You are one of the Principals- a human who is in touch with the fantastical side of the world and can thus manifest supernatural powers, collectively known as a Conceit. They are your primary tool for cleaving away the darkness you face on the streets of London.

Modern hypotheses suggest all humans can awaken Conceit and become Principals. Most, however, are completely unaware that the possibility exists and never awaken it. Those who do are rare- awakenings appear to occur spontaneously and at random, although statistically they are concentrated around puberty. Leading theory suggests this to be the result of the body and mind maturing but still vulnerable to large changes, supported by results in awakenings from intense drug regimes and hypnosis involved in the operative training programs of the Commonwealth and the Kingdom's intelligence agencies. An even rarer few have simply been in touch with it since birth.

These individuals are highly valued in the shadow wars raged in the two halves of London, and for good reason. Defying physics, Conceits are fantastical abilities that can take on a variety of forms, ranging from flames to teleportation. Similar in nature to the Creatures from Neverland, they can often follow similar storylike motifs, and have to play by the same rules that they do. The most relevant of these, is shade.

Ordinarily, we consider the atmosphere as being built up nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of hydrogen and the noble gases. However, in the supernatural parlance of Neverland, the term admits a second meaning, defined by the ratios of Black and White, which represent the decay of reality. All magical effects, whether they be Conceits, fantasy Creatures, or the rare magical artifact, gain in strength when the surroundings are heavily dyed in white, and weaken in the converse.

The secrecy of the supernatural then arises naturally, for Black is also dominant in most settings. It is the natural perspective for humans, and in ordinary settings where there exist many bystanders it thus becomes almost impossible to raise the levels of the supernatural significantly. It is the antithesis of all that is magical- the world where there are no supernatural Creatures, no superpowers. The sparse nighttime streets and alleys instead, are the battleground of choice for those who wield Conceit, and for their supernatural enemies.

Choose an origin. These reflect the general history of your character, and are important in determining your relations with the various factions that rule the city, dictating your infamy.

Raised on the Farm

Maybe you were just desperate. The allure of a hot meal and a roof over your heads would have been tempting for many in London, after all. Or perhaps you knew what you were getting into, having been drafted for your unique qualities or alerted by a loose tongue.

Whatever the reason, you officially signed up for a social support program- one of the fronts used by institutions known as Farms, whose purpose is to train special operatives and spies for their side of London. They primarily operate by gathering people who would not be missed if they disappeared, and then transporting them to hidden locations, where they are subject to grueling training regimes. Trainees are educated in the art of subterfuge, how to shoot to kill, how to infiltrate, how to steal, and most importantly of all, to follow and carry out orders. All this while they are subject to the latest drug regimes designed to bring out Conceit. Students who fall behind of fail to meet expectations 'transfer out'.

That is the sort of place that you have graduated from. The intense training regime shows its value, having endowed you with physical abilities borderline superhuman. Many facilities also have their own specialties, ingraining into you a specific skill that stands out above the rest. But these skills did not come without a price- your information is well known to the institute that you came from, and thus to your purchasers- the Commonwealth's Department of Investigation, the Kingdom's Royal See, or perhaps another party. While these institutes will treat you well, offering a degree of autonomy to their agents as well as various forms of support, they expect you to comply with orders when given. There is no tolerance for traitors.

• You have 22 stat points to work with, and 90 AP, representing the results of your physical training.
• At least two of your physical stats must be B or higher, representing the harsh physical regime you went through in order to make it out of one of these camps.
• Take for free one of the following perks, representing a particularly refined skill you have obtained from your time at these facilities: Magician's Hand, Picture Perfect, Tinker Tinker, or Wallflower.
• Your information is known in depth to a number of parties, even if you choose not to take any ties to any organization (either you left before graduating, or cut your ties with them).

Stranger than Fiction

Once upon a time-

That is you. You used to be a character in a story. There existed some fictional work that enjoyed a degree of popularity, and you were one of the cast. A couple lines of text, or perhaps even an animated image. Whatever the case is, you were not real. But recently London has become a place where stories come to life, and fiction walks the streets. And you happened to one of the lucky few who sprang to life.

The process itself was only a blur to you. The world assembled itself from incomprehensible blurs and took form before you. A nauseating feeling enveloped you, your body aching as if it had not moved in eons. Your surroundings, a completely desolate area devoid of any witnesses to your genesis, held a faint scent of cleanliness. It soon became apparent to you what your true nature used to be. The history and life you remembered up until now were only a thing to be found in the books.

You are to some degree, human. You must be able to take on a human appearance, and unlike the majority of fantasy Creatures in London, you can survive in black heavy environments without taking damage. On top of your Conceit, awakened when you awoke, you retain supernatural abilities from your source material. Perhaps you are a vampire, werewolf, or something even more exotic. At your core, you are a fantasy creature not too different from the rest that walk the streets of London, and these abilities operate similarly to the kind that the other supernatural creatures. You have an instinctual understanding of how the supernatural world operates.

You are, in a sense, famous. Every faction can know all about your history, as it is recorded in the tale you sprang from. You may choose to take another name, of course, but you cannot change the features you were 'born' with, and simply by reading a book or watching a play, anyone can learn about your past.

• You have 20 stat points to work with, and 120 AP.
• Take the perk "Stranger Than Fiction". Unlike other Creatures, you do not have by default "Out of Character", nor a "Raison D'etre".
• Abilities which target supernatural Creatures are also effective on you.
• It may be possible for people who encounter you that are aware of the supernatural to figure out your identity. Your conceit must be tied in some way to the source material you came from as well. From conception (similar to String of Fate) you have an instinctual knowledge of the supernatural, as well as irkings about your true nature.

String of Fate

You lived your days in peace, once. You were not some secret agent trained to serve, or a fable made manifest, but an ordinary civilian, perhaps not even located in London. The factions of London would ordinarily take little interest in you, and the story unfolding here none of your business, if not for one fact- you are a Principal, and that alone makes you more than qualified to take center stage.

Unlike the monsters now wandering the streets, you are human. Yet your awakening is not some carefully orchestrated artificial circumstance, like with the graduates of the Farm and their drugs or hypnotic methods. If anything, their methods are crude imitations of the phenomenon you have underwent- a natural awakening. At some point, you simply developed your Conceit.

And much to the chagrin of those in charge, these are the most common of all. Your skill sets are varied, your histories encompassing all possible walks of life. Unlike either of the previous backgrounds, you can easily slip entirely under the radar, and go completely independent, or willingly out yourself. If you choose not to associate with either of the two parties, your knowledge of the supernatural is usually limited to an instinctual understanding- you know what shade is like, how creatures tend to behave, and that there must be others like you working for the forces in charge. Freelance Principals are generally treated cautiously but generously, as mercenaries whose loyalties are questionable but talents desirable.

• You have 20 stat points, and 130 AP, representing the varied backgrounds you may come from.
• Your ability to manipulate the shade rating is higher than normal. When using 'Contrast', you can manipulate by 1 higher than the limit mentioned. (FAN 4 -> +5, SEN 3 -> -4, etc).
• The effect of rating on your abilities is reduced (you can use abilities with rating +- 1 of the actual shade without penalty)
• Your information is relatively unknown. It is possible for you to form connections with any organization, but you do not need to divulge anything more than necessary.

