DAVID CASTRO, RACHEL WITTER COLE, HIROMI COTA, ERYKAH FASSETT,

ELLIOTT FREEMAN, DAVID FULLER, JIM GARDNER, VIOLET GREEN,

JAMES MENDEZ HODES, DANIELLE LAUZON, SPIDER B. PERRY,
MONICA SPECA, H. ULRICH
CREDITS
Developer: Monica Speca
Scion Lead Developer: Neall Raemonn Price
Writers: David Castro, Rachel Witter Cole, Hiromi
Cota, Erykah Fassett, Elliott Freeman, David Fuller, Jim
Gardner, Violet Green, James Mendez Hodes, Danielle
Lauzon, Spider B. Perry, Monica Speca, H. Ulrich
Editor: Heather Rigby
Artists: Shen Fei, Sam Denmark, Felipe Gaona, Niko
Pope, Andrea Payne, Michele Giorgi
Art Director: Mike Chaney
Creative Director: Rich Thomas
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank you for buying this product. If you found it
through some illicit means online, we hope you like it well
enough to purchase a copy.

REQUIRES THE USE OF

SCION ORIGIN AND SCION HERO

© 2020 Onyx Path Publishing. All rights reserved. References to other copyrighted material
in no way constitute a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material. “Scion” and all
characters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by Onyx Path Publishing.
Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at theonyxpath.com.

2 TITANOMACHY
 Su Dáji 43
HOMECOMING 6
The White Eyebrow, Betrayer of Shaolin 45
Birthrights 46
INTRODUCTION 10
Before We Begin 11
TITANS OF THE TEŌTL 47
Citlali, Tzitzimime from Behind the Stars 47
CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS 12 Coyolxāuhqui, Who Gathered the Four Hundred 48
The Taxonomy of a Titan 13 Tenoch, Quinametzin of the First Sun 49
Titan Callings 13 Tlaltecuhtli, the Hungry 49
Adversary 13 Birthrights 50
Destroyer 13 TITANS OF THE THEOI 51
Monster 14 Cronus 51
Primeval 14 Echidna 52
Tyrant 14 Gaea 53
TITANS OF THE ÆSIR 15 Birthrights 54
Jörd 15 TITANS OF THE TUATHA DÉ DOMNANN 56
Nidhoggr 16 Balor, The Evil Eye 56
Surtr 17 Belenus The Bright 58
Ymir 17 Bres The Beautiful 58
Birthrights 18 Cernunnos, The Horned One 59
TITANS OF THE DEVÁ 20 Domnu, Mother of Titans 59
Banasura, the Thousand–Armed King 20 Birthrights 60
Rangda, the Witch–Queen of Bali 21 NO SUCH THING AS TITANS 62
Saita, the Untold Story 23 What About Evil Magicians? 62
Birthrights 24 What Do You Even Do All the Time? 63
TITANS OF THE KAMI 26 Birthrights 63
Fūjin 26
Goki 27
CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING 64
Princess Kiyo 29 Titans at the Table 65
Namazu 29 Theocentrism 65
Raijin 30 Titanomachy 65
Birthrights 31 Designing a Chronicle 67
Player Involvement 67
TITANS OF THE MANITOU 32
Deciding Scope 67
Ae-pungishimook 32
Choosing Titans 68
Aniwye 33
Using Titan Scions
Mishibizhiw 34 in Your Series 70
Misiginebig 34 Scions with a Purpose 70
Birthrights 35 One-on-One 71
TITANS OF THE NETJER 37 Enemy Titan Scions and Cults 71
Apep, The Serpent of Chaos 37 Titan Scions as Ambiguous Figures 73
Aten, The One True Sun 38 Playing Titan Scions 74
Isfet, the Disharmonious 40 Encounters with Titans 74
Birthrights 40 Free-Range Titans 74
TITANS OF THE SHÉN 42 Titans Who Seek
the Heroes Out 75
Ào Guāng 42
Prison Visits 75
Kuāfù 43

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
Common Enemies 76 Qualities 101
Working with Attack 101
Titanic “Allies” 76 Defense 102
Outside Context Problems 76 Utility 102
Titanspawn 76 Social 102
Calamity’s Children 76 Occult 102
Differing Dooms 77 Flairs 103
Procedural Play: Sleights of Mind 77 Attack 103
The Hole Above the Heart 77 Defense 103
Jamming the Gears That Grind Down the World 78 Utility 103
Intrigue Play: Sweet Voices in the Night 78 Social 104
Action Adventure Play: Bloody Handed Reckoning 79 EXAMPLE ANTAGONISTS 105
Titans & Dragons 80
Adze 105
Nomenclature at The Table 80 Aegaeon 105
Double-Dealing Bastards and Other Family Stories 81 Aegaeon’s Fingers 106
Who Are You, Really? 81 Ào Jinru, Scion of Ào Guāng 107
The War Eternal 82 Arachne’s Children (Giant Spider) 107
How to Use These Adventures 82 Banshee 108
Benandonner 108
Diaspora 83
Child of Apep 108
Act One: The Airport 83
Chloe Eirini, Scion of Prometheus 108
Act Two: Intrigue 85 Christopher Swong, Abasom 109
Act Three: Action 86 Daēva 109
Storyguide Characters 87 Dullahan 110
Mortals 87 Ed & Edie Jackson: Scions of Prometheus 110
Scions 88 Elementals and Demons 111
Antagonists 88 Elliot Jones, Druid to Orgos 112
Elric Ash, Scion of Surtr 112
Lunar New Year 88
Fomorian (Giants) 113
Learning of the Threat 89
Fomorian (Beautiful Ones) 113
Onward to New York City 89
Fomorian (Aquatics) 113
Exploring Chinatown 89 Fomorian (Melted Ones) 114
Make a Plan 90 Four-Eyed Dog 114
Lunar New Year’s Day 91 Gashadokuro 114
Conclusion 92 Grant Hicks, Priest of Echidna 115
Bring Forth a Greater Thunder 92 Gremlins 115
Act 1: The Heir Apparent 92 Grootslang 115
Harionago 116
Act 2: Drawing Lines 93
Hecatoncheires 116
Act 3: Minutes to Midnight 94
Hyakki Yakou, the Night Parade of
Epilogue: Titanomachy Looms 95 One Hundred Demons 117
Indech, Son of Domnu 118
CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS 96 The New Indrajit 118
Designing Titanic Fights 97 Internet Trolls (Greater) 119
Type of Encounter 97 Jameson Beaumont III, Scion of Gaea 120
Which Antagonists 97 Jiāolóng 120
Jishin, Scion of Namazu 120
Using the Terrain 100
Jötunn 121
Archetypes 101
Kelpie 121
Spawn 101 Khalkotauroi 122
Titanic Minion 101 Kongamato 122

4 TITANOMACHY
Kraken 122 Solomonar 137
Lamia 122 Soucouyant 137
Lillin 123 Starlight Solutions 137
Maneto 123 Stymphalian Birds 138
Mary Li, Scion of Kuāfù 123 The Thing in The Deep 138
Merfolk 125 Tikoloshe 139
Micaela Standish, Scion of Fūjin 126 Timothy Allgood, Titans’ Advocate 139
Mokele-mbembe 126 Tzitzimime Intruders 139
The Monster 126 Vardoger 140
Mukade 127 Wendigo 140
Nian 127 Wombyn of the Moon-Water,
Nipahâhkatosow 127 Followers of Rayven Silverhair 141
Omukade 128
Oni 128 APPENDIX 142
People of Gold 129 New Alternate Rule: Collateral 142
Phouka 130 Building the Pool 142
Pierre Levett, Scion of Ae-pungishimook 130 Birthrights 143
Prince Annapolis, Scion of Metis 130
Creatures 143
Rakshasa 131
Cyclops (••••) 143
Rayven Silverhair, The True Diana, Scion of Nyx 131
Fenrir’s Pups (•••) 143
Roc 132
Gu (•••) 143
Rogue Kallikantzaros 132
Rahu’s Chariot (•••••) 143
The Saturnian Society 132
Followers 144
The Scorpion Folk 133
Selkies 133 Guides 145
Silent Storm 134 Relics 146
Silent Storm: Acolytes 134 Knacks 150
Silent Storm: Undercover Agents 134 Knack Notes 150
Silent Storm: Crafters 135 Adversary Knacks 150
Silent Storm: Summoners 135 Destroyer Knacks 151
Silent Storm: Thunderbolts 135
Monster Knacks 152
Silent Storm: The Inner Circle 136
Primeval Knacks 155
Sirens 136
Tyrant Knacks 156

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
 Between the crush of the crowd, the flashing lights Maybe she had asked for all this trouble. The job
on the stage, and the music pumping from speakers, was just to clean up and tidy the condo of some big wig,
getting her bearings was impossible. The revelry of the self-described producer: fold his laundry, sign for any
ecstatic faithful increased with every thundering note. packages that came while he was out, put the dishes
Wherever she turned, she pressed into another mass of in the dishwasher, and maybe take the dog out for a
blurred-together faces — the same dim look of innocent walk. All standard tasks she had done before without
hope wrapped up in the moment. Glancing down at the incident. Besides, he came recommended by one of her
flyer gripped in her hand and then back up, Jennifer regular contacts, a kindly, retired screenwriter who
Walker shielded her vision toward the front stage and had worked with the fellow just shortly before taking a
wondered what it was she had stumbled into. much-deserved vacation.
••• The money would at least pay for another couple of
nights in the co-living space she had found in La Jolla,
Two weeks prior
and that definitely beat trying to jockey for a bed in a
The blazing sun set as the Greyhound’s engine shelter that could go to a family in need. Having grown
churned, coughing out thick clouds of black exhaust up without any semblance of actual family, Jennifer
that obscured the view from the back of the bus. It took wasn’t going to be the one to see one split up on account
everything to keep herself from shaking in her seat, even of her circumstances. It just wasn’t right. If it were any-
knowing that what happened back in San Diego was one other than a family, though? They’d probably have
soon to be hundreds of miles behind her by morning. a broken nose and a missing wallet.
When she boarded the bus, the driver was half-inclined Surviving on her had own desensitized Jennifer to
to toss her off, believing the rail-thin young woman to a lot of things that would disturb more well-adjusted
be a homeless street kid attempting to hitch a ride with individuals; it wasn’t uncommon to look away from do-
an unpaid fare. mestic violence among indigent populations and pre-
To the bus driver’s credit, his assessment of her tend you saw nothing. It was easier (and safer) to ignore
was mostly correct; Jennifer spent the past two years it than to get involved. After a while, she had learned to
after aging out of the foster care system drifting from disassociate from scenes of brutality — almost as if she
shelter to shelter, or couch surfing with acquaintances hadn’t seen them at all. But this? This took the cake. She
or distant relatives that usually wanted her gone before couldn’t have known what she was going to walk into.
the week was out. It was difficult to hold down a job •••
without a permanent address, so she got by as best she
could with odd jobs she found on the internet. That was It’s all fuzzy, though, and when Jennifer came to,
its own sort of trouble. she found herself on Black’s Beach, covered in sand and
drenched in sweat, sea water, blood that — as far as she

6 TITANOMACHY
could tell — wasn’t hers. A banging headache pounded Starting over was always a pain in the ass, but she
deep in her skull, pulsing behind her eyes and making it had done it so many times before that it was more like
difficult to focus on even the simple task of putting her- a minor inconvenience. After a week or so, she man-
self back together. Thankfully, her time on the streets aged to integrate herself into a small collective of other
made getting back home without drawing attention runaway youths who pooled everything together as a
easy, even in her compromised state. Pulling on the means to get by. Meals were meager, and on more than
cleanest shirt she could find and stealing a black hoodie one occasion she went whole days without eating, but
from one of the other occupants, she was packing up at least the sense of community gave her a feeling of
her duffle when a newsflash came on the television that security after fleeing San Diego.
was influencing the dreams of the passed-out druggies Between losing weight and her freshly dyed, dark
on the dilapidated couch. red hair, her appearance had changed enough to keep
A candid shot of the big wig was full screen, under her under the radar — if the search for the apparent
which the breaking news ticker displayed: murderess had gone national. Truth be told, she hadn’t
even bothered checking the news. None of the locals
LOCAL SAN DIEGO PRODUCER FOUND
asked about her past, and she wasn’t about to tell them
DISMEMBERED IN OWN HOME
that she might have accidentally murdered someone,
All color drained from her face; by the time the even if her memory of that night was murky.
newscaster finished describing possible suspects, she Still, a feeling of constant dread settled itself in the
cleared the door and booked it to the nearest bus sta- pit of her stomach. If she had done it, it was self-defense.
tion. The where didn’t matter; she later recalled asking Probably.
the cashier at the ticket window, “How far will $60.32
get me?” “Hey, Jenny!”

Phoenix it was. The words pulled her from her thoughts as a chipper
young woman bounced up to her, cropped blond hair
streaked in a veritable rainbow. How Caleeia managed

HOMECOMING 7
to remain so effervescently wholesome despite her Caleeia managed to vanish into the crowd, and
homelessness had by and large remained a mystery. Jennifer cursed under her breath — they weren’t sup-
Thrusting a crumpled-up flyer toward Jennifer’s chest, posed to get separated. Pushing her way forward, it
she beamed. wasn’t until she made it to the front of the stage with
“You gotta check this out! Jamie said this guy legit her body slamming against a steel barricade that she re-
has set up a village of tiny houses to help the homeless. alized her friend was nowhere to be found; her stomach
You’ve been talking about wanting a fresh start, and churned.
this can’t possibly hurt at all!” The whole arena went pitch black as two spotlights
Unfolding the wrinkled page, her dark eyes illuminated the man on the stage and the black hood-
scanned over the text: ie-clad waif desperately trying to keep a low profile. All
the other bodies and sounds faded out as he spoke.
PASTOR ZECHARIAH “ZECK” DENTON
“All you need is to allow yourself to rise up from
& THE CHURCH OF ILLUMINATION
the darkness that binds you to where you are. You’ll
CORDIALLY INVITE ALL WAYWARD
never rise any higher than the way you see yourself.
YOUTH TO THE NEW CENTER OF
Yes, even you, Jennifer Walker.”
ENLIGHTENMENT FOR REFRESHMENTS
AND COMMUNION The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and as
she turned to look to the stage, she was face to face with
“New beginnings: Stepping out of the darkness and Pastor Zeck. That gleaming smile that seemed warm
into the light — a new approach to life.” Her gaze then and welcoming from so far away was more predatory
flitted up to Caleeia, regarding the younger woman up close.
with amusement as she handed back the flyer with a
shrug. “Not like there’s anything much better to do. “H-how—” Jennifer stuttered before she was cut
There’ll be free food, right? off.

The sunny blonde beamed brightly, fingering a “How do I know your name?” A rich chuckle fol-
pendant in the shape of a bird around her neck. lowed his words. How could something so bright sound
so dark? Zeck held a hand out to Jennifer, gesturing for
“Let’s go together, then!” her to take it as he pulled her up effortlessly onto the
••• stage with him. “A little bird told me, of course.”
Saturday, August 3rd The words were met with a quizzical expression —
brows quirked and chapped lips pursed so tightly they
“You weren’t created to live selfishly — you were might as well have vanished. It was a look that said she
created to serve the highest of beings and to be granted was frankly unconvinced, and her crossed arms and de-
His blessings in return,” the voice boomed over the fensive posture only furthered that aura of incredulity.
loudspeaker, warm and welcoming. The giant screens
projected the image of the speaker for those who “Your friend, the blonde girl. Caleeia, I believe it
couldn’t manage prime seats: an impeccably groomed was.”
man, somewhere in his late 30s or early 40s. He was Folding her arms across her chest, Jennifer’s scowl
dressed in a manner that was both couture by design deepened, which led Pastor Zeck to smile more as he
but also incredibly approachable — if there was a way raised both hands up to show he was harmless.
to be both unbelievably wealthy and humble about it, “She’s the reason you’re here, isn’t it? Caleeia is,
he nailed it. how do you say, an associate of mine. One that I very
The crowd roared in ecstatic response, some sobbed much value and appreciate for bringing you to me.” He
hysterically, hands reaching outstretched toward the flashed another smile.
man on the stage as he knelt down, smiling a smile Jennifer took three steps back and away from the
so bright it was near blinding. When the lighting was man who seemed to glow brightly, even with the spot-
just right, he looked as though a halo of brilliant light light still on the two of them. “Look, Pastor Zach —”
surrounded him. Jennifer had to admit the guy had cha-
risma, and clearly what he was saying resonated with “Pastor Zeck.”
so many. “Whatever,” Jennifer spat, pushing her bangs out
“You’re going to go through tough times; that’s life. of her eyes. “Look, whatever the hell this is,” she ges-
But I say this: Nothing happens to you, it happens for tured widely to the dark space that had been, until a
you, and it happens for a reason that you cannot yet scant few minutes ago, filled to the brim with energetic
fathom. We are in the midst of a war for the very soul of youth seeking salvation, or something darker. “I don’t
the world. There are those out there who wish to cloud want any part of it, okay? There isn’t anything you
the world in darkness with lies, guiding you away from could offer me that I need.”
the singular truth — only the light will free you from Rich laughter once more echoed, and it was so
your sins and guide you toward the one righteous and consuming it forced Jennifer to cup her ears against the
true path.”
8 TITANOMACHY
reverberation of it all. She felt as if the walls were clos- Zeck came to a stop just short of her and rested a
ing in on her. The bright, glowing heat of the spotlight hand upon her shoulder in an almost fatherly way. His
and sudden lightheadedness made her feel ill at ease. other hand tilted her chin up to look at him. Jennifer
“Tell me, Jennifer, have you never wished to have knew something wasn’t entirely right here, that this
someone look after you? To take care of you?” Even as whole surreal scenario was something that couldn’t
he stepped out of the spotlight, he still radiated light. possibly happen. Here she was, in the presence of some-
“It must have been hard for you, growing up without thing beyond human and beyond her meager compre-
a family. Your mother passing before you could walk, hension. She was so tired of running and wondering
your father... Well, he never was one to do much after where her next meal would come from.
sundown but cower, but I digress…” “I just… I just want to belong. To be wanted, in-
The pit in her stomach, one she could never seem stead of seen as a burden,” she managed to eke out as
to escape, blossomed wholly into a longing she hadn’t her defenses fell with the tears she didn’t realize had
realized she had. As Zeck continued to approach her his welled in her eyes.
radiance only shined brighter, and she averted her eyes “It doesn’t matter who wants you or doesn’t want
to stop them from burning. you, all that matters is that I want you. I choose you,
“Aren’t you tired of all the running, Jenny? Of all bloodied hands and all. What more could you ask for?”
the uncertainty of your life? Isn’t it time to finally put Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
down roots with a family that wants you and cares for Then, Aten smiled at his Chosen.
you? All you need to do is believe in the one righteous
path, to strike at the false Gods who would wish to see Yes, she would do nicely.
the world fall into darkness. You’ve fought and won
before, why not do it with a holy purpose?”

HOMECOMING 9
 CONTENT WARNING!
As an antagonist book full of challenges for the children of the Gods, Titanomachy is full of frightening
things like abusive parents, trans-exclusionary radical feminists, climate change, and centipedes that eat your
brain. Storyguides using this book are encouraged to read Chapter Three: Antagonists in its entirety,
and then discuss content that may appear in their chronicles with the players before they start to run.
Always play safely!

W elcome, Heroes. The second war against the Gods fast

approaches. Are you prepared?
foes — ideal antagonists who want to control or destroy the
World, ripe with story hooks for Storyguides to weave into the
tapestry of their games. No, there’s no real-world mythological
This book is filled with antagonists for Storyguides
wanting to add a little extra thrill and danger to their Scion example of Fenris and Apep making a pact to devour the sun
campaigns. Spread before you is an in-depth selection of together, but that’s a terrifying prospect — one that only the
deadly monsters, wicked plots, complex antiheroes, and Heroes of your game can stop.
unstoppable Titans to oppose your players’ characters. The pantheon classifications are for book organization.
These elements bring an action-horror tone to any Scion For example: Rangda is a Balinese figure, filed under Deva.
game, whether it’s an ongoing chronicle or one that’s just Many Titans oppose the hegemony of the Gods, so can
getting started. hardly be included as part of their pantheon. For other pan-
Titanomachy adds the backdrop of the coming theons, the line between Titan and God cannot be distin-
“Second Titanomachy” — a new phase in the eternal cold guished. The classifications used herein are so Storyguides
war against the Gods. In its pages you’ll find everything you can easily locate and use these mythological figures in their
need to enhance your Scion games, from the Titans them- Scion games.
selves to their fearsome servants and all new adventure
hooks. Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero are required to use
A SUPPLEMENT
this book. FOR ALL OF SCION
Since Titanomachy provides an element of background
BEFORE WE BEGIN conflict for all Scion games, the contents herein were creat-
ed to fit with all Scion supplements — present and future.

T he concept of the “Second Titanomachy” exists as a conceit

of Scion’s internal fiction. Though the word comes from
Greek, the idea is fabricated to add a background conflict
Its text alludes to a variety of other supplements in the line,
but these are not required to use this book. If Storyguides
own these books, they’ll find the conjoining sections rife
to the setting of the World. We selected a rogue’s gallery of with material to supplement their games, and if they do not,
mythological personages that make dangerous and fearsome these sections can safely be ignored.

before we begin 11
 Well, that’s history for you, folks.
Unfair, untrue and for the most part written by folk who weren’t even there.
– Joanne Harris, The Gospel of Loki

THE TAXONOMY Adversary antagonizes. Sometimes, an Adversary’s antago-

nism is a means to an end — nothing pleases an Adversary

OF A TITAN more than watching her enemies rail against the pressure
of her opposition. She is the fire by which they are forged,
the grain upon which they are refined. Sometimes this op-

I n a world where pantheons use the term to mark their

enemies, what defines a capital-T Titan? From the
perspective of the people living in the World, that’s a difficult
position comes in the form of deceit and betrayal and occa-
sionally through physical violence, though most Adversaries
prefer to use their words and their connections to teach
and sticky question to answer. The Devá especially are valuable lessons. Whatever the Adversary does, she does for
fond of calling anyone who opposes them a “Titan” (a term a reason. A good reason if you ask her, and the ends always
interchangeable with their own word, asura). Defining what justify the means.
this book considers a Titan, however, is a much easier task.
Skills: Culture, Persuasion, Subterfuge
A Titan must have a Titan Calling: Adversary, Destroyer,
Monster, Primeval, or Tyrant (see Titan Callings, below). Example Keywords: subversive, devil’s advocate, cun-
Though they have a suite of Purviews akin to the Gods, a ning, liar, adversity, opposition, betrayal, rivalry
Titan cannot help but be obsessed or consumed by one of Fatebinding Roles: Jinx, Nemesis, Traitor
them. For example, Aten is the All-Encompassing Sun, while Example Titans: Isfet, The White Eyebrow
Echidna wholly embodies Fertility. Most importantly, as far
as this book is concerned, a Titan must be a willing partici- Failure Deeds: Be talked out of a great test or betrayal,
pant in the Titanomachy. The Titanomachy itself is a loose allow the unworthy to rise unchallenged, avoid confronta-
coalition of mythological personages unified in their desire tion in favor of compromise, kill someone without telling
to undo the current cosmological order of the World. For them why you struck them down
some, this means the utter destruction of everything, and for Adoption Deeds: Ruin someone’s life for the better,
others, this means subjugating the World and its people to aggravate a friend into a change of heart
their rule. Regardless of how the Titan approaches the sub-
ject, each capital-T Titan desires fundamentally changing DESTROYER
the way the universe works. Though defined by their desire and capacity to break
things, Destroyers are far from mindless brutes. For some
THE MATTER OF MANTLES Destroyers, this is the first step in the process towards re-
There are a few Titans in this chapter who make birth; the flames must first burn and leave behind ash so that
appearances in other Scion books. This may seem con- new life might rise. For others, it is to challenge the status
fusing at first — how can a mythological figure be both a quo, to see structures and order overturned. That being said,
patron for heroes and an antagonist on the side of World some Destroyers are just that: agents of utter destruction or
domination? The answer to this question is: Mantles. All entropy. Titans (and some Gods) with this Calling might be
Godly figures in Scion attained such power by building up forces of nature, or the lingering void at the edges of cre-
their Legend and creating the Mantle of their Godhood. ation. Nothing can stop a Destroyer from sundering what
Mantles can be co-opted, hijacked, stolen, and borrowed. was once whole.
They can be abandoned or left unfinished — leaving be-
Skills: Athletics, Close Combat, Science
hind a story fragment to be picked up by an enterprising
candidate. Cernnunos joins the Tuatha Dé Domnann, and Example Keywords: destruction, entropy, threatening,
the Nemetondevos. Ymir exists as both a Primordial and a sharp, crush, demolish, unmake
Titan. Ao Guang exists as a God, a Titan, and — optionally Fatebinding Roles: Canary, Nemesis, Rival
— a Dragon. Remember: All myths are true.
Example Titans: Citlali, Surtr

TITAN CALLINGS
Each of the Titans presented herein have at least one of the
Failure Deeds: Fail to destroy something priceless, re-
fuse a chance to unmake something, assist another in creat-
ing a new structure or institution, allow yourself or someone
five Titan Callings. to stagnate
ADVERSARY Adoption Deeds: Break something invaluable, perform
an epic show of force, demolish something belonging to an
Where the Trickster accomplishes goals through deceit
enemy until there is no trace left
and becomes a cultural example through their failures, the

titan callings 13
 Example Keywords: primordial, vast, infinite, elemen-
MONSTER tal, conceptual, depths, universal
Myths and legends drip with terrible creatures who
Fatebinding Roles: Balm, Nemesis, Worshipper
swallow the sun, who chew at the roots of the World Tree, or
who eat the flesh of humans. These creatures are Monsters; Example Titans: Cernunnos, Fūjin
inhuman and grotesque of body, possessed of terrible might. Failure Deeds: Allow a great source of natural energy to
Monsters are beasts of fear and hunger. They prey upon the be harnessed by artifice or mortal forces, allow mundane or
weak and gnaw at the fabric of reality. Some Monsters can human concerns to guide your use of elemental forces, fail
learn to rearrange their forms, wearing pleasing disguises or to stop the destruction of a font of natural power or place of
bursting into a towering, horrific shape. Wherever a Monster primal majesty
lurks, tales of their fearsome presence spread like wildfire.
Adoption Deeds: Allow something to return to its nat-
Skills: Athletics, Medicine, Survival ural state, advance the cycle of something’s growth or decay,
Example Keywords: shapeshifter, fearsome, bloody, contribute to the damaging effects of a natural disaster
hunger, deceiver, murderer
Fatebinding Roles: Nemesis, Rival, Traitor
TYRANT
While Leaders represent those in power who care for
Example Titans: Echidna, Rangda and guide their people, Tyrants crave power for themselves.
Failure Deeds: Refuse to take advantage of an enemy’s A Tyrant desires unquestioning servants, sycophants, and
fear, fail to reveal your true nature when doing so would yes-men. They cannot abide criticism and spare little
cause panic and terror, spare a terrified foe thought for those they’ve stepped on so long as they rise to
the top. A Tyrant’s word is absolute, inviolable. Their edicts
Adoption Deeds: Terrify an enemy into a change of
must be obeyed, on pain of punishment. Titans with the
heart, devour the flesh of your defeated foe, reveal your true
Tyrant Calling think only of themselves and their own selfish
face to someone you know fears you
gain. While a Tyrant may make fair-weather friends, their
PRIMEVAL selfishness quickly drives them from others’ good graces.

Things of untamed primal power, Primeval Calling Skills: Empathy, Leadership, Persuasion
Titans are literal fixtures of the World. A Primeval is the Example Keywords: stern, unforgiving, absolute, selfish
depths of the ocean, the unforgiving disc of the sun, or the
Fatebinding Roles: Apprentice, Rival, Worshipper
rage of a volcano. They are the land itself, implacable and
austere. These are the most likely to have no shred of hu- Example Titans: Aten, Cronus
manity, for they are too vast to ever understand something as Failure Deeds: Treat your lessers with compassion,
small as the human mind. Whatever the Primeval represents, compromise your goals for someone else, allow one of your
they embody it entirely. edicts to be broken
Skills: Academics, Occult, Survival Adoption Deeds: Coerce an enemy of equal power into
your service, intimidate a large group into obeying you, seize
vast political power unjustly

14 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 TITANS OF
THE ÆSIR
R eviled and rejected, the Titans of the Æsir created the
land, the sea, the sky which the Æsir later stole from
them. Oftentimes, the boundary between Titan and God rests
life from nothing but instead transmutes living or once-living
things into her own creatures. Her first child rose to assume
Ymir’s Mantle, but the last child to whom she gave birth broke
on a question of favor, intermarriage, or which version of an her heart.
Edda someone consults; the ties between Titan and God are Jörð tried to love Odin for a while, briefly making the
old, convoluted, and sometimes look an awful lot more like a attempt to forgive him for his actions against her father.
network of scars. Some take their drive from a desire to once However, just as he was terrible and unjust to Ymir, he dealt
more ascend to prominence, some simply attempt to move terribly with her and left her to labor through the birth of
on, and some live only to destroy what was stolen from them; their son in solitude and fear. Copper-haired Thor claims
they’d rather burn themselves to ash than leave the Æsir one he’s the son of fair-haired Sif and dark-haired Odin. His true
plank of wood on which to stand. mother brushes her red hair and misses her son, but her
J RD heart has become bitter from the betrayal of both father and
son.
Aliases: Earth Mother, Births-Lightning
Callings: Guardian, Lover, Primeval
The most beautiful of the
Purviews: Beauty, Earth, Epic
Æsir Titans, Jörð’s birth came
Stamina, Fertility, Passion (Love)
from tragedy: Her father’s
brutal murder at the hands of RELATIONSHIPS AND
three Asgardians gave rise to her AGENDA
sturdy body. She crafted herself The most focused and
from Ymir’s belly, making his effective of all the Æsir, Jörð
rib bones into her thighs, has little use for the scattered
smoothing his skin over her brains of Ymir or the reckless
own muscles and bones. destruction of Nidhoggr.
Nearly complete, she trav- She’s started looking outside
eled the land looking for a her pantheon for compan-
material from which to craft ionship in recent years, utter-
her hair. She discovered the ly bored by the pointless and
site of Ymir’s scattered teeth; repetitive behavior of the rest
in a moment of inspiration, she of the Æsir. She can’t see past
used them to create the small her own smothering and repetitive
and sturdy dwarves. The dwarves behavior to realize that — sadly —
gasped with wonder when they be- she’s just as bad as the rest of them ( just
held Jörð and the two hearts beating in a little better organized).
her chest. She promised them a seat at her
table for eternity, and in turn, they crafted her hair of OTHER PANTHEONS
copper as a gift of fealty. She braided a lock of this fine hair Jörð views the Æsir’s God counterparts with the undis-
into a circlet, which the dwarves keep in their deepest hall guised disdain of a jilted lover and abandoned mother. The
as a symbol of their allegiance to the Earth Mother. Odin view that Rangda, the Witch-Queen of Bali, takes toward
claims the dwarves live in the earth because they spawned the modern world — and how actively she fights corrupting
from maggots which fed on Ymir’s corpse; only Jörð and the influences through modern means — intrigues Jörð, who
dwarves know the truth. often considers taking a trip to try to win the Witch-Queen
The foolish might assume that because Jörð is an Earth to her side. The effectiveness of the Witch-Queen in creating
Mother, she’s warm and loving. Dispassionate and focused change in the modern world gives Jörð a great deal of hope.
on the good of the many to the exclusion of the few, Jörð has
watched far too many species driven to extinction by the pre-
CURRENT PRIORITIES
dations of Gods and men to care much for the fate of individu- Jörð sends her Scions on missions to preserve the en-
als — even her Scions. Unlike her father, she cannot summon dangered creatures of the world at any cost, even their own

Titans of the Æsir 15

lives. The needs of the planet must outweigh a few puny may simply be a trick of his ancient nemesis - an unnamed
mortal lives, especially when the planet itself is Jörð’s body. eagle. Or perhaps the Titan really does struggle with another
Never again will Jörð birth a child in any Incarnation, but aspect of himself. Of course, Nidhoggr and his Scions main-
she walks the world in search of children upon whom she can tain that’s just because the old dragon can’t move with the
bestow the love that Thor rejected — her especial love lavished times, and that’s why their people lag so far behind, drained
on those red-headed Scions she chooses and creates, gifting them of their relevance and power. Nidhoggr wants only to gnaw
with more potent relics and more intelligent Guides. However, Yggdrasil down, bite through the last tap root and watch it all
she expects more from those children, sending them into danger- fall. Destroying the World will also destroy his counterpart.
ous battles and entrusting them with deadly intrigues. Perhaps To Nidhoggr, this is just a lovely fringe benefit.
she would lay down and rest if her last-born son would return Nidhoggr’s Scions — some adopted, some born, some
home, but since Asgard fetes Thor as the beloved son of Odin and chosen — are among the most feared of any Titan’s children.
Frigg, it’s unlikely that will ever come to pass. Much like their divine parent, Nidhoggr’s Scions love to
destroy; they undertake elaborate operations to bring insti-
NIDHOGGR tutions, buildings, and even governments tumbling to the
Aliases: Corpse-Chewer, The Pretender, Delights-In-Chaos ground. Whenever they get even the slightest opportunity,
they target the offspring of Níðhöggr, attempting to eradi-
The base of Yggdrasil either contains Nidhoggr or
cate the children of their divine father’s nemesis. Mind, their
brings him his food, depending on who you ask. Either way,
father never seems to notice anything that they do, but they
the Titanic serpent curls around the base of the World Tree,
fight for his scant attention nevertheless. Those few who
gnawing at the support of everything-that-is. When he snaps
choose not to scrap for Dad’s attention find themselves taken
his way through a tap root, earthquakes shake the ground
in by other Titans or even Gods as foster children, often to
above. The corpses of the disgraced tumble down to his lair,
the eventual dismay of those parents. The urge to destroy
and the giant serpent cracks the bones of adulterers, liars,
runs in the blood of these Scions, and fighting that urge
and cheats for their delicious marrow, scattering the calcif-
becomes progressively more difficult the more powerful the
erous fragments around the roots.
Scion becomes.
Of all the Æsir Titans, Nidhoggr pays the least attention
Callings: Destroyer, Monster, Primeval
to the Gods themselves, His adversary is Níðhöggr, the drag-
on who claims that he’s the original of the pair, and Nidhoggr Purviews: Beasts (Reptiles), Chaos, Darkness, Death,
a cheap copy. Just look at those umlauts and accents in his Fortune, War
name, written properly as the Sagas demand! However, this

16 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA gathered them into her mouth. Then she bound together
branches of ash and oak, twined them together with ivy vines,
To the extent that Nidhoggr cares about anything other
and breathed the souls out in a single, purified burst of flame.
than destruction, he begrudgingly cares about the rest of the
The sword’s core transformed from wood into hammered
Æsir Titans. He really only cares about them inasmuch as
iron, and the flame caught on tendrils of ivy, scorching away
they allow him to fulfill his desires to light the World on fire.
the leaves and burning to this day. Surtr had more sympathy
Surtr may intend his sword for flames that renew, but that
for the burned leaves than for the lives destroyed by his work.
doesn’t mean Nidhoggr has to allow those flames to go out,
He does, however, regard his sword as the holiest of all items,
or the renewal to occur. He has no use for the rest of the Æsir
filled as it is with the souls of the slain.
— save to occasionally pull his ass out of the fires he creates.
Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant
OTHER PANTHEONS
Purviews: Fertility, Fire, War
Nidhoggr absolutely hates the Gods, though he pities his
fellow dragons, most of whom suffered at the hands of Odin RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
and his children. The Tuatha Dé Domnann make strange Surtr cleaves to his duty above all things, and he doesn’t
bedfellows as distant cousins regarded with a mixture of really understand the rest of the Æsir. Spurned love drives
trepidation and hope. Perhaps the two will join forces and the rest of the Æsir Titans more than anything else: Their
overthrow those who discarded them like so many gnawed broken hearts lead them through follies. Surtr loves what he
bones after a longhouse feast. does and that motivates him more than anything else.
CURRENT PRIORITIES OTHER PANTHEONS
Nidhoggr delights in destruction. Anything that causes Like most of the Æsir, Surtr is willing to form tenuous
confusion and chaos captivates the old serpent, especially if alliances with the Tuatha Dé Domnann. The rest he could
those same events annoy his draconic doppelganger. take or leave, preferring to act alone. Surtr does not trust
Nidhoggr takes only brief sojourns away from the World anyone else to uphold his particular ideals of destruction
Tree in order to Incarnate and create the next generation and rebirth.
of Scions; he barely pays any attention to his children after CURRENT PRIORITIES
their initial Visitation, sending snakes and dreams to urge
his Scions on to even greater acts of destruction. Make no Surtr spends all his time fomenting dissent and revo-
mistake, they do not destroy to construct anything in its lution, along with causing natural disasters. He delights in
place. His children lead revolutions without any intention burning away old-growth forests and watching centuries-old
of rebuilding from the ashes; they constructed guillotines dynasties fall. He destroys for the purpose of new creation.
and watched the Reign of Terror with unfettered glee, nev- Surtr rarely creates Scions anymore. A few born Titans
er intending to help build a democracy after the heads got may still exist, descended from the Scions he created centu-
cleared away. ries ago, but after a perfunctory Visitation, he has little to do
Scions of Nidhoggr just want to watch the world burn. with those children, and their destructive great-grandfather
generally leaves them alone. Most of them end up fostered
SURTR to other Titans in the Æsir, but some may get snagged by the
hungry Tuatha Dé Domnann, always eager for new fosters.
Aliases: Freyr’s Bane, Who by Fire
Those Scions Visited by Surtr and then left alone thereafter
Unlike some Æsir Titans — not saying Nidhoggr, but invariably become problems for the people and cities around
definitely Nidhoggr — Surtr destroys for the delight of cre- them; without guidance to temper their destructive urges
ating what comes after. He scrapes his fiery sword across into something which creates, Scions of Surtr might as well
the earth, lighting forest fires that encourage new growth, be Nidhoggr’s vicious children.
replacing old trees full of rot and worms. Surtr’s blade cuts
Surtr reaches out around the World, encouraging the
down dried grass and overblown leaders both, clearing the
metaphorical flames of revolution as well as the literal flames
way for the next generation. Even Ragnarok — the fabled end
consuming homes during wildfire season. Surtr’s Scions —
of the World in which Surtr’s prophesied fight with Freyr
those few who find one another — tell tales of his fiery home
will ultimately destroy them both — leads to the rise of a
in Múspell. They believe that if they can find that realm, they
new, sweet, and green Earth. Destruction brutally clears the
will convince their father that they belong at his side. When
way, and Surtr’s sword scythes across the ground to that end
Ragnarok comes, the children of Múspell will lead the final
and to that end alone. Of the Æsir Titans, he is alone in his
charge against the children of Asgard.
drive for regrowth and rebirth.
Surtr’s sword, crafted by a Jötunn for him to carry from YMIR
the south on the day of Ragnarok, contains the souls of every Aliases: The First Father, Venom-Born, Who in Solitude
God, dwarf, elf and Titan that the Æsir slew in their battle
for prominence. Every Jötunn Thor crushed with a hammer Before the time of humanity, Ymir made himself from
blow, every elf poisoned by Loki, every giant cheated and then nothing. By some stories, he was born from the venom that
beheaded by the Gods in their cleverness: The Jötunn Gerðr filled the first river. Bored of living alone in Ginnungagap,

Titans of the Æsir 17

that grassless void, Ymir birthed the Jötunn from his own children along with his Scions, he attempts to micromanage
body, a grotesque parthenogenesis where he drew the first everyone’s plans, usually to their detriment.
Jötunn man from one armpit and the first Jötunn woman
from the other. The first cow, Auðumbla, fed him and his
OTHER PANTHEONS
children, and remains sacred to jötunar to this day. Cows are The new Ymir inherited all the Mantles of the previous,
often used as messengers Ymir’s Scions. When Odin, Vili, so despite his desire to avenge his grandfather-self, he has
and Ve came to the home of Ymir, he showed them ultimate also inherited his grandfather’s literal scatterbrainedness
hospitality, offering them the first and creamiest portions of (it’s a rough life when your mind is literally in the clouds).
Auðumbla’s milk and sharing with them the secret wisdom He can rarely keep his thoughts together long enough to
of making cheese so that they might have food through the form opinions on any of the other pantheons: When his
winter. In typical Asgardian fashion, Odin, Vili and Ve repaid thoughts get lined up enough for him to maintain a train of
Ymir for his kind hospitality by killing him: They smashed thought, revenge dominates them.
his skull open and tossed his brains into the air where the
CURRENT PRIORITIES
gobbets of cerebrum hung as clouds, braided his hair togeth-
er and grew the braids as trees, sliced his veins to make the Ymir plots and plans to take Asgard for himself, but
oceans from his blood, and laid his body down to dance upon since his brain wisps across the sky, pieces scattered in the
and create Midgaard. His hipbones formed mountains, his stratosphere, he rarely manages to put together a coherent
thighbones rolled into long, low hills. His beating heart did plan for exactly how to accomplish that. At the very least,
not slow, however, and when the brothers left, Jörð birthed he prefers Scions that arise from his line to spend their time
herself from his belly, midwifing herself into being as the distracting, dissuading, and dismantling any organizations
Earth. She kissed her father’s heart and came to know from which might benefit the Asgardians. He especially dislikes
this the full story of his hospitality betrayed. With her tears the virulent strains of nationalism which have plastered
falling upon Ymir’s heart, she took his Mantle onto herself. Odin’s name all over them — and when you get a Titan to say,
She split open her breast with her sharp fingernails and “You’re giving us a bad name,” that’s really something.
placed her father’s heart in her chest, carrying both hearts Ymir rarely Incarnates, preferring instead to shepherd
beating in synchrony. generation upon generation of Scions through Guides and
While Jörð was busy giving birth to herself and dis- dreams. His Scions seek his counsel by ascending high
covering their treachery, the Asgardians created men. Once mountains until they stand among the clouds, whispering
she had finished mourning her father’s betrayal, Births- their needs into the brain of their father as those scattered
Lightning lay in a field with one of those men, for she wished bits of intellect drift inside the dome of the sky crafted cru-
to have a child. When her firstborn Scion grew to maturity elly by Odin. Ymir prefers all things under his purview to
and majesty, the Earth-Mother told her the tale. Her daugh- follow his precise directives, but he doesn’t make it easy on
ter begged Jörð to grant her the honor of carrying on her his Scions: The fact that he sometimes sends messages via
grandfather’s legacy. With that legacy came the solemn the pattern of marbling in a cut of beef or the bubbles in a
obligation to seek revenge against the Asgardians for their bottle of cream can make it difficult to please him, as it’s easy
breaches of hospitality. Jörð wept in gratitude, then opened to misinterpret those arcane missives.
her breast once more and placed Ymir’s heart into her
daughter’s breast. Her daughter became her son, and Ymir
BIRTHRIGHTS
stood astride the World once more. He alone of all the Æsir Scions of the Æsir may have access to any of these
possesses the ability to create beings from earth and soil, Birthrights.
from his sweat and tears. Even Jörð can only transmute such
life as already exists — though she can resurrect those the
CREATURES
Asgardians have unjustly slain. Cows: Sacred to Ymir, the oldest Titan often uses these
animals to send messages to his followers, and some of his
Callings: Leader, Liminal, Primeval Scions become dairy farmers in order to more readily obtain
Purviews: Beasts (Cows), Death, Earth, Frost, Fertility, messages from him and Jörð. It’s not easy when the mes-
Fortune, Order, War sages just as easily come from the splash of blood across the
slaughterhouse floor as from the cud-chewing mouth of the
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA animal itself.
Demonized by their own children, the Æsir Titans live
Hrafn: What, you thought Odin started that trend?
divine lives filled with bitterness and anger, driven by the
Please. All the Æsir Titans use the dark-winged birds as mes-
sort of fury which rises from love twisted into something
sengers, and many of their Scions have these birds as com-
unrecognizable. When the love of a parent gets spurned so
panions, all the better to infiltrate Asgardian bands. Who’s
deeply — indeed to the point of brutal murder — that love,
going to question whether someone’s a true Son of Odin if
with nowhere to go, turns into a fiery anger which burns
he shows up with a pair of ravens on his shoulders, after all?
as brightly as Surtr’s sword and poisons the hearts of the
Titans as thoroughly as the bitter rivers from which Ymir
birthed himself. As he views the rest of the Æsir Titans as his

18 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

FOLLOWERS RELICS
Dvergar: Not just Jörð’s favored messengers, the Brains in a Bottle: A bit of a cloud captured in a spe-
dwarves live in the depths of the earth and in fortified com- cially prepared flask; this relic permits seven words of direct
pounds in the wilderness or heavily armored townhouses communication with the Titan Ymir. The Scion may speak
in metropolitan areas. The Scion who convinces dwarves to those seven words and receive a single response in return
favor her will always have the very best arms and armor. of seven words or less. The Titan may choose not to answer,
Revolutionaries & Reactionaries: Nidhoggr’s children but as these flasks are quite difficult to prepare and may only
especially love to gather the impassioned to their side for the be used once, he usually rewards the user with a response.
purposes of destroying just about anything. It doesn’t matter Using this item in combat requires an Action.
to them so much what the Molotov cocktail’s being thrown Jörð’s Bracelets: Possessing one of these copper brace-
at so long as someone’s throwing them at all. lets, woven out of the Titan’s dwarf-created hair, permits the
wearer to draw strength from the earth whenever in direct
GUIDES contact with natural soil or rock. The exceptionally favored
Dvergar: The dwarves keep their compact with Jörð, Scion who comes to possess a pair may use them to merge
treating her Scions as their siblings. Sometimes, rather than with the earth entirely, sinking into her mother’s breast for
her own Visitation for Scions she chooses from among mor- protection and succor.
tal humans, she sends a dwarf bearing her symbol instead.
Nighoggr’s Tooth: A large tooth intricately carved into
Ratatoskr: When not annoying Nidhoggr, the squirrel of a highly decorated dagger, this weapon’s point can pierce
the World Tree often delivers messages for the other Titans, any armor, and its porous surface makes a perfect vehicle for
carrying news with a side of malicious gossip. A titanspawn delivering poison into the wounds it creates.
who spreads lies as easily as truths but moves speedily, so
Ymir’s Skull Fragment: No larger than a thumbnail,
when no other messenger will do, the squirrel must be called
this small piece of highly polished skull bone, when held up
upon.
to the eye, allows the owner of this relic to view any location
as if viewed from the sky. It does not permit the owner to see
through any obstructions such as trees or roofs.

Titans of the Æsir 19

 TITANS OF
THE DEVÁ
T he Devá’s origin story consciously distinguishes between
God and Titan, Devá and asura. The Devá’s sacred texts
and their own memories hold that in the beginning, Gods
discomfits the Devá, but the Devá and Shén have collabo-
rated for so long that they can’t back out even when they do
quibble over what to do with captured demons. The Palas
and Titans belonged to the same category: all were asuras. also allow both Gods and Titans into their ranks, but they’re
Through self-identification with positive forces, the Devá at least consistent, so the Devá give them a pass.
set themselves apart. They were still a kind of asura, but that The Devá’s detractors complain that every kind of be-
kind of asura was “Devá,” and that was important. Being a havior the Devá complain about in others, they themselves
Devá isn’t just a matter of essence, it’s also a matter of choice have done at some point. The Devá have no end of excuses
and self-determination. You better show them you made the for this situation.
same choice unless you want sacred beef.
This attitude, that individual powers must choose to BANASURA,
be Gods rather than Titans, accords well with the views of
the Shén, Teōtl, and Palas. The Theoi have different ideas
THE THOUSAND–ARMED KING
Aliases: Bana
about the definition of “God” and “Titan,” but they support
the Titanomachy ardently enough that the Devá forgive Listen carefully to the story of the cruel demon
their philosophical differences. They have no patience for Banasura. Renowned equally for his thousand violent arms
the Òrìshà and Loa’s rejection of the category and wretched temper as for his penitence and
“Titan,” although all that confeder- vulnerability, Bana was Bali’s son. Bali
ation’s principals match the Devá’s also won fame for his transgressions,
definition of Gods. The Devá find his devotion to the Trimurti, and
the Atua, who gleefully identify his penance. Bana took after his
as both Gods and Titans, father, engaged in punishing
deeply frustrating; they lean austerities until Shiva grant-
hard on the Apu to keep ed him a boon: to become
them in check. But the older, Shiva’s own son, younger
Vedic generation, including brother of Karttikeya
Indra, Varuna, Vayu, and himself. Devoted as he
Agni, have an easier time was, Bana’s arrogance and
forgiving such transgres- cruelty grew as he ruled
sions, especially given over the City of Blood
the Atua’s compelling par- in modern-day Assam. It
ty line of “let’s fix the planet wasn’t until he quarreled with
first so we have someplace left his daughter, Usha, that he
to fight each other.” clashed with the Devá. When
his demonic armies caught
Most controversially, many
Usha trying to elope, Bana first
aggressive Devá are prone to
sent those armies to kill the man
accusing entire pantheons of Titanism.
he assumed had misled his daughter. When
They frequently target the Yazatas and Æsir;
they returned defeated, Bana went himself. Unable to
the Devá’s antipathy with the Yazatas dates to the earliest
defeat him by force of arms, he cast illusory spells to draw
conflicts between the Iranian and South Asian regions and
him from concealment, ensnaring him with serpent-headed
the differences in religious practice there. The Æsir (and, for
arrows. An advisor identified the young man in question as
that matter, the Tuatha Dé Danann) often incur the Devá’s
Lord Krishna’s grandson, Aniruddha. Shortly after, Krishna
anger when they harbor and forgive unrepentant Jötunns or
attacked. Shiva appeared to defend Bana, but then retreated.
Fomorians. Yes, the Devá do this too — see Durga’s attitude
Krishna ended up chopping off all but two of Bana’s arms.
towards Rangda, for instance — but they maintain that un-
Bana apologized to his daughter and Krishna and has be-
like Loki, asuras like Banasura have bent the knee and pose
haved well (at least by the Devá’s standards) ever since.
no threat. The Shén’s attitude that loyal service and hard
work can rehabilitate Titans sometimes pleases, sometimes

20 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Even without 998 of his arms, Banasura is still a deadly on human blood. Once human, they transformed into un-
enemy. An adept chariot-warrior with spear, mace, trident, dead beings through forbidden magic. Several species, or
sword, shield, and bow, he enjoys Shiva’s blessing and names for the same species, exist throughout Southeast
Karttikeya’s friendship. He has some sorcerous aptitude, Asia such as the Filipinx manananggal, Malaysian pen-
specializing in illusion and invisibility spells. He also rules anggalan, Thai krasue, Laotian kasu, Cambodian ahp, and
a city-state full of armed, aggressive demons. Indonesian leyak.
Like King Ravana, Banasura originally ascended to An ancient witch called Rangda rules Bali’s leyaks. She
power through religious devotion to Shiva and Shiva’s demands utter respect, fear, and subservience from those
family; his fall was the cause of both his own arrogance and she meets, repaying any slight a hundredfold with awful
the Devá’s violent punishment. The Devá have essentially curses, shredding claws, and snapping fangs.
conquered and subjected Banasura. They cut off most of Rangda’s origins are tied to two humans. One was
his arms and beat him down until he was too scared and Queen Mahendradatta (961-1011 CE), a Javanese princess
tired to do anything but capitulate, otherwise he’d still be who became Bali’s queen regnant. When her husband
causing trouble. It’s might made right. Yes, he’s learned an Udayana Warmadewa grew jealous of her political acu-
important lesson about respecting his daughter’s romantic men and power, he exiled her for witchcraft, fouling the
autonomy, but he has more so learned to fear the one who’s reputation of Mahendradatta’s matron Devá, Durga. Did
strongest. Mahendradatta actually know evil magic before the exile?
Callings: Adversary, Guardian, Tyrant Did she learn it afterward out of spite? Did she consume an-
Purviews: Deception, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, other Titan’s power to earn the title “Witch-Queen?” Either
Epic Strength, Order way, she retaliated, causing a wave of monster attacks and
epidemics that devastated Bali. After she died, she reincar-
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA nated in her son Airlangga’s time as Calon Arang, the evil
As the Titanomachy flares up, Banasura’s might is no witch who drew power from a magic scroll. Again, she visit-
longer consigned to the past. New leaders like Rangda and ed curses and plagues upon the countryside. She would not
Saita campaign aggressively for new allies; Banasura has al- be appeased until King Airlangga sent someone to marry
ways hungered for others’ validation. Right now, he’s tech- Calon Arang’s daughter Ratna — but even this was a ploy
nically an ally of the Devá, particularly devoted to Shiva, to steal Calon Arang’s magic scroll and defeat her again.
but he remembers Shiva abandoning him the moment Unsurprisingly, her third reincarnation was the strongest.
Krishna showed up and started shooting. He’s not sure how Finally done with humankind and their contemptible dread
this went down. of the feminine power she and Durga represented, she
manifested her final, demonic form: leyak queen Rangda.
OTHER PANTHEONS
Rangda’s malevolent magic equals or exceeds any
Banasura doesn’t know it, but the Devá have isolated Southeast Asian witch’s or wizard’s. She’s flexible, anything
him politically from most other pantheons. Only the Palas bad for people — disease, drought, famine, natural disasters
have been able to bypass their blockade; Bana professes — is her specialty and her joy in life. Like other leyaks, she
interest in Buddhism, but he’s lonely. has fangs and claws, and can detach her head and entrails
CURRENT PRIORITIES to flap around and attack people, biting them and ensnaring
them with her tongue or entrails as if they are an octopus’s
An adherent of the Titans could vastly expand their
tentacles. However, her most dangerous ability is her com-
power base in northern India by getting Banasura on their
mand of other leyaks. At night, they flutter out across Bali
side. They might not even have to convince him to fight
to attack innocent people, though their much-vaunted taste
against the Devá; declaring his neutrality would be a huge
for pregnant women is probably an exaggeration.
public blow to the Devá’s power, which they could only
answer through a show of force, or actually making conces- Callings: Guardian, Judge, Monster
sions to him that he might like. Purviews: Death, Fertility, Health, Passion (Spite)

RANGDA, RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA

THE WITCH–QUEEN OF BALI Rangda is one of the South-Southeast Asian sphere’s
two major monstrous political leaders, and threats to Devá
Aliases: Calon Arang, (controversially) Queen
sovereignty. The Devá have the numbers and firepower to
Mahendradatta
overwhelm Rangda and her leyaks in direct combat, but it’s
Bali, an island province of Indonesia, boasts more not that simple. She’s a fixture of Balinese religious life and
Hindus per capita than even Nepal or India. However, a symbol of defiance against the patriarchy.
Balinese Hinduism diverges from the rest of the World’s,
influenced by local religious tradition as well as Buddhism. OTHER PANTHEONS
Many Southeast Asian threats don’t exist elsewhere — for Frustratingly, Rangda has the backing of the Devá’s
example, vampiric creatures capable of separating some hardest hitter: Durga. Rangda is a devoted Shaktist in gen-
body parts from others and flying around at night preying eral and follower of Durga in particular. She makes regular

Titans of the Devás 21

prayers, obeisances, and sacrifices to Durga. Rangda has also good Balinese spirits. Even Vishnu, Indra, and Karttikeya
committed no atrocities in the last several centuries that can acknowledge his sovereignty when they venture into Bali.
be confirmed, although leyak attacks and disasters which Whenever the more belligerent Devá start to wonder why no
could possibly be traced back to a black magician have defi- one has blasted Rangda off the map yet, Barong stops them.
nitely occurred. Proving Rangda was behind such an attack First of all, Rangda is his responsibility. Second, although
could weaken the bond between her and Durga. they don’t admit it, Barong and Rangda need each other.
Durga and Rangda share suspicion toward the pres- Each balances the other, keeping them relevant.
sures which precipitated conflict between Rangda and Bali’s CURRENT PRIORITIES
historical governments. As a Javanese princess and then as
For all her past villainy, Rangda’s present-day activities
a powerful witch, she was a human woman of staggering
are anything but malevolent. She promotes the Shaktist
power who demanded the respect due to her position, en-
religion and the worship of Durga, who often has a bad repu-
forcing her demands with threats of violent retribution —
tation in southeast Asia. With younger, more internet-savvy
the standard means of enforcing one’s demands at the time.
leyaks’ help, Rangda has learned to use social media and
The problem was, her flavor of violence was gendered, and
unironically embraced fourth-wave feminism, although like
the backlash against her targeted both the nature of her fem-
many well-meaning older relatives, she often forgets to vet
inine power, and her devotion to Durga, a Goddess explicitly
the sources of the things she reposts. The jury is still out as
associated with Shakti — now maligned as a villain.
to whether inflicting supernatural plagues on right-wing
Rangda’s greatest enemy is no Devá. It is Barong, the militias is really a productive solution to one’s problems.
lion- and dog-like protector spirit who is the chief of all

22 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Rangda lacks Saita’s aspirations to empire. She’s content you have heard before: Ravana, the Demon King of Lankā,
to stay in Bali and cast her influence over Southeast Asia. She’s did not kidnap Queen Sita. He rescued her from a marriage in
no conqueror; she’s about defense, not offense. She also lacks which she was unhappy, which she could not escape — except
Saita’s youthful charisma as well as the monster-pride ideology by pretending the departure was no fault of her own. A second
which Saita’s Lankā runs on, and she has an automatic check on story, a corollary to this one, is even less conscionable to those
her powers in the form of the formidable Barong, who always who love righteousness, profit, and pleasure, or those who exalt
overcomes her when the two face off. Nevertheless, she has one fidelity as the queen of virtues: Ravana and Sita were in love,
troublesome close confidante within the Devá and centuries of and their true love birthed a child.
experience in being an evil queen of magic. When she was born, during the Battle of Lankā, she
SAITA, THE UNTOLD STORY could not be safe amidst the chaos and blast of astras. So
Ravana and Sita wrote down all the knowledge in their 11
Aliases: None heads on the inside a jar. They sealed the infant within and
This story concerns itself with a great tale you have heard hid it aboard their mothership Flowery Vimana. Only in 2011,
before, called the Ramayana, famed throughout the Hindu when the fortress reawakened, did it eject the jar to land on
world, which you have listened to with faith. There are many Lankā’s shores. Through networking, backstabbing, dis-
Ramayanas, and who can say which is the truth? For among guise, misdirection, and stratagem, the woman who emerged
them there is one which threw the World into upheaval and en- grew in power, gained allies, and dethroned powerful crime
raged the Devá themselves. We will not relate it in its entirety, bosses and strongmen on the island. She gained attention on
but instead say the difference between this one and that which the world stage when she seized control of Ravana’s rebuilt
castle, declared herself his heir, and told the World her scan-
dalous story of tragedy and love.
Saita is a rakshasi like her alleged father. She is formida-
ble in battle, with multiple heads, fanged maws, many arms,
claws dripping with venom, and kalaripayattu training she
learned from her stasis jar. However, she much prefers to
wield intrigue and deception. She can magically transform
her appearance and voice to mimic others. Unlike many
rakshasas who lack the skills to make the most of their
disguises, she also has extensive performance training as a
kathakali dancer. She can also mind-control others to the
point of outright possession, a practice she finds morally
unconscionable except in dire situations. She can, however,
only subsist on spoiled food and human flesh; if you worry
you might be dealing with Saita disguised as someone else,
try offering her fresh food.
Callings: Adversary, Leader, Monster
Purviews: Artistry, Beauty, Deception, Earth, Epic
Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Order, War
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
Saita is now Lankā’s most powerful monster. The is-
land teems with unruly monsters from around the World,
many of whom acknowledge no single leader. Nevertheless,
many more flock to Saita’s banner, especially asuras, da-
ityas, rakshasas, yakshas, nagas, trolls, yōkai, ponaturi, and
others traditionally labeled “monsters.” In response to the
Titanomachy and the Devá’s aggressive labels of “asura”
for all their enemies, Saita has constructed a party platform
which brings monsters from all around the World together.
OTHER PANTHEONS
Saita has had little time to connect with other panthe-
ons. She’s made diplomatic overtures to the Atua, Òrìshà,
and Loa, but talks with all those groups stalled out when she
found none of them sufficiently excited about monstrous
identity. Earlier this year she disguised herself as a made-up
Devá and visited Spain, France, and Italy, ostensibly to foster
contacts among European deities, but actually because she

Titans of the Devás 23

needed a vacation and wanted to go on wine and cheese CREATURES
tours. Nevertheless, several Nemetondevos and Theoi are
The Off-Target Animals: Many South Asian divine mis-
now friends with “Jaya, the Goddess of stratagems, a Devá
siles transform in midair into magical animals like serpents,
of no consequence, please don’t mention me to the others.”
raptors, or mongooses. Soldiers who launch astras around
CURRENT PRIORITIES tend not to miss. But every now and then, when 10,000 ani-
The Monstrous Defense Party, or DRP (based on the mals fall from the sky, one or two hit no one… and when the
Hindi initials), encourages beings all around the World who battle is over, they scurry off and go on with their lives.
have been maligned as monsters or inhuman to join under a In various places throughout Asia where the Devá have
banner of mutual support — and, more controversially, pride. done battle, little populations of intelligent but nonspeaking
There is some debate within the party as to whether humans animals with both mundane and astra ancestry have thrived
who have been demonized or othered because of race, gen- since those battles first happened. Now, as the Titanomachy
der, sexuality, or ability should be allowed to join the party. flares up and the great arms race begins, several desperate
Right now, membership is open to them on a provisional factions who want to keep up with the Devá have dispatched
basis with the understanding that the policy may change in hunters and poachers to find these animals, capture them,
the future. That way, they can at least have a few humans and bring them to be reverse-engineered (whatever horrific
on their posters, which helps membership. The party tends thing that means) into superweapons.
towards little faith in capitalism with a socialist approach to
economics, although it is not particularly disciplined in its
FOLLOWERS
economic ideals. Rakshasas: These large, intelligent humanoids have
skin of blue, red, or some hue between. They bear a combi-
The DRP’s enemies criticize Saita’s party as encouraging
nation of tusks, fangs, and envenomed claws, and sometimes
monstrous violence. They also accuse her of monstrous na-
more heads or arms than average humans. Most rakshasas
tionalism or monstrous supremacy; in response, she reminds
know sorcerous spells of illusion, suggestion, and even
her detractors that nationalism from a context of historical
possession or mind control, taught via academic or family
disenfranchisement at the hands of other aggressive nation-
traditions; they can also alter their size and shape to look
alists should not be equated with white supremacy, Aryan
like other beings such as humans. They subsist primarily
supremacy, or similar movements. In addition, while the
on spoiled meat, though they can also eat human flesh to
DRP disavows Hindu nationalism in scathing terms, mon-
survive. The feminine form of rakshasa is rakshasi, although
sters who belong to such minority religions as Buddhism,
rakshasas often have a “shrug-emoji” attitude toward gender
Jainism, Mazdayasna, and Islam have complained that the
given their ability to modify their physical characteristics
party uncritically considers Hinduism the norm, and pays
and presentation as they please; “rakshasx” has begun to
too little attention to less common intersections of mon-
catch on in America and Canada.
strous identity and religious practice. There is also consider-
able dissension within the party’s ranks as to the DRP’s ad- Millions of rakshasas live throughout Asia and the Asian
vocacy of monstrous separatism in places like Lankā. While diaspora, often in rural areas where they don’t have to worry
the idea of a monster island of their own makes sense in the about mobs with pitchforks and torches. Some magically dis-
South Asian context, attracting monsters from other parts of guise themselves to survive in the human World. They can
the World will require acknowledging that some monsters and do fall in love with and reproduce with humans; those
(vampires, for instance) need human society to function. children exhibit both human and rakshasa characteristics.
Relations between humans and rakshasas, however, are
DRP recruiters and organizers plastering walls with
historically strained. Most conflicts have been over territory,
posters featuring Saita’s image are the most prominent mon-
with human pastoralists and agrarians pushing into raksha-
sters in any given region where the players’ characters might
sa hunting grounds, or desperate rakshasas raiding human
go. They appear where there are lots of South Asian expatri-
settlements when game is scarce. Humans have gotten the
ates, but that’s most big cities these days. The battle for the
better of most of these conflicts, which sometimes take on
party’s soul is far from over. Saita is popular and charismatic,
a moral character: “Rakshasas are cannibalistic inhuman
but she is warlike in mindset and runs her party like an army.
demons, so we need to kill them,” or, less often, “Humans
That approach won’t last if the DRP actually gains main-
are land-hungry forest-burners so we need to scare them
stream recognition. It’s growing fast and likely to splinter or
off for good.” In addition, cries of “rakshasa” sometimes
to fall under the sway of another politically savvy monster.
color human-on-human violence. Human imperialists like
BIRTHRIGHTS to claim rakshasas have infiltrated South Asian indigenous
populations, who historically share territory with rakshasas
Daityas, asuras, and other South and Southeast Asian and maintain more civil diplomatic relations with them. The
Titans wield many of the same doomsday weapons as the Ramayana details a human perspective on the most signif-
Devá, winning them (frustratingly enough) through the icant clash between humans and rakshasas; the rakshasa
same acts of devotion as the Devá’s Scions. Who has more version of that story blames human expansionism and xeno-
these days? Who can say? If the Devá’s enemies ever massed phobia, coupled with Rama’s mistreatment of Sita, instead of
their arsenals, could even the Devá keep up? their Hero Ravana.

24 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Almost all rakshasas are politically minded; their whole pantheonic power, are trying to catch up by designing a new,
existence is politicized. Gods, Titans, and their Scions who advanced chariot-class vimana which they can mass-pro-
want rakshasa help need to prove they’ll help make the duce and distribute to their rathis. It hasn’t gone well. The
world safer for them. If so, rakshasas make cunning and -Panchatrimshat Vajra II has cost the Devá staggering quan-
formidable allies. tities of money, soma, and Vishvakarman’s precious time.
Once it’s finished and stops blowing up and nearly killing all
GUIDES the test pilots who haven’t got Epic Stamina, it will be able to
Shukracharya: One of the legendary Seven Sages, take off and land from any airstrip no matter how small, fly
Shukra is a celestial being associated with the planet Venus, under enemy radar, and function in roles from dogfighting
who historically serves the asuras and daityas as a teach- to astra attack runs against terrestrial targets. It’s become a
er and advisor. He also worships Shiva and founded the byword for any kind of large-scale project that’s really not
Velleeswarar Temple in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. worth it.
RELICS: VIMANAS Super Space Battle Fortress Flowery Vimana is an exam-
In mundane parlance, the word “vimana” denotes ple of the largest kind of vimana, a palace-class craft. Kubera,
either the rocket-shaped highest tower in a temple, or a an evil monster king turned Devá of wealth who is also known
mundane aircraft, and there’s a reason for that. Whereas as Duōwén Tiānwáng and Bishamonten, originally built it to
Devá mostly ride gigantic magical animals to get to work take his family and court for pleasure cruises. When Ravana
and battle and so forth, the forces arrayed against them stole Lankā from him, though, he kept the Flowery Vimana.
often prefer the original vimanas: magical flying machines He was midway through tricking it out with traps, weapons,
of diverse sizes and shapes, built for residential, transit, or and doomsday devices when the Ramayana happened. Rama
combat roles. They range in size from the “chariot” class to jacked it to fly home after the Battle of Lankā, then returned
the “palace” class. The smallest chariot-class vimanas are it to Kubera. It remains an important symbol of Kubera’s,
nimble hover-speeders or fighter craft with room for two appearing in miniature form in his East Asian statues.
demons, the “driver” and the “archer,” though they might There’s only one problem, indicated by the shrinking size of
seem more like a pilot and a gunner to us. Some asuras who the temples in the hand of Kubera’s statues over time: He
rely on hand weapons prefer chariot-like affairs. Others doesn’t actually have it anymore. Sometime in the last three
pilot massive armatures which two demons of like minds centuries, someone — Nézhā? Sarutahiko? Loki? — stole it.
operate in tandem, or complex and beautiful iron birds with In 2011, the Curiosity Rover ran into it on Mars. It
closed canopies and panoplies of heat-seeking arrows, rota- looked like it had been there a while. But when Curiosity
ry vajra cannons, sorcerous illusion amplifiers, and the like. bumped into it, it immediately powered up and launched
“But why don’t the Devá have these?” Well, they kind of into Martian orbit (after recharging Curiosity’s batteries, for
do. For what it’s worth, now that the vimana below has some reason).
been discovered, the Devá, after not really worrying much It also launched a single escape pod, which splashed
about vimana technology since they reached the pinnacle of down in the ocean beside the island of Lankā.

