The Majestic Book of Infinite Things
Description
This is a pop-up book that Ellie plundered from the Akashic Brotherhood's library. Besides being well drawn and beautifully bound, it has the ability to conjure up chimeric beasts if its owner can exert enough control. Each page is illustrated with bright colors and elaborate drawings, has a popup in the middle of the page, and a poem. Chimeric beasts are conjured when the poems are read by its owner.
Page 1: "The Newly-Wed Queen"
There once was a newly-wed queen,
Fair and young and cruel,
Not concerned with her subjects unseen,
The poor and sick she ruled.
She bid her bard play her a tune,
Pain and woe he spun,
Her blood ran cold under the moon,
She no longer saw the sun.
This page depicts a castle in a mystical kingdom, with the pop-up wall and ramparts beautifully illustrated. A slender, beautiful woman sits on the throne.
(Gameplay notes: Each half-stanza requires one turn to recite. After one turn of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 2: "The Soldier"
A soldier returned home from war,
Thrice he rapped on his faithful wife's door.
She invited her weary spouse in,
And offered him brandy and gin.
Unaware that a scheme was in motion,
He took a deep draught of the potion.
He laid still lacking sight, smell and breath,
She was married soon after his death.
This page depicts a country cottage at night with a warm, inviting light. A tired and bandaged man approaches the door along a path of cobblestones.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After one turn of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 3: "Little Jack Pate"
Little Jack Pate
Was quite very late
To meet Jenny on the top of the hill.
He jumped and he ran
O'er grass, weeds and sand
And leapt as he ran through the mill.
He tripped in his haste
His life went to waste
His young body the river did fill.
Jenny just sighed
Looked up to the sky
And plucked lilies and daffodils.
This page depicts an idyllic farming village. A mill built against a river springs out of the page. A young boy and his dog run happily through the grass.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After two turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives two automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 4: "The Spider and The Fly"
Said the spider to the fly, "Come into my home."
Chuckled the fly to the spider, "Not while I may yet roam."
Said the spider to the fly, "Tis warm and tis roomy."
Giggled the fly to the spider, "Tis cold and tis gloomy."
Said the spider to the fly, "The cushions are fluffy."
Laughed the fly to the spider, "It looks rather stuffy."
Said the spider to the fly, "The meat is still cooking."
Beamed the fly to the spider, "It's lean and sick-looking."
Said the spider to the fly, "All your friends are inside."
Smiled the fly to the spider, "Ah, then there's no need to hide."
Gasped the fly to the spider, "How vile and seditious!"
Gulped the spider to the fly, "How hearty and delicious!"
This page depicts an elaborate spider web inside of a dark cave. A large arachnid sits at the center of the web, speaking to a fly hovering nearby.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After two turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives four automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 5: "My Lovers Three"
My first lover, fair is she,
Hair like silk, eyes like pearls,
Soft, warm breasts and a heart carefree,
I lay in the sun in her golden curls.
My second lover, stern is he,
His words are flint and his mind is a knife,
Even in dreams his gaze pierces through me,
Pursed lips spill forth heartache and strife.
My third lover, silent is she,
Crackling lips and hard, dying eyes,
She sits day and night 'neath a withering tree,
Speaking naught but riddles and puzzles and lies.
This page depicts an elaborately decorated bedroom with gold ornaments and rare silks. In the center is a a pop up bed with three people laying in it, all embracing and smiling happily.
(Gameplay notes: Each half-stanza requires one turn to recite. After three turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Gameplay Rules
The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can be gained as a 1 to 5 dot background. Once the book comes into its owner's possession, it becomes a one dot background. The more it is used, the higher the background becomes. The Storyteller may require the expenditure of experience points to gain successive dots.
The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can conjure up chimeric beasts of varying power levels. Each beast will have a power rating of 1 to 5. Only one conjured beast may be present at a time, and the added power levels of all chimera summoned during a single scene may not exceed the owner's rating in the background.
For example, with a background rating of 3, its owner could conjure three level 1 beasts, one level 1 and one level 2 beast, or one level 3 beast. Only one of the conjured beasts may be present at a single time. If the owner chooses to conjure a chimeric beast while controlling a second beast, the old beast immediately vanishes when the new beast appears.
