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Immortal: The Gathering

The Unofficial Sixth and so far Smallest Game in the Storyteller Series

By Krister Sundelin and Rasmus Hansson

The Storyteller System was created by Mark Rein*Hagen

Dedication: This game is dedicated to Gregory Widen, author of the script for Highlander, on which this game is more than obviously based.

The Dawn of Time

From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known we were among you....until now.

Ages

All Immortals are born like any other living being. Their parents are always mortal -- Immortals cannot reproduce themselves. Thus there is no "immortality gene" to be passed on to future generations. The Immortals are simply that -- immortal. There are no differences from mortals but their inability to die a natural death. The Immortals have the same emotions as every other living human being, the same fears, the same wants and needs, and the same experiences. Being Immortal is, however, a long experience, and this magnifies every aspect of the human life from birth and forward. The time of this birth is not yet set -- there's no specific age when all Immortals are created. They appear -- and disappear -- one by one through the ages.

The Modern Age

The Modern Age starts with the Industrialisation and has not yet ended. The Immortals born in this age are still young, compared to other Immortals. They are the most flexible, and also those who holds the least on the Traditions.

The Renaissance

The Renaissance begins with the ending of the Middle Ages and ends with the Industrialisation. Renaissance Immortals tend to look upon themselves as the flower of manhood -- born in a time between two ages of barbarians. They are quite arrogant, since they are old enough to be more experienced than younger Immortals and young enough to be able to learn modern sciences.

The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages ends with the Renaissance and begins with the landmark of the Norman conquest of Britain. Those born in this age often refer to it as the Age of Faith. Medieval Immortals are usually more faithful than others -- "humble before God" is a phrase that very well describes medieval Immortals. They also have a more strict code of honor and chivalry than other Immortals.

The Dark Ages

The Fall of Rome is the landmark to the beginning of the Dark Ages, and the Battle of Hastings marks its end. Those born in the Dark Ages tend to be barbaric and brutal. There are exceptions, of course -- need we remind you of the Knights of the Round Table?

The Dawn of time

All times before the Fall of Rome is usually referred to as the Dawn. There are very few Immortals from this time. Those few who remain are usually civilized and think themselves superior to other Immortals. The primeval Immortals have a vast experience -- however, they often have more enemies.

The Quickening

The moment when the Immortality is realized is called the Quickening. This is not a pleasant experience -- when the mind gets aware of the Immortals true nature, the body flows with the life energy of the Immortal. The life force takes form in an enormous energy discharge, often manifested in electrical atmospherical phenomena -- lightnings, thunderstorms, aurorae and the like. In this moment, the Immortal stops aging. From now on, he cannot die save from losing his head.

This experience occurs to a lesser degree when a non-quickened Immortal meets another Immortal. Although it is not a pleasant experience, it is still something that one will survive. Unless, of course, the other Immortal takes your head. It is possible that a non-quickened Immortal never experiences the Quickening. In such cases, the Immortal grows older and eventually dies of extremely old age. Though he cannot bear any offspring, it is still possible to die of old age. This does seldom occur; if it does, it is seldom heard of. Most Immortals are not even aware that it is possible to age and die if you never experience the Quickening.

The Nature of the Immortals and the respect for the mortals

"Mom!"

-- The Kurgan Man

The Immortals fight in a Game, fight for a Prize. They are powerful and dangerous, but still they do not involve themselves in matters of the mortal world. Some of respect, some of fear, and some because they understand the human ways. No one will understand the words of an Immortal, no one will follow his or here lead. The mortals are good allies, but an Immortal must always look over his or her shoulder to make sure that the ally do not turn to enemy in the blink of an eye. Mortals are dangerous, even to an Immortal. The mortals can destroy an Immortal, sometimes by accident (there was an Immortal present in Hiroshima at the time of the nuclear bomb-drop there) and sometimes on purpose (there are cults that hunt Immortals, hoping to absorb some of their knowledge and wisdom by killing him or her, just as another Immortal would). That is why most Immortals stay away from the mortals. That is the nature by which the Immortals live and die.

The Price of Immortality

"It's only forever
Not long at all"

-- David Bowie, "Underground"

Infertility

"What won't please Heather, I can tell you that for nothing."

-- Conner MacLeod

No Immortal may ever have a child of his own flesh and blood. They are completely infertile. Some of them never realize this and keep trying to produce children, an impossible task, one of the few for an Immortal. It is said that the Last Immortal, the one to survive the Gathering, will be able to grow old and have children, like any mortal. Fascinating thought, but not a very likely one. Some Immortals find the infertility to be a blessing in disguise, while others see it quite the other way.