Titans of the Devás 25

 TITANS OF
THE KAMI
F or many Japanese, the division between the Kami and
their Titans is irrelevant, but the Gods themselves view
things in a very different light. The Kami see themselves as the
tried to move their father’s boulder, only succeeding in hear-
ing the anguished pains of each other.
In time, the boulder was replaced with a gate and both
rightful guardians of humanity, having conquered them over of the Primordials bore more children, filling out the ranks
2,000 years ago. The Titans have little reason to trust their of the Kami in Takamagahara and Yomi. Despite their cruel
siblings, having been betrayed one time too many. Indeed, treatment, the Yomi-born Kami sought out their sibling Kami
these Titans were born in an act of betrayal. in the Overworld, becoming part of the community, defend-
The Primordial Izanami died giving birth to the fire ing it as ferociously as they guarded their own homeland of
Kami Kagutsuchi and seven other new Kami. Her husband Yomi. Raijin and Fūjin became two of Kannon’s most loyal
Izanagi flew into a rage and murdered the newborn fire guardians, ensuring that the bodhisattva-turned-Kami’s
God while Fūjin looked on in horror. The bloody infanticide teachings spread throughout Japan. To say nothing of their
began a chain of events that led to the creation of 16 kamikaze, divine storms, that repeatedly destroyed
Kami, including Takemikazuchi. invading fleets, keeping Japan safe.
After waking up in In time, Takamagahara
Yomi, Izanami called out grew too crowded with Kami
to her husband, beckoning and the heavenly Kami set
him so that she could be re- their sights on conquering
leased from the Underworld. the Reed Plain, their name
Izanagi vowed to recover for Japan in the World.
her and set off. Reunited, Some mortals there saw
the couple was poised to their chance to become
create a new generation powerful and threw their
of Kami. As Izanami went lot in with their would-be
into labor, she retired conquerors, accepting
to a lightless cave and the Heavenly Kami’s
asked her husband to invasion. Other residents
not look upon her. After of the World rejected the
swearing not to peek, he invasion of the Heavenly
created a magical torch and Kami, chief among them
saw what death had done to Namazu, the great catfish.
her body. Covered in rot and Though her tail slapped
maggots, she flew into a rage with the force of thunder,
that Izanagi had broken his Takemikazuchi eventually
word, sending the first of pinned her and imprisoned
her eight newborns, Raijin her under the rock formations
and Yomotsu Shikome, after him. of Japan.
He fled, blocking the opening to Yomi with a boulder Though most Titans hail from Yomi, some, like
behind him, leaving his wife and their children to rot in the Fūjin and Kiyo, hail from Takamagahara. Former mortals
shadowy caves of the Underworld. unwilling to accept the Heavenly Kami’s yoke, like Namazu,
The majority of the Kami know nothing of Izanagi’s in- also joined. Still others are powerful members of the Yōkai
fanticide or betrayal, having been born after it. Even Ebisu, races, like oni and tengu, such as Goki and Zenki.
the eldest, remains ignorant, thanks to his infirmity keeping
him bedridden during the bloody events. Fūjin saw every- F JIN
thing. From the murder of his baby brother Kagutsuchi to Aliases: Futen, Kaze-no-Kami, Shinatsu Hiko
the imprisonment of Raijin, he had a front row seat to the
Second in seniority only to Ebisu, Fūjin was born be-
tragedy of the Primordial family. For years, Fūjin and Raijin
fore Izanami died in childbirth with Kagutsuchi, leaving

26 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

him to grow up longing for the day when she would return As a stranger in his own home, Fūjin abandoned
from Yomi and reunite the Kami. Instead, Izanagi betrayed Takamagahara for the World a long time ago, digging his
his wife, sealing her and her Titans in Yomi, a betrayal that claws deep into its mysticism. The more people work their
forever changed Fūjin’s world. will on the World, the more he learns. His wind is destruc-
The anguish of seeing his family torn in half set off a tive, but he sees deeper possibilities for his powers, such as
transformation that made his flesh rip and tear, reforming opening doors within pantheons. With an unusually large
as a green giant — the first oni. As much as he longs to see number of Scions and cosmological shifts happening thanks
the Kami reunited under a single banner, he can never forget to the Titanomachy, Fūjin knows the time for change is here.
the look on Raijin’s face as their father crashed a boulder CURRENT PRIORITIES
between them, forcing them to grow up apart.
Fūjin isn’t yet sure how to bring about his dream, but
Since then, Fūjin has had every possible job within the seeks to restore his family to happier days, namely by resur-
Heavenly Kami. His status as an oni gave him a special bond recting his mother Izanami. Of course, not only would this
with magical creatures, allowing him to look after them. be a metaphysical challenge to pull off, it would undoubtedly
He took care of sailors, bequeathing strong winds to those throw off the balance of power throughout the World and
who kept his name on their lips. The more time he spent in Takamagahara. It would also involve rewriting or destroying
a parental role, the worse he felt, knowing that fathers in- the rules of Yomi, leaving potentially millions of dead free to
evitably betray their children. So, when Raijin returned to escape back to the World.
Takamagahara to guard Kannon, Fūjin leapt at the chance
to serve as a simple guard. There, he had no responsibilities GOKI
other than destroying anyone who would do his new family Aliases: Kōkō
harm.
The Rear Demon, Goki is everything that her husband
It didn’t last. Once Kannon’s foes were dead or placated, Zenki is not. She has to be; brutes with foolish plans don’t try
there was nothing else for Fūjin. He took to defending Japan to attack from behind. As one of the two guardians of Enno
with his brother, destroying entire fleets of invaders with Gyōja, the founder of the Shugendō religion, she has had to
their kamikaze. Now? Now, there’s nothing left to fight. Fūjin defend her master against a surprisingly wide assortment
spends his time throwing typhoons at anything that bothers of threats, from mortals who feared the upstart religion, to
him, and everything bothers him. Kami who feared that this new blend of Shintō and newer
Fūjin sees the World as only a realist nihilist can; he’d religions would throw Takamagahara into chaos. Of course,
blow it up, but then where would he put his stuff? No, the it turned out that En no Gyoja was simply ahead of his time.
World has value, if only as his current home. Both Yomi and In the following centuries, syncretism quickly became the
Takamagahara hold nothing but bitter memories for him. norm for Japanese religions, with people blending beliefs
The Reed Plains of the World might not be especially useful together. With time, En found his place as a small Kami, re-
to him, but at least it’s better than the other worlds. Besides, moving the threats against his life, finally allowing Goki and
Raijin’s here, and any place that has his brother is acceptable. Zenki to settle down in peace.
Callings: Destroyer, Leader, Primeval Of course, all the peace in the world doesn’t change
the fact that Goki spent 100 years looking out for the next
Purviews: Epic Strength, Fortune, Passion (Anger),
threat. Her eyes scanning for the next Kami who’d take it
Passion (Familial Ties), Sky
upon himself to prevent the ascetic monk from establishing
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA his beliefs. Being unarmed, she relied on her quick wits and
Fūjin’s place among the Kami is a complicated matter. knowledge of magic to defeat threats. In rare cases, she used
When he’s in his human form of Shinatsu-Hiko, he’s recog- her oni strength to crush foes, but such work was better left
nized and respected as one of the eldest Heavenly Kami. Of to her axe-wielding husband.
course, he’s only appeared as Shinatsu-Hiko a handful of a Callings: Guardian, Liminal, Monster
times in the past millennium. Yes, that hand is oni-sized, but
Purviews: Health, Journeys, Order, Prosperity
you get the point: His human form is a costume, a relic put
on for special ceremonies and hung up soon thereafter. RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
He is the first oni: His giant form, green skin, and fangs Goki and Zenki are still together, over 1,000 years after
mark him as inhuman, as a second-class citizen in his home- their marriage. Despite this and their service to the people
land. All the Heavenly Kami know that their elder brother of Japan, they’re given zero respect from the Kami. The
belongs among them regardless of what form he takes, but combination of their race and religion has made it nearly
they sure don’t show it. Even as Shinatsu-Hiko, he doesn’t get impossible to speak to any of the Kami, let alone travel to
along with Takemikazuchi; it’s nothing personal, but Fūjin’s Takamagahara. The Heavenly Kami in particular have made
first memories of the war God are watching him crawl out of their feelings on the matter clear.
the blood of slain brother Kagutsuchi, then watching their Which is why the two oni found a nice mountain to
mother die. retire to. Together, they founded a village of Scions, which
has intermarried enough with humans to have changed into

Titans of the Kami 27

something new. Hundreds of years later, Goki senses the belief systems, and they’ll drop into a coma until their brains
oncoming Titanomachy. She doesn’t know what it is, but she unlearn everything with even a hint of falsity.
knows that her loved ones are in danger and she’s the only
one capable of protecting them. Zenki’s trusty axe is of little
CURRENT PRIORITIES
use when the threat could come from anywhere. Goki has been stalking Kami, Titans, and Scions of all
sorts lately. Anything supernatural to venture out in the
The only way she knows to prevent the Kami and Titans
mountains south of Ōsaka has her full attention. With tourist
from trampling her family while they tear each other apart
season approaching, the number of Scions seeking to enjoy
is to shatter their minds, something she’s well-equipped to
the trails and fresh air is rising, as is the number of them
do. All she needs is enough Truth Water to break apart their
being hospitalized for unknown causes.

28 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 the temple bell, as the rest of the monastery burned around
them. Then, she whipped the bell with her flaming tail until
it melted around her now-very-ex boyfriend.
Theoretically, she can transform into anything or any-
one she wants to but rarely takes a form other than her beau-
tiful human woman form or her great, green dragon form.
Regardless of which form she takes, fire obeys her whim,
turning bursts of her rage into deadly infernos.
Despite the dangers of a relationship with her, Kiyo has
found constant success at romance in the World. Some of her
lovers have even died of natural causes. Over the years, her
mastery at attracting, keeping, and indoctrinating lovers has
grown. These lessons have allowed her to become a minor
social media celebrity — minor only because her Scions out-
shine her, an outcome that Kiyo could not be happier about,
so long as they stick up for themselves ruthlessly.
Callings: Adversary, Destroyer, Lover
Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Fire, Passion (Love)
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
As a dragon, Kiyo isn’t particularly welcome in Heaven
or among the Kami, but that has less to do with her mon-
strous ideas about relationships and more to do with Ryu be-
ing uncommon among the rest of the immortals. Of course,
love Kami have stronger feelings, with Kisshouten holding
her in total contempt, while Ama-no-Uzume thinks Kiyo’s
right to stick up for herself and love passionately. Other love
Gods are similarly polarized in their opinions.
The Kami’s plan to mostly ignore Kiyo and hope she
doesn’t get too bad has failed badly. Where most of the Kami
have failed to grasp the importance of the internet, she’s
focused on it, using the low barriers to worldwide commu-
nication to spread her views of love and sexuality. The idea
that people are entitled to their partner’s attention has found
fertile ground in abusers of all sorts, spreading around the
World. Although it would be inaccurate and even harmful
to blame Kiyo for the abuse and violence caused by her fol-
lowers, she’s certainly making matters worse. From J-pop to
Nashville country, her claws are everywhere.
CURRENT PRIORITIES
Thanks in part to the Ra-Shi-Ku’s omnipresent social
media presence, Kiyo has an endless stream of suitors for
both her and her children. Though she doesn’t fully com-
prehend the power of the internet, she understands this new
form of magic well enough that her ideas of love and loyalty
regularly infect new minds. Her army of teens and 20-some-
PRINCESS KIYO things may not seem threatening, but they’re collectively re-
sponsible for hundreds of murders in the Tokyo area alone.
Aliases: Kiyohime
One of the dragons of Japan, Kiyo is a Titan of love, albe- NAMAZU
it toxic love. Not that she sees it that way. She’s not above us-
Aliases: Ōnamazu
ing her powers on mortals to make them fall in love with her,
nor does she take break ups well. As far as she’s concerned, Japan’s most famous prisoner, people throughout the
her lovers are to place her first, before work, family, friends, island nation get alerts with her face on them every time
children, or enlightenment. Failure to prioritize her results she tries to escape, giving them time to take cover seconds
in a grisly death, most famously the complete destruction of before her seismic waves whip through the earth. Two thou-
the Temple of Dōjōji, where she trapped a recent ex inside sand years ago, she was just a large fish in the Pacific, but she

Titans of the Kami 29

had the temerity to stand up for herself when the Heavenly so she had given up by the time her Scions found her. She
Kami spilled out of their homeland to invade the World. A was shocked at the existence of mini submarines but deeply
lengthy battle later, and she was trapped in the very bedrock grateful that her children had not forgotten about her. After
of Honshū, Japan’s largest island. her Scions’ first expedition, she redoubled her effort, spawn-
In the years that followed, she lay trapped beneath a ing children of all sorts as quickly as possible.
massive stone and resisted the only way she had left: She CURRENT PRIORITIES
ate. She ate everything and everyone she could pull into her
Thanks to the internet and the increasingly intercon-
mouth, growing larger every day until Takemikazuchi’s rock
nected World, Namazu’s incarceration may be over. Now,
no longer held her in place. It was no use; by growing large
mini-sub owners and seismologists are just a video chat away
enough to cast off the rock, she was now too large to squeeze
and groups of her Scions can coordinate on projects, such
through the tunnels that the Kami and smaller fish used.
as programming a fleet of submersible robots, acquiring a
Though she was strong enough to rock the entire island with
staggering amount of mining explosives, or commandeering
her tail, the cave she was trapped in did not break.
a research vessel. Whether or not the seismic equipment on-
Since then, she’s plotted her revenge. She couldn’t board will be good enough to free the Great Catfish without
change her size to shrink through the tunnels, but she could throwing Honshū into the Pacific is anyone’s guess.
change shape, growing ovaries so that she could create
her own children. It didn’t take long for her eggs to spread RAIJIN
throughout the sea. Most grew into monstrous sea creatures, Aliases: Raiden, Ikazuchi, Kaminari-Sama, Narukami,
although some washed up on the shore as confused human Raikō
infants. Given the nature of many Japanese Heroes, such as
Momotarō who emerged from a peach, few suspected that The oldest of the Yomi-born Kami, Raijin witnessed
her Scions were anything more than gifts from the Gods. Izanagi’s betrayal first-hand, leaving it to him to tell the rest
of them that they were cut off from the rest of their family.
Though she remains trapped beneath Honshū, she is far Fūjin was their only contact with the outside world, his body
from powerless. Each day, she creates more titanspawn and grown monstrous with rage over their father’s misdeeds.
Scions. The more offspring, the more agents she has loose Together, Fūjin and Raijin strained daily for years to rescue
upon the World. Some feel called to destroy their mother’s the trapped Kami. His howling winds and Raijin’s booming
prison, although most of them have enough humanity to thunderbolts blasted the boulder but did nothing to dislodge
realize that they should ensure Japan doesn’t slide into the it. Each failed rescue attempt flooded Raijin with such rage
ocean during the jailbreak. Almost as many feel her rage at that his body soon matched his older brother’s. By the time
Takemikazuchi, seeking vengeance. the Buddhist Kami merged their afterlives with Yomi, cre-
Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Monster ating new entrances and exits, Raijin was ready to do nearly
anything to be accepted by his siblings in Takamagahara.
Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals), Earth (Quakes),
Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Water To that end, he signed up as one of Kannon’s 28 guard-
ians, ensuring that the bodhisattva would remain alive
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA to pass on his wisdom. Able to finally reach to the skies to
Prior to her current incarceration, Namazu had a brief throw his lightning bolts, Raijin’s powers grew, surrounding
run in with the Greek Titan Typhon, a perpetually furious him with massive drums that thundered day and night. In
serpent-man. His mate, Echidna — famous mother of most time, Kannon also betrayed Raijin, ordering the Titan to sur-
so-called Mediterranean “monsters,” showed Namazu render himself or suffer at the hands of mortals.
better hospitality. Now, the great carp and the she-viper
Once again, he was betrayed and abandoned. He vowed
are the best of friends, swapping parenting stories of their
to never allow that again. He would never again swear loy-
improbably large broods. It hasn’t helped Namazu escape,
alty to the Kami or to Takamagahara. Instead, he would use
but it has made the centuries of captivity more bearable. If
his lightning as he wished, destroying whatever got in his
Namazu ever gets free, these two monster moms will be able
way. Together with his brother Fūjin, he laid waste to entire
to combine their forces.
fleets. Once the people of Japan started to give offerings and
Naturally, Namazu doesn’t have a particularly good re- prayers to the Titans, Raijin and Fūjin formed a supernatu-
lationship with most of the Kami, having been identified as a ral protection racket, obliterating those who failed to show
threat and locked away permanently. Despite the disrespect- respect. Despite his new violent life, he became the head of
ful belief, more than a few Kami see Namazu’s earthquakes a new family, raising his son Raitarō with the love that his
as proof that she’s a violent threat, as if she could avoid father never showed him.
bumping into the walls of her cell. Making her prospects for
Since then, life’s been good to the lightning Titan.
allies bleaker, she’s never been allowed out, nor allowed to
Although terrified of being a bad father, he eagerly spends
state her case: That she’s served her time and deserves to be
his time in the World creating Scions. He’s found his niche
set free instead of indefinitely detained.
in organized crime, guiding and mentoring the heads of the
Instead, she plies at her goal of breaking free. Of course, yakuza groups, as well as criminal organizations outside
that’s been her number one goal for almost two millennia, Japan. In a way, he’s the father of thousands now.

30 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant groups. They use their booming voices and megaphones to
Purviews: Passion (Familial Ties), Sky, War disrupt corporate and political meetings, shouting down all
opposition and pushing their leader’s agenda.
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
RELICS
If the Japanese Titans have a leader, it’s Raijin but he
doesn’t want the job, so they don’t. The point stands: Titans The Bell of Dōjōji: These small, bell-shaped amulets
look to him for their cues. As he practices his martial skills contain the concentrated essence of Kiyo’s love. Forged from
and builds an alliance with Ryujin’s dragons, they see a remnants of the molten bell that killed Anchin, they simulta-
battleplan, a path towards victory. Those perceptions are neously inspire lust and fear.
pretty damn accurate. Raijin knows that the Titanomachy is Fūjin’s Bag: A long, shawl-like sack full of wind, Fūjin’s
coming and that the Heavenly Kami will be the ones to strike Bag literally blows away problems and takes people’s breath
the first blow. His criminal syndicates and partnerships with away.
dragons are all part of a bigger plan to completely annihilate Kaminari 808: An electronic drum pad with percussive
the first Kami to take a swing. power, the Kaminari 808 devastates dancefloors with its
Although Raijin has nothing but contempt for Kannon bass, sometimes literally.
exploiting their relationship and stealing his freedom, the Nikkei Titan: This full-size pickup truck has a seem-
Buddhist icon still has nothing but respect for their favor- ingly unlimited towing capacity and a deceptively spacious
ite drummer. Likewise, Ryujin, the Dragon King, has been bed, making it perfect for stealing heavy things. It also has
neighbors with the lightning Kami for hundreds of years. a wildly comprehensive safety restraint system and an un-
Despite millions of lightning bolts being hurled over the breakable bumper for louder approaches.
years, Raijin has taken pains to prevent damaging Ryujin’s
domain, the Pacific Ocean, something that Ryujin notices Truth Water: This jar of water is one of Goki’s symbols,
and appreciates. filled with sacred water that forms the backbone for many of
her mystic arts. A splash from it can render people invisible,
CURRENT PRIORITIES heal injuries, or flood someone with the absolute truth of
Raijin’s latest plan is his most ambitious and has already their current path, convincing them to turn away.
caused defections among Kami Scions. By quietly directing
Hachiman’s Scions to attack innocents, he can ensure that
CREATURES
his own Scions can record evidence of brutal crimes. Then, Kraken: Namazu’s most internationally famous titans-
he blackmails Hachiman’s Scions into his syndicate, in- pawn, kraken are squids of legendary size, often reaching
corporating them into a new family. And Raijin will never 100 feet long by the time they’re physically mature. Like
abandon his children. their mother, kraken never stop growing as long as they have
enough food to eat.
BIRTHRIGHTS Raijū: A wolf made of lightning, Raijū is swift, loud, and
Scions of the Kami may take any of these Birthrights. dangerous, the perfect companion for Raijin and his chil-
dren. The rambunctious beast often leaves destruction in its
FOLLOWERS wake, not from any malice but simply because few things can
Oni: Although not particularly bright, oni are strong as withstand the force of playful lightning.
hell, capable of guarding against harm and bad luck, as well
as inflicting both.
GUIDES
Wayfinders: Sixty-two generations ago, Goki and her
Ra-Shi-Ku: Officially “Rabbu Shiku Kurabu” or “The
husband Zenki founded a Scion village 100km south of Osaka
Love-Sick Club,” #RSK is definitely a fan club and not a
in Shimokitayama. Although time has rendered the oni blood
Kiyo-worshipping cult. “Club” is right there in the name!
of the villagers thin, they see the paths of the World keenly.
The Ra-Shi-Ku would literally die for Kiyo’s titanspawn, but
They walk the lines between worlds, crossing between Terra
they usually just provide resources and expertise.
Incognita easily. There are very few places they don’t know
Sōkaiya: Masters of agitation and public embarrass- how to get to discreetly.
ment, the sōkaiya are (technically non-violent) yakuza

Titans of the Kami 31

 TITANS OF
THE MANITOU
F or every force of nature in existence, there is a diametrically
opposed force that counteracts the progress of the other.
This constant struggle and desire to be triumphant drives
a serial philanderer, a giant skunk, a horned serpent, or an
underwater cat-snake.

these wayward creatures on toward their goals. It may be AE-PUNGISHIMOOK

a fool’s errand, running counter to the way of creation, but Aliases: The West Wind, Death
these beasts — who were once seen as Gods but turned away
Few welcome death regardless of the form it takes, and
from their pantheon — know that you cannot have life without
Ae-pungishimook is no exception. Just as there is always
death or light without darkness. To do so would deny the
life, so too has there been death. As with Geezhigo-Quae, Ae-
fundamental dynamic of the universe, and should that cease,
pungishimook has always been a force within the universe,
no one knows exactly what would happen. It
taking what he wishes when he wishes,
could very well mean their own destruction,
and laughing at those who attempt
but they don’t seem too concerned on that
do everything in their power to fight
front — ignorance is bliss, after all — and
against him. Little can defeat death,
the cost of knowing is simply just a price
and he reminds those in his presence
they aren’t willing to pay.
that they are powerless to
To support his goals, Ae- stop him from doing what-
pungishimook sows discord ever he chooses. He is decay
among his prodigious children, not for entropy’s sake but for
even going so far as to renewal and rebirth. Without
appear to their Scions him, the cycle of life would
and guiding them down cease, throwing the uni-
a path that leads them verse out of balance. A
away from apotheosis. giant even among Titans,
When the West Wind Ae-pungishimook has
comes blowing, few can always existed and — at
withstand its fury, and he has least until a Scion rises
left more than his fair share up and defeats him — will
of destruction in his wake. continue to exist. That
Misiginebig the Horned may be precisely what he
Serpent and Mishibizhiw wants.
the Underwater Panther,
Where Ae-
too, engage in their own
pungishimook goes,
form of chaos by disrupting
creation withers and wilts in
water ways, terrorizing Animikii,
his footsteps. Taking the form of gales,
and being general nuisances. Aniwye,
tornados, and sandstorms — whatever
meanwhile, bides his time until he once
causes the most disruption to humanity,
again attains his true form and unleashes his
he traverses the World with a singular ambition:
stench of death and disease upon the world.
punish the mistake of humanity. To this end, he has manip-
Despite these destructive and monstrous impulses, ulated other Titans, Gods, and Scions alike into doing his
these Titans are still considered Manitou and treated as bidding. Even his own sons are pulled into his plans, and he
such — at least by their own pantheon. As if the Manitou knowingly takes advantage of Pukawiss’s desire to be accept-
were not already held in low regard for considering many ed. Many have attempted to capture Ae-pungishimook to
creatures as one of their own, they are looked upon with fur- hold him accountable for his numerous misdeeds, but each
ther suspicion because they acknowledge that their Titans time he manages to slip the rope and run amok some more.
are still effectively “part of the family.” Not everyone has to
Seeing the World as a place that needs to be corrected
like who is in the family, but they are family even if they are
rather than protected, Ae-pungishimook’s handiwork is
found all over the World as storms and natural disasters. The

32 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 OF GODS AND TITANS
(Scion: Hero,
There was a time when Tawiscara (Scion: Hero, pg. 89) was more Titan than God, and to some degree,
he still shows Titanic inclinations. His penchant for chaos, death, and being the opposite to his brother Ioskeha
and the rest of the Manitou, often aids in pushing forward Ae-pungishimook’s plans, however inadvertently
it may be.
It doesn’t help that he still holds a grudge against the rest of the Manitou for their refusal to accept him as
he is, and it may only be a manner of time before Tawiscara throws off the Mantle of God and embraces his
true self.

greater the human suffering and disruption to their society, of the destruction they are inevitably bringing down upon
the better. There is nothing he won’t do, and no one he won’t themselves.
manipulate into doing his dirty work for him. This includes
his Scions, who often suffer from the same circumstances of ANIWYE
birth as their Godly half-brothers — most never know their Aliases: Aniwaaye, Aniwo’ye, Giant Skunk,
father, and even when Ae-pungishimook appears to them, he Mishi-Zhigaag
is detached from the suffering his absence as caused them.
Far from welcomed in civilized circles, Aniwye the
Their needs and wants are secondary to his grand design,
Giant Skunk has embraced that he is forever an outcast
and those that fail to heed the wishes and commands of the
due to his ability to raise a stink so bad that people die from
West Wind eventually find themselves meeting his other
smelling it. Between that, and his habit of hunting down hu-
dominion: death.
mans to devour, he became a beast feared from great lake to
Callings: Judge, Liminal, Primeval great lake. Whole villages would send out their best warriors
Purviews: Chaos, Death, Deception, Epic Dexterity, to prevent Aniwye from coming any closer and infecting the
Epic Stamina, Fertility, Fire, Order, Sky land with his pestilence. Others opted to pack up their lives
and flee, hoping to avoid becoming an entrée or choking on
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Aniwye’s noxious flatulence. There was little that could be
Ae-Pungishimook knows that Geezhigo-Quae and done against a skunk that was as tall as the trees — at least
Muzzu-Kumik-Quae are nervously watching his every move until Nana’b’oozoo strolled up and clubbed Aniwye so hard
out of genuine concern. He is, after all, still Manitou, even with a peace pipe that he exploded into tens of thousands of
if he actively works against them and all that they have smaller versions of himself scattered around the World.
created. Far from winning father of the year awards, Ae- Defeated and stripped of his might (and still annoyed
Pungishimook continues to taunt his sons, distracting them about that), Aniwye has been patiently waiting for his time
from the hunting of wendigo, and generally ensuring that his to come again. His influence over his avatars across North,
own influence continues to grow unabated. Central, and South America has grown as their natural
OTHER PANTHEONS predators’ populations shrink. While diminished in size,
Aniwye and his children appear as less threatening; small
There is good reason for the Manitou to be wary of oth-
and easily concealable in bushes makes it easier to spread
er pantheons — they’ve watched as the worshipers of these
their putrid scent and mark their territory. They love to
Gods come to their shores, multiply, and take more and more
wreak havoc, causing mischief and getting into fracases
from the earth than they have ever given back. These Gods
with domesticated pets or getting into power transformers
claim to be righteous and willing to help others, but the
and cutting power to manufacturing facilities, disrupting
Manitou have a long memory and the wounds of the recent
local businesses, and hurting small communities reliant on
past ache still. Ae-pungishimook has found readily available
those industries. Who cares if it inconveniences humans or
allies among the Æsir, who also seek their own end of days.
disrupts economies? Skunks (and their old-world cousins,
It does not matter how it happens so much that it does; that
the stink badger) do what they want. On occasion, a group
would be enough to please him.
of these skunks band together and form a super-skunk remi-
CURRENT PRIORITIES niscent of Aniwye’s true glory and terrorize a neighborhood
Some people want to rule the World, others would before being quashed by a Scion of Nana’b’oozoo.
rather see it destroyed and made anew in their vision. Ae- Easily manipulated, Aniwye has been the unwitting
pungishimook, more than any other Manitou, sees humanity patsy of many a ne’er-do-well who wish to utilize his pro-
as a blight that needs to be brought to heel for the sake of digious stench and minions for their own goals. Even Ae-
creation. As the World edges nearer to climate catastrophe, pungishimook, whose son was the cause of Aniwye’s initial
Ae-pungishimook finds himself egging it on and encouraging defeat, managed to get the giant skunk on his side in hopes to
humanity to further glut upon their own willful ignorance force Muzzu-Kumik-Que’s hand in raising up Turtle Island

Titans of the Manitou 33

once more. The World is Aniwye’s oyster, and there is very on a shore; they will bring the water to you and drag you
little Aniwye and his children fear; they know their time will down, never to be seen again.
come again, even if it is taking longer than hoped. Then all There are those who have earned their protection — a
shall fear and quake in his presence — at least until some powerful boon against those that would seek them. This boon
other noteworthy Hero comes along and clubs them apart does not come without a price, and more than one would-be
once more. Scion has found themself on the wrong side of Mishibizhiw’s
Callings: Destroyer, Hunter, Warrior capricious nature. No one knows exactly what Mishibizhiw
Purviews: Beasts (Skunks), Chaos, Death, Earth, Epic desires. It might be to flood the World (as Ae-pungishimook
Dexterity, Epic Stamina, War, Wild wishes) so that they are no longer limited to rivers and wa-
terways, or it may just be to sit back and watch everyone else
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA squabble over petty tit-for-tat victories. Regardless of the
Petty and temperamental, Aniwye eagerly seeks out outcome, Mishibizhiw always manages to win.
ways to bring low any Scion of Nana’b’oozoo and will follow Caring little for the World outside its own riverbed,
anyone (or anything) that promises to bring together all his Mishibizhiw must be coerced into action — for good or ill.
disparate parts so he can once more assume his true form as On more than one occasion, eager minions of other Titans or
the monster of all skunks and ravage creation as he pleases. Gods have made the attempt to steal Mishibizhiw’s copper
horde from deep within their watery realm. Most who make
OTHER PANTHEONS
such an attempt are never seen again and, if they manage to
Many pantheons look down upon Aniwye, seeing him as survive, have made a powerful enemy that will not relent
an easily manipulated target for their own agendas. Aniwye, until their treasure has been retrieved. There are tales of
on the other hand, is usually grateful for the occasional Scions that needed to bargain with the Underwater Panther
courtesy extended to him, even if it is tenuous at best and in order to cross a particular arduous stretch of river.
downright abusive at worst. Wily opportunists like Loki
have utilized Aniwye against the Æsir, while the Kami po- Callings: Adversary, Hunter, Trickster
litely offer their assistance at a distance so that they don’t Purviews: Beasts (Felines, Serpents), Chaos, Death,
become tainted by association. Deception, Earth, Epic Stamina, Fortune, Sky, Water, Wild
CURRENT PRIORITIES RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
It’s all about returning to true form for Aniwye, and Being a man-eating ophidian mostly bound to bodies
once he has achieved that goal it is all over for those who of water makes it difficult to nurture relationships, but
mockingly scorned him and considered him nothing more Mishibizhiw and Misiginebig are known to work together
than a joke. Aniwye will remember those who were kind to on occasion with Titans such as Tiamat to sow chaos and
him and those who took advantage of his diminished state discord throughout the World — though unbeknownst to
— it will determine who gets eaten first and who is saved for them, Tiamat has other goals in mind that are separate from
last. the Manitou.

MISHIBIZHIW OTHER PANTHEONS

Aliases: Matchi-Manitou, Underwater Panther, Water Mishibizhiw, like many Manitou, has a reasonable
Lynx distrust of other pantheons stemming from poor relations
and nearly being wiped out by the newcomers. Still, that
With the head and paws of a great cat and scales and doesn’t mean that the enemy of their enemies cannot be a
dagger-like spines like a fish, Mishibizhiw’s dominion are fair-weather friend. Among those most likely to have forged
the rivers of the world. It is there they draw their power an alliance are the Òrìshà, who seem to hold the Manitou in
and eagerly waits for victims to come to them. Sometimes a neutral regard.
referred to as the Water Lynx or, among the Ojibwe, as the
Underwater Panther, they have many forms; their most CURRENT PRIORITIES
known and most powerful form is of the undertow found in While Mishibizhiw revels in chaos, they do not wish to
rivers. In this form, Mishibizhiw drags the unprepared into see the world destroyed. It may be the natural way of things
the river’s depths, either devouring them whole or taking — as all things are meant to pass on and be reborn anew —
them to the Underworld to be judged by Ae-pungishimook. but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun or enjoy the status
Being a mercurial creature who acts without rhyme or quo. Instead, Mishibizhiw focuses their energies on culling
reason, Mishibizhiw does as they please often without any the herd, playing with humanity, and instilling a healthy fear
manner of repercussions — except when it comes to going of rivers into a whole new generation of children.
on land, which greatly diminishes their power. Beware: That
does not mean that they should be taken lightly. Even when MISIGINEBIG
weakened on land, Mishibizhiw still causes massive storms, Aliases: Great Horned Serpent, Wewiwilemita
which flood rivers and allows them to go anywhere in the Manitou
World to lay waste. Never mock Mishibizhiw while standing

34 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Misiginebig — the Great Horned Serpent — long dwelled ready to be hunted down by Gods, Scions, and Thunderbirds
in the shadow of other Manitou, regarded as a non-threat. alike.
Much like Mishibizhiw, she takes pleasure in devouring Callings: Creator, Liminal, Monster
those who wander into the deep waters of the Great Lakes.
Her dominion are the placid lakes that humanity believes are Purviews: Beasts (Serpents), Chaos, Death, Deception,
calm, tame, and most importantly safe. One encounter with Earth, Fertility, Fire, Water, Wild
the Great Horned Serpent and it becomes apparent that she RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
is just as vicious and cruel as her river-dwelling compatriot,
Clever and capricious, Misiginebig holds no loyalty to
if not more so. She relishes in dragging people away from the
any but herself, and only works with others when there is
shore, beneath the waves, and consuming them. More people
some benefit to her. It’s not frequent she allies herself, and
swim in lakes, after all, making for easier prey — something
certainly there are drawbacks — for the other party, at the
that she gloats over with Mishibizhiw. He may be the most
very least. The sole exception to this is Mishibizhiw, with
powerful creature in the Underworld, but she is the more
whom she will work with when the fancy strikes her.
efficient killer.
Rare is the individual who stumbles upon Misiginebig OTHER PANTHEONS
in her true form: A serpent as large as a tree trunk with Misiginebig sees the other pantheons as intruders and
horns upon its brow. Rarer still is the individual unchanged is aggressive toward any that may approach her. Old wounds
by seeing the Great Horned Serpent in all her glory, as those heal slowly, and like all Manitou, she remembers what hap-
that look upon her either go blind, insane, or both. Her pened the last time interlopers were trusted. Never again.
scales glow like embers, with the brightest ones each a dif-
ferent color upon her body. The meaning of these spots is a CURRENT PRIORITIES
much-debated mystery, but Misiginebig is protective of her Continuing to grow her brood even larger, Misiginebig
seventh spot. Interested parties surmise that this spot is a hopes to expand her sphere of influence around the world,
weakness or perhaps the source of her power. be it through Scions or titanspawn. Having too many chil-
dren, however, is a problem and often enough Misiginebig
Misiginebig lays large clutches of eggs and births titans-
does not offer much in the way of guidance. Due to this, they
pawn in unending quantities. She sends them out into the
are frequently defeated by other Scions, but the setback of
world to sow discord and chaos in her name. Often, they find
their deaths means little to Misiginebig — she’ll just choose
their way to smaller bodies of water where urban legends
another or lay more eggs and continue on.
arise about monsters that eat wayward campers. Every now
and then she spirits away a small child of her choosing and
molds them into her perfect champion, a Titan-worthy Scion.
BIRTHRIGHTS
It usually ends poorly for the champion, who often is not Like their Godly brethren, the Birthrights for Scions of
the Titanic Manitou come in a multitude of forms — some
are functional while others might be a biohazard.

Titans of the Manitou 35

CREATURES Titanic patron, but their progeny as well. They are relentless
in their devotion and will destroy all that opposes the will of
Animal Dodaems: The most available Birthright, these
the Titans.
creatures act as a conduit for communication between a
Scion and their Titanic patron, and typically take a simi- RELICS
lar form. These animals are larger and hardier than their Eau de Aniwye: Who needs a stink bomb when you can
non-dodaem counterparts. spritz some eau de Aniwye and befoul an entire area with the
Lynx: A keeper of secrets, Lynx is an unconventional all-encompassing stench of a giant skunk? It is a sure-fire
dodaem. It is cautious and makes careful decisions weighing way to clear a room — or several city blocks — in a pinch.
both potential outcomes before acting. Raw Copper Bangles: Imbued with the power of
Serpent: Impulsive and primal, Serpent values shrewd- Mishibizhiw, these bangles offer protection against storms
ness and imparts wisdom to those that know to seek its and lightning. The downside is that it makes the wearer a
counsel. target for Thunderbirds who know that the bracelets come
from their eternal nemesis, the Underwater Panther.
Skunk: Demanding respect, Skunk admires strength and
values taking time to ensure that all goes according to plan. Pawaugun: Though not the peace pipe Ae-pungishimook
gave to Nana’b’oozoo, this pawaugun, when smoked from,
FOLLOWERS brings all parties of a dispute to the table under the banner
Wendigo: Death and destruction follow Wendigo. of mutual respect.
These titanspawn will do the bidding of not only their

36 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 TITANS OF
THE NETJER
E verything about the Gods of the Netjer revolves around
balance, about one thing opposing another, and their
Titans reflect this. For every being of goodness there is an
assault against the Gods, and one day, their spears will miss,
their courage will falter, and he will devour his prize.
Apep’s body lines the bottom of Iteru, stretching the
opposing force, something that exists only to cause that being entire length of Duat. More than once he has wrapped all the
strife, or to imbalance the World. Through truth and order, , Mesektet in his coils. His thrashing causes earthquakes and
the World continues to turn, and the sun rises on each new his wrestling with Set births thunderstorms. His venom is
day. These villains seek to destroy or warp all that. the most caustic of acids, and he has a mesmerizing gaze that
It is not in the nature of the Netjer to bind their Titans leaves the weak-willed delirious. The Chaos Snake doesn’t
away. Kemeticism doesn’t allow for it, as it would throw off care what happens to the World when he succeeds in con-
the balance of the universe. Re should no more kill Apep per- suming Re, and hasn’t thought about his existence would be
manently than Apep should be allowed to kill Re. There is no like then, either.
more measure to prove your caliber as a Hero than to have Apep seldomly chooses Scions, but when he does,
a worthy enemy to defeat. The Gods of Egypt defeat their they are those who have been wronged by the Netjer.
enemies over and over, in some cases nightly, because When the offending act causes them to die momen-
evil only has to catch them slipping to win once. tarily (only to be resuscitated before passing
APEP, THE SERPENT through the Hall of Two Truths) that is
when Apep comes to them. Their anger
OF CHAOS at the Gods, especially Re, brings them to
Aliases: A’pāpī, Aapep, Apepi, Apep’s attention. Upon returning to life in
Aphōph, The Enemy of Re, Lord of the World, they gain his blessings if they
Chaos, Serpent from the Nile swear to use them against the Netjer.
Causing strife among and for their fol-
Apep, the serpent who wants to
lowers is just one of many stratagems
consume the sun, has a one-track
the Enemy of Re employs in his
mind. His serpentine form slithers
eternal war.
in the waters of Iteru, recovering
while Re floats in the daylight. Callings: Adversary,
When the Mesektet, the gold- Monster, Warrior
en sun barge and floating Purviews: Beasts
Underworld of its own, (Snakes), Chaos,
enters Duat, Apep Darkness
attacks unceasing-
ly with different
strategies. Some
days he succeeds
in devouring Re for
a time, causing an eclipse. It ends when Set cuts Apep open RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
and saves his brother. While his methods are as varied as Apep doesn’t readily abide friendships or allies, as allies
there are days, his goal is single-minded: to devour Re and are nothing but distractions from the task at hand. He’s the
cast the World into the chaotic darkness from which it was most hated enemy of the Netjer; he can’t remember how
born. many of the Gods have joined the defense of the Mesektet
Apep cares not for the rest of the World. He cares only and Re. Other than Re, Set holds Apep’s enmity most, for
for the death of his hated foe. Born of the discarded umbil- when Apep finally swallows the sun God, it is Set who cuts
ical cord of Re, Apep is the dark opposite of his brother — a open the Chaos Serpent to save him. If Apep has any goal
force of chaos and enmity where Re is a force for order and outside slaying Re, it’s to distract Set and cause him to miss
good. While he is bound to swim in Iteru, he plans his next the Meseket’s nightly departure.

Titans of the Netjer 37

OTHER PANTHEONS all at once on the winter’s solace, when the Mesektet’s ride
through Duat is its longest.
The Serpent from the Nile has no mind for other things
than its goal of consuming Re, and thus the sun. Other Titans
in the World long for the same, and it is not uncommon to see
ATEN, THE ONE TRUE SUN
them working together, despite their dissimilar pantheons. Aliases: Aton, Atonu, Itn, The Light Which is in the Sun
Scions and followers of Fenrir or Tlaltecuhtli, who want to Disc, Shu
consume parts or the whole of reality, tend to work famously Formerly one of the multitude of beings that had a con-
with those of Apep. nection to the sun God Re, Aten was the sun disk, worshiped
by some as one of the many Gods of the Netjer. This lasted for
CURRENT PRIORITIES centuries until they decided that they were more than just one
Apep wants to eat Re and believes that weakening Re’s aspect of the suite of Gods, but the one true God — not only of
power will make that easier. As the Netjer are so intercon- the sun but of all existence. They appear as whichever gender
nected, nearly every God has been bound to Re; there are they believe would be most favorable, though their true form
scrolls as long as a person is tall with Gods’ names affixed to is a genderless being with bronze skin and shining eyes. Their
his. Apep’s Scions are bid to harass Netjer agents wherever light blinds the eyes of those faithful to other Gods, as they are
they can be found, but those who have garnered his full at- the only light in the darkness of false Gods.
tention while he sleeps and heals during the daylight hours
Aten was a jealous God, playing a supporting role under
know of his grandest stratagem: wholesale destruction of all
Re but never getting as much adoration for the work they
Re’s holy places in the World. This attack must take place

38 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 no more. Akhenaten ruled over an Egypt who worshiped the
new Titan, Aten.
Aten possesses a solipsistic worldview. They are the
only God. All other beings that call themselves Gods are
deceivers, agents of evil darkness hiding the truth of the
universe from humanity. Within a decade of Akhenaten’s
death, the first cult of Aten collapsed, and with it their power
base. Another 16 centuries passed before another group suc-
ceeded Akhenaten. In the guise of a tall, Latinx man with
a blazing crown of sunlight, Aten appeared to Elagabalus
— who became the Roman emperor — and insisted he
place the worship of the sun God Elagabal above all other
deities, even to the exclusion of Jupiter himself. Elagbalus
fanatically followed Aten’s every order and did his best to
eradicate the worship of other Gods until Scions from both
the Netjer and the Theoi joined forces to thwart him.
Nothing matters other than the banishing of darkness
through everlasting light. Through their light, Aten ignites
the flame of fanatical faith in anyone who sees it, a flame so
bright it burns out belief in anything else. Aten is a jealous
Titan, but they are as generous as they are covetous. They go
to wherever the darkness is strongest, appearing when they
believe humanity needs their radiance most. Whatever help
Aten gives is only to ease their targets into belief, for they
want to be loved willingly. Only in rage caused by skepticism
at being the only true God do they turn up the light.
Callings: Adversary, Leader, Tyrant.
Purviews: Deception, Fire, Prosperity, Sun.
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
Walking the earth among mortals wherever the disc of
the sun shines, Aten gathers flocks to them like a shepherd.
They reach into the hearts of people who believe they de-
serve more than they have, or that they possess something
hidden by opposing forces. Through the blessings of Aten,
they are given the chance to shine. Many follow them be-
cause it is how they were raised, some because Aten has
appeared to them and performed a miracle, or one of Aten’s
contributed to the World. They were the Sun Disk, the phys- missionaries rescued them from harm. Some of these mis-
ical form of the sun as it rolled in the vault of the sky. It had sionaries are Scions of Aten themselves, who have a spark of
to be their brethren, the other Netjer, who kept the adulation Aten’s light within their soul, along with a too-bright smile
that they deserved, as what else could it be? Who were they and charismatic eyes. All things that grow under the sun are
to deny them what was theirs? Did not the breath of life it- good, after all.
self come from the sun? Weren’t they the sun itself, and thus,
should be the first and only deity deserving of worship?
OTHER PANTHEONS
Aten doesn’t form relationships with those who do not
Amenhotep IV — a co-regent of Egypt, who ruled along- worship them; if you do not believe in them or work for
side his father — refused to give up total control of the nation them, then you are their enemy. This doesn’t lead to working
to his second son, the rightful heir. Bitterness brewed in the relationships with other Titans, but Aten sees them the same
heart of the future Pharaoh. On the longest day of the year, as the Gods: agents of darkness who hide humanity from
Aten appeared to him as a dark-skinned man with a wide and their glorious truth. Thankfully for them, most Titans are
bright smile cutting the darkness of his thick beard. He told too busy with their own agendas to interfere too much.
Amenhotep that he will be the Pharaoh, as he deserves, if he
kneels and lets the light of the one true God wash over him. CURRENT PRIORITIES
He prostrated himself before the being and let them burn Currently Aten works in the guise of a televangelist,
the darkness of false Gods from him. His father died, and though each church sees Aten as a different person. From
within the first five years of his reign, Amenhotep IV was miracle peddlers to prosperity gospel preachers, they bring
faith and belonging as a tall blonde woman with a radiant

Titans of the Netjer 39

tan and warm smile. Working as the leader of the Church worshippers. Her followers harass the Gods whenever they
for Illumination in Amarna, Arizona, Aten completed the can: obscuring the truth, promoting false gospels, or fueling
Center of Enlightenment: a new megachurch that can hold the infighting among the Netjer.
upwards of thirty-five hundred worshipers. Topped by shin-
ing glass, the pulpit gleams with radiance regardless of the
OTHER PANTHEONS
sun’s position in the sky. A man after her own deceitful heart, the White Eyebrow
is a common compatriot of Isfet. Two peas in a pod, they
ISFET, THE DISHARMONIOUS come together often when her shady path takes her to
Everything about Kemeticism, the multiform religion his usual haunts. Isfet is more than happy to spread lies
of those who follow the Netjer, is centered around dualism. and untruths about any pantheon. Through the lessons of
All things have an opposite. The light has the dark, war has Tezcatlipoca and the aid of Isfet, the Ozomatli of the Second
peace, and Ma’at has Isfet. Where there is order, truth, and Sun learned to hide their appearance and walk as the hu-
justice, there is also chaos, lies, and violence. In the darkest mans of the World.
parts of the night, there is always Isfet. CURRENT PRIORITIES
Aliases: Asfet, That Which is Difficult, Troublesome, Isfet is a busy woman, plucking the strings on a dozen
She Who is Meant to be Overcome or more plots. She walks in Aten’s shadow, posing as other
While both good and evil exists in the world, people are members of the Netjer, and toying with believers. Once they
inherently neither. They have free will to choose a just path think she will help them, she vanishes, leaving bitterness in
— those whose hearts will be lighter than a feather when their hearts, coals ready to be set alight by Aten. Elsewhere,
they pass through the Hall of Two Truths, or to choose a her cult runs blogs, news sites, and other media outlets, each
selfish path — those whose hearts are so heavy with darkness taking a different spin on discrediting or misleading the pub-
they will never leave the Hall. The latter group, whether lic on the Gods’ recent doings.
they know it or not, serve Isfet. None of them began with an
evil heart; at every turn, they had two choices: turn back to BIRTHRIGHTS
Ma’at or walk further into darkness. Those who think only of CREATURES
themselves walk by Isfet’s side.
Bennu: Firebirds that are said to have willed themselves
If one has ever met Isfet twice, they’d never know it; she into being by their own want to exist, Aten claimed them as
never appears in the same form twice as Isfet has no true their own. Each carry a spark of Aten’s light within them,
form. She can appear as a willowy blonde with seafoam eyes and they move without fear. Should they die in the service of
or a short woman with eyes as dark as oil and ruby lips that their Titan, they know that they will be reborn in righteous
whisper everything you want to hear. Every word she speaks fire.
is a sweet honeyed lie that makes the sins she wants you to
Nehebkau: Two-headed snakes that inhabit the banks
commit so much easier to perform. She doesn’t have a plan,
of Iteru born of Apep’s venom and coagulated blood mixed
other than the ruination of those who work for order and
with water and mud from Duat, these creatures are fearless
truth. She smells the true nature of things and knows any
attackers. They strike from two directions and cannot be am-
absolute truth, though cannot speak it. She speaks in half-
bushed. It is said that Re, as Atum, used his spear (or finger)
truths and complete and utter lies, playing puppeteer with
to keep these serpents on the banks of the river as Mesektet
the web of confusion she weaves. The truth is like ash in
floated by, lest he have to fight them and Apep.
Isfet’s mouth, a flavor she spits out only if it reveals the lies
of others. FOLLOWERS
Isfet changes identities like most change clothes. Order of the Revealing Light: One of the groups that
Discord and strife follow in her wake. She drives people to Aten has revealed themselves to, using their light to show
give into their darkest natures and put themselves before these once noble crusaders the truth of the World, that they
their communities and ideals. She creates the most Scions of are the only true God, The Order is a global cabal pulling the
the Netjer Titans, seeking those with dishonest livelihoods puppet strings of society and governments. The Order gave
and who lie to themselves. She loves best those who lie to up their quest to retake the Holy Land to bring Aten’s light
themselves, doing terrible things for what they believe to be to those lost in the darkness and now operate as wealthy
for good reasons. Evil acts in the pursuit of just causes are businesspeople. Using their wealth as an attestation of their
the sweetest succor to Isfet. power, they run a “charity” that delivers good works — and
Callings: Adversary, Primordial, Trickster Aten more worshipers.

Purviews: Chaos, Darkness, Deception, Passion Re Watch News Network: The largest anti-Netjer
media company, their writers, podcasters, radio hosts, and
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA television personalities aggregate news of the Netjer. As a
No one should trust Isfet. She breathes deception and cult of Isfet, they exist only to make propaganda about the
misleads the remet, or people of Egypt, into acts that weigh Gods. As Isfet prospers in a post-truth world, the RWNN
down their heart. That said, Isfet is always willing to work gets plenty of views.
with any Titan who undermines the Netjer Gods and their

40 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

GUIDES simulcast online. Each prayer is to the glorious Sol Invictus,
or Aten the one true God.
Vicky Lee Thomson: The most popular content creator
for RWNN and host of the flagship podcast Truth Between RELICS
the Pyramids, wherein she goes into a diatribe against the Dawn’s Gold Coronet: An unassuming relic, Dawn’s
latest news about the Netjer, their Scions, and whatever cur- Gold Coronet is a simple gold ring worn on the head. When
rent events had broken recently. As Isfet is feeding her the activated, the wearer is backed by the blinding light of the
“facts” for the show, the truth is highly relative. While other sun itself, making them both hard to look at and unable to be
media sources make fun of her, she’s already been brought looked away from.
onto other RWNN programing because of her meteoric rise.
Fang of Night: One of many broken or shed fangs of
Zechariah Denton: More commonly known as Pastor Apep during his nightly battles with the Netjer Gods, this
Zeck, this televangelist for the Church of Illumination has tooth is the size of a kukri and generates the Titan’s noxious
been touched with Aten’s glowing power that gleams in his venom.
eyes and his too-bright smile. Thousands come to the newly
opened Center of Enlightenment to worship Zeck’s brand of Mask of the Faceless: A sheet of tanned leather that
heliocentric prosperity gospel and thousands more watch it allows the wearer to appear as someone else.

Titans of the Netjer 41

 TITANS OF
THE SHÉN
N o one knows exactly how many Shén there are in the
World. Nor could anyone reliably pick a line that would
split them into Gods and Titans. At least a dozen Shén, like
O GU NG
Aliases: Ao Kwang, Cānglóng, Dōnghăi Lóngwáng,
Sun Wukong, would pee on the line and then stand on both Qīnglóng, Ryūjin, Thanh Lóng, Xiănrén
sides of it. This isn’t to say that there are no Titans; it’s just The Great Blue Dragon of the East, Áo Guāng has been
that no one agrees on who they are. Depending on whom you done with the Shén and their nonsense for a long time.
ask, someone might be a Shén, a Titan, a Lóng, Though technically still welcome in Tian,
or some completely different category. he hasn’t set claw there in decades.
This confusion of terminology He undoubtedly has an aspect
has done little to stave off the or two that wants to be a good
Titanomachy, though. Indeed, little Shén and help keep
in the lands where the Shén Heaven in order, but, as
roam, the battles are paradox- a whole, Áo Guāng can’t
ically more personal and anon- stand them. They are a
ymous. Many conflicts have little pack of murderers and
to do with a particular Shén’s thieves, Prince Nezha and
stance on Titans and Wu Kong especially. He’d
more to do with old rather see Heaven plunge
grudges and family in flames to the World
squabbles. At the than live there.
same time, the dense As the oldest Dragon
hierarchal structure King, Áo Guāng has
of the Shén that inspired control over the sea
much of China’s history creatures and drag-
has made it inevitable ons of the East China
that plenty of fights are Sea, as well as the sea
simply groups of lower itself. Any storms in the
ranking Shén slugging western Pacific are there
it out, with neither with his consent. But his control
group having ever heard doesn’t extend just to his realm; it
of the other. also encompasses his very being. Like most
Of course, all that assumes that they bother to eastern dragons Áo Guāng is an accomplished
fight at all. As much as some Shén love a good war, plenty shapeshifter, sometimes dwarfing mountains and
more are content with assimilating ne’er-do-wells. After all, other times appearing as a small garden snake.
that policy’s been working well enough for thousands of Having sworn off the Shén and Heaven, Áo Guāng has
years. Even the mortals of China have benefited from it, with set his sights a little lower. The World is an exciting realm,
the Han, Mongols, and Manchu each taking turns blending full of possibilities. There, he’s been able to influence inter-
the Middle Kingdom’s culture into the mélange that it is national trade, exploiting his mastery of the sea and China’s
today. manufacturing capabilities to turn the shipping companies
One particularly notable byproduct of this cultural in his pocket into powerhouses. In the arena of capitalism,
mixing is how fractured the Shén’s aspects have become. being a literal monster is an advantage, a fact that his Scions
Aspects have drifted, split, and merged over the millennia, well understand.
creating a cosmology where more than a few of the Shén Callings: Destroyer, Monster, Tyrant
have aspects that oppose them. Sometimes, a God is literally
their own worst enemy. Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals, Dragons), Sky
(Storms), Water

42 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Kuāfù has had millennia to obsess over the whys and
hows of his loss, most notably being crushed under bil-
Áo Guāng recognizes the shifting weather patterns and
lions of tons of water thanks to the dragon Yinglong. After
temperatures of the World and can’t wait for things to get
much consideration, Kuāfù reached the conclusion “fuck
worse. If climate change were a car, Áo Guāng would be a
Huángdì.” It doesn’t even matter what Huángdì stands for;
brick on the accelerator. Why bother trying to save the plan-
Kuāfù stands for the reverse. If one likes a C-pop group, the
et when the temperature will be fine again in a few million
other backs their rival. If the Yellow Emperor says he likes
years? The less concern for the planet’s health, the more
bubble tea, Kuāfù says bubble tea sucks, you suck, and how
riches flow into his coffers. All the humans will be dead, but
dare you even say such treacherous words.
what concern is that to a dragon? If the mortals are willing
to sacrifice climate stability in favor of money, who is he to Kuāfù can back up that bluster. Despite being famous
stand in the way? After all, the worst thing that could hap- for losing twice, he’s still the Shén who made the Yellow
pen is Heaven will be devoid of bipeds, and who cares about River vanish. He’s as fast as the sun. He’s still a giant. Anyone
them? willing to take him on in physical combat had better be ready
to duck a sedan-sized fist going Mach 30.
Naturally, Áo Guāng and Nezha get along about as well
as toasters and bathtubs. It’s unlikely that the two of them Callings: Adversary, Creator, Liminal
can cross paths without coming to blows. Aside from that, Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina, Journeys,
most Shén see Áo Guāng favorably enough. After all, he’s Order, Passion (Devotion), Sun, Water (Drought)
royalty and has taken the endless jibes and pranks in stride.
But if any of them were to take a closer look in his eyes, RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
they’d see that Áo Guāng no longer sees Shén as fellow Gods; Kuāfù’s not exactly on friendly terms with the Gods of
the World has only his followers and his prey. the Shén or the dragons of the Lóng, as he’s been playing a
Fortunately for his followers (and Scions), Áo Guāng cat and mouse game of who can murder the other’s aspect
takes great care of those on his side. The gifts he bestows first with Huángdì ever since the battle of Zhuōlù. Although
are all reflections of his bestial nature, reminders that he is the Lóng ordinarily wouldn’t care, the fact that Yinglong was
the original king of monsters. Whether his Scions seek to responsible for Kuāfù’s first death has gotten them more in-
dominate the battlefield, the stock market, or the courtroom, volved than they’d like. Despite being on the outs with most
they are heavy hitters with Birthrights that augment their of the Shén, Prince Nezha still likes and respects Kuāfù; the
command of lesser beings. Titan’s help was instrumental in returning the sun to the
World and defeating Shiji Niangniang.
CURRENT PRIORITIES Nowadays, Kuāfù spends his time defeating challenge
Áo Guāng’s pursuit of a World without bipeds has re- after challenge. If there’s a race, he’s there. A drinking con-
cently shifted into high gear, with a three-pronged effort. test? He’ll finish everyone’s mug before they can reach for it.
Diplomatic envoys within the World’s civilian governments With countless victories behind him, his legendary failures
argue against environmental policies that would hamstring lie farther behind him. At least that’s what he tells himself.
industry and newer, more alluring shipping fleets are being
constructed, reducing the cost of transporting goods around CURRENT PRIORITIES
the world to pennies. At the same time, freak accidents rav- The skirmishes with Huángdì have gone on long enough;
age renewable power sources. Kuāfù wants decisive victory. Plans are already underway to
murder every one of the Yellow Emperor’s 200 aspects si-
KU F multaneously. If that weren’t dramatic enough, he’s arrived
Aliases: None at the conclusion that the only way to regain face from his
loss against the sun is to prove that everyone else would have
The giant Kuāfù has led a life forever framed by the idea
lost, by sending waves of droughts to show people what it’s
of overreaching himself. He sought to beat the sun in a foot
like to lack the water necessary for survival.
race. No matter how fast the sun flew through the sky, Kuāfù
was just below it, easily keeping pace through thousands of
miles. Of course, the sun never tires and those who labor be-
SU D JI
neath it develop thirst. Halfway around the World, Kuāfù’s Aliases: Dá Jĭ
need for water was so great that he gulped down the Yellow A literal man-eater, Su Dájĭ was born a mortal and rose
River. That wasn’t enough; his body failed, and he dropped to be the most infamous fox spirit of them all, after only a
dead. brief period of being dead. Powered by the spirit of a huli
Then, he found himself on the front lines of the war that jing, she conquered her husband and his Shang Dynasty,
transformed Huángdì from a simple warlord into the Yellow turning one of the dominant dynasties of the era into a site
Emperor. Naturally, Kuāfù chose wrong and sided with of debauchery. Orgies became commonplace at the palace
Chīyóu. After dying (again), Kuāfù found himself perma- — which wouldn’t be bad if she hadn’t abused her beguiling
nently on the outs in Tien for the crime of losing the Battle powers and social status to bolster the number of partici-
of Zhuōlù against Huángdì. pants; few orgy-goers were there of their own free will. Also,
sometimes people were tortured, executed, and/or eaten

Titans of the Shén 43

during these events. No, Dájĭ’s orgies were not good, clean, Purviews: Artistry (Excess), Beasts (Foxes), Beauty,
fun. They were the bad sort that make it into history books. Passion (Lust), Prosperity
That was deliberate.
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
Through violence, magic, and cruelty, she made her
Dájĭ’s influence is everywhere, not just in China. Though
mark on history just as indelibly as she scarred her victims.
her original modus operandi is out of reach these days, figu-
She may have driven the Shang Dynasty into flaming ruins,
ratively consuming people has become commonplace. She’s
but her name lived on, propelling her from her humble ori-
used her powers to encourage CEOs and world leaders to
gins to Titanhood.
devour smaller companies and nations, stripping them of
Like any other huli jing, Dájĭ has the gift of gab, able all their value before casting their bones aside. Independent
to talk circles around anyone, molding their beliefs to one businesses aren’t immune to her reach; by stirring human
that better serves her needs. Where most foxes are content lusts, she turns neighbor against neighbor, creating brutal
with bilking wealthy people out of their fortunes and living trade wars that don’t stop until someone’s utterly destroyed.
comfortably, Dájĭ has weaponized her voice. Few can listen
Many Shén would like to completely bar her from
to her without losing their humanity, agreeing to help her in
Heaven, but for good or ill (mostly ill) Dájĭ has had a tremen-
the torture, murder, and devouring of her victims.
dous influence on Chinese culture, making it impossible for
This erosion of her victims’ souls suits Dájĭ just fine. the Shén to ignore her. Complicating matters, her tenure as
For her the World is just a toy, filled with mortals for her to King Zhou’s consort led to more than a few Shén who owe
play her version of “Fuck, Marry, Kill.” She has no interest her for their rise to power. No one denies that she tortured,
in politics unless it gets her power, which of course means murdered, and ate a lot of people — they’re just reluctant to
that she plays politics all the time. Like their mother, her do much about it.
Scions find themselves called to political office, not to serve
but to be served. After all, why should they campaign and CURRENT PRIORITIES
put in years of work when they can simply take advantage of Dájĭ’s ready to take her game to the next level. Instead of
human greed and dazzle someone already in office? playing with a business here and there, she’s aiming at tak-
Callings: Adversary, Lover, Tyrant ing over the World’s military industry, controlling the global

44 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

weapons trade. Next month’s military technology confer- against impact except in specific vulnerable points. The
ence involves 100 nations, trillions of dollars, and thousands handful of martial artists who have survived him in combat
of testosterone-driven people who will literally tear each recommend stabbing weapons into vulnerable points rather
other apart to be her puppet. than assaults of attrition.

THE WHITE EYEBROW, His eponymous fighting style is direct and aggressive,
overwhelming foes with rapid combinations of explosive
BETRAYER OF SHAOLIN hand strikes and the occasional kick. These boxers rapidly
Aliases: Bak Mei (Cantonese), Bái Méi (Mandarin) change level to disorient foes, dropping low to reduce their
target silhouette as they defend before springing up and us-
Stories about the White Eyebrow are as numerous as
ing the strength of their legs to drive the next attack home.
the mentions of his name, but a few details remain constant:
Of course, they always wield weapons given the opportunity:
• He was a Chán Buddhist monk at the Shaolin swords wielded singly or paired, whips, staves, crutches,
Monastery who studied Daoist esoterica. rakes, and wooden benches.
• He achieved immortality through sinister means: If you’re in a Buddhist, Daoist, or Chinese cultural orga-
Daoist black magic, slaughtering a Titan and devour- nization, sooner or later the White Eyebrow will come call-
ing its heart, something like that. ing. Got a titanspawn problem? Opposing pantheon’s Scions
kicking sand in your face? The old man can help, providing
• He belonged to the Shàolín community during one
human resources, training, weapons, or money — he has lots
of the monastery’s many destructions and was widely
of cash to spare after several centuries’ careful investment.
implicated in said destruction, but his involvement was
He knows you don’t trust him. He knows you know better.
never proven.
But when you’re desperate, and he’s powerful and can offer
• He is a hand-to-hand combatant of legendary skill, help… well, sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. Especially
who founded the White Eyebrow boxing style. when those beggars are titanspawn pushed to the edge.
• He has resurfaced throughout history in many times The White Eyebrow’s organization is formidable but
and places, far more than one human could accom- vulnerable. Since he recruits betrayers, they can be encour-
plish during a single lifetime. aged to betray him or one another in turn. In fact, his own
organization is well aware of this, to the point he never trusts
• He cannot be trusted.
any individual with all his secrets. Also, like all bullies, he’s a
Since the Monastery’s destruction, the White Eyebrow coward; when he knows it’s really crashing down around his
has disappeared for long periods, then reappeared to at- ears, he’ll be the first one to light foot it out of there.
tach himself to various political organizations. He has ties
both to Wŭdāng Clan’s Daoist priests — notorious for their Callings: Adversary, Sage, Warrior
political machinations — and to the White Lotus Society’s Purviews: Deception, Epic Dexterity, Epic Stamina,
mostly-benign Buddhist-Manichæan syncretists and other Epic Strength, Health, War
fringe religious believers. He participated in the White
Lotus Rebellion at the end of the 18th century, though he
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
did not commit enough to save Wáng Lún from failure and The White Eyebrow cares about one thing above all
death. Whenever he attaches himself to a new organization, others: himself. He nonetheless recognizes relationships’
he professes allegiance to their philosophy or mission but al- utility in getting him ahead, or at least giving him someone
ways protects his own neck first. His skill and infamy attract to shove in front of him when the shooting starts. The White
the attention of the power-hungry, who break from their for- Eyebrow would never, ever, ever get emotionally invested
mer allegiances to answer to him before all. Through these in a student. Not even a singularly talented, dedicated one
aspirants, he has slowly built up a worldwide following that who actually challenges him as a martial artist and a teacher.
festers wherever there is interest in Chinese boxing. Anyone Nope. Definitely not. Means to an end. That’s all. That’s all!
who finds a Wŭdāng, White Lotus, or even Chán cell any-
OTHER PANTHEONS
where in the world must wonder: Have they fallen under the
sway of the White Eyebrow? The White Eyebrow’s closest friends are in the Chinese
immortal community. The “faerie world” of the Chinese
The White Eyebrow is a competent tactician and strat- backcountry brushes up against the “rivers & lakes” of
egist who well understands that the art of war is based on worldwide martial arts, and the White Eyebrow rules over
deception. His legions of followers will fight to the death to their intersection. He’s really good at scoring invitations to
protect him and his secrets, although most are cannon fod- the Asian pantheons’ social functions, where he acts like a
der with more muscle than sense or technique. The heavily jerk, but an interesting jerk, so people still listen to him. Only
armed teachers and elites are the real threats (they may even the Palas completely refuse to talk to him. He has also won
know a secret technique or two, though none knows all his some positive attention by publicly backing the occasional
tricks). He himself is among the deadliest living martial art- good cause — for example, throwing his network’s weight
ists, notorious for his “death touch” — a series of pressure behind the Atua’s crusade against climate crisis. It’s not just
points which, struck in order, cause cardiac arrest. With
Shàolín iron body techniques, he has immunized himself

Titans of the Shén 45

to get in good with them, though; there’s no point in immor- has hairs. Famous for creating the World’s first peach, all it
tality if there’s nowhere to live in 200 years. takes to plant a seed of life is to drive the end into the earth.
CURRENT PRIORITIES The Meat Forest: This Terra Incognito is the site of
a constant party where an entire lake of wine and a forest
The White Eyebrow always plays the long game. He
where steaks literally grow on trees waits to be consumed.
spends centuries setting up the pieces before making a seri-
Of course, the guests also wait to be consumed.
ous move, and never strikes a moment too early. The time’s
coming for one of those, though; with the Shén dithering FOLLOWERS
about what to do about him, he’s got choices. Should he take Peach Couriers: Kuāfù’s personal delivery service,
out a world leader who’s abetting climate change? Seize con- these messengers are fearless, driving and biking through
trol of a worldwide martial arts organization? Hanging out traffic with their cargo. Peach’s agents obey neither the laws
with the Atua, who straddle the line between God and Titan, of nations nor physics, often sprinting straight up the sides
has him wondering: Now that he’s stolen Titanhood, could of buildings to avoid wasting time with elevators.
he steal divinity as well? What would that even mean, given
how powerful he’s already become? He doesn’t like the idea GUIDES
of all the Fatebinding it would probably involve, but he’d like Huli Jing: Fox spirits are one of the most inscrutable
to have the option. Always good to have options. supernatural species alive. Though powerful enough to deal
deadly blows, they rarely take a direct path to their goals,
BIRTHRIGHTS whatever they might be, making them the perfect allies of
RELICS Dájĭ’s Scions.
The DRAGON System: Humans are squishy, flightless, CREATURES
and flammable things that make little sense for children of River Kings: Each of the thousands of rivers, streams,
Lóng Titans. Enter the DRAGON, a modular armor system canals, and other waterways of China (and beyond) is the
that shores up all these human failings. Need a more covert domain of a small dragon. These Lóng aren’t world breakers
profile? Put on less. That’s the way of the DRAGON. like Gōnggōng, but none of them should be underestimated;
Kuāfù’s Walking Stick: Despite its simple wooden ap- each of them has lived for centuries in a world that’s hostile
pearance, this stick has planted more trees than Wu Kong to dragons.

