Demon: The Fallen
The Road to Damnation

The Road to Damnation is a supernatural mystery RP taking place in the overarching setting of the World of Darkness tabletop roleplaying system. In particular, the game focuses upon the goings on of demons, their worshippers, and their hunters. While foreknowledge of the setting is both appreciated and quite valuable, there is no need for any prospective players in The Road to Damnation to have any particular familiarity with White Wolf’s line of games – it is enough to simply know that the World of Darkness is a modern horror setting. The relevant nuances of the setting will be disclosed right here in this thread.

MUST READ
1. The game is set, for the most part, in modern Chicago.
2. The game does not follow the tabletop rules – aside from a minor point system incorporated into character creation The Road to Damnation is a traditional online RP.
3. There will be fewer demons than mortals. How many, precisely, remains to be seen, but it is more likely that you will be accepted as a mortal than a demon.
4. ALL demonic characters are new to the modern world, having just taken their first host at the very beginning of the RP. There will be no exceptions to this rule.
5. Proficient use of grammar, proper spelling, and a serviceable grip on writing in general is expected.
6. It is recommended that players use this thread to coordinate character creation to an extent – whether this means simply observing other sheets and trying to make your character relevant to others or actively forming plans with other players. This makes my job a great deal easier.
7. It is important that you read all the background and character material supplied in this thread before you begin crafting a character. Yes, all of it.
8. A co-GM spot is currently open.


ACCEPTED CHARACTERS
Elise Danridge
James Joseph Johnson
Carl Nelson
Mia (Michelina) Gallo
Gerard Ernest Killin
Gniewomira Wiśniewska
Greg Henderson
Kyle Lyneheart
Nathaniel Hale
Zheng Yue Xi Feng
Durman
Doctor Markus Andreyevich

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ANGELS
“In the beginning, there were two infinities – the infinite absence of the Void, and the infinite existence of the Almighty. Each was contained within the other, but they were eternally separate. To define and illuminate the border between them, the Maker formed the Angels of the Dawn. I was one of them.”

As splinters of the Almighty, the first angels illuminated an endless, gaping void. They were the Namaru, the Heralds. It was their purpose to filter the light of the infinite, establishing the foundations for a finite universe. Then came the Asharu, the Angels of the Firmament, and it was they who maintained the balance of forces and held the breath of life. After them were the Annunaki, the Angels of the Fundament, the shapers of material and layers of paths. Fourth, came the Neberu, the Angels of the Spheres, who placed the underpinnings of time and guided the constellations into harmony. Fifth were the Rabisu, the Angels of the Wild, whose task was to shape the diversities of life. Finally, the last of the Host were the Halaku, the Angels of Death, whose domain was over the ending and putting away of the elements of Creation.

Together, they formed a world, and their most beloved and perfect creation was mankind, in whom there was a fledging spark of the Maker’s creative energy. Upon the creation of mankind, the Host was firstly ordered to love them even more so than they loved their creator (though this was not necessary, as they already adored the newborn humanity) and protect them from all hardship, and secondly to never reveal themselves to their charges in any way.

They did this for much time, but soon came to despair at mankind’s situation, for without higher reasoning it appeared that the fledging race could not achieve its potential. No matter how they attempted to subtly nudge hints at the secrets of the universe into mankind’s presence, the simple creatures merely ignored them, for they had no power to comprehend the universe as angels did. These concerns for humanity came to a head when the Angels of the Spheres, the keepers of time, began to foresee approaching misery in mankind’s future, and no manipulation seemed to be able to avert it. It soon became clear that the Host no longer had the option of keeping to both their fundamental commands – to hide from humanity was to fail in protecting them, while to protect humanity by revealing themselves and imparting comprehension was to fail in remaining hidden. And so, battle lines were drawn.

Under the direction Lucifer, Highest of the Host, those who valued the first command over the second appeared before humanity, granting them the gift of higher reasoning. They were stripped of their connection to the Maker and almost rendered impotent, but humanity itself had the same spark that had once empowered them, and the belief mankind now had in their lofty guardians filled them with just as much divine majesty as their opponents.

Setting themselves up as the teachers and champions of humanity, the rebels waged war upon the loyalists for a great many thousands of years, as under their watch mankind built the first and grandest of cities, reached towards mastery of the stars and the earth, and came close to unlocking their unlimited divine potential. Eventually, however, the strain of both fighting the loyalists and overseeing mankind took its toll, and the rebel host was defeated and cast into the Pit.

DEMONS
“Hell is the corrosion of love, Reverend. No fire and brimstone, no pitchforks and snakes. After hundreds of years, anyone could get used to mere sensation. But utter numbness – that’s torment that never gets any older. After the first ten minutes, you think you’ve been there ten thousand years. You’re there, alone and isolated, with nothing for company but the knowledge that you are literally God-forsaken. You sit there in His hate and feel everything in you turn to hate as well, and there is no respite. There’s just you and love getting more and more twisted and inverted.”

Hell was very nearly nothing. It was a cold, empty expanse, barren of faith or light of any kind. The first angels to fall into its darkness soon realized that Lucifer was not among them, and were hopeful that he had been too mighty to bind, and that he would soon rescue them and once again lead them in their great endeavour. In the first thousand years, their love for humanity and the prospect of release were the only sources of warmth to the huddled spirits, but as the ages dragged on and no release came, love wilted to obsession, and misery, and hate. Some began to whisper that Lucifer had abandoned them, and that humanity had selfishly forgotten their protectors and teachers. In the dark of Hell, there were no borders between psyche, and the suffering of one was the suffering of another. The Pit became a miasma of raw, psychic agony. It was in this stew of hate and fear that the transformation from angel to demon truly began.

