Kindred of the East

The Relentless Age

 Hell
You've returned wearing your own corpse
But your Suffering still shackles you

Hunger
Flesh, blood, and living breath Kindred of the East
Your craving for Chi is neverending
The Relentless Age
Enlightenment
An eternity of night stretches before you
The only way out is Dharma

The Wheel of Ages turns.

The Demon Emperor ascends.
It is 1998, and you are Hungry Dead.

Celebrating 25 Years of Kindred of the East

 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 5

Credits Special Thanks

Written By: hsienfan
Developed By: hsienfan, with assistance from RPGnet
Edited By: hsienfan
Logo and Layout: Coco Vanille and hsienfan
New Artwork: Tommy Lee (cover, Dharmas, errata bonus)
https://tommyleeart.carrd.co/
Character Sheet: Chris “Mr. Gone” Leland
A giant thanks to the readers and participants of the RPGnet
thread where this book was germinated and written, week by
week and section by section. Your cultural knowledge, systems
advice, and (most of all) your enthusiasm and encouragement
made the time creating this project go by in a flash. I couldn’t
have done this without our great Kindred of the East fan community.
Thanks also to my second readers, who helped me get this beast Kindred of the East

The Relentless Age

https://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/wod.html#kote of a text to the finish line. This book is all the better for your
(Note: Website includes 2- and 4-page sheets) input and efforts.

Version History
1.1: Typo fixes
2.0 (current): In-text corrections and rewrites; improvements
to white-on-black text readbility; addition of errata

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Disclaimer 1:
This book requires the use of Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition (otherwise known as V20) for a complete Introduction 5
play experience. However, in a pinch, most Revised-era core books and 20th Anniversary Editions of the other major
game lines (i.e. Werewolf, Mage, Wraith, and Changeling) will likely do just fine. Chapter One: Welcome to the Night World 13
Disclaimer 2: Chapter Two: The Enlightenment of Monsters 31
In addition to new artwork, this book contains a selection of the original artwork from the Kindred of the East gameline,
as well as from other products from around the Year of the Lotus. Care has been taken to select pieces that have aged Chapter Three: Character Creation and Systems 57
well in the years since first publication – but of course, nothing is perfect. Remember that the original artists were
completing work to specification, and that White Wolf in 1998 was composed of human beings who created a setting Chapter Four: Arts 77
with great potential and heart, despite some obvious flaws. Please proceed in the spirit of generosity and with an open
mind, and enjoy The Relentless Age. Chapter Five: Storytelling in the Relentless Age 119
Chapter Six: Many Places to Make Trouble 129
Appendix I: Special Systems and Example Characters 167
Appendix II: The Way of the Demon Hunter 189
© 2017 White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved.
Vampire: The Masquerade®, World of Darkness®, Storytelling Errata and Clarifications 195
System™, and Storytellers Vault™ are trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved.
For additional information on White Wolf and the World of
D a rk n e s s , p l e a s e , v i s i t : w w w. w h i te - wo l f . c o m ,
www.worldofdarkness.com and www.storytellersvault.com.
4 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE ISNTRODUCTION
ECTION NAME 5

“What is the life of a human being –

a drop of dew, a flash of lightning?” Introduction
― Ryuunosuke Akutagawa

Hakata, Japan. A warm summer night.

The restaurant is bustling, even at this hour. You expect to be taken to a quiet place in the back of the shop,
some kind of secret room, to meet the enlightened sage who will be training you – But no, they just give you a
menu and seat you right there, amidst the people getting ready for nightclubs and karaoke.

You don’t need to wait long. Several others come in and take their seats: A tough-looking guy in a hoodie
and face mask, reeking of aerosol. A gray-haired, serious-looking salaryman, wearing an ill-fitting suit and tie –
You immediately notice the dried blood under his fingernails.

A pretty young woman sits last, looking like she just came out of a college class. She looks over her shoulder
and whispers something, apparently to no one in particular.

There's a tingling in the air. On a hunch, you close your eyes and think of death.

When you open them again, you can see it floating by her shoulder: A decaying corpse-head, its eyes and
mouth aflame with the white fire of the ghost realm. Its tongue hangs out and drips black saliva, its jaw appar-
ently ripped away long ago.

“My lady,” it rasps, in a voice of scraping bones and wind. Then it bows respectfully – as respectfully as a
disembodied head can bow – and vanishes. The place grows as quiet as a grave, and everyone in the restaurant
suddenly turns away, as if your table doesn’t exist anymore.

This is the quiet place, you realize. Even in the middle of a noisy restaurant, surrounded by human eyes and
ears, it doesn’t matter – not if the great sage wishes for silence.

The two men defer to the woman – not a young woman, you understand now – and she turns to you.

“Welcome, newbie,” she says in an odd accent, like something that was long ago lost to time. "You've come a
long way from home. Are you ready to learn what you really are, and why you've returned?"

When you nod and say "Yes, Master," she smiles, showing you her fangs.

"Then let's begin."

It's midnight, and the immortals have gathered.

6 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The Hungry Dead.
Monsters of the graveyard. Wicked ones who prey
upon humankind, who feast on living flesh and
blood.
Peel away the romance of the modern vampire legend,
and what you find at the center are not figures of
dark beauty, but soulless beasts from out of nightmare:
corpse-demons who crawled their way out of hell –
ravenous enough to steal an infant’s dying breath,
or to descend upon the sick and elderly, leaving
them as bloody stains on the walls for their satisfaction.
In the World of Darkness, the Hungry Dead are
very real, and their appetite for violence and suffering
is bottomless. Since time out of memory, they have
walked among humankind in their villages and
cities, the hidden apex danger of the midnight hours.
Yet, for all their horrors, the Hungry Dead are not
doomed to an eternity as mindless killers. In their
mortal lives, they lived lives of exceptional wickedness
or despair, and for that stain on their souls they
were dragged to the Thousand Hells – But through
luck or the mysterious workings of fate, the Hungry
Dead managed to reclaim their dead bodies and
escape. And now, they say, their burden in the mortal
world is the quest for enlightenment.
In much of Asia – India, the Chinese mainland, the
northern steppes, the islands and peninsular lands
of Southeast Asia, and more – the Hungry Dead
have organized themselves into a vast hidden society:
a night world, loosely united across cultures and
polities by the desire to become something more.
They pursue perfected immortality through the
workings of internal alchemy; they become mighty
servants of heaven or hell; they grow cults of mortal
worship and reach, blasphemously, for godhood;
they dive into the mystery of humanity itself, to find
what they lost and save others in the process.
But transcendence is not an easy goal even at the
best of times. The great Dharmas of the Hungry
Dead vary widely in their outlook and philosophy,
and coexistence between them ranges between
friendly rivalry and all-out war. And in this time
especially, the year 1998, things are only getting
worse:
• An empire of the night has fallen in living
memory, and China’s supernatural community
is being torn apart as warlords, revolutionaries
and saboteurs fight for the mandate to rule a
new world.
• In India and Tibet, prophets of Clan Ravnos
say that they see an apocalypse in their dreams,
as desperate plans to save the world commence
– and old warriors sharpen their blades for battle.
• A long-despised tribe of vampires has claimed
territory in Japan’s southern islands, seeking
revenge against their Hungry Dead oppressors
with help from both the Camarilla and Sabbat.
• In both Southeast Asia and the Korean peninsula,
a cold war is growing hotter, as several kings of
the Thousand Hells are making their bid to
become the prophesied Demon Emperor: ruler
of the one-thousand-year Age of Sorrows.
In the idiom of the Hungry Dead, the 108 years
between one’s initial rise from hell and the serious
search for enlightenment are called the Relentless
Age: a chaotic, dangerous, and exciting time, in
which they can either rise to greatness or burn to
oblivion – either way, their fate is to become something
terrible and glorious, whether for one blazing night
or for millennia to come. The night world, too, has
reached its Relentless Age, and the decisions made
by the Hungry Dead now will mark the world forever.
WHATʼS IN THIS BOOK
The remainder of this section contains some
inspirational sources that will help players and
Storytellers fall into the mood of The Relentless Age,
followed by a lexicon of important in-game terms.
The rest of the book is as follows:
In Chapter One: Welcome to the Night World,
you will learn what the Hungry Dead are: how they
rise from the Thousand Hells, how they organize
themselves, the spiritual realms that make up their
universe, and the other supernaturals with whom
they share the night world.
In Chapter Two: The Enlightenment of Monsters,
you will get a broad introduction to the four Virtues
of the Hungry Dead, as well as a detailed overview
of the Dharmas: the great spiritual philosophies
that define the night world, and which guide the
Hungry Dead in their search for enlightenment.
In Chapter Three: Character Creation and Systems,
you’ll get exactly what it says on the tin: how to
build a character, followed by new Backgrounds,
plus the core systems that run The Relentless Age –
Suffering, Chi, Virtues, Dharma, and Enlightenment.
In Chapter Four: Arts, you will learn about the
various powers that the Hungry Dead have at their
disposal, including the dread Demon Arts and
SINTRODUCTION
ECTION NAME
Demon Regalia, the spiritual techniques of the Soul
Arts, and the transformative powers known as the
Godbodies.
In Chapter Five: Storytelling, we discuss the core
moods/themes of Hell, Hunger, Enlightenment,
Fate, and Destiny, including a handful of optional
tools that can be used to highlight these elements
in your game. Also included in this chapter is some
food for thought that may help when playing a game
set in a different culture.
Chapter Six: Many Places to Make Trouble is the
“grand world tour” of the supernatural side of Asia
as of 1998, with a selection of setting descriptions,
example conflicts, and story hooks set in mainland
China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, India, Vietnam,
Thailand, and more.
Appendix I: Special Systems and Example Characters
goes into rules for spirits, quick-play rules for other
supernaturals, and a selection of sample characters
from among the Hungry Dead, vampires, and other
beings from across the night world.
Lastly, Appendix II: The Way of the Demon Hunter
contains optional rules to play as a mortal Demon
Hunter, including a unique system for Chi-based
powers that allows them to rise to the challenge of
the Hungry Dead.
7
THE HUNGRY
DEAD: MYTHS AND
REALITIES
The Hungry Dead are ghosts risen from their
graves.
False. The Hungry Dead are renegades from the
wheel of reincarnation – Not ghosts, and not revenants
or zombies. Their flesh is dead, but it is immortal.
Their spirits are broken and full of rage, but resolution
of their mortal lives won’t heal anything; the only
way out for them is enlightenment.
The Hungry Dead are vampires.
Technically true. They can drink blood like vampires
from movies and TV – and like their Cainite cousins
who rule the night further west– but many of the
Hungry Dead learn to absorb energy directly from
living beings. An unfortunate number are also
perfectly happy to eat flesh like graveyard ghouls.
The Hungry Dead can be defeated by sunlight,
fire, and the power of holy monks.
True. The Hungry Dead burn equally well from
torches and the sun, and those with the proper
training can repel or even make weapons to
exterminate the Hungry Dead – Hence why the
night world is at night, and why it operates in secret.
But genuine true faith is hard to come by in this
age, and even a blessed wooden stake still needs to
hit its mark.
8 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
SELECTED INSPIRATIONAL SOURCES
Religious and Spiritual Texts
(A note for the ambitious: The following two
recommendations are truly massive reads, which
some devotees spend their entire lives studying. For
the purposes of playing a game and having fun first,
it is recommended that you try consulting
summaries and guides to simply get the gist of some
key concepts.)
• The Lotus Sutra. Specifically a Mahayana Buddhist
text, the “Sutra on the White Lotus of the True
Dharma” is where many of the more mind-bending
and mystical conceptions of the Buddhist cosmos
originate from. Enlightenment is a living, eternal
thing, and all beings have the potential to reach
it.
• The Upanishads. Part of the Vedas, the ancient
origin of many strains of Indian spirituality
(grouped under the broad umbrella of
“Hinduism”), these books ask questions of
humanity’s relationship with the universe – and
in some interpretations, whether the universe
we see is even real.
Books and Comics
• Chainsaw Man, by Tatsuki Fujimoto (also a
television anime produced by Mappa). Set in
an alternate 1990s where the Cold War never
ended, demons regularly attack the mortal world,
and “devil hunter” is the most dangerous job
in Japan’s civil service. A visual inspiration for
The Relentless Age, particularly for Half-Devils.
• The Plotters, by Un-Su Kim. In the shadows of
modern Korea, secret guilds of assassins live
brutal and desperate lives – and yet, they dare
to dream. Brutal and unsentimental, this story
imagines a complex, puzzle-like hidden world
of killers that is very much like the night world.
• Sacred Games, by Vikram Chandra. A sprawling,
multilayered crime drama, in which the city of
Bombay is the most important character of all.
A meaty tale that goes into the myriad possibilities
of life in urban India, including its fascinating
mixture of religions and identities.
• Underground, by Haruki Murakami. A collection
of interviews and essays on the 1995 Tokyo sarin
gas attacks. A haunting and critical look at the
consumerist, work-based culture of 90s Japan,
as well as the forces that made it possible for a
hidden underground of religious cults to thrive.
Television and Movies
• Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, directed by
Yong-Hwa Kim, originally from a webtoon series
by Ho-Min Joo. The legal complexities of a
bureaucratic afterlife are on full display here, in
a tear-jerker film about a man’s final judgment
and the various entities who help and hinder
him.
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, produced by
Ufotable, originally from a manga series by
Koyoharu Gotouge. The setting is 1920s Japan,
and the vampires are flesh-eating “demons.” But
to convey the mood of the Hungry Dead, few
shows are this accessible (and massively popular,
as of this book’s publication).
• Infernal Affairs, directed by Andrew Lau and
Alan Mak. Released around the time period
depicted in The Relentless Age, this film portrays
the underworld and police force of Hong Kong
with a twisty double-agent plot that is at turns
tense and exhilarating.
• Princess Mononoke, produced by Studio Ghibli,
directed by Hayao Miyazaki. A young man
attempts to heal a spiritual curse, embarking on
a journey through an ancient forest that is slowly
dying. For the flavor of the Spirit Wilds and
Lower Heavens (and the corruption of Hell),
look no further than this classic.
LEXICON
Below is a non-exhaustive list of terms and institutions,
most of which will be frequently referenced in later
sections of this book.
Age of Falling Darkness: The current era of the
Wheel of Ages, also called the Sunset Age, characterized
by growing debasement, war and despair.
Age of Legends: An ancient age before known
history, characterized by grandeur of both beauty
and destructive passions. The Petals of Virtue claim
that their spiritual forebears, the heavenly immortals,
ruled and were eventually punished by Heaven in
this age.
Age of the One-Becoming-Many: A primordial age,
characterized by infinite potentiality. Said to still
exist, in small pockets, deep in the Lower Heavens.
Age of Sorrows: The next age foretold, considered
the nadir of the cycle of ages, characterized by cruelty,
despair and the absolute rule of the Demon Emperor.
ISNTRODUCTION
ECTION NAME
Amakusa Blood Tribe: A “clan” of Japanese
vampires, blending the native Caitiff (see
Tsuchigumo) and a Japanized bloodline of Clan
Salubri. Centered in the Amakusa Islands, which
have been declared a Free State since 1993.
Beast Courts: Shapeshifters who take the form of
humans, animals, and things in-between. Native to
both the mortal world and Spirit Wilds.
Beast Soul: The distinct personality embodied by
the Hungry Dead Virtue of Vitality. Vibrant, lusty,
and full of life.
Cainite: A race of vampires similar to the Hungry
Dead, who largely control the night world in the
lands west of the Indian subcontinent. Their name
is a reference to the biblical tale of Cain and Abel.
Century Rebellion: An uprising in China against
the Five August Courts of the Quincunx (see
Quincunx), led by the Scorpion Eater societies and
lasting from the fall of the Qing until the end of the
Cultural Revolution.
Chi: A general term for the life force stolen and
used by the Hungry Dead.
Cultivation: The development and practical use of
the four Virtues of the Hungry Dead. Advanced
techniques of cultivation are referred to as the Soul
Arts.
Cultivator: A practitioner of the Soul Arts.
Demon Arts: Instinctual arts of violence, powered
by Suffering.
Descended: A major division of India’s Celestial
Tribe Dharma, who believe themselves to be aspects
of the heavenly gods imprisoned in the Hungry
Dead state.
Demon Emperor: The prophesied ruler of the
coming Age of Sorrows, with absolute power over
both the Thousand Hells and the mortal world.
Demon Hunter: A mortal whose profession is to
kill the Hungry Dead and other supernaturals who
cause trouble.
Demon Hunter Families: Clans of demon hunters
(both blood-related and adopted) who pass on special
techniques and tools to combat the supernatural.
Demon Immortal: A member of the Dharmas
known as the Petals of Virtue.
Demon Regalia: Natural weaponry provided through
the Demon Arts, which takes the form of cursed
9
armaments and hideously beautiful mutations.
Devil Soul: The distinct personality embodied by
the Hungry Dead Virtue of Wickedness. Audacious,
blasphemous, and wise.
Dhampyr: The child of both a Hungry Dead and
mortal parent. Not immortal themselves, but extremely
long-lived, and possessed of strange luck. Also known
as Half-Damned and Golden Children.
Dharmas: The enlightened philosophies of the
Hungry Dead, which promise an escape from their
cursed state.
Dragon’s Nest: A location in the mortal or spirit
worlds that naturally generates Chi. Highly valued
by all the creatures of the night world.
Eastern Mariners: A Japanese-American bloodline,
descended from an aquatic Gangrel-like offshoot of
the Japanese tsuchigumo.
Eruption: The unexpected release of a Hungry One’s
Suffering, which results in supernatural curses being
inflicted upon the mortal world.
Faces of the Goddess: A major division of India’s
Celestial Tribe Dharma, who believe themselves to
be formerly mortal souls gifted with the seed of
godhood.
Final Void: Total annihilation of the Hungry Dead,
analogous to Cainites’ Final Death. A failed journey
to enlightenment.
Gauntlet: The barrier separating the mortal world
from the spirit worlds.
Ghost: A spirit native to the Underworld, usually
(but not always) a former living human.
Ghost Soul: The distinct personality embodied by
the Hungry Dead Virtue of Renunciation. Cold,
withdrawn and mournful.
Godbody Arts: Powerful arts of enlightenment,
linked directly to Dharmic growth. Full mastery is
referred to as the Godbody of ___.
Great Clan: An extended family unit of Japan’s
night world, composed of generations of blood-related
Hungry Dead and their chosen mortal descendants.
The main political unit of Japan until the foundation
of the Night-Temple in the 6th century, and then
the Amakusa Blood Tribe in 1993.
Great Wheel: The entirety of the physical and
spiritual universe, subdivided into the realms of
Beasts, Ghosts, Gods, Demons, and Humankind.
10
Half-Devil: A demon of the Thousand Hells merged
with the mind and soul of a mortal.
Heavenly Soul: The distinct personality embodied
by the Hungry Dead Virtue of Righteousness.
Shining, glorious and upright.
Heavens: The realm of gods and dreams, one of the
spirit worlds of the Great Wheel. Only the Lower
Heavens are accessible to most.
Heretical Triad: A derogatory term, used by some
Petals of Virtue, to refer to the three independent
Dharmas of India (the Celestial Tribe, the Pure
Illusion-Truth, and the Ram-Hearted).
Human Dharmas: The two Dharmas that revolve
specifically around humanity and humankind
(Diamond Serpents and Rootless Trees).
Hundred Clouds: A poetic term for enlightenment
and ascension.
Hungry Dead: Creatures of the night, escapees from
the Thousand Hells. A single individual is called a
Hungry One.
Immortal Dharmas: A sobriquet for the four
Dharmas comprising the Petals of Virtue.
Independent Dharmas: An academic distinction
for the Celestial Tribe, the Pure Illusion-Truth/
Mayaparisatya, and the Ram-Hearted, which proliferate
but operate separately in India and the surrounding
region.
Labyrinth: The deepest part of the Underworld,
arguably equal to the Thousand Hells in its own
right – but also separate, containing a hungry maw
in its center that is the Final Void in its purest form.
Lay Student: A beginner in the Godbody Arts. The
subsequent ranks of achievement, in order, are
Initiate, Apprentice, Adept, and Master.
Lesser Death: A hibernation state for when the
Hungry Dead are starving or too wounded to move.
In contrast to the Final Void, which is true
nonexistence.
Little God: Heavenly beings exiled to the Lower
Heavens, who bond with special objects, places and
people to fulfill prayers in the mortal world.
Lower Heavens: Part of the Heavens, one of the
spirit worlds of the Great Wheel. A realm where
dreams, destiny and prayers take tangible form.
Mirrorlands: The parts of the Spirit Wilds closest
to the mortal world and the Gauntlet.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Mortal World: Realm of humankind, the physical
world of the Great Wheel.
New Promise Righteousness Society: The de facto
headquarters of the Petals of Virtue in California,
centered in the declared Free State of Chinatown,
San Francisco.
Night-Temple: The “second estate” of Japan’s night
world, composed of monastic devotees of the Petals
of Virtue. Considered a single institution, rather
than four allied Dharmas. Also known as the Wheel
of the Law, or “Hourin” in Japanese.
Night World: The world from sundown to sunrise,
when the Hungry Dead and other supernaturals
rise and hold court.
Petals of Virtue: The four "Immortal Dharmas" that
originate from China – Bone Flowers, Devil-Tigers,
Resplendent Cranes, and Thrashing Dragons. Also
known as the Demon Immortals.
Quincunx: A Hungry Dead empire that controlled
China and surrounding countries from 1449 until
the end of the Century Rebellion in 1979. Also
known as the Five August Courts, referencing the
key administrative cities of Chang’an, Chongqing,
Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
Ravnos: A Clan of Cainite vampires with origins in
India. Co-founders of the Dharma of Mayaparisatya
and enemies to the other Dharmas of the Hungry
Dead.
Realm of Beasts: The Spirit Wilds.
Realm of Devils: The Thousand Hells.
Realm of Ghosts: The Underworld.
Realm of Gods and Dreams: The Heavens, both
higher and lower (see Realm of Living Prayers).
Known more commonly in the English-speaking
world as the Dreaming.
Realm of Humankind: The mortal world.
Realm of Living Prayers: An alternate term specific
to the Lower Heavens, a subset of the
Heavens/Realm of Gods and Dreams.
Relentless Age: A poetic term for the first years of
Hungry Dead existence, when one first indulges,
then eventually sheds human attachments.
Renunciation: The Virtue of Ghosts, gateway to
the Underworld. See Ghost Soul.
ISNTRODUCTION
ECTION NAME
Righteousness: The Virtue of Gods, gateway to the
Heavens. See Heavenly Soul.
Scorpion Eater Societies: A group of secret
anti-imperial, anti-dharmic organizations, responsible
for the downfall of the Quincunx in 1979. Their
inheritors are the “Dharma” of the Scorpion Eaters.
Second Breath: A poetic term for the moment of
return, when an escaped soul becomes Hungry Dead.
Shadowlands: The parts of the Underworld closest
to the mortal world and the Shroud.
Shroud: A term for the Gauntlet specific to the
Underworld and ghosts.
Soul Arts: Refined arts of cultivation, based on
manipulation of Chi and the four Virtues of the
Hungry Dead. Divided into Beast Arts, Devil Arts,
Ghost Arts, and Heavenly Arts.
Soul Imbalance: A temporary state in which one of
the Hungry Dead Virtues is overly dominant.
Newly-risen and those who lose their Dharma suffer
from constant imbalance. At its worst, entering
imbalance can trigger an eruption of Suffering.
Spirit: A being who lives in one of the spirit realms
of the Great Wheel, namely wildling spirits in the
Spirit Wilds, ghosts in the Underworld, demons in
the Thousand Hells, and Little Gods and living
prayers in the Lower Heavens.
11
Suffering: The curse of the Hungry Dead, the
hell-tainted karma that suffuses their being and
occasionally erupts.
Spirit Wilds: The realm of beasts, one of the spirit
worlds of the Great Wheel.
Talisman: An artifact or holy relic, often made of
jade, which naturally generates Chi and usually
possesses supernatural power.
Tempest: The deeper realm of the Underworld, an
endless storm that rips ghosts to pieces. Islands of
stability exist deep in the Tempest, such as the western
isle of Stygia.
Thousand Hells: The realm of demons, one of the
spirit worlds of the Great Wheel.
True Bone Society: The main political unit of South
Korea, part city administration and part mafia family.
Inheritors of the Old Green Court of Kaesong, they
mainly exist to control the night world’s resources,
especially Korea’s natural talismanic jade.
Tsuchigumo: Native Caitiff vampires of Japan,
named after the losers of the ancient war that
established the Yamato people. Reviled and
persecuted, the tsuchigumo were thought to be
wiped out at the end of the Meiji era, until the
unveiling of the Amakusa Blood Tribe in 1993.
12 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SCECTION
HAPTERN1: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WORLD
AME 13

Underworld: The realm of ghosts, one of the spirit

worlds of the Great Wheel.

Vampire: A blood-drinking monster, superficially

similar to but fundamentally different from the
Hungry Dead. Often (but not always) referred to by
the sobriquet “Cainite” or “Children of Caine.”

Virtue: Four separate souls that make up the

psychological and spiritual being of the Hungry
Dead, which must be kept in balance to pursue
enlightenment – Renunciation, Righteousness,
Vitality, and Wickedness.

Vitality: The Virtue of Beasts, gateway to the Spirit

Wilds. See Beast Soul.

Wheel of Ages: The cycle of time, divided typically

into twelve ages. The Age of Unity, Age of
One-Becoming-Many, and Age of Legends occurred
before recorded history; the Age of Beautiful Sadness
and current Age of Falling Darkness have lasted for
millennia; and the coming sixth age, the Age of
Sorrows, will last for millennia more.

Wickedness: The Virtue of Devils, gateway to the

Thousand Hells. See Devil Soul.

Wildling, Wildling Spirit: Beast-like spirits native

to the Spirit Wilds.

World of Daylight: Sunrise to sunset, when the

mortal world is mostly safe from the supernatural.

Yama King: A ruler of one of the Thousand Hells.

They are godlike in their personal demesne, but
their ability to affect other realms of the Great Wheel
is circumscribed by personal vulnerabilities and by
ancient agreements with Heaven. Several are now
contending to become the Demon Emperor of the
Age of Sorrows.
14
The World of Darkness in 1998 is recognizably our
world. This holds true whether you live in New York
or Shanghai, a rural town in New Mexico or a remote
village in Nepal:
Tokyo is still the largest metropolis in the world.
Winding beneath and amidst the modern sprawl,
the subway can take you anywhere – from gleaming
skyscrapers featuring every possible amenity, to
run-down neighborhoods where organized crime
still thrives. But special ordinances and fear of
domestic terrorism have given the police new powers,
and the coming showdown between gangsters and
the law promises to be ugly.
The nomadic herders of Mongolia still roam the
grasslands. They use trucks as often as horses now,
and the distance between them and people of the
cities grows smaller with each passing year – the
threat of being enclosed by urban bureaucracy is
ever-present. But the eldest remain proud and
independent; they still know how to read the signs
in sky and earth, in the movements of the birds and
wolves.
The megacities of India are still on the rise. More
and more young people are leaving behind the
villages of their ancestors to find their fortune, as
technology and industrialization grows in India at
the fastest pace in the world. Meanwhile, poverty,
extremism and resentment simmers at the edges of
the subcontinent, which threatens to boil over into
sectarian violence.
The Asian Financial Crisis, which began in Thailand
in the summer of 1997, is not yet over. Forecasts of
global economic meltdown have not been averted,
and the financial remedies implemented to prevent
disaster have put a heavy boot on the backs of the
common people in Thailand, Indonesia, the
Philippines, and South Korea.
These and other facts of history, of life in Asia at
the end of the millennium, have not changed. But
it is the World of Darkness, after all – a gothic-punk
world of extremes, where old and new clash in city
streets, where passion rules after dark, and where
things beyond reason live in the shadows:
The entrance to a red light district, aglow with neon
and digital signage, is flanked by a pair of stone lion
statues– The people of the streets whisper that the
statues are guardians, that they will come alive at
night to hunt those who harm the street’s children.
A wire- and trash-strewn alleyway will lead to a
meticulously maintained shrine, covered in extinguished
candles. Relight each one with wooden matches,
and it is said that a burning god will answer your
most wicked wish.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
A gang of motorheads with piercings and tattoos
cock their ears to the faraway sound of monks
chanting sutras, remembering a long-ago night: the
night they met a girl out on a lonely road, looking
for a ride, who told them she was from hell.
This is the world where the Hungry Dead rise, where
they re-carve their names into the wall of destiny
and dare the gods to punish them.
SECTION NAME 15
ASIANS ONLY? OK, BUT SERIOUSLY, ASIANS ONLY?
Prospective players and storytellers may wonder if The more pertinent question among some gaming
the characters of The Relentless Age exclusively hail groups might be whether it’s a bad idea to even play
from Asian culture and Asian people. The answer Kindred of the East in the first place. After all, even
is no. People all over the world go to hell and return, a game set in the United States, featuring a cast of
and the night world is not closed to anyone on characters who may not be of Asian descent, is very
account of racial or ethnic background. likely to bump up against the Buddhist, Vedic, Taoist,
and otherwise Asia-centric assumptions of the night
world and the Hungry Dead condition. It’s inevitable
However, bear in mind that Hungry Dead society
requires a strong support network, due to the difficult that some details may turn out to be incorrect or
nature of their curse. The Hungry Dead are off-base.
predominant and well-established in China, where
they have long enjoyed the resources, rituals, and But when the question is whether it’s a bad idea to
institutional capture necessary to entrench their even try, then the answer – again – is an emphatic
power – And for similar reasons, the Korean peninsula no. Non-Asian players are just as welcome to Kindred
and Japan are two other regions where the Hungry of the East: The Relentless Age as everyone else. There’s
Dead have long enjoyed being the top of the heap. a lot to love about the Dharmas, the diverse powers,
the Thousand Hells, and all the rest of the setting.
But elsewhere, in places like India and parts of No one should feel as though they don’t have a right
Southeast Asia, the Hungry Dead are not always the to enjoy it.
ruling power, and they often must share the night
world with their Cainite cousins. Once one reaches For those looking for additional guidance, Chapter
the western extremes of the old Silk Road, into 5 contains some basic advice regarding good practices
Anatolia and Eastern Europe, the increasing for playing a game of Kindred of the East, while still
dominance of the Camarilla and Sabbat clans makes being mindful of the cultures at the heart of the
the Hungry Dead a much rarer sight. setting. But in general, assume that this book
welcomes all readers, from all cultures, to give The
It's also worth noting that, given a long enough time Relentless Age a spin.
span, concepts like "racism" and "colonial
resentment" aren't so cut and dry – Vietnam, for
example, struggled with Chinese imperialism for
centuries longer than they struggled against the
French and Americans. Even if younger people have
legitimate reasons to hold on to grudges, the older
Hungry Dead who teach the Dharmas often don't
think in such terms; they've simply seen too much
come and go. Refusing to teach a new Hungry One
how to survive and rise to enlightenment, simply
because he's a Canadian named Smith? That’s a
dereliction of duty, not an act worthy of a righteous
master.
Chapter 6 and Appendix I of this book describes
some of the goings-on of the Hungry Dead west of
Asia, which can provide a template for how you wish
to run a game of The Relentless Age in a non-Asian
locality. Readers who wish to give it a try, amongst
players they trust, are encouraged to do what feels
right and what will lead to a good time at the gaming
table.
16 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN1: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WORLD
AME 17

THE HUNGRY DEAD: A PRIMER
Beyond the known world of humankind, the World
of Darkness contains a multitude of realms: There
is a dark and desperate underworld filled with ghosts,
and an animal world filled with spirit-beasts. There
are hundreds of heavens where the gods reside –
and there are thousands of hells, all too easy to find,
which are filled with devils and the damned.
If the ancient Vedic texts or Buddhist scriptures are
to be believed, existence is a process of cycling
between each of these realms in an endless dance
of action and consequence, death and rebirth. If
that is the case, then the Hungry Dead are monsters
without peer, for they stand outside the wheel of
reincarnation entirely. Having torn themselves from
death, all that awaits them now is either enlightenment
or annihilation, the Hundred Clouds or the Final
Void – For them, there is nothing else.
Like ghosts, the Hungry Dead are at home in darkness,
and they cannot stand the sun. Like beasts of the
wild, they hunt and kill because it is in their nature.
They live forever, like gods and immortals, and they
smolder with rage to shame any demon. To be the
Hungry Dead is to embrace a mass of contradictions:
to embody all the realms of the universe and none
of them; to be more powerful and spiritually refined
than any human – and yet to be, at the end of the
night, nothing more than a walking corpse.
Back from the Dead
Thousand Hells this way, and there they remain for
eons.
What makes the Hungry Dead different, and what
marks them for a unique and difficult destiny, is
that they found a way out.
Individual stories of escape differ. Some Hungry
Dead claim that they broke their own chains and
fought, or that they climbed up infinitely long strands
of hair back to the mortal world. Others explain
that they bribed and enticed their jailers – proof,
to some Dharmas, that the hell-realms have become
corrupt and unworthy of their key position in the
universe. But regardless of the tale, the soul leaves
hell and returns to the mortal world to reclaim their
original body. The Hungry Dead heal their decayed
remains, or they return from crematory dust – even
the smallest speck of ash is enough, if the will is
there.
From that moment on, which is called the Second
Breath, a new member of the Hungry Dead is born.
They are ready to shake the pillars of the earth and
walk the arduous road to enlightenment… But there
are just two problems in their way.
Suffering
Everyone who takes the Second Breath has brought
a piece of hell back with them. This force, called
Suffering, is intrinsic to the Hungry Dead – It is, in
fact, the very karmic debt that pulled them into hell
in the first place.
of the Hungry Dead is not properly contained.
Suffering is what makes the Beast Courts look over
their shoulders, what causes demon hunter families
to train their children to the breaking point, and
what brings sorcerers and witches to think twice
before making deals with corpses. It is the ultimate
curse.
Hunger
Hunger for Chi, the energy of life, is what gives the
Hungry Dead their name. They may be dead immortals
escaped from Hell, with immense power at hand
and the night world at their feet – But they yearn
always for lifeforce, without which their souls unravel
and their bodies cannot even lift a finger. It is a
perfect irony that such mighty and fearsome creatures
are fated to suckle the living like parasites.
All Hungry Dead return to their bodies with the
innate ability to eat flesh, tearing at unfortunate
bystanders for sustenance from the moment they
can open their eyes. But blood is the best medium
by far, the first one young Hungry Dead learn – and
in the modern nights, they have ample opportunities
to drink as they please. Their teeth produce
razor-sharp fangs with just a moment’s concentration,
and their bite produces not pain but a cool, dulling
numbness, sometimes to the point of death.
Those who can’t bear the guilt often try looking for
a Chi-generating Talisman or a Dragon’s Nest, in
the belief that they can forestall the need to feed.
Unfortunately, such noble efforts rarely last long.
According to the Dharmas, the only true way to
escape the cycle of endless hunger and violence is
to grow in enlightenment, to obtain freedom through
the spiritual pinnacle called the Hundred Clouds.
Indeed, at higher levels of enlightenment, the Hungry
Dead have more rarified ways to survive: stealing
energy from the breath of the living, or through
special techniques of meditation. But the ultimate
goal of transcendence, freedom from hunger itself,
is the journey of millennia – which, in this darkened
and desperate age, is guaranteed to no one.
SOCIETY OF THE DAMNED
The Hungry Dead are motivated night after night
by the need for Chi, as well as the need to control
their Suffering. But what they actually want is a
trickier proposition, one that motivates them to
create elaborate philosophies and institutions. In
the vast history of the Hungry Dead, entire empires
have risen and fallen on the question of what they
should be doing with eternity.
It’s true: Even in death, you can never escape politics.
As they learn the foundations of Dharma, new