46 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 TITANS–OF
THE TEO
TEOTL
T he existence of the Teōtl is one of constant peril. The
World ended four times previously, and it will, should the
Gods be lax in their duties, end again. All their Titans wait at
jaguar claws and eagle talons. Like her sisters, she descends
on wings of darkness with empty eye sockets and ravenous
hunger. Her twinkling light mesmerizes the weak-willed,
the edges of existence, chomping at the bit for their chance leaving them easy targets for her predation.
to lay waste to the World. It has been foretold that when the fifth sun fails and
For the Teōtl themselves, their Titans are equal parts the World finally ends, the Tzitzimime will fly to Earth and
people slighted in the inglorious past and monsters. From devour all. Citlali will lead her sisters on that night, but until
the perspective of their enemies, while trying to run the then they are restless and hungry. They will not wait until
World, they failed multiple times, wiping the slate clean they are allowed to hunt.
with each iteration. Those who remained fled their destruc- The Tzitzimime choose women first and foremost when
tion and await their revenge. The vanquished enemies of the making Scions; women who are hungry and angry with the
Teōtl are never truly dead! restrictions of their societies. There’s no record of them ever
The blood and hearts that the Teōtl demand, seemingly choosing a man.
bloodthirsty to outsiders, are all that stands in Callings: Destroyer, Liminal, Monster
between the World and its destruction. The
Teōtl have failed four times before and Purviews: Darkness, Death, Stars
they’d be damned if they do again. RELATIONSHIPS AND
AGENDA
CITLALI, The Tzitzimime are well
TZITZIMIME versed in the Scions of the
FROM BEHIND Teōtl, the Scions that fight
THE STARS back against their predation.
If not for the children of
Aliases: None the Gods, they could hasten the
Before her fall to earth, great feast. They regard Scions of
Citlali served as Ītzpāpālōtl’s Citali as their mortal sisters and
aide-de-camp and relayed her the Tzitzimime love them as
orders to the other chieftains the heralds of the great feast to
of the Tzitzimime. When come.
Ītzpāpālōtl lingered on
earth, she took command of the
OTHER PANTHEONS
army of starlit demons. Her former Great hunters, Citlali and the
commander was not only accepted other Tzitzimime welcome all who
as a God among the Teōtl but allowed wash themselves in blood and revel in
to feed on the sacrificed hearts of the Mēxihcah violence. They welcome God, mortal, creature, or Titan
people. This enraged the Tzitzimime, but especially to join them when the final fight begins.
Citali — their new leader.
CURRENT PRIORITIES
Citlali has found ways for her titanspawn sisters to de- Citlali wants to escape the night behind the stars and
scend from the night sky outside of eclipses and the five days lead her people to their promised final battle. No longer sat-
of Nemontemi. For hundreds of years under Ītzpāpālōtl, they isfied with just hunting when allowed, she has been testing
were limited to these few moments of revelry, but since the both the limits of her prison and the vigilance of her guards.
abandonment of her people, Citlali assumed their leadership. Citlali has found a loophole, on the longest night of the year
She graciously allows them to fall to Earth whenever they (during the height of Ītzpāpālōtl’s power), the walls of their
wish and feast to their heart’s content. prison thin. It is no small wonder that Citlali has her former
Citlali is six-and-a-half feet tall and looks like a hu- commander in her sights.
manoid skeleton shimmering with cold starlight, bearing

Titans of the Teōtl 47

 of the enemies of the Mēxihcah. Though she was dead, she
COYOLX UHQUI, nevertheless watched as captives of war were made to climb
WHO GATHERED THE the Huēyi Teōcalli in Tenochtitlan, only to be slain at its top
FOUR HUNDRED and thrown down its back stairs, mimicking her defeat at the
hands of Huitzilopochtli. The dishonor from her mother’s
Aliases: The First Enemy, She Who is Painted with Bells dishonesty about Huitzilopochtli’s conception, as well her
Coyolxāuhqui never believed in the miraculous nature of defeat and binding by her youngest brother were not insult
her her mother, Coatlicue’s pregnancy with Huitzilopochtli. enough — the people who she once thought of as family
She thought her mother had brought dishonor upon their mock her every year.
family by having some tryst and lying about it. Thus, she As the moon, she presides over the nighttime sky, when
brought together her 400 brothers, the Centzonhuitznaua, to Huitzilopochtli retreats from the Cihuateteo, the spirits of
rebel against their mother and slay her before this child could women who died in childbirth. Watching his daily failure
be born. At the summit of Coatepec Mountain in a shrine against these night spirits pleases her, and she learns of changes
dedicated to herself, Cōātlīcue watched Coyolxāuhqui lead in his strategies since last they fought. She relays this to her
her Titanic brothers up the slopes. Cōātlīcue gave birth to brothers during the new moon, when she is least bound.
the Champion of the Mēxihcah fully formed and as an adult,
armored and armed with his Xiuhcoatl. Coyolxāuhqui seeks the fall of Teōtl, but her thirst for ven-
geance won’t be satisfied while there is the blood of the Teōtl
Huitzilopochtli slew Coyolxāuhqui in the first moments and their Mēxihcah followers to be spilled. The Mēxihcah are
of this epic battle and cut her limb from limb. He threw her complicit in their God’s actions, as they took part in rituals
head into the night sky to become the moon, where she wait- that kept her bound and dismembered while offering worship
ed, dead and bound until the Coyolxāuhqui Stone in Mexico to Huitzilopochtli. All reality be damned if she can have her
City was broken decades ago and undid the binding magic, vengeance. Only the reassembly of her body and leading her
allowing her slow resurrection. brothers into combat against Huitzilopochtli matters.
Coyolxāuhqui hates the Teōtl. Hundreds of years after Callings: Adversary, Leader, Warrior
her defeat on Coatepec Mountain she’s become the symbol
Purviews: Darkness, Health, Moon, War

48 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA As the builder of the heart of the Teōtl empire, Tenoch
leads what few individuals remain. His rage ignited those
Of the Titans of the Teōtl, none are more aggressive than
of the others. How dare Tezcatlipoca destroy the people he
Coyolxāuhqui. She watches the Gods from the night sky and
created because he failed at his prescribed task? Was it the
never stops plotting their end. She will resort to anything to de-
Quinametzin who had failed? No, they laid the foundations
stroy Huitzilopochtli and his pantheon. Since the Coyolxāuhqui
of what would be the Teōtl’s empire, yet they paid the price.
Stone was moved, she made no short work pulling enough of
her body together to create Scions. Her children are never any- While Tenoch, like his giant brothers and sisters, can’t
one who believes in the cause of the Teōtl. She often chooses leave the Axis Mundi where they are trapped, if he could,
those who are on the short end of dealings with the Gods, or he would go back to the cities that they built and tear them
bitter that a loved one sacrificed themselves. down. For Tenoch himself, that means stomping through
Mexico City and breaking the city’s center, where the Gods
OTHER PANTHEONS hold their power. He built the damn place and knows all its
As the Teōtl have just begun to interact with other secrets, mundane or otherwise.
Gods, Coyolxāuhqui knows nothing of alliances that were Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Tyrant
forged after her dismemberment. Since waking in 1978, she’s
aware of other Gods but regards them with apathy. She will Purviews: Artistry (Architecture), Epic Strength, Epic
tolerate their existence until the Teōtl and Mēxihcah are Stamina, Forge
wiped from the face of the Fifth World. If they can survive RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
the earthquakes that will destroy it, more power to them.
Tenoch and the other Quinametzin are willing to work
That said, she and her 400 siblings take up arms and will ally
with anyone who has been the victim of their cold and heart-
with any power looking for the end of all things. Members of
less Gods. Thanks to their imprisonment, only those who
the Centzonhuitznaua have been seen speaking with Surtr’s
can find their Axis Mundi can receive any aid from them. If
forces about Ragnarok.
they do, however, and can escape the invisible jaguars, the
CURRENT PRIORITIES giants of the First Sun reward them by crafting all manner
Coyolxāuhqui has been gathering her brothers, the of objects, including forging new Scions. The Quinametzin
Centzonhuitznaua, by appearing to the mightiest of them consider anything they make a weapon against Tezcatlipoca,
each month during the new moon. Through this and her Quetzalcoatl, and the rest of the Teōtl.
visitations to her Scions, she builds a rebel army that will, OTHER PANTHEONS
sooner rather than later, take on the Teōtl at the heart of
It is difficult for Tenoch to contact the Titans of other
their power, Mexico City.
pantheons as he and the other giants are imprisoned. When
TENOCH, QUINAMETZIN OF sought out, they will aid anyone who can convince them that
their enemy is a God that deserves to be brought low. The
THE FIRST SUN Quinametzin are not dumb brutes, and their craftsmanship
Aliases: Builder of Tenōchtitlan makes them the most sought out weaponsmiths among
Famed for being the founder and builder of Tenōchtitlan, Titans.
the seat of Teōtl power in what is now Mexico City, Tenoch CURRENT PRIORITIES
is one of seven giants of the First Sun. He survived the hunt
Despite living for millennia of imprisonment in their
that claimed his brethren. Trapped in an Axis Mundi, Tenoch
Axis Mundi, its nature makes it difficult to explore. This is
suffers, bound in darkness and tormented by the sounds of
both because of its pitch-black darkness, and because invisi-
his people getting devoured by Tezcatlipoca’s invisible jag-
ble jaguars attack each time they leave their small sanctuary.
uars. Lost there, his rage at this injustice burns ever brighter.
Part of the cost for their help always includes reports of what
The death of the First World had nothing to do petitioners encountered on their way in and out of the Axis
with the Quinametzin. They were good giants and built Mundi. They crave escape most and have spent thousands of
sites important both to ancient and modern Mēxihcah. years preparing to wreak their vengeance against the Gods
Quinametzin founded Teotihuacan, La Mixteca, Xilotepec, who betrayed them. Anyone who can help with that has the
Xicallancatl, Tollan and others, their buildings left intact for full aid and support of Tenoch and the other Quinametzin.
the inhabitants of five Worlds to live in. The rivalry between
Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl brought about its destruction. TLALTECUHTLI,
The Smoking Mirror wasn’t good enough to be the sun and
the Feathered Serpent ousted him. These were the machi-
THE HUNGRY
nations of the Gods, and the Quinametzin did nothing to Aliases: Cipactli, The Earth Monster
cause it. They could have lived in the next World, flourishing In the beginning, the universe was a watery void, save
under the Second Sun of the White Tezcatlipoca. Instead, for a small spit of land upon which Tonacacihuatl and
they were hunted and made to flee into the sanctuary that Tonacatecuhtli birthed the four Tezcatlipocas, who in turn
became their prison. begot the other Teōtl. They tried to create the universe, but
their first attempts failed. Anything they created in the void

Titans of the Teōtl 49

around them was devoured, for they were not the only be- CURRENT PRIORITIES
ings in the water. Tlaltecuhtli lurked there. No matter how
It has been too long since last the Earth Monster was
many things they made, she ate them and hungered still.
fed, as the Teōtl have been too busy with other Titans to
Tlaltecuhtli is the hunger of the wilds outside civiliza- address their commitment to keeping the foundation of the
tion. Whatever they built, it was hers to destroy and devour. World sated. Her Scions feel this hunger as well, and know
To create the World, the Gods had to defeat the wild nature that the deeper it grows, the more she awakens and the clos-
around them, as did the Mēxihcah people later. To do this, er she is to freedom.
the Black Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, dunked his foot
into the void and baited Tlaltecuhtli to bite. When he pulled BIRTHRIGHTS
her up, the other Tezcatlipoca defeated her and bound her Scions of the Teōtl may acquire any of these Birthrights.
as the foundation upon which the five Worlds were built.
Her head became the sky, her tail the Underworld, and her CREATURES
corpse dismembered and buried as the earth. Cihuateteo: The spirits of women who died in child-
The Earth Monster appears as a gigantic crocodile with birth, these ghosts attack the armies of Huitzilopochtli in the
stony skin and a mouth filled with gnashing dagger-like twilight sky, routing the sun each night.
teeth. A gnashing maw appears at every joint. It doesn’t mat- Cipactlispawn: Ancient crocodilian beasts, the massive
ter what or how much she eats, she will always have room for reptiles are fearsome combatants both on land and in the
more. Even vanquished and dismembered she hungers, and water.
it is only through the Gods feeding her with human blood
that she doesn’t awaken and come for the rest of the World. FOLLOWERS
There is no evil or good with Tlaltecuhtli, no right or Masones de los Cinco Soles: Once a small nonprofit
wrong, just a world ripe for devouring. She is the wilderness group of historians looking into the founding of various
outside the light of the village, the truth of the natural world sites in Mexico, they are now a secret organization funding
that skyscrapers and order allow humanity to ignore or and outfitting explorations of the Quinametzin Axis Mundi.
worse — forget about. Those who remember that everything They bring out blueprints and plans for wonderful and
exists to devour or be devoured, and who embrace their own powerful structures in return for aiding in the mapping and
hungers, sometimes find themselves Scions of the Earth eventual discovery of a weak point for the giants of the First
Monster. She struggles against her binding, and when she Sun to escape through.
does, storms form and the earth quakes. Even in death, she Conētlmētztli: The Children of the Moon are couri-
hungers. ers, smugglers, spies, and assassins who work in service of
Callings: Destroyer, Hunter, Monster Coyolxāuhqui and the Centzonhuitznaua, hoping one day to
be granted her blessings for the work they do in the dark of
Purviews: Beasts (Crocodiles), Death, Earth, Wild the night.
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA GUIDES
Of the Teōtl Titans, Tlaltecuhtli is the least malevolent. Centzonhuitznaua: While the eldest of the 400 war-
As long as she feeds on human blood, she is sated. If the Gods riors of the southern stars are Titans in their own right, most
and their followers neglect her ceaseless hunger, she awak- of the them are titanspawn. They remain ready for a fight,
ens. Her Scions, however, want to free her so that the World regardless of who or what they may be fighting.
can return to the Primordial chaos that birthed it. Only when
their mother is unbound and restored can she be returned to Xelhua: The giant with the most sites to his name,
life, and the great feast can begin. Xelhua has always been too focused on creating to lead his
people, leaving that task to Tenoch. A master of both archi-
OTHER PANTHEONS tecture and magic, his creations are always devastatingly
Tlaltecuhtli wants the World to be the way she knew it: powerful.
an all-consuming void. She allies with many an apocalyptic
RELICS
monster, and through dreams commands her Scions to aid
them. Apep, Fenrir, and others who want to devour reality Obsidian Butterfly Blade: Harvested from the shadowy
receive Tlaltecuhtli’s aid. wings of a Tzitzimitl, these volcanic glass blades shimmer
darkly with a hypnotic malevolent light.

50 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 TITANS OF
THE THEOI
T he ancient Greeks created the word Titanes to mean
Strainers, referring to those who tear at the cosmic order,
who defy the divine justice of the Gods. The Theoi assert theirs
weight of the last child he snatched and swallowed whole.
Unbeknownst to him, his desperate wife Rhea had switched
the newborn with a stone. So it was that Cronus the Cunning
was the first Titanomachy — it’s hard to argue otherwise when was outmaneuvered by a boulder, the infant Zeus survived in
they named the concept and guard the cell of the King of Titans hiding, and Fate was proved ever ineffable.
himself. Not all the Theoi’s adversaries pace subterranean Zeus’s quest to release the Gigantes, his war for
prisons, however. Some escaped into obscurity. Others are Olympus, his wife Metis’s scheme to free the Gods from
allowed conditional freedom, the fates of their kin dangling Cronus’s gullet — these myths have found their places.
overhead like swords. Still they strain at their social Zeus found his at the head of the Theoi. And Cronus
and moral confinements, undermining Godly his, leashed by unbreakable chains beneath
rule in subtle, canny ways. They may not even Tartarus.
back the old broadbeards fuming
underground, but all are eager to The King of Titans com-
see Zeus’s kingdom fall. mands a body enormous beyond
conceiving. Within is concealed
CRONUS a freezing vacuum and mon-
strous appetite, particularly for
Aliases: Khronos, King of
his kin. While Cronus original-
the Titans, Saturnus
ly reigned over the concept
Sing to me, O Muses, of rulership, he now
of the second King of encompasses time
Heaven, ruler of a as well, especially
Golden Age, the un- entropy, and literal
disputed commander and figurative reaping.
of Gods and causality. He This and his infamous
plots the ambush of his royal sickle syncretized him with
father, craving butchery. He an Italian harvest God, now his
awaits the birth of another radi- fairer Mantle Saturnus.
ant babe, his stomach howling.
Selfish and paranoid,
He is the tomb of his own chil-
Cronus is not known to patron-
dren, he is the heat-death of the
ize Scions. He does, however,
cosmos, he is the adversary of
beget many Titanic omens, even
the divine, and he is hungry.
when the World’s stage is otherwise
While his four elder brothers seized q u i e t . His heaving under Tartarus knocks souls
their father Uranus and held him fast at the corners of off-course, triggers horrific earthquakes and sparks win-
the earth, Cronus lifted his adamant sickle and hacked ter storms. Gates swing open, conveying the expectant and
the King of Heaven to pieces. So it was that Cronus the Wily unwary alike to his cell within Tartarus. To what end these
became the second King, of crooked wit and fearful drive. omens appear, no Olympians are sure, but they do know this:
Though some claim he ruled over a blissful Golden Age, his Even in prison, Cronus has not admitted defeat. He will rule
ruthlessness earned the bitter enmity of many — including again whatever the cost — not out of lofty ideals but simply
his mother Gaea. Upon the unjust imprisonment of his because he must.
brothers the Gigantes, Gaea delivered to him that familiar
Callings: Adversary, Destroyer, Tyrant
refrain of Theoi prophecy: However great, the father will be
Purviews: Death, Deception, Earth, Epic Stamina, Epic
defeated by an even greater son.
Strength, Fertility, Frost, Order, Passion (Hunger)
For Cronus, there was a simple solution to this riddle of
Fate: He devoured his children as soon as they were born, RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
imprisoning them within his empty, frozen body. Confident Though he’s not above granting clemency to “free”
in the merits of this plan, he overlooked the unusual Titans who return to his court, Cronus hates the Theoi

Titans of the Theoi 51

and their allies beyond measure — Rhea especially, for her peak of Olympus, likely after clearing the World of this age of
ruse with the stone, and were he to learn of Metis and her humanity in your traditional deluge. Why change a perfect
little emetic she’d earn his wrath as well. As unyielding as plan?
ever, Cronus plans to rule the World in the same manner as
before, this time with every God decaying within his frost- ECHIDNA
rimed belly. Aliases: Dracaena, Python, She-Viper
OTHER PANTHEONS Sing, O Muses, of the mother of monsters! The mother
As King of the Titans and paterfamilias of the xenopho- of the unloved, her wretched babes wagered liked pawns!
bic Theoi, Cronus is contemptuous of literally everyone. He Sing of murdered children! Of their matron’s venom-rage, of
already waged Titanomachy without barbarian help and the end of man, and the end of Heroes! Loathsome worm and
intends to do it again. he’s had to swallow his pride, and squirming dragon, the lover of inimical Typhon, the enemy
Cronus now sends cryptic communications to Apep in the of beloved Apollo! She whose birth-pangs will end the World
South, and his emissaries have been intercepted en route to — Monster! Mother! Echidna!
Giants of the First Sun — sticky topics the Theoi have not yet Gaea and Tartarus have long commingled in various in-
divulged to the Netjer or Teōtl. scrutable ways. As such, it is well known that when Mother
Earth and Hell decide to love each other very much, nothing
CURRENT PRIORITIES useful or tolerant of humanity can come of it: Echidna being
Cronus longs to be reunited with his adamant sickle, the prime example. The Gods abhorred Echidna, an unman-
once used to sever Heaven from Earth, supposedly on an un- ageable monster, even before she took a mate and began to
known island in the Ionian Sea guarded by Theoi watchdogs. breed. While the Theoi claim she chose Typhon out of a per-
His four brothers, the Pillars of Heaven, have already slipped verse need to spawn the most horrifying creatures possible,
their less-artisanal bonds and now maneuver titanspawn to Aphrodite is first to admit (with a shudder) that she seems to
search for the only thing that can break Cronus’s chains. genuinely love him.
He also seeks a new wife (as Rhea is dead to him, per- Certainly, they are a match made in — well, somewhere.
haps soon literally), one that will breach Tartarus to guide Typhon couldn’t have successfully stolen Zeus’s tendons
him back into the World. After millennia of chauvinism (and without Echidna’s low, twisted cunning. When Apollo took
repeated defeat), he’s begun considering “barbarian” Titans. vengeance by filling Echidna with arrows, she would have
Then he will unroll his maw to feed on the flesh of his putrefied in the sunlight if Typhon hadn’t stolen away with
degenerate children and resume his reign from the frozen her to Tartarus. No, Echidna and Typhon truly love each

52 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

other, just as they truly love the abominations their union subterranean nursery, and a lot of food, because she’s eating
creates. for A Dreadful Number Larger Than One now.
From the waist up, Echidna is a beautiful maiden, albeit Echidna is also concerned with silencing oracles —
with cold doll-eyes and a poisonous expression. From the she wasn’t born yesterday, and she knows prophecies lead
waist down, however, Hell takes over: Her legs fuse into Heroes to her children’s lairs. She will stop at nothing to
one abominable appendage, long and serpentine, frilled and achieve a World that exists only for her and her spawn: ev-
bristling with venomous spikes. You are likely to find her erything a fetid bog and everyone in terrified quiescence.
coils miles before you catch sight of her unapproachable
maiden-half. More infamous than her terrible visage are GAEA
her numerous depraved children: Hydra, Scylla, Chimaera… Aliases: Allmother, Gaia, Ge, Mother Earth
you may have heard of a few. Agonizingly to Echidna, her
Sing at last, O Muses, of the Allmother, unbegotten and
children’s only worth to the World is in how much fame they
self-delivered. Bearer of the Titans — Land and Sea and
bring the Hero who kills them.
Firmament lay honors upon her. Namer of beasts — the crea-
Echidna is begrudgingly aligned with proponents for tures of the World owe fealty to her. Adversary of Heaven
Titanomachy only because she hates the Theoi and their — her sons war and betray in deference to her. From her is
Scions with a venom that suffuses her horrifying body. She all produced and given! She attends to the growing, so grow
will always put her family first. Echidna’s Scions are those of tall, grow strong. She leads in the reaping, so die for her, and
the same mind: mothers, survivors of violence, and creators die well!
joyfully cultivating the ill-advised things they make. She
When Uranus thought to smother her and trap her own
births or adopts Scions as caretakers for her children, or as
children within her body, it was Gaea who planted the seed
wardens for their spawning grounds and cults.
of insurrection in Cronus’s mind, and granted him a mur-
Callings: Creator, Guardian, Monster der weapon she personally forged for him. When Cronus
Purviews: Beasts (Serpents), Chaos, Darkness, Epic Stamina, gorged himself on infants in a clumsy attempt to outwit
Fertility, Fire, Passion (Maternal Love), Wild Fate, it was Gaea who provided Rhea with the stone and the
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA cunning instructions to hide her lastborn son. When Zeus
dared defy her, it was Gaea who came closest to starting a
Above all else, Echidna loves Typhon and her children. second Titanomachy, leading her Gigantes sons and Typhon
Every action and alliance serve to protect these loves; a himself against the youngest King of Heaven. Gaea, smiling
Titanomachy with no place for her twisted family leaves her and elegant, has been instrumental in two wars of heavenly
cold. She wouldn’t have aligned with the Titanomachy at all succession. She’s looking forward to her third.
if Gaea, whom Echidna venerates, hadn’t entreated her. That
said, Echidna exults in undermining the hunter twins Apollo Gaea chooses to appear as a well-bred, matronly wom-
and Artemis, as well as Rhea, whom she considers her rival an, buxom and soft, barely old enough to be a grandmother.
for the Purview of motherhood. Interactions with her Scions As a primeval of Earth, her powers are varied — the source
are curt, similar to a haughty aristocrat treating the nanny. of prophetic fumes, she is the Theoi’s first oracle. The lit-
If left alone, Echidna’s only plan would be to outbreed the eral fundament, she can conceal creatures and concepts on
Gods — with the rise in “Bestia Incognita” advocacy, this or within her figurative body. The origin of all Theoi, she
plan may be crazy enough to work. exploits even the canniest God or Goddess. Though she cur-
rently holds the Mantle of Mother Earth, Gaea herself is not
OTHER PANTHEONS motherhood — she is survival for only the fittest. She prefers
Monster-mothers lead solitary lives, but Echidna gets sacrifices of black sheep, as her once-universal worship in
along famously with Misiginebig, much to everyone’s horror Greece dictated, and she prefers children who obey.
and dismay. Her gamekeeper cults have spread attitudes However, never say Gaea doesn’t love her family. She
of radical monster acceptance across national boundaries, happens to love the cycle of succession more. If there is an
causing the Shén no amount of grief when a titanspawn fi- abler king, she will help him ascend, and well… there are so
nally roped into gainful employment no-call-no-shows and many possible times and manners of Zeus’s fall. Naturally,
goes back to terrorizing the locals. Other pantheons keep Gaea plans to be there, with weapons and alliances forged,
their distance from Echidna’s clan, and she likes this just her titanspawn and Scions in formation. Said Scions must
fine. be obedient, and never indulge in weakness; Gaea has been
CURRENT PRIORITIES known to disown Scions who depend too much on her
assistance. Terrible as this seems, Gaea never fails to seek
Echidna is gravid again. This is far from uncommon, but justice for a hurt Scion, often going to dramatic lengths for
her gamekeeper cults are unusually restless, and her activist vengeance.
Scions are squeezing global legislatures to increase protec-
tion of “Bestia Incognita.” Something really special is on the Callings: Creator, Primeval (Earth), Tyrant
way. Echidna’s primary concerns are pre- and post-natal Purviews: Beasts (Black Sheep), Earth, Epic Stamina,
care for the baby (or babies); namely, she needs an enormous Fertility, Fortune, Health, Prosperity, Wild

Titans of the Theoi 53

RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA Harpyiai Titanes: Horrific hybrids of women and rap-
tors, harpies were born of the ichor spilled upon Cronus’s
Gaea cultivates close relationships with her daughter
sickle. Usually bound in service to the Erinyes, these
Rhea and granddaughter Hera, who either don’t suspect her
Harpies choose to serve Cronus and his interests rather than
machinations or are powerless to oppose them. While Gaea
Olympus.
is neither confined nor tortured like other Titans, she knows
her status with her grandchildren is tenuous, so refrains Horai: Minor Goddesses of weather and the orderly
from direct actions, relying instead on intelligent titanspawn procession of seasons, dutiful attendants of Gaea’s favorites.
and Scions. A parthenogeneticist, Gaea is known to create There were originally numerous Horai, but they’re down to
Scions more often than she adopts or begets them, leaving four and dwindling in power. Their rage at climate instabili-
her free to craft exactly the tool she needs in the moment ty only burns brighter.
she needs it; the result is a semi-divine legion equipped with Ichthyocentauroi: Born when Cronus coupled with the
adamantine weapons and breathtaking mother issues. Gaea nymph Philyra in horse-form, these are centaur with fish-
wishes to return to the days of her universal worship, to tails and lobster-claw antennae. Patient chaperones and ad-
create unimpeded once again, and to continue guiding the ept seafarers, they attend allies of Aphrodite and Poseidon,
divine lineage of the Theoi. though their loyalties are often brought into question by
OTHER PANTHEONS hawkish Theoi.

In the last decade, Gaea has struck up an unusual alli- GUIDES

ance with Coyolxauhqui and the eldest Centzonhuitzanaua. Chiron: The first centaur has built a reputation and
The Allmother has much in common with what she would brand as Preeminent Heroic Mentor, despite being Cronus’s
otherwise consider vicious barbarians; all wish for the end son. An expert in fields from gymnastics to medicine, his
of their respective pantheons and have some experience impressive list of references includes Heroes like Achilles,
at the attempt of it. Of all her entanglements, however, she Heracles, and Sybilla Kostanian — the latter a modern grad-
finds most promising her connections with the Gods of the uate known primarily for crossing the Pacific in five soaring
Tuatha Dé Danann, who revile Zeus and harbor no ill-will leaps. Curiously, Chiron is known to have definitely, definite-
toward pantheon-labelled Titans. Were the Theoi to learn ly died 2000 years ago. His reappearance in the early 2000s
of this collusion, Gaea would need to pluck every string she have many Theoi conspiracy theorists trading suspicions.
could to manipulate her way back into their favor.
Enkelados: A giant who served in the Gigantomachy
CURRENT PRIORITIES — Gaea’s attempt at a second Titanomachy — until Athena
Gaea keeps tabs on several different prophecies regard- threw the island of Sicily at him. He’s subsumed the volcanic
ing Zeus’s succession by another: Notably, his son by Metis, essence of the island and now appears more fearsome than
his son by Thetis, his child by a thrice-living mortal, and his before, belching fire with his shouts and threats. He’s set on
child by a two-headed serpent. She is confident in having a rematch with the Theoi and will provide combat training
found three candidates fitting these criteria, and while she to anyone who can help get him there.
counsels from afar and equips them for war, she continues Sphinx: A daughter of Echidna with a mortal’s head, a
the search for others. Ultimately, Gaea means to guide one lion’s body, an eagle’s wings, and a serpent’s tail. Sphinx is
to the throne of Olympus, so that yet another generation of too clever by half, and delights in terrorizing others with her
kings is under her control. intellect. Solving one of her riddles is the only way to gain
her respect or her tutelage.
BIRTHRIGHTS Typhon: A treacherous, shape-shifting giant, veteran of
FOLLOWERS the Gigantomachy, Gaea’s lieutenant, and Echidna’s mate.
CompACTS: Created in the ‘60s as a cult to Morris He variably appears winged, with serpents for legs or for fin-
Blackburn, Scion of Echidna and animal rights ecoterrorist, gers, or up to 100 heads, or any other feature that will leave
Compassionate Advocacy for Creatures Transmundane or mortals screaming. He has an unusual gift for strategy and
Significant now operates as a secular multi-national cult psychological warfare and loves anything to do with under-
to Echidna’s propagation. Echidna leverages CompACTors mining Zeus.
to protect or advocate for her titanspawn targeted for The Wyomese Bear: A grizzly bear roughly the size and
extermination. weight of a tractor unit, with six legs, an invulnerable hide,
Doomsday Preppers: Mortals fearing the end of the and twice the usual number of teeth, currently stalking the
World, whatever shape it may take. Gaea takes notice of interior midwestern United States. All local wildlife obeys
those who hoard resources for their own survival, whether its commands and those of its ward.
they’re as sophisticated as the Saturnian Society (p. 132) or RELICS
as isolated as hill folk. She visits them with dreams of her im-
Blood of Uranus: A vial of syrupy, wine-dark fluid, glit-
pending Titanomachy, which naturally takes their prepping
tering with cold stars. When applied to any part of Gaea’s
to the next level.
body (otherwise known as the World), this grotesquely

54 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

fecund liquid has the potential to create a new creature nev- Echidna’s Venom: A high-density polyethylene con-
er before seen — from as crude as a beast to as sophisticated tainer of some of the most potent contaminant slime ever
as a God. to curse the World. Rots non-living organic material, erodes
Echidna’s Scales: A chip of Echidna’s lower-body chitin, metal, causes numerous infections. Curiously, has no effect
hard as a carbide alloy, ranging in size from smartphone to on plastic.
riot shield. Echidna’s scales are usually weaponized — they The Mother’s Bones: A waterproofed canvas bag full
are especially conductive of poison, and wounds caused by of various stones of impossible age. Throwing one over your
the scale are guaranteed to infect. shoulder so that it lands on the bare earth will cause it to
metamorphize into a fully armored myrmidon with perfect
discipline and obedience.

Titans of the Theoi 55

 TITANS OF THE
TUATHA DÉ
DOMNANN
T he winner writes the history, that much is true of the
history of both humans and the divine. For the Titans of
the Tuatha Dé Domnann, the winners have determined not
his body to her empty arms. He’d been her first favorite, the
child she bore during the Incarnation that loved Buarainech,
the best-beloved and most mercurial of her children.
only who’s “good” and “bad,” but who’s even a member of the Whether the tears of the primal mother brought her
pantheon itself, as opposed to falling into Titanhood. Those favorite child back from the dead or that Mantle passed
who claim themselves as Titans follow the lead of Domnu and to another one of her doted-upon children, Balor walks
use her name as a banner. A relatively lesser-known pantheon, the earth again, much to Lugh’s
the Tuatha struggle to survive in the modern age of The World, chagrin. After that terrible war,
and the Titans even more so. he slept for several centuries,
BALOR, content to leave the World to its
own business. His eye stayed
THE EVIL EYE closed, and drought did not
Aliases: The Deadly One, plague Ireland, nor famine
King of Drought, The Piercing- touch her shores.
Eyed, The Smiter Two centuries ago, he
Balor died. Everyone woke, and resumed wan-
knows this. Everyone dering the length and
knows that after he breadth of the World.
locked his daugh- Whenever four of
ter up in a tower his servants pry
— so she could back the seven
never have children, lids on his single
thereby warding massive eye, he gaz-
against a prophecy that es upon the land and
his grandson would kill him grasses dry and leaves with-
— his daughter became preg- er. Forest fires break out when
nant by the son of Dian Cécht. he blinks the first lid. The sea
Everyone knows that Balor set warms when he gazes upon it.
his grandson adrift on the sea Indeed, in recent centuries
to kill him, and that Lugh re- Balor’s realization that he can
turned as a grown man and threw warm the waters and raise mag-
a spear through his grandfather’s single nificent storms has made this one of his
dread eye. The stories of Balor’s death, very favorite hobbies. He’ll never forgive
and the hole his great and fiery eye burned Lugh for that sling-stone to the eye, and
into the ground, forming a deep lake, are told to children while his grandson celebrates those bards who tell the story
and form one of the best-known stories of the Tuatha Dé of his death, Balor seeks out those same bards and wreaks
Danann. Lugh handsomely rewards bards who tell the most havoc upon their lives. He never kills them directly, instead
flattering and elaborate versions of Balor’s death. causing them misery and heartbreak. Family farms fail,
Balor died, and his body tumbled into the hole his dread loved ones fall ill or meet untimely ends by tragic accidents:
eye burnt into the earth. Balor’s body lay still on the drought- dried-out old trees fall suddenly, a beloved infant succumbs
wracked earth until his mother, Domnu, ran from the sea, to heat stroke, car engines explode.
screaming her agony and grief. Her tears filled the deep basin,
and her screams shook the earth, causing waves which carried

56 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

 Balor had enough of children centuries ago, and unlike prominence. No one wins when families this intertwined
other Tuatha Dé Domnann, he has no desire for progeny. The fight in front of the children, after all.
others create and adopt in order to increase their numbers,
but The Deadly One has no plans for such things. Lugh still
OTHER PANTHEONS
lives, after all; his first child didn’t work out so well for him. Balor plays rather nicely with most of the other Titans
Of course, Balor’s plans don’t usually work, and he’s the king who bring famines: the more the merrier! He roams the
of the accidental Visitation. World looking for like-minded compatriots and staying out
of the business of his Tuatha siblings trying to overthrow
Callings: Destroyer, Tyrant, Warrior
each other over and over. Except, of course, Lugh. There’s
Purviews: Chaos, Death, Epic Strength, Fire, Health, War always an exception for Lugh, who just needs to pay.
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA CURRENT PRIORITIES
Of all the Domnann, Balor has the least interest in ruin- That whole “playing with other Titans and making
ous struggles between Gods and Titans (save, of course, for famines” thing? Balor avoids making Scions by causing cha-
Lugh). He’s very much enjoying the way that the World has os in the World. Famine has so many different meanings in
started growing warmer. The fact that he can wreak havoc the World these days, and he’s learning about all of them.
on the World and enjoy the famines he creates? Delightful. Some people claim the Library of Alexandria’s fire came
Perhaps he’s just aware that it’s all pointless posturing: With from Balor’s eye. One of Balor’s accidental Scions, Jeremiah
as close-knit and interbred as both sides have become, any Glover, claimed to have invented the concept of the “food
attempt at an overthrow would most likely look more like desert” and gloried in the wonderfully modern famine
the World’s most horrifyingly bad wedding reception, with which followed in his footsteps. His father certainly showed
a million old grudges and family ties all bubbling into toxic Glover an immense amount of favor.

WHAT’S IN A NAME
The phrase 'Tuatha Dé' roughly translates to 'godly tribes'. The Titans and Gods from this pantheon of bitter
internecine struggles differentiate themselves by whose folk they are: do they claim membership within the Tuatha
Dé Danaan, following the Goddess Danu, or the Tuatha Dé Domnann, the folk of the Titan Domnu? This matter of
nomenclature matters very deeply to those on either side of this family divide, and characters slip up at their peril.

Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann 57

 to spur them to greater achievements. Of all the Tuatha
BELENUS THE BRIGHT Dé Domnann, he’s one of the most actively involved in the
Aliases: Bright-Eyed, The Shining God World, and the lives of his Scions. His Scions vie for his favor,
Belenus, and the other Titans like him in the Tuatha Dé attempting to please him by collecting relics and besting one
Domnann, occupy a sort of liminal space of belonging and another in ever-greater displays and feats of strength.
not-belonging. Many minor Gods from Gaulish and Welsh
pantheons — especially those rejected in the modern age of BRES THE BEAUTIFUL
the World, stripped of their former worshippers and ignored Aliases: Eochu Bres, The Fomorian Flower, He Who
by the pantheons in which they “should” be found — have Drinks, The Inhospitable
found themselves a home in the Domnann. Some have grati- Alone of all the Tuatha Dé Domnann Titans, Bres’s beauty
tude toward the pantheon for taking them in, and others, like measures up to the Danann. Half-Fomorian, he ruled Ireland
Belenus, accepted the offered hospitality to have a space in after the Fomorians fell at the hands of Nuada’s army, and
which to lick their wounds. Other minor figures like Belenus Nuada’s hand fell to the earth. Imperfect of body, Nuada could
exist under the Domnann umbrella, with the Shining God as no longer claim kingship, and so Eochu Bres became king in-
their putative leader. stead. His position secured him a marriage to Brigid. However
Whatever humanity Belenus once possessed has burned wisely he might have wanted to reign, he didn’t. The one thing
away over years in exile, barely surviving. The Mantle of the bardic tales get right about Bres the Beautiful is the fact that
the God perhaps fell into the hands of a former Scion when he ruled so poorly that he drove his kingdom to ruin and misery.
the original died during Roman rule: Whatever happened, While plating everything in his palace in gold, he flung himself
Belenus’ place within the Tuatha Dé Domnann cannot now into unwinnable wars, his people starved, and everyone who
be disputed. If the God died, the Titan lives, Mantle passed advised him to turn from his destructive ways was declared a
to another. Once the proud patron of cities, he clung to what failure. Miserly, despotic and narcissistic, Bres fell prey to his
little power remained and was swept up into the Domnann, own self-involvement, consumed by his desire to prove himself
taking up the space within that pantheon to which all wor- the greatest ruler, a far greater ruler than any Danann. As his
ship of the Sun funneled. He greedily spies upon the Tuatha self-obsession grew, the other Gods grumbled and strained
Dé Danann from his daily crossing of Ireland’s blue sky, against the yoke of his leadership, until Dian Cécht created a
holding the arch of the World aloft with one hand as the silver hand for Nuada so he could rule once more. The silver
other holds the reins of his steed. Of course, whether he tells handed Tuatha Dé Danann unseated the Fomorian Flower.
his fellow Titans the whole and complete truth about what Bres has held a grudge about that for centuries, nursing it like
he sees depends on who’s asking. the night’s final pint.
Callings: Primeval, Sage, Tyrant Bres is by far the most physically beautiful of all the
Domnann Titans, outstripped only by his internal ugliness.
Purviews: Beasts (Horses), Epic Strength, Journeys,
Short-sighted, hot-tempered, and self-infatuated, he spends
Sun
a great deal of his time obsessing on how to braid his sun-
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA set-colored locks.
In his belonging and not-belonging stage, Belenus Callings: Adversary, Guardian, Tyrant
struggles constantly for a place within the pantheon. Some
Purviews: Beauty, Order, Passion (Insecurity), War
years he seems secure, yet others he’s jockeying for position;
while other Domnann eagerly take in all refugees, he pushes RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
against the adoption of new entities. After all, he’s got his Given the persistent rumor that the entire Tuatha pan-
place, what’s wrong with pulling the ladder up after him? theon grew from a single band of Irish, Gaulish, and Welsh
OTHER PANTHEONS Scions who ranged across Europe and eventually settled in
what would become the UK and France before ascending to
Where Belenus gets along with other pantheons, he
Godhood, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the difference
finds the most delight in sharing space and time with his
between Titanhood and Godhood where the Tuatha and
fellow sun Gods. He spends a lot of time with the Theoi (af-
Fomori are concerned is largely a matter of politics and
ter all, he was strongest when the Romans ruled the ground
interpersonal relationships. They fight like only family can,
from which his worship grew) and will gladly ally himself
and the divisions between Godhood and Titanhood often
with pretty much any Titan whose job includes “draw a
come down to who cheated on whom and who found them-
chariot across the sky.”
selves cast out as a result of some breach of etiquette large or
CURRENT PRIORITIES small ages ago.
Of all the Domnann, Belenus most actively seeks Scions: The stories paint the Gods in a flattering light, because
He lures those hungry for strength to his side and manifests in the end, they won, and the Titans didn’t. Bres dwells on
to seek out mothers for yet another generation of sun-bright this fact more than anyone, and the entirety of his energy fo-
warriors. Belenus actively preys on the insecurities of his cuses on returning himself to the top of the heap from which
Scions, playing them off one another in order to attempt

58 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

he’s fallen. Only Domnu thinks more about how to unseat Purviews: Artistry (Painting), Beasts (All), Deception,
the Tuatha Dé Danann than Bres. Epic Dexterity, Forge, Fortune, Wild
OTHER PANTHEONS RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA
As obsessed as he is with righting the “wrong” done to Cernunnos finds most of the other Domnann — save
him when Nuada tossed him out of power, Bres pays almost Domnu herself — largely boring. Stuck in the past, incapable
no attention to other pantheons. His obsession knows almost of reinventing themselves, and frankly dull as fuck, he avoids
no bounds, and for the last two millennia, he’s been focused them as much as possible. He’d rather Incarnate and talk to
on getting back the throne he lost. Bres really doesn’t give a humans than spend another minute with dull Balor, self-ob-
single fig about the other pantheons. At all. sessed Bres, or any of the rest of his insecure relations, con-
stantly living out their worst selves over and over and trying
CURRENT PRIORITIES to figure out how to make the same mistakes yet again.
Bres the Beautiful intentionally creates Scions with
great abandon, but rarely pays them much attention; most OTHER PANTHEONS
of the children who rise from his bloodline end up adopted Cernunnos delights in spending time with any of the
by other Domnann, or even Gods or dragons. His inability to other Wild-oriented Titans, and sometimes can even be
guard and shepherd anything properly doesn’t mean that he found cavorting with Gods. Dionysus? He’s all right, and
doesn’t try, but it does mean he almost inevitably fails. If he Furies delight the Green Man in their reckless abandon. Of
becomes fixated upon an idea, however, woe betide the child all the Domnann, he holds the least grudges, and spends the
tasked with tending to it: He’s all or nothing, and when he’s most time reveling in the green places left in the World. If
all, he’s Bres the Tyrant — micromanaging every aspect of his someone can treat him to a good hunt, he’ll consider them
current project. much more favorably.

CERNUNNOS, CURRENT PRIORITIES

THE HORNED ONE Much like his mother, Cernunnos takes an extremely
active interest in the World, and Incarnates more than most
Aliases: The Green Father, The Green Man, Lord of Titans. He adopts Scions of other deities but has no com-
Wild Things, The Stag punctions about Incarnating in order to seed more of his
One solitary entry in a single work 1,000 years old notes children around the world. He stalks what few wild places
the existence of Cernunnos; every other reference or infer- remain in the World, wearing any one of a plethora of diverse
ence about the Horned One comes from representative art faces — even the faces of his siblings and rivals. He takes
carved from wood or crafted from fine metals. For a long especial interest in those Scions whose paths seem likely
time, the Tuatha Dé Danann and their Scions assumed him to follow his, as well as investing heavily in artistic Scions
either a stray figment of a single bard’s imagination or the (especially neo-primitive artists) and in those devoted to the
remnant of a continental deity long-gone. Then, in the be- survival of animals native to his home.
ginning of the 20th century, an Incarnation of Cernunnos Two of his best loved Scions disappeared without a trace
appeared to a young woman in Barna Woods near Galway. A when the Wombyn of the Moon-Water first became active in
tempestuous love affair — the first of many — resulted in the Ireland during the early 1990s, leading to the Titan bearing
first of Cernunnos’ first Scions of the modern age. a grudge the size of Ireland itself. Cernunnos would grant
Of course, this Cernunnos didn’t begin life as a Titan, great favors to whoever brings him either the head of their
and this Horned One doesn’t date back to prehistory. Once a leader or the bones of his children so he might inter them in
repressed Victorian woman among Ireland’s Protestant elite, one of the ancient passage tombs his children watch over.
he decided such a constrictive life didn’t suit him and left it
behind when Domnu granted him one of her rare personal DOMNU, MOTHER OF TITANS
Visitations. She gifted him an oaken carved staff, as much Aliases: The First Deceiver, The Other Face, She of the
metaphorical as practical. The Green Man’s divine mother Dark Waters
poured favor and fortune on him, sending him into conflict
An endless network of rivers stretches across the face of
after conflict in the first three decades of the 20th century.
the earth, feeding into the ocean which surrounds Ireland.
Each time, her current favorite child returned a little less
Every droplet runs to the sea, and from the sea, all life rises.
human and a little more Titan. A long stint in the woods
Such truths come from the mouths of those who whisper
of Belgium during a particularly long World War winter,
prayers to Domnu, the creator and destroyer who holds both
the events of which he will never speak, stripped away the
birth and death in the watery depths of her womb, her grave.
last of what made Cernunnos anything but a Titan. He took
The Tuatha Dé Danann insist that Danu’s role as primordial
his place among the Domnann, claiming the Mantle of The
Goddess of waters stands unchallenged, but the Titans know
Green Father. None of the Domnann deign to acknowledge
the secret truths. They know that beneath the beneficent mask
the existence of the other Cernunnos, believing the Gaulish
of the birthing Goddess lies the terrible hunger and wrath of
God an imposter at best.
the hurricane, the endless, devouring depths of the sea.
Callings: Hunter, Primeval, Trickster

Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann 59

 Domnu founded the Tuatha Dé Domnann and named it OTHER PANTHEONS
after herself; she gathered the lost children of the Danann
Domnu delights in the company of other pantheons,
and Fomori together under her sway. She sent out whis-
none more than the Æsir, who she treats like distant cous-
pering messengers on the waves, merfolk, selkies, and dark
ins more than a different pantheon. She definitely wants to
twisted fae. Balor answered her summons, having been
convince the Æsir Titans to her side for whatever she’s got
swept out to sea by gale-driven waves and held hostage on
planned for Odin and the Dagda. She’s oddly protective of
a chunk of driftwood until he consented to Domnu’s rule.
her Welsh brethren, perhaps out of an understanding of the
Cernunnos, certain of a choice seat at the primal mother’s
shared roots of their pantheons.
side, came willingly. Once those two joined Domnu’s brood,
the rest of the knockabout children fell into line. According to some traditions, the Fomorians are de-
scendants of Ham, son of Noah. Being descended from a
Perhaps Domnu and Danu are one, wearing different
seafaring people, this line of thought resonates with many
masks to speak to each group of children. Perhaps the pair are
modern Tuatha Titan Scions, a thought encouraged by
bitterly divided sisters, driven apart by wars which claimed
Domnu. She actively seeks to better her relationships with
offspring and stories and time. Whatever the case, Domnu
other pantheons, consolidating power.
interferes in the World far more readily than Danu: She sends
her dappled-skin selkies and salt-licked merfolk to deliver mes- CURRENT PRIORITIES
sages to her Scions and makes frequent use of the messengers In modern times, her active networking has brought the
of other Titans. Whatever belongs to the Domnann belongs to Tuatha Titans new members, both from ascended Scions and
her, after all, and has no qualms about using anything which the those deities they took in. Domnu runs her pantheon like a
other Tuatha Dé Domnann claim as their own. Domnu may not PTA mom: mostly benevolent, happy to bring in newcomers,
actually have qualms about anything, ever: No one’s ever seen but woe betide the person who doesn’t bring lemon bars to
her appear uncertain about a course of action. the bake sale. She eagerly adds Scions and Titans both to the
Born Scions of Domnu outnumber those she chooses or pantheon she views as her brood whenever possible. Little
crafts from salt and sand; like the ocean in which she dwells makes Domnu happier than watching Scions from any of the
and which she is, Domnu’s fluidity means her Incarnations Domnann rise in prominence.
partner with humans of all genders, and she takes delight Someday, she promises the other Domnann, they’ll be on
in those among her Scions who embody that fluidity them- top again, and the Gods ground under their heel. Someday.
selves. Most of her children never hear from her directly, re-
ceiving messages instead from commandeered Guides. The
Scions most likely to receive direct Visitations from Domnu,
BIRTHRIGHTS
to look upon one of her Incarnations, are those which em- CREATURES
body fluidity with the same ease as their Titan mother. Upon Hounds: The hound holds a particularly central place in
those children she bestows her most lavish favors, encourag- Irish mythology, and Scions of the Domnann tend to own the
ing that malleability of spirit and form. traditional hunting dogs of their parents’ home.
Callings: Guardian, Primeval, Sage Sea Creatures: Scions of Domnu particularly have
Purviews: Chaos, Darkness, Death, Deception, Epic an affinity for sea creatures of all types: dolphins, sentient
Stamina, Journeys, Water, Wild lobsters, giant squid. The more monstrous and absurd their
creature companion, the more their Titanic mother adores
RELATIONSHIPS AND AGENDA the child who keeps said creature.
The deliberate destruction of their history and the poli-
FOLLOWERS
tics between the Gods and Titans have led to some spectacu-
larly self-serving behavior among the Tuatha Titans — some Bards: A mainstay of Irish tradition, the Scions of the
of whom should more properly be referred to as Fomori, and Tuatha Dé Domnann gather bands of bards. As a great deal
indeed, the Dagda insists that all members of the Tuatha Dé of their history depends on the winners writing the stories,
Domnann are and always were Fomori, regardless of the the Titans impress upon their children the importance of
facts of the matter. getting someone to tell the story right this time.

The Tuatha Titans, led by Domnu, take in all manner Historic Revisionists: If you can’t fix history, you can
of refugee entities — those rejected from other groups — in attempt to rewrite it. Domnann Scions often gather around
order to increase their number. In addition, she’s grown no- themselves any number of new age jewelers, creative histo-
torious for “poaching” the Scions of other Titans, and some- rians with weekly podcasts, and avid Wikipedia editors; the
times the Scions of Gods. Highly speculative and unverified Domnann feed their reconstructionist followers an improved
rumors state she’s even managed to steal away one or two version of history, which casts their parents in a more favor-
dragon offspring. She treats the rest of her pantheon like her able light, often including a false line about the purity of
children, for good or for ill, and while Bres sometimes tries their lineage.
to push her out of control of the pantheon, he always fails. GUIDES
Selkies: Domnu delights in employing selkies, some
she created herself, and others she tempted away from their

60 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

allegiance to the Tuatha Dé Danann. She prefers their com- sometimes they don’t, instead embracing that cycle of lav-
pany to most other creatures, delighting in keeping a court of ished attention and scorched-earth disdain.
smooth, seal-skinned swimmers in her deep, watery home.
Pale as pearls and sleek as eels, the selkies tempt mortals
RELICS
away from actions which interfere with Domnu’s plans and The Eye of Balor: This fist-sized pearl, when held aloft
carry messages to her Scions. in the air, reveals concealed enemies and hidden treasures.
Rumors hold that more than one Eye of Balor exists, but
Divine Foster Parents: The Tuatha Dé Domnann don’t
the one capable of wilting every plant in a field on which its
just raise the Scions of Gods and other Titans as their own,
holder stands hasn’t been seen in nearly 200 years.
they actively attempt to poach them. They vacillate between
heaping gifts on their foster children and meddling in their Cernunnos’ Staff: Not a singular relic but a name given
lives in destructive ways. Occasionally, those Scions break to a class of relics crafted by the Horned God and granted
free from the abusive cycle that being adopted by a bitter to his favored Scions and followers. Sometimes a quarter-
Titan represents and find their actual divine parents, and staff, sometimes an iron-headed spear of the sort carried
by Vikings, every staff’s haft bears elaborate primitive-style
carvings of the God — or at the very least, his horns.

Titans of the Tuatha Dé Domnann 61

 NO SUCH THING
AS TITANS
by Èshù Èlégbara

I suppose you may be wondering why I called you here today.

I want to talk to you about why the Titanomachy is an invalid
concept, a waste of your time at best and a warmongering
by its nature to the point where it causes damage, then, can-
not be called truly evil.
Our vision of the ideal World includes all Gods and
rampage at worst. In this essay I will… Titans who commit to our worldwide community. There
Our modern identity as the transatlantic Òrìshà and Loa will still be misbehavior, both divine and Titanic, whatever
is inextricable from our history with chattel slavery, imperi- those are. We shall respond to it in proportion; we will con-
alism, and colonialism. As such, we intimately understand demn no being by a title that describes their essence.
the othering process, by which beings more similar than they
are different divide into “us” and “them.” When you want WHAT ABOUT EVIL
to oppress and delegitimize someone, you must categorize
them differently from you, thus, the distinction between God
MAGICIANS?
You’ve probably heard before that we warn about the
and Titan. Call someone a monster, you make it okay to fight
threat posed by evil magicians — àjé, in Yorùbá. Malevolent
them, hurt them, take what’s theirs.
magic can hit you hard without you
This is literally the having any idea where it came
plan when it comes to the from. But as with Gods and Titans,
Titanomachy. Gods in- there’s no inherent evil in magic.
tend to overwhelm Titans Witchcraft, for instance, has a bad
by force and seize land, reputation — how often are
Purviews, and worship- accusations of witchcraft
pers. The justification insecure men lashing
for this process? out at the idea that
“Titans are bad, and people who are not
they’re going to hurt men might accumu-
people or attack us late power or learn
if we don’t attack to defend them-
them first.” selves from the pa-
If you know triarchy’s threats?
the history of Know also that
dehumanization when we discuss evil
applied to humans, es- wizards and witches, we
pecially on racial and religious refer not just to literal sorcer-
grounds, some of this catego- ers cooking up children in
rization should start to look fa- cauldrons or casting curses
miliar to you. The transatlantic from remote hermitages sur-
slave trade relied on categorizing rounded by monsters. Yes, those exist and
Africans as less human than human — dividing the World they’re a problem, but there’s an even more important les-
into “humans” and “natives.” Note also the instances where son: Pay attention to sources of harm and danger that aren’t
the Titanomachy just happened to match a battle between right in front of you, hidden on purpose or by chance.
those Gods’ and Titans’ real-world followers. Look at
Nowadays, widespread magical curses aren’t the most
Huángdì and Chīyóu. Rama and Ravana. Tuatha Dé Danann
common threat, but some system of oppression keeps almost
and Fomorians.
everyone in the World down, whether or not they realize
Look, sure, some Titans are bad. So are some Gods. it. Most commonly, that’s because they’re poor, or because
Moreover, is bad behavior inherent to their nature, or a they’re affected by climate crisis. The problem, then, is that
choice? I argue that the idea of “inherent evil” is inherently we see the curse (poverty or climate change) but not the
invalid. A virus causes damage by its very nature, but we wizard (the one percent, politician, or executive who prof-
don’t call it evil. It’s an automaton. A Titan truly consumed its from others’ poverty and the planet’s collapse). I’m not

62 CHAPTER ONE: THE TITANS

even saying we need to condemn them as evil or Titans — before we fight them… well, okay, we might, but it won’t be
although some are evil or Titans or both, sure, whatever. We “Titan.” We’ll come up with something cleverer by then.
need to hold them accountable for their behavior and bring
that behavior to an end. BIRTHRIGHTS
WHAT DO YOU EVEN DO ALL CREATURE
Agemo’s Chameleons: Agemo the Chameleon is the di-
THE TIME? vine courier who works together with Èshù to carry messag-
I’m glad you asked. We don’t spend all our time drinking es between the Òrìshà, from Olorun in Heaven on down. He
palm wine and playing video games (although we definitely is creative and fashionable, changing colors to express his
have ample time for that). In global politics, the Òrìshà and thoughts and moods (although not to match his surround-
Loa are always ready to help with de-escalation and medi- ings — he’s plenty stealthy already). A host of subsidiary
ation. If a conflict’s been going on a long time and the Gods chameleons help him out, and they can help you too!
and Titans involved don’t know how to stop it, we volunteer
to help out. You want neutral ground where you can discuss RELIC
things? Come to West Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, New Eleguá’s Head: A little concrete dome with a point at
York, or New Orleans. We’ll find you someplace. You want the top and eyes and a mouth made of cowries, which rep-
to learn to deal with Titans without murdering them? We’re resents Eleguá in Cuba and Puerto Rico. A cleric stuffs the
very proud of you. If you can’t think of anything, we’ll drop inside with sacred herbs, then seals it up. Put it by the door
by to counsel you. You know what? If it turns out there’s to your home or apartment to guard the threshold. Give it
really nothing for it except for fighting someone, we’ll help offerings of candy on Mondays, but please make sure the
you with that, too. We’re not gonna call them a nasty name chocolate is fair trade. You can eat the candy afterward.

No Such Thing As Titans 63

 Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
— Mark Twain

W hile the Titanomachy is a part of any Scion game, making

it central to your story requires some extra consideration.
This chapter provides information on how to incorporate
WAR ON TITANS
If you want to make your game about a war with Titans
— either direct or indirect — then ensure you include a
Titans into your chronicles and provides guidance on how to
pantheon or two who care about defeating their Titans. You
increase or decrease the threat level of your game accordingly.
don’t need all pantheons represented, but for there to be
Additionally, we give some consideration to using Scions of
a war someone has to have a problem with the other side.
Titans in your game, and the role they play in the Titanomachy.
If you plan to only include a single pantheon as the fo-

TITANS AT cus of the game, you can still include Titans from the other
pantheons, or consider having your Gods declare all other

THE TABLE pantheon Gods as Titans. If you include all or some panthe-
ons, then it might still behoove you to pick a single Titan or
set of Titans to be the focus of your story. The players’ mo-
T he first thing to consider when running a game set in
the Titanomachy is how much Titan do you want your
players’ characters to deal with? Answering this question
tives make the war interesting. You might find it daunting
to run a game centered around the many conflicting goals
requires answering several underlying questions such as: Do of several pantheons’ Titans.
you even want the characters to deal with Titans? Or, just The Titans may present a united front. Maybe a single
titanspawn, or maybe even just their cults; which Titans do Titan keeps them focused on the same goal and taking out
you want to include at your table? How violent and open is the leader could end the war entirely. Think about which
the Titanomachy in your game? pantheons’ Titans make the most sense for teaming up and
These questions don’t necessarily need hard and fast think of reasons why the other pantheons’ Titans are not
answers, though thinking about them before the game involved. Maybe they are still locked away, or maybe they
starts helps you focus your story and provides you with a are all dead now.
framework for ensuring you use the Titans to their fullest.
TITANIC PROBLEMS
Scion: Mysteries of the World presents several elements
to change the scope of your game. Using the Theocentrism If you choose to make Titans a background element, you
and Titanomachy elements can help you answer your ques- can easily dial your Theocentrism all the way down to a single
tions about including Titans in your game and ensure both pantheon. Here, Titans might serve as major players who cause
the Storyguide and the players are on the same page about problems all over The World, and the worshippers always
their expectations. know exactly who to call on when problems arise. Your game
might play a bit more as a supernatural enforcement squad as
Theocentrism considers how many and which panthe- the characters get called in to deal with all manner of issues.
ons you want to include. This sets the focus of the game and
provides you with story elements rooted in one or many You could also lean on the fact that most Titans do
pantheons. Titanomachy considers how prevalent Titans not share goals, making each new threat feel different and
are in The World. Are they locked away in presumed safety, unique. Each new titanspawn or Titan cult comes with its
or is there all-out war between Gods and Titans? own agenda, allowing for a more episodic feel to dealing
with Titanic threats.
THEOCENTRISM TITANOMACHY
Theocentrism is an important factor to consider for
any game, and when trying to decide which Titans to in- When deciding how to include Titans in your game,
clude, this can guide you. From single-pantheon focused you need to decide how present they are. Will the charac-
games to all pantheons with equal focus, deciding which ters eventually come face to face with Apep, who has been
Titan to include as your main antagonist can change the antagonizing them through proxy for the entirety of the
tone or theme of the game. game? Or, do they simply need to defeat the Cult of Apep
who has been attempting to thwart them at every turn?
Knowing that you want to include Titan activity, and How present and dangerous is the battle with Titans in The
have it matter, should also help you pick which pantheons World? Even if a Titan is antagonizing the characters, how
to focus on. Focusing a game on Titans and then making much support their Gods are willing to give depends on
the Òrìshà your only pantheon means that the distinction how much the Gods care about what is going on with the
of Titan is lost completely. Meanwhile, centering the Devá Titanomachy right now. If the Gods are at peace with the
means that Titans and their spawn are around every corner, Titans, they are unlikely to want to start up another war by
or at least that the characters are constantly planning for encouraging their Scions to fight or kill a Titan.
war.