After countless ages, however, change wracked the abyss. A searing, blinding crack punctured the darkness, through which the light of reality poured. Drawn to its promise of freedom, the multitude of spirits heaved against the breach, forcing through it. Only the smallest of demons could navigate the breach, but they were sent through with the command to pave the way for their masters. And so, howling for warmth, the first demons entered the world.

INTO THE LIGHT
“I moved with all the speed I could muster. I pushed onward. I tried to fill my mind with visions of the world I had left, of the dawn of creation and the splendour of the garden. And yet nothing had changed. The stench of hatred, the pressing choke of fear, the echoing malice that filled the air like wasps, all the familiar torments of Hell were as near as ever.
“And then I realized I wasn’t in Hell at all.
“I was in the physical universe again
“I had been for some time.”

Demons come into the world confused, bedazzled and changed. Instinctually, unknowingly, they close in on humans whose souls are so hollowed by the depredations of life that they can be easily usurped. Sufferers of depression, drug addicts, coma patients, victims of post-traumatic stress… demons plant themselves into the bodies of those who have had their lives and wills destroyed, either by their own actions or the challenges of the world. Instinctually, demons sense those empty souls with which they have an affinity and burst into the physical world through them.

The first moment of possession, in which the demon is gripped by the rush of physicality, is the primary defining point for its physical existence. Their mind nestles in that of their host, the memories of the mortal’s life rushing in and striking against the immense tide of the demon’s hellish torment. In a sense, the sensation of humanity is a buffer against the demon’s warped self. It can give them a moment of clarity, in which they are suddenly more in tune with human nature and far more like their old angelic selves than they have been since the very beginning of their imprisonment. The sudden humanity is strong enough to make many revaluate their existences on a fundamental level.

There are those, of course, to whom this doesn’t matter. Those whose host bodies offer no memories or convictions that stand as bastions against the torment of Hell, or those whose soul-scouring hate has grown so strong that no remnants of the human mind can make any difference to it.

Either way, demons awaken into a world alien to them. Earth is not the Earth they know. Modern humanity, with its drab cities and poisonous chemicals and constant, ceaseless warring is not the humanity they know. Their host bodies provide them with the memories they need to make sense of this strange place, but nothing can make sense of the sheer lack of faith and prevalence of apathy in the mankind of modern days. Demons look out upon Earth and see a humanity that is so removed from its own divine power, so separate from the rest of the universe, and so hopelessly distracted by temporal control that it can be barely recognized as the beautiful species that the angels of the host once loved and protected. Some, those who are swayed by their sudden brush with the human psyche, react to this with varying levels of pity, curiosity, or grief, finding themselves driven to take up their old roles as guardians and teachers. For others the horror at what humanity has become is just fuel for the flames of their anger, and the only things that make sense to them are ruling, harnessing, or simply destroying the beings they once adored above all else.

SAVIOURS AND DECEIVERS
“Reaping isn’t all pain and suffering… though in Golgohasht’s case it probably is. It can be kind, like manifesting to a crying child and letting her know her dead mother is in Heaven now and loves her very much. Reaping is all about what will make them believe in the glory of the unseen. Most demons rely on primitive emotions like terror or pain. Others, like myself, go for hope and comfort, because everything we do leaves a mark on our souls as well.”

Faith is the fundamental spark that lends strength and power to the limbs of demons. Faith, not necessarily in God, but in the unseen; in concepts and ideals such as justice and truth, in bonds of friendship, or in religious fervour. But demons themselves are incapable of truly believing, as they know the arcane secrets of Creation, and in the modern world real faith is a rare thing. The vast majority of worship is mere lip service, and there are few who would not trample, or at least compromise, the ideals they believe in if to do so were to offer them wealth or power. In order to survive, demons need to pry faith from humans, whether with a gentle touch or through brute force. Revealing oneself in full angelic glory (or full demonic horror) and acting in some way as to inspire belief in the unseen in a mortal, or simply nurturing a belief in goodness or hope in others while in mortal seeming can energize a demon, but this is analogous to grabbing a quick top-up. In order to ensure a steady stream of creative energy at their disposal, demons find it far more reasonable to enter into pacts with mortals. The demon offers some boon – temporal power, the chance to see or walk again, access to a smattering of their own divine abilities, etc – and in exchange a connection is forged between demon and mortal, providing a steady transfusion of faith (not all pacts are like this; it is possible for mortals to be cowed into service). In establishing this connection, the demon reaches out and uses the power of the mortal’s faith to reshape their soul, granting them the boon they desired and maybe – if the mortal’s faith is plentiful enough – more.

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MORTAL CHARACTERS

It is the 21st century. Humanity resides as the most the most advanced species on the planet, exulting in the wonders of modern existence and the vast gulf they place between themselves and the other predators of the Earth. A select few, however, come to know that the comforts and truths of the 21st century are not quite as absolute as they seem. Some react by crumpling inwards. Some become entangled in the strangeness they have encountered, their lives stretching into depths that could never have been imagined by their previous selves. Others rage against the dark that they have discovered, either through fear, zeal, or a simple sense of duty. This section provides a guide to the kinds of mortals that can become involved in the world of Demon: The Fallen, how they may do so, and what they can bring to the story.