Loneliness

All Immortals are feared. It is in the human nature to fear the unknown. And Immortality has always been unknown to the human society. That is why most Immortals choose to be alone in their lives, to avoid being spotted as Immortals. Having a family or friends will sooner or later point you out for what you are, and you are different. Some Immortals try to avoid being alone, but they soon find out that the burden of having outlived all your friends and relatives soon overpowers even the most healthy mind. All you really can do is stay away.

The Game

The life of an Immortal is very much like the life of a mortal. It is a struggle to survive, but for the Immortal, survival becomes a bit harder than you would suspect. All Immortals have one, unifying goal; to be the Last Immortal, to kill all the other Immortals. This is called the Game. The Game began at the dawn of time, when there were few mortals in the world, and even fewer Immortals. The Game ends with the battle between the two final Immortals of the Game. In order for this battle to occur, a Gathering is called. This is described below. When the final battle is over, there is only one Immortal left, and he or she receives something called The Prize. The Game isn't a single Game, with every Immortal pitched against every other Immortal, but several, completely separate Games, each with a separate Gathering and a separate Last Immortal. It is said that on the final night of the world, all the ones that have been, or is, the Last Immortal of a Game shall meet in a gigantic battle to determine who will be the Final Immortal. But these are just rumors.

Enmity

Because of the Game, all Immortals are enemies with a series of other Immortals. Some Immortals might not be enemies, they may be friends like the mortals, but most are enemies. Would you not rather be enemy with an individual that could destroy the only thing you had; your life, or would you rather trust this person, and hope that you may live another day? So, most Immortals are generally unpleasant with other Immortals, even on Holy ground, where there may be no fighting. This is the Enmity.

The Gathering

When only a few of the Immortals in a Game remains, they will feel an urge to travel to a far-away land, to fight for the prize. This is called the Gathering and is normally called when there are between ten and twenty Immortals left in a Game. The Gathering ends with the Final Conflict, where the two last Immortals fight for the prize, fight until only one remains.

Traditions

"No one ever breaks that rule. It's tradition."

-- Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez

Sanctuary

The Tradition of Sanctuary is the oldest traditions and also the strongest. Since Immortals are as susceptible to religions and beliefs as any other human being, they are as strong in Faith as any human being, and perhaps more, since they are often born in times when religion is strong.

Faiths have resulted in the Sanctuary -- no violences on consecrated ground. The nature of the consecration matters not. A church is considered as holy as a mosque, a synagogue or a Buddhistic shrine. Few Immortals questions claims of consecration, since breaking this rules creates enemies and breaks the friendship with the few friends an Immortal gets.

Single Combat

The Tradition of Single Combat dates from the Dark Ages. It is the tradition which is most broken, especially by younger Immortals who do not follow the codes of honor from the past. This tradition is almost always followed by ruthless and powerful Immortals, since they know that less powerful Immortals will band together and destroy elder Immortals if this tradition would not stop them.

Challenge

No Immortal ever strikes in the back. This Tradition dates from the Middle Ages and the chivalry. Very young Immortals sometimes break this rule, as the most ruthless Immortals of the Dark Ages. Others does not dare to break the Tradition of Challenge -- a Barret M82-A caliber .50 sniper rifle at 800 meters breaks the spine as good as a sword, and if you break the Tradition of Challenge, you are most likely to become target for such a weapon.

Shadow War

The most recent Tradition is that of the Shadow War. First invented in the beginning of the Renaissance, it has grown more strong as time has passed and the control of the masses has become more efficient. The secrecy and the seclusiveness of the Immortals is a self-defence -- what would a ruthless mortal not do to gain immortality? And who wants to live imprisoned forever?

Effects of the Quickening

Rapid Healing: The Immortals can still be hurt by any means that will hurt a mortal, but they heal one health level/round. If the Immortal acts in any way, for instance moves, fights etc. must he succeed with a Stamina-roll with a difficulty of 8 with to heal that round.

Rapture: If the spinal column between the head and the heart becomes completely severed, the Immortal enters the Final Death. One tenth of the deceased Immortals Accumulated Experience passes to all nearby Immortals (line of sight) in an impressing pyrotechnic show.

Influences: These are supernatural powers gained after the Quickening. They may be of any nature; magic, extra-sensory, or other.

The Gathering: When only a few in a Game are left, the Gathering will call all the remaining Immortals to one place, and none may resist. There they will fight until only one is left, and this is the Last Immortal, holder of the Prize.