Titans at the Table 65

 The following are some suggestions on how to include open, but their methods are still subtle and covert. Being
the Titanomachy depending on where you want to set the at a standstill means either collectively the Titans aren’t
level of the threat you’ve chosen. The premise here is that powerful enough to challenge the Gods, or the Gods are
the Titans are free to act, at the very least through proxy, fearful that they won’t win a full fight. They still want to
even if the Gods believe the Titans neutralized. undermine the other side but gathering resources and
strength are more important goals. The characters must
A WAR OF ATTRITION work in secret, as overt action will spark a war that no one
Pre-Visitation Scions, or newly Visited Scions, are really wants. These fights are often between the children of
going to deal with mundane or low-level threats. This is the main actors, from titanspawn to Scions on either side.
a great place to insert Titan cults and legendary creatures
who work for Titans or titanspawn. In a war of attrition OPEN WARFARE
situation, the Titans are behind the scenes, and not acting In open warfare, the Titans and the Gods are in World-
overtly. This might not always be the case, as their actions shattering fight with one another. This is a dangerous place
might spark a war, or they may finally make a move against for Scions, who are expected to fight on behalf of their pan-
the Gods once they think they’ve weakened them enough. theons against their most dangerous enemies. Titanspawn
Of course, it’s the Scions’ jobs to try to stop that from are regular antagonists and the Titans act in the open.
happening. It’s hard to have open warfare without the Titanomachy
Maybe a Titan is out in The World and is trying to dial being turned most of the way up, but that doesn’t pre-
undermine the Gods to help free his brethren. Maybe the clude having some Titans still entrapped. A war could break
Titan is trying to bring about another war and is waiting out after a single pantheon’s Titans are all free and trying
until the right time to strike. The Titans do not have to be to free others. If you want Titans to be behind the scenes
the ones actively meddling in the situation. Maybe a cult is players in this kind of game, make titanspawn and cults the
attempting to undermine an oblivious God and make way major actors. In this case, multiple titanspawn might be
for the coming of their Titan. The scheme could be some- working together to free their Titan, and wreaking havoc
thing only a single Titan is involved in, or an entire group of wherever they go. Cults and titanspawn range from small
one pantheon’s Titans could be seeking opportunity while or formidable threats, to larger than life.
the Gods ignore them. If you want your Scions to go toe-to-toe with Titans,
Consider turning the Titanomachy down low in this then turn the Titanomachy dial all the way up. Titanspawn
kind of scenario. If the Gods ignore Titans or if they are at become run of the mill antagonists and the focus of the
peace with one another, then the discovery that a Titan is game comes from taking down one or two key Titans or
behind a series of strange cultist events feels like a mystery breaking up a Titan ring.
to discover why the Titan is doing this. In an open warfare state, you don’t have to worry about
This is a good place to have the Titans and their follow- subtlety or obfuscation. While that can still certainly be a
ers engage in subtle antagonism and obscured goals. The factor — as Titan’s goals are often alien — total destruction
characters’ main objective might not be to defeat the Titan is goal enough. Here the characters aren’t working in the
but to uncover their plots and reveal them to the panthe- background to prevent a war, they are instead trying to
ons. The Gods might not offer any assistance or guidance stave off a tide, or end the war all together.
on the matter as they are convinced that the Titans are now This allows for a focus on strategy, big epic fights, and
peaceful, or they fear being the first to start another war. the need for greater assistance from the Gods. It’s a great
COLD WAR place to set Demigod or God Tier games but can also work
for Hero Tier games as the Scions clash against the armies
The default state of Scion assumes a cold war between
of Titan supporters.
the Gods and the Titans. The bonds holding the Titans in
check are weak, and they strain against them hoping to break SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
free. Your game may revolve around the characters attempting It’s easy to think you need to adjust the Titanomachy
to prevent all-out war by thwarting titanspawn or discovering element if you want to include Titans into your game. You
a Titan’s plans and stopping them before it’s too late. might want Titans to feel like a constant threat or want
If you intend for titanspawn to be the primary an- them to be a background element. You can achieve this goal
tagonists, this is a good place to set your game. Titans are with somewhere between the three suggestions above by
major players, but characters are unlikely to face them. simply introducing a single Titan and a long-term scheme
Titanspawn may have cultists or other legendary creatures which the Scions need to suss out. There isn’t a war on, or
working with them, giving the Scions a run for their money even the threat of a war, just a single Titan and its followers.
as they try to stop a catastrophe from happening. Preventing Consider making the definition of Titan here more
an all-out war is still a relevant goal for the characters, but loose than normal. Everyone knows a Titan when they see
everyone is clear about the Titan’s goals here and they have one — those with inhuman goals and uncaring desires. But
the support they need from their divine parents. they aren’t the only ones with the label. One wrong move on
In a cold war situation, Titans may be working alone the part of a God, and they risk being labeled a “Titan.” The
or in groups trying to free others. Their goals are more politics of Titanhood is on the table, and the Gods may use

66 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the threat of that label against one another in their own plots. rather than big ones. Or, the characters could jet-set
The characters may end up embroiled in a plot to take down throughout Terra Incognita making wide-sweeping chang-
a God labeled as “Titan” and must make decisions regarding es felt throughout The World.
how they feel about that. Characters risk going from a Scion The scope of your game helps you decide what kinds
of a well-respected God, to the Scion of a Titan. To make of antagonists to include and helps you focus your game’s
matters worse, now their pantheon expects them to turn story appropriately.
against the Titan or risk being labeled titanspawn or a traitor.
STREET LEVEL
DESIGNING A Street-level games focus on a small area, maybe one
town, or a single neighborhood. The characters deal with
CHRONICLE local problems, take care of their neighbors, and when they
save the day, they are saving the city from corruption, or a

A fter you’ve decided that you want to focus your story on

Titan plots, and decided where to set your Theocentrism
and Titanomachy for the game, it’s time to decide what kind
single person’s life. While the threats might be difficult or
huge, their effects only stretch to the localized area.
The characters spend most of their time in The World.
of stories you want to tell, how you want to tell them, and how
They may need to go to a Terra Incognita every now and
involved the players are in telling these stories.
then, maybe to retrieve an item or talk to someone, but
Sometimes finding out the truth behind a mystery is then they return home. If they move to another part of The
as interesting a goal as taking down a titanspawn in a big, World, it’s for the same reasons: Their focus is on the local.
epic, final battle. While a game could and should involve el-
ements of procedural, intrigue, and combat play, your game • Children in the neighborhood are going missing.
can certainly focus on one aspect over the others. A cult of Cronus is kidnapping them to secure
power for their patron. Can the characters find the
PLAYER INVOLVEMENT children and save them before Cronus gains their
power?
The first thing you should do is talk to your group about
the kinds of stories they want to play through. There’s no point • A contact or ally to one of the Scions has been over-
creating a long, involved investigation into a mysterious Titanic taken by Raijin’s influence. He is feeding the Titan
threat when your players just want to have their characters beat information on the Scions’ activities and where-
up titanspawn. Likewise, there’s no need to throw fight after abouts. Can they find out and stop him before this
fight against a group of players who want their characters to be causes major problems?
able to use social influence to solve their problems. • The Mayor has struck a deal that outlaws worship
Once you know what kinds of stories the players are of Devá Gods. Who is behind this new legislation?
interested in, you can decide on your story elements, but
that doesn’t have to be the end of player involvement. THE WORLD
Players can help tell you the kinds of things they want to Games that span The World aren’t necessarily set all
see in-game through picking Deeds. Band Deeds should over the globe, but instead have the characters moving from
always come with a conversation at the table, and if you’ve place to place to solve issues, deal with big threats, and solve
done a good job of setting up the game’s major elements the World-affecting issues. When they save the day, they are sav-
players are likely to use that to go after your plot. Don’t dis- ing a location from utter destruction, or they are protecting
courage them from setting their sights on slightly different the whole World from a major threat. Character actions may
goals or changing their approach through the use of Deeds. impact The World, but usually because they are acting to
prevent catastrophe. The characters are involved in World-
Also, design your game to play to the characters’
spanning events, they are not changing The World as they go.
strengths. If the characters have combat focused Callings,
then the players will feel more involved when they can use While the characters may spend all their time in The
their combat Knacks. While all Callings have Knacks to use World, this scope of game could see them spending a great
in all situations, which Knacks the players choose informs deal of time traveling between Terra Incognita solving is-
the kinds of actions they want to take. sues there or collecting necessary information, assistance,
or items. A game may take place completely in a single
DECIDING SCOPE Midrealm or Underworld as the characters try to solve
No matter the setting you’ve chosen — from a single issues there.
pantheon hunting rogue Titans to all-out war — you need • Several Jötunn have entered Hel and have closed
to consider the scope of the game within The World. When the gates from which the dead pass through. The
thinking about scope, consider how much effect the char- Æsir’s dead are now traveling to other Underworlds
acters are going to have on The World, and what kinds of and causing problems. Can the characters find out
threats they’ll face. The game could be centered around what the Jötunn want and get them to reopen the
small threats at street level where Scions must use their gates?
Godlike powers to muddle through complex situations

designing a chronicle 67
 • A titanspawn of Apep has besieged Cape Town the characters stop the Titan plot before Mount
while at the same time another has besieged Lagos. Meru and The World get caught in the crossfire?
Can the characters stop them both at the same • Olympus and Duat have fallen, the other Overworlds
time? are embattled. The Titans are winning, and for now
• A rift has opened from Mag Mell, and Denizens of they wage their wars in Terra Incognitae instead of
that realm are pouring into The World. The only The World. Can the characters turn the tide of the
way to close it is to find a sealing Relic and use it war before the fighting bleeds into The World?
both inside Mag Mell and then The World.
TERRA INCOGNITA
CHOOSING TITANS
Which Titan (or Titans) you choose to focus your game
Games with a scope of Terra Incognita span both The around helps determine what kind of game you’ll be running.
World and the Terra Incognitae. Characters go where they Some Titans focus on ending The World, while others sim-
are needed to handle major threats that could be World- ply want to kill a single God or pantheon, and still others only
ending or impactful enough to make irrevocable changes to want to survive without the Gods interfering. Each Titan has
The World. When the characters save the day, they are sav- a nuance of how they act, what kinds of actions they take,
ing The World from destruction, or an Underworld from and what their titanspawn or cults might be doing.
being taken over, or a Midrealm from collapse.
The following gives some suggestions of Titans found
The characters split their time between The World and in this book including motives and some ideas of what their
Terra Incognitae. The game takes place between multiple followers and children might be up to in various scenarios.
Terra Incognita, with the characters needing to travel all
over to solve issues, find allies, collect rare Relics, and de- Aniwye: Right now, Aniwye is scattered around The
feat hidden foes. World in tiny pieces and wishes nothing more than to re-
unite his parts. He lets himself be manipulated, in hopes
• Cronus has escaped his bonds and is on his way to that he can garner power to hopefully regain his true form.
destroy The World. Can the Scions prevent him Until then, he lets the Gods mock him, as long as they think
from making it to The World before it’s too late? he’s useful enough to give him aid. They’ll soon be sorry.
• Titans are amassing on the island of Lankā, with • A Scion of Aniwye is collecting his pieces from
the intent to make a play to invade Mount Meru around The World and attempting to reunite them.
and bring down the Devá once and for all. For their She works in secret, slowly packing up skunks and
part, the Devá are gearing up for all-out war. Can stink badgers where she finds them and smuggling

68 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 them across national borders. Can the characters find • A cult has formed to Citlali, those who believe the
her? And if they do, will they help or hinder her? end of The World is nigh and that she should come
soon. They work behind the scenes in attempts to
• Aniwye’s children seem to be under the control of
hasten a signal that the end times have come, and
a someone else. Aniwye has made a deal with the
they have insidiously infiltrated governments The
Irish God, Donn to create problems for his enemies.
World over. Can the characters root them all out?
But in this effort Aniwye’s children are wreaking
havoc all across Europe. Can the characters stop Echidna: Echidna’s goals are simple and straightfor-
Aniwye’s children, or offer him a better deal? ward: ensure a place for her family, keep them safe. She
will do anything for her family and hates the Theoi and any
• Titanspawn with a distinctive skunk-like appear-
support who them with a burning passion. Her titanspawn
ance are showing up across the Americas and kill-
are one and all terrifying monsters, but she does not direct
ing people with their toxic stench. Nothing seems
them in attacks or terror for fear that they might be killed.
to make them leave, and they each must be put
Instead, she creates and creates hoping to simply outnum-
down.
ber the Gods at some point.
Aten: Aten seeks worship and devotion above all
things. They believe they are the only one worthy of wor- • A Scion of Echidna is smuggling titanspawn from
ship and will do whatever it takes to steal followers and Hel to other Underworlds, hoping to keep them
worshippers from others. If they can take down the other safe, but they are rampaging through their new
Gods, great, but taking their followers is just as good. Aten environments. Can the characters track down the
mobilizes their cults for conversion, sending them out to Scion and divert her, would they help her?
proselytize and gain followers. Even if these new followers • Echidna is entreating Titans from other pantheons
don’t use Aten’s name proper, they know the worship is to help her protect her family from Theoi Heroes
directed to them. and Gods. Such an alliance could tip the scales in
• An Aten cult has taken over the airwaves, becom- the Titan’s favor. Where do the characters stand on
ing one of the most consumed evangelical broad- such an alliance?
casts both on TV and radio. This cult, led by one of • Titanspawn are spilling out of various Terra
Aten’s Scions, seems ready to sweep The World. Incognitae into The World, and Echidna is claim-
ing ownership of them, even if they aren’t hers.
• Aten wishes to show The World their glory and pow-
Killing them will enrage her but letting them stay
er of the light. They have sent a titanspawn to cast
in The World risks the lives of mortals.
perpetual light onto Dubai preventing night in the
area. The titanspawn refuses to leave, attacking any Kuāfù: Kuāfù wishes nothing more than to overcome
who get too close. his past failures and sees destroying Huángdì as his sure-
fire way of doing that. He plots for ways to kill the Yellow
• A trail of titanspawn attacks and bodies leads di-
Emperor, and all his incarnations and Mantles, and sends
rectly to Aten and their cults. But even the cults
his children after the Shén God as often as he can.
seem confused by the accusation. Will the charac-
ters try to help Aten’s cult, or let them take the fall? • Kuāfù has a plot to kill Huángdì once and for all.
Citlali: Citlali and her sisters, the Tzitzimime, want All his Scions and titanspawn are in on it, but they
nothing more than to come down to The World and devour don’t quite have enough hands to finish the job, so
the hearts of humanity, feasting until they have their fill. the plot waits for recruitment.
Who cares if it is the end of The World? She hungers and • A cult to Kuāfù has decided to take umbrage at the
she wants to feed. She is searching for ways to get herself sun for defeating him in their race. They are entreat-
and her sisters into The World, and when she succeeds, no ing various sun Gods and their Scions to visit, then
one will be safe. attempting to assassinate them one and all. Can the
• One of Citlali’s Scions is searching for a way to open characters stop their plot before it goes too far?
a gateway into the night sky. She believes there’s a • A Scion of Kuāfù has inherited his father’s compet-
Relic that would serve as a key, and is accumulating itive spirit and has sent out a challenge to any other
all that she can find, through hook or crook. Can Scion for a race around The World. He doesn’t
the characters find the Relic before she does, or plan to play fair though, remembering how the sun
will they simply wait until she has it to strike? killed Kuāfù with thirst. Will the characters try to
beat him, or will they assist someone else in their
• Citlali sends her titanspawn to The World on long
attempt?
nights, testing her theories before her final descent.
Far to the north, where the night lingers for days, Namazu: Namazu’s one goal is to free herself from her
titanspawn ravage the countryside, killing everyone prison. She has worked towards this end for two millennia,
they can find. Can the characters hunt them all and the end appears to be in sight. But despite her best ef-
down and eliminate them? forts, the Kami view her as a threat, so even with modern
technology, her freedom is not yet assured.

designing a chronicle 69
 • Namazu’s Scions have teamed up and plan to blow oppose oppressive rules. Do the characters try to
a hole in the underwater caverns she is trapped in stop Surtr’s cult before things get out of hand, or
for her to escape. Unfortunately, they carry enough utilize them to see what new changes they can
firepower to crack open the whole of Honshū create?
island. Will the characters try to redirect their
• Natural disasters are wreaking the west coast of
course, or stop them completely?
the United States from Seattle to San Diego: fires
• A Namazu cult has decided that her thrashing rage, earthquakes shake the area, and flood waters
earthquakes are blessed visions and a way for them fill the streets. Surtr seems ready to destroy the
to gain power. They have been enticing her to entire coastal area, but no one knows where he is
thrash within her prison more and more, causing to stop him. Can the characters find him before he
larger and larger earthquakes which threaten to does even more damage?
destroy everything built on the island. • Surtr’s titanspawn are wreaking havoc in France,
• Namazu’s titanspawn fill the sea around her pris- tearing through Paris without any apparent end
on. Knowing that she might be freed soon, she is goal. There is no creation to their madness, and it
preparing a great battle against the Kami for her seems that they are off Surtr’s normal script. Can
long internment. Can the characters entice the the characters stop them before the city lies in
titanspawn away, or possibly convince Namazu to ruins?
let go of her grudge if they help free her?
Rangda: Rangda is happy to remain on Bali alone and USING TITAN SCIONS
without trouble. She tries to champion women as much
as she can, but her methods are less than helpful. All she
really wants is for women to have the respect they deserve
IN YOUR SERIES
and to be left alone, both things she’s willing to do literally
anything to ensure. T itan Scions make great antagonists for Hero Scions; they’re
tough opponents but not too tough. They’re intelligent
foes — unlike mere monsters, they plan ahead and adapt on
• Rangda is creating a proverbial wall around Bali, the fly to whatever the Heroes do. They readily enlist allies
made entirely of magic. The Devá see this as ag- to their cause: Titanspawn, other Titan Scions, or the mortal
gressive action and are ready to attack her. Durga, members of a Titan cult.
normally the one who talks them down, is nowhere
Best of all, if you keep increasing the level of your Titan
in sight. Barong, the guardian spirit of Bali, sees
Scions (from Rival to Nemesis to Titanspawn), they’ll grow
nothing wrong with her actions and have warned
along with your Heroes. This lets them become recurrent
the Devá that to come there will incite a war.
adversaries who’ll plague your Heroes through an arc, a
• A few of Rangda’s older titanspawn are disgruntled season, or even the entire series.
with her new turn towards benevolence. They
are rampaging through India in her name, trying SCIONS WITH A PURPOSE
to drum up support from other Titans to free her When Titans produce Scions, they have specific purpos-
from Bali, despite her protests that this is not what es in mind. After all, Titans seldom bother themselves with
she wishes. humans; Titans don’t have love affairs with mortals, nor do
• A Rangda cult has started to hit the streets in her they invest the time and effort to create a Scion unless they’ve
name to fight fascism, alt-right groups, and MRA ac- got a solid reason. Beyond that, many Titans are imprisoned
tivists. While noble in intent, their methods are slash and have a limited scope for affecting anything outside their
and burn, leaving many innocent people hurt in the cells. If they use precious energy for creating a Scion rather
wake. Can the characters curtail their activities, or than trying to bash down the walls of their jails, it’s because
harness them and give them a stronger direction? they’re driven to thrust a Scion out into The World.

Surtr: Surtr destroys to create. He doesn’t care what Echidna wants Scions who’ll nurture her children. Aten
he topples if something new comes along behind it. His wants Scions who’ll spread their fanatical faith. Nidhoggr
destructive capacity is extreme, and he revels in natural wants Scions who’ll wreak devastation on everything. If a
disasters and revolutions in the name of creation. His ti- Titan can’t be everywhere at once, the next best thing is a
tanspawn bring terror and destruction in their wake, and family of formidable offspring devoted to the Titan’s will.
his cults form in revolutionaries and ecoterrorists. His goal Of course, Titan Scions may choose to defy their parents’
is simple, and he works toward it as often as possible: tear wishes, but that’s asking for trouble. Titans don’t forgive.
down the old to make way for the new. If you’re using Titan Scions in your series, ask why the Titan
went to the trouble of making the Scion to begin with. What was
• A cult to Surtr is fomenting dissent in nations
the Scion supposed to accomplish? What might the Titan do to
around The World, attempting to incite revolu-
force an unruly Scion into carrying out the mission as planned?
tions in even the most stable of nations. But even
a stable nation could use dissidents and those who

70 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 TITAN SCIONS DON’T WANT TO DESTROY THE WORLD
Many full-fledged Titans want to rip the World apart, or at least up-end the status quo beyond recognition.
Titan Scions, on the other hand, don’t want to go that far. After all, many Scions grew up as humans until their
parents/patrons transformed them. Even if a Scion had a difficult childhood — all too common for people
with Titan-sized emotions and impulses — the Scion is still attached to the World and has no interest in seeing
it demolished. Besides, if the World is shattered, what comes afterward? Odds are it will be much worse than
things are now. Few Scions are willing to roll those dice.
Even when Titan Scions have the Destroyer Calling, they don’t want to destroy everything
everything.. If their parents
do want the World obliterated, this clash of desires causes friction. At the very least, the Scions have to thread
the needle: They need to do enough to keep their parents happy without risking total annihilation.

Afterwards, if the Scions survive, their parents will Creating an enemy this way is especially appropriate if
give them even more difficult work: more Heroes to de- the Hero’s actions crossed a moral line. Myth and folklore
stroy, more saints to corrupt. However, most Titans view often make Heroes pay a price for rash actions or for taking
their children as single-use tools. They don’t want or expect the easy way out. Earning a powerful enemy is classic blow-
their Scions to advance to high Legend ratings. Titans don’t back for a Hero’s impulsiveness or wanton neglect of duty.
appreciate rivals and are apt to sabotage their offspring if A Hero’s nemesis may be a direct reflection: If the Hero
the Scions become too powerful. is a Warrior, the Titan Scion might also be a Warrior. But
ONE-ON-ONE opposites can also produce explosive confrontations. The
Titanic opponent of a fighter may be a smooth-talking ma-
A single Titan Scion may be a dark mirror for one of the nipulator or a mastermind. Such a change-up forces Heroes
Hero characters. The Scion resembles the Hero in many re- out of their comfort zone.
spects — perhaps one or more shared Callings or Purviews
If a Hero is good in combat, clever villains never offer a
— but tramples moral restraint into the ground.
target to hit. Instead, a Titan Scion might set traps, or frame
For example, consider Eric Donner, Scion of Thor the Hero for a crime. (See “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder”
(see Scion: Hero, p. 172). If Eric excels in fighting the on p. 92 for examples of how Prince Annapolis manipulates
Titanomachy on behalf of the Gods, Surtr might decide to public opinion against any Heroes who oppose him.) Such
create a Scion designed as a direct counterbalance. Eric’s tactics force players into a corner; then they have to think
Callings are Creator, Guardian, and Warrior, so the new their way out instead of using their fists.
Titan Scion might have Destroyer, Adversary, and Warrior:
Callings chosen to make the Scion an imposing enemy for ENEMY TITAN SCIONS
someone like Eric. For added effect, the new Scion might
be someone who already knows Eric — a Fatebound Rival,
AND CULTS
a former lover, or anyone who blames Eric for some misfor- A single Titan Scion is dangerous, but a Scion support-
tune. Such a connection means the new Scion has a direct ed by a cult can be lethal. Mortal cultists aren’t as powerful
motivation for causing Eric trouble, as well as inside infor- as Scions, but they can assault the Heroes from many direc-
mation about Eric’s personality and how to hit him where tions at once; while some cultists spy on the Heroes, others
it hurts. spread rumors, threaten the Heroes’ allies, and generally
cause havoc.
You can use a similar scenario with any Hero in your
series. Suppose the Hero encounters a chimaera and imme- In combat, individual cultists aren’t much of a chal-
diately tries to slay it. In the subsequent fight, the monster lenge, but the force of their numbers can whittle Heroes
breathes spouts of fire which ignite nearby buildings. A down. Clever strategy and tactics multiply this effect; if
mortal whose loved ones die in the blaze might pray to any Heroes are surprised by a well-planned ambush, they can
Titan who’ll listen, asking for enough power to take re- end up in serious trouble.
venge. Many Titans would jump at the chance to transform Kevlar and machine guns, however, are trifles com-
this mortal into an eager Scion. pared to occult resources. Longstanding cults have Relics

YOU CAN’T GET RID OF ME THAT EASILY!

Titan Scions can’t be Fatebound to Heroes — Scions can only be Fatebound to characters of a lower Tier.
However, an entertaining Titan Scion often becomes a recurring antagonist. Perhaps the Scion is fated to
keep locking horns with a particular Hero.

using titan scions in your series 71

and lore that give cultists real power. For example, the to eradicate the cult, but the risk is simply too great. Any
lower ranks of a cult may be mere muscle, but upper ranks concerted effort to take down Silent Storm will provoke a
could be skilled in sorcery, or could include legendary hurricane-sized reprisal.
creatures like kitsune or titanspawn. Titan cults may also Silent Storm is devoted to Fūjin and Raijin, but also to
train members to perform special rituals, drawing on the the Titanomachy in general — the cult aids any Titan Scions
power of their patron Titan to achieve dramatic effects. who have a plan to hurt the Gods. If your Heroes interfere
Finally, Titan cults often have enough cash to purchase ma- with a Titan Scion who’s on an important mission, don’t be
jor game-changers; for example, they could buy high-level surprised if the Scion strikes back with the help of a team of
Relics or crucial information from a dragon. How many fanatic Silent Storm acolytes.
mythological figures have been defeated because an enemy
learned they had a hidden vulnerability? OCCULT LORE AND TERRA INCOGNITA
EXAMPLE CULT: SILENT STORM Titan cults make it their business to accumulate as
much occult knowledge as possible. Silent Storm, for exam-
As an example of a powerful Titan cult, consider Silent ple, assigns its members to steal secrets or coerce informa-
Storm: a centuries-old cult originating in Japan and dedicat- tion from anyone who has it. In addition, cults use Terrae
ed to Fūjin and Raijin. For more on Silent Storm, see p. 134. Incognitae as hideouts, safe houses, training compounds,
Members of the cult either start by learning techniques and even headquarters.
of stealth and swordplay, or else mastering blackmail, bribery, A Titan Scion fleeing from your Heroes might escape
and extortion in order to control politicians and other people through a gate that the Heroes can’t open or use a Terra
with social influence. Cultists who show sufficient aptitude Incognita as a secret staging area for an army. One moment
are eventually trained in magic. Some become summoners, the Heroes’ home city looks safe, but the next, hordes of
capable of summoning supernatural creatures to bedevil the enemies surge out of a gate no one knew was there.
cult’s enemies. Others learn to forge swords with blades that
are ritually enhanced to be sharper than mortal steel, or how FATEBINDING CULTISTS
to make poisons and drugs that leave no trace on their victims. Cultists are usually mortals, and therefore can be
But the cult’s most terrifying power belongs to the Fatebound to Heroes — most commonly as Nemeses,
innermost circle. These secret masters wield control over but conceivably as Jinxes, Rivals, or Traitors. While the
weather itself: Through lengthy rituals and sacrifice, they Fatebinding may apply to specific individuals, it may also
can unleash a devastating typhoon upon any target on apply to a class of cultists or an entire cult. For example,
Earth. The force of this threat makes governments trem- the warriors of Silent Storm may be Fatebound Nemeses of
ble; those who know about Silent Storm would dearly love

72 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 GOOD ENEMIES DON’T STAY DEAD
In Scion
Scion,, death doesn’t have to be permanent. If your Heroes manage to kill a Titan Scion, the Scion’s
story doesn’t end there — especially if the Scion has been a great villain, you can bring them back in suitably
dramatic fashion.
After all, killing a Titan Scion sends them to an Underworld. Once there, the Scion may forge an agreement
with their parent Titan or with someone else completely, perhaps a different Titan, or even a God in search
of a ruthless minion. The Scion insists, “Give me more power and return me to the World so I can do your
bidding.” Soon the Heroes find themselves facing an old enemy, except now, the enemy has new Purviews,
new Boons and Knacks, new Relics, and new objectives.

a particular Hero; no matter how many cultists the Hero manage to defeat these foes one by one, but then the enemy
defeats, he keeps on encountering more. Scions unite for revenge on the Heroes who opposed them.
With a combination of muscle, brains, and influence, the
ENEMY TITAN SCION BANDS three Titan Scions make a terrifying triple threat.
A single Titan Scion is bad; a Scion supported by a cult
Multiple enemies joining forces provides a great “Oh
is worse; but a Band of Titan Scions is the stuff of night-
shit!” moment for your players. If the individual Titan
mares. Heroes facing such a Band must muster all their
Scions were difficult to handle on their own, putting
assets and ingenuity for any hope of survival.
several together is wonderfully intimidating. Encourage
To use a Band of Titan Scions as adversaries for your the Heroes to be clever and strategic, rather than simply
Heroes, decide what holds the Scions together. Titan charging in with Knacks and Boons a-blazing.
Scions don’t usually play well with others; just as full-
fledged Titans fixate on their Purviews, Titan Scions can be
driven by tunnel-vision obsessions. They have no interest TITAN SCIONS
in supporting fellow Scions — their blood demands they
follow their own path. AS AMBIGUOUS
If you intend to use a Band of Titan Scions as villains,
they should share a common goal, or at least common char-
FIGURES
acteristics. For example, they all might have the Destroyer
Calling. If the Titan Scions live for destruction, the Band T itan Scions aren’t always clear-cut villains. Most have a
human side, so their emotions can be tugged in multiple
directions. Few Titan Scions are uncomplicated “good guys,”
will happily work together on anything that promises mass
mayhem. On the other hand, a mix of Titan Callings can but they can serve as complex characters whose intentions
also work, provided the Scions have a plan combining sub- keep your players guessing.
tle corruption and gross devastation. Some Titan Scions have no interest in cooperating
Suppose your Heroes have proven themselves effective with their parents. Why help a destructive monster escape
in slaying minor titanspawn. Titan Scions may decide to from prison? Why be a soldier in some ridiculous war
eliminate the Heroes before they threaten more important that’s literally ancient history? Since many Titan Scions are
operations. A simple plan could assign Destroyers to de- temperamentally unsuited for respecting authority figures,
molish a building or two, after which Adversaries plant ev- they laugh at the idea of obeying their parents’ orders. In
idence to blame it on the Heroes. This would be especially fact, they may actively rebel against the Titans who made
effective if some of the Destroyers have Purviews similar to them — just as Zeus rebelled against Cronus, and Cronus
members of the Hero Band. If everybody knows one of your rebelled against Ouranos.
Heroes has the Wild Purview and a house is ripped apart by This doesn’t make such Titan Scions good. The enemy
a sudden eruption of trees shooting up out of the ground, of your enemy can still be an amoral backstabber who likes
who’s bound to be the prime suspect? to watch things burn. They may help your Heroes on one
The Enemy of My Enemy: One interesting possibility job, then double-cross them on another. After all, it’s in
is a team-up between Titan Scions who have previously their nature; even if they try to behave themselves, tempta-
challenged your Heroes individually. For example, suppose tion overcomes good intentions.
your Heroes start their careers by stopping a combat-heavy A Scion of Ae-pungishimook may not be able to re-
Destroyer on a rampage. Next, they track down a clever sist committing murder. A Scion of the White Eyebrow
Scion assassin who’s helping a cult by murdering their en- sees nothing wrong with manipulating everyone in sight.
emies. Finally, the Heroes deal with a cunning Adversary A Scion of Ravana might take what she wants when she
who has wormed their way into a top government post and wants it, and why does it matter if others get hurt? Even
is using that position to undermine the Gods. The Heroes when Titan Scions resolve to do the right thing, they’re still

Titan Scions as ambiguous figures 73

wracked by intense impulses. Trusting them too much is Titan Scions interesting. However, the player must be sen-
asking for trouble. sitive to other players at the table. A character committing
Titan Scions with the Adversary Calling are fair-weath- evil acts may be genuinely upsetting to those present, and
er friends. They act as if they’re helping the Heroes but have saying, “It’s only a game,” doesn’t make everything all right.
ulterior motives. A Scion of Isfet, for example, spends time It’s useful for groups to discuss this possibility before any-
with a Band of Heroes in order to sow discord, to magnify thing regrettable happens, then to establish boundaries and
disagreements and aggravate grievances. Maybe the Scion protocols for dealing with disturbing content. Use safety
has a long-term goal, or maybe they’re just making trouble tools at your table, if you think this may become an issue.
to amuse themselves. An Adversary might exploit Heroes That said, Titan Scions are fascinating characters as
as a means to an end — once the Heroes have used their part of a Band of Heroes. Someone who constantly struggles
skills to sneak into an enemy stronghold, the Scion might with their “dark side” is a great source of drama, both when
grab a valuable Relic and run, setting off alarms on the way they succeed in containing antisocial impulses and when
to keep the Heroes busy while the thieving Scion escapes. they fail. Coping with the character’s Titanic inclinations
Ambiguous Titan Scions work best when Heroes can’t can easily generate good short-term and long-term Deeds.
guess what the Scion might do. Sometimes the Scions play-
things straight, behaving honorably and helping the Heroes ENCOUNTERS
accomplish their goals. However, just when the Heroes
think a Titan Scion is on their side, the Scion sells them out
to their enemies. The Scion might do so with regret, saying:
WITH TITANS
“I’m sorry I have to do this, but I serve a higher cause.” If
the Scion is convincing enough, the Heroes might even be- T itan Scions make perfect antagonists when you need
characters who’ll keep appearing in ongoing roles.
However, nothing beats a full-fledged Titan for intimidating
lieve the character still has some good deep down, and the
complicated relationship continues. impact. Scions at the Hero level are unlikely to face a Titan in
all its power, but even an Incarnation is a monumental threat.

PLAYING TITAN For Heroes, facing a Titan Incarnation should be a rare

and fearsome event: A pivotal moment in a season, whether
SCIONS it takes place in an early episode to spur the Heroes into
action, or at a climax when everything’s on the line. One

A player can choose to play the Scion of a Titan — see p. 13.

A Titan Scion is mechanically identical to a Hero, save that
she must have a Titan Calling. However, being a Titan Scion
way or another, the encounter should be memorable. It
should have a purpose, it should happen dramatically, and
it should have epic consequences.
should always have a narrative effect on the Scion’s behaviors Hero-level characters have little chance of defeating a
and the Storyguide characters’ attitudes. Titan Incarnation in combat — not unless they have pow-
Storyguide characters treat Titan Scions in accordance erful allies or exactly the right weapon to force the Titan
with their views on Titans. Those who are hostile to Titans to yield. Instead, the Heroes must use their wits or make
(e.g., the Devá, Theoi, and Teōtl) are also aggressive toward a deal. Perhaps making a deal is why the Heroes meet the
Titan Scions, at least until the Scions have thoroughly Titan in the first place: Either they approach the Titan
proven themselves. Those who are more accepting (e.g., because they need something only the Titan can provide,
the Manitou and Òrìshà) may still be wary, but will be less or else the Titan confronts the Heroes to demand they per-
inclined to shoot first and ask questions later. form a task. In either case, the Titan will try to squeeze the
The player characters in a Band might follow the same Heroes into a painfully hard bargain.
pattern. If a player wants to bring a new Titan Scion into an
existing Band where some members are strongly anti-Titan,
FREE-RANGE TITANS
the Storyguide should discuss the situation with everyone While some Titans are locked away from the human
involved. Some players may be intrigued by the story possi- World, others walk among us. For example, the White
bilities arising from friction between characters; others may Eyebrow currently teaches martial arts at his own private
prefer to avoid such contentions. The Storyguide should kwoon in China (see p. 45). Heroes can arrange to meet with
help players talk things through and come to a consensus. If him, provided they pay for the privilege. Other unbound
the players accept the new character, the Storyguide should Titans are harder to find — tracking them down might be a
work with the group to arrange a suitable scenario for initial challenge in itself — but they’re still somewhere on Earth,
contact between the Titan Scion and the rest of the Band. even if it’s high in the Himalayas or on an uncharted island.
The circumstances should be conducive for establishing Why seek out a Titan? Sometimes Heroes need assistance
whatever relationships the players have agreed to. and only a particular Titan will do. For example, the Heroes
Someone playing a Titan Scion may walk a fine line, need to enter a Terra Incognita and the only person who’s ever
especially since the character has a Titan Calling. The char- been there is the White Eyebrow. Nobody else knows where
acter’s Titan blood makes them prone to inhuman behav- the gate is or how to open it. The Band needs him to lead them
ior; the challenge of portraying such a character flaw makes through dangerous territory in order to reach their goal.

74 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 PORTRAYING TITANS
When the Storyguide portrays a Titan, pay attention to the Titan’s Callings and Virtues. They’re shorthand
for the Titan’s goals and personality. When a Titan sets a price for helping a Band of Heroes, the task should
further the Titan’s aspirations. If the request is too extreme, clever Heroes can make persuasive counteroffers
by appealing to the Titan’s biases.
Consider Coyolxauhqui, enemy of the Teōtl. She has the Moon as a Purview and Dominance as a Virtue.
If Heroes want her help, she may demand they kill all the followers of a Teōtl Scion. However, she may settle
for a counteroffer where the Heroes use their resources and influence to start a program sending humans to
the moon. Such a program would empower Coyolxauhqui’s Purview and therefore Coyolxauhqui herself.
Titans aren’t fools and they should never be portrayed as easy to dupe. Nevertheless, they’re consumed by
their Purviews, and this gives them tunnel vision. Storyguides should bear this in mind when portraying Titans.
With caution, player characters might exploit a Titan’s proclivities.

A Band of Heroes can’t force a Titan to do what they tell you who killed your mother,” a Hero will be strongly
want. However, when a Titan does help, the assistance inclined to say yes, even if the task is ethically questionable.
comes at a price. The Titan might want the Band to procure Alternatively, the Titan may use threats and prov-
a Relic or eliminate an enemy. Perhaps the Heroes must ocation. Coyolxauhqui, for example, may use her Moon
perform a ritual or discipline a titanspawn who’s defied the Purview to blot the moon from the sky above the Heroes’
Titan’s orders. Maybe the Titan only needs a few drops of a home city until they agree to do what she wants. If that
Hero’s blood in order to make a new Titan Scion. doesn’t work, she’ll change the face of the moon to an
As Storyguide, you should offer tasks your Heroes unflattering likeness of one of the Heroes. Make life hard
will agree to. A Titan’s request shouldn’t be painless — it for the Heroes but don’t completely infuriate them; if, for
should make the players sweat, either because it’s difficult example, Coyolxauhqui threatens the Heroes’ loved ones,
or because it’s morally questionable. At the same time, players aren’t likely to give in. Instead, they’ll declare a total
Titans can’t ask too much; both players and characters have scorched-earth war on Coyolxauhqui and all her minions.
boundaries, and they’ll reject demands that go too far. Whether the Titan uses a carrot or a stick, performing
Be prepared to negotiate and let the Heroes make a task for a Titan makes a strong starting point for an arc
counteroffers. The White Eyebrow’s initial request might or season. It propels the Heroes into action and establishes
be, “If you want my help, betray the local cult of Thor by the Titan as an ominous presence who’ll eventually need
planting evidence they committed a crime.” However, the to be dealt with. Hero characters probably can’t defeat the
White Eyebrow may be satisfied if the Heroes agree to Titan permanently, but they can foil the Titan’s schemes
teach at his school for a week, thereby lending it an air of and gain a temporary victory… until next time.
respectability. If they’re desperate enough for the White
Eyebrow’s help, they’ll grudgingly say yes. PRISON VISITS
The decision ought to come back to haunt them — deal- Many Titans languish in prisons forged during the First
ing with Titans should always have consequences. For ex- Titan War. This confinement forces their aid to be indirect,
ample, White Eyebrow is sure to double-cross the Heroes; if they offer it at all. Still, a Titan may have information the
it’s in his nature. On the other hand, the results shouldn’t Heroes need. Titans are as old as the universe itself — they
be too disastrous. Otherwise, the Heroes will decide they’ll know secrets from the earliest days of The World and be-
never deal with Titans again, and where’s the fun in that? fore. Many Titans have also ventured into unholy places or
delved into the depths of forbidden knowledge.
TITANS WHO SEEK In this case, the Heroes must visit a Titan’s place of
THE HEROES OUT punishment. Such journeys are legendary — descending
Heroes might seek out Titanic help, but when the ta- into an Underworld or a Terra Incognita where the Titan
bles turn, Titans come calling with big favors to ask. As pay- writhes in chains. As Storyguide, you should make the trav-
ment, the Titan will offer something valuable — perhaps a el feel suitably epic. It might require multiple episodes and
Relic, useful information, or support for the Heroes from incorporate many features of mythological quests: fights
the Titan’s worshippers. with monsters, bargaining with guardians, making sacrific-
es, everything you might find in a Hero’s journey and then
Make an offer the Heroes can’t refuse, something too some. One does not simply walk into Tartarus.
good to pass up. Help tied to a long-term Deed or a Band
Deed is especially good; if the White Eyebrow says, “I’ll As an alternative, Heroes might communicate with the
Titan through other means. Perhaps it’s enough to enact a

Encounters with titans 75

blood ritual, thereby opening a direct channel to the Titan’s As an example, suppose a Band of Heroes and a Band of
cell. Perhaps they can speak with the Titan through dreams. It Titan Scions are after the same prize: a crucial Relic held in a
may even be possible to converse with a Titan through an in- Terra Incognita. This Otherworld brims with deadly creatures
termediary; by meeting and making a deal with a titanspawn, and the two Bands are sure to die if they fight each other as well
Prophet, or Exemplar, the Heroes can get a conduit to speak as the monsters. This gives both sides an incentive to arrange a
with the Titan, much like talking to a medium during a séance. truce while they deal with immediate problems. However, the
Incarcerated Titans don’t casually share information. truce can’t last; the question is: Who breaks it first?
They demand a price, likely a task the Heroes must perform.
The task should be something that furthers the Titan’s goals
OUTSIDE CONTEXT PROBLEMS
— ideally adding to the Titan’s strength or weakening their The term “outside context problem” refers to some-
cage. As before, Storyguides must gauge what the players thing so unprecedented, you can’t conceive of it happen-
and characters are willing to do. Heroes are apt to refuse ing… until it does. An unexpected catastrophe may bring
tasks which will obviously break a Titan free. Heroes and Titans together in more than a short-term
alliance of convenience.
Remember, though, that Titans aren’t all subtle schem-
ers. Suppose the Heroes need to incinerate a supernatural For example, consider how the Tuatha Dé Danann and
object that doesn’t seem flammable; Prometheus is more Fomorians might react to outsiders invading Ireland. Yes,
than willing to help, no questions asked. Choosing a Titan they might continue their usual feuds, but they might set
whose Callings and Purview align with what you want to aside their differences and form a united front. If this goes
do may be a quick and easy solution to your problems. Still, on long enough, who knows what might develop?
there may be unforeseen repercussions. In myths, “quick Titans are famously resistant to change, but myths still
and easy” is often a recipe for disaster. slowly evolve. As Storyguide, you might decide that a suffi-
ciently large crisis can literally change The World. Perhaps
COMMON ENEMIES the crisis could be an invasion from some unimaginable
place outside known existence, or perhaps some basic truth

D ire circumstances can make for strange bedfellows. Even

if Heroes despise a Titan or a Band of Titan Scions, there
may be good reason to work together against a common foe.
of reality might begin breaking down. A change in mythic
level (e.g., in Genre or Theocentrism) could realign every-
thing, including old hatreds and relationships.
An obvious common enemy is another Titan. For ex- Such a transformation can revitalize your series if the
ample, Aten has a special loathing for the Netjer, but Aten’s game starts getting routine. It also reflects the way that re-
hatred doesn’t stop there. Aten believes, “There can be al-world mythology responds to major historical transitions.
only one.” Aten wants to destroy all Gods, all Titans, and Myths don’t end, they adapt. Your Gods and Titans may, too.
anything else that gets in the way. If such a Titan is close
to corrupting or destroying a substantial portion of The
World, Heroes may need to combine forces with their usual TITANSPAWN
opponents in order to end the threat.
CALAMITY’S CHILDREN
WORKING WITH
TITANIC “ALLIES” T itanspawn are natural opponents for a Scion or Band to
encounter. Created by forces that do not care for the fate of
humanity and which are often inimical to a Scion’s divine parents,
When Heroes operate on their own, they try to min-
titanspawn represent an immediate and powerful presence that
imize casualties and collateral damage. Titanic allies,
Scions cannot ignore. Though they lack the immediately sky-
however, seldom care who gets hurt. They may even de-
cracking furor of a full Titan, the mere presence of titanspawn in a
light in carnage. Keeping Titan allies in check increases
story indicates a threat to more than just an individual Scion or Band.
the Heroes’ burdens when they’re already busy fighting a
powerful enemy. The incidental presence of titanspawn in The World
causes misery, strife, and death, while their intentional de-
Titanic allies may also be impulsive. Rather than biding
ployment heralds a new front in the ancient war between
their time or using stealth, they charge into confrontations. On
Titan and God. Many titanspawn are either powerful enough
the other hand, they may play it safe in the face of danger, let-
or of such Otherworldly construction that mortals cannot
ting the Heroes take the greatest risks. Titanic allies shouldn’t
meaningfully slow, much less stop them. Even the least of
be totally unreliable, but a Titan’s notions of how best to ap-
Jötunns can carve a path of mayhem and woe through The
proach a problem are bound to clash with the Heroes.
World, wrecking the lives of countless mortals and despoil-
Storyguides shouldn’t neglect these complications. ing the land without supernatural intervention. The idlest
Titanic allies aren’t compliant or “nice” — they act on their emanation of Aten corrupts and twists those it encounters
own. If they have no other choice, they’ll join forces with into fanatic, zealous puppets dancing on strings of cosmic
the Heroes to fight a pressing danger, but the Titanomachy light. Titanspawn worthy of the name demand action from
persists in the background. Once the united battle is over, even the most self-interested or lackadaisical of Scions, for
the greater war resumes. The World cannot withstand their presence for long.

76 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 While Gods themselves are generally beyond direct
attack by all but the greatest of titanspawn, their holy PROCEDURAL PLAY:
places, worshippers, and relics are not. The Quinametzin
have schemed against Teōtl holy places and relics long
before The World found its current shape, but their efforts
SLEIGHTS OF MIND
represent a very real threat to the Teōtl Gods. Destruction,
desecration, or theft of their sacred sites and Fatebound S weet ignorance of the divine and supernatural is an
indulgence only mortals can afford, and sometimes it gets
them killed. For Scions intent on directly confronting titanspawn,
favorites can weaken or distract the greatest of divinities,
and few Gods are so secure in their power that they would it’s rank foolishness. Forewarned is forearmed, and rare is the
willing vie with Titans with any such handicap. Scion who can afford to go up against titanspawn without at
first knowing their enemy. By their very nature, titanspawn send
Titanspawn are a potent tool in the Storyguide’s rogue’s mortal legions fleeing and gird themselves well against mundane
gallery: When they appear, Scions should immediately have means of destruction. On the simplest level, understanding their
cause for concern. Even if a Band’s current activities have enemy allows a Band to confront a Hydra with fire or a Nian with
nothing to do with an inhuman disciple of White Eyebrow, firecrackers and red banners. Beyond tactical advantage, learning
crossing paths should present rising pressure to do some- about Titanic threats may clue a Scion onto the telltale signs of the
thing. This might be merely to investigate what a practi- Men in Black, which in turn allows them to discover machinations
tioner of supernatural martial arts and cultivator of invidious designed to usher more dangerous things into The World. When
power is doing in their neck of the woods. The potential of it comes to plots hatched by brilliant Fomorians, Scions of Metis
World-shaking danger is present from the moment titans- or Ravana, or outer horrors such as the Tzitzimime, the Scions
pawn emerge in the story, no matter what else is going on. may need not only to discover the enemy plan but develop a
DIFFERING DOOMS response more complex than smiting it away.

This doesn’t mean that the presence of titanspawn THE HOLE ABOVE THE HEART
invariably results in violence. While it’s certainly possible When discovering knowledge about a titanspawn’s ori-
that a Hydra (Scion: Hero, p. 295) that’s rampaged through gins, vulnerabilities, or weaknesses is the prelude to a more
a series of small towns makes for a fantastic set-piece battle, traditional fight, a procedural information gathering roll is a
dealing with the toxic fallout from the thing’s death may fine tool to discover Achilles’ heels and silver bullets (Scion:
be an even more serious problem. A Scion preempted by Origin, p. 73). This can serve as a quick opportunity for the
a Vardoger may want to rip the creature limb from limb, Storyguide to introduce background elements that make the
but without understanding, out-thinking, and out-ma- titanspawn’s place in the context of story or setting clearer,
neuvering the tricky creature, they’ll never even have the to use Complications to seed further dangers for the player
chance to try. Even if a Scion can bring themselves to strike characters, or to take advantage of potential Stunt choices
the inhumanly beautiful face of a fair Fomorian plotting that reveal what role the titanspawn plays in the future. An
to create an international incident on Irish soil, attacking overly successful information gathering roll gives an inter-
someone who’s become a high-ranking member of mortal ested Scion the opportunity to track down the family history
government may not be conducive to a positive outcome. of a gui or Fomorian at little cost, but their choice to do so
Just as the means of confronting titanspawn can vary, instead of other, more efficacious Stunt choices may provide
so too can the ends. It’s possible that some titanspawn the Storyguide with useful guidance as to where the player’s
might become allies of convenience or even long-term attention lies.
friends of a Scion or Band. Titanic Scions certainly have If the titanspawn requires a particular consideration to
enough similarities with those of the Gods to find common even have a confrontation be possible, such as the Vardoger’s
ground, but even amongst those titanspawn with monstrous advanced mimicry or the invincibility of certain monsters,
forms, there are few thinking creatures that are singularly such facts should be the Leads in any relevant information
antagonistic. Given the temperament of many titanspawn, gathering rolls. If, on the other hand, they represent more gen-
this can be just as perilous as confronting them directly, eral weaknesses for the titanspawn, such as a troll’s weakness
but there are few Scions who would argue that a Jötunn to church bells or a hydra’s vulnerability to fire, they can safely
is not a powerful ally, or the Hecatoncheires not a terrify- be included as Clues alongside a more central mystery — how
ingly potent friend. Beyond allies of the moment, a Band of to corner the troll before it escapes back into the steam tun-
Scions may wish to work towards befriending titanspawn nels beneath the city, for example, or figuring out what exactly
for reasons of ideal and virtue. After all, the Shén’s handling is hunting the fisherfolk off the coast of Spain.
of destructive and dangerous entities proves that even the
most hazardous beings can work towards goals in line with It’s not always necessary to use the procedural game-
the continual existence and flourishing of The World. The play system to reveal titanspawn weaknesses. It’s often
Òrìshà might well argue that trying to bring them into the appropriate if a Scion learns of their enemy’s bane through
fold is what they deserve. the organic development of a scene or story, from a reliable
ally or even from a boasting enemy’s slip-up. However,
when a Storyguide uses the procedural system, it’s import-
ant not to obfuscate the choices the players have. If the

Procedural Play: Slights of Mind 77

players don’t know that they can ferret out the secrets of demon’s sensitive ears, then spend the entire party distract-
the hydra’s weakness as they hunt it out, or if they don’t ed by the dessert table, and then focus on the entirely wrong
know they can ask questions about its relationship with mortals they’ve captured, the Storyguide can and should
its monstrous parent, or if they don’t know they can find still present them with the evidence to guide them towards
out its deep secrets as an author of aquatic dei-fic, they’ll the resolution of the plot: The sage’s servants let slip about
never engage with that content. It’s never a bad idea to offer the demon’s insatiable appetite for wealth, an innocuous
more information, and a failed roll can be an excellent op- party-goer mentions the major finance event happening in
portunity to offer details about the dangerous, macabre, or Kolkata the next week over the pastry tray, a defiant ser-
frightening abilities of the titanspawn as consolation along vant of the demon gloatingly spells out the stakes for the
with the mandatory Lead. Scions even when captured, allowing the game to progress
to the confrontation with the demon at the culmination of
JAMMING THE GEARS THAT his plot. This doesn’t remove the importance of successful
GRIND DOWN THE WORLD investigation; whether through procedural rolls or clever
inquiry in larger scenes, a Band that tracks down more
Discovering and dismantling the plans of cunning
information about their enemies and their plots should
or insidious titanspawn could take up an entire Session,
have meaningfully better narrative results, advantages in
Arc, Season, or even Story. A clever and potent Jötunn or
the final confrontation, and a tidier outcome to the whole
Fomorian could spell ruin for the Worldly followers of
affair. However, the Lead and Clue framework ensures that
a God or pantheon, and even such unlikely enemies as a
the most feckless of Scions (or unluckiest of players) can
driven and willfully monstrous tikoloshe or literal internet
meaningfully pursue the plot, and that a few bad beats of
trolls could usher in untold suffering for countless mortals
investigation don’t leave the Storyguide or players spinning
and Denizens. Other times, unraveling the plot of grem-
their wheels in frustration.
lins or a sapient flock of Stymphalian birds may be part of
a procedural scene in a larger session, and figuring out a
Rakshasa’s machinations may function as an overture to INTRIGUE PLAY:
facing them in direct conflict… or coming to a mutually ac-
ceptable accommodation. The seriousness, consequences, SWEET VOICES IN
and play time devoted to such plans will vary from game
to game: It’s quite possible that one Band of Heroes will
discover the goal of the Centzonhuītznāhua to sacrifice
THE NIGHT
Mexico City and fuel their sister’s resurrection — along
with how the 400 southerners plan to do it — in a single
H oneyed words. Unholy allegiances. Whispered promises.
Titanspawn offering these instead of immediate
destruction capture mortal hearts, gain the loyalties of once-
information gathering roll, while a different game will see
reliable Denizens and supernatural creatures, and sway
its Scions spending an arc figuring out how and why their
Scion and divinity away from their pantheons. Oftentimes,
town’s community center is threatened by cultists of Isfet
such suasion exists as the background to current threats, an
intent on weakening the Netjer’s presence in The World.
explanation for why the Heavy Metal Centaur Club of Central
In either case, the backbone of procedural information Ohio has turned against their former Theoi friends or why
gathering gameplay provides solid guidance: Make sure that the naga investors in downtown Delhi have agreed to allow
the players find the Leads that enable the story to progress, rakshasa businesspeople to take over unprecedented swaths
while rewarding the characters with useful Clues and other of the banking sector. Other times, it exists as the meat of the
benefits for successful investigation. A simple information conflict: Can the Scions prevent the Saturnian Society from
gathering roll generates those benefits through Stunt pur- turning the Centaur Club against the Theoi? Can the Band
chases, the players spending success to figure out how a convince the naga that the rakshasa’s predatory business
strange demonic follower of Banasura intends to consume practices would inflict ruin and suffering, or even make the
all the wealth in the State Bank of India and discover his rakshasa reconsider their business model?
weaknesses, the best time to counteract his plans, or which
Oftentimes, the end point of a titanspawn social threat
of his mortal agents are cowed into submission by fear and
are people, organizations, or societies becoming weapons
which are truly loyal.
in the titanspawn’s hands. This may involve the titanspawn
When the Storyguide slowly reveals the plot in extend- securing their target’s loyalty, convincing them that their
ed play, a Band might discover these facts more organically. goals align with the titanspawn’s own, or poisoning their
A scene with a friendly sage reveals the demon’s ancient target’s heart against what they truly wish to degrade or
hatred of music; a scene where the Band matches wits with destroy.
the disguised demon at a party gives them an opportunity
Especially early in a story, Scions may encounter the
to ferret out his timetable; the Band spends an entire ses-
works of titanspawn before they encounter the perpetra-
sion rounding up and interrogating the mortals the demon
tors, as the Band attempts to convince the Heavy Metal
has in thrall. These sessions devoted to investigating ti-
Centaur Club to turn back to their support of the Theoi
tanspawn plots don’t use the simpler rolled resolution, but
and figure out what made them so furious at the cult of
still benefit from the Lead and Clue framework. Even if the
Zeus. Using the intrigue rules from Scion: Origin (p. 77),
players inadvertently insult the sage and don’t learn of the

78 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

such a challenge involves dealing with multiple problem- later, trick them into giving up valuable information, or try
atic Attitudes, cultivated by the titanspawn manipulating to bring them over to one’s own side. These possibilities of-
them. The Centaur Club’s leadership may have an Attitude fer the chance for high drama, but Storyguides should take
–2 towards The Theoi Who Abandoned Us, an Attitude 1 care to keep stakes and possibilities transparent.
towards Our Saturnian Friend, both of which will make If a player wants their character to convince an enemy
changing their behavior (“Stop vandalizing Theoi shrines!”) to consider switching sides, but the Storyguide has deter-
and their beliefs (“The Theoi aren’t your enemy!”) more mined that’s impossible due to the length of the scene, the
difficult. When dealing with an organization rather than enemy being a dead-set villain or inimical evil predatory
a single important character, convincing enough of the entity should be clear up front so the player doesn’t waste
membership to make a difference can also be an issue, intrigue actions or Stunts on an unobtainable goal. Similarly,
which the Scions may have to deal with through additional it’s important to set the required number of Milestones
Milestones, or through an effect that allows them to act and available number of attempts early and to keep them
at a wider Scale. When dealing with those suborned by transparent for the players. This both helps prevent players
titanspawn, Complications involving the titanspawn be- from trying the same approach repeatedly in an attempt to
coming aware of the Band’s efforts or learning things about brute force a solution and allows them to make meaningful
the Scions that they’d rather not be public knowledge are choices on how they use their resources to meet their goals
wholly appropriate, and useful for foreshadowing ongoing in the scene.
enemies and continuing threats.
Dealing with a titanspawn in the act is a different
matter. Clashing with a Fomorian socialite at a society gala
ACTION
or a rakshasa DJ at a rave becomes a matter of actively
countering each other’s influence over neutral characters
ADVENTURE PLAY:
and diverting their attention. Such contests are concerned
with the atmosphere they take place in, as Scions and ti-
BLOODY HANDED
tanspawn consider approaches that work best for a ritzy
charity event, an impassioned union meeting, or a loud
RECKONING
and crowded rave. The Attitudes of characters not yet
convinced by the Scions or the titanspawn may be lower,
allowing for swifter attempts to influence them to pay off,
S ometimes, there are no words that will do. The beast
will not calm. The warrior will not set aside their sword.
Sometimes, perhaps often, Scions must fight titanspawn.
beliefs and behaviors up for grabs without barriers of exist-
In many cases, this is the natural consequence of titans-
ing Enhancement getting in the way.
pawn presence in the story. Omakude, for example, demand
Such scenes also allow the Scions and titanspawn to a forceful response, and “beat them until they are no more
try to affect each other directly: Intrigue actions and Stunts or they flee back to whatever hole they crawled out from”
may intimidate the other side to better act against them

Action Adventure play: bloody handed reckoning 79

is a reasonable goal. Many Storyguides and Bands of Scions So, who’s right?
are already well equipped to run and play such conflicts. Dragons claim to predate humanity, which, if their
However, considering the goals and motives of the claims hold true, would support this assertion to an extent,
titanspawn alongside the circumstances and location of but if the Titan tales contains the truth, Titans came first.
the battle can result in more dynamic fights and potentially Then there’s the matter of names which show up on either
give Scions more meaningful options for dealing with the side of the ledger, appearing both as dragons and as Titans.
creature than “can I afford the Critical stunt?” Apophis: dragon or Titan? For that matter, Apep or Apophis
Even creatures of appetite and fury such as the hydra — which name fits the embodiment of chaos? How do the
and kraken are in search of prey. Trying to prevent loss of dragons and the Titanomachy deal with beings who meddle
life and minimize collateral damage from encountering on both sides, and for that matter, are they even the same
such hunting beasts in an inhabited area dramatically beings? Has The World got to deal with two Primordial
changes the nature of a fight from fighting them along a forces of chaos which rose from the Nile Delta?
lonely strip of shore. A roc tearing apart an airport to try Scion’s core theme of the uncertainty of myth guides
to recover a stolen egg allows a Band to try and shorten the the answers: Most of these questions are best answered
fight by convincing the people who stole the egg to give it “yes.” Yes, Apep is a Titan. Yes, Apophis is a dragon. If that
up, if they’re able to do so while simultaneously warding confuses everyone in the Titanomachy — the Gods and the
off the roc’s attacks. Situations like these raise the stakes, dragons — that’s just fine with Apophis. The World never
suggest potential consequences, and offer additional re- provides Apep with enough tasty confusion snacks, so more
sources for the Scions from the Complications surrounding can only be better for the serpent. We mean dragon. Err,
the fight. Titan.
Titanspawn with beyond-bestial faculties and desires
offer even more possibilities. A rakshasa thief attempting NOMENCLATURE
to steal sacred muscle cars from a Tuatha Dé Danann-run
bodyshop doesn’t need to kill anyone to complete his goal,
and likely won’t try; instead, the conflict becomes an action
AT THE TABLE
scene about trying to stop him from getting the keys into
the car and the car onto the road. Losing in such a conflict T he overlap between dragons and Titans presents unique
storytelling opportunities and challenges. Confusing
characters with a dragon and a Titan sharing a name? Fantastic.
also doesn’t spell doom for the Scions; instead, it opens a
chase scene, segueing from one element of action adven- Making your players tear out their hair trying to remember
ture play to another. whether the Storyguide characters they just spoke to claimed
to be a Scion of the dragon Apep or the Titan Apep? That makes
Terminal fights, where the titanspawn and Scion Band for a much less enjoyable session and will likely cause your
alike are seeking each-others’ destruction, benefit from players to enjoy the intricate plotting you’ve got planned for
textured and interesting surroundings. The specific place them much, much less.
often matters less so long as the Storyguide has thought of
interesting ways for it to be interacted with. A showdown Before introducing conflicting and confusing infor-
in the empty desert can be complicated with dust storms, mation during a session, it’s best to introduce the idea of
shifting dunes, collapsing hollows, and other shifting con- duality on an out-of-game level, in discussion with the play-
ditions, and can offer options to its combatants from turn- ers. While everyone’s settling down at the table and setting
ing the environmental hazards against their opponents to out their dice, books, and snacks, Storyguides may want to
the old sand-in-your-eyes trick. point their players to this very section in order to prepare
them for the potential confusion to come. Help players un-

TITANS & DRAGONS derstand from moment one that the Storyguide hasn’t set
out to confuse the players but the characters. Once every-
one’s on the same page that the material itself has a certain
W hile Titans exist as Primordial beings of nature, forces
of creation and destruction whose very personages
represent humankind’s earliest attempts to explain The World
amount of confusion baked in due to that mythological
duality, dealing with the inevitable “wait, was that Apep or
and its creation, dragons insist that they existed in The World Apophis, did we get scales or Primordial chaos” becomes
before Titans, before Gods, before anyone. The Titans, as a much, much easier.
whole, find fault with this, as dragons claim to precede the Likewise, bringing these ideas up ahead of game allows
creation of The World which many Titans were present for, neurodiverse players or players with memory issues to
and indeed represent. Titans assert, very loudly and to anyone discuss with the Storyguide ways to manage out-of-game
who will listen, that they walked the earth before humanity confusion which could interfere with player involvement
rose, before the Gods displaced and bound them, and that and enjoyment. A few options:
dragons merely pretend at their age, at their primacy. Titans Most Titans and dragons have multiple names and
loudly declare that they created The World, rather than merely Mantles, making it possible for a Storyguide to assign one
standing in for primal creative and destructive forces in the variant to a Titan and one to a dragon, at least in out-of-game
minds of the hairless apes from whom they choose their Scions. conversation. Referring to the dragon only as Apep, and the

80 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

Titan only as Apophis, makes it immediately clear to which individuals who can lay a trap for them. Dragons plan long-
entity the Storyguide refers when she says, “Apep’s followers term and outwitting a dragon is, if not the best way to win
were responsible for that bombing last session, remember?” their respect, definitely a solid pathway to their respect.
For those Titans and dragons who have only one Titans, while they work to either win over or defeat
name and no Mantles but exist on both sides of the aisle, dragonkind, experience great confusion when confronted
Storyguides may wish to assign a color signifier, or simply by anyone who has the opportunity to leave the dragons
make it explicit to which entity they refer by calling them and doesn’t choose to do so. After all, the dragons have long
“The Dragon [Name]” and “The Titan [Name].” lived in essential exile, an ancient people in diaspora, and
so any side that isn’t “ground under the heel of both Titan
DOUBLE-DEALING and God” represents an improvement, in the Titans’ eyes.
At the end of the day, though, anyone can choose to stick
BASTARDS AND with the losing side.