Putting it more plainly, the Hungry Dead are escapees.
Picture this: One day, a human dies in a state of
spiritual defilement. This could mean the obvious
– like being a thief or a murderer – or it could be a
more complex stain on the soul, such as abandoning
an impoverished family to run off with a lover.
Defilement can even be as simple as being at the
wrong place at the wrong time – Dying blamelessly,
but in a state of torment and helplessness, is more
than enough.
Once they die, the soul that has been weighed down
with suffering plummets into the nightmare that is
the Thousand Hells.
Otherwise known as Naraka, Yomi, and other names,
the Thousand Hells are exactly what they suggest:
a patchwork of spiritual kingdoms, each ruled by a
godlike Yama King and filled with indescribable
tortures. According to the religious and folk
traditions of Asia, the soul is meant to be cleansed
in these hells, purified and made ready for
reincarnation. Thousands, millions come to the
Once they escape, Suffering holds the souls of the
Hungry Dead together, allowing the corpse body to
rise and seek enlightenment. But time in hell has
made the debt into something monstrous and hungry.
After the trauma of death and the Second Breath,
Suffering swells inside the Hungry Dead with every
cruelty, every callous use of power, clamoring to be
unleashed – And sometimes, when misfortunes
align, a Hungry One will lose control.
When Suffering erupts, curses rain down upon the
mortal world: Buildings become twisted and fall
apart, bystanders are marked by strange wounds that
refuse to heal, the spiritually sensitive go catatonic
or insane. The worst tales describe armies of demons
flooding into the mortal world, ready to slaughter
and take captives back to Yomi. The Hungry Dead
are always aware that they hold this seed of the
Thousand Hells inside them, and that only constant
discipline can stop it from taking root and blooming.
In many ways, the entire night world has been built
around the threat of Suffering, to forestall the terrible
things that happen when the spiritual corruption
18
LOCAL
TERMINOLOGY
“Chi” is an authorial term of convenience, as well
as a legacy of the original Kindred of the East setting.
Ultimately, the Hungry Dead are creatures of their
environment, and they speak the languages of their
mortal peers. Although Hungry Dead can appear
anywhere in the globe, the night world and its
institutions are strongest in Asia – Hence, generally,
Asian languages are the norm.
The following is a selection of languages that have
a more or less direct translation for Chi, an ancient
concept that spans continents and encompasses
both life energy and physical breath:
• Burmese: pran
•
•
Cantonese: hei
Hindi: prāṇ
• Japanese: ki, iki
• Khmer: praan
• Korean: gi
• Mandarin: qi
• Telugu: prāṇamu
• Thai: bpraan (pronounced the same as the Khmer
term)
• Vietnamese: khí
Those who wish to use more culture-neutral
terminology in play (with the assumption that
characters are saying these terms in their native
languages, even if players cannot or don't wish to)
are encouraged to default to Essence or Lifeforce.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Hungry Dead are like baby birds: utterly reliant on
their rescuers, staying near the Dragon’s Nests where
they learn to control their hunger and their raging
souls. A Hungry One is considered to be unshaped,
a larval non-entity, until they have successfully
drained blood from a human being (or sometimes,
under stricter teachers, only once they have managed
to kill and consume a creature of the spirit worlds).
Full personhood, meanwhile, is only achieved after
swearing an oath to the Master who will guide them
through the long night to come.
Hence, the default arrangement in the night world
is between a Master or Grandmaster, her allies, and
their intertwined students, all standing against the
Masters’ various enemies. But beyond that core
assumption, the political structures of the Hungry
Dead can vary widely from region to region. The
elaborate courtly institutions that once defined
China have little in common with the cults of
personality and secret societies that dominate it now,
let alone with the extended clans and monastic order
that exists in Japan, or the modern-style cartels of
South Korea.
Still, there are some common ranks that cross culture
and language, which are recognizable anywhere as
markers of Dharma and of concrete power among
the Hungry Dead. They are as follows:
THE RANKS OF THE HUNGRY DEAD
Larva (Dharma Zero)
Fresh from hell, or having fallen from (or rejected)
Dharma. Characterized by the eating of flesh and
a total lack of soul balance. Rather than a true rank,
larvae are generally considered non-persons, only
worth the weight of anyone who vouches for them.
The Novitiate Ranks
Celebrant (Dharma 1)
Fledglings, watched and trained but generally treated
with a light hand. They are joyful and zealous in the
discovery of Dharma, yet still deeply attached to the
human world. Characterized by the drinking of
blood, and often by the settling of mortal grudges.
Aspirant (Dharma 2-3)
True entry into the stream of Dharma. Characterized
by the swearing of oaths to a master and to the wider
community, marking their initiation as full members
of the night world. In centuries past, it was also
marked by the moment a Hungry One realizes he
has lived past his human lifespan – but at the turning
of the new age, Dharmic advancement has become
highly unpredictable.
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Dedicant (Dharma 4)
The age of maturity, characterized by greater
responsibilities in the night world -- and most
importantly, by growing out of the need for blood,
subsisting instead on breath and pure life-force.
The Elder Ranks
Master (Dharma 5+)
Characterized by full attainment of a Godbody Art,
or by manifold mastery of the Soul Arts. Socially,
this is the stage where the Hungry Dead are expected
to take on Aspirants and have leadership roles.
Grandmaster (Dharma 6+)
Characterized, primarily, through a legacy of students
who have themselves been recognized as Dedicant
or Master. Grandmasters are also known for their
effortless surpassing of mortal limits (i.e. traits at
6+ dots).
Great Sage (Dharma 7+)
Characterized by mastery of Chi and freedom from
the obligation to hunt. At this rank, Hungry Dead
typically withdraw even from the regular affairs of
the night world, making moves that are increasingly
cryptic and far-ranging.
The very pinnacle of Dharma (9 and 10) surpasses
any notion of rank; the All-Awakened or Conquerors
among the Hungry Dead have reached the point
where they disappear into legend and story. Those
reputed to be still active in the mortal world (such
as the Laughing Rainbow Mother, who founded the
Thrashing Dragons Dharma) are also called
bodhisattva, after the Buddhist concept of enlightened
ones who remain among us.
THE REALMS OF THE GREAT
WHEEL
In the religious traditions descended from the Indian
subcontinent, it is said that the universe is made up
of multiple realms. The oldest traditions name only
three: Heaven, Hell, and the World, while others
name fourteen lokas, and still others claim that there
are hundreds of separate worlds.
While the Hungry Dead are not a monolith of belief,
one thing they can agree on is the existence of five
distinct realms within their reach. Each realm is
considered the home of a particular type of being,
but visitations from outsiders are hardly unheard
of – The Hungry Dead, for one, are destined to walk
through them all in time.
20
The Mortal World:
Realm of Humankind
The mortal world is the jewel of limitless potential,
the realm to which all the Hungry Dead return. It
is the world of festivals, fireworks and candied apples,
the realm of love and joy and beauty – and the world
where gangsters will break your hands for gambling
debts, the world of methamphetamines and
sweatshops, where the innocent are brutalized
without recourse or hope.
If the old Buddhist wisdom holds true, then to be
reborn as a human being is to have your greatest
chance at enlightenment, as well as the greatest risk.
It means standing at the crossroads of the universe
to choose: Will I ascend in this lifetime? Or will I
fall?
The mortal world is the primary setting for the
Hungry Dead, as well as the main platform from
which they go elsewhere.
At the edge of the mortal world is a massive barrier,
all-encompassing and invisible: the Gauntlet, which
separates the domains of flesh and spirit. Aside from
a handful of special gateways, the ability to cross the
Gauntlet from the mortal world belongs only to
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
those with special knowledge. Beyond the Gauntlet,
there are still further walls dividing the spirit realms
from each other, dividing the high realms from the
low. The Hungry Dead, in their unique position
outside the cycle of reincarnation, are free to cross
all barriers and traverse the universe with impunity
– at least in theory.
At baseline, all Hungry Dead can use Chi to attune
their sight, peering into the shallows of the spirit
realms that jut against the realm of humankind. But
to actually speak to and be recognized by spirits, or
to cross the barrier and go deeper into the realms,
requires special knowledge and training.
Furthermore, simply being in a realm doesn’t make
one safe there – Arriving uninvited in the most
sacred domains of Heaven will quickly bring you to
the tip of a spear, while being unprotected in Hell
or the Underworld risks being trapped with no hope
of rescue.
The Underworld: Realm of Ghosts
Simply dying doesn’t turn you into a ghost; you
must die with a deep craving that cannot be satisfied,
a passion that sustains and torments you beyond
the grave. The land of the dead reflects this
desperation in all aspects: from the inhabitants who
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AME
cling to the places and people they loved; to the
howling storm-sea that exists just under the ground,
waiting to swallow up those who fall into despair;
to the very buildings and roads of the deeper
underworld, which were made by ghosts so desperate
to survive that they’ve turned other ghosts into bricks
of moaning, quivering “white jade.”
The Hungry Dead cross the Gauntlet (or in ghostly
parlance, the Shroud) to visit their human ancestors
and receive their wisdom; to search for books and
artifacts that have been destroyed but yet still exist
in the lands of the dead; to charter a ferry through
the never-ending Tempest that rages below the world;
to walk into the courts of petty ghost-kings and
bargain for a lost lover’s soul. All Hungry Dead,
with some practice or the expenditure of Chi, can
look upon the Shadowlands that closely mirror and
overlap with the mortal world, and they can also
find the hidden gateways into the Underworld.
However, directly crossing the Shroud without a
gate, or going deeper into the realm, requires the
use of Soul Arts.
In much of Asia, the Underworld is ruled by a
familiar figure: Qin Shi Huang, founder of the Qin
Dynasty and first emperor of a unified China. Styling
himself “Yu Huang” after the Jade Emperor of
21
Heaven, the man who was once known as Ying
Zheng is now an undying despot, ruling over an
unfathomably cruel society: an underworld where
only a handful of the emperor’s favorites and their
families have rights, and the rest are subject to being
turned into white jade for even the slightest of
infractions. Rumors that his palace contains a stair
directly to the darkest depths of the underworld,
into the endless demon-maze called the Labyrinth,
are as yet unverified.
The Spirit Wilds:
Realm of Beasts
Everything in the mortal world has a reflection in
the Spirit Wilds, a wildling spirit made ferocious
and animal-like by the energies that emanate from
the realm: cars bedecked with razor metal; wildlings
of fine jewelry that are as colorful as they are sadistic;
derelict buildings that are in fact giant spirits,
consuming the unwary like venus flytraps. It is a
primeval world of instinct, wild growth, and merciless
predation.
Ironically, the animal and plant wildlings that reside
here are more sapient and refined than the rest,
almost human-like in their outlook; two-tailed goblin
cats will banter and exchange favors, while intelligent
22
night-jasmine spirits dispense careful wisdom from
their watchings in the dark. The only thing missing
from the Spirit Wilds, more often than not, is
humans themselves – and that’s very much how the
denizens like it.
The Hungry Dead enter the Spirit Wilds to hunt
wildlings for sustenance in the manner of beasts; to
entreat the spirit courts for clemency when they
cause chaos in the mortal world; to search for tutelary
dragons and wise qilin who hide among the common
creatures; to go to ground and disappear from
enemies like a hare escaping from vipers. Like the
Underworld, all Hungry Dead can spend Chi to
look upon the Mirrorlands – where the Spirit Wilds
most closely reflect the mortal world – as well as to
find the glades and forest gateways that allow easy
access across the Gauntlet. Crossing without a gate,
however, requires learning the higher techniques of
the Soul Arts.
Deeper in the Spirit Wilds, it is said that there are
pocket realms where totemic animal-gods exercise
their rule, and where wildlings born from wickedness
and despair have homes to rival the Thousand Hells.
Journeying to such places is difficult for the Hungry
Dead, as the roads and gateways are vigilantly guarded
by the Beast Courts: shapeshifters, neither man nor
animal, who have banded together to protect what
remains of the world untouched by humanity. Cross
them, and the Hungry Dead is in for a very short
journey to the Final Void.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The Heavens:
Realm of Gods and Dreams
The highest gates of Heaven are closed. Only the
All-Awakened or masters of the Soul Arts are said
to have access to that most rarefied domain – Visitors
who return from behind the gates report that it is a
collection of paradises beyond earthly conception,
where infirmity and suffering have no place, but
where the gods are uncaring of what goes on in the
realm of humankind.
For the rest of the night world, there is only access
to the Lower Heavens: a once-glorious realm, now
a land of shining ruins, where the living prayers to
the gods wait to be answered. Like the Underworld
and Spirit Wilds, the Hungry Dead can attune their
sight to look upon the gateways and parts of the
Lower Heavens that are closest to the shores of
humankind. With time, they can eventually cross
over by learning the techniques of the Soul Arts.
In the Lower Heavens, destiny, dreams and prayers
are all tangible things, able to be seen and spoken
to by those who walk the broken silver roads: A
sacred tree in the mortal world, where countless
couples have made their vows, glows in the Lower
Heavens and sings of love and the power of its oaths.
A prayer for salvation from winter crystallizes,
snowballs and takes shape, becoming a dream-maiden
who rules over a kingdom of ice. Great lions prowl
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the paths nearest to Heaven’s gates, bestowing curses
and blessings upon visitors depending on their
mood. And at night, doorways of every type and
description appear on the hills and valleys of the
Lower Heavens, each one leading into a sleeping
human’s dreams.
Even the Little Gods, the exiled heavenly beings
who consider the Lower Heavens their domain, do
not understand every little thing that makes its home
in the Realm of Living Prayers. The Hungry Dead,
for their part, visit the Lower Heavens to interpret
the weave of fate and the prayers of mortals close
to them; to follow the trods into the darkest parts
of the realm, where the world breaks down into its
original primordial clay, and where things of myth
and legend may be reforged; to lie in wait for an
unwary Little God, as an addict seeking a fix of
golden blood – so long as the Hungry One can avoid
getting caught and facing the wrath of eight million
angry dreams.
The Thousand Hells:
Realm of Demons
Nobody wants to remember Hell. But sometimes a
child must return home, no matter how dark the
memories.
Unlike the other realms, the Hungry Dead cannot
use Chi to look directly upon the domains of Hell.
Instead, they can see the marks of Hell upon the
23
mortal world: the black gateways and shadowed
roads, the stains of corruption, subjugation, and
suffering, all of which grow more numerous with
the turning of the age – Proof, indeed, that the
coming Age of Sorrows is the Age of the Thousand
Hells, an era in which the mortal world will have
no barrier to separate it from the Realm of Demons.
The Thousand Hells exist to torment the souls of
the spiritually defiled. That is their primary reason
for being, and the key activity that fuels their
continued health. No one truly dies in the Thousand
Hells – Wounds that would kill in any other realm
are endured, and even bodies that are totally
annihilated are soon revived, hale and whole, to be
tortured once again. The highly sensitive will notice
the twisting and screams of sinners turning into fine
strands of Chi, which weave into and reinforce the
fabric of the realm.
But beyond that commonality, each hell is entirely
unique, with its own inhabitants, concerns and
methods of torture. The secret history of the night
world is filled with thousands of years of Hell’s
conflicts, as each Yama King squabbles over their
allotment of souls and territory. To anyone’s
knowledge, there has never been a single overlord
of all the hells – But this may soon change, as the
age turns to the advent of the Demon Emperor.
24 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 25

CONTENDERS FOR THE THRONE

Some Yama Kings, hungry with ambition, are trying to expand their realms’ influence into the mortal world,
for it is said that the Emperor foretold will rule over not just Hell, but all the realms of the Great Wheel.
To the Hungry Dead who risk going into the Thousand Hells – to rescue innocents, to sabotage, or to obtain
precious intelligence – these are the kingdoms of greatest interest. They are:
• The Hell of Being Skinned Alive, ruled by the Iron Queen, the realm for those who hoarded wealth or
secrets to the detriment of others. The sinners here have everything ripped away from them by the howling
winds and sand, even skin and muscle and bone, until their rage-filled souls become the hungry winds
themselves. The only respite is found inside the Stillness Pavilion, a well-hidden courtyard built by the
heavenly immortals during the Age of Legends, where it is said that one may find a way to escape.
• The Hell of Boiling Oil, ruled by the wretched Unnameable, the realm for those who indulged in
gluttony and excess. It is an ocean-realm of melted human fat, where jellyfish-like demons swim both in the
smoky skies and under the greasy surface to grab at cooked sinners, and where court is held by the Unnameable’s
lieutenant demons within giant, building-sized bubbles of crystallized gelatin. Bundles of smoking, burnt
hair hang from the ceiling like vines – some of which are just long enough for a person to grab hold and
climb.
• The Pit of Salt and Iron, which is sometimes said to be the same as the less-prominent Hell of Eternal
Castration, where those who committed sexual violence are punished as one might expect. But others insist
that they are separate realms – that the Pit, with its salt flats studded with razors and spikes, is specifically
for traitors and failures. They say that the ruler of the Pit is pretending to be weaker than she really is, and
that she picks the ripest candidates for a chance to serve her interests in the mortal world.
• The Wicked City, where souls who die of overwork, or who suffer deaths of despair in urban anonymity,
will find themselves in an eternal nightmare city: a kafkaesque purgatory of neon and steel. Less than half
a century old, the Wicked City has become one of the most common hells from which young Hungry Dead
arise. The mysterious ruler of this realm – or rulers, for it is unclear who exactly wields the title “Mikaboshi”
– now threatens to be the main contender for the throne in the Age of Sorrows.
Other Yama Kings – of lesser hells, or ones not desiring earthly power – look upon the more ambitious
realms with dread, wondering what will come their way in just a matter of years.

• The Hell of Burrowing Maggots, ruled by the Mistress of Pestilence, the realm for those who die of
disease – an unjust realm to many, but it is a niche that the Mistress is more than happy to exploit. What
appears to be an endless dune of white sand is actually a field of maggots, which obscures the souls buried
beneath as well as enormous, hungry megafauna that defy description. If you can find and endure being
swallowed by a particular creature called the Pale Beast, it is said that you’ll be expelled in the realm of
humankind.

• The Hell of the Burning Seas, ruled by the Mother of the Depths, the realm for those who suffocate
others or who die in water. A hell filled with glorious aquatic cities and beautiful creatures of every description,
yet none of its wonders can be enjoyed by the souls trapped there – for they drown endlessly, searching for
a surface that the Mother’s finned priestesses guarantee they never reach. If one instead swims downward,
dying again and again, one may find the lightless cave paths where escape is possible.

• The Hell of Upside-Down Sinners, the realm for those who victimized others through fanaticism and
surety. The identity of the Yama King who rules this realm is a matter of contention, but no one trapped in
this hell is in a position to care – If you’re an upside-down sinner, down is up, senses are jumbled and twisted,
deep-seated values become profanities, and vice-versa. It is a kingdom of unbridled madness, where only
those who fully embrace its transformative power may find a way out.

• Lanka, the Demon City, an ancient jungle realm covered in vine-choked ruins, which is ruled by a
demon calling himself King Ravana – It is one of several hells designated to warriors and killers for the state.
Lately a shadow of its glory days, there are few souls in the modern day who descend into Lanka directly.
But there is a flurry of new activity as of late, as “Ravana’s” generals steal souls from other realms, furiously
feeding the hungry beast that has awakened beneath the central temple.

• The Night Kingdom, where those who hid cruelty behind a face of honor and propriety sit in frozen
darkness, unable even to spark a warming fire, or to muster anything other than a heavy, overwhelming
despair. This hell is ruled by a Yama King who appears in the form of a seemingly harmless old man – He
claims the title of Lord Enma, God of Hell, but he delights in doling out false hope in a way that feels all
too human. How far he would take the game, toying with his favorite playthings all the way to the mortal
world, is anyone’s guess.
26
FELLOWS OF THE NIGHT
A mortal human can go his entire life without
knowing that he shares the world with monsters.
But once the brave or foolish take their first step
into the dark, the night world rarely lets them go.
Few in the know can unsee how the Hungry Dead
have shaped Asia’s cities to serve their pleasure: the
after-hours cafes and bars, the night markets and
houses of vice, the candle-lit temples and shrines
that welcome midnight visitors.
But even if they claim to have built it for themselves,
the night world doesn’t belong to the Hungry Dead
alone. They are just one of several supernatural clans,
each with their own powers and sphere of influence.
As the Age of Sorrows dawns, the tenuous ebb and
flow of peace in the night world may turn towards
unity, as they band together to resist the ascension
of the Demon Emperor – or it may dissolve into the
kind of chaos that leaves the world in flames.
The Beast Courts
The Hungry Dead are taught to always be careful
and polite when traveling abroad, for the deadliest
beings in the night world are found in the wild places
between cities. At times staunch rivals to the Hungry
Dead, at other times their most terrifying allies, the
shape-changing beast-folk and their courts have
enough power to give even the most warlike Hungry
Dead pause.
The wild beasts of the world may be diminished and
hiding in the modern age, but they still endure in
secret: Wolves, bears, tigers, even giant serpents
prowl the realms of flesh and spirit, defending their
territories from both human overreach and spiritual
corruption. This makes the Hungry Dead, for their
parasitic appetites and hell-tinged nature, warily
tolerated at the best of times, and the first ones to
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
be eviscerated when the Beast Courts have cause
for anger – And above all else, the beast-folk are a
very angry people.
The Beast Courts are made up of master shapeshifters,
able to take animal or human form at will. They
also have an array of spirit powers at their disposal,
with the entirety of the Spirit Wilds often rising up
to aid them when the chips are down. But the
beast-folk are most feared by the Hungry Dead for
their war form, which turns them into hulking,
razor-clawed gods of carnage. Even the diplomats,
spies and scouts of the courts – foxes, rats, crows,
and other innocuous creatures – have this innate
capacity for violence, making them more than a
match for the powers of the Hungry Dead.
Finally, as some have had the misfortune to discover:
There are spiders in the Beast Courts, too – enormous
ones, masterful in dark and bloody sorceries, who
move much, much faster than you’d ever expect.
Servants of Heaven
The gates of Heaven may be closed, but Heaven is
far from absent. Celestial lions, deadly garuda, and
even the occasional heavenly maiden live in the
mortal world in secret, pursuing agendas known
only to them. Some beings have even lived among
humankind for centuries, taking on the traits of
various myths and legends – and at times being the
source of them.
Collectively, these divine spirits – whether loyal
servants on a mission, heavenly exiles, or divine
ne’er-do-wells – are known as the Little Gods. Despite
the many forms and powers at their disposal, the
one commonality that unites them is that they are
far from home.
In their pure form, the Little Gods are frailer and
more delicate than even the weakest ghost, withering
if they walk unprotected among the mortals and
their defilements. But they also wither if they don't
walk among them, listening to human dreams and
fulfilling human prayers. So, to fulfill their nature
and shield themselves from death, each Little God
has to choose an anchor in the realm of humankind:
either a special object or place that will house their
divine spirits, or a special mortal vessel – human or
animal – who is willing to blend mind and soul with
them.
When they don't have an anchor – when the human
vessel dies, or when the beloved shrine falls into
disrepair – the Little Gods have no choice but to
bide their time in the Lower Heavens. There they
wait, vulnerable and disconnected, itching for an
opportunity to rejoin the dance of mortality in a
new incarnation.
SECTION
CHAPTERN1: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WORLD
AME
The Little Gods weave the beauty of dreams into
the mortal world, answering prayers to gain the
notice and favor of Heaven’s ministers. They rarely
find the Hungry Dead beautiful, and they have many
clever tricks to ruin a monster’s night – But they are
not invincible, and the immortals have found that
the golden blood of the Little Gods is delicious and
intoxicating.
(For rules on heavenly blood addiction, see Chapter
5, Storytelling.)
Half-Devils
When a demon of the Thousand Hells chooses to
give up its ephemera and merge with the flesh and
mind of a human being, the result is a Half-Devil.
A l s o k n ow n a s “ f i e n d s , ” “ fo m o r i , ” a n d
“demon-blooded,” Half-Devils are dangerous
creatures, who possess supernatural power in the
form of hellish disfigurements: a wickedly clawed
hand that can rend both stone and flesh; hypnotizing
eyes that dilate like a cat’s and allow the bearer to
see ghosts; a red button-switch imbedded in the
neck, which transforms its owner into a deadly
monster every time it gets pushed… The sheer variety
of demonic features is as endless as the hells themselves.
According to conventional Hungry Dead wisdom,
Half-Devils are pitiful, lesser beings, driven solely by
base urges and a thirst for mayhem. In this, they
agree with the Beast Courts, who are united in their
desire to rend every Half-Devil limb from limb. The
increasing presence of the demon-blooded
everywhere in the world – from Delhi to LA, so it
is said – is merely a sign of the corrupted age:
• In Busan, South Korea, certain Devil-Tigers take
pleasure in collecting demon-blooded servants,
subjugating them and making an art form out
of cultivating their most striking disfigurements.
27
Envoys from Clan Tzimisce are said to be deeply
impressed by their Korean counterparts.
• In Ginza, Tokyo, the Hungry Dead give the Beast
Courts free reign to slaughter Half-Devils whenever
they arise. Hence, to survive in Japan’s glitziest
neighborhood, the demon-blooded have learned
to hide behind irreproachable beauty and civility,
becoming the most renowned hosts and hostesses
in town.
• In the balmy streets of Columbo, Sri Lanka, the
Half-Devils are near-equals to the Hungry Dead
– cousins of the night, who might call upon the
dead immortals for moonlight tea, but who serve
no one and keep no counsel but their own.
Travel the night world awhile, and you’ll find that
there is no consensus about what to actually do with
Half-Devils, beyond the simple fact that they exist.
Some Hungry Dead, with the casual heresy of the
young, will even go so far as to call some Half-Devils
their oath-sworn friends.
Dhampyrs
The Half-Damned. The Golden Children.
Dhampyrs are the fruit of a union between mortals
and Hungry Dead: When a human woman takes a
Hungry Dead lover, or a Hungry One commits to
having a child of their own, any resulting birth is a
unique fusion of both – a child not as powerful as
their immortal parent, but able to enjoy the world
of daylight in a way Mom or Dad never can.
In the night world, Dhampyrs help their undead
parents with daytime affairs, and they oversee the
mundane tasks of courtly life. Those who live to
adulthood can expect lifespans well over a century
and more, with sharpness and health right up to the
end.
From the start of their strange lives, Dhampyrs are
also blessed with deep reserves of luck and good
fortune – a side effect, it is said, of being born to a
parent who exists outside the cycle of reincarnation,
as this makes the very existence of the Dhampyr an
anomaly of fate. The Golden Children are skilled
bodyguards, accountants with the magic touch,
magnificent hosts who always know the right thing
to say to please their undead benefactors.
Throughout history, the Half-Damned have been
alternately treated as toys, as trusted servants – in
the style of western vampires and their Ghouls – as
special heirs destined to become just like their Hungry
Dead parents, and everything in-between. But with
the fall of the Quincunx in China, some Dhampyrs
have taken advantage of the political chaos to commit
28 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN1: WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WORLD
AME 29

CREATING A
DHAMPYR
The process of conceiving and carrying a Dhampyr
does not require any magic rites or special powers.
Contrary to popular myth, it does not require the
Hungry Dead to cultivate Vitality (i.e. to mimic the
functions of a living being) as they carry a human’s
child, nor does one need to be doing so if they are
siring the child with a human, aside from the obvious.
And arranging signs and auspicious portents to
conceive a Dhampyr can be helpful, but they are
not required – Ultimately, the Golden Children are
a quirk of destiny rather than a mechanistic process;
they will appear when they appear.
After a pregnancy that proceeds as normally as it
can, the birth of a Dhampyr is often traumatic and
bloody, and it inevitably ends in a stillbirth. The
Hungry Dead parent – or another Hungry One
acting as godparent – then feeds a point of Chi to
the dead infant, upon which it returns to life. The
parents, of course, rarely let their children forget
afterwards that the Dhampyr is only alive because
of their generosity.
the ultimate sin in the eyes of their parents: to strike
out on their own and forge their own destiny.
Wizards and Witches
Even monsters fear human magic. Legends speak of
sages who can move at the speed of thought, who
can shape metal and stone to their desires, or who
can withstand the deadliest of hells as though taking
a springtime stroll. According to the Hungry Dead,
if there’s any commonality to mortal magicians, it’s
that their power takes ten thousand different forms,
and you’ll never know what you’re truly dealing with
until it’s too late.
The ceremonial magicians of the Wu Lung are the
best known in China – hardly a surprise, as their
ancient reputation for arrogance, and for solving
problems with fistfuls of gold and lightning, has
been fully earned. But the night world contains
sorcerers and mystics of all kinds: the Buddhist
weikza of Burma, shamanistic mudang in Korea,
masters of mantra and deadly war-techniques in the
Indian subcontinent. There are even Asian magicians
trained in the styles of Europe, whose occult arts
have enjoyed centuries of fosterage in cities like
Nagasaki, Hong Kong and Mumbai.
More dangerous than all of them, however, is the
far-reaching Technocratic Society: a sect of sorcerers
who reportedly hate their own kind, who despise
magic and harness it solely as a weapon to destroy
the night world. Open encounters between the
Hungry Dead and “Those Who Wear Black” are
rare but unsettling, and supernaturals who have
escaped from their secret laboratories report horrors
to rival the tortures of hell. If the rumors are true,
and these hypocrite wizards exist in far larger numbers
than their more mystic brethren, then the night
community may be in even worse danger than anyone
realizes.
The mythical, virtuous demon hunters of ages past,
who balanced the mortal and supernatural worlds
with wisdom and a sharp blade, are long gone. What
remains are collections of ancient techniques – some
say stolen from the Hungry Dead, others say gifted
by the gods – that can even the scales between
humans and monsters, if said human is willing to
pay the cost. These techniques have spread around
the night world, picked up by demon hunter families
that rise and fall over the decades:
• In Japan, a status quo that existed since the Edo
era has fallen: The Yanagi clan of demon hunters
has perished at the hands of the Hungry Dead,
and their rivals in the Okamoto clan have joined
forces with the corporate world, becoming the
private security firm Strike Force Zero.
• In the city of Rajasthan in northern India, a
secret society of Sikhi controls the population
of Hungry Dead, only allowing the most virtuous
to live. So far, the Hungry Dead themselves are
not aware that they are sheep being corralled by
the shepherd… But the men are growing old,
and slip-ups happen.
• In southern China, a long tradition of wandering
warriors is on the decline – or it was, until the
night world erupted in chaos starting in the
1970s. Now college students are banging down
the doors of retired, shell-shocked masters, eager
for an explanation and a way to take back the
night.
• In South Korea, poor demon hunters from the
Jeolla region have made a devil’s deal, getting
paid to track down dangerous people and objects
all across the Pacific Rim. The mysterious woman
who calls herself “Warden Kim” gives them
plenty of money for the goods– almost enough
to not ask questions.
differently: dedicated scholars of Valeren or the
Dragon Tear, Indian Hungry Dead who regularly
crossed claws and blades with the Ravnos, warriors
of the old Khanate who found themselves facing
the horrors of Koldunic Sorcery. The full awareness
that they were two separate species came only
gradually, as western colonialism did its work and
brought Cainites on ships and trains to Asia.
What was once specialized knowledge became
widespread and well-understood by the late 1800s,
as their worlds fully began to collide: The Hungry
Dead and Cainites shared the night, but they couldn’t
be more different from each other.
The effects of this revelation are still being felt in
the modern nights. The Cainite bloodlines of Asia
– small, insular, and made powerless in various ways
through Hungry Dead dominance and ignorance –
have found their second wind, demanding to be
seen as equal in status to the rest of the night world.
And younger Hungry Dead, charmed by the realization
that “Draculas” are real and not hellbeasts like
themselves, have begun overtures with vampires that
fill elders on both sides with dread.
As of late, the fact that the Hungry Dead do not
experience the Blood Bond has been a revelation
to the Children of Caine – And equally so to the
Hungry Dead, the fact that Cainites can completely
enslave one another by simply tasting each other’s
blood is fascinating. Where that knowledge will take
them has yet to be seen.

Demon Hunters
For every family slaughtered by the Hungry Dead,
there is a child hiding in a crevice who witnesses it
all. For every human enslaved by a vindictive
Devil-Tiger, or turned into a Godling’s anemic lover,
there is a friend or family member who cannot bear
to watch them waste away, who digs for the truth
until they can’t turn back anymore.
For such people, what awaits is usually a dark,
desperate life, ending in violence once they take one
step too far, or they make the wrong gamble. But
sometimes, a person in need will cross paths with
the people who make it their life’s work to deal with
monsters – What follows then is no less dark and
desperate, but there is the tiniest flicker of hope that
what waits at the end is justice.
Rules for Demon Hunters, and the powers of the
Demon Hunter Families, can be found in Appendix
II.
. . .And Vampires
Until about three centuries ago, there was little
reason for the Hungry Dead to care about the night
world of Europe and beyond. They assumed that
those lands had their own Hungry Dead, and scant
reports they received of a war between “princes of
the night” were more than satisfactory. Even
translations of the Book of Nod were thought to be
an allegorical story of the Hungry Dead state, adapting
Dharmic teachings into a form more palatable to
Europeans. After all, why would it be anything else?
Only a select few had the experience to know
30 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
AME 31

CAINITE
BLOODLINES
IN ASIA

Those with an interest in Asian Cainite Bloodlines

should note that both Vampire: the Masquerade 20th
Anniversary Edition and Vampire: the Dark Ages 20th
Anniversary Edition contain a wealth of information
about what bloodlines exist in India, Mongolia,
China, and elsewhere. It should be assumed that
all of these bloodlines exist and interact with the
Hungry Dead, but that they are suppressed and
muscled out wherever the Hungry Dead hold the
most power.

In addition, this book introduces two new bloodlines:

in Chapter 6, the clanless Amakusa Blood Tribe of
Japan (and their American Gangrel-esque
descendants, the Eastern Mariners); and in Appendix
I, the also-clanless mountain vampires of Korea,
who share a symbiotic relationship with fox-spirits
of the Spirit Wilds. Enough information has been
provided to make them playable and hopefully
interesting – but bear in mind that this book is
focused on the Hungry Dead first and foremost.
32
The Hungry Dead are creatures of enlightenment.
It is the defining struggle of their condition, as well
as the crowning achievement that (they believe)
makes them the rightful princes of the night world.
In this chapter, the nature of the Hungry Dead soul
will be revealed, and their many paths of enlightenment
explained in detail.
THE SOULS OF THE HUNGRY DEAD:
VIRTUES
There is no court of Hungry Dead that does not
value the rescue and fosterage of their own kind.
Among other reasons, this is because a brand-new
Hungry One, fresh from their Second Breath, gives
everyone a rough time: They hunger for raw,
freshly-killed flesh, and their instincts scream at
them to gorge at the slightest opportunity, leaving
bloody chaos in their wake.
Those who survive those first nights describe a feeling
similar to being possessed, or being on the world’s
worst cocktail of party drugs – From minute to
minute, hour to hour, their personalities change
from megalomaniacal to paranoid and vindictive,
from frenzied with lust to weeping and borderline
catatonic. With time, the Hungry Dead come to
understand that this is their burden: that they are
spiritually fractured and imbalanced beings,
containing four partial souls in one body.
These souls, or Virtues, each reflect a realm of the
Great Wheel: the world of Beasts, Ghosts, Gods,
and Devils, all residing within the corpse-bodies of
those who return – It is proof indeed that the Hungry
Dead are beings who stand outside reincarnation,
for better or worse.
The four Virtues of the Hungry Dead are:
Renunciation, the Virtue of Ghosts
Renunciation is the Ghost Soul, reflecting the cold
and silence of the grave. When under control, it is
temperate and calming. When a Hungry One loses
control and allows the Ghost Soul to dominate over
the other Virtues, Renunciation becomes the decay
of all life and possibility, replaced only with stillness
and shadows.
Righteousness, the Virtue of Gods
Righteousness is the Heavenly Soul, reflecting the
lofty order and idealism of the divine. When under
control, it embodies the kind of fruitful, correct
speech and action that strengthens society. When
it is over-dominant and imbalanced, Righteousness
becomes glory-hounding, authoritarian, and
unforgiving to the point of sociopathy.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Vitality, the Virtue of Beasts
Vitality is the Beast Soul, reflecting the life energy
of beasts and other wild creatures. At its best, it is
the joy of physical desire and living in the moment.
When it is imbalanced and overtakes the other
Virtues, Vitality becomes the gateway to gluttony,
mindless instinct, and orgiastic oblivion.
Wickedness, the Virtue of Devils
Wickedness is the Devil Soul, reflecting the manifold
terrors and torments of hell. At its best, it is the
virtue of audacity and revelation, a spark of wisdom
obtained at the price of pain. When a Hungry One
loses control and allows Wickedness to go out of
order, it becomes pure spite, taking joy in the death
of all beauty and hope.
Experienced Hungry Dead learn not just to keep
their Virtues in balance, but to cultivate them: They
can view the world through charged eyes, peering
into the spirit realms or reading invisible skeins of
power and destiny. With practice, they can even
train their souls to channel vast spiritual powers,
which the Hungry Dead collectively refer to as the
Soul Arts.
Full rules for Virtues and Soul Imbalance are in
Chapter 3; full rules for the Soul Arts are in Chapter
4.
SECTION
CHAPTERN2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
AME 33
THE DHARMAS
Dharma gives purpose to the Hungry Dead. More
than the remembered torments of hell, more than
the emptiness that forces them to steal life, Dharma
is what takes the Hungry Dead condition and turns
them into something greater – into Demon
Immortals, Allah's chosen, Godlings, and
bodhisattvas-in-waiting.
An ancient Sanskrit word that means, among other
things, “cosmic law” or “moral duty,” Dharma refers,
in the night world, to a collection of philosophical
paths followed by those who have taken the Second THE TERM “DHARMA”
Breath. Some Dharmas, like the Eastern Road of
Heaven, are only a few centuries old, while some in
the Celestial Tribe claim to have been present since Once again, as with “Chi,” Dharma as an in-setting
term is a legacy feature of Kindred of the East. The
the dawn of civilization. The Petals of Virtue even
believe in a long-lost “Age of Legends" – predating word “dharma” is also important to real-world
any known human history – in which heaven and religions that have informed this version of the
earth were close enough to touch, and from which setting, such as Buddhism and the Hindu faiths
their immortal philosophies were ultimately (some of which refer to their beliefs as the “Eternal
conceived. Dharma” or the “Dharma of the Concluding Vedas”).
Regardless of their origins, Dharma has been and Bear in mind that the term has many different uses
remains the axis of the Hungry Dead condition – and contexts, and that its use here is meant to evoke
the ultimate quest for perfection and enlightenment, the quest for enlightenment at the heart of the
which colors everything that they do. Even Scorpion Hungry Dead state. Those wishing to avoid the term
Eaters, who oppose Dharma for philosophical and
political reasons, could be said to practice Dharma altogether during play are encouraged to use variations
of “Path” or “Way” instead.
in spirit, for they still seek a better and more honest
world.
The simple fact is this: Without something to believe
in, the Hungry Dead are merely monsters.
Descriptions of the major Dharmas are on the
following pages. Rules for attaining, rising, and
falling in Dharma are in Chapter 3.
34 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 35

THE PETALS OF VIRTUE:

THE IMMORTAL
DHARMAS
We are heavenly
immortals, now
fallen from grace.
Watch us rise.

These are the four Dharmas most prevalent in East

Asia and the greater sinosphere, with origins in
ancient China. The Petals of Virtue are highly
interlinked, sharing a belief that they are the spiritual
descendents of immortals who fell from grace in a
mythic Age of Legends – and now, they say, the
challenge is to regain true immortality in this age.

Among the Dharmas, the self-styled “Demon

Immortals” hold the most stock in the belief that
the world is turning toward an Age of Sorrows, and
that the prophesied Demon Emperor must be
stopped at all costs. While they are still reeling from
the loss of a unified China under the Quincunx (see
the section on Mainland China in Chapter 6), the
Petals of Virtue still have deep networks of resources
and allies at their disposal, which they use to advance
their ends all over the world.
36
BONE FLOWERS
Death is the soil from which all existence grows. To
the Hungry Dead who follow the collection of sutras
known as The Midnight Jewel, the world is a vast
garden, and the immortals are its keepers.
Certainly, they may prune and reshape life when
necessary – which earns them a reputation as ruthless
assassins and manipulators. But above all, the Bone
Flowers work endlessly to till and enrich the underlayer
of death. They are the scholars of long-lost knowledge,
the defenders of ghosts against the grinding cruelty
of the Underworld. Only by acting as advocates for
death, they say, can the Hungry Dead truly honor
their duty as immortals, and thereby reclaim their
rightful place.
According to a historical commentary on The Midnight
Jewel called Words of the Black Metal Egg, the Bone
Flower Dharma was founded by White Ash Peony,
a disgraced heavenly immortal from the Age of
Legends. Like others who were punished with the
curse of the Hungry Dead, her true name and her
life were erased from the world, leaving only a dark,
gnawing void in their place. In shame and terror,
White Ash fled into the underworld, deep into the
spirit-storm known as the Tempest, where she rescued
the ghost of a young scholar. They journeyed together
to the Far Shores, undergoing numerous trials as
White Ash learned of her dead state and her ultimate
purpose.
Soon, she and the scholar-ghost fell in love, whereupon
they returned to the Shadowlands so she could bear
his child. It is written in the commentaries that
when the birth was finished, and she looked upon
her stillborn son suckling upon her breast, White
Ash Peony smiled and was awakened.
Death and Rebirth:
The stereotype of the cold, detached Bone Flower
is a fiction by uncreative rivals. On the contrary,
when a member of the Dharma cares to speak of
their old lives, there is often evidence of deep
passions, as well as equally deep regrets. They will
often act in secret as benefactors or “ancestor spirits”
to their living families, becoming figures of legend
as the years become decades – And eventually, once
decades become lifetimes, siblings and cousins may
at last reunite, forming complex partnerships between
ghosts and the Hungry Dead.
Bone Flowers are inclined to the Godbody of Bone,
which allows them to create gardens of their namesake
and to inflict death, when necessary, with precision.
Unsurprisingly, they also cultivate the Ghost Arts
– In fact, their inclination toward ghosts makes
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
them the natural collectors and information-brokers
among the Petals of Virtue. They maintain the
libraries and histories of the Hungry Dead, and they
are the premier teachers of all things obscure and
esoteric.
Ultimately, the Bone Flowers find themselves in the
position of advocating for the silent and invisible,
whether dead or alive.
Concepts:
Underworld Revolutionary - The land of the dead
is ruled by tyrants. You lived and died in a time of
unrest, murdered by government guns. Now that
you’re back as one of the Hungry Dead, you’ve
discovered that the spirits of the departed are ruled
by an authoritarian despot far worse than any dictator
in the mortal world. Unlike your last run at
revolution, you have many more powers at your
disposal – and this time, it will take more than a
bullet to kill you.
Dead God Priestess - For every ancestor spirit and
god whose altar candles are still lit, there are a
hundred whose living families are dead, or whose
followers have forgotten them. Such a powerful but
abandoned spirit is in grave danger of becoming
spiteful and corrupted. That’s where you come in
– You’re their very last friend in the mortal world,
keeping a rolodex to check in on ancestors and gods
and to do them the occasional favor.
Kindly Death Dealer - Everyone must die, but it
doesn’t need to be agony. A horrible death pulled
you down to the Thousand Hells, and as a young
Hungry One, you’re determined not to let it happen
to anyone else. Using the powers and rites at your
disposal, you track down the most hideous destinies,
the worst deaths that are just on the horizon of
happening – And you offer those victims a way out:
a peaceful death, on their terms.
Tenets:
Walk among the ghosts and listen to their silence.
Remind the living to grow, and to mind the dead.
Gather what you can from the falling leaves.
Treat the truth as one treats a precious gift.
Above all: Tend diligently to death and its beauty.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Ignoring a ghost or human who has come to
you with the truth.
• Stealing Chi from ghosts, or bullying them to
meet your needs.
• Willfully allowing knowledge or secrets to be
lost.
• Desecrating the dead or their memory.
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AME
DEVIL-TIGERS
Hell, at its best, is a place of transformation: where
the wicked become pure, where suffering begets
grace. But the Thousand Hells no longer function
this way, if they ever did. The wickedness of the
Yama Kings is more like a malignant cancer than
an enlightening whip-crack – and for their dereliction
of duty, the world slowly dies.
The collection of esoteric poems known as The Songs
of Hell, as well as its companion piece The Discourse
on Iniquity, outlines what it means to be a true demon,
to use one’s immortal nature to purify the cycle of
existence. The Hungry Dead who abide by these
teachings immerse themselves in the world's evils
and inflict suffering as a demolitionist uses dynamite,
to revitalize a corrupt universe and build something
greater. Only after an audacious embrace of
Wickedness, say the Devil-Tigers, can enlightenment
be found and true immortality restored.
The origin of The Songs of Hell has been lost to history,
and the original immortal who fell from grace and
penned the poems is a mystery. The author of The
Discourse on Iniquity, however, was a Hungry One in
the time of the Shang Dynasty, who used the
pseudonym “Hundred Autumns Sage” in the style
of the heavenly immortals. He was once an
unenlightened monster, a beast that roamed ancient
China preying on innocents with impunity, until
he found himself caught and returned to the very
deepest of the hells. As he endured the cold torments
of shadow-demons who promised he would never
leave again, a mysterious being approached in the
dark and began to brand him with ideograms.
The Demon Immortal who would take the name
Hundred Autumns Sage slowly read the words
burned into his flesh, memorizing them and
internalizing their meaning. When it was finished,
he became a flaming beast, redolent with stripes
and claws, and he ascended from Hell with a roar
heard throughout all the realms.
Death and Rebirth:
Devil-Tigers were often familiar with evil in their
living days. Both victims and perpetrators of violence
number among their ranks, as well as crooks and
swindlers of every kind. Although Devil-Tigers should
theoretically rise above such petty sins, young Hungry
Dead often find themselves repeating old patterns:
They get involved in organized crime and the
underground vice trade, or they wield their influence
over corrupt civil organizations and temples.
The fact that Devil-Tigers have wicked spirits at their
beck and call makes such work especially easy. They
37
cultivate the Devil Arts, and although Demon Regalia
has a special place in their arsenal, the Devil-Tigers
also have a thorough appreciation for the purifying
Godbody of Flame.
Within Hungry Dead society, Devil-Tigers are often
feared as enforcers and saboteurs, leg-breakers and
demon-wranglers – but their spiritual tenets also
put them in the unique role of finding and educating
new Hungry Dead. These “Infant Devil Civilizers”
only rarely recruit new Devil-Tigers, instead
recommending their charges to other Dharmic
teachers they know and trust. In this way, Devil-Tigers
are the glue that supports the Petals of Virtue and
the wider night world.
Concepts:
Shrine-Breaker - Not all gods are righteous; some
deserve to be punished. In life, you were an unlucky
child, cursed by misfortune and happenstance. As
Hungry Dead, you found the corrupt ancestor spirit
that had plagued you since birth and tortured it
until there was nothing left. Now you look for other
misbehaving spirits, those who prey upon mortals
or who have become stagnant and arrogant, and
you give them an overdue lesson in humility.
First Night’s Collector - A newborn of the Hungry
Dead is a terror. A werewolf undergoing First Change,
a just-awakened magus, or a ghost who fails to rip
their caul and becomes a raging spectre – those can
be much, much worse. In this huge and lonesome
city, you’re the only one of the Hungry Dead who
helps them. You track down the many newborns of
the night world, mitigating the worst damage and
helping them find their place.
Foreman of Hell - Hell is broken, but it can be
repaired; all that remains is someone brave enough
to do it. You delve into Yomi with your crew of
demons and fellow immortals, armed with holy
sutras (along with less savory tools), and you carve
out places where the proper functions can be restored.
Under your watch, souls are finally being purified
and finding transcendence – But the Yama Kings
are beginning to turn a curious eye your way.
Tenets:
Ride your demons as a prince rides a chariot.
Wield pain with wisdom and generosity.
Embody the flash of light and the darkness that
follows.
Cultivate the brightest embers into roaring flames.
Above all: You are a devil fit to rule Hell – be glorious.
38
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Using violent methods out of anger or impatience.
• Avoiding pain that is necessary or useful.
• Ignoring a teaching moment for someone who
shows promise.
• Treating any demon – even a Yama King – with
fear or submission.
RESPLENDENT CRANES
A perfect society is possible. The Mandate of Heaven,
once lost, can be obtained once more. So says The
Eightfold Lotus Path, the teachings that make up the
backbone of the Resplendent Crane Dharma.
For the heavenly immortals, becoming Hungry Dead
was a fitting punishment. For the Demon Immortals
of the here and now, it is the ultimate test of virtue.
The Cranes see it as their task to bring the world in
harmony with Heaven, and to that end, they are
willing to play any number of roles: at times the
peacemakers, at other times the warriors and
firebrands. Rather than being overly concerned with
individuals, they cultivate at the level of families,
societies and empires – And just as a king’s greatness
comes from a thriving land and people, so too can
the Demon Immortals find redemption in a world
that they have returned, piece by bloody piece, to
the glory of the gods.
The Resplendent Cranes claim that the root of their
Dharma is the discipline gifted by Heaven, and as
such their founder was no less than the Heavenly
Emperor himself. But The Eightfold Lotus Path – their
key modern text, composed of a series of dialogues
and fables – began circulating in the second century
during the Three Kingdoms period. It spread in the
night world like a storm, forming the inspiration
for several attempts to found an empire of the Hungry
Dead in China’s history.
In The Eightfold Lotus Path, which is set shortly
following the Age of Legends, a venal, cowardly
immortal named the Marquis of Xue holds several
conversations with the gods of Heaven and Hell, as
well as with a monstrous figure called Zao the
Wanderer. In the end, when he meets the Jade
Emperor and asks to be forgiven, he is touched upon
his third eye, whereupon he is transformed into a
perfect yellow butterfly.
Death and Rebirth:
It is said that nothing forges a Resplendent Crane
like the fire of crimes unanswered, of injustice left
to smolder. They rise from their graves like the classic
tales of wronged ghosts, taking vengeance upon the
living who failed them. And once all the flesh is
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
torn and the corpses cooled, they are faced with an
unbearable void of purpose.
The book of instructive mantras known as The Empty
Gate is named after this very phenomenon, and
along with the Eightfold Lotus Path, it points the
way to what a Resplendent Crane should do with
the rest of eternity. In the world of the Hungry Dead,
the Resplendent Cranes are the administrators, the
rite masters, and the overseers of the law and custom.
To that end, they master the Heavenly Arts of
Righteousness, as well as the refined and elegant
powers of the Godbody of Jade.
The Resplendent Cranes are the ones who ensure
that a court runs smoothly and handles its various
crises with grace – and unfortunately for the Cranes,
there is almost always a crisis at hand.
Concepts:
Golden Publicist - In the modern age, the grace of
kings rarely shows itself as a crown; instead, it’s
Rolexes and sports cars, pieces in the news, being
photographed in the best and most exclusive
restaurants. You are a vizier to underworld princes,
political darlings, and to the kings and queens of
the entertainment business, ensuring that your
favorites win everyday hearts and minds – and that
those who displease you will die loathed by the entire
world.
Night World Tagger - You consider yourself a civic
sign-maker, armed with spray paint and a talent for
parkour: You mark the places where dangerous
beast-folk have made their nests, the tucked-away
cafes where it’s safe for the Hungry Dead to drop
their masks, the abandoned homes where the local
ghosts have become powerful and angry. It’s endless
work, as the city changes every night and the mortal
police crack down on graffiti – but at least you’re
never bored.
Emergency Cleaner - Everyone you call upon loves
you like you’re their long-lost mother. Granted, they
tend to be covered in gore, standing in the midst of
some unspeakable horror that needs to be cleaned
up in the next twenty minutes or less – but you’re
not the judgmental type. You fix what needs to be
fixed, you send bloody clothes to the most discreet
laundry services, you dispose of inconvenient
witnesses… and by the end of the night, everything
is harmonious.
Tenets:
Bring forth harmony like a thunderbolt.
Uphold the pillars of honor and dignity.
Correct the weak and unrighteous, as you were once
corrected.
SECTION
CHAPTERN2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
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Protect the society of the immortals.
Above all: For the perfection of Heaven, be
relentless.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Allowing unrighteous behavior to go uncorrected.
• Destroying something harmonious, whether
intentionally or by accident.
• Giving aid to an avowed enemy of the Immortal
Dharmas.
• Inflicting humiliation or shame for one’s own
satisfaction.
THRASHING DRAGONS
Make no mistake: The Hungry Dead are alive. They
grow, they change, they cut like a knife through the
world and relish the fat and sinew. To the Thrashing
Dragons, things like breathing and warm blood are
crutches; the mortal world takes living for granted,
and so most of them fail to actually live. Such a sad
existence, they say, is unworthy of the immortals.
The oral teachings and history of the Dragons is
colloquially known as The Ten Thousand Scattered
Seeds, and its exact contents vary from place to
place. But the common thread is a devotion to life
as a binding, all-encompassing force, which animates
even the moaning ghosts and makes rocks and fallen
trees shake in the wind. The Thrashing Dragons
take those lessons to heart by enmeshing the Hungry
Dead in the world around them – no dusty monasteries
or hermitages, for those who truly wish to live. They
are the envoys among other supernaturals, the ones
who cultivate partnerships in the mortal world, the
priests and priestesses who show their love to the
spirits with wild, unforgettable festivals.
The founder of the Thrashing Dragons Dharma was
a heavenly immortal in the Age of Legends – and
the secret is, she’s still here. The Laughing Rainbow
Mother regained true immortality among the first
generations of the Hungry Dead, alchemizing herself
into a pure avatar of life. But like the Goddess of
Mercy, she made the fateful decision to turn back
at the foothills of Heaven and look down upon the
world before her ascension. When she saw the
wretched beings escaping from Hell and languishing
in misery, the Laughing Rainbow Mother returned,
swearing that she would not rest until the Demon
Immortals were redeemed.
She walks in moonlight and wears a thousand faces,
with jasmine and pools of wild rice appearing in the
places she has walked. Most of the Dragons swear
that they’ve met her personally at least once; it is
said that you can recognize her by her smile, which
is crooked and flawed and as warm as sunshine.
39
Death and Rebirth:
In the case of the Thrashing Dragons, stereotypes
about their mortal lives are largely true. They tended
to live highly controlled and repressed lives, or had
their desires constantly thwarted by circumstances
beyond their control. Ironically, they are the ones
most likely to forget their old families entirely, to
mark their dates of rebirth as the moment they
became something new.
The Thrashing Dragons love the Godbodies of both
Blood and Flesh, as well as the Beast Arts that allow
them to commune with the Spirit Wilds. But in the
night world, Dragons are most known (and most
infamous) for their propensity to bear and sire
Dhampyr children. In the places where the Petals
of Virtue dominate, most of the Golden Children
have a Thrashing Dragon parent. This happens to
make the Dragons incredibly effective at operating
in the daylight hours, easily putting the Hungry
Dead of other Dharmas in their debt.
Concepts:
Idol Master - You live in a city of a thousand gods.
They may sing and dance and dress in girlish costumes,
but you remember old nights of torchlight and ritual;
you recognize the fires of worship. Controlling music
venues and producers isn’t quite like running shrines
and priesthoods, but the money and blood are much
the same. And if the spirits ride waves of fans, turning
idol-pop concerts into frenzies of energy and power
– then surely Heaven smiles.
Iron Chef - You’ve worked in Michelin-starred
restaurants in Shanghai, snuck into the too-colorful
kitchens of Swar for a taste of ghostly delicacies,
sampled grilled liver in the company of foxes. Now
you’re a caterer with a unique clientele, and your
stoves run hot until sunrise. Sometimes the
ingredients are of questionable legality, and the
events you feed can get unexpectedly tense… But
only a monster turns down good food.
Legacy Damned - As a kid, you thought people just
grew up to be Hungry Dead someday. It turned out
to be true in your case; Hell is a hazy memory, and
you adjusted to no sun well enough. Your dreams
of striking out on your own, leaving the orbit of
your terrible immortal mother and her harem of
supernatural men, are unfortunately being squashed
all over again. But slowly, you’re beginning to find
out that you can be greater than any of them.
Tenets:
Pull life from the air and earth; become the storm
and the earthquake.
40 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 41

Feast charitably and without shame.