There are six basic attributes, which represent the various capabilities of your character. These will be primarily important for handling combat, although they may also come into play in more mundane scenarios. At creation, they start from rank E and go up to A. Ignoring the magical attributes, the rank D would reflect the capabilities of a physically fit individual. The upper ends of these statistics represent outright superhuman capabilities.

First are the physical attributes:

Strength (STR)

Physical power. How much power your body can output, which becomes important not only for proficiency in close combat but also using weapons in general. Do not expect to be able to fire a gun with any semblance of accuracy without being able to handle the recoil, or handle anything unwieldy or bulky. Weapons will generally be given ratings that require certain levels of STR to use comfortably.

Constitution (CON)

Physical constitution. It determines how tough you are, as well as your stamina. Mechanically, it grants you a number of wounds you can take in combat before you go down, and certain effects like exhaustion or negative Conditions related to injuries. However, although being Principals muddies things a bit, you are still human, and thus the degree of injury you can take before going down is rather limited.

Agility (AGI)

Speed and movement. Affects your ability to dodge attacks and the speed at which you can move. Against most means of ranged attacks, this will serve as your primary defense, and speed is important for getting closer to your opponent, as well as running away or relocating. Feats of acrobatics will naturally depend on this as well, as well as the initiative in combat.

Precision (PRS)

Skill and accuracy. This determines how precisely you are able to hit your targets, which is essential not only for hitting tricky opponents but also for inflicting fatal blows. It also governs hand-eye coordination and fine motor tasks. Important for those who intend to fight using mundane ranged means, and also comes in handy for melee combat.

Then, the magical attributes:

Fantasy (FAN)

Magical ability. It reflects an affinity for the fantastical side of the world, and determines how much magical energy (MP) you have as well as your ability to up the color rating, which in turn makes your abilities even more effective. It also serves as a limit on the rank of the spells you can use (magical overexertion). An essential stat for those who intend to rely heavily on magical abilities to defeat their opponents.

Sense (SEN)

Identity. It reflects an understanding of the fantastical side of the world, and by using this to reject what you perceive as foreign, a form of magic defense. Most effective against spells with particularly heavy effects rather than more subtle ones. It also affects your ability to decrease the color rating, and thus can lower the effectiveness of magical abilities in general. It also affects the degree of understanding you have over magical entities, influencing whether you can recognize or understand abilities before their effects make themselves apparent.

From these attributes, you derive HP, MP, and Output:

HP is your hit points, measured in wounds which gauges the amount of damage you can take. Reducing your opponents wounds to 0 essentially leaves them unable to fight, and depending on the circumstances of the fight can render them unconscious or dead. The number of wounds a character has is given by their Constitution Rank + 3, so 4 for CON E, and 8 for CON A. Every time you take a wound, you also suffer a penalty in the form of a negative Condition. You can regain some small amount of HP between battles after a short rest, but to recover from significant damage requires medical attention or time.

MP is a measure of how much magical energy you have remaining. It is required to use magical abilities such as Conceit. MP is given by a character's Fantasy Rankx30 + 30. As your MP approaches 0, you might find yourself negatively impacted while using magical abilities in the form of a negative Condition. You can regain a small amount of MP between battles after a short rest, and after a good nights rest you can regain 80% of your MP.

Output determines how much magical energy you can safely use in a given turn. It's given by your Fantasy Rankx5 + 5. Once you exceed this limit, you gain the negative condition Magical Overexertion. See Combat and Conceit sections for more details.

Naturally, one of the most common solutions to problems that will occur in Neverland is combat. In combat, players have a main action, as well as any number of side actions that they can take. The main action can be used to deal Wounds to their opponents and vice versa. Various attacks are given ratings in terms of their baseline damage. However, combat does not reduce simply to selecting the attack with the highest baseline damage. Instead, it is modified by the Attributes of the attack, as well as various Conditions.

Conditions

Conditions represent the various statuses of the combatants, their current situations, the environment, etc. They serve as a guideline to fill in the players on the essential variables in a given fight. Conditions affect each type of attack being done by reducing (and rarely, increasing) the amount of Wounds it deals. In essence, actual damage is decided by me after looking at the Conditions on both sides and the type of attack being used. STR, AGI, CON and PRS represent the most basic forms of Conditions that a creature can have, representing their physical abilities that help them to deal damage or reduce damage taken. Below are important guidelines for how some common Conditions work:

Distance

One factor in battle is distance. Combatants are defined via their distances relative to each other, coming in either Close or Far (combat involving many combatants is rare, due to how the magical effects work). This changes the effectiveness of attacks. At Far, participants are rather distance and only ranged attacks can be taken. Cover also becomes essential at this distance. At Close, which represents what might be thought of as standard combat distance, both participants regularly dive in and out of melee range of each other, and both ranged and melee attacks can hit each other.

Agility is an important factor in advancing or retreating from your opponent, which you are allowed to do each turn ontop of your main action. If you advance, and your agility is lower than your opponents, you suffer the following condition:

Advancing

• You are charging towards your opponent, and in moving forward you have left yourself more open to attacks. You are disadvantaged whether blocking or dodging, and may take increased damage from attacks this turn.

Similarly, for retreating, you suffer a related condition:

Retreating

• You are retreating, and in moving backwards you leave your opponent more free to move. You are disadvantaged while attacking, and have a harder time hitting your opponent this turn.

Note that other factors such as terrain or from combat may come into play and prevent your opponent from backing away or pursuing. Various attacks can also interact with distance in ways more complex than simply ranged vs melee- some can force your opponent to move away, while others force them to come closer or enable you to move without being susceptible to these penalties.

Retreating from combat altogether is possible at all combat intensities, but naturally easiest at Far. It can be done so long as you can stop your opponent from pursuing you, or with sheer agility, although you may suffer a couple parting blows in return.

Melee Attacks

Melee attacks are usually those done with your body that hit your opponent in close range. They typically come in the form of physical attacks with weapons, and deal damage based on STR modifiers and the quality of your weapon, but there are some magical abilities which also qualify as melee damage. Mechanically, they are defined by being hard to dodge, but can be blocked, parried, or otherwise negatively impacted by the fact you have to put yourself in harms way and cannot leave yourself open.

These are decided by comparisons between your STR + AGI, versus that of your opponents, representing their mobility and ability to block or stop you. If these are equal, then your attack's damage is usually decreased by 2 Wounds, along with a new Condition appearing (representing either an injury too small to count as a Wound, advantageous positioning, or so forth). For magical attacks, the comparison is similar but again with SEN, which may reduce things but not below the original physical component.

There also exists options to attack without any regard for your own safety, which can increase the damage done this way but leave you susceptible to a powerful counterattack.

