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Imbued (WOD)

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The Imbued (also called Hunters) are the protagonists of the first of the currently two editions of Hunter: The Reckoning. They are ordinary humans who are awakened to the presence of supernatural monsters through contact with the Messengers at a time of crisis. During this moment of imbuing, an individual sees the true nature of a supernatural creature or event, and either takes action or resolves to do so, confirming their status as a Hunter. Those who hesitate or recoil do not become Imbued, but are forever aware of their glimpse of the supernatural; these "failed" Hunters are generally known as bystanders.

They are not to be confused with the older and more common Witch-hunters, who are ordinary mortals that operate largely without any kind of mystical aid.

The Imbuing[]

For most Imbued, the Hunt begins during an otherwise normal (if sometimes stressful) experience: another day at the office, watching a parade, a backstreet mugging. But the potential Hunter's life changes when he or she hears the voice of the Messengers, uttering a single short phrase that focussed their attention as the true world was revealed to them. An office worker may be revealed as a zombie, with dry flaking skin and gaping wounds; the mugger may be glimpsed with a hideously distended jaw containing huge canines, marking him as a vampire; perhaps ghostly, nightmarish figures are glimpsed controlling participants in the parade. The glimpse of "true reality" given during an imbuing is often exaggerated, and most Imbued do not see things quite the same way afterwards, even when piercing illusions by calling on their Conviction (see below).

Hunters debate among themselves the reasons why they are chosen by the Messengers; it often seems to be random. Most Imbued feel compelled to act against the monsters which secretly control the world, and some consider this criteria enough for their selection, but they are still entirely human in mind and body, and many do not feel up to the task. Normal social interaction becomes difficult; many Hunters hear the voices of the Messengers, but even without this schizophrenic whispering, their knowledge of the truth can make them seem insanely paranoid in a world which denies the supernatural, and very few Hunters have the power to reveal the truth to others. Once Imbued, however, there is no turning back; a Hunter can never forget the hidden evils of the world, and their Conviction - and ordinary conscience - will drive them to combat it.

Messages[]

The nature of the Messengers is also hotly debated among the Imbued; no-one truly knows what or who they are, where they come from, or why they oppose the monsters of the world. The messages they whisper into the minds of the Imbued - often as a "voice in the head", but sometimes as visions or "writing on the wall" - are similarly poorly understood. They are personalised, unique to each Hunter, and nearly always cryptic - especially the messages received during the imbuing. Sometimes they describe a supernatural being or problem: "It Does Not Breathe", "Their Will Is Gone". Sometimes they give a directive: "Inherit the Earth", "Burn It Down". Some Hunters receive many more messages from the Messengers than others, while some are reluctant to share their own messages. As with so much of Imbued existence, uncertainty is the only constant.

Powers[]

Hunters are specifically not turned into supernatural creatures when they are Imbued; they still need everything a normal human does and can't take Aggravated damage. All they are really given are abilities which allow them to resist, in various ways, the powers of truly supernatural enemies. Only two types of supernatural blessing are bestowed on Hunters by the Messengers: Conviction and Edges.

Conviction[]

Conviction is a reserve of strength and faith Hunters may draw upon to resist the control of supernatural entities and pierce their illusions. Depending on the success of their activities, Hunters' Conviction may rise or fall from night to night. Conviction is "risked" when used to fuel powers granted by the Messengers; if they fail in their task, Hunters' Conviction is lowered, while if they succeed, it may be increased. When Conviction is at to a sufficiently high level, a Hunter may permanently bolster one of their virtues, gaining a more concrete faith in an aspect of the hunt; doing so lowers their ordinary Conviction until such time as their newfound virtue can be tested.

