Malefica

Malefica

Malefica is the name for any number of semi-heretical products of using the blood, guts, nails, and other parts of Malefic creatures in order to extract their dark magic for human use in the form of potions, unguents, oils and other unsavory concoctions.  

The production, use or sale of such items is considered illegal by most and heretical by the Church.  Witches and crones in deep woods cottages are the famous source of such items, but in recent times the knowledge has crept even into cities, where the right person can procure such evil items.  Though they are extremely dangerous, the items have powerful effects that are sought out by those with a lust for power, and there exists a thriving black market for such forbidden goods.

Essences

Malefica are produced through various essences that develop within the bodies of Malefic creatures.  

Sanguine Essence 

Forms in the blood and blood producing areas.   It can be harvested from the Heart, the Liver, and the Marrow.  It is associated with Heat and Wetness, Vital Forcesand Physical Forces, Aerial in nature. 

Phlegmatic Essence 
Forms in the clear fluids of the body.   It can be harvested from the Tongue, the Brain, and the Lungs.  It is associated with Cold and Wetness, Death Forces and Physical Forces, Tidal in nature.

Choleric Essence 
Forms in the gut and is transformative.  It can be harvested from the Gut, the Innards and the Eyes.  It is associated with Heat and DrynessVital Forces, and Spectral Forces, Infernal in nature.

Melancholic Essence 
Forms as an essential salt.  It can be harvested from the Nails, the Skull, and the Teeth.  It is associated with Cold and Dryness, Death Forces, and Spectral Forces, Telluric in nature.

These essences are harvest by characters with the Malefica Butchery technique.  They carve up the corpses of Malefic creatures looking for where these essences accumulate in the body.  Each harvesting attempt takes at least one minute with a tool or a weapon, and searches for one specific essence in one specific place.  They can harvest from a single corpse 3 times before it is too eviscerated to use further, whether they were right or wrong about where to find its essence.  If they are successful, they will find buried in the appropriate location a small bezoar stone of the appropriate essence.

The colored bezoars can be used by Apothecaries with the correct training, in the form of techniques, to treat, grind and emulsify the bezoars correctly to unlock their power.

Ars Malefica

Different effects can be created by combining the different essences.  More powerful effects require more essence to power them. In order to create any Malefica that use a given kind of essence, the Apothecary must have the appropriate Technique, one for each kind of Essence.

Heart’s Blood

The user will instantly recover from any Injuries and the Battered state at the end of the scene.
The user gains a Severe Compulsion (Violence) until dawn

Endure Fire

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Flame Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Water Quality until Dawn.

Heart's Blood
Endure Water

Endure Earth

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Stone Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Lightning Quality until Dawn.

Endure Water

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Water Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Flame Quality until Dawn.

Endure Lightning

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Lightning Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Stone Quality until Dawn.

Chameleon 

After remaining unmoving for two Beats, the user may use the Ignore signal, so long as they do not move and are not in direct sunlight. The user permanently gains a Minor Phobia (Sunlight) or increases an existing one. 

Eagle

All of the user’s social conditions gain Hideous and Power for the next Scene.  After that the user has and should roleplay the Vainglorious Flaw until Dawn).

 

Bear

For the next Scene, the user gains Great Strength.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from the Harsh Temper Flaw.

Potion of the Bear

Snake

For the next Scene, the user gains Great Speed.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from the Craven Flaw. 

Badger

For the next Scene, gain Great Resolve.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from a Severe Delusion (Everyone is hiding something sinister from you)

Swallowing Smoke

Upon drinking the potion, the user becomes smoke, and must immediately use the Ignore signal, moving however they wish for the next Hour.  (Use a black morphsuit if available).  Reveal does not end Ignore, instead allows them to notice heavy black smoke.

As smoke, the user may speak at a raspy whisper, but cannot use any abilities except those that rely solely on their voice.  After the effect ends, and until the next Dawn, the user becomes visible but cannot physically interact with objects or use any abilities that rely on anything but voice.

The Swallowing Smoke
Blood of the Beast

Blood of the Beast  

For the next Scene, the user may suffer a Bleed to call Parry against any Striking, Staggering, or Stunning Condition. Until dawn, any time they attempt to speak it comes out an incoherent bestial growl or yell instead.

