Arcane Background: Voodoo (Noir)

Voodoo

Arcane Background (Voodoo)

Requirements: Wild Card, Novice, Voodoo d4+, Spirit d8+

Arcane Skill: Voodoo (Spirit)

Power Points: 10

Starting Powers: 2

Backlash: A voodooist who rolls a 1 on her Voodoo die (regardless of her Wild Die) suffers a level of Fatigue. This Fatigue is recovered after four hours of rest per level of Fatigue.

Available Powers: Armor, banish, beast friend, blind, bolster, boost/lower trait, confusion, darksight, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, divination, elemental manipulation, fear, fury of the rada loa, greater healing, healing, invisibility, light/obscure, puppet, slow, slumber, spirit shield, smite, speak language, stun, succor, warrior’s gift, zombie.

Special Rules:

• Conjure Bags: A voodooist must have her talismans, amulets, and the like with her or suffer a –2 to her Voodoo rolls when casting spells.

• Miracles: Voodooists may use Edges that require Arcane Background (Miracles).

• Shrine: A voodooist must spend an hour each evening at a shrine to the loas preparing her talismans and offering gifts to the spirits. If she does not, she can’t cast spells during the next day.

History

Folks have had a tough go of it the last twenty years or so. The Great War exposed people to the awful truth that humanity is capable of tremendous horrors all on its own. The epidemic that followed brought Death close to even those who escaped the talons of War. And while the Roaring Twenties brought a brief respite, in the doldrums of the Depression, even that happier time feels like the set up to make what came next that much worse. It’s no wonder genuine faith and true believers are both in very short supply. Back a half-century or so, there used to be certain people capable of truly miraculous acts, supposedly originating from their unshakeable faith in the powers of Good. Now, a load of faith and a nickel might buy you a cup of coffee on a good day. Sure, there’s no shortage of charlatans hosting tent revivals and defrauding money and more out of those poor souls looking for even a shred of hope in the darkness that’s descended, but precious few true blessed are left in the world. And, truth be told, the fakers and shysters are making things even worse by seeding doubt in the last place many people have to look for help.

That Old Black Magic

There was a time when practitioners of voodoo worked their magic miraculously, much like other blessed did. As people’s spirits started to falter and times grew darker, many found their own faith ebbing as well. And as their faith went, so did the potency of their magic. Others, however, found their spells continued to function. The secret of why some retained their magical abilities lies in the fact voodoo is a strange hybrid of old time African tribal rituals and Western Christianity. African slaves in Haiti and the southern American states created it as a way to continue honoring the practices of their ancestors without risking the wrath of their captors. Over time, the belief took on a life of its own. At its core, voodoo is closer to shamanism than it is to conventional or modern religions. As faith began to wane in the wake of the tribulations assaulting the world, those who relied on the traditional, ritualistic practices found their magic still worked. The reason for this is voodoo rituals, like those of Indian shamans, appease the spirits, allowing houngans and mambos to draw power from the Hunting Grounds.

Voodoo and its followers are seldom found outside New Orleans and southern Louisiana. Due to the widespread acceptance of the belief (or at least tolerance) in that area, the Texas Rangers generally give the practitioners of the religion a pass, as long as they’re not involved in overt displays or criminal activity. That’s only true within the confines of southern Louisiana, though. In the rest of the Confederacy, all bets are off.

New Edge

Gris-Gris Crafter

Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Voodoo), Smarts d8+, Spirit d8+, Voodoo d8+

This is the voodoo equivalent of the Gadgeteer Edge. Once per game session, the houngan can create a magic charm and imbue it with mystical energy. This talisman uses any power available to the houngan, though anyone using it must meet the power’s Rank restrictions. It has half the creator’s Power Points and once these are used up they do not recharge. The ritual to craft one of these charms takes 1d20 minutes and must be performed at the creator’s shrine. Activating the device requires the user to make a Spirit roll instead of a Voodoo roll. All effects of the power are based o the result of the Spirit roll.

New Spells

Bolster

Rank: Novice

Power Points: 2

Range: Smarts

Duration: 10 minutes (1/10 minutes)

Trappings: Chants, vévé, fetishes

Bolster grants the recipient courage against the forces of darkness. The affected character gains a +2 bonus to Fear checks. In addition, any time he spends a Benny to make a Trait roll (including Soak, but not damage rolls), add +2 to the total. If the caster gets a raise on the roll, the bonus increases to +4.

• Additional Targets: The power affects an additional target for every additional Power Point spent to activate, up to a maximum of five targets. This does not affect the maintenance cost.

Fury of the Rada Loa

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 4

Range: Self

Duration: 3 (1/round)

Trappings: Mystical symbols, animal charms, skulls or bones

This power invites a nature spirit, or rada loa, to “ride” the houngan or mambo’s body for a brief time to grant him some of their savage ferocity. With success, the caster is inhabited by a minor loa that grants him an additional die type to his Fighting, Strength, and Vigor Traits, and +1 damage with all melee attacks.With a raise, the loa increases those Traits by two die types and grants +2 damage. When the spell ends the

priest gains a level of Fatigue until he recovers the same amount of Power Points he spent on this spell and its maintenance. (Bokkors invoke fury of the petro loa instead, with the same effect.)

Spirit Shield

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 3

Range: Smarts

Duration: 3 (1/round)

Trappings: Hazy shimmer, circling spirits

This spell creates a barrier that can keep out ghosts and other ethereal enemies. It has no effect against demons or undead in physical form. The caster makes her Voodoo roll, and if successful, places a immobile Medium Burst Template centered on herself. Entities wishing to enter the template must make an opposed Spirit check against the caster’s Voodoo skill. If they fail, they cannot pass the barrier while it remains active.

Spirit shield doesn’t prevent the entities from “normal” objects. The spell is negated if any living creature of rat-size or larger that started inside the circle cross to the outside.

Trappings

Most voodoo powers are cast through brief chants or rituals. Depending on the spell, the caster may rub a talisman, toss a small packet of dust, or simply touch a necklace. Voodoo spells seldom produce a visible effect, although the results may be evident, such as from a successful use of the healing power.

Voodoo Terms

Bokkor: An evil sorcerer who casts curses and other spells.

Cheval (Horse): A person “ridden” (possessed) by a loa.

Gris-gris: A magic talisman, usually a small bag containing various ingredients.

Humfor: The voodoo community or congregation.

Houngan: A voodoo priest.

Mambo: A voodoo priestess.

Mangé: A feeding of the loas or the dead, typically with the sacrifice of animals.

Petro Loa: A manitou or demon.

Rada Loa: A nature spirit.

Vévé: A magical inscription, either on a piece of cloth or the ground.