Beastie
Monstrous cousins of the pooka (SHPG pp. 119-121).
- Court: Unseelie
- Birthrights:
- Beastie Form: A beastie
can change into an impossible monster -- no two are alike -- gaining 2 Intimidating
traits and two other traits appropriate to the form (usually, but not
always, Physical), but also Bestial x2 and two other appropriate Negative
traits. This form can be any size up to that of a horse. While this is not
an illusory form, many visible features (fangs, claws, snapping shark heads
for hands) will likely be simply for effect. Changing into Beastie Form costs
one Mana trait and takes ten seconds; changing back to normal fae appearance
is free.
- Gaia's Mercy: Mundane
mortals witnessing a beastie in its monster form must spend a Willpower trait
or flee in terror, forgetting the details of what they have seen within an
hour or so. Immortals and supernatural mortals need not flee, but as long
as they remain in its presence, they suffer a penalty equal to the beastie's
Rank in all challenges unless they spend a Willpower trait, and must succeed
in a Mental challenge in order to recall details later on. A beastie's allies
are immune to this Birthright.
- Frailties: The Hunt: All Seelie fae
have an innate hatred of beasties and, upon seeing a beastie in its Beastie Form
(or one that they know for a fact is a beastie in any recognizable form), must
succeed in a static Willpower test or spend a Willpower trait in order to avoid
attacking it. -- Also, all beasties in whatever form have an additional Bestial Negative trait that can never be bought off.
- Immunity: Beasties are themselves hard to frighten, gaining a
free retest when defending against challenges (including supernatural ones) related
to intimidation or fear.
- Bans: Never change shape in front of witnesses; never look into
a mirror.
- Weakness: Cold Iron.
- Binding:A beastie in its Beastie Form shown itself in a mirror
will (with a Social "staking" challenge) faint from fright (the beastie's
immunity to fear does not apply), resuming its normal form the instant no eyes
are directly on it, and remaining unconscious until the next sunset unless purposefully
wakened. -- While beasties must avoid mirrors in general, to trigger the Binding
a mortal must present the mirror specifically for that purpose. A beastie who
looks into a mirror by accident is merely taken aback and annoyed (possibly suffering
a temporary trait penalty).
- Regaining Mana: Ravanging, Reaping, Feeding (Conspicuous Consumption)
- Preferred Disciplines: Animalism OR Presence (intimidation-based
version) , Chimerstry OR Dementation, Protean
- Origin:It is rumored that the Gaia's Mercy Birthright might
actually have been stronger in the low-magic days of the Separation, heightened
by the power of plain disbelief, enabling beasties to exist on earth as well or
better than any fae. Such creatures would have probably chosen to live on the
outskirts of well-settled areas, away from scrutiny but near enough to mortals
to steal Mana -- or for food. A beastie of Earthly Origin that remembered its
true self might have any sort of job or background, although would have preferred
ones that gave them scope to perform horrible, deadly pranks.
- Appearance: In their normal fae forms, a beastie is more or less
indistinguishable from pooka: they tend to be good-looking, even "cute" humanoids with animalistic features -- bunny ears, spots or stripes, whiskers,
a tail, etc. -- that take on a new and horrible significance in the context of
the beastie's monster form. Some beasties practice the Protean Discipline
or learn other magics that allow them to appear as a mundane animal in order to
maintain the pooka disguise (and to enhance their Beastie Form's combat potential...).
At any rate it will be hard for a beastie to pass as human without magic or the
Seeming Background.
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