Edges[]

Edges are (usually minor) supernatural powers granted by the Messengers. In general, Edges allow Hunters only to resist the effects and defenses of the supernatural, though some certainly have more dramatic effects. Each creed has its own set of Edges, though a Hunter will only ever be granted a limited number during their career. More powerful Edges are only granted to Hunters who reinforce their commitment to the Hunt by bolstering their virtues, becoming more zealous, merciful or visionary. The most powerful Edges are thus only granted to Hunters who become virtually insane, obsessed with their aspect of the Hunt above all else in life; such Hunters are exceedingly rare, since the Imbued rarely survive long enough to become so devoted.

Virtues and Creeds[]

Most humans' virtue is defined by their self-control, compassion and courage. While Hunters certainly can display these traits, their devotion to the Hunt takes greater importance. Their virtues define how they view the Hunt, and their own role in it.

More specific than virtues are the Creeds. The nine creeds are broad categories for different approaches to the Hunt, and a Hunter's creed is determined by the way in which they react during their imbuing. How strong a Hunter's Conviction is, and which Edges they may be granted, are determined in part by an Imbued's creed. There are three creeds for each of the three virtues, which represent the nature of a Hunter's Conviction.

  • Mercy is the virtue of forgiveness. Merciful Hunters seek to redeem or protect those monsters worth saving, or to take the suffering of others onto themselves. They primarily focus on what they can save via the Hunt. The Innocent, Martyr and Redeemer creeds all focus on Mercy; their Edges rarely inflict physical harm, but are either defensive or attempts to reach what humanity is left within their foes. The Merciful Hunter, in the moment of his Imbuing, might have taken an action along the lines of pulling a fire alarm to empty a building, or attempting first to reason with the beast before engaging in it combat, or to distract the creature, "holding it off" while the prey makes an escape.
  • Vision is the least-understood virtue by those who do not possess it. It represents a hope for the future, a plan for a new world, and a belief that the Hunt will have an end. Visionaries are the rarest of the common creeds, looking beyond the night's Hunt to the consequences of their actions and the big picture, and usually seek to make changes with wide-ranging effect. Their Edges help them see the path that other Hunters must follow. The two other creeds based on Vision are the Hermits and Waywards, both of whom are dysfunctional; those rare few in the Hunter community aware of their existence tend to consider them 'lost', failed experiments by the Messengers who have been broken by their imbuing.
  • Zeal is like righteous anger, a fierce desire to see justice done. Zealous Hunters focus on the destruction or punishment of evil, and are the most obvious group of Imbued, though it is a mistake to assume they are all violent warriors. The zealous creeds are Avengers, Defenders, and Judges; their Edges generally affect supernatural creatures directly, though not always by inflicting physical harm. There are other ways to punish evil, after all. The Zealous Hunter, in the moment of Imbuing, might have taken an action like grabbing the nearest heavy or sharp object and attacking, or placing him or herself firmly between the creature and its target.

Viewpoints[]

Vampire Perspective[]

(...)

Werewolf Perspective[]

As far as most werewolves are concerned, most humans who take up hunting werewolves are simply ordinary people with the willpower to resist the Delirium and the idiocy to think they're a match for Garou. Most Garou don't even know that the "imbued" class of hunter is even out there; even those who encounter an Imbued face-to-face are unlikely to be able to tell the hunter apart from a subtle fomor, mage, or otherwise enhanced human.

Trash-80, a Bone Gnawer Ragabash, discusses that the Imbued tend to appear in cities and that they have some sort of supernatural power that isn't from the Umbra or spirits powering them. He also discusses that other Garou think they've been empowered by the Wyrm or the Weaver, but they don't smell like either. Some think that they were sent out by the Wyrm in a last desperate flash of sanity to restore balance to the world, despite not smelling of the Wyrm at all. Others think that they're the next evolutionary step up from humanity to defend itself. That a collective spirit of humanity finally got around to providing someone to fight against the Impergium, only being a zillion years too late. It could be an Eighth Sign of the Apocalypse, or it could be anything, as even these "imbued" don't have a clue either. The only thing they know is that they woke up and started seeing monsters everywhere and held on just long enough to find out that it's no hallucination. And since they're just ordinary folks at heart, that means they see the need to watch out for their kids, or to clean up their neighborhoods, etc. So, they go vigilante - and they're just tough enough to be dangerous.

