Doomhead from '31'

 'You know what they say, kemosabe, in Hell, everybody loves popcorn.


Doom-Head

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F: Rm (30)
A: Gd (10)
S: Gd (10)
E: Rm (30)
R: Gd (10)
I: Rm (30)
P: Ex (20)

Health: 80
Karma: 60
Resources: Typ (06)
Popularity: 0*(See Below)

Talents:
Doom-Head has displayed the following Talents:
Unarmed Fighting
Sharp Weapons
Blunt Weapons
Firearms
Improvised Weaponry*
Knowledge: Torture
Knowledge: ‘31’
Knowledge: Psychological Warfare
Knowledge: Game Area
Tracking
Shadowing

Powers:
Doom-Head is the final ‘head’ released during the game of ‘31’, the most dangerous of the killers that the victims chosen for the game must face. In essence, Doom-Head is a normal person, and with most of the ‘normal’ people in my write-ups, he’s got unusual ‘pseudo-abilities’ that grant him greater advantages:

• Unique Karma Rules: Doom-Head is the most dangerous of all of the hunters of ‘31’, and specifically has earned that title through tenacity, brutality, and viciousness. Doom-Head gains karma through taunting his victims, and doubles his normal award when he successfully kills a 
• victim he is stalking. Unlike the other ‘heads’, Doom-Head may spend karma from a karma pool established by the three main figures of ‘31’ – Sister Dragon, Sister Serpent, and Father Napoleon Silas Horatio-Murder. The ‘31’ Karma pool is equal to the combined karma scores of the victims ‘playing’ the game, which will be spent to ensure Doom-Head makes critical rolls including vs. Death and the like until exhausted. Doom-Head will always spend Karma for kill results out of his personal score.
• 31 Environment and Game: The ‘31’ environment and game are played over the course of 12 hours in a location which is completely inaccessible and out of the way, consisting of rooms, mazes, dangers, and of course, killers. Once ‘31’ has begun and Father Napoleon has started the game, exits are sealed and, in many cases, hidden, forcing those playing to search for both safety and escape. Those who are in the ‘31’ area seem to be disoriented and suffer -2cs to Intuition FEATS while traveling or navigating through the disorienting maze. The Head (and especially Doom-Head) do not suffer the penalty of the disorientation, as they have ‘played’ 31 enough to be used to the areas and aspects. The ‘Aristocrats can observe and bet on the progress of the ‘players’, often making bets accordingly. After six hours or if the number of the players is reduced to half, the Aristocrats allow Doom-Head to enter and exits are opened to the outside area. Doom-Head will stalk and murder any survivors, specifically seeking out the most wounded or vulnerable first and saving the strongest for last. Doom-Head gains a +1cs on top of his abilities for Stealth and ‘getting the drop’ on individuals while inside the ‘31’ play area.
• Ignore Pain: Doom-Head can ignore his own pain, allowing him to act and stay conscious even if damaged through a simple Endurance FEAT, and can ignore any Stun effect that is not greater than his Endurance. Doom-Head can still be slammed and takes full damage from effects.

Contacts:
Doom-Head relies on the Aristocrats.

Limitations:
Doom-Head has the following limitations:

• Bound to the rules of the game: Doom-Head is bound to the rules of ‘31’, and follows them to the letter – so when a victim actually ‘wins’ while Doom-Head is engaged with them, Doom-Head will immediately stop. Doom-Head follows the game to the letter.
• Sense of Duty: Doom-Head follows the orders and implied commands of the Aristocrats with little question.
• Secret ID*: Through implication Doom-Head has a ‘normal’ identity, which is never mentioned a factor.
• Bloodthirsty and Sadistic: Doom-Head is a murderer who enjoys his work. Doom-Head will act in accordance with his bloodthirst.

The Leviathan Cult from 'Dark Shadows'

The water shall nourish each grain of sand, wedged between ancient sacred stones, and guide us to a threshold of a time to be, and restore our flesh and bones.