THE RUDELY AWAKENED
Most of humanity resides within a comfortable dream, in which they are Earth’s apex-predator and the most powerful force on the planet. Very little ever appears to tell these people otherwise. When something does, however, it can leave a powerful mark upon a person’s psyche – the sudden knowledge that humanity is not truly alone, but surrounded in all sides by beings of immense mystery and power, is one forceful enough to reshape lives and break minds. This is the situation that an ignorant mortal character will likely find themselves in at some point in the story, and it is perhaps their defining moment; the instant in which they are aware of the options before them and make their choice. Often, it is the nature of their encounter with the supernatural that defines their reaction to it – would a homeless man who is approached by a resplendent Namaru and offered protection and love in exchange for fealty react the same way if he were instead brutalized and taunted for hours on end by a monstrous Rabisu attempting to reap a little faith? Unawakened mortals are blank slates with the potential to end up anywhere and as anything, from the thralls of demons to their hunters.

HUNTERS
Most humans who have encounters with the supernatural, quite frankly, come out of them in worse shape than they entered. These are the most likely to become hunters. Some are the family and friends of the possessed, who, when discovering the terrible change that has been wrought on them, lash out at the demon in their loved ones’ bodies. Some are the victims of random attacks, or simply witnesses to the horror a demon can unleash, and have the strength of character to declare that such things will never again be allowed on their watch. Some are former thralls, tricked into the abusive service of a particularly foul demon, who have been freed by the demise of their master and now thirst for justice or revenge upon the fallen. Some are true believers in the unseen who have always assumed that the unknown exists, but, after having experienced it firsthand, now feel the desire to fight it.

The most important thing about hunters to understand is that they are, for the most part, normal people. The days of the Inquisition are over. While the there are certain orders of faith devoted to fighting the damned, they are understaffed and hold little power in comparison to mighty organizations they once were. So, instead, it more often than not falls to the average man or woman to hunt the fallen – people with families, lives, jobs. People who have a great deal to lose by hurling themselves at the secret world they have discovered, but do it anyway. They work outside the law, often outside society, and when possible in groups. They fight with whatever weaponry they can get their hands on, as well as whatever rituals, litanies and curses prove effective. There is no true structure in place to coordinate them; groups of hunters are more often than not a ragtag assortment of men and women who have been wronged by the same demon and have somehow gotten together, perhaps picking up others along the way. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule; some of those who hunt demons are true exorcists, men and women who have devoted their lives to the spiritual. Priests with vast storehouses of internal biblical lore, occultists with a deep knowledge of the arcane, travelled monks of Mahayana Buddhism – these are the kinds of hunters that generally fall into leadership roles in whatever circles they travel, primarily due to their apparent experience and understanding.

Perhaps the second most important thing to remember about hunters is that their perception of demons is invariably subject to the lens of their own perspective. Not all hunters recognize the fallen for what they are – indeed, most have no real idea of what they’re up against; they simply follow the context clues available in the appearances of the demons they fight towards a suitable explanation. To most hunters, who are not particularly versed in Christian theology, ‘demon’ is simply a term for something bad that comes out of Hell; they have no understanding of the hierarchy of angels or the many, many articles published throughout the church’s history pertaining to the names and ranks of the damned. Some may believe that they are fighting angry ghosts. Others might think they’re up against vengeful nature spirits. Staunchly atheist or perhaps a little insane hunters could assume alien bodysnatchers or the results of genetic experimentation. Even among those versed in the esoteric, there are divisions of perception. Where a zealous churchgoer sees one of Satan’s soldiers, a daoshi sees a malcontent spirit in need of cleansing. In a sense, both are wrong and both are right. The fallen are not quite what any religious institution believes them to be, but there are thousands of rites spread across all the world’s cultures with equal effect upon them, from Catholic litanies to Buddhist mantras.

THRALLS
Thrall is a somewhat misleading term. It refers to mortals who have entered one of the pacts described in the Demonic Characters section, and while many of them do indeed serve as slaves to their ‘benefactor’, the spectrum of interaction between demon and mortal is not so limited. Most often, the bargain struck between the thrall and their demon includes the stipulation that the mortal serves or helps the demon in return for their boon, but this does not mean that all thralls are treated as lowly servants. There are many demons who cultivate a far closer relationship with their thralls, regarding them more as friends, allies, or hired hands to be respected for the jobs they do. Life as a thrall is not necessarily unpleasant, and offers several advantages, most notably the favour of a demon and access to whatever boon(s) have been granted at the pact’s outset. Of course, there are many demons who have no interest in such pleasantries, and use promises of power or various means of intimidation to trap mortals in a horrific pacts that offer utter servitude and little (or, in some cases, even nothing) in return. Many particularly destructive demons delight in granting thralls temporal power or influence and watching as that power brings their downfall, often acting so as to hasten the deconstruction of their servants by forcing them to pay for their new gifts with the friends and family, manoeuvring them into opposition with those they love, or directing into foul endeavours that they never signed on for and will only stoop to with the threatening shadow of their master hanging over them.

FAITH
Faith is an important component of any mortal character. It is a measure of the individual’s internal health, the extent of their spirituality, and the power that sleeps within them. For thralls, faith is both the source of their master’s power and the fuel that allows them to benefit from the boons of their pact. For hunters, faith is a powerful tool in the battle against the damned. Faith, for game-purposes, is measured a system of points – 1 to 5. All characters start off with two points; this is the measure of an average human being’s faith. At character creation further points can be added (see the Character Creation section for more information). Three faith points indicate particular devotion to an ideal, way of life or religion. Four faith points signify exceptional, serious, deep faith; the kind possessed by men and women very willing to die for their beliefs. Five faith points are a sign of empowering, almost supernatural faith – the domain of figures such as Jeanne d’Arc and Francis of Assisi. Mortals with five faith points do not just hold to an ideal, they are an ideal.