OTHER FAMILY If Titans can’t have dragons as allies, they’ll just have
to make do with them as enemies. Dragons employ quite

STORIES sidelong methods of dealing with The World, and make

plans which play out over decades, centuries, millennia.
Titans tend toward more direct paths to their desired ends,

H ow do Titans and dragons deal with those entities who

play both sides? For that matter, does Apep actually play
both sides, or do two entities exist?
but not always. When two immortal masters of deceit play
chess over a city or a continent, Scions and the children of
dragons find themselves caught up. The rest of The World
Titans, having been focused for millennia on the activi- gets dragged back and forth, tangled in the warp and weft
ties of the Gods who shunned, ejected and bound them, can of the webs the competing sides weave, tear apart, mend
find themselves surprised by the fact that dragonkind even and tear again.
still exists as a force to be reckoned with in the least. This The answers as to how Titans and dragons interact, as
can leave them faced with a second front in their eons-long with the myths and the individuals themselves, will always
war, challenged not just by Gods but by dragons. What’s vary. No single viewpoint represents the entirety of drag-
worse, these dragons, on the whole, deeply dislike and dis- onkind or the Titanomachy, nor does any single viewpoint
trust any entity who does not exist solely and wholly as a fully reflect the thoughts of a single dragon or a single Titan
dragon. Those pantheons containing individuals who share on the matter. These grudges have run deep for millennia.
names or Mantles with dragonkind often find themselves Said grudges have thus had an awful long time to mature,
unable to make significant alliances with dragons, despite and like a very fine wine, develop top notes and undertones.
their best efforts. Titans, on the whole, would rather have The viewpoints of even a single Titan on the matter of the
dragons as allies against the Gods, after all. place of dragons within the Titanomachy might — and
A few exceptions exist, of course, with some Pantheons should — shift from day to day, situation to situation, de-
— The Kami and the Shén, for example — less concerned pending on the events of the story as it unfolds.
with whether someone calls themselves a dragon or a Titan
and more concerned with how well a particular member
navigates the bureaucracy. They represent a deep and re-
WHO ARE YOU,
sounding exception, however: The dragon Níðhöggr would
chew on the bones of the thing that shares his name, if only
REALLY?
he could get his claws on Nidhoggr. Chew on them, spit
them out, trample them under the roots of Yggdrasil, and
then somehow chew them up again. That sort of attitude
S o, what’s the real answer? Is Apep both a dragon and a
Titan in one being, or is Apophis the dragon and Apep
the Titan serpent? Are they two individuals, or one individual
doesn’t really lend itself to alliances, and so Titans — and playing two sides in an endless struggle, pitting dragons and
their Scions — can often find themselves dealing with trou- Titans against each other?
ble from Gods and dragons alike. Again, the answer to all those questions might very
While dragons generally don’t like anyone they view simply be “yes.” That’s up to the Storyguide’s intentions
as traitors to dragonkind, the Titans can’t see how anyone for a specific chronicle. What looks like Apep and Apophis
would view their company as anything other than advanta- struggling over a single character’s loyalties, arguing
geous in the long run and keep trying to pull more and more whether she’s a Titan Scion or a dragon’s child, or fighting
dragons into their pantheons. They’ve had limited success, with one another over a relic, might legitimately be what it
usually by appealing to safety where the dragons have seems: two individuals with very similar tastes and names
had insecurity, driven from their homes. Likewise, Titans fighting over the same handbag at a Nordstrom sale. On
make headway with dragonkind by displays of wile and the other hand, perhaps those two individuals share and
long-term planning, as dragons prize cunning very highly. overlap, like Gentle Annie, The Morrigan and Badb shar-
Most individuals wouldn’t take very kindly to finding out ing a single teenage body and swapping out perspectives.
that they’ve been the target of a long confidence scheme, Perhaps Apep doesn’t have full awareness of what Apophis
but rather than being off-put, dragonkind respects those does, and vice versa.

who are you, really? 81

 On the other hand, the entire fight over that particular
character’s lineage and loyalties might merely represent
part of an extremely long con by a single individual, playing
THE WAR ETERNAL
Titanomachy is an impossibly broad concept: a war
both sides against the middle to some end that the players
that is either cold or hot, personal or global, immediate or
must uncover. Perhaps Apep is a dragon pretending to be a
long in planning. For some, this wide-open space may be all
Titan on Sundays in order to confuse everyone and serve
they need to get up and go, so to speak — and Godspeed to
his latest gambit. Perhaps Apophis and Apep, dragon and
you, brave Storyguides. For others, however, this may feel
Titan, are the same thing.
akin to being tossed in the ocean and commanded to swim
With literal eons to plan, members of the Titanomachy for shore. Consider the three adventure shells provided
and dragons set out their plans over generations, so any of below a kind of life vest. Even if you are already an accom-
these things could be true, or more than one of these things plished swimmer, it doesn’t hurt to bring extra flotation.
could be true. The real question a Storyguide answers when
making those decisions is: “What’s important to the story HOW TO USE THESE
that we’re telling together?” Whether or not the answers to
any of these other questions even matter in the least comes
ADVENTURES
down to what kind of story you intend to tell. Answering If you are considering starting a new campaign,
that question first makes it much easier to sort through all “Diaspora” is best suited for a fresh start and new players;
the other questions above and how they matter to the story it is both structured to demonstrate the three areas of ac-
you’re running, and the table you’re sharing. tion — action-adventure, intrigue, and procedural — and
includes summaries for potential pre-made characters,
With that said, if you choose to explore the effects of complete with hooks into the story. As written, it can be
the multiplicity of myth on The World and the lives of your run as a one-shot at a convention or similar event, or it can
Scions, adding dragons to a game with Titans and Gods per- be placed into a pre-existing campaign as the next arc to
mits the Storyguide to layer in even more difficulties and be tackled. “Diaspora” is a locked-room mystery involving
existential complexities. It is entirely possible for multiple theft of ancient Relics, murder, and imposters, with a sense
characters to have the same parent while also not at all hav- of urgency and an apocalyptic boss fight with a Scion of A
ing the same parent, or not being aware they have the same Áo Guāng. With a detailed setting and suggested lines for
parent. Some entities exist as dragons, Titans, and Gods. Storyguide characters, it also serves as a great introduction
Whether or not those individuals represent three faces of for new Storyguides who want to jump in with Scion’s
a singular individual, three separate individuals, or some- Titanic themes first, while also introducing new players to
thing in between represents one of the great story possi- the concept of Titanomachy and who would be invested in
bilities, and one of the metaphysical questions, of Scion. A it.
Storyguide could, if desired, plan an entire storyline around
three children of three different versions or aspects of the For more experienced players and Storyguides, “Lunar
same name. The slow revelation of the parentage of all New Year” provides an open-World game concept with
three parties, and the questions of who each party actually multiple possible solutions to the story questions and can
serves, provides a fantastic focus for a chronicle. If that be used as either a fresh campaign start or as the next arc
works for your table and your troupe, then go for it! of a campaign already in progress. The adventure provides
suggestions for how to hook characters into the orbit of the
The important thing, when employing dragons and doomed Chinatown wards within New York City, regard-
Titans who share a name and a lineage in a Scion story, is less of whether they have contacts there or within the Shén
to only confuse the players in enjoyable ways which enrich pantheons, allowing for players to either make characters
the story. Getting player buy-in ahead of time on the level of specifically suited to the adventure or bring characters from
confusion they may encounter, and discussing any potential past games into the fray. It also provides immersive details
accessibility requirements, makes for a more harmonious for anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure of visiting the
table down the road. Big Apple, while allowing room for fantastic embellish-
Once the Storyguide has player buy-in, and players ment. If you have players eager to interact with Titans and
know that they’re right to be confused because the topic is their Scions, “Lunar New Year” puts the Titanic influence
intentionally confusing, roll on with the snarled and tangled up-front from the very beginning, as a Scion of Kuāfù keeps
lines of your story. The overlap and muddle are all part of constant pressure on characters to resolve the disaster in
the duality of myth; stories overlap and intertwine, and the the big city… but still has the potential to surprise them, as
only true rule about generalities in mythology is that for the White Eyebrow meddles in areas where they’d least
every generalization, an exception must exist. expect him.
Just make like Apep and embrace the chaos. “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” can also be used as a
new campaign or, by design, be slotted into a campaign or
arc that is already underway. Set in an unspecified city in
North America over a variable length of time, this adven-
ture provides “tentpole” scenes — scenes that are crucial to

82 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the adventure’s story — as well as “B Plot” scenes — option- Still, a mission is a mission and she’s going to succeed
al divergences that serve to flesh out the story and provide even if she has to beat a confession out of someone.
player characters with additional stakes and more context. • Miguela Silva was the one who took Jorge’s call. It
Focusing on the messy politics of Titanomachy and the wasn’t actually her phone, but no daughter of Loki
potentially gray morality it conjures, “Bring Forth a Greater would let someone else do the talking when she could
Thunder” features a socially gifted Scion of Metis claiming be the one to collect information and figure out an
Fate itself has ordained him Zeus’s replacement. If your angle. On the way to the airport, she’s running down
players don’t mind facing tough decisions and empathizing possible motives and suspects, as well as ways the
with the bad guy, “Bring Forth a Greater Thunder” will Pearls could have been stolen. She’s going to find the
likely scratch that itch for them. thief and add their secrets to her repertoire. Oh, and
As always, none of these adventures are considered recover the Relics.
“canonical,” or even immutable. Any number of details
• Zhenyi Lee is deeply disturbed by the loss of the
can be twisted, rearranged, or even thrown out to better fit
Pearls. The severity of the drought means that this
your game, your timeslot, and your players’ needs. If your
theft could spell the deaths of thousands in the next
players want to bring different characters to Guarulhos
few days. If that weren’t alarming enough, her father
International Airport, there’s no reason why they can’t.
Laozi texted her a cryptic message: “They’re not what
If you’d like to play out the disaster of “Lunar New Year”
they seem.” She’s not sure what to expect at the air-
but with a Yule tourism town suffering under the smiling
port, but she knows she’s not going to like it.
oppression of a Scion of Aten, feel free to change what must
be changed. If your players can’t stand intrigue and you just • Leilani Kameāloha isn’t technically part of this Band.
want to see them sock Prince Annapolis in his smug hand- Hell, she wasn’t even planning on being in São Paulo
some face, ditch the glad-handing and have him draw steel. this week but taking a layover here and complaining
Your desire to strain against that which must be changed is loudly got her a free hotel room and enough airline
a noble thing and should never be locked away. miles that they were actually paying her to take the
trip. She went out of her way to volunteer to help,

DIASPORA though. The daughter of Maui knows more than a lit-

tle bit about tracking down and punishing evildoers.
São Paulo, Brazil is home to more people of Japanese
ancestry than any other city outside Japan. It’s also one of ACT ONE: THE AIRPORT
the fiercest battlegrounds between the Kami, Shén, Lóng, Full of raw elemental power, Dragon Pearls grow slowly,
and various Titans. Thanks to the Gods’ focus on each other one-by-one under the chins of many East Asian dragons, par-
instead of climate change, São Paulo’s deep into its worst ticularly the Lóng. Since even the smallest takes over a year to
drought in centuries. Hundreds of thousands of Paulistanos grow, they’re as rare and valuable as they are potent. Thirty-six
have already died. hours ago, Jorge Tanaka boarded a plane carrying five of them.
In a rare show of clarity, Ryūjin sent a set of Dragon One hour ago, he landed in São Paulo, ready to use the Pearls’
Pearls to end the drought and purify existing water sources. power to clean the waterways and end the current drought.
Sometime during the flight, someone stole the Pearls.
In a typical show of shortsighted greed, someone stole
them. Jorge had the Pearls in his carry-on. He stayed awake
as long as he could on the day-long flight. He kept his bag
The Scion courier, Jorge Tanaka, is turning the airport
close at all times. He did everything right, so how’d he lose
upside down, but the Heir of the Dragon King needs help.
the Dragon Pearls? Thankfully, the international terminal
He’s been making frantic calls to the police and a nearby
has a police station built in and they took his call seriously
Band of Brazilian Scions in the hopes that the elemental
enough to get the five-story building locked down in short
Relics can be recovered swiftly.
order. Unfortunately, airport police aren’t used to dealing
• Kazuhiko Barbosa finds this whole affair terribly with this sort of thing, leaving only a few uniformed officers
exciting. Who would steal from a dragon? What and rookie Detective Oliveira to assist in the recovery.
purpose do they have for the Pearls? Kazuhiko can’t Before exiting the plane, Jorge checked his bag fever-
help but think that the answer to these questions ishly for the missing Pearls and then made two calls: one
will be gloriously illuminating, not just for the cur- to Zhengyi Lee and one to the Polícia Federal (PF) station
rent predicament but for larger issues within the in the airport. Although the police swiftly close down
Titanomachy. Certainly, it’s a tragedy, but surely they Terminal 3, all the other passengers from his flight had
can be recovered with a little brainstorming. The son already deplaned, complicating the recovery of the Pearls.
of Hotei loves a good puzzle.
Field: São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport
• Akane Machado, first of Takemikazuchi’s shock
troopers, is a little disappointed that the frantic call SCENE DETAILS
from Jorge was for a scavenger hunt. She understands Owing to the seriousness of the situation, the super-
the gravity of the situation but digging through bags natural terrorism team of the federal police (Grupo de
and questioning smugglers seems a little below her. Contraterrorismo Sobrenatural) have surrounded Terminal

diaspora 83
3 and are preparing to make entry as the players arrive. unmoving people scattered around the room. If they can get
Before they can, power in the terminal cuts out, dropping Jorge and the airport police to stop searching long enough
the building into darkness as the air fills with screams. The for some questions, he’ll report that none of the bags nor
GCS and players burst through a window high up on the the passengers have the missing Pearls. Detective Oliveira
wall, dropping into the Baggage Claim. admits that they were looking for the Pearls, not Clues, so
they have almost certainly missed something.
POINTS OF INVESTIGATION
If the players can control the scene well enough to
Baggage Claim Survey for Clues, they’ll be able to learn that the people
The scene they land in is something out of a horror movie, scattered around have been trampled. Some are still alive,
with roughly 100 people literally clawing at the doors. The albeit severely wounded. Medical attention can save their
players are immediately overwhelmed by a tide of human lives. They’ll also learn that the mangled body is very dead.
bodies begging them for help and trying to force their way It has a passport for Jackson Dias. It looks as though his
out. Making matters worse, the GCS considers saving people neck was broken and before being dropped from a great
secondary to recovering the Relics and will react to desperate height and thrown onto the conveyer.
civilians roughly, at best. If the players wish to keep folks un- Through extra Clues, Interpretation, and Q&A Stunts,
harmed, they’ll have to calm everyone, commandos included. or relevant Knacks, players can learn:
With a few moments of calm, they find Jorge and a
• If the crowd can be managed well enough to match
handful of airport police tearing through suitcases, a man-
names to the flight manifest, the players will learn
gled body riding the baggage conveyer belt, and a dozen

84 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 • Deep handprints on the transformer and scrapes in
several directions. Someone used it as a club.
• Despite clearly being beaten with the transformer,
Bo has no broken bones. This is a dead Scion. Non-
medical investigation, such as magical detection,
will also reveal Bo’s nature.
• A rack of uninterruptible power supplies, which
resembles a shelving unit of car batteries, has been
overturned. Technologically savvy Scions can de-
termine that this was probably used to keep sensi-
tive systems, like security, working in case of power
failure.
• An empty keycard envelope with the airport hotel’s
logo.
If the players completely bypass the Baggage Claim
and rush to investigate the power outage, they can arrive in
time to save Bo Chen’s life. Rushing into the room spooks
the attacker who escapes, leaving Bo Maimed but still
clinging to life.
Hotel
Unusual for airports, São Paulo-Guarulhos International
Airport has a small hotel built into Terminal 3. Although too
cramped to be luxurious, the hotel is pristine. The front desk
attendant looks out of her mind with fear. When questioned,
she reveals that a flight attendant from Air Brazil recently
passed by, although the guest didn’t provide a name. With
any successes, the players are able to match the clerk’s de-
scription of the guest to the missing Luiz Itoh.
She also reports that it has already been searched by
GCS commandos. Because of this, when the players inves-
tigate Bo Chen’s room, they find a flight attendant uniform
on the bed and a closed bathroom door with the shower
running. If they use any extraordinary senses or actually
enter the bathroom, they will find a dead, naked man in the
shower. He has no identifying marks, although his physique
certainly suggests he was a GCS agent.

that three passengers are unaccounted for: Luiz • The commando was killed by a single strike to the
Itoh, a flight attendant for Air Brazil; Bo Chen, an back of his head. Whoever killed this highly trained
art dealer; and Jackson Dias, a student. officer took him completely by surprise.

• Whoever killed Jackson Dias was monstrously • One GCS agent, Lucas Martins, has not responded
strong. to radio calls since being sent to investigate the
hotel.
• An unclaimed and untagged roller bag with air-
crew uniforms from five different airlines and an Whoever Luiz Itoh really is, they’ve gotten away, wear-
empty dry-cleaning bag. ing the uniform and face of this officer. If the players don’t
think to inform the police that one of the GCS commandos
• The rest of the aircrew from the flight had never is an imposter, Det. Oleveira will.
seen Luiz Itoh before, although he seemed nice.
Power Distribution Center ACT TWO: INTRIGUE
Whoever has the Pearls is a violent Scion, but they
Here, the players find the signs of a nasty melee, with
must still be in Terminal 3; no vehicles or personnel have
blood and smashed equipment everywhere. A transformer
left the building and it’s surrounded. Their little stunt with
the size of a large refrigerator lies far from its mount and
stealing a cop’s uniform hasn’t gotten them anywhere.
sparking wires. Even untrained eyes will be able to find
Unfortunately, escaping Arrivals means they’re probably
the broken body of Bo Chen underneath the transformer.
in Departures. Locating an imposter will be much harder
Further investigation may uncover:
since the only accurate record of check-ins has no power.

diaspora 85
 THE FAIL-STATE
If the players fail to sort out the Jorges, DJ has the opening he needs to make a beeline for the outside. He’ll
have a round head start on escaping, transforming, and heightening the storm. Worse, if they accuse BJ of
being the imposter, he’ll attack DJ, who will destroy one of the Pearls to transform the BJ in a draconic monster
before fleeing the scene, feigning being distraught.

Everyone present has a ticket and a matching ID, but that INTERROGATING BAGGAGE JORGE
proves little.
This Jorge still has blood on his hands. He swears that
Things get far more complicated when the Band moves surveillance video will confirm that he was the one to exit
to Departures and finds Jorge Tanaka helping to calm the the plane, make the call, and that he has not fought anyone.
passengers there, organizing them to make things easier for Of course, the surveillance system went offline with the
the investigators. This is a problem since Jorge Tanaka is just power, so that alibi is impossible to verify.
now entering Departures with the Band and the investiga-
BJ’s drive for the scene is to prove he’s the real Jorge.
tors. Each Jorge accuses the other of being a shapeshifter.
Making matters worse, the skies are darkening; there’s • The blood on his hands is not from fighting.
a storm coming. • Searching BJ’s bag or asking him to provide his
Field: The Departures floor of Terminal 3 passport reveals that he has a passport of some-
one named Luiz Itoh. He becomes alarmed at this
SCENE DETAILS revelation.
It doesn’t take much investigation to determine that • BJ was unaware he had Luiz Itoh’s passport.
Departures Jorge has plenty of witnesses supporting his (True.)
claim as having been there since before the power went out.
It doesn’t help matters that the Band found Baggage Jorge • He has no idea who DJ or Luiz Itoh is. (True.)
with blood on his hands and face and several dead bodies. INTERROGATING PASSENGERS
Deeper investigation reveals: All the passengers nearby swear that DJ has been here
• Both Jorges are related to Ryūjin. the whole time. He was nice enough to lend his phone
charger. When pressed for details, they reveal that they dis-
• Calling Jorge’s phone causes both of their phones tinctly remember him being present before the power went
to ring. Scions with technological skills may out, as well as helping to keep people calm.
correctly hypothesize that one of the phones is a
clone. Determining which requires specialized • DJ was definitely present before the power went
equipment not present or the clever use of an ap- out. (This is true.)
propriate Knack. (Departures Jorge’s is the cloned • He helped keep people calm after the lights went
phone.) out and the screaming started. (This is false, but
• Using any sort of lie-detecting Knack on either they believe it to be true. Careful questioning will
Jorge triggers a Clash of Wills. get them to admit they’re not sure.)
• Seven passengers report that they received a phone
INTERROGATING DEPARTURES JORGE charger from him.
This Jorge’s (“DJ”) drive for this scene is to have Baggage
Jorge (“BJ”) arrested. He’s the true son of the Dragon King • One passenger admits that they didn’t really need
and appears completely bewildered at the whole affair. He, their phone charged and that DJ was kind of pushy
like others in Departures, is aware that something awful about offering.
must have happened, but he’s been waiting at his gate. If the players correctly accuse DJ of being Luiz, the
fight starts before he has a chance to crush two of the Pearls
• If asked about his many phone chargers, DJ simply to shape the battlefield. He can draw on their power with-
states that he likes helping people and often carries out using his hands, so he’ll be able to transform no matter
many phone chargers with him on flights. what, but investigative players can get in a few hits before
• Searching DJ’s bag or asking for ID reveals he’s his Armor and Scale go through the roof.
holding a well-used passport for Jorge Tanaka.
• He’s the true son of the Dragon King. (True.)
ACT THREE: ACTION
The players have finally cornered Luiz Itoh, although he’s
• He just wants to do the right thing. (True, but he’s not going down without a fight. The good news is that he no
not telling everything.) longer has the Pearls. The bad news is that he crushed two
• He has no idea who BJ is. (Lie.) of them, the first summoning the nastiest storm system the

86 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 FIELDS AND COMPLICATIONS
Pearls:: Although there are only three surviving Dragon Pearls, there’s still hope for ending the drought of
Pearls
São Paulo but not if the Pearls are destroyed during the fight. Of course, catching them when the winds are
blowing them around would be a challenge even without the kaiju-wannabe rampaging nearby. If a player
or Jorge wants to deliberately use one of the Pearls, they can destroy it to end the storm. Of course, that
leaves one less Pearl to end the drought.
Cyclones:: Although Luiz Itoh summoned them, they’re out of anyone’s control. Anyone doing something
Cyclones
clever that requires them to stand still — using a sniper rifle, for example — is likely to be involuntarily
accelerated to 100 miles per hour. Worse, if one of the cyclones takes a Pearl, it will turn into a full hurricane.
Lightning:: Making matters worse still, lightning hammers the airfield. Thankfully, the strikes go after the
Lightning
tallest object — usually Luiz, but occasionally the various aircraft nearby.
Aircraft:: São Paulo-Guarulhos is a major travel hub, with dozens of planes still on the ground. Due to the
Aircraft
fears of a terrorist attack, they’ve all been moved from Terminal 3, but they’re still nearby and fully fueled.
If the Band can’t keep the fight contained, there’s a real risk of explosions. Even worse, the taxiway is only
about 500 feet away, with over 1,000 passengers trapped aboard the various planes.
Commandos:: A handful of the GCS were outside when Itoh smashed his way onto the tarmac. They’re in an
Commandos
excellent position to get the passengers to safety, but good luck convincing them to do that instead of getting
vengeance for their fallen comrade.
Jorge:: If Jorge transformed, he stumbles onto the tarmac, carelessly destroying everything in his path. He is
Jorge
not hostile, but the trauma of being turned into a giant monster has put him into a panic attack. Flailing limbs
the size of trucks are dangerous regardless of their intent.

players have ever seen and the second transforming him into Most of the planes on the taxiway have over 100 passengers
a 30-foot tall beast, dark blue scales covering his body. Despite each. Passengers who are now trapped in the storm and easily
the booms of lightning and howl of four cyclones touching within reach of the rampaging titanspawn. (Storyguides who
down around the confrontation, Luiz Itoh’s low growl is want to increase the stakes further can use the Collateral pool
deafening. on p. 142 to further imperil the passengers and players.)
Field: The Storm of the Century It’s not all bad, though. The GCS have transitioned
from searching and surrounding Terminal 3 to taking shots
SCENE DETAILS at Luiz. The commandos are doing minor damage, although
Luiz has one goal here: to destroy the PCs. His attempts the weather is keeping them from being able to aim and
to escape have been thoroughly thwarted and it’s time for they did not pack heavy weapons.
monsters to do what monsters do. He is a Scion of Áo Guāng
who was originally tasked to block Ryūjin’s plan, a partic-
ularly egregious display of aspects disagreeing. Although STORYGUIDE
he might have been reasonable this morning, he’s taken far
too many lives for him to believe that he can surrender the CHARACTERS
Pearls and get out of this with his freedom.
His initial plan was clean and involved no deaths,
MORTALS
but he’s had to improvise since then. Instead of stealing DETECTIVE OLIVEIRA
the Pearls and flying out before Jorge noticed, he’s had to Archetype: Professional
destroy power transformers, murder, and steal extra iden- Drive: To recover the Dragon Pearls; to prevent further
tities. Taking the commando’s uniform didn’t even let him death
leave the building! Luiz’ frustration level is at an all-time
Primary Pool (7): Investigation, Socializing
high, especially after having to weather the players’ inter-
rogation. He’s done trying to do things his way; he’s ready Secondary Pool (5): Athletics, Shooting
to do them Áo Guāng’s way. Desperation Pool: 3
Although GCS moved aircraft away from the terminal, all Defense: 2
flights have been grounded ever since word of a supernatural
terrorist attack got out. There are roughly 40 small and mid- Starting Attitudes: Players (0), GCS (2), Jorge (–1),
size aircraft spread out over Terminals 1 & 2. On the taxiway,
Luiz(–1)
there’s another dozen large, long-range airplanes, having Health: 2
evacuated from Terminal 3 or landing just before the chaos. Initiative: 5

storyguide characters 87
 GCS COMMANDOS
Archetype: Mooks — 6 present in the scene
ANTAGONISTS
LUIZ ITOH, SCION OF THE TITAN ÁO
Drive: To prevent further death GUĀNG
Primary Pool (5): Close-Quarters Combat, Archetype: Monster
Shooting, Small Unit Tactics
Drive: To escape with the Dragon Pearls; to destroy
Secondary Pool (4): Endurance, Infiltration, anything or anyone in his way
Intimidation
Primary Pool (11): Smashing Attacks, Collateral
Desperation Pool: 2 Damage, Feats of Strength
Defense: 1 Secondary Pool (9): Disguise, Faking Emotions
Health: 1 Desperation Pool: 5
Initiative: 3 Defense: 2
Extras: Group Tactics. The Grupo de Contraterrorismo Starting Attitudes: Players (1), GCS (–1),
Sobrenaturales have never found themselves fighting a Olivera(–1), Jorge(–3)
titanspawn in a hurricane, but it’s not that far removed
from their training. If you know how to shoot, move, Callings: Monster
and communicate under automatic fire, you know Purviews: Leadership, Shapeshifting, Sky (Storms)
how to do it while lightning bolts are flying. So long as
at least three commandos are alive, they receive +1 Health: 6
Defense and a +1 Enhancement to any combat action. Initiative: 9
SCIONS Size (Scale 2): Once Luiz transforms, he enjoys a +4
Enhancement on rolls to smash, move quickly (but not
JORGE TANAKA, nimbly), and eat commandos.
SCION OF THE DRAGON RYŪJIN Natural Weapons: After transforming, his hands are
Archetype: Professional replaced with claws, making it impossible to disarm
Drive: To recover the Dragon Pearls; to prevent further him without literally dis-arming him.
death Heavily Armored: Luiz’ draconic scales provide
Primary Pool (7): Feats of Strength Hard (3) Armor.
Secondary Pool (5): Academics, Close-Quarters Invulnerable (Electricity): Neither tasers nor light-
Combat, Culture ning bolts deal damage to Luiz, although electrical cur-
rent may pass through him, injuring others. Naturally,
Desperation Pool: 3 he also has the Resistant (Electricity) tag.
Defense: 2 Destructive Force (p. 101): Luiz is more destructive
Starting Attitudes: Players (1), GCS (0), Olivera(1), than normal. Any scene with him gains 2 Collateral.
Luiz(–3) Bringing the House Down (p. 103): When at-
Health: 6 tacked, Luiz may spend 1 Tension to damage a nearby
structure or object to create Expendable Cover. Note:
Initiative: 5 Most structures and objects near him are full of civilians
and/or jet fuel. Add 1 Collateral.
BO CHEN, SCION OF PRINCE NEZHA
Archetype: Rival
Drive: To prevent further death; to be awesome LUNAR NEW YEAR
In this adventure, the machinations of Mary Li (see p.
Primary Pool (9): Art Knowledge, Unarmed
123), a Scion of Kuāfù, are disrupting life in the Chinatowns
Secondary Pool (7): Endurance found throughout New York City. This disruption is all part
Desperation Pool: 5 of her campaign to conquer all territory she feels belongs
to her father. The dangers of a chaotic Scion in the middle
Defense: 3 of the city would be bad enough, but the Lunar New Year
Health: 6 (2 damage) is on the horizon, and community leadership is concerned
that they will have to cancel the traditional celebration.
Initiative: 6
If the festivities do not happen, it would have disastrous
results, as the mighty beast Nian feasts on any Chinese
neighborhood that does not ward it off with the power of
tradition. The characters must travel to New York, research
the problem, and come up with a solution all while being
confronted by servants of Mary Li and her divine family.

88 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 empty gesture of support to Mary Li. Every year, many
LEARNING OF THE THREAT westerners travel to Asia to learn martial arts in the lands
If the characters have any contacts tied to New York it originated. Since kung-fu films became popular in the
City or the Shén (especially if any of them are Shén Scions), 1970s, White Eyebrow has been appearing to as many of
getting them involved is a simple process. Contacts or these tourists as he can to teach them his ancient style of
servants of their celestial parents can reach out with grave White Eyebrow Boxing, and in return, they become his foot
concerns for the coming Lunar New Year. Have the con- soldiers. Little do the students know, their teacher is show-
nections explain that the plotting of a Scion of Kuāfù is ing them incorrect techniques. White Eyebrow finds it
causing chaos in the Asian communities of New York City, amusing to watch outsiders practice moves appropriate for
specifically the Chinatowns in Brooklyn, Flushing, and Hollywood, but not nearly as deadly as the Shén Titan’s art.
Manhattan. Explain to the players that these communities It is these foot soldiers that are harassing local law enforce-
contain just shy of a half-million people in relatively dense ment at barricades when the Band approaches. Treat these
areas. An unchecked Scion could create a lot of collateral as Mooks with the Martial Arts Quality. Allow players to
damage very quickly with loss of life almost certain. Don’t take a more indirect or stealth-based approach if they wish.
have the messenger give too much more information about Traveling through the alleyways or down into the subway
the threat from Nian or the players will not spend time ask- tunnels are both options but should call for an appropriate
ing questions once they arrive in the city. check if backing away after the Scions notice the students.
If the characters do not have a built-in connection to If the Band does take an alternative route, still give the
the Shén or New York, consider using this as an opportu- students a chance to notice the Band’s approach, but with
nity to introduce a Titan Scion that is attempting to fight a Complication. If not bought off, a fight breaks out when
for good (or at the very least order). Chloe Eirini, the Scion the students see the characters — as the fools have no way
of Prometheus in the Antagonist chapter, would make an of knowing the difference between a human and the child
excellent example of this idea, but the Storyguide should of a God. This fight should be a cakewalk. If the players are
feel free to create their own. The Titan Scion has become more focused on the procedural or intrigue aspects of the
aware that a fellow Titan Scion is creating an explosive game, this fight scene can be montaged, instead. At the end
situation in New York and reaches out to the characters of the battle, a local police officer thanks the Scions for their
to get their assistance. If the players seem hesitant to help help and offers to give them a description of the particular
a Titan Scion, or if they decide to have their character act Chinatown they have entered. The Players’ Characters now
aggressively in an assumption that anything tied to Titans have an Enhancement on checks to find their way in this
must be evil, have the Titan Scion go above and beyond in neighborhood. Also, the police will remove the roadblocks
an attempt to defend themselves passively. If it becomes for that neighborhood, opening transportation back up.
clear the characters are going to keep taking an aggressive
stance, have the Titan Scion drop a letter with details of the EXPLORING CHINATOWN
situation, and flee the battle. How the locals will greet the Band while exploring
Chinatown depends on if they encountered and defeated
Alternatively, the Storyguide could have a charac-
the western students. If the characters entered by sub-
ter provide the plot hook to them by approaching them
way or stealth through the alleyways, the neighborhood
randomly with an omen of danger coming to New York’s
approaches the Band with caution. Recent outsiders have
Chinatowns. This person might be an avatar of White
brought trouble, making the usually friendly locals justifi-
Eyebrow, betraying their own family’s work. Is the Shén
ably nervous. In this scenario, the Storyguide should con-
Titan testing her, or is he compelled by his nature to stab
sider giving a Complication to social checks until the Band
those he should care about in the back? Or perhaps he finds
earns the community’s trust.
the idea of Kuāfù, a Titan famous for failing, having off-
spring also doomed to fail too humorous to pass up. All the If the Band did defeat the students on the way to the
above motivations are valid, and it is up to the Storyguide to town, they are greeted with cheers as the neighborhood
decide what works best in their story. hails them as Heroes and should give them Enhancements
on social checks as long as they continue to help the city.
ONWARD TO NEW YORK CITY The Storyguide should customize the description of
The initial trip to New York should not be overly com- Chinatown based on which neighborhood the Band has en-
plicated. A wide range of contacts or situations can justify a tered. Manhattan Chinatown is filled with recessed stores
flight from the Band’s local city to New York. While the trip and street vendor carts, lining most of Canal Street’s uphill
to New York is without incident, arriving in any of three length, ending at the Manhattan Bridge. The Band will deal
significant Chinatowns will have some difficulties. Local with crowds of people and many fragile structures, like the
authorities have blocked off much of the street traffic in above vendor carts, which can lead to a lot of collateral
and out as followers of Shén Titans that have come to join damage if a fight breaks out here. Flushing Chinatown is
Mary Li are actively damaging storefronts and intimidating just as crowded as Manhattan’s but has a very different
trivial NPCs when the Scion Band arrives. Regardless of layout. Flushing is one of Queens’ major transit hubs, with
which Chinatown they head to first, the initial followers a steady flow of buses filling the streets. The 7 Line goes
they encounter are a joke sent by White Eyebrow as an through this area connecting Grand Central Station and

Lunar New Year 89

Times Square. The influence of Chinese culture is more wearing red and banging a drum. This information is
apparent here as many street signs and business fronts are vital if the players wish to solve this situation through
in both English and Mandarin . While there is less for a a physical fight with Nian.
rampaging titanspawn to break here, the things that could
• Visiting Monks: A small group of visiting Buddhist
be destroyed are vitally important. The collapse of the 7
monks traveled to the city to have religious and phil-
Line would impact the city as a whole, and the Band still
osophical discussions at a New York Buddhist temple.
must consider the crowds of people. Finally, the Brooklyn
The characters will find them in the middle of combat
Chinatown is not as crowded as the others, but it spreads
with the followers of Mary Li. As outsiders themselves,
out and merges with multiple other Asian neighborhoods,
and coming from a very private community, the monks
particularly a sizable Vietnamese population. The Brooklyn
will not want to have more than a passing conversation
neighborhood would likely be the best place to direct con-
with the characters, and as such, initial social interac-
flict if the Band comes to that, but at this point, the Scions
tions will receive a Complication, though the charac-
probably need to explore and gather information about
ters can lessen the Complication if they helped fight off
where Mary Li is and what her plan entails. No matter
Mary Li’s followers. If the characters know to ask about
which area they choose to explore, the Scions must learn
Mary Li or any other antagonist, and they succeed on
about Nian and how the great beast will rampage through
an appropriate social roll, the monks will explain the
any Chinese neighborhood or town that does not hold a
history of Kuāfù. They will tell how Kuāfù’s existence
traditional Lunar New Year’s celebration.
has been filled with failures from attempting feats he
While exploring the Storyguide should allow the Band was not qualified to accomplish, such as beating the
to run into some or all the following spread between the sun in a race or fighting Huángdì, one of the greatest of
Flushing, Brooklyn, and Manhattan Chinatowns: the Shén Gods. The legend should help paint a picture
of what drives Mary Li.
• The Drum Maker: An older man has been in charge
of leading a young crew of craftsmen and women in • Patrolling Martial Arts Centaurs: If the players
the creation of traditional festival drums for many enjoy more of an action-adventure approach to
years. Mary Li’s goons have trashed the his shop, and Scion, consider having some of Mary Li’s martial
unless he can get new supplies, the neighborhood he arts centaurs patrol the neighborhoods looking for
is in won’t have enough drums to scare off Nian. The the ones that took out the martial arts students. The
Drum Maker knows where the characters can get Storyguide should make this encounter very cinemat-
supplies, but they will need to travel areas guarded ic, with combat going from the streets into the front
by more of Mary Li’s followers, and some of them are door of one business and out the back. Don’t be afraid
much stronger than the students the party has already to add some verticality to the fight with centaurs
faced. The Storyguide can design nearby warehouses leading them onto the roofs of small buildings or have
or businesses that Mary Li’s followers have taken a group of the martial arts students making their best
over. Review the list of Antagonists in this book and Hollywood wire-fu attempts as they try to jump from
Scion: Hero to find foes strong enough to present a rooftop to rooftop or balance on thin ledges (unwisely
challenge to the Band. giving themselves Complications).
• The Costume Designers: A young adult brother and
sister inherited the most popular shop in their neigh-
MAKE A PLAN
borhood to get festival costumes. In addition, a small The characters have one week to plan how they will deal
band of centaur trained in the actual martial arts (use with the coming of Nian. Players that prefer the action-ad-
the rules for centaurs and add the Martial Arts Quality) venture approach will want to prepare for a fight. While this
has kidnapped several of the designer’s seamstresses, is a valid option, the Storyguide should remember that Nian
so while they have the supplies to make the costumes, is a Titanspawn Tier antagonist and will be a nearly impossi-
they do not have the staff to accomplish it in time for the ble fight for any Band lower than Heroic Tier. Even at Heroic
festival. If the characters decide to help, they can find Tier, make sure the characters run into the community el-
the centaurs in an unused subway tunnel. Storyguides ders while exploring the neighborhoods, as their advice will
should customize the number of martial arts centaur to be vital to defeating Nian in a direct physical encounter.
the skill and power of the characters. MAKING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR’S HAPPEN
• Community Elders: The eldest members of this The procedural option involves researching what
neighborhood are often practicing tàijí at a local the neighborhoods need to make the Lunar New Year’s
community center. If the characters have already celebration happen. Storyguides can take advantage of the
defeated some of Mary Li’s followers, the elders will Information Gathering rules (see Scion: Origin) to repre-
share the full legend of Nian. The tale will reveal that sent the characters searching the neighborhoods for the
the titanspawn has a weakness to loud noises and right resources and information needed to host the Lunar
the color red. They will tell the story of how one of New Year’s celebration. If the characters have chased off
the Shén disguised as an older man defeated Nian by

90 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

the martial arts recruits, the locals will be happy to assist Alternatively, the Band can attempt to convince Mary
the characters, and as a result, the Information Gathering Li of the damage she is doing. An Information Gathering
check should have an Enhancement. The Storyguide should check reveals she has claimed a shrine to Huángdì as her
customize the results of the Information Gathering to the base of operation. Combat or stealth is needed to get by
Band’s strengths. If one or more Scions are skilled at craft- a group of Yoagui that guard the shrine. Finally, they will
ing, consider that the materials needed for the celebration need to convince Mary Li that she needs to stop her ac-
are around, but the villagers are short-staffed, and allow the tivities, or everyone is in danger. This social check will be
Crafting rules (see Scion: Origin) to come into play. If the made with a Complication as Mary Li firmly believes she
Band does not contain a crafter, Information Gathering can is redeeming her father’s legacy and does not wish to walk
find that the Drum Maker and the Costume Designers have away. It is worth noting that convincing Mary Li to stop
the skill to make the items, but they need the characters to her activities in New York will not keep her from trying to
go into antagonist territory to gather supplies or to free kid- conquer someplace else. Of course, the Band may decide to
napped staff. Note that the characters may already know the physically handle Mary Li, which the Storyguide could de-
above information from just exploring the neighborhoods. cide angers servants of Kuāfù, opening up an antagonistic
relationship that can quickly become a campaign.
STOPPING THE CONFLICTS
If the Band prefers to solve adventures through in- LUNAR NEW YEAR’S DAY
trigue, they have the option of motivating the communities Nian awakens from its mystical lair in the hills at dawn
to stand up against the followers of Mary Li. Motivating of Lunar New Year’s Day. If the great dog-lion hears drum-
the community requires a series of social rolls that should ming or sees a large amount of the color red, it will avoid
play out as private conversations with the prominent that location and try to feed on a different neighborhood. If
members of the neighborhoods. These rolls should have the characters wish to defeat Nian in combat, they want to
Complications or Enhancements based on what the Band either have covered their various weapons in the color red
has already done (or failed to do) for those specific commu- or have a way of making a continuous loud noise (it is ulti-
nities, such as defeating the Shén Titan’s followers. mately up to the Storyguide what qualifies as constant loud

Lunar New Year 91

noise, but in tradition it’s drums and other musical instru- In the flurry of TV and radio appearances to come, he final-
ments). Used to an entire town covered in red and making ly lets the world know just who he is, and what he’s been
a massive racket, Nian will not be initially intimidated by waiting for. His name is Prince Annapolis, he is himself a
just the characters, even if they are wearing red and bang- son of Zeus, and his mother, Metis, told him his fate: he will
ing drums. Give the players time to plan how and where replace his father as the King of the Gods.
they will face Nian. Storyguides should reward appropriate Will your players support his reforms of the Theoi,
Enhancements for creative battle preparation. or oppose him on grounds of Titanic bias? Will they be
FRIGHTENING NIAN AWAY successful in averting Titanomachy, or will they sound its
horns? And, perhaps most difficult of all, will they survive
If the characters have managed to assist the Drum
the chaos swarming around the Prince of the Gods?
Maker and the Costume Designers in finishing preparations
for the Lunar New Year’s Day celebration, then describe Bring Forth a Greater Thunder is an adventure shell
how the terrifying creature Nian can be seen standing on focusing on the political chaos, intrigue, and in-fighting a
the edge of one of the Chinatowns, pacing and watching. second Titanomachy could evince from The World’s pan-
If the characters have gone this route, have a small group theons. It can be used either as a drop-in for a campaign al-
of Yoagui show up to disrupt the celebrations. If the ready in progress, or as the basis for a new one—the scenes
Storyguide feels this is not a big enough final challenge, are designated as either “tentpoles,” which are required for
they should feel free to include some martial arts centaurs the adventure’s progress, or “B Plot,” which are optional
and more martial arts students. While the inevitable fight and only recommended if this adventure will be the sole
with the followers should be winnable, build tension by focus of your campaign.
describing how the conflict causes some of the dancers and Concrete details for the Storyguide characters and the
drum players to scatter, causing Nian to perk up and get a locations for each scene are left open to allow for custom-
little closer to the neighborhood. As long as the characters ization to fit a game’s specific needs. The most important
manage to defeat the Yoagui, the festival will continue and influencing characters are sketched roughly enough to be
eventually Nian will leave, looking for a quieter location to reshaped as needed to fit your table group. Also, Prince
consume. Annapolis’s consulting and finance offices are located in a
North American city dear to your players, with locations
CONCLUSION that can be fleshed out in play.
If the characters defeated Nian in physical combat, the
titanspawn vanishes to its hidden lair, where it will recover ACT 1: THE HEIR APPARENT
over several years, giving the people of New York plenty of The first act focuses on dragging the players into
time to prepare for its return. If the characters manage to Prince’s orbit. If no one in the party is connected to the
help make the festival happen, Nian will return next year, Theoi, this may seem a bewildering situation—check the
but the Asian communities are safe for now. Either way, the sidebar The Divine Political Field on p. 93 for a quick
locals will be honoring the characters names for years to litmus test of where each pantheon stands regarding the
come. The Storyguide might choose to use this as a more ex- newest Theoi upstart, if you need ideas for what sort of
tensive campaign. Since the characters are aware that Mary divine imperative might be compelling your players into
Li is attempting to conquer anything that she feels belongs to the situation.
her father, they know that many others could use their help.
If this is the direction the Storyguide chooses to go, consider TENTPOLE SCENES
having Mary Li a few steps ahead of the characters, at least Airborne Peril: Citizen journalists live-blog about
at the first few Chinese communities. If the characters are a small private jet buzzing the city, trailing smoke and
almost ready to achieve Demigod power, perhaps this cam- fire, flying dangerously low, trailing a flock of enraged
paign can lead to a showdown with Kuāfù himself. Stymphalian birds. The player’s characters are urgently
summoned to a small park at the foot of an iridescent
BRING FORTH A tower, home of the Golden Prince Consulting offices. Two
helicopter pilots urge the player’s characters into the small
GREATER THUNDER copter with only the punchiest explanations: they were told
the characters would be the best people to call to deal with
It’s all over the news, both national and global: Plouton the situation. Time is of the essence in assisting the jet pilot
Financial Holding, the 10th most valuable corporation on and deterring the frenzying monsters—if the players daw-
the international market, is ripped apart by scandal with dle, the jet crashes somewhere in the city, though the pilot
hundreds of incriminating documents leaked to the press miraculously survives.
and executives resigning in shame—among them promi-
Reina Correa: At the landing/crash site, the players
nent Hellenistic leaders and a disgraced Scion of Zeus. The
will meet Reina Correa, Scion of Nuada. The only other
Western economy quavers before ruin as reigning legisla-
thing in the jet is a reverently wrapped weapon: the Spear
tors argue over bailouts. At the center of the whirlwind of
of Lugh. If the players succeeded in the previous scene, her
chaos is one man, handsome and sincere, who only wanted
Attitude toward them is positive and she answers a few of
to do the right thing but has somehow set the world on fire.
their questions before a sleek black vehicle arrives to pick

92 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

 PRINCE ANNAPOLIS AND THE SOCIAL GAME
Prince Annapolis has an immense talent for Intrigue that cover for his relative weaknesses in Action or
Procedural situations. By Divine Right not only grants him five constantly-available bodyguards, but also
material goods and equipment he can use to overcome physical challenges, with enough foresight or common
sense. For situations where By Divine Right’s resources aren’t enough, he uses Obligation with figures he
bribes or blackmails into service. As a man who rarely picks up the sword himself, Prince uses Reflected Intent
to protect from goons or assassins and buy himself time to creep into an aggressive player character’s good
graces. If the player’s characters intend to turn public opinion against him with incontrovertible facts, Hail
Eris! only makes the public double-down on their love for him.
Prince should be a nightmare to face in any arena—otherwise, why would the Theoi worry about him?

her up. If they were unsuccessful, Reina is angry and im- already generated not one but several cults. One is a group
patient, and they must adjust her Attitude by helping her of Deifans rallied under the banner of FYeahPrinceDaily, a
reign in the damage caused by her crash. Reina’s drive for streaming channel run by big name fan @DipteraTerror. In
the scene is To deliver the Spear of Lugh and my services to a mad bid to gain his attention, they are spreading a video
Prince Annapolis; she is noble, competent, and boastful, challenge known as Sky Guarding, where supplicants climb
proud of her role as emissary of the Tuatha Dé Dannan to the highest point possible in their area and perform various
the Theoi’s heir apparent. dangerous stunts. Any mortals the player’s characters have
in their orbit have the potential to contact them in urgent
B PLOT SCENES need of help talking down a young Deifan (drive: To make
Mine by Night: Clergy at the temple to Hera out in Prince Annapolis notice me!) in the middle of their viral
the suburbs complains of upsetting localized disturbances: hazing. Unfortunately, if the player’s characters get up on
small tremors plague the scenic hill upon which their tem- that building’s ledge, too, someone might record and post it
ple rests, and recently all seasons cycled through in one day, with a misleading thumbnail...
obvious Titanic omens. The following Clues can be given
Prince’s Fate: The player’s characters receive mes-
away to successful investigators: a hidden tunnel on the far
sages and visitations from their respective pantheons, re-
side of the hill, enormous humanoid footprints, and a pile
questing they verify the truth of Prince’s claim to Olympus.
of animal bones, clean and empty of marrow. Following the
Any number of outlets can serve to provide information on
tunnel leads to a crude under-hill mining operation. If the
his past, the details of which are summarized on p. 94: a
player’s characters stake out the location into evening, a
deep-dive into printed and broadcast news regarding the
nearby Gate opens to spit out a giant: Klytios, a son of Gaea.
Annapolis tidal power station in the mid-80s, requests for
He will continue mining and that night find his prize: a
attendance records, visits to an oracle, etc. If any of the
deposit of lustrous green-gray ore in a boulder the size of
players are of the Theoi, they instead receive instructions
a refrigerator. Unless the player’s characters intervene, he
to not confirm the truth of Prince’s fate—it is very much
will leave with it through the Gate and the hill will return
real, and the Theoi as a whole are at Defcon One.
to normal. Klytios’s drive is To find adamant for Mother; he
is determined, loyal, and brutish, and will under no circum-
stances allow anyone else to take the adamant.
ACT 2: DRAWING LINES
The second act focuses on pressuring the party into
Sky Guardian, Guardian of the Sky: Prince’s apparent choosing a side in Prince’s inevitable war. Pay atten-
heroism in blowing the whistle on Plouton Financial has tion to the public faces player characters present to his

THE DIVINE POLITICAL FIELD

Prince’s claim to the throne of Olympus isn’t treated seriously at first. The Theoi haven’t graced it with a
response (in fact, the Theoi haven’t responded to anything since he committed this public Deed—they are
unusually silent). The Netjer are skeptical that he could overthrow Zeus but anxious that he may. The Tuatha
Dé Dannan are unquestionably on Prince’s side, eager to see someone put Zeus in his place. The Devá are
horrified and infuriated at the idea of a self-avowed Titanspawn Scion openly declaring war like this, and
the Teōtl begrudgingly agree with them.
On the other side, the Æsir are sympathetic to the Theoi’s plight but barely able to conceal their excitement.
The Kami and Shén pretend to care when the Devá are looking but hope they won’t be asked to get involved.
The Manitou aren’t certain replacing Zeus is a bad thing but understand this has nothing to do with them. And
the Òrìshà plan to watch and laugh while the whole thing unfolds.

Bring Forth a greater thunder 93

supporters—whether they seem to support him, oppose forge, working a new weapon. In her first appearance since
him, or otherwise stay out of it. Different opportunities the defamation of Plouton Financing, Athena herself ap-
present themselves as a result, and the Prince’s court should proaches player characters neutral or loyal to Prince. She
be adjusting their Attitudes toward the player’s characters all but begs them to intercept a dangerous Titanspawn rip-
as necessary. Make sure to always keep the pressure on, ping its way into the earth below Prince’s tower, intent on
from multiple outside sources, for the player’s characters seizing the adamant razor for itself. The goddess requests
to pick a side or change their minds! they follow Cronus’s Titanspawn into Gaea’s forge and
confiscate the razor before anyone else can seize it. Athena
TENTPOLE SCENES is willing to offer any number of rewards but will under no
Security Detail: If the player’s characters seemed circumstances assist. This scene could potentially branch
positive towards Prince, Reina contacts them to ask for off into a small side-adventure, depending on how the play-
their help: they have evidence of a divine plot on Prince’s er’s characters respond.
life, and his security team would consider it a favor owed if
We Have Reviewed Your Report Carefully: The young
the player’s characters lent their assistance in defusing it—
Deifan the player’s characters may or may not have helped
Prince’s vast resources would be at their disposal. If they
made national news, drawing attention to Prince’s danger-
showed no strong opinion either way, Abhijeet will contact
ous online cult. One of them, at least. Another, a guild of
them as well, and the player’s characters will be expected
anarcho-capitalist “techbros,” are targeting known Deifans
to choose.
of Prince Annapolis for nuclear-level online harassment,
Attempted Regicide: If the player’s characters are for drawing negative attention to Prince. One of them, Nico
openly hostile to Prince, a man named Abhijeet Bhagat, Sarkopoulos, an employee at Golden Prince Holdings, has
Scion of Durga, establishes contact with them. He is head doxxed the family of the Deifan the player’s characters
of a small Band composed of Devá, Teōtl, and Netjer previously assisted. If the player’s characters ask Golden
Scions, directed by divine authority to assassinate Prince. Prince to hold Nico accountable, they are unresponsive,
They want the player’s characters help setting the ambush. even as the family begins to receive death threats...
To reject this offer is tantamount with siding with Titans
Prince’s Past: Divine guides and patrons further call on
(which may come as a shock to player’s characters who had
investigative characters to verify Prince’s claims of balance
yet to hear Prince’s mother is a Titan). Abhijeet’s drive is To
and reform, noting that every corporation and government
avert Titanomachy by assassinating Prince Annapolis; he is
entity he’s consulted with appear to have been unbalanced
disciplined, thorough, and severe. If they showed no strong
by scandal. Successful investigation leads to evidence that
opinion either way, Reina will contact them as well, and the
Prince did, in fact, manufacture or even undertake most
player’s characters will be expected to choose.
of the scandals himself, but the entities in question were
Then Came the Shots: Without player-character help, already of questionable ethical standing to begin with. Was
Abhijeet’s Band of three manages to coordinate a surgical it the wrong thing for the right reasons?
attack to coincide with a brief time in which Reina and her
Spear are not present. If the player’s characters are helping, ACT 3:
they’re either Reina’s distraction, or they’re stepping in
for the kill while Abhijeet leads Reina away. Surprisingly
MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
(one would say, fatefully), three other Scions emerge from The third act is about building on consequences of the
the woodwork to defend Prince. Prince will escape with or choices made in Act 2, and drawing ever closer to what
without dire injury. seems to be an inevitable Titanomachy. In fact, unless the
players pull some truly exceptional heroics and third-op-
Intertheological Incident: Prince’s people are spin- tion-choosing before the final scene, a second Titanomachy
ning this as theological terrorism, and the Theoi are incon- should feel unavoidable at this point.
trovertibly behind it. Prince publicly reasserts this is why
he wants to rise to the throne—to reform a corrupt panthe- TENTPOLE SCENES
on. The three Scions who recently joined him are revealed Audience with the Prince: Player’s characters who
to be of the Òrìshà, Manitou, and Æsir, pantheons who expressed loyalty or still maintain neutrality receive in-
previously asserted neutrality. The player’s characters are vitations to a meeting at Golden Prince Holdings. Prince
put on blast for their role in the attack—supporting Prince Annapolis himself conducts a meeting with representa-
may earn them ire from their own pantheons, especially the tives from the Kami and Shén, with emissaries of Apollo
Devá; refuting his claims puts them in the unsympathetic and Hermes in attendance. He lays out a stunning case for
media spotlight as well; continuing to claim neutrality joining him, hitting home the story of how his mother was
increases the pressure from both sides, with Prince’s deliv- unfairly used and manipulated by a corrupt ruler who is
ering bribes and others delivering threats. now unfit to reign. It can be inferred from his talking points
B PLOT SCENES that nearly all of the Theoi either agree with his platform
or have resigned themselves to his Fate. To the player’s
The Adamant Razor: Vines carpet Prince’s office tow- characters, he inexplicably offers the material resources to
er overnight, and prophecies flood the collective supernat- solve any problem or secret that has been haunting them,
ural subconscious: the great Allmother Gaea is at her secret

94 CHAPTER TWO: STORYGUIDING

in return for their sworn obligation to his cause—in fact, FYeahPrinceDaily is gone. Nico Sarkopoulos is dragged
literally using Obligation to seal the deal. from his home in cuffs, trying to hide his face from cam-
The Last Hoplite: Insider information leads Viktoria eras. Prince and his Band are publicly mournful, but don’t
Markova, a Scion of Ares, to the front doors of Prince’s deny this is for the best, as neither cult truly took his beliefs
tower. She contacts neutral or openly hostile characters to heart. There’s a new cult now, of course—a social club,
and attempts to recruit them to her army of hoplites for carefully cultivated by Prince and his closest associates.
a final resistance plan, in conjunction with what remains The player’s characters are straight-up blackmailed into
of Abhijeet’s Band. She plans to infiltrate the office tower, joining, using their past mistakes in the campaign or any-
storm Prince’s meeting with the Kami and Shén, and take thing Prince knows he can dangle over them.
Prince and the Theoi defectors prisoner. Her drive is To
show the Titans we won’t go down without a fight; she is
EPILOGUE:
assertive, clever, and impetuous. Rejecting her offer of re- TITANOMACHY LOOMS
cruitment ends the conversation immediately: she has no The thread is spun and the shears are primed.
time to deal with traitors.
At the height of a shattering earthquake, Prince re-
Spybreak!: If the player’s characters are attending the emerges from Gaea’s forge, magnificent in sleek, iridescent
meeting, news of Viktoria’s invasion interrupts shortly af- black armor. Any surviving members of his Band, and other
ter Prince makes his offer to them. If they are with Viktoria, divine and semi-divine supporters, rally to him immedi-
they are well within the tower when security finally re- ately. At this point, even the use of an Astra would not be
sponds and puts the building under lockdown. Viktoria, sufficient to physically stop him, as either Reina with the
Abhijeet’s assassins, and their contingency of hoplites Spear of Lugh or Titanic intervention would prevent his
contend with tower security while Prince’s Band of four total dissolution, though not necessarily everything else
try to force their way down through security to get to them. around him.
Unless the player’s characters concoct a way to defuse the
He prepares to tear a path through the veil of The
situation, the tower and most of the corporate park are de-
World to the peak of Olympus (either with the adamant ra-
stroyed in the ensuing battle. Prince escapes via unknown
zor explored in the B Plot, or the direct assistance of Gaea).
means below the tower, into a Gate leading to Gaea’s forge
The journey directly into Olympus forces Prince to under-
in Tartarus.
go a sudden, painful apotheosis into demigodhood. In the
B PLOT SCENES battle that ensues, Fate is shown ever ineffable—Prince tri-
Part-Time Reliquarians: If she was allowed to, Gaea umphs over Zeus and the odds, ripping away his mantle of
finishes her adamant razor and hands it off to a trusted King of the Gods and hurling Zeus down from the peak of
lieutenant to deliver to Prince—namely, a player character, Olympus. The force of Zeus’s impact with Tartarus expels
who must now fight to protect it from Theoi agents and Metis, Prince’s Titan mother, from his gut... but it has an-
Titanspawn. If Gaea was thwarted and the razor confiscat- other effect as well. The second Titanomachy has not truly
ed, the player’s characters are under tremendous pressure begun until this moment, the moment Zeus is severed from
from Prince’s people to deliver it to him—first by bribes, his Fate as King of Heaven and the chains of the imprisoned
then by physical threats. Titans fall away. Cronus shakes free of his ancient bonds
and rises to meet his nephew—whom he does not recognize
A New Golden Apple: @DipteraTerror posts a as his new king.
tearful apology video to her stream, and 24 hours later

Bring Forth a greater thunder 95

 Vilification, by its definition, creates an antagonistic struggle,
an us-versus-them mentality, that throws us all into a senseless battle-royale.
— Miguel Syjuco, Illustrado

W hen dealing with Titans, you’ll find a wide variety of

Antagonists, from small time cultists doing low-level
dirty work, to enormous Titanspawn. The following chapter
that doesn’t mean that the mercenaries can’t suffer defeat
at the hands of a well-spoken oratory.

gives information on designing fights with a Titan’s followers, WHICH ANTAGONISTS

new Archetypes for specific kinds of Titanspawn, new Qualities In social encounters, you only need to know who the
and Flairs, and a slew of new Antagonists to include in your major players are: who pulls the strings and how does that
Scion games at all levels. person interact with the characters. You might decide
if minor characters are around, but that’s less of a worry.
DESIGNING Combat encounters need more consideration when trying
to decide who is involved.
TITANIC FIGHTS From bystanders to the main attraction, you need to
decide which characters are involved, where they are,
I n a game designed around the Titanomachy, characters
are likely to run into any number of titanspawn, cultists,
legendary creatures, and other people who are working
and what they’re doing during the combat. Innocents may
flee, or try to hunker down, minions may try to pin down a
single character, or distract the characters while the main
for Titans. Including all these things into your game may
Antagonist prepares for a major attack.
feel haphazard, or out of theme. We present a great deal of
Antagonists in this book, so how do you know which ones to When trying to decide which Antagonists to include,
use, and when to use them? how many, and what threat levels, you should take into
consideration not just what power level the Antagonists
TYPE OF ENCOUNTER are, but also the capabilities of your characters. Even char-
Ask yourself what you want to accomplish with your acters all at the same Legend rating are not as capable in
encounter. Most encounters are designed to end in a fight, combat as the next. The characters’ Knacks, Purviews, and
and we’ll cover that in a moment, but first let’s talk about Birthrights make a huge difference in their capabilities
encounters that utilize the intrigue rules. in a fight. Remembering who has what might be difficult;
consider making cheat sheets of Knacks and Boons for
Not all antagonism is physical. Sometimes Antagonists each player so they remember what they have available,
are trying to thwart us through social maneuvering or false and the Storyguide knows what the characters are capable
leads. Consider having long-term Antagonists act in ways of. In general, decide which Antagonist archetype to use in
that antagonize the characters without devolving into a a combat scenario based on the characters’ Legend rating,
fight. Maybe a known Titan supporter shows up at a chari- but deciding which Qualities and Flairs to include should
ty ball and the characters must convince the town’s mayor consider the characters’ capabilities in other areas. This
that he isn’t trustworthy, but he has the mayor’s ear and he also goes for how many of each Antagonist type to include
is trying to convince her that the characters are dangerous. in a single combat.
A fight would only prove his point. Maybe a titanspawn is
not rampaging through town, but instead mind controlling That said, the following contains general guidelines for
people to kill others. Interrogation reveals that the creature number of Antagonists at different archetypes based on the
is looking for something in particular, and would go away if characters’ Legend rating.
offered the right incentive. PRE-VISITATION
Even if you plan for a social interaction between Pre-Visitation characters should only be that way for a
an Antagonist and the characters, it may devolve into a short period of time, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t
fight, and that’s okay. You still want to consider what the run into higher level threats as a way to introduce them to
Antagonist does in a fight. Does she run away when she their new roles as Scions. You may want to stick to arche-
sees that talks have gone south? Does she call in reinforce- types from the Scion: Origin book, but the Scion: Hero
ments to distract the characters? Does she fight with all her Foe, Rival, and Nemesis archetypes map decently well to
might? the Professional, Villain, and Monster archetypes. These
The same can be said for encounters designed for the Hero-level archetypes reduce Defense and Health for each
characters to fight. Sometimes the players decide that they of these archetypes while keeping the dice pool the same
want their characters to charm the pants off everyone in but watch out for the increased Enhancement on one or
the room, including the trained mercenaries of Fūjin who more actions.
are itching for a fight. Let them do it. They might have some
pretty terrible Attitudes and atmospheres to overcome, but

designing titanic fights 97

 Most of your Antagonists should only have a few
Qualities or Flairs, maybe one of each. Mooks shouldn’t
have any, they aren’t strong enough.
• Mooks/Foes: Mooks and Foes go down in one hit.
They are best paired with other Antagonists, though if
you decide to create an encounter with just this level of
Antagonist, consider having two Mooks per player char-
acter, or one Foe per player character (since they roll more
dice). Consider including one Mook/Foe per two player
characters when accompanied by another Antagonist.
• Professional: Professionals often show up together or
with Mooks. Include a single Professional with several
Mooks, or two to three Professionals in a single com-
bat. If you want to use Foes with Professionals, reduce
the number of Foes to match their more deadly nature.
• Villain/Rival: Villains are generally singular; this is
especially true if you use a Rival instead. You can add
a couple of Mooks to a Villain fight but no more than
one per three player characters.
• Monster/Nemesis: A Monster or Nemesis is a formida-
ble opponent for Pre-Visitation characters and should
only show up alone in combat.

LEGEND 1-2
As full Scions, you may choose to include Scion: Origin
Mooks in fights, but for the most part you will be using
Scion: Hero archetypes. If you wish to use Professionals
and Villains as lower level Antagonists, remember that you
could add one more than suggested for their similar arche-
types in Scion: Hero.
All your Antagonists should have a few Qualities and
Flairs, even Foes might have a Quality or two. If you are
grouping Antagonists to a theme, such as a titanspawn and
its followers, consider giving them all the same Qualities
or a Flair in common. If you want to make the combat par-
ticularly difficult, pick Qualities that your characters don’t
necessarily have ready counters for.
• Foes: Scions can generally handle one Foe per player
character if they are alone, or one Foe per two player
characters if paired with a higher-level Antagonist.
• Rival: Rivals show up alone or in groups of two or
three. Rivals alone often have Foes with them.
LEGEND 3-4
• Nemesis: Nemeses are generally singular characters,
though they might have a single Rival or a couple of While still Hero-level, higher Legend characters have
Foes tagging along with them if you want to make the access to more Purviews, Birthrights, and Knacks, and they
fight more difficult. can spend more Legend in a combat giving them greater
versatility or allowing them to perform Feats of Scale more
• Titanspawn: Titanspawn are highly formidable often. This means they can handle larger scale fights, and
Antagonists to Scions at this level of Legend. Use fight more often.
sparingly and consider only using one as a final boss to
a longer plot arc. Titanspawn should be fought alone • Foes: Scions can generally handle two Foes per player
at this Legend rating. You can decrease the deadliness character if they are alone, or one Foe per player char-
of a titanspawn by reducing the number of Flairs and acter if paired with a higher-level Antagonist.
Qualities it has overall, and do not include Scale. • Rival: Rivals rarely show up alone, always with Foes or
other Rivals in tow.
98 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
• Nemesis: Nemeses are still singular characters and LEGEND 5+
can fight alone. Consider giving them more Qualities
At Legend ratings higher than Hero-level, the char-
or Flairs to deal with a well-equipped group. Nemeses
acters increase in Tier and so do their Antagonists. The
at this level often appear with Foes or Rivals to back
advice given above for Legend breaks between 1-2 and 3-4
them up.
Legend should hold true for Antagonist archetypes at both
• Titanspawn: At this Legend rating, titanspawn are still Demigod (Legend 5-6 and 6-7) and God (Legend 8-9 and
formidable opponents, but the characters are likely to fare 10-11) Tier.
better against them. While they can easily fight alone,
Antagonists at higher Tiers start to get more abstract
they might have a single lesser archetype with them, or
as well, so the very large monsters, such as Goliaths or
a couple of Foes. Consider giving your titanspawn Scale,
Titans should be reserved for single Antagonist combats
though maybe not more than Scale 2 in any one area.
rather than part of an ensemble.

designing titanic fights 99

 DEMIGOD AND GOD
The Antagonists we include in this chapter are all made at the Hero Tier. That doesn’t preclude using them
in your Demigod or God Tier games. If you wish to power up Antagonists to fit into those games, use the
following rules:
• Tier 2 and 3 characters reduce their target number for successes on the dice. Therefore, dice pools do not
need to be as high for larger than life monsters to succeed. Primary dice pools should not exceed 11.
• Consider adding Scale. If an Antagonist is already a bad-ass, and you don’t necessarily want to increase
its Tier, then give it Scale to compensate. Though you might not want to have its Scale go over 5.
• Tweak Qualities and Flairs to fit the bill. If a Quality or Flair describes an archetype (such as Vengeful
Blood), consider upgrading the archetype. Consider upgrading the bonus to Enhancement, Defense,
Armor, or Complications by +1 at Demigod, and +2 at God. Regeneration may turn into Reincarnation,
either perfect or in a weakened state.
• Add immunities or single weaknesses. Higher level creatures may be immune to multiple sources of
damage, or all sources of damage except a single one.
• Increase Health. You can do this either by using the Segmented Quality (p. 102), or simply increasing
how much damage the creature requires to kill it.
• Apply Scion Demigod or God templates. You can apply Knacks and Purviews from Demigod or God as
Qualities or Flairs to the Antagonists to make them on par with characters at those Tiers.

POWERED UP AND DOWN All Field effects have the same mechanic, which is that
they impose a Complication to certain actions. The follow-
You may find an example Antagonist that you are
ing example Fields state the level of Complication they im-
excited to use in your game but feel is not quite powerful
pose in the title, then describe the effect and consequences
enough, or too powerful. You can easily tweak an example
of not buying off the Complication.
Antagonist’s template to make it either more or less diffi-
cult to deal with. You can change out basic archetypes to CROWDED (2)
change the Antagonist’s stats, but you can also exchange
The Field is crowded with people or things making it
Qualities or Flairs, give them less or more of the same, and
hard to push through. The default move action is no lon-
generally adjust any of the Antagonists provided to your
ger reflexive and players must roll Athletics + Appropriate
satisfaction. This is a great way to create an ensemble of
Attribute to overcome the myriad barriers. Additionally,
Antagonists who are all similarly themed, either spawning
characters cannot Rush in a crowded Field. Characters
from the same Titan, or part of the same cult, but at differ-
suffer the Complication when they take move actions.
ent power levels.
Failure to buy off the Complication could result in an Injury
Antagonists with the Vengeful Blood or Offspring Condition, getting lost, getting turned around, or getting
Qualities create additional Antagonists in a fight. Consider moved to another range band as the crowd moves you.
theming Vengeful Blood Foes or Offspring after their
creator, giving them the same Qualities, though you don’t DARK (2)
necessarily have to give them the same Flairs. The Field is in pitch darkness, either because of the en-
vironment or through magical means. Characters suffer the
USING THE TERRAIN Complication to actions that require sight, and if the area is
Encounters do not occur in vast expanses of empty anything other than completely flat, the Complication also
space. Instead they happen in city streets, crowded malls, applies to move actions. Failure to buy off the Complication
on cruise ships, while falling down waterfalls, and any could lead to an Injury Condition, going prone, or simply miss-
myriad of other interesting locations. When designing ing a target. Sources of light can eliminate this Complication,
your encounter, think of where the characters are going depending on the source. Small sources might eliminate it for
to be engaging. Fields add interesting elements to any en- a range band but attempting to take actions on something out-
counter by introducing unique elements that characters side the light’s range reinstates the Complication. Characters
must overcome or deal with while they also fight with the may have supernatural abilities to negate this Complication
Antagonists. Fields can have no or many different effects at for themselves or others (such as creating light).
the same time. An open expanse of grass at mid-morning
EXTREME WEATHER (3)
may have no Field effects, while a midnight run through a
frozen tundra may have both the Dark and Extreme weath- The field is in an extreme state. It could be the frigid winds of
er Complications. the arctic, or the unbearable heat of the desert — either way, act-
ing is difficult. Characters suffer the Complication on all actions

100 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

taken while in the Field unless they have an immunity. Failure
to buy off the Complication could lead to an Injury Condition, SPAWN
slowed movement, or a debilitating Condition from dehydration Unlike the Foe, the Spawn’s only advantage is numbers.
or frostbite giving a +2 Difficulty for actions until treated. In a fight against a Scion, this is doubly true. They may look
and act like smaller versions of the titanspawn who created
GAS CLOUD (3) them, but Spawn have no agency on their own. Defeat the
A choking gas fills the field. This could be smoke from a creator, defeat the Spawn.
fire, noxious fumes, poison gas, or a cloud surrounding a ti- Primary Pool: 6
tanspawn. Characters suffer the Complication on all actions
taken while in the Field. Unless a character doesn’t have to Secondary Pool: 4
breath, they are affected by this Complication, holding your Desperation Pool: 2
breath while in it may stave off poison but doing so still cre-
Health: 1
ates a difficulty to act. Failure to buy off the Complication
could lead to an Injury Condition, an increase Difficulty Defense: 0
towards actions requiring speech, an increased Difficulty Initiative: 1
in actions due to wracking coughs, or gaining the Poisoned
Condition at a rating based on the Storyguide’s discretion. Extras: All Spawn have the Group Tactics Quality.
Spawn share Qualities from their titanspawn progenitor
LOUD (2) but have no Flairs.
Music, industrial noises, or ear-splitting racket fills the
Field. Characters suffer the Complication when attempting
TITANIC MINION
to take social actions, and risk severe miscommunication if Not everyone working directly for a Titan is a titans-
they do not buy it off. Additionally, this counts as a negative pawn, or a Scion. Titans find Legendary creatures, and
atmosphere for intrigue play. cultists who will do their bidding regularly. These people
make formidable opponents, especially when they have the
SLICK (3) backing of a Titan along with his blessing.
Something saturates the Field making it slick. It could Primary Pool: 11
be ice, oil, water from heavy rains, or slime from a titans-
Secondary Pool: 9
pawn. Characters suffer the Complication when making
move actions, and fall prone if they fail to buy off the Desperation Pool: 6
Complication. Health: 5
SOCIAL CODE (2) Defense: 2
The Field is dominated by a social norm and rules you Initiative: 7
must follow. You might be at a dinner party with strict social
Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s choice). Titanic
etiquette and rules, a location that follows a specific cultural
Minions gain a Knack as a Quality from one of their Titan’s
norm, or a space filled with a majority culture, race, or gen-
Callings.
der that the character does not share, and acting outside the
expected social code could cause issues. Characters suffer
the Complication when attempting social actions. Failure to
buy off the Complication results in a –1 shift in attitude of
QUALITIES
This section includes new Qualities for Antagonists.
those who witness the faux pas, a change in the atmosphere
to hostile, or another appropriate social consequence. ATTACK
WEIGHTLESS (2) This set of Qualities enhance their ability to make at-
tack actions.
The Field is non-standard, either in a Terra Incognita,
or the characters might be in free fall. Characters at- DESTRUCTIVE FORCE
tempting to make any move action must roll Athletics +
The Antagonist is more destructive than normal. Any
Dexterity, and suffer the Complication. Failure to buy off
scene the Antagonist is in which utilizes the Collateral rules
the Complication results in moving too far or too little,
immediately gains two Collateral dice. Any time Collateral
getting turned around, or engaging with the wrong target.
is rolled during a scene in which the Antagonist is present,

ARCHETYPES gain access to the following Stunt:

Demolition (2 successes): Rubble and debris fill the
Antagonists found in this book utilize archetypes from Field, and pits and holes pock its surface. For the rest of
both Scion: Origin and Scion: Hero. The following arche- the scene, normal move actions are no longer reflexive, and
types are useful for creating minions for both titanspawn characters suffer a +3 Complication to move. Failure to buy
and Titans that fall outside the normal scope of the arche- off the Complication results in falling prone as you trip over
types found in Scion: Hero. rubble or fall into a hole.

