Cerberus
The Hunter Faction of the Hounds of Hell MC
All humans have a fundamental wellspring of life and nature that provides a uniquely mortal perspective. Pick FIVE Humanity Traits that represent the best aspects of your character’s personality even if you keep them hidden. What is fundementally good and right about your character, even if it’s not always displayed?
Humanity separates mortals from the rest of the supernatural world at large. Humanity is the mortal’s connection to the fundamental forces of life. Through Humanity, people are connected to one another and to their surroundings. Therefore, characters with many Humanity Traits are very much “in touch” with themselves and their environments; individuals with little Humanity are cold and distant. Most mortals have four Humanity Traits. Particularly caring or insightful mortals may have more, possessing up to eight Traits. Conversely, no mortal can ever fall permanently to zero Humanity Traits. There is always a spark of humanity at the core of any mortal’s being.
The modem world often derides Humanity as dangerous and worthless. Nice guys finish last, after all. Just getting by in the World of Darkness requires some degree of callousness and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to survive. Yet still, many people hold on tight to their Humanity. The habits of compassion and honor die hard. In a world gone mad with killers and manipulators, Humanity - the power of fundamental integrity - may actually be the best defense.
Benevolent, Charitable, Chivalrous, Fair, Generous, Giving, Gracious, Helpful, Honorable, Humane, Innocent, Kind, Liberal, Loyal, Merciful, Moral, Naive, Pious, Sympathetic, Warm
Humanity Traits
Humanity
Using Humanity:
Humanity Traits serve many purposes. As a measure of character and inner strength, Humanity Traits give mortals exceptional endurance when threatened.
Relief of Derangements:
Early in each game, a player may expend one humanity Trait to temporarily relieve her character of a Derangement.
A Storyteller should note this expenditure of Humanity, which lasts for the duration of the evening’s game. The player should ideally use this capability at the beginning of the session. It’s inappropriate to suddenly decide to use Humanity to avoid a Derangement after the Derangement becomes a problem in play. Using Humanity to fight a Derangement should be played out. Whether a character confides in a trusted friend about his constant battle to work through a Derangement, prays vociferously for strength or displays the St. Christopher medal his mother gave him on her death bed, he should perform some in-game action to demonstrate the expenditure of this very important Trait.
Threats to Life and Limb:
Humanity Traits can also be used when a character’s “fight or flight” instinct is triggered. In a survival situation, a player can spend a Humanity Trait to be up one Trait for a challenge. Alternately, the player can use the Humanity Trait in place of another Trait, drawing on reserves of inner strength to persevere. This only works in life-threatening situations.
Losing Humanity:
Humanity is a precious thing, and it is all too hard to hold onto while living the life of a hunter. Contact with the supernatural tends to distance a character from the benefits of everyday life. Whenever a mortal commits a base or inhumane deed, he jeopardizes his Humanity. From torture, to certain Praxes, to the creation of a demonic pact, acts of cruelty and other immoral deeds can all lead to the erosion of amortal’s Humanity.
Depending on the number of Humanity Traits the character has, some actions may be deemed acceptable, while others are definitely depraved. A character with seven Humanity Traits might shy at breaking and entering, whereas one with only three Humanity Traits wouldn’t hold back at roughing up someone for information. Whenever a situation or session concludes in which a character has committed a deed worthy of a loss of Humanity, the Storyteller should engage in a Simple Test with the player. If the player loses the test, the character loses a permanent Humanity Trait. The Storyteller should feel free to choose the Trait to be lost, making it as appropriate to the situation as possible.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, characters of particularly low Humanity may be awarded Negative Traits (the Negative Social Trait of Callous seems quite appropriate) or even Derangements, to reflect the growing disconnection with their humane side. These Traits can be assigned even if the characters succeed in the test to avoid losing a Humanity Trait. Humans who fail a test while only possessing one remaining Humanity Trait automatically gain some sort of Negative Trait or Derangement, at the Storyteller’s discretion; the fundamental connection to Humanity can never be lost, but the character will spiral into madness. No freebie Traits or Experience Traits accompany the gain of such Negative Traits or Derangements.
The following chart shows the least sin that will cause a temporary loss of Humanity in a character with the corresponding number of Humanity Traits. (For example, a character with four Humanity Traits would be horrified if he accidentally killed someone, but likely would not bat an eyelash at punching someone in the face. A person with eight Humanity Traits, on the other hand, would head straight for his father confessor for accidentally running over a pedestrian’s foot.)
Remember, losing Humanity is a terrible thing. This sort of erosion of a mortal’s soul profoundly affects the character’s personality. Characters who lose Humanity tend to be cynical, jaded and vicious. The loss of even one Trait has a noticeable effect on long-established behavior patterns.
Hierachy of Sins:
Eight Humanity: Accidentally inflicting injury
Seven Humanity: Purposefully inflicting injury
Six Humanity: Theft and robbery
Five Humanity: Unreasonable destruction
Four Humanity: Accidental killing
Three Humanity: Premeditated murder
Two Humanity: Mass murder, torture
One Humanity: Gross perversion and acts of great evil
Regaining Humanity:
Regaining Humanity Traits is a function of how the Traits were used or lost. Humanity spent to save a loved one, counteract a fear or face a life threatening situation is regained in time (in other words, all Traits spent this
way return by the next event). Mortals in a hurry or in desperate need can also expend a Willpower Trait to replace a Humanity Trait.
Humanity Traits lost permanently can only be regained through extraordinary penance, decreed by a Storyteller and roleplayed out over a series of sessions. The character must show remorse for the actions that caused him to
lose Humanity, and even then, Humanity should not be returned lightly.
Reaffirming a connection to your inner childlike innocence, performingcharitable works (and not just for the possibility of regaining Humanity!) or being sympathetic to the problems of others are just some examples of the kind of behavior that might merit a gain of Humanity.
Of course, the cost in Experience Traits must still be paid. The same applies to actually improving one's Humanity. The character must experience a fundamental connection to her own inner strength and to the mass of humanity around her. Storytellers may note characters who are constantly losing and regaining Humanity Traits. If this situation becomes chronic, the Storyteller may declare that the character has become jaded, and may no longer attempt to regain Humanity Traits that have been lost permanently.
