IDOL
Serene and charming, idols radiate an otherworldly beauty and poise. Unlike other anomalies, they possess the unique ability to appear visible to the graceless, and often take humanlike form.
Idols are born out of the basic human desire to be wanted and loved. In this way, they are sometimes regarded as the most generally benign in their intentions. However, much like other anomalies, their manifestation draws on the dark side of the human psyche and usually pulls their hosts into greater acts of vanity and control.
Idols commonly manifest in:
- Failed actors, singers, or performers.
- People who suffer an extreme lack of fulfillment.
- People who have been abandoned or have lacked any human connection or love.
Primary emotion: Desire
Appearance and Psychophysiology: Idols commonly appear as humanlike in form. They may appear as someone desired by their host: their hosts’ ideal romantic partner, a parental figure, or a best friend. When fused with their hosts, they may enhance their hosts into ‘ideal’, more perfect versions of themselves, usually enhancing features a host deems desirable, and eliminating those seen as undesirable. They have a godly, otherworldly beauty to them that can be stunning to humans, especially the graceless. When forced into a corner, or when they want to display their power, idols are capable of taking other, more terrible forms.
Behavior: Idols radiate charisma, and unique among anomalies, draw other people to them, usually coalescing into a massive cult. Their voices and appearances are hypnotizing to the graceless and they are able to issue commands or suggestions that humans find nearly impossible to ignore. They can be charming, funny, and find it intolerable when they are not the center of attention. At their worst, they represent the worst aspects of love and desirability - absolute, almost sadistic control and selfishness.
ARCHIVED IDOLS
BLOODY PRINCE
Type I, manifested to subject I887, formerly popular idol group member █████. Sidelined by her talent agency, (later substantiated) allegations of abuse and stalking by management. Online speculation as to her disappearance substantiated investigation by SEER into cabaret club █████. Further records erased.
OUR FRIEND
Type II, fused to failed middle age businessman █████. Subject recently divorced and estranged from adult children. Started populous cult ‘Church of Family’ promising close family connections and revival through community events. Flourished for many years through ███ to ███ as a large and prosperous organization until detected by SEER after multiple kidnapping cases. Time to execution 3 hrs 35 minutes, 52 casualties. Deprogramming extensive.
THE LAUGHING MAN
Type III manifestation, controlled by binder ███ (deceased, ex. in captivity: record e3094). Popular online cult following would vote on targets for ‘prank’ video production posting on dark web, often choosing individuals of prestige and power including celebrities █████ and █████. Located by SEER after kidnapping of █████ and death of well known actor █████. Palace located attached to laptop of subject and executed after 9 hours.
TRAUMAS
The Admin, as the idol, answers the following questions (or writes their own), then establishes a trauma based on the truthful answers.
- What is your dream?
- Why did you give up on your dream?
- Why do you think you are you incapable of being loved?
For every question the executioners answer, they can counter an anomalies reaction, rolling 1d3 after the anomaly acts. Reduce any stress suffered by all targets by the amount on the die, and the anomaly immediately takes that many slashes on its execution clock from the psychic trauma, which cannot reduce it below 1.
PALACE
Idols tend to manifest their palace where their cult is located, typically in populated locations. They may have a front operation that covers the entrance to their palace and their cult in general - a news or internet program, a band, a concert hall, a religious gathering, etc. The true headquarters of their cult is typically more concealed and harder to access. At the center is usually an entrance to their palace, which the idol may invite select cult members in to visit in order to win them over.
Depending on the aspiration of the anomaly, the interior of typical palaces is usually a monument to self-obsession and resembles:
- Palatial estates
- Nightclubs or concert halls
- Beautiful high rise penthouse apartments
- Religious halls or places of worship
Idol palaces are typically: Luxurious, gilded, airy, captivating, impressive, gaudy, holy.
PRESSURE: CULT
Idols gather cults around them, adding steadily to them over time. This varies from mundane admirers of the idol to people totally pulled under their spell. A lower category idol tends to pull people into a cult of a few dozen people, whereas a higher category one can pull in a cult that numbers in the hundreds or thousands.
While the idol still lives, cultists are completely and unflinchingly loyal to them and their host, and will follow the commands and inclinations of their higher-ups in the cult without questioning.
The idol is able to secretly add NPCs to its cult. Every time pressure increases, the Admin chooses an NPC the players have met on the mission and adds them to the cult. They don’t have to reveal this to the players.
The NPC now follow the psychic commands and directives of the idol and abandon their former priorities and loyalties.
