Post by Phsycodelic on Aug 2, 2016 0:37:34 GMT
General Social Flaws
Academic Rival (1 point): You have a rival who is competing with you for the same knowledge or artifacts you pursue. Your rival could be someone from your past or someone you have never met. The Storyteller should design you rival and keep much of the information on his activities from you until the proper moment. Your rival will constantly be seeking to sabotage you or steal your work. You must of course be the type of person that this Flaw would affect (so no street punks with academic rival please).
Airhead (1 point): Maybe you have trouble paying attention, maybe you're just clueless, maybe you just look like a flake; no matter what, people don't take you seriously. Social rolls are modified as appropriate.
Albino (1 point): This Flaw is common among Mokolé that take the form of sacred crocodiles. You have no pigment (in any form if you are a Shifter). You're white-skinned and have pale pink eyes. In the sun, you'll be burned within a few minutes. In addition, you receive 2 fewer dice on all social rolls because of your bizarre appearance.
----------Bad Liar (1 point): You have tremendous trouble lying. The spontaneous excuses that you come up with are usually unbelievably elaborate or easily refuted with the bare modicum of research. While telling a prefabricated lie, you stutter, stammer, blush or generally look guilty. Increase the difficulty of any roll that involves verbal deception by 2.
Banished (2-6 point): Because of some crime, you have been banished from your particular group. This Flaw has three different degrees of seriousness. Those with the 2 point Flaw have been banished, but there is some hope of return. Perhaps you have “merely” to fulfill some nearly impossible task such as slay a dragon. This level of Flaw may or may not be enforced by any magic. With a 4 point Flaw, not only have you been banished, but you wear some mark that allows your entire group / culture to recognize you as an outcast. You may never return to any area inhabited by your people and those of your group may try to make your life miserable. Finally, the 6 point version of this Flaw means that a powerful geas has exiled you from an entire supernatural plane of existence such as the Dreaming / Umbra / Shadowlands / whatever. This does not necessarily mean that you can never go into the said realms, but that only powerful magic will allow you temporary entry. Further, not only are you banished, but actively hunted. Your fellows will likely kill you on sight (or try to capture you for a reward), and those from other cultures will probably look askance at you.
----------Bedeviled (6 point): Job - that guy in the Bible - was a whiner. Someone or something is watching you and ruining your life. You have no idea who or what it is, but know it's responsible for all the things that go wrong - or at least the big ones. When things are just starting to look up, it socks you with another personal tragedy. But instead of letting you die, it always seems to save you and take someone close instead just so it can watch you suffer (or so you think). The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched and what is watching you (it is not necessarily the Devil, despite the name).
Blackmailed (1-2 point): There is something in your past that you don't want to come to light and someone knows it. This person (or organization) demands outrageous sums of money or services and sensitive information in return for silence. This is a 1 point Flaw if the secret is a relatively minor one that would merely cause great embarrassment or personal inconvenience if revealed. A 2 point Flaw indicates a much more dangerous piece of information. Killing the blackmailer will probably only make matters worse, but if you are sufficiently clever about turning the tables on the blackmailer (i.e. finding out one of their dark secrets) the Storyteller may decrease, or eliminate, this Flaw - at least temporarily.
Broken Voice (2 point): Dogs howl when they hear you sing, and babies cry at the very sound of your speaking voice. You were blessed with a broken voice. Like the sound of breaking glass or grinding metal, your voice hurts people's sensibilities. Although you can still play an instrument with no problem, most people do not want you to sing. It makes them cringe. A broken voice makes it difficult to woo your love. No one is going to fall for someone who sounds like fingernails scratching down a blackboard or a pencil trying to erase with no eraser. And the worse part is that you don't seem to notice what you sound like or view the reactions of people toward you. Anyone who tries to tell you that you have a disgusting voice draws your immediate ire. After all, it sounds perfectly fine to you. The difficulty of all Charisma rolls is increased by 1, and people may show a general disdain for you and your voice.
Bureaucratic Vendetta (2 point): Someone in your organization dislikes you and is actively out to get you. You don't know who it is, or even if the person really exists. All you know is that you've run into a patch of unexplained bad luck. Memos don't make it to your desk, you're assigned the worst duties, your gun is loaded with blanks. Your hidden foe isn't necessarily superior to you in rank, they're just in a good position to burn you. A secretary with a secret grudge can cause more problems than just about anyone else. Whoever it is, they have covered their tracks well and will be hard to find. An invisible enemy hidden on the periphery of you vision is a great tool for building a sense of paranoia in a game.
Catspaw (2 point): You've done dirty work for someone high up in your group's hierarchy in the past; for example, a Vampire would have worked for the Sheriff, Bishop, or even someone higher. However, instead of granting you favor, your deeds have made you an embarrassment or a liability. For the moment, your former employer's concern is to keep you quiet. In the long term, it's to get rid of you.
Conniver (1 point): There is no honor among thieves, nor trust among liars. You are known as someone whose word cannot be trusted. Whether earned or not, you have a reputation for deceit and treachery, and you lose 1 die from all social rolls involving any extension of trust, truth, or believing your words.
Construct (2 point): You came from a lab, not from a womb. Perhaps you were grown in a Progenitor facility, woven from plants, shaped from the elements, or crafted from parts of dead bodies in some flesh-tinkerer's workshop. Whatever your origins, you don't truly fit in with natural-born humans. A combination of self-doubt and social alienation, or perhaps a sense that you're far better than your so-called peers, keeps you at arm's length from the human social realm. In game terms, this Flaw inflicts penalties on social rolls in many situations; the specifics depend upon your origins, attitude, and company, but they'll impede you in significant ways. You don't need to take this Flaw, incidentally, if you are a construct. These penalties reflect an artificial person who stands out in a crowd, not one who fits in comfortably with their world.
Craven Image (1 point): There's something about you that makes you appear sniveling and "low." In appropriate situations, social difficulties are at a plus 2 difficulty.
Criminal Record (2 point): Having been convicted for several misdemeanors or perhaps a minor felony, you have a bit of a shady past. You are unable to buy firearms legally, and you receive exceptionally poor treatment from law-enforcement officials who know your record.
----------Crude (1 point): You never learned any manners while growing up. You talk with your mouth full, burp loudly and slurp your soup. When interacting with others in any refined or formal environment, increase the difficulty of any social rolls by 2.
Cultural Snob (1 point): You have nothing but disdain for popular music, TV and movies. You couldn't name any of the current top ten songs, and you think that knowledge of TV is a sign of poor taste and incorrigible stupidity. Unfortunately, this means you have a hard time relating to people who aren't equally snobbish with things. When dealing with strangers who don't share your allegedly enlightened views, increase the difficulty of any social rolls by 2.
Dangerous Secret (2 point): You're privy to some top secret information that places your life in danger. What it is and how you got it is up to the storyteller to decide. Unlike the Top Secret Access Merit, this secret does you little good and will put you in extreme danger if anyone finds out you possess it. Furthermore, the source of your information is unstable or unreliable (an alcoholic coworker, a Malkavian Vampire, or someone who has recently disappeared, thus increasing the odds that you'll soon be running for your life. The secret preys on your mind, giving you many sleepless nights. You'll be guarded and suspicious of all bur your closest family and friends - and maybe even them.
Dark Heritage (2 point): Your bloodline has been tainted in the eyes of the Inquisition. You might have had a distant ancestor who was burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft, or another relative is believed to have become one of the children of Caine, or lycanthropy is said to run in your blood. Whatever the case may be, the Inquisition believes that your bloodline is tainted, and you may one day pose a danger as well. Even if your heritage has no other effect on you (in terms of Merits, Flaws, Attributes, or otherwise), you have what you and others believe to be a blotch on your soul. Obviously, only non-supernatural characters should take this Flaw as all others but Hunters are already considered to be tainted.
Dark Secret (1 point): You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local mortal or supernatural community.
Debts (3 point): You're chronically and deeply in debt. Maybe you're an alcoholic, or a gambler, or just a bad money manager. You just can't seem to stretch your paycheck to meet your financial needs. You have to borrow heavily just to cover old debts, and your creditors (banks, collection agencies, repo-men, guys with bats) are knocking down your doors. This indebtedness makes you a prime candidate for recruitment by enemy groups (supernatural or mortal). This may alleviate your debt problems (Storyteller's option), or it may just make you spend more. If recruited, you may trade this Flaw for the Pawn Flaw. Your group keeps an eye out for financial irregularities in its members (especially since the Ames case), and you may already be under scrutiny. You may not buy the Resources Background, and you don't receive access to the free resources that most group members enjoy, since you spend everything as quickly as it comes and are left with little to show for it.
Disturbing Mannerism (2 point): You have a habit or character trait which is peculiar, gross, or annoying. You may not even be aware of it - but boy, everyone else is. Difficulties of social rolls are increased at the Storyteller's discretion.
