Quirks

The following represent particular special aspects of your character. They cannot be purchased during advancement, but may sometimes be gained (or lost) during play.

At character creation, you start with +2 points worth of quirks for free, and you can take up to another +4 so long as they are balanced by the equivalent -4 of flaws (i.e. such that they balance out to be +2 overall). Of course, you can take more flaws than this, but you won't get any balancing benefit - and you will get everything that's coming to you.

Unless specified otherwise - with an ampersand (&) next to the quirk title - a quirk may only be taken once.

Taking this quirk indicates that you wish to play the game on hard mode. You wish your encounters with new dangers to be more dangerous, and possibly more dramatic; you accept that it is slightly easier for your character to have an epic death or to come away from a fight with more injuries.

You have made a deal with a demon/angel/gaian.

Taking the positive version of this quirk represents that your chosen entity thinks you are of some use, and is somewhat postively disposed to you. Taking the negative version of this quirk means this entity thinks you are of no use, and is not positively disposed to you.

You have a contact or friend in a faction you are not a member of. You can use this to get an in if you need to.

You have a long-standing rival or adversary who will stop at nothing to see your schemes fail.

You have a familiar: an animal companion you have formed a bond with. Not magical, but they occasionally come in handy, and are, at the very least, likely to be a source of comfort.

You're sure some kind of animal is following you around. It's making you uncomfortable.

You have an old object that has had magic applied to it for some specific effect. Talk to the GMs about your idea. If you have no ideas, or a love of banter, the GMs can come up with one for you.

You have downloaded a couple of files from the Hallowed Chamber. Let the GMs know what you are interested in and we will tell you what you know.

You are possessed by something. You cannot guarantee that your actions will always be your own.

A few times over the course of the game, an action you have planned will not go as planned due to the being inside your head having other ideas.

Your mind is your own territory, and trespassers should beware.

Taking this quirk means that you are more resilient to the effects of possession by another entity.

Sometime in your past, you angered a witch, gaian or celestial, and they have placed a curse upon you. Give the GMs an idea of who cursed you and why.

Magic takes concentration, which sometimes makes you nervous. You just know you're going to fumble the words one day, with disasterous consequences.

You have a space where you feel very comfortable and find yourself able to concentrate more on things.

You have pissed off a Gaian. Unfortunately, they are also in control of an area you have to use for some reason.

This should be tied to one of your existing positive quirks - you can only access this quirk by entering the area the Gaian who hates you controls.

You have access to a weirdly specific resource which will probably be useful in certain situations. Examples include a box in a theatre, an allotment or an apiary.

When taking this quirk multiple times, the resource must be different each time.

Whether this is someone you need to look out for or a favour you need to pay, let us know what it is. If you can't think of it, the GMs can come up with something.

You have some kind of dark secret you'd rather didn't see the light of day.

You have a deep-seated irrational fear of something or other.

We advise not making this something you are OOC afraid of; it is highly likely to appear in game.

You have a craving for something or other, which may cause trouble. Make a suggestion; the GMs may ask you to pick something else.

From a young age, you have been raised to expect the forthcoming and inevitable conflagration that will destroy our world. Maybe you had a mentor, maybe you were trained in prophecy by a family member, maybe you are a prepper that just happens to be a witch. Regardless, you accept the apocalypse with the demeanour of one who is told it will rain next weekend. You nod, and think about your large collection of kevlar umbrellas.

This quirk means you are more mentally resilient than the average person in the face of world-shaking events which herald - or constitute - the apocalypse.

You have a thing from a place. Maybe it's an interesting twig, a pretty sea shell, a brick. This may render some of your interactions with Gaians… interesting, one way or another.

Your closest friends are pretty experienced at wielding placards, ever ready to chain themselves to trees, and generally keen to help out for the good of the planet.

The value of this quirk determines how effective and directable you find them to be - in its negative form, you can expect your friends to represent an active hindrance.

In pursuit of your convictions, you've upset a few too many people. You're now known as a bit of an extremist - you can expect that the press will portray your activities in a rather negative light.