Ranged Attacks

Ranged attacks are generally done with projectiles fired at your opponent. They typically come from weapons, and deal damage the quality of your weapon. Many magical abilities also fall under this category. Mundane attacks particularly tend to have a precise attribute, and they are more heavily affected by precision attacks. Mechanically, they are defined by being hard to block, but easier to dodge.

These are decided by comparisons between your PRS, versus your opponents AGI, representing their ability to dodge. If these are equal, then your attack's damage is usually decreased by 2 Wounds, along with a new Condition appearing (representing either an injury too small to count as a Wound, advantageous positioning, or so forth). For magical attacks, the comparison is similar but again with SEN, which may reduce things but not below the original physical component. They are also subject to the Condition Cover:

Cover

• Terrain exists in the surroundings that can be used to shield from ranged attacks. The effect of this depends on the surroundings and your opponent's ability to maneuver.

Magical Attacks

This section applies to magical attacks which do not have the typical restrictions that stop ranged or melee attacks (such as not being a projectile). For magical attacks that are projectiles or conventional melee attacks, see the above. These typically work on a case by case basis, but in general bypassing normal rules will come at the cost of requiring special conditions for their usage or a particularly high rating. They, as well as magical attacks which follow more conventional rules, as subject to checking SEN, which will reduce (but never fully nullify) the magical damage, either turning the damage into a disadvantageous Condition or 1 Wound.

Other

There are many other Conditions which have some more complicated comparisons. These generally all work a case by case basis, and are generally the result of technology or magic applying nonstandard effects. Some common Conditions you may encounter are:

Magical Overexertion

• You have went over the limit of magical energy you can comfortably use in a turn, and are now suffering the consequences. Your new limit is your old limit decreased by the amount you have went over. If you exceed this new limit, your ability suffers a penalty in it's potency and effect. Your limit increases every turn by the amount of unused capacity you have, until it returns to normal.

Out of Character

• One of the standard Conditions belonging to Creatures from Neverland. They reduce all damage from mundane items that do not exist within their own lore, making it almost impossible for lone mundanes to stand up to them. This does not apply as much against mundane attacks from Principals, and does not apply at all against magical attacks. It is reduced by shade, and thus the presence of audiences.

Raison D'etre

• The other standard Condition belonging to Creatures. As beings not of this world, they generally do not have much direct influence in manipulating shade as Principals do with their Contrast ability. Instead, upon manifesting a Condition is sometimes generated around the circumstances of their origin, which typically makes it hard to decrease Shade below a certain amount (10 is typically the minimum, some may be higher). This Condition can usually be broken, and upon doing so will not only deal damage to the Creature but also allow for reduction below the previous minimum, which result in significant direct damage to the Creature.

tl;dr there is mechanical hp and mp, but damage dealt is sort of freeform but with a checklist

Attributes

These represent specific qualities about various abilities or means of attack. The simplest of these are Melee and Ranged, which determine what sort of checks your attack comes under as determined above. Precise and AOE are two other common attributes:

• Melee: This ability typically falls under melee attacks.
• Ranged: This ability typically falls under ranged attacks.
• Precise: This ability can inflict extra damage by hitting a fatal location. The odds of this are determined by your PRS attribute.
• Blockable: This ability is a rare ranged attack which can be blocked.
• AOE: This ability has a particularly easy time hitting opponents, but cannot have the precise attribute and may cause collateral damage.
• Conditional: This ability requires satisfying prior conditions before usage.
• Buff: This ability imparts a specific positive effect, represented by a Condition, on a given target for a given duration.
• Debuff: This ability imparts a specific negative effect, represented by a Condition, on a given target for a given duration.

As mentioned earlier, shade is an important factor for anyone involved in the supernatural side of London, and is measured in a ratio of white and black. It affects almost all magical abilities, and anyone who wants to make the most of their Conceit or other powers would do best to find locations heavy in White. As well, those not magically inclined tend to have a hard time remembering events that took place in high white environments clearly unless provided with sufficient prompts, so it provides a degree of secrecy.

Shade is heavily dependent on the state of mind of nearby people. Black is a measure of how strongly people reject magical happenings as things that do not belong in their worldview, which statistically tends to the norm- no one would normally regard magic as real, not in this age of ongoing science and rationality. White, then, becomes partially a measure of how incited people are- anger, depression, hysteria, or even happiness- all sorts of irregular states of mind will tend to raise the levels of White. However, unless there happens to be some form of large panic or group hysteria, settings with large amounts of people are still almost impossible to use any magic in. In that sense, it is democratic, and the regular world of the majority dominates. For example, during busy hours on a major road you might find White level of 0-3%.

Shade naturally tends to rise then in locations where people are rarely found, locations remote and far away from what one might consider civilization. This makes the back alleys, abandoned locations, the underground, and the majority of night time London the natural location of choice to find places high in White. As one of their abilities, Principals can also forcibly change the rating. However, compared to more natural methods this has a higher chance of going out of control, resulting in turbulent changes in rating. This can be particularly disastrous as the numbers climb beyond 20, where your chances of leaving reality and entering Neverland become significant enough to be concerned about.

Mechanically, this works as follows:

Locations will have ratings assigned to them, which can slowly fluctuate depending on the actions and feelings of nearby characters, or by random chance. When combat breaks out and magical abilities enter play, the use of magic also becomes a significant factor. For example, taking Wounds results in increases in White, and Principals come equipped with the ability Contrast, which makes it possible to change the levels of White and Black as a side action. The effect depends on the Conditions (bystanders, specific location, special abilities), but in general it is much easier to raise White than to lower it.

All abilities have a magical rating typically determined by their rank x 5 (some exceptions exist). If you use an ability with a rating higher than the rating of the surrounding, then your ability suffers a penalty and the MP cost is increased by the difference. Conversely, if the ability has a rating 10 lower than the surrounding area, then it becomes even more potent than normal. As such, the rating will heavily impact combat.

Supernatural creatures also have ratings, and below they either cannot manifest or begin to take damage. However, they lack the ability to directly effect the rating, although additional Conditions such as their raison d'etre provide them with defenses against rating manipulations. Combat between Principals on the other hand, is more dangerous as wrestling for control can result in destabilizing the rating, and in the worst case leave them both stranded in Neverland. That said, there are those who when pressured, will gamble by increasing the rating to increase the effectiveness of all attacks in an attempt to win, without paying too much concern for the consequences.

In this setting, a variety of abilities and effects which fall under the term magic exist. Records suggest they have existed for a great time now, but it is only recently that the appearance of supernatural Creatures and the awakening of Principals have become commonplace enough to attract the attentions of those in charge of society. Besides these two, there also exists what are called the traditional arts- arcane and unwieldy abilities, derived from the application of inanely long formulas, often requiring extensive preparation. This is more similar to the traditional idea of the occult, with grimoires, formulas, and artifacts. Compared to the streamlined powers of Conceit, they are not very practical, although they offer some interesting utility by not being bound by the same restrictions.