Dogged by Fringe Media (2 point): You have somehow attracted the attention of an amateur reporter, one who covers a fringe website or publishes a zine that covers the bizarre or paranormal. This crank occasionally follows you to try to discover any dirt on you. Unfortunately, and in true modern journalism style, he tends to catch you in bizarre circumstances that he simply can't understand. Of course, he tries to interpret them anyway.
Eccentric Appearance (1 point): You dye your hair pink, wear clothes that are fashionable only among fringe subcultures such as goths or punks, and otherwise appear nothing like the average citizen. When dealing with people not familiar with your particular subculture, increase the difficulty of any Social rolls by 2. Your appearance unnerves mainstream people and makes them wary of you. Furthermore, your appearance is eye-catching, though people tend to focus on your attire rather than your actual physical characteristics, such as eye color.
Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy (1-3 point, 1-5 point for Mortals): You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to harm you, your reputation, or even those closest to you. Perhaps your aggressor(s) hate(s) you because of some wrong committed upon them in a past life. An enemy wants to do you harm, physically and (preferably) emotionally. A 1 point version of this Flaw means that this enemy is approximately as powerful as you, while a 2 point enemy is approximately twice as powerful as the you. A 3 point foe is incredibly powerful, like Elder Vampire powerful. For mortals this is instead a wider scale, where a 1 point enemy is less than or comparable to your own ability, and a 5 point enemy could easily kick your ass into next Tuesday (five points indicate the wrath of an Elder Vampire or other potent supernatural foe). The reason for this is that Mortals do not have the means or knowledge necessary to defend themselves from such a foe. For a more anti-you specialized stalker, see the Hunted / Witch-Hunted Flaw. For a truly frustrating experience, see the Nemesis Flaw.
Expendable (1 point): Someone in power doesn’t want you around. What does matter is that they have the power to maneuver you into dangerous situations “for the good of your people,” and has no compunctions about doing so.
Failure (2 point): You once held status in the city, but failed catastrophically in your duties. Now you are branded incompetent, excluded from circles of power and responsibility, and generally ostracized by those on their way up. Your exclusion may make you a target for recruitment by your people’s enemies (or so the whispers run, making you even more distrusted). Conversely, the consequences of your error might come back to haunt you.
Flaming (2 point): Although lifestyle and sexual preference is not in itself a Flaw, this social Flaw defines the social disadvantage of appearing gay. You appear to only like people of the same sex for sexual or emotional attachments. If you have this Flaw you are the stereotype of a gay person. For a lesbian they are butch and very male in appearance and know their way around Home Depot. For a gay man they are very effeminate and have a killer fashion sense. You may alternatively be very open about their preference and tell everyone (wear gay pride buttons t-shirts with, "fuck abstinence try homolove," etc). You do not actually have to be gay in order to take this Flaw, nor do all who are gay have to have this Flaw. However even when dating the opposite sex, others believe you are pretending. In most situations you receive a plus 3 to the difficulty of social rolls with those who are uncomfortable with your apparent way of life. You may however, add 2 dice to your social rolls in certain communities known to be "gay friendly." If you are believed to be pretending to be gay, both sets of rolls are at a plus 3 difficulty.
Filth (3 point): You are exactly what it says, filthy. Your hair is matted, your clothes and body haven't been washed in weeks, and your teeth are green. And for some reason, you can't ever seem to stay clean. Add 3 to the difficulty to all social rolls where the other person can tell that you are dirty and minds it (generally it's the smell that gets to them).
Ghoulish Sense of Humor (1 point): You find humor in situations that make most people uncomfortable or even nauseated. Your questionable taste doesn't make you particularly resistant to the horror of gruesome sights. Your defense mechanism is simply to belittle the situation or those involved in an inappropriate way. When confronted with a horribly gory scene or otherwise uncomfortable situation such as people trying to console each other, you tend to crack jokes and sling insults. The difficulty of any social roll you make under such circumstances, and around those who remember your offense by such antics, are increased by 2.
Graceless (2 point): You always look awkward, even when you're totally on top of things. Everything you do looks, feels, or sounds wrong, even if you go about it the right way. People think you're a schmuck no matter what you do, and this drives you crazy. Which, of course, makes you look even worse. You add a plus 2 difficulty to all Social rolls which involve looking good or making an impression, from Seduction to Etiquette, and others of your kind may think less of you. If you are a Shifter, and depending on the circumstances, this may cost you a point of Cleverness or some other Renown, although this can be offset by Ferocity, Honor, etc., as you struggle through.
Group Enmity (2 point): Some group amongst your kind, i.e. another Clan / Tribe / Kith / Tradition / whatever, doesn't like you and may prevent you going places you might otherwise go or may otherwise give you hell in a variety of ways.
----------Gullible (2 point): Maybe you’re slow on the uptake, or maybe you just never learned to separate truth from fiction. Whatever the cause, you’re particularly susceptible to lies and half-truths. You lose 3 dice from all dice pools relating to guile and subterfuge (no, not stealth), whether perpetrating your own feeble lies or attempting to penetrate someone else’s words to find the truth.
----------Honest to A Fault (2 point): You always try to tell the truth, no matter what the situation. You won't stretch it, bend it or manipulate it to take advantage of others, unless human lives are in jeopardy. If you do attempt to lie to someone, the difficulty of any roll involved is increased by 2.
Hostage (1-5 point): Whether out of paranoia or just ruthlessness, a noble holds you as a hostage to ensure someone's good behavior. You may be held in a dungeon or tower, or be allowed the run of the castle. It's possible that you have no travel restrictions; the noble may have laid a geas or other curse on you, one that takes effect if he's attacked. Note that being a hostage doesn't necessarily imply mistreatment; a dead hostage is worthless. In fact, you may be treated quite well, and may even pick up some choice gossip or important secrets. But the threat is always with you, and using that information could be bad for your health. Point value varies; for 1 point, you'll get thrown in the clink if a certain person ever shows their face at court, while 5 points means that if anyone ever attacks His Nibs, someone will march you to your cell in the west tower and do something terminally nasty to you.
Hunted / Witch-Hunted (4 point): You are pursued by a fanatical witch-hunter who has targeted you as his quarry, convinced (perhaps correctly) that you are a monster out of legend bent on preying upon humans. They may be fully aware of what you are and what you can do, and work to negate the advantages of your supernatural abilities (if any), and they may extend their hunt to your companions and associates. Anyone you know or are close to may be in danger from the hunter. While just about everyone can claim some enemy, this Flaw makes you a pariah. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who's going to bring a psycho killer along. While your nemesis desires the elimination of all things that go bump in the night, their primary focus is on you. As fate would have it, the Delirium / Shroud / Mists / whatever has no effect on your pursuer. They are also intelligent and resourceful, far more likely to set nasty traps for you than to blunder into any pitfall you leave for them. The hunter may even have friends or allies who continue to trouble you if you eludes, dissuade, or kill the individual. Whatever the case, this person wants you dead, they're not going to stop, and they have access to special resources (or, at the very least, specialized knowledge) in their quest. For a less anti-you enemy that isn't a stalker, see the Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy Flaw. For a truly frustrating experience, see the Nemesis Flaw.
Hunted Like A Dog (3 point): Another group of supernaturals has decided that you're a target for extermination, and pursues you relentlessly. On the bright side, the enemies of your enemy may well wish to help you out, potentially garnering you allies.
Inconvenient Alliance (1-3 point): You have an ally with someone who is discomforting to you and / or your circle, but can't easily get rid of him because of a favor owed, sense of guilt, or whatever. Level of Flaw reflects how controversial or dangerous this ally is.
Infamous Mentor (1 point): Your mentor was, or still is, distrusted and disliked by many of your fellows. As a result, you are distrusted and disliked as well. This is a heavy load, and one not easily shed.
Insane Mentor (1 point): Your mentor has completely lost their grip on reality, and has become dangerously insane. Any wrong committed by your mentor may affect your reputation, and some of your mentor's dangerous schemes may somehow involve you.
Isolated Upbringing (1 point): You were raised in your supernatural society, or were somehow otherwise sequestered away from "normal" life, so you have trouble dealing with this Outside-World thing. Dealing with any community outside the one in which you were raised adds 1 to social difficulties, or reduces your social pool by 1 die.
Judgmental (2 point): You aren't as open-minded as someone could be, and you form opinions about people quickly. The difficulty to detect if a person lies is raised by 2, as you're inclined to trust your prejudices rather than your senses. If you fail, you automatically assume that they're lying or telling the truth - whichever you are already inclined to believe.
Loathsome Regnant (4 point): Not only are you blood bound, but you are also in thrall to a Vampire who mistreats you hideously. Perhaps you are publicly abused or humiliated; perhaps your master forces you to commit unspeakable acts for them. In any case, existence under the bond is a never-ending nightmare, with your regnant serving to conduct the symphony of malice. Sabbat Vampires cannot take this Flaw.