You witnessed, researched or participated in angel summonings, and can remember a few details, such as the names of an angel or two, and a few hints as to what they like (and whether or not summoning them is a good idea).

This does not mean that you are necessarily able to summon angels safely. You just have some tips, is all.

You were involved in the Norwich Incident, and got yourself noticed by the demon Muriel.

You were close to one of the three founders of the Chamber. Pick one. You might have some human contacts through Aislin O'Neill, be in good stead with Mohammed Darzi and therefore find promotion easier, or be close to an angel through knowing Ruby Robinson.

Details of your personal life, such as your name and address, details of your loved ones, and your weaknesses, were published by Aislin O'Neill on the internet. There's no way of knowing how many people now have that information… and what they'll do with it.

You are a newbie, and don't quite have the respect or responsibilities of an Entrusted. Expect that you will have to work under some of the Entrusted until you've earned that trust yourself.

The Order has entrusted you with the knowledge of some trappings for some less well known demons, and often a place to safely summon them.

Some people in the Order have taken a particular fascination with observing you. You're not quite sure what this means, but it can't be good.

You are closer friends with one of the Beloved (specify), you can rely on them to back you when working in the Order's interests, and often in unrelated business too.

Whether stubborn or idealistic, you have a disposition that means that you cannot bring yourself to cast magic 'normally'. You may never cast a spell that draws from only one discipline. If for whatever reason you circumstances mean that you force yourself to do this, there will be consequences.

You own a well-thumbed copy of the Iron Filings' Esoterica Crumblesia, a bizarre work purportedly written by Mellifluous Algernon the Ripe. The EC is part recipe book, part mystical text, and part self-help guide, and includes, for example, tips on how to repair summoning circles using spaghetti, a sonorous chant to ward off (or attract) those possessed by Celestials, and the correct temperature for cooking pear crumble. The practical value of any information within (save for the latter) is questionable at best, but you have memorised its wisdom nonetheless.

This quirk costs both +1 and -1. Sometimes the knowledge contained in the Esoterica will help you, other times, it will simply make your life more interesting.

You are obsessed with unexplained phenomena. Occasionally, through a series of (il)logical leaps, you are able to arrive at an unexpected truth.

Mechanically, this represents a powerful but unpredictable boost to your powers of research or deduction. You cannot rely on being able to use this quirk consistently.

The Seekers' way of life calls for a great deal of focus. This is that focus taken to its logical conclusion. Perhaps it's a secret you simply have to find out, something you wish to achieve, or simply a situation that haunts your every waking moment. Taken positively, this quirk grants you focus when dealing with the object of your obsession, and increases the difficulty of deterring you from it. Taken negatively, it drives you to distraction, and can cause you to falter in pursuing your current goal if something pertaining to it catches your attention. You may choose your obsession, subject to GM approval.

The Seekers are no stranger to the temptation demons can offer, but you've managed to catch the eye of a particular being. You don't know who, or what they are, but they're very powerful, and very interested in seeing things go badly for you.

Your ties with the institute grant you access to some of the on-site facilities in Slough. This will give you an environment which is prepared for unusual magical investigation, allowing you a safer environment to try things out in. While it won't guarantee success, or that you won't come to harm, the space is better prepared should things get out of hand.

You are one of the senior researchers at the institute. You will have been working in magical academia for a while, be it at Slough itself, or one of the many others across the world. You will have some respect from your peers, and may even have written an academic paper or two.

You've had past interactions with the Troubleshooters, and things didn't go so great. If they find out you've been up to anything improper, they will come down on you hard and fast.

Taking this quirk means both that your reputation within the faction will suffer, and the penalties from becoming embroiled in unsavoury magic will be greater or more difficult to avoid.

You have broken the rules before, and the Council hasn't punished you. Yet.

You are the leader of a small local branch of the White Quill.

You are a more trusted member of the White Quill than most. There are those in the White Quill who have been watching your progress with interest. They are keen for you to keep up the good work.

This quirk does not represent your standing within the Quill, so much as it does the kinds of people within the faction who have taken an interest to you.