When pressure fills up, the situation goes out of control. The Idol gains +1 Category and adds every single NPC in the mission area to its cult, including any NPCs the executioners encounter in the future.
TRACES
May take a free reaction 1/round if fought alongside an anomaly:
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CULTISTS
Cultists are mundane humans pulled under the supernatural influence of the Idol. They can behave normally when required but are functionally puppets, having their feeble will suppressed by the extremely powerful Grace of the anomaly. The idol will often deploy them for missions of importance or to infiltrate groups.
Defeating the idol will pull any cultists out of their brainwashing. They have no memory of their time when brainwashed.
Cultists (humans): Execution tag 2 (solo), 4 (group), 6 (large group)
Reactions:
Inflict stress. Attacks with: Bare hands, improvised melee weaponry. (1) 4 stress, (2/3): 3 stress, (4+): 2 stress.
Or: create a complication or threat: Draw unwanted attention, choke someone out, pull out a gun, draw in bystanders, making a shocking reveal.
EXECUTION
8 + Pressure + CAT
ATTACKS WITH: Well honed blades, mundane firearms, thin and flexible claws, psychic voice commands. (1) 5 stress, (2/3): 3 stress, (4+): 2 stress.
COMPLICATIONS: Rile up a crowd, enthrall someone, blind with glory, overwhelm with emotion, force out secrets, disarm someone, spew out hallucinations, add a bystander, use a domain.
SEVERE ATTACK: MARRIAGE: An idol can use this ability on a ‘1’ on the risk roll. They can only use it once a mission.
Target an executioner. Any other executioners nearby must decide to fly to their aid. Any that don’t offer aid cannot participate.
Start with a pool of 6d6. Then remove one dice for each of the following questions you answer ‘yes’ to. If an answer is ‘no’, you or someone aiding you can immediately make a single action roll to attempt rectify the answer, with only a few moments to act, suffering consequences as normal if they fail.
- Are you far from the idol?
- Do you have love in your life?
- Does someone aiding you care about you? They can describe how.
- Is the idol hindered, distracted, or under duress in some way?
Then roll the dice.
The executioner and any aiding them take 1 stress for every die rolled, no matter the result.
- If at least one ‘1’ comes up, the targeted executioner must answer the question: Who in among their allies do they desire the most? This answer could be platonic, and the idol may give them a chance to reconsider.
- If the answer is ‘nobody’ or ‘myself’, the idol instantly inflicts an injury and knocks the targeted executioner unconscious for the remainder of the scene. If the answer is another ally, the idol forcibly fuses the flesh of the two together. This has no immediate adverse effects, but the two victims can only act with teamwork with each other while fused. After the executioners rest, they can remain fused or forcibly separate themselves. This inflicts an injury on each of them. It otherwise ends after the hunt as CAIN is able to safely separate them.
- If two or more ‘1’s come up, this effect instead lasts until the rest of the hunt, and can’t be ended early.
- After two fused executioners are un-fused (whichever way), they each take an agenda item from the other’s agenda as a bold item.
AFFLICTIONS
Given by a hook, threat, or tension move.
- Infatuated: Pick an ally. If you act without their setup or teamwork, you take 1 stress.
- Solipsism: Take 2 stress if participating in teamwork or setup.
- Violet Somnia: You can roll a resting die any time. However, if you do, you fall asleep until pressure increases and can’t be woken.
- Violent Jealousy: Pick an ally. Gain 1 stress if they roll any ‘6’. Permanently add to your agenda: Let nobody else outshine you.
- Narcissi: Powers that target only yourself gain +1 CAT. Powers that target at least one ally get -1 CAT.
- Ring: Permanently add to your agenda: Show someone you are worthy of their attention.
Or Improvise: Make something hard or risky
DOMAINS
Choose Three.
1. TOYS FOR MEN
The idol gains the ability to play with the flesh of others like marionettes.
Cultists gain +1 segment on their execution tag (so a lone cultist would have 3) as they can keep moving even while their body is broken, jerked by invisible strings.
The idol gains a new affliction:
COLLECT DOLL: When afflicted, the executioner loses control of one of their arms. It becomes doll-like in texture and appearance. Once a scene, the idol can interfere with an action the executioner is performing as the hand interferes, forcing them to either take 1 stress or make the action hard.
2. ELEVATION OF THE INNUMERABLE MASS
The idol gains the ability to elevate members of its cult into minor anomaly. One of these can appear a scene when fighting the idol or its cult.
