I Cast You Out!
This week, we continue our skim across the surface of out forthcoming supplement for the WOIN ruleset: The Possessed. Beware mortal, for the contents of this tome are not for the faint of heart. Even the hasty perusal we are providing risks exposing your soul to the hungers of demonic entities. You have been warned.
In last week's blog, we took a little delve into character creation and some of the new features on offer there. Players are able to choose from plenty of character options that help to immerse them in the setting. One tweak to the system, however, is the introduction of an alternate power stat: Conviction. Check out the previous blog for more on this new attribute!
As a setting inspired by films that cover possession and combating the demonic, The Possessed also features some neat new mechanics on how the characters will be able to join the fight for a possessed host's soul. Namely, the act of exorcism. Maybe not surprisingly, the mechanics for performing an exorcism link directly to Conviction. The higher a character's Conviction, the better they are able to battle a demon's will.
But Conviction isn't the only tool in an exorcist's toolbox. Games of The Possessed aren't solely about the exorcism itself but rather slow burns in which the characters investigate the facts of the possession. This can range from gathering clues to how and when the possession happened to hopefully finding out a demon's true name. All of these aspects will then aid the character's when it finally comes time to expel the possessing demon from its host.
The guidance includes advice on how to describe the exorcism as a storyteller, which will only aim to provide drama and tension alongside the actual mechanics of the act. If you have ever watched a film that involves possession, you will recognise that exorcisms aren't straightforward and instantaneous affairs. Instead, they are drawn out, dangerous, and draining. It is exactly these features the mechanics aim to emulate. Although there are a few nuances, the battle boils down to a countdown pool running in tandem with the characters pitting their Conviction against the possessing demon's MENTAL DEFENCE. If they can wear the demon down before it fully possesses the host, they can force it back out into the void. Otherwise, the exorcism won't end too well for the host or the characters...
Steel your souls and look forward to next week as we take a look at some of the demonic foes the players may end up pitting their Conviction against in games of The Possessed.