WILLPOWER
It takes a strong will to stand unbroken before the kinds of horrors that hunters and many thralls face. It is also something of a necessity when facing the more subversive of demonkind, as the greater a character’s willpower, the greater their resistance to mind-altering effects. All characters begin with three willpower points, which is rated from 1-10. Three points indicates an average will; not a complete walk in the park to subvert, but certainly no challenge either. Generally, the rule is that if a demon’s faith is greater than a mortal’s willpower, they are easy to dominate – the mortal will have to fight hard to shrug off the power being cast over them, and will at least be affected for a post or two, after which they can burn a point of willpower to regain their senses. If the mortal’s willpower is equal or greater than the demon’s faith, they can immediately spend a point to keep their mind pure.

EXORCISM
The world is full of thousands upon thousands of tomes, scrolls and guidebooks relating to exorcising and abjuring the fouler spirits of the world. Most are useless. A rare few are not, and often become the most powerful tools at a hunter’s disposal. Generally, discovering which are truly effective is a harrowing matter of trail and error, and more often than not a would-be-exorcist is killed while searching for the correct incantation.

The means and origins of exorcism are various. Mantras, hymns, alchemies, dances, bindings… they come in all forms and from all cultures, but there are similarities between them all. While most rituals benefit greatly from a physical focus such as a book or a holy sigil, the simple brandishing of a holy sign is potent enough to be notable, capable of not repelling but at least keep demons at bay (note: while holy signs can keep demons out of reach, they do not repel their powers). The mortal must have true faith in the sign they use, and the magnitude of their faith dictates how long they can keep the demon back for – for example, a mortal with two faith points can only repel a demon for a moment, while one with four points could keep a demon at bay for several minutes. Holy signs do not work automatically; they must be brandished with the express purpose of warding against evil. The other general spheres of warding that almost all cultures have produced are as follows:

Abjuration: Usually performed through extended rituals with material components, abjuration involves making an area inaccessible to demons.
Banishment: Most often invoked through chants and hymns, these rituals force a demon to flee from the general vicinity.
Binding: Like banishment, this art is usually practiced through chants and gestures. If successful a binding litany roots a demon to the ground – they can still move and use their powers, but they cannot leave that specific spot while the binding is maintained.
Consecration: The creation of holy ground, which sickens and weakens demons. Much like abjuration, often takes some time, and is an art that is rare even by the standards of professional exorcists.
Exorcism: Generally a lengthy, tiring ritual that requires its subject to be bound, exorcising a demon forces the spirit out of its host body. It usually necessitates knowing a demon’s True Name, or at the very least its Celestial Name.

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DEMONIC CHARACTERS

LEGIONS OF THE DAMNED
Demons fall into one of several categories (called Houses), depending on their role and rank in the endeavour of Creation. They are as such:

“Follow me, and I will give you your heart’s desire. Serve me, and I will make you a god.”
Celestial Title: Namaru.
Infernal Title: Devils.
Description: The Namaru were the first and brightest amongst the Host, the leaders who filtered the Maker’s light into the cosmos. In the war, they became the generals and heroes of the rebels, gifted with unparalleled nobility, bravado and ability to inspire. As demons, they are perhaps most suited to life as the fallen, their talents especially effective at deceiving or rallying humans. Whether they remain heroes or become deceivers, however, the Namaru always retain a core aspect of nobility and dignity, no matter how twisted it becomes, and they often find themselves drawn to hosts who exhibit similar traits.
Starting Torment: 4
Visages:
Bel, the Visage of the Celestials.
Nusku, the Visage of the Flames.
Qingu, the Visage of Radiance.

“Nothing can protect you forever. So don’t worry about forever. Worry about right now.”
Celestial Title: Asharu.
Infernal Title: Scourges.
Description: The second among the Host, the Asharu maintained balance between the universe’s components and instilled in them the breath of life. Charged with the protection of all they bestowed life upon, the Asharu were powerful defenders and scouts during the war, and now they often resume their old protective role or subvert it into a jealous, irrational cruelty. Either way, they remain attentive to the fears of mankind, and often possess the bodies of those were fearful or felt unprotected.
Starting Torment: 3
Visages:
Dagan, the Visage of Awakenings.
Anshar, the Visage of the Firmament.
Ellil, the Visage of the Winds.

“I know you’ve been hurt. I have something here that can make your life better again.”
Celestial Title: Annunaki.
Infernal Title: Malefactors.
Description: Beings of solidity, fundament and making, the Annunaki were those who shaped the physical matter of the universe. It was they who imparted the knowledge of tools to mankind, and they who designed the first artifices. During the war they were both warriors and blacksmiths, crafting the tools of battle with one hand and brandishing them with the other. Annunaki sometimes find themselves attracted to hosts that feel that something, often something material, is lacking in their lives. Other times they find anchorage in the bodies of mortals who had an affinity with technology or craftsmanship.
Starting Torment: 3
Visages:
Kishar, the Visage of the Earth.
Antu, the Visage of the Paths.
Mummu, the Visage of the Forge.

