DBSInfernalExalted/Sins
Sins
The depraved outlook of candidates for Infernal Exaltation is rent asunder in the tortures that bring them under the Yozi's thrall and reformed to something that, whilst opposing virtue, nonetheless offers strength of a sort. Infernal Exalted possess Sins instead of Virtues, temptations that serve to drive them and remind them of their own slavery to the Infernal cause at the same moment.
Each of the four Virtues becomes a Sin, reflecting the weakness that stems from that aspect of a person's nature rather than their strength. For the purposes of game mechanics requiring rolls made using Virtues or Charms with Virtues as prerequisites, the appropriate Sin (Lust for Compassion, Envy for Conviction, Pride for Temperance, Wrath for Valour) can be substituted instead. However, Sins have different advantages and drawbacks to those that possess them.
Infernals are weak hearted and prone to temptation. Whenever they see a possibility for gratification and wish to suppress it, they must roll the appropriate Sin if that Sin is at rating 3 or higher; if they score any successes, they must either spend a point of temporary Willpower to suppress their urges or indulge themselves. Infernals who suppress Sins roll another check against that Sin, adding all successes to their Limit.
Lust
The Lust Sin is more than just physical desire; it measures the character's need of understanding, acceptance and love from others. Characters with low Lust are uninterested in the emotional support other creatures can offer, whilst those with high Lust feel a cold emptiness at their hearts that only the care of others can assuage.
- Unfeeling. Distant and ascerbic, with no desire for what others can offer.
- You find solace when others seem to understand your feelings.
- The comfort offered by others is a sweet respite, a permanent addiction for your needy soul.
- The pain of your alien nature burns strongly, and you seek consolation in others whenever opportunity presents itself.
- Slave of lust. You are a husk without affections, dependant entirely on the support of other creatures to numb your pain.
Lust Aids in: Trying to explain yourself, gaining allies or lovers, fighting for people who like you.
Characters Must Fail a Lust Check to: Have someone present themselves as a possible friend or lover and not take advantage, allow themselves to be spurned without trying to stay in favour, hear their cause denounced without defending it.
Characters Need Not Fail a Lust Check to: Desert or betray their lovers; there are always more to be found.
Envy
The Envy Sin is more than just jealousy; it is the deep discontentment that drives people to scheme and better themselves above others. Characters with low Envy are acquiescent to their fate, whilst those of high Envy are consumed by their hatred of their superiors and struggle to place themselves in control incessantly.
- Resigned and disillusioned, you care little for your lot in life.
- Self-serving. You enjoy improving your lot, and the prosperity of others stirs jealousy in your heart occassionally.
- Furthering your position, and undermining that of others, has great bearing in your mind.
- You hate others for what they have, and hate yourself for not having it, forcing you into incessant self-furthering.
- Slave of envy. Covetous beyond the comprehension of mortals, you must draw all wealth and happiness into yourself of die trying.
Envy Aids in: Acquiring influence or possessions for yourself, maliciously undermining those of others, fighting your rivals, regaining Willpower.
Characters Must Fail an Envy Check to: See an opening in a power structure and not try to manoeuvre yourself into it, see an unattended object and not steal it, not strike your opponents whilst they are down.
Characters Need Not Fail an Envy Check to: Desert a cause where it is no longer viable; there are always more alluring opportunities.
Pride
The Pride Sin is a measure of the character's self-aggrandisement and vanity. Characters with low Pride are meek wretches and the slaves of all those who demand things of them, whilst those of high Pride are self-righteous tyrants who seek to show their superiority and subjugate the weak at every opportunity.
- Cowed. A subservient weakling in spirit, taking abuse without question.
- You take pride in the foul power instilled within you, and will not be bossed around.
- Vanity burns deep inside of you, and you take pleasure in proving others inferior.
- Megalomaniac. The draw of greatness is almost irresistable, and you take frequent moments to establish your superiority and quash others.
- Slave of pride. Any slight against your person is returned a thousandfold; you see yourself as greatest creature alive, and nothing can shake this.
Pride Aids in: Resisting effects that would make you seem foolish or subservient, bullying others into place, degrading or humiliating others, fighting those that have enslaved or belittled you.
Characters Must Fail a Pride Check to: Take an insult without retorting, be imprisoned without attempting to break free, see the vulnerable and not seek to establish superiority over them.
Characters Need Not Fail a Pride Check to: Act dishonestly or unethically; the proud are only superficially principled.