As the defining trait of Principals, Conceit is the name for the various sorts of magical abilities they are capable of. There are a couple generic abilities that they all tend to have: they can temporarily enhance their physical ability at the expenditure of magical energy, can imprint on objects which they can materialize similar to the manifestation ability of Creatures, can manipulate the rating, and naturally recover faster outside of combat, Mechanically, these are the following:

Reinforcement

• Rating 0, Cost 5

Increase one of your physical stats (STR, CON, AGI, PRS) by 1 rank for 1 turn. Can be taken together with a regular action. The effects of this cannot be stacked, as there is a limit to the effects of magical energy in your body via this method.

Storage

• Rating 0, Cost 5

You can freely put an item you have developed a deep connection with (either having used it extensively, or been responsible in it's creation) in and out of a sort of mental storage. This enables you to stealthily hide a small weapon for your use. The size of this 'inventory' is one, and can be increased with the perk 'External'.

Contrast

• Rating 0, Cost 5

Increase the shade rating by an amount equal to your FAN rank, or decrease it by an amount equal to your SEN rank. Heavily affected by the Conditions of your chosen location. Increasing the shade rating can be done as a side action any turn, while decreasing can only be done as a side action every other turn. Applies before attacking. Can only be done once per turn.

*Rating 0 means effect is independent of color rating.

As well, you will tend to regain a couple wounds outside of combat, together with some MP. This happens for normal people too, but to a much lesser degree.

However, the most defining feature of Conceit are the various unique abilities it grants its user, called spells. At creation, you can create 3 for free, and can buy extra slots at 5 AP each. They tend to follow a number of generic rules:

• Uniqueness. Unlike perhaps spells in other settings, spells given by Conceit are not things that arise from some sort of academic learning- they are unique to the individual, and cannot really be taught or learned to others. Although there are magical artifacts and more traditional abilities that follow these sort of traditions, Conceit does not. They are abilities that you awaken over the course of your life. They also do not require preparation time or casting, and can simply be used as long as you will it and pass the requirements.
• Shade. See the section on Shade.
• Output. All creatures are limited in terms of the amount of magical energy they can use at a given time, decided by your Output. That is not to say that you cannot use abilities which require more magical energy than that, but after you use such an ability you gain a condition known as Magical Overexertion. In this state you can still use abilities, but your new limit is your old limit subtract the amount you went over. This condition naturally goes away after a period of using magical abilities below the new limit. If you exceed this new limit however, your ability will decrease in effectiveness and you are further penalized. See the Condition Magical Overexertion.
• Computational Complexity. Abilities which perform information related tasks that would be impossible for yourself will be scrutinized heavily. Something on the level of giving you hints about your current situation, detecting magical objects or scanning an opponent in front of your for their physical abilities, or estimating what kind of action they might take next are OK. No omniscience, magical mind reading or omnisearch abilities that instantly tell you what you are looking for.

There also exist some general guidelines for what you can expect from your spells given their rating, such as damage. These are somewhat flexible. The MP cost of a spell is identical to it's rating in most circumstances. As a general rule, spells with higher ratings can power through the effects of spells with lower ratings to a degree.

• Rating 5: Deals either 1 Wound with no effect, or applies an additional effect.
• Rating 10: Deals either 1 Wounds with an additional effect, or 2 Wounds with no effect.
• Rating 15: Deals either 2 Wounds with an additional effect, or 1 Wounds with a particularly powerful extra effect.
• Rating 20: Deals either 3 Wounds with an additional effect, or 2 Wounds with a particularly powerful extra effect.
• Rating 25: Deals either 4 Wounds with an additional effect, or 3 Wounds with a particularly powerful extra effect.

Finally, on top of your spells, there also exists a Trump- a special ace move that you have. These are particularly powerful, and can have a wide variety of effects with significantly more freedom than your regular spells. If it is damage, for instance, then it can likely win any fight instantly so long as it connects cleanly, or perhaps it restores you to full condition. These are given special costs (not necessarily limited to MP, if appropriate for the effect), and all have a rating of 40.

On top of their stats, characters are defined by their perks, which represent their abilities, skills, and past. There is no limit to the number of perks that can be bought, and unspent AP can be spent later when you have sufficient AP, or can also be used to buy additional spells. Players can also submit their own perks, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the GM. If a perk is lost, AP will be refunded accordingly, although it will take a while before it can be put to use.

Anchor

• Cost: 40 AP

In direct opposition to the raison d'etre's of Creatures which hinder the reduction of shade, you have a rule of your own. Stemming from something important to your ordinary life, this rule serves as a Condition that hinders the increase of shade beyond a certain limit. It comes in two parts- a physical object you carry on your person or keep within sight, such as a bracelet or even as simple as your arms, and an emotional connection that you attach towards it. So long as the two are intact and undisturbed, your surroundings remain anchored to reality.

However, this control is also fragile in a way- should either the physical object suffer damage, or the significance behind it come under unexpected attack (taunts, threats, etc), your control will weaken. You can also choose to drop this Condition and focus your concentration in a different manner, increasing one of your stats by 1.

Artifact

• Cost: 20 AP

Whether it's origin stems from the traditional arts, or it is a product of advanced science, you have obtained a rather rare item of considerable utility. Examples would be a sword with an extra sharp edge, or a gun with unconventional and powerful ammunition. Describe what sort of item this is- as an example for one of mechanical origin, see the C-Ball. The AMD is another example, although closer to the traditional arts. This item can be lost depending on how it works, but after an appropriate amount of time you may be allotted another copy, obtain a different Artifact, or use the AP to buy something else.

Bloodhound

• Cost: 20 AP

You are extraordinarily sensitive to the supernatural, to the point where you can feel any actions taken within a large area. If you happen upon a sight where magic has been involved, you can pinpoint where the users left afterwards. As well, you can determine if a person has awakened their Conceit or not so long as you are in close vicinity, as well as if they were responsible for any signatures that you have felt recently before. Similar to Liar, Liar, but with a focus on breadth instead of depth.

Broken

• Cost: 35 AP

In the past, something horrific happened to you. To this day, the incident still leaves heavy scars on your mind, and you are ever aware of how difficult it can be at times to fit in again with regular society. Your mind is not quite okay. But for your supernatural talents, this has been a bit of blessing in disguise- mental limits that prevent others from going too far with their Conceit don't apply to you anymore. You can use more than one spell per turn, as long as you remain under your output cap. However, in turn you are more frail mentally, and negative magical conditions like Magical Overexertion affect you much more than normal. Your SEN decreases by a rank.

Curse

• Cost: -10 AP

You have been at some point afflicted with what people would generally call a curse. Such effects are generally the result of the Traditional Arts, encounters with special Creatures, or may stem even further from Neverland itself. It is an ailment that triggers upon violating a certain rule, resulting in a random stat penalty. You can only have one Curse.

Cycle Spinner

• Cost: 35 AP

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Although it might be a strange motto for someone who participates in the underworld of society, you find this idea very agreeable in a way. It just doesn't sit well with you, knowing there are people whose suffering has not been answered. You may gain an advantageous Condition when fighting against those whom have directly caused grievances against people you know. This applies mainly to direct sources of information, and not so much to secondhand news.