Mage Perspective[]

Recently, a few rumors have begun to spread, telling of people with previously unseen powers aiding in attacks on Nephandi, only to vanish afterward. In a few cases, these hunters have attacked mages directly.

In fact, it seems that these hunters' attacks are aimed solely at those whose actions directly harm or endanger Sleepers. In one case where an Ecstatic was murdered, it was later learned that he ran a slaving ring on the side. How these hunters choose their targets is unknown, but several mages hope to make contact with one to find out. Whatever these people are, whichever powers they represent, remains a mystery.

Some think they could be even a new type of mage.

Technocracy[]

An eerie "messiah effect" is spreading through the Masses. In the last year or so, a small but growing number of "hunters" have manifested paranormal talents and declared war on the supernatural. Some of these renegades claim to be possessed by angels; others simply seem confused and angry, lashing out at the night with uncanny ferocity. At present, the Union considers such aberrations to be allies; they share the Union's vision of an Earth purged of supernatural taint. But when will these fanatics turn on the Union, convinced that the Technocracy's agents are just one more symptom of supernatural malaise?

Ahl-i-Batin[]

The Ahl-i-Batin are aware that the Imbued do not know everything they believe that they know and use it to their advantage. After all, any Imbued looking for Persian sorcerers will end up encountering the Taftâni instead long before they hear any whispers of their existence. Any Imbued will be quickly dealt with to keep the Ahl-i-Batin secrets safe and their remains covered by the drifting sand.

Taftâni[]

The Taftâni see the Imbued as the newest soldiers of Falsehood and have instantly earned their hatred. Especially after an Imbued murdered an apprentice for no reason. The Taftâni see them as agents of either the Nephandi or the Technocracy and attack on sight. The Taftâni are aware that the Imbued have difficulty dealing against Menog and use it to their advantage.

Demon Perspective[]

The few demons who have encountered the imbued (and survived the experience) were alarmed at the way these mortals' powers seem specifically tailored to defeat many innate demonic abilities and resist the effects of many evocations. Some speculate that the hunters are being empowered by agents of Heaven in a sort of proxy war against the fallen, though few can imagine the wrathful Creator as being so timid with His might. Others wonder if perhaps the imbued are actually the descendants of one or more nephilim who somehow escaped Lucifer's purge during the War of Wrath. These demons speculate that the return of the fallen has awakened their latent powers - as well as a reflexive hatred for the Angels of the Abyss.

Stats[]

Mage: The Ascension Revised Edition
Imbued Hunter

  • Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 2
  • Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 3, Dodge 3, Drive 1, Firearms 3, Intimidation 2, Melee 3, Occult 3, Stealth 2, Streetwise 2, Tecnology 2
  • Willpower: 7
  • Suggested Powers: The imbued hunter is immune to any power that controls the mind or the senses. Any Mind magic intended to control they actions, thoughts or perceptions fails automatically. They recognizes vampires, werewolves and changelings on sight, and many can see wraiths. Additionally, they may charge a weapon with mystical energy, adding two dice to its damage rating. For a Willpower point, they can track any supernatural being that has fled they presence to its place of refuge. For three Willpower points, they can touch someone under supernatural mind control and restore free will to him - they may only do so once per story.
  • Image: The hunter doesn't look unusual in any way until they sees they prey. Once the prey appears, they baseball bat (or similar weapon) glows with a light that only other supernaturals can see and they eyes betray the inner zeal blazing within. They carries as much weaponry as they can conceal.
  • Notes: The hunter doesn't want to kill every supernatural entity they meets. First they tries to discover if the monster is harmful to humanity. If so, they strikes. Otherwise, they moves on. If they finds that a particularly dangerous monster has other enemies, they might approach them and offer aid. Of course, not all hunters are so benevolent... there are more than a few who would be happy to kill anything with the stench of magic.

References[]

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