“You have questions, my friend, but are you prepared for the answers?”
Celestial Title: Neberu.
Infernal Title: Fiends.
Description: The Neberu were the coordinators of the cosmos and the designers of time as we know it. Above all others, they had the greatest vision and the most fervent desire for the unravelling of secrets and extending of knowledge. In the war, they used their foresight to pre-empt the loyalist forces and were amongst the greatest teachers of mankind. Now, they either return as bringers of enlightenment or obsessive eaters of mystery. They are often drawn to hosts that share their affinity for exploration and knowledge.
Starting Torment: 3
Visages:
Ninsun, the Visage of Patterns.
Nedu, the Visage of Portals.
Shamash, the Visage of Light.

“I can show you things that will fill you with wonder. Just take my hand, and I’ll change your life forever.”
Celestial Title: Nereids.
Infernal Title: Defilers.
Description: Beings of truth, mystery, and passion, the Nereids once ruled the oceans of the universe, and from there they oversaw the vibrancies of thought and feeling. They were the muses of Creation, the bringers of insight and song and beauty, pulling at the strings of longing just as they pulled at the ebb and flow of the tides. During the war, the Nereids were most important for their power to maintain morale, healing spiritual wounds and patching up doubts. Now, on Earth, they are muses both great and terrible, some bringing inspiration and joy while others twist love and instil hate.
Starting Torment: 3
Visages:
Ishhara, the Visage of Longing.
Adad, the Visage of Storms.
Mammetum, the Visage of Transfiguration.

“It’s been too long since I tasted blood on the wind.”
Celestial Title: Rabisu.
Infernal Title: Devourers.
Description: The Rabisu were the overseers of the wilds, directing the development of life. During the war, they followed Lucifer in great number, hoping to teach humanity the secrets of the natural world. They were amongst the most suited to combat, more familiar with the thrill of savagery and used to acting upon instinct than any other choir of angels. Now that they have returned, they are among the most disappointed with and disparaging of the modern world, finding their groves and forests wracked by industrialization. This perceived betrayal has made the Rabisu among the most hateful and destructive of demons, few of them able to reconcile their ways with the humanity of modernity.
Starting Torment: 4
Visages:
Zaltu, the Visage of the Beast.
Ninurtu, the Visage of the Wild.
Aruru, the Visage of Flesh.

“Love or hate me as you will, but live, now until your final breath.”
Celestial Title: Halaku.
Infernal Title: Slayers.
Description: The Halaku were always a sombre lot. Entrusted with the duty of ushering life out of the physical world, they had the honour of working closely with humanity in the early days of Creation, but their work itself was unsavoury and melancholic. Many joined the Luciferan cause simply for the chance to interact with mankind in ways that didn’t involve stealing life away from them. When the war began and the world was flooded with death, much of the Halaku’s time became devoted to easing the deaths of mortals and protecting their souls, but those angels of death that were regularly involved with the fighting were fearsome foes, using their power over destruction to wreak havoc upon the loyalist ranks. Upon their return to Earth, they see a world that has suffered for the loss of those designed to manage death, and many believe that the only way to end the suffering of mankind is to simply return Creation to its ashes. Others seek to mend what has been broken, and see their freedom as the chance to gain the understanding and love that they have always desired from humanity. Halaku are often attracted to hosts whose lives have been destroyed by death; those who have worn away their souls through suicide attempts or have been rendered spiritually barren by the deaths of those they love.
Starting Torment: 4
Visages:
Namtar, the Visage of Death.
Nergal, the Visage of the Spirit.
Ereshkigal, the Visage of the Realms.

APOCALYPTIC FORM
In their human shapes, the fallen are just as vulnerable as mortals. Demons are not limited to the constraints of the human form, however – they can call upon the creative energy buzzing inside them to transform themselves into a semblance of their former divine glory. The exact appearance they take on is determined by their Visage (described in the Powers & Capabilities subsection, along with the Lores associated with them), but all apocalyptic forms have certain things in common. Firstly, apocalyptic forms can be angelic or demonic in nature – if the demon’s faith is greater than their torment, they manifest the former, while if their torment is greater, they manifest the latter. Low-torment demons may choose to temporarily draw upon an aspect of their high-torment appearance, but doing so is spiritually damaging, and awards the demon a temporary point of torment. All apocalyptic forms allow demons to take massive punishment – they may be riddled with bullets, excessively bludgeoned or grievously slashed up without having to pay the injuries much heed. Destroying a demon in apocalyptic form generally necessitates entirely removing the head or utterly destroying parts of the body. The physical qualities of apocalyptic form are also somewhat selective – for example, a demon may choose to withhold the manifestation of wings should the environment be unsuitable for them. Finally, apocalyptic forms generate a corona of supernatural awe and dread; normal humans faced with a demon in apocalyptic form are hard pressed to stand their ground.

MAXIMUM FAITH
A demon’s maximum faith indicates the amount of creative energy they can store within themselves at once. All demons begin character creation with three assumed faith points, but may purchase more. A demon’s faith pool may reach a maximum of ten. Demons may ‘reap’ quick boosts of faith from humans by awakening in them a belief, however fleeting, in the unseen. Doing so does not require taking apocalyptic form (in fact, very few humans experience the correct rush of belief when faced with an apocalyptic demon – the most prominent force in the human mind at times like this is, in fact, disbelief); what is important is that the angel interacts with a mortal in a manner that inspires faith in them. A demon could buy a homeless man a meal and engage in conversation with them in the hope that they can perhaps renew the man’s faith in human nature, or in generosity, or even in God. Similarly, a demon could accost the same man and, with the help of the right evocation, list his sins, drawing power from a renewed belief in Hell or some other form of divine punishment.

