Revision as of 08:06, 5 April 2010

Urban Lunars

At the end of the First Age, Luna's Beloved were forced out of Creation and into the Wyld where they lost much of their previous power. The Elders who survived created the Silver Pact and turned their backs on civilization out of grief and regret. They had turned their backs on their partners and lovers and were equal in the guilt shared by the treacherous Dragon-Blooded and Sidereals. Exiled as they were, they no longer had a place in the failing civilization and thus determined that they did not need it anymore.
As with all trains of thought, there are always those deviant. Several of the Elders knew that even though Lunar exaltation was triggered by the choice to survive above all, Luna did not reserve her blessings only for barbarians. These Elder Lunars ventured back into society and civilization, taking with them approximately 1/4 of the remaining Lunars (about 100) and with this following used the same tactics as the Pact--seeking out young Lunars, tattooing them and then, unlike the Pact, training them and providing support. As any beast knows, the pack does not survive if it does not stay together.
Urban Lunars know the hardships of the city; the pain and suffering of starvation and poverty. These are the children of the streets, growing up in the gutter, in the slums, in tenement housing. In the cities, Luna touches those who fight to survive against the odds placed upon them by the neglect and ignorance of society. Their Exaltation girds them with the power they need to continue the fight.

• Concepts: Crime lord, Hard-headed Merchant, informant, undercover law enforcement, pimp, Guild prince, assassin-for-hire.
  

The Brotherhood of the Smiling Moon races the Silver Pact to the new Exalt. If they get their first, the new Lunar is immediately trialed (with methods eerily similar to that of the Pact), tattooed and placed into his Caste. The new Exalt is then allowed to hunt in the closest-available wilderness in order to find a suitable animal for his Tell. If the new Lunar does not find one there, he is permitted to go on a quest for the animal of his desiring. He then returns to the Brotherhood, who proceed to train him.
All Brotherhood Lunars begin with the same number of attribute points as a normal Lunar. They have the same 4 favored abilities, and favor Survival, as all Lunars. (Under my House Rules, they have 3 favored Attributes and 3 favored abilities instead). Rather than 25 ability points, Brotherhood Lunars get 30, to represent their training.
All Brotherhood Lunars have 10 background points.
The Brotherhood trains its Exalts in the ways of surviving within the city. Brotherhood Lunars begin with Finding the Spirit's Shape, Hide of the Cunning Hunter and Prey's Skin Disguise for free. The Beastman transformations are not as widely stressed as they are in the Pact, however, each Brotherhood Lunar begins with one free rank of their respective Beastman Transformation. Then, like all other Lunars, begin with 8 Charms. (Purchased at 9-11 as per my house rules)

Sample Charms

The Brotherhood of the Smiling Moon teaches its Lunars alternate charms to those learned by the majority of Lunars. These charms are typically ones intended for use among people and within the steel-and-glass jungles of cities.
STRENGTH

• Brute Force Method
  

Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Strength: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite: None
Channeling Essence into her Limbs, the Lunar becomes unspeakably strong. She may add up to her Strength in additional dice for any Strength roll. This may not be used for damage rolls, unless it is damage against an object.

• Defense-Shattering Fist
  

Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Strength: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: Brute Force Method
The Lunar swings her fist foward in a blur of Essence and raw power. The target of this attack loses the Lunar's strength in dice to defend. If this reduces the target's pool to 0, he must find a way to replentish his pool or use a perfect or near-perfect defense. This cannot be used with Melee weapons, but is explicitly allowed with brawling aids. This is a favorite of Lunar gang leaders.

• Mad Bull Rush
  

Cost: 5 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Strength: 4
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: Defense-Shattering Fist
The Urban Lunar adopts the wild mein of a rampaging bull and rushes forward at her opponent. The Lunar adds her Strength in automatic successes to the attack, but cannot take any other action this turn. This is unuseable with Melee weapons, but like Defense-Shattering Fist, is explicitly permitted with brawling aids.

• Impressive Thug Style
  

Cost: 4 motes
Duration: Instant
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Strength: 3
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: Brute Force Method
Sometimes, words fail on people. The Lunar draws himself up to his full height and makes an impressive display of sheer muscle power and force. This allows the Lunar to exchange Charisma for Strength on any roll involving intimidation or browbeating.

DEXTERITY

• Building Scaling Techinque
  

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: One Turn
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Dexterity: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: none
The palms of the Lunar's hands and the soles of her feet become almost sticky as she channels Essence into them. This allows her to climb up any surface with extreme ease (roll at standard difficulty). This does nothing for liquid, and does not protect the Lunar from harmful surfaces. If the Lunar is climbing something very challenging, the Storyteller may opt to give the Lunar her Essence in automatic successes, rather than the decreased difficulty.

• Crowd-Weaving Prana
  

Cost: 2 motes
Duration: Dexterity in Minutes
Type: Reflexive
Minimum Dexterity: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: none
Sometimes the most difficult obstacles to pass in cities are the large crowds. If a Lunar is on an important mission, he does not need to be slowed down by masses of people. This charm allows the Lunar to weave through a crowd with extreme ease, his protean body flowing around others. He may walk through a crowd as if he were an open area. If he runs, it is a Dex + Atheltics roll at standard difficulty. This does not protect him from attack, nor protect him from pickpockets.