A beast's power level determines how many chimera creation points are used to create it. Each level of power confers 5 chimeric creation points, and every created chimera has the following benefits for free:
Glamour 1
Willpower 1
Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1
Four Health Levels (-0, -1, -5, I)
Wyrd (Rede: The chimera becomes solid and may interact with the real world, doing bashing and lethal damage.)
Majestic Image (New Rede: If the conjured chimera shares some thematic element with the poem used to conjure it, it may be given any number of free dots in Appearance, up to its Glamour.)
Beasts are summoned by flipping to the appropriate page for the desired power level and then reading the poem aloud. The volume of the voice does not matter, but effects which kill sounds (such as Quietus) will make summoning impossible as long as they persist. Based on the poem read, the chimera will appear after a few turns. If the owner continues to read the poem to completion, they will receive a bonus towards controlling the beast. If the owner can not summon the desired beast either because the power level is greater than her background or because the power level exceeds the remaining power for the scene, nothing happens, even if the poem is read to completion.
If the owner wants to take other actions while reciting the poetry, they must make a Wits roll (diff 8) or suffer a (5 - Wits) dice pool penalty to all of their actions that turn.
To control a conjured beast, a successful Wits + Kenning roll (difficulty 3 + power level) or a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 6 + power level) must be made. The number of successes determines the number of turns the owner may exert control over the beast. This roll is reflexive and is made when a new chimeric beast is summoned from the book or at the beginning of the owner's turn, assuming the currently summoned beast is not under its owner's control. If the owner fails to control the chimeric beast, it will attack the nearest moving object that isn't its owner. If the owner botches the control roll, the chimera will attack the owner. Changelings may never botch this control roll.
Controlling a summoned chimeric beast is automatic and reflexive. The owner may act independently from the beast, merely using her mind to guide its actions. If the owner wants the chimera to perform actions more complicated than "attack that target," the chimera will need to be created with some mental attributes in mind. If the owner would like the chimera to be able to speak and interact with people, it will need to be created with some social attributes in mind.
Example Chimeric Beasts
Chimeric beasts summoned from The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can take any form and have any combination of attributes its owner desires. Below are some example chimera. These are geared towards use in combat. All chimera have the Wyrd and Majestic Image Redes even though they are not noted.
Level 1: The Littlest Knight
Glamour 2
Willpower 1
Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Appearance 2
Melee 3
Lance (weapon, +1 damage)
(Attack Pool: 5, Damage Pool: 5, Defense Value: 1, Health Levels: 4 (-0, -1, -5, I))
This chimera appears as a toy knight approximately three feet tall. It clanks and jerk as it walks, but it can run as quickly as a human being can. It wields a lance which is almost two feet tall. Even though it appears to be covered in armor, it can be damaged as if it were a person wearing a cotton shirt.
Level 2: The Toy Soldier
Glamour 3
Willpower 1
Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Appearance 2
Firearms 3
1 Armor
+2 Health Levels
Rifle (weapon, +2 damage)
(Attack Pool: 6, Damage Pool: 7, Defense Value: 2, Health Levels: 6 (-0, -1, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera appears as a toy soldier approximately three feet tall wielding a wooden rifle. While not taking action, it stands at attention in a very nutcracker-y sort of way.
Level 3: The Drowned Boy
Glamour 4
Willpower 1
Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1
Appearance 1
Brawl 5, Dodge 1
+6 Health Levels
Ensnare Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Fear Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 10, Damage Pool: 5, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 10 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera takes the form of a boy approximately four feet tall. His skin is pale and icy to the touch. He is dressed in a torn cloth shirt and pants. He does not blink and keeps his face angled downward with his white eyes glaring up at whoever is in front of him. His face wears a hateful scowl, and even though he appears to breath, only water droplets spill forth from his mouth. His face and eyes appear to grow veins when he activates the Fear Rede, and his method of using Ensnare involves wrapping his arms, legs and abnormally long tongue around his target.
