Marks of the Trapper

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Marks of the Trapper (current x7) (cannot be raised above occult or intelligence)

Elijah, it is time to take your trapping to the next level. Let me tell you a thing or two about marks.

Marks are, just as their name suggests, markings that are placed upon the ground with a specified radius or other set variables. These marks are then activated by the creator to produce a wide variety of effects which are difficult or impossible to resist. They are not designed to replace all other traps, but to supplement them. Add them to your knowledge base and call upon them when the time is right. You will not outgrow a mark.

(System notes: Marks are locational, ward-like, prepared, and activated traps. Since they are technically traps, they are affected by all of Elijah's other abilities that affect traps [concealment, trapping mastery etc.] The marks are carefully carved or incorporated into the terrain of an area, always on the ground or floor. Elijah must snap his fingers to trigger a mark that has been lain upon the ground. There may be a number of marks active no greater than the trapper's wits. Marks that are waiting to be triggered, or triggering and producing an effect count toward this limit. There is no cost [besides set time] to place a mark. Marks can be triggered only once per placement, but a bought mark can be placed any number of times.

Each level of the path comes with a special ability pertaining to the way Elijah interacts with the marks he creates. Each level also comes with one free mark. Additional marks can be bought at the rate of 2 experience each. Mark-making maneuvers can be purchased for 2 experience each. If Elijah triggers a mark when there is no one in it, the mark is destroyed without producing its effect.)

Rank 1: You're not helpless, even at this level. Level one marks are frequently utility-based or very adaptable. It may be worth it to learn several of these marks, even as you learn more about the way of the trapper's mark. Level Bonus Maneuver: Basic Snap Trigger. Elijah can now trigger marks by snapping his fingers. It is the only way possible at this level. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of the Net Radius: 10-30 ft. Set Time: one minute Effect: At time of trigger a heavy net springs from the ground and balls up around all things within the mark. The net is made of Nylon rope at level 1, Steel cable at level 4, and diamond weave line at level 6. Targets are bound tightly into the line, so it's unlikely that they'll be able to reach any knives they have, and even the nylon rope that is used in the first level has a 900 lb test.

Rank 2: As the trapper continues to grow, he will find slightly more complex wards become available to him for his usage. These provide a much needed break from the simple brute-force traps that are common among most trappers. Level Bonus Maneuver: Mark Fortitude. When you craft a mark, roll Wits + Trapping difficulty 6. The mark has health levels equal to your successes Level Bonus Mark: Mark of Spacial Labyrinth Radius: 3 ft Set Time: 30 seconds Duration: Up to 5 minutes (chosen at creation) Effect: As the target enters the mark, they see their surroundings stretch outward suddenly. The amount of space something traveling through the mark must pass through is multiplied by 50. Running through the mark is like running across a football field. Bullets slow and drop to the ground as they pass through. Vehicles that only partially pass into the active mark are either stopped or torn apart by their own inertia. To outside observers everything inside the ward appears to be moving in slow motion. These things must re-accelerate upon exit. Bullets may be slowed, but they will still travel through the mark nearly instantly. This affects aiming and damage depending on the gun.

Rank 3: Rank three represents a significant increase in the muscle of marks. Greater radiuses and stronger effects. From this point on, power growth is somewhat exponential. Level Bonus Maneuver Complex Terrain marking. Marks are now easily placeable on busy ground. Anything from water to thick underbrush to a pile of pillows. Marks cannot yet be placed on walls or ceilings. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of Metalward Radius: 1-30 ft. Set Time: 3 minutes Effect: When this mark is triggered, all objects made of metal within the ward are transmuted into mercury. It may not be the healthiest, but it will sure as hell disarm humans and destroy most vehicles.