Mental Patient (2-5 point): Sometime in your life you have run afoul of the mental health authorities. Seeing and talking to beings that no one else can perceive, and hearing voices that may tell you frightening and disturbing things, is far outside the realm of the normal. Anyone who does such things must be crazy! Because you seemed delusional and incoherent you were locked up as a possible danger to yourself and others. Since schizophrenia is the most common diagnosis for such problems you may even have been on powerful anti-psychotic drugs for a time. If you managed to convince the officials that you are no longer a danger to yourself or others and you were released this Flaw is worth only 2 points. However if you actually escaped from a mental institution and are on the run from the authorities, then the Flaw is worth 5 points. Even if you were legally released from care, the modern mental health system does not consider an illness like schizophrenia curable. Anyone who has ever been institutionalized against their will has this fact noted in his records. Prospective employers, landlords and similar personnel usually look askance at anyone who was crazy. The discrimination and problems for mental cases are much worse if you were not released. Escaped mental patients are regarded in much the same light a escaped convicts. Most people see them as little better than dangerous animals. Everyone, from the police to the general public, will consider you to be a potential killer, even if you have no history of violence. In this age of nation wide databases, and background check using your name, social security number, or finger prints will reveal your status. This Flaw costs less depending upon the level of technology in the society that you are a part of.
Mentor's Resentment (1 point): Your mentor dislikes you and wishes you ill. Given the smallest opportunity, your mentor will seek to do you harm, and may even attack you if provoked. Your mentor's allies and friends will also work against you, and many of your superiors may resent you because of what your mentor has told them. Good luck!
Mistaken Identity (1 point): You look similar to descriptions of someone else, which causes cases of mistaken identity. This can prompt numerous awkward or even dangerous situations, especially if your “twin” has a terrible reputation or is wanted for some crime.
----------Mistreated Minority (1+ point): You belong to a group or have a trait to which the average person will react badly. This depends a lot on where the game takes place and what kind of people you run into, so check with the Storyteller before you assume you can take this. Yes, if you're playing an openly gay man in a backwoods redneck area, that may cause you problems. However if you're playing an openly gay man in a game focused on the New York art scene, that probably won't be a problem.
----------Naive (1 point): You are hopelessly naive about the nature of reality and see everything through “rose-colored glasses.” You may have been brought up in wealth and privilege or be a survivor of abuse and trauma that you have repressed. You are hesitant to suspect evil or foul play in others, which can be a serious problem. The difficulty for any rolls for you to detect another person’s ill intent, from the Sense Wyrm Gift, to Auspex mind reading, to Empathy rolls, is raised by 2.
Narc (3 point): You are known to be a snitch, an informer firmly planted in the pocket of those in charge. Those on whom you might yet get information of or from loathe you as a result, feeding you misinformation when they can in an attempt to discredit you. Given the opportunity, they might do you mischief. Regardless, your reputation as a weasel precedes you, putting you at a plus 1 difficulty on all Social rolls against those who don't agree with your politics.
Nemesis (5 point): Maybe you're the reincarnation of some ancient hero or maybe you just have rotten luck, but whatever the reason, you've inherited a true nemesis: an opposite number determined to do you some serious harm or even destroy you. This feud falls outside the scope of the regular Enemy or Hunted Flaws because it represents something more cosmic. Not only does this individual hate you and actively seek to do you harm, but the two of you seem to have been specifically designed to be enemies, an your confrontations bear testament to it. Your foe is nearly telepathic at anticipating your next move, and both of you always seem to have an answer for each others best tricks or strongest powers, forcing a constant struggle to come up with some new way of surprising each other. Both of you know it will never end until one of you is put out of the picture permanently. The Storyteller is responsible for creating your nemesis and is under no obligation to reveal their full powers and potencies. Optionally, you may begin the game not knowing of your nemesis, but rest assured, the Storyteller will have you make their acquaintance before long. For a less anti-you enemy that isn't a stalker, see the Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy Flaw. For a slightly less frustrating anti-you specialized stalker, see the Hunted / Witch-Hunted Flaw.
New Arrival (1 point): You’ve just arrived in your new city of residence, and don’t know anyone in the place. Existing factions may try to recruit or eliminate you, while those in positions of authority size you up and take your measure. Meanwhile, your ignorance of the city’s current events, history, and politics (not to mention the personality quirks of those already in place) may cause you to make a serious blunder.
New Kid (1 point): You're the latest in the city to be Awakened / Embraced / Changed / whatever or have yet to prove yourself to your group, and everyone knows it. That automatically puts you at the bottom of the social totem pole. Others that have yet to prove themselves as well or are not well established take every opportunity to demonstrate your inferiority, and superiors constantly test your worthiness. Even if someone else is added to the ranks after you have joined, you're still regarded as something as a bit of a geek by your peers - a distinction that can have dangerous consequences if bullets start flying. All social related rolls are at a plus 1 difficulty when you are dealing with others that are not well established. (Most superiors far enough up to not compete with you normally lump you in with all of the other the other newbies under their general disdain anyways.)
Notoriety (3 point): You did something, or at least others think you did, that is frowned upon by your peers and elders. Minus 2 dice to all social rolls dealing with your group. Renown (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with your reputation. Your own group members (other than your immediate friends) dislike you regardless of how much Renown you have, and you may not take the Reputation Merit.
Oathbreaker (4 point): You are a known defector. If you violate an oath willingly and with full knowledge - and survive - you become an oathbreaker, one of the foulest epithets among most of supernatural society. You turned traitor from your former group and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by the society that you defected to. Oathbreakers are psychically and spiritually marked, and it is virtually impossible for them to find a tutor or any sort of aid. Superiors, equals, and even lessers will treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with. If you wish to begin as an oathbreaker you should take the Flaw Dark Fate or Cursed.
----------Old Flame (2 point): Someone you once cared deeply for is now with the enemy. They still attempt to play on your sympathies “for old times’ sake” while working against you. Unless you succeed on a contested Manipulation + Expression roll against your former friend, you cannot act against them unless the situation becomes life-threatening.
Outcast (2 point): Unlike the banished you are still nominally part of your group's culture, but you occupy its very lowest rung. You may be a bottom-feeder at the fringes of an army, a Pariah among the town, or the worst sort of artist among the muses. Those above you think little of insulting or demeaning you and your legal status among your own kind is debatable, though they rarely attack you outright. Others may take pity on you, but are likely to see you as inconsequential.
Outsider (2 point): Though you're not exactly infamous, you have a poor reputation amongst your kind. Whether because of rumors (true or not), an ill-done deed, poor decision, or some other character flaw, you have a poor reputation among them. They don’t necessarily hurt you, but they let you know you aren’t welcome in their camps, towns, or homes. Plus 2 difficulty on all social rolls when interacting with your group.
Overextended (4 point): You've got your fingers in too many pies, and people are starting to notice. You may have too much land, too many retainers, or too much influence, which means that a lot of people have a vested interest in trimming back your operations. These enemies take every opportunity to reduce your power and influence, and if that means lying, cheating, or killing, so be it. Furthermore, your enemies block every attempt you make to move into new areas of control. You're boxed in, and the box is getting smaller.
Persistent Parents (2 point): Having disappeared into your new life as a supernatural, your parents, for whatever reason, are actively searching for you. They may hire detectives to find you, plaster posters with your picture on it around town, pester radio and television stations to run public service ads, or dedicate websites and utilize social media to recruit the aid of the internet in order to try to find you. They may be ignorant of your new life, suspecting instead that you have run away, joined a cult, or been kidnapped. They may instead have ties to a rival faction or organization with ulterior motives in locating you.
----------Poor Judge of Character (2 point): You're the type of person who always ends up hanging out with the wrong crowd. Maybe you just like to date dangerous men or you're a sucker for a woman in trouble (or vice versa). Whatever the reason, you have a very hard time figuring out whom to trust. Increase the difficulty of all awareness and intuition rolls you attempt in social circumstances by 2. Also, your friends and acquaintances tend to be sponges and other lowlifes.
Poor Taste (1 point): You wallow in bathroom humor, lowbrow jokes, and other practices that make more refined people uncomfortable. You've seen movies like Dumb and Dumber dozens of times, and don't plan on giving them up any time soon. Your sense of humor makes you an instant pariah in any reasonably cultured company, and you can't help but let your true colors shine through in even short-term social contacts. Or you are simply forever known and prove yourself to have bad taste in your clothes and the decorations you use anytime you decorate. You can never have an Art Appreciation Hobby Skill, and add 2 to the difficulty of any Social roll that involves people who might not like your brand of humor or design choice.
Probationary Member (4 point): You are a defector. You turned traitor to the other side, and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by those you have defected to. Others within your group treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with.
Recruitment Target (1 point): Someone in one of your group's enemy organizations wants you, and they want you bad. Every effort is being made to recruit you, willing or no, and the press gangs or misunderstanding witnesses usually show up at the worst possible time.
