True Faith Numina Guide

[Hades]

True Faith Numina

Faith is a sacred trust in the divine usually manifested in the form of a religion. Millions of people enrich their lives through this sacred trust, but only a blessed few have been personally touched by the divine. True Faith is a combination of this trust and a divine favor that brings about a profound conviction that can protect an individual against the depredations of the evil, the corrupt, and the profane — such as the Kindred. The blessings of True Faith are very rare. Devoted worshippers of every faith exist, but only a scant few have this robust holy connection. Official religious investments are not required to possess True Faith, characters with True Faith are not required to be priests, rabbi, or clerics to be chosen. Indeed, many men of the cloth themselves aren't so favored as to be able to command True Faith.

Characters with True Faith have the ability to perform miracles. Some believe that the presence of these special people is a sign that, whatever higher powers exist, they have not forsaken the world. The Light of God theory proposes that those with True Faith are ordinary mortals who have been chosen by the divine to protect the world. A few theorists believe that they are Nephilim, mortal descendants of angels or other higher beings.

Acquiring True Faith

True Faith is a gift of the divine. Characters with True Faith are chosen to bear that gift for a specific purpose. It is recommended that players interested in True Faith Numina have a discussion with the Storyteller about the background and potential story for their characters. A player should select a religion or creed that fits with the character's background and story. The manifestation of True Faith often requires that the Faithful individual suffer through a crisis, a “dark night of the soul” in which the universe seems to test her belief and resolve. Many of the Faithful have spent long periods of contemplation considering the many facets of their faith as it applies to the world, considering how best to follow the tenets of their faith. Should one of the Faithful fail to follow the mandates of her faith (as determined by the Storyteller), her player must make a Conscience roll at a difficulty of 9 to resist the wavering of the character's True Faith and the concurrent loss of a level in the Numina. A character who flagrantly disregards the core beliefs of her faith finds that her connection to the divine becomes more and more distant.

Regaining faith is much harder once an individual has lost it. This can be an intense storytelling experience for a hunter, as the character experiences a true crisis of faith and must work diligently and piously to return to the good graces of the divine. Whether gaining, losing, or regaining True Faith, such a story element should be treated as a strong dramatic turning point in a character's development. In addition, Storytellers are encouraged to handle True Faith with care. On the one hand, the close relationship of True Faith with real-world religions requires respectful treatment of the faiths in representation. At the same time, the reduction of the ways of higher powers to an abstract system of dice rolls and “powers” can undermine the gravity of what the Numina represents. No character may begin a chronicle with more than one level of the True Faith Numina.

Increasing True Faith

True Faith is increased by acts of devotion toward the character's revered higher power or cause. Additional points are awarded only at the Storyteller's discretion, based on appropriate behavior and deeds. The Storyteller should closely consider the Faithful's actions during the course of the story and inform the player when he believes that it is appropriate that next level be purchased.

True Faith Levels:

Spoiler for Repel the Undead:

• Any character with True Faith may attempt to repel vampires,
ghosts, and other supernatural creatures by brandishing a holy
symbol or uttering prayers. The player of the Faithful spends
a Willpower point and rolls her character's True Faith rating
against a difficulty equal to the creature's permanent Willpower.

The successes garnered indicate the number of turns
that the creature must flee from the character while she
invokes the protection of prayer or the holy symbol. If
the activation roll yields no successes, a supernatural
creature need not step back, but may not advance. A
botch indicates that it may advance unhindered. If the
religious symbol is placed against a vampire's body, each
success causes a level of aggravated damage, burning into
the creature's flesh.

Spoiler for Sense the Wicked:

•• The Faithful may sense the presence of a vampire.
She need not consciously try to detect the vampire's
presence, but she must be in peaceful, quiet surroundings,
perhaps alone in thought, praying, reading a religious book,
meditating, etc. The Faithful will not sense the vampire if
she is preoccupied (e.g., arguing) or in a crowded, noisy
place (jostled by a mob, in the midst of a party, etc.). This
ability doesn't light up the vampire like a beacon; the
Storyteller reveals the presence of the vampire only when
the Faithful's attention would indicate such. Note that the
character doesn't know exactly what she senses through her
faith. All she knows is that something sinister is nearby.