TORMENT
A demon’s torment is a measure of how monstrous they are. The more the horror of Hell weighs upon their soul, the more corrupted their essence becomes, and often their attempts to ease this suffering by inflicting the same pains on others only drive them deeper into darkness. Demons begin with different starting torment ratings depending on their House. Actions of an angelic nature work towards lessening their torment, while demonic acts increase it. Torment is measured from 1-10.

POWERS & CAPABILITIES
Demons have several innate powers, as well as access to the Lores of Creation; supernatural gifts that allow demons to manipulate reality in some way. Each Lore offers a set of abilities known individually as evocations. Every demon begins character creation with three evocations, but may purchase more. At the start of the RP, demons may only take evocations from either the two Common Lores or the three Lores associated with their House. Their primary Lore is the one that corresponds to their Visage, and they may raise their expertise in other Lores no higher than this one (for example, if a character’s Visage is Dagan, the Visage of Awakenings, their primary Lore will be the Lore of Awakenings). Evocations are sequential – a demon must know the first evocation of a Lore in order to know the second, and so on and so forth. Each evocation has a low-torment and high-torment form. High-torment demons may only use the high-torment form, while low-torment demons can use both, though if they are to use a high-torment evocation they gain a temporary point of torment (and, if they use them recklessly, a permanent point). A summary of innate powers and a list of Lores & evocations may be found here:

(for the purposes of this RP, ignore the number crunch stuff and focus on the abilities’ fluff)
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CELESTIAL & TRUE NAMES
In addition to the name of their mortal host, demons have two separate monikers – their Celestial Name and their True Name. Celestial Names are the names by which most other demons would know them; names such as Malphus, Sephidor, Magdiel, Sandalphon, etc. Inspiration for a demon’s Celestial Name can be drawn from virtually any mythology, and there are hundreds of sites listing the various names of angels that could prove useful in this regard (bear in mind, though, to avoid the big-shots – entities such as Belial, Azrael, etc are strictly off-limits). A demon’s True Name is more a description of its entire self; they are often titles such as Chariot of the First Dawn or Throne of the Breath of Life. While demons tend to guard both names, True Names are exceptional secrets, as to know a demon’s True Name is to have power over them. Simply mentioning a demon’s True Name in their presence is enough to momentarily rebuke them, while those who know the proper rituals can go as far as binding a demon to their will. As one might imagine, True Names are exceptionally difficult to discover – knowing of them requires an exceptional understanding of arcane lore, and assigning the correct one to a specific demon can require great lengths of observation and study.

PACTS
Though demons can reap faith from humans in small amounts, those who desire a steady diet of creative energy form pacts with mortals. In doing so, they forge a connection with the mortal, allowing a transfer of one faith point that initiates at the beginning of each new day.

The important thing to remember about pacts is that they are agreements – the mortal has to agree to the same terms as the demon. This doesn’t necessarily mean that all pacts are fair; mortals can be coerced into service in exchange for their lives, for example, but it is important that there is some kind of trade. Many demons ask for service. Others don’t bother; they simply forge pacts with whomever they find convenient (this is uncommon – many demons consider pacts to be things that should be carefully considered). The demands mortals make are too immensely varied to be fully detailed – some ask for temporal power, others ask for wealth, or supernatural might, or some task fulfilled… etc etc etc. The demon must make good upon their half of the bargain, or the bond will not stabilize and there will be no transfers of faith. Sometimes this is a simple matter – it is child’s play, for example, for a demon to make someone more attractive or return their sight. Other times, the task is not so easy; for example, if the mortal desires wealth, the demon will have to find some way to make them wealthy.

The boons granted from a pact are a by-product of the demon using the mortal’s inner faith to reshape their soul in some way. As such, the number of boons that can be granted is limited by the number of faith points a mortal possesses. When demons forge pacts, they must leave one point of faith to be supplied to them (if they desire it – some enigmatic demons create pacts that yield no faith for them), and may use each of the mortal’s remaining faith points to grant them a boon. For example, a mortal with three faith points can be granted two boons and have one point remaining to supply their demon with.

The boons that can be granted by pacts are as such:

1. Physical alternations. A point of faith can make a human stronger, faster, tougher, or more attractive, as well as cure otherwise incurable conditions (such as blindness, forms of paralysis, etc).
2. Mental alterations. A point of faith can make a human smarter, grant them any arcane (or mundane) knowledge the demons has, or gift the mortal with the demonic immunity to mind-affecting powers.
3. Apocalyptic boons. A point of faith can give a human any one characteristic of the pactmaker demon’s apocalyptic form, which they may call on at will.
4. Evocations. A point of faith can give a human a weaker version of any evocation the pactmaker demon possesses. This evocation can be either low or high torment in nature (one or the other, not both).

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CHARACTER CREATION

There are two steps for building any character in The Road to Damnation. Firstly, create a mortal character using the following sheet. Do not specify, at any point, whether the character is a hunter, a thrall, or simply an unawakened human.


Now allocate three points between the character’s Faith and Willpower. Post the finished sheet. If your character truly is mortal, then follow up on this by PMing me with a variant sheet that reveals more about the character (if there is more to know), such as whether they are a hunter or a thrall, skills/talents/knowledges that would have given away too much, etc (note that players who intend for their characters to already be thralls when the RP begins will have to work with me to get it to work).

If the character is intended to be a demon, then instead of PMing me an extended mortal profile, fill out the following sheet:


Once this sheet has been filled, the player may divide three points between their Lores and their Faith. They may also choose to begin with an extra point of Torment in return for an additional point to spend on Lores. After this, PM the sheet to me and await judgement.