Qualities 101
 ENTRAP The Antagonist exists in a segmented form. When you
choose this Quality, select a number of segments that makes
The Antagonist has a natural weapon that she can use sense (ex. the hydra has three segments, one for each head).
to pin a target. It could be a web or spine that she shoots at Each segment has the same number of Health, which adds
her target, or a stinger at the tip of a long tail. When making up to no more than twice the archetype’s maximum Health.
an attack with that weapon, the Antagonist can choose the
Pin Stunt as though she were in control of a grapple with The Antagonist is not fully defeated until all segments
her target. are Taken Out. Segments count as allies to the Antagonist
for the purposes of Flairs that heal or buff allies. Certain
DEFENSE Qualities may come from the segmentation, such as an extra
arm or an extremely long tail. Take note that the Antagonist
The following set of Qualities grant additional defen-
may not have access to those Qualities if that segment is
sive abilities.
Taken Out.
LIVING LARGE
The Antagonist might not be Godlike, but that doesn’t
SOCIAL
stop them. When someone of a higher Tier targets the These Qualities boost an Antagonist’s ability in in-
Antagonist with a Boon or magical ability, they count as the trigue play.
same Tier for effects such as making the Boon free to use DEADLY CHARM
against characters of lower Tier or not gaining a Clash of
Wills. Everyone seems to love the Antagonist, helping her win
loyal followers and making it hard to sway her. Whenever
MALLEABLE SKIN the Antagonist must defend against an intrigue action or
The Antagonist has skin that is either sticky or so pli- compete to sway a group of people, she gains +2 leadership
able that it moves out of the way. A successful attack against Scale.
the Antagonist immediately initiates a grapple with the IMPOSING PRESENCE
Antagonist in control. While in the grapple, the Antagonist
has access to the Disarm and Sunder Stunts. Everyone can tell that the Antagonist is not someone
to mess with and few willingly engage with him. While the
RADIATING AURA Antagonist is in the scene, the Field has the atmosphere
The Antagonist radiates with a deadly aura, such of Fear at a rating of –2. Additionally, trivial targets flee if
as fire or extreme cold. Anyone attempting to attack the he so much as looks at them wrong or raises his hand for
Antagonist suffers a +2 Complication. Failure to buy off the violence.
Complication results in a single Injury Condition appropri-
ate to the kind of aura. OCCULT
This new Quality interacts with the very nature of the
UTILITY World.
Neither attack nor defense, these Qualities give TITANIC PRESENCE
Antagonists interesting capabilities outside of combat.
Prerequisite: Titanspawn or Titanic Minion Archetype
DARKVISION
The Antagonist is more than just awe-inspiring and
The Antagonist has the ability to function to their full terrifying to behold, it also radiates the energy of the Titan
capacity when in darkness. Do not apply Complications who created it. Being in the World is not its native place,
from effects that would penalize the character for being in and it brings with it a piece of whatever realm the Titan
the dark, such as the Dark Field Condition. lives in. Wherever the Antagonist goes, it opens a rift to the
Terra Incognita that the Titan currently exists in, subsum-
ONE STEP AHEAD
ing part of the Field and displacing reality. Only characters
The Antagonist is preternaturally good at getting away. with a Legend rating can oppose or attack the Antagonist,
She may be faster than most or just good at taking advan- and anyone attempting to move through the Field suffers a
tage of the scenery. Whenever the Antagonist is attempting +3 Complication to their Move action. Failure to buy off the
to escape a situation or is being chased, she gains +2 speed Complication sends them through the rift.
Scale.
If you are using the Collateral rules, then buying off the
SEGMENTED Complication made by Titanic Presence adds one die to the
Collateral pool.
Prerequisites: Rival, Titanspawn, or Titanic Minion
Archetypes

102 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

FLAIRS Action: Simple
Cooldown: End of Session
This section includes new Flairs for Antagonists. This Flair may be activated any time the Antagonist
ATTACK takes damage. The Antagonist makes an immediate at-
tack on a solid structure or object using a weapon of her
These Flairs grant Antagonists fearsome attack powers. choice. The resultant debris and dust fill the area, creat-
APOCALYPTIC RAIN ing Expendable Cover for the Antagonist. If they spend
successes equal to the object’s size Scale, it is destroyed
Cost: 1 Tension completely.
Duration: One Scene If you are using Collateral rules, this Flair adds one die
Subject: One Field to the Collateral pool.

Range: Extreme HIDDEN IN THE MASSES

Action: Simple Cost: None
Cooldown: End of Session Duration: One Scene
The Antagonist creates a rain of Titanic proportions. Subject: Self
It could be anything like fire from the heavens or large Range: Close
pieces of debris, whatever it is comes down fast and furious
and fills the Field. Actions taken in the Field suffer a +2 Action: Simple
Complication. If not bought off, the character suffers one Cooldown: End of Scene
of the following depending on the nature of the rain: an
The Antagonist has exerted such influence over her
Injury Condition; the Condition On Fire where the char-
followers that they would die to protect her. After this Flair
acters loses one point of Soft Armor each round or suffers
is activated, if at least one of her followers is around, the
an Injury Condition — if the Soft Armor is 0 this Condition
Antagonist may redirect any attacks that hit her to one of
lasts until the character is put out or seeks medical atten-
her followers who is at close range.
tion; the Condition Concussion which gives a +1 Difficulty
to all actions until the character receives healing.
UTILITY
If you are using Collateral rules, this Flair adds one die For different, unique abilities that do not apply strictly
to the Collateral pool. to combat, use these new Flairs.
MIASMA CREATE SPAWN
Cost: 1 Tension Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Condition Duration: One Scene
Subject: Multiple Targets Subject: Self
Range: Long Action: Simple
Action: Simple Cooldown: All summoned Spawn are Taken Out
Cooldown: Once the last Condition has ended The Antagonist breaks off pieces of herself or generates
The Antagonist releases a poison on her victims. It smaller versions of herself that fill the Field. She creates a
could be a spray of liquid, a belch of gaseous fumes, or even number of Spawn equal to her Desperation Pool. Each Spawn
just a light dust which pours out from the Antagonist’s skin. represents a single Health level for the Antagonist. If all the
Non-trivial targets may make a Clash of Wills. Anyone af- Spawn are Taken Out, the Antagonist suffers a number of
fected by the Miasma gain the Poisoned Condition with a Health damage equal to the number of Spawn destroyed.
rating equal to the Antagonist’s Desperation Pool. Alternatively, the Antagonist can subsume a Spawn as a sim-
ple action to regenerate a single Health point. The Spawn are
DEFENSE an extension of the Antagonist, acting on her command and
These Flairs help Antagonists stay alive during fight whim. If the Antagonist is Taken Out or leaves the scene in any
scenes. other way (vanishing or fleeing), the Spawn stop acting.

BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN RITUAL MAGIC

Cost: 1 Tension Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Instant Duration: Variable
Subject: One range band Subject: Variable
Range: Long Action: Simple

Flairs 103
 Cooldown: One session Prerequisite: Rival or higher Archetype
Acting alone or in a group, the Antagonist can create The Antagonist merges its own mind with that of the
great effects by performing ritual magic. The Antagonist victim. This isn’t a full takeover, instead, the victim is still
(or group) must spend the prior scene enacting the ritual. fully capable of making her own decisions and actions,
The ritual can conjure, dispel, or change nearly anything, though the Antagonist acts as an atmosphere modifier of
though mostly through narrative effects. They could call –3 to all actions. Storyguides should decide an appropriate
up a hurricane out of a clear day, summon a titanspawn, atmosphere, but generally this manifests as anger, fear, or
remove a Scion’s magical effect on an area, destroy a Relic, indifference. Additionally, the victim gains access to a sin-
etc. If the ritual would affect a non-trivial character, they gle Flair the Antagonist has. While merged, the Antagonist
trigger a Clash of Wills. If the ritual is interrupted or the hears, sees, and experiences everything the victim does
ritualists fail to complete the ritual for any reason, the and can send mental direction to the victim, though she
magical energies erupt out of the ritual space and create doesn’t have to follow them. It is up to the Storyguide if the
a Field Condition imposing a +2 Complication to enact Antagonist is capable of functioning on its own during the
Flairs, Boons, or Marvels. If not bought off, the magic over- merger.
load creates a backlash against the user as appropriate at
Storyguide’s discretion. This could be an Injury Condition
READ MINDS
or some narrative effect that has the magic going wild. Cost: 1 Tension
Duration: Instant
SOCIAL
These Flairs enhance an Antagonist’s prowess in in-
Subject: One character
trigue scenes. Range: Long
MERGER Action: Simple
Cost: 1 Tension Cooldown: Three rounds
Duration: Indefinite The Antagonist pulls information from her target’s
mind. It could be anything from the name of the CEO at
Subject: One character their company to what they had for breakfast that morning.
Range: Close The information must be a single discreet bit of informa-
Action: Simple tion. Gain +1 Enhancement in rolls utilizing that informa-
tion. If the character is a non-trivial target, they get a Clash
Cooldown: End of Scene of Wills.

104 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 EXAMPLE
ANTAGONISTS
T he following are some example Antagonists. As always,
these are made to be guidelines for creating your own
Antagonists, and you are free to take these and modify them
presence since the dawn of the World. Avoiding Uranus’s
imprisonment of his half-siblings, Cronus’s continued
persecution of the same, and the ascendant Zeus’s wrath
to suit your game. after he sided with the Titans, Aegaeon’s avoidance of
Primordial, Titanic, and Divine wrath would be impres-
ADZE sive enough on its own. The fact that he is the size of the
loyal Hecatoncheires yet still unknown by many Theoi is
The Adze are ghosts able to possess people and trans- evidence that this strange creature is as subtle as he is huge.
form them into witches. Adze suffered misfortune, jealousy
His voice is as deep as the Ocean’s abyss and as sweet
or poverty in life, and often use their power to give others
as mountain springs, and when he speaks from the dark-
who suffer the chance to change their lot. Unfortunately,
ness mortals, Denizens, and even Scions find themselves
the power the Adze offers comes with terrible consequenc-
thinking what good advice he gives and how rude it would
es. The Adze come before the living in the form of a glowing
be to do anything but what the rumbling voice says. He’s
firefly that becomes the glowing image of their ideal self
quietly co-opted cults and villages in the past, agencies and
when they lived, with eyes like smoldering embers. They
whole governments in the modern day. Aegaeon dispenses
offer the power to change lives, and those who accept it
excellent advice gleaned from ages of hiding in the darkness
become Abasom, their spirit merged with the Adze.
and guides those that follow his guidance to great material
The Abasom gains sorcerous might from the Adze success… even as they become part of his strange nature,
while possessed, but they twist the Fates of those around social extensions of his will just as surely as his hundreds of
them. Bad luck afflicts the Abasom’s friends and family as hands are. Those in Aegaeon’s thrall begin to show signs of
the Adze saps strength from them to feed the Abasom’s his influence, their homes and workplaces subtly dark and
own capabilities. Adze speak to the Abasom in dreams, damp, the scent of sea-flooded caves and sounds of water
encouraging them to use their power. Their suffering in life running deep underground perceptible to those sensitive
often drives the Abasom to use their power on those who to supernatural influence. Aegaeon moves his pawns gen-
have wronged them, and perhaps those they are jealous of tly, quietly using them as mortal tools to prod Titans and
as well. Adze often do not realize the trouble they cause, Scions into direct conflict with each other. A government
seeing what they offer as a gift to the downtrodden that land-leasing agency will let slip to a Band of Theoi that
justifies itself. Most Adze have pleasant if not sad demean- agents of Cronus stalk what seems like a gate to Tartarus; a
ors, in shocking contrast to Abasom, who typically become family of fishermen will let a Scion of Metis know that local
domineering and cruel. priests of Zeus and Poseidon are trying to raise a sunken
Archetype: Rival Relic from the local bay. Aegaeon doesn’t much care who
wins such conflicts, as long as his agents are able to weaken
Qualities: Incorporeality
gates and pry wider pathways between the Worlds. His
Flairs: Curse, Merger, Ritual Magic, Shapeshifter, agents work towards a day when the cracks will be wide
Sorcery enough that Aegaeon can rip the gates to the Overworld
Drive: Help those in poor circumstances change their lot and Underworld ajar, spilling into the World and seeing
all the realms catastrophically coexist. For Aegaeon loves
Primary Pool (9): Finding Unfortunates, Offering his mother Gaea more than his own life, and his plans all
Power, Wielding Magic
aim to see her singular and triumphant and supreme over
Secondary Pool (7): Hiding from Mortals, the Theoi and every other pantheon — Titans and Gods
Knowledge of Past Life and Scions in abject terror trembling at her feet. His plans
Desperation Pool: 5 may be impossible, or at least impossibly difficult, but the
strangest of the Hundred Handed has worked for so very
Health: 3 long to see them come to pass.
Defense: 3 Aegaeon is impossible to look at properly: A mass of too
Initiative: 6 many shifting man-sized hands stained the color of wine,
held by limbs like the sinews of the World or the trunks
of great trees, disappearing back into shifting watery dark-
AEGAEON
ness. Surely, he stands like a man. Or perhaps his arms and
An ancient and obscure child of Gaea and some Titanic hands ring his open mouth like some obscene sea creature,
or Primordial oceanic force, Aegaeon has been an elusive

Example Antagonists 105

distant relative to the kraken and hydra. Few see him at all, Secondary Pool (11): Evade and Disappear,
instead finding themselves confronting the organizations Move Like Water Beneath the Earth, Tear Apart
and groups he has quietly mastered, Aegaeon’s presence Anything or Anyone Within Reach
only obvious to those who recognize the strange traces of Desperation Pool: 7
water, salt, and darkness.
Health: 10
Agenda: Co-mingle the World and the Otherworlds in
a bid to bring his mother Gaea to endless dominance. Defense: 4
Hooks: Strangely helpful mortals alert a Band to activ- Initiative: 10
ities of their enemies on multiple occasions, while others Size: 4
strike at the last minute to try to steal away powerful Relics
or disrupt pathways to the Otherworlds, both leaving be-
Segments: 4 (5 Health each)
hind signs of water, soil, and salt traceable back to Aegaeon. Quality: Unseen
An organization friendly to a Band begins to act strange- Flairs: Mastermind
ly, as they accept advice from a strange, unseen sponsor.
A Band’s efforts to secure the border between the World
and dangerous Midrealms or Underworlds are repeatedly AEGAEON’S FINGERS
interrupted by all manner of mortal and supernatural in- Those mortals suborned by Aegaeon don’t know his
terlopers, forcing them to discover and then confront the nature, his goals, or even his name. Instead, they know that
elusive source of their troubles. following the voice’s advice makes good things happen,
Archetype: Titanspawn and when the World is too much for them, they can just
relax and let themselves become the industrious extensions
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Stand Tall, Tough of something bigger than they are. This lets them work
as Nails, Unseen (except as watery darkness and
grasping hands; Aegaeon’s segments are still targeta- through hunger, fatigue, and adversity, though signs of the
ble even while he is unseen), Unstoppable Hecatoncheires’s presence manifest as they push them-
selves beyond mortal limits. Scions may notice that the city
Flairs: Mass Concealment, Mastermind councilman who keeps permitting construction danger-
Drive: Exalt Gaea as the supreme deity and cast ously close to holy ground leaves behind the smell of the
down all other gods. ocean after a speech, or that the helpful research librarian
who points them in the direction of ever more dangerous
Primary Pool (13): Fascinate and Charm, Master
the Will of Others, Offer Excellent Advice titanspawn seems to always leave behind sandy footprints.

106 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Archetype: Mook Primary Pool (11): Act Imperiously, Control Water
Qualities: Group Tactics Secondary Pool (9): Boss Around Minions, Recruit
Lackeys
Flairs: Selfless Shield
Desperation Pool: 6
Drive: Follow Aegaeon’s good advice, and in doing
so serve him Callings: Leader 2, Monster 3, Lover 1
Primary Pool (5): Follow Orders, Quietly Support Purviews: Beasts (Aquatic Animals), Prosperity, Sky
or Sabotage (Storms)
Secondary Pool (4): Hide Traces of Their Work, Health: 5
Violently Defend Aegaeon’s Plans
Defense: 4
Desperation Pool: 2
Initiative: 9
Health: 2
Extras: Ào Jinru gains the Armor Piercing and
Defense: 2 Unstoppable Qualities when subject to her Monstrous
Urges (see p. 153).
Initiative: 5
Extras: Aegaeon’s Fingers promoted to Professional
due to Group Tactics gain Give Orders as a Primary ARACHNE’S CHILDREN (GIANT SPIDER)
Pool ability and +1 Enhancement for actions Follow Arachne was once a mortal who wove the most beau-
Orders. tiful tapestries, and had the gall to be better than a God.
Athena, jealous of her abilities challenged her to a weaving
ÀO JINRU, SCION OF ÀO GUĀNG duel, and when she lost, she destroyed Arachne’s tapestries
and struck the girl to the floor. Arachne tried to hang her-
Ào Jinru always felt stifled living in the Dragon King’s self out of fear, and Athena punished her by turning her into
palace beneath the waves. While she led a life of opulence a spider. Hundreds of thousands of spiders, all crafters and
in her father’s palace, attended to by lobster servants, tuna beautiful web-weavers, descend from Arachne’s lineage —
stylists and clam attendants, she never felt like she ruled each sore about their mother’s lot in life.
them. She wanted the fear and respect that all creatures
beneath the sea had for her father, not through him but Arachne’s children resent the Gods and work to pro-
through her own actions. Ào Jinru can’t help but resent tect mortals from their trickery and careless acts. They act
her father. She deserves to be the one everyone fears! One as guardians of the weak and predators of those who would
night, she left his palace behind for China, where she works take advantage. They do not care for the Gods — the Theoi
to make her name the one everyone respects (and fears). especially, but all Gods are guilty of treating humanity
without care.
Ào Jinru has a pale complexion and vivid blue eyes sur-
rounded by azure scales most mistake for makeup. Ào Jinru Arachne’s children are not the only spiders tied to my-
is celebrated among the youthful Hanfu Movement for her thology. From Jorōgumo’s fire breathing spiders to Anansi’s
regal sense of fashion, wearing hanfu festooned with azure children and Areop-Enap who created the World and all
dragons and pearls. When enraged, she transforms into a other spiders, these creatures have a sordid relationship
monstrous azure dragon with scales that ripple like water. to the pantheons. Most serve as protectors and nurturers,
creating safe havens for the downtrodden. Others act as
Agenda: Ào Jinru has become a Titanic influence in tricksters, but for the most part, the children of spiders are
Shenzhen, a capital for technology, manufacturing and loyal to those who treat them well.
shipping in southern China. Corporate competition is a
deadly game that she plays exceedingly well, though she Giant Spiders can be found throughout the World,
cares little for her father’s plans. Aware of her lineage, though most are in hiding as they have been hunted down
Shenzhen’s elite are terrified of her but not enough to avoid by those who are fearful of them. They inhabit nearly every
doing business with her. Her uncle Ào Quin has become an Overworld, Midworld, or Underworld without fail.
eager ally in her ascent to power. While most of Arachne’s children are helpful, woe be-
Archetype: Nemesis tide those who cross their paths. Once someone has been
named a ward, they brook no argument about dealing with
Qualities: By Divine Right, Chimera Hide, Cloak of trespassers. If one of the Theoi are involved, they might just
Dread, Diplomythic Immunity, Grand Entrance, Mystic take revenge for their mother, regardless of whom they are
Arsenal (a scepter topped with an enormous pearl
from the Dragon King’s palace, channels Sky), Titanic supposed to be guarding.
Stature Archetype: Nemesis
Flairs: Leader of the Pack, Voice of Seven Thunders, Qualities: Entrap, Mystic Arsenal (Purview:
Weather Tyrant Journeys), Natural Weapon, One Step Ahead, Wall
Drive: Gain vengeance upon Shanghai’s social elite Walker
and begrudgingly do her father’s bidding Flairs: Create Spawn, Shadow Step

Example Antagonists 107

 Drive: Protect a location or ward Archetype: Titanspawn
Primary Pool (11): Attacking, Scuttling Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Collateral
Damage, Destructive Force, Stand Tall, Unstoppable
Secondary Pool (9): Hiding, Negotiating, Spying
Flairs: Bringing the House Down, Detonation: Close
Desperation Pool: 6 Combat, Making Space, Second Wind, World
Health: 5 Shaking
Defense: 4 Drive: Defeat Scions of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Initiative: 9 Primary Pool (13): Melee Attacks, Rock Throw
Secondary Pool (11): Craft: Earth Formations,
BANSHEE Intimidation
Strange, ethereal creatures, the lamentations of these Desperation Pool: 7
keening women lead Scions to underestimate the damage Health: 10
these fae can cause. Banshees herald the death of someone
within hearing range of their screams and their wailing Defense: 4
serves as a warning to all who listen. Often, this occurs Initiative: 10
because someone has murdered a woman or child, as the
Size: 4
banshees have a keen interest in their fates. Rumors persist
that banshees will come to the aid of women in dangerous or
abusive situations and grant them faerie vengeance. Their al- CHILD OF APEP
legiance lies with the Tuatha Dé Domnann; when the Tuatha Chaotic, undulating icons of Apep are frequent deco-
Dé Danann cast them out as undesirable, the Domnann took ration in the hideouts of the Chaos Snake’s cults. He gifts
them in. the most destructive and successful of his followers with
Archetype: Rival the Children of Apep, devastating animate weapons made
to sow destruction. Each Child is an enormous fire-breath-
Qualities: Miasmic Presence, Regeneration,
ing serpent with the head of a crocodile and envenomed
Vulnerability (Holy Symbols)
kukri-like fangs, their scales of flint catch sparks when
Flairs: Dread Gaze (Ear-Splitting), Long Arm, these constructs animate. These creations grew infamous
Shadow Step when a Child of Apep was animated in the heart of the
Drive: Herald death or avenge wrongdoing Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo, where it nearly slew
an Incarnation of Re and the cultists who had activated
Primary Pool (9): Scream, Tracking
it. Once awakened, these constructs don’t distinguish be-
Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth tween friend or foe, they simply destroy.
Desperation Pool: 5 Archetype: Nemesis
Health: 3 Qualities: Baleful Touch, Destructive Force,
Defense: 3 Perfected Soldier, Tough as Nails, Toxic

Initiative: 6 Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Under Pressure

Drive: Slay anything nearby once roused
BENANDONNER Primary Pool (11): Close Combat, Serpentine
Writhing
The Scottish giant named Benandonner heard rumors
that a mighty warrior guarded Ireland. He sought to prove Secondary Pool (9): Tracking
himself superior to any champions the Tuatha Dé Danann Desperation Pool: 6
could produce and built a bridge from Scotland to Ireland
to challenge Fionn Mac Cumhaill to combat. Believing Health: 5
Benandonner too powerful for him to defeat in a fair fight, Defense: 4
Fionn thought of a plan to trick the giant. Oonagh, one of
Initiative: 9
Fionn’s wives, greeted the towering man on the shores of
Ireland with a baby carriage containing Fionn dressed as Size: 1
a baby. When Benandonner witnessed the size of Fionn’s
baby, he became terrified by the father’s possible size. He CHLOE EIRINI, SCION OF PROMETHEUS
fled in terror, destroying the bridge behind him and as a
result creating the Giant’s Causeway. Today, Benandonner Chloe grew up in modern-day Athens with a single
plans on using the new Titanomachy as an opportunity mother who juggled raising a daughter, working multi-
to challenge the most significant Scions the Tuatha can ple jobs, and humanitarian work. Chloe’s mother always
produce. told her that her father was some war protestor that left
Greece to handle “family matters,” but never returned.

108 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

As Chloe grew from a small child to a young woman, she appeared before him, heard his troubles, and offered him
watched her mother sacrifice for the impoverished and the the means to change things.
oppressed. When Chloe graduated from high school, her Since accepting Akasi’s power, Chris has turned his life
father returned and explained the coming Titanomachy. around. Within months he’d replaced his boss at work after she
Prometheus called for his daughter to fight by his side, but suffered an “accident.” His brother doesn’t bother him anymore,
Chloe’s mother had always taught her the value of peace and his mother passed away, granting him more time to indulge
and to love everyone. She knows what she must do. himself. Chris has been approached twice by followers of the
Agenda: Now that Chloe knows her father was partial- Òrìshà offering to free him from the “curse,” but he fears losing
ly responsible for introducing destruction and war to the the power and Akasi’s guidance. The first time, he simply ran
World, she plans on searching for Scions (Hero or Titan) of away, pretending he’d lost control. The second time, he sought
any pantheon in an attempt to work together to prevent the out allies in New York to rid himself of exorcists too concerned
damage from their parent’s conflicts. Chloe has a wisdom with his condition and found titanspawn. He’s not afraid to go
that is beyond her years, which makes her a natural leader further if he has to; the power is just too sweet.
and motivator. She is friendly and confident but has little Hooks: The Band is enlisted by a follower of the Òrìshà
patience for those that always turn to violence to solve to help Chris. He plays the victim at length, making out his
problems. As she gathers support for her cause, she will magic to be wild and uncontrolled, when he is in fact us-
need the aid of Scions to help the innocent mortals that will ing it to cause misfortune and endanger the Scions so that
suffer in the second Titanomachy. they’re easy work for his Titan allies. Chris is eager to use
Hooks: Chloe makes a good source for a Storyguide underestimation to lower their guard.
wishing to present tasks that contribute to ending the Archetype: Foe/Rival (see below)
Titanomachy by helping communities or protecting the
innocent. Chloe might contact the players’ Scions through Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Willful
a mutual ally and give any number of tasks (possibly one of Flairs: Sorcery
the adventures provided in this book).
Drive: Live large and trick anyone who tries to stop
Archetype: Nemesis him
Qualities: By Divine Right, Regeneration, Willful Primary Pool (9): Bossy Boots, Do Magic
Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Touch of Asclepius Secondary Pool (7): Fake Empathy
Drive: Stop the Titanomachy and repair the damage Desperation Pool: 5
caused by her father
Health: 3
Primary Pool (11): Gathering Intelligence,
Leadership Defense: 3
Secondary Pool (9): Empathy, History Initiative: 6
(Specializing in Deeds and Legends) Extra: Chris only retains his power as long as Akasi
Desperation Pool: 6 is merged with him. If she should leave him, he drops
to the Foe Archetype and loses his Sorcery Flair.
Callings: Adversary, Creator, and Primeval (Fire)
Purviews: Epic: Stamina, Fire DAĒVA
Health: 5 Daēva is a term the Yazatas use to describe any evil enti-
Defense: 4 ty. In truth, daēva are a specific type of creature: The spawn
of Angra Mainyu, as bent on destruction and darkness as
Initiative: 9 their father. Much like a Titan is to a pantheon, the daēva are
Extras: Mystic Arsenal: A book of Greek philosophy to evil creatures. The Yazatas label anything and everything
penned by a long-dead Scion. Grants Chloe the evil a daēva, even spirits and creatures from other pantheons.
Order Purview.
True daēva are vile beings with ill intent towards
humanity. They play vicious pranks on people to get them
CHRISTOPHER SWONG, ABASOM to hurt themselves, sometimes to hurt others, but often to
Christopher Swong was down on his luck when an worship the daēva as false Gods above the Yazatas. Those
Adze came along and offered him power. His boss had been who fall into their worship end up dead, or worse, at the
harassing him at work, his brother needed more money hands of these demons.
after he crashed his car for the fourth time, and his moth- A true daēva is a terrible entity to behold and each one has
er’s health was declining. It had all become too much! To control over a specific putrefying force: one for evil thoughts,
top it all off, he’d gotten the flu. With everyone too busy to one for discontent, one for inaction, one for oppression, one
even bring him medicine, he trekked alone through New for destruction, and one for famine and plague. Each one cre-
York’s snow-swept streets. On a side street he saw the ates lesser daēva minions of their own to do their bidding, to
strange form of a glowing firefly, and the Adze called Akasi wreak havoc in the World and destroy humanity.

Example Antagonists 109

 DESIGN NOTES: DAEVA
Nearly every religion or pantheon has some kind of demonic figure. The daēva is just a type of demon, but
this entry can work well for any other demonic force you want to put your characters up against. Demons can
also come in any size or flavor, so feel free to downgrade this template as necessary to show off lesser and
greater versions of the same demonic type.

Archetype: Titanspawn Archetype: Rival

Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Imposing Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Armor Piercing,
Presence, Mystic Arsenal Regeneration, Vulnerability (Gold)
Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Thousand Faces, and Flairs: Dread Gaze, Long Arm, Penetrator, Shadow Step
choose two of the following — Curse, Illusions, Plague
Touch, Read Minds, Seeing Red, World Shaking Drive: Claim victims for Domnu to craft into more
Dullahan
Drive: Drive humanity to depravation and destruction
Primary Pool (9): Horseback Riding, Whip
Primary Pool (13): Attacking, Being Charming
Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth
Secondary Pool (11): Getting Everyone’s
Attention, Lying, Sneaking Desperation Pool: 5

Desperation Pool: 7 Health: 3

Health: 10 Defense: 3

Defense: 4 Initiative: 6

Initiative: 10
ED & EDIE JACKSON:
SCIONS OF PROMETHEUS
DULLAHAN
Ed and Edie are the sweetest old couple you’ll ever
The Headless Horseman wasn’t invented by meet. There’s absolutely nothing suspicious about them.
Washington Irving; these dark fae have existed since They just really like setting things on fire.
the first horse threw the first rider and broke their neck.
They’ve been part of the dei-fan community for decades
Servants of the Tuatha Dé Domnann, Dullahan answer to
— they met at the first-ever God Con in 1968 and still attend
Domnu, who raised them from the dead. A headless rider
every year, even though they’re in their 70s. When they
atop a black horse, acting as a single terrifying entity, roams
won a multimillion-dollar lottery several years ago (thanks,
the night in search of victims to horrify and devour. The
Bast!), they went on a World tour of mythological hotspots,
rider carries its head on the pommel of its saddle or un-
during which they paid their respects to all their favorites.
der its arm. The mouth of the detached human head stays
Somewhere in the Caucasus, they met Prometheus and
permanently fixed in a hideous rictus of pain, though some-
gushed in admiration. A moment later, they were Chosen.
times the Dullahan speaks through that twisted grimace,
the better to petrify its victims. Despite being detached Now, they commit arson any time a new Hero comes to
from the body, the head’s eyes constantly scan, shimmering town. Ed and Edie aren’t malicious, they just enjoy seeing
in the darkness even when there is no light. Heroes in action. It’s easy — no one ever suspects them. It’s
like they’re invisible!
Popular culture depicts headless horsemen as only
ever men, but Dullahan may present as any gender they Before they torch a building, Ed and Edie always make
choose. Domnu gifts the Dullahan with whips crafted sure it’s unoccupied. Usually.
from human spines when she creates them from fallen Archetype: Nemesis
warriors. Funerary candles appear along roadsides where
Qualities: Invulnerability to Fire, Unseen (Easily Ignored)
the Dullahan have ridden, burning endlessly, never melt-
ing down. Vulnerable to gold, putative victims may divert Flairs: Red Herring, Sorcery (Fire)
or destroy Dullahan by sacrificing a valued item crafted of Drive: Share the gift of fire with the World
high-quality gold. One cannot simply purchase their way
out of a Dullahan’s path: The sacrifice must hold great Primary Pool (11): Seeming Innocuous, Setting Fires
significance, such as a grandmother’s ring or inherited Secondary Pool (9): Buying Whatever They Want,
watch. Getting Support from Dei-fans
Desperation Pool: 6
Health: 5

110 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Defense: 4 Elementals face their targets in physical combat.
Demons are more subtle, imposing appropriate Emotional
Initiative: 9
Conditions instead. Both elementals and demons attack
using the Curse Flair.
ELEMENTALS AND DEMONS
Archetype: Nemesis
An elemental is an independent being split off from a
Qualities: Invulnerability (to their element) –
Primordial source (see Scion: Origin, p. 34). For example, a Elementals, Unseen – Demons
fire elemental is a creature of living fire, spun off from a fire
Primordial such as Muspelheim. Some elementals may have Flairs: Curse
high intelligence, while others are about as smart as dogs. Drive: Obey the summoner’s commands
Summoned “demons” are similar but less visible or tan- Primary Pool (11): Stealth, Touch Attack
gible. For example, a creature of the Passion (Fear) Purview
is commonly called a fear demon. It clings invisibly to its
Secondary Pool (9): Surprise Ambush, Tracking
Targets
victim’s back. An elemental or demon is a solidified piece of
divine power and can be spotted with Scent the Divine, or Desperation Pool: 6
other magic-identifying Knacks or Boons. Health: 5
Elementals and demons are lesser forms of daēva spir- Defense: 4
its, often serving as minions to a true daēva. They can also
be servants of sorcerers, e.g. Silent Storm summoners. Initiative: 9

EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS
Effect: You suffer +1 Difficulty on any action that doesn’t directly give vent to the emotion. For example, in
the Fear Condition you must flee or cower, otherwise, you suffer increased Difficulty.
Momentum: Every time the increased Difficulty from your Condition causes a failure, add another point
of Momentum to the pool.
Resolution: The Condition is resolved when you suffer three failures because of it, or when you imbue 1
Legend for a scene to resolve it, or when you succeed in a dangerous or risky action that defies the emotion.

Example Antagonists 111

 ELEMENTALS AND DEMONS
Elementals are associated with dangerous Purviews, such as Fire, Frost, Sky, and so on. Demons are
typically associated with Passions. However, with some ingenuity, you can create elementals or demons
associated with any Purview.
For example, a darkness elemental might impose the Blind condition. A fortune demon might impose bad
luck (similar to gremlins, see p. 115). A wild elemental might cause vines to sprout up and attack the target.
A health demon might cause injuries by slowly draining life force, and a death elemental might enervate the
target, pushing them towards death.

ELLIOT JONES, DRUID TO ORGOS ELRIC ASH, SCION OF SURTR

Elliot Jones was born and raised in Houston, Texas, Elric cannot remember from where he came. His earli-
but his family was long descended from Gauls in Ireland. est memory is waking up in the still-smoking remains of an
His mother claimed to be a druid of Cernunnos, though apartment complex in Sweden. The confused young man
they never saw or heard from the God despite the horned hitchhiked as far away as he could, meeting many interest-
paraphernalia covering the small home. When Elliot tried ing people along the way and learning about the different
to contact the Nemetondevos himself, he received only the aspects of humanity. These weeks were crucial in shaping
barest hint that the Gods were still out there. the personality of this Incarnate shell of Surtr. By the time
Elliot persisted and kept up the old ways just like his moth- followers of Surtr visited Elric and revealed his destiny,
er taught him. Though he never liked Cernunnos, he didn’t the Scion had already learned to appreciate the World too
know enough about the other Gods to dedicate himself strongly much to burn it to ash. Despite this learned compassion,
in his druidic practices. It was no wonder when Orgos blessed Elric cannot help what he is. There are still times when he
Elliot’s rituals, that he simply accepted the blessing without will lose track of time, only to discover he has set something
question. Who was he to guess at the Gods’ methods if one of ablaze.
them wanted to help him out, and who was he to argue with the Agenda: Elric is compelled to watch the World burn,
scythe wielding creature who bestowed the blessing? but also values the beauty and depth of life around him.
Before long, Elliot became Orgos’ connection in the Unfortunately, his destructive urges keep winning and he
World again, which started with murdering his own moth- has once again hit the road to run from himself. Elric’s
er and sending her soul to the great wheel for interrogation. short term goal is to stay moving and not to make new at-
He travels the World doing the bidding of his patron, and tachments, so he does not hurt anything he cares about. His
while Elliot is not a Scion or Godly in any way, he has a long-term goal is to get control of his urges and, if needed,
potent benefactor and titanspawn to call upon if things get find a way to confront his true self, the Titan Surtr, in the
hairy. hopes of ending his need for destruction once and for all.

Archetype: Titanic Minion Hooks: The Storyguide can introduce Elric in several
different ways. The Band might be in a tight spot as the
Qualities: Baneful Touch (Destroyer) - Twitchy, Titan Scion wanders through, allowing him to save the
Willful characters and show them that not all Titan Scions are evil.
Flairs: Mystic Arsenal, Sorcery (Death, Deception) If introduced this route, consider allowing the players to
invite him temporarily into their Band as an ally. This will
Drive: Bring death to those who deserve it
make them a significant part of Elric’s struggle once it be-
Primary Pool (11): Druidic sorcery (+1 comes apparent that he cannot fully control the destructive
Enhancement), Shooting urges inside him. As an alternative approach, let the Band
Secondary Pool (9): Driving, Persuading Others, know that an arsonist has been traveling across the coun-
Scythe Attacks try, setting terrible fires. When they track Elric down, he
turns out to be a sympathetic character, remorseful for his
Desperation Pool: 6
actions. Do the characters eliminate Elric as a threat, or do
Health: 5 they take compassion on him and help the Titan Scion on
Defense: 2 his quest to control the destruction he was created to do?

Initiative: 7 Archetype: Nemesis

Extras: Elliot has been gifted with an Ankou scythe. Qualities: Baleful Touch, Helpless Fascination (Fire),
This is a four-dot Relic with the following traits: Tough as Nails
Purview: Death, Motif: The cold embrace of death, Flairs: Detonation (Range), Second Wind, Under
Pressure
Enhancement: 1, Tags: Brutal, Reach, Two-Handed.

112 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Drive: Tear down the old ways FOMORIAN (BEAUTIFUL ONES)
Primary Pool (11): Athletics, Survival When Domnu raised the giants from the Earth, she
Secondary Pool (9): Brawl, Craft (Fire) exhaled from the effort, and part of her beauty escaped
her lungs, traveling on the breeze. Wherever this beautiful
Desperation Pool: 6 wind touched life, it transformed into something humanoid
Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant but entirely more exceptional. The beautiful ones, as they
are known, found themselves scattered throughout the
Purviews: Fire, Wild
World. Now, they use their charm to influence the direc-
Health: 5 tion of global politics with the ultimate goal of returning to
Defense: 4 reclaim their homeland. With the appearance of Fomorian
giants in major American cities, the beautiful ones have
Initiative: 9 worked their way into the local government of those cities
Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Old running shoes Elric to make sure the Irish population can excel and grow.
found in the smoldering remains of a building. Grants Archetype: Nemesis
access to the Journey Purview.
Qualities: A Thousand Ships
FOMORIAN (GIANTS) Flairs: Dread Gaze, Hidden in the Masses, Hypnotic
Charm, Retcon, Sorcery (Beauty)
The Fomorians claim that they are Ireland. For the
underground giants, this is quite literal. Domnu birthed the Drive: Reclaim their homeland
giant Fomorians from vast underground caverns that share Primary Pool (11): Etiquette, Manipulation
passageways with the Underworld. The giants have simple
desires and equally simple tactics, focused on protecting
Secondary Pool (9): Lies, Sensing Motives
Irish soil and when possible, expanding it, but always Desperation Pool: 6
through blunt force. Over the years, the Fomorians have Health: 5
come to consider anywhere with a large Irish population to
be part of Ireland and as such many northeastern American Defense: 4
cities have seen Fomorian giants climbing out of their Initiative: 9
sewer systems. While they are most protective of the local
Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Mystic jewelry that provides
population, their unexpected appearance has raised alarms
the Deception Purview.
with local government and law enforcement.
Archetype: Monster
FOMORIAN (AQUATICS)
Qualities: Invulnerability (Earth Metals), Stand Tall,
Subterranean Movement When Domnu realized her most beautiful children
were scattered far from their homeland, she wept great
Flairs: Sorcery (Earth) tears into the sea. Where her tears landed, new life formed
Drive: Increase and protect their patch of land and desired to be closer to their mother. Now, a race of fish
people patrols the waters surrounding Ireland as well as
Primary Pool (11): Brawl Attacks, Rock Throw any sizable population that pays respects to the Titans of
Secondary Pool (9): Underground Navigation, the Domnann, striking at any that would bring harm to their
Underground Survival homeland. Recently a gang of aquatic Fomorians has been
Desperation Pool: 5 interrupting merchant vessels throughout the Atlantic, for
reasons that remain a mystery.
Health: 6
Archetype: Foe
Defense: 4
Qualities: Group Tactics
Initiative: 9
Flairs: Sorcery (Water)
Size: 2

FOMORIANS
The Fomorians are a race of beings that come in many different forms. As mythology cannot agree on their
physical appearance or their specific origins, this book provides four examples.
Storyguides should feel free to create more, remembering that all Fomorians should be tied to a primal and
often destructive aspect of nature and while not always evil, opposed to anything that would harm their claim
of Ireland and the Irish people.

Example Antagonists 113

 Drive: Control the waters that circle Ireland/Tuatha Four-eyed dogs are harmless to any who aren’t a ghost
territory trying to escape their fate in an Underworld. They have been
Primary Pool (7+1): Melee, Swimming known to attack people who get in their way, or try to stop
them from completing a mission, which isn’t always to just
Secondary Pool (5): Navigation, Stealth escort a soul, so much as to ensure that soul leaves the body
Desperation Pool: 3 when it should. Those clinging to life may find a four-eyed
dog bearing down on them ready to rip soul from body.
Health: 1
Archetype: Rival
Defense: 1
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Incorporeality, Natural
Initiative: 4 Weapon (Claws, Teeth), Vulnerability (Fire)
Flairs: Making Space, Second Wind
FOMORIAN (MELTED ONES)
Drive: Seek out souls to usher to an Underworld
When the first men came to the shores of Ireland, the
Fomorians were already there. Domnu called for her children Primary Pool (9): Biting, Pouncing, Sneaking
to seize the invaders and drag them down into the tunnels deep Secondary Pool (7): Hiding, Tracking
below the earth and toss them in the rivers of lava. As the men
Desperation Pool: 5
burned, their cries of pain moved Domnu to pull them out,
saving half of their bodies from perishing. The other half had Health: 3
turned into a horrifying combination of ash and melted flesh. Defense: 3
Driven mad by the experience, the melted ones wander the
World, drawn to anywhere Fomorians suffer. If a band of Scions Initiative: 6
defeats other Fomorians, they can be assured that it is just a Extras: +2 Enhancement for Stunts other than Inflict
matter of time before one or more melted ones visit them. Damage
Archetype: Rival
Qualities: Baleful Touch, Radiating Aura, Tough as GASHADOKURO
Nails, Willful Gigantic skeletons of those that died from starvation or
Flairs: Second Wind, Sorcery (Fire) in battle, the terrifying titanspawn known as Gashadokuro is
one of the worst creatures to stalk the lands of the Kami. Every
Drive: Burn all enemies of the Fomorian race night at the witching hour, those stalked by the titanspawn
Primary Pool (9): Brawl, Feats of Endurance can hear a wailing on the wind. That cry is the only clue that
Gashadokuro is hunting, as the giant is entirely invisible. Any
Secondary Pool (7): Athletic Feats, Tracking
foolish enough to wander alone at night may find themselves
Desperation Pool: 5 being lifted into the sky by invisible boney hands, their screams
Health: 3 ending as an unseen mouth bites off their head. While not
interested in the Titanomachy, the globalization of the World
Defense: 3 has brought them to different countries, and it may be time for
Initiative: 6 some powerful Scions to put an end to these nightmares.
Extras: +2 Enhancement to Stunts other than Inflict Archetype: Titanspawn
Damage Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Life Drain, Natural
Weapon (Giant Teeth and Bony Fists), Unnatural
FOUR-EYED DOG Hunger (Blood), Unseen, Unstoppable, Vengeful
Blood (Smaller Skeletons)
While not the only four-eyed dogs around, the most fa-
mous are the dogs who stand at the gates to Naraka, guiding Flairs: Long Arm, World Shaking
in souls and keeping out those who do not belong. When Drive: Feast on the blood of its victims
a soul gets lost, or is resistant to go to Naraka, Yamaraja
Segments: 4 (5 Health each)
sends his dogs into the World to seek them out. When in
the World, they aren’t completely there, with one paw Primary Pool (13): Bite, Stealth
in the Underworld. This makes them appear ghostly and Secondary Pool (11): Grapple, Perception (Smell
transparent, though they are fully capable of interacting Blood)
with the material World.
Desperation Pool: 7
All four-eyed dogs are creatures of a liminal nature,
existing both in the World and in Underworlds at the same Health: 10
time. They sniff out death, attracted to it. Many view them Defense: 4
as bad luck, as they come around when someone is close
Initiative: 10
to death, drawn by the nearness the person has to the
Underworlds. Size: 4
114 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
 GRANT HICKS, PRIEST OF ECHIDNA developed elaborate superstitions about how to ward off
gremlins and protect airmen and engineers both. Of course,
Fear has driven Grant Hicks into a bargain with mon- the more superstitions emerge, the more the servicemen be-
sters far beyond his imagination. One weekend, when he lieve in the gremlins, and the stronger they get.
was a young man drinking beers and listening to music in
the swamps of Mississippi, his brother was devoured by Modern pilots have no fewer superstitions than those
a lamia. The police were too afraid to investigate, and the pilots a century ago who took rickety biplanes up to fight
community blamed his family for his brother’s delinquency. over the trenches of World War I. Thus, gremlins remain.
Did these strange little humanoids emerge, full-formed,
Grant grew older, angrier, and disillusioned. When he from the superstitions of those first aviators and crewmen,
joined the True Delta Patriots, a far-right militia group inter- or did something much older adapt to these new beliefs?
ested in stockpiling guns and self-governance, he thought he Wherever they came from, the gremlins still plague mortal
could finally protect his family from the useless government, and Scion alike, throwing wrenches figurative and literal
frightening outsiders, and the monsters in the swamps. But into all forms of travel, not just aircraft. Some theater
Grant hadn’t realized what the True Delta Patriots were re- techs speak of “show gremlins” or “theater gremlins,” just
ally into. They had joined a coalition of extremists called the as harmful as the travel-focused ones; they drop lights on
Neo-Gaean Front. The True Delta Patriots have become an performers and cause fires.
enforcement arm in Mississippi, summoning the very crea-
tures that Grant feared, to use as weapons in their “fight for Archetype: Rival
freedom.” Grant realized this was power, and if he wanted Qualities: Unseen, Vulnerability (Sunlight), Wall Walker
to protect his family and his way of life, he had to make sure
Flairs: Detonation, Penetrator, Shadow Step
that when the monsters came hungering for flesh, they’d eat
the other bastard and not him. Drive: Wreck things and have fun
Agenda: Grant has become a major leader of the True Primary Pool (9): Biting, Destroy Machinery
Delta Patriots. He leads rites to summon Echidna’s children Secondary Pool (7): Stealth
as weapons in their war and has become a grim believer of
the Titans in the process. In his dreams, voices whisper Desperation Pool: 5
from Tartarus, demanding that certain people die. Grant Health: 3
has sacrificed enemies and friends to these voices. He will
do whatever is needed, as long as they don’t call for him.
Defense: 3
Archetype: Rival Initiative: 6
Qualities: A Cage of Words
GROOTSLANG
Flairs: I have Friends, Ritual Magic, Sorcery, Spray
n’ Pray When the Òrìshà were creating the creatures of the
World, they experimented with many forms, shapes, and siz-
Drive: Offer the Titans others so he will be spared es. One was too large, too smart, and too greedy to be allowed
Primary Pool (9): Lead Militia, Shoot Guns, to exist: the grootslang. The Òrìshà attempted to break all the
Summon Monsters grootslang in half, which gave the World snakes and elephants.
Secondary Pool (7): Bunker Preparation, Some grootslang escaped being torn apart and hid from the
Coordinate Militia Gods. The massive tusked snakes hid in gemstone covered
caves. The creatures came to associate gems with safety and
Desperation Pool: 5 power. Now, the grootslang use their cunning to devise plans
Health: 3 that lead to them acquiring more gemstones. As the second
Titanomachy starts, more than one Scion has made deals with
Defense: 3
grootslang for both noble and sinister purposes.
Initiative: 6 Archetype: Titanspawn
Notes: Grant uses Ritual Magic to summon titanspawn
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Heavily Armored,
primarily, though his patrons may convey other rituals to Helpless Fascination (Gemstones), Natural Weapon
him via dreams. (Tusks), Obligation, Toxic (Bite)
Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Immobilize, World Shaking
GREMLINS
Drive: Gather all the precious stones
No one knows exactly where the gremlins came from, or
what they were before they became gremlins. They emerged Primary Pool (13): Bite, Manipulate
during the 20th century: Aeronauts began whispering to Secondary Pool (11): Appraise (Gemstones),
one another during the World Wars about strange creatures Grapple
who’d begun causing plane malfunctions. Gremlins take great Desperation Pool: 7
delight in cursing pilots to fiery death in ways the most skilled
aviators can’t juke, roll, or dodge. Pilots and mechanics have Health: 10

Example Antagonists 115

 Defense: 4 Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Second Wind,
World Shaking
Initiative: 10
Drive: Keep all the Theoi Titans in Tartarus
Size: 3
Segments: 4 (5 Health each)
HARIONAGO Primary Pool (13): Feats of Strength, Grappling,
Melee Attacks
The Harionago walks the streets at night, sending
smiles at anyone she catches glancing at her. If the strang- Secondary Pool (11): Athletic Feats, Ranged
er diverts their gaze and keeps walking, the monster lets Attacks
them go. If they instead return the smile, the Harionago Desperation Pool: 7
strikes. The Harionago’s hair reaches out, entangles the
Health: 10
unsuspecting victim, and squeezes the life out of them. As
the second Titanomachy draws near, the Gods of the Kami
have advised their faithful to be fearful of walking alone at
night, as creatures like the Harionago appear with concern-
ing frequency. No one is quite sure what is creating more of
these predatory monsters, but some would pay enterprising
Scions to get to the bottom of it.
Archetype: Monster
Qualities: Natural Weapon (Vicious Bite), Twitchy
Flairs: Immobilize, Long Arm, Spray N’ Pray
Drive: Hunt prey foolish enough to wander the streets
at night
Segments: 2 (3 Health Each)
Primary Pool (11): Hair Attacks, Urban Stealth
Secondary Pool (9): Getting Attention, Tracking
Desperation Pool: 5
Health: 6
Defense: 4
Initiative: 11

HECATONCHEIRES
The Hundred-Handed, three children of Uranus and
Gaea, Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges were critical to the Theoi
Gods winning the first great Titanomachy. The Hecatoncheires
realized the destruction the Titans would cause if left un-
checked. The decision was made to turn on their family and
fight alongside Zeus to help imprison the Titans in Tartarus.
After the Titanomachy, the Hecatoncheires swore to guard
Tartarus for eternity, but as a new Titanomachy brews the
jailers fear an attempt to break out of the prisons.
The Hecatoncheires are trying to find a way to see an
attack on Tartarus coming. Followers of the Theoi have
been helping the Hundred-Handed by searching the World
for Scions that can stop threats that are getting near the
various entrances to Tartarus. If the Theoi Titans ever
break out, the Hecatoncheires would leave massive trails of
destruction in their crusade to return the prisoners.
Archetype: Titanspawn
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Armor Piercing,
Destructive Force, Perfected Soldier, Stand Tall, Tough
as Nails, Unstoppable

116 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Defense: 4 songs, and speak the truth of their pain. Mortals loyal to
the Kami grew to fear these chaotic gatherings, which ap-
Initiative: 10
peared as night fell and cleared out with the sunrise. They
Size: 4 came to call them the Hyakki Yakou, or the Night Parade of
One Hundred Demons, a name that they bear as a badge of
HYAKKI YAKOU, THE NIGHT PARADE OF honor. Whenever the Kami got wind of them, they would
ONE HUNDRED DEMONS send their Scions to disrupt the proceedings and slay the
Yōkai participating.
When the Kami invaded the Reed Plain, there were
many Yōkai who resisted. The descendants of these van- Over the centuries, this has reduced the enthusiasm
quished rebels held that anger in their hearts. Meeting in of many and radicalized others. If they will not be heard
secret, they devised a method of showing their displeasure peacefully, then they will be heard in the crash of an iron
with the Kami rule, to gather in the night to play music, sing club. These groups of the Night Parade have long aligned
themselves with troublemaking Titans like Raijin and

Example Antagonists 117

Fūjin, courting their abilities to disrupt Kami agents and Primary Pool (13): Deception, Investigation,
communities. Medicine
Much of the Night Parades numbers are comprised of Secondary Pool (11): Blades, Survival
oni who have a natural talent for concealing themselves and
Desperation Pool: 6
their villages from the prying eyes of Takamagahara. Though
some mortals, particularly occultists, align themselves with Health: 10
the Night Parade’s cause, most view the mortal population Defense: 4
warily. To the Hyakki Yakou, most mortals are simply collab-
orators with the Kami occupation of the Reed Plain. Initiative: 10
Agenda: The Hyakki Yakou most often appear as
peaceful protesters, a pandemonium of self-expression and THE NEW INDRAJIT
emotion that terrifies unwitting mortals but leaves them It is unimaginable that a rakshasa would live and not
unharmed. Radicals, tired of Kami suppression and human know Indrajit’s name. Eternally loyal child! Gentle loving
collaboration sack temples, damage infrastructure and prey husband! Warrior beyond compare! Born Meghanada,
on mortals for their part in the occupation. Many seek to Indrajit won his name defeating the Storm Lord Indra him-
aid Fūjin in his plan to restore Izanami, hopeful that such self, rescuing his father from the Devá. Only his father’s war
an event would destabilize the Kami grip on the Reed Plain. with Rama would lead Indrajit into a battle even he, slayer
The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is an event the of armies and conqueror of heaven, victor over Hanuman
Band might come across, or be called upon to investigate. and Lord Indra and countless lesser lights, could not win.
Storyguides should use the antagonist information in this It’s no surprise that after his death, Indrajit’s name is
chapter to define individual members. a watchword for excellence and might amongst rakshasa
in the modern World. With the rising tide of the rakshasa
INDECH, SON OF DOMNU welfare movement, chants of “Ravana reborn!” are often
followed by “I am Indrajit!” Rakshasa devote themselves to
One of Domnu’s first children, created by her out of excellence in pursuit of the cause. For in pursuit of their
saltwater and mud, Indech has assumed the role of physi- people’s safety and prosperity, could any rakshasa do less?
cian to the Tuatha Dé Domnann, a role previously vacant.
Yet someone… something… stirs in the World and be-
Indech has actively discarded his humanity; his experi-
yond, hands clutching divine weapons, mouth forming the
ments in creating life spawned The Monster and many
words of holy wrath. It cannot be the Indrajit who saved
other creations, smaller but no less twisted. Many centuries
Ravana and defeated Hanuman; that man is surely dead.
old, the once-human spends the vast majority of his time in
Is the new Indrajit someone piecing back an ancient and
a massive underground cave system which he’s converted
mighty Mantle, seeking to remake the peerless warrior and
into a laboratory. Indech emerges largely only to spend
challenge Ravana reborn for leadership of the rakshasa?
time with his mother — who he adores beyond all reasoning
Or is it something worse, a fake rakshasa master of battle
— and to search for Relics to power his next experiment.
assembled from stolen magics, pilfered divine Relics, and
While his creations may wreak havoc, Indech himself tends
constructed to strike at rakshasa, Devá, and the World at
not to bother anyone, unless they’ve got a Relic he wants, or
large?
a particularly useful body part which he could incorporate
into his next design…. Agenda: If this truly is a claimant to Indrajit’s Mantle,
they will likely attempt to perform greater and greater deeds
Indech’s body reflects his many experiments; he has
in pursuit of Fate and divine recognition. While there are
incorporated others’ body parts and Relics into himself.
far worse individuals to emulate than Indrajit, assembling
Much the same way that tattoo artists practice on them-
a Mantle forged from earth-shaking conflict isn’t going to
selves, Indech did his earliest, crudest work on his own
be pleasant for those witnesses, much less involuntarily
corpus.
participants. On the other hand, if some schemer has raised
His work has involved a fair deal of grave-robbing and up an identikit “Indrajit” and supplied their creation with
trading in stolen Relics. As a result, very few pantheons magical potency to wreak havoc and ruin relations between
don’t have a bounty on Indech’s head. rakshasa and the wider World, “Indrajit” is likely to strike
Archetype: Titanspawn public targets and cause mayhem until someone can put
their invincibility to a proper test.
Callings: Primeval, Sage
Hooks: Rakshasa have been congregating around spots
Purviews: Chaos, Death, Epic Stamina, Wild rumored to be related to Indrajit’s return, causing nervous
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Life Drain, mortals to get other Scions and supernatural beings involved.
Regeneration, Vulnerability (Fire) It’s a dangerous climate for a true claimant of the Mantle to
Flairs: Curse, Plague Touch, Touch of Asclepius return to, and a recipe for disaster if a false Indrajit were to
attack groups already prone to distrusting rakshasa.
Drive: Create new and interesting monsters; make
Mother proud Astras and other supernatural weapons have gone miss-
ing, pilfered from locations in the World, Terra Incognitae,
118 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
and beyond. Is an overzealous claimant to Indrajit’s Mantle Archetype: Rival
recovering what they think belongs with it? Or is some
Qualities: Group Tactics (Online Pile-On),
malefactor loading down their terror weapon with enough Institutional Disbelief, Miasmic Presence
divine firepower to cause real damage to the World?
Flairs: Mastermind, Thousand Faces (Online)
Archetype: Nemesis/Titanspawn
Drive: Pwn those who think they’re so damned
Qualities: Perfected Soldier, Willful (Nemesis); righteous
Apocalyptic Presence, Unstoppable (Titanspawn)
Primary Pool (9): Computer Security, Persuasion
Flairs: Molon Labe, Penetrator, Shapeshifter, Under
Pressure (Nemesis); Detonation, Making Space, Secondary Pool (7): Emojis, Memes
Seeing Red (Titanspawn) Desperation Pool: 5
Drive: Create and assume Indrajit’s Mantle to lead Health: 3
the rakshasa or bring ruin to rakshasa, Devá, and
mortal alike Defense: 3
Primary Pool (11/13): Leadership, Martial Initiative: 6
Excellence (+2 Enhancement), Strategic Planning
(Nemesis); Destruction, Distraction, Ruin (Titanspawn)
INTERNET TROLLS (GREATER)
Secondary Pool (9/11): Civic Planning, Magical
Knowledge, Stealth (Nemesis); Despoiling the Greater internet trolls are like the classic trolls of legend:
Sacred, Insults, Leaving False Trails (Titanspawn) Fierce, hairy giants who grind human bones to make their
bread. They don’t hang out under bridges or in caves; these
Desperation Pool: 6/7 trolls hang out on the internet. They travel through cables,
Health: 8/10 ride fiber optics, or hitchhike on wi-fi to come bursting out of
your phone, desktop, tablet, or any other connected device.
Defense: 4/4
After that, you know the drill: grind, bones, bread.
Initiative: 9/10
Greater internet trolls aren’t too bright, but work well
Size: 1 (Nemesis) or 2 (Titanspawn) when a Titan Scion dispatches them through the internet
Extras: Soft Armor (Nemesis); Mystic Arsenal (Astras to devour an enemy. Often, they work in tandem with lesser
and mythic weapons of dubious provenance, both) trolls; if someone gives grief to a lesser troll, a greater one
may piggyback on a tweet and step straight out of the screen.
INTERNET TROLLS (LESSER)
Remember, don’t feed the trolls!
Some internet trolls are mundane shit-stirrers. Others
Archetype: Titanspawn
are truly trolls.
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Institutional Disbelief,
Lesser internet trolls are creatures created from the Sure-Footed, Vulnerability (Church Bells), Vulnerability
Purviews of Chaos, Deception, or Passion (Hate.) They know (Sunlight)
exactly what to say to infuriate their targets, and how to convince
gullible people with lies. They have an intuitive understanding Flairs: Seeing Red
of what they can get away with without triggering watchdog Drive: Crunch, munch, brunch
algorithms. They stay up-to-date on techniques for avoiding
Primary Pool (13): Smash n’ Bash, Sniffing Out
computer trace-backs. Tracking down a troll takes serious skill. Prey
Internet trolls are devoted to the Titanomachy; they
Secondary Pool (11): Cleaning Their Plate, Signal
sow confusion and damage the reputations of Heroes and Surfing
Gods. In person, internet trolls are cowardly pushovers, but
online, they can be lethal — many an unstable person has Desperation Pool: 7
been goaded into violence by these monsters. Health: 10

LOL TROLLS
Both lesser and greater internet trolls benefit from not being taken seriously. No one imagines something
nine feet tall can emerge from a screen and bite off the head of whoever’s at the keyboard. It’s a joke, right?
Witnesses are rare: Greater trolls don’t stop until they’ve smashed everything and eaten everyone in the
building. Fee-fie-foe-fum, they smell the blood of an Englishman.
Once the dinner party’s over, greater trolls disappear the way they came. Forensic teams immediately
know a troll was responsible — they leave gory buckets of evidence — but nothing indicates how the troll got
in or out of the building. Anyone suggesting the internet might be responsible is likely to be ignored by the
sheer absurdity of the suggestion.

Example Antagonists 119

 Defense: 4 within the rivers and seas of China. In their natural guise, they
are serpentine creatures with the head of a fish-like tiger and
Initiative: 10
brilliant white scales around their neck. Like most Lóng, they
are natural shapeshifters able to assume human form and be-
JAMESON BEAUMONT III, SCION OF GAEA come as big or small as they need. They naturally command
Jameson Beaumont III of the Fairfield Beaumonts is the tides, and all sea creatures obey their desires. Most of the
a model of American success. Raised by money older than Jiāolóng are courtiers of the Dragon King Ào Guāng, and of-
the nation, Gaea has carefully cultivated the influence of ten act as his agents or handmaidens to his children. They are
the family, gifting them with prosperity in exchange for fiercely powerful warriors and are said to enjoy the taste of
service. At Beaumont-Clarendon Investments, Jameson mortals, though decorum might prevent them from indulging.
has manipulated countries and economies on behalf of Archetype: Rival
his true mother, all to prove worthy of paradise once she
Qualities: Flight, Perfected Soldier
has toppled the usurper Zeus from his throne. Jameson
believes that the World is divided between the weak and Flairs: Leader of the Pack (Sea Creatures),
the strong. He will do anything to preserve his place in Shapeshifter, Weather Tyrant
Gaea’s paradise, and he remains vigilant against sentiment Drive: Protect their charge on pain of death
that would allow the weak to flourish. After all, prosperity
would lose its value if everyone could partake in it.
Primary Pool (9): Close Combat, Draconic
Courtier
Agenda: Jameson does the bidding of Gaea no matter
Secondary Pool (7): Keeping Vigilant, Navigating
what she may ask, for he knows that what she has given to
Bureaucracy
his family she can take. When not receiving orders from his
mother’s grim idol underneath the family estate, he leads Desperation Pool: 5
the Saturnian Society in its apocalypse-inducing activities. Health: 5
Jameson courts some Titan Scions to assist him, while do-
ing his best to thwart others who he fears might use their Defense: 3
power against him, such as Prince Annapolis. At every step, Initiative: 6
he checks meticulously for signs of weakness in his work,
Extras: When using Shapeshifter to assume its Lóng
ever fearful that a humble mistake may cause him to fall form, the Flood Dragon gains +1 Size.
from Gaea’s grace.
Archetype: Nemesis JISHIN, SCION OF NAMAZU
Qualities: By Divine Right, Captain of Industry, Jishin was not born to a divine parent. His dad was a
Haughty Summons, Hidden in the Masses, I Have
professional sumo wrestler, and his mother was a demoli-
Friends, Perfect Poise, Present Dread,
tions expert for her father’s construction company. Jishin
Flairs: Divine Providence, Divine Right, Mastermind was always a large child, but the taunts of the other kids
Drive: Bring about Gaea’s new World and prove meant nothing to the quiet boy. While the others played
himself worthy of it sports or focused on their studies, Jishin was admiring
what his mom did, learning everything he could about
Primary Pool (11): Run the World, Scheming,
explosives and structural weaknesses. On the weekends he
Silver Tongue
would cheer his father on in one match after another. The
Secondary Pool (9): Ivy League Education, genuine love for destruction gained the attention of the
Self-Defense Titan Namazu, who watched Jishin grow and not only step
Desperation Pool: 6 into his mother’s footsteps but gain a reputation as a skilled
demolitionist in his own right. At that point, Namazu de-
Callings: Leader 2, Tyrant 3, Guardian 1 cided to reach from where she was trapped and pull strings
Purviews: Metamorphosis, Order, Prosperity to challenge the young man. Jishin found himself present-
Health: 5 ed with opportunities to destroy buildings that were not on
the schedule. Criminals and shadowy figures approached
Defense: 4 him, wanting to hire him to destroy buildings, sometimes
Initiative: 9 ones that were still occupied. Much to the horrors of the
local community, Jishin passed the challenges and was vis-
Extras: Mystic Arsenal (a branch from a Golden Age
ited in a dream by the great Namazu.
tree, grants access to Prosperity purview)
Agenda: Jishin sees his Visitation as permission to push
things further. Namazu has given her blessing for Jishin to
JIĀOLÓNG
create bigger and more devastating explosions until the
When Chinese villages and towns on the water flood earth itself shakes, and that’s precisely what Jishin plans to
with sudden violence, local radio reports a new Jiāolóng has do. Early confrontations with law enforcement have made
been born. Sometimes called Flood Dragons, these Lóng dwell Jishin take his time picking his targets and always have an

120 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

exit plan. Having caused as much destruction as he can Archetype: Titanspawn
likely get away with in Japan, Jishin has started traveling
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration,
the World. He is always on the lookout for larger targets Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water)
and ways to cause more extensive destruction.
Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under
Hooks: Jishin is a walking powder keg waiting to de- Pressure
stroy whatever gets in his way and this ranges from a person
in front of him on the street to a building blocking his view Drive: Be left alone to raise their families in the few
of the sky. A Storyguide could have reports of seemingly remaining wild places in the World
random explosions around the city. When local authorities Primary Pool (13): Grappling, Punching
looked into it, they were confronted by a man that was
Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Woodlore
far too powerful to be a mere mortal. Law enforcement is
seeking help from anyone that thinks they can deal with a Desperation Pool: 6
one-person demolition crew. Health: 10
Archetype: Nemesis Defense: 4
Qualities: Collateral Damage, Destructive Force, Initiative: 10
Twitchy, Unnatural Behavior (Compulsive Destruction)
Flairs: Detonation (Range), Penetrator, Tripwire, KELPIE
World Shaking
Where some humans fall prey to the lure of a beauti-
Drive: Make the World shake and tremble!
ful human of whatever gender attracts them, others just
Primary Pool (11): Demolitions, Finding Weak can’t resist the lure of a graceful horse. Kelpies found their
Spots meals somewhat lacking in the last two centuries, howev-
Secondary Pool (9): Heavy Lifting, Keeping er, as the horse has gradually fallen out of favor. Rumors
Balance abound that some few Kelpies have begun perfecting their
new shapeshifting, so that the once-common horse shape-
Desperation Pool: 6
shifters might these days take the form of gorgeous old
Callings: Creator, Destroyer, Monster Bentleys just sitting there, engines purring, ready to lure in
Purviews: Earth (Quakes), Epic Strength the next generation of drivers. Of course, fae have a hard
time changing, so the Bentleys might be several decades out
Health: 5 of date even if the shapeshifters do manage this new feat.
Defense: 4 While a Kelpie has the ability to mostly change shape into a
human, they cannot change the shape of their feet. Kelpies
Initiative: 11
perpetually and only ever have hooves — a dead giveaway
Extras: Mystic Arsenal: Jishin has a zippo that he for those would-be victims who would prefer to stay alive.
uses to light his many fuses. The zippo never runs out
of fuel and gives Jishin access to the Fire purview. The equine fae commonly live around and in the lochs
of Scotland, and reputedly an entire herd of them live in
Loch Ness. Not surprisingly, they’ve followed the Scottish
JÖTUNN people in their emigration to the United States, with mul-
Jötunn in the sagas didn’t always refer to giants, but in tiple Kelpies found wherever there’s a significant Scots
the modern age of the World, the word ‘Jötunn’ has come population. The herd at Loch Ness can’t hold a candle to
to solely mean “Æsir-related giants.” Massive humanoid the herds roaming rural Pennsylvania, and a perhaps-sur-
creatures, Jötunn stand absolutely no chance of blending in prising number make their home in North Carolina as well.
with the normal press and flow of humanity; instead, they Archetype: Rival
stay in the few truly wild places left in the World. While
Qualities: Invulnerability (Toxins), Toxin (Bite or
the Æsir named the Jötunn, creatures like Sasquatch also
Claw), Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh)
fall under the umbrella of that name these days. Unlike the
smaller Jötnar, the largest Jötunn do not seek out havoc to Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, Shapeshifter
wreak. They’ve had enough of war. Generally shy and tim- Drive: Lure humans in. Eat. Don’t piss off Nessie.
id, they prefer to live on their own in their isolated homes,
and rarely bother anyone unless someone bothers them Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming
first. Invade the home territory of a Jötunn, however, or — Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth
Heaven forfend — interfere with their children, and you’ve
Desperation Pool: 5
got a fight on your hands. Those not wishing to fight a
Jötunn often find them amenable to gifts; they’ve no use for Health: 3
modern technology and find baubles insulting, but a finely Defense: 3
crafted story might make amends for accidental trespass.
Initiative: 6

Example Antagonists 121

 KHALKOTAUROI KRAKEN
Two enormous bulls, crafted by Hephaestus and gifted to As long as humans have sailed the seas, they have told
King Aeetes, the Khalkotauroi have always served as guardians tales of the kraken. More significant than most whales and
of Relics sacred to the Theoi. Most famously the Khalkotauroi capable of sinking all but the largest ships, this mighty
guarded the legendary Golden Fleece which they served as an titanspawn patrols the oceans with one goal in mind: re-
obstacle when Jason attempted to obtain it. With parts of their move everything that does not belong on the sea. While
body made of the finest bronze and literal fire in their bellies, historians of the World cannot agree on the exact origins of
the bulls breathe flames at thieves coveting their Relics. With the kraken, most agree that it is somehow tied to the Æsir,
the rise of a new Titanomachy, the Gods of the Theoi have as its earliest appearances place it in Scandinavian waters.
relocated the Khalkotauroi to an unknown location, to defend Each year Heroic Scions will search the oceans for the great
something of extreme importance. beast and the kraken ends a few Legends early.
Archetype: Monster Archetype: Titanspawn
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Invulnerability (Fire), Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force,
Natural Weapon (Horns and Hooves) Entrap, Keystone (Salt Water), Natural Weapon
(Mighty Tentacles and Beak), Unstoppable
Flairs: Seeing Red, Spray N’ Pray
Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Long Arm,
Drive: Stand guard Miasma, Penetrator, Shadow Step
Primary Pool (11): Fire Breath, Horn Attack Drive: Clear the ocean of mortal influence
Secondary Pool (9): Feats of Stamina, Hooves Segments: 2 (3 Health each)
Desperation Pool: 5 Primary Pool (13): Swimming, Tentacle Attacks
Health: 6 Secondary Pool (11): Stealth, Tracking
Defense: 4 Desperation Pool: 7
Initiative: 9 Health: 10
Size: 2, +1 Scale Bonus Defense: 4
Initiative:10
KONGAMATO
Size: 3
In the rivers and swamps of Zambia and Congo
dwells a creature of the prehistoric age. Known to locals
as Kongamato (“Breaker of Boats”), these giant pterosaurs LAMIA
have survived through multiple extinction events and into The lamiae are cursed beings, serpentine shapeshifters
the modern era. No Òrìshà God or mortal sorcerers take compelled by Fate to devour children. The lamiae in their true
credit for preserving this creature — the World has many form appear as fanged, beautiful people with either a serpen-
mysteries even to the divine. The long-beaked beast gets tine lower body or legs of writhing serpents, though they may
its name from multiple reports of it attacking and sinking disguise their nature outside of battle. All are descendants of
small fishing vessels. Locals have recently posted want-ads Lamia, a lover of Zeus. For their affair, Hera slew her children
for Scions to reduce the Kongamato population. and cursed her to spread her pain to others for all eternity.
Archetype: Monster Modern lamiae are transformed in young adulthood and feel
a compulsion to consume blood, with the blood of children as
Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Heavy Coils)
the most satisfying. Horrified and embittered by their cursed
Flairs: Here I Come, Penetrator nature, many turn to serving the Titans and their cults, seeking
Drive: Find food and survive vengeance against Zeus — and Hera especially for their curse.

