintessence is taken, the phoenix will undergo a Subversion attempt; second, the Quintessence is charged with Elemental Resonance. A phoenix can resist this siphoning with Memory opposing the Arete roll, difficulty 6.
Akasha 1 (Spirit Eyes) can sense magick as well as an Avatar.
Nemesis 1 (Scent of Fate) can detect Entropy magicks.
Awakening: Eternal destined to become mages can utilize their Birthrights up until the instant of Awakening; then, they become mages, with Arete and Avatars. The new mage gets a rating in the Avatar background, one dot for every two points of Memory. Use this to calculate Quintessence as a starting mage. Discord does not change and has no other effect than giving the new mage Paradox points equal to the Discord rating. In this change and no other do Phantoms remain, but only as "voices;" they cannot Subvert nor be "tapped." Eternal who become mages learn the Time Sphere at 3/4 experience cost, but can not take the Sphere Natural Merit. Eternal who become mages favor Time and Forces magics.
Deathsight: Wraiths will perceive the undying nature of the Eternal's soul with this ability overlapping the mortal nature of the phoenix's body, an enigma certain to draw attention from any wraith watching.
The Fog: Eternal are immune to the effects of the Fog after witnessing activity of Wraiths. Characters will react as they wish.
Arcanoi
Mnemosynis: All difficulties for this Arcanos when used on Eternal are one less, assuming the Mnemoi has some way of actually using this Arcanos on the Eternal, such as Skinriding another target or making use of Inhabit to become part of an object the phoenix is touching, or Embody to touch the Eternal physically in some way.
Keening 5 (Requiem) can cause a Subversion attempt.
Pandemonium: Eternal are immune to Pandemonium 5 (Tempis Fugit).
Puppetry: Eternal cannot be skinridden or possessed.
Concord: This can be used to fight the Shadow, replacing Discord with Angst.
Enchantment: Fae enchantment lasts for twice normal duration.
The Mists: By rolling Memory against a difficulty of the character's Discord, the phoenix can attempt to fight off the Mists of Forgetfulness after being enchanted or witnessing fae activity. Three successes are needed for total recall.
Kenning: Fae can sense the presence of an Eternal with a Perception + Kenning roll, difficulty of 10 minus the phoenix's Memory. The phoenix might feel like an Inanimae.
Arts
Chicanery: Eternal are immune to the effects of Chicanery 2 (Fugue).
Chronos: Fae using this Art are at +2 difficulty to affect Eternal.
Spirit Link 1 (World Sight) can detect Eternal's elemental natures.
Realms
Fae 4 (Elusive Gallain) is the proper Realm for affecting Eternal.
Birthrights
Akasha 1 (Spirit Eyes) can be used to see Glamour, and a changeling's Kith form.
Concord 3 (Serenity) can be used to fight off Bedlam.
Necromancy: The level five spell Call the Khaibit cannot affect Eternal, since their souls are not in the ba/ka/khaibit/ khat arrangement.
Birthrights
Akasha: All levels of this Birthright can affect both ba and ka of a mummy, but they can not be commanded to do anything they would not do themselves (a ka will not leave an area, etc.)
Concord: This Birthright can affect Reborn; Concord 5 (Integration) can remove Virtue Derangements at the cost to the Reborn of one Willpower point (difficulty is ten minus the appropriate Virtue).
Sense Quickening: This does not detect Eternal normally, but an Eternal who becomes Immortal will have a unique feel, allowing other (or "true") Immortals to "sniff her out."
The new Immortal has a Quickening of one and a "Quickening Experience" calculated from half the defeated Immortal's Quickening. He cannot use nor spend Memory, and Discord will not change (but evil Storytellers can allow it to still cause mental havoc). Phantoms become silent.
Storytellers feeling particularly nice might allow the Eternal-turned-Immortal to keep one Birthright power as a manifestation of the Quickening. The power might be altered in some way, such as becoming uncontrollable. Try bribing the ST with pizza before you ask for this one! This power could be represented by the "Quickening Power" Merit from the An Immortal Player's Guide for Highlander: the Gathering, compiled by Mark Antill.
The problem with being an Immortal is this: if you get absorbed into another Immortal who defeats you, how the hell do you reincarnate? Simple: you don't. You'd better win the Prize, or you're finished!
Eternal sunlucky enough to be born into bodies that is destined to become Immortals, as per the usual method, have to deal with the same problems of Memory blockage and death, but their Quickenings start at the usual 1 with no "Quickening Experience."
An Eternal/Immortal experiences strange, tormenting visions of the Wheel of Rebirth and feels a definite sense of accusation and loss any time he "dies." Should she win the Prize, and then die, she can go back into the cycle like usual. That life will most definitely become a Phantom of high Integrity, screw the chart and roll!
Special Note: In my chronicles, I have established that Kalas (remember him?) was the first phoenix to ever become an Immortal by beheading an Immortal opponent. This is just a nifty suggestion to other Storytellers.
Birthrights
Terramancy 3 (Gaia's Kiss) is resisted just like any other healing power.