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APOSTLE
Apostle (Anomaly). Execution tag 2+CAT. Armed with supernatural strength and mutated blades.
Reactions:
Inflict stress. Attacks with: Mutated body, mundane firearms or blades. (1) 4 stress, (2/3): 3 stress, (4+): 2 stress.
Or: create a complication or threat: Create a fleshy clone of itself, unleash a flurry of attacks, mutate further, move impossibly fast.
Or: Exhort (1-3): An ally of the apostle heals slashes on their execution clock depending on the risk die (1: 2 ticks, 2-3: 1 tick). The next time that ally inflicts stress on an executioner, they inflict +1 stress.
3. HOLD MY DARLINGS
The idol cultivates a special, insidious bond to its cult members.
- Once a scene, when the idol would take slashes on its execution tag from an executioner’s action, it can supernaturally transfer the harm to any cultist or group of cultists present in the scene instead. This includes any NPCs added the idol’s cult.
- The idol can see through the eyes of any cult member as if they were its own, and can speak through the mouths of cult members with its voice.
4. THAT PLIABLE FLESH
The idol can twist its form rapidly and shape shift.
- As a tension move, reveal in a scene at any point that someone the executioners are talking to is actually the idol. All executioners that witness this take 1 nonlethal stress. This can force a conversation or a conflict scene.
- As a complication in a conflict scene, the idol can rapidly shape shift into an exact copy of one of the executioners. Until the complication is dealt with, when the idol would take slashes on its execution tag, roll a d6. On a 1-2, reduce the slashes to 0 and the doubled executioner takes 2 stress as it becomes impossible to distinguish between the two.
5. SLUMBERING I SAW A SHAPE IN THE DOOR
The idol can enter the minds of the executioners when they let their guard down.
- Whenever the executioners rest, each makes a 1d6 fortune roll. On a 1, they immediately gain an idol affliction.
- Once a hunt, as a tension move, the idol may immediately force the executioners to rest for the next scene. This doesn’t tick tension, cannot progress pressure past 4, and the results of all their resting rolls are ‘1’ no matter what. During their rest they have disturbing daydreams. One executioner must describe these to the group and gains 1d3 nonlethal stress.
6. TAKING THE EARS
The idol’s voice and psychic presence is overwhelming, like an ocean battering down a rickety door.
- As a threat or a tension move, the Idol can speak to to a group of mundane humans. If successful, they are immediately added to the cult and become a group of cultists. If cultists are already present, increase their execution tag by 2 instead.
- Once a scene, as a threat, the idol can begin to speak an unspeakable word. If the threat is successful, one executioner that hears it takes 2d3 stress and the deafened affliction for the rest of the mission (can’t hear, may make activities reliant on hearing hard or impossible). Characters that are already deaf are immune to this. At the end of the mission, roll a 1d6 fortune. On a 1 or 2, the character is permanently deafened but has time to adjust before the next mission, making it have no further deleterious effects.
7. THE GLORY
The idol is capable of taking a form that overwhelms the senses.
- Once a scene, the Idol can take a glorious form as a complication. Non-cultist humans witnessing the form instantly become unconscious. Executioners witnessing the form can either take 1 stress when acting against the idol and ignore it, or avert their gaze. If they avert their gaze, it becomes hard to do anything that relies on sight.
- Cultists present in the scene are motivated by the idol and may re-roll the risk die when acting, taking the second result as final.
- One executioner sees this form as someone dear to them and must describe who to the group. They take 1 nonlethal stress when harming the idol while the form is active.
- This complication can be dealt with as normal.
8. THE STRONG SCENTED LIPS OF A WHISPERING GOD
The idol has major connections with the human world: fans, businessmen, or politicians. This presents an expanding problem for CAIN cleanup.
Cultists are now armed with short ranged firearms and body armor, dealing +1 stress with reactions. Increase their execution tag by +1.
- Set out an exposure tag, of 10 length. Whenever the executioners engage in a conflict scene, tick it up by 1d3. If the executioners do something else loud, violent, or with high exposure, tick it up by 1, but no more than once a scene.
- If the tag is 3 or more, local authorities will start to attempt to arrest the executioners. If it’s 6 or more, the response becomes more severe in scale.
Executioners can attempt to untick this tag with their actions. If the tag fills up before the idol is dealt with, cleanup becomes catastrophic as the news spreads beyond CAIN control. The executioners will receive no scrip pay for the mission.