Trickster

Some Scions never take the expected route, but see and take the unexpected path out of a problem. Tricksters succeed by breaking conventions, solving situations with cleverness, flouting society’s rules, and often tricking others into going along with it. They survive by their wits, empowered by transgression. Some pantheons (especially those led by Leaders or Judges) dislike Tricksters for flouting heavenly law; others take a more pragmatic view and use them as problem-solvers and tests of their ideals, the exceptions that prove the rules. A Trickster’s schemes can sometimes cause more problems than they solve — more than one Trickster God is Legendary for leaping from frying pan to fire and dragging others in their wake.

Knacks

• Blather and Skite: When you spout nonsense at your target, they must spend a moment trying to figure out what the heck you just said — buying you or someone else more time to accomplish any kind of underhanded task: sneaking into a place, slipping past a posted sentry, lying your way through security, and so on. This works automatically on any character of same or lower Tier, but requires a Knack Skill roll to work on someone of higher Tier. For each success rolled, you buy five minutes of in-game time or one turn of combat (whichever is more immediately applicable) before enemies realize you’ve infiltrated and go on high alert. If you use this on one of your bandmates, you only succeed with the consent of the other character’s player.



• In Sheep’s Clothing: When you disguise yourself, you do without needing to roll. You have the option to change your hair, skin, and eye color, apparent gender, and height within a few inches, but cannot assume the exact appearance of someone else. The disguise cannot be seen through, though your mannerisms and turn of phrase may give you away. At Storyguide discretion, Knack Skill rolls may be required to blend in.



• Light Fingered: When you steal an object or pickpocket someone, you do so without needing to roll, so long as the object is something you can conceal in your hands. If you use this ability to lift something from a member of your band, you must do so with the consent of that character’s player. You cannot steal an item that is currently in use. Stealing a weapon from an enemy would first require the Disarm or Seize stunt.



• Rumor Miller: Your lies catch on like wildfire, and you need only make the smallest post on social media to get a wild rumor circulating. Make a Knack Skill roll — any successes delivers the rumor about the target to those who should hear it — his boss, his husband, his best friends, etc.



• Smoke and Mirrors: Once per scene, when you would be Taken Out, you instead spend Momentum, negate the damage that would have taken you out and move one range band away from your attacker — but leave behind a brief afterimage of your outline, which crumbles into dust seconds later.



• Takes One to Know One: When you are the target of a scam or a lie, you recognize that a deception is taking place. You do not know what the truth is, but you instinctively understand that you are in the company of liars and cheaters. Whether or not you call out the cheat on his dishonest actions is up to you.



• Wasn’t Me: When you do something with legal or social consequences, you delay the consequence by transferring blame to someone else of the same or lower Tier. This delay lasts until the end of the session by default, but may be delayed further by making a Knack Skill roll, and spending 1 success per scene of delay. To push blame onto a member of your band, you must do so with the consent of that character’s player. Once the delay ends, anyone of higher Tier than you who had been duped by this Knack realizes they’ve been tricked, and will likely seek revenge.

Immortal Knacks

• Doppelganger: Make a Knack Skill roll and with any successes, make an exact copy of yourself. The copy has all your Attributes and Skills, Knacks and Boons, and is controlled by you. This doppelganger may be sent to perform any social or investigative task independently of you, though you are aware of the outcome (and the player is free to roleplay her character in two places at once). It cannot benefit from teamwork actions and dissipates into dust if attacked. Otherwise, the copy lasts for a number of days equal to your Trickster Calling.



• One Man’s Trash: Spend Momentum and make an ordinary piece of junk seem extremely rare and valuable. This item will sell or trade as if it had real value. Anyone of lower Tier buys this deception instantly, squabbling over themselves for who will get to buy this unique thing. Targets of the same Tier or higher must make an Empathy roll to see through this lie, but face +Legend Difficulty to convince anyone else that it is not just trash.



• Surprise!: Voluntarily be Taken Out (for all intents and purposes, you appear to be dead or unconscious) and come back later, unharmed, at any point in time during the session to make a surprise attack or otherwise set up an ambush with +4 Enhancement, which applies before you roll. If someone has seen you pull this trick before, they resist the ambush as normal (you do not gain the bonus) and instead gain+4 Enhancement on combat rolls against you for the first round if they succeed. If it would better suit you, you may return dramatically in the middle of a social scene instead, adding the same Enhancement to the next most appropriate Social roll.



• Woven from Lies: When you spin a story or craft an elaborate deception on an epic Scale (spreading a vicious rumor across the world via social media, convincing a whole society of people that you’re someone you’re not), imbue a point of Legend, rather than spending, to invoke your Legendary Title as a Feat of Scale.