Discord | Description |
1-2 | The phoenix has achieved a state of remarkable harmony with his past. There are no effects at this point, other than the knowledge of past lives. |
3 | This is the "normal" level for an Eternal. At this stage there is a subliminal sense of "otherness" about the phoenix; many Eternal grow up as misfits. While it does not cause an adverse reaction it does mark the phoenix in unconscious ways. |
4-5 | At this stage the past has become very important to the phoenix, and he will spend a considerable amount of time dealing with it. Unless he is careful his "normal" life will begin to suffer. |
6-7 | Now the past is becoming dangerous. It has begun to dominate the mind of the phoenix, and mild paranoia, euphoria, hallucinations and delusions will manifest from time to time as the boundary between past and present things. A psychologist would recommend treatment by this point. |
8-9 | The past has become all-important to the Eternal. The effects of the previous category become much stronger and much more frequent. The world becomes like an uncontrollable dream most of the time. The phoenix would definitely be diagnosed as mentally ill, probably dangerously so. |
10 | Discord has claimed the phoenix and the past and present are one. Reality closes in on itself and madness disrupts the Eternal's mind. |
Area | Difficulty |
Magickal site (Caern, node) | 3 |
Deep wilderness | 5 |
Rural countryside | 6 |
Typical (sub)urban | 7 |
Downtown | 8 |
Scientific lab* | 9 |
*The Science of the Sons of Ether and similar boundary-breaking technomancers and human scientists is in truth magick, and their laboratories are treated as magickal sites with difficulties ranging from three to seven. It is only the dry, limiting "science" of the Technocracy that is counted here.
Successes | Timespan |
One | 1 year |
Two | 5 years |
Three | 10 years |
Four | 50 years |
Five | 100 years |
Six+ | 500 years+ |
Successes | Damage |
One | 1 Health Level |
Two | 3 Health Levels |
Three | 5 Health Levels |
Four | 7 Health Levels |
Five | 9 Health Levels |
Six+ | Ouch... |
Note: All damage from pure Elemental attacks is aggravated.
Spirits roll Willpower for initiative.
Stage Two: Attack
Willpower (6) unless a Charm is being used.
Dodge: Willpower (6) or split WP pool between attack and dodge.
Stage Three: Resolution
Damage: Rage (6), one HL agg. per success or one Power point per success.
Soak: Spirits cannot soak damage.
Distance | Injury |
Five feet | 1 Health Level |
Ten | 2 Health Levels |
Twenty | 3 Health Levels |
Thirty | 4 Health Levels |
Forty | 5 Health Levels |
Fifty | 6 Health Levels |
Sixty | 7 Health Levels |
and so on, to a maximum of 10 Health Levels.
Walk | 7 yards per turn |
Jog | 12 + Dex yards per turn |
Run | 20 + (Dex x 3) yards per turn |
Jumping
Roll: Strength + Athletics
Difficulty: 3 (varies)
Type of Jump | Feet per Success |
Vertical | 2 |
Hoizontal | 4 |
Class | Soak | Diff Penalty |
One (clothing) | 1 | 0 |
Two (armored T-shirt) | 2 | +1 |
Three (vest) | 3 | +2 |
Four (flak jacket) | 4 | +3 |
Five (full suit) | 6 | +4 |
Diff. | Terrain |
2 | By moving back a step, full cover |
4 | Full cover in diving distance (1 yd) |
6 | Full cover in running distance (3 yd) |
7 | Partial cover in running distance (3 yd) |
8 | Flat, no cover (diving to the ground) |
Difficulty | Heat of Fire |
3 | Candle (1st degree burns) |
5 | Torch (2nd degree burns) |
7 | Bunsen burner (3rd degree burns) |
9 | Chemical fire |
10 | Molten metal |
Wounds | Size of Fire |
One | Torch; part of body burned |
Two | Bonfire; half of body burned |
Three | Raging inferno; entire body burned |
Health Level | Mortals | Eternal |
Bruised | One day | One minute |
Hurt | Three days | One turn |
Injured | One week | Three turns |
Wounded | One month | One hour |
Mauled | Three months | Three hours |
Crippled | Three months | One day |
Incapacitated | Three months | One week |
Nate: healing times are cumulative.
Strength | Feats | Lift |
1 | Crush a beer can | 40 |
2 | Break a chair | 100 |
3 | Break down a wooden door | 250 |
4 | Break a 2x4 | 400 |
5 | Break open a metal fire door | 650 |
6 | Throw a motorcycle | 800 |
7 | Flip over a small car | 900 |
8 | Break a three-inch lead pipe | 1000 |
9 | Punch through a cement wall | 1200 |
10 | Rip open a steel drum | 1500 |
11 | Punch through 1" sheet metal | 2000 |
12 | Break a metal lamp post | 3000 |
13 | Throw a car | 4000 |
14 | Throw a van | 5000 |
15 | Throw a truck | 6000 |
Successes on Willpower roll (9) are added to Strength, maximum 5; character with Strength of 4 needs three successes to flip a car.
Trait | Cost |
Attribute | current rating x4 |
Ability | current rating x2 |
New Ability | 3 |
Legacy Elemancy | current rating x6 |
Birthright | current rating x8 |
Create new Right power | +2 |
New Birthright | 10 |
Create new Birthright | 15 |
Willpower | current rating |
Memory | current rating x8 |