Database

• Cost: 25 AP
• Restriction: Allegiance to the Royal See or the Department of Investigation

As a means of keeping tabs on their citizens, both organizations in charge of London maintain extensive archives of files. These contain standard information to be found on any census such as date of birth, lineage, occupation, as well as any points of interest such as medical history and criminal records and relationships to other individuals. Naturally, their existence is highly confidential.

Whether through extensive memorization or by having one of the Phrenological Formulas applied on you, you are able to make great use of this information in your day to day activities. When encountering individuals, you can pull up their profile for extra information on interacting with them, as well as information of people who are related to them. You can also obtain greater details at a latter time by looking them up personally in the records.

Demolition

• Cost: 20 AP

You've gained a degree of familiarity with explosives, that lets you get the most out of your bang. Not only do you have a means of obtaining them, whether through military channels, civilian usage, or your own personal mixing, you've developed a great intuition for the blast radius and timing. You have an easier time hitting your opponents with explosives as well as dodging them, and know where to plant them to hurt the most. This gives a bonus when attacking 'hard' targets. Your mental slots are also especially tuned towards carrying explosives, allowing you to hold several grenades with only a single slot.

Early Bird

• Cost: 20 AP

To take the initiative, and force your opponent to dance to your tune- Having honed your reflexes to their limits, you have a significant advantage when it comes to making the first move. So long as you are not ambushed, you will always take the first move in combat regardless of your respective AGI scores, and during the first two rounds of combat your AGI score is treated as one higher.

External

• Cost: Variable

You have a lot on your mind- quite literally. Unlike your standard Principal, whose Conceit normally allows them to imprint on some small objects and freely manifest it from a sort of thought storage, your capacity is much bigger. With enough AP, you can virtually turn your mind into a sort of miniature armory, although the kinds of objects you can move in and out are still limited to things you have formed some connection with, and things that can comfortably be carried. Pay 5 AP for each extra mental equipment slot. Small objects constitute 1 slot, bulky objects 2 slots.

Eigenvector

• Cost: 20 AP

You have honed your Conceit, to the point where certain abilities have simply become natural to you, and have begun to break out of the rigid forms you required before. You can now control the output of some of your spells. Choose two spells. You can now use them at one rating higher or lower.

Familiar

• Cost: 30 AP

Unlike others, 'your' Conceit is a little special- a fantasy Creature has merged with it, either having been born during your awakening or having fused with you in the first place to produce your awakening. This Creature now resides partially in your conscience, similar to the haunting that sometimes occur- but there is one key difference here. You are the master. While this passenger may possess some intelligence, it is ultimately subservient to you.

It is similar to other fantasy creatures, and as such you can design a unique Condition for it representing their variable biology (this applies to attacks involving it, and not you). It however loses the standard Out of Character Condition as a result of its association with yourself. Spells remain unchanged- you can represent them as your abilities, or theirs. As essentially an extension of your will, you share your stats and actions (only one spell, etc), but it can perform tasks without requiring you to be in the direct area (scouting, fighting from afar) and you can share senses. Any recollections it has of it's time before coming here are hazy, at best.

Fine Glass

• Cost: 15 AP

Drugs have become quite a problem in London, as more and more people seek to escape the bleak reality that they must live in. You too, are a user of substances- but unlike the others, your usage is not solely recreational. Cutting edge research by the various forces in London has turned up a number of useful substances, such as the performance enhancing steroids they tend to use on the youth in the Farms to ensure quality performance. However, the items you use have effects a little more immediate- they are a class of stimulants that produce changes in the mind to affect shade and Conceit. You carry around a syringe and a pair of fluids, with the effect of raising or decreasing White by 10 for 5 turns. However, usage comes with the side effect of randomly reducing one of your physical stats by 1 rank after the 5 turns pass for the rest of the day, barring specialized medical attention.

Hollowpoint

• Cost: 25 AP

You have what people might describe as a toxic disposition- a desire to see others in misfortune, dragged down from their pedestals and humiliated. Your sadism has affected the kind of spells you cast as a Principal. They lean towards inflicting negative Conditions on your opponents, and thanks to this perk they are especially good at doing so, with more potent effects and longer durations. They can even last beyond the battle upon which they were cast, and remain in effect even as the levels of White go down.

Liar, Liar

• Cost: 20 AP

Sensitivity to the fantastical side of things is only natural, as a Principal. However, the magical is often an expression of the mental- a fact that you have become more attuned to then most of your colleagues. You are capable of picking up subtle emotional clues from those you are in close proximity with, sort of like reading their 'aura' so to speak. This gives you a grasp over some general aspects of them, such as whether or not they are lying to you or hiding something that they feel uncomfortable with. It works especially well on mundanes who have no idea about the supernatural, but against Creatures or other Principals it is possible for them to pick up on what you are doing after repetitive usages.

Limit of My World

• Cost: 15 AP

To treasure life, and live everyday to it's fullest- a motto that everyone could do well to live by, in your opinion. You like to focus on what is in front of you, and seek to protect whatever strange status quo that you currently have. This has resulted in an abnormally high resistance to magical abilities- increase your SEN by one rank, representing this enhanced affinity (can go above the cap). As well, you can try to push past your limits once per battle and increase your SEN by 1 rank for one battle, but afterwards your FAN decreases by 1 rank for the rest of the day.

Limit of The World

• Cost: 15 AP

You possess an unusually high affinity for the fantastical, to the point where it feels like your ordinary life is somewhat unnatural. As if you were somehow out of place- or rather, that there was something wrong with the reality in which you lived in. An uneasy feeling that may not even have a definite cause. It has resulted in abnormally high supernatural abilities- increase your FAN by one rank, representing this enhanced affinity (If A, then instead only your Output increases). As well, you can try to push past your limits once per battle and increase your FAN by 1 rank for one battle, but afterwards your SEN decreases by 1 rank for the rest of the day.

MAD

• Cost: 15 AP

You are an artist, and blood is your paint. Violence speaks to your soul, and unlike other people, you aren't afraid of a little pain- if anything, it helps you concentrate, makes you feel alive. By inflicting self injury, such as cutting with a knife, you can raise the White levels by an amount proportional to the damage you inflict upon yourself. (1 Wound per 10. This does not cause negative Conditions). In battle, you can choose to negate the effect of one negative Condition that represents the effect of an injury for the rest of the battle that it was made.

Magician's Hand

• Cost: 25 AP

You are skilled with your hands, boasting particularly good fine motor skills and an understanding of how move things around without attracting attention. While this has not served much for your combat abilities, it has found a different and potentially much more useful application- in stealing. You can easily grab small objects off of anyone you pass by without anyone being the wiser. It also makes it easier to conceal any objects you happen to holding, and in quickly picking mechanical locks.

Metric

• Cost: 25 AP

You have a developed a remarkable intuition for spatial awareness- a mental ruler, you could say. You are highly aware of how close/far nearby objects are, as well as what you are can do with them, particularly with regards to your own acrobatic capabilities. On top of giving you a natural talent for moving through unorthodox terrain, it also lets you easily use cover to your advantage and increases the effectiveness of your strikes. Increase your PRS by one. You have an advantage when dealing with obstacles and are also much less likely to get lost.