Level 4: The Clever Spider
Glamour 6
Willpower 1
Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4
+8 Health Levels
Brawl 6
Venom Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Ensnare Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 11, Damage Pool: 6, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 12 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera is a massive, black, hairy spider approximately six feet tall. It has glowing green eyes and a slimy maw which appears to be twisted into a grin. Though it has eight legs, it may only attack with two. It may spit thick webbing to ensnare an enemy, and it may also spend its glamour to deal extra damage through poison.
Level 5: The Triple-Visaged Lover
Glamour 8
Willpower 1
Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4
Appearance 8
+6 Health Levels
Healing Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Aggravated Damage Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Befuddle Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 5, Damage Pool: 6, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 10 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
The Triple-Visaged Lover appears as an unnaturally beautiful woman wearing a white nightgown. Rather than a head of hair, the woman's bald head bears three faces which are sort of "glued" together. The first face is of a 19 year old virginal woman, the second is the worn face belonging to a stressed middle aged man, and the third is an ancient crone with thinning hair and dry lips. The chimera's neck can spin freely in both directions, and whichever face is in "front" has its eyes open while the other two keep theirs closed.
Normally, the chimera has the man's face in front, but whenever it is using its Healing Rede, the young woman comes forward. Whenever it uses Befuddle, the crone comes to the front.
Storyteller Notes
This book is intended for Changeling crossover characters. Though it may be used by anyone, it is much easier for a Changeling to summon and subsequently control the creatures summoned from the book. The ability to summon help makes them more useful in combat when compared to Vampires, Werewolves and Mages. The "free" chimeric benefits are included with the intention of giving the summoned beast a physical body with which to interact with and damage other creatures. These "free" benefits total to 12 chimeric creation points, so if this book is used in a Changeling only game, these stats might need to be reconsidered.
Old WoD didn't use Defense Values. For the sake of speeding up combat, I have adopted a modified kind of defense value which subtracts from an attacker's dice pool. These values are derived by adding the Dexterity and Dodge stats and then dividing by two (rounding up).
This is a pop-up book that Ellie plundered from the Akashic Brotherhood's library. Besides being well drawn and beautifully bound, it has the ability to conjure up chimeric beasts if its owner can exert enough control. Each page is illustrated with bright colors and elaborate drawings, has a popup in the middle of the page, and a poem. Chimeric beasts are conjured when the poems are read by its owner.
Page 1: "The Newly-Wed Queen"
There once was a newly-wed queen,
Fair and young and cruel,
Not concerned with her subjects unseen,
The poor and sick she ruled.
She bid her bard play her a tune,
Pain and woe he spun,
Her blood ran cold under the moon,
She no longer saw the sun.
This page depicts a castle in a mystical kingdom, with the pop-up wall and ramparts beautifully illustrated. A slender, beautiful woman sits on the throne.
(Gameplay notes: Each half-stanza requires one turn to recite. After one turn of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 2: "The Soldier"
A soldier returned home from war,
Thrice he rapped on his faithful wife's door.
She invited her weary spouse in,
And offered him brandy and gin.
Unaware that a scheme was in motion,
He took a deep draught of the potion.
He laid still lacking sight, smell and breath,
She was married soon after his death.
This page depicts a country cottage at night with a warm, inviting light. A tired and bandaged man approaches the door along a path of cobblestones.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After one turn of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 3: "Little Jack Pate"
Little Jack Pate
Was quite very late
To meet Jenny on the top of the hill.
He jumped and he ran
O'er grass, weeds and sand
And leapt as he ran through the mill.
He tripped in his haste
His life went to waste
His young body the river did fill.
Jenny just sighed
Looked up to the sky
And plucked lilies and daffodils.
This page depicts an idyllic farming village. A mill built against a river springs out of the page. A young boy and his dog run happily through the grass.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After two turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives two automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 4: "The Spider and The Fly"
Said the spider to the fly, "Come into my home."
Chuckled the fly to the spider, "Not while I may yet roam."
Said the spider to the fly, "Tis warm and tis roomy."
Giggled the fly to the spider, "Tis cold and tis gloomy."
Said the spider to the fly, "The cushions are fluffy."
Laughed the fly to the spider, "It looks rather stuffy."
Said the spider to the fly, "The meat is still cooking."
Beamed the fly to the spider, "It's lean and sick-looking."