Rank 4: At this point the complexity of the Marks reaches a peak. Effects can be powerful and extravagant. Level Bonus Manuever: Proximity Trigger. Marks can now have a proximity trigger set. Upon creation choose a number. The Mark will trigger next time it has that many targets inside its radius. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of the Arena Radius: 5 ft Set time: 3 minutes Effect: When the mark is triggered, each possible target within the mark is transported to a gladiatorial arena pocket realm. In this arena, they are forced to engage in single combat with one chosen foe from Elijah's trapped list. This foe is simply a copy that exists for the purposes of the arena. Elijah can end the fight at any time or talk to the combatants. If the foe from the trapped list is defeated, the arena ends, and the target escapes the pocket realm. If they die, they die in real life as well. This effect passes instantly for all outside of the mark.

Rank 5: Rank five represents a return to simplicity and a dramatic increase in power. Level bonus Maneuver: Mark Stacking. Marks can now be placed upon one another and triggered simultaneously or separately. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of Temporal Isolation Radius: 1-50 ft Set Time: Radius minutes Duration: 1 minute – 1 year (chosen at creation) Effect: At trigger all living things within the mark are frozen in time for the specified duration. They can be moved, posed or injured as if they were still current, but all bodily function ceases.

Rank 6: We are now moving out of the realm of what is reasonable. Marks within this range are considered serious threats by most entities. Their number one defense is to not be caught in one. Level Bonus Maneuver: Wardsight. The trapper can now see what is happening within the radius of any mark he places from any distance. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of the Master Radius: 1-10 ft Set time: 12 hours Effect: All caught within the mark at time of triggering (save those with unbondable) become permanently enslaved to the trapper's will. This effect can be resisted with an extended action difficulty 10 willpower roll with a period of once per month. The target must accumulate 100 successes to be freed.

Rank 7 (requires 5 cosmology): The master returns to his craft after a long absence. Countless hours pass as he masters his domain, bringing it beyond all conceivable bounds. Level bonus Maneuver: Mark Displacement. The trapper can now roll wits plus trapping difficulty 11. Three successes will bring a mark level four or below, created somewhere else, to a new location within eye shot of his choosing. Level Bonus Mark: Mark of Everlasting Banishment Radius: 5 ft. Set time: one day Effect: At time of trigger, the mark's area is superstantiated between all dimensions. It them takes all contents of the area and shunts them into a permanent pocket realm. This realm has no spacial dimensionality, so all physical aspects of those caught inside are instantly destroyed. The target's soul is then bound with the desire to never escape, filled with contentedness, fooled to think that the world is continuing as normal, and mentally lobotomized of any knowledge of the supernatural. The realm is then sealed off behind a gauntlet level of 11, and contained within a physical object, which must exist on one piece for any connection to the “real” world to be made. This object can be anything from a marble to a car, and can be torn apart and spread around the universe to strengthen the banishment.

Other Marking Maneuvers (buyable at any level, 2xp each):

Marks of time: As the trapper lays down his marks, he creates a small temporal distortion that allows him to complete them in record time. All marks two levels or more below current level can be completed in three seconds. (if you are level five, all level three, two, and one marks can be completed in three seconds.)

Ceiling and Wall Marks: Allows the trapper to place marks on ceilings or walls large enough to accommodate them.

Time Trigger: allows the trapper to set a time-based trigger for any marks he makes.

No hands: Trapper no longer needs to touch the ground with his hands or feet to place a mark. He must still be within its radius, though.

Additional Marks (buyable at level specified, 2xp each): Rank 1 Marks: Mark of Memory: Radius 1-100 ft Set time: Half of radius minutes Duration: 1minute – 1 day Effect: Upon triggering, an illusion of the scene that was inside the mark at time of trigger is produced and sustained for the duration. This can be useful for mis-directing foes, making your army seem larger than it is, or even making a recently blasted hole in the wall appear complete. These illusions are visual-only, though any visual extrasensory detectors (UV glasses, heat sense goggles) will be fooled as well.

Mark of Beacon: Radius 10 ft Set time: 9 seconds Duration: one hour Effect: Upon triggering, a bright pillar of light will form at the location of the mark, Luxor-style. This pillar of light can damage vampires.