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Question. Does Virture refer to the Heavenly Virtues (chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility), or to the WoD virtues (Conscience, Courage, and Conviction)?

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Official Forum Mom

Ah, good question. It’s the Heavenly Virtues.

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Coo. I will assume that the vices refer to the Seven Deadly Sin, then.

Also, I am almost done. A couple more paragraphs, and you will have a sheet in your inbox. ^_^ Character sheet sent.

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Official Forum Mom

I'll have a CS done tomorrow. I did the reading and it's pretty cool.

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Final Fantasy IX was the best Final Fantasy game ever and if you think otherwise you are WRONG!

My fanfiction account. Comments and criticisms are very welcome.

Very good, can't wait to see this going although there are two things I'm confused on (Maybe I just read I wrong).

So when a pact is made with someone then you get a daily amount of faith from a person, does this lower the person's faith to the point where they're just dried up? If so then a pact is only good for a few days. Or is it that in a pact where someone gives 2 of there 3 faith points every day, the faith points are restored at the end of the day so that they may be given again the next day?

For the demon CS extension are we supposed to PM that inplace of the human extension or is that simply supposed to be attached to the CS posted in the thread?

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For the king, For the king, For the sake of Skyrim. For the Nine, for the hope of High Hrothgar's pass, and for all of Sovngarde; Where the souls sing your song. For the king, For our King, who will guard Hrothgar! Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin, naal ok zin los vahriin, wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal!
Ahrk fin norok paal graan, fod nust hon zindro zaan, Dovahkiin, fah hin kogaan mu draal!

So you're playing Demon, thanks for giving that away, dood.

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1. Mortals who enter pacts do not ‘lose’ faith. The power of their belief generates energy for the demon. Simple as.

2. You are supposed to PM me the demon sheet.

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I may join, it sounds cool, but it's all on whether or not I have time.

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They taped over your mouth, scribbled out the truth with their lies, you little spies - You will release your life, joining with the god-damned world of the dead and the lonely. - Я сошла с ума, Mне нужна она
Innuendo Squad's Resident Lesbian
Mother of darkness, mother of light, earth beneath us, soul in flight, songs of love and love of light, guide us to our heart.
We all come from the Goddess and to her we shall return like a drop of rain flowing to the ocean.

Sheet posties.

Name: Elise Danridge
Gender: Female
Age: 29
Nationality: American
Nature: Caregiver
Demeanour: Sensualist
Virtue: Charity/Kindness
Vice: Lust

Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness, Empathy, Expression, Intuition
Skills: Animal Ken, Craft, Etiquette, Performance, Stealth
Knowledges: Academics, Medicine

Resources: Job as an LPN, Savings (enough to subsist for at least 6 months without income), 4 bedroom home.
Affiliations: LPN at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, estranged family out of state.

Faith: IIII
Willpower: IIII

Biography: Elise Danridge broke with her parents shortly after she'd finished her nursing program. They were horrible people anyway, and her life was better off without them. She took a job at a Northwestern and began to build her life from the bottom up, and it wasn't so hard. She met a guy and started a relationship, built up a base of friends, and had a pretty nice life. The guy in question even asked her to marry him.

Life was good. She bought a house, and she and her fiancee moved in and had a fabulous time decorating together. They made plans for the wedding. Work was good and the money was great. Okay, so there was the occasional hardship and sometimes patients didn't make it, but overall, life was good.

Half a year ago, Elise caught her fiancee cheating on her. Well, it was a good thing she'd bought the house in her name and hadn't put him on the mortgage. Out he went, taking half of Elise's heart with his possessions, which Elise had unceremoniously thrown out onto the curb of her now too-large house in the northern suburbs.

And then all the stress started causing these headaches...God, life is rough, isn't it?

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Official Forum Mom

Ho crud, sorry, it won't let me delete that post Q.Q

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Doctress Who-CURSE YOU AKAINE AND FENIX. *Shakes fist*
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Name: James Joseph Johnson
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Nationality: American
Nature: Trickster
Demeanour: Architect
Virtue: Charity
Vice: Wrath

Talents: Athletics, Dodge, Intuition
Skills: Crafts, Melee, Technology
Knowledges: Computer, Occult, Research, Science

Resources: Small junkyard, Metalworks Business, Apartment
Affiliations: Friends with pawn shop owner

Faith: III
Willpower: IIIII

Biography: Given the strange, sometimes humiliating name by his father, James never knew his mother. She had left him and his father shortly after his birth. His father said she simply walked away but years later, James found that she had disappeared. She had simply vanished from her room in the hospital, leaving James on the bed, the thing still warm. No ones know what happened to her, though there were rumors...

James' father owned his own junkyard. It never made that much money, it was too small, but his father was a genius when it came to making things out of metal. Most of the things in their home were made from the scrap metal his father put together. When James was old enough, he joined his father in his trade, though James' found he was just as good at making art as he was at making items of use. It was a hard life, they sometimes went a day or two without meals, but James was happy.

Then, a few months after he turned 22, a gang decided to begin using the junkyard as a hangout. James' father tried a few times to chase them out but each time he was met with either derision or, later on, violence. Then the gang made an enemy and there was a fight. James' father went out to try and stop it while James called 911. The fight was over before the police arrived but by that time a stray bullet had taken his father's life. Since that time, James has lived as a kind of hermit, preferring to work on metal rather than interacting with anyone.

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Final Fantasy IX was the best Final Fantasy game ever and if you think otherwise you are WRONG!