Religious Hysteria (3 point): Even among the devoutly religious, there are those that take things too far. Unlike religious ecstatic, who occasionally have visions of Heaven, your visions seem a bit too often, and a bit too untenable. You see everything as an omen or a sign from God, devils and angels are everywhere, and you just can't read the Good Book too many times. The difference between this Flaw and the Ecstatic Merit is that people don't take you seriously. Whenever you're in any social encounters, you have a 1 die penalty.
----------Second Class Citizen (1-3 point): The simple happenstance of birth has made you second class citizen in the mortal world. The existence in that class is relatively obvious. The points given for this Flaw depends on the time period, location, and class that you are. Examples: 1 point for females in 1950's America, 2 points for black people in 1950's America, and 3 point for black people in medieval Europe.
Secret Friendship (2 point): You have a secret friendship with another denizen of the night: A Vampire, Mage, Werewolf, or other supernatural entity. Knowledge of this wouldn't only destroy your reputation among your group - it would place you on their hit list. You must always cover up any activities that deal with this friendship, and you're paranoid that your secret is always on the verge of discovery (which it is).
Sell-Out (2 point): Others in your group see you as a sell-out, a suck-up, a traitor to your kind, or just a (insert rival faction's name here) loving SOB. It may not be true - you may be fulfilling an oath or geas, or you may be a deep cover mole. You are at a plus 2 difficulty on social rolls when dealing with others in your society (the Storyteller may increase the difficulty when dealing with those who are especially anti-traitor or anti-[insert rival faction's name here]). Other sell-outs may treat you better, but more than likely they won't since you're probably competing with them.
Shy (1 point): You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. Difficulties for all rolls involving social interaction with strangers are increased by 2. If you become the center of attention in a large group, difficulties are increased by 3.
Siege Mentality (3 point): You're a "company man" through and through. You view your agency as an extended family of sorts. This can have its advantages, but it leads you to regard everyone else with an unfriendly eye. You suspect that most of the "civvies" out there hate your agency. You think they want to interfere with it, or even shut it down. Your contempt for the "little people" makes you far more likely to use your privileged position to dispense a little "justice" of your own. This contempt extends also to the civilian legislators, who tie your agency's hands without really knowing what's going on. You especially hate the traitors within your agency who are trying to "reform" it. You think you're above the law, and so often break it. The worst excess committed by intelligence agencies over the years were the acts of those victim to this narrow scope of thinking. You tend to see everything through "agency colored glasses," and thus lack the flexibility to understand foreign mindsets. Subtract die from all Empathy or Investigation rolls involving alien ways of thinking.
----------Sleeping With The Enemy (3 point): You have some sort of intimate connection with a member of an opposing group. You may have a lover, a child, a friend, or a contact working the other side of the fence, but regardless of politics you retain a friendly (or more than friendly) relationship with your putative foe. Your close ties to someone on the other side would be regarded as treason by your superiors within the group, and if you are discovered, the penalty will surely be death.
Slut (2 point): You are perceived by others to either put out for almost anybody, or sleep with anything that will have you in bed with them. In your chosen crowd you may add 2 dice to any rolls to pick someone up, but on all other social rolls you must add 2 to the difficulty, simply because people in the scene lack respect for you. This is only a 1 point Flaw for a Hetaerae since it is considered to be forgivable behavior due to the nature of their Clan.
Socially Oblivious (1 point): You have trouble picking up subtle hints from others. You often overstay your welcome at parties, and you tend to blurt out topics that everyone else takes great pains to avoid in conversation. You aren't a socially repellent person, just occasionally tactless. Add 2 to the difficulty of any Etiquette rolls you attempt.
Special Responsibility (1 point): Shortly after your joining your group, you volunteered for some task in order to gain respect and approval from those around you. Now, you wish you had never opened your damn mouth! While you are not given any special credit for performing this duty, you would lose a lot of respect if you were to stop. The nature and the details of your duty should be worked out with the Storyteller in advance. Ideas can range from lending money to others in your group, to acting as a messenger, or possibly even gathering victims for rituals (such as Blood Feasts).
Speech Impediment (1 point): You have a stammer or other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication (even for Shifters using their native tongue of howls and growls). The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by 2.
Sympathizer (1 point): You have publicly expressed sympathy for some of the goals and policies of the enemies of your group. Your outspoken views on the subject have made you suspect in the eyes of the city's hierarchy, and you may be suspected of (or arrested for) treason.
Teddy Bear (1 point): Something about you screams harmless. Any attempt to intimidate is at a plus 2 difficulty. This can sometimes be a benefit, as people ignore you. People aren’t fools however, and even teddy bears with swords will be dealt with quickly as threats.
Teenager (1-2 point): You have various legal and social difficulties due to your apparent age. This is a 2 point Flaw if you are somewhere between twelve and fourteen years old, and a 1 point flaw if you are somewhere between fifteen and sixteen years old. Seventeen year olds can pass for 18, so no. This Flaw is worth more or less depending on the time period, and is only worth 1 point if you are aging normally (i.e. not a Vampire or unaging).
Thoughtless Heart (2 point): You suffer from a lack of wisdom in your judgments and frequently take action without regard to the consequences for yourself or for others. You often say or do things that hurt others out of thoughtlessness, rather than from malice. You don't mean to harm anyone, you just don't take the time to consider the repercussions. You suffer a plus 2 difficulty increase to Wits-related rolls (with the exception of initiative rolls).
Transvestite (2 point, may also be a 1 point merit): As a Merit, you have an uncanny ability to appear as the opposite sex if you wish. As a Flaw, you feel a strong need to dress up as a member of the opposite sex, and are fairly obviously dressed up that way. As a result, the difficulty of social rolls will increase at the Storyteller's discretion.
----------Trusting (1 point): You tend to follow your instincts when dealing with strangers. Sadly, your instincts often tell you that you can trust people. You want to believe the best about everyone you meet and tend to put yourself in situations that could be dangerous, such as accepting a ride home from a recent acquaintance, going home with a person you just met at a bar, or taking a stroll in a poorly patrolled city park after nightfall.
Twisted Apprenticeship / Twisted Upbringing (1 point): Your mentor was quite malevolent and taught you ll the wrong things about your society. Your concepts of the ways of your people gave are an incredibly skewed version of those ways, and your faulty beliefs can get you in big trouble... Over time, after many hard lessons, you can overcome this bad start (the Storyteller will tell you when). But until then, you will continue to believe what you were first told, no matter how others try to "trick" you into thinking otherwise.
Twisted (2 point): Although most people have their little quirks, you have at least one that make other people's mouths drop. It is either obvious to others who get to know you, or you feel free to tell acquaintances as you see nothing wrong with whatever it is that merits this Twisted Flaw. A few examples are necrophilia, a dead animal collection, extreme BDSM fetishism, being unable to sleep in anything but a coffin (for any society but Vampires), or an emotional desire for small mammals. You see this as a perfectly acceptable and desirable way of life. As a result, the difficulty on any social rolls with others know of your "quirk" may increase at Storyteller discretion, depending on how offensive it is to them, how recently they found out, and if they have been recently reminded of your "hobby."
Tic / Twitch (1 point): You have some sort of repetitive motion that you make in times of stress, and it’s a dead giveaway as to your identity. Examples include a nervous cough, constantly wringing your hands, cracking your knuckles, and so on. It costs 1 Willpower to refrain from engaging in your tic.
Ulterior Motive (2 point): You have more reason to be with your comrades than your like for them or for their common goals. Whether this motive is sinister or not, it's a secret for whatever reason, and if you are suspected of this motive, things won't look too good for you.
Uppity (2 point): You are proud of your new status within your group - so proud that you've shot your mouth off to others and made some enemies. Wiser members laugh at you and chalk your rudeness up to youth, but others find you arrogant and insulting. These enemies will take action to embarrass or harm you. Furthermore, you are at a plus 2 difficulty on all social rolls against any that you have alienated through your yammering - and you may not know who they are. At Storyteller discretion, you may also be required to make a Willpower roll at difficulty 6 in order to keep your mouth shut any time the opportunity presents itself for you to brag about your status, personal accomplishments, or your group's accomplishments.
----------Vulgar (1 point): You will never fit into high society. You are crude, rude, and socially unacceptable. This affects all social rolls at a plus 1 difficulty for situations in high society, or those who are trying to pretend to be high society.
Wanted by Law Enforcement (3 point): You are the prime suspect in a felony crime. The police actively look for you, and you cannot move openly about your usual hangouts. If you encounter cops who know that you're wanted, they'll call in backup and bring you in.
Ward (3 point): You are devoted to protecting a "sleeping" human, perhaps a close friend or relative from your pre-supernatural days. You may describe your ward, though the Storyteller will actually create them. Wards have a talent for getting caught up in the action, and they're frequent targets of a your enemies.
Youthful Appearance (1 point): You look like you're still in high school. You always get carded at bars and often have to produce identification even to buy cigarettes. In order to gain entry to concerts, clubs or bars, or to purchase alcohol, you need to present a valid-looking ID.