Wrath
The Wrath Sin is a measure of the character's anger and brutishness. Characters with low Wrath are reluctant to act or strike against their foes and shirk violence wherever they can, whilst those of high Wrath are raging barbarians that slaughter all those they can and leave a trail of bloodied innocents in their wake.
- Indecisive wretch. You truggle to bring yourself to act and leave violence to minions.
- Quiet resentment dwells behind your eyes, and the song of destruction holds its insipid appeal.
- Scarcely bridled fury roils within you, lashing out at those around you with any provocation.
- The pain of your existence deafens your sensibilities, drawing you to strike furiously against all that offend your whims.
- Slave of wrath. Your inner torment is a cacophonic clamouring inside your head which only endless cries of pain can drown out.
Wrath Aids in: Killing those you wish to, resisting hesitation or fear that would stop you, ignoring or resisting things that would otherwise impair your fight.
Characters Must Fail a Wrath Check to: Hold their hand when they wish to hurt somebody, act kindly and considerately, have their integrity questioned without seeking retribution.
Characters Need Not Fail a Wrath Check to: Flee a battle against the odds; there is always another day.
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I might suggest that you only need to fail a Sin check if the sin is 3 or greater, like virtues. Then again, you might -want- infernals to be sinful in all circumstances, but I'm fairly sure there are some that aren't complete kleptomaniacs.
-- Darloth
Ehh...I didn't like Sabbat Virtues and I think this is the same thing. It's silly to give the Evil Folks special "virtues" that let them get away with being evil. They should have the same virtues everyone else does and have to make do. Infernal Exaltation might be able to twist your soul like silly putty, but it shouldn't change the rules by which your soul works. If Infernals have these Sins instead of Virtues, why don't demons? It seems just an extra complication and "oooh! I'm EEEEVILLL" thing to me. - Telgar
Thanks, Darloth, I forgot to put that in. Oh, and Telgar, I'm not too keen on Sins myself (I hate extra complications) by they seem a ready solution to the crisis of how to have selfish and intemperate fiends become nonetheless effective and differentiated characters - if Infernals were made using Virtues, everyone would max out Conviction and Valour and ignore the others; kinda boring. Also, it provides a basis for their Virtue-distorting Charms, of which you'll see more in the Blasphemous caste set. For reference, demons in my games do have Sins instead of Virtues.
- Additional thought - Abyssal Exalted have distorted Virtues, they just don't name them differently. Perhaps with a few tweaks to the Charms this approach could be adopted? ...DeathBySurfeit
Sometimes people just live by different moral standards than everyone else. Abyssal Virtues are twisted, but Infernals are just irredeemably bad and have become so human that they break through and come out the other side. Sins, IMO, fit perfectly, as do the alternate Vampire virtues. Besides, this allows Infernals to have relatively-good Essence pools instead of having everything at 1 and being screwed. -Will
- What Compassion means to a Yozi, and thus an Infernal, is not necessarily what it means to a typical human (or spirit, or dragon-king or whatever). This is one of the things that makes them creepy and subjectively insane. If their 'Compassion' works like 'Lust' as described above, so be it. If you'd like to name it lust instead of compassion, feel free. I don't think it makes a huge difference once you are playing. - Nikink
Good points, both. On balance, I'll probably leave things as they are - I don't think having Sins replace Virtues is particularly problematic in play (as wisely noted, it's mostly a matter of name), and they provide a nice solution to the whole Infernals being EBIL (sic), which they are...DeathBySurfeit
- Ahem... EBIL? Mein gott! That's monstrous... ;-) - Nikink
- Ahem... EBIL sic....DeathBySurfeit
- *cough* EBIL-Sic? By gods, that's worse, man! Are you insane??? B-) Nikink
- *cough* No, I'm sic (sic)...DeathBySurfeit
- Ahhh, bitten by the African Sic-Sic Fly, what? Terrible shame, dear fellow. I do wish you the best of luck... Nikink
I don't think these are the same thing as "Sabbat-Virtues" from VTM (note those that said issue got repaired in Revised Edition where "evil Virtues" were replaced by more primal alternatives measuring one's embrace & satisfaction of their Beast). This isn't some issue of evil people getting evil alternatives of their Virtues, these are spiritual alterations wrought by the Yozi. They're horrific inversions of the Virtues & I find them to be very thematically appropriate for Infernal Exalted. Glamourweaver
I think that the sins should be more diametrically opposed to the virtues. Like, Cruelty vs. Compassion, Cowardice vs. Valor, Corruption vs. Conviction, and Excess vs. Temperance. What you have feels...weird. It just doesn't fit, exactly. - Han'ya