The Prize: The Prize is the thing that all Immortals strive for. It is first of all the ability to love, grow old, have children, be a mortal. Second of all the Last Immortal knows everything, knows every thought and dream of every mortal and Immortal, and can help them to understand each other. This makes him or her truly very powerful, and this Prize can be used for much good, and much evil, if it should fall into the wrong hands.

On the following pages there is described how you make an Immortal character, and how this character should work in his or her Game, until "(...) the time of the Gathering, when the strike of a sword and the fall of a head shall release the power of the Quickening. In the end, there can be only one."

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The Quickening

Character Creation Outline

Step One: Character Concept

Who are you?

Choose Age

Step Two: Select Attributes

What are your basic capabilities?

Prioritize your three Categories; Physical, Social & Mental

Step Three: Select Abilities

What do you know?

Prioritize your three Categories; Talents, Skills & Knowledge

Step Four: Select Advantages

In what ways are you unique?

Choose Backgrounds

Choose Influences

Step Five: Last Touches

Filling in the all-important details

Record Accumulated Experience

Record Base Willpower

Spend your Freebie points to raise any Trait

Create your Enemies

Step One: Character Concept

Before you start to think of numbers, you need to develop a concept for your character. This concept does not need to be detailed. You only need a general idea to start with. This concept will probably change during the character creation process, but at least it is something to start with. The concept could be something like; "I'm an English knight who fought the Crusades. I'm proud, chivalric and strong in the faith, but seclusive since immortality doesn't spread to one's friends." The concept needs to be unique and should be approved by the Storyteller. The concept usually gives one thing away; the character's Age. The Age is important, since it is from this Age you draw your experience. The older you are, the more experienced you get. On the other hand, the longer you live, the more enemies you make.

There are five choices of Age: Modern, Renaissance, Medieval, Dark Ages and Primeval times. A Modern Immortal has not lived very long; a century or two at the most. Thus, they have not had the time to make enemies with other Immortals. A Renaissance Immortal are more experienced, but has had the time to gather an enemy. Medieval Immortals have even more experience, only have two enemies but also have difficulties to learn modern sciences. Dark Age Immortals have three Immortal enemies, and Primeval Immortals have four enemies of the Immortal kind.

Step Two: Choosing Attributes

This is done in the same way as in any other part of the Storyteller-system. The Immortal may place points like any other mortal.

Attributes: 6/4/3

Step Three: Choosing Abilities

The amount of dots you have depends on your age. The older you are, the more experience you gather. However, there is a limitation to this. If you are of another age than the present one, you may have difficulties in 'keeping up' with the present. This is called a 'Limitation'. If you wish to have an ability and you are of an age that makes that ability limited, you may not have more than three dots in it, from the beginning, not even with Freebie-points. The Limitations are listed with the age, along with the number of dots you get to place on abilities. This is worked out just like in any other part of the Storyteller-system.

Abilities: varies with age
Age  Dots  Limitations (cumulative)
Modern  11/7/4  None
Renaissance  12/8/5  Streetwise, Repair, Security, Computer, Politics, Science
Middle Ages  13/9/7  Bureaucracy, Subterfuge, Medicine
Dark Ages  15/10/8  Firearms, Drive, Finance, Law
Primeval  17/11/9  Etiquette

Example: If you are an Immortal born during the Middle Ages, you get to spend 13/9/7 points on abilities, but may not start the game with more than three dots in any ability listed as Limited for the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or the Modern Age. (If you were born during the Primeval times, the Dawn of Time, you would get 17/11/9 dots to place, but with even more limitations.)

Step Four: Advantages

Backgrounds: 5
Influences: 3

Backgrounds

This is the history of the character. The Backgrounds may be taken from the other Storyteller-systems, or you may choose one or more from the ones below. Some Background-traits from some of the other parts of the systems may not work for an Immortal, like the Generation, or Status-trait of the vampires, for example.

Lineage

There are different Lineages among Immortals, different ways of approaching the Game, the Gathering, and the Immortal life. A character may spend Background, or Freebie-points on his or her Lineage. The lineage tells you how much is known about the characters Lineage, and how it is viewed by other Immortals. The Lineage depends on your Mentor, and his or her Mentor, and the one before that, and so on, in addition to what they, you, and others of this Lineage have done, or haven't done.

- Unknown.
* Few but solid facts. Your lineage is almost unheard of.
** Somewhat known -- Other Immortals sometimes mention your lineage.
*** Known -- Most Immortals know about your lineage.
**** Well known -- Your lineage is respected among the Immortals.
***** Famous -- No facts are known about your lineage, only rumors. However, other Immortals parts to let you pass.

