THE SKIN
into an ill-fated union with a creature from another plane.
Acolytes are those who believe that they can control the forces
that are merged with them and become a more powerful person
in the long run. Union with a demon or some other planar being
is fraught with many dangers. The greatest one is permanent
possession; you simple become a vehicle for the being to enact
its will. Assuming you can prevent the being from assuming
control, one must always constantly be on guard for insanity and
other mental illnesses developing as the being seeks to wrest
control from you. Why would someone do this? Successful union
leads to heightened powers and abilities. If one can successfully
master the process of symbiosis they emerge as a new being
with surprising powers.
enough to take this skill willingly. Candidates for the ritual of bonding must have a minimum WP of 15.
Candidates must also have enough experience to withstand the domination of an planar being so they
must have reach the stage of adventurer, heroes who decide to bond to another being gain +20% on their
rolls to maintain control. While an acolyte need not bond to an evil being, even good beings from other
planes would rather be calling the shots then submit to a mortal. The GM will have to devise individual
charts for various abilities and modifications that occur as a result of the bonding. If pursued to rank 10
and successfully carried out the player becomes a new creature that is a total hybrid. Surviving that long is
another matter. Any planar creature may be consider for potential bonding, but more often then not devils,
krovs and inhabitants of the Void are considered likely candidates. While a good creature can be chosen,
the powers of light see acolytes as abominations and destined for destruction. Some cults have been
known to offer up particularly weak willed individuals to serve as host for possessing beings.
Contest of the wills: Anytime an acolyte wants to activate a special ability he must roll under 4 X WP to
activate the power. Failure means that the power has not been activated. If the roll is 99 or 100 the planar
being may assume control of the character. Anytime the character looses half his fatigue, suffers a
grievous or is stunned or knocked out there is a chance that the being will try to assume control. The
character must roll under 3 X WP or loose control, if the possessing being has a greater WP then subtract
5% for every point difference between the character and the being. Control may be reasserted the
following pulse by rolling under 4 X WP – WP of the being. If that roll fails then the being has control for the
next minute, after which the character may reassert himself with another attempt at control. If that roll fails
the next attempt may be made in an hour, then a day, a week, and a month. If at anytime the being looses
half his fatigue, suffers a grievous, or is stunned or knocked out the character may try to reassert control.
This skill is very much in the hands of the GM and the character who decides to pursue it. Both should
keep in mind game balance and the real dangers of inviting a potential possession. Great abilities and
powers should come with great consequences. The GM is encouraged to devise the possible powers and
abilities gained at the various ranks.
Rank 1: Minor ability, usually magical or some physical enhancement.
Rank 3: Minor physical alteration, another ability is acquired.
Rank 5: Partial hybrid form may be assumed with abilities determined by the GM. This form may be
assumed by the character for a number of pulses equal to their endurance. Another ability is acquired in
normal form.
Rank 7: Major physical alteration of the standard form, character will gain one of the major abilities of the
being that is bonded. At this stage of the merge any character exercised from a possession must spend 1
month in recover and roll under 2 X WP to avoid serious mental illnesses.
Rank 9: Another major ability is acquired, partial hybrid form may now be maintain for a number of pulses
equal to their endurance per hour.
Rank 10: Total hybrid form, character may change freely between his original form and the new form he
has assumed. The GM will have to adjust characteristics and abilities for the new form. Character no
longer has to worry about loosing control, but now suffers from partial insanity as the being has become
the proverbial “voice in his head.”
There is no cost associated with being an acolyte, nor does one have to pay for training to advance as
one. The real cost is losing control of yourself or becoming nothing more then the vessel for another being.
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