Possibly one of the more dangerous threats that faced the Collins family was the Leviathan Cult. Made up of beings from the primordial, the cult played in the background of Dark Shadows over a period of episodes, culminating in the rise of their leader, the defeat and attempted resurrection, and even attack in different timelines. What makes the cult dangerous is their utter dedication to their dark lords, the complete mastery over events, and their ability to bide their time.
The Leviathan Cult

The Leviathan Cult is made up of countless members across the globe from every walk of life. The purpose of the cult is to return to control of the Earth to its eldritch non-human denizens. To this end, the Leviathan Cult utilizes magic, connections, agents, and artifacts to bring about their control. Most of the appearance of the Cult in Dark Shadows deals with the return of the cult's master, a mysterious being whose presence is kept in an artifact called The Naga Box. Through use of blackmail, mind-control, magic, and other means the Leviathan Cult managed to force Barnabas Collins to do their bidding, ultimately meeting their end when Collins joined forces with their leader in the cult's destruction. Although Resources are not necessarily addressed, it is clear that an Cult of this size operating as long as it has would require significant resources. That being said, I would place the cult’s total resources at Mn (75), with accessible resources depending on the individual and the current purpose.

Typical cult members run the gambit of statistics and abilities. The cult seeks out people of importance and either converts them directly (with the use of the Naga Box) or through deals and pacts made. The Cult has many members versed in the occult, and every member (converted or not) have the following talents due to their membership in the cult:

• Occult Lore
• Knowledge: Leviathan Cult
• Knowledge: Dark History of the Naga
• Knowledge: Areas of Power

Leviathan cult members identify themselves with either lockets or rings bearing this symbol:

The Naga Box

The Naga Box is an artifact of great power, storing the life-essence of the Cult's leader and possessing great powers of its own. The Naga Box can act as a device of spirit storage at Un (100) rank, allowing those of greater power to work through the box as if a conduit. Any person who stares into the box must make a Psyche FEAT vs. Am (50) intensity or be converted into a Leviathan Cultist. The powers that drive the Leviathan Cult can use the box to enact mystical effects, ranging from Am (50) to Mn (75) level curses or effects. The box and its denizen will not function if it would endanger the purpose of the Cult, such as reveal powers. Such effects included cursing Barnabus Collins with vampirism again. For some reason, some people were unable to be converted due to something about their genetic structure. The Judge’s discretion on what that means, but some people simply are impossible to convert with use of the box.

The box is considered indestructible unless taken to a Leviathan altar where it can be destroyed as it becomes vulnerable. Although initially considered one of a kind, it was revealed that a second box existed and was nearly used to revive the cult after its destruction. Once the box is destroyed, those converted to the Leviathan Cult immediately revert back to normal with little or no memory of their actions while part of the Cult.


The Altar of the Leviathan

The Altar of the Leviathan is a mystical artifact which is used in the summoning and preparation for the birth/return of the Leviathan leader as well as other key functions. The Altar of the Leviathan is as old as the cult itself, and even without the Cult it remains and exists, although the Altar itself can only be summoned and used by a true cultist.

The Altar’s unique abilities include:

• Teleportation*: The Altar itself can travel from place to place whenever it is summoned, crossing real time, alternate timelines, and dimensions with Un (100) ability. The Altar cannot be ‘summoned’ by normal means, requiring a high-ranking member within the Cult to do so (The leadership of the Cult).
• Pocket Dimension*: The Altar has a small cavern-like sub-dimension underneath of the mail altar itself, which is accessible as the Altar can separate and open. The cavern is where the leader of the Leviathans resided until released into the Naga Box, and can hold a small group of people comfortably. The area is never seen, but those who enter do so either to be punished, to be transformed into a true Leviathan (also never fully seen), or to be converted into the Cult. Those that are inside the Altar when it disappears and travels travel with it, as Barnabus did when he entered in the 1790s and reappeared in the 1970s.
• Conversion to the Cult: Much like the Naga Box, the Altar could convert someone into a Leviathan Cultist by having the person either enter the cavern-dimension underneath the Altar or by being used as part of ceremony on top of it.
• Site of Magic*: The Altar is the main sacrifice and mystical point for the Leviathan Cult, and as such any magics attempted by the Cult at this location gain a +1cs to effectiveness. The Altar functions so long as the Cult functions, and destroy one the other is also destroyed. The Altar, the Naga Box, and the Cult are all tied together in this way. The Altar is the only location that has proven capable of destroying the true Naga Box.