Academic Rival (1 point): You have a rival who is competing with you for the same knowledge or artifacts you pursue. Your rival could be someone from your past or someone you have never met. The Storyteller should design you rival and keep much of the information on his activities from you until the proper moment. Your rival will constantly be seeking to sabotage you or steal your work. You must of course be the type of person that this Flaw would affect (so no street punks with academic rival please).
Airhead (1 point): Maybe you have trouble paying attention, maybe you're just clueless, maybe you just look like a flake; no matter what, people don't take you seriously. Social rolls are modified as appropriate.
Albino (1 point): This Flaw is common among Mokolé that take the form of sacred crocodiles. You have no pigment (in any form if you are a Shifter). You're white-skinned and have pale pink eyes. In the sun, you'll be burned within a few minutes. In addition, you receive 2 fewer dice on all social rolls because of your bizarre appearance.
----------Bad Liar (1 point): You have tremendous trouble lying. The spontaneous excuses that you come up with are usually unbelievably elaborate or easily refuted with the bare modicum of research. While telling a prefabricated lie, you stutter, stammer, blush or generally look guilty. Increase the difficulty of any roll that involves verbal deception by 2.
Banished (2-6 point): Because of some crime, you have been banished from your particular group. This Flaw has three different degrees of seriousness. Those with the 2 point Flaw have been banished, but there is some hope of return. Perhaps you have “merely” to fulfill some nearly impossible task such as slay a dragon. This level of Flaw may or may not be enforced by any magic. With a 4 point Flaw, not only have you been banished, but you wear some mark that allows your entire group / culture to recognize you as an outcast. You may never return to any area inhabited by your people and those of your group may try to make your life miserable. Finally, the 6 point version of this Flaw means that a powerful geas has exiled you from an entire supernatural plane of existence such as the Dreaming / Umbra / Shadowlands / whatever. This does not necessarily mean that you can never go into the said realms, but that only powerful magic will allow you temporary entry. Further, not only are you banished, but actively hunted. Your fellows will likely kill you on sight (or try to capture you for a reward), and those from other cultures will probably look askance at you.
----------Bedeviled (6 point): Job - that guy in the Bible - was a whiner. Someone or something is watching you and ruining your life. You have no idea who or what it is, but know it's responsible for all the things that go wrong - or at least the big ones. When things are just starting to look up, it socks you with another personal tragedy. But instead of letting you die, it always seems to save you and take someone close instead just so it can watch you suffer (or so you think). The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched and what is watching you (it is not necessarily the Devil, despite the name).
Blackmailed (1-2 point): There is something in your past that you don't want to come to light and someone knows it. This person (or organization) demands outrageous sums of money or services and sensitive information in return for silence. This is a 1 point Flaw if the secret is a relatively minor one that would merely cause great embarrassment or personal inconvenience if revealed. A 2 point Flaw indicates a much more dangerous piece of information. Killing the blackmailer will probably only make matters worse, but if you are sufficiently clever about turning the tables on the blackmailer (i.e. finding out one of their dark secrets) the Storyteller may decrease, or eliminate, this Flaw - at least temporarily.
Broken Voice (2 point): Dogs howl when they hear you sing, and babies cry at the very sound of your speaking voice. You were blessed with a broken voice. Like the sound of breaking glass or grinding metal, your voice hurts people's sensibilities. Although you can still play an instrument with no problem, most people do not want you to sing. It makes them cringe. A broken voice makes it difficult to woo your love. No one is going to fall for someone who sounds like fingernails scratching down a blackboard or a pencil trying to erase with no eraser. And the worse part is that you don't seem to notice what you sound like or view the reactions of people toward you. Anyone who tries to tell you that you have a disgusting voice draws your immediate ire. After all, it sounds perfectly fine to you. The difficulty of all Charisma rolls is increased by 1, and people may show a general disdain for you and your voice.
Bureaucratic Vendetta (2 point): Someone in your organization dislikes you and is actively out to get you. You don't know who it is, or even if the person really exists. All you know is that you've run into a patch of unexplained bad luck. Memos don't make it to your desk, you're assigned the worst duties, your gun is loaded with blanks. Your hidden foe isn't necessarily superior to you in rank, they're just in a good position to burn you. A secretary with a secret grudge can cause more problems than just about anyone else. Whoever it is, they have covered their tracks well and will be hard to find. An invisible enemy hidden on the periphery of you vision is a great tool for building a sense of paranoia in a game.
Catspaw (2 point): You've done dirty work for someone high up in your group's hierarchy in the past; for example, a Vampire would have worked for the Sheriff, Bishop, or even someone higher. However, instead of granting you favor, your deeds have made you an embarrassment or a liability. For the moment, your former employer's concern is to keep you quiet. In the long term, it's to get rid of you.
Conniver (1 point): There is no honor among thieves, nor trust among liars. You are known as someone whose word cannot be trusted. Whether earned or not, you have a reputation for deceit and treachery, and you lose 1 die from all social rolls involving any extension of trust, truth, or believing your words.
Construct (2 point): You came from a lab, not from a womb. Perhaps you were grown in a Progenitor facility, woven from plants, shaped from the elements, or crafted from parts of dead bodies in some flesh-tinkerer's workshop. Whatever your origins, you don't truly fit in with natural-born humans. A combination of self-doubt and social alienation, or perhaps a sense that you're far better than your so-called peers, keeps you at arm's length from the human social realm. In game terms, this Flaw inflicts penalties on social rolls in many situations; the specifics depend upon your origins, attitude, and company, but they'll impede you in significant ways. You don't need to take this Flaw, incidentally, if you are a construct. These penalties reflect an artificial person who stands out in a crowd, not one who fits in comfortably with their world.
Craven Image (1 point): There's something about you that makes you appear sniveling and "low." In appropriate situations, social difficulties are at a plus 2 difficulty.
Criminal Record (2 point): Having been convicted for several misdemeanors or perhaps a minor felony, you have a bit of a shady past. You are unable to buy firearms legally, and you receive exceptionally poor treatment from law-enforcement officials who know your record.
----------Crude (1 point): You never learned any manners while growing up. You talk with your mouth full, burp loudly and slurp your soup. When interacting with others in any refined or formal environment, increase the difficulty of any social rolls by 2.
Cultural Snob (1 point): You have nothing but disdain for popular music, TV and movies. You couldn't name any of the current top ten songs, and you think that knowledge of TV is a sign of poor taste and incorrigible stupidity. Unfortunately, this means you have a hard time relating to people who aren't equally snobbish with things. When dealing with strangers who don't share your allegedly enlightened views, increase the difficulty of any social rolls by 2.
Dangerous Secret (2 point): You're privy to some top secret information that places your life in danger. What it is and how you got it is up to the storyteller to decide. Unlike the Top Secret Access Merit, this secret does you little good and will put you in extreme danger if anyone finds out you possess it. Furthermore, the source of your information is unstable or unreliable (an alcoholic coworker, a Malkavian Vampire, or someone who has recently disappeared, thus increasing the odds that you'll soon be running for your life. The secret preys on your mind, giving you many sleepless nights. You'll be guarded and suspicious of all bur your closest family and friends - and maybe even them.
Dark Heritage (2 point): Your bloodline has been tainted in the eyes of the Inquisition. You might have had a distant ancestor who was burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft, or another relative is believed to have become one of the children of Caine, or lycanthropy is said to run in your blood. Whatever the case may be, the Inquisition believes that your bloodline is tainted, and you may one day pose a danger as well. Even if your heritage has no other effect on you (in terms of Merits, Flaws, Attributes, or otherwise), you have what you and others believe to be a blotch on your soul. Obviously, only non-supernatural characters should take this Flaw as all others but Hunters are already considered to be tainted.
Dark Secret (1 point): You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would make you a pariah in the local mortal or supernatural community.
Debts (3 point): You're chronically and deeply in debt. Maybe you're an alcoholic, or a gambler, or just a bad money manager. You just can't seem to stretch your paycheck to meet your financial needs. You have to borrow heavily just to cover old debts, and your creditors (banks, collection agencies, repo-men, guys with bats) are knocking down your doors. This indebtedness makes you a prime candidate for recruitment by enemy groups (supernatural or mortal). This may alleviate your debt problems (Storyteller's option), or it may just make you spend more. If recruited, you may trade this Flaw for the Pawn Flaw. Your group keeps an eye out for financial irregularities in its members (especially since the Ames case), and you may already be under scrutiny. You may not buy the Resources Background, and you don't receive access to the free resources that most group members enjoy, since you spend everything as quickly as it comes and are left with little to show for it.
Disturbing Mannerism (2 point): You have a habit or character trait which is peculiar, gross, or annoying. You may not even be aware of it - but boy, everyone else is. Difficulties of social rolls are increased at the Storyteller's discretion.
Dogged by Fringe Media (2 point): You have somehow attracted the attention of an amateur reporter, one who covers a fringe website or publishes a zine that covers the bizarre or paranormal. This crank occasionally follows you to try to discover any dirt on you. Unfortunately, and in true modern journalism style, he tends to catch you in bizarre circumstances that he simply can't understand. Of course, he tries to interpret them anyway.
