Game System:Basic Qualities

Common Sense

You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever the character is about to act in a way contrary to common sense, Staff (or the Acting Narrator) can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Quality to give to beginning players unfamiliar with the game, setting; or just people who don't tend to think before they roll the dice. As logic (or, heh, 'common sense') would dictate, you cannot take the Common Sense Quality if your character has the Reckless Drawback, due to the oxymoronic nature of the two traits. If you're Reckless, then you ain't got common sense, and vice versa.

Cost: 1

Contacts

You know the routine, make a phone call to the right people and you get information, special supplies, some cash, or even the proper demon-fricasseeing implement. This Quality gives your character those phone numbers. The more helpful the contact is, the higher the Quality's point value. Your Narrator determines whether your character's Contacts are available at any given time (no, they're not waiting around for his call, despite the kind of regular scratch it takes to keep them talking). Generally, the more time your character has to reach or get word to his Contacts, the more likely they come through.

Contacts could be anyone with the inside track in their area (or anyone who at least claims to have the inside track). You should pick a sphere of influence for your character's Contacts from the following: Criminal, Government, Media, or Supernatural. You can have more than one instance of the Contacts Quality, with a different sphere of influence for each. Financial Contacts are handled via the Wealth Quality.

Criminal: These are underworld contacts who are aware of the goings on in the criminal world. They may have connections in the various organized crime groups, or they might be small time crooks or criminals themselves. Cops might have a few stool pigeons in their contact list, while jewel thieves might know a good fence or two.

Government: Contacts of the government variety include politicians, law enforcement, and lobbyist groups. These are the people who pull strings to get changes made, and who are in the know about what happens around the city on an intimate level. Reporters, cops, and anyone who wants juicy gossip would have government contacts.

Media: You have the ear of those who get the word out to others. TV reporters, newspapers, bloggers, actors, singers, these are the people who mingle in the news and entertainment circles and who can provide you visibility for your causes or get your agenda's put out there for you.

Supernatural: The hunters, the demon snitches, the occultists. They're the ones you know how to get in touch with when there's something supernatural you need to know about. You might know some of the secret routes into the Underground, you might know what vampires have a price on their head, or you might be able to get into the Collegium's library to do some research.

Level 1: You have a minor contact who will provide you information if there is no threat to their own safety. They mostly know 'word on the street' information and no deep secrets or very obscure information. They have no real resources other than information. They have no influence, and it may take them a week or two to get you what you need. (ex. A stool pigeon in jail.)

Level 2: Your contact will help you out in most situations that are not deadly thratening to them, and they know some of minor secrets or a few obscure bits of knowledge about their area of expertise. They have resources equivalent to the Average Wealth Quality. They have some very minor influence and it might take them a few days to a week to get you what you need. (ex. The mayor's personal assistant.)

Level 3: Your contact will know a good number of secrets about their area of expertise and they'll have access to a good bit of fairly obscure information. They have resources equivalent to the Average Wealth Quality and a small bit of influence. They usually get back to you within 48 hours. (ex. An experienced demon hunter.)

Level 4: You have a contact who will almost always help you out when you need them, provided they have some notice. They know a great deal of secrets and most of the obscure knowledge in their area of expertise. They have resources equivalent to the Well Off Wealth Quality and they have a good amount of influence. They usually get back to you within a day. (ex. a newspaper editor.)

Level 5: This level of contact is a highly ranked member of an organization in their sphere. They will help you whenever you call (provided you don't do something aggregiously wrong to them), and they know almost all the secrets or obscure knowledge in their area, while holding high influence over it. They have resources equivalent to the Average WealthyWealth Quality and they usually get back to you within hours. They may also be a named NPC with staff approval (ex. The head of the local Initiative group, Colonel Quentin Lord)

Cost: 1/level

Eidetic Memory

Depending on your level in the Skill required for the roll, you get a bonus from Eidetic Memory (the more you've studied something, the more likely it is you'll remember something pertinent). This works the same way for remembering details of a situation (a license plate number, the face of someone you briefly fought, the musk of your elusive prey); just apply the bonus adequate to your level of the Notice Skill to the Intelligence+Notice roll for generic recollection of events.
Cost: 3

Fast Learner

You learn things quickly. Maybe you're a prodigy, or maybe you just put that much effort into everything you do. Regardless of the why, you have the uncanny knack of picking up proficiency in certain things much faster than other people. This comes in three levels: For two (2) points, you halve all training times when it comes to raising Skills (so it becomes (New Rating) in weeks). For four (4) points, you halve all training times when it comes to raising Skills -and- Attributes (so attributes become (New Rating x 2) in weeks). For six (6) points, -all- training times are halved for everything, including Qualities (though some supernatural Qualities that require plots to raise them will not find themselves affected by this Quality).

Cost: 2/level

Fast Reaction Time

Chalk it up to video games making you hyper aware, or just plain, good ol' fashioned training. Maybe you're just naturally capable of making split-second decisions that allow you to act while you're still thinking it through. Regardless of why, you're always on your toes, ready to bounce into action and do something about a problem, and it's harder to rattle you, because you're always thinking about your next action. This isn't a trait for the meek, hesitant, or absent minded, and it doesn't help you if you aren't aware of the dangers in a situation. You receive a bonus of +3 to determine Initiative, and +1 against Fear Checks.

