Shroud Hunters stand at the front lines against the unnatural. Soldiers, trackers, and field scientists, they combine disciplined training with esoteric techniques to pursue creatures that cross into our world. Skilled in traps, weapons, and wards, they map patterns of supernatural activity and adapt human tools into occult instruments. A Shroud Hunter’s bullet might be etched with sigils, their snares dusted with protective salts, their instincts honed to sense disturbances in the veil. Where others see shadows, they recognize signs of intrusion—and act with precision to end it.
Follow, identify, and anticipate opponents using environmental clues, telluric energy, and intuition. This skill can be enhanced using Freemason Constructs, which can be acquired through RP. (Note: This information is received through notecards or OOC from other players. It can’t be used to come up with clues against another player with OOC consent. If this is a PvP scenario, both have to do a scene and roll to see if the skill is successful or if the opponent defends and can’t be tracked for the rest of the scene.
Simple Task - TRACE SIGNS: Basic tracking, recognizing movement or residue left behind.
Novice level success: Spot a single trace (print, hair, fluid). This does not offer any clue to where the opponent has traveled to; it is only about picking up information in the vicinity.
Intermediate level success: Find a trail that can be followed for a short time. Before they must gather clues again.
Expert level success: Isolate a strong trail and follow it without disruption.
Difficult Task - PATTERN RECOGNITION: Identify and track behavior, territory or physical camouflage.
Novice level success: Determine general information of the opponent, such as their race, physical description, etc.
Intermediate level success: Predict movement over the next 24 hours. This offers insight into how to deal with the creature.
Expert level success: Uncover lair, escape routes, or veil-shift behavior.
Challenging Task - PREDICTIVE STALKING: Identify and track a person through the Telluric energy residue
Novice level success: Determine general information of the opponent, such as their race, physical description, etc
Intermediate level success: Predict movement over the next 24 hours. This offers insight into how to deal with the creature.
Expert level success: Uncover lair, escape routes, or veil-shift behavior.
Subdue an opponent using tools, tactics, and planning. Each task represents a different level of control over the situation, from disruption to capture to total shutdown.
Simple Task - DISRUPTIVE TACTICS: Use basic deterrents or distraction devices to shift control of the encounter.
Novice level success: Opponent flinches or recoils, loses the ability to attack for 1 post.
Intermediate level success: Opponent stumbles or hesitates, loses the ability to defend for 1 post.
Expert level success: Fully secured, sedated, caged, sealed, or bound with no escape unless aided.
Difficult Task - CONTAINMENT EXECUTION: Use tactical traps, chemicals, or field restraints to halt or capture. (NOTE: these items have to be prepared beforehand by a Freemason or a Witch, depending on their nature)
Novice level success: Movement is hindered or the ability to use weapons or melee fight, and lasts for 1 post.
Intermediate level success: Stuck in place or caught in bindings for 2 posts
Expert level success: Sedated, caged, sealed, or bound with no escape for 3 posts before the opponent can attempt breaking free or be aided.
Challenging Task - PRECISION SUPPRESSION: Disable an opponent in one calculated high-skill physical action (targeted strike, pressure-point attack, etc.)
Novice level success: A disabling blow or strike that slows or disorients for 1 post.
Intermediate level success: Cripples the opponent, preventing them from using a weapon or melee fighting for 2 posts.
Expert level success: The opponent is knocked out for 3 posts
Tap into your heightened physical instincts and combat training to react to supernatural speed, force, using both your body and the environment to survive and gain the upper hand.
Simple Task - REACTIVE OFFENSE: Offensive, instinct-based: Instinctively attack an opponent using your body or a weapon.
Novice level success: Attack a single target, forcing a stagger or pause.
Intermediate level success: Target up to two enemies in quick succession, briefly halting their advance.
Expert level success: Strike up to three opponents, disrupting coordination.
Difficult Task - TACTICAL DOMINANCE: strategic, adaptive: Use your surroundings to your advantage, turning everyday objects into tools of survival.