Dove 

This drug purges all Drug and Poison traits from the user’s system immediately, but leaves them Miserable.

Spectral Oil 

Coat the weapon with this oil and until dawn the user may call Hideous with any weapon Hits or Conditions inflicted by it.  However, at dawn the weapon is irreparably destroyed.

Flesh of the dead  

The user becomes Battered as their flesh desiccates and rots.  For the next Scene, the user may call “Hideous Obey: Undead ignore me” at will.

Flesh of the Dead

Hardskin

The user’s skin gains the properties of Medium Armor for the next Scene.  The user is affected by Slow-Acting Immune Shock 2 Drug.

Breath Water  

For the next scene/hour, the user may use the Ignore sign whenever they are within one step of water as they “jump in”

The user must costume obvious fish gills on their neck that may not be covered (they are sensitive), until the next dawn.

Hunger of the Dead

Crowseye 

The user gains an intense focus, able to see through any deception or manipulation with near psychic accuracy. The user may call No Effect against any Social Condition, and gains Impressive Intellect for the next Scene.

The user must wear horror contacts and suffer from the Vision Loss Mild Head Maim until the next dawn.

 

Hunger of the dead

For the next Scene, the user is Alert, may call Hideous Tracking at will, and may Reveal anyone who responds to their Tracking.
The user must wear horror contacts and suffer a Severe Compulsion (Eat corpses) until the next dawn.

Daemontongue Brew 

This potion is made with the blood, hair, or other essential essence of a specific individual.  For that one individual, the user may call Hideous Obey at will for one Scene.

Until the next dawn the user may not resist any Social Condition, and anything asked of them is treated as Obey.

Daemontongue Brew

Mind Labyrinth 

The user gains Great Intellect for one Chapter, and permanently gain a Minor Obsession (Deviant Knowledge) or upgrade an existing one. This potion is Addictive per the Drug trait.

 
Daemontongue Brew

Malefica

Malefica

Malefica is the name for any number of semi-heretical products of using the blood, guts, nails, and other parts of Malefic creatures in order to extract their dark magic for human use in the form of potions, unguents, oils and other unsavory concoctions.  

The production, use or sale of such items is considered illegal by most and heretical by the Church.  Witches and crones in deep woods cottages are the famous source of such items, but in recent times the knowledge has crept even into cities, where the right person can procure such evil items.  Though they are extremely dangerous, the items have powerful effects that are sought out by those with a lust for power, and there exists a thriving black market for such forbidden goods.

Essences

Malefica are produced through various essences that develop within the bodies of Malefic creatures.  

Sanguine Essence 

Forms in the blood and blood producing areas.   It can be harvested from the Heart, the Liver, and the Marrow.  It is associated with Heat and Wetness, Vital Forcesand Physical Forces, Aerial in nature. 

Phlegmatic Essence 
Forms in the clear fluids of the body.   It can be harvested from the Tongue, the Brain, and the Lungs.  It is associated with Cold and Wetness, Death Forces and Physical Forces, Tidal in nature.

Choleric Essence 
Forms in the gut and is transformative.  It can be harvested from the Gut, the Innards and the Eyes.  It is associated with Heat and DrynessVital Forces, and Spectral Forces, Infernal in nature.

Melancholic Essence 
Forms as an essential salt.  It can be harvested from the Nails, the Skull, and the Teeth.  It is associated with Cold and Dryness, Death Forces, and Spectral Forces, Telluric in nature.

These essences are harvested by characters with the Malefica Butchery technique.  Butchers carve up the corpses of Malefic creatures looking for where these essences accumulate in the body.  Each harvesting attempt takes at least one minute with a tool or a weapon, and searches for one specific essence in one specific place.  A butcher can harvest from a single corpse 3 times before it is too eviscerated to use further, whether they were right or wrong about where to find its essence.  If they are successful, they will find buried in the appropriate location a small bezoar stone of the appropriate essence.

The colored bezoars can be used by Apothecaries with the correct training, in the form of Rare Techniques, to treat, grind and emulsify the bezoars correctly to unlock their power.