Cost: 2

Good Luck

If your character enjoys Good Luck, Fortune smiles on him more often than on most people. Whenever he really needs a break, circumstances conspire to give him one. Good Luck points are like low-key Drama Points, but are more applicable and re-usable. Each level of Good Luck counts as a +1 bonus that can be applied to any roll, after the die is cast, once per day. Multiple levels can be added together for a big bonus on one roll, or spread around several different actions. For example, if your character has three levels of Good Luck, he can get a +3 bonus to one action, a +1 bonus to three actions, or a +2 bonus for one and a +1 bonus for another. A character can't spend more than 3 Good Luck on any one roll. You cannot have more than 5 levels of Good Luck.

Cost: 1/level

Hard to Kill

Characters with this Quality are tougher than nails (and presumbaly much bigger). Even after they are severely wounded, medical attention has a good chance of reviving them, scarred but alive. This trait is bought in levels. 5 levels is the highest possible for human beings; demons and other super-endowed beings can have up to 10. Each level of Hard to Kill adds 4 Life Points to your character's pool. Additionally, each level provides a +1 bonus to Survival Tests. Probably every character should have a couple levels of this — after all, you don't wanna get killed by random punches, falls, or some guy getting lucky with a throat slicing. If you have any points left over, you should invest them here. Your character will be grateful, and so will you.

Cost: 1/level

Laboratory

Coming Soon.

Cost: TBA

Natural Toughness

Your character is seriously thick-skinned; and we're not talking emotions, here. You can take your fair amount of punches, kicks, and even baseball bats without suffering as much as other people; and it's a hell of a lot harder to put you down quick; you even get a certain degree of protection against blades and other sharp implements. This trait is common among professional boxers, bouncers, bodyguards, and martial artists. Your character gets a +2 bonus to soak Bash damage, and gains a Lethal soak rating equal to his (Constitution / 2). The character also benefits from a +2 to resist Knockdown, Knockout, and Consciousness Tests.

Cost: 2

Nerves of Steel

Maybe you're crazy, or just plain stupid. Maybe you've been trained by the high monks of some obscure mountain, or you've seen too much to be easily shaken. Regardless as to why, you just don't scare easy. It takes more than your average monster to rattle your cage, for you have seen the depths of the horrors that lie beyond. Characters with this trait add +4 to all Fear Checks, though they don't apply to the Phobia Drawback.

Cost: 2

Occult Library

The level of the subject being studied is usually set by the Narrator(or Acting Narrator), who is in charge of the details of the subject. It should probably be decided before the encounter that might prompt the research. Some things (specific creatures, spells, etc) have already set levels that will be noted in their entries. The rarity of a character-created subject (organization, demon species, etc) should be discussed with Staff. In some cases, something may seem like one level, while belonging to another (e.g. everyone knows vampire legends and myths; but if you want to know what's true and what's not, you need access to the Strange level). Note that this trait does not give a bonus to research rolls. If you wanna be a good researcher, take the Research specialty. Characters trying to remember occult information on the fly (without access to their library) must roll a Memory Check. If their current score in Occult Library isn't high enough to grant access to that level of knowledge, they suffer a -3 penalty per every level they would need (on the off-chance they once caught a glimpse of something stranger than they have usual access to).
Cost: 2/level

Situational Awareness

The observant almost always know what is going on around them, and can react with uncanny quickness if necessary. Maybe you had a rough childhood on the streets, or have had intensive training in security or are just that high-strung. Due to this paranoid (sorry, hyper-alert) disposition, the character receives a +2 bonus to resisting ambushes (even if the ambushing party is invisible), and becoming alert of dangerous situations, as well as +1 to determine Initiative.

Cost: 2

Striking Looks

Beauty being in the eye of the beholder aside, most people can clean up damn nice. All it takes is a shower, some nice clothes, maybe a haircut, and depending on the type of person you want to attract, make-up. It's not that people on television are better looking; for the most part, they're just much more produced. However, some people really are strikingly beautiful or handsome, and don't have to try as hard to achieve physical attractiveness. With this trait, you're hot, and get a bonus to rolls where you try to use your looks to entertain, persuade, distract, or deceive others. For 2 points, you get a +1; for 4 points, you get a +2. Double this bonus if the target of your attempts has the Sinful (Lust) Drawback. Be aware that being particularly attractive can have as many negative effects as it can positive ones. If you want to be particularly ugly or unattractive, check out the Shocking Looks Drawback.

Cost: 2 or 4

Wealth

It's what makes the world go round and round. Money. And you've got it. At least, you've got a little of it. This trait is for people that want to have more than others in the economic department. Maybe you have a good job; or maybe your trust-fund allows you a decent, constant lifestyle. Perhaps you're so filthy rich you can swim in your bank vault of golden coins... (you might wanna take Natural Toughness if that's the case). Regardless, you've got money. How much you have depends on how much you put into this trait. The following table indicates your economic situation and its cost. Each additional level beyond those listed adds an additional $5 million in property and $200,000 to monthly income. We won't get into David Nabbit level bucks here. That's off the chart; something like the treasuries of several small countries... combined. Levels above 5 are not allowed for Player Characters, anyway. Don't even ask.

Note to the sneaky: Characters who belong to an organization that provides you with free food, lodging, and/or transport (or any other commodity) do not get more money than their Status indicates with the reasoning that they don't have to spend what they have on everyday things. These characters have the same economic means as someone else with the same rating in this Quality. If you want your character to have access to more money because she doesn't have to pay rent or food or transportation, then take a higher level of Wealth. Period. For the flip-side of Wealth (i.e. being a poor schmuck) see the Poverty Drawback.

Cost: 2/level