Parody of an Epic

• Cost: 30 AP

Among the underworld circles, you are actually quite famous. And for good reason, with your long distinguished track record- tales of your achievements are common, and you are respected and feared for what you have pulled off in the past. Unfortunately, you are not quite the man of the myths. Ever since a rose mark appeared on your body, your proficiency with your Conceit has dropped drastically. Your FAN decreases by one rank (Max: B).

However, your elaborate track record has manifested in the form of a pair of Embellishments- special spells, that while obeying the same rules as your standard abilities also possess an additional effect that applies only against certain targets, representing a specific feat of yours. Additional Wounds against entities undead or related, or special Conditions applying onto agents of the Kingdom, for example. The power of the additional effect is balanced together with the scope of targets.

Physical Alchemist

• Cost: 30 AP

For millennia, the reactions of matter have fascinated people. From alchemy to chemistry, their understanding of substances have grown and grown, and today it underpins a number of key industries that sustain modern civilization. You are someone who stands at the forefront of this progress, boasting an impressive knowledge of all the most common reagents and catalysts used in modern day, as well as a knack for how to use them to produce your intended results. This Perk automatically gives you the effects of Fine Glass, and also allows you to create a unique mixture with it's own effects decided by you. You can also carry around a number of simply fluids that you can mix to produce various types of acid to dissolve any compounds you need at a moments notice, as well as some familiarity with explosives.

Physical Zombie

• Cost: 20 AP

Staying down has never been your forte. Whether because of experience or sheer determination, you can endure much greater pain and suffering than others without so much as a flinch. You gain an extra Wound, and in battle you can choose to negate the effect of one negative Condition that represents the effect of an injury for the rest of the battle that it was made.

Pin Point

• Cost: 25 AP

Even among all the highly trained individuals in London, your aim is in a class of it's own. People take for granted that when you fire a gun, you can expect some degree of spread in the end result- not you. You strike your mark exactly as you imagine it, every time. Targets that evenly highly experienced shooters find difficulty getting bullseye on, you can get from over an extra 100 meters away. Increase your PRS by 1 rank. When using firearms or similar projectiles with the precise attribute, you can also choose what sort of negative Condition you inflict on your opponent upon a successful hit. (choosing a temporary stat down, for example)

Picture Perfect

• Cost: 25 AP

To you, the human body is like a canvas. You know all the tricks for modifying your appearance, and if you felt like it, you could put the models in magazines to shame. But your abilities aren't limited to simply appearing gorgeous- so long as you've had some time to prepare and a good grasp of what the end product looks like, you can practically transform into any other individual.

Quack

• Cost: 30 AP

You've learned the ins and the outs of the human body- not for killing, as most in underworld society have, but instead for healing purposes. With the right tools, you can perform basic treatment on anyone you find, which can restore their Wounds. As well, your sensibility towards the healing arts makes any spells you have aligned towards healing more effective, and when facing off against human enemies, your knowledge of anatomy can give an advantage in inflicting disadvantageous Conditions when you inflict Wounds.

Resources

• Cost: 25 AP (15 AP for Status)

You are personally affluent. You have lots of money to throw around, together with the ability to utilize them effectively to get what you need, be it the latest engines or bribes. This is different from the type of power you would be afforded from taking a connection with either of the large parties in London- your resources are free to use as you wish, without regard for answering beforehand what you intend to use it for. In essence, whereas connections may allot you authority, and on occasion some specific financial support depending on the situation, this perk grants you the latter unconditionally. It also allots you more excessive assets than either of the parties would typically allot to an agent.

Signature

• Cost: 20 AP

Be it from intense training or a natural talent for the physical arts, at some point you have developed your own signature move- a special purely physical skill that you can use to great effect. Although it's effect is not as potent as your typical spell, it can be used regardless of shade, and even used alongside your spells if they happen to go well together. It's main drawback is that it cannot be used effectively in succession, as your opponents can come predict the maneuver.

Status

• Cost: 25
• Restriction: Raised on the Farm or String of Fate Origin only (sorry, fictional status doesn't apply in the real world!)

Whether as a member of the nobility in the Kingdom, or connections with important politicians and business owners in the Commonwealth, you are a person of high esteem- upper class, so to speak, within your half of London. This has granted you a number of special privileges- places in London that would normally be inaccessible to you become open, the local police can be convinced to turn the other way, and people in positions of power will be inclined to cater to your demands. However, the advantages may get messy when coming into conflict with other members of similar status, and you have a reputation to uphold.

Crests and other symbols that can represent your backing allow you to use most of the advantages of this perk while remaining incognito, and in the even of your capture by the enemy side of London, it is possible to negotiate conditions for your return if you meet with the right people. You also gain access to the Resources perk at cheaper cost.

Still Dreaming

• Cost: 10
• Restriction: Raised on the Farm or String of Fate Origin only

At the moment, you remain unaware of the truth behind the occurrences in London, for you have not actually awakened as a Principal yet. Instead, you live out your days as you ordinarily do, although you may have some suspicions- London itself is a hotbed of the occult, so it's not strange to hear some gossip. However, your peaceful days are soon to come to an end. Thankfully, you will not be completely helpless in what is to come- you have a friend, who happens to be involved in the underworld of London. Create for yourself a NPC who may provide you with help in your devastating first plunge into the truth. They can be of any allegiance, and even need not necessarily be a Principal.

Stranger Than Fiction

• Cost: Variable
• Restriction: Stranger Than Fiction Origin only

Your nature is a little more similar to the fantasy Creatures, and this reflects itself in your abilities. Create for yourself, one Condition. This represents your alien background, and can vary from to immunity to bullets, enhanced regeneration, or even more abstract powers like the standard Out of Character. They also come with their own weaknesses, which can be deduced by looking at your source material. And naturally, as magical powers, they strengthen and weaken with the rise of White.

Tinker Tinker

• Cost: 25 AP

For the common people, Engines are mysterious mechanical devices that provide a number of amazing capabilities. How they work and function is not their concern. But you are one of the few who understand it's mechanisms intimately, and you have a talent for it that even makes some of the most erudite Engine Scholars look like children. You can freely modify these machines to suit your purposes, and are capable of using advanced technology. Design for yourself a personalized Engine (or take one of the devices in Equipment), which is a product of your skills. This object is essentially the same as those obtained from Artifact.

Tick Tock

• Cost: 30 AP

At some point in the past, you have underwent a top secret and cutting edge operation, where a part of your natural body was replaced by an Engine. On top of normal function, this artificial replacement has also provided you with enhanced capabilities. However, it can be damaged during battle, and can only be fixed via maintenance by an appropriately skilled individual. Choose a part of your body, and come up with an appropriate advanced function for this replaced part. For example, ears would have advanced hearing, eyes with great eyesight, limbs with extraordinary power, and so forth. Like Artifact, the AP involved in this perk is conserved.

