Samsa

The Samsa (named after the main figure in the novella The Metamorphosis) are a Mockery Breed of cockroach-shifters that have been deemed a failure by Pentex and now mainly are contained in their labs, although escapes are not unheard of.

Unbeknownst to them, they have gained the interest of Cockroach himself. Sensing an opportunity to either survive the Apocalypse in the scenario of the Wyrm's victory, or drawing the Samsa away from him and to the Gaian cause, he allows his brood to consort with them and forbids his tribe to harm the Samsa.

History

Project: Metamorphosis aimed to produce the ultimate corporate espionage tool — a swarm-based shapeshifter that could infiltrate anywhere and immediately pass information back through the link shared by every member of the swarm. NDL’s product marketing personnel sold the idea of an assassin concealed in a hundred different places in a room, waiting for a target to arrive before reforming into a single killing form.

Unfortunately, the NDL scientists could not meet these goals. They have created a human/insect hybrid, but it cannot separate into a swarm. Instead, the Samsa are mind-shattered eight-foot tall bipedal cockroaches that are terrified of the dark. Pentex closed Project: Metamorphosis as an abject failure, leaving NDL with several dozen prototype Samsa gibbering with fear in their cells.

Traits 

Samsa are highly variable but tend toward high Stamina and low Appearance. Samsa also tend toward high Alertness, Streetwise, and Survival. High Willpower is useful, but their mindset rarely supports such strength of character. All Samsa have the Paranoia Derangement and must choose a second Derangement.

Breeds 

Samsa have two Breeds, homid and metis. Homid Samsa begin with Rage 2, Gnosis 4, Willpower 3, while metis Samsa begin with Rage 3, Gnosis 2, Willpower 4.

Forms 

Samsa have only two forms:

• Homid: Samsa invariably have a disheveled and confused appearance, and a feverish madness in their eyes.

• Ungeziefer: Ungeziefer are nightmarish eight-foot tall bipedal cockroaches with greenish-brown armored carapaces and clicking mandibles. The traits modifiers of this form are Strength +3, Dexterity +1, Stamina +3, Appearance 0. Their serrated exoskeleton permits claw attacks (Str +2 L) but they cannot bite. Ungeziefer inflicts the Delirium on vulnerable witnesses. Each time a Samsa takes Ungeziefer she chooses two traits from the following list.
  • The majority are fomori powers function as per W20 except as noted; Antenna and Swarm are unique to the Samsa. They can manifest different traits with the first transformation each scene, but keep those traits until the scene ends.
    • Antenna: Add 3 dice to Perception rolls, and can detect spirits only as Sense the Unnatural
    • Armored Carapace: Samsa armor cannot soak aggravated damage caused by insecticide.
    • Claws
    • Darksight: Even when Samsa can see in pitch blackness, it doesn’t stop the voices.
    • Extra Limbs: All Ungeziefer have an extra pair of limp, useless arms. With this the arms are as capable as their primary set.
    • Wings: Samsa are clumsy fliers. They have Dex –2 while airborne.
    • Swarm: Each turn, dozens of cockroaches fall from beneath the Samsa’s carapace. These cockroaches obey the Samsa’s spoken commands.
    • Wall Walking
    • Cause Insanity: The Samsa inflicts her own fears and mental illness on her victim, gaining brief respite in return. The Samsa spends one Gnosis point and rolls Willpower (difficulty 7), adding 2 dice per Derangement she currently has. Every success passes one of the Samsa’s Derangements to her victim for a scene. The Samsa chooses which Derangement is inflicted. With five or more successes the victim’s mind breaks with the sudden strain and he shuts down for the scene, refusing to act except to try and flee violence. A Samsa loses access to this power whenever she passes all her Derangements to others. She can use the power multiple times to inflict separate Derangements on different victims, but can’t invoke the power again on a victim already suffering one of her Derangements.

Powers 

Samsa are incapable of stepping sideways, but they hear nearby spirits whenever they enter deep shadow or darkness — feeding the Samsa’s paranoia and dread. Samsa are only immune to the delirium in Ungeziefer form — in Homid, they are as vulnerable as any human.

Samsa heal at the same rate as Garou. They are not vulnerable to silver, but suffer aggravated damage from insecticides in Ungeziefer form. Samsa never suffer damage caused by radiation or toxic waste.

Samsa are as difficult to eradicate as natural cockroaches. When a Samsa takes lethal or aggravated damage in her last health box, she automatically spends one permanent Willpower dot and dissolves into a thousand cockroaches scrambling in all directions. All but one cockroach dies within the following hour. This final cockroach has only one health level and is ravenously hungry — each day it must consume twice its body weight, growing in size and regaining another health level. When the Samsa regains seven health levels, the now-giant cockroach spontaneously shapeshifts to Homid form. The Samsa has no memory of several hours before her near death, and can only recall snippets of her cockroach experience through terrifying nightmares. Each use of this power inflicts another permanent Derangement on the Samsa.

Cockroach spirits will teach the Samsa Gifts if the wretches listen long enough to learn. The Glass Walkers recently discovered this tutelage and are confused and saddened, exacerbated by the fact that their totem refuses to discuss it with the tribe.

References

• WTA: W20 Book of the Wyrm, p. 169-171