Novice level success: Grab or reposition with nearby objects (e.g., flip a table to shield, catch a bottle to block, duck behind a car).
Intermediate level success: Weaponize the environment (e.g., hurl dirt or sand to blind, slam a trash can lid to stagger, strike with debris).
Expert level success: Engineer a trap or moment of chaos collapse or topple a shelf, kick over a fire source, trigger a fall or distraction that shifts momentum. Fell a tree or pole on the opponent. Compromising the integrity of a structure.
Challenging Task - GIFTED MOTION: use your gifted speed and grace, enabling feats beyond what any untrained human could manage: Move with a fluidity and precision that borders on the supernatural.
Novice level success: You strike before your target can fully react, landing a clean hit and breaking their focus or casting. They can’t attack back for 1 post.
Intermediate level success: You hit a vulnerable point with enough force or surprise to briefly disable a limb, ward, or weapon. They can’t attack back for 2 posts.
Expert level success: You deliver a decisive ambush, not fatal, but enough to leave your opponent dazed. They can’t attack back for 3 posts.
Use a Freemason-made construct to obtain information about the opponent. (Note: Information about this skill can be found in Notecards around the sim OR upon agreement with another player OOC that can facilitate that information)
Simple Task - SYMPTOM ID: Identify surface traits, habitat, diet, and possible origin.
Novice level success: Recognize a familiar species or behavior pattern (e.g. “this moves like a shifter”).
Intermediate level success: Identify subspecies, hybrid strain, or signs of magical corruption.
Expert level success: Detect emotional or instinctive states based on minor traits (e.g. “wounded,” “protecting a nest”).
Difficult Task - ANATOMICAL INSIGHT: Break down physiology for strategic targeting.
Novice level success: Spot a physical weakness (e.g. brittle wing, swollen joint, dim vision).
Intermediate level success: Learn what types of damage are effective or resisted (e.g. fire doesn’t work, silver burns).
Expert level success: Discover a critical structural flaw or magical tether point (e.g. amulet-bound spirit, corrupted organ).
Challenging Task - COUNTERMEASURE DEVICE: Through close observation, mythic research, or past encounters, you uncover a cryptid, supernatural, or gifted being's core weakness, not just a physical flaw, but a vulnerability rooted in its nature, culture, or magical makeup. You then design a specialized tool, artifact, or construct to target that specific vulnerability. Once the weakness is known, you must work with a Freemason or a Witch to build the item. This process happens outside of combat and the result is a race-specific device or ritual item. Like all constructs or conduits, it must be maintained, recharged, and can break if misused.
The item can only be used on the same race/type of creature it was built for.
It functions like any other construct or conduit: needs repair, can be damaged, has limited charges, and requires roleplay to activate.
Discovery and crafting must be earned through research, RP, notecards found around the sim, passed down from family, or staff/OOC agreement, not just claimed on the spot.
Roleplay Timeline:
Theory Formed: You identify a likely weakness and draft a basic concept for a countermeasure. This does not include coming up with the plans for a device but is about basic research and observation. Novice hunters are expected to use this skill to work with mentors or higher level hunters to start the process of constructing a device.
Design Complete: You successfully designed the item with support. It’s ready to be constructed with the proper materials and magical or technical knowledge. This would include conveying the concept to the craftsman and gathering the correct materials to start the construction process.
Item Forged and Functional: The countermeasure is built, charged, and works as intended. When used, it bypasses resistances or neutralizes the creature in a lore-appropriate way (paralysis, banishment, vulnerability exposure, etc.). The device can potentially be used by any hunter as long as they are trained to use it. That means roleplaying training under mentor supervision. These items CANNOT be used by anyone other than a hunter.
Novice level Usage: Device can be used in 1 post in 1 scene before needing to be recharged
Intermediate level Usage: The Device can be used in 2 posts in 1 scene before it needs recharging
Expert level Usage: The Device can be used for 3 posts in 1 scene before it needs recharging