Shades: The Scavenging

By Adam Scott (wingedbeast@hotmail.com)

Description

Everywhere in this world there are scavengers. The supernatural is no different. Every time some creature makes a mess of killing another there is always something that smacks its lips and hungers at the prospect of cleaning it up. Deserts have vultures ready to have a light snack on those who aren't using their bodies any more. The supernatural denizens have the shades. Shades are also known as Shadows, and properly, "Shadows of those they Once Were." Like a shadow, they are composed of darkness, following you around and mimicking your every move. They are very cowardly. Even those who have the ability to form a solid presence are often too afraid of the material world to try.

Shades are born when another shade gives a piece of itself or another shade to a dying human. The human's body melts, merging with the fragment, and forming a new shade as his soul infuses the amalgam. Supernatural beings may not be turned into shades.

In many battles between supernaturals, survivors have described a chill in the air, or that the area and their opponents themselves seemed darker. Few realize that these were signs the shades had arrived. Just as vultures keep an eye out for the diseased and dying and congregate over the fields of battle, so do the shades. They swarm over everything, including the combatants themselves. Some shades will stake out an individual, preparing to swoop in and get their fill before others arrive if he dies. For these shades, the payoff is potentially big, but they will often not feed at all if their target survives. Others hedge their bets and cover the battlefield itself; the chance for a large meal are not as great, but they will at least have something.

Restrictions

Shades are carrion eaters on diets of strictly supernatural fare. They have no taste for the mundane, who have their own scavengers. Therefore, dead zebras, lions and careless nature documentarians are safe from a shade's ministrations.

The next restriction is that, even though Shades are immaterial for most of their existences, they can be damaged. Physical attacks have no effect on them, but energy, such as fire, light (e.g., lasers), electricity or spiritual energy (e.g., chi) will cause damage. Thus, a shade that has manifested but remained intangible, would not be harmed if he is shot. He would sense the presence of the bullet passing through him, but that's about it. On the other hand, if the bullet was an incendiary round, he would be harmed by the fire, though not by the lead, suffering a single wound level of aggravated damage.

While immaterial, Shades cannot affect the material world, not even to feed. Thus, while they may be ideally suited for haunting houses, to actually move objects like a Poltergeist, they have to materialize. Similarly, for them to take advantage of a tasty meal, they must become physical. The shade isn't required to change shape and become material in order to tear the corpse apart with his teeth. Rather, he becomes a physical manifestation of darkness. To others, he will feel cold, wet -- and alive.

The fourth restriction is that no Shade is immaterial to another Shade, no matter what state either is in. Shades are always vulnerable to attacks from their fellows.

Shade Combat

Because the natural form of a shade can be best described as an amoeboid blob of darkness, they don't typically throw a punch when attacking one other. Rather, like an amoeba, they will attempt to envelop and absorb their opponents. The roll is that of Dexterity + Brawl (difficulty 6). The victim may either attempt to envelop the attacker first, in which a contested roll is made until one gets 3 more accumulated successes than the other, or attempt to dodge, which is a normal Dexterity + Dodge roll difficulty 6. Shades can also use this attack on non-shades if they are materialized.

A shade that has enveloped another rolls Strength for damage. The victim can soak this damage normally, and it is considered non-aggravated. The being enveloped is not powerless to act, however. An enveloped shade can make a roll of Strength + Brawl (difficulty is the opponent's Strength +3) and roll his own Strength in non-aggravated damage. If the enveloping shade takes even a single point of damage after soaking, he must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6, +1 per level of damage beyond the first) to avoid letting his victim go.

A non-shade being enveloped by a materialized shade may also fight back. However, doing so does not come without risks. The shade's embrace is skin-tight, so it is difficult for a victim to damage the shade without also harming himself. So, if he were to stab the shade with a dagger, he would also harm himself. On the other hand, if he were to rake his claws acrossed his chest, he might be able to cut through the shade without penetrating his own skin. In any case, if the shade is damaged, it must soak and make a Willpower roll as described above.

While immaterial, the Shade is capable of the kind of speed that seemingly defies the laws of physics. A Shade can cross a city as large as New York in seconds while immaterial. When the Shade is materialized, on the other hand, it is physical and is subject to gravity, friction, etc. Materialized and in amoeboid form, the shade can move at a rate of Dexterity x 4 miles per hour. In other shapes, the shade's speed is limited to the maximum allowed by that form.

Materialization

A shade can become material after concentrating for three turns. It then becomes vulnerable to attack, but can also affect the material world.

By molding the darkness he is made from, a shade can shape itself into a particular form. To emulate spcific individuals though, a Dexterity + Self-shaping roll is required. The shade can, however, automatically assume the form it had in life. Unfortunately, because of its light-absorbing nature, any colors it creates will be muted and shadowy. Also, because of the way shades interact with light, they do not cast shadows. In a darkened club, the shade will fit right in, but in brighter conditions, it might be noticed.

Empathic Sense

A shade may always sense the general emotions of a crowded room. This sense will also alert the shade to the presence of supernatural beings in the nearby area. This will not inform the shade of what species the beings are, and even picks up other shades. In order to focus this sense, the Shade must roll Perception + Empathy. Whether attempting to find what a particular person is feeling or attempting to home in on the supernatural in the room, the difficulty will depend on how many others there are in the room.

Number of people	Difficulty
The target is alone	Automatic
Small group (2-5)	5
Average group (6-10)	6
Large group (11-20)	7
Small crowd (21-35)	8
Crowd (36-50)	9
Large crowd (51+)	10

Character Generation

Attributes: 6/4/3. Any Appearance-related specialties a Shade had in life that indicate a bright or cheery countenance will be lost

Abilities: 13/9/5. Available to shades is the skill Self-shaping. Self-shaping represents the shade's ability to morph itself into specific shapes, with higher levels indicating an increasing attention to detail. For example, at level five, a shade could pull off a very convincing Bill Clinton, but at level one would just look like a grey-haired fat guy. A new shade may only have an initial score of two in the skill, though it can be increased with freebies and experience.

Relations

For the most part, shades don't present themselves to non-shades. Even when the rare shade does, he won't be giving away many deails. They are often confused for goths or wraiths and shades are not at all inclined to discourage this perception. For this reason, there really isn't much consensus on how the supernatural world views shades.

Kindred: A soap opera and an action movie rolled into one. They have sensing abilities, so be careful.

Kuei-jin: Dedicated creatures, but unpredictable in two ways: you don't know what they are dedicated to and with their P'o, even they don't know what they're going to do. They also have sensing abilities, so be careful.

Garou: Our biggest suppliers. Be careful though, because its a safe bet they'd think we are Wyrm-tainted. So, just remember why they are our biggest suppliers.

Wraiths: Hard to say. We are alike in many ways, but I know the cowards and assholes we can be.

Changelings: A party waiting to happen. Don't expect them to be big food suppliers, but do expect them to shake things up.

Mages: They tend to like taking new things apart to figure out how they work, so don't make good best friends. Avoid them if possible, especially since they may be able to sense you. Curiosity can kill, even if you're immaterial.