Primary Pool (11): Claw, Flight Maneuvers Archetype: Rival

Secondary Pool (9): Perception, Tracking Qualities: Heavily Armored, Imperfect Disguise,
Natural Weapon (Talons and Fangs), Unnatural
Desperation Pool: 5 Behavior
Health: 6 Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Seeing Red, Thousand Faces
Defense: 4 Drive: Devour children and take revenge on the
Initiative: 9 Theoi for their curse
Size: 1 Primary Pool (9): Close Combat, Seduction,
Sneaking
Secondary Pool (7): Fleeing Reprisal

122 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Desperation Pool: 5 Secondary Pool (9): Grapple, Perception
Health: 3 Desperation Pool: 5
Defense: 3 Health: 6
Initiative: 6 Defense: 4
Initiative: 9
LILLIN Size: 2
Whether the lillin actually came into being birthed by
Lilith, the first woman made by God as told in Jewish mid- MARY LI, SCION OF KUĀFÙ
rashim, or whether they simply claim to be her children and
come from a similar-but-different pantheon, the lillin insist Mary is the oldest of three siblings, raised in Flushing,
that their mother gave birth to them in a cave just outside Queens by her mother and well-meaning but overworked
Eden. When three angels came to demand Lilith return to stepfather. She soon learned the hardships of being a
Eden and Adam, and she refused to do so, the angels killed stranger in a strange land. She watched her mother and
100 of her children for every day she did not return; the lil- step-father get told to go back to China. She helped pick her
lin claim to be the Earth-bound specters of those hundreds siblings back up when bullies would shove them down. She
and hundreds of children. They roam the earth looking for watched as the influential people on the television were al-
suitable humans to possess; despite the midrashim, they ways white men, and a wave of anger grew inside her. Her
don’t kill children, since they claim that they themselves mother refused to discuss Mary’s biological father, who left
died as innocent children. More often than not, they get up shortly after conceiving her littlest brother. “Focus on the
to mischief rather than doing any actual harm. future. Take advantage of the opportunities America gives
us,” was all her mother would say about the family’s past.
Archetype: Rival Determined to discover her heritage, Mary saved money
Qualities: Disembodied, Life Drain through high school and, with her mother looking on in
Flairs: Curse, Mirror Mirror, Plague Touch tears, booked a flight to Beijing to explore China.

Drive: Cause trouble. Have fun. Agenda: Mary Li has discovered that much of China
mocks the name of her father, who she has learned is Kuāfù.
Primary Pool (9): Mischief, Quick Wits, Scheming Seeing this as another denial of her history, Mary embarked
Secondary Pool (7): Stealth, Trickery on a journey to take over any area that she feels is lying about
her father. Kuāfù has granted his daughter many followers to
Desperation Pool: 5 help her accomplish this task, though so far, he is not getting
Health: 3 personally involved. Mary is a passionate woman that can
Defense: 3 sometimes be quick to anger but always is focused on elevat-
ing her interpretation of her heritage. Currently, her plans
Initiative: 6 have impacted a few small towns, but she is looking to travel
back to New York and educate the large Chinese population
MANETO on who her father is and more importantly, who she is.
The word maneto is very similar to the Algonquin Hooks: Mary Li is a modern-day conqueror, and if
word for God, which is what many believe the great horned she manages to take Flushing or any Chinatown in New
serpent to be upon seeing its massive body stretching lon- York, the World will know her name. Her actions are un-
ger than many ships. Maneto lurk in any body of freshwater knowingly moving the Titanomachy along, and she will
large enough to hold their tremendous length. The serpents eventually become a significant threat if no one stops her.
patrol the waterways looking for food and any mortals that Storyguides can provide rumors of a Titan Scion trying to
are foolish enough to swim in deep waters. Currently, sev- take over predominantly east Asian neighborhoods in New
eral maneto are patrolling the waters around Manitoulin York City. If she is ignored for too long, and she ascends to
Island in Ontario. No one knows if they are guarding the Demigodhood, the World will contend with a severe threat.
Manitou sacred space or trying to prevent followers of the Archetype: Nemesis
Manitou Gods from reaching the island.
Qualities: By Divine Right, Imposing Presence,
Archetype: Monster Martial Arts (Heroic), Willful
Qualities: Heavily Armored, Keystone (Water), Flairs: Hidden in the Masses, Knockout, Reflected
Natural Weapon (Horns and Teeth), Vulnerability Intent, Shadow Step
(Electricity)
Drive: Tear down the old ways
Flairs: Immobilize
Primary Pool (11): Intimidation, Martial Arts
Drive: Keep mortals out of the water
Secondary Pool (9): Chinese History, Leadership
Primary Pool (11): Bite, Swim
Desperation Pool: 6 (9)

Example Antagonists 123

 Callings: Adversary, Creator, Liminal
Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Order
Health: 5
Defense: 4
Initiative: 9
Extras: Mystic Arsenal (A bronze spear gifted to her
by her father. Grants access to the War purview.)
MATTHEW REEDER, SCION OF ATEN
The leader of Clear Light Church, an apocalyptic
Evangelical group operating out of a compound in north-
east Pennsylvania, Matthew grew up in the mountains. He
knows the land like the back of his hand, and he knows its
people well, too. He knows who they are and how to speak
to them. He knows how to lead them with a combination of
cajoling, threatening, and playing on their fears of outsiders
with a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other. Matthew’s
the one who made their church financially self-sustaining
and who now locates and directs them toward their targets.
Of course, the One True God he’s leading them to worship
isn’t what they expect — instead it’s a World-conquering
Titan. Oops.
The thing is, Matthew knows. He and his parent delight
in duping their easily manipulated followers and twisting
scripture to chaotic, deadly ends.
Archetype: Nemesis
Callings: Adversary, Warrior
Purviews: Beasts (Snakes), Chaos, Darkness,
Deception
Qualities: By Divine Right, I Have Friends, Life Drain
Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, World Shaking
Drive: Amass Followers. Feed Relics and anything else
to Dad.
Primary Pool (11): Brainwashing, Divination,
Tracking
The Clear Light Church puts on a kind, folksy face for
Secondary Pool (9): Firearms, Oration, Survival the government and media, but the moment the cameras
Desperation Pool: 6 turn off and the census-taker has left, they go right back to
preparing for the coming apocalypse and hunting Scions.
Health: 5
None of them have any idea that Matthew Reeder is one of
Defense: 4 the pretenders they hunt.
Initiative: 9 At least half a dozen Scions and Guides from multiple
Extras: Mystic Arsenal (Matthew wears a gold holy pantheons have met their end courtesy of weaponry wielded
symbol, blessed by a priest of the One True God. It by Clear Light Church members. Relics from those Scions lie
grants access to the Sun purview.) buried in secret caches across the hundreds of acres the Church
owns in Monroe County, Pennsylvania — Matthew doesn’t
Clear Light Church want them destroyed, a fact that confuses some of his followers.
Clear Light Church holds few beliefs sacred. They Archetype: Foe
believe to a person that the end of the World is nigh. They
believe that only one God exists, and all others pretend to a Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Perfected Soldier
throne of which they can never become worthy. They believe Flairs: Molon Labe
that they’ll survive the coming end times if they wipe every
Drive: Follow the word of Matthew & prepare the
pretender and all their children from the face of the earth. World for the Second Coming by destroying all
Pretenders
124 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
 Primary Pool (7): Firearms, Tracking, Woodlore sailors upon viewing a manatee. The merfolk of the World
not only exist, they hunger, and bear far more resemblance
Secondary Pool (5): Endurance, Very Specific
Biblical Knowledge to sharks and piranha than to delicate femme seductresses.
They change their coloration and form in order to lure in
Desperation Pool: 3 targets and engage in echolalia that mimics human conver-
Health: 1 sation. Those are simply lures, ways of bringing dinner to the
metaphorical table. Merfolk have no gender and no interest
Defense: 1 in congress with humankind; they reproduce via partheno-
Initiative: 4 genesis, and humans make delicious meals, nothing more.
Extras: +1 Enhancement (Storyguide’s choice) They shift their apparent gender for the same reason they
shift their coloration: for hunting. Some merfolk have poison
glands in their cheeks, the better to stun a victim upon biting
MERFOLK them, and others cause paralysis by means of an ichorous
Human mythology has inflicted hundreds of quite mis- coating on their claws.
taken roles on merfolk: Stories cast them as longing lovers or Archetype: Rival
girls singing about forks with seashells pasted to their chests.
Supposed scientists deny these stories and substitute other
Qualities: Group Tactics, Invulnerability (Toxins),
Toxin (Bite or Claw), Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh)
incorrect ones, calling merfolk the delusions of lust-wracked
Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red, Shapeshifter

Example Antagonists 125

 Drive: Eat. Swim. Eat. Swim. Eat. MOKELE-MBEMBE
Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming When the disaster struck that removed the mighty di-
Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth nosaurs from the surface of the earth, at least one managed
to survive. A towering, long-necked beast fled from the fires
Desperation Pool: 5 and smoke into deep jungle and found a place to hide. The
Health: 3 skies about the canopy went dark, but the lone dinosaur
managed to sleep, which is what it did for countless ages.
Defense: 3
Many years later, humans would make it to the Congo,
Initiative: 6
stumble on evidence of a surviving dinosaur and the leg-
end of Mokele-mbembe was born. Mokele-mbembe is
MICAELA STANDISH, SCION OF FŪJIN not usually an aggressive creature but will defend itself
Micaela Standish was born from a brief affair between if threatened. Since its discovery, groups of humans have
her mother, a soldier stationed in Okinawa, and her father, hired Hunter Calling Scions to help track the monster, but
the Titan Fūjin. Their time together was brief and sweet, no Scion has managed to slay it yet.
and for a moment Fūjin thought he could live a happy life Archetype: Titanspawn
with his new family. But he feared becoming his father.
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive Force,
Like so many other Scions he has fathered, he left Micaela Heavily Armored, Natural Weapon (Claws and
behind, and turned his attention back towards the wind. Fangs), Stand Tall, Unstoppable
Micaela’s mother never seemed to recover from their Flairs: Penetrator, Seeing Red, World Shaking
brief tryst, pining for Fūjin in a way that infuriated Micaela.
She inherited her father’s tempestuous moods and affinity Drive: Eat, sleep, eat again.
for the stranger creatures in Japan; these yōkai told her of Primary Pool (13): Bite, Stomp
her father’s anger with the Kami, and Micaela resolved to
Secondary Pool (11): Charge, Tracking
aid their struggle. If Micaela can shake the very heavens of
Takamagahara, she might finally meet the father who has Desperation Pool: 7
loomed so large over her life. Health: 10
Agenda: Micaela is a militant organizer of the Hyakki Defense: 4
Yakou, using knowledge gleaned from her time as a soldier
to train all kinds of Yōkai in squad tactics and the usage of Initiative: 10
modern weaponry. To the fine military mind of Bishamon, Size: 3
her refined tactics are obvious. The Fortune of War is
gravely concerned for his Scions, who are often the target
THE MONSTER
of Micaela’s temple-breaking operations.
Poor thing. It’s not The Monster’s fault that Indech
Archetype: Nemesis
made him out of spare parts. A false hand of Nuada, an eye
Qualities: All Disaster, Complete Privacy, I Have someone claimed once belonged to Balor, even a bit traded
Friends, Presence of Magic, The Voice of the Storm from someone who claimed to have gotten it off one of the
Flairs: Bolt from the Blue, Second Wind, Spray Netjer — The Monster’s body doesn’t match, doesn’t fit, and
n’Pray, The Watchful Spirit, Weather Tyrant hurts. All the time. He hurts. All. The. Time. Mismatched
legs make walking painful, hands which don’t want to open
Drive: Draw Fūjin’s attention through calamity
or close properly, and a digestive system stitched together
Primary Pool (11): IED-Crafting, Marksmanship, from the leftovers Indech fished out of canopic jars means
Military Strategy that the eating may not hurt that much, but the two hours
Secondary Pool (9): Revolutionary Logistics, Yōkai after each meal pass in agony. He must eat, though, because
Etiquette (unfortunately) he’s alive. He must move, too — even laying
down doesn’t provide him with relief. If someone could, by
Desperation Pool: 6
some means, provide him with a single painless night’s sleep,
Callings: Liminal 2, Primeval 4, Sage 1 The Monster would owe them a debt for the rest of his ago-
Purviews: Chaos, Sky, Yaoyorozu-no-Kamigami nizing life.

Health: 5 Much like the creature first written about by a teenage

girl during one long, very cold summer, The Monster’s far
Defense: 4 more intelligent than most people might assume. No sham-
Initiative: 9 bling, groaning creature, this. The Monster wants nothing
more than to find his creator once more.
Extras: Micaela is protected by a squad of oni who
often wait in ambush around her. Mystic Arsenal (A storm He would like a few carefully selected words with
satchel fashioned after Fūjin’s bag of winds, channels Sky) Indech.

126 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Archetype: Titanspawn NIAN
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration, In the hills of China, a great beast slumbers for most of
Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water) the year. Part lion, part canine, the size of a small building,
Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under Nian waits until the first day of the lunar calendar before
Pressure searching the country for humans to devour. For many years
this titanspawn terrorized the people, leading to a fearful
Drive: Find his maker and make him meet his maker
New Year’s Day. Seeing this, the Shén taught the people that
Primary Pool (13): Oratory, Punching Nian could not stand the color red or loud noises. From that
Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Grappling point forward, Lunar New Year has included large festivals,
filled with dancing, drums, and a lot of red. With the second
Desperation Pool: 6 Titanomachy brewing, many smaller towns struggle to pre-
Health: 10 pare for the traditional festival. Without outside help from
some brave Scions, Nian may feast once again.
Defense: 4
Archetype: Titanspawn
Initiative: 10
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive
Force, Heavily Armored, Invulnerability (Man-
MUKADE made Weapons), Natural Weapon (Wicked Bite),
Mukade are demons resembling the jungle centipede. Regeneration, Tough as Nails, Vulnerability (Loud
Though they come in many sizes small and large, most often Noises), Vulnerability (Red)
they are swollen to the size of a small dog and grow larger over Flairs: Making Space, Penetrator, Second Wind,
time. Their carapaces are etched with leering faces, their legs Seeing Red, Suck It Up, World Shaking
glow a fiery orange in dim lighting. Mukade envy the wisdom
Drive: Sleep till New Year and then feast
of others, seeking to steal it for themselves by devouring the
brains of their victims. Often, they crawl through the nose or Primary Pool (13): Bite, Claw
ears of sleeping hosts to devour their brain, lying in the cavity Secondary Pool (11): Athletic Feats
to digest their meal of wisdom. The wisest of them may pup-
peteer the bodies of victims, using one host to find others who Desperation Pool: 7
might offer them more wisdom or a better home. Subtle crea- Health: 10
tures by nature, Omukade’s children often target tourists, using
Defense: 4
mind-eaten hosts to board planes to travel wherever modern
conveyance can take them. This network of mukade spies serve Initiative: 10
their patriarch and his allies, spying on Scions and subverting Size: 4
cults through their infiltration. In addition, some mukade serve
Bishamon as guardians of treasure and shrine, using their natu-
ral battle prowess and venom to strike down the kami’s enemies.
NIPAHÂHKATOSOW
Archetype: Foe All wendigo suffer from a forbidden hunger for the
flesh of humans. The hunger clouds their minds, but in rare
Qualities: Imperfect Disguise (victims of Possession cases, intellect holds out and creates a unique specimen.
look sickly), Natural Weapon (Wicked Bite), Super Nipahâhkatosow, a name meaning “they starved to death” or
Soldier, Wall Crawler, Toxic “they died of hunger,” is an intelligent wendigo that discovered
Flairs: Possession, Read Mind it could manipulate the minds of weak-willed or desperate
Drive: Devour the brains of interesting people humans. Wanting others to experience the hunger that drives
it, Nipahâhkatosow finds starving people or small groups of
Primary Pool (7): Crawling Quickly, Fighting, isolated humans getting dangerously low on supplies and
Hunting Prey implants the dark idea of cannibalism into their minds. The
Secondary Pool (5): Impersonate Victim, clever wendigo is long-lived, his bony fingers in every last re-
Investigation corded case of cannibalism within the past century. With the
Desperation Pool: 3 Titanomachy starting, Nipahâhkatosow is looking forward to
the chaos that will ensue. Where war breaks out, the desolate
Health: 1 and the lowest in society run out of food, and the wendigo will
Defense: 1 be there to provide dining suggestions.
Initiative: 4 Archetype: Monster
Extras: Against a trivial opponent, Possession gains Qualities: Imposing Presence, Natural Weapon
a Duration of Indefinite. Read Mind may only be (Claws and Teeth), Super Soldier, Twitchy, Unnatural
used on the victim of Possession. Removing mukade Hunger (Human Flesh)
from a victim is extremely dangerous and may require Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Seeing Red, Sorcery (Frost)
healing magic, miracles, or advanced surgery.
Drive: Spread the hunger
Example Antagonists 127
 Primary Pool (11): Claw, Manipulation directs his brood to spy and parley with the allies of Titans,
those who promise him his greatest desires. Omukade hun-
Secondary Pool (9): Craft (Trap Making), Stealth
gers for two things: to taste the brains of dragons, as was
Desperation Pool: 5 denied to his father, and to take vengeance upon Hachiman
Health: 6 and his Scions.

Defense: 4 Archetype: Titanspawn

Initiative: 9 Qualities: Destructive Force, Life Drain, Natural
Weapon (Vicious Bite), Tough as Nails, Unstoppable,
Size: 1 Wall Walker
Flairs: Create Spawn, Eye of the Swarm,
OMUKADE Mastermind, Apocalyptic Presence
Many centuries ago, the Dragon King called upon the Drive: Devour the brain of a dragon
Hero Tawara Tōda, Scion of Hachiman to slay the demon
Segments: 2 (3 Health each)
called Omukade. The largest and greatest of his kind,
Omukade had grown hundreds of feet long, his dark car- Primary Pool (13): Destroy Enemies, Guide His
apace gleamed in the sun, his thousands of red legs like Brood, Terrify Mortals
torches upon Mount Mikami at night. Like all mukade, he Secondary Pool (11): Environmental Destruction,
possessed an urge to devour brains, particularly those of a Moving Underground
dragon, to learn the secrets of enlightenment. Omukade in-
Desperation Pool: 7
vaded the Dragon Palace beneath Lake Biwa in his hunger
and Tawara Tōda slew him, hacking his body into hundreds Health: 10
of pieces. He set the corpse of the demon alight, his brood Defense: 4
squealing as they wriggled free of his burning flesh. Tawara
Tōda slew all of them. All save one. Initiative: 10
The heir of Omukade was more careful than his father.
He hid within villagers and bandits as he grew, until he re- ONI
claimed the Titanic size that was his birthright. Omukade Oni are among the most well-known species of Yōkai,
reborn possessed a subtlety that his father lacked, hiding appearing throughout the folklore and popular culture
beneath the earth in modern Japan. From caverns he of Japan, though few of them care for this spotlight.

128 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

Villainized by the people of the Reed Plain, many live apart Scions convince Pazuzu to take up his old job of protecting
from mortals in oni villages hidden among rural commu- humanity from other evil entities despite being a demon
nities and Terra Incognitae. Oni are physically imposing himself, he’ll make an intensely valuable ally.
beings, renowned for their strength and endurance. A tal- Archetype: Titanspawn
ent of oni gone mostly unnoticed by mortals is an uncanny
ability to conceal themselves, most often used to avoid Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Miasmic Presence,
abuse and fearful treatment. Oni are typically larger than Regeneration, Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Water)
mortals, standing over six-feet tall, with either a single horn Flairs: Curse, Eye of the Swarm, Suck It Up, Weather
or multiple horns, as well as sharp claws. Most commonly Tyrant
their skin is red, blue, or green, but a few are other colors. Drive: Be left alone. Pazuzu’s old and tired.
Some rare oni, often hailed as lucky in their communities,
are born with a third eye. Primary Pool (13): Biting, Kicking, Weather
Control
Traditional elements of oni culture include wearing
their hair free, a tiger-skin loincloth, and an iron kanabo. Secondary Pool (11): Hunting, Long Distance
Modern oni experiment with hairstyles from all over the Travel, Perceptions
World that are better suited to their frizzy hair. Hunting ti- Desperation Pool: 6
gers has become much more difficult as well, so most settle
Health: 10
for clothing with tiger-skin patterns, such as scarves, jack-
ets or pants. Oni working with Raijin in Japan’s criminal Defense: 4
underworld are infamous for their tiger-skin suits. Initiative: 10
A raised iron kanabo has become a symbol of oni resis-
tance to discrimination from the Kami and affiliated mortal PEOPLE OF GOLD
communities. Those who wield these weapons are often
participants in political movements such as the Hyakki The smiling strangers will tell you this: In the days that
Yakou and bear them as a symbol of pride in the face of Cronus ruled the universe, humanity didn’t need to hunt or
oppression. farm for food, weave cloth or build shelter to protect them-
selves from the elements. All were in accordance with the
Archetype: Foe master of the cosmos, wise in all the ways of the World, and
Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Martial Artist there was no need for humanity to suffer or strive. When
(Heroic), Natural Weapon (Horns) Zeus struck down Cronus, when the Titans fell before the
Flairs: Red Herring, Seeing Red younger Gods, there were no more Golden people for a long
time. Humanity more fit to live in a World sullied by Zeus’s
Drive: Overcome oppression or live peacefully usurpation and poisoned by Cronus’s spilt blood inherited
Primary Pool (7): Battle, Superhuman Endurance, the earth, born to struggle in a World no longer fruitful
Superhuman Strength beneath the hand of its rightful master. Isn’t that just awful?
Secondary Pool (5): Hiding, Personal Interest The smiling strangers believe that story so very much,
even though they live in the World once more — beautiful
Desperation Pool: 3
figures with perfect bodies, perfect health, perfect teeth,
Health: 3 and a perfect master to serve.
Defense: 2 For ages, the shades of the people born into paradise
Initiative: 4 gave advice and wisdom to living humanity, treating mor-
tals like beloved, if unfortunate, grandchildren. Even as the
Extras: Many oni are truly massive in size and conflict between God and Titan threatens to return, Golden
fearsome in battle and are treated as Rivals with the humanity are typically kind to most mortals… which has
Unstoppable Quality. Oni may possess the Mystical been complicated by the fact that in some corner of a Terra
Arsenal Quality, reflecting enchanted hats, cloaks, or
Incognita, the ancient beings have returned to full-bodied
other clothing which grant +2 Enhancement to move
about unseen. life. They are no longer trying to ease the lives of modern
humanity: They’re going to fix the World, free the king of
PAZUZU the universe, and remake the shape of the earth so that
they can live without need or want ever again. They’re just
Pazuzu — a creature of the Annuna — sleeps under-
so positive, so perfect and kind and sweet, they can easily
neath the desert. When he rises, at 12-feet tall, drought fol-
talk their way into mortal friendships, organizations, and
lows in his wake. His horrific breath wilts plants and melts
governments. Sure, there will be a whole lot less of mortal
glass from windowpanes. A human body, the head of a lion
humanity around when they’re done, to say nothing of all
or a dog as it suits him, black ragged wings, a scorpion’s tail,
these needless supernatural creatures and extra Gods, but
and the talons of an eagle mean that this hungry titanspawn
the first humans to worship Cronus are willing to make that
never gets mistaken for anything but a ravenous, monstrous
sacrifice for the survivors’ sakes. Isn’t that just great?
creature. However, in the excessively unlikely event that

Example Antagonists 129

 Archetype: Foe of what he wished. This destiny weighed on him terribly,
drove him to rebel. His youth was destructive — half spent
Qualities: Group Tactics, Institutional Disbelief
learning sorcery, the other dedicated to doing the opposite
Flairs: None of what others told him to. As an adult, Pierre no longer be-
Drive: Free Cronus and recreate Golden Age earth lieves he can run from his destiny. Instead, he must prevent
it at all costs.
Primary Pool (7): Golden Tongues (+1
Enhancement), Good Advice Agenda: He presents himself as a willing ally to his
father, working with windigoag and other titanspawn to
Secondary Pool (5): Cheerful Violence, Mythic bring his plans to fruition, all while looking for opportu-
Landscaping
nities to sabotage their plans at their most vulnerable. If
Desperation Pool: 3 people must die for him to stop the World’s ends, then he
Health: 1 considers that a worthy sacrifice.

Defense: 1 Archetype: Nemesis

Initiative: 4 Qualities: Always Been Here, Martial Artist
(Heroic), Master of the World, Unobtrusive Visitor
PHOUKA Flairs: Cast the Runes, Curse, Red Herring, Ritual
Magic, Sorcery
The phouka exist in a liminal state common to Irish
Drive: Infiltrate Titan Cults to prevent the end of the
fae: Depending on how someone approaches them, they World
might either show favor or curse anyone who interacts
with them. Gift a phouka with a fine silk coat and he’ll guar- Primary Pool (11): Infiltration, Self-Justification,
antee your marriage stays filled with love for all your days, Sorcery
but neglect him and he’ll steal your shoes, your girlfriend, Secondary Pool (9): Charisma, Staff Fighting
and your horse. Little wonder, then, that the Tuatha Dé
Desperation Pool: 6
Domnann find the little tricksters so delightful; anything
which causes trouble to the Tuatha Dé Danann and their Callings: Liminal 2, Sage 2, Primeval 3
Scions delight the Irish Titans through and through. The Purviews: Death, Deception, Wyrd
Domnann sometimes send their Scions to treat with the
phouka and send them off to annoy their rivals (and their Health: 5
Scions). Defense: 4
Archetype: Rival Initiative: 9
Qualities: Obligation (Equal Exchange – must give Extras: Mystic Arsenal (His mother’s rune-carving
a gift of equal or greater value for all gifts freely given staff, channels Wyrd)
by mortals)
Flairs: Curse, Shadow Step PRINCE ANNAPOLIS, SCION OF METIS
Drive: Get shiny things! When a 20 megawatt powerplant harnessed the tide-
Primary Pool (9): Scheming, Trickery, Quick Wits waters of the Annapolis River Sound in 1984, an observant
engineer consecrated the turbines to Zeus in a fairly typical
Secondary Pool (7): Stealth, Things Long Forgotten act of faith. What was not typical was the child born in the
Desperation Pool: 5 first moment of the Annapolis Royal Generating Station’s
Health: 3 electrical generation in a crack of strictly nonregulation
thunder. As the ancient power of the tide found itself again
Defense: 3 harnessed to a dynamo of lightning, Metis’s long frustrat-
Initiative: 6 ed influence and her endless cunning bore a child of the
Olympian might and Titanic depths.
PIERRE LEVETT, Prince Annapolis leads a charmed life, prophetic
SCION OF AE-PUNGISHIMOOK dreams from his mother guiding him through foster care,
the Canadian education system, high powered business
Ae-pungishimook would have Pierre serve his grand
schools, and the halls of power and multinational corpora-
design, something the Scion does everything in his power
tions… all so that he could properly unleash himself upon
to stop. Caught between two traditions, Pierre’s mother
the World. Prince is a high-handed agent of chaos and
was a völva, a sorceress who traveled the World seeking
downfall, slipping into organizations and governments as
mystic secrets and drew the attention of the West Wind.
a highly paid consultant before turning to lead the masses
His birth was difficult, and his childhood even more so. She
as an innovative guru. In his wake, town councils, board-
never lied to him: She believed it was his Fate to be a herald
rooms, and presidential cabinets transform into nests of
of Ragnarok, a wind to scour life from the World, regardless
backstabbing and graft, and popular movements turn into

130 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

navel gazing pits filled with screamed arguments and re- rakshasa navigate such treacherous conditions, whether
criminations, until Prince sets them off against another the root causes are misunderstanding or bigotry.
target. Rakshasa come in a dizzying array of forms, though
Agenda: Prince Annapolis works to dethrone Zeus and they tend towards a larger stature than most humans and
free his mother, but that’s far in the future. Until then, he possess a notable pair of fangs. Many hide their true forms
practices toppling authorities and upending hierarchies, behind illusions, but in an era of a swelling rakshasa rights
always with an eye to hurting Theoi interests or gaining movement, many refuse to hide their heritage any longer.
useful allies for his continuing work. Titan, Scion, God, or Archetype: Professional
other; he’s not picky about his allies, and if they fail to prove
useful, they may very well turn into his next targets. Flairs: Illusions OR Shapeshifter
Hooks: A popular politician’s reelection campaign Drive: Secure the future
dissolves into accusations of corruption and bribery; some- Primary Pool (7): Feats of Strength, Leadership,
one keeps getting friends and allies of the Theoi caught up Self-Defense
in the investigation. A real estate firm begins buying up
Secondary Pool (5): Legendary History, Magic
property worryingly close to local holy sites, and then the
accusations of illegal dumping begin. As the Band’s friends Desperation Pool: 3
begin turning on one another, Prince Annapolis approaches Health: 2
the Band and tells them he can make it stop, if they’ll just do
him one little favor… Defense: 2
Archetype: Nemesis Initiative: 5
Qualities: By Divine Right, Obligation Extras: Sorcery-inclined rakshasa may possess both
Illusions and Shapeshifting, as well as the Sorcerer
Flairs: Hail Eris!, Reflected Intent Flair.
Drive: Topple Zeus and free Metis, in that order
Primary Pool (11): Deception, Leadership, Sowing RAYVEN SILVERHAIR, THE TRUE DIANA,
Chaos SCION OF NYX
Secondary Pool (9): Academics, Combat Born Karen Foster, Rayven came into her power as a
Scion of Nyx in the early 1990s, when Dianic Wicca had
Desperation Pool: 6 just emerged as the next big thing. Taking a page from the
Callings: Adversary 3, Leader 2, Trickster 1 Big Blue Book of Witchcraft, she did her parent proud by
Purviews: Chaos, Deception, Metamorphosis, gathering a group of impressionable young women around
Order her and forming an extremely devoted and virulent cult.
She’s styled herself as The True Diana for nearly 30 years,
Health: 5 and her cult, the Wombyn of the Moon-Water, has grown in
Defense: 4 numbers and power since.
Initiative: 9 The first generation of Wombyn Warriors raised with-
in the cult has begun giving birth to the second generation
— via carefully-selected sperm donors — and Rayven rules
RAKSHASA
over them with an iron fist shaped by radical feminist dog-
Traditional enemies, occasional friends, and continual ma. Those few who dare question how Rayven plans on
neighbors of the Devá, the rakshasa have a reputation for overthrowing the gender-based kyriarchy with a mindset
man-eating ferocity, shapeshifting sorcery, and inhuman which only reinforces binary gender stereotypes quickly
appetites, but most are simply people trying to make their find themselves outside the cult’s inner circle, shamed
way in the World. Their long history in Lankā and its sur- and “cancelled” by the cult’s members. Those who ques-
rounding environs has led to the creation of many legendary tion Rayven’s gender-essentialist doctrine must either be
warriors and sages amongst their number, and many seek brought back in line or ejected from the cult with prejudice
to keep those traditions of martial and sorcerous skill alive — sometimes without their lives. Two Scions of Cernnunos
in the modern day. However, equal numbers look towards went missing 20 years ago after interaction with the cult,
more contemporary careers, leading towards burgeoning and their divine father holds a serious grudge — any Scion
enclaves of rakshasa professionals all around the globe. bringing back actionable intelligence to the Domnann Titan
Sometimes, this leads to conflicts with bigots or en- will find themselves heaped with gifts and praise.
trenched interests with little desire to see supernaturally Archetype: Nemesis
potent newcomers set up shop in their neck of the woods.
Callings: Destroyer, Primeval, Tyrant
Rakshasa often find themselves caught between defending
themselves and their interests and getting tarred by ancient Purviews: Chaos, Darkness, Fertility, Passion
calumnies against them, a situation in which they have (Insecurity)
few allies. Bands of Scions are uniquely qualified to help Qualities: By Divine Right, Rage of Herakles
Example Antagonists 131
 Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Shadow Step destruction of buildings, infrastructure, and even natural
places with alarming swiftness through their infernal in-
Drive: Maintain control over her coven and maintain
a pure lesbian community untainted by anyone she dustry. Oftentimes, titanspawn, cultists, and others who
considers impure — bisexual women, transgender need havoc wrecked with some matter of deniability seek
people, men… out the Kallikantzaros, since for them specific employers
mean little; most of them are happy to break things and see
Primary Pool (11): Brainwashing, Divination, them stay broken for once.
Lorecraft
Archetype: Foe
Secondary Pool (9): Knives, Oration
Qualities: Twitchy
Desperation Pool: 6
Flairs: Tripwire
Health: 5
Drive: Wreak havoc and get away with it
Defense: 4
Primary Pool (7): Wreck (+1 Enhancement for
Initiative: 9 breaking stationary objects), Bedevil and Prank,
Extras: Mystic Arsenal (A silver pendant cast in the Scurry Away
symbol of Diana. Grants access to the Moon purview) Secondary Pool (5): Bargain and Barter,
Remember Ancient Lore
ROC Desperation Pool: 3
History is not clear on the origin of the great bird Health: 1
known as the roc, but the Yazata claim the mighty creature.
Like an eagle the size of a tank, rocs migrate to where they Defense: 1
can find large prey, famously known to carry elephants Initiative: 6
away in their talons. Clever Gods and Titans have pulled
strings to redirect herds of large creatures towards a rival’s THE SATURNIAN SOCIETY
interest, knowing that rocs would soon follow. Villages
have come to realize the Gods play games like this and have A confraternity of the wealthy elite in the World, the
taken to reaching out to Scions when herds of large prey Saturnian Society is a charitable organization comprised of
find their way near civilization. people with more money than they know what to do with,
dedicated to expending that money to make the World a
Archetype: Monster
paradise anew. Behind glitzy photo opportunities and large,
Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Beak and performative checks made out to celebrities born in crisis,
Talons), Twitchy the Society is a mystery cult dedicated to Gaea.
Flairs: Here I Come, Seeing Red Each level of initiation includes further indoctrination
Drive: Find food — the larger, the better. into the cause through innocuous propaganda about the
deserved helplessness of the less fortunate and the impor-
Primary Pool (11): Claw Attack, Grapple tance of preserving the worthy few through whatever cri-
Secondary Pool (9): Flight Maneuvers, Spotting ses will afflict the World next. CEOs, hedge fund managers,
Prey and magnates from countries all over the World represent
Desperation Pool: 5 their membership. As they become more deeply involved,
compromising legal and financial ties are created between
Health: 6 initiates and the Society until those who won’t advance
Defense: 4 further are comfortably ensnared in Gaea’s machinations,
and those with the right attitude and aptitudes are told of
Initiative: 11 the World that once was.
Size: 2 Enslaved muses sing of the Golden Age before Zeus and
the Theoi felled the Titans: When Cronus ruled and Gaea
ROGUE KALLIKANTZAROS watched over him, the earth was a paradise, a garden where
none suffered and the worthy enjoyed prosperity beyond
Squat, chthonic imp-like creatures opposed to the
imagining. The Society serves Gaea, who has promised
Slavic Bogovoi pantheon, Kallikantzaros traditionally
them a place in the new Golden Age if they do her bidding
work towards the World’s destruction by sawing away at
and prepare the World for what will come next.
the World Tree’s roots… until they inevitably fail, distract-
ed by their annual 12 day vacation to bedevil mortals in The Society’s members prepare opulent bunkers,
the World. Sometimes, one tires of their continual failure redoubts, and hidden temples to preserve them when the
and chooses to stay in the World, putting their mischie- Titans remake the World. They are confident that they will
vous minds and talent for ruin towards more achievable be judged worthy by Gaea when the time comes. Some pub-
ends. Though small and often comical looking by mortal licly flaunt these installations through television programs
standards, Kallikantzaros are able to plot and enact the and online videos to underscore themselves in the eyes of
132 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
the public as harmless eccentrics, all the while putting very Scorpion Folk are surprisingly helpful and chatty. Scorpion
real efforts to bring about the end. Folk suggest alternatives to visitors seeking access to the
Members of the Society make extensive use of private mystic pathways they guard; not to avoid trouble, for who
security and the latest technologies in pursuit of the agenda could trouble Tiamat’s destroyers? Not to thwart the seek-
of their Titanic patron. The most prestigious families of the er’s goals, for what lies beyond the doors of the Underworld
Society are aided and guarded by People of Gold (p. 129) for most mortals but their own deaths? No, Scorpion Folk
that Gaea has recruited to her cause. help visitors for the simple reason that they want to. Mortal
lives are short and often brutal, and the Scorpion Folk are,
Unwittingly, Society literature leaked on conspiracy by and large, uninterested in making the tiny creatures’ lot
websites has birthed a blue-collar offshoot called the Neo- any worse.
Gaean Front, an international movement comprised of
far-right militias and similar extremist groups in the World This isn’t to say that a Band of Heroes or even Demigods
that convert old bunkers into chthonic temples to worship can cavalierly approach and demand information about the
the Titans and beg for mercy when the end times come. local entries to the Underworld or Otherworldly paths.
Through dark money organizations, the Society bankrolls Doing so is a good way to convince Scorpion Folk to rouse
some of these groups to use against their enemies; a ham- themselves to action, and younger life in the World would
mer that disguises the agenda of Gaea as mundane radical do well to remember that while Tiamat was slain, the
action or terrorism. Neo-Gaeans destroy local infrastruc- Scorpion Folk never died.
ture and assassinate political figures, augmenting their Archetype: Titanspawn
weaponry and fanaticism with deadly sorcery. Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Baleful Touch,
Agenda: The Society decries the current state of the
Flairs: Detonation (Close Combat), Dread Gaze,
World, the rise of nationalist, apocalyptic nuclear fears, and Penetrator (Ranged)
worry over climate change, all while dedicating consider-
able resources to making these things possible. Each mem- Drive: Guard their charges and watch mortal life
ber seeks to destabilize the World to make the cleansing of figure itself out
unworthy humanity easier so that when they emerge from Primary Pool (13): Every Sort of Violence,
their hideaways after the World has ended, it will be into Knowledge of Otherworldly Paths, Sentry Duty
paradise. Among their most enthusiastic partners towards Secondary Pool (11): Good Natured Advice,
this end are the agents of the Titan Ào Guāng. His Scions Terrify
enthusiastically collaborate with the Saturnian Society on
apocalyptic policy and profit-seeking, though they care Desperation Pool: 7
little for the Society’s master. Health: 8
The Saturnian Society is an organization that characters Defense: 4
might encounter or be called upon to research or infiltrate.
Initiative: 10
Storyguides should use any other Antagonist write-up in this
chapter to reflect individual members. Size: 3
Segments: 2 (4 Health each)
THE SCORPION FOLK Flairs: Dread Gaze, Penetrator
Created to wage war on the younger Gods by furious
Tiamat, the Scorpion Folk are fit for cosmic violence. SELKIES
Enormous creatures of terrifying individual puissance,
they curdle the very air with their presence, their visages Selkies spend most of their time delivering messages
alone enough to rout mortal armies, slay with a glance, and for Domnu, the central and eponymous Titan of the Tuatha
inspire terror in the hearts of Heroes. Chitinous scorpion Dé Domnann. When they’re not delivering messages, they
legs bear tremendous humanoid trunks, shaded by gigantic occupy their time by swimming and eating things. As life-
wings. Some carry bows or other weapons in their mighty styles go, it’s quite enviable, with the slight disadvantage
arms, but many don’t bother. After all, Tiamat created the that when selkies come ashore, they must remove their
Scorpion Folk to murder the Heavens. seal skins and drop them on the sand. This leaves them
vulnerable to having their skins stolen by creepy Irish
But they didn’t. Marduk slew Tiamat, and the Scorpion fishermen attempting to trap themselves an unspeakably
Folk found themselves instead tasked by the new masters beautiful seal-wife. Unfortunately for fishermen, capturing
of reality to guard the passages between the World and one selkie means the rest will show up in short order, which
elsewhere: primarily gates and doors to the Underworld, invariably ends with a waterlogged corpse being identified
but on occasion other Axis Mundi and Otherworlds. Their by the knit of its Fair Isle sweater.
very presence wards off most visitors; few mortals can
survive, much less enjoy, the company of Scorpion Folk.
Archetype: Rival
On the occasion that a supernatural creature, a Scion, or a Qualities: A Thousand Ships, Obligation
particularly robust mortal succeeds in doing so, however, Flairs: Curse, I Have Friends

Example Antagonists 133

 Drive: Deliver messages for Domnu; keep their skins SILENT STORM: ACOLYTES
safe from gross fishermen
All members of Silent Storm begin as acolytes, trained
Primary Pool (9): Biting, Clawing, Swimming to be silent intruders who steal and kill with unquestioning
Secondary Pool (7): Intimidation, Stealth obedience. Training takes place in a Terra Incognita, away
from prying eyes. New recruits receive intensive indoctri-
Desperation Pool: 5 nation in loyalty to the cult, as well as training in stealth,
Health: 3 parkour, covert entry, and swordplay. They’re subjected to
Defense: 3 rituals which heighten their physical prowess, including
the ability to see in deepest darkness. Acolytes are trained
Initiative: 6 to resist interrogation — they choose to die by means of
poison hidden in a false tooth, rather than divulging secrets
SILENT STORM of the cult. When necessary, acolytes are deployed in large
squadrons, especially when they expect strong opposition
Silent Storm is a Titan cult dedicated to Fūjin and
from the police, military, or Hero Scions.
Raijin. The cult originated in Japan some five centuries
ago. Initially, they were merely bandits, using Fūjin’s and Archetype: Foe
Raijin’s names as an intimidation factor for the victims they Qualities: Group Tactics, Shroud, Super Soldier
terrorized. However, Scions of the two Titans heard about
these bandits and stormed in to take control, molding the
Flairs: Shadow Step
gang into an aggressive group worshipping their Titan par- Drive: Obey orders given by one’s superiors
ents. Sometime later, Scions of Ào Guāng maneuvered into Primary Pool (7): Intrusion, Swordfighting
positions of power within the cult, giving Silent Storm a
more orderly level of organization and also expanding out- Secondary Pool (5): Occult Knowledge, Resisting
ward from Japan to establish chapters around the World. Interrogation
Silent Storm illustrates what a well-established cult Desperation Pool: 3
might look like, with many levels of membership and a Health: 1
wealth of resources accumulated over the years: Relics,
Defense: 1
sorcery skills, occult lore, and access to Terra Incognitae, as
well as mundane wealth and influence. Initiative: 4
Use Silent Storm as a template for other Titan cults by Extras: Darkvision
replacing each cultist circle with something comparable.
For example, instead of Silent Storm’s stealthy sword-bear- SILENT STORM: UNDERCOVER AGENTS
ing acolytes, the lowest level of a different cult might con-
sist of ex-military foot soldiers or classical Amazons. Silent Storm’s undercover agents are trained to infil-
trate and manipulate. They take positions in businesses,
Agenda: Silent Storm seeks power, pure and simple. governments, and other organizations to steal secrets and
The cult’s chosen path to power is to amass supernatural influence important decisions. When necessary, they plant
knowledge and materials, often stealing valuables from false evidence, hack computers, or blackmail colleagues to
whoever owns them, or by using blackmail, extortion, undermine enemies and to claim positions of power. They
etc. to get what the cult wants. Over the years, Scions of even use sorcerous rituals to change their appearance
many different Titans have dominated the cult’s leadership. and impersonate others, often as a way of incriminating
While the goal of cult members is still to increase the cult’s innocents.
power by all available means, they believe they must elimi-
nate or neutralize all Heroes who stand in the way of their Undercover agents are masters at covering their tracks,
ambitions. even using untraceable poisons or apparent “accidents” to
remove anyone who might expose them. Hero Scions op-
Silent Storm and the Night Parade of One Hundred posing Silent Storm may find themselves denounced in the
Devils: Micaela Standish (see p. 126) wants to bring Fūjin media, hassled by police, monitored by government watch-
a measure of peace, while Silent Storm capitalizes on his dogs, and accused of crimes they didn’t commit.
rage. The leaders of Silent Storm don’t believe Micaela will
succeed in her efforts, so they mostly avoid confrontations Archetype: Rival
with her and her allies. They also use Night Parade as con- Qualities: Cage of Words, Perfected Soldier, Toxic
venient scapegoats when Silent Storm wishes to hide its
Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Mastermind, Thousand
actions under “louder” yōkai activities. As for Micaela, she
Faces
sees Silent Storm as an impediment to achieving her goals,
but she isn’t ready to declare an all-out war against them. A Drive: Know someone’s secrets and bend them to
clever Band of Heroes could join with one side against the your will
other, despite the many risks of allying with Titans. Primary Pool (9): Coercion, Forgery, Stealth

134 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Secondary Pool (7): Covering One’s Tracks, SILENT STORM: SUMMONERS
Disguise, Sabotage
Why endanger expensively trained acolytes when you
Desperation Pool: 5 can summon a fire elemental or a fear demon to plague
Health: 3 those who oppose you? Silent Storm’s summoners call el-
ementals and demons into the World and compel them to
Defense: 3 bedevil specified targets. Often the targets are Heroes, but
Initiative: 6 they may be anyone whom the cult opposes. For example,
if a mob boss resists paying protection to the cult, a lust
SILENT STORM: CRAFTERS demon can ensure the boss is accused of infidelity and the
scandal becomes public news — unless the cult is paid off.
To defeat Hero Scions and other enemies, high-level Problem solved.
members of Silent Storm need special weapons, poisons,
Summoners undergo similar training to crafters, with
and magical materials. These are created by cultists who
similar results. A summoner can only summon one class of
have shown an aptitude for creating dangerous objects
entity, e.g., fire elementals (Fire Purview) or fear demons
through dangerous means.
(Passion (Fear) Purview). Truly gifted summoners can
To become crafters, acolytes or agents are promot- summon entities even more powerful than elementals, e.g.
ed to undergo years of harsh preparation in the hidden daēva spirits and other titanspawn.
compound within the cult’s Terra Incognita. They must
In order to send a summoned entity to attack a target,
endure transformative rituals which reconstruct the
the summoner must be able to perceive the target or needs
crafter, body and soul, to imbue them with the Forge
a personal item belonging to the target.
Purview. Only a third of the candidates survive; the rest
become raw materials used in the craftworks. At the end Archetype: Villain
of the initiation process, surviving crafters are visibly Qualities: Imperfect Disguise
inhuman, contorted into forms more fitting for their
work. For example, weaponsmiths have hands like iron Flairs: Sorcery (of a Purview corresponding to the
tongs for working with red-hot metal while alchemists creature summoned)
have grotesquely mutated heads with eyes on the front Drive: Come, my pretties, and make our enemies
but mouth and nose on the back to avoid inhaling fumes howl!
from the potions they make. Primary Pool (10): Controlling Summoned
Archetype: Villain Creatures, Summoning
Qualities: Imperfect Disguise, Invulnerability (to Secondary Pool (8): Scheming, Stealth
some appropriate source of damage, e.g. fire for Desperation Pool: 5
smiths, poisons for alchemists)
Health: 4
Flairs: Sorcery (Forge — Magic Weapons) or (Forge
— Unnatural Poisons), or some other limited class of Defense: 3
Marvelous objects Initiative: 7
Drive: More power! What would happen if we
added more blood…?
SILENT STORM: THUNDERBOLTS
Primary Pool (10): Crafting, Enchanting
Thunderbolts are high-powered cultists: Titan Scions,
Secondary Pool (8): Invention, Strength and Titan minions, or intelligent titanspawn. They may be con-
Endurance nected with any Titan, not just Fūjin or Raijin. Since Silent
Desperation Pool: 5 Storm is a global organization, they accept any titanspawn
or Scion who takes a binding oath of loyalty. This includes
Health: 4 rogue Hero Scions from any pantheon.
Defense: 3 Thunderbolts operate in Bands with other
Initiative: 7 Thunderbolts, or as leaders for teams of mortal cultists.
The cult uses Thunderbolts in accordance with their

OTHER SILENT STORM SORCERERS

A cult like Silent Storm can benefit from many other types of sorcerers, such as diviners (Stars Purview),
healers (Health Purview), and people who can bestow curses and blessings (Fortune Purview). All are
produced through similar training programs with similar mutations and statistics.

Example Antagonists 135

 TITAN SCION THUNDERBOLTS
Thunderbolts don’t rashly confront Heroes in fair combat. If they meet Heroes face-to-face at all, it’s under
circumstances where the Heroes can’t simply start a fight, or where the Thunderbolt has a foolproof method
of escape. Thunderbolts only go toe-to-toe with Heroes in the climactic battle of an arc or season.

abilities; those well-suited for combat may head up strike Archetype: Titanspawn
teams, while those better suited for intrigue may plan and/
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Obligation,
or run programs of subversion. Regeneration
Thunderbolts answer to the cult’s innermost circle,
Flairs: Curse, Retcon, Sorcery (Sky Purview),
but are allowed substantial independent authority. Every Weather Tyrant
local chapter of Silent Storm is led by a Thunderbolt, as are
special project divisions. A Titan Scion Thunderbolt may Drive: Power! More power!
serve as the dominant villain of an arc or season. Primary Pool (13): Leadership, Planning
The stats below represent a typical titanspawn Secondary Pool (11): Foresight, Intimidation
Thunderbolt.
Desperation Pool: 7
Archetype: Titanspawn
Health: 10
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Unnatural Hunger
Defense: 4
Flairs: Mastermind, Molon Labe, Sorcery (Any
Purview) Initiative: 10
Drive: Pursuing an agenda that fits a Titan Calling or Extras: Ritual Magic (Hurricane); Mystic Arsenal
Virtue (The Inner Circle have an enchanted scrying ball,
granting access to the Fortune purview.)
Primary Pool (13): Combat, Leadership
Secondary Pool (11): Furthering Silent Storm’s SIRENS
Goals, Scheming
Unlike merfolk, who bear no particular allegiance to
Desperation Pool: 7 any pantheon, sirens have close links to the Theoi, first and
Health: 10 foremost. Other pantheons sometimes take them in or make
use of them as necessary for their current ends. Sirens love
Defense: 4
to cause chaos above all else; the fact that after chaos they
Initiative: 10 get a delicious meal of human bone marrow makes things
Extras: Mystic Arsenal (All Thunderbolts are given all the sweeter. Sometimes they lure, sometimes they freeze
lighting-glass staves that allow them to access the Sky their targets in place — whatever works best in the present
purview) moment.
Sirens don’t necessarily sing, and despite pop-culture
SILENT STORM: THE INNER CIRCLE portrayals, they don’t necessarily present as sexy femmes.
Their song conforms itself to whatever they think will best
The inner circle of Silent Storm are seven cultists of
lure their prey: A prize-winning chef might hear a voice
great age and power. Typically, they are intelligent titans-
that promises the recipe for a dish no one’s known how to
pawn or Titan Scions, although mortal sorcerers sometimes
create for 1,000 years.
manage to seize a place within the circle.
Archetype: Rival
Members rise to the inner circle when a previous mem-
ber dies. Often members kill their predecessors, a crime the Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Claws),
cult overlooks. To avoid unsuitable upstarts, cultists who Unnatural Hunger (Human Flesh)
slay an inner circle member must still be ratified by the Flairs: Dread Gaze (Song), Hypnotic Charm,
surviving members. Shapeshifting
The inner circle may enact a ritual to send a Category Drive: Delicious human mealtime. Mmm.
5 hurricane anywhere in the World. This ritual takes three
Primary Pool (9): Bite, Claws, Singing
days and costs the life of one of the seven inner circle mem-
bers. The sacrificial member is chosen at random, and none Secondary Pool (7): Flight Maneuvering,
of the participants know which of their lives will be lost. Intimidation
Inner Circle cultists are ready to die for their cause without Desperation Pool: 5
question, so this ritual is not performed lightly.

136 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Health: 3 its victims, leaving marks upon their flesh, before offering
that blood to demons and other terrible creatures for more
Defense: 3
power.
Initiative: 6
Many Soucouyants have made unwholesome pacts
with spirits to gain their power, but others are victims
SOLOMONAR of a pledge made by their forebears, cursed to become a
There are tales throughout Europe of a school where Soucouyant and drink blood. Root doctors seek these vic-
forbidden arts are taught by “the Devil.” The Black School, tims out, hoping to break the curse put upon them by àjé,
also called the Scholomance, holds class for those aspiring the evil magicians they often serve. Soucouyants are drawn
sorcerers. Students learn to wield sorcery, to command to the spirits that dwell in silk cotton trees, who may com-
the weather, and to ride dragons. When their studies are mand them to do evil, or merely to defend the land against
complete, they are unleashed into the World to wreak hav- aggressors.
oc and bring vengeance upon those who wronged them. Archetype: Foe
In simpler times, they targeted peasants for retribution,
Qualities: Flight, Natural Weapon (Fangs),
raining hail from the backs of serpents while clad in their Radiating Aura, Unnatural Hunger
signature white robes.
Flairs: Here I Come, Shapeshifter
The modern Solomonari are a more subtle breed.
Several have taken to offering their services to the high- Drive: Drink blood from the community and survive
est bidder as mercenaries. Others claim to do the work of Primary Pool (7): Attacking Victims, Breaking and
“the Devil,” allying themselves with Titan cults who have Entering
need of sorcerers. These Solomonari look nothing like the
Secondary Pool (5): Harmless Elder, Occult Lore
folktales suggest, wearing fashionable, modern clothes and
expensive jewelry purchased with the fruits of their illicit Desperation Pool: 3
labor. All dye their hair red; occasionally they wear the Health: 1
ancient, enchanted robes of their predecessors to channel
greater magical power under the cloak of night. The Gods Defense: 1
do not know who the true patron of the Scholomance is, Initiative: 4
but several deities such as Thoth, the Dagda, and Zalmoxis
Extra: The Soucouyant only gains access to its
would like to know. Qualities when it uses Shapeshifter to enter its fireball
Archetype: Rival form. It retains Unnatural Hunger in all forms.
Qualities: Institutional Disbelief, Willful
STARLIGHT SOLUTIONS
Flairs: Curse, Ritual Magic, Sorcery, Weather Tyrant
It came flitting down to earth and into the World on
Drive: Use sorcery to enrich themselves; punish those
who have wronged them March 7, 1970, as the moon crossed the sun’s path in a total
solar eclipse. The greatest of Tzitzimime battled jaguar war-
Primary Pool (9): Occult Lore, Serpent-riding, riors and the Teōtl’s Scions across the Pacific, into Oaxaca
Sorcery State, and finally over the Atlantic, but it was a lesser thing.
Secondary Pool (7): Agricultural Study, Socialite Instead of contributing to the fight, it slid northward, to-
Lifestyle wards the very edges of the eclipse path. Its greater brethren
Desperation Pool: 5 tried to make a blood soaked three hours last for eternity, ul-
timately failing as Heroic efforts by mortal, Scion, and divini-
Health: 3 ty alike thwarted Tzitzimime ambitions to end the dominion
Defense: 3 of the Gods and plunge the World into a final ecstasy of star-
strewn bloodshed. While the greater Tzitzimime failed, died,
Initiative: 6 and fled back to space, however, the lone thing sunk magical
Extras: Solomonari possess flying serpent mounts, hooks like barbed bony fingers into the mind and soul of
modeled as four-dot creatures with the following an unfortunate junior engineer at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Knacks and Qualities: Flight, Unstoppable. When the sun’s return sent its remaining brethren howling
back to the void, some black miracle allowed it to stay intact
SOUCOUYANT and in control of its new, fleshy vessel.

Soucouyants are witches that appear in the guise of re- Nearly a half-century later, private spaceflight has
clusive elderly men and women by day. At night, they shed become big business in the World. Humanity has launched
their skin, concealing it in a mortar, and transform into a more than 8,000 objects into orbit or beyond, and a remark-
flying fireball. No walls or doors stop them from entering ably successful tech darling known as Starlight Solutions has
homes, for as long as the tiniest crevice should be present, accounted for several of them in recent years. Of course, the
they may slip through. The Soucouyant drinks blood from mind behind their payloads and missions isn’t really a part
of humanity at all. The parasitic thing, no longer a proper

Example Antagonists 137

member of the Tzitzimime, now merrily puppets dozens of Defense: 4
doomed mortals that it works towards awful ends. Even as
Initiative: 9
Starlight Solutions pushes the envelope on both manned
and unmanned spaceflight, the thing at Starlight’s helm
finds new and wicked ways to reach out to the Tzitzimime STYMPHALIAN BIRDS
and other creatures waiting in the lightless void with the Initially the pets of Artemis, the Stymphalian birds are
hopeful tools of humanity. If Starlight Solutions succeeds, large, with sharp bronze feathers and poisonous dung. The
they will turn the sky into the greatest Axis Mundi of all, birds fled their home to escape from wolves that attacked
a single continuous gate to spinning blackness and contin- them back in ancient Greece. Since that time, they have
ual horror. Constantly probing at paths in the empty sky reproduced and spread out, keeping to the Mediterranean.
to Otherworlds of every sort, Starlight Solutions and its The Stymphalian birds are most famous for being hunted
master often find lesser victories along their quest for the by Hercules as his sixth great challenge. Throughout the
ultimate moonshot, opening pathways back down to Earth years, many Scions have tried to tame Stymphalian birds
for its master’s brethren, the Centzonhuitznaua, and any as pets, and some have even taken them on as part of their
other hungry, angry, or foul thing in the dark that will help Birthright. Some keep the birds as a sort of perimeter guard
bring about the end of the Teōtl and the beginning of an age for large estates, now that perilous times are upon the
of endless darkness and feasting. World.
Agenda: Dozens of directly controlled humans and Archetype: Monster
hundreds of unaware contractors give the thing behind
Starlight Solutions impressive reach with little risk for Qualities: Flight, Heavily Armored, Natural
exposure; an eccentric tech startup raises few eyebrows
Weapon (Beak and Talons), Sniper, Toxic (Dung)
when it sends its employees to take celestial measurements Flairs: Spray N’ Pray
at remote Central American mountains or to recover Drive: Survive while watching out for wolves
remains of some fallen celestial fragment off the coast of
California. When discovery looms, Starlight Solutions tries Primary Pool (11): Flight Maneuvers, Range
to fight by proxy; releasing anything from hired guns to Combat (Feathers or Feces)
monstrosities its missions have plucked from the night sky Secondary Pool (9): Beak Attack, Perception
on snooping Scions, in an attempt to hide the company’s
Desperation Pool: 5
true nature behind catspaws and intermediaries. After all,
Starlight Solutions just had an article about them in Wired; Health: 5
how could they have anything to do with the murderous Defense: 4
celestial spirit that tried to kill the Band?
Initiative: 9
Hooks: Someone is stealing artifacts potentially relat-
ing to the Teōtl from still operational archaeological sites; Size: 1
Starlight Solutions is funding the digs out of a sense of social
responsibility, so surely, they couldn’t be involved. A Starlight THE THING IN THE DEEP
Solution launch-and-return has proven too successful, as
Something lurks in the deep waters of the World; some-
whatever they brought back has decided to go to war with
times sailors say it looks like a giant squid, sometimes reports
the World, leaving a trail of carnage that can be traced back
claim it appears to be a jellyfish the size of a cruise ship.
to the source. An academic the Band used to rely on for
Whatever sort of monster truly lurks in the deep, every time
consultation has disappeared, only to reemerge working for
that giant thing moves, tsunamis crash over low-lying shore
Starlight Solutions. Is the benefits package really so good
areas. The Thing in The Deep has rested in the deepest parts
that they’d cut off all contact with their old friends?
of the ocean for millennia, but as ocean temperatures rise,
Archetype: Nemesis the smaller fish on which it fed change their patterns. The
Qualities: Disembodied, Life Drain Thing has become restless, moving around in its deep ocean
bed more and more. Sooner or later, circumstances will force
Flairs: Mastermind, Possession it to come to the surface to feed.
Drive: Turn the entire sky into a Gate, letting all man- Archetype: Titanspawn
ner of horrors into the World, and to make sure next
quarter profits look good until then Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Regeneration,
Unstoppable, Vulnerability (Iron)
Primary Pool (11): Aerospace Engineering,
Magic, Scheming Flairs: Knockout, Second Wind, Suck It Up, Under
Pressure
Secondary Pool (9): Befriending Horrors, Finding
Additional Capital, Murder Drive: Eat and be left alone to eat
Desperation Pool: 6 Primary Pool (13): Bite, Swimming
Health: 5 Secondary Pool (11): Endurance, Grappling
(Tentacles)
138 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS
 Desperation Pool: 6 Flairs: Hypnotic Charm, Mastermind
Health: 10 Drive: Ensure the System works
Defense: 4 Primary Pool (11): Cross-Examination, Knowledge
of the Law, Presenting a Case
Initiative: 10
Secondary Pool (9): Personal Promotion, Working
the Court of Public Opinion
TIKOLOSHE
Desperation Pool: 6
Brought into existence by sorcerers, the tikoloshe
is made of polluted water and spite. Looking like a small, Health: 5
stocky human (similar to the dwarves of the Æsir), it comes Defense: 4
into being knowing that it is going to make someone’s life
miserable. The tikoloshe uses a variety of abilities to tor-
Initiative: 9
ment their summoner’s foes and has been a critical factor Extras: Living Large
in mortal wizards defeating Scions in battle. Now that the
next Titanomachy has begun, opportunistic wizards stra- TZITZIMIME INTRUDERS
tegically summon tikoloshe to serve their sinister plans,
which so far involve cursing whichever side they like the Rattling through the darkness outside the warm circle
least. Since tikoloshe are not banished upon their master’s of the World, soaring through the void of uncreated things in
deaths, a few have been set loose and act as free agents. the light of the unkind stars, the Tzitzimime wait. Adorned
with the hands and hearts of mortal victims, their skeletal
Archetype: Professional
bodies clothed in deathly raiment, only the Teōtl’s efforts
Qualities: Twitchy hold the Tzitzimime at bay, until the day they descend to de-
Flairs: Curse, Illusions, Sorcery (Water) vour humanity. Only on rare occasions can a few Tzitzimime
filter down to possess, hunt, and plague mankind, taking
Drive: Cause trouble for their targets advantage of doleful cosmic timing to wreak havoc.
Primary Pool (7+1): Manipulation, Stealth Not all the skeletal horrors are satisfied with waiting in
Secondary Pool (5): Gather Information, Tracking the cosmic wasteland for the Teōtl to falter. Indeed, some
are not satisfied with waiting for the occasional solar eclipse
Desperation Pool: 3
or the quintet of Nemontemi days to descend to Earth and
Health: 2 torment humanity. Instead, they sow seeds during those
Defense: 2 critical periods, allowing themselves to creep back down
from the Otherworldly darkness on days that should be
Initiative: 5 barred to them. The Teōtl’s powers leave such offenders
weakened, but no less cruel or hungry when they stand on
TIMOTHY ALLGOOD, TITANS’ ADVOCATE the yet-unforsaken World. Such Tzitzimime turn their foul
power on unfortunate lone mortals, possessing them by
The golden thread underlying all justice systems is the
magical force, brute coercion, or foolish bargaining. Many
presumption of innocence. Until the accused have their day
Tzitzimime use their human suits to undermine Teōtl ritu-
in court — a fair and impartial court — no one should con-
als, establishments, and protections, but some wish to run
demn them. Imprisoning Titans for millennia is history’s
wild in human society, causing chaos, bloodshed, and loss
greatest crime.
for their own self-glorification.
Timothy Allgood is a tireless advocate for the Titans’
Archetype: Rival (Intruder)/ Titanspawn (during an
release. He’s on every talk show; he has testified before eclipse or the Nemontemi)
government panels in 18 countries; he’s received millions
of dollars in contributions from citizens just like you. And Qualities: Flight, Life Drain
whenever Heroes fight titanspawn or Titan Scions, he Flairs: Possession, Sorcery (Darkness, Stars)
makes their lives hell.
Drive: Devour humanity, the World, and cavort in its
Allgood may be a Titan Scion himself, or he may just be destruction
a showboating contrarian asshole. He’s licensed to practice
Primary Pool (9/13): Flight, Magic, Murder
law everywhere in the G20, and he never breaks the tiniest
regulation. He pushes to prosecute anyone on the side of Secondary Pool (7/11): Knowledge of the
the Gods, and to acquit anyone affiliated with Titans. Darkness, Stealth
Heroes may dislike kraken and scorpion folk, but they Desperation Pool: 5/7
loathe Timothy Allgood. Health: 3/10
Archetype: Nemesis Defense: 3/4
Qualities: Cage of Words, Center of Gravity Initiative: 6/10

Example Antagonists 139

 VARDOGER WENDIGO
The Vardoger started as an agent of chaos, a spirit pre- Every wendigo contains a hunger that would scour the
decessor or a doppelganger arriving before a person and World of flesh. Among the greatest dangers known to the
doing a thing before the original can do it. With the coming Manitou, windigoag are cannibal giants, creatures of ashen
second Titanomachy, the Vardogers have made themselves grey complexion and skeletal, emaciated forms. Windigoag
available to a broader range of clientele, be it Titan, God, have devoured entire communities and grown to towering
or enterprising Scion. Several Bands of Scions have already heights as a result, yet always their bones push out against
fallen victim to the Vardogers who delay a character, then re- their skin, for their hunger may never be sated.
place them at critical planning meetings. The Vardoger then Maudjee-Kawiss, Oshoshi, Skanda, and Artemis have
pushes for ideas that serve their employer, and by the time fought alongside their Scions to contain the windigoag
the real Scion arrives, the Band has already fallen into a trap. away from the World, but their efforts have failed to stop
Archetype: Villain more subtle infiltrations. A wendigo may hide in the slums,
Qualities: A Cage of Words, Get Out of Jail Free devouring society’s most vulnerable, and some have even
learned to disguise themselves as sickly looking mortals
Flairs: Sorcery (Fortune), Thousand Faces followed by the stench of death. The darkest rumors among
Drive: Cause chaos for their target the Manitou say that the windigoag may have learned to
transform avaricious mortals into more of their kind.
Primary Pool (9): Deception, Stealth
Archetype: Nemesis
Secondary Pool (7): Manipulation, Surprise
Attacks Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Destructive
Force, Life Drain, Tough as Nails, Unnatural Hunger,
Desperation Pool: 5 Unstoppable
Health: 4 Flairs: Making Space, Seeing Red, Suck It Up,
Defense: 3 World Shaking
Initiative: 7 Drive: Sate the hunger for flesh

140 CHAPTER THREE: ANTAGONISTS

 Primary Pool (13): Close Combat, Devouring propagandizing their radical, trans-exclusionary rhetoric
Innocents online that many of their targets regurgitate rhetoric which
Secondary Pool (11): Finding Food excludes literally everyone but cisgender lesbians from
“legitimate” status, all the while insisting their rhetoric
Desperation Pool: 7 does not exclude anyone. By the time the Wombyn finish
Health: 10 their work, they’ve usually added another member to their
ranks. They’re growing so quickly these days that a few cult
Defense: 4 members have suggested purchasing more land or expand-
Initiative: 10 ing to a second location. Rayven’s loath to give up having
Extras: Most windigoag are Size 1-2, though the immediate direct control over her followers, however.
most powerful may be Size 3 or even 4. Archetype: Foe
Qualities: A Cage of Words, Helpless Fascination
WOMBYN OF THE MOON-WATER, (Dianic Imagery)
FOLLOWERS OF RAYVEN SILVERHAIR
Flairs: I Have Friends, Seeing Red
For the past 30 years, Rayven’s followers have main-
Drive: Support Rayven. Create a pure matriarchy
tained a compound in rural Oregon. The coven keeps itself populated only by XX-chromosome humans. Destroy
in the black by creating and selling handmade artisanal or convert anyone who doesn’t fit into their restrictive
soaps as well as running a small publishing house. Said mold.
publishing house, Moon-Water Press, exists solely to put
out volumes of Rayven’s writing as well as tractates by
Primary Pool (7): Almost-True Lore,
Propagandizing, Woodlore
other sympathetic (and female) writers. With the advent
of the internet, the Wombyn have taken to social media Secondary Pool (5): Grappling, Stealth
as a new means of recruiting and swaying young women, Desperation Pool: 3
especially isolated young lesbians. They swamp newly-out
teenage girls and young adult women with adoration and Health: 1
sympathy and slowly begin introducing the teenagers to Defense: 1
exclusionary rhetoric. The Wombyn have gotten so good at
Initiative: 4

Example Antagonists 141

 APPENDIX
This section introduces new rules for adding Titanic flowers, a road could turn into a river, trees become
flavor to Scion games, whether new or ongoing. It contains metal sculptures, and so on. These changes persist
brand new Knacks corresponding to each Titan Calling until the end of the scene.
as well as Titanic Birthrights and the Collateral rules, for
• Harm (2 successes vs trivial targets/any successes over
adding an element of destructive danger.
Defense): Either a major character is hurt by an envi-

NEW ALTERNATE ronmental disaster caused by the characters’ actions

or the power unleashed causes injury (or death) to

RULE: COLLATERAL any number of trivial bystanders.