Said the spider to the fly, "All your friends are inside."
Smiled the fly to the spider, "Ah, then there's no need to hide."
Gasped the fly to the spider, "How vile and seditious!"
Gulped the spider to the fly, "How hearty and delicious!"
This page depicts an elaborate spider web inside of a dark cave. A large arachnid sits at the center of the web, speaking to a fly hovering nearby.
(Gameplay notes: Each stanza requires one turn to recite. After two turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives four automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Page 5: "My Lovers Three"
My first lover, fair is she,
Hair like silk, eyes like pearls,
Soft, warm breasts and a heart carefree,
I lay in the sun in her golden curls.
My second lover, stern is he,
His words are flint and his mind is a knife,
Even in dreams his gaze pierces through me,
Pursed lips spill forth heartache and strife.
My third lover, silent is she,
Crackling lips and hard, dying eyes,
She sits day and night 'neath a withering tree,
Speaking naught but riddles and puzzles and lies.
This page depicts an elaborately decorated bedroom with gold ornaments and rare silks. In the center is a a pop up bed with three people laying in it, all embracing and smiling happily.
(Gameplay notes: Each half-stanza requires one turn to recite. After three turns of recitation, the summoned chimera appears. It is under the owner's control for as long as she recites the poem, and if the recitation is completed, the owner receives three automatic successes on her next roll to control the chimera.)
Gameplay Rules
The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can be gained as a 1 to 5 dot background. Once the book comes into its owner's possession, it becomes a one dot background. The more it is used, the higher the background becomes. The Storyteller may require the expenditure of experience points to gain successive dots.
The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can conjure up chimeric beasts of varying power levels. Each beast will have a power rating of 1 to 5. Only one conjured beast may be present at a time, and the added power levels of all chimera summoned during a single scene may not exceed the owner's rating in the background.
For example, with a background rating of 3, its owner could conjure three level 1 beasts, one level 1 and one level 2 beast, or one level 3 beast. Only one of the conjured beasts may be present at a single time. If the owner chooses to conjure a chimeric beast while controlling a second beast, the old beast immediately vanishes when the new beast appears.
A beast's power level determines how many chimera creation points are used to create it. Each level of power confers 5 chimeric creation points, and every created chimera has the following benefits for free:
Glamour 1
Willpower 1
Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Stamina 1
Four Health Levels (-0, -1, -5, I)
Wyrd (Rede: The chimera becomes solid and may interact with the real world, doing bashing and lethal damage.)
Majestic Image (New Rede: If the conjured chimera shares some thematic element with the poem used to conjure it, it may be given any number of free dots in Appearance, up to its Glamour.)
Beasts are summoned by flipping to the appropriate page for the desired power level and then reading the poem aloud. The volume of the voice does not matter, but effects which kill sounds (such as Quietus) will make summoning impossible as long as they persist. Based on the poem read, the chimera will appear after a few turns. If the owner continues to read the poem to completion, they will receive a bonus towards controlling the beast. If the owner can not summon the desired beast either because the power level is greater than her background or because the power level exceeds the remaining power for the scene, nothing happens, even if the poem is read to completion.
If the owner wants to take other actions while reciting the poetry, they must make a Wits roll (diff 8) or suffer a (5 - Wits) dice pool penalty to all of their actions that turn.
To control a conjured beast, a successful Wits + Kenning roll (difficulty 3 + power level) or a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 6 + power level) must be made. The number of successes determines the number of turns the owner may exert control over the beast. This roll is reflexive and is made when a new chimeric beast is summoned from the book or at the beginning of the owner's turn, assuming the currently summoned beast is not under its owner's control. If the owner fails to control the chimeric beast, it will attack the nearest moving object that isn't its owner. If the owner botches the control roll, the chimera will attack the owner. Changelings may never botch this control roll.
Controlling a summoned chimeric beast is automatic and reflexive. The owner may act independently from the beast, merely using her mind to guide its actions. If the owner wants the chimera to perform actions more complicated than "attack that target," the chimera will need to be created with some mental attributes in mind. If the owner would like the chimera to be able to speak and interact with people, it will need to be created with some social attributes in mind.