Eccentric Appearance (1 point): You dye your hair pink, wear clothes that are fashionable only among fringe subcultures such as goths or punks, and otherwise appear nothing like the average citizen. When dealing with people not familiar with your particular subculture, increase the difficulty of any Social rolls by 2. Your appearance unnerves mainstream people and makes them wary of you. Furthermore, your appearance is eye-catching, though people tend to focus on your attire rather than your actual physical characteristics, such as eye color.
Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy (1-3 point, 1-5 point for Mortals): You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who seek to harm you, your reputation, or even those closest to you. Perhaps your aggressor(s) hate(s) you because of some wrong committed upon them in a past life. An enemy wants to do you harm, physically and (preferably) emotionally. A 1 point version of this Flaw means that this enemy is approximately as powerful as you, while a 2 point enemy is approximately twice as powerful as the you. A 3 point foe is incredibly powerful, like Elder Vampire powerful. For mortals this is instead a wider scale, where a 1 point enemy is less than or comparable to your own ability, and a 5 point enemy could easily kick your ass into next Tuesday (five points indicate the wrath of an Elder Vampire or other potent supernatural foe). The reason for this is that Mortals do not have the means or knowledge necessary to defend themselves from such a foe. For a more anti-you specialized stalker, see the Hunted / Witch-Hunted Flaw. For a truly frustrating experience, see the Nemesis Flaw.
Expendable (1 point): Someone in power doesn’t want you around. What does matter is that they have the power to maneuver you into dangerous situations “for the good of your people,” and has no compunctions about doing so.
Failure (2 point): You once held status in the city, but failed catastrophically in your duties. Now you are branded incompetent, excluded from circles of power and responsibility, and generally ostracized by those on their way up. Your exclusion may make you a target for recruitment by your people’s enemies (or so the whispers run, making you even more distrusted). Conversely, the consequences of your error might come back to haunt you.
Flaming (2 point): Although lifestyle and sexual preference is not in itself a Flaw, this social Flaw defines the social disadvantage of appearing gay. You appear to only like people of the same sex for sexual or emotional attachments. If you have this Flaw you are the stereotype of a gay person. For a lesbian they are butch and very male in appearance and know their way around Home Depot. For a gay man they are very effeminate and have a killer fashion sense. You may alternatively be very open about their preference and tell everyone (wear gay pride buttons t-shirts with, "fuck abstinence try homolove," etc). You do not actually have to be gay in order to take this Flaw, nor do all who are gay have to have this Flaw. However even when dating the opposite sex, others believe you are pretending. In most situations you receive a plus 3 to the difficulty of social rolls with those who are uncomfortable with your apparent way of life. You may however, add 2 dice to your social rolls in certain communities known to be "gay friendly." If you are believed to be pretending to be gay, both sets of rolls are at a plus 3 difficulty.
Filth (3 point): You are exactly what it says, filthy. Your hair is matted, your clothes and body haven't been washed in weeks, and your teeth are green. And for some reason, you can't ever seem to stay clean. Add 3 to the difficulty to all social rolls where the other person can tell that you are dirty and minds it (generally it's the smell that gets to them).
Ghoulish Sense of Humor (1 point): You find humor in situations that make most people uncomfortable or even nauseated. Your questionable taste doesn't make you particularly resistant to the horror of gruesome sights. Your defense mechanism is simply to belittle the situation or those involved in an inappropriate way. When confronted with a horribly gory scene or otherwise uncomfortable situation such as people trying to console each other, you tend to crack jokes and sling insults. The difficulty of any social roll you make under such circumstances, and around those who remember your offense by such antics, are increased by 2.
Graceless (2 point): You always look awkward, even when you're totally on top of things. Everything you do looks, feels, or sounds wrong, even if you go about it the right way. People think you're a schmuck no matter what you do, and this drives you crazy. Which, of course, makes you look even worse. You add a plus 2 difficulty to all Social rolls which involve looking good or making an impression, from Seduction to Etiquette, and others of your kind may think less of you. If you are a Shifter, and depending on the circumstances, this may cost you a point of Cleverness or some other Renown, although this can be offset by Ferocity, Honor, etc., as you struggle through.
Group Enmity (2 point): Some group amongst your kind, i.e. another Clan / Tribe / Kith / Tradition / whatever, doesn't like you and may prevent you going places you might otherwise go or may otherwise give you hell in a variety of ways.
----------Gullible (2 point): Maybe you’re slow on the uptake, or maybe you just never learned to separate truth from fiction. Whatever the cause, you’re particularly susceptible to lies and half-truths. You lose 3 dice from all dice pools relating to guile and subterfuge (no, not stealth), whether perpetrating your own feeble lies or attempting to penetrate someone else’s words to find the truth.
----------Honest to A Fault (2 point): You always try to tell the truth, no matter what the situation. You won't stretch it, bend it or manipulate it to take advantage of others, unless human lives are in jeopardy. If you do attempt to lie to someone, the difficulty of any roll involved is increased by 2.
Hostage (1-5 point): Whether out of paranoia or just ruthlessness, a noble holds you as a hostage to ensure someone's good behavior. You may be held in a dungeon or tower, or be allowed the run of the castle. It's possible that you have no travel restrictions; the noble may have laid a geas or other curse on you, one that takes effect if he's attacked. Note that being a hostage doesn't necessarily imply mistreatment; a dead hostage is worthless. In fact, you may be treated quite well, and may even pick up some choice gossip or important secrets. But the threat is always with you, and using that information could be bad for your health. Point value varies; for 1 point, you'll get thrown in the clink if a certain person ever shows their face at court, while 5 points means that if anyone ever attacks His Nibs, someone will march you to your cell in the west tower and do something terminally nasty to you.
Hunted / Witch-Hunted (4 point): You are pursued by a fanatical witch-hunter who has targeted you as his quarry, convinced (perhaps correctly) that you are a monster out of legend bent on preying upon humans. They may be fully aware of what you are and what you can do, and work to negate the advantages of your supernatural abilities (if any), and they may extend their hunt to your companions and associates. Anyone you know or are close to may be in danger from the hunter. While just about everyone can claim some enemy, this Flaw makes you a pariah. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who's going to bring a psycho killer along. While your nemesis desires the elimination of all things that go bump in the night, their primary focus is on you. As fate would have it, the Delirium / Shroud / Mists / whatever has no effect on your pursuer. They are also intelligent and resourceful, far more likely to set nasty traps for you than to blunder into any pitfall you leave for them. The hunter may even have friends or allies who continue to trouble you if you eludes, dissuade, or kill the individual. Whatever the case, this person wants you dead, they're not going to stop, and they have access to special resources (or, at the very least, specialized knowledge) in their quest. For a less anti-you enemy that isn't a stalker, see the Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy Flaw. For a truly frustrating experience, see the Nemesis Flaw.
Hunted Like A Dog (3 point): Another group of supernaturals has decided that you're a target for extermination, and pursues you relentlessly. On the bright side, the enemies of your enemy may well wish to help you out, potentially garnering you allies.
Inconvenient Alliance (1-3 point): You have an ally with someone who is discomforting to you and / or your circle, but can't easily get rid of him because of a favor owed, sense of guilt, or whatever. Level of Flaw reflects how controversial or dangerous this ally is.
Infamous Mentor (1 point): Your mentor was, or still is, distrusted and disliked by many of your fellows. As a result, you are distrusted and disliked as well. This is a heavy load, and one not easily shed.
Insane Mentor (1 point): Your mentor has completely lost their grip on reality, and has become dangerously insane. Any wrong committed by your mentor may affect your reputation, and some of your mentor's dangerous schemes may somehow involve you.
Isolated Upbringing (1 point): You were raised in your supernatural society, or were somehow otherwise sequestered away from "normal" life, so you have trouble dealing with this Outside-World thing. Dealing with any community outside the one in which you were raised adds 1 to social difficulties, or reduces your social pool by 1 die.
Judgmental (2 point): You aren't as open-minded as someone could be, and you form opinions about people quickly. The difficulty to detect if a person lies is raised by 2, as you're inclined to trust your prejudices rather than your senses. If you fail, you automatically assume that they're lying or telling the truth - whichever you are already inclined to believe.
Loathsome Regnant (4 point): Not only are you blood bound, but you are also in thrall to a Vampire who mistreats you hideously. Perhaps you are publicly abused or humiliated; perhaps your master forces you to commit unspeakable acts for them. In any case, existence under the bond is a never-ending nightmare, with your regnant serving to conduct the symphony of malice. Sabbat Vampires cannot take this Flaw.