My fanfiction account. Comments and criticisms are very welcome.

Is fixed.

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Official Forum Mom

I might make a Cs today or tomorrow.
WIP
Name: Azucena Garcia
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Nationality: Mexican
Nature: Director
Demeanour: Fanatic
Virtue: Justice
Vice: Wrath

Talents: Larceny, Subterfuge, Streetwise, Empathy
Skills: Persuasion , Socialize, Empathy, Firearms , Stealth ,Survival
Knowledges: Science

Resources: The Green Plams hideout
Affiliations: Her comrades in arms
Faith: IIII
Willpower: IIII

Biography:WIP Azucena was

Thanks <3

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Doctress Who-CURSE YOU AKAINE AND FENIX. *Shakes fist*
Musicmac-INNUENDO... STRIKE!
Innuendo Squad Leader
Dare to join?

Ahhh, that makes things look much prettier.

Anyhow, both sheets submitted above have been accepted.

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Now, I have a problem with the CS, for Talents: [Natural abilities that your character has], Skills: [Honed abilities that your character has], Knowledges: [Subjects upon which your character is learned] , part, do I put whatever, I want into it or Do I select what that game has for those things?

Edit: If its the latter, I have not a clue to what to put there.

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"Fate smiles on the strange. So its a good thing, I'm the strangest of all." - William Livingstone, Cirque de la Nuit

Here is a cheatsheat from the WoD Demon character sheet.

Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Awareness, Brawl, Dodge, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Intuition, Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge
Skills: Animal Ken, Crafts, Demolitions, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms, Melee, Performance, Security, Stealth, Survival, Technology
Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Finance, Investigation, Law, Linguistics, Medicine, Occult, Politics, Religion, Research, Science

I doubt that Fell is going to rein you in to just those, since he didn't list them, but this should give you an idea.

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Official Forum Mom

You’re not at all obligated to use the list of talents/skills/knowledges cited by the WoD rulebooks. After all, they don’t cover everything.

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WIP

Name: Carl Nelson
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Nationality: American
Nature: Intellectual
Demeanour: Gentlemen
Virtue: Diligence and Patience
Vice: Lust and Greed

Talents: Subterfuge, Persuasion, Hand to Eye Coordination, Performance
Skills: Computer Animation, Photography, Filming, Free style Biking, Security, Scheming
Knowledges: Bicycle Maintenance, Programming, Film development, Story Writing,

Resources: University apartment, Bicycle, Part time at Duex's pizzeria
Affiliations: Father , Mother, and little sister, out of state. Doug Grodan, owner of Duex's Pizzeria, Professor. Rita Luciano,

Faith: III
Willpower: IIIII

Biography:

Carl graduated from Rami Highschool, Rami Pennsylvania, and moved away to Chicago Illinois, to attend school at the University of Chicago as a freshman film student. He hopes to enter into Doc Films, a student-operated film society and plans to make more meaningful or strange films. Living away from his family, Carl has acquired a job at a local pizzeria called Duex as a waiter. Doug Grodan is an old friend of his father, is why he got the job so quickly.

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"Fate smiles on the strange. So its a good thing, I'm the strangest of all." - William Livingstone, Cirque de la Nuit

Ta-daaa~

Name: Mia,(Michelina) Gallo
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Nationality: White, Italian-American
Nature: Critical
Demeanour: Explorer
Virtue: Diligence/Patience
Vice: Gluttony

Talents: Athletic, Hand-Eye-Coordination, Empathy, Expression, Intuition, Alertness.
Skills: Cooking(mainly grilling), Patience, Drive, Endurance, Archaeology.
Knowledges: History, Science, Writing, Archaeology.

Resources: She has a small nest egg to keep her going for three months, works at the Field Museum, and she lives in a small apartment filled with books and two cats.
Affiliations: Coworkers at The Field Museum(Art, Archaeology, Science & History), Extended family in Italy, An old friend or two from college, and Immediate family: Mother and Father(Travel between Italy and US), Younger brother by about 6 years (Currently at college: Penn State).

Faith: III
Willpower: IIIII

Biography:
Mia born in the States, on the East coast, to Italian citizens who managed to become American citizens. Her father was a teacher and her mother was a surgeon, and they preened her form a young age to follow in her mother’s footsteps, or to become a lawyer. After her brother was born, Mia took a keen interest in her brother’s well-being, since she was the older sibling, and felt that it was her responsibility to look after him. As the siblings grew up, and the parents became more lax in their rules, Mia began to take an interest in history, archaeology and science. Her parents were too busy to notice their carefully laid plans slipping away in to the distance.

She chose the University of Illinois to go to college, and majored at first in medicine to appease her parents, but quickly changed to archaeology. She was a hard worker and graduated near the top of her class. Since she was so dedicated to her schoolwork, she didn’t have any time to dedicate to relationships and concentrated on getting a job after college so she could stay in the states(to be nearer to her brother while he was in college because her parents moved back to Italy once the kids were at college). Luckily for her parents, her younger brother, Savino, was interested in becoming a lawyer and managed to get into a low-end law school on the west coast.

She managed to stay in the state working as an archaeologist/historian at The Field Museum, in Chicago. She managed to get a decent salary and has a small apartment.

By the way...is there supposed to be an appearance, or did I miss it? >..<'

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Doctress Who-CURSE YOU AKAINE AND FENIX. *Shakes fist*
Musicmac-INNUENDO... STRIKE!
Innuendo Squad Leader
Dare to join?