Beyond the purview of the gods themselves is the grand scheme of fate and destiny, and those who dictate them, the Moirai, more commonly known as the Fates.
They controlled the mother thread of life of every mortal from birth to death. They were independent, at the helm of necessity, directed fate, and watched that the fate assigned to every being by eternal laws might take its course without obstruction. Both gods and men had to submit to them, even Zeus was also bound to the Moirai's dictates.
Those who find themselves touched by the Moirai find themselves to be instruments of fate and destiny, finding their own place in the cosmos by setting others upon their proper paths. But such sights are seldom free, as most of those who can see beyond find themselves cursed or tormented in some fashion. The Fates are seldom kind.
Devotion Prerequisites: Oracular Ability
Devotion Attributes: Stamina, Composure, Resolve
Devotion Abilities: Awareness, Empathy, Hearth Wisdom, Intimidation, Theology
Devotion Basic Gift: Changing Fortunes, Grave Misfortune, Sibyl's Sight
Changing Fortunes
The Chosen has experienced the worst of luck and the best. Living through both extremes, they can manipulate the whims of Fate by whispering a story to the wind.
Cost: 1 Gnosis
Test Pool: None
System: Spending a standard action to proclaim a strange turn of events, the Chosen targets an individual within their line of sight to bless. The Champion chooses a specific trigger for this blessing, such as "if the target is shot". The next time the trigger condition is met, the target either gains a +5 trait bonus to that test or they gain a gift retest (target's choice). If the trigger doesn't happen before the end of the game session, the blessing simply fades.
The Chosen may have a number of instances of this blessing pending equal to their Willpower rating.
Grave Misfortune
While there are many tales of sibyls giving utterances of warning and good fortune, they are also those that can utter curses that bring about grave misfortune to the foolish and wicked.
Cost: 1 Gnosis
Test Pool: Charisma + Intimidation vs Composure + Willpower
System:
The Chosen chooses a target in line of sight and spends their standard action cursing them or proclaiming words of ominous doom, then makes a test against their target using the blessing's Test Pool. If successful, until the sun next crosses the horizon, whenever the subject would take at least one point of damage during this blessing’s duration, increase the damage they take by two. A glancing blow instead crushes a bone, for example. The damage type is the same as that of the original source of harm. This effect triggers a maximum number of attacks equal to the Chosen's Intimidation rating.
Exceptional Success:
Once, while this blessing is still active on a target and after seeing the target’s test on an attack impacted by this blessing, the chosen's player may force the target to retest, even if the champion isn't part of the challenge. Treat this retest as a gift retest.
Sibyl's Sight
The gift of prophecy offers the Champion who masters it glimpses into the machinations of the Fates themselves. The warnings of future events that Sibyl's Sight offers are invaluable, but the Chosen who relies on them too much risks becoming an unknowing agent of the Fates themselves.
Cost: None
Test Pool: None
System:
Once learned, this Gift is always active. This Gift enhances Oracular Ability's effects as follows:
You may choose to force a vision up to two times per game session, instead of the standard one time. In addition, you no longer have to sacrifice your standard action to take your simple action out of initiative order.
This Gift also provides you with the effects of the Danger Sense merit. If you already possess that merit, you automatically pass the Simple Test required.
Devotion Intermediate Gift: Nemesis, Spinning Wheel, Vapors and Visions
Nemesis
As the threads of Fate wind and twist throughout existence, they snag and cross, creating enemies and grudges. As a Chosen of the Fates, you know how to find and tug on these snags, causing conflict when first there was none.
Cost: 3 Gnosis
Test Pool: Wits + Intimidation vs target's Resolve + Willpower
System:
The Chosen spends three consecutive standard actions sifting through the skeins of Fate. As they spend the first standard action, they make a test using the above test pool. If successful, they manage to find one of these snags and begin to draw on it. After spending the required three actions, the Chosen manages to twist Fate in such a way as to bring into the scene something or someone that is inimical towards the target. While the champion knows that what is being summoned opposes the target, they are as unsure as everyone else as to what form. This will almost always be an NPC or object of some kind, but on some rare occasions, it may be a PC.
Please note that this is NOT an ability to teleport objects or individuals into a scene. If something does not have the ability to show up, it will not suddenly appear. Also note that just because the arriving object or individual is inimical to the target, that doesn't mean it is guaranteed to be an ally of yours. Fate is fickle and ever twisting.
Exceptional Success:
The Chosen is able to glean an image of the nemesis. Upon gaining the exceptional success, they are able to know who or what will be arriving, where, and in what condition.
Spinning Wheel
Just as the Fates themselves spin the web of Fate that binds the world, so too can their Chosen spin a small thread of destiny themselves. By doing so, the champion can guide their target’s future to a single point within the next month.
Cost: 1 Gnosis
Test Pool: Intelligence + Theology vs Resolve + Willpower
System:
The Chosen spends 1 Gnosis and a standard action naming an experience, which must be reasonably probable and not overly specific, for their target. Examples include “meeting the Sept Alpha” or “getting hit by a javelin.” For the next lunar cycle, all tests leading to this event (whether made by the target or other characters) gain a +3 trait bonus, while tests obstructing the event suffer the same as a penalty. This blessing only creates an event, not the outcome thereof.
