The Complicated

(Fortitude)


I never do anything nice and easy...

Those who exhibit the Virtue of Fortitude gain their strength from having their convictions tested, and coming out the other end the better for it. Those who are addled by the Complicated Shadow have a voice that is constantly urging them to truly test those convictions. The saying 'Keep It Short and Simple' is anathema to such a Shadow, who thinks that shortness is for the meek and craven, and simplicity is for well, simpletons, obviously.
 
This Shadow wants to see the Wraith constantly doing mental, physical and social gymnastics. It urges the taking of unnecessary risks, performance of ridiculously over-the-top stunts, and enacting of  incredibly complex and/or hare-brained schemes in the prosecution of the Wraith's duties or trials. And it won't be happy until the Wraith's done it all, and then some, with a style and flair that could have rivaled a Greek hero.
 
Such exertions may benefit the Wraith, but more often than not it only gets her the reputation for being a scenery-chewing windbag with no credibility. As befits such a belief, anyone overcome by the Complicated appears to be adventurous to the point of sheer foolishness, or cunning to the point of audacity. And they suffer a -2 to all social rolls with those who are rightfully unimpressed by such stupid risk-taking or Byzantine intrigues.
 


Heart's Thorn: With Panache!
 
Those Wraiths with a Complicated Shadow have to jump through hoops to get their extra dice - literally. This Shadow will only aid the Wraith if she agrees to do things in as complicated a manner as possible, and the Shadow has a lot of really good ideas on how to make it that way. {Note that the Shadow's ideas aren't guaranteed to fail on their face: the Shadow wants the Wraith to succeed, but only so she can one day go out with a real gang, instead of a whimper.}

The flip side of this is the shared ability to confound the minds of others, so that they can do nothing more than stare in gape-mouthed shock at the Wraith's actions. Those hit with the full force of With Panache! are reduced to little more than befuddled zombies, and some go as far as to applaud the Wraith who out-wits, out-dances or out-guns them.

To do this, the Player rolls Angst + whatever Attribute is most appropriate {Presence, Strength, Dexterity, etc.}. Each success takes away a die from the onlooker's pool to react, whether the appropriate reaction would be physical, social or mental. The effect lasts for as long as the Wraith is performing her antics, plus one turn.


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