Traditionalist

• Cost: 30 AP
• Restriction: String of Fate Origin only

As mentioned before, there exist the traditional arts, which are magical abilities that cannot be used as conveniently as Conceit but remain valuable due to their ability to impart a number of effects that are difficult for Conceit, as well as versatility. You are a practitioner of these rare arts. Create for yourself a special spell, called a Formula. These spells operate differently from typical spells, and are less bound by the typical rules - for example, external healing, advanced tracking, or bypassing typical Conditions for hitting. However, they are slow, and in combat only take effect the turn after they are cast. (The magical energy output can be split between the two turns) The effects can also be slightly adjusted depending on the situation, as long as the core idea remains the same.

Wallflower

• Cost: 25 AP

It's easy for you to avoid attention when you don't want any. You can easily fade away from focus, drop into the background. As a master of erasing your own presence, stealth is a simple affair, and you can freely sneak around without much trouble as long as there exist security vulnerabilities to take advantage of. (darkness, low manpower, etc) This also gives you a bonus towards sneak attacks, and during combat if the conditions are right it is even possible to conceal yourself once more.

Wheel Breaker

• Cost: 30 AP
• Restriction: Raised on the Farm or String of Fate Origin only

Fate, destiny, karma- none of that has anything to do with you. People live in the present, and you exemplify this more so than anyone. You have an abnormal resistance to a bunch of sustained status effects and conditions. While physically motivated conditions like poisoning may last rather long, things like curses, haunting, or abilities that require prior conditions to be fulfilled have a hard time taking their root on you, and they rapidly fade away as the moment passes.

As the most advanced city in the world, a number of useful technologies exist in London that are available for players to make use of. Even leaving aside standard objects like fire arms, a number of useful Engine devices have been invented with particularly handy effects that can even directly influence supernatural effects. You can pick as many as would be within reason for your character (be prepared to justify them if they do not seem like something your background should have!). First are some basic templates for general weapons, which may also have some special attributes associated with them depending on the details:

Small Close Combat Implements

• Attributes: Melee, Ranged (if thrown), Precision
• STR requirement: E
• Wounds per hit: 2
• Slots: 1

Typically knives, but other variants exist like knuckledusters and so forth. These days, a lot of people tend to carry knives around as a form of self defense, and they are popular for low level hoodlums who can't get their hands on anything better.

Large Close Combat Implements

• Attributes: Melee, Precision
• STR requirement: C
• Wounds per hit: 3
• Slots: 2

Usually swords, which have become somewhat popular for cultural reasons. Pretty much the same as real life. It is generally forbidden to be seen carrying these around in public, and they must be in disguise. However, if you are found with one, some permits will make you escape questioning.

Small Firearms

• Attributes: Ranged, Precision
• STR requirement: D
• Wounds per hit: 2
• Slots: 1

Consists of weapons such as pistols, revolvers, and so forth. Although similar to real life counterparts, guns in this day and age boast firepower greater than their counterparts at the time thanks to the advance of engine technology. That said, except for those in branches of law enforcement, carrying around these in public is again not allowed.

Large Firearms

• Attributes: Ranged, Precision
• STR requirement: C
• Wounds per hit: 3
• Slots: 2

Larger firearms, such as rifles, machine guns, and so forth. No explosives. They similarly pack more punch then would expected from back in the day thanks to technological improvements.

Next, are some useful examples of technology available in the setting for your use:

Gauge

The product of many years of research into the phenomenon of shade, gauges are small devices capable of measuring the shade ratio in a given area, and how unstable the current balance is. Granted, they are not particularly useful in combat to Principals who can already feel it by instinct. They can come in many, fairly compact forms- as watches, or accessories to Engine Phones.

Engine Phone

• Slots: 1

The in setting equivalent of cell phones, recently made possible via Engine technology. That said, they are rather inconvenient to use for a number of reasons: slow to dial and connect, insecure, small orichalcum batteries, and the connection is rather shaky even when both parties are in range. That said, they have been gaining in popularity, so they are not too rare a sight.

Vehicles

• Attributes: Melee

While there are still many individuals who prefer to use the more traditional stagecoaches, powered vehicles are no longer rare sights in London. As of yet, there are no regulations such as driver's licenses for vehicles, but heavy costs keep them out of the hands of the public. Most people thus instead walk or use public services such as streetcars and trains. There were plans for subway projects in the past, but they have been essentially abandoned following the civil war.

Aircraft

The skies remain the almost exclusive domain of the Kingdom and the Commonwealth. In this age, airplanes are still rather primitive, and airships are far more common in both military and civilian affairs. This is in part due to a magical ore known as Cavorite, which with specialized Engines has allowed for limited gravitational manipulation that has allowed for the construction of ever greater and durable airships. The Kingdom and the Commonwealth do not fail to miss the opportunity to show off their capabilities, with airships being commonly seen streaking over the skies of London.

Phrenological Formulas

Closer to the traditional arts rather than regular Engine Technology, the Phrenological Formulas are magical techniques that pertain directly to the manipulation of the mind and it's associated memories. Things like a degree of retrograde amnesia, or inscribing certain pieces of information are possible with these techniques. However, extraction remains ever difficult.

Due to their utility, Engines have since been made that automate the process for a limited number of effects. While not as potent as the originals, they can make it hard for an individual to recall any events that occurred in a certain time span unless provided with sufficient prompts (similar to the effects of white heavy areas on mundanes), which has been used both in information control and creating sleeper agents. They are bulky and slow devices, and obviously no substitute for an actual user of the originals. Naturally, their existence is top secret.

C-ball

• Attributes: Buff
• Slots: 1

The result of remarkable miniaturization of cavorite and Engine technology, C-balls are small handheld versions of the devices implemented in airships which allow for more small scale gravitational manipulation of the user and objects in contact with it. Levitation and even flight are possible, together with easy lifting of any heavy or bulky objects, although overheating is a large concern. The existence of such devices is highly confidential, and their distribution heavily monitored. In combat, this third degree of motion constitutes an additional condition that increases the ease of dodging.

Active Misdirection Device

• Attributes: Buff
• Slots: 1

Essentially, a type of cloaking device. Worn as a strap on a person, it makes the user especially hard to notice or memorize by others by manipulating their attention and focusing it elsewhere. A similar effect to how people naturally have an aversion towards looking directly at the sun. It is less effective when others are prepared for it, but still boasts a degree effectiveness in making it harder than normal to hit. Supposedly, it operates with a combination of subliminal signals and some traditional arts. Best used as a supplement to actual stealth activities, and can be prone to overheating.

Lodestone

• Slots: 1

It turns out, that by performing a certain treatment a certain alloy of various minerals, including the ever popular orichalcum being used as a battery for most Engines, it is possible to create a substance colloquially known as a lodestone. Any individual piece of lodestone will feel a small attraction to any other piece that was made in the same batch, allowing it to serve as a sort of compass. It is known to sometimes err from the straightest path to it's target. Regarded mostly as a curious toy or expensive means of keeping track of certain objects in an age where GPS does not exist, it has become an item of interest for London's underworld due to claims that it helps in navigating back from Neverland. Can be obtained using Resources.

