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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