Mental Patient (2-5 point): Sometime in your life you have run afoul of the mental health authorities. Seeing and talking to beings that no one else can perceive, and hearing voices that may tell you frightening and disturbing things, is far outside the realm of the normal. Anyone who does such things must be crazy! Because you seemed delusional and incoherent you were locked up as a possible danger to yourself and others. Since schizophrenia is the most common diagnosis for such problems you may even have been on powerful anti-psychotic drugs for a time. If you managed to convince the officials that you are no longer a danger to yourself or others and you were released this Flaw is worth only 2 points. However if you actually escaped from a mental institution and are on the run from the authorities, then the Flaw is worth 5 points. Even if you were legally released from care, the modern mental health system does not consider an illness like schizophrenia curable. Anyone who has ever been institutionalized against their will has this fact noted in his records. Prospective employers, landlords and similar personnel usually look askance at anyone who was crazy. The discrimination and problems for mental cases are much worse if you were not released. Escaped mental patients are regarded in much the same light a escaped convicts. Most people see them as little better than dangerous animals. Everyone, from the police to the general public, will consider you to be a potential killer, even if you have no history of violence. In this age of nation wide databases, and background check using your name, social security number, or finger prints will reveal your status. This Flaw costs less depending upon the level of technology in the society that you are a part of.
Mentor's Resentment (1 point): Your mentor dislikes you and wishes you ill. Given the smallest opportunity, your mentor will seek to do you harm, and may even attack you if provoked. Your mentor's allies and friends will also work against you, and many of your superiors may resent you because of what your mentor has told them. Good luck!
Mistaken Identity (1 point): You look similar to descriptions of someone else, which causes cases of mistaken identity. This can prompt numerous awkward or even dangerous situations, especially if your “twin” has a terrible reputation or is wanted for some crime.
----------Mistreated Minority (1+ point): You belong to a group or have a trait to which the average person will react badly. This depends a lot on where the game takes place and what kind of people you run into, so check with the Storyteller before you assume you can take this. Yes, if you're playing an openly gay man in a backwoods redneck area, that may cause you problems. However if you're playing an openly gay man in a game focused on the New York art scene, that probably won't be a problem.
----------Naive (1 point): You are hopelessly naive about the nature of reality and see everything through “rose-colored glasses.” You may have been brought up in wealth and privilege or be a survivor of abuse and trauma that you have repressed. You are hesitant to suspect evil or foul play in others, which can be a serious problem. The difficulty for any rolls for you to detect another person’s ill intent, from the Sense Wyrm Gift, to Auspex mind reading, to Empathy rolls, is raised by 2.
Narc (3 point): You are known to be a snitch, an informer firmly planted in the pocket of those in charge. Those on whom you might yet get information of or from loathe you as a result, feeding you misinformation when they can in an attempt to discredit you. Given the opportunity, they might do you mischief. Regardless, your reputation as a weasel precedes you, putting you at a plus 1 difficulty on all Social rolls against those who don't agree with your politics.
Nemesis (5 point): Maybe you're the reincarnation of some ancient hero or maybe you just have rotten luck, but whatever the reason, you've inherited a true nemesis: an opposite number determined to do you some serious harm or even destroy you. This feud falls outside the scope of the regular Enemy or Hunted Flaws because it represents something more cosmic. Not only does this individual hate you and actively seek to do you harm, but the two of you seem to have been specifically designed to be enemies, an your confrontations bear testament to it. Your foe is nearly telepathic at anticipating your next move, and both of you always seem to have an answer for each others best tricks or strongest powers, forcing a constant struggle to come up with some new way of surprising each other. Both of you know it will never end until one of you is put out of the picture permanently. The Storyteller is responsible for creating your nemesis and is under no obligation to reveal their full powers and potencies. Optionally, you may begin the game not knowing of your nemesis, but rest assured, the Storyteller will have you make their acquaintance before long. For a less anti-you enemy that isn't a stalker, see the Enemy / Foe From The Past / Rival / Supernatural Enemy Flaw. For a slightly less frustrating anti-you specialized stalker, see the Hunted / Witch-Hunted Flaw.
New Arrival (1 point): You’ve just arrived in your new city of residence, and don’t know anyone in the place. Existing factions may try to recruit or eliminate you, while those in positions of authority size you up and take your measure. Meanwhile, your ignorance of the city’s current events, history, and politics (not to mention the personality quirks of those already in place) may cause you to make a serious blunder.
New Kid (1 point): You're the latest in the city to be Awakened / Embraced / Changed / whatever or have yet to prove yourself to your group, and everyone knows it. That automatically puts you at the bottom of the social totem pole. Others that have yet to prove themselves as well or are not well established take every opportunity to demonstrate your inferiority, and superiors constantly test your worthiness. Even if someone else is added to the ranks after you have joined, you're still regarded as something as a bit of a geek by your peers - a distinction that can have dangerous consequences if bullets start flying. All social related rolls are at a plus 1 difficulty when you are dealing with others that are not well established. (Most superiors far enough up to not compete with you normally lump you in with all of the other the other newbies under their general disdain anyways.)
Notoriety (3 point): You did something, or at least others think you did, that is frowned upon by your peers and elders. Minus 2 dice to all social rolls dealing with your group. Renown (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with your reputation. Your own group members (other than your immediate friends) dislike you regardless of how much Renown you have, and you may not take the Reputation Merit.
Oathbreaker (4 point): You are a known defector. If you violate an oath willingly and with full knowledge - and survive - you become an oathbreaker, one of the foulest epithets among most of supernatural society. You turned traitor from your former group and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by the society that you defected to. Oathbreakers are psychically and spiritually marked, and it is virtually impossible for them to find a tutor or any sort of aid. Superiors, equals, and even lessers will treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with. If you wish to begin as an oathbreaker you should take the Flaw Dark Fate or Cursed.
----------Old Flame (2 point): Someone you once cared deeply for is now with the enemy. They still attempt to play on your sympathies “for old times’ sake” while working against you. Unless you succeed on a contested Manipulation + Expression roll against your former friend, you cannot act against them unless the situation becomes life-threatening.
Outcast (2 point): Unlike the banished you are still nominally part of your group's culture, but you occupy its very lowest rung. You may be a bottom-feeder at the fringes of an army, a Pariah among the town, or the worst sort of artist among the muses. Those above you think little of insulting or demeaning you and your legal status among your own kind is debatable, though they rarely attack you outright. Others may take pity on you, but are likely to see you as inconsequential.
Outsider (2 point): Though you're not exactly infamous, you have a poor reputation amongst your kind. Whether because of rumors (true or not), an ill-done deed, poor decision, or some other character flaw, you have a poor reputation among them. They don’t necessarily hurt you, but they let you know you aren’t welcome in their camps, towns, or homes. Plus 2 difficulty on all social rolls when interacting with your group.
Overextended (4 point): You've got your fingers in too many pies, and people are starting to notice. You may have too much land, too many retainers, or too much influence, which means that a lot of people have a vested interest in trimming back your operations. These enemies take every opportunity to reduce your power and influence, and if that means lying, cheating, or killing, so be it. Furthermore, your enemies block every attempt you make to move into new areas of control. You're boxed in, and the box is getting smaller.
Persistent Parents (2 point): Having disappeared into your new life as a supernatural, your parents, for whatever reason, are actively searching for you. They may hire detectives to find you, plaster posters with your picture on it around town, pester radio and television stations to run public service ads, or dedicate websites and utilize social media to recruit the aid of the internet in order to try to find you. They may be ignorant of your new life, suspecting instead that you have run away, joined a cult, or been kidnapped. They may instead have ties to a rival faction or organization with ulterior motives in locating you.
----------Poor Judge of Character (2 point): You're the type of person who always ends up hanging out with the wrong crowd. Maybe you just like to date dangerous men or you're a sucker for a woman in trouble (or vice versa). Whatever the reason, you have a very hard time figuring out whom to trust. Increase the difficulty of all awareness and intuition rolls you attempt in social circumstances by 2. Also, your friends and acquaintances tend to be sponges and other lowlifes.
Poor Taste (1 point): You wallow in bathroom humor, lowbrow jokes, and other practices that make more refined people uncomfortable. You've seen movies like Dumb and Dumber dozens of times, and don't plan on giving them up any time soon. Your sense of humor makes you an instant pariah in any reasonably cultured company, and you can't help but let your true colors shine through in even short-term social contacts. Or you are simply forever known and prove yourself to have bad taste in your clothes and the decorations you use anytime you decorate. You can never have an Art Appreciation Hobby Skill, and add 2 to the difficulty of any Social roll that involves people who might not like your brand of humor or design choice.
Probationary Member (4 point): You are a defector. You turned traitor to the other side, and you still have much to prove before you are accepted by those you have defected to. Others within your group treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation might even sully those whom you regularly associate with.
Recruitment Target (1 point): Someone in one of your group's enemy organizations wants you, and they want you bad. Every effort is being made to recruit you, willing or no, and the press gangs or misunderstanding witnesses usually show up at the worst possible time.