Singers

• Attributes: Buff, Debuff, AOE

A variety of acoustic Engines, that are treated with the greatest caution by both the Department of Investigation and the Royal See. They are formed of a combination of software and hardware designed to produce subliminal effects in their audiences that manipulate shade- essentially, the results of many years of research from both before and after the civil war into brown notes and various other acclaimed occult effects. However, they have the side effect of eventually leading to runaway increases with continued use regardless of settings, and are thus considered highly dangerous to use under any circumstance. Even for those aligned with either of the big organizations in London, their usage is highly restricted.

Here is a sample sheet to give you an idea what it all looks like. The spells section is a little uninspired here, being all sword strikes, you don't have to abide any restrictions like that. Low damage on the spells since they combo off physical attacks.

Background:

Raised in Japan, Azusa spent much of her childhood years under the instruction of her father, a former soldier who now ran a dojo. Raised in ignorance of the tenuous political affairs that could reignite a world war, her days were spent honing her skill with the sword. Her talents for the blade soon blossomed and she became a skilled, if inexperienced fighter. However, her life of practice matches and peace would come to an end.

After an impromptu meeting with an old friend from his time in the military, her father left her in charge, explaining that he had to leave to deal with some personal business. Shortly after that, a number of officials from the government came to their town, and Azusa learned that her father had become an accomplice to a group of nationalists who sought to disrupt current government relations with the Commonwealth of Albion. Promising to help bring her father to his senses, Azusa convinced the government to take her to London, where they suspected the group would take action.

Unfortunately, the worst came to pass, and Azusa ended up trading blows with her father in aftermath of an attack made by his group. Awakening as a Principal in the midst of the chaos, she ended up cutting down her father- an ironic twist of fate, given that she had honed her skills mainly for his attention. The Commonwealth, although displeased by what had happened to their ambassadors, made an offer to the Japanese government- let Azusa, who was now a Principal, work under the Department of Investigation, and in exchange everything that transpired today would be water under the bridge. Seeing no reason to refuse, Azusa accepted their demands, and has continued working with them up until now. That said, her loyalties lie mainly towards her home country, and she spends much of her time sending letters back home to the rest of her family.

Perks:

External (15 AP)

Extra mental slots to hold her sword, an Engine Phone, and a handgun.

Signature (20 AP)

Be it from intense training or a natural talent for the physical arts, at some point you have developed your own signature move- a special purely physical skill that you can use to great effect. Although it's effect is not as potent as your typical spell, it can be used regardless of shade, and even used alongside your spell if they happen to go well together. It's main drawback is that it cannot be used effectively in succession, as your opponents can come predict the maneuver.

A slash that appears abnormally slow. While it may seem trivial to dodge or block at first, it's speed is an illusion- a trick that confuses the opponent's sense of distance, and it in truth is just a deadly as any regular swing. As such, it has an easier time than normal in hitting it's targets compared to standard physical attacks. It can be thought of as an advancement of the one of the advantages of iaido- confusing your opponent about standard combat distance.

Metric (25 AP)

You have a developed a remarkable intuition for spatial awareness- a mental ruler, you could say. You are highly aware of how close/far nearby objects are, as well as what you are can do with them, particularly with regards to your own acrobatic capabilities. On top of giving you a natural talent for moving through unorthodox terrain, it also lets you easily use cover to your advantage and increases the effectiveness of your strikes. Increase your PRS by one. You have an advantage when dealing with obstacles and are also much less likely to get lost.

Liar, Liar (20 AP)

Sensitivity to the fantastical side of things is only natural, as a Principal. However, the magical is often an expression of the mental- a fact that you have become more attuned to then most of your colleagues. You are capable of picking up subtle emotional clues from those you are in close proximity with, sort of like reading their 'aura' so to speak. This gives you a grasp over some general aspects of them, such as whether or not they are lying to you or hiding something that they feel uncomfortable with. It works especially well on mundanes who have no idea about the supernatural, but against Creatures or other Principals it is possible for them to pick up on what you are doing after repetitive usages.

Anchor (40 AP)

In direct opposition to the raison d'etre's of Creatures which hinder the reduction of shade, you have a rule of your own. Stemming from something important to your ordinary life, this rule serves as a Condition that hinders the increase of shade beyond a certain limit. It comes in two parts- a physical object you carry on your person or keep within sight, such as a bracelet or even as simple as your arms, and an emotional connection that you attach towards it. So long as the two are intact and undisturbed, your surroundings remain anchored to reality.

However, this control is also fragile in a way- should either the physical object suffer damage, or the significance behind it come under unexpected attack (taunts, threats, etc), your control will weaken. You can also choose to drop this Condition and focus your concentration in a different manner, increasing one of your stats by 1.

• Duty
• A sense of fondness and loyalty to her home country, for which she has already lost a great deal in protecting. The physical object which represents it is the scabbard, which remains in pristine condition and untouched by blood. When forcibly raising White levels above and including 14, the effect of the raise is decreased by 2 points and the cost is doubled.

Conceit:

Shukuchi

• Rating 5, Wounds 0, Buff
• A spell that enhances movement. By removing resistance, it makes it appear like Azusa simply glides over the surface and moves without any obvious tells. Gives an advantage towards advancing towards a target, and launching attacks due to catching the opponent by surprise using strange movements. Lasts for 3 rounds.

Tobokomi

• Rating 10, Wounds 1, Melee, Precise, Buff
• An enhanced slash that chops all in it's way with particular ferocity. Unlike the other spells, it is designed to put an emphasis on using raw power not to cleave but to smash, and is designed to damage weapons or push an opponent off guard. It is also particularly effective against armored enemies.

Kasha

• Rating 10, Wounds 1, Melee, AOE depending on usage
• A freezing spell, applied directly onto a surface. It causes anything that makes contact with the surface to ice over, causing damage to any flesh and hindering any movement.

Gekkou (5 AP)

• Rating 10, AOE, Debuff
• Gravity amplification. It makes it harder for a close target to move, and enhances the force with which objects fall.

Yukikaze (5 AP)

• Rating 15, Wounds 1, AOE, Conditional, Debuff
• Exacerbates existing injuries that have been inflicted by Azusa and her attacks. Specifically, it widens an existing cut, and encourages a swelling of blood to pour forth. This can only be cast once on a given injury inflicted by Azusa. It also generates a negative Condition related to injuries on the target.

Trump - Midare Setsugekka

• MP cost: 40. Only causes 10 MP of overexertion.

Her trump card. As befitting her character, it is again a slash- iaido, to be specific. An unwavering strike that turns aside all that meet it's blade, it can cut through almost anything it encounters, and produces a sharp gust that makes it dangerous even at a range. At melee, it can almost assuredly fatal upon landing- however, the effectiveness of the ranged attack is much reduced. This would be rather unsuitable as a Trump, except for the fact that the resulting ranged attack is a result of it's ability to part anything the slash meets- by cutting through appropriate resistance, such as an enemy attack or such, it becomes more devastating.