Mark of Snare: Radius: 3-15 ft Set time: 3 seconds Effect: Upon triggering, all hands or feet touching the ground are snared with ropes (as per Mark of the Net) and lifted upside down. The trapper can jump as they trigger the ward to catch all but himself within it. The ropes extend several meters into the air and affix to seemingly nothing.

Rank 2 Marks: Mark of the Bleed (requires a point of cosmology): Radius: 5-20 feet Set time: 10 minutes Effect: upon triggering, reduces gauntlet by rank in path. Minimum 2.

Mark of the Gauntlet (requires a point of cosmology) As per Mark of the Bleed, but increases gauntlet instead. No maximum.

Mark of Lesser Lightning Strike: Radius: One inch Set time: 3 seconds Effect: when triggered, causes a bolt of lightning to burst from the ground into all above the trap. Deals seven dice of aggravated damage.

Mark of Triptophane: Radius: 5-30 feet Set time: 6 seconds Effect: when triggered, all living things roll willpower difficulty 6 to stay awake. If they succeed, they still suffer a 10-successes dice penalty for all actions that would be affected by being sleepy for 30 seconds. If they fall asleep they remain asleep for 6 hours or until forcefully woken.

Rank 3 Marks: Mark of Lesser Concussion: Radius: 1-5 feet Set time: 6 seconds Effect: Upon triggering, all targets within radius take 7 dice of bashing damage

Mark of partial Obscurity: Radius 3-20 feet Set time: 1 minute Duration: up to a minute Other Variable; choose a sense: Sight, taste, touch, hearing, smell, balance, or body-sense Effect: upon triggering trap, all within the radius are deprived of the chosen sense for the duration.

Rank 4 Marks: Mark of Greater Concussion Radius: 5-30 feet Set time: radius minutes Effect: Upon triggering, all targets within radius take 17 dice of bashing damage. Anything brought passed crippled in lethal health levels solely as a result of this mark loses one intelligence or wits permanently.

Mark of Greater Lightning Strike Radius: 1-5 feet Set time: radius minutes Effect: Upon triggering, lightning reaches from the sky to strike all within the radius. Does 10 dice of aggravated damage and three auto lethal, quick and dirty.

Mark of Total Obscurity: Radius: 3-20 feet Set time: 40 minutes Duration: up to a minute Effect: Upon Triggering, targets within the mark are deprived of all natural senses for duration. Targets will not be able to tell if they are standing and running or flailing around on the ground or sitting still. Targets will probably cease moving completely, and will not hear their own screams for help or even really be able to tell if they're screaming or not.

Rank 5 Marks: Mark of Greater Arena Radius: 5-15 feet Set time: 10 minutes Effect: as per Mark of the Arena, but each entity snared must combat three creatures from Elijah's Trapped list.

Mark of Cosmological Shunt (requires 3 cosmology) Radius: 5-50 feet Set time: Radius x 5 minutes Effect: At time of trigger, all persons within the area of the mark are thrown into a random alternate realm.

Mark of the Tempest: Radius 15-50 ft Set time: Radius minutes Duration: 9 seconds Effect: at time of triggering, a massive lightning tempest forms within the radius for 9 seconds. Each being caught within the tempest takes 2 auto aggravated and 8 dice of lethal and 8 dice of aggravated every three seconds. In order to escape, they must make an extended strength roll and accumulate 10 successes to escape the tempest.

Rank 6 Marks: Mark of Vesuvius: Radius: 10-100 ft Set time: Radius times 6 minutes Effect: When triggered, a volcano will open beneath all on top of the mark and spew molten rock upon all inside. Targets take 5 aggravated damage (no rolling necessary) a second, difficulty 10 to soak, for 20 seconds. After the fact, the target is frozen in newly cooled rock, and must make a strength roll every minute to attempt to escape (if they haven't been smothered to death). They must get 7 successes to break free from the rock in one roll.