Foster the spirits and help them thrive.
Be worthy of the sunrise that ends the night.
Above all: Be as alive as you can be. Anything less
is an abomination.
THE MIRROR AND THE WHEEL:
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Using Chi only to rise and to heal wounds for
more than one night.
THE HUMAN DHARMAS
• Taking something meaningful without offering
a gift in return – pleasure, pain, a memory, death.
• Driving spirits out of a place they have made
home.
• Willfully denying the chance at a new experience,
for oneself or others.
We are human ‒
or we try to be.
Never forget where
you came from.

These two philosophies can be found all over Asia

and the globe, sharing origins in ancient India and
Nepal. Mostly unconcerned with the origins of the
Hungry Dead, they instead focus on humanity as
the means of personal and global liberation – Their
core beliefs, however, couldn’t be more different
from each other, despite being grouped together.

The Diamond Serpents and Rootless Trees typically

have a policy of coexistence with others, though they
are among the first to be persecuted when hardline
Petals or Godlings come to power. The Serpents,
being most concerned with the enlightenment of
humankind in the Age of Sorrows, have recently
become proactive about spreading their doctrine
into the power vacuum of China, as well as further
west to the Hungry Dead rising in Europe and the
Americas.

“It is a common failing of childhood to think

that if one makes a hero out of a demon,
the demon will be satisfied.”
―Yukio Mishima
42
DIAMOND SERPENTS
Your skin may be cold, your heart may be still, you
may walk as a prisoner to never-ending night. But
are you not still you? Is it not a gift beyond all kindness,
to return from Hell wounded and flawed, yet still
human?
To those who follow the Dharma of the Diamond
Serpents, to think of oneself as “Hungry Dead” is
to predestine oneself to inhumanity, to cut off access
to true liberation before you even see its possibility.
A human gifted by the gods is still human; a wretched
beast of a human is still human. So too are the
Diamond Serpents human, even when burdened
by unimaginable curses and blessed with great power.
Above all, say the Serpents, they have returned to
pay a specific debt towards the enlightenment of
the world, a mystery that keeps them deeply entwined
with the realm of humankind. The discovery of this
destiny, let alone its enactment, can be the quest of
a thousand years.
The Diamond Serpents believe that their foundational
scriptures, The Mirror of the World, are a gift that
transcends time – from the prophesied Maitreya
Buddha at the end of the universe, according to
some, or from the future purified Emperor of Hell.
The Mirror – which tells the tale of a man named
Kataragama, who defeated the demon king Ravana
and reclaimed his own humanity – is recorded to
have appeared in southern Nepal during the reign
of Ashoka the Great. It has remained a persistent
presence, despite periods of heavy persecution by
other Dharmas. It is only more proof, say the Serpents,
that their doctrine holds the sacred truth.
Death and Rebirth:
The Diamond Serpents, more than any of the Hungry
Dead, return to their mortal families and resume
their old roles in the human world, with an aim to
do things better this time. Hell was just a reminder
of what really matters, a rightful chastising for one’s
prior failings. But as years pass and mortal relations
fall away, the Serpents gradually see themselves as
just one facet of a greater whole: a precious jewel of
humanity, which must be fostered and protected.
As a natural consequence of their beliefs, Diamond
Serpents in the night world are singularly focused
on resources. Without wellsprings and talismans
that give them access to precious Chi, the Hungry
Dead have little choice but to steal life from humans.
Most of them have stories of early nights surviving
on their family’s blood – and of times they went too
far, when hunger drove them to do terrible things.
Solutions to the problem vary, ranging from
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
communal access to Dragon’s Nests, to designated
“hunting nights” meant to take down monsters and
criminals. When the Serpents cultivate supernatural
power – whether Demon Arts, Soul Arts, or their
prized Godbody of Ash – it is to protect their ability
to remain as human as possible in a dangerous world.
Concepts:
Boss’s Wife - “Sister,” the men call you now, with
respect and awe. They all know the story of how you
miraculously survived an assassination attempt,
coming out of the hospital with hardly a scratch.
The brush with death has made you bolder, they
say, inspiring you to handle your husband’s projects
while he’s in recovery. Not just the public-facing
side of the family, but the rough, brutal parts, too…
and you’re finding you have quite the talent for it.
Colossus Killer - Life in the mountains can be rough,
but you’ve never regretted learning your way around
a trap and a bow, how to throw a sling – or, if
necessary, how to bash a skull in with a rock. The
hunting parties you’re in now go deep into the
Mirrorlands, hunting the giant, lumbering spirit-beasts
that terrorize the forests of the Spirit Wilds. Armed
with flasks to collect the life-giving heartblood, you
protect your people and keep them fed.
Identical Twin - You died and went to Hell, but
your twin lived on. Three years later, he’s a respectable
policeman, living in the big city and dating a nice
young lady. He was always the goody-goody while
you were the troublemaker, and now you remind
him of it every new moon, visiting to share lurid
tales of your misadventures in the night world. He
hasn’t taken you up yet on your offer to come along
– but he’s your beloved little brother. You’ll wear
him down eventually.
Tenets:
Reach out to the world with human hands.
Weep for the treasures you will lose – Then be joyful.
Give gods and demons their fair due, nothing more.
Protect the hope of enlightenment.
Above all: Live well.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Using supernatural powers when a human
solution is still viable.
• Swearing devotion or fealty to any spiritual being.
• Attempting to forestall the end of something
that has reached its time.
• Living for multiple nights without love for a
human, or for a human endeavor.
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VARIANT DHARMA:
THE GREAT CLANS
The Great Clans are a native institution of the Japanese
isles. In essence, they are extended family networks, in
which the Hungry Dead watch over and protect the interests
of their descendants. In some vassal families of the Great
Clans, the mortal descendants are even aware and clued-in
to the plans of their ancestors.
The eldest of the Great Clans have roots in the Jomon
period, but their most profound transformation occurred
after the arrival of the Indian and Chinese Dharmas in
the 6th century CE. While declaring war on the Immortal
Dharmas of the Night-Temple, the Great Clans took to
the philosophy of the Diamond Serpents with much
enthusiasm, adapting it to fit their needs.
In the modern nights, the Hungry Dead of Japan may
follow any Dharma they please, whether they associate
with a Great Clan or with the Night-Temple (see the
section on Japan in Chapter 6). The following variant
tenets are maintained by the elders of the clans, as well
as by ultra-traditionalists who seek a “purer” practice.
Tenets:
Enlightenment is interdependent; no one can rise
alone.
Do not forget your human blood.
Spring, summer, autumn, winter – Nothing lasts,
not even death.
Your family makes you the equal of gods and demons.
Above all: Honor your clan and ensure its greatness.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Denying a member of the Great Clan who has
formally asked for assistance.
• Traveling into the spirit worlds for reasons other
than duty or necessity.
• Accepting a risk or setback for the benefit of a
supernatural being outside of the family and its
alliances.
• Living for multiple nights without being in
proximity to the Great Clan or its mortal
descendants.
ROOTLESS TREES
The Hungry Dead are no longer human; to pretend
otherwise is a sad delusion. But so, too, is the aim
of transcending or surpassing humanity, as if such
a thing were possible, or even desirable. Instead of
being either bound to human life or abhorring it,
say the Rootless Trees, you must move within the
phenomena of humanity. Just as sap moves through
a massive tree, the Rootless Trees circulate through
43
the entirety of human existence, taking on different
identities, professions – even apparent sex, age, and
physical ability – in a passionate search for new
insights.
Those who have a passing knowledge of the Dharma
often distrust the Rootless Trees – They’re empty
sociopaths, it is claimed, with no principles that
they won’t abandon when it suits them. But the
truth of the matter is that a Rootless Tree uses human
existence as a sacred tool, and has no problem
distinguishing the maker beneath the mask. Members
of the Dharma say that the Hungry Dead should
not be kings, scholars or revolutionaries, but artisans
above all: They must take the clay of the human
experience and bake it in the fires of true
understanding, producing brick by brick their own
road to liberation.
Unlike other paths, the Rootless Trees don’t have
a foundational text that they can point to as their
origin. Instead, the beliefs of the Dharma are expressed
in the form of a universal mantra, called the
Thunderbolt Triune or the Secret Wheel of Joy:
“I take refuge in the human. I take refuge in the world.
I take refuge in the palm of my hand.”
From those simple three phrases – which originated
from northern India, but whose creator has long
since ascended beyond the Great Wheel – a rich
tradition of art has flowed for centuries, glorifying
the lotus of humanity and those who have had the
privilege of witnessing it unfold.
Death and Rebirth:
If anything unites the Rootless Trees from their
mortal lives, it may have been the desire to create
something lasting. In fact, young Hungry Dead often
find their way to the Dharma when they attempt to
return to their mortal lives and old dreams, only to
have everything rapidly crumble before the realities
of their new state. Having a vivid awareness of
impermanence, they claim, is the first step toward
the making of true beauty.
Rootless Trees are renowned for possessing all manner
of perceptive techniques and powers of insight – a
necessity, when their spiritual practice revolves
around observing human nature. Perhaps ironically,
many Rootless Trees possess at least the first stage
of the Dragon Tear, though they rarely reveal it while
“in-character.”
In the night world, Rootless Trees typically don’t
have the urge to form a society, preferring instead
to move within other Hungry Dead courts as free
agents. When they do gather as a group, it is in
small, temporary retreats, to enjoy each other’s
44 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
AME 45

company and to share everything that they have

experienced in their human lives. A Rootless Tree
often emerges from these retreats inflamed with
inspiration, desiring to experiment in a bold new
direction.

Concepts:
Many-Layered Conmaster - You can be anything
the job requires: a wealthy trust fund heiress, a
gambling addict, a shy businesswoman in over her
head. When a perceptive and persistent human peels
back those layers and sees the cunning, yet charming
criminal underneath, they often feel flattered, as
though they’ve been let in on a precious secret. It’s
that specific feeling you’re looking to explore, the
delicate process of building trust and love – until
you’re done with them.

Deep Sea Fisher - Your current interest is in mankind

at the outer extremes of its environment, where it
is not meant to survive and yet, somehow, it does.
You’re finding illegal night-fishing boats to be a
fascinating mix of humans, all trapped in a
pressure-cooker of ambition, distrust, and fear of
the depths. You’re discovering, too, that the
superstitions of fishermen aren’t all bunk, that
sometimes there really are mermaids and monsters
at sea.

Cult Groupie - What you love about humans is their

endless ability to get into serious trouble. This is
just one fringe religious group of many you know “When you do something,
and frequent – but you’re paying extra attention to
this one, because its leader is on the cusp of
something world-changing: a terrorist attack that
you should burn yourself completely,
would make Aum Shinrikyo look like babies, or like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
even something that crosses into the forbidden
powers of the Yama Kings. For now, you smile and
praise the leader, and you observe. ― Shunryu Suzuki
Tenets:
Eat the fruit of every human life.
When you’ve learned what you can, be merciless.
Abhor stagnation and seek bold change.
Find hidden beauty in the high and low.
Above all: Understand the Secret Wheel of Joy.

Example Suffering Triggers:

• Rejecting a feature of your human identity out
of personal distaste.
• Finding evidence of a prior human identity that
was not properly destroyed.
• Revealing your true Hungry Dead nature to a
mortal.
• Willfully ignoring an opportunity for radical
change while wearing a human identity, or trying
to seek radical change while not wearing one.
46 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 47

THE INDEPENDENTS

Our fates are

intertwined, but
we stand apart.
Follow the sacred
truth.

The following three Dharmas are most prevalent in

the South Asian cultural sphere, with origins traceable
to ancient Buddhism, Hindu/Vedic traditions, and
Islam. They are often denigrated by the Immortal
Dharmas as a “triad” of heresies– But in truth, though
they interact heavily in the subcontinent, each
philosophy is independent and stands alone in the
night world.
48
THE CELESTIAL TRIBE
Here is the secret: They are not one tribe. Just as
the term “Hinduism” obscures the thousands of
distinct spiritual traditions within India, the “Celestial
Tribe” is in fact a kaleidoscope of separate tribes,
interrelated yet distinct.
However, when they care to study and group their
kind, the tribes generally recognize themselves in
one of two philosophical streams of Dharma. They
are:
• The tribes of the Descended, who claim that
they are the blessed avatara of the gods, sent by
Heaven to fix the rampant corruption of the
age. If they had not been tricked by the demon
kings, they say, they would each be as glorious
and powerful as Krishna or Hanuman on earth.
But instead, they were captured and tortured,
forced to inhabit the flesh of corpses to keep
them from their divine fire. It was a cruel and
clever ploy by the forces of Hell, to be sure... But
the Descended are gifts of the gods, and nothing
can keep them down forever. Slowly, they unchain
themselves from their unjust Hungry Dead state,
drawing mortal admirers and devotees as they
purify for the battle to come.
• The tribes who call themselves Faces of the
Goddess, who say that they were truly nothing
but mortals, and quite deservedly in Hell – weak,
cowardly, and wicked to the last. But in the midst
of their torments, their souls were visited by
Shakti: the primordial and supreme power, who
exists within all reality and all time. Lifted by
her transcendent touch, they were commanded
to reincarnate – which they did, returning to
bodies that could barely contain their new divine
essence. For the Faces of the Goddess, to be
Hungry Dead is to be primal clay, inert but ready
to be shaped. Now they play the game of divinity,
sprouting cults of worship to glorify themselves
and serve as a gateway to the limitless truth.
Within these mutually exclusive philosophies, there
are branches, splinter cells, and heresies. The so-called
“Godlings” war viciously amongst each other for
territory and followers, at times making enmity with
the Ravnos and the other Dharmas an afterthought.
Yet they are all bound together by the eternal dharma
of the subcontinent, as well as by the certitude of
their divinity.
Death and Rebirth:
Those who rise and join the Celestial Tribe often
led lives of unusual portent. They were the children
who could speak to ghosts, the prodigies of their
local temples, who might have grown into holy
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
figures had they reached old age. Some remember
signs and visions in their dreams, visions that
continue even now in daysleep: great shadowed
battlefields, mushroom clouds howling with spirits,
gods and demons clashing blades.
In the night world, the Celestial Tribe knows better
than anyone that it takes a village to raise a god…
and that other Hungry Dead, especially those from
Hindu cultures, look upon the Godlings as blasphemous
frauds. Hence, when the Tribes have control of an
area, they address threats to their power with
overwhelming force and the power of Demon Arts,
ensuring that they have a firm hand on blood and
worship.
This also means that Godlings rely heavily on their
followers to keep the enterprise running at all hours
– which is why they quickly master the ancient
Godbody of Devotion. This art, called “Prayer-Eating”
by outsiders, is the sacred art of communing with
mortals as a divine being should: a higher creature
addressing the low and worshipful.
Concepts:
Adversary - You are one of four gods, a minor
pantheon that has wrested control of a neighborhood
from a cell of Indo-British vampires. Your three
siblings are all good and virtuous, with beautiful
altars and happy followers. You, on the other hand,
have your name whispered by frightened children,
and you can hear people praying to never see your
face. That’s fine – This town was hard-won, and
there is value in a devil to keep people in line.
God of Fashion - Heaven demands a sense of style.
The gods above may be able to weave sunlight and
birdsong into their holy vestments, but you and your
tribe live on earth, and so you make do with silk
and velvet – even polyester, if the festival calls for it.
Your skill with beautiful, god-worthy clothing is
becoming a source of fame: You have access to the
best fabrics, western tailors, jewelers and sari-makers,
and you know the power of a glorious display.
Motivational Speaker - Tony Robbins has got nothing
on you. Your seminars are taking places by storm,
with people paying enormous sums to participate
in your nighttime "empowerment retreats."
Truthfully, what you offer isn't that amazing – some
meditation and yoga, a bit of pop psychology. But
the key is that your followers just can't do it without
you. They feel bonded to you, they see you in their
dreams… and they don’t admit it, but they even pray
to you.
Tenets (Descended):
Free your divine nature from its shackles.
SECTION
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AME
Use your power righteously and without hesitation.
Never abandon the powerless.
Honor the festivals of the gods.
Above all: Fulfill your destiny; defeat the enemies
of the age.
Tenets
(Faces of the Goddess):
You have been gifted your divinity – embrace it.
Expand the god and demon within.
Accept the worship of the faithful and answer their
prayers.
Revel in the festivals of the gods.
Above all: Reject dualities and limitations; incarnate
the sublime truth.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Denying one’s godhood in word or deed.
• Not using supernatural power to solve a problem
when it is available.
• Refusing to take part in a festival or holy ritual
when it is near.
• Ignoring followers who ask directly for your aid.
• (Descended) Attempting and failing to destroy
a demon who you have declared your sworn
enemy.
• (Faces of the Goddess) Deliberately inflicting
fear without also a show of mercy or graciousness;
deliberately showing mercy without also instilling
a measure of fear.
THE EASTERN ROAD OF HEAVEN:
THE RAM-HEARTED
No one said it is an easy thing to follow God. Yes,
the drinking of blood is unquestionably haram –
but so is alcohol, yet the great Sufist poets were
probably not being metaphorical when they wrote
about the pleasures of wine. And of the five prayers
required by the faith, two are during the day; who
is so anointed among the Hungry Dead that they
will rise, burning like a pyre, and perform them?
Truly, we all have failings – But what really matters,
say the Ram-Hearted, is that they create a world
where the faithful can improve.
To the followers of the Eastern Road of Heaven,
God the All-Merciful has plucked them – the most
imperfect, flawed and undeserving – from the
suffering of hell, in order to undertake a holy mission:
They must defend the human faith from threats
that humans do not understand and cannot fight,
challenges that they have little hope of overcoming
without the help of monsters. The Ram-Hearted,
named after the symbol of Ibrahim’s unwavering
devotion, protect the garden of Islam and allow it
49
to prosper – and at the end of a long and difficult
road, it is said that the most dutiful will join God’s
side in heaven, to stand in the light among the
virtuous.
When the Cainite Road of Heaven began to wane
in Europe was approximately when the Eastern Road
of Heaven began to fully come into its own. This
makes it technically one of the youngest ways of
enlightenment for the Hungry Dead, though the
Ram-Hearted would never countenance being called
a “Dharma.” The spiritual practices of unbelievers
automatically mark them as creatures of temptation
and darkness, theoretically to be converted or
destroyed on principle… But in actuality, the
Ram-Hearted more often opt for begrudging tolerance
of other Hungry Dead, rather than zealotry and
crusading. It’s a hard world out there, after all, with
many worse monsters to bear.
Death and Rebirth:
According to the Ram-Hearted, the Hungry Dead
state is challenging by design. Only sinners who
have tasted hell have sufficient motivation to serve
God in the most difficult of ways, in bodies that so
delicately balance incredible power and crippling
weakness. Although their mission commands them
to move among mankind in a way similar to the
Diamond Serpents, followers of the Eastern Road
of Heaven almost never choose to return directly to
their families, instead placing their faith in other
Ram-Hearted to act as faithful watchers and guardians
of the community.
“Community,” or ummah, is the word that rules
the Eastern Road of Heaven: Without the mortal
community of faithful – the great mosques, the calls
to prayer, the teachings of the mullahs – the Hungry
Dead are spiritually lost. And without the community
of the Ram-Hearted, mortals are naked and unarmed
in the world of night, while new Hungry Dead are
doomed to a meaningless, wretched eternity. No
matter what difficulties lie ahead, the chosen of God
will not allow this to happen.
Like Islamic scholars of the medieval age, the
Ram-Hearted have long acquired the eastern secrets
of the Soul Arts, and they have an appreciation for
the Godbodies of Jade and Storms. When they must
use Demon Arts to protect the community, they
tend to favor the brutal elegance of weaponry from
their Demon Regalia, wielding swords and daggers
of black metal.
Concepts:
Oasis Guardian - In the hills outside a rural village,
there is a wellspring of power that draws
supernaturals for miles around. The shapeshifters
50
and djinn and other creatures that stop by your
grotto are not evil beings – Just creatures, in your
estimation, whose lifestyles tend to get them into
trouble. You offer them the ancient way of hospitality
and a friendly ear, listening to news of the night
world in exchange for a cup of coffee and an evening’s
sanctuary.
Beggar Paladin - Because they are invisible in the
eyes of hypocrites, monsters believe that orphaned
children, the disabled, and the diminished elderly
make for easy pickings. You’re certain that God has
chosen you to disabuse the monsters of their illusions.
You walk with the unfortunates in the winding
alleyways of the city, listening to their whispered
warnings and rumors, letting them feed you, and
serving as their terrible protector.
Reluctant Envoy - To the north, the blood-guzzling
vampires of the Ashirra make a mockery of the faith.
To the south, ancient would-be Godlings of the
Celestial Tribe haunt the ruins of Hindu temples…
And you, in the middle, have unfortunately drawn
the diplomatic short straw. You watch over and
parlay with the wicked ones, ensuring that they keep
to their borders, and occasionally – God help you
– coming to their assistance on the most grave
matters.
Tenets:
Your God has spared you from hell; never forget.
Be dutiful in your faith and charity.
Destroy the evils that lie beyond humankind.
Learn gratitude from your hunger, and do not kill
for it.
Above all: Defend the community of faith.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Killing or permanently maiming while feeding.
• Allowing a faithful Muslim to come to harm
from the night world.
• Refusing hospitality to one who has been gracious
and polite.
• Failing to give nightly thanks through prayer
and charity.
VARIANT DHARMA: THE WESTERN
ROAD OF HEAVEN
The spiritual path known as Via Caeli, which once
flourished in the Cainite world, has long lain dormant
since the rise of the Camarilla. In its movement eastward
and subsequent adoption by the Hungry Dead, the Christian
variant of the Road of Heaven was shed in favor of the
Islamic one. But this relic of the Dark Medieval remains
intact in certain places, an ember waiting to become a
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
new flame.
In the Philippines, the Hungry Dead of Quezon City led
by Sofia Alcantara have revived an exclusionary,
fundamentalist interpretation of the Western Road, much
to the consternation of their night world brethren (see
Chapter 6). And further to the west, where the Hungry
Dead become rarer and much changed from their fellows
in Asia (see the Assorted Secrets section in Appendix I),
remnants of the original Western Road still remain, a
piece of the ancient past on its last legs.
Tenets:
Obey and serve your spiritual betters.
Do not allow any demon to live.
Remind humankind to love God and fear evil.
After every victory, repent for your sins.
Above all: You are a warrior for God. Never forget.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Allowing a demon to escape punishment, either
willfully or accidentally.
• Disobeying an order after you have sworn an
oath of loyalty, or allowing a disobeyed order to
stand unpunished.
• Failing to censure improper conduct within a
church or in the presence of church leaders.
• Fighting, especially killing, for personal vengeance
or satisfaction.
MAYAPARISATYA:
THE PURE ILLUSION-TRUTH
The Dharmas are a chain around the necks of the
Hungry Dead. They should not exist; indeed, they
do not exist, at least not in the sense that they actually
lead to anything meaningful. Perfected immortality
or godhood is not enlightenment; it’s just power.
Transcendence into the human spirit is like trying
to shove your way back into the womb. And there’s
nothing at all to say about trying to ascend by bowing
to every spirit and ghost that passes you by. What,
then, is left of enlightenment?
The answer, say the devotees of Mayaparisatya, is
nothing. Enlightenment is nothing, and to understand
that is to understand the center of the universe.
Unlike what many Cainites would believe, the
so-called “Eastern Path of Paradox” is not merely a
peculiar moral code of the Ravnos. The Hungry
Dead version of Mayaparisatya teaches that at the
core of reality is a void, a nothingness, from which
the universe springs forth as an elaborate illusion.
The devotees of Mayaparisatya are dedicated to
liberating themselves and others from this complex
SECTION
CHAPTERN2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
AME 51
and ever-evolving trap that binds all beings. In but in his stead, you hunt down and dispatch the
practice, this ranges from destroying creatures monsters who murder and enslave mankind.
who are too lost in the indulgence of evil to be
saved, to attacking entire belief systems that further Monkey King - Sometimes you miss not bothering
enslavement and suffering. with this Dharma crap. But you got bored of making
trouble in Guangzhou, then someone told you that
To those who follow the Petals of Virtue, there was more to learn in India… and it just spoke
Mayaparisatya is nothing less than a heresy. The to you, somehow. One red-eye flight and a lot of
devotees of Mayaparisatya counter that the notion walking later, and you’re taking lessons from a weird
of real enlightenment has become increasingly old vampire, doing your best to learn some Tamil
corrupted the further it has traveled out – that in before you get your head kicked in. But sometimes,
fact, the Pure Illusion-Truth is the original you think you can catch the sweet jasmine whiff of
Dharma, from which all others are inferior copies. what you’re really here for.
Death and Rebirth: Tenets:
The deeply intertwined history of the Hungry Dead Remember the supreme truth of illusion.
and Clan Ravnos in India is well known. Their Inspire the supreme truth in all beings.
millennia-long conflict still rages in the center of Face your nature and allow it to blossom.
the subcontinent, fueled by self-aggrandizing myths Do not accept slavery in any form.
and legends on both sides. But in the southeast and Above all: Seek the emptiness at the center of all
in Sri Lanka, the conflict has not just cooled since things.
long ago, but time has even allowed for a rich
cross-pollination of ideas between them: Ravnos can
teach the basics of Mayaparisatya to the Hungry
Example Suffering Triggers:
Dead, and a Hungry One, in turn, can help young • Enslaving the will of a sapient being, even
Ravnos shed their Humanity and move to the Path
temporarily.
of Paradox. • Ignoring a member of the night world who is
wrapped up in an obvious delusion.
Not many Hungry Dead learn Mayaparisatya – or • Allowing political or social concerns to override
its infamous signature power, the Godbody of the truth.
Illusion – as their first path. The usual profile of a
• Assuming a human identity for reasons other
devotee is someone who already failed at one Dharma, than a practical goal.
who was at risk of losing themselves permanently
to the hell-realms of Naraka before they were rescued.
And recently, with the rise of the Scorpion Eater
societies in mainland China, there has been a surge
of travelers coming westward to India, as they hear
tales of an anti-Dharmic philosophy much older
and more established than their own.
Concepts:
Fateful Barkeep - Most folks just need a little help
to break their illusions. You use the winds of destiny
to pull people into your tucked-away bar, where you
serve a drink and offer to play a game – It’ll be well
worth their time, you always promise. Once they
accept, you pull those people into a nightmare realm
of trials and tribulations, designed to fully strip away
everything they think they know and believe. By the
end of the night, no one is left unchanged.
Rakshasa Hunter - When the Children of Ravana
fall to temptation, when the vetala take pleasure in
eating the flesh of innocents, the spirits call to you
for justice. Your curved blade was forged by one of
the vampires that you call brother, a Ravnos who
rescued you when you were a lost Devil-Tiger. That
man has long since disappeared to his final destiny,
52 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 53

THE OUTSIDERS

We are free ‒
and that is worth
everything.
Donʼt underestimate
us.
The remaining Dharmas st and
completely outside the mainstream.
One of them is ancient, while the other
is relatively new to the night world –
not even a Dharma in the true sense,
but a philosophical rebellion against
“Desire is a chain shackled to the world, Dharma itself.

and it is a difficult one to break.” Scorpion Eaters nominally “rule” over

Mainland China, though the truth is
―Siddhartha Gautama that the former territories of the
Quincunx have descended into total
anarchy. The anti-dharmic philosophy,
which made its members nimble and
unpredictable when warring against the
overgrown empire of the night, has been
sorely tested in the shadow of the
Scorpion Eaters’ victory.

Meanwhile, the Cerulean Veils are much

looked down upon, as they have been
for most of their history – But their
view of the world is vast, and they may
have answers to some of the night
world’s deepest problems.
54
CERULEAN VEILS
Animism lives on, churning constantly beneath
other religions that come and go. In countries that
call themselves nominally Buddhist, or Muslim, or
who even take pride in being a fully secular society,
the spirit houses and roadside shrines are still
well-decorated with garlands and fruit. Spirit-workers
and shamans may be shunned by officials, yet they
still find an eager clientele coming to their door –
albeit usually in the twilight hours. How can this
be?
The answer, say the Cerulean Veils, is simple: It does
not matter where you are or what you believe. The
spirits are real, and they demand recognition.
The historically minded trace the ancient origins of
the Cerulean Veils to the vast skies of Mongolia,
hidden in the endless seas of grass that gave rise to
the horse-riders and their shamans. But, much like
the great Khanate eventually became just another
dynasty of China, so too have the Veils adapted to
the places they have gone, merging with native spirit
doctors and adopting new animist practices with
ease. Unlike the other Dharmas, with their sacred
texts and well-defined communities of knowledge,
the Cerulean Veils exist in synergy with their local
spirit world, changing with it like the currents of a
secret ocean.
Wherever they are present, the Veils are mostly
tolerated, if not necessarily respected. The Demon
Immortals of China and the Godlings of India alike
often judge the beliefs of the Veils to be odd,
“primitive” and unworthy – Even if they end up
being useful sometimes, say the Petals and the
Celestial Tribe, it isn’t a measure of one’s true
enlightenment. To the Cerulean Veils, this kind of
underestimation suits them just fine. Let the others
squabble over power and transcendence; they will
tend to the real world.
Death and Rebirth:
In some ways, to become a Cerulean Veil is a rational
and evidence-based decision. The Hungry Dead may
walk in unliving bodies, with souls scarred by Hell,
but what of it? They are a particular class of being
with their own traits, no different from classifying
something as “human” versus “rabbit” or “slime
mold.” What matters is that they are here, and that
their eyes and ears plainly tell them that the spirit
world is the linchpin holding the universe together.
The Cerulean Veils practice all manner of powers,
but the key to their presence, whenever they appear
in numbers, is that ritual and propriety to the
invisible world flourishes. The pervasive control of
mortals that usually accompanies a Hungry Dead
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
city is minimal – Instead, the spirit courts are
incredibly powerful and organized, supported by
their Cerulean Veil agents who lay the groundwork
for their potency. Rival Hungry Dead who see a
promising “empty town” are usually in for a rude
awakening.
Concepts:
Night Falconer - She is your fourth hunting falcon,
descended from the previous three. And like the
ones before, you have bonded with her spirit to form
a sacred partnership. You hunt for sustenance and
as your profession, being hired on occasion as a
messenger or assassin. At those times, you follow
your quarry through the sea of grass, into the cities,
and deep into the roads of spirit. With the help of
your sharp-eyed friend, you can find anyone.
Holistic Ghost Doctor - Like the human body, the
spirit world must be thought of as a single
interconnected system. You track and maintain the
health of creatures that even other Veils would tread
underfoot without noticing: the primal, nearly
mindless proto-beings that swirl through the spirit
world like plankton. You try to explain that you see
a big problem emerging in the underlying biome, a
subtle but growing corruption – Now if only someone
would listen to you.
Urban Exorcist - Contrary to expectations, the spirits
are not ignored by people in big cities. Quite the
opposite, in fact: If you had a coin for every dumb
kid who tries a love spell and summons some kind
of succubus, every poor girl who talks to a water
spirit and gets merged into a river-demon… you’d
have enough money to get out of here. But you’re
the only one in town who actually cares about what
happens, both to the spirits and the humans. So
you stay.
Tenets:
Attend to the spirits and perform the proper
ceremonies.
Help the spirits who have strayed from their true
nature.
Tread across the earth to absorb its full glory.
Knowledge and wisdom are to be shared.
Above all: Obey the will of the spirit world
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Failing in an attempt to cleanse spiritual
corruption.
• Staying for too long in a place where the spirit
world is healthy and thriving.
• Refusing to share helpful information, even to
an enemy.
• Refusing the formal request of a powerful spirit
CHAPTER 2: THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MONSTERS
(i.e. Rank 3 or higher).
VARIANT DHARMA:
THE KIN OF IZANAMI
One of the original Mongolian strains of the Cerulean
Veil Dharma posits that the Hungry Dead are lost droplets
of Tengri, the divine personification of the universe that
occasionally incarnates in mortal form. Whether Japan’s
heretical Kin of Izanami are twisted, funhouse-mirror
descendants of the original Dharma, or if they’re a fully
home-grown horror, is a matter of academic debate.
The Kin believe that they are fragmented incarnations of
Izanami-no-mikoto, the primordial kami of death and
defilement. By dying and returning from the Thousand
Hells, they have awakened to their chthonic birthright,
wearing bodies that strive to match their self-mother’s
decayed glory.
But unlike the Celestial Tribes, the Kin do not care for
personal godhood. Rather, they believe that there are others
scattered throughout the realms – humans, wildling spirits,
and others – who are fragments of Izanami like them,
waiting to be found and awakened through torture, ritual
murder, and tainted Chi. It is for this reason that the Kin
of Izanami hide themselves very well among their Veil
cousins, for they are hunted down whenever they are
discovered.
Tenets:
Honor Izanami and her children, the myriad kami.
Help the pieces of our self-mother realize their true
nature.
Wander the realms of flesh and spirit to find our
kin.
Knowledge and wisdom is to be shared with our
selves.
Above all: Cultivate the universal garden of Yomi.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Deliberately offending a powerful kami (i.e.
Rank 3 or higher)
• Keeping a secret from one of the Kin.
• Ignoring a promising lead toward a fragment of
the self-mother.
• Staying for too long in a place where your work
is currently finished.
SCORPION EATERS
“The Hungry Dead are creatures of enlightenment.”
It’s a pretty lie, but that doesn’t make it true.
Certainly, the Dharmas wish it was the truth – that
without them, the Hungry Dead would be lost to
55
their demons. But the real truth is that the Hungry
Dead already possess an inner nature, one that is
capable of self-control, reason and intellect. The real
truth, which the Dharmas will never accept, is that
the Hungry Dead can grow in wisdom and power
without having to sell their souls to a cartel of
self-important mystics.
The name “Scorpion Eater” is relatively new in
Hungry Dead history, arising from rumors surrounding
the anti-dharmic societies of early twentieth-century
China. Whether or not the initiation ritual really
involves swallowing a live scorpion and letting it
sting you from within, the final outcome is perfectly
horrific to the Dharmas by itself: A Hungry One
who does not follow a Dharma, who will never grow
in enlightenment, yet who has managed to remain
perfectly sane and functional – and able to consume
blood, not just flesh.
The Hungry Dead are not creatures of enlightenment,
say the Scorpion Eaters. They are creatures who
already have the tools they need to survive and thrive
without the Dharmas. And for those who are not
afraid to stand on their own, they will gladly show
the way.
Death and Rebirth:
The real tragedy of the Hungry Dead is that they
can never go home again. Even for the lucky few
who are spared clear memories of Hell, the experience
of trying to “follow their humanity” is like trying to
recite the lines in an old movie that they only
half-remember. Even the most desperate Hungry
Dead eventually give up.
But for many Hungry Dead, the experience of
learning Dharma is not at all better. The masters
emphasize “praxis before understanding” precisely
because they know that a Dharma is an unnatural,
willful process. You have to force yourself with all
your heart to believe – then, if you’re lucky, you
might reach the first summit of understanding.
Or you might not. The teachers might whip you,
throw you into a pit of ghosts, force your mind open
with their twisted arts, all for it to mean not a single
crumb of enlightenment. What then? Hence, from
the perspective of a newly-risen Hungry One, the
logic of the Scorpion Eaters sounds eminently
reasonable.
The Petals of Virtue claim that Scorpion Eaters are
barely-sapient monsters, who infest cities and turn
them into orgies of cannibalism and rampant chaos.
But the truth is that the anti-dharmic movement
was organized and driven enough to take down the
Five August Courts of China – using the dark powers
of the Demon Arts, yes, but most of all with sheer
56 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME 57

determination. Even among Scorpion Eaters who
are not interested in active revolution, there is that
same fierce streak of independence and unwillingness
to bend the knee in all of them.
Concepts:
imperialists have long been staked for the sun, you’ve
found yourself at a loss in the new order: too violent
for polite society, too idealistic for the realpolitik
rising stars. If they don’t need you anymore, you’ve
been thinking of heading west to find something
new.

Deprogrammer - Your parents were new agers, the Tenets:

kind who got roped into various pyramid schemes
and left you holding the bag. So when you came You are Hungry Dead.
back from Hell and were told to obey the “Devil-Tiger” That’s it. Good luck.
and call him “Great Sage,” you knew exactly what
this was. You got out with the help of your new
friends, learning the truth and earning your place
as a talented inquisitor: You take young captives
under your wing, the most zealously devoted ones,
and you slowly earn their trust, all the better to put
cracks in their Dharma – then, at the right time, to
shatter them.

The Vampire Lestat - You died and came back just

as your career was taking off, and you’d rather be
damned again than go back to busking in subway
stations. You know you’re not a normal rockstar,
and sometimes being around so many thumping
hearts makes you want to crack ribs and rip at entrails
– But another one of the Hungry Dead taught you
how to lean into the monstrosity, how to live with
it inside you. And as it turns out, when you tell
everyone you’re a vampire and refuse to do daytime
shows, the fans love it.

Old Revolutionary - Things were easier when you

had an enemy. You fought foreign invaders as a
mortal, then after you became Hungry Dead, you
joined an anti-dharmic society to fight the regime
that ruled your country at night. But now that the

GOT ANY MORE?

What you see here are just the broad strokes of enlightenment in the night world. A few variant Dharmas
have been covered in this chapter, and there are two additional Dharmas waiting to be described in later
pages (the heretical Ebon Masks in Chapter 6, and the Sikhi Dharma of the Lion in Appendix I). Also, rules
for creating Dharmic sects – which reinterpret and focus the Dharma according to specific themes – can be
found in Chapter 5.