The Chosen may have a number of instances of this blessing pending equal to their Willpower rating.
Exceptional Success:
The champion may also specify an action the target can take to prevent the named experience from coming to pass, which ends the blessing immediately.
Vapors and Visions
The chosen sibyls of the Moirai often get glimpses of events that will come to pass as they open themselves up to Fate itself. Much like images and illusions moving through the fog of morning, the visions they see give them warnings of impending doom.
Cost: 1 Gnosis
Test Pool: None
System:
Once per hour, at the beginning of any turn, you may declare your intention to use Visions and Vapors. Spend one Gnosis and select a number of individuals within your line of sight equal to or less than your Awareness rating.
For the next three full combat turns -- including all rage rounds -- those selected individuals must declare their actions at the beginning of each round to you and the Storyteller. Though they declare their actions in advance, they perform all relevant challenges on their initiative.
The Chosen may make use of any of their abilities to communicate this foresight to their allies as a reflexive action, including a Free Speech action, Pack Mind Link, Mind Web, or other types of communication. By warning an ally, they gain a +2 bonus to their defensive pool against an action declared against them because of Visons and Vapors.
Finally, if an individual under the effect of this power is unable for whatever reason to proceed with any of their declared actions upon their turn, they lose those actions as they find their plans suddenly awry.
Devotion Advanced Gift: Know The Thread, Manifest Destiny, Tragic Downfall
Know The Thread
The Chosen who find themselves able to master their understanding of Fate can look at the threads of the world and know them for what --and who-- they really are. By focusing upon a singular target, they are able to get a perfect measure of them and their fate.
Cost: 1 Gnosis and 1 Willpower
Test Pool: Wits + Awareness versus target's Resolve + Willpower
System: Spend 1 point of Gnosis, 1 point of Willpower, and five minutes observing your target. At the conclusion of those five minutes, make a test using the test pool above. If you are successful, you are able to learn your target's Archetype, Tempers, and Health Levels (including any damage they are presently suffering). In addition, you are also able to ask and receive an answer to a number of the following questions equal to your Awareness ability.
- What was the worst moment that you have ever experienced?
- What was the best moment that you have ever experienced?
- Do you have any personal enemies, and if so, who are they?
- Do you have any personal allies, and if so, who are they?
- Do you have any family, and if so, who are they?
- Are you currently bound by any Oaths, Geases, or other effects of Fate?
- Have you harmed anyone in the past 24 hours?
- What drives you forward? (Needle)
- What brings your together with others? (Thread)
Once, before the next darn, the Chosen can think of the target as a simple action and know exactly where they are and what they are doing. They also know when they plan to leave their current location, though events might still cause them to leave later or more quickly -- the Blessing only reveals what the target intends at that moment.
Manifest Destiny
More commonly known as Invoking the Fates, this gift of prophesy has shown you who among the Gods has a stake in your current quest.
Cost: 1 Gnosis and 1 Willpower
Test Pool: None
System:
Spend 1 point of Gnosis, 1 point of Willpower, and five minutes out of game invoking the Fates for their aid. You gain the blessing of a god as dictated by the Storyteller which will help you out on your quest. This blessing will likely come with some sort of Ban or Quest, as per the god that granted it. This blessing lasts until the end of the Lunar Cycle or upon completion of the quest, whichever comes first.
This will typically be an Intermediate Gift or Talon of moderate power. If using this blessing this blessing would require a test, you may substitute either your Wits and/or your Occult in place of the normally required Attribute and Ability.
You may only use Manifest Destiny once per Lunar Cycle.
You may spend an additional number of Gnosis up to your Occult Rating, to bestow the blessing gained to an equal number of allies under the same Ban or Quest as you.
Tragic Downfall
One of the most terrifying curses that can be uttered by a Chosen of Fate, this blessing turns the world against the victim.
Cost: 1 Gnosis and 1 Willpower
Test Pool: Charisma + Intimidation versus target's Composure + Willpower
System:
The champion spends 1 Gnosis and 1 Willpower, engaging the target in an opposed challenge using the above test pool. If successful, a number of effects befall the target until the sun next crosses the horizon.
- Anyone who encounters the subject instinctively feels uncomfortable around them, intuitively sensing this curse. Most people treat them indifferently at best — if not with open hostility. The target loses all ties on any Social actions to get others to aid them or treat them with kindness.
- Any actions aimed at helping the subject or offering aid suffer a -3 trait penalty. This includes everything from an attempt to physically defend them to providing the subject with directions to the nearest inn.
- Any actions aimed at harming the subject enjoy a +3 trait bonus. This includes all forms of harm — from outright murder, to theft, to lies that cause the subject inconvenience.
The Chosen can adjust the sensitivity of the curse. They could bless only attempts to injure the subject but not to murder them, for example.