Religious Hysteria (3 point): Even among the devoutly religious, there are those that take things too far. Unlike religious ecstatic, who occasionally have visions of Heaven, your visions seem a bit too often, and a bit too untenable. You see everything as an omen or a sign from God, devils and angels are everywhere, and you just can't read the Good Book too many times. The difference between this Flaw and the Ecstatic Merit is that people don't take you seriously. Whenever you're in any social encounters, you have a 1 die penalty.
----------Second Class Citizen (1-3 point): The simple happenstance of birth has made you second class citizen in the mortal world. The existence in that class is relatively obvious. The points given for this Flaw depends on the time period, location, and class that you are. Examples: 1 point for females in 1950's America, 2 points for black people in 1950's America, and 3 point for black people in medieval Europe.
Secret Friendship (2 point): You have a secret friendship with another denizen of the night: A Vampire, Mage, Werewolf, or other supernatural entity. Knowledge of this wouldn't only destroy your reputation among your group - it would place you on their hit list. You must always cover up any activities that deal with this friendship, and you're paranoid that your secret is always on the verge of discovery (which it is).
Sell-Out (2 point): Others in your group see you as a sell-out, a suck-up, a traitor to your kind, or just a (insert rival faction's name here) loving SOB. It may not be true - you may be fulfilling an oath or geas, or you may be a deep cover mole. You are at a plus 2 difficulty on social rolls when dealing with others in your society (the Storyteller may increase the difficulty when dealing with those who are especially anti-traitor or anti-[insert rival faction's name here]). Other sell-outs may treat you better, but more than likely they won't since you're probably competing with them.
Shy (1 point): You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. Difficulties for all rolls involving social interaction with strangers are increased by 2. If you become the center of attention in a large group, difficulties are increased by 3.
Siege Mentality (3 point): You're a "company man" through and through. You view your agency as an extended family of sorts. This can have its advantages, but it leads you to regard everyone else with an unfriendly eye. You suspect that most of the "civvies" out there hate your agency. You think they want to interfere with it, or even shut it down. Your contempt for the "little people" makes you far more likely to use your privileged position to dispense a little "justice" of your own. This contempt extends also to the civilian legislators, who tie your agency's hands without really knowing what's going on. You especially hate the traitors within your agency who are trying to "reform" it. You think you're above the law, and so often break it. The worst excess committed by intelligence agencies over the years were the acts of those victim to this narrow scope of thinking. You tend to see everything through "agency colored glasses," and thus lack the flexibility to understand foreign mindsets. Subtract die from all Empathy or Investigation rolls involving alien ways of thinking.
----------Sleeping With The Enemy (3 point): You have some sort of intimate connection with a member of an opposing group. You may have a lover, a child, a friend, or a contact working the other side of the fence, but regardless of politics you retain a friendly (or more than friendly) relationship with your putative foe. Your close ties to someone on the other side would be regarded as treason by your superiors within the group, and if you are discovered, the penalty will surely be death.
Slut (2 point): You are perceived by others to either put out for almost anybody, or sleep with anything that will have you in bed with them. In your chosen crowd you may add 2 dice to any rolls to pick someone up, but on all other social rolls you must add 2 to the difficulty, simply because people in the scene lack respect for you. This is only a 1 point Flaw for a Hetaerae since it is considered to be forgivable behavior due to the nature of their Clan.
Socially Oblivious (1 point): You have trouble picking up subtle hints from others. You often overstay your welcome at parties, and you tend to blurt out topics that everyone else takes great pains to avoid in conversation. You aren't a socially repellent person, just occasionally tactless. Add 2 to the difficulty of any Etiquette rolls you attempt.
Special Responsibility (1 point): Shortly after your joining your group, you volunteered for some task in order to gain respect and approval from those around you. Now, you wish you had never opened your damn mouth! While you are not given any special credit for performing this duty, you would lose a lot of respect if you were to stop. The nature and the details of your duty should be worked out with the Storyteller in advance. Ideas can range from lending money to others in your group, to acting as a messenger, or possibly even gathering victims for rituals (such as Blood Feasts).
Speech Impediment (1 point): You have a stammer or other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication (even for Shifters using their native tongue of howls and growls). The difficulties of all die rolls involving verbal communication are increased by 2.
Sympathizer (1 point): You have publicly expressed sympathy for some of the goals and policies of the enemies of your group. Your outspoken views on the subject have made you suspect in the eyes of the city's hierarchy, and you may be suspected of (or arrested for) treason.
Teddy Bear (1 point): Something about you screams harmless. Any attempt to intimidate is at a plus 2 difficulty. This can sometimes be a benefit, as people ignore you. People aren’t fools however, and even teddy bears with swords will be dealt with quickly as threats.
Teenager (1-2 point): You have various legal and social difficulties due to your apparent age. This is a 2 point Flaw if you are somewhere between twelve and fourteen years old, and a 1 point flaw if you are somewhere between fifteen and sixteen years old. Seventeen year olds can pass for 18, so no. This Flaw is worth more or less depending on the time period, and is only worth 1 point if you are aging normally (i.e. not a Vampire or unaging).
Thoughtless Heart (2 point): You suffer from a lack of wisdom in your judgments and frequently take action without regard to the consequences for yourself or for others. You often say or do things that hurt others out of thoughtlessness, rather than from malice. You don't mean to harm anyone, you just don't take the time to consider the repercussions. You suffer a plus 2 difficulty increase to Wits-related rolls (with the exception of initiative rolls).
Transvestite (2 point, may also be a 1 point merit): As a Merit, you have an uncanny ability to appear as the opposite sex if you wish. As a Flaw, you feel a strong need to dress up as a member of the opposite sex, and are fairly obviously dressed up that way. As a result, the difficulty of social rolls will increase at the Storyteller's discretion.
----------Trusting (1 point): You tend to follow your instincts when dealing with strangers. Sadly, your instincts often tell you that you can trust people. You want to believe the best about everyone you meet and tend to put yourself in situations that could be dangerous, such as accepting a ride home from a recent acquaintance, going home with a person you just met at a bar, or taking a stroll in a poorly patrolled city park after nightfall.
Twisted Apprenticeship / Twisted Upbringing (1 point): Your mentor was quite malevolent and taught you ll the wrong things about your society. Your concepts of the ways of your people gave are an incredibly skewed version of those ways, and your faulty beliefs can get you in big trouble... Over time, after many hard lessons, you can overcome this bad start (the Storyteller will tell you when). But until then, you will continue to believe what you were first told, no matter how others try to "trick" you into thinking otherwise.
Twisted (2 point): Although most people have their little quirks, you have at least one that make other people's mouths drop. It is either obvious to others who get to know you, or you feel free to tell acquaintances as you see nothing wrong with whatever it is that merits this Twisted Flaw. A few examples are necrophilia, a dead animal collection, extreme BDSM fetishism, being unable to sleep in anything but a coffin (for any society but Vampires), or an emotional desire for small mammals. You see this as a perfectly acceptable and desirable way of life. As a result, the difficulty on any social rolls with others know of your "quirk" may increase at Storyteller discretion, depending on how offensive it is to them, how recently they found out, and if they have been recently reminded of your "hobby."
Tic / Twitch (1 point): You have some sort of repetitive motion that you make in times of stress, and it’s a dead giveaway as to your identity. Examples include a nervous cough, constantly wringing your hands, cracking your knuckles, and so on. It costs 1 Willpower to refrain from engaging in your tic.
Ulterior Motive (2 point): You have more reason to be with your comrades than your like for them or for their common goals. Whether this motive is sinister or not, it's a secret for whatever reason, and if you are suspected of this motive, things won't look too good for you.
Uppity (2 point): You are proud of your new status within your group - so proud that you've shot your mouth off to others and made some enemies. Wiser members laugh at you and chalk your rudeness up to youth, but others find you arrogant and insulting. These enemies will take action to embarrass or harm you. Furthermore, you are at a plus 2 difficulty on all social rolls against any that you have alienated through your yammering - and you may not know who they are. At Storyteller discretion, you may also be required to make a Willpower roll at difficulty 6 in order to keep your mouth shut any time the opportunity presents itself for you to brag about your status, personal accomplishments, or your group's accomplishments.
----------Vulgar (1 point): You will never fit into high society. You are crude, rude, and socially unacceptable. This affects all social rolls at a plus 1 difficulty for situations in high society, or those who are trying to pretend to be high society.
Wanted by Law Enforcement (3 point): You are the prime suspect in a felony crime. The police actively look for you, and you cannot move openly about your usual hangouts. If you encounter cops who know that you're wanted, they'll call in backup and bring you in.
Ward (3 point): You are devoted to protecting a "sleeping" human, perhaps a close friend or relative from your pre-supernatural days. You may describe your ward, though the Storyteller will actually create them. Wards have a talent for getting caught up in the action, and they're frequent targets of a your enemies.
Youthful Appearance (1 point): You look like you're still in high school. You always get carded at bars and often have to produce identification even to buy cigarettes. In order to gain entry to concerts, clubs or bars, or to purchase alcohol, you need to present a valid-looking ID.