Cult Limitations:
While the Cult is well-connected and powerful, they have several limitations to their abilities and ultimately to their goals:

• Fear of Werewolves and Ghosts: The Leviathan Cult fears werewolves and ghosts to such the degree that they attempt anyone who may either be a werewolf or is a werewolf. Werewolves are immune to the manipulations of the Cult, and seemingly cannot be controlled or manipulated. Furthermore, magics and charms used by the Cult seemingly have little to no effect on Werewolves when they have changed into their bestial mode. With spirits and ghosts, it is strongly suggested that the Cult’s activities cannot affect the truly dead (Although undead like vampires can easily be controlled). The Cult attempts at many points to destroy focal points and objects belonging to spirits as they fear spirit. Much like werewolves, the Cult’s magic has little effect on the dead.
• Resistance: As stated earlier, some humans are simply unable to be controlled by the cult. Theorized by Dr. Julia Hoffman to be related to some sort of genetic mutation, some humans cannot be swayed by the box or altar to join the cult.
• Secret: The cult is only truly effective when they are secret. Knowledge of the cult and discovery causes the cult to retreat, unless situations are in motion for large events or planned activities (such as raising their lord or capturing Barnabus Collins for use, etc).
• Reputation: Although secrecy is very important, those in the mystical circles are aware of the cult and aware of both their goals and reputation.

Known Leaders of the Leviathan Cult
Several individuals have had high leadership positions within the Leviathan Cult. Most notably the cultists known as Oberon and Haza, Barnabus Collins (When under the sway of the cult), and Jeb Hawkes – the destined leader of the cult who ultimately turned against it.

The Beast of Gévaudan from 'Brotherhood of the Wolf'

The Beast of Gévaudan

F: Rm (30)
A: Ex (20)
S: Ex (20)
E: Rm (30)
R: Pr (04)
I: Ex (20)
P: Pr (04)

Health: 100
Karma: 28
Resources: N/A
Popularity: -10/-20 (in Pre-Revolutionary France)

Talents:
None

Powers:
Beast of Extraordinary Size: The Beast is an exceptionally large lion, and as such, has greater strength, stamina, and durability than a normally sized creature. The Beast has the following attributes:

• Tracking: The Beast can track with Rm (30) ability, and can determine specific scents or scents that are similar.
• Stealth: The Beast has Gd (10) stealth
• Increased Movement: Unlike others of its kind, the Beast may move up to 3 areas per round.

Enhancements: The Beast has been 'enhanced' through the applications of armor and 'fitted' pieces. The enhancements provide the following:

• Body Armor: The Beast has Gd (10) physical protection due to metal/leather armor.
• Enhanced Natural Weaponry: Claws: The Beast strikes with RM (30) edged damage, halving effective body armor due to the steel claws fitted over its own.

Contacts:

The Beast has none, as it an animal, but it is the enforcer of the Le Pacte des Loupes, or the Brotherhood of the Wolf.

Limitations:

Animal: The Beast is an animal, and as such, albeit a larger than normal version. As such, it is vulnerable to the same conditions that a normal animal of its species is.

Controlled: The Beast has been conditioned and trained to respond to commands and scents. The Beast will never make a Psyche FEAT to resist this commands, especially if given by the handler. The Beast however will respond to those who 'smell' similar, and will not seek to injure or harm such people.

Hideous: The Beast has been hideously scarred (on purpose), and suffers a -1cs reaction bonus. In addition, the Beast is always in a state of near rage due to its physical pain, and suffers a -1cs to reactions when it is - 75% of its health.


The Brotherhood of the Wolf: The Brotherhood of the Wolf is a secret society established by Father Henri Sardis and other well-connected nobles and gypsies from the Gévaudan region. The society is dedicated to forcing the French King to return to a more 'morale' path in service to the church. While strongly opposed by the church, the group continues to attempt to spread terror throughout the region through use of the Beast. While believed wiped out in the purge of 1764, it is unknown if it has been completely destroyed.