• Perpetual Motion Concentration
  

Cost: 8 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Dexterity: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite: Crowd-Weaving Prana, Building Scaling technique
The Lunar attunes the flows of Essence within her body so that her movement is perfect and unimpeded. She may walk on any surface perfectly (Storytellers may opt a roll, but only in the harshest conditions and the difficulty should not be higher than 3) this includes water and air, though it does not protect her from hazardous liquids or surfaces. While she is under the effects of Perpetual Motion Concentration, the difficulty to hit her is equal to her Essence.

STAMINA

• Tireless Traveler Practice
  

Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Stamina: 2
Minimum Essence: 1
Prerequisite: none
Channeling Essence through his limbs, the Lunar may persevere without end. At the cost of one mote per die, he may add up to his Stamina in additional dice for any Stamina roll.

• Disease Resisting Meditation
  

Cost: 3 motes
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Stamina: 2
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: Tireless Traveler Practice
The Lunar may fuel her immune system with just enough Essence to ward off disease and infection. This is especially useful for Lunars who must travelthrough sewers or have dealings in places where diseases may be rampant. The severity of diseases is up to storyteller discretion, but the player can be assured that she will not catch a minor disease like the common cold or get an infection from cutting herself on rusted metal. This does not protect her from things like the Great Contagion or magical diseases like those inflicted by the Citrine Poxes of Contagion Style.

• Pack Protecting Method
  

Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration: One Scene
Type: Simple
Minimum Stamina: 4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite: Disease Resisting Meditation
The Lunar extends the benevolent protection provided by Disease Resisting Meditation to her "pack." This may be a gang, underlings, henchmen, etc. She may target a number of people equal to her Essence.

• Self-Ordained Climate Control
  

Cost: None
Duration: Permanent
Type: Permanent
Minimum Stamina:4
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite:Pack-Protecting Method
Just because a Lunar lives in a city, doesn't mean he is any less versatile. With this charm, the Lunar is comfortable in any climate--so long as it is a natural one. He can go from the extreme heat of the south to the extreme cold of the north with little problem. Mechanically, the adjustment is a Stamina + Resistance roll at standard difficulty. if the Lunar wishes to wade chest-deep in acid, he will need another charm.

CHARISMA

• Command of the Alpha Wolf
  

Cost: 1 mote per die
Duration: Instant
Type: Supplemental
Minimum Charisma: 1
Minimum Essence: 2
Prerequisite: none
A pack knows its leader. By exhibiting himself as an established leader, or calling attention to himself as someone worth respecting, the Lunar can command the attention of others. For every mote spent, the Lunar may add up to his Charisma in dice to any Charisma-based roll. (As seen in the Core book, social charms generally require a higher essence minimum).

• Riot Causing Motion
  

Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower
Duration:Instant
Type:Simple
Minimum Charisma: 3
Minimum Essence: 3
Prerequisite: Command of the Alpha Wolf
With a mighty outward display of her superiority as pack leader, a Lunar can cause a riotious outbreak. The riot caused will last for a number of hours equal to the Lunar's Essence score, or until it has run out of things to break, smash and burn. A riot caused by a Lunar is usually more violent and bestial than the mobs created by Fury-Inciting Presence.

• Crowd Scattering Snarl
  

Cost: 10 motes, 1 willpower.
Duration: Instant
Type: Simple
Minimum Charisma: 3
Minimum Essence:3
Prerequisite: Command of the Alpha Wolf
Even though Lunars are masterful shapeshifters, capable of taking even the form of monsters, a rushing crowd poses a dangerous threat. However, with a roar or a snarl, the Lunar can instill fear into the crowd and send it scattering before it can cause any serious damage. This does nothing to organized and disciplined forces. This is not something most Pact Lunars have to deal with, so it would be rare to see a Pact Lunar with this charm. This can also be used to dismiss hoardes of beasts, since the Lunar does not need to speak, only growl.

Comments

Why should these guys get extra skills and backgrounds just for living in cities? _Ikselam

Unless I am misreading the text, they get extra skills and backgrounds because they are getting extra training from a body of elder Lunars (i.e. The Brotherhood) who have actual intent to teach (i.e. "unlike the Pact, training [new Lunars] and providing support". The Pact does not seem very big on actually teaching so much as throwing you into dangerous situations and letting you try to survive in the best case scenario, or tattooing you and abandonining you as a general rule. ~ Andrew02

Andrew02 has hit the nail on the head here. They don't get extra charms and backgrounds because of where they live, they get them because the Brotherhood trains them. This is an alternate starting build, not just a setting thing. Details of who the Elders are and what they do is coming later. I'm working on this slowly. ~DualMegami

Lunars suck so much anyway out of an attempt to balance DBT. This is exactly what they need if they want to have a prayer of doing anything other than killing things, eating them, and then turning into them. I use the DB XP table in my games, but 9/11 is certainly reasonable. Their charm selection and tree format is already stifling. I love this concept, DM, and really want to see more. Excellent stuff. - Tardach