But obviously, the night world is vast and full of potential for much more. Gaming groups are encouraged
to adapt tenets or create new ones in the interest of local flavor or representation. Remember that tenets
largely determine the flavor of what earns dharmic experience or mitigates Suffering (see Systems in Chapter
3), while triggers for Suffering are open to interpretation and reflect each character’s perspective on their
Dharma (see Theme and Mood in Chapter 5).
 58
THE DHARMAS:
A SUMMARY
The Petals of Virtue
• Bone Flowers - Protect the silent and invisible;
tend diligently to the great garden of death.
• Devil-Tigers - Become a perfect demon, worthy
of ruling a new hell.
• Resplendent Cranes - Follow the way of harmony;
bring glory and order to a corrupt world.
• Thrashing Dragons - Become the lightning and
the laughing rainbow; embed yourself in the
pulse of life.
The Mirror and the Wheel
• Diamond Serpents - Cultivate your humanity;
bring enlightenment to the whole of the mortal
world.
• Rootless Trees - Live and die a thousand lives,
and learn from each and every one.
The Independents
• Celestial Tribe - Rise to the godhood and worship
that is your right.
• Ram-Hearted - Honor God the All-Merciful;
defend the community of faith.
• Mayaparisatya - Dive into the truth of emptiness;
shatter the world-illusion.
The Outsiders
• Cerulean Veils - Wander the world and honor
the spirits.
• Scorpion Eaters - Be proud and sure of what
you are. Reject the bullshit.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
In Kindred of the East: The Relentless Age, you play as
one of the Hungry Dead at the end of the 20th
century, one of the most dynamic times in the history
of the night world.
At the precipice of the foretold Age of Sorrows, your
characters will go on globe-trotting adventures,
looking for artifacts and clues to forestall the
ascension of the Demon Emperor. They will engage
in bloody shadow warfare on the neon-lit streets of
Asia’s cities, against mortal gangsters and government
agents, as well as going blade to blade with monsters
just like themselves. They will dive into Hell itself
to save their loved ones – or they will destroy every
mortal dream they ever had, as the price paid for
enlightenment.
Whatever they end up doing, the lives of the Hungry
Dead never fail to be interesting.
CHARACTER CREATION GUIDE
Below is a step-by-step guide to build one of the
Hungry Dead. This section is intended to be used
alongside the character creation section of Vampire:
the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition.
Step One: Character Concept
• Write the character’s name, your name, and the
chronicle title, if any.
• Answer the following questions:
How did you die?
Why did you go to hell?
Who are you now?
• Use your answers to these questions to inform
your character’s Concept.
• Choose Nature: the core of who your character
is.
• Choose Demeanor: the face your character
presents to the world.
• Choose Dharma: the road your character currently
walks– see left chart.
• If you already have an idea, write the name of
the character’s Master.
• Write your character’s Destiny: Similar to
Concept, this is a short phrase that embodies
who they will be in the not-so-distant future.
For a general guideline for what to write, think
SCECTION
HAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME
of the next time the character looks at themselves
in the mirror and realizes how much they’ve
grown and changed. What does that look like?
(System-wise, note that a Storyteller can choose
to replenish all of a character’s Willpower once
per story, in the event that the character either
takes a significant action toward the fulfillment
of their Destiny, or accepts a major setback that
resists an unwanted Destiny.)
• Finally, consider the concepts and destinies of
the other player characters. Discuss the roles
you will play, and whether or not to pool relevant
Backgrounds.
Steps Two and Three: Select
Attributes and Abilities
• Follow V20 rules for assigning ratings to Attributes
(7/5/3 dots, split between the categories of
Physical, Social, and Mental).
• Follow V20 rules for assigning ratings to Abilities
(13/9/5 dots, split between the categories of
Talents, Skills, and Knowledges).
Step Four: Select Advantages
• Follow V20 rules for assigning Backgrounds (5
dots).
Available V20 Backgrounds for the Hungry Dead:
Allies, Alternate Identity, Contacts, Domain, Fame,
Haven, Herd, Influence, Mentor, Resources, Retainers,
Status.
New Backgrounds:
Talisman - a sacred object, which naturally generates
Chi and may possess supernatural powers.
Dragon’s Nest - ownership of a small sacred space
that generates Chi; alternatively, possessing usage
rights of a larger shared space.
Rituals - social and spiritual rites of the Hungry
Dead and of the night world.
• Assign Virtue ratings: All four Virtues
(Renunciation, Righteousness, Vitality, and
Wickedness) start with a baseline of 1 dot. Assign
7 more dots as desired.
• Choose Arts: Select one Demon Art at Level 1,
along with one piece of Demon Regalia. Select
three more dots of Arts as desired; see Chapter
4 for descriptions of all of the Arts.
59
Costs and Considerations:
Demon Arts cost one dot per level, much like Cainite
Disciplines.
Characters obtain a new piece of Demon Regalia (a
demon weapon or demonic feature) automatically
at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 of each of the three Demon
Arts – Unlike other traits, the trait limit for Demon
Arts is always 10.
Soul Art techniques are acquired on an individual
basis (i.e. not sequentially) and can be bought using
a number of dots equal to the technique’s level.
Techniques can only be purchased up to the dots
of the character’s Virtue ratings – for example,
Wickedness 2 means you can only buy 1- or 2-dot
Devil Art techniques.
Godbody Arts cost two dots per level, and are
purchased sequentially like Demon Arts. The character
must have a matching or higher level in Dharma.
Step Five: Finishing Touches
• Dharma begins at a rating of 1. Note: Scorpion
Eaters can never go higher than Dharma 1.
• Set starting Willpower equal to the character’s
highest Virtue. Use the Virtue ratings before
freebies are spent.
• Starting Suffering is always zero.
• Finally, spend 15 freebie points.
Freebie Point Costs
Attributes: 5 freebie points/dot
Abilities: 2 freebie points/dot
Ability Specialties: 1 freebie point/dot
Demon and Soul Arts: 6 freebie points/dot
Godbody Arts: 12 freebie points/dot
Backgrounds: 1 freebie point/dot
Dharma: 4 freebie points/dot
Virtues: 2 freebie points/dot
Willpower: 1 freebie point/dot
• Set starting Chi points equal to the result of
one rolled die, plus one for each dot in Domain
and/or Herd. Consult the following chart to
determine your character’s maximum Chi pool.
Experience Costs
Use experience points to represent growth in play,
or to have more powerful starting characters.
Experience costs for most traits are exactly the same
as V20, with the following additions:
60 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME 61

DHARMA AND ASSOCIATED TRAITS New Experience Point Costs DHAMPYR AND HALF-DEVIL PCS
Demon Art: New rating x 5
Soul Art: Technique rating x 6 Dhampyrs and Half-Devils follow standard mortal
Godbody Art: New rating x 8 rules for character creation as outlined in Vampire
Trait Chi 20th Anniversary Edition – This includes Attributes,
Dharma Max Chi Pool Godbody Max Dharma: New rating x 2 (dharmic experience points
Maximum Per Turn only) Abilities, Backgrounds, and Virtues (which are the
mortal Virtues of Conscience, Self-Control, and
Courage). However, as folk bound to the night
Alternative Option: Linear world, the Golden Children and demon-blooded
1 5 10 1 1 dot Experience are not true mortals. Additional considerations for
player characters are outlined below:
For those who wish to avoid the pitfalls of using two
different systems for initial character builds versus Dhampyr Characters
experience over time (In a nutshell, the issue is that
2 5 11 1 2 dots this creates a system of “optimal builds” for character Humanity:
creation, essentially punishing the later effectiveness Just like mortals, Dhampyrs use Humanity. Note
of characters who aren’t optimized right out of the that whenever they suffer Humanity loss, Dhampyrs
gate), the Storyteller may instead opt for a simple develop a craving for bloody violence that inflicts
equivalency: Every 2 experience points equals one -2 to all dice pools until sunrise, sunset, or whenever
3 5 12 1 3 dots freebie point, which can then be used to purchase the hunger is satisfied. Satisfying this craving requires
traits in the same way as during character creation. either inflicting three points of lethal damage upon
Or they may simplify even further and grant a freebie a single human being using bare hands and teeth,
point per session, though this will amplify the or otherwise eating one health level of human flesh.
significance and rarity of any “dharmic freebie points”
4 5 13 1 4 dots obtained in play. Arts:
A Dhampyr may buy a one-dot Soul Art technique
for 10 freebie points, or for 20 experience points
during play. Each Soul Art requires 1 Chi to activate
1 mastery, all
5 5 15 2
others 4 dots

2 masteries, all
6 6 20 3
others 4 dots

3 masteries, all
7 7 25 4
others 4 dots

4 masteries, all
8 8 30 6
others 4 dots

5 masteries, all
9 9 40 8
others 4 dots

10 10 50 10 No Limit
62
for the scene. Note that Dhampyrs do not have
access to Demon or Godbody Arts, unless they gain
Demon Regalia by becoming Half-Devils – Also,
Dhampyrs cannot learn the Awakened Chi techniques
taught by the Demon Hunter Families (see Appendix
II). However, they can sell their souls to the Yama
Kings for power, just like any mortal (see the sidebar
after Hellweaving, in Chapter 4).
Chi:
Dhampyrs have a Chi pool of 4, which replenishes
at a rate of 1 per sunset. They can also use Talismans
or Dragon’s Nests, though such valuable resources
are uncommon for Dhampyrs (and should thus have
a compelling backstory). Chi may be used by
Dhampyrs to heal injuries in a manner similar to
their parents, though Dhampyrs cannot feed on
blood or flesh to replenish their Chi pool.
Luck:
Every Dhampyr is exceptionally lucky. Characters
possess a pool of “Luck” equal to their Humanity
dots. These luck points can be spent one-for-one to
add dice to rolls, or to cancel levels of lethal damage
before they occur (alternately, one level of aggravated
damage per every 3 points), as coincidences help
the Dhampyr f loat through even extremely
dangerous situations. Luck replenishes at a rate of
1 per sunrise, or the Dhampyr may spend 1 Chi to
instantly replenish half their pool, rounded up.
Half-Devil Characters
Arts:
Half-Devils do not have access to any Arts or the
special techniques of Demon Hunters, unless they
are Dhampyr or have sold their souls for power.
Instead, a Half-Devil may buy Demon Regalia
features for 5 freebie points each, or for 10 experience
points during play. Unlike Hungry Dead characters,
Half-Devils cannot buy Demon Regalia in the form
of separate weaponry; they must be attached bodily
mutations. Furthermore, demonic features must
either be fully displayed, or they can be hidden with
either a Stamina roll for the scene (Difficulty 7) or
for a full day and night with 1 Willpower point –
but by default, features are always considered “on.”
Humanity:
Every Demon Regalia feature reduces a Half-Devil’s
maximum Humanity by 1. Furthermore, if Demon
Regalia is used a number of times per night – i.e.
in a dramatic dice roll – exceeding the allowed
amount (10 minus the Half-Devil’s current
Humanity), the character will be compelled to take
an action thematic to its bonded demon that triggers
a Humanity check – for example, gorging on a dead
person’s blood, or starting a fight that ends with
terrible violence. This urge prevents the further use
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
of Demon Regalia until it is satisfied.
Soul Imbalance:
Half-Devils do not suffer soul imbalance in the same
way at the Hungry Dead, but their devil halves may
take over the body for the scene if the human half
is ever incapacitated, suppressed, or in a
circumstance of extreme peril and stress.
A Note on Resilience
Both Dhampyrs and Half-Devils, as supernaturals,
can soak lethal and take aggravated damage.
NEW TRAITS AND SYSTEMS
Backgrounds
Talisman
Talismans are treasures from the gods, or sarira left
behind by ascended Dharmic masters, or dangerous
weapons forged by the blacksmiths serving the Yama
Kings. Whatever their origin, these are valuable
receptacles of Chi, which are used as bargaining
tokens or as favors for treasured students. At higher
levels, Talismans also possess unique supernatural
powers.
To “drink” the stored Chi, the owner simply needs
to touch the Talisman and concentrate for a turn,
gaining one Chi point per turn. Talismans regenerate
Chi at a rate of one every sunrise. Empty Talismans
can also be manually refilled from a Hungry One’s
personal Chi pool, if necessary – By dripping blood
upon it, or breathing upon it to transfer energy.
Taking this background represents the owning of a
single Talisman, which can be any object small
enough to be held by one hand. Note that Talismans
above 2 dots represent powerful and coveted objects,
which ideally play a role in the story itself.
• Your Talisman can generate up to 1 point of Chi.
•• Your Talisman can generate up to 2 points of
Chi, and may possess a minor supernatural ability:
Purchase 2 dots of Soul Arts, which can all be
activated for a scene by using 1 Chi from the Talisman.
••• Your Talisman can generate up to 3 points of
Chi, and possesses a supernatural ability: Purchase
3 dots of Soul Arts, which can all be activated for
a scene by using 1 Chi from the Talisman.
•••• Your Talisman can generate up to 4 points
of Chi, and possesses a potent supernatural ability
or set of abilities: Purchase 4 dots of Soul Arts,
which can all be activated for a scene by using 1 Chi
SECTION
CHAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME
from the Talisman.
••••• Your Talisman can generate up to 5 points
of Chi, and possesses exceptional supernatural power:
Purchase 5 dots of Soul Art Techniques, which can
all be activated for a scene by using 1 Chi from the
Talisman. Talismans at this level of power also
typically involve stipulations or curses, which harm
the bearer if they are met.
Note that Talismans do not exactly replicate specific
Soul Art techniques; rather, the techniques should
be purchased as a general guideline for what the
Talisman can do.
Example Talisman: Pearl Magatama (•••)
An ancient bead, shaped like a rounded number 9, which
is made of rainbow mother-of-pearl. In the Shinto
conception of the universe, the dividing line between “kami”
and “ghost” is tenuous at best; this talisman, once wielded
by a holy woman from the original days of the Yamato
clan, has the power to draw both to the wielder.
Chi Pool: 3
Related Special Abilities: At the Gates of Wind and
Water (Beast Art •, calling Rank 0 kami), Beacon
of Longing (Ghost Art ••, calling ancestor-spirit
kami)
Example Talisman: Wooden Kukri (••)
The great Diamond Serpent guru Arya, who attained the
Hundred Clouds in the 19th century, was once a mortal
boy who loved to play with wood weapons, imagining
himself a great hero of the epics. When the enlightened
one ascended beyond the Great Wheel, his last remaining
childhood toy was one of the relics he left behind.
Chi Pool: 2
Related Special Abilities: The Touch of Ghost-Metal
(Ghost Art ••, able to harm any spirits that visibly
manifest themselves in the mortal world)
For other example Talismans, see the “Mark of
Excellence” (•, California) and “Good Wife’s Nail”
(•••••, Malaysia) in Chapter 6. For special
Talismans specific to mortal Demon Hunters, see
Appendix II.
63
Dragon’s Nest
Dragon’s Nests are natural wellsprings of Chi in
either the physical or spirit worlds, where raw energy
flows much more easily. The Nest could take the
form of a small sacred space that you own entirely,
or it could be an enormous complex brimming with
Chi, for which the Background merely represents
your share of usage rights.
Each dot in the Dragon’s Nest Background represents
the number of Chi points generated by the location
each night, which can only be absorbed through
active rest. One Chi point is given per scene, which
a visitor can absorb directly into their Chi pool or
into a drained Talisman.
Note that Dragon’s Nests are typically a shared
Background, and that Dragon’s Nests above 2 points
are high-value locations, which one can expect will
have different parties vying for ownership and control.
• The Dragon’s Nest is small, or you have a small
share of it – You and one other can receive 1 Chi
per night.
•• A larger and more bountiful Dragon’s Nest –4
Chi per night, which can be distributed between
you and any guests as desired (no more than 2 Chi
each).
••• A powerful Dragon’s Nest, often a
marker of great status – 9 Chi per night,
which can be distributed between you and any
guests as desired (no more than 3 Chi each).
•••• One of the greatest of Dragon’s Nests,
inevitably the subject of bitter disputes – 16 Chi per
night, which can be distributed between you and
any guests as desired (no more than 4 Chi each).
••••• A legendary Dragon’s Nest – 16 Chi per
night, which can be distributed between you and
any guests as desired (no more than 5 Chi each).
Example Dragon’s Nest:
Glade of the Great Grass Sea (•••)
To this day, the Mongolian steppes remain a huge expanse
of grass and blue sky, dotted by the occasional pool of
water. This is one such place, a remote watering-hole for
the native fauna, which is also a favorite hiding-place for
the Cerulean Veils to meet and tell their tales.
Max Chi: 9 per night (no more than 3 Chi per
person).
Note: This Dragon’s Nest is located in the mortal
world, and as it is quite remote, the Gauntlet rating
related to all realms is low (5 during the day, 4 at
night). For the purpose of entering the Spirit Wilds
at night, there is effectively no Gauntlet to worry
about.
64
Example Dragon’s Nest: Djinn Clubhouse (••)
The great cities of the djinn are said to only be accessible
to those with proper maps guiding them through the spirit
worlds. But there are certain outposts in the Lower Heavens,
houses and grottos where the creatures of smokeless fire
hold court, so they may be near the endless fascinations
of the mortal world in Indonesia and South Asia.
Max Chi: 4 per night (no more than 2 Chi per
person).
Note: This Dragon’s Nest is located in the Lower
Heavens, and as such can only be accessed by crossing
the Gauntlet.
For other example Dragon’s Nests (including a
tainted version that gives poisoned Chi), see the
sections on Singapore and Thailand in Chapter 6.
Rituals
Rituals are the backbone of Hungry Dead society,
the means by which they build and maintain the
night world. A circle of Hungry Dead usually has
one member who serves as the designated rite master,
but anyone can learn these rituals with the right
teacher.
This background mainly covers knowledge of major
rituals, which are applicable in the night world
regardless of one’s home country or Dharma. When
it comes to minor, more local social rituals, a
character with the Rituals background may add their
Background rating once per session to an applicable
Etiquette, Expression, Empathy, or other roll that
involves maneuvering around supernatural social
niceties.
(Notably, this bonus can apply whether the character
is among beast-folk, Little Gods, her fellow Hungry
Dead, or others, as there is an assumption that the
night world has certain expectations in common.
It does not, however, apply when dealing with
outsiders visiting for the first time.)
• You know 1 major ritual.
•• You know 2 major rituals.
••• You know 3 major rituals.
•••• You know 4 major rituals.
•••••(+) You know 5 or more major rituals.
Major Rituals
The following are rituals that exist throughout the
night world. Below is a brief description of each
ritual’s function, followed by specific systems.
Bond of the Night Family
Contrary to what one may expect, the Hungry Dead are
encouraged to co-mingle with fellow Celebrants and
Aspirants of the different Dharmas. This is often the result
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 65
of masters having sworn oaths to each other in centuries
past, with a bond that endures and is informally passed
down to their students. In some cases, these bonds even GAUNTLET RATINGS
cross the clans of the night world, with beast-folk or wizards Hungry Dead characters will want to factor in the Gauntlet when they’re using certain Soul Arts, or
pledging friendship to the Hungry Dead. If anything can when they wish to cross over into one of the spirit realms. Use the following chart as a quick guideline
be said to be universal in the night world, it is the rich for the Gauntlet in the general area, bearing in mind that Gauntlet ratings may vary in the same place
tradition of sworn love and camaraderie among the according to which realm you’re focused on.
unlikeliest of monsters.
System: Every participant in the ritual must contribute
one point of Chi, which can take the form of a
variety of symbolic actions. Some regions share a Gauntlet Rating Description
cup of blood-spiked wine in a tradition similar to
the Sabbat’s Vaulderie, while others cut their hands
and join palms together in a circle as they recite
oaths of brotherhood. The rite master spends one These ratings are reserved for actual gateways into the
point of Willpower to complete the ritual, after
which the participants are considered to be part of spirit worlds – The low Gauntlet rating applies only
a night family. once certain keys or passphrases have been met. A ra-
3 or below ting of 2 means mortals may knowingly cross by spen-
Once per night, a member of the night family can ding 1 Willpower; a rating of 1 means anyone can
contribute a point of Willpower so that another cross, even accidentally.
member may achieve success in a task, for which
both family members must be in immediate proximity
to each other. In addition, members of the night
family have +1 die at all times when rolling to try
and find the other family members. This applies
regardless of physical distance or location in the A spiritually charged place, such as a temple or shrine
Great Wheel, though crossing the Gauntlet to find that has been lovingly maintained. A Dragon’s Nest
a captured comrade will require the use of Soul Arts. 4-5 located in the mortal world may score at 4 at certain
times of the day or year.
Also, note that night families are usually bound
together by a shared ideal, or an oath to perform a
certain task together, such as “resist the Tremere
occupation of Hong Kong,” or “search for and
redeem all the ghosts from the 1997 typhoon.” The average rating in the night world. A quiet city street
Whenever two or more members of the night family after dark, or a natural area not often frequented,
are actively working together to pursue that sworn 6-7
goal, they get +1 die to all actions related to the goal. may score at 6.
Finally: The bond of the night family may be broken
by any individual simply by declaring it to the others
and spending 1 Willpower. Once that occurs, the The average rating in the busier world of daylight, with
bond is broken for everyone. people and cars and buildings all around. A very pu-
8-9
Contain Suffering blic, very non-spiritual place (like a city licensing offi-
Rites of castigation – of mortifying the flesh in pursuit of ce) may score at 9
purity – exist all over the world. The Hungry Dead adapt
local customs of pain when performing this ritual, which
inflicts grievous wounds in exchange for removing a Hungry A deliberately or magically thickened Gauntlet, such as a
One’s Suffering. This, ironically, is considered to be the 10 warded laboratory maintained by the Technocratic
easy way out, a last resort for when the curse has swelled Society.
beyond what the night world can tolerate.
System: The ritual is as long or brief as the rite master
wishes, but it costs 1 Willpower point to begin the
process each time. Typically, the practice involves
reciting a list of the Hungry One’s afflictions: the
Demon Arts they have used and how, the ways in
which they failed to live up to their dharmic ideals,
66
and so on. The recipient, for her part, will be bound
hand and foot, surrounded by candles or torches,
and her only role is to confirm – or deny – her sins.
The rite master then rolls Willpower+Dharma at
Difficulty 7. If the recipient of the ritual is unwilling,
then there is a contested Willpower+Dharma roll
instead. Whatever successes the rite master obtains
equals the number of Suffering points that can be
potentially wiped away, provided the recipient takes
1 health level of aggravated damage for each point
of Suffering… Then all the torch-flames, whips, and
other tools in the room are used to fulfill this
transaction.
For obvious reasons, this rarely removes all Suffering
from a target. But it can dull the edge enough that
the remainder is manageable through retreat and
meditation, either by choice or by force.
Enlightenment’s Artery
This ritual is the basis for the dharmic cults and schools
that are the default social arrangement in the night world.
With this ritual, a Hungry Dead master and student
mutually grow through a tutelary relationship, leaving
them stronger together than they would have been
separately. Typically, as the ritual’s name implies, the
ceremony involves a bloodletting and a sharing of Chi,
symbolizing their commitment to let wisdom and life flow
between them.
System: Those who swear an oath to follow a dharmic
master do not need to love or even like their teacher,
but both master and student must consent at the
time of the oath by each spending 1 point of
Willpower. From then on, the master gains one
point of dharmic experience for every level of Dharma
that the student obtains under the master’s tutelage.
The student also benefits: Every point of dharmic
experience he gains directly from the instruction of
his master comes with a bonus regular point of
experience, and he permanently gains the Status
Background at one dot when dealing with the
master’s other students (both former and current).
The master-student bond lasts until either party
breaks their bond by announcing its end and spending
a point of Willpower, or at the moment when the
student reaches a level of Dharma that equals the
master’s. Note that this ritual does not preclude the
possibility of informal master-student relationships
– and also note that no one in-universe possesses a
perfect “Dharm-o-meter” to determine whether
someone is truly of the elder ranks. However, a
Hungry Dead character may only take one formal
student at a time at Dharma 1-4, with one additional
student possible for each level beyond 4.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME 67
The Forked Road Obeisance to the Great Masters When the rite master is finished, he ritually destroys
Young Celebrants are not punished for changing their In this age of double-crossings and hidden identities, a the paper and spends 1 point of Willpower. For the
Dharma; it is an expected risk in this early part of the ritual to announce who you are and where you come from remainder of the night, all Hungry Dead or other
journey. It is only once one reaches the rank of Aspirant, seems almost quaint– Critics of the Obeisance ritual point persons of noteworthy rank in the night world will
having sworn oaths to a master, that moving to a new out that it is still perfectly possible to lie about who you have an instinctual understanding that the new
path poses some social difficulties. Still, with this ritual, are. But in a night world where strangers are immediately visitors have properly announced themselves, and
it is possible to change in the course of a single night – In suspect, where intruders are often dispatched with extreme that they have come for a purpose. Those who roll
the hard-luck world of the Hungry Dead, such ease is a prejudice, a simple gesture of good faith and tradition, Perception+Awareness and achieve a success at
rare gift. backed up with the mysterious power of this ritual, can Difficulty 7 will also know each guest’s name and
be all the difference between a good night and a bad one. have a sense of their lineage.
System: The rite master spends one Willpower, and
at the end of the night a Hungry One may change System: Hungry Dead who are new to a particular Peace of Monsters
their current Dharma to a new Dharma at level 1, city, or even visiting a new haven, can perform this A simple but important ritual, the Peace of Monsters
without the need to go down to zero and relearn ritual, which costs the donation of one point of Chi features prominently whenever warring factions of the
everything from scratch. If, however, the Hungry from all parties who wish to formally announce night world sit down to parlay. Those sitting down who
One’s former Dharma was higher than 1, he loses themselves. On a piece of ceremonial paper, the rite swear to peace will find that any violence saps their mental
those additional levels as if he had sacrificed them master puts down the name and two levels of energy and leaves them less capable – Not an
to wipe away Suffering – The lost levels convert into master-student lineage of each individual, which insurmountable difficulty, but enough to maintain shows
their equivalent value in experience points, half takes at least one full scene to finish – for example, of good faith among all parties.
being dharmic experience and half being regular. one person alone would be announced as: “Sakamoto
Yuri, student of Master Ono Tadaharu, student of System: Every person in the scene contributes two
Infant Devil Godmother Jinnai, 29th head of the Black Snow Devil-Tiger points of Willpower, which is collected by passing
This ritual is one of the specialties of the Devil-Tigers, who School of Sapporo and recognized Grandmaster of around a symbolic object – a cup or bowl, an effigy,
see rescue and fosterage as one of their sacred duties. the Wheel of the Law.” The ink used by the rite a line of the sutras brushed on a piece of paper, and
Anyone can know this ritual, but it is the rare Devil-Tiger master contains the blood or charged breath of each so on – and placing a personal item inside or upon
who doesn’t have it in their toolkit. In lands without a individual announcing themselves.
strong night world, the lack of this ritual is one of the
major reasons Hungry Dead are a much rarer sight, as it
becomes far more unlikely that a newborn from Hell will
survive those first chaotic nights – Not impossible, but
extremely difficult.
System: The rite master spends one point of Willpower
and touches the Larva. For the rest of the night, the
new Hungry One has control of her Virtues and
experiences balance as if at Dharma 1, though falling
into Soul Imbalance will require the ritual to be
performed again.
Note that the first time this ritual is performed for
a new Larva is especially charged with symbolism
and portent: As long as the Larva spends one point
of Willpower over the course of the night to obtain
an automatic success on a dramatic roll, she obtains
one point of dharmic experience that night, as she
begins to understand her condition. This dharmic
experience is considered universal – Even if the
ritual is performed by a Devil-Tiger who then passes
the Larva on to a Bone Flower, they still only need
1 more dharmic experience to reach the first level
in the Bone Flower Dharma.
This ritual can only be performed in its full form
once for every Larva. After that, doing the ritual
again can help them regain soul balance each time,
but they must obtain dharmic experience the slow
way, by experiencing new things or reaching new
internal insights.
68
it. Those donated points of Willpower may not be
used for the rest of the scene. If the scene of dialogue
passes without incident, then all Willpower is
restored, minus one point for the rite master’s
contribution. If, however, any significant violent
action is taken (i.e. initiates systems for combat),
then the object breaks, and all the donated
Willpower points are lost for everyone.
Punishment of Heaven’s Eye
Legend says that this was once a Soul Art technique,
exclusive to the Hungry Dead alone, until a mortal
alchemist cracked the code and shared the ritual with
everyone – And what a fine mess that became. It is still
the premier method of punishment, used when a Hungry
One has committed crimes worthy of nothing less than
the Final Void. But in the modern nights, it is just as
often wielded by a rival master’s Dhampyr son, or by a
demon hunter with a relentless grudge.
System: The Hungry Dead, unlike their vampire
cousins, are normally immune to wooden stakes
and other such wounds to the heart – They will be
damaged as in a normal attack, but they will not
experience the total paralysis that Cainites do.
However, those who have this ritual can bless any
appropriate implement (which takes approximately
thirty seconds, or five turns in combat) and spend
one point of Willpower, whereupon the tool has
the ability to paralyze a Hungry One and hold them
in place for 24 hours.
Unlike vampires, the range of tools that can be
blessed this way has a wider variety: Both wooden
or metal stakes, even plastic ones can be blessed this
way, as well as prayer strips that can paralyze if
securely attached (with a hammered nail or a piece
of duct tape) directly to a Hungry One’s forehead.
Use V20’s staking rules for blessed stakes to the
heart, and use a contested Dexterity+Athletics or
Brawl roll when a character tries to attach a blessed
prayer strip in the heat of the moment. The effect
fades once 24 hours is up, unless the rite master
takes the time to bless the implements again.
Spirit Banquet
Spirits love Chi as much as the Hungry Dead – But
depending on local customs, feeding the spirits blood straight
from one’s veins ranges from “unsettling” to “completely
unspeakable.” The Hungry Dead use the Spirit Banquet
ritual to honor the spirits in a manner that befits their
world, preparing a grand meal for a visiting god, or leaving
a token of appreciation for the house-spirits and their work.
System: The rite master spends at least half an hour,
spends one point of Willpower, and rolls Intelligence
+ Crafts for the gift they wish to create for the spirits:
a literal banquet table, a plate of delicate snacks,
paper dolls and stacks of hell money, or whatever
else makes sense for the locality. Others present may
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
contribute to the creation effort with rolls of their
own, but the key requirement of everyone participating
in the ritual is the donation of 1 Chi point.
Mortal offerings to spirits tend to offer only 1 point
of Chi, which goes to the first spirit who takes it.
An offering by a Hungry One using Spirit Banquet,
however, contains 3 points of Chi, plus any points
donated by other participants. This is a gift, and any
attempt to harm or feed on the spirit-guests breaks
the ritual and negates the donated Chi. Spirits at
Rank 1 or 2 who feed at the banquet should be
considered to be favorably disposed to all of the
ritual participants for one lunar month, similar to
a level-1 Blood Bond (see V20 rules for Blood
Bonding). Spirits at Rank 3 will only be affected for
a night and a day, while those at Rank 4 or higher
will bestow a favor at their discretion.
Backgrounds and the Spirit World
Note that unlike the default assumptions of Vampire:
the Masquerade, the Hungry Dead have easy access
to the spirit worlds. There are multiple methods to
see various types of spirits, and communication
across the Gauntlet needs only a 1-dot Soul Art or
an equivalent Talisman. Furthermore, the Hungry
Dead also have innate abilities that allow them to
find hidden gateways into the spirit world.
Hence, characters can very easily have spirit allies,
spirit contacts, even havens in the spirit world or
herds of spirits for feeding. Use the same rules for
spirit Backgrounds as you would for regular ones,
including shared Backgrounds. For example, what
the original edition of Kindred of the East called the
“Nushi” or Totem background would here be
considered a shared Allies or Mentor background,
representing a powerful spirit backer.
SUFFERING
Suffering is the curse of the Hungry Dead, carried
over from the Thousand Hells. On the character
sheet, Suffering is a temporary track similar to
Willpower points, tracked from zero to ten. Characters
begin with Suffering 0 and raise or lower the rating
over the course of the story.
Gaining and Losing Suffering;
Systems
A Hungry Dead character gains one point of Suffering:
• Each time they activate a Demon Art or its
advanced power.
• When performing an action that is antithetical
to their Dharma (e.g. withholding charity as a
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CHAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME
Ram-Hearted, or sowing distrust among allies
as a Resplendent Crane). The player rolls a dice
pool of 10 minus their Dharma rating at Difficulty
8; success means nothing happens, failure means
gaining a point of Suffering, while a botch means
gaining two.
• When indulging in heinous and exceptionally
callous actions, such as casual murder or mass
destruction. This can trigger a check for Suffering
even for Dharmas that place value on inflicting
pain (such as Devil Tigers), or who don’t follow
any particular moral code (such as Scorpion
Eaters). No Dharma allows for a total free-for-all.
A Hungry Dead character sheds one or more points
of Suffering:
• Upon successful performance of the ritual
“Contain Suffering” (see Rituals Background).
• When performing a significant action (i.e.
requiring a dice roll to determine success or
failure) in accordance with their Dharmic tenets.
Only one point per night can be shed this way.
Note that Scorpion Eaters have no access to this
option.
• By resting at a Dragon’s Nest for a scene, which
removes one point per night. Doing this bars
the character from absorbing any Chi from the
Dragon’s Nest for that night, and the 1 point
of Chi he would have absorbed is lost.
• After one full night without accruing any Suffering,
upon the end of the night at sunrise.
• By sacrificing a point of Dharma, which clears
the entire Suffering track (see systems for
Dharma, below).
Aside from those options, the only way the Hungry
Dead can lose their accumulated Suffering is by
botching either a Willpower roll or a Virtue check
to resist Soul Imbalance. The resulting state is called
an eruption of Suffering.
Eruptions of Suffering:
Systems
When Suffering erupts, the character clears their
Suffering track, returning their rating to zero.
However, the harmful effects that take place for the
scene range from unsettling to catastrophic.
At Suffering 1-3, the Hungry One is still acceptable
to the night world at large, though the reek of
corruption becomes more noticeable the more
Suffering they hold. When Suffering erupts at this
level, most of the negative effects are spiritual,
69
psychological, or cosmetic in nature. For example:
• A God-Imbalanced character attracts glorious
and terrible spirits who are eager to punish.
• A character in Ghost Imbalance finds himself
surrounded by shadows, decay and the cries of
desperate wraiths.
• A character in Beast Imbalance causes local
wildlife and nature-spirits to turn suddenly
hostile.
• A Devil-Imbalanced character inflicts disturbing,
unwanted visions and dreams upon the psychically
sensitive.
Mortal bystanders in the area suffer a similar
imbalance to the Hungry Dead in their own thoughts
and actions, which can quickly turn a crowd into
an unruly mob. In the worst eruptions (Suffering
3), the physical world may subtly fall apart,
endangering old or shoddy infrastructure and
inflicting one bashing damage on everyone in the
scene.
At Suffering 4-6, the Hungry One possesses a
darkened aura and a twisted fate, which is plainly
visible to anyone with the proper paranormal senses
– In Cainite territories, it is often mistaken for the
telltale mark of diablerie. When this level of Suffering
is unleashed, the immediate scene around the
character warps, twists, and transforms, as the mortal
world is intruded upon by pieces of the Thousand
Hells:
• A Hungry One who has visited the Hell of
Burrowing Maggots will leave bystanders wounded,
left with dark trails and other evidence of
flesh-burrowing parasites – one lethal damage
for everyone in the scene, plus severe illness for
any mortals.
• Another one of the Hungry Dead, who escaped
the Hell of Upside-Down Sinners, will briefly
turn an office building into a maze-like
nightmare, where no door leads where it should
and the inhabitants can’t help but blurt out
their most antisocial desires – and act upon
them, in an eruption of Suffering 5 or 6.
In mature night societies, Hungry Dead are detained
and forced to undergo purification when they are
found at this level. When left alone, the resulting
chaos and attention of demonic entities can damage
the night world of an entire town for months.
At Suffering 7+, the Hungry One’s entire being
pulses with horrific potential. The sight of them fills
even mundane witnesses with a sense of anxiety and
70
foreboding, like looking upon a bomb ticking down
to its final seconds. When the night world fails to
capture or kill such a cursed Hungry One, and their
Suffering is unleashed, this terrible potential is
realized: Few can hope to outrun the nightmares
that sprout from the earth, or the demons that
appear with shackles in hand – Without exceptional
power to resist, one can only curl into a ball and
hope to survive.
For a chart that can randomly generate an eruption
of Suffering, see Chapter 5, Storytelling.
CHI
Chi is the energy of life, stolen by the Hungry Dead.
On the character sheet, Chi is a temporary track
typically going from zero to ten, though higher
Dharma ratings will raise the upper limit beyond
that amount (see the Dharma chart in Character
Creation). Like Blood Pool in V20, the rating rises
and falls over the course of play, though the closer
it comes to zero, the emptier and more desperate
the character is.
At zero Chi, the character spends the remainder of
the night careening from Soul Imbalance to Soul
Imbalance, willing to do anything to obtain even a
tiny amount of precious Chi, up to and including
massive abuse of the Demon Arts. If that night ends
with still nothing gained, the character falls into the
Lesser Death – an emergency state of deep slumber,
in which only an infusion of Chi will save their
minds from the blackness of non-existence.
Obtaining Chi: Systems
To gain Chi, characters have no choice but to take
it. Without access to rare and special resources, for
most starting characters this means:
• Dharma 1+: Drinking the blood of the living,
which follows V20 rules for feeding.
• Dharma 0+: Eating flesh. If the victim is alive,
every point of aggravated damage (lethal for
mortals) gives 1 Chi – If recently slain within
the last hour, then the Hungry Dead may eat as
much as they want to, up to 7 points.
• With the practice of certain Soul Arts or access
to a gateway, the Hungry Dead can also eat
spirits in the same way they eat flesh.
Characters with higher Dharma ratings unlock the
following options:
• At 4 or higher, the character can feed on “breath”:
They must be either touching a target, or close
enough to kiss them. Roll Dharma at Difficulty
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
6 to drain their spiritual energy, Difficulty 7 if
they are unwilling. Each Chi point taken requires
a full turn and affects the living just like having
their blood taken (i.e. taking more than two
points can seriously harm or even kill them).
This process is physically invisible, but appears
in the spirit realm like a transfer of pale vapor.
• At 7 or higher, the character can feed on the
world itself: They must be in a quiet environment,
with at least five minutes to concentrate. Roll
Dharma at the Difficulty of the area’s Gauntlet
rating to siphon energy. Taking more than two
points at a time will invariably damage the local
spirit world, which inflicts a point of Suffering
upon the feeder.
Using Chi: Systems
Most starting characters may spend 1 Chi per turn,
which increases with further enlightenment (see
Dharma chart for the rate of Chi points that can be
spent per turn). The Hungry Dead have many
different ways to spend Chi, but three basics apply
to all of them:
Awakening - The Hungry Dead can instinctively
sense nightfall, spending 1 Chi every evening to
reanimate their bodies and rise. Like their western
vampire cousins, there is no way for the Hungry
Dead to avoid this tithe, which applies whether or
not they actually do anything for the night. For the
rare Hungry Dead who must stay awake through
the daytime, they will also spend 1 Chi to remain
active from sunrise to sunset.
Healing - With just a moment’s concentration, a
Hungry One can circulate their energy through cuts
and broken limbs, restoring the corpse-body from
even the most horrific wounds. 1 Chi restores a level
of bashing or lethal damage, while 5 Chi (plus 1
Willpower point) restores one aggravated level.
Cultivation - With time and practice, the Hungry
Dead can channel Chi through their Virtues to gain
access to spiritual abilities, which the Hungry Dead
call cultivation. For rules on cultivation, see “Virtues,”
below.
VIRTUES
Virtues are the four souls of the Hungry Dead, the
measure of their spiritual and psychological balance.
On the character sheet, each of the four Virtues is
rated from 1-5 for starting characters, though it can
go to 6 and beyond for those with the equivalent
Dharma rating. A Hungry One’s rating in the Virtue
represents the potency of that soul within them, as
well as their insight and understanding of the
principle behind that soul and its associated realm.
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AME 71
Using Virtues: Systems for
Cultivation
The Hungry Dead can spend 1 Chi (or roll the
Virtue rating at Difficulty 7) to access cultivation:
a supercharged soul-state that grants special benefits,
as well as granting access to the Soul Arts.
Note that only one Virtue can be empowered this
way at a time. Attempting to move from one soul
to another in the same scene imposes a cumulative
-1 penalty per shift for the rest of the scene, as the THE LESSER DEATH
Hungry One reels from the energetic flux.
The benefits of cultivation last for an entire scene:
The length of a Lesser Death, in which the Hungry
Renunciation Dead are in a vulnerable state of deep slumber, can
The Hungry Dead slips into the quiet of the grave, vary depending on the circumstances:
becoming something like a half-ghost. She is forgotten
within minutes by mortal passersby who leave her
presence, and is difficult to spot (+2 Difficulty) unless If they fall into Lesser Death due to filling all their
someone is actively looking for her. Like a ghost, health levels with lethal damage, the Hungry One
she can also perceive signs of decay in the world, is “dead” for one scene, after which she may rise
such as illness or an approaching death, which look and use her Chi to heal.
to the cultivator like an enhancement of existing
flaws and blemishes – cracks are bigger, wrinkles If they fall into Lesser Death due to being at zero
and liver spots are darker, shadows are fuller and Chi for a whole night – or all their health levels fill
deeper. Finally, she gains the ability to look directly
with lethal damage and there is no Chi left to heal
into the Shadowlands and find its gateways, although
them – then the Hungry One stays in their suspended
speaking with ghosts or interacting across the Shroud state indefinitely, until they are given Chi or have
without a gate requires the use of Soul Arts.
an opportunity to take it. Those who stay in Lesser
Death for days, months, or even years eventually
(Gain 1 Willpower in this state when you successfully
offer comfort to the pained and grieving.) take on a mummified appearance, but this is
superficial; if a suitable source of food is nearby,
Righteousness then the Hungry One may roll Willpower at
The Hungry One swells with the beauty, grandeur Difficulty 8 to rise and take one turn’s worth of
and authority of Heaven. Lesser creatures, such as action.
mortals with low Willpower (3 or less), are more
inclined to fawn and be agreeable to her wishes, Unlike the often-vivid dreams and nightmares of
while even powerful beings will give some regard to daysleep, Hungry Dead who survive the Lesser Death
the cultivator. Like a god, she can also see marks of report an absolute nothingness, which leaves those
divine favor, creativity, and destiny, which take the
left in it for too long (a year or longer) in a state of
form of poetic and dreamlike overlays upon the terrified madness upon awakening, which lasts for
mortal world – however, understanding specific
at least one lunar month. Finally, those who are
details and their meanings without logical leaping
requires the use of Soul Arts. Finally, she gains the attacked in Lesser Death, or who are exposed to
sunlight or fire, are doomed to the Final Void once
ability to look into the Lesser Heavens and find its
gateways, and with the proper Soul Art techniques all their health levels are filled with aggravated
can cross the Gauntlet to interact with the realm of damage.
gods and dreams.
(Gain 1 Willpower in this state when you respond
to mortal subservience with an appropriately godlike
generosity.)
Vitality
The Hungry One blooms to life, restoring her
heartbeat, her breath, the sweat on her palms. For
72
the time being, she is indistinguishable from a living
human, even under intense medical scrutiny. Like
a beast of the natural world, her physical senses
become sharper and more expansive, gaining an
exceptional degree of perception (-2 Difficulty to
perception rolls) – She may even operate in total
darkness, as other senses become more than powerful
enough to compensate. Finally, she gains the ability
to look into the Mirrorlands of the Spirit Wilds and
locate spirit gateways, although directly speaking to
spirits and interacting across the Gauntlet without
a gate requires the use of Arts.
(Gain 1 Willpower in this state when you successfully
encourage others to give in to the joy of life and its
pleasures.)
Wickedness
The cultivator releases the devil within. Mortals
with a conscience (Conscience 3 or higher) are struck
with fear and shame that makes them halting and
hesitant before the Hungry One, while creatures of
powerful wickedness (such as bane spirits, spectres,
or even humans of Humanity 3 or lower) recognize
the aura of a peer and are friendlier as a result (-2
Difficulty to social interactions). The cultivator also
gains the ability to sense the presence of spiritual
corruption, such as gateways to the Thousand Hells
or nearby Half-Devils. She can also sense minds that
are being influenced or constrained by outside
powers, including her own – but by exactly what,
whether mundane or supernatural, requires the use
of Soul Arts.
(Gain 1 Willpower in this state when you confront
others in a way that challenges their self-perception.)
Soul Imbalance: Systems
The Hungry Dead are creatures of peerless discipline,
balancing the ebb and flow of their Virtues with
great skill… until suddenly, something out of control
happens, and all the spinning plates come crashing
down. That chaos is the state of one soul dominating
over all the others, a condition called Soul Imbalance.
When faced with a dramatically appropriate condition
to enter Soul Imbalance, the player rolls the Virtue
rating associated with the condition, with a default
difficulty of 6 – Some especially dramatic conditions
may impose higher difficulties, as listed below.
Success on the roll means maintaining control,
failure means falling into Soul Imbalance for the
scene, and a botch means both Soul Imbalance and
an eruption of any stored Suffering (see rules for
Suffering, above)
(Note: Unlike Cainites and their rules for
Frenzy/Rotschreck, the Hungry Dead roll the Virtue
itself to resist its imbalance, not its “opposite” – The
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Virtue rating represents not just the intensity and
power of the soul, but the level of control and mastery
that the Hungry One has over that soul as well.)
Beast Imbalance
For the scene, the Hungry Dead has given in to their
animal instincts: feeding gluttonously, wildly attacking
perceived threats, or fleeing at any cost.
Example Conditions (roll Vitality to resist):
• Eating human flesh.
• Feeding when extremely hungry, at a Chi pool
of 3 or less. (+1 Difficulty)
• Filling all the way to the Crippled health
level, or taking 2 or more damage from fire
or sunlight. (+2 Difficulty)
Devil Imbalance
For the scene, the Hungry Dead is interested only in
exercising pain and suffering upon others, which can be
openly vicious or deceptively subtle.
Example Conditions (roll Wickedness to
resist):
• Using a Demon Art to cause harm to an innocent.
• Witnessing an immoral or harmful plot come
to glorious fruition. (+1 Difficulty)
• Following your Dharmic principles with great
sacrifice, only to have them lead you to failure
or humiliation. (+2 Difficulty)
Ghost Imbalance
For the scene, the Hungry Dead becomes cold, clinical
and morbidly obsessed with the dying/dead, or they become
completely corpse-like and catatonic.
Example Conditions (roll Renunciation to
resist):
• Resting in a shrine for the honored dead or a
graveyard for more than a week.
• Being rejected by the living for your dead state.
(+1 Difficulty)
• Killing someone from your old mortal life. (+2
Difficulty)
Heavenly Imbalance
For the scene, the Hungry Dead brings heaven to earth:
order, authority, grandeur, and the vicious correction of
those deemed morally weak and unrighteous.
Example Conditions (roll Righteousness to
SECTION NAME
NEW MERIT: SOUL VIRTUOSO (3 POINTS)
The Hungry Dead can only cultivate one Virtue at a time (with the exception of Hellweaving and the
perceptive powers of the Dragon Tear – see Chapter 4), and switching between different Virtues in the same
scene is a fraught process, as described earlier. However, characters with this merit have a brief grace period:
Each scene, they may switch from one Virtue to another, one time, without incurring the -1 dice penalty.
This benefit only occurs the first time they switch cultivations, after which any subsequent switches in the
same scene will incur the penalty as normal.
resist):
• Having your authority challenged by an immoral
or unworthy person.
• Looking upon a singular work of beauty that
the Hungry One has worked hard to make real.
(+1 Difficulty)
• Successfully bringing down a perceived evildoer,
only to find that you were wrong or that things
have become worse. (+2 Difficulty)
DHARMA
Dharma the enlightenment of the Hungry Dead,
the means by which they grow in power and
potentially transcend their curse. On the character
sheet, Dharma is a dot rating from from zero to ten,
which represents the character’s enlightenment.
This rating will rise and fall during the course of
long-term play.
Freshly Risen:
New Hungry Dead
System: A completely new Hungry Dead character
(right from the moment of their Second Breath)
suffers from the following drawbacks until they have
obtained sufficient experience points to buy the first
level of a Dharma:
• +1 Difficulty to resist Soul Imbalance, which
they must check for at the beginning of every
new scene as their Virtues jostle for dominance
(select any Virtue at random).
• No ability to drink blood, unless it is from a
Hungry Dead teacher.
• A check for Beast Imbalance every time they
feed, unless it comes from resting at a Dragon’s
Nest or absorbing Chi from an appropriate
73
Talisman.
If they have trained under the Way of the Scorpion
Eater and intend to stay there, then the first level
of their Dharma is the last such purchase they will
make – Otherwise, follow the rules for increasing
and decreasing Dharma through dharmic experience,
below.
Gaining Dharma
To represent moments of enlightenment, profundity,
and insight, characters have a second, separate track
of experience points, called “dharmic experience.”
While this experience is usually used to increase
Dharma, even Scorpion Eaters can use it.
Note that “enlightenment” does not mean such
moments must be exceptionally mystic or inscrutable
to gain dharmic experience. A character botching a
roll at a critical moment (or succeeding beyond their
wildest dreams), or learning something that profoundly
changes what they thought they knew about a
situation, is an example of the kind of granular
insight that grows Dharma.
System: Dharma cannot be purchased through
regular experience, only dharmic experience.
Dharmic experience can used to raise Dharma,
Virtues, or Willpower, and these points are obtained
each time that a character experiences something
unique or dramatic that could be considered
enlightening. For starting-level characters, awarding
one point every other session or so is not unlikely,
though characters should be actively searching for
new insights in order to earn their dharmic experience.
Losing Dharma
Moments of spiritual blindness, when a character
acts contrary to their Dharma, can easily result in
a point of Suffering each time they occur. When
enough Suffering accumulates, a character may need
to harm their own enlightenment simply to survive.
74 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SCECTION
HAPTERN3: CHARACTER CREATION AND SYSTEMS
AME 75