Spoiler for Unwavering Belief:

••• The Faithful is immune to Chimerstry,
Dementation, Dominate, Obfuscate, and other
supernatural effects that confound the mind.

Spoiler for Chaste and Steadfast:

•••• The Faithful may not be turned into a ghoul. She
is unaffected by Presence and other supernatural effects
that manipulate emotions.

Spoiler for Holy Presence:

••••• The mere presence of the Faithful may fill a
vampire or other supernatural creature with self-loathing,
disgust, terror, or even physical pain. The player of any
vampire who hears the Faithful pray or preach, or who is
touched by the Faithful, must make a successful Rötschreck
roll (difficulty 9) to resist having the Kindred flee immediately
and for the duration of the scene. A vampire who is unable
to flee is reduced to a gibbering wreck, flailing on the floor,
screaming, sobbing, or begging for mercy.

Miracles of True Faith

A miracle is an instance of direct divine intervention. The Faithful often pray to the divine as a form of worship and meditation. On rare and inspiring occasions, the divine answers a prayer in the form of a miracle. Such miracles should be rare, never more than one in a story, and always dramatic. The Storyteller should examine the motivation of the character invoking the miracle. The divine likely doesn't care if the Faithful wants to drive a luxury car, win the lottery, or even survive an encounter with a random vampire. Every religion has martyrs, and death is sometimes in the divine plan. Prayers that are selfless and seek to help or inspire others have the best chance of being answered. No hard-and-fast system for invoking miracles exists — it's simply a dramatic reminder that Faithful individuals bear a divine duty and can occasionally serve as conduits for their greater power's will in the world.


Miracles are impossible to define mechanically, as they should be specifically tailored to the situation. Some examples include:

 
• Helping a barren woman be able to bear a child

• Curing a terrible and painful disease, such as cancer

• Helping someone trapped under a collapsed building

• Finding yourself at the side of a friend in desperate need

Spoiler for Fist of God:

Fist of God (7pt. Merit) Some call you “Witch-Hammer,” for your naked hands do grievous hurt to the children of the elder night. All your Brawling damage is considered aggravated against supernaturals. Work with the Storyteller to create a good reason for this rare effect, and how it developed. Only
mortals with Humanity of seven or higher may purchase (or keep) this Merit.

   
        Folks who possess True Faith often perform other miracles, those with a True Faith Rating of 2+ can perform these miracles: (System wise you roll your True Faith rating versus difficulty 6 to 8 depending on the miracle)
        Healing (Difficulty 6): By laying on hands, the character can try to heal another character even if she lacks the Life Sphere. A successful Faith roll, difficulty 6, heals one bashing or lethal health level, and two successes can heal one aggravated health level.
        Intercession (Difficulty 8 ): By praying for another person, the character can stabilize a sick or dying person, forgive sins, act as a “phone call to God,” or perform some other intercession between a character and the Powers that Be.
        Penance (Difficulty 6/Contested Willpower difficulty 6): A firm or compassionate lecture might get another character to repent his sins and offer remorse and penance to the appropriate Powers That Be. Game-wise, this might demand a contested roll of True Faith versus the offender's Willpower. The difficulty is the offender's Willpower, although additional social-feat rolls during the lecture can lower that difficulty for the character with Faith. If the evangelist succeeds, the sinner hesitates, breaks down, or otherwise expresses remorse and potential conversion.
        Shielding (Difficulty 8/Can only be activated against outstanding odds): When assaulted by fire, torture, or other attacks, a Faith-full individual can try to soak the attack with a True Faith roll. Each success adds to the character's soak roll, even against aggravated attacks, for one turn. At the Storyteller's discretion, a successful roll might protect the character entirely; flames, beasts, temptations, and other torments might be diverted by a strong display of Faith.

[Raven]

cool pictures but the font is too big D:
nice job overall

[Hades]

cool pictures but the font is too big D:
nice job overall

Holy words must be written with big letters, for all to see!

[Iron]

Nice!
In the miracle sectiob id add the system (wrote it down in the regulations section)

[Hades]

It's added.

[Jeffrey Gain]

ey, dis pretty good