Mentor

You can also spend some of your Background, and/or Freebie-points on your Mentor, the one who taught you about the Immortal life, the Game, and the Gathering. If you spend points on this, you get a Mentor that might be known to other Immortals, and perhaps even feared. If you do not spend any time at all, you have still had a Mentor, but he or she is insignificant in the Game.

* MacLeod 1537
** Fasil
*** Ramirez
**** Kurgan
***** MacLeod 1984

Wisdom

As many abilities as you have dots in this trait are excepted from the Limitations of Age. This could be useful if you want to create, for example, a civilized Roman Immortal with sense of law and bureaucracy. If you do not spend anything on Wisdom as Background, you are at the mercy of the Limitations of Age.

Influences

The Influences are the supernatural powers that comes with an Immortal life. They are very similar to the Disciplines that the Vampires learn, and they work according to the same system. A Immortal get to spend three dots on Influences, and may spend Freebie-points on Influences as well, seven points per dot.

Unworldly Senses

This is the ability certain Immortals may develop to sense the world around them, all other Immortals, other supernatural (or over-natural) beings like vampires and werewolves. One can never get more than four dots in this Influence, the fifth dot is awarded the Last Immortal, the one to survive the Gathering. The effective range of this Influence is Perception multiplied with the amount of dots you have in this Influence.

* Sense Immortal being
** Sense Supernatural being
*** Sense Mortal Presence
**** Sense Danger
***** (Know Everything) -- only available for the Last Immortal

Quickness

This works just like the vampires Celerity, giving you an extra action in a turn per dot in this trait.

ESP

Extra-Sensory Perception gives the character abilities beyond the human senses, power to read minds, move objects by thought alone, and seeing auras. For every dot the character possesses in this Influence, the more powers he or she can use. These are listed below.

* Tele-empathy: The character can read the mind of another from a distance in order to feel his or her emotions. This may be very painful for the ESP'er if the subject being read is under emotional stress or being harmed in some way.

System: The character rolls Perception + Empathy (difficulty 6) in order sense the emotions of a specified target within visual range.

** Pyrokinesis: This power gives the character the ability to set fire to an object within sight. Flames burst out of the object and, if it is naturally flammable, it catches fire. Otherwise, the fire trickles away. One can set fire to a person, but this is very hard.

System: If the character wishes to set fire to an inanimate object, then roll Manipulation + Occult against a difficulty of 7. At least two successes must be obtained in order to set the object on fire. If you wish to but fire to a being, natural or otherwise, the difficulty is 9 and you must obtain more successes than the targets current Willpower.

*** Aura-reading: With the use of this power, the character may see the aura of power that every thing, living or dead, creates. The color indicates what the being is, its mood, and its identity. There are many color an aura can have, and they tell you a lot about the being around you. For example; a person in love will have blue aura, an angry person a read aura, and an angry vampire a pale, red aura. If you do not have a list of the different colors, it won't matter, the mere fact that the character can see the aura will tell him or her a great deal about the person, just male up a color.

System: The player rolls Perception + Empathy against a difficulty of 7. The number of successes indicates how much of the aura can be seen.

1 success: Can only distinguish between pale or bright.
2 successes: Can also distinguish color
3 successes: Patterns can be seen (identity of subject)
4 successes: Subtle shifts in color or patterns can be seen (detailed information)
5 successes: Can identify mixtures between colors and patterns (near-complete information)

**** Telekinesis: With this power the Immortal may attempt to move object by sheer thought. The stronger your will, the heavier and bigger the objects you can move. The movement may be straight or curved, fast or slow, all according to the user's wishes.

System: Roll Manipulation + Occult. For each success beyond the first one, the speed may be increased by one hundred percent. The base-speed is ten meters per turn. The object must be within visual range. The character's current Willpower determines the weight of objects movable.
Current Willpower  Maximum Weight
*  One pound
**  10 pounds
***  20 pounds
****  100 pounds
*****  200 pounds
******  350 pounds
*******  500 pounds
********  1/2 ton
*********  1 ton 
**********  10 tons

***** Telepathy: The power grants the character the possibility to read another's mind, and communicate with beings by thought. Messages may be thoughts, emotions or images. Only willing targets can normally be affected.

System: The player rolls Charisma + Empathy against the difficulty of four for a willing target. The difficulty for a unwilling target is his or her current Willpower. The range is virtually unlimited, only the Storyteller's restriction. A mind can be scanned for information, poked in for details, or communicated with.

Step Five: Last Touches

Virtues: 7
Freebie Points: 21

Calculate Accumulated Experience

Attributes: Only the sum of all used experience and/or freebie points.