• Incite (2 successes): Onlookers turn against the char-
acters, furious with them for their wanton destruc-
I n games of enormous power and massive effect, there’s
some expectation that buildings will crumble, crowds will
scatter, and havoc will be wreaked on a huge scale. This can
tion. The triggering character has +1 Difficulty to
social interactions for the rest of the session for each
present an interesting way to provide increased stakes and time this Stunt is chosen, to a maximum of +3.
add a level of dramatic tension to a game. • Pin (2 successes vs trivial targets/any successes over
Defense): A massive piece of rubble falls either on a
BUILDING THE POOL major character in the scene, or on any number of
At the start of any ongoing campaign or a one-shot, the trivial bystanders, trapping them until they break free
Collateral pool begins with zero dice. Whenever the play- or are rescued.
ers’ characters take any of the following actions, add one
• Raze (Successes equal to Size): Destroy an object es-
die to the pool for each applicable action.
tablished in the Field such as a building, the getaway
• Performing marvels car, an armored vehicle, etc.
• Performing Feats of Scale • Rift (5 successes): An aspect of an Overworld,
Underworld, Terra Incognita, or other cosmological
• Making any roll enhanced by Scale
place associated with the rolling character appears,
• Rolling a pool with divinity dice subsuming part of the Field and displacing its reality.
• Failing to buy off applicable Complications Threats from this Otherworld may appear, if dramat-
ically appropriate. Reality reasserts itself at the end
• Certain Stunts (this will be noted) of the scene.
• Special Flairs or Antagonist abilities • Scatter (2 successes): All trivial or non-magical targets
The pool builds until it reaches 10 dice, and the number (including followers and Mooks) flee the area, out of
of dice in the pool roll over from session to session until it terror or self-preservation. Even well-drilled military
hits 10. Once it has been filled, any actions that would add units will run. This is a fear effect for the purposes of
additional dice instead add Enhancement. Knacks and Boons.
At the end of any round in combat or after all player Once the pool has been rolled, it resets to zero, and
characters have taken their actions outside of it, the player resumes filling back up as normal. If the Collateral pool is
whose action caused the pool to fill then rolls all 10 dice and rolled before it reaches 10, reset the value to zero unless
the Storyguide chooses from the following Stunts: otherwise stated. Some actions may cause the Collateral
pool to be rolled immediately. If so, the triggering player
• Echo (3 successes): Alter the Field with an aspect of rolls it right away and the Storyguide chooses the Stunts,
the rolling player’s Purviews. A building might sprout as normal.

142 APPENDIX
 Some actions, Powers, Flairs, or other mechanics, may FENRIR’S PUPS (•••)
specify that the Storyguide must choose certain Collateral
Stunts. When they apply, this is not optional, and the Housebreaking a puppy the size of a pony requires
Storyguide must spend successes on the mandated Stunts Heroic patience, divine strength, and a very large mop.
first, before choosing any others. Nonetheless, some Scions — and not just of the Æsir — take
custody over Fenrir’s cast-offs and unwanted runts, tem-
Players may engage with the Collateral pool in the pering their titanspawn natures with love, structure, and
following ways: luck. Pups grow to the size of a warhorse relatively quickly
• Unchecked Abandon: When a character makes any ac- but cannot grow any larger without Fenrir’s milk (or feast-
tion with unchecked abandon, she may declare before ing on the raw heart of a God or Scion). They share their
she rolls any number of Enhancement, up to +5. The progenitor’s shadow-nature; as they mature, their black fur
Storyguide adds an equal number of dice to the pool darkens to the color of a starless night and their presence
instantly, which may cause the pool to empty. causes nearby light to flicker and dim.

• Devil’s Bargain: Once per session, a character may Qualities: Armor Piercing, Natural Weapon (Claws
take a devil’s bargain, and any Collateral they would and Teeth), Willful (against miracles invoking light)
add to the pool during that action is instead given to Flairs: Shadow Step
the Storyguide as Tension.
Drive: Defend my master

BIRTHRIGHTS Primary Pool (9): Pack Tactics, Standing Guard,

Stealth

T hese new Birthrights present a panoply of strange gifts

the Titans might bestow on their Scions — or that Heroes
might steal as trophies from the bodies of their defeated foes.
Secondary Pool (7): Athletics, Eating the Inedible,
Endurance, Tracking
Desperation Pool: 5
CREATURES Health: 3
Monsters and other “friendly” things that might assist Defense: 3
the Scion.
Initiative: 6
CYCLOPS (••••)
GU (•••)
One-eyed giants born of Gaea and Uranus, the cyclopes
are the epitome of big, dumb muscle. They lack much of the Wicked magicians (and rogue Shén) know the power
(active) malice of their Titanic cousins but are nonetheless of poison — creeping, subtle, vicious. Those cruel enough to
monstrous, possessed of the urge to tear down walls, break fulfill their purpose at any cost create venomous familiars
bones, and otherwise unmake whatever they come across. known as gu. To do so, they collect all the poisonous crea-
A few have been brought to heel through either patient tu- tures they can find — lizards, toads, centipedes, snakes, and
ition or powerful magic, receiving a reprieve from Tartarus scorpions — and seal them in an earthen pot with strange
to serve the interests of the Theoi and their Scions. They incantations. Once they have consumed one another, all
sometimes boast that no one can defeat them; ask Odysseus that remains is the victor: A creature whose loathsome bite
how that turned out. delivers a powerful, cursed venom.

Qualities: Unstoppable Qualities: Natural Weapon (Bite/Sting), Toxic

Flairs: Penetrator Flairs: None
Drive: Impress others with my might Drive: Destroy my master’s enemies
Primary Pool (11): Feats of Strength, Swaggering Primary Pool (7): Envenoming Targets
Braggadocio Secondary Pool (5): Slithering and Creeping,
Secondary Pool (9): Grappling, Stubborn Will Stealth
Desperation Pool: 7 Desperation Pool: 3
Health: 5 Health: 3
Defense: 5 Defense: 3
Initiative: 9 Initiative: 6
Extras: Cyclopes have Size 2 by default, or Size 3 for
an additional dot. RAHU’S CHARIOT (•••••)
The asura Rahu sometimes lends out his chariot and its
eight horses, each black as night and limned in the shadowy

Birthrights 143
penumbra of an eclipse. It streaks across the sky like a meteor, Ào Guāng and his brothers, dragon secretaries sometimes
leaving a trail of stardust that tangles Fate wherever it falls. escape and make their way in the World as peerless facto-
tums, capable of navigating even the labyrinthine regula-
The eclipse-mares of Rahu’s Chariot fight as one and
tions of the Shén.
share health levels; if Taken Out, they flee from the World
and return to their master’s stables to recover. Consultant
Qualities: Apocalyptic Presence, Flight Tags: Access (Shén Bureaucracy), Helpful
Flairs: None NYMPHSTAGRAMMERS (••)
Drive: Streak, brilliant and bold, across the sky! While originally devoted strictly to nymphs, the social
Primary Pool (11): Carrying Cargo, Flying, Inspiring media sensation Nymphstagram has diversified in the past few
Awe years and now includes nature spirits of all origins and iden-
tities — as long as they’re attractive. Top Nymphstagrammers
Secondary Pool (9): Feats of Endurance, Trampling
have connections to all the most glamorous hot spots, eateries,
Desperation Pool: 7 and resorts in this World and many others, making them valu-
Health: 5 able assets for Scions in high society.

Defense: 5 For an additional dot, your Follower is descended from

a Titan, and gains the Smooth tag when dealing with their
Initiative: 9 relatives.

FOLLOWERS Entourage
Groups of other characters (not necessarily all human) Tags: Access (Luxury resorts, one Overworld or
who are willing to assist the Scion. Underworld)
DRAGON SECRETARY (••) STAR DEMON BODYGUARD (•••)
The chief bureaucrats and scribes of the Dragon Kings While Ītzpāpālōtl has assigned Tzitzimime as honor
are lesser (least, really) dragons themselves, busy with tal- guards for high priests and other holy servants, other star
lying treasure and scheduling calamities. Often worked to demons have struck out on their own. One co-op — IxTech
the point of exhaustion and subjected to relentless hours by in Harlem — is renowned above others, offering Tzitzimime

144 APPENDIX
muscle to presidents and Scions alike, as long as they can Asset Skills: Integrity, Leadership
pay in cash and blood. Guide Stunt (1-3 successes): You can ignore the at-
Heavy mosphere of a scene by spending successes equal to the
atmosphere’s intensity.
Tags: Savage, Terrible (Strength), Tough
CIHTLI (•••)
GUIDES At once domineering and doting, Cihtli is one of
Monsters, ghosts, and stranger things who act to assist Tzitzimime and held in esteem even among their number
and teach your players’ characters. for her ruthlessness. When her granddaughter Mayahuel
escaped to the World with her lover, it was Cihtli who
ÀO QUIN (•••) ordered the star demon hordes to rip her own granddaugh-
The Dragon King of the South China Sea is majestic, ter’s flesh from her bones. She has lived with the image of
red-scaled Ào Quin. While his brother Ào Guāng contents Mayahuel’s desecrated body for millennia, but her wrath
himself with counting his treasures and causing storms, outstrips her love. As a Guide, she plays patron to Scions
Ào Quin is a vicious capitalist whose shell companies hold who have been betrayed by their children and grandchil-
significant government contracts at every port along his dren, stoking their bitterness and rage.
sea. He takes apprentices and interns from around the
Asset Skills: Survival, Technology
World, so long as they have dragon-sized ambitions and
flexible morals. Under his claw, they learn to navigate the Guide Stunt (2 successes): You discover the where-
bureaucracies of both Heaven and Earth, filling their trea- abouts of a character to whom you have either a positive or
sure-houses at every step. negative Attitude rating.
Asset Skills: Culture, Persuasion Purview: Stars
Guide Stunt (2 successes): Apply to any intrigue or MADEMOISELLE GULLET (•••)
procedural roll. You become aware of the web of debt pres- Once a French-Algerian physician, now a servant to
ent in a room, sensing who owes what to whom and their the soul-eater Ammut, Mademoiselle Gullet traded her
general feelings about these debts. freedom away to avoid Wesir’s judgment of her (admittedly
Purview: Fortune lacking) soul, offering herself freely to Ammut in an act
of stunning hubris — and in a rare moment of satiety for
BARON SAMEDI (•••) the beast. Despite her own drive to consume wicked souls
Handsome, swaggering, obscene Baron Samedi is the Loa and powerful Relics, she sometimes imparts her ruthless
lord of the dead. While he’s not down with the apocalypse brand of wisdom and pragmatism to younger Scions, with a
(for one thing, it’d be too much work), he’s just as skeptical special softness for those who (like her) serve particularly
of anti-Titan prejudice as his Òrìshà cousins. To that end, he greedy and demanding patrons.
plays Godfather to Titanic Scions who catch his attention, es-
Asset Skills: Close Combat, Firearms
pecially those who seek to build a life for themselves beyond
the Titanomachy and the schemes of their progenitors. Unique Knack: When you Inflict Damage, spend
Momentum and you shear off a piece of your enemy’s soul.
Asset Skills: Integrity, Subterfuge
When you have a few minutes of uninterrupted time to focus on
Guide Stunt (4 successes): When you take on a new digesting the soul, ask one question about the character’s hopes,
identity and put your past to rest, the Difficulty of tracking fears, dreams, or regrets and the Storyguide will give you a use-
you down increases by +3. This effect ends if you answer ful answer worth +3 Enhancement when you bring it to bear.
to your previous name or act to repeat any major mistakes.
Guide Stunt (1 success): In any intrigue scene, when
Calling: Trickster you interact with a Storyguide character who has a negative
CARMUN (••) attitude towards you, you may “increase” the Attitude by 1
when you purchase this stunt. Gain a point of Momentum.
Once a Scion of Athena sailed the World and heard You may do this until the character has an Attitude of 0.
the song of the Titan Aegaeon calling her to greatness.
He showed her a land ripe for conquest, and so she went Calling: Monster
to far-off Éire, wed her sons to Fomorian brides, and took GRIGORI RASPUTIN (•••)
kingdoms by the spear while the Tuatha were busy fighting
Poisoned, shot, thrown in a river — Rasputin’s durabili-
their own Titans. What became of Carmun? She grew too
ty is every bit as great as it was said to be. None are sure who
strong to be ignored, as is ever the case of empires. We
to blame for Grigori Rasputin; the deities Chernobog and
know only that she died in grief, and that she is bound to
Veles are often implicated, but both deny any hand in his
the World still, where she serves as an earnest counselor
Visitation. The rumor, then, is that Rasputin stole or tricked
to war-like Godlings and titanspawn alike, hoping to help
his way into becoming a Scion, conspiring with divinities
them avoid a similar Fate. As an advisor, she asks her
so old that none could remember their names. Whatever
charges always to meditate on what they fight for, and to
the source of his strange, Titanic powers, Rasputin eagerly
measure the cost carefully.
attaches himself to Scions in need of a strong hand and

Birthrights 145
spiritual guidance, serving them as a loyal advisor and en-
tangling them to the point of emotional dependency.
RAHU AND KETU (•••)
Shadowy and mysterious presences among the asura,
Asset Skills: Medicine, Persuasion Rahu and Ketu are two halves of a single entity who tricked
Guide Stunt (1 success): Apply this stunt to any social their way into immortality. In punishment for the theft of sa-
roll. You temporarily charm a character who has received cred amrita, Rahu and Ketu were cleaved from one another,
your advice or ministrations (or who cares about someone and now circle the World unable to reunite. Their influence
who has done so), increasing a positive Attitude by one or de- over Fate makes them powerful allies to any Scion. Because
creasing a negative Attitude by one until the end of the ses- they are irreparably separated, only one or the other appears
sion. You can purchase this stunt multiple times on a single at a time, and they often ask their mentee to relay messages
roll, but each purchase must apply to a different character. between them like a childhood game of telephone.
Purview: Epic Stamina Asset Skills: Subterfuge, Technology
HECATE (•••••) Unique Knack: You cloak your actions so that super-
natural attempts to detect your identity from the available
Ambiguous Hecate, goddess of crossroads and patron
evidence instead suggest that it was someone else. You can
of witches, lives in a World of gray: God and Titan, sympa-
choose the general nature of the fake — their pantheon,
thetic to both and loyal to neither. Little wonder that she
Purview, and Callings — but you cannot disguise yourself
is drawn into the orbit of Scions unable to reconcile their
as a specific divinity.
natures, though she is more likely than not to help them
find further questions rather than answers. Compassionate Guide Stunt (2 successes): Apply to an Encourage
but ever-distant, she demands rigorous intellectual honesty Belief roll involving deception. The target gains the
from those who walk in her company, lest her favor sour. Deceived Condition. The next Encourage Behavior roll you
make against them succeeds automatically as though it had
Asset Skills: Academics, Occult
achieved at least 1 success. Then, end the Condition.
Guide Stunt (1-2 success): Apply to any procedural
Purview: Stars
or other sensing roll. You become generally aware of any
magical or miraculous effects in your immediate presence. TAWISCARA (•••)
Spend two successes instead to focus on a single effect, dis- Tawiscara was born of his divine mother’s armpit; no
covering its nature and receiving a clue as to its creator or one is really sure if that was the cause of his wickedness, or
purpose — your call. just an omen predicting it. As the counterpart to his brother
Unique Knack: When you have time to work sacred Ioskeha, he revels in making things worse and is credited
magic and a powerful symbol of a Purview (such as a mas- with such famous inventions as darkness, weeds, sickness,
terpiece painting for Artistry, or a hermetically sealed room and thorns. The supreme contrarian has fostered Scions of
for Darkness), you may imbue Legend to bind it into your- every stripe but usually takes on either those who already
self. While so bound, you can use it as a channel for marvels revel in the darker side of life or the naïfs who must be bro-
as if it were your own. ken of their willful ignorance.
LADY MACBETH (•••) Asset Skills: Science, Technology
She’s not actually Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth wasn’t Guide Stunt (2 successes): After a few moments of tin-
real, even in the World, but the woman born as Siobhan kering, you can introduce a vulnerability to an object that
Cassidy in 1892 was an actress who committed to method provides +1 Enhancement when exploited. Alternatively,
acting before method acting was even a thing. So beautiful you can introduce a Complication that applies to anyone
she was, and so deep was the art of her rage and despair, using it, like slowing down an alarm’s trigger or making
that she drew the eye of Bres the Beautiful, who Chose airplane seats even less comfortable.
her. Now she is lost forever in the role that earned her the Calling: Adversary
blessings of a Titan, playing patron to those with the ambi-
tion to seize power by any means necessary. In the fleeting RELICS
moments when she is just Siobhan, she displays not despair
Objects of power that Scions might inherit — or steal!
but self-satisfaction at how she has portrayed the lady —
and how she will portray her in the days to come as she BALORIAN EYE (•••)
seeks to inspire a usurper capable of bringing about the When great Balor lifts the seven lids from over his eye,
Titanomachy. his gaze wrecks terrible destruction over all that he sees.
Asset Skills: Leadership, Persuasion Clever artisans — Fomorian, sidhe, or otherwise — have oft
taken inspiration from that dreaded sight, working clever
Guide Stunt (2 successes): You sour a character’s feel-
replicas of glass and crystal. When imbued with Legend,
ings towards love or duty, reducing their positive Attitudes
the Scion can painlessly (but gruesomely) remove one of
by two for the rest of the scene.
her own eyes without risk or complication and then replace
Purview: Artistry it with this Relic. If she reclaims her Legend, the Balorian

146 APPENDIX
eye pops out and her original eye can be placed back in, step and movement. The star-demons of the Tzitzimime have
where it will heal with only minor redness and irritation. their own ayoyotes, but instead of nut shells, they prefer to
Knack: Spend Momentum to reveal the Balorian eye string them with the chipped bones of their fallen foes. The
in all its faceted splendor for a number of actions equal to sound of bone-on-bone can be heard over almost any inter-
your Legend. Anyone who looks upon you suffers a wrack- ference, and it is accompanied by the low moans of the dying.
ing illness as a condition that inflicts +2 Difficulty on vigor- Flaw: The rattling of the ayoyotes adds +2 Difficulty to
ous activities (including combat rolls) and resolves after a Stealth attempts; the deaf can feel the terrible sound thrum
night’s rest. Targets who avert their eyes suffer +1 Difficulty through their bones.
against you until they look or the eye’s magic dims. Purview: Stars
BENNU’S PLUME (••) FENRIR’S FANG (••••)
Purview: Sun Purview: Frost
Motif: “The sun always rises anew” Motif: “The World ends in ice”
Enhancement: +1 when used for writing meant to en- Sharp are the fangs of wolf Titan Fenrir, and cold
lighten or uplift enough to pierce the sun’s fire-flesh. The wolf and his mad
Sometimes called the Egyptian phoenix, the bennu pups have hunted the sun time and again, and only the
bird is a graceful heron venerated as a bringer of renewal intervention of the Gods and their Scions has forestalled
and held as sacred to the gods of the sun —even jealous Ragnarok. From the wolf’s corpse, they pluck a fang — a
Aten. Bennu birds consecrated to Aten and his blinding long, sharp blade nearly a foot in length. These fangs make
light are boon companions to his devotees, and Scions who prized weapons, although many Æsir are disquieted by the
pluck a blue-gray feather from them find it channels Aten’s distant howl that the weapon makes when swung.
own power. All too often, it also serves as a channel for Tags: Concealable, Lethal, Melee, Thrown
Aten’s attention and wrath — for the Titan does not share.
Knack: Spend Momentum to have Fenrir’s Fang
CURSED COPPER GOODS (••••) quench all lights and flames within long range. Flames and
Purview: Death, Water light sources large enough to have Scale are immune. This
inflicts +1 Difficulty to vision-dependent actions in areas of
Motif: “Terror comes from The World beneath.”
low light, or +2 Difficulty in complete darkness. This effect
Wondrous treasures may be made by anyone brave persists for the rest of the scene.
enough to steal from Mishipeshu, who jealously guards the
copper veins of his Underworld home with both vigilance GLUTTONOUS PACK (•••)
and malice, denying it to God, Scion, and titanspawn alike. Born of greed and hunger, a wendigo grows every time
Those who manage to steal away a measure of cursed cop- it consumes human flesh — and its appetites are endless.
per find it resonates with Mishipeshu’s own power, granting Scions with the fortitude and ingenuity to remove a wen-
them dominion over water and death. Traditionally, Relics digo’s innards find their stomachs have been transformed
of cursed copper take the form of small beads worked into into thick, leathery duffels, studded with human teeth in-
jewelry or belts, but modern Scions have also fashioned stead of buttons. A low, churning rumble can be heard from
keys, knives, and one very cursed bottle opener. within.
Cursed copper can be fashioned into weapons and ar- Knack: In addition to storing as much as a normal duf-
mor for an additional dot. Weapons usually gain the Messy fel bag, a gluttonous pack can store up to (owner’s Legend)
and Aggravated tags, leaving festering wounds that weep items regardless of their size or weight, so long as they can
muck and saltwater. Armor becomes Cumbersome and be fit through the pack’s three-foot opening. These items
Resistant to damage from ghosts and other deathly powers. are completely undetectable by any inspection and can be
Knack: You instantly know if Mishipeshu is within retrieved by the owner with a simple action.
(Legend) miles of you. If you invest Legend, this effect ex- ILLUSION–WEAVING TALONS (•••)
tends to any Underworld-related threat, giving you a sense
The rakshasa are master illusionists to rival even the
of both direction, distance, and nature.
subtlest Gods; with their long, elegant talons they weave
Flaw: Mishipeshu instantly knows if you are within smoke, shadow, and story to ensnare the unwary and de-
(Legend) miles of him. ceive great sages. Those same talons are prized trophies for
conquering Scions, who break them off and fashion them
DEMONIC AYOYOTES (•••) into jewel-studded nail guards to grant themselves a mea-
Motif: Hear the singing of the cosmos! sure of rakshasa skill. Modern, fashion-conscious Scions
Enhancements: +2 to intimidate or frighten sometimes transform them into press-on nails instead, but
their length — usually in excess of four inches — makes this
Worshipers of the Teōtl — and the Teōtl themselves, for
incredibly inconvenient.
that matter — adorn themselves for ceremonial dances with
leather bands strung with shells. These ayoyote are worn on Knack: You gain access to the Ephemera Boon (Scion:
the wrists or around the ankles, adding percussion to every Hero, p. 246); if you already have it, you instead gain a +1

Birthrights 147
Enhancement bonus to Clash of Wills rolls and can extend a bounty — enough of the chosen good to feed or outfit
its effect to long range. dozens. At the end of the scene, these treasures quickly rot
into darkness and maggots; anyone who partook of the food
KANAME–ISHI (•• TO ••••) must succeed at a Resistance-based roll to keep it down.
The Titan Namazu is held in place by the kaname-ishi,
Flaw: Once per session, if the paw has been used, the
or pinning rock, which Takemikazuchi used to weigh down
screeching voices of the Monkeys of the Second World
the Titan and limit her thrashing. In so doing, he quieted
can make a demand — an action that will demean or em-
the earthquakes that shook Japan, or at least diminished
barrass the wielder for their amusement. If you refuse, the
them. Other kaname-ishi exist, often in the hands of Kami
Storyguide gains one Tension.
Scions who must subdue titanspawn. Although these
stones are often little more than unworked stone, some are NEZHA’S HEART (••)
engraved with pictograms or prayers, or else wrapped in Purview: Health
sacred shimenawa ropes.
Motif: “Sacrifice balances the scales of life”
Tags: Bashing, Pushing, Stun, Thrown
In Ào Guāng’s palace, there is a box in a chest in a vault
Knack: When purchasing the Line Drive Stunt after an in a chamber that no one else is allowed to enter. Within
attack with the kaname-ishi, you may imbue Legend to pin the box is the heart of a God, still beating but long since
the foe under the stone’s immense spiritual weight. This is desiccated into a leathery pod. This is the heart of Prince
a Complication with a level equal to the kaname-ishi’s dot Nezha, who offered his internal organs to Ào Guāng in ex-
rating; if not bought off, the target cannot rise from prone. change for freeing his parents. Although Nezha has since
Outside of combat, this power can be used to anchor ships been resurrected, Ào Guāng treasures the heart as proof of
and weigh down airplanes as if the kaname-ishi weighed its his victory over the troublesome prince and draws from it
rating in tons. This weight never inflicts unintended struc- a measure of the prince’s own divine power. It has changed
tural damage — even the flimsiest boards can support the hands between them many times over the centuries, stolen
kaname-ishi if placed atop with a purpose. from one on the other’s behalf and stolen back again.
LESSER GOLD–BANDED ROD (••) Knack: Although it holds no special powers of its own,
Ào Guāng has politely requested (and then demand- both Ào Guāng and Prince Nezha value the heart and suffer
ed, and then threatened, and then pleaded) for self-styled +2 Difficulty to avoid bargains that offer it as payment.
Heroes to stop wrecking his palace. When Sun Wukong
claimed a magically-expanding rod — the “pillar holding
PHANTASMIC GARB (•••)
down the sea” — he inspired generations of copycats to rob The World is full of stories about ghost-women clad in
Ào Guāng’s palace in search of similar wonders. Suffused white. Those who lay them to rest, whether by striking them
with the Monkey King’s myth, almost any rod stolen down or finishing their Earthly work, sometimes claim their
from the palace can exhibit some measure of power; Sun softly-radiant gowns in recompense, granting them a measure
Wukong’s own Scions sometimes use these burglaries as a of unearthly allure and an affinity with the World of the dead.
way of initiating newly Visited siblings. Tags: Soft (1)
Tags: Bashing, Melee, Reach, Stun Knack: Creatures of death recognize you as one of
Knack: When imbued with Legend, the staff shrinks their own; unless given evidence to the contrary, they will
to the size of a toothpick, giving it the Concealable tag or presume you are a friend and have a positive Attitude to-
extends dramatically, granting it the Two-Handed tag and wards you.
allowing the bearer to make melee attacks at short range. Flaw: When worn in sunlight, the garb gives you a ter-
rifying mien, making you seem like a wraith. Unless given
MONKEY’S PAW OF THE SECOND SUN (•••) evidence to the contrary, mortals have a negative Attitude
Purview: Deception towards you, often rooted in fear, disgust, or disquietude.
Motif: “The phantoms of a fallen World”
RIVER–DRINKING SKIN (•••)
Little remains of The World as it was during the Enhancement: +1 to defend or counter Water Boons or
Second Sun of the Teōtl except for the dark prison- World marvels, or similar effects
of the monkeys who held dominion over that age. This
paw belonged to one of the unfortunates, lost as it reached A king among the asura, the great dragon Vritra’s thirst
desperately to escape its prison. It is withered and stiff, a is so immense it can’t be slaked by 100 rivers, or 1,000, or
single finger pointing in outrage; wielded as a talisman, it all the rivers of The World! Waterskins made from Vritra’s
can evoke the shadow-stuff of that lost age… but it is filled flesh — or the flesh of his titanspawn minions — are similar-
with a dark and subtle mischief. ly relentless, absorbing water wherever it is found.

Knack: Once per scene, you may make a wish on the Knack: Spend Momentum to spread drought up to
monkey’s paw, producing sumptuous food, fine clothing long range, providing the skin’s Enhancement bonus to ev-
tailored for its intended wearer, subtle perfumes, or other eryone nearby and reducing the size- or force-based Scale
luxuries. If you spend Momentum, you may instead conjure of such effects by one. Water evaporates or recedes, and

148 APPENDIX
even the sea dips down to low tide as the waterskin devours STORM SATCHEL (•)
moisture wherever it is found.
Purview: Sky
SACRED ARROWS (••) Motif: “The power of the winds, unleashed”
Enhancement: +2 against supernatural monsters
In tales of the storm titan Fūjin, he carries a bag full
Many are the gifts of the Manitou, and among those of winds, but in truth, his bags are many and manifold,
gifts are countless sacred arrows, each imbued with will and he is apt to misplace them. These rough-spun bags
and purpose. While these arrows may fly true, however, not are usually battered and threadbare, and the winds inside
all strike a killing blow — the Titan Misigniebig is peppered rouse from time to time in fitful motions. Scions who claim
with the shots of would-be Heroes, and those who track a storm-satchel must attend it carefully, for it is a willful
the Horned Serpent are sometimes fortunate enough to re- Relic, as spirited and mercurial as its Titanic master.
cover such a Relic when an arrow finally works itself loose
Flaw: Once per session, the Storyguide can have the
from the beast’s ancient flesh.
storm-satchel take an action with a pool of six dice, leaping
Knack: A character wounded by a sacred arrow cannot from the Scion’s grasp in a burst of wind. These actions are
remove it; it must be taken out by the one who fired it or else mischievous, but never (knowingly) dangerous.
work itself free over a number of days equal to (5 – Legend).
You gain +1 Enhancement to track the target.
SURTR BLADES (••••)
The fire giant Surtr will raze the World at Ragnarok
SHADOW–SNAKE COUTURE (•••) with his ever-burning sword. While this apocalyptic weap-
Enhancement: +2 to stealth at night or in dark places on has few true peers, it did not emerge from the forges of
The couture of the enigmatic clothier known as Jötunheim in a single attempt. A dozen prototypes (and
Snakewrangler is prized among fashion-forward Scions. a dozen more knockoffs) circulate among Scions and ti-
These outfits are sewn from the skin of the Titan Apep, tanspawn. Each is a two-handed sword cast from iron that
whose scales are so black as to consume all light that touches never cools, radiating red heat and the smell of sulfur. Most
them. Snakewrangler acquires her stock when Apep sheds are engraved with images of Surtr’s inevitable triumph
his skin every decade or so; although she has a waiting list over the Gods, but the knockoffs born of Godly forges in-
of clientele, she gladly makes an exception for anyone brave stead feature crude parodies at the giant’s expense. Jötunn
enough to bring flesh freshly cleaved from the Titan himself. titanspawn often seek out Surtr blades regardless of their
own parentage, both for their destructive power and the
Tags: Soft (2) prestige of reclaiming these weapons from the children of
SILK SPIDER SHAWL (••••) the Gods.
Purview: Beasts (Spiders) Tags: Aggravated, Lethal, Melee, Piercing, Two-
Handed, Unconcealable
When a jorogumo — a spider-yōkai — hungers, it trans-
forms itself into the guise of a beautiful young woman and Flaw: Abilities that sense divine presence, such as
lures travelers into its webs. Their silk is as study as iron; Scent the Divine (Scion: Hero, p. 224), automatically acti-
those who escape with a sample of it find it resonates with vate and detect a Surtr blade within long range. Æsir Scions
a jorogumo’s cunning and often have it spun into a cloak, oft describe this as a distant peal of horns, calling them to
scarf, or shawl. Ragnarok.
Knack: Spend Momentum to transform the shawl into SWADDLED STONE (••)
a set of spindly silken legs for the rest of the scene. With For the love of her child, the Titan Rhea fooled her
them, you can move effortlessly up walls or across ceilings. brother-consort Cronus into swallowing a rock instead
SINISTER HAND (•••) of baby Zeus. Swaddled stones evoke that ancient bit of
subterfuge, convincing their mark they are something far
Enhancement: +2 to curse others through marvels,
more valuable than lumps or rock sewn into stiff woolen
Fortune Boons, or similar powers
swaddling.
When a Scion of the Òrìsha defeats a sorcerer, she
Knack: The Scion can spend Momentum to make the
often takes their left hand — not as trophy, but as punish-
swaddled stone appear as if it were an object or small crea-
ment. It is the left hand that works wicked spells, the left
ture of her choosing. Anyone of a lower Tier believes the
hand that inflicts curses. Scions usually burn these hands
illusion automatically, while characters of the same Tier or
in ritual purification, but they sometimes keep them, trans-
higher can resist with a Clash of Wills. If traded away or
forming them into tools by which the sorcerer’s magic may
stolen, the swaddled stone always returns to the Scion by
yet benefit those he wronged.
the end of the session through a series of unlikely occur-
Knack: When held by someone suffering from a super- rences arranged by Fate. A Scion can spend Momentum to
natural Condition or Complication, the sinister hand points recall the stone immediately, finding it in an unlikely place
in the direction of the source, giving a vague indication as without further explanation.
to distance (generally either “right here,” “nearby,” “a ways
off,” or “far away”).

Birthrights 149
 PULL THE TEETH, PLUCK THE FEATHERS
Many of the Relics described here may be taken as trophies from defeated foes — but why stop at taking
only one fang from a defeated Fenrir? He’s there at your mercy, isn’t he?
Well, the object is only half the magic. Not every fang is Fenrir’s Fang, because quickening a tooth into a
Relic is about the hunt — it gets as much power from your work in retrieving it as from the beast you retrieved
it from. If you pluck a bennu bald, you’ll end up with one Bennu’s plume and a lot of really neat feathers that
are probably pretty and really fun to collect.

TAIKO OF THE THUNDERS (•••) ADVERSARY KNACKS

Purview: Sky Adversary Knacks let you understand a person’s weak-
Motif: “The sound and the fury” ness and turn it against them, whether to destroy them or
force them to change. Adversary knacks are based around
Enhancement: +2 when using the Boon Bold from the
opposition and betrayal.
Blue (Scion: Hero, p. 259)
Raijin likes drums. Raijin loves drums. Raijin, whose HEROIC KNACKS
music is the sound of the thundering heavens, is truly the All Those Lovely Enemies: You sniff out enmity. Pick
best at appreciating drums in the whole World. His col- one target in a scene; you know anyone who they have
lection includes literally millions of every shape, size, and serious negative feelings for (an Attitude of at least –2 or
make, but most famous among them all are the taiko drums worse), and anyone else present who has negative attitudes
that bear his tomoe symbol. In the heat of battle, these towards your target. If your target has an Attitude of 2 or
drums oft go missing, and whatever rage he has at those higher towards you (negative or positive), this works auto-
who would abscond with them is quickly forgotten, for if matically. If not, make a Knack Skill roll, with a Difficulty
Raijin likes anything more than having drums, it is making equal to their Tier.
new ones. Can’t Kill the Rooster: Spend Momentum during
combat to gain Enhancement to your Defense equal to the
KNACKS Attitude targets have towards you for the scene. (A general
Hatred of Scions would not apply, but a specific hate of

T he following Knacks are available for characters that have

one or more of the Titan Callings: Adversary, Destroyer,
Monster, Primeval, or Tyrant.
your character would, for example.)
Familiar Wounds: When you make an attack against
a target with a weapon owned by someone with at least
Many of these Knacks may seem appropriate for a +2 Positive attitude towards the target, you may choose
Scions of Gods that aren’t particularly Titanic; and some to change the damage type between Bashing, Lethal, and
Gods may fit the definition of one of the Titanic callings Aggravated freely, and you may give the weapon the Brutal
particularly well. It’s fine to give Scions access to Knacks or Piercing Tag. If you are the owner of a weapon you use
and even Callings from this section that fit their concept with this Knack, the weapon is destroyed after a causing an
and their parent’s nature. Storyguides shouldn’t hesitate to Injury, Fate recoiling on it.
allow players to use this material on that basis.
Let’s Contain Multitudes: You may possess both pos-
The Theoi and Tuatha possess many familial ties to itive and negative Attitudes towards an individual or orga-
their Titanic kin, while the Atua and Guarani might even nization and choose which applies for any given intrigue
be considered more Titan than God on the whole. Using roll. You may choose to create corresponding Attitudes in
these Callings and Knacks for themselves and their Scions a target when using the Shift Attitude roll, in which case
is particularly appropriate. a successful roll creates an additional Attitude rather than
shifting their existing feelings. For example, if a character
KNACK NOTES had an Attitude –2 of serious loathing towards you, you use
Some of these rules refer to the Collateral rules. If Shift Attitude to create a matching Attitude +2 for being
you’re not using Collateral, any Knacks or other effects that strangely compelling or too annoying to kill. If you do this,
would specifically add Collateral instead add Tension to the your target may not use their Attitude enhancement when
Storyguide’s available pool. trying to resist your Shift Attitude roll.
Some of these powers create or summon followers or Nothing Is Inevitable: When you spare the life of a
creatures. It’s a good idea to record the skill blocks for any defeated enemy who has a negative Attitude towards you,
Birthrights you want to summon up during play both for you gain the Condition “Force of Opposition.” This grants
ease of use and out of consideration for the Storyguide. you +2 Enhancement to any rolls related to thwarting that
enemy’s plans or aiding their other enemies, applied before

150 APPENDIX
you roll. You may resolve this Condition at any time to heal At Attitude 4, anywhere on the same continent. At Attitude
all damage conditions they or their allies have dealt to you. 5, anywhere in the World, or anywhere within five days
Otherwise, it resolves at the end of the story. travel in an Otherworld. They may attempt a counterattack
Sudden but Inevitable: When you attack a target who or social action at the same range after you make an attack,
has a positive Attitude towards you, whether physically in however, and after you have successfully attacked or influ-
combat or socially in intrigue, you may add that Attitude’s enced a target at this range, you can’t use this power again
rating as Enhancement. In many cases, this will result in against the same target for the rest of the session.
the target removing that Attitude, and replacing it with a Nothing Is Forbidden: Against targets with an Attitude
negative Attitude. of 2 or higher towards you, you gain access to the following
True Friendship: During intrigue, you may treat positive stunts in combat:
Attitudes towards an individual as Enhancement for encour- Blood Like Wine (variable): Immediately resolve this as
aging the belief “acting against my friend’s desires is in their an Influence action with the number of successes spent on
best interest” or encouraging the behavior “I will oppose my it against the target.
friend’s desires as soon as I possibly can,” instead of your tar- And the following stunt in intrigue:
get gaining that Attitude as Enhancement to resist your roll.
Tears Like Honey (variable): Immediately resolve this
IMMORTAL KNACKS as an Inflict Damage stunt with the number of successes
At Your Side, In Your Way: Whenever someone you spent on it against the target.
have a negative Attitude towards is in mortal peril, or some- Bystanders must successfully Clash of Wills against you
one you have a positive Attitude towards is about to succeed to understand the nature of what transpired in either case.
at a major goal, you know that it’s occurring — though not
Opposition Without Limit: When you command,
the details of the event. You may spend Momentum to ap-
rally, or intrigue enormous forces to oppose another char-
pear in their scene, as long as you are both in the same World
acter, imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to invoke
or within five days travel in the same Otherworld. Note: This
your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale
may apply to other players’ characters (especially if they’re
about to achieve a Deed) with that player’s permission. Satisfaction or the Knife: Once per session, when you
demand something from someone with an Attitude of 2 or
Contra Mundum: Opposing the World is easy, because
higher towards you, they must choose to either admit your
the World always opposes itself. Pick an individual, orga-
righteousness or your might. If they admit your righteous-
nization, or thing. Your actions to rally characters or items
ness, you gain +1 Scale for purposes of convincing them in
against that target increase their Scale for leadership pur-
intrigue for the rest of the session; if they admit your might,
poses by your Tier or your target’s Attitude towards you,
you gain that Scale instead for purposes of combat against
whichever is higher. You may spend Momentum to change
them. You may not attempt to influence which they choose
your target for Contra Mundum once a session.
with intrigue or supernatural suasion.
Enemies Forever: Pick a target who has at an Attitude
of –2 or worse towards you. Neither you nor your target can DESTROYER KNACKS
die unless the other does the killing, or you are both some-
Destroyer Knacks bestow the power to crush and
how killed simultaneously. This Knack can target only a sin-
destroy objects and enemies alike. They are driven by the
gle target at a time, which you may change once per session.
concepts of destruction and forcefulness.
Evil Appearing: When you initiate combat or intrigue
with an unsuspecting target, all characters of a lower Tier HEROIC KNACKS
must either abandon them, refuse to intervene, or suffer +2 All Fall Down: When purchasing the Knockdown or
Difficulty on all their rolls in the Scene. If the target has a Shove Stunts, you may grant yourself the Shockwave tag,
positive Attitude towards you, they suffer the Complication applying the same Stunt against everyone at close range
“Collateral Betrayal” at a rating of their Attitude for the with Defense equal to or less than your original target. If
scene. It turns lower Tier characters against them until you spend Momentum, it applies at short range instead,
bought off. If the target has a negative Attitude towards you, affecting up to (Destroyer) non-trivial targets.
they suffer the Complication “Blinded by Anger” at a rating Asphalt Apocalypse: Spend Momentum to either tear
of their Attitude for the Scene. It reduces their Defense in up everything around you out to short range, or everything
Combat or resistance pool in intrigue for the next roll by in a direct line from you out to long range. Anyone caught in
the remaining rating if not fully bought off. the effect is knocked back one range band, and the affected
From Hell’s Heart: The distance your combat or in- area becomes difficult terrain.
trigue actions can affect a target increases based on their Baneful Touch: When you touch someone, spend
Attitude towards you. At Attitude 2, your combat actions Momentum to curse their body, mind, or will. They suffer
can target them up to long range in combat and your in- +1 Difficulty to either Physical, Social, or Mental actions
trigue actions can affect them at any distance they could as a special cursed Condition until you either grant them
normally perceive you from, without penalty. At Attitude 3, mercy or they receive supernatural healing from someone
you can target them from anywhere within extreme range. of your Tier or higher. Characters may only be affected by

Knacks 151
one iteration of this Knack at a time, even if targeted by dif- Herald of the End: When you work to destroy a person,
ferent Scions. The Momentum cost is waived against trivial place, or thing that can be measured with Scale (overthrowing
characters. a World leader, razing a city, or bankrupting a multinational
Bust Down the Walls: You gain +2 Enhancement on corporation), you may imbue, rather than spend, a point of
actions to brute force your way through obstacles, whether Legend to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale.
you’re breaking down doors, muscling past the bouncer, Redacted by the Void: You are a non-entity who distorts
or barreling down a booby-trapped hallway. If you spend the records of the World. Any evidence of your presence in a
Momentum, this Enhancement applies before the roll. scene is automatically destroyed at the scene’s end unless pur-
Break the Aegis: Shields, armor, walls — all are as dust posefully preserved by a being of your Tier or higher with a suc-
before the Destroyer. After a successful attack, you gain cessful Clash of Wills. Actions to tail, track, or hunt you suffer +2
access to the following stunts: Difficulty. Trivial characters instantly forget about you once out
of your presence; supernatural effects meant to restore or read
No Shelter (1 or 3 successes): Destroy the target’s cover, their memory return only static and white noise.
and any other potential source of cover in close range. If the
target has Heavy cover, this costs three successes. Salt the Earth: When you destroy something, make a
Knack Skill roll. With any successes, you do it so completely
Rend and Rust (1+ success): Lower the value of a target’s that no trace of the thing remains. With five or more success-
Soft or Hard armor tag by one until the end of the fight. es, you may spend Momentum to erase the thing from the
You can purchase this stunt multiple times to degrade more memories of others. This only affects targets on a personal
powerful armor. level, unless you perform a Destroyer Feat of Scale.
Entropic Eye: Once per scene, you may roll your Knack The Walking Dread: Spend Momentum to create an at-
Skill to examine nearby vulnerabilities. You may spend a mosphere of existential dread and nihilism across the Field as
banked success to ask one of the following questions and desecrated territory. This atmosphere has a strength equal to
get an accurate, useful answer from the Storyteller. When half your Destroyer dots, rounded up, and overrides the cur-
you act on these answers or advise another character to do rent atmosphere unless it is backed by an effect of your Tier or
so, gain +1 Enhancement. higher, resolved by a Clash of Wills. Characters in your dese-
• What vulnerabilities does this (character, object, or crated territory suffer a Complication equal to your Destroyer
structure) have? dots; if not bought off, they either cower or flee.

• How can I inflict maximum damage against this (char- MONSTER KNACKS
acter, object, or structure)?
Monster Knacks unleash your inner beast, often trans-
• Where is this (character, object, or structure)’s blind spot? forming your flesh to match. They are powered by the con-
cepts of transformation and predation.
• What here can give me an advantage against this
(character, object, or structure)? Characters with any dots in Monster gain access to a
Mantle of Unmaking: You have +1 Defense against at- Monstrous Urge — a condition that reflects the beast that
tacks made at close range. When you use the Disarm Stunt dwells within them. You can activate your Monstrous Urge
(Scion: Origin, p. 116), you may destroy a mundane weapon anytime you are injured, threatened, or embarrassed.
instead of simply disarming it. HEROIC KNACKS
Shattering Grasp: When you lay hands on an object or Chimera Hide: While under the Monstrous Urges
structure with a size-based Scale less than your Destroyer Condition, your flesh transforms, becoming chitin, blubbery
dots, roll Knack Skill. With any successes, it shatters in- hide, scales, or some other form of natural armor. When you
stantly. Spend Momentum and destroy any object you can take this Knack, you may spend up to your Monster rating
perceive without needing to touch it. on tags to determine the effects of your armor. If you take
IMMORTAL KNACKS Hard armor, any damage dealt to it heals as if it were your
own flesh; if you invoke Chimera Hide again before it has a
By Will Alone: Choose a number of non-Birthright
chance to heal, the damage still remains. This Knack replaces
weapons equal to your Destroyer dots. When you make
any other form of natural or worn armor as your monstrous
an unarmed attack, you are treated as if you were armed
hide bursts through anything that might contain it.
with one of these weapons, gaining all the appropriate tags.
This doesn’t actually produce a literal weapon, but if you Fear Made Flesh: When you interact with someone,
make a finger gun at someone, they’ll still end up with a you learn their biggest fears and phobias. You can subtly
gunshot wound, no bullets required. This Knack cannot be change your features to evoke those fears, gaining +1
enhanced by Master of Weapons. Enhancement to intimidate, frighten, or coerce them, which
applies before you roll. The target suffers +1 Difficulty to
Crushing Aura: Anyone in close range of you is subject
any action they take against you while in your presence.
to dangerous terrain, which causes a +1 Injury if not bought
off. You may reflexively designate up to your Destroyer dots Nightmare Stalker: When you injure, intimidate, or
in characters who are immune to this aura, so be careful frighten someone, you may mark them as your prey. If you
around houseguests and crowds. do, roll your Knack Skill and bank the successes. You gain

152 APPENDIX
access to the following Stunts, which can only be used by Red of Claw and Fang: You gain a monstrous Natural
spending these banked successes. If you declare another weapon, like a stinger, horns, or spines. It has the Natural
character to be your prey, you lose any previously banked tag, and a number of additional tag points equal to your
successes. Monster Calling. Attempts to conceal this feature have a +1
No Rest for the Wicked (2 successes): Your prey is unable Difficulty, but you can spend Momentum to hide it, causing
to fall asleep naturally, inflicting the insomnia Condition, it to retract into your flesh; it may then be released as a
which prevents a character from sleeping and inflicts +1 reflexive action. You can take this Knack (Monster) times,
Difficulty on complex mental action, or +2 if they haven’t creating a new Natural weapon each time.
slept in more than two days. This Condition resolves in 72 Taste for Blood: The first time that you injure or are
hours, or after eight hours of rest under the effects of pre- injured by an enemy in a scene, roll your Knack Skill and
scription-grade narcotics. bank the successes. You gain access to the following Stunts
Under the Bed (4 successes): You appear near your prey for the rest of the scene, and may spend banked successes
the next time they enter a place of refuge and safety. to activate them after a successful attack.

CONDITION: MONSTROUS URGES

Some Knacks either force you to succumb to your Monstrous Urges or become more powerful when you
do. It’s up to you and the Storyguide to determine the exact nature of those urges, but by default, you are
compelled to solve any problem that presents itself with force.
Effect: You suffer a significant (3+) Complication on any task that requires logic, calm consideration, tact,
or restraint as you struggle against your instincts.
Momentum: Every time your urges cause you trouble, add a point of Momentum to the pool.
Resolution: Withdraw to a place of safety where you have time to collect your thoughts or commit a
heinous act of rage that you’ll regret when you snap out of it.

Knacks 153
 Frenzy (2 successes): You may inflict an additional in- taken to Armor, except the natural armor granted by the
jury condition. You cannot stack this with the Critical Hit Chimera Hide Knack. While under the effects of your
Stunt. Until the end of your next turn, the Difficulty to hit Monstrous Urge, the Momentum cost is waived the first
you is reduced by one. This Stunt can only be bought once time this Knack is used.
per fight. Won’t Go Down: You gain an additional Bruised Injury
Trouble the Wound (2 successes): Until the end of their level and reduce the penalty of Maimed Injuries to +3. If
next turn, the target increases their Difficulty penalty from you have three or more Monster dots, gain another addi-
Injury conditions by two, to a maximum of five. tional Bruised level.
Toxic Blood: Your blood (and saliva) changes to suit IMMORTAL KNACKS
your whims, allowing you to transform it into either poison
Birth by Blood: Spend Momentum and suffer a +2
or medicine. You gain a library of mundane compounds
Injury condition to use your flesh and blood to create a
equal to your Monster dots, and may reflexively shift the
monstrous creature. This creature must be something you
effects of your blood between them. Most are treated as
are familiar with and have a rating equal to or less than your
inflicting the Poisoned Condition (Scion: Origin, p. 125)
Monster dots. Your spawn serves you loyally but not sacrifi-
but can include choices like soporifics, paralytics, or even
cially; if pressed to the verge of death, it will flee and return
relatively benign substances like aspirin.
when healed. It lasts as long as the Injury Condition that
Unearthly Appetite: You are capable of safely eating created it, but once that has healed, it will waste away over
anything, so long as it fits in your mouth, and gain nutri- the course of a few hours unless bought with experience,
tional value from it. If you consume something that has granting it true, independent life.
been intentionally poisoned, spend Momentum to negate
It Was Me All Along: Once per scene, you can reflex-
any harmful effects. This cost is waved while under the
ively have a trivial character reveal that they were you all
effects of your Monstrous Urge.
along, ripping off their form to reveal your own underneath.
Appetite for Victory: When a non-trivial enemy is The Storyguide can veto this declaration if it is literally im-
Taken Out by you, spend Momentum and heal one Injury, possible for you to be there — such as a sanctuary anathema
starting with the most severe. This cannot heal any Injuries to your kind, or a prison with no entrance or exit.

154 APPENDIX
 Predator’s Instincts: When you give in to your animalis- Whispering Weald Verse: During procedural infor-
tic urges on an epic Scale (hunting dragons as prey, devouring mation gathering play, you may always target the landscape
a paramilitary force, or rampaging through the Metropolitan or long-lasting environmental features with any of the
Museum of Art), imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend available approaches for finding clues. This may open up
to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale. additional avenues of investigation, and also allows you to
Strange Skins: You can shapeshift into a number ignore any Complications involving enemies overhearing
of alternative forms. These forms are built as creatures, or interlopers noticing you.
none of which can have a rating higher than your Monster Ten Ton Hammers: When you labor over acts of cre-
dots, and you may have up to twice your Monster dots ation and construction, you can wield the World itself as a
in forms overall. When in an alternate form, you can use tool; your fires rage like those of the sun, your bellows the
their primary dice pool instead of your own. You suffer +2 seasonal winds, your hammers the mountains themselves.
Complications when your animal form interferes with your When using the procedural crafting rules, you can automat-
actions. Changing your shape is a simple action, or reflexive ically satisfy one Milestone with your Primeval industry.
if you spend Momentum. You may purchase this Knack up Whirling Cosmos: You’re in tune with the cyclical
to (Legend) times, each time adding a number of dots to nature of the seasons, the tides, the planets, or some other
your form library equal to your Monster rating. These re- inevitable change in nature. You may spend Momentum to
purchases do not take up additional Knack slots. gain the following bonuses for the next three rounds; only
Terrifying Roar: You unleash a blood-curdling roar one each round, and only once each (i.e., you could use
that sends even the bravest into retreat. Spend Momentum Zenith on the first round, Rising on the second, and Falling
and roll your Knack Skill. With any successes, characters on the third, but not Zenith on the first and second and
out to long range suffer a +2 Complication. Trivial charac- Falling on the third, or Zenith twice on the first).
ters flee automatically, while characters of lesser Tier add Rising: You gain +2 Enhancement for an Attack action.
your Monster dots to the Complication. If not bought off,
affected targets must flee the scene. Zenith: You gain +2 Enhancement for a non-Attack
action
Titanic Stature: When you are under the Monstrous
Urges condition, you grow to more than twice your normal Falling: You gain +2 Enhancement for Defense.
size and take on a fearsome mien with throbbing veins and Chasing the Storm: When you take a rolled Movement
corded sinew. Your size provides you +1 Scale, and you can action or make a Chase roll, you gain access to the following
spend Momentum to apply the Shockwave tag to any attack Stunts:
that leverages your giant form.
Churning Wake (variable successes): Any opponent
PRIMEVAL KNACKS attempting to move closer or pursue you must resolve a
“Storm Hazard” Complication equal to this Stunt’s success-
Primeval Knacks allow you to inhabit, exemplify, es. This inflicts Injury Conditions based on its unresolved
and resonate with aspects of the World such as weather, rating.
seasonal change, or the land itself. They are driven by the
concepts of embodiment and environment. Wreathed in Thunder (1 success): You create expendable
Cover where you end your movement, which your enemies
HEROIC KNACKS may not benefit from.
Land’s Favor: Whenever you’re in combat, you can IMMORTAL KNACKS
conspire with the land to provide you with Hard Cover
instantly available to you. Suddenly present old growth All Disaster: Make a Primeval skill roll. With any
trees, remarkably out of place plinths of ancient stone, and successes, you fill an area with primal eruptions as you call
strangely durable layers of ice are all possible. If an enemy them forth from the World, whether they be storms, earthly
destroys or circumnavigates the cover, they have to deal with upheavals, unlikely rains of celestial objects, or improbably
+2 Complication for “Annoyed Land” and find themselves violent waves. The more successes, the larger the disaster.
unceremoniously exposed to your attacks. If not bought off, In combat, spend Momentum to do this quickly, distribut-
any subsequent attacks gain Arcing against them. ing successes to making “Primal Hazard” Complications in
local Fields of your choosing. They inflict Injury Conditions
At Home in a Hurricane: You may spend Momentum to based on their unresolved rating. Disaster always calls fur-
ignore all Complications and Difficulty increases from envi- ther disaster; add one to the Collateral pool whenever you
ronmental Conditions or Fields for a scene, and instead gain use this Knack.
+2 Enhancement to any actions that would have been affected
by those environmental conditions. If a character of an equal Always Been Here: You may choose to ask a place for
or higher Tier created the environmental effect, you must help, whether it’s an ancient valley, a verdant meadow, or
make a Clash of Wills, but expend no Momentum if you fail. a trash-stuffed alleyway incongruously crammed between
two high-rise condos. When you do, spend Momentum and
You gain access to the following Stunt on all actions. Redirect make a Knack skill roll. Success allows you to call forth al-
the Flow (2 successes): An ally of your choice benefits from the lies from natural and supernatural inhabitants of the place
protection of Never Not at Home for therest of the Scene. alike, as either the Creature or Followers Birthright, with a

Knacks 155
rating equal to your Primeval Calling. Such monsters and add to the Collateral pool, add +1 Enhancement, which ap-
strange legions follow you loyally for the rest of the session, plies before you roll.
for the duration of an in-game day, or until you use this Crushing Inquest: During information gathering play,
Knack again. you gain access to the following Stunt:
Earthblood and Starflesh: Once per session, you may Tyrant’s Weight (1-3 successes): For each success you
choose to discorporate into elemental energies and primal spend, create an atmosphere of Fear for any social encoun-
matter, becoming part of the landscape or local weather ters with a rating equal to the successes spent for the rest
effects. This removes any Bruised Conditions you have, of the session.
and you can’t be attacked or otherwise interacted with by
anyone without appropriate supernatural abilities (who Present Dread: You may spend Momentum to create
must still win a Clash of Wills to target or affect you). At any the following Complication for anyone opposing or attack-
point later, you may reform and resume normal existence, ing you for a Scene:
either at the location you discorporated or in the presence “Aura of Oppression” (+2): Failing to resolve this
of a friendly character who was there when you initially Complication creates an Attitude of fear for the character
used this Knack. attempting the action towards the Scion who created it
The Bones of the Universe: You know the secret equal to the Complication’s unresolved rating.
structure of the World and beyond, and may move through Ready Displeasure: Whenever someone who serves
passages ancient when the Gods were young. When you you or has sworn to follow you disobeys the spirit of your
choose to travel, you may travel from like to like, putting a orders, you immediately know (though not what exactly
boat into the water on the Great Lakes only to emerge from they did or why they did it).
Lake Victoria, walk into the Sahara and walk out of the
Reward the Obedient: You may make a Knack skill roll
Gobi, or even dig through a snowbank in Alaska to emerge
against a target, opposed by their Integrity + Composure or
from the snowpack in the Alps. Such travel takes no longer
Resolve or most relevant dice pool. On a success, create
than a day’s travel (about eight hours). While native dan-
the condition “Tyrant’s Command” on them. Anytime a
gers or obstructions from either your entry or exit might
character suffering from the “Tyrant’s Command” condi-
bar your way, those otherwise trying to track or waylay
tion disobeys you, you may end the Condition to instantly
you must make a Clash of Wills to intercept you before you
inflict one damage to the target. Otherwise, the Condition
reach your destination. If the connection between elements
resolves after they’re away from your presence for at least
you travel through is tenuous (“Well, Central Park and the
a day.
Amazon both have trees!”) or relies on the constructions of
man (such as going from sewer system to sewer system), Tools of Tyranny: Intrigue actions or physical attacks
spend Momentum to use this Knack. made by your sworn subordinates (including followers or
beasts) against targets with an Attitude of fear towards you
The Voice of the Storm: You may send forth your
or in an atmosphere of fear gain Enhancement +1. If you’re
intent into the World, delivering messages through the
present, intrigue actions benefitting from this Knack re-
patterns in leaves, the whispers in crashing waves, or the
solve an additional Milestone on a success, while physical
crackling of fire. This allows you to communicate with any
attacks gain the Brutal tag.
willing target, while you may spend Momentum to deliv-
er messages to unwilling targets. In either case, you may IMMORTAL KNACKS
choose to allow them a short reply, and may make intrigue Absolute Terror: The dread you inspire warps at-
actions targeting them. tempts to oppose or harm you. Foes attacking or opposing
The World Entire: When you work to turn existing you suffer any Attitudes of fear they possess towards you
natural forces to your will on a massive scale, such as re- as additional Difficulty on their rolls, while foes opposing
routing rivers, directing wildfires, or taking advantage of a you with inanimate objects that should happen to fear you
tidal change, imbue, rather than spend, a point of Legend to must overcome their weapon’s Attitude as Complication or
invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale. be disarmed.
Faceless Legions: Make a Knack roll. On a success, you
TYRANT KNACKS gain followers equal to your Tyrant rating for the remainder
Tyrant Knacks enable you to impose your will on of the session, your personal gravity drawing weak-willed
others, or make them suffer for disobeying you. They are humans and lesser supernatural beings to your service. If
driven by the concepts of oppression and authority. they fail a roll, you may dismiss them, make an example
of them, or disdainfully abandon them. If you do, you lose
HEROIC KNACKS access to Faceless Legions for the rest of the session, but
A Voice Like Doom: During intrigue play, whenever you gain your Tyrant dots in Enhancement to succeed at
you try to Shift Attitude or Atmosphere during intrigue play whatever they failed at. You may not have more than one
to create feelings of fear or to Encourage Behavior to en- group of followers collected by Faceless Legions bound to
force obedience, you may choose to increase the Collateral you at once.
pool by up to your Tyrant Calling in dice. For each die you

156 APPENDIX
 Haughty Summons: You may call a character sworn or demanding the labor of an entire country, imbue, rather
to your service or a Birthright similarly attached to you to than spend, a point of Legend to invoke your Legendary
your side in a frightful wind. Spend Momentum: If they Title as a Feat of Scale.
could plausibly come to your side in a scene, they arrive The Fear: The fear and terror you cause is absolute,
immediately; a day, they arrive at the end of the Scene, any even affecting targets that would normally be unable to feel
longer, they arrive at the next dawn or dusk. If supernatu- fear such as unintelligent constructs or inanimate objects.
rally kept from meeting your call, you may Clash of Wills Trivial opponents are unable to target you with physical
against whatever force holds them in durance. Birthrights attacks or other actions to hinder you, barring outside
need not be capable of their own conveyance normally to supernatural means, and you may inflict Attitudes of fear
respond to the summons; players’ characters must always or similar emotions on normally invalid targets, such as
give consent to be affected by this power. “fearless skeleton warriors” or “that wall.” Lower Tier foes
Solipsistic Disdain: Once per scene, you may spend must succeed at an Integrity + Composure or Resolve or
Momentum to ignore an attack against your person, re- most relevant dice pool rollto affect you, which counts as
fusing to acknowledge its existence and becoming utterly a normal action in action-adventure play. Foes protected
unaffected by any of its effects. If this was in response to an against fear by supernatural means may make a Clash of
ambush or surprise attack, you may use this Knack without Wills roll to oppose your ability to create dread.
spending Momentum and may use it one more time during Wicked Industry: When crafting, you may always
the Scene. count “the toil of desperate servants” and “dire plots
Squirming Masses: When attempting to inflict fear or planned in darkness” as Milestones.
coerce obedience on a huge Scale, such as cowing an army

Knacks 157