Promethean: The Created



Promethean: The Created is the fourth game for the new World of Darkness, published by White Wolf. It was announced on October 30, 2005, and will be released in August 2006. The game's title refers to the nature of its protagonists: beings created by other beings. It is heavily inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and golem myths, and includes many references to alchemy.

Unlike the main three World of Darkness games (Vampire, Werewolf and Mage), Promethean will be released as a limited series in a manner similar to Orpheus: one core rulebook and four sourcebooks. It seems plans are already underway for a fifth game using a similar format.

NB: Information is still scarce, so the details below should be treated as provisional, though all come from official sources.

The Prometheans
Described as "a Storytelling game of stolen lives", Promethean deals with protagonists who, like the monster of Frankenstein, are constructed from corpses and given life. This is made possible through the theft of Pyros, the Divine Fire. This theft of fire leads the Prometheans to name themselves after the Titan Prometheus, who both created man and stole fire from the gods to give to humanity.

Though they appear physically human unless using their powers, Prometheans have never been ordinary mortals. Most are the creations of other Prometheans, though a small number were created by mortal demiurges who, knowingly or otherwise, manipulated Pyros. They are beings without souls, and their essential struggle is to become human and "earn" a soul, a process they call the "Great Work".

Disquiet
The souless nature of a Promethean has a subtle effect on the natural world; it is as if nature rejects them in various ways if they remain too long in one place. Prometheans call this the Disquiet, and left unchecked it causes unease and, with enough exposure, fear and hatred among humans, and manifestations of unnatural phenomena in the surrounding area.

Lineage
While each Promethean is unique, there are common themes behind the purposes and means of their creation. Each Promethean belongs to a Lineage, a line of Prometheans who can trace their origin back through their Promethean creator to one of the Progenitors - the first Prometheans, created by human demiurges.

Since the same techniques are used to create all the members of a particular Lineage, many aspects of the Promethean condition are defined by Lineage, including how Pyros may be replenished, the nature of the Disquiet, and the disfigurements displayed when using supernatural abilities. Each Lineage also grants certain advantages called Bestowments, including such things as superhuman strength and stamina.

Lineages are named for prominent figures in their history, usually their demiurge or Progenitor. They also typically have a nickname. Known Lineages include Frankensteins (the Wretched) and Galateids (the Muses).

Organisation
Thanks to their small numbers, Prometheans have no well established society of their own. Instead of aligning themselves with a social, political or spiritual organisation, like the Covenants of the Kindred or Tribes of the Uratha, they follow Refinements according to the philosophy with which they seek to transcend their condition. Refinements have little or no organisation, but are rather labels useful for distinguishing between the different methods Prometheans use to achieve the "Great Work".

The Refinements are named for different alchemical ingredients; they include Aurum, the Refinement of Gold, and Cuprum, the Refinement of Copper. Prometheans also have names for practitioners of each Refinement, such as Mimics, for the followers of Aurum, and Pariahs, for the followers of Cuprum.

Prometheans also have a system of "pilgrim marks", signs and symbols known only to them with which they leave notes to aid each other.

Powers
Prometheans tend to understand the world through an alchemical lens, and their powers, known as Transmutations, reflect this. The different Classes of Transmutations allow a Promethean to transform and manipulate different types of physical or conceptual object, from their own bodies, to inanimate matter, electricity, minds and even the Pyros itself.

The Redeemed
It is possible for a Promethean to complete the Great Work and become human. Such Prometheans are known as the Redeemed. Most who become human, however, lose all memory of their lives as Prometheans.

Pandorans
Most Prometheans are brought to life by the Created; demiurges are exceedingly rare. But this is a dangerous exercise as these "offspring" are sometimes "Pandorans," powerful and chaotic creatures who feed on the Divine Fire within Prometheans. Normally inanimate statues, the presence of a Promethean will awaken a Pandoran to hunger. The first sourcebook after the Promethean core, Pandora's Book, will detail Pandorans, as well as other antagonists.