System: When the Storyteller believes the character

has encountered a Suffering Trigger (see Chapter 2
for a detailed description of the Dharmas and their
triggers), the player rolls a dice pool equal to 10
minus the character’s Dharma rating, at Difficulty
8. A success means nothing happens, failure means
gaining a point of Suffering, while a botch means
gaining two. Suffering may also be automatically
accrued, when there is a particularly severe and
blatant transgression against Dharma.
At any time, a player may opt to wipe away all of the
character's Suffering, or stop it from erupting, in
exchange for losing one level of Dharma. Whether
or not the character consciously makes the choice,
their enlightened nature reaches out and contains
the backlash of hell within the Hungry Dead,
becoming diminished and damaged as it averts
disaster. As part of that loss, the player receives back
the experience point value of the lost level of Dharma
(for example, moving from Dharma 3 to 2 will earn
6 experience points), half of which is dharmic
experience while the other half becomes regular.
If a character is unwise or unlucky enough to reach
10 Suffering, their next point of Suffering is either
a karmic explosion of hell-energy, or they
automatically lose one point of Dharma to wipe the
slate clean, following the rules as above – Ultimately,
this choice belongs to the player.
Cainite Paths
The Hungry Dead are a worldwide phenomenon,
with an unlucky few rising far from the night world
of Asia or its outposts. These Hungry Dead – if they
are not immediately killed by happenstance – most
often get picked up by the Children of Caine, who
believe they have found one of their own kind. Given
the violent first feedings of so many neonates, the
fleshy appetites of the Hungry Dead are often
overlooked by Sabbat packs. Their wild, inhuman
natures even appear to make them excellent candidates
to learn the Paths of Enlightenment.
System: A Hungry Dead character who has been
tamed and taught a Cainite Path of Enlightenment
obtains the ability to drink blood and does not
progress above a Path rating of 1, much like a Scorpion
Eater.
But unlike a Scorpion Eater, followers of Paths do
not lose the +1 Difficulty to resist Soul Imbalance,
as they lack the necessary self-knowledge to truly
control themselves. If there is one benefit to this
difficult unlife, it’s that the would-be Cainite’s Path
rating is very difficult to get to zero, as only the most
heinous and antithetical acts will force a roll against
Path loss at level 1. However, if it ever occurs, the
character rolls their lowest Virtue.
Humanity
Woe betide a Hungry One found by the Camarilla.
Hungry Dead who have survived after some time
on Humanity describe it as walking on a world of
eggshells, in which the slightest wrong move makes
the floor fall out from under them. For this reason,
new Hungry Dead who are taken in by the Camarilla
or Anarchs don’t last very long.
System: A Hungry Dead character on Humanity
gains no benefit whatsoever unless they are lucky
enough to start at Humanity 8 or higher, in which
case they are treated the same as the follower of a
Path of Enlightenment for however long they can
make it last. The character rolls their lowest Virtue
rating to make any Humanity checks, and the
moment they fall to Humanity 7, they lose the ability
to drink blood entirely – which usually leads to a
breathtaking race to the bottom.
As an optional rule, Hungry Dead who come to
understand what they really are and the nature of
their curse can use dharmic experience to synthesize
their Humanity rating into the Dharma of the
Diamond Serpent at level one. However, trying to
reach the status of Dedicant will require a Master
to teach them the deeper truths.
ACHIEVING ENLIGHTENMENT
The possibility truly begins to whisper to the Hungry
Dead, once they have made the first breakthrough
into drinking living breath:
Enlightenment is possible.
The Rite of the Hundred Clouds:
Systems for Ascension
Starting at Dharma 4, a Hungry One starts to see
the contours of the Hundred Clouds, though they
cannot yet understand it in full. Like the story of
the Buddha resting in the shade of the bodhi tree,
they recognize that some kind of action will be
necessary – At this point, the character gains a bonus
point of Dharmic experience every time she meditates
on an unfamiliar Talisman or other artifact of
someone’s past ascension.
Once per story, starting at the moment they obtain
Dharma 5, the Hungry One rolls Dharma at Difficulty
7. A botch means accumulating a point of Suffering,
while a failure means they get nothing. Only obtaining
a number of successes equal to 10 minus the
character’s Dharma rating (minimum 1 success
required) will grant them insight into a component
of the final ritual they will need to ascend. Masters
of the Godbodies may also roll for insight each time
they activate the true Godbody, which follows the
same rules.
The ritual components will differ from person to
person -- a specific person, a specific object or location,
a time or day, and so on. Eventually, with enough
insight, the Hungry One can intuit a general picture
of what they must do, though the total picture can
sometimes be disturbing (such as knowing that one
needs a ritual with an explosion, hundreds of mortal
deaths, and an hour to meditate in a circle made of
human ash).
From Dharma 6 onwards, the Hungry One can
actually attempt the rite with what they know. At
the conclusion of the rite, the player rolls the
character's Dharma rating, with the following
stipulations:
• Dharma 6: Difficulty 10, 9 successes needed (1
success removed per ritual component used –
minimum number of successes needed is 1)
• Dharma 7: Difficulty 9, 8 successes needed
• Dharma 8: Difficulty 8, 7 successes needed
• Dharma 9: Difficulty 7, 6 successes needed
WHAT ABOUT
COMBAT? OR WHAT
ABOUT. . .?
Every effort has been taken to address concerns
unique to the Hungry Dead, but general rules for
combat, environmental situations like electrocution
or falling, and other such scenarios are left for those
interested to reference in Vampire: the Masquerade
20th Anniversary Edition.
Some things to keep in mind:
• Hungry Dead are vulnerable to sunlight and fire
in exactly the same way as Cainites, including
daytime penalties.
• Also like Cainites, Hungry Dead halve all bashing
damage before it is applied on their health track.
• Hungry Dead do not experience vitae addiction
or the Blood Bond, though their children and
retainers still can.
• Hungry Dead also do not have the raw ability
to increase Physical Attributes by pumping blood
points, relying instead on their Demon Arts,
Regalia, and the more oblique powers of
cultivation.
• Stakes to the heart don’t work on Hungry Dead,
unless those stakes have been blessed with the
Punishment of Heaven’s Eye Ritual. Per the
ritual, the Hungry Dead are also vulnerable to
prayer strips in a way that Cainites are not.
• Lastly, decapitation still does exactly what you’d
expect, regardless of who it is (unless one has
the Godbody of Flesh active – see next chapter).
Otherwise, when a situation is in doubt, please use
the guidelines established in V20.
76 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN4:
AME
ARTS 77

• Dharma 10: Difficulty 6, 5 successes needed and gets: 9, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2… 8, and 8 again. A cloud
descends from Heaven to take Mari to the abode of the
A botch means disaster: a return to zero Dharma, pure immortals, and her last bloody footprints on earth
from which the character is unlikely to recover unless crystallize into a Talisman in the form of a garnet, shaped
a new road is taken. Failure is a moment of blindness, like a singing sparrow.
inflicting four points of Suffering from the pain of
having enlightenment so near, only to be taken away
– after which the rite cannot be attempted again for
at least another year.

Success, however, completes the journey of the

Hungry Dead. They reenter the Great Wheel to
re-entwine themselves or to rise beyond it, rewriting
time and space in a fashion of their choosing: a
living immortal who smiles in the daylight; a new
Yama King presiding over a better, purer Hell; a true
god at last, ready to make war with heaven... or
simply gone, ascended to fates unknown.

Meeting the required number of successes means

the Hungry One leaves nothing behind in the mortal
world. Each additional success beyond the minimum
means that she will leave behind a sarira, an artifact
of enlightenment: Create a Talisman or multiple
Talismans, with a total dot level equal to the number
of successes obtained. More than five additional
successes is in the realm of the truly miraculous,
such as the Marks of Excellence left behind by Jiejie
Li (see California in Chapter 6).

Otherwise, note that this ends the game, as the tale

of at least one of the Hungry Dead has concluded
on a note of eternal hope. If you reach this point
over the course of much roleplaying, then
congratulations on a job well done.

Example Rite of the Hundred Clouds

Mari of the Blue Dawn, a Great Sage of the Resplendent
Cranes (Dharma 8), is prepared to pursue the final mysteries
of internal alchemy. She has received several visions: once
when she was a Master forced to wander China as a
penitent (Dharma 5), again when she activated the full
Godbody of Storms to defeat a powerful demon (Dharma
6), and yet again as a Grandmaster aiding one of her
student’s students (Dharma 7). Her latest, fourth vision,
obtained at the foothills of Mount Kailash, has convinced
her that she can now make the final leap.

The ritual implements are: A sword forged by hand and

hammer, quenched in the blood of a holy man; a great
storm that wipes a village and its inhabitants from the
earth; a battle with a tiger-striped opponent worthy of
Mari’s strength; and a thunderbolt, received through the
head, at the moment the battle is won.