Ars Malefica 

Different effects can be created by combining the different essences.  More powerful effects require more essence to power them. In order to create any Malefica that use a given kind of essence, the Apothecary must have the appropriate Advanced Study, one for each kind of Essence.

Heart’s Blood

The user will instantly recover from any Injuries and the Battered state at the end of the scene.
The user gains a Severe Compulsion (Violence) until dawn

Endure Fire

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Flame Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Water Quality until Dawn.

Heart's Blood
Endure Water

Endure Earth

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Stone Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Lightning Quality until Dawn.

Endure Water

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Water Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Flame Quality until Dawn.

Endure Lightning

The user receives a Block or Discipline against any effect with the Lightning Quality.

The user not call any Defense against the Stone Quality until Dawn.

Chameleon 

After remaining unmoving for two Beats, the user may use the Ignore signal, so long as they do not move and are not in direct sunlight. The user permanently gains a Minor Phobia (Sunlight) or increases an existing one. 

Eagle

All of the user’s social conditions gain Hideous and Power for the next Scene.  After that the user has and should roleplay the Vainglorious Flaw until Dawn).

 

Bear

For the next Scene, the user gains Great Strength.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from the Harsh Temper Flaw.

Potion of the Bear

Snake

For the next Scene, the user gains Great Speed.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from the Craven Flaw. 

Badger

For the next Scene, gain Great Resolve.  However, until the next dawn the user suffers from a Severe Delusion (Everyone is hiding something sinister from you)

Swallowing Smoke

Upon drinking the potion, the user becomes smoke, and must immediately use the Ignore signal, moving however they wish for the next Hour.  (Use a black morphsuit if available).  Reveal does not end Ignore, instead allows them to notice heavy black smoke.

As smoke, the user may speak at a raspy whisper, but cannot use any abilities except those that rely solely on their voice.  After the effect ends, and until the next Dawn, the user becomes visible but cannot physically interact with objects or use any abilities that rely on anything but voice.

The Swallowing Smoke
Blood of the Beast

Blood of the Beast  

For the next Scene, the user may suffer a Bleed to call Parry against any Striking, Staggering, or Stunning Condition. Until dawn, any time they attempt to speak it comes out an incoherent bestial growl or yell instead.

Dove 

This drug purges all Drug and Poison traits from the user’s system immediately, but leaves them Miserable.

Spectral Oil 

Coat the weapon with this oil and until dawn the user may call Hideous with any weapon Hits or Conditions inflicted by it.  However, at dawn the weapon is irreparably destroyed.

Flesh of the dead  

The user becomes Battered as their flesh desiccates and rots.  For the next Scene, the user may call “Hideous Obey: Undead ignore me” at will.

Flesh of the Dead

Hardskin

The user’s skin gains the properties of Medium Armor for the next Scene.  The user is affected by Slow-Acting Immune Shock 2 Drug.

Breath Water  

For the next scene/hour, the user may use the Ignore sign whenever they are within one step of water as they “jump in”

The user must costume obvious fish gills on their neck that may not be covered (they are sensitive), until the next dawn.

Hunger of the Dead

Crowseye 

The user gains an intense focus, able to see through any deception or manipulation with near psychic accuracy. The user may call No Effect against any Social Condition, and gains Impressive Intellect for the next Scene.

The user must wear horror contacts and suffer from the Vision Loss Mild Head Maim until the next dawn.

 

Hunger of the dead

For the next Scene, the user is Alert, may call Hideous Tracking at will, and may Reveal anyone who responds to their Tracking.
The user must wear horror contacts and suffer a Severe Compulsion (Eat corpses) until the next dawn.

Daemontongue Brew 

This potion is made with the blood, hair, or other essential essence of a specific individual.  For that one individual, the user may call Hideous Obey at will for one Scene.

Until the next dawn the user may not resist any Social Condition, and anything asked of them is treated as Obey.

Daemontongue Brew

Mind Labyrinth 

The user gains Great Intellect for one Chapter, and permanently gain a Minor Obsession (Deviant Knowledge) or upgrade an existing one. This potion is Addictive per the Drug trait.

 
Daemontongue Brew