Example Chimeric Beasts
Chimeric beasts summoned from The Majestic Book of Infinite Things can take any form and have any combination of attributes its owner desires. Below are some example chimera. These are geared towards use in combat. All chimera have the Wyrd and Majestic Image Redes even though they are not noted.
Level 1: The Littlest Knight
Glamour 2
Willpower 1
Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Appearance 2
Melee 3
Lance (weapon, +1 damage)
(Attack Pool: 5, Damage Pool: 5, Defense Value: 1, Health Levels: 4 (-0, -1, -5, I))
This chimera appears as a toy knight approximately three feet tall. It clanks and jerk as it walks, but it can run as quickly as a human being can. It wields a lance which is almost two feet tall. Even though it appears to be covered in armor, it can be damaged as if it were a person wearing a cotton shirt.
Level 2: The Toy Soldier
Glamour 3
Willpower 1
Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Appearance 2
Firearms 3
1 Armor
+2 Health Levels
Rifle (weapon, +2 damage)
(Attack Pool: 6, Damage Pool: 7, Defense Value: 2, Health Levels: 6 (-0, -1, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera appears as a toy soldier approximately three feet tall wielding a wooden rifle. While not taking action, it stands at attention in a very nutcracker-y sort of way.
Level 3: The Drowned Boy
Glamour 4
Willpower 1
Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1
Appearance 1
Brawl 5, Dodge 1
+6 Health Levels
Ensnare Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Fear Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 10, Damage Pool: 5, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 10 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera takes the form of a boy approximately four feet tall. His skin is pale and icy to the touch. He is dressed in a torn cloth shirt and pants. He does not blink and keeps his face angled downward with his white eyes glaring up at whoever is in front of him. His face wears a hateful scowl, and even though he appears to breath, only water droplets spill forth from his mouth. His face and eyes appear to grow veins when he activates the Fear Rede, and his method of using Ensnare involves wrapping his arms, legs and abnormally long tongue around his target.
Level 4: The Clever Spider
Glamour 6
Willpower 1
Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4
+8 Health Levels
Brawl 6
Venom Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Ensnare Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 11, Damage Pool: 6, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 12 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
This chimera is a massive, black, hairy spider approximately six feet tall. It has glowing green eyes and a slimy maw which appears to be twisted into a grin. Though it has eight legs, it may only attack with two. It may spit thick webbing to ensnare an enemy, and it may also spend its glamour to deal extra damage through poison.
Level 5: The Triple-Visaged Lover
Glamour 8
Willpower 1
Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4
Appearance 8
+6 Health Levels
Healing Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Aggravated Damage Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
Befuddle Rede (See: Changeling The Dreaming)
(Attack Pool: 5, Damage Pool: 6, Defense Value: 3, Health Levels: 10 (-0, -0, -1, -1, -1, -2, -2, -2, -5, I))
The Triple-Visaged Lover appears as an unnaturally beautiful woman wearing a white nightgown. Rather than a head of hair, the woman's bald head bears three faces which are sort of "glued" together. The first face is of a 19 year old virginal woman, the second is the worn face belonging to a stressed middle aged man, and the third is an ancient crone with thinning hair and dry lips. The chimera's neck can spin freely in both directions, and whichever face is in "front" has its eyes open while the other two keep theirs closed.
Normally, the chimera has the man's face in front, but whenever it is using its Healing Rede, the young woman comes forward. Whenever it uses Befuddle, the crone comes to the front.
Storyteller Notes
This book is intended for Changeling crossover characters. Though it may be used by anyone, it is much easier for a Changeling to summon and subsequently control the creatures summoned from the book. The ability to summon help makes them more useful in combat when compared to Vampires, Werewolves and Mages. The "free" chimeric benefits are included with the intention of giving the summoned beast a physical body with which to interact with and damage other creatures. These "free" benefits total to 12 chimeric creation points, so if this book is used in a Changeling only game, these stats might need to be reconsidered.
Old WoD didn't use Defense Values. For the sake of speeding up combat, I have adopted a modified kind of defense value which subtracts from an attacker's dice pool. These values are derived by adding the Dexterity and Dodge stats and then dividing by two (rounding up).