Abilities: If a ability has one dot it is worth 3 points.
Two dots: 5 points
Three: 9 points
Four: 15 points
Five: 23 points

Influences: If an Influence has one dot it is worth 7 points Two dots: 10 points
Three: 16 points
Four: 27 points
Five: 39 points

Willpower, Humanity, Virtues and True Faith:
One dot is worth 1 point
Two dots are: 3 points
Three: 5 points
Four: 8 points
Five: 12 points
Six: 17 points
Seven: 23 points
Eight: 30 points
Nine: 38 points
Ten: 47 points

Enemies

while being alive, you make others your enemies. If these are mortals, you can just avoid them and they will die of old age. If the enemy is another Immortal or another supernatural being, you might not be able to get rid of him or her as easily. Depending on what age you were born in, the amount of time you have been alive that is, you get a number of Immortal enemies. These should be outlined with a brief history and their strengths, working with the Storyteller.

Below is the list of the number of enemies. This table is not cumulative (thank God for that one, those of the Dark Ages or the Dawn of time!).
Age  Enemies
Modern  0
Renaissance  1
Medieval  2
Dark Ages  3
Primeval  4

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The Gathering

Combat Maneuvers

Decapitate: This is a special attack in which the attacker tries to take the defenders head from his body by cutting his throat. If this attack is successful, the defender experiences Final Death.

Quick Draw: This is a swift maneuver in which the user draws his sword and attacks in one fluid motion.

Quick Draw Parry: This is another swift maneuver, used to draw and parry in the same action. If you use Quick Draw Parry, you can not use Riposte on that parry.

Parry: This is a block with ones weapon to avoid being struck. It is used the dame way as Dodge.

Dodge: This maneuver is described in the Rules of any of the other five parts of the Storyteller-system.

Shield Parry: If one does not wish to parry with ones weapon and has a shield, one can use that instead. It is worked out like a Parry. One can not Quick Draw a shield.

Shield Attack: If one has a shield he or she may use it for an attack in which the user smashes the shield into his or her opponent.

Thrust: Normally attacks with swords are cuts and slashes, this is a stab. It does less damage than a full swing, but is harder to Parry (but not harder to Dodge).

Riposte: When one has succeeded in parrying an attack from another, a attack may be launched using the attackers own, parried, attack. It doesn't do the full damage, but take up no action in a turn.

Disarm: This maneuver is used to dislodge the others weapon so that it leaves his or her hand and falls to the ground a few meters away.

Lock hilts: The opponents weapon is locked in position and cannot be used for attack or defence until the attacker chooses to release the opponents weapon, or if the opponent succeeds with an opposed roll vs. Strength.

Kick: If one does not wish to get ones sword blooded, one can choose to Kick ones opponent instead.

Punch: If one does not wish to get ones sword or shoes blooded, one can choose to Punch ones opponent instead.

Distract: This is not a maneuver used for attack, just to throw the opponent off balance for a second or two. If the maneuver is successful (throwing sand in opponents face, stomping his foot or something like that) he or she looses one action, the one closest to the Distract-maneuver.

Taunt: This is a very special maneuver, not really a combat move, used to enrage the opponent so that he or she becomes over-aggresive and makes a mistake of some sort. If the maneuver is successful, the opponent must make a Frenzy/Rage check in order not to be affected.

"Incapacitated" is not the same as "decapitated". However, an incapacitated Immortal is sort of simple to decapitate. One does not have to use the maneuver "Decapitate" to take the head off the opponent. If 7 successes are rolled on a normal attack the opponent becomes decapitated, and faces Final Death.
Roll  Difficulty  Damage  #A
Decapitate  Melee  9-wound level  Final Death  2
Quick Draw  Melee  6  wpn, no action to draw  1
Quick Draw Parry  Melee  6  N/A, no action to draw  1
Parry  Dex+Melee  6  N/A  1
Dodge  Dex+Dodge  6  N/A  1
Shield Parry  Str+Melee  5  N/A  1
Shield Attack  Str+Brawl  6  Str  1
Thrust  Dex+Melee  8  wpn, Diff. Parry +2  1
Riposte  Dex+Melee  Opp.# Succ.  wpn-1  0
Disarm  Melee  Opp. #Succ.  Dislodged  1
Lock hilts  Str+Melee  Opp. Str+Melee  Special  1
Kick  Str+Brawl  6  Str+1  1
Punch  Str+Brawl  6  Str  1
Distract  Man+Alertness  Opp. Wit+Alertness  -1 Action  1
Taunt  Man+Expression  Opp. Wit+Self Control  Rage/Frenzy check  1-X

[originally downloaded from the BJ Zanzibar' World of Darkness site]
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