At the climax of the ritual, the player rolls a dice pool

equal to Dharma (8) at Difficulty 8. Because Mari has
implemented an ascension ritual with the four pieces she
has obtained over her long journey as Hungry Dead, she
needs 3 successes to attain enlightenment. The player rolls
78
The Hungry Dead have existed for thousands of
years, and in that time they have accrued libraries
of strange and awe-inspiring abilities, which are
collectively called the Arts. While many young
Celebrants enjoy having supernatural powers to lord
over the human herd, older Hungry Dead come to
understand that the Arts are not auxiliary to the
journey of enlightenment – They are, in fact,
essential to it.
Overview
The Arts of the Hungry Dead fall into one of three
categories:
The Demon Arts are innate, almost instinctual
expressions of Suffering. They are easy to learn, cost
no effort or Chi, and they are limitless in terms of
potential mastery – though their power is not without
consequence.
The Soul Arts are extended cultivations of the four
Virtues and the channeling of Chi. Their potential
is limited by one’s Virtue ratings – i.e. you need
Wickedness of at least 2 before you can learn a level-2
technique connected to the Devil Soul, and so on
for other techniques.
The Godbodies or Godbody Arts are iconic symbols
of enlightenment, which can only be developed by
growing in Dharma. A Hungry Dead character’s
maximum rating in any Godbody is limited by their
Dharma rating; in addition, they can only master
one Godbody at Dharma 5, two at Dharma 6, and
so on.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
DEMON ARTS:
THE INFERNAL PANOPLY
Every Hungry Dead character begins with at least
one dot in a Demon Art, and it’s almost guaranteed
that they will learn more before their story ends with
enlightenment or the Final Void. This is because
the Demon Arts are:
Easy to Learn and Use - For the Hungry Dead, these
are by far the easiest powers to obtain, making them
a favorite of Scorpion Eaters and others low on the
Dharmic ladder. They require no mentor or special
text; simply meditate on the hell within to find
everything you need. Furthermore, using Demon
Arts is reflexive, and the Demon Arts are also the
one exception to trait limits; if you can buy them,
they can go up to 10 dots if you wish.
Destructive - These are not powers for the subtle or
meek. When using a Demon Art, the intent is
unmistakably one of inf licting harm, often
spectacularly and with much violence. Letting the
energies of hell bloom in this way is a one-way track
to accumulating Suffering, but for many it's a worthy
trade.
Powerful, For a Price - Similar to the Godbodies,
the Demon Arts have a basic application and a more
potent version of the power, which has a greater cost
in accumulated Suffering. Using the advanced
powers more than once in a scene is an invitation
to disaster – but under the right circumstances, it’s
also tempting.
All of the Hungry Dead possess at least one dot of
the following Demon Arts, plus Demon Regalia.
Devil Fist
Your muscles bulge; your knuckles become like stones. You
will beat your enemies into red mist, breaking the weak
against your knee like a dry branch.
Accumulate 1 Suffering to reflexively add your Devil
Fist dot rating to Strength for the night. This includes
rolls to determine damage in hand-to-hand combat.
When Devil Fist is first activated, the character may
use the advanced power once in the same turn for
free.
Advanced: Infernal Might
(limit per scene equal to dots in Devil Fist)
While Devil Fist is active, add 1 Suffering after a
successful hand-to-hand attack. The damage on that
roll is now perfect, meaning every die is one success.
Note that the one must wield an appropriate weapon
in order to inflict lethal or aggravated damage.
SECTION
CHAPTERN4: ARTS
AME
Black Wind
A blur, then a geyser of blood– You move like a snapped
wire, a killing viper. In your dance of violence, not a single
movement is wasted.
Accumulate 1 Suffering to reflexively add your Black
Wind rating to Dexterity for the night. This includes
considerations like initiative and movement speed,
as well as rolls to attack in all forms of combat. When
Black Wind is first activated, the character may use
the advanced power once in the same turn for free.
Advanced: Infernal Speed
(limit per scene equal to dots in Black Wind)
While Black Wind is active, add 1 Suffering when
attempting a hand-to-hand attack. That roll is now
perfect, meaning every die equals one success. This
success pool can be split into two or more attacks
on separate targets (disregarding the normal rules
for multiple actions), provided all of them are within
close enough range.
Iron Mountain
You endure the flame, the fist, the sword, with skin as
unyielding as steel. When the rain of attacks finally sputters
and ends, you smile; now it’s your turn.
Accumulate 1 Suffering to reflexively add your Iron
Mountain dot rating to Stamina for the night. This
includes rolls to soak bashing and lethal damage.
Iron Mountain can also be rolled by itself, when
active, to soak aggravated damage. When Iron
Mountain is first activated, the character may use
the advanced power once in the same turn for free.
Advanced: Infernal Fortitude
(limit per scene equal to dots in Iron Mountain):
While Iron Mountain is active, add 1 Suffering
when attempting to soak a single attack. The soak
roll is now perfect, meaning every die is a success.
This upgrade also allows the character to automatically
soak levels of aggravated damage equal to Iron
Mountain against one attack.
Demon Regalia
Hideous yet beautiful; deadly yet glorious. Wicked one,
wear your crown and sword with pride.
The Demon Regalia is not a true Demon Art on its
own, but is universally tied to them: Hungry Dead
characters automatically obtain a new demonic
feature or demon weapon upon learning Levels 1,
3, 5, 7, and 9 of any Demon Art, which represents
a deepening of their hellish nature. Demon Regalia
stays latent until activated.
Accumulate 1 Suffering to summon one piece of
Demon Regalia for the scene. This basic cost may
79
be waived one time if the character already has Black
Wind, Devil Fist, or Iron Mountain active for the
night, but activating multiple Demon Arts at the
same time bestows no additional discount.
Advanced: Infernal Glory
(no limit)
Add 1 Suffering to activate the full Demon Regalia,
or multiple pieces of it, for the scene.
Add 2 Suffering to turn one attack using Demon
Regalia into aggravated damage. This can be decided
after the damage roll is complete.
Example Demon Regalia
Demon Regalia takes the form of either monstrous
mutations or supernatural weaponry, reflecting the
Thousand Hells from which the power springs. Take
note that while the following features are grouped
thematically by Hell, Hungry Dead are not barred
from specific features based on where they escaped
from. Indeed, as they grow in power, and their karmic
debt becomes simultaneously clearer to them and
more complex, the Hungry Dead take on features
that far surpass the tortures they once experienced.
(There is even an argument to be made that the
Hungry Dead are each a new seed of their very own
hell, a line of reasoning that pleases Devil-Tigers
and certain Godlings – But for the purposes of
violence, that’s neither here nor there.)
Half-Devils, due to their nature as a fusion of human
and hell-spirit, are naturally more circumscribed in
how their Demon Regalia manifests, obviously
reflecting their realm of origin. Even so, players
should be encouraged to cosmetically adapt any
demonic features to suit what they want in play.
The Hell of Being Skinned Alive
Barbed Hide - Your skin is visibly covered in hooks,
thorns and harsh textures. Inflict lethal damage by
tackling or grappling opponents, and anyone who
touches you suffers -2 dice to their next move as they
get caught on your skin.
Razor Claws or Horns - Your nails harden and
extend to deadly points, or the entire hand becomes
an elongated reptilian gauntlet – Alternatively,
war-worthy spikes sprout from your forehead. +2
lethal damage dice when attacking in hand-to-hand
combat.
Demon Weapon: Skinner - A heavy club (+2 lethal
damage dice), either made of broken obsidian or
gray stone, covered in shards of razor metal and
glass. If attacking unprotected skin, damage becomes
+3 dice instead.
80
PLAYING A
HALF-DEVIL
As mentioned in Chapter 3, Half-Devils have access
to a special form of Demon Regalia. Unlike Hungry
Dead, it represents the total sum of their power,
aside from those demon-blooded who take the dip
into selling what’s left of their souls. Most new
Half-Devils begin their strange lives possessing one
demonic feature, with additional features
accumulating over time (10 experience points each,
or 5 freebie points to start play as a more seasoned
Half-Devil).
The inhuman features of Half-Devils are always
active and visible, unless the character either rolls
Stamina (Difficulty 7) to hide them for a scene, or
a Willpower point for a full day and night. A lucky
few can obscure their true nature with clothing or
clever use of cosmetics, but as the Half-Devil rises
in power and develops a larger set of hellish features,
this quickly becomes futile. Also, while Half-Devils
don’t deal with Suffering like the Hungry Dead,
their power has a longer and subtler price: Every
feature they possess limits their maximum Humanity
rating by 1.
Finally, whenever a Half-Devil actively uses her
features (i.e. as part of a rolled action), the player or
Storyteller should keep a tally. If Demon Regalia is
used more times per night than 10 minus the
character’s Humanity, he will be overcome with
terrible urges from his darker half. One whose demon
hails from the Hell of Boiling Oil might only be
satisfied with a belly full of meat and grease, while
one with ties to the Demon City of Lanka will
demand dancing, intoxicants and eager lovers all at
hand. The Half-Devil will not be able to benefit
from its Demon Regalia again until such urges are
fully satisfied, which will trigger a Humanity check.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The Hell of Boiling Oil
Burning Secretions - Your blood and spit take on
the texture and heat of pressurized tar. Anyone who
inflicts close-range damage upon you risks taking
damage as if shot (4 lethal dice), as sizzling droplets
fly everywhere.
Caustic Stench - You reek of humans in the fryer,
of burning flesh and hair and worse. Those within
arm’s reach of you suffer -2 dice to their actions,
and those with a gag reflex must roll Stamina once
at Difficulty 7 to avoid losing a turn to retching
(lower difficulty if they came from the Hell of Boiling
Oil).
Demon Weapon: Oil Bomb - A sticky, pulsating
bundle of indeterminate flesh, roughly the size of
a hand grenade. Can detonate remotely (distance
of a large courtyard) with just a thought, causing 3
levels of lethal damage to anyone standing nearby
from the scalding fat and flames. Only one oil bomb
can be active at a time.
The Hell of the Burning Seas
Giant Form - Pressure and the smell of the open
ocean fills the air, as you grow twice your size. Gain
+1 Strength and two -0 health levels, which disappear
at the end of the scene along with any damage in
those levels (except for aggravated damage, which
stays and moves downward).
Toughened Hide - A rough, hard layer of calluses
and barnacles covers your body, equivalent to Class
2 Armor (see V20, page 280), but without the
associated movement penalties.
Demon Weapon: Leech Garrote - A slimy, eel-like
worm, with no eyes but many razor-filled suckers
along its length. It will wrap around targets on its
own and try to strangle them (6 dice to act and
inflict bashing damage), and any direct contact leaves
1 lethal damage per scene as the mouths suckle for
blood.
The Hell of Upside-Down Sinners
Inhuman Movement - Your ligaments, fine
musculature and inner sense of balance allow you
to leap and skitter like an insect, along ledges and
even up walls. The difficulty for all Dexterity-based
rolls (such as combat moves) lowers to 5, and you
may attack from any position with no penalties.
Glider Wings - You sprout leathery flaps from your
arms, or extensions from your back, which allow
you to jump three times your normal distance and
to glide from high positions – indefinitely, if the air
is good.
SCECTION
HAPTERN4: ARTS
AME
Demon Weapon: Whip of Many Paths - A large,
punishing whip (+2 lethal damage), whose end-barb
exists everywhere and nowhere. Treat all attacks with
this weapon as surprise attacks unless the opponent
has some form of supernatural perception active.
Lanka, the Demon City
Extra Arms - You have fully functional limbs coming
from either your back or sides. Gain +2 dice to all
physical actions, representing the ease afforded by
literally having an extra pair of hands available.
Monstrous Maw - Your mouth distends, jaw widening
to fill with razor teeth. +2 lethal damage dice to bite,
and you gain the ability to eat anything that can fit
inside your mouth.
Demon Weapon: Loyal Chakram - A fine circular
blade, which is always stained with fresh blood. Treat
as a short sword (Strength+2) in hand-to-hand
combat, and like a crossbow (5 damage dice) when
thrown with a Dex+Athletics roll, after which it
automatically returns to the hand.
The Night Kingdom
Chilling Touch - Your body blisters with frost-flowers,
and a freezing pain accompanies your every blow.
You benefit from +2 dice to all actions against a
particular target when standing near them, unless
they have a means to resist the cold.
Eyes of Darkness - Your eyes, both the whites and
pupils, turn midnight black – So black, in fact, that
in the next turn they suck all the light from the
room. Only you and others who are able to see in
the dark can move effectively while your eyes are
open, with all others suffering -2 dice to their actions.
Demon Weapon: Weighted Shackles - A thick chain
which, when thrown, wraps around a target and
weighs them down as if they are carrying hundreds
of pounds. Reduce a target’s Strength and Dexterity
by 2 when the chain successfully hits a target.
The Pit of Salt and Iron
Parched Embrace - Your bare skin becomes dry and
hideously cracked. Any mortal grabbed while this
feature is active suffers -2 dice to their actions, as
they lose moisture and become overwhelmed by
thirst.
Long Tongue or Tail - A prehensile and exceptionally
long tongue extends from your mouth like a
rope-dart, or a tail formed from dried and salted
body parts. Gain the ability to grab anything within
the length of a large auditorium, with the ability to
attack or lift equivalent to your own Physical
81
Attributes +1 for lethal damage.
Demon Weapon: Razor-Salt Knuckles - Heavy
knuckle guards made of crystalline white and gray
salt, full of jagged edges. Inflicts +2 lethal damage
dice, and any successful hand-to-hand attack is
extremely painful, giving the target -1 die to all
actions until the damage is healed or the scene ends.
The Wicked City
EMP Aura - You emit a constant pulse that breaks
electronics and scrambles signals within your sight
range. For those within arm’s reach, the pulse is so
strong that they suffer -2 dice to their actions, as
their bones and guts twist to the vibrations.
Chameleon Skin - Your body is covered in metallic
diodes that emit subtle light patterns, allowing you
to blend into your surroundings. Others suffer -2
dice to aim or otherwise locate you – In a dense
urban environment, this becomes -3 dice.
Demon Weapon: Embedded Chainsaw - Exactly
what it sounds like. Your replaced arm – or leg, or
chainsaw sprouting from your forehead – is equivalent
to an ax (+3 lethal damage dice, unconcealable) and
suffers no penalties to attempt dismemberment or
decapitation.
Building Your Own Regalia
You may have noticed that most demonic mutations
deal in straightforward +/-2 dice effects or two related
benefits, and that demon weaponry, whenever
possible, defaults to existing weapons rules. If you
wish to try building your own Demon Regalia (and
not simply reskinning the aesthetics of an existing
feature), use those elements as a general guideline.
Bear in mind that mutations are built into the body,
while demon weapons are potentially powerful but
can be disarmed, making them useless until the
character gets them back or the scene ends. All
effects do bashing or lethal damage – As noted above,
aggravated damage is an upgrade that requires the
accumulation of another point of Suffering.
SOUL ARTS:
ADVANCED CULTIVATION
Four Virtues blaze inside the Hungry Dead: four
sacred states of immortality, four separate souls, or
four realms of the Vedic cosmos ever-blooming
within the corpse-body, depending on who you ask.
When triggered by violence and hatred, the Virtues
can become imbalanced and painful – but when
82
they are properly cultivated, the Soul Arts lead the
Hungry Dead to the very heights of freedom and
mystic insight.
Unique compared to the sequential Demon Arts
and Godbodies, the Soul Arts are:
Individual - The techniques of the Soul Arts are
purchased individually, with the only limit being a
Hungry One’s Virtue rating. A cultivator with Vitality
3, for example, might have just a single level-3
technique to his name, or several level-2 techniques,
or he can purchase a level-1 technique after a level-4.
Refined - These powers represent extensions of soul
cultivation, which is an ability innate to all Hungry
Dead. Aside from the most advanced techniques,
which feature a surcharge to use, all Soul Art
techniques can be used with no additional cost for
the scene once the proper soul state has been
activated (either by spending 1 Chi or rolling the
Virtue at Difficulty 7).
Adventurous - Besides Dragon’s Nests and other
places of spiritual power, the Soul Arts are the
primary means by which the Hungry Dead maintain
relations with spirit beings and the invisible realms.
For those interested in pursuing enlightenment,
deep journeys into the world of the gods is to be
expected.
How to Read These Powers
Every technique has a name, a dot level (i.e. cost to
buy), a brief description, and the systems for effects.
In addition, most techniques have notes under them
in parentheses, which indicate the following:
• Techniques noted with “Special Resistance” can
be either resisted or broken by special individuals,
such as supernaturals or trained Demon Hunters.
This is done through a contested Willpower roll
at difficulty 7, which replaces any roll described
for the technique. If either party also possesses
the relevant Virtue or Aspect for the Soul Art
(see spirit rules, Appendix I), they can add this
trait to the contested roll as well. Lastly, if a
character has a Dharma rating higher than their
Willpower rating, they can roll Dharma+Virtue
instead.
• Techniques noted with “Virtue Variation” means
that it is possible to obtain or develop an
equivalent technique, with a similar core effect,
across one or more other Virtues. Bear in mind
that the thematic strengths and limitations of
each Virtue (e.g. silence for Renunciation, beauty
for Righteousness, health for Vitality, freedom
for Wickedness) will often add secondary effects
to these techniques as well.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Renunciation: The Ghost Arts
The Hungry Dead cultivator can choose to charge
her Ghost Soul for the scene, bringing herself closer
to the nature of honored ancestors and the dearly
departed in the Underworld. Once this state has
been achieved, she may also have the following
techniques at her disposal.
Ghost Mask (•)
The Hungry One moves spectral Chi over her face and
body, giving her the ability to look deeper into the Underworld
and speak to its residents as if she is there with them.
System: The cultivator can already look into the
Shadowlands, but this power allows her to look
deeper, such as into the Tempest or the darkness of
the Labyrinth. To do so, roll Perception+Renuncia-
tion (also adding Occult, if the character has it) at
the difficulty of the local Shroud, adding +1
Difficulty when attempting to look into the Labyrinth.
The Hungry One can also create an illusory body
in the underworld, which allows her to speak with
the dead – though they will immediately recognize
that she is not one of them, and this body
has no actual presence– ironically, it is ghost-like
to them.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “At the Gates
of Wind and Water” for an equivalent using
Vitality)
Crippling Sorrows (•)
One who looks upon the cultivator is reminded,
all at once, of everything they’ve lost.
System: Once per scene, the Hungry One
chooses one target, who must be able to see
him for this technique to work. The player
then rolls Charisma+Renunciation (also
adding Empathy, if the character has it) at a
difficulty of the target’s Willpower. Success
means that the target’s next action is hobbled
by an immediate dice penalty equal to the number
of successes that the Hungry One achieved on his
roll.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Death Lines (•)
The cultivator can unveil the fragility of existence, how
easily things can break and die.
System: The player may roll Perception+Renunciation
at the Difficulty of the local Shroud (also adding
Awareness, if the character has it) when looking
upon a target, and the cultivator will spot a single
one of the target’s immediate weaknesses that could,
with the right leverage and props, end their life that
scene–an arthritic knee, a mind made unstable from
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HAPTERN4: ARTS
AME
the Cainite Beast, a door that can be broken by
striking its hinges, or any variety of other frailties.
The cultivator will not always be able to act immediately
on what she finds, but this knowledge can be tucked
away for the future.
Like a Wisp (••)
The cultivator spreads an inklike layer of Chi over
her entire body, becoming truly invisible to mortal
eyes.
System: The player must declare the use of
this power and spend one turn activating it.
Only those with special senses (such as when
cultivating or using the Auspex Discipline), or
who directly shine a bright light upon her to
make a shadow, can potentially look for the
Hungry One using their standard perception
dice pools. In addition, while the power is ac-
tive, she may add Renunciation as dice to any
Stealth rolls to stay hidden from detection,
which includes dampening other cues such as
footprints or loud noises.
Beacon of Longing (••)
The Hungry One’s Chi lights her up like a white
bonfire – invisible to the living, but alluring to the
dead.
System: Roll Charisma+Renunciation, as well as
Expression if the character has it, at a base difficulty
of the local Shroud. The character may use this light
to attract every ghost in the vicinity, or all of a
particular type of ghost (such as spectres, or the
royal guard of the ghost-emperor Yu Huang –
Add +1 to Difficulty in those cases).
The beacon is visible and a tempting
83
CULTIVATION FOR
MORTALS
The Soul Arts of the Hungry Dead bear some
similarities to real-world practices that fall under
the broad term “cultivation”: martial arts, qigong
and yoga, techniques of mystical and psychological
discipline, even some areas traditionally associated
with geomancy and fortune-reading. This is deliberate,
as the four Virtues and Chi are the primary means
(outside of Dharma) by which the Hungry Dead
may achieve a form of spiritual excellence akin to
Chinese internal alchemy.
Of course, at the mid- to upper levels of the Soul
Arts, things start going into a realm of fantasy that
no mortal, besides a fictional kung-fu master, is
capable of. For the purposes of playing in The Relentless
Age, mortal practitioners of cultivation-type
traditions fall under the quick rules for
building other supernaturals, generally at Rank
0 or 1 (see Appendix I). The Hungry Dead,
as well as their Dhampyr children, should
use the systems for Soul Arts to represent
what they know in this field.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Many Soul Art techniques contain descriptions of
glowing light, dripping blood, golden fire, and
other flashy effects. It should be assumed that only
denizens of the night world with a connection to
the various spirit realms can see these effects in their
full glory. Aside from exceptionally sensitive mortals,
most mundane people might think they see something
for a split second – but then it’s gone, like a dream.
84
lure to ghosts in the vicinity of a large town, though
ghosts who don’t wish to be called may resist.
(Notes: Virtue Variation, Special Resistance)
The Touch of Ghost-Metal (••)
The metal of the underworld is cursed, causing grievous
injury to its native inhabitants. This technique turns any
earthly metal into the same substance.
System: By spending a turn to “charge” a handheld
metal object (such as a crowbar or blade, but even
a spoon will do), a Hungry One can deal aggravated
damage to ghosts, as well as lethal damage in the
physical world, if the object doesn’t do so already.
If the ghost is possessing a human, then the object
can solely do aggravated damage to the ghost inside
the body – and bashing damage to the human host
– at the cultivator’s discretion. She may roll
Renunciation at Difficulty 8 to activate this effect
on other objects that are not made of metal, but
anything made of mundane, non-supernatural
materials will be destroyed at the end of the scene.
(Notes: Virtue Variation)
World of Quiet (•••)
When the cultivator needs to meet in privacy, this technique
drops a shroud over her and her comrades – or her unwitting
victims.
System: By spending a turn rearranging the spectral
energies of the immediate area – no larger than a
small house – the Hungry One dampens sound and
encourages anyone outside the area to overlook it
and walk away, no matter what may be occurring
inside. She may include a number of guests equal
to dots in Renunciation, and only supernaturals
actively searching for the cultivator or her guests
may attempt to resist the effect.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Through the Spider-Lily Gate (•••)
With this technique, the whole of the underworld is open
to the cultivator, if one is willing to walk.
System: The cultivator transforms her flesh into
ghostly plasm and instantly crosses the Shroud,
which can take her into the Shadowlands, the
Tempest, the Dark Kingdoms and beyond. For the
first scene upon crossing into the underworld, the
cultivator’s dice pools never go lower than her
Renunciation score – From the next scene onwards,
the player rolls for actions as normal. To return to
the land of the living, the character must roll
Renunciation (Difficulty equal to Shroud rating) or
spend 1 Chi to activate this power in reverse.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – See “Running with the
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Wolves” and “Mantle of Living Prayers” for unique
equivalents in Vitality and Righteousness)
Making Love to Ghosts (•••)
The folktales are true: To be intimate with the dead is to
eventually join them. The Hungry One releases a spectral
black venom, either directly sprayed from her mouth or as
a mist from her pores.
System: This technique can be activated once per
scene. Anyone who touches the poison or breathes
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CHAPTERN4: ARTS
AME
it in will forget everything they experience for the
rest of the scene. In addition, the Hungry One
inflicts a penalty for the scene: -1 die, plus any
successes from a Renunciation roll at Difficulty 7.
Only supernaturals or special mortals may attempt
to resist – They can roll only once, but one success
removes the memory-altering effects, while each
success after that removes the dice penalty
one-for-one.
Finally, a warning: Mortals targeted more times in
a lunar month than their Stamina rating are fated
to wither away and die within the year.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Haunter’s Rage (••••)
Ghosts are creatures of passionate extremes, which the
cultivator emulates by channeling spectral pandemonium.
System: The Hungry One spends 1 additional Chi
while on the Underworld side of the Shroud, and
for the rest of the scene she may behave as an angry
poltergeist, grabbing objects in the mortal world
and throwing or otherwise destroying them with
her regular Attributes. She may also roll Renunciation
(Difficulty of the local Shroud) to produce haunting
and phantasmagoric effects, such as walls dripping
blood, threats spontaneously carved into mirrors,
or swarms of phantom rats and insects.
Curse of Ashes (••••)
The Hungry One touches their target of choice, leaving
them completely unable to satiate themselves. Hunger,
thirst and lust all become unbearable, but no amount of
food or pleasure helps.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi and choose one
victim. A target touched this way is unable to use
or gain Willpower for the rest of the scene, and even
supernaturals find that they cannot reach within to
spend Blood Points, Rage Points, or the like. The
hunger, thirst and general emptiness that victims
feel will trigger a reaction such as Beast Imbalance
or Frenzy, and mundane targets will gorge – sometimes
to death, if they fail a Willpower check at Difficulty
7. Only supernatural targets can attempt to resist.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Graveyard Song (•••••)
The cultivator finds a quiet place resonant with the dead
and sings a sweet, echoing tune – a dirge or a sad love
song, it’s hard to tell. Old lovers reunite, dead family
members share their secrets, and for a fleeting moment,
the living and the dead are like one.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi and 1 Willpower
point to negate the Shroud in the area – Each level
of Renunciation is equivalent to a small courtyard
85
in range, meaning that Renunciation 5 can merge
the underworld and mortal world in a radius
equivalent to a neighborhood, while elder-level traits
(6 dots+) can potentially engulf an entire town.
While this effect is active, ghosts and mortals are
equally present and physically real to each other.
Electronics immediately fail, any mundane mortals
present will forget once the Shroud reappears, and
even ghosts will suffer afterwards from a dreamy
fugue state (-2 to all rolls), which takes until the next
night to fully shake off.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “Spirited Away” for
a unique equivalent using Vitality)
Death Punch (•••••)
With a single blow, the cultivator separates flesh and
spirit, potentially forever.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi and 1 Willpower
point before the character inflicts a successful strike
upon a target. If the target is mortal (or if they are
supernatural and fail a resistance check), this instantly
pushes the soul out of the body, killing the target
and turning them into a ghost or Langsuir (see
Chapter 6) in the Shadowlands. They have until
sunrise to undo this effect, either by begging for
mercy from the cultivator (who can restore them
instantly), by sacrificing a Willpower dot to force
reconnection at the end of the scene, or by resolving
a major life regret using whatever ghost powers and
allies they can gather for the night – after which the
character can attempt to reconnect to their body
with a successful Willpower roll at Difficulty 7.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Itaewon Necromancy
(Special, • to •••••)
The True Bones of Itaewon, Seoul, have learned an unusual
set of techniques from their Nagaraja friends (see the
section on South Korea in Chapter 6). The megacity of
Seoul and the southern provincial city of Jinhae offer a
wealth of necromantic rituals from the west – and more
still may be found in places such as Siem Reap in
Cambodia, Nagasaki in Japan, and in the city of Hong
Kong.
System: Like a Ghost Art technique, Necromancy
is directly linked to a cultivator’s Renunciation, but
unlike other Soul Arts, Necromancy is purchased
sequentially. Each level of Necromancy unlocks one
free ritual at that level (see Necromancy rituals, V20),
after which the Hungry One may purchase additional
rituals at that level or lower, just like a Cainite
character.
86
Righteousness:
The Heavenly Arts
A Hungry Dead cultivator can choose to use her
Heavenly Soul for the scene, becoming more like
the upright and glorious divinities who live in the
highest realms of heaven – See the section on
cultivation under Virtues, in Chapter 3. Once this
state has been achieved, she may also have the
following techniques at her disposal:
Mortal Perfection (•)
The Hungry One emits divine Chi, which appears to the
spiritually sensitive like wafts of glowing pollen from her
skin. She is ever-prepared and ever-elegant.
System: The player must first declare their use of
this technique for the scene – Then, so long as the
cultivator does not take any supernatural actions
beyond cultivating her Heavenly Soul, she will not
botch any of her rolls, and a number of failed rolls
in the scene equal to her Righteousness can be
automatically rerolled one time. Using any other
supernatural abilities while this is active will
deactivate this technique and bar her from using it
again until the next scene.
The Scent of Heaven’s Favor (•)
The Hungry One takes a deep breath, sniffing out the
finer notes of creativity and destiny like a master perfumer.
System: Once per scene, when the character
encounters something that appears interesting to
her Heavenly Soul senses, the player may ask the
Storyteller a number of questions equal to successes
on a Righteousness roll to get clarification. Example
questions may be “Who is this person?” “Why is
this place covered in threads of destiny?” or “Is
anyone here someone I should be afraid of?”
Any answers the Storyteller gives will be limited by
the character’s breadth of knowledge and deductive
abilities (e.g. “That man is prepared, right now, to
perform an act of great heroism and sacrifice” or
“this hostess bar is full of magical protection, and
what feels like deliberately-nurtured creative spirit”).
Note that anything significantly weaker than the
Hungry One herself, such as a mundane mortal or
a Ghoul, will generally go ignored – a series of
unworthy blips, little more.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “Tears of Hell” for a
unique equivalent using Wickedness and its thematic
associations)
Wayward’s Brand (••)
The Hungry One touches someone, marking them as a
person despised by the gods. People instinctively recoil from
and shun them, leaving them confused and desperate.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
System: Anyone marked in this fashion will suffer
a +2 Difficulty to all their Social rolls, which manifests
as being ignored and mistreated by everyone around
them. Supernaturals can attempt to break the brand
once per scene, but it otherwise lasts for a number
of back-to-back scenes equal to the cultivator’s
Righteousness rating. Only one person can be given
a brand per scene.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Read Destiny (••)
The cultivator looks upon the flow of energy in the Lower
Heavens, watching carefully where it whorls and pools.
System: The player rolls Righteousness, Difficulty
7, to obtain one sentence of direct guidance regarding
a complicated or mysterious situation. The Storyteller
must describe this guidance in terms of a vision of
the near future, the interpretation of which will
require some logical leaps and guesses on the part
of the character. For example, being told “You see
yourself facing a gate made of rusted metal and dried
human body parts, and on the other side lies the
Pit of Salt and Iron” does not immediately tell a
character investigating a murder what really happened
– But they can glean from this vision that demons
are involved.
Each additional success beyond the first allows the
player to ask one question that clarifies the initial
vision, e.g. “Did someone lead me to this gate? Is
there anyone standing there with me? Am I
wounded?” But destiny, it should be noted, is never
set in stone; the Storyteller draws out a vision of
what may pass and what dangers lie ahead (ideally,
based on what they’ve already planned for the story),
but events have already begun to shift through the
simple fact of the character’s foreknowledge. Reading
destiny on a regular basis is a process of constant
reinterpretation and course-correction, as the Hungry
One’s fate changes with each step forward.
Throat-Cage of Heaven (••)
The cultivator lets out a deep hum, or sings while
channeling her upper chakras. Those who hear the
song will freeze in place, bound by spiritual golden
tethers.
System: The Hungry One can tether a number of
targets equal to her Righteousness rating – This
applies to anyone she chooses in earshot, regardless
of whether they’re flesh or spirit, and she does not
actually need to see them in order to ensnare them.
They are unable to move for as long as the sound
continues, though the Hungry One herself has a -2
dice penalty to do anything other than hum or sing
for the scene. Those with the supernatural means
to do so may attempt to resist, but only after they’ve
lost one turn to being tethered.
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AME
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Mantle of Living Prayer (•••)
You can cross into the Lower Heavens, but the creatures
there only trust their own – and with this technique, you
can fool them well enough.
System: The cultivator transforms her flesh into the
golden material of gods and dreams, crossing the
Gauntlet into the Lower Heavens. For the remainder
of that scene, she also has the fantastical appearance
of one of the native dream-beings, preventing any
alarm at the sudden arrival of the Hungry Dead –
add Righteousness to any dice pools for the scene
to charm and deceive Little Gods and living prayers.
87
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “Through the
Spider-Lily Gate” and “Running with the Wolves”
for unique equivalent techniques using
Renunciation and Vitality)
Beloved Champion (•••)
The cultivator designates someone as her personal champion,
touching their forehead with a bloody smear that glows a
vivid, unmistakable gold in the spirit worlds.
System: This technique can be activated by the
cultivator once per scene. The recipient must be a
social subordinate to the Hungry One (such as a
bodyguard), and for the rest of the scene, the target
feels a powerful and obedient love for the cultivator
like a child toward their parents. As part of the deal,
the Hungry One bestows upon their champion a
pool of automatic successes equal to her Righteousness
dots. These automatic successes can be used one at
a time, or they can be combined for one major roll.
Fate of One (•••)
The cultivator creates a lucky sign, which blesses – or
curses – those in his presence.
System: The player rolls Righteousness at Difficulty
7, and the character decides on benediction or
malediction. If the roll is successful, the Hungry
One may name a single item, color, time of day, or
other portent, such as “fresh blood,” “the color
blue,” “Tadamasu’s face of drunken anger,” and so
on. For the rest of the scene, whoever uses this sign
as part of a dramatic roll either gains the cultivator’s
successes as a one-time bonus to their dice pool, or
they get the equivalent in dice taken away in the
case of a curse.
The Gods Are Correct (•••)
Wearing a golden halo that is visible to the spiritually
sensitive, the cultivator asserts her authority and declares
a truth that she herself believes – and the world follows.
System: The player rolls Righteousness and can make
a number of statements for the scene equal to
successes. These can be anything that the character
herself believes, from “human weaklings should shut
up and do what I say,” to “feeding on women and
children is shameful.” Everyone in the scene who
is unable to resist supernatural powers with a
Willpower check will agree and act accordingly:
Security keys will be happily handed over, vampires
doing routine feedings will suffer waves of guilt and
Humanity checks, and so on. Physically harmful
consequences, such as being ordered to step into
traffic for the greater good, can be resisted by anyone,
not just supernaturals.
(Notes: Special Resistance, Virtue Variation – See
“Jeweled Eyes” for a different take on this power
that uses Wickedness)
88
Dance of the Kinnara (••••)
A Hungry One transforms herself for the scene into a
beautiful, golden-winged hybrid of a bird and human. This
form is spiritual, but brims with such glowing potency that
even mundane humans will catch momentary glimpses of
the truth.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi. While in this form,
the cultivator automatically succeeds on any
non-contested rolls for Alertness, Awareness, Athletics,
Empathy, Expression, and Performance, and has
automatic successes equal to Righteousness when
these rolls are contested. In addition, those who
look upon or hear the cultivator suffer a dice penalty
equal to the cultivator’s Righteousness when
attempting to harm her in any way – Only those
who have sufficiently blinded and deafened themselves
are immune.
I Am Your Doom (••••)
An enemy of the gods does not live long – They are named
by the cultivator, and fate moves accordingly.
System: The Hungry One spends 1 additional Chi
and names a target in their direct sight. For the rest
of the scene, the cultivator can convert a number
of the target’s rolls into botches, with a limit per
scene equal to the cultivator’s Righteousness rating.
A supernatural target can attempt one contested
Willpower roll to fight this effect, negating one botch
for each success beyond a tie. Note that the Hungry
One’s player must declare before a roll is actually
made that they want the roll to botch. Additionally,
this does not work to force eruptions of Suffering.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Divinity Key (•••••)
The realms of the Great Wheel open to the master. What
surprises most who achieve this technique is that it actually
manifests as a golden key, which shines with an internal
light.
System: The Hungry One spends 1 additional Chi
and 1 Willpower, and all existing gateways to the
spirit worlds – whether to the Spirit Wilds, the
Underworld, or even the higher heavenly planes
themselves – will open for her on command. Any
required passwords, rituals, or offerings no longer
apply to cross these gates, and she may take a number
of guests with her equal to her Righteousness. As
long as the cultivator continues to feed 1 Chi per
scene into the golden key, she has the protection of
the gods, which has a deceptively simple stipulation:
So long as she and her guests cause no physical harm
whatsoever, no harm will come to them.
Fate of Houses (•••••)
The master of Righteousness pulls destiny in a particular
direction, shaping the future of a specific location.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
System: The cultivator spends 1 additional Chi and
1 Willpower, rolling Righteousness at Difficulty 7.
For each success, in an area equivalent to a city
block, the Hungry One may name a single item,
color, time of day, or other portent – just like the
technique “Fate of One,” except that he may name
multiple signs at once, some as lucky and others
unlucky. For the next scene, whenever any of these
signs is used as part of a dramatic dice roll, the dice
pool immediately obtains the cultivator’s successes
as a dice bonus – Multiple portents can be stacked
(resulting in some truly impressive dice pools), and
the same portent may be used by multiple people
at once. Conversely, dice can be taken away if someone
stumbles onto an unlucky sign.
Each scene thereafter, one of the portents becomes
inert and no longer offers a bonus or penalty, unless
an additional Chi point is donated to maintain it.
And here, the cultivator has access to an additional
trick: He may designate a person, family, Talisman
or Dragon’s Nest to donate the Chi for him, even
if the cultivator himself is gone. This can only be
done at time of activation, after the Hungry One
has already paid the initial Chi and Willpower cost.
Mortal donors don’t need to be aware that they are
giving up their own lifeforce. In downtime situations,
it should be assumed that they are only giving up 3
Chi per day, which is taken at random if there are
multiple donors. The only requirement is that at
least one donor stays in the designated area, and
that no one else attempts to use or feed upon even
a single donor while they are in the area (which
triggers a contested roll, per Special Resistance);
otherwise, the effect will unravel as normal.
Vitality: The Beast Arts
A Hungry One can choose to cultivate her Beast
Soul for the scene, bringing herself closer to the
nature of the wildling creatures who live in the Spirit
Wilds. Once this state has been achieved, she may
also have the following techniques at her disposal:
Tea with Beasts (•)
The speech of animals, from the lowest ant to the greatest
whale, is nothing to the Hungry Dead.
System: There is no roll; the character can simply
talk to animals whenever his Beast Soul is active.
The cultivator’s ability to glean information from a
creature is limited by its area of interest (generally
terrain, threats, or the presence of food), but animals
will be well-inclined and willing to share what they
know. With a roll of Charisma+Vitality (plus Animal
Ken, if they have it), he may send out a call to draw
animals near for a chat.
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At the Gates of Wind and Water (•)
The Hungry One’s eyes swirl pale blue as he resonates
with the Realm of Beasts, with the smallest wildlings
drawing near to him like a cloud of fireflies.
System: The cultivator can already look into the
Spirit Wilds, but this power allows him to take on
an illusory spirit body, which can speak to and be
recognized by the natives. In addition, the lesser,
barely-sentient wildlings (Rank 0) come to him and
move where he beckons, which grants a small boost
of luck similar to feng shui: Roll Charisma+Vitality
to bestow a specific location with a floating pool of
bonus dice equal to successes, which add +1 die to
significant actions in the location until the pool is
gone.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “Ghost Mask” for
the equivalent technique using Renunciation)
Healing Sleep (••)
With a touch, the cultivator bestows the restful hibernation
of winter turning to spring.
System: The Hungry One may touch a target and
put them instantly in a state of sleep for the scene.
Supernatural targets may resist, though this resistance
only lasts for a number of turns equal to the number
of net successes if the cultivator is still touching
them. Once the target has fallen asleep, they are
unconscious unless attacked – And once they awaken,
living beings heal one bashing damage and gain one
Willpower point, while vampires and similar creatures
only regain Willpower. Vampires, it should be noted,
are not forced to spend blood to reawaken.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Goblin Cat (••)
The cultivator can turn any animal into his familiar for
the night – or an army of them, if his Beast Soul is grand
enough.
System: A number of times per scene equal to
Vitality, the player may roll Intelligence + Vitality
(plus Animal Ken, if the character has it) to awaken
the wildling spirit of a small to medium-sized animal,
such as a street dog or a raven. This grants the
creature exceptional intelligence, toughness, and
the ability to follow and convey complex information
(+1 to all Attributes). The animal possesses the kind
of loyalty that will put it in harm's way for its master,
though this intensity only lasts for the first scene.
The spirit gradually subsides afterwards, losing the
bonus from one Attribute of the player's choice every
hour, until it returns to normal at sunrise.
Duke of the Wild (••)
To those with spiritual senses, the Beast Soul cultivator
appears to be consumed by blue-white fire, after which he
89
emerges in the apparent form of a powerful wildling: a
hulking road spirit, or a giant-winged vulture spirit, or
what-have-you.
System: The player must declare use of this power,
and the type of spirit-form that the character takes
on – The character will be able to see and speak to
spirits of that type for the scene, even if he does not
possess the technique “At the Gates of Wind and
Water.” The cultivator's Vitality rating functions as
his Status rating when dealing with said spirits.
Attuning to a specific wildling type costs one turn,
as does dropping an existing attunement.
(Notes: Virtue Variation)
Summon Wildling Spirit (•••)
The cultivator makes a call to a named spirit, which is
irresistible to its ears.
System: The Hungry One must have the spirit’s
name and an object associated with its Domain (see
systems for building spirits in Appendix I), such as
a wooden carving of the spirit or a representation
of its elemental body. Roll Vitality at a Difficulty of
the local Gauntlet to summon the specific spirit,
which the spirit may attempt to resist.
This power theoretically works to call a spirit from
anywhere in the world – distances are not quite the
same in the Spirit Wilds as they are in physical reality
– but in a dramatic scenario, the wildling spirit must
be able to come to the Hungry One within the length
of the scene for this power to work.
(Notes: Special Resistance, Virtue Variation – Note
that this technique can be purchased as a Devil Art
to summon a demon of the Thousand Hells, but
that only the art of Hellweaving can enforce
automatic obedience)
Junkyard Menagerie (•••)
The Hungry One takes a turn to blow a cloud of pale
blue chi from her palm, which settles like dust and awakens
the wildling spirits of inanimate objects.
System: The cultivator spends one turn on activation,
then he may issue a number of simple commands
equal to Vitality, such as "grab that boy," "trip the
men following me,” or “tighten around the man’s
neck – but do it slowly.” Objects in the area will
move like animals and obey within their limitations
– a person's clothes and shoes will tangle and catch,
power lines will unravel, cars will fail to start or will
veer while in motion.
Running with the Wolves (•••)
The beasts of the earth often ignore the Gauntlet in ways
humans cannot, criss-crossing between trails both physical
and spiritual.
90
System: The Hungry One must be running to use
this technique, and preferably in the midst of a chase
-- whether he's the chaser or the chased doesn't
matter. Double the character's speed, and ignore all
mundane barriers between him and his destination.
He can stop his chase in either the physical world
or Spirit Wilds, but crossing from one to the other
while standing in the same location will cost either
1 Chi or a Vitality roll (Difficulty equal to the local
Gauntlet rating).
(Notes: Virtue Variation – See “Through the
Spider-Lily Gate” and “Mantle of Living Prayers”
for equivalent techniques using Vitality and
Righteousness)
God of the Glen (••••)
Hungry Dead traveling the spirit worlds are typically
limited to an approximation of their physical forms, but
not a Beast Soul cultivator.
System: For additional 1 Chi per scene while in the
Spirit Wilds, the Hungry One can perform a one-time
shape change that lasts until he returns to the mortal
world. This means that the cultivator can take on a
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
number of features equal to his Vitality rating –
Features must be those found in the animal world,
but they can be mixed and matched, such as an
elephant’s massiveness combined with a tiger’s lethal
claws. No single feature bestows more than a +2
bonus to a particular type of action, such as +2 for
stalking and attacking while tiger-like in form, but
special benefits like flight or crawling through narrow
spaces may also be granted. Finally, players should
consider a total shapeshift into an animal form (such
as turning into a falcon) to be equivalent to taking
on four features.
(Notes: Virtue Variation)
One Night’s Revival (••••)
The irony of this technique isn’t lost on the horror-savvy.
For a small donation of life-energy, a Hungry One may
vivify a recently dead human or animal corpse, knitting
muscle and bone and skin and forcing the spark of life.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi. The body brought
to life can either be soulless, capable of only
performing the most physical of labor and guard
duties, or the cultivator can force a wildling spirit
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into the body with a contested roll so that it can do
more complex work. Keeping the body running
requires 1 Chi per additional scene, administered
through touch. Note that this technique does not
work on human ghosts unless they have changed
beyond recognition in the Spirit Wilds, but this
technique may be used to initiate the Second Breath
when dealing with a Langsuir (see the section on
Malaysia in Chapter 6).
(Notes: Special Resistance, Virtue Variation – an
equivalent technique using Wickedness will force
life in a way similar to Vitality, but the spirit that
uses the body will be… unpleasant)
Spirited Away (•••••)
On festival nights and full moons, humans may stumble
into the otherworld… and sometimes a cultivator will force
the issue, bringing them together into a massive spirit
storm.
System: For the cost of 1 additional Chi and 1
Willpower point, there is no Gauntlet where the
Hungry One stands – Each level of the cultivator’s
Vitality translates to roughly half a city block. Once
the scene is over, this will result in a one-dot Dragon’s
Nest attuned to the Spirit Wilds, which must be
actively maintained with nightly spirit offerings for
one year before it becomes permanent. But for the
scene itself, this technique causes hurricane-like
destruction, triggering hysterical amnesia in any
mortals present.
For the duration of the storm, bystanders are in
danger of being attacked by spirits, and they may be
trapped in the Spirit Wilds when it ends. If they
are, and it comes to the point where they must take
spirit food and water to survive, they will slowly
transform into spirits themselves. Note that humans
who aren’t rescued after a full lunar month, or who
willingly give up their human form in exchange for
a spirit’s power – perhaps to save a family member
trapped with them, or to survive in a brutal mountain
court – will become spirits permanently.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “Graveyard Song” for
an equivalent technique that uses Renunciation)
Stone Lion (•••••)
The guardian beasts of temples and shrines come alive at
the Hungry One’s will.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi and one Willpower
to awaken and empower the spirit of an object, to
the point where the object itself can physically move
with intention and sapience. The object brought to
life is limited to roughly car-size or smaller, and it
must be shaped like something that could move on
its own; a giant stone cube couldn’t do much, for
example, whereas a temple guardian statue would
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work perfectly. To build a stone lion, assign a Rank
equivalent to half the cultivator’s Vitality (rounded
up) and build according to the spirit rules in Appendix
I. The stone lion’s primary Aspect is Vitality, and
unlike other spirits, it is already physically present
in the mortal world at no cost, using its secondary
Aspect to take actions. Finally, the cultivator must
feed the stone lion 1 Chi per scene to stay active.
Wickedness: The Devil Arts
A Hungry Dead cultivator can choose to cultivate
her Devil Soul for the scene, becoming closer to a
demon of hell: a creature of fury, terror and audacity,
erasing the line between torture and insight.
Cultivators of Wickedness are quick to distinguish
their study of the Devil Soul from Suffering and the
current state of the Thousand Hells – Those things
are interlinked, they say, but they are not one and
the same. To be an enlightened devil is not to revel
in monstrosity, but to rule wisely over pain for a
greater purpose.
Once the cultivated state has been achieved, a Hungry
One may have the following techniques at her
disposal:
Ogre’s Bearing (•)
The cultivator releases an aura of burning Chi, appearing
to the spiritually sensitive like a terrifying, fire-wreathed
devil – but everyone, sensitive or not, feels the fear.
System: This is a supercharged version of the basic
fear created through cultivation of Wickedness,
except now the character may use terror as a cudgel
against anyone. Mechanics are similar to Presence
••, “Dread Gaze” (V20, Disciplines), except that
the maximum dice penalty that can be inflicted per
target, per scene with this fear is equal to the
cultivator’s Wickedness rating.
Read the Inner Darkness (•)
The cultivator looks into someone’s eyes and sees something
they would rather keep hidden.
System: Once per scene, by locking eyes with a single
target (or an equivalent, for those with no eyes), the
Hungry One may roll Wickedness at a Difficulty
equal to the target’s Willpower. Success means that
the cultivator gains insight into one of the target’s
fears, or a clue regarding one of the worst harms
they have inflicted upon another person in the past.
Alternatively, the cultivator may learn one fact or
phrase that will cause the target great emotional
pain, such as “Your daughter still remembers what
you did.” When the Hungry One speaks aloud what
they know, the target suffers a penalty to their next
roll equal to the number of successes the Hungry
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One obtained on the original Wickedness roll.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Tears of Hell (•)
The Hungry One fills her eyes and ears with blood-red
chi, which overflows and drips. Anything marked by
corruption or cruelty is now as clear to her as fireflies in
the night: tormented spirits, Hungry Dead with Suffering,
hidden gates to hell, and more.
System: Once per scene, when the character
encounters something that appears noteworthy to
her Devil Soul senses, the player may ask the Storyteller
a number of questions equal to successes on a
Wickedness roll to get clarification. Example questions
may be “Who is the pale man?” “Why is that person
drowning in curses?” or “Is anyone here someone I
should be afraid of?”
Any answers the Storyteller gives will be limited by
the character’s breadth of knowledge and deductive
abilities (e.g. “It’s human, barely, but it’s hopelessly
addicted to the blood of its masters,” or “we are
standing at the gateway to a dark and hungry maze”).
Note that this technique does not see goodness,
light, or the potential for redemption.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – see “The Scent of
Heaven’s Favor” for a unique equivalent technique
using Righteousness)
Wrathful Ajna (••)
With this technique, the Hungry One’s forehead cracks
open to reveal a smoldering vermillion eye, visible to the
spiritually sensitive. The eye produces black smoke in the
presence of lies – and burns the liars who look upon it.
System: The player must declare their intent to open
the burning eye, which takes one turn. When it is
active, if the cultivator touches someone while that
person is speaking lies, that person will experience
extreme pain as if being burned, inflicting total
immobility until the cultivator pulls away – Mortals
will pass out after a number of successive turns
beyond their Stamina, while supernaturals and
special mortals can choose to resist each turn so that
they can break the hold.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Chainbreaker Meditation (••)
The cultivator crushes her own inner demons with pleasure.
System: The Hungry One in Devil Soul can identify
when she has been subject to any supernatural
attempts to control or hijack her mind (such as
Dominate programming or the effects of the Puppetry
Arcanos). If the effect is still active, then she may
roll Wickedness once per scene to negate the effect’s
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
successes on a one-for-one basis.
Killing Shriek (•••)
The Hungry One’s voice howls with the torments of hell.
System: The cultivator spends a turn and screams
at a single target, and the player rolls Wickedness;
each success converts into either a level of lethal
damage or a single turn that the target spends
stunned, deafened and unable to move. The player
may choose to mix and match between levels of
damage and turns spent paralyzed. This technique
can be blocked by those who can see it coming (e.g.
those with higher initiative) and know to cover their
ears, or if supernatural they may attempt to reflexively
resist.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Jeweled Eyes (•••)
The rakshasa can be as beautiful as they are brutal, if
they choose. The Hungry Dead cultivator exudes a spiritual
cloud of pink-and-crimson charm, to the point where anyone
who looks into his eyes will believe his every word and do
anything for him.
System: Note that to use this power, the character
must lie, exaggerate, and otherwise violate the truth
every time they speak. After a turn to activate, the
cultivator will be believed and obeyed by anyone
close by. For small things – e.g. being allowed into
a VIP club, being perceived as a victim of a violent
robbery – no roll is necessary. For stories that
effectively rewrite a witness’s memory, or requests
that are dangerous, humiliating, and/or
self-destructive, the Hungry One must win a
contested roll. Only those with the training or innate
capacity to resist supernatural illusions may
automatically do so against this technique.
(Notes: Special Resistance, Virtue Variation – see
“The Gods Are Correct” for a thematically flipped
technique using Righteousness)
Shadow Self (•••)
The Hungry One gives life to her Devil Soul, using chi to
animate her shadow into a servant.
System: The cultivator spends a turn to activate the
technique, turning her shadow into a shade-creature
for the rest of the scene. She may use the
shade-creature to take actions from a distance,
grabbing objects or attacking people from anywhere
within sight range as if directly present (notably, the
Demon Arts can extend through the shadow-creature,
but no other powers). Alternately, she may use her
shadow to spy on others or stand guard for a scene
– In this case, the shadow has no physical substance,
but all five senses and the ability to show its master
the scene.
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If the shadow is attacked, it has a number of health
levels equal to the cultivator’s Wickedness. Filling
all health levels, even with bashing damage, forces
the shadow to ripcord back to the Hungry One and
causes one health level of lethal damage, after which
it cannot be reactivated for the rest of the night.
(Notes: Virtue Variation – Any Virtue can
theoretically be used this way, not just the Devil
Soul)
Bloody Foresight (••••)
The cultivator slits his own throat, falls on spikes, faces
the barrel of a gun – and the future is revealed with
earth-shattering clarity.
System: There is no Chi cost for this technique.
Instead, for every point of lethal damage that the
Hungry One deliberately inflicts on himself in a
single blow, he can obtain a pool of three automatic
successes, which can be marked on the character
sheet and used for the rest of the night. These
successes are functionally the same as a Dhampyr’s
pool of Luck, except that they take the form of
prophetic visions, in which the cultivator sees what
would happen if they failed and then chooses
differently.
There are three limitations to this technique: First,
the cultivator can only benefit from damaging himself
this way with a number of health levels equal to his
Wickedness rating (for example, to use all seven
health levels requires Wickedness 7 and produces
the maximum possible pool of 21 successes);
secondly, the cultivator can wound himself only one
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time – taking the results even if they far exceed what
benefits him – and then he can’t use the technique
again until the successes from that particular blow
have been used up. Lastly, successes fade at a rate
of three per scene, as destiny shifts and the future
changes; any successes still unused by sunrise vanish.
Bear in mind that actually dying and falling into
the Lesser Death (see systems in Chapter 3) takes
the character out of action for the remainder of the
scene. After this, they can heal and use the remainder
of their hard-earned luck.
Joyful Spark of Union (••••)
The Demon Arts are a curse, and Suffering a punishment…
But in cultivation, there is hope.
System: Spend 1 additional Chi to activate all of
the character’s basic Demon Arts for the scene. This
includes one of the character’s demonic features,
which will take on a nobler appearance whenever
possible (a rocky, blood-crusted Skinner becomes a
sleek metal club with a bladed end, for example).
Accessing the advanced powers, however, is not
possible with this technique. The moment the
Hungry One gains Suffering, by choice or otherwise,
this effect ends and cannot be accessed again for
the rest of the scene.
Agony Liberation (••••)
The enlightened devil will unchain you with pain – But
you must be willing to die.
System: After spending 1 additional Chi and inflicting
near-lethal torments upon a target – traditionally
94
torture, but a beatdown to Incapacitated will do just
as well – the cultivator can strike a final blow and
roll Wickedness. The target is then allowed to roll
their Willpower, plus extra dice equal to the
cultivator’s successes, to attempt to break free of
their spiritual chains. A botch means death, while
failure leaves most mortal targets dying. However,
each success heals one level of damage inflicted by
the cultivator (even aggravated), and in addition is
profoundly purifying.
One success allows the target to view even their most
entrenched personal habits – violence, callousness,
greed – with compassion, regret, perspective, and a
commitment to change. Two successes removes
addictions and unhealthy attachments, to people
and institutions as well as substances. Three or four
successes can erode a Blood Bond, long-term
Puppetry grooming, or Wyrm taint, while five
successes can break even the most deeply embedded
programming What the person does after they are
free is up to them.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The Final Diadem (•••••)
The Devil master breaks the groundrock of the Thousand
Hells, constructing a palace worthy of an infernal prince.
System: The character spends 1 additional Chi and
1 Willpower and takes a piece of hell, no larger than
half a kilometer all around, for her personal use.
The realm is empty, and her control over it extends
mainly to its appearance, but for the rest of the
scene, the Hungry Dead cultivator is in essence a
Yama King: She is the highest authority, and she
cannot be commanded or cowed while in her domain.
If she leaves the domain to travel to other hells, she
is afforded the respect not of an escapee, but of
fellow royalty – gaining Status (Yama Kings) equal
to Wickedness minus 4. Once the scene ends, the
hell disappears and she returns to the mortal world…
or the Hungry One can maintain this hell, either
by continuously paying the cost or by taking living
humans and trapping them there to die, which
extends the hell for a week. After one year of
maintenance, the hell will choose its nature and
begin to draw souls on its own.
Crack the Tortoise-Shell (•••••)
A favorite of Scorpion Eaters, this master technique allows
the Devil Soul cultivator to shake the very foundation of
a Hungry One’s existence.
System: The character spends 1 additional Chi and
1 Willpower, and poses a question to their target.
The question can be as profound or innocuous as
they wish, but it triggers a check for Suffering in the
target – which can be resisted, but if the cultivator
wins the Willpower challenge, then every success
he obtained will take away from the target’s dice
pool for the Suffering check, making a failure or
botch all the more likely. Characters can only be
targeted by this technique once per night.
Note that this is not a power of corruption, but
about questioning one’s deepest articles of faith.
Against mortals or other supernaturals, this produces
as equivalent an effect as possible: Cainites and
mortals suffer Humanity or Path checks, beast-folk
weaken in their spiritual power, and so on.
(Notes: Special Resistance)
Building Your Own Soul Arts
Obviously, the above Soul Art techniques are not
the entirety of what is possible. Innovation happens
in the night world all the time, and players at the
table may come up with some truly interesting
requests.
In truth, designing new Soul Art techniques is more
art than science. When in doubt, consult the existing
list of techniques, or V20’s Disciplines, to see what
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feels reasonable for a given dot level. Below are some
additional considerations you may want to keep in
mind:
• 1-dot techniques generally deepen perceptions
or have mortal-level blessings: we can all imagine
someone in normal life who floats through every
challenge as with “Mortal Perfection,” or who
can threaten and intimidate until someone is a
sobbing wreck as with “Ogre’s Bearing.”
• 2-dot techniques bring some aspect of the
associated realm’s powers into the mortal world,
but in a broad and diffuse way (like “Beacon of
Longing”) or targeted very specifically (like
“Goblin Cat”). Powers that directly affect the
mortal world are still somewhat limited, though
spirit-only powers and powers that affect only
oneself (like “Chainbreaker Meditation”) have
greater flexibility.
• 3- to 4-dot techniques are where the full range
of the associated realm can come into play, both
in the spirit worlds and in the mortal world. 3
dots is notably where a cultivator can actually
cross the Gauntlet, and you can imagine 4 dots
as being able to bring something of the realm
back with you (e.g. an object, a concept, a spirit)
to the mortal world.
• Master-level techniques are admittedly trickier
to put together. If a technique allows one to play
around with assumptions of the setting (such as
“Crack the Tortoise-Shell” dealing with Suffering,
or “Divinity Key” allowing access to the locked
higher realms of Heaven), or if the effect goes
well beyond what should be physically possible
in the mortal world (such as giving statues life,
minds and the ability to move with “Stone Lion”),
it should be safe to consider it a 5-dot technique.
Finally, bear in mind that the Soul Arts in this book
have been built as much as possible to become more
powerful with higher refinement in the Virtues, as
a way to measure the power of elder characters.
Hence, make sure to have powers rely on dice pools
that involve the Virtue, or that otherwise grant an
effect according to the Virtue rating.
The King of Soul Arts:
The Dragon Tear
In the world of the Hungry Dead, there is easy
respect given to practitioners of the Godbodies, who
have distinguished themselves through massive
transformation. But among students of cultivation,
there is equal reverence for masters of the Soul Arts,
especially those who have achieved the ultimate
excellence: the Dragon Tear, which balances mastery
of all four Virtues at once.
95
The earliest record of the Dragon Tear can be found,
ironically, in the Book of Nod: Saulot, beloved
grandchild of the First Murderer, returns from the
east bearing strange powers and a third eye… and
according to the Chinese and Korean translations,
he is followed by an angry army of demons baying
for his blood.
The oral history of the Celestial Tribe in Gujarat,
India, bears a similar story: Veerabhadra, an avatar
of the god Shiva, defeats a blood-drinking beast and
drags him to Mount Kailash for a proper education,
at the summit of which the creature is tamed and
enlightened – For this reason, the Dragon Tear in
the subcontinent is often called the “Eye of Shiva.”
In China, the Petals of Virtue are familiar with Zao
the Wanderer: a vicious antihero who, in the
Eightfold Lotus Sutra, competes with the immortal
Marquis of Xue to take the pearl of a heavenly
dragon.
Contrary to what some Cainite scholars believe,
these are not stories excoriating barbarian foreigners
and their thieving ways (though certainly, some
Hungry Dead have their opinions). Saulot, Zao the
Wanderer, Veerabhadra’s apprentice: these are tales
of the Dragon Tear’s generosity and greatness, which
the Hungry Dead must learn with humility. The
potential for true excellence lies within all beings,
even blood-gods and beasts – If they are willing to
rise and make the effort.
General Systems
A prospective student of the Dragon Tear must first
learn a 1-dot and 2-dot technique from all four
Virtues. Doing this, then swearing loyalty to a Dragon
Tear Master, will result in a vivid mark manifesting
on the Hungry One’s forehead: a circular or
tear-shaped tilaka, which is visible in every realm.
Dragon Tear techniques are bought sequentually.
A student must have all her Virtue ratings at the
same level as the technique’s dot rating, and she
must also know one Soul Art technique from each
Virtue at the same level – For example, learning
Perfect Eye of Heaven requires learning 3-dot powers
from Renunciation, Righteousness, Vitality, and
Wickedness.
From the moment she understands Perfect Eye of
Heaven, her forehead chakra transforms into a
fully-formed eye, which becomes progressively more
jewel-like and entrancing on the path to mastery,
and which pulses with spiritual power even when
closed.
Finally, note that because the Dragon Tear is linked
to all four Virtues, she may use these techniques
while cultivating any of her four souls.
96
Perfect Eye of Heaven (•••)
The cultivator looks upon all the realms of the Great
Wheel with the eyes of a king.
System: Once the Hungry One has activated the
sight of one Virtue, she may choose to activate all
of them at the same time, for free, by opening her
third eye – which is plainly visible in the mortal
world, and blazing and unmistakable as anything
other than the Dragon Tear in the spirit worlds.
In addition, once per scene while the third eye is
open, she can spend 1 additional Chi to raise a
powerful warding circle against a single type of being,
which can extend at will up to an area equivalent
to a large temple complex. The warding circle
emanates from the cultivator's third eye and lasts
until the end of the scene, unless she wishes to end
it earlier. Anyone attempting to trespass against the
warding circle must engage in an extended Willpower
contest – one roll every five turns at Difficulty 7–
and obtain more successes than the cultivator’s
relevant Virtue rating: e.g. Renunciation against
ghosts, Vitality against werewolves and fae,
Righteousness against most humans, or Wickedness
against corrupted or demonic beings.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
And lastly, something of a side effect: If the cultivator
spends Chi at any point while the third eye is open,
she taps into the eternal web of reality and allows
its essence to flow through her. This takes the form
of vivid but dreamlike visions of the past and future,
which the cultivator must interpret and act upon
with her own judgment.
Dragon Medicine (••••)
The cultivator becomes a healer of wounds… or an
instrument of torment, if she wishes.
System: Spend 1 Chi, open the eye, and touch a
single patient – up to a number of patients per
night equal to her lowest Virtue rating. For the rest
of the night, the cultivator can instantly calm (or
induce) Soul Imbalance, or the frenzy of vampires
and werewolves.
Mortals, too, can have their inner spirit manipulated
this way, becoming unhinged or sedated on
command. The cultivator can also supercharge or
diminish healing, halving (or doubling) the target’s
normal healing times – Hungry Dead or vampires
can treat aggravated damage as lethal for the scene
when attempting to heal, or their lethal damage can
become aggravated and effectively unhealable until
the scene ends. Any psychological damage from the
night (such as Humanity loss) can be rerolled to
overwrite the loss – or rerolled to induce an additional
loss.
Only supernaturals or special mortals have the ability
to break this influence, but it is an uphill battle:
They must engage in an extended Willpower roll,
one roll per scene at Difficulty 8, and achieve more
successes than the Hungry One’s highest Virtue
rating.
Soul Nursery (•••••)
The most feared technique in the night world, this allows
the master of the Dragon Tear to pluck a soul like a ripe
fruit, taking it within herself to either transform or consume.
System: The cultivator spends 1 Chi and 1 Willpower
point, opens the eye, and takes the subject’s soul –
instantly if they’re willing, but only after a contested
Willpower (or Dharma, whichever is higher) roll if
not. The cultivator must then choose:
If they wish to heal, the cultivator introduces the
soul to the root of the cosmos, holding it there to
be transformed. A single night is merely palliative,
canceling 3 points of Suffering from Hungry Dead,
restoring one lost Humanity dot for Cainites, or
removing similar forms of taint (such as a wizard’s
baleful resonance, or the accumulated hatred and
angst of a ghost). But if the cultivator holds the soul
for three full nights past this point – paying 1 Chi
and 1 Willpower upon each sunset – then an even
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deeper and mysterious transformation can be
obtained:
The soul can rearrange the dots within its Attributes,
Abilities, and even its Soul Arts, dot for dot, as the
cosmic root purifies the soul into a greater version
of itself. In addition, Hungry Dead characters can
have their Dharma change to a completely different
one at the same level, or they can be brought back
to Dharma 1 if they reached zero in the last lunar
month (the cultivator herself needs no dharmic
knowledge, for this is the work of destiny itself – in
game terms, any new Dharma is of the player’s choice
for a PC, Storyteller’s choice for an NPC).
Cainites exposed to the cosmic root generally revert
to human Virtues and emerge with Humanity 10 –
though it is also possible for a vampire to change
from a corrupted Path to a more virtuous one, which
they will then need to study in order to maintain.
Half-Devils, most notably, can have their demonic
sides permanently suppressed and their humanity
maximums restored, provided they never again
choose to use their Demon Regalia.
Other supernatural types can change in similar ways,
though the particulars are too numerous to list: In
short, even the most wayward monster, after the
third night is over, can emerge completely redeemed
and set to rights.
If they wish to harm, the cultivator can simply
consume the soul outright. See the next page sidebar,
“Eating Souls," for how this is done.
The Forbidden Art:
Hellweaving
The text known as The Iron Book of the Red Bridge
was once banned in the courts of the Quincunx.
Penned by a night scholar of the Tang Dynasty, the
first half of the Iron Book contains an exceptionally
thorough travelogue of the realms of hell, detailing
over a thousand different fiefdoms and their petty
kings. But the second half is what earned its
prohibition – for in these pages, the author details
a heretical style of soul cultivation, one that eschews
mastering the God, Devil, Beast and Ghost Souls
in favor of the “fifth Virtue” of Suffering.
Since the 1970s, the secrets of the Iron Book have
traveled far and wide, and the Hellweavers who
practice its techniques are not as reviled and hunted
down as they might have been under the great empire
– As a matter of fact, the powers of Hellweaving,
now that they are better known, are rightfully tempting
to young and ambitious Hungry Dead. But those
who revile the art say that it is playing with fire, and
that deliberately cultivating Suffering is inevitably
97
a recipe for disaster.
General Systems
To prepare for the teachings of Hellweaving, a student
must first have at least three Demon Regalia, and
must have experienced at least one significant
unleashing of Suffering (from a minimum of 4
accumulated points). Anyone, at any level of Dharma,
can learn Hellweaving techniques in the order they
wish.
Unlike other Soul Arts, Hellweaving is not linked
to the four Virtues – Instead, if a Hungry One wishes
to use the techniques she has learned, she must
maintain a number of Suffering points equal to the
dots of the highest-level technique being used (for
example, a minimum of 3 Suffering is needed to
use Flowing Canal of Hell, or 5 Suffering to use
both Infernal Road and Wax Seal of the Demon
King at the same time). In addition, each technique
has a specific condition required for its use, without
which the technique is inaccessible or far less useful.
Flowing Canal of Hell (•••)
No Hungry One goes for long without experiencing the
drawbacks of Suffering, and all have wished at some point
that they could control the outbursts of demonic power
that arise. This technique does not completely prevent
chaos and destruction – no matter what, the energies of
hell must come forth. However, a clever Hungry Dead can
mitigate or redirect the flow in useful ways.
System: The Hungry One rolls a dice pool equal to
her current Suffering (plus Dharma, for Ebon Mask
characters) to take control of an unleashing of
Suffering, which can be either her own or that of a
Hungry One in her presence. A failed roll means
nothing happens, while a botch means that the
explosion of Suffering should be scaled up by two
points (see rules for Suffering in Chapter 3). After
the Storyteller describes what happens, each success
obtained on the roll allows the player to change one
word or phrase of the description – "rain of broken
glass" becomes "rain of blood," or "everyone in the
area" becomes "everyone in the area who isn't human."
This can change who is harmed by the collateral
damage, or what specific form the corruption or
disfigurement takes.
Conditions: Must be in the presence of an unleashing
of Suffering. Someone or something must be harmed;
this is unavoidable.
(Note: If using the optional random Suffering
generator in Chapter 5, then one success can be
used to allow the player to change the row of the
effect, while two successes can be used to allow the
player to move the effect down by one column – but
they cannot negate effects entirely.)
98 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 99

EATING SOULS
When an unwilling victim has lost their contested roll and has had their soul taken by a master of the Dragon
AWAKENING MORTALS
Tear, the body immediately falls comatose. It is healthy, but vulnerable, and a soul that has had its body
destroyed will have nothing to return to, even if it frees itself – The soul becomes Langsuir if Hungry Dead At the Storyteller’s discretion, mortals who have been cleansed by the Dragon Tear’s master technique may
(see Malaysia in Chapter 6), or a ghost or wild spirit otherwise. emerge as a Rank 0 supernatural, representing the mystic insight they have gained from touching the cosmic
root. They may develop from there into a full-fledged mortal sorcerer, at Rank 1 and beyond.
For the remainder of the first scene, the soul is in shock from the trauma of separation, leaving the cultivator
free to act as they wish. It is only once the next scene has begun that an unwilling soul begins its battle against For full rules on modeling other supernatural denizens of the night world, see the section in Appendix I.
the bearer of the Dragon Tear. Note that when roleplaying a Dragon Tear user trying to heal others, the
following resistance process can be skipped at a Storyteller’s discretion, provided the character stays in a
Dragon’s Nest or other holy site:

Every turn, the stolen soul spends a Willpower point as it attempts to escape, triggering a contested roll.
The cultivator can spend a point of either Chi or Willpower to veto the contest, further chaining the soul
inside them – or if the cultivator is either overconfident or exhausted, they can allow the roll to proceed. Wax Seal of the Demon King (•••)
(Note that characters with Dharma ratings higher than their Willpower may use the higher trait, as the spirit Quality help is hard to come by, especially for Hungry
of enlightenment adds a force of its own.) If the soul succeeds, it escapes and has the rest of the night to Dead who don’t have the luxury of time to raise Dhampyr
return to its body before the body expires; if the soul fails, the countdown to its final fate continues. While children. Hence, the popularity of this technique: The
this is going on, the bearer of the Dragon Tear can do little else, suffering a -5 dice penalty to do anything hellweaver can summon a demon and have its complete
loyalty. Even if the demon thereafter possesses a human
that isn’t meditation and spiritual battle. and becomes a Half-Devil, the same loyalty applies.
However, if the Hungry One's Suffering should ever dip
Once an unwilling soul has spent its final Willpower point, the bearer of the Dragon Tear can begin the below a certain threshold, they will have to rely on other
process of healing and reshaping the soul as they wish, according to the rules of “Soul Nursery” – Or, at carrots and sticks to maintain the demon’s service
long last, the feasting can begin. afterwards, and it cannot be banished back to hell.
Each turn thereafter, the cultivator is allowed to take one piece of the soul in exchange for one point of System: The Hungry Dead hellweaver rolls a dice
Suffering: an Attribute (including Physical Attributes), an Ability, a piece of Demon Regalia, a Demon Art pool equal to her current Suffering (plus Dharma,
(without Regalia), or an individual technique from the Soul Arts. If the Attribute, Ability or Demon Art is for Ebon Mask characters) to summon a single loyal
at the same or lower rating than the cultivator’s, this does nothing but grant the cultivator access to specific and obedient demon from the Thousand Hells. A
memories and secrets; if they have higher ratings, then the cultivator gains one dot in the appropriate stat, failed roll means nothing happens, while a botch
plus the aforementioned memories and secrets. Soul Art techniques and pieces of Demon Regalia are triggers an unleashing of Suffering. Each success
translates directly to the spirit’s Rank, which
transferred over in their entirety. Bear in mind, however, that the Godbodies cannot be consumed. determines broadly how powerful they are – Rank
1 demons are only about as strong as newborn ghosts,
(Note: When eating the soul of a different supernatural, such as a vampire, wizard or shapeshifter, the while Rank 3 can reach the upper limits of human
cultivator can choose to eat things like Disciplines, Gifts and Rotes, which grants knowledge, memory and intelligence and strength, with one or two
insight, but no practical applications – But they can serve as a teacher for the things they stole, if anyone supernatural powers besides.
should ever find out.)
Conditions: Only one new demon can be summoned
This process is, obviously, horrific. A greedy Dragon Tear master can rapidly accumulate enough Suffering per night. Cannot allow Suffering to go below 3
to automatically trigger either Dharma loss or explosive infernal backlash (see the section on “Suffering” in while active; otherwise, control and loyalty is lost.
Chapter 3). Meanwhile, the soul that has had parts of itself consumed will lose those things permanently,
even if it manages to escape midway: Attributes go down to 1, Abilities and other ratings down to zero, and Dark Cultivation (•••••)
anything lost must be regained through experience points in the regular fashion. Using Soul Arts normally requires patience and forethought:
The masters say it is impossible to cultivate more than
one soul at a time, and everyone knows that only the most
However, the soul can still fight to the bitter end: In exchange for a Willpower dot, it can block the cultivator talented cultivators can quickly move between the four
from stealing one thing – barring them from ever taking it, unless the cultivator spends a Willpower dot in souls without becoming exhausted. This technique, by
turn to overrule the soul’s defense. But this is a risky gambit, as the soul can also spend Willpower dots to simulating cultivation through Suffering, can allow a
attempt to gain freedom once again (which, in a stroke of unfairness, can be vetoed by the cultivator with hellweaver to break those rules with stunning ease.
just 1 Chi or 1 Willpower point, like before).
System: This technique must be purchased once for
Once the feast has ended – either due to an overabundance of Suffering or a total lack of resources on the each of the four Virtues. At any time, the Hungry
part of the cultivator – the stolen soul can demand a final contest: a contested roll using whatever Willpower One may activate this technique and enjoy the
the soul has left, which the cultivator cannot deny. If the soul wins, it is wounded but free; if it loses, the benefits of cultivating that Virtue, including the use
soul dissolves and is gone. If the latter happens, the cultivator can choose to refill their Chi and Willpower of any Soul Arts they know, without rolling or
points, or they can gain a dot of Willpower instead, if the soul they ate came from a being of Dharma. After spending Chi to enter cultivation. He may use this
that, there’s nothing left.
technique even while cultivating a different Virtue
normally, which allows the simultaneous use of Soul
Arts from two Virtues – However, if he possesses
Dark Cultivation for multiple Virtues, the Hungry
One can only use one Dark Cultivation at a time
and must take a turn to switch between them, though
there are no other penalties.
Conditions: Any botched rolls while the technique
is in use – even those unrelated to cultivation – will
automatically trigger an unleashing of Suffering.
Infernal Road (•••••)
With this technique, the hellweaver uses the old pathways
of hell to travel anywhere in the world, twisting through
distance and time on a flaming chariot and arriving in
seconds. The caveat is that the time that gets skipped in
the mortal world very much unfolds normally in hell, with
the Hungry One unable to leave the chariot until the
journey is complete. Depending on how long it takes for
a team of demon horses to cross the distance, the hellweaver
may need to have several bribes ready for hell’s officials,
as well as some pre-prepared “travel meals.”
System: The hellweaver spends a turn opening the
gateway to hell and stepping through it. This
technique is not very useful for multiple bursts of
short-distance teleportation, since there is an official
who must be bribed on the other side of the gate –
1 Chi, or an equivalent such as a richly prepared
meal, an elaborate preparation of funeral paper
sculptures, and so on. The chariot travels at the
speed of a slow car through the torture-gardens of
hell, and there is one official on the road per night
of travel, which necessitates another bribe. The
Hungry One must also spend Chi to stay active
through each “day” and “night,” meaning each 24
hours of traveling requires 2-3 Chi at a minimum.
Conditions: At least one bribe is required, equivalent
to 1 point of Chi, plus a real-time cost in Chi to stay
active. Must maintain Suffering at 5 points or higher
or be trapped in hell until it is regained.
100
Breaking the Dragon’s Neck (•••••••)
There is only one reason, barring insanity or spiritual
obsession, to corrupt a Dragon’s Nest and turn it into a
tiny slice of hell on earth: because you want to have it all
to yourself. Rumors of a lost "companion volume" to the
Iron Book, which details a version of this technique on a
much grander scale, have greatly intensified since the
unveiling of the Wicked City.
System: The Hungry One chooses an existing Dragon’s
Nest. If anyone is responsible for protecting it, the
hellweaver must kill and consume them while
maintaining a minimum of 7 Suffering. Once the
last heart has been drained and eaten, the Hungry
One unleashes her Suffering, which results in a
massive spirit storm that corrupts the Dragon’s Nest.
From then on, only the hellweaver, her close allies,
and other creatures of hell can use the nest without
consequence – Everyone else pays for taking Chi
from the area, either in the form of 1 lost Willpower
point per point of Chi, 1 Suffering per point of Chi,
or an equivalent spiritual corruption that applies to
other supernatural types (such as Wyrm taint or
rolling Humanity).
Conditions: Must unleash Suffering after eating the
Dragon Nest’s guardian(s). The hellweaver is now
the designated guardian.
THE GODBODIES:
FORMULAS FOR ENLIGHTENMENT
The Godbodies represent the pinnacle of Hungry
Dead potential. At the height of the Quincunx,
many of the Godbodies were reserved exclusively
for Hungry Dead of high political status – But after
the Scorpion Eaters burned down the empire of the
night and scattered its libraries to the winds, the
techniques became available to all. Tonight, there
are many students of the Godbodies in the night
world, and it is common for the Hungry Dead to
learn several at the same time.
The Godbodies are:
Transformative - To learn a Godbody is to change
from the baseline state of the Hungry Dead into
something new. Each Godbody’s four preparations
represent permanent transformations to the body
and mind of a Hungry Dead student. In addition
to being always on (called the “passive” ability), these
abilities can be supercharged with an infusion of
Chi, becoming deadlier and more effective
permutations for the scene (called the “active” ability).
Exclusive - Godbodies are linked to Dharma, and
the Hungry Dead cannot reach a Godbody's true
secrets without having Dharma to match – They
must have Dharma 2 to have two dots in any Godbody,
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Dharma 3 for three dots, and so on. Furthermore,
true mastery (what is actually called the “Godbody”;
all prior techniques are “preparations” for the
Godbody) is only possible for one Godbody at
Dharma 5, for two Godbodies at Dharma 6, and so
on.
Transcendent - Every time a character activates the
master technique of a Godbody, they roll Dharma
to see if enlightenment beckons: A simple success
means the Godbody activates with no issues, and
simple failure means that the Hungry One will spend
the scene after the Godbody in a dreamlike state,
suffering -3 to all dice pools as they recover from
touching the edge of existence – A botch, meanwhile,
means that the Godbody fails to activate and inflicts
1 Suffering. But if the Dharma roll obtains successes
equal to the total of 10 minus the character’s Dharma,
the character experiences the insight necessary to
pursue their final enlightenment (see systems for
the Hundred Clouds in Chapter 3).
The Godbody of Ash
and Flame
To the Petals of Virtue, the Godbody of Flame is a
prized art, descended from the “Celestial Form of
Fire” that once embodied the fearlessness and passion
of heaven’s champions. By mastering the Hungry
Dead bane of fire, Demon Immortals who study
Flame aim to approach the glory of their legendary
predecessors, to find joy and enlightenment as the
enemies of righteousness are turned to charcoal.
But there is a different story among the Diamond
Serpents and the Rootless Trees, who have little
patience for the Petals’ myth-worship: They instead
claim that the Godbody of Ash, a sacred art of
purification and sacrifice, was smuggled from the
subcontinent by one of the many warring courts
that predated the Quincunx. While the violent
application of Ash is sometimes necessary for the
greater good, the Human Dharmas grind their teeth
at the burning, graceless thing that their demon
cousins have made.
The preparations for the Godbody of Ash and Flame
are:
First Preparation: Fearless Fire (•)
Teachers of Ash and Flame make use of a special weapon,
a long staff tipped on both ends with torch-fire. Students
of Ash master their fear of flame by learning to dance
through the teacher’s thrusts and swings; students of Flame
go fire for fire, wielding their own burning staves in deadly
sparring matches.
System: The lay student of Ash and Flame does not
risk Soul Imbalance merely from the presence of
fire alone, no matter how large or close by.
SECTION
CHAPTERN4: ARTS
AME 101
Additionally, the student also has a number of soak
dice equal to Ash/Flame solely for protection from
fire, which can stack with Iron Mountain or the use
of Demon Regalia.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One may instantly create a
blood-based elixir which, when consumed by his
allies (one ally for every dot in Dharma), grants the
same benefits to them for the scene.
Second Preparation: Dance of Embers (••)
Initiates of Ash and Flame are made to walk through a
labyrinth constructed from numerous bonfires and torches.
At any moment, the flames can take human form and
embrace the Hungry One (or outright attack, in the case
of Flame), shaped by a watchful adept or master. The
Demon Art of Iron Mountain is forbidden here; if you
burn, you burn.
System: An initiate can move, ward away, or completely
extinguish an existing flame the size of a small
campfire (capable of inflicting 1 aggravated damage
per turn of exposure). A Hungry One can thus
protect himself and possibly one other person in a
burning building, or take a fistful of fire in that
same building and throw it at a hated enemy.
Without fuel, any fire quickly goes out – but finding
things to burn is not so difficult, ultimately.
For 1 Chi per scene, the Hungry One may manipulate
a number of concurrent fires equal to his dots in
Dharma, or can manipulate a larger flame as follows:
3 dots - Bonfire (2 damage per turn)
4 dots - Great Pyre (3 damage per turn)
5+ dots - Inferno (4 damage per turn)
Third Preparation: Beautiful Spark (•••)
Students no longer spend long meditations in the Night
Kingdom, trying to summon warming fire with fingers
frozen solid – Lord Enma, it seems, will no longer tolerate
visitors. The alternative was once freezing caves and
glaciers, but the modern advent of industrial freezers has
been a blessing.
System: The apprentice of Ash and Flame can create
a small, palm-sized flame at any time, which can
then be allowed to burn naturally, or it can float
like a will-o-the-wisp in arm’s reach (or burn over
the apprentice’s eyes and mouth, giving them a
fearsome mask of fire). Directly attacking with this
flame, if the attack is successful, converts one point
of damage into aggravated, but apprentices can also
manipulate the flame into all manner of delightful
and enchanting shapes.
For 1 Chi, the apprentice can create and shape a
number of concurrent small fires equal to dots in
Dharma, or a larger fire according to dots in Dharma
(per the second preparation). This fire is real, does
102
not need additional fuel, and can be used to either
harm or defend – Students of Flame inflict
straightforward fire damage, while students of Ash
prefer protective applications, with levels of armor
equal to dots in Ash/Flame.
Fourth Preparation:
Fire-Tempered Soul (••••)
The “Daylight Meditation” is exactly what it sounds like:
The student of Ash sits before the horizon, staying for as
long as he dares. Among students of Flame, the Meditation
is a battle with blades at sunrise, in which neither is
allowed to stop until one shames himself by calling for
mercy.
System: The adept of Ash and Flame does not suffer
Soul Imbalance from simply being in the sun, though
taking damage from it will still trigger Beast
Imbalance. Additionally, the Hungry One also has
a number of soak dice equal to Ash/Flame solely
for protection from sunlight, which can stack with
Iron Mountain or the use of Demon Regalia.
For 1 Chi, the adept reduces all damage from fire
or sunlight by one level for the scene – For example,
blazing infernos or full direct sunlight are usually
three health levels of damage per turn, but when
this power is active, they inflict two per turn. Small
fires or dim/indirect sunlight can be ignored entirely
when this is in effect.
The Godbody of Ash/
The Godbody of Flame (•••••)
The master is a burning god, wreathed instantly in heat
and destructive power… Or else he becomes as close as the
Hungry Dead can come to a human being, able to walk
in the sun without fear.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower to activate
the Godbody for the scene. Any damage taken from
fire becomes lethal instead of aggravated, and the
prior four preparations (both the passive and 1-Chi
powers) are available for free. Typically, Hungry
Dead only learn one variation of the final Godbody:
The Godbody of Flame turns the body into an
inferno– Barehanded attacks inflict aggravated
damage, burning anything nearby and warping metal
weapons that come too close for too long, and people
within arm’s reach suffer one aggravated damage
per turn that they remain so close.
If one learns the Godbody of Ash, the flame appears
for an instant, then vanishes – For the rest of the
scene, there are no penalties for daytime action. Any
damage taken from sunlight is lethal instead of
aggravated, and even strong noontime sun will only
manage to inflict one health level every two turns.
Note that it is unheard of for Hungry Dead to learn
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
both Godbodies, but it is not impossible – The first
four dots do not need to be purchased again, but
the fifth dot must be purchased twice to access both
permutations.
The Godbody of Blood
The first of the four classic pillars learned by the
Petals of Virtue, the Godbody of Blood is said to
be descended from an art of the heavenly immortals
called the Celestial Form of Water. Like water itself
– which, in the Chinese elemental schema, represents
coldness, wisdom and agility of mind – students of
Blood learn to see their bodies and selves not as a
fixed physical presence, but as something always
shifting and reacting to the world.
The preparations for the Godbody of Blood are:
First Preparation: Eyes in the Blood (•)
A lay student of Blood will have his eyes, nose and tongue
ripped out until he realizes the truth – that he doesn’t
actually need them anymore. Every sense, every qualia of
existence can be experienced entirely through his blood.
System: The lay student spills a tiny amount of his
own blood, which has no cost in Chi – he may also
use blood that he has already spilled in the scene –
and gains total perception of his immediate
surroundings, omnipresent up to the area of a large
warehouse. This includes sensory details that human
eyes would easily miss or can’t even see, such as
spirits or people using supernatural powers to hide
– Add dots in Blood to any Perception dice pools
to see the invisible or obscured.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One can extend his
blood-senses for the scene across several miles,
looking through droplets left as far away as the
opposite end of a city, provided the blood in question
was placed on the scene within the same night. Only
one location can be witnessed this way at a time,
but now he may add dots in Dharma to any Perception
dice pools.
Second Preparation: Flow Like Blood (••)
An initiate of Blood will sit, bound and mummified, across
from a tall vase filled with his own fluids, until he can
draw every last drop back into his body. From this, he
begins to break the illusion of his physical body,
comprehending that his true existence is far more fluid.
System: Once per turn, the initiate can reflexively
dessicate himself to slip out of handcuffs or squeeze
through tight spaces, or bloat his body to brush off
blunt force (adding dots in Blood to bashing soak
dice). This brings his Appearance to 0 and lasts
until he decides to turn off the effect.
With one full turn of touch to a physical target, he
SECTION NAME 103
SELLING YOUR SOUL
It is a very short distance between Hellweaving and outright selling oneself to the Yama Kings. The
forbidden books that contain the rituals of one contain tantalizing fragments of the other, and the
desperation that leads a person to take shortcuts in the first place can fork in either direction.
Every first-time petitioner -- mortal, Hungry Dead, or other -- who successfully constructs a ritual from
forbidden materials and calls upon an agent of the Yama Kings will possess at least one point of
dharmic potential, representing the power of their destiny and their spiritual refinement. Most indi-
viduals have 1-2, while enlightened individuals have 3-4, and 5+ is the domain of legendary holy folk.
The petitioner can trade each point of their dharmic potential in exchange for one of the following:
• Rebuild Life: Removes Flaws -- e.g. severe illnesses, lost limbs, and other debilitating conditions --
by converting existing traits into Freebie Points to buy them off. This can also be used to rearrange
other traits as desired. (There is no net gain. Everything obtained has come at the cost of losing
something else, and the world rewrites itself to accommodate the loss of various talents, heirlooms
and friends. Only the petitioner can remember the way things used to be.)
• Return of Beloved: Returns a family member, friend or lover to life, exactly as they were remem-
bered. (It is the person's body, personality and memories, but rarely their actual soul. When the
dearly departed can't be found in the Thousand Hells, an infernal spirit is used in its place, which
will inevitably change the person over time to resemble the demon. Even a genuinely recovered
soul will eventually show signs of where they came from.)
• Infernal Infusion: Grants the character 21 Freebie Points to use as they wish. This notably allows
the purchase of Soul Arts past one's Virtue ratings, as well as Godbodies beyond the limits of
Dharma. (This power is false and destructive. Any points gained this way should be marked with
an "X." Whenever they are used, any botches will result in accidents of exceptional freakishness
and tragedy.)
Hungry Dead who follow a Dharma will sell levels of their Dharma instead – However, note that mak-
ing this deal will cripple their potential and prevent them from ever growing past the level they sacri-
ficed, unless the deal is undone.
The main problem is that the deal only happens once. After an exchange has been made, the Yama
King’s agent will withdraw and not respond to further calls. The only way to get another chance, or to
undo a deal, is to either receive a task from the Yama King and perform it precisely, to the letter and
to their satisfaction... or to call upon a different Yama King, perform a task for them instead, and
hope that you're clever enough to leverage their ancient rivalries. And if the petitioner is looking for a
second deal, they must also have the dharmic potential to spare -- Otherwise, they will need to trick a
sacrifice into giving up their own spark.
“If I’m going to go to hell,
I don’t want to go alone.”
― Gen Urobuchi
104
can also change the flow of someone else’s blood,
with potentially deadly consequences: Roll Blood
to kill a mundane human, or inflict 1 lethal damage
per success otherwise. For vampires and other undead,
it is instead a -1 die penalty in the next turn for each
success, as the character’s fluids make them
unbearably dizzy. Supernatural targets may roll their
Stamina to resist damage, or to negate the penalty,
whichever is most appropriate.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One makes his body even
more like a flowing current, automatically gaining
his full dodge pool against a number of attacks –
anticipated or otherwise – equal to dots in Dharma.
This may be activated multiple times in a scene,
provided the initiate is willing to pay the cost.
Third Preparation: Lash of Blood (•••)
An apprentice of the higher mysteries of Blood must
meditate in a pile of his own severed body parts, detaching
and reattaching them with intense concentration, until
insight is finally achieved.
System: The apprentice negates all dice penalties
from injury up to his Blood rating, as his blood
holds torn flesh and shattered limbs together.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One can further solidify his
blood into any simple tool or weapon of his choice,
with an aggravated damage dice pool (when
thrown/shot) or dice bonus (when handheld) that
is equal to Dharma.
Fourth Preparation: Bloodwalk (••••)
In ancient nights, students of Blood would test their mettle
by emptying their veins down riverways and into the path
of typhoons. Wherever the water would take them, so
would they go, no matter how far and painful the destination.
System: At this level of understanding, the Hungry
One can travel short distances (about 50 feet, or 15
meters) using his blood – To an observer, he lets his
blood flow beneath a locked door, or flicks it in a
messy arc behind an attacker, upon which his body
appears to dissolve and reform wherever the spilled
blood goes. It takes one turn to let the blood flow,
but the actual movement to the destination is instant.
For 1 Chi and donating one health level’s worth of
blood (marked temporarily as lethal damage), the
apprentice can send himself one time to wherever
that blood gets transported during the night,
effectively teleporting. At his destination, the Hungry
One regains his lost health level, but the transit
inflicts one aggravated health level of damage per
mile of distance traversed – plus five turns spent
reforming his body from the token of blood, during
which he is vulnerable and open to attack.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The Godbody of Blood (•••••)
A master of the Godbody of Blood understands that there
is no true “body” at all, no “self”; there is only blood. He
dissolves into a sloshing pool of blood, or violently explodes
and showers the room with red, and he remains this way
for the rest of the scene.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. While in
this state, the master of Blood may communicate
telepathically with anyone who touches his blood,
and he can even feed from them to replenish his
essence (roll dots in Dharma for each full turn that
a victim is exposed to his blood, resisted by Stamina
for supernaturals only; each success is a point of
Chi gained as if through regular feeding). He has
full access to his Attributes, Abilities and health
levels, forming tentacles and weaponry or flowing
unnaturally wherever he wishes, and he can only be
damaged by fire or other means of physically destroying
his blood. He can also make full use of the prior
four preparations without the need to spend more
Chi.
The Godbody of Bone
In surviving ancient texts – buried in libraries once
considered far-flung and provincial, such as in Lhasa
and Ulaanbaatar – it is stated that the Godbody of
Bone, the second of the immortal corpse-pillars,
was once a legendary art called the “Celestial Form
of Metal.” To embody the element of integrity, force,
and ambition, students of Bone have learned to
become both the immovable object and the
unstoppable force, which they inflict upon themselves
and the world with punishing exactitude.
The preparations for the Godbody of Bone are:
First Preparation: Relentless Bone (•)
In ancient times, lay students of Bone were once allowed
to visit various hells as honored guests, to have the flesh
stripped from their bones as they dragged boulders and
climbed their way up howling mountains. Modern Hungry
Dead tend to prefer simulations over the old way, but the
outcome is the same.
System: A student of Bone gains one extra Bruised
health level, and can also add Bone as a dice bonus
to resist attempts to change one’s body or mind,
whether it comes from a supernatural effect, mundane
persuasion, or a stabbing.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One names a single goal for
the scene, such as “kill this man before me,” or “hold
up the temple pillars until everyone escapes.” For
any actions related to achieving this goal, all dice
penalties from injury can be ignored, and the lay
student of Bone can continue to take actions until
the scene ends, even past what would normally bring
the Final Void.
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Second Preparation: Punishing Bone (••)
Younger Hungry Dead who watch movies are sometimes
tickled to know that Bone initiates really do train by
punching rocks and metal walls with their bare knuckles.
Less amusing is the common practice of burying students
alive, preferably by triggering a rockslide or under a prepared
tonnage of iron ore. There the student of Bone will remain,
until she either obtains the insight and strength to smash
her way out, or she makes her final peace in the darkness
of metal.
System: An initiate of Bone has bone-shattering
strength, automatically adding +1 health level to any
damage after soak when fighting with bare hands
or claws. When lifting or striking objects, add dots
in Bone to her base Strength (see Feats of Strength,
V20 page 411).
For 1 Chi, any damage successfully inflicted from
barehanded combat becomes lethal and adds +2
health levels of damage after soak, as bones crack
and splinter to the touch. In addition, the Hungry
One now multiplies her Strength rating by Dharma+1
for the purpose of Feats of Strength.
Third Preparation: Bone Obedience (•••)
To become an apprentice of the higher mysteries of Bone,
the student subjects herself to the ministrations of a master,
allowing her bones to be warped and twisted in painful
and puzzling configurations. Then it is simply a matter
of sitting in meditation until she reaches sufficient insight
to break herself back into the proper shape, and from there
to go beyond. In eastern Japan they associate this training
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with Ebisu, the boneless leech-child of myth and one of
the Seven Gods of Fortune.
System: An apprentice of Bone can shape her own
bones into any tool she wishes, within certain bounds
of practicality and time: It takes one turn to create
a key from a fingertip, or to create cosmetic changes
by changing one’s bone structure. It takes two turns
for claws similar to those given by the Discipline of
Protean, and three turns to craft a short sword or
shield from one’s forearm, which is the upper limit
in terms of size. Any weaponry inflicts aggravated
damage, and has a damage or defensive dice bonus
equal to the character’s dots in Bone. Note that
anything crafted from bone reverts back to normal
at the end of the scene.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One may render her bones
instantly into a single tool or weapon that she has
crafted in the past, or she can extend the time limit
of a single tool or weapon so that it lasts until sunrise.
Any damage or defensive dice bonus is now equal
to dots in Dharma.
Fourth Preparation:
Garden of Bones (••••)
At the gateway to mastery, an adept of Bone turns her
knowledge outward, experimenting with skeletons both
living and dead. Unlike prior trainings, to obtain this
technique requires a different kind of relentlessness: a quiet
and studious drive to twist, break, mend, and repeat, over
and over, through the screams of the Hungry One’s various
test subjects – until, at last, understanding comes.
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System: The adept of Bone can now use Bone
Obedience on others. In most cases, this is not a
quick endeavor: A mortal or supernatural target
must be immobilized at least for the duration that
the student of Bone needs to make her changes,
plus three turns in the beginning for her to touch
and assess the skeleton she’ll be working with. The
student may also use inert bones – such as a bead
necklace made of ox knuckles, or a random severed
leg – which she can shape just as quickly as if working
with her own bones.
Unlike changes she makes on herself, changes done
on objects or people are permanent, unless the target
has a supernatural capacity to heal. Bear in mind
that supernatural targets will normally trigger a
contested roll of the student’s Strength+Bone versus
the target’s Stamina (plus supernatural trait if
applicable). Subjects usually survive all but the most
extreme modifications – If she wishes, however, the
student of Bone can use this ability to make a
bone-warping attack, dealing Strength+Bone dice
in lethal damage.
For 1 Chi, the student of Bone can enact instant
changes on objects or people, as in Bone Obedience.
The Godbody of Bone (•••••)
The master of Bone does not bend to the world; she cuts
through it like a knife through sinew and fat. When
activated, the Godbody gives the Hungry One a pale and
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
polished shine, as though her entire body has become
ossified. Bodhisattvas of the Bone Flowers and other
ancient Hungry Dead may instead have bodies of pure
black metal, so dark that it sucks away the light around
it.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. For the rest
of the scene, the master ignores all bashing damage,
and automatically halves lethal damage as though
it were bashing – only aggravated damage follows
the usual rules. In addition, the master can use both
the passive and active powers of the prior four
preparations with no additional cost.
The Godbody of Devotion
Gods don’t need the worship of humans; they deserve
it. This is an important distinction, which is lost on
the ignorant.
Outsiders to the Celestial Tribe call their signature
art “Prayer-Eating” – a deadly insult, as it implies
that the begging of humans is the only thing that
sustains their grandeur. In ancient nights, when
mortals made sacrifices by firelight and drank from
bowls of sacred soma, humans held no such illusions
of their own power; by worshiping the gods, they
were reaching out to beings who had existed long
before them, and who would endure for long after.
The Godbody of Devotion affirms this truth: With
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this art, the Godlings reify their divine nature, raising
mortals to behold the glory of the deva.
To learn the Godbody of Devotion, the Hungry
Dead must first have followers: mortals who partake
in a chosen sacrament and worship her as a god.
One act of worship makes the mortal a follower
until the next full moon, after which they must
perform another act of worship or let their faith
lapse – This can be coerced through fear just as easily
as love, as worshippers of the more terrifying gods
can attest.
To attain the Godbody of Devotion, a Godling must
first learn the following steps:
First Preparation: The Flow of Worship (•)
Unlike other Godbodies, the first stage of the Godbody of
Devotion is as natural as opening a door. A fledgling
Godling rarely believes in their own divinity right from
the start; they must be convinced through experience. But
once the Godling knows the truth and obtains their first
follower, the whispers quickly begin.
System: The Godling hears the thoughts and prayers
of his followers as a constant whisper, which he can
choose to listen to simply by focusing. This includes
even unconscious, dark and humiliating thoughts,
which the follower can resist sharing with a Difficulty
8 Willpower roll (Though the Godling will know
what happened; this cannot be hidden).
For 1 Chi, the Godling can speak directly to his
chosen followers for the scene, transmitting words
directly into their minds. He may only speak to one
follower at a time, but this works anywhere in the
world, and can only be blocked by supernatural
powers.
Second Preparation:
Your God Beckons (••)
Unlike the heavenly gods, the Godlings cannot be everywhere
or see everything their followers do. However, it does not
take long striding through the Lower Heavens, rewarding
and punishing followers as one sees fit, before destiny and
space begin to kowtow to the Godling – as they ought.
System: At any time, the Godling can call a follower
or group of followers to come to him. The world
may passively assist where it can – e.g. a run of green
lights, an expert taxi driver – but the follower
otherwise uses whatever means and ability they have,
and aside from knowing they have been summoned
and where to go, there is no special compulsion.
For 1 Chi, the Godling can instead come to a follower,
weaving through fortuitous shortcuts and shallow
spirit-roads to reach them. The Godling must be
unencumbered to use this power, but assuming they
are free and able, they can move across the physical
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distance as if driving a very fast sports car with zero
obstructions.
Third Preparation:
Touch of the Asura (•••)
In theory, a god is never required to answer prayers; it is
only their will and divine vision that leads a Godling to
fulfill their followers’ desires. In practice, though, Godlings
tend to enjoy having legions of followers, and they are
quickly taught how to keep the mortals happy and obedient.
System: Once per scene, the Godling can grant a
small wish or inflict a minor curse upon a number
of followers equal to his dots in Devotion. This is
represented as a pool of automatic successes or a
pool of negated successes for each follower, each
pool being equal to his dots in Devotion. Most
mundane twists of fortune, lasting for a few nights
at most, are possible for the Godling to bestow in
this way.
For 1 Chi, the Godling can impose a significant
change on a number of followers equal to his dots
in Dharma. This is represented through their
Backgrounds, Merits and Flaws– The number of
points that can be added or taken away for each
person is equal to the Godling’s dots in Devotion.
Examples include turning a sickly person into the
model of health (adding a Merit), granting monetary
transformation (adding or taking away Resources),
or twisting a beautiful person with horrific ugliness
and infirmity (inflicting a Flaw). The gift or curse
is still at a mortal scale, but is life-changing for those
at the receiving end.
At the Storyteller’s discretion, these followers may
even be granted some form of supernatural insight,
represented as Rank 0 in the system for representing
other supernaturals (see Appendix I). This can make
them more effective servants of the Godling, able
to maneuver through the night world as few mortals
can.
Fourth Preparation: Festival Night (••••)
The signature power of the Godlings, and the source of
the insulting name of “Prayer-Eating,” a Hungry One
comes to understand their direct connection to the flow
of spirituality and worship in the mortal world. This
normally comes after the Godling enjoys their first true
festival in their honor.
System: Once per night, the Godling may transform
an area into a temporary Dragon’s Nest for the scene,
provided they are in the midst of public or semi-public
religious celebrations – Level 2 if it is a festival
honoring the Godling, Level 1 if it is a god with
whom the Godling claims close kinship. Like any
Dragon’s Nest, the Godling can absorb Chi by resting
there and partaking in celebrations. The local
Gauntlet is also lowered, and the sudden presence
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of an empowered god draws in curious spirits.
For 1 Chi, the celebration becomes equivalent to a
Level 3 Dragon’s Nest, and everyone actively partaking
in the festivities gains a floating pool of bonus dice
equal to the Godling’s dots in Dharma, which they
can draw upon anytime during the festival. The Chi
absorbed in this context is flavorful, energizing, and
utterly intoxicating, appearing in the form of a sticky
golden nectar that coats the fingers and lips of
Godlings and mortals alike, as they slip together
into divine ecstasy.
The Godbody of Devotion (•••••)
The Godbody of Devotion, when activated at full mastery,
brings the Godling’s mortal followers into complete
communion with her, body and soul.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. For the
length of the scene, all the Godling’s followers across
the world have a wordless, intuitive understanding
of what the Godling wants and needs at any given
moment, and they enjoy automatic successes equal
to half the Godling’s dots in Dharma (rounded
down) for any actions performed explicitly and
openly in the name of their god. This includes the
edge of what is possible for a mortal, such as resisting
supernatural mind control, or continuing to remain
conscious and active past their final health level.
It is also impossible for her followers to intentionally
harm her or work against her while the Godbody is
active, while any non-followers in the Godling’s
presence must succeed in a contested Willpower or
Dharma roll (whichever is higher) if they wish to do
so. Finally, note that the Godling has access to all
four prior preparations for free, though wherever
she is must be made into a sufficiently worthy festival
before she may use Festival Night.
The Godbody of Flesh
Wood is the element of creativity, sensuality and
growth – and the Godbody of Flesh is nothing if
not endlessly creative, capable of horrors to assault
all the senses. Just as the ancient “Celestial Form of
Wood” was said to blur the line between the heavenly
immortals and the natural world, so too does the
ego dissolve in the beauty of Flesh, reinventing
tendon, bone and viscera in ways that would make
the daylight world blanch.
The preparations for the Godbody of Flesh are:
First Preparation: Excellent Corpse (•)
Many creative deaths await the lay student of Flesh:
hanged, sawed in half, crushed in a compactor... Eventually,
the Hungry One comes to understand that there is an art
to dying, that even a corpse contains infinite possibilities
of expression.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
In parts of Southeast Asia, this training facilitates the
time-honored practice of separating one's upper and lower
body when going out to hunt – a reminder to the Hungry
Dead, among other things, that there is a time to act
human and a time to be honest.
System: The lay student of Flesh has near-complete
control over the superficial state of his body. No
matter how many health levels he has marked, he
appears perfectly healthy and whole; conversely, he
may elect to look disemboweled, drowned, burned
to a crisp, etc. These death-features manifest instantly
and will remain for as long as the Hungry One wants.
However, without the use of Chi, he must maintain
bodily integrity – He cannot pretend to get chopped
up and fed to fish in the harbor.
For 1 Chi, the lay student can now detach and
reattach limbs, torso, and even his head for the
scene. This allows for even more creative deaths –
but more importantly, the Hungry One still has
control over his limbs, which can crawl or float in
the air at running speed so long as they remain
within half a football field from the head. Each
detached body part possesses one or more of the
Hungry One’s health levels (which he chooses at
the moment of detachment), and will fall
limp if taken out of range.
(Note that performing separate,
concurrent actions with various limbs
falls under rules for multiple actions.)
Second Preparation:
Flowers of Flesh (••)
The traditional practice of ritually
decapitating a student and burying his
head in a garden, so he may reform
himself from the remains of other buried
corpses and learn the transitive nature
of flesh, has become less common over
time – Among some Hungry Dead, it’s
even considered a bit rustic.
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System: The initiate of Flesh can make unique and
horrific changes to his body. The process is slow
(ten minutes to craft one new feature), but the
possibilities are endless: He can make a set of working
eyes in his back, for example, or craft an insect-like
pelesit from a finger detached using Excellent Corpse.
If his own flesh does not have enough mass, the
initiate must consume at least 1 Chi worth of
“donated” flesh to provide more raw material.
As a rule, any functional features should only augment
one or two Abilities or a single Attribute, with a
unique benefit and a dice bonus equal to the student’s
dots in Flesh: Extra eyes will add to Perception and
prevent surprise attacks, a limb turned into a pelesit
can act independently all night and have a dice pool
equal to Flesh, extra arms can add to Brawl and
Performance and remove the dice penalty for two
concurrent actions, and so on. The student may
have a number of active flesh creations equal to his
dots in Flesh, and they last until sunrise.
For 1 Chi, any single change can be made to last for
a lunar month, or the Hungry One may spend 1
Chi to instantly sculpt a feature that he has made
in the past, even features that require a great deal
of extra flesh. Features built by spending Chi still
have the same time limit, but now the potential dice
bonus is equal to the student’s dots in Dharma.
Third Preparation: Human Sculpture (•••)
To take pleasure in one’s own flesh is one thing; to
painstakingly mimic every blink and twitch of a living
human being is quite another. Like a student of the visual
arts, the apprentice of the higher mysteries of Flesh studies
form, figure and motion with single-minded intensity,
graduating only when he has chosen a target and copied
them to perfection – sometimes to the point where the
original is singled out as an “imposter” and summarily
dealt with by those he loved and trusted.
System: The apprentice of Flesh can mimic any
human form ranging from pubescence to old age.
This does not alter Attributes or health levels, only
the outward appearance, unless Flowers of Flesh is
also being used at the same time. If the Hungry
Dead student has tasted the target’s blood in the
last lunar month, or has studied them for a full night
in the same period of time, the change can be done
in ten seconds, with no prior preparation.
Otherwise, it requires one hour of dedicated sculpting,
and even those without supernatural perceptions
may roll Perception + Alertness to gain an inkling
that they are talking to a lookalike. This
transformation lasts until sunrise, or whenever the
Hungry One chooses during the night, whereupon
he instantly reverts to his original form.
For 1 Chi, a transformation can be made to last for
a lunar month, or the Hungry One may spend 1
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Chi to sculpt instantly and perfectly into a form he
has taken before.
Fourth Preparation:
A Thousand Forms of Flesh (••••)
There are stories of the heavenly immortals spending time
as elegant stallions, or as monkeys in the mountains. In
modern nights, a student of Flesh is brought to this
enlightenment when a master transforms him into a
sparrow or other small creature, and themselves into an
apex predator. The student is not allowed to return to
human form until he is as fluid and protean as the
immortals of legend – or until the master, in
disappointment, twists the student into a horror and locks
him away to meditate on his failures.
System: The student can now use Flesh Sculpture
to take the forms of human infants or the forms of
animals, which can exist in reality or be grounded
versions of mythological beasts (such as a qilin or
an imugi). Transformations can be as small as a
mouse or as large as an elephant, but health levels
and Attributes remain the same as one’s human
form – Though it is worth noting that a clawed
animal will inflict lethal damage, and that a bird
can obviously fly.
For 1 Chi, a transformation can be made to last for
a lunar month. Alternately, the Hungry One may
spend 1 Chi to sculpt himself instantly, either into
a single familiar form (as in Flesh Sculpture) or into
a swarm of smaller creatures, with each one
representing a single health level (as in Excellent
Corpse) – In the latter case, one creature in the
swarm represents the head, and another the heart.
The Godbody of Flesh (•••••)
Unlike the other corpse-pillars of the Demon Immortals,
the Godbody of Flesh is difficult to describe as a specific
form: The master, in his perfected state, becomes a vector
of pure change. All forms are available to him, and all
flesh he touches is like raw clay for the sculpting.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. The Hungry
Dead master can use the prior four preparations for
the scene at no additional cost, and can now use
these techniques on others (except that death-features
inflicted on others can become very real, and most
targets can't do anything special with a detached
limb or head). Changes done to others are
permanent, for however long they can live in such
a state – unless the target is supernatural, in which
case they can roll Stamina plus an applicable
supernatural trait to both resist and undo any
changes.
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The Godbody of Illusion
The Godbody of Illusion is the crown of Mayaparisatya,
the sacred tool by which they point at the truth of
the universe and laugh. This Godbody also one of
the rare instances in which the blood clans of India
can teach their Hungry Dead cousins a thing or two:
A master of Chimerstry (5+) who follows the Eastern
Path of Paradox can teach the Godbody of Illusion
to Hungry Dead up to the third level, though the
upper echelons are still reserved for tutelage under
one’s own kind.
To attain the Godbody of Illusion, the Hungry Dead
must first learn the following steps:
First Preparation: The Root of Illusion (•)
Desire is the root of illusion; this is the first lesson all
followers learn. A master forces the lay student of Illusion
to recognize the hollowness of his attachments, even his
deepest and most defining loves – But it is not the master’s
job to twist and destroy these connections; the student
should do such things himself.
System: The Hungry One can roll dots in Illusion
(Diff. 7) to unveil a single unspoken desire per
success, which can come from anyone in the
immediate vicinity. Once per scene, he may choose
to enhance one of those desires, making it irresistible
unless the target spends a Willpower point to
overcome it (supernaturals may choose a Willpower
roll at Difficulty 8, spending a point if they fail).
For 1 Chi, the lay student can wrap a target so
completely in desire for the scene that they are pulled
into a distracting delusion: one where perhaps a
long-dead child has lived, or where a soul-crushed
addict finally feels fulfilled. Only physical harm can
end this effect prematurely. This effect can be resisted
by supernaturals with a contested Willpower roll,
but many do not wish to do so – In fact, the despair
when this effect ends can be unbearable.
Second Preparation: Non-Self (••)
A master of Illusion can weave an illusion so complete
that those within it believe they are what the master says
they are: a humble postman, a sultry lover, a serial killer,
a beggar. And when the dream fades, and the student of
Illusion wakes up to what they really are, where else can
that lead but enlightenment?
System: The initiate can weave a personal illusion
once per scene, taking on the appearance of any
mundane person, thing or animal that they wish.
Most mundane humans will be fooled, but any
serious incongruities or the use of supernatural
senses can easily pierce the illusion (with a contested
Willpower roll, replacing Willpower with Dharma
if it is higher)
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
For 1 Chi, the illusion is perfect – vocal tics, body
odor, supernatural features, even spiritual aura and
destiny will take on the qualities that the Hungry
One wishes for. However, these traits are superficial
(e.g. the appearance of a tiger does not translate to
real claws or strength), and supernaturals can attempt
to see the truth by engaging in a contested Willpower
or Dharma roll, as above.
Third Preparation:
Glittering Paradise (•••)
Once the student of Illusion understands the basics, they
usually pursue illusion-craft with wild abandon. The jump
from initiate to apprentice occurs when the student
experiences an enormous failure, suffering the consequences
of an illusion that falls apart. Then they must sit in the
wreckage, whatever it may be, and rebuild.
System: Once per scene when fully concentrating,
the apprentice can weave a complex, multisensory
illusion that encompasses his immediate
environment – a gilded ballroom full of dancers,
for example, or a cliff’s edge by the roaring sea.
For 1 Chi, the illusion functions without the need
to concentrate, and it lasts for the scene or until it
is dispelled. Again, supernaturals can attempt to see
the truth by engaging in a contested Willpower or
Dharma roll.
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Fourth Preparation: Rakshasa Blade (••••)
Again and again, the master reminds the student: They
are not imposing illusions upon the real world – There is
no real world. A so-called illusion is no different from
so-called truth. This technique goes a long way toward
demonstrating this Dharmic principle, but sometimes an
adept must lose a finger or foot before it sinks in.
System: Once per scene, the adept can conjure a
“real” handheld object out of the realm of illusion.
Such items are physically present and usable for
their basic function (such as car keys, spare change,
or a pen), and can even be given to others – but they
are brittle, crumbling into nothing at the end of the
scene, or when someone tries to damage them.
For 1 Chi, the object in question is as real as real
can be for a scene. This ability can still make any
handheld object, but adepts are most known for the
titular weapon: a fine curved sword of black metal,
which inflicts Strength+Illusion aggravated damage.
The Godbody of Illusion (•••••)
The Godbody of Illusion is an illusion-world so complete
that the “real” world bends entirely to its will, for however
brief a time.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. When the
Hungry One activates this power at full mastery, the
world around her becomes completely malleable.
Scenery, objects and people can appear or disappear,
no matter how extreme or fantastical, according to
the Hungry One’s whim. For the duration of the
scene, everything that happens is real: Only
individuals who succeed in a contested Willpower
or Dharma roll can break the illusion, while everyone
else (aside from the master) is trapped and suffers
virtual damage when harmed – For the weak-willed,
such psychic trauma can be accidentally lethal.
When the scene ends, all damage vanishes, and
nothing of the illusion-world remains, save for exactly
one thing of the master’s choice: an item, a change,
or a death. If the Hungry One who activated the
Godbody can be reminded of the universal illusion
before sunrise (e.g. she experiences a genuine surprise,
or a moment of insight, due to other characters’
actions), then even that effect can be undone.
Otherwise, it is permanent.
The Godbody of Jade
According to the Petals of Virtue, jade is earth
infused with the principle of enlightenment – Why
else would the precious talismans left behind by
ascended Conquerors be made of jade more than
anything else? The Islamic Ram-Hearted don’t find
this bit of lore particularly relevant, but they practice
the “Blessed Form of Earth” nonetheless, viewing
it as a virtuous connection to the world around
111
them.
To attain the Godbody of Jade, the Hungry Dead
student first learns the following steps:
First Preparation: Smiling at Thunder (•)
The stereotypical first training in Jade is an exercise in
melodrama: a thunderstorm, a jagged cliffside with a long
fall and crushing surf below, both master and student
barefoot on a slippery path, armed with only fists or knives.
The fight does not end until the master says it’s over.
System: The lay student of Jade is unencumbered
by even the most extreme environmental conditions,
though she can still take damage from fire and heat.
She is fully rooted where she is; no wind or slippery
surfaces will hinder her, and even walking on a
tightrope or being underwater won’t pose any
penalties to her movements – though actively being
imprisoned or immobilized is a different matter.
For 1 Chi, the student’s intuitive connection to the
environment becomes more expansive for the scene.
She may touch any surface – the earth, a tree, a
pond, the side of a building – and sense the presence
of any beings nearby within an area equivalent to a
large temple complex, even individuals who are
trying to hide. Those who are specifically trying to
escape the notice of the student of Jade will trigger
a contested Willpower roll, replacing Willpower
with Dharma if it is higher.
Second Preparation:
Tread the Dragon’s Tail (••)
Many treatises have been written about the proper
movements and postures necessary to achieve understanding
of Jade. They are not entirely unhelpful, but there is no
substitute for direct experience – The initiate who wishes
to master this technique must eventually take a literal
leap of faith.
System: The initiate becomes as light as a feather,
able to run up walls and on water and leaping
incredible distances. Multiply her jumping distance
by dots in Jade, which also multiplies her safe falling
distance by the same amount. The character also
gains dots in Jade as a floating pool of bonus dice,
refreshing each scene, which she can use for actions
that involve actively using or interacting with the
physical environment around her.
For 1 Chi, she may increase her personal benefit
for the scene by dots in Dharma instead of Jade –
Alternatively, she may reach into a target's energetic
flow via touch and inflict a penalty equal to dots in
Jade for the scene, as the target becomes sluggish
and spiritually bound to the earth. This can be
resisted by supernaturals using a contested Willpower
or Dharma roll, whichever is higher.
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Third Preparation: Earth’s Embrace (•••)
The Hell of Being Buried Alive is a minor hell-realm,
reserved for those who killed others in this very fashion. It
is a quiet, grassy field, dotted with a handful of young
trees and nothing more – But if you listen to the wind
very carefully, you may be able to hear the muffled screams
of promising students.
System: With a turn of concentration, the apprentice
may sink into the earth when she pleases, to hide
or rest in the soil beneath the ground. See the rules
for Protean 3, “Earth Meld” (see Disciplines in V20),
with the additional stipulation that the Hungry One
can move past barriers like concrete or brick as well
– They part for her, then seamlessly return to form.
Reemerging also takes a turn, and she comes back
in exactly the same place she sank into.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One may move within the
earth or inside stone walls at a jogging speed,
reemerging anywhere she wishes before the scene is
out. Moving in and out more than once requires
additional expenditure of Chi.
Fourth Preparation:
Catching the Wind (••••)
To fly like a celestial maiden, one may study for years and
decades, or one may journey to the gates of the higher
Heavens, petitioning the glorious spirits to teach a lowly
Hungry One their ways… Or one can find a celestial
maiden exiled to earth, feed on her divine blood, and
meditate on the beauty that has been forever lost.
System: The adept catches the delicate flow of Chi
in the air, allowing her to fly at jogging speed after
a turn of concentration. She can only carry objects
or people according to what her Strength allows,
beyond which she is unable to obtain sufficient lift.
While in the air, the Hungry One can attack
unprepared foes, enjoying the benefits of a surprise
attack.
For 1 Chi, she may move at astonishing speeds once
high in flight, equivalent to the pace of a bullet train
for the scene. Note that she will naturally avoid
collision with birds or planes, but that she is not
automatically immune to damage from a deliberate
impact to her flight course – treat this similarly to
damage from being hit by a vehicle.
The Godbody of Jade (•••••)
The Godbody of Jade turns the Hungry Dead into divinities
of the earth. The ground, sky, and corpse-body are like
one, for however long the master can make it last.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. For the
duration of the scene, the master’s body dissolves
into the land, making an area the size of a large
temple complex into an extension of herself: She
can control and observe the physical environment,
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
moving its parts as if she has hands and eyes
everywhere, and she is able to act using her normal
Attributes and Abilities – a stone throws itself, or
tree branches sway and creak into new shapes.
However, she is still only able to focus and act on
one thing at a time (unless using multiple action
rules), even though her "body" now has incredible
reach.
Furthermore, the master can choose to form a single
avatar of her body at will, taking five turns to either
create or dissolve it. The avatar has her exact
appearance and has the benefits of all four prior
preparations for free – but her true heart is buried
somewhere in the soil, without which she cannot
be harmed short of burning the entire place to the
ground. Someone who wishes to defeat the master
may try to find the heart with a Perception+Awareness
roll, and can use a blessed stake or fire once it has
been located and unburied. If the heart is successfully
attacked, the effect instantly ends and the fleshly
body reforms itself.
The Godbody of Poxes
The gods of poxes and other illnesses were once
preeminent in mortal worship. The shamanic Veils
of Korea hold that there are still hundreds, even
thousands of pox-gods still active in the world,
euphemistically referred to as “the guests.” Among
the Godlings of the Celestial Tribe who align
themselves with the healer-devi Shitala or her
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subordinate, the fever god Jvarasura, the Godbody
of Poxes is one of the premier postures of divinity,
embracing the terrifying moment when mortal life
brushes with the beyond.
To attain the Godbody of Poxes, the Hungry Dead
must learn the following steps:
First Preparation:
Touch of the Stranger (•)
There is no shortage of the sick and dying in this world.
The compassionate lay student lives among them, learning
to bestow a healing touch – or, at times, letting the
inevitable take hold with less delay. But not every student
of Poxes is so kind.
System: With just a touch, the Hungry One can
alleviate or worsen the illnesses of mortals– the
change occurs slowly, over the course of the night.
If used to alleviate, any illness will go into remission
for a number of weeks equal to the student’s dots
in Poxes. If used to make illnesses worse, progress
the illness using dots in Poxes as a guideline – The
illness appears or becomes persistent at Poxes 1,
moves to a worse stage at Poxes 2, develops into a
severe illness at Poxes 3, and becomes a terminal
version at Poxes 4. This also lasts for a number of
weeks equal to the student’s dots in Poxes, or until
the victim dies.
For 1 Chi, the student can alleviate or worsen mortal
illness instantly and permanently, according to dots rest of the scene, they take either 1 bashing damage
in Poxes. Alternatively, the student may touch a or lose 1 Chi. Only supernatural targets may attempt
supernatural target and simulate the effects of any to roll Willpower and break the effect, but they must
illness for one night, inflicting a persistent penalty obtain more successes than the Hungry One’s dots
equal to dots in Poxes. This can only be resisted with in Dharma, and every roll after the first costs 1
an extended Willpower challenge (one roll per scene) WIllpower point.
that must beat the Hungry One’s dots in Dharma.
Third Preparation: Fever’s Purity (•••)
Second Preparation: The apprentice of Poxes accepts a crushing fever, granted
Hemorrhagic Strike (••) by a master or by a powerful spirit – perhaps one of the
The initiate of Poxes must swallow a parasite demon, pox-gods still wandering the Korean peninsula, or a sickly
traditionally taken from the Hell of Burrowing Maggots. functionary of the Wicked City who carries a box of
This creature coils around the Hungry One’s dead organs dubious syringes. Unfortunately, it takes far more than
and sups at her stolen blood, as the student meditates in one bout of fever to understand its purifying powers.
silent agony. Eventually, the body absorbs and destroys
the demon– But the memory of pain has taught its lesson. System: The Hungry One can reflexively roll
Stamina+Poxes (plus Medicine, if the apprentice has
System: The Hungry One can inflict barehanded it) at Difficulty 8 to initiate a fever – She is sweating,
lethal damage, which manifests as painful internal trembling and glassy-eyed, suffering -3 to all dice
bleeding. With just a casual touch, he may also inflict rolls for at approximately half the night, or several
1 health level of lethal damage, which continues hours.
and grows every three turns (approximately ten
seconds) of unbroken contact. Supernaturals who However, once the illness passes, she will be free of
have the ability to soak lethal damage may do so all mind control and supernatural bonds, and she
when faced with this power. regains a point of Willpower as she sees the world
with beautiful, fever-broken clarity. Furthemore, the
For 1 Chi and a successful attack (even if all damage Storyteller provides one clue about a situation that
is soaked), the initiate can inflict a terrible blow: currently troubles her, which takes the form of a
Every time the victim takes a physical action for the
114
vision of the future, or a voice from an unseen guide
speaking to her in the fever’s heat.
For 1 Chi, she may bestow this fever on others,
which can kill a mortal who fails a Stamina check
at Difficulty 8.
Fourth Preparation:
Wild-Eyed Bulwark (••••)
It is said that the higher mysteries of the Godbody of Poxes
were in a text stolen from the Mistress of Pestilence herself,
smuggled out of the Thousand Hells by having each word
transformed into an illness. Those illnesses still appear in
the world, waiting for careful and watchful adepts to find,
assemble and interpret them.
System: Once per scene, the Hungry One can declare
use of this power and automatically downgrade the
damage from a single attack roll before the damage
dice are rolled – Aggravated levels become lethal,
lethal becomes bashing (and is halved accordingly),
while bashing damage remains unchanged. The
maximum health levels that can be altered this way
is equal to the adept’s dots in Poxes. Whenever this
power is activated, the Hungry One suffers -2 to all
Social rolls for the rest of the scene, as sores, yellow
skin, bloody gums and other symptoms appear on
his body.
For 1 Chi, this power can be extended to a number
of damage rolls equal to Dharma. When this happens,
reduce the adept’s Appearance to zero and penalize
Social rolls by -3.
The Godbody of Poxes (•••••)
The Godbody of Poxes, when activated at full mastery, is
the raw power of sickness – and feverish insight – given
form.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. For the
duration of the scene, all who approach within sight
range of the Hungry One must succeed in a roll
(higher of Stamina or Dharma, Difficulty 8) or be
struck by bleeding sores, fevers, and other debilitating
afflictions, which penalize their actions as if they
have reached the Crippled stage on their health
levels (-5 dice to all actions). Only supernaturals
have the option of ignoring the penalty once imposed,
which they can do by spending one Willpower point
per action. Supernaturals who botch during this
time will become incapacitated, while most mortals
who botch will die.
Even the master’s comrades will sicken if they are
in range, making this Godbody an especially
dangerous and frowned-upon art. However, there
is an odd silver lining for victims that the Hungry
Dead calls friends: As a result of the illness, at least
one ally will gain a powerful psychic gift (such as
being able to peer directly into one of the Thousand
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Hells, or knowing exactly where a desired target is
hiding in the city). Like illness itself, this gift is
unpredictable – but it is most powerful at the moment
when the sickness strikes, fading quickly once the
scene ends and disappearing at sunrise. Use the
Soul Arts as a guideline for these powers, assigning
dots equal to dots in Dharma and taking away one
power per scene.
Finally, the master has full access to all four prior
preparations for no additional cost.
The Godbody of Storms
Millions live on the coastlines of Asia – millions
who give their prayers to the gods of sea and sky,
who wake up at certain times of the year to watch
the weather forecast with trepidation. They are simply
aware of a sobering truth, which is that there’s only
a hair’s breadth between life-giving rains and deadly
floods, between crisp winds and the kinds of
whipping gales that can destroy towns. The Hungry
Dead may disagree on exactly how they came to
harness and codify such thundering power, but none
can deny that the Godbody of Storms is an
awe-inspiring symbol, both of enlightenment and
of pure destruction.
To attain the Godbody of Storms, a student must
first learn the following steps:
First Preparation: Breath of the Sky (•)
A lay student of Storms watches the air above and studies
its movements, meditating under hail and rain as well as
starlit skies. More bestial or impatient students will drink
the spirit-essence of sylphs, or strap themselves into silken
kites to more directly meditate on the power of wind.
System: The wind is at the Hungry One’s command.
Not only is she immune to natural sources of wind,
but she can summon and control brief gusts of air
for various purposes: to obtain distant sounds and
smells (or muffle them out), to blow documents out
of someone’s hands and into her own, to throw up
dust from the ground for a quick escape, and so on.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry Dead student can call upon
much stronger winds for the scene, enough to throw
a man off the edge of a building if taken by surprise
– or to overwhelm a human’s lungs or eardrums,
rendering them incapacitated upon a successful
strike to the relevant area. When the wind is
specifically directed at a target, that person must
roll the lower of Strength or Dexterity, Difficulty 8,
to stay upright.
Second Preparation: Arms of the Sea (••)
There are mermaids and gods of the sea – not just the
Mother of the Depths and her silver-scaled children, but
true beings of the earth’s waters, possessed of sagely
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ARTS
intelligence and great magic. A student of Storms, with
or without a master, seeks out these beings and petitions
them for wisdom.
System: The Hungry One now controls any water
she touches, extending her senses and will in a
limited fashion: She can sense the presence of
someone sneaking across a wet floor or through a
misty rain, for example, or she can shift the sea’s
currents to keep a swimmer’s face just below water
as they try to surface for breath.
For 1 Chi, she can actively control a body of water
for the scene like an extension of herself, up to the
size of an Olympic swimming pool. Alternately, in
the absence of a water source, she can move in close
with her fists, inflicting lethal damage (plus dots in
Godbody of Storms) on objects or people, which
manifests as severe water damage or drowning.
Third Preparation:
Thunderbolt’s Kiss (•••)
Finding a lightning bolt to be struck by is still quite difficult
in the age of electricity. A ripped power line will not do,
and not even a building-sized generator gone amok is
enough; it must be a true, natural thunderbolt from the
sky, not summoned or created, but drawn directly to the
hand – and of course, it must then be survived.
System: Once per scene, the apprentice’s touch
becomes literally charged with electricity. If a target
touches the Hungry One’s bare hands or takes a hit
from an all-metal weapon, they will be stunned and
frozen in place for several turns (6 minus Stamina,
minimum 1) as their body is run through by energy.
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One can instead call down
a bolt of lightning, which requires either a turn to
aim or a Perception+Wits roll to strike instantly,
causing six dice of aggravated damage. Individuals
who know and have seen this effect before can
attempt a Dexterity+Athletics roll to dodge: Difficulty
8 if the Hungry One is spending time on aim,
Difficulty 9 (supernaturals only) otherwise.
115
Fourth Preparation:
Chamber-Bed of Clouds (••••)
Water, air, the invisible charge of power: All the necessary
ingredients are in place, and the adept of Storms
traditionally spends years understanding the craft necessary
to forge them into the magic of weather. In this age of
devilish prodigies, however, a Hungry One may learn to
wield the rain in much less time than before.
System: This strange power allows the Hungry One
to summon dark rain clouds, which are able to pour
anything from a light sprinkle (indefinitely) to heavy
flood rains (one scene per night).
For 1 Chi, the Hungry One can pull herself and up
to three companions into one of these storm clouds,
riding incognito for as far as the winds will take
them in a night. They fly comfortably as if in the
eye of a hurricane, and are able to see – or possibly
att ack – t argets below with a successful
Perception+Alertness roll.
The Godbody of Storms (•••••)
The full power of the Godbody of Storms is the raw,
unadulterated devastation of nature – But it can be
controlled, if one is very careful.
System: Spend 3 Chi and 1 Willpower. When the
Godbody of Storms is unleashed at full mastery,
black clouds completely blot out the sky, allowing
vampires and other creatures to operate during the
day unimpeded. But this is no blessing, for the
Hungry Dead master has just birthed a localized
Category 5 typhoon; now she must either use its
power or lose control of it.
For the rest of the scene, the master rules over rain,
wind, lightning and tide, able to direct the raw force
of the elements against any target in sight range.
When attacking, use a dice pool of Dharma+Godbody
of Storms, with aggravated damage set at a dice pool
of 5 plus any successes. Every turn, the Hungry One
must choose a specific target to attack – If she
hesitates or is knocked out of concentration for even
a single turn, she can still direct the storm for the
remainder of the scene, but it will not dissipate
afterwards. Instead, the typhoon will continue
unabated, to wreak whatever devastation it will.
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COMBINING ARTS
Demon Arts may be used reflexively anytime, unless
specifically prohibited or constrained (as in the Soul
Art technique “Joyful Spark of Union”). Soul Arts
can also be used at any time, subject to whichever
Virtue is currently being cultivated. And Godbody
preparations may be used whenever the Hungry
One wishes, even if other effects are active – The
only hard limitation is the Godbody itself, which is
an icon of enlightenment and cannot be active with
other Godbodies (though preparations are fine).
Hence, combining most Arts is simply a matter of
using them together. For example, one of the
Ram-Hearted would be remiss not to use both Tread
the Dragon’s Tail (Jade ••) with the Demon Arts
and Demon Regalia in a battle with evil. But
combinations of the Soul Arts and Godbodies, or
• A savvy Godling can use The Flow of Worship
(Devotion •) with The Scent of Heaven’s Favor
(Righteousness •) to detect which prayers have
the mark of good fortune upon them.
• A gifted Demon Immortal, possessing the first
four preparations of Bone and two of Flesh, can
craft complex servants made of wolf bones and
held together by pieces of his sinew, which are
capable of moving on their own.
It should also come as no surprise that the Hungry
Dead have developed certain Soul Art techniques
to work in conjunction with Godbodies, in order
to enhance or diversify their standard effects. These
techniques are often secret, passed down through
master-student relationships as a marker of their
lineage.
System: The cultivator uses the passive power of
Chamber-Bed of Clouds while cultivating her Ghost
Soul, and then spends 1 Chi. The rain is both
physical and spiritual, falling upon the Shadowlands
with a healing touch – Roll Renunciation, Difficulty
7, with successes equaling the number of Chi points
restored to any ghosts who stand under the rain.
Mortals standing in the physical rain, however, suffer
greatly; the number of successes instead equals their
dice penalty for all rolls for the rest of the scene, as
their strength is sapped away and returns only
gradually (1 die restored per subsequent scene).
Note: There must be at least one ghost in the rain,
and there must be at least one mortal. Beyond that, THE POWER OF
it doesn’t matter who or how many.
DHARMA:
Clarity Comes Before the End

The following are a few instances of such power as

two Godbodies together, can also lead to some
interesting permutations:
• To attack a ghost with a blood-weapon made
from Lash of Blood (Blood •••), one simply
has to charge the blood-weapon using The Touch
of Ghost-Metal (Renunciation ••).
• To bestow a crawling pelesit made from Flowers
of Flesh (Flesh ••) with some sapience and
critical thinking ability, a cultivator could use
One Night’s Revival (Vitality ••••) to knit a
wildling spirit to the corpse-servant.
they may exist across the night world, and creative
players and Storytellers are encouraged to create
more:
Example Conjunctive Arts
Ghost Rain
(Renunciation ••••,
requires Godbody of Storms ••••)
The adept of Storms, trained by the Bone Flower librarians
of Shigatse, Tibet, can summon waters that feed and
restore the departed ancestors – for a small price.
(Vitality ••••, requires Godbody of Poxes •)
Among the True Bones of Gangnam, there is a complex
curse that they enjoy particularly for its irony: to burn
with life and energy, until it all snuffs out at once.
System: The cultivator uses the active power of Touch
of the Stranger (spending 1 Chi) while cultivating
his Beast Soul, then touches a mortal target. The
target will then enjoy a bonus to all of their dice
pools which is equal to the Hungry One’s Vitality,
lasting for a number of weeks equal to the mortal’s
Stamina. They will report feeling on top of the world,
like they can do anything, like they’re unstoppable…
and then they will rapidly deteriorate, suffering one
point of bashing damage for every roll they made
while in their “high” state. For unscrupulous Hungry
Ones, who want someone disposable yet useful for
however long they have them, this is one way to
accomplish what they want.
A DESIGN NOTE
Some care has been taken to avoid circumstances
where Dharma is automatically added to dice pools
or provides automatic bonuses, so that Dharma
ratings are rarely a factor in powers that are not
Godbodies or their preparations. Dharma can replace
Willpower in a roll if it is higher, but there should
be almost no instances of rolling both Willpower
and Dharma together, for example. This was a
deliberate choice – Masters, Grandmasters, and
Great Sages have immense power available to them,
but Dharma is a spiritual key to open the way to
such powers, not the measure of power in itself.
Those who wish to customize and build new powers,
such as through Conjunctive Arts, should keep this
principle in mind.

Dream-Being
(Righteousness •••,
requires Godbody of Illusion ••••)
No realm is truly real, not flesh and not spirit. The adept
of illusion, trained by the southern Mayaparisatya in
Bangalore, demonstrates this by populating the Lower
Heavens with pure desire given form.

System: The adept uses the active form of Rakshasa

Blade (spending 1 Chi) while cultivating his Heavenly
Soul, then spends 1 additional Chi. The Hungry
One may instantly create a brand-new spirit in the
Lower Heavens with a Rank equal to half his
Righteousness score, rounded up. For the rest of
the scene, the spirit is loyal to the cultivator and
follows his commands; after that, it is a free creature
and can think for itself, for good or ill. Also, unless
the cultivator sacrifices a dot of Willpower or the
spirit latches onto a powerful source of Chi, it will
gradually fade, losing one dot of Aspects per scene.
118 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN5: STORYTELLING IN THE RELENTLESS AGE
AME 119

The God of Being Crushed to Death

(Wickedness •••••,
requires Godbody of Bone ••••)
With a name and a suitable sacrifice, cultivators of the
Night-Temple use this trick to mete out a spectacularly
gory justice.

System: The Hungry One first spends 1 additional

Chi and 1 Willpower while cultivating the Devil
Soul, and then speaks the name of a single target.
The additional Chi and Willpower cost may be
waived if the cultivator gets a mortal sacrifice to
speak the name instead, though this human will die
painfully the moment the effect does its work.

If the target is mortal, they can now be manipulated

using Garden of Bone for the rest of the scene, no
matter where they are in the world. They can be
twisted however the cultivator pleases – Or the
cultivator can simply spend 1 more Chi and make
a change instantly, such as the Night-Temple’s favored
method of squashing their victims’ skeletons into
pizza.

Note that if the target is supernatural or a special

mortal, there are stipulations: The cultivator may
only inflict levels of aggravated damage in a scene
equal to her net successes on a contested
Willpower+Virtue roll, must be physically in the
same city to attempt this technique, and cannot try
again for a lunar month if the attempt fails or falls
short.

(Notes: Special Resistance)

“Isn't it a pleasure
to study and practice
what you have learned?”
― Kong Fuzi
120 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
You’ve learned of the Hungry Dead and how they
work, the powers they have at their disposal, and
how to build a character. In the next chapters over,
you’ll find overviews of regions, example characters,
and story hooks. Soon, if you have some receptive
people around you, it will be time to put it all together
and play.
With that in mind, this chapter contains some brief
advice that may be helpful as you make your own
stories of the Hungry Dead and the night world.
PLAYING WITH THEME AND MOOD
There are five defining thematic elements of Kindred
of the East: The Relentless Age. Not only do they set
the tone and mood of the setting, but they also
create expectations as far as what kinds of stories
one can most easily tell among the Hungry Dead
and the night world.
Hell
Violence, so quick and merciless that no one is prepared
for it: a broken nose, the wet snap of an arm bending too
far backwards, a keening scream. Along the walls, candlelit
statues of the gods watch the blood flow, silent and uncaring
of what happens next.
Memorials for the dead on the side of roads and in dusty
corners – they are long abandoned, even broken and
vandalized, with profanities written on the stones. Those
who pass by them look away, a feeling of shame and
embarrassment curdling their hearts.
A kabuki oni mask, tusked and snarling, worn by a passing
child at a festival. The child is laughing, the sound of it
piercing and seeming somehow hateful: Is he laughing at
something funny? Is that little bastard laughing at you?
Hell is fear. Hell is rage poisoning your world,
siphoning away everything you love. Hell is
blasphemy and taking pleasure in the darkening age.
The infernal curse of Suffering builds up inside the
Hungry Dead, as slow and deadly as quicksand – or
perhaps very quickly, if your character enjoys the
Demon Arts. In a violent world filled with afflictions,
there are vanishingly few options to mitigate
Suffering that don't involve some kind of sacrifice…
and at the same time, there are so many temptations
to give in and just inflict pain.
Storytellers wishing to emphasize Hell should work
with the details of Suffering, in particular how it
rises and becomes a curse-laden eruption. Consider
the following questions for your players and their
characters:
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AME
• Where do the characters’ Demon Arts and
Demon Regalia come from? Did they steal those
powers to escape, earn them afterwards, or were
they forced upon them as part of their Hell’s
tortures?
• If the player is interested in more Demon Regalia,
do they have an end goal in mind – a “perfect”
demon form? Does the character actually want
this – and if so, what do they have in mind for
its use?
• Who is one person (or type of person) that the
character hates, that they would love to see suffer
and experience pain? Would they admit this to
anyone? To themselves?
(See pages 122-123 for an optional tool.)
Hunger
The smell of a hundred different food stalls operating on
one street – and nearby, the hollow, swishing sound of a
beggar’s bowl, held out by nearly skeletal hands. But don’t
give anything, the people insist; the poor will eat you alive
if you let them.
An illegal party, a gathering in a dockside warehouse.
Candy-colored party drugs on the tips of tongues; the reek
of sweat and alcohol, along with more intimate smells.
Bodies pressed together, strobe lights making them look
like ancient paintings of lust.
The overwhelming noises and music of a pachinko parlor,
which almost distracts from the hollow-eyed desperation
that clings to every gambler. Unexpectedly, someone wins;
they celebrate, bathed in the glare of a hundred hateful
eyes.
Hunger is need; it is craving. Hunger is an emptiness
that can never be filled, a void so painful you’ll do
anything to make it go away.
Chi drains from the Hungry Dead with each passing
night, even if the characters do nothing at all.
Eventually, they must always face their hunger, doing
terrible things to sate it. The main sources of Chi
that do not require violence – Talismans and
Dragon’s Nests – are viciously fought over and
hoarded by what seems like every being in the
universe.
Storytellers wishing to emphasize Hunger should
think about the constant need for Chi, and the
desperate environments Hungry Dead find themselves
in to get it. Consider the following questions for
your players and their characters:
• Where is the most common place in the city to
feed? How much does its environment twist to
121
accommodate the Hungry Dead – Are there
business motels with blackout curtains? A surplus
of alleyways? Do wildlings and Little Gods know
never to go there?
• Are there lines the characters won’t cross to get
their fix of Chi – people they never wish to use
for food? Are there other victims they might feel
sorry for, but will justify attacking when the need
is enough?
• Have the characters ever killed anyone for Chi?
Do they remember what happened, and who
their victims were? Did they try to make amends,
or was that never a problem?
Optional Tool: The Golden Affliction
The golden blood of the Little Gods is the one
source of addiction that the Hungry Dead are still
vulnerable to. Nothing else compares – not street
drugs, not the world’s most elaborate orgy; nothing
even comes close. If a character, knowing this, decides
to feed on a heavenly being anyway, this is what will
happen to them.
System: Mark any points of “Golden Chi” gained
from feeding on a Little God with an X. The Hungry
One can choose between using regular Chi or Golden
Chi at any given time. Just one point of Golden Chi
allows the Hungry One to rise for five consecutive
nights without needing to spend additional Chi.
During this time, he can also cultivate Righteousness
without having to spend Chi or roll, and switching
to different Virtues in the same scene incurs no
penalties (though 1 Chi or a Virtue roll is still
required to cultivate the other Virtues, albeit at -2
Difficulty to roll activation).
If there is any drawback, it is only that the Hungry
One suffers a +1 Difficulty to resist Beast Imbalance
when in the presence of a vulnerable, isolated Little
God. However, the player or Storyteller should keep
a tally. Once ten points of Golden Chi have been
obtained and spent, the degradation begins.
First, the character no longer derives quality sustenance
from regular blood or breath – He must drain twice
the Chi from a victim to refill every point of regular
Chi in his pool. This effect remains until the character
abstains from Golden Chi for at least a lunar month,
but it returns in full force every time he feeds on
the precious drug again.
Even worse: In the next set of ten Golden Chi points,
the Hungry One can only enjoy the benefits of each
point for four consecutive nights. In the next set of
ten, it becomes three nights. In the set of ten after
that, it becomes two nights… When it finally reaches
only 1 night per point, the Difficulty to resist Beast
Imbalance in the presence of any Little God becomes
122 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 123

+2. If the god is weak and ripe for the taking, it Storytellers wishing to emphasize Enlightenment
becomes +3. should work on a granular level with Dharma and Roll One Roll: Two Rolls: Three Rolls: Four Rolls:
dharmic experience, and with the community of Result Suffering 1-3 Suffering 4-6 Suffering 7-9 Suffering 10
Those who have fallen to this level of addiction to enlightenment that is the PCs and their Masters.
Golden Chi can lower their tolerance to it again, Consider the following questions for your players
but they must forswear the sacred blood for at least and their characters: Rain of a harmful
Hot, blood-like rain Devastating rain of
one lunar month, which rebuilds the benefits from substance, such as aci- Exotic and deadly
or black hail (1 bas- incurable poisons (3
1 night per point to 2 nights per point, and so on • How do the characters interpret the tenets of 1 hing damage to all ex-
dic blood rain (2 aggravated da-
aggravated damage to
for each month of abstinence. Note, however, that their Dharma? Which is the most sacred to them (1 lethal damage to mage to all exposed)
posed) all exposed)
they can never again obtain the perfect high of their – Is it the final one (i.e. “above all”), or does a all exposed)
first few experiences, with the regained bonus stalling different tenet best define their Dharma in their Spirits nearby beco-
An entire circle of The vassal soul of a
at 3 nights per point of Golden Chi. Addicts also eyes? Incursion of hostile
me hell-tainted and
warrior demons cros- Yama King and its lo-
never lose the +1 Difficulty to resist Beast Imbalance 2 spirits (Rank 1, 3 dice
enraged (Rank 2, 5
ses the Gauntlet yal retainers arrives
around a Little God, which jumps back to +3 the • What doctrinal differences are there between for actions)
dice for actions)
(Rank 3-4, 7 dice for (Rank 5, 9-12 dice for
minute they start actively partaking again. the characters, and are any of them potentially actions) actions)
insurmountable? In addition, are there any quiet
rivalries (or open shadow wars) between any of Bloody wounds, pa- Flower-like warping
Enlightenment the characters’ Masters?
Bruises and cuts (1
rasitic infections, and of muscle and bones
A garden of flesh and
3 bashing damage to all agony (3 aggravated
The hypnotic sound of a monk chanting sutras; the clear in area)
painful sores (1 lethal (2 aggravated damage
damage to all in area)
ringing of a brass bell in an otherwise-silent hall. Others • How much built-up Suffering would it take for damage to all in area) to all in area)
sit all around you, but your eyes are closed; your heart is a given character to sacrifice a point of Dharma Fla�ened buildings;
still. It is time to begin. to get a clean slate? Would they ever do it, or Serious damage akin
ground cracked with
would they refuse, even if the result was mayhem Corrosion and cracks A wave of damage; to an earthquake,
deadly vents of su-
The intense smell of incense, coupled with the eye-drying 4 in ground and nearby unreinforced or dere- with serious injury
perheated or poiso-
smoke and glowing embers in the dark. Rose and musk Optional Tool: Dharmic Sects structures lict buildings collapse possible from falling
ned gas (3 aggravated
means worship; the scent of sandalwood means death. Those wishing to incorporate some diversity among objects and buildings
damage)
Here, both of them mingle together. members of the same Dharmas can introduce the Lingering madness
idea of Dharmic sects, which are highly specialized Wave of psychologi- Antisocial impulses
A wave of violent
(as previous effect,
Fresh garlands of orange flowers. A dust-cloud of rainbow religious orders and social clubs based around a cal disturbance (+1 and desires, made ni-
madness – automatic
plus inflict +3 Difficul-
paint, which falls upon a multitude of statues and smiling specific interpretation of their Dharma. In some 5 Difficulty to Virtue ro- gh-irresistible (+3 Di-
Soul Imbalance, fren-
ty to Virtue rolls that
faces at dawn. cases, the sect can even cross between more than lls) fficulty to Virtue rolls)
zy, or mortal depravi-
fades at a rate of -1
one Dharma, as they find an intense mutual ty for the scene
per 24 hours)
Enlightenment is a duty to awaken. Enlightenment commonality that binds them. A burst of fire in the Flames that seem to
is clear-eyed; it sees the patterns of the world and Flammable objects ca-
area, accompanied by come alive and follow An unquenchable in-
acts upon them. Enlightenment is joy and divine To build a sect, choose a theme and select one tenet tch fire (1 lethal/agg
ecstasy. of your chosen Dharma. Then craft an interpretive 6 damage only if tou-
searing hot winds (1 people to burn them ferno (3 aggravated
aggravated damage to (2 aggravated damage damage to all in area)
statement, which frames the tenet according to the ched)
all in area) to all in area)
Dharma, for the Hungry Dead, is a constant process sect’s theme – Once per night, members of the sect
of doing. Characters are rewarded for going out into Overwhelming, cu- An open gateway to
get to wipe away two points of Suffering at the Powerful winds (Roll
the world, for taking on novel experiences, in the �ing winds (Roll the Hell of Being
moment they undergo a dramatic roll in relation to Dex+Athletics at Di- Winds of torture (2
form of dharmic experience points. Those who strive Dex+Athletics at Di- Skinned Alive (3
that tenet, instead of the standard one per night for 7 fficulty 6 to stay upri- aggravated damage to
and sacrifice to follow their Dharma are also rewarded fficulty 8 to stay upri- aggravated damage to
other Hungry Dead following their Dharma. ght; 1 bashing dama- all exposed)
with small mitigations of Suffering: a mere taste of ght; 1 lethal damage anyone not under the
ge to all exposed)
the light, but light nonetheless. to all exposed) earth)
To join a sect, Hungry Dead are either recruited by
Total darkness and si-
Shroud of darkness Overwhelming night
Deep and suffocating lence; absolute isola-
and disorienting spa- (as previous effect,
night (-3 dice to all tion (as previous
Optional Tool: Suffering Eruption Generator 8 ce (-1 die to percep-
perception rolls invol-
but all caught in it
effect, but all caught
tion rolls unless able lose 1 Willpower
Eruptions of Suffering are a great opportunity to explore a Hungry Dead character’s time in Hell, as well as to see in the dark)
ving sight or sound)
point)
in it lose 3 Willpower
their deepest fears and insecurities. But when a Storyteller is running out of steam and needs a little guidance points)
– or isn’t particularly interested in Suffering as psychodrama – feel free to use the following chart instead. Crippling depression
Near-total catatonia
Exuberant, joyful de-
Visual effects can be changed as appropriate; if a Storyteller is inspired to introduce nightmarish, bone-crushing Apathy (-1 die to rolls for all present (every
(-3 dice to rolls to sire to die – all mor-
twists in space instead of flesh-cutting winds, they are welcome to do this and more. 9 to move or otherwise
move or otherwise
action requires a Will-
tals roll Willpower at
take action) power roll at Difficul-
take action) Difficulty 9 to resist
ty 8)
Each column header indicates the total number of rolls required to produce a Suffering eruption’s effects,
moving leftward with each roll – For example, a character who experiences an eruption at Suffering 8 must Large swarm of stin- Giant swarm of locus- A legendary swarm
roll once for the “Suffering 7-9” column, once for the “Suffering 4-6” column, then once more for the ging, biting insects (1 ts or giant wasps (2 of hellish insects (3
“Suffering 1-3” column, combining all the results together into one big storm of curses. Note that results 0 Swarm of flies
lethal damage to an- aggravated damage to aggravated damage to
from the same row should be rerolled when effects are redundant, or the eruption can be treated as spreading yone exposed) anyone exposed) anyone exposed)
to a wider area, with the weaker effect occurring in the outer edges.
124
masters who wish to teach them, or peers who wish
for them to join the cause. For the former, the
relationship is sealed through the ritual of
Enlightenment’s Artery, while peers join through
the Bond of the Night Family (see the Rituals
Background in Chapter 3). Players are free to have
characters join or leave any dharmic sects they wish,
but they can only have the Suffering-alleviating
benefits of one at a time.
A selection of sects are detailed below as examples:
Example Sects
The Electric Money Wickedness Club (Devil-Tigers)
A group focused on using modern finance and
computer technology to fight against the Yama Kings
and prevent the Age of Sorrows. Everything runs
on money, they say, so taking it away from your
enemies and increasing your own stores is a critical
way of waging war against the future Demon Emperor.
The Wickedness Club interprets “cultivate the
brightest embers into roaring flames” in the context
of the vast potential of financial globalization – This
allows them to cleanse two points of Suffering instead
of one when they pursue an enemy of the Immortal
Dharmas using finance and digital technology.
The Searing Wind
(Devil-Tigers and Resplendent Cranes)
An apocalyptic death cult that was suppressed by
the Quincunx, but which has now made a comeback.
The Devil-Tiger tenet “embody the flash of light and
the darkness that follows” was synergized with the
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Resplendent Cranes’ “for the perfection of Heaven,
be relentless,” creating fanatical warriors who believe
that anything other than what can help fight the
Yama Kings must be burned to ash. When pursuing
this goal (and destroying things that hinder the goal),
members of the Searing Wind can cleanse two points
of Suffering at once.
The Righteous Earth-Prison Smiting Fist
(Bone Flowers)
An insurgency group that operates in the Underworld,
trying to arm and train peasant ghosts to resist the
so-called Emperor Yu Huang. “Eternal Death to the
Tyrant Ying Zheng” is a common banner refrain in
their circles. For them, the tenet “tend diligently to
death and its beauty” specifically refers to the polity
of the dead, and encourages the creation of a better
society that helps the Underworld thrive. When
pursuing the goal of destroying the tyrant or building
strong bonds in the local ghost society, members
can cleanse two points of Suffering at once.
The Passion Bloodflowers (Thrashing Dragons)
A cult within southern China and Southeast Asia
that takes “feast charitably and without shame” to
incredible heights of expression, their depravity
often falling just short of accumulating Suffering in
itself. They value communal feeding and artistic
methods to prepare mortal vessels to be fed upon –
poses, artful flaying of flesh and arrangements of
blood, and more. When pursuing a new creation
for an exceptional feeding experience, the Passion
Bloodflowers may cleanse two points of Suffering
at once – but bear in mind that acts that go too far
SECTION
CHAPTERN5: STORYTELLING IN THE RELENTLESS AGE
AME
in senseless violence may also trigger a check for
Suffering, making this sect one that walks the razor’s
edge.
The Thousand-Faced Thunders
(Thrashing Dragons and Cerulean Veils)
In the recent past, the Thrashing Dragon tenet
“foster the spirits and help them thrive” synergized
with the Cerulean Veils’ “knowledge and wisdom
are to be shared freely,” creating a sect focused on
the growing breed of technology and information
spirits. Members of this sect study and aid not just
computer and other machine wildlings, but Artificer
Wraiths, Little Gods who can channel electrical
power – even rogue demons of the Wicked City, if
they can prove they’re trustworthy. Members who
work hard in this capacity may cleanse two points
of Suffering at once.
Fate and Destiny
A woman who smiles at you from a crowd. You could
swear you remember her, that you once had a connection
that meant the world. But what was it? You can’t
remember, and she’s already gone.
That rarest of moments, when you look around at where
you are – a bonfire, a midnight train as the lights go out,
the blood-covered scene of a crime – and realize that you’re
going to remember this night for the rest of your life. And
maybe you actually will.
A spinning prayer wheel; a mandala of brightly colored
sand; a crying child held in the arms of a dying old monk.
Incarnations come and go, but the cycle is eternal.
125
Fate is the inevitability of events long set in motion.
Destiny is the grand arc of beginnings and endings,
which is often only understood after the fact. Together,
fate and destiny form the story of all humankind.
Related to enlightenment, but distinct enough to
merit discussion of its own, fate and destiny are
infused in the setting of The Relentless Age. Every
character has a future Destiny on their character
sheet, and access to powers of insight and prophecy
is almost trivial for the Hungry Dead – Plus, at
Dharma 5 and above, characters receive visions of
their ultimate destiny: the way that they may achieve
the Hundred Clouds.
Storytellers wishing to emphasize Fate and Destiny
should be prepared, of course, to think of the overall
story they’ve prepared and how one might get from
point A to point B. But much like the Soul Arts
that deal in destiny and augury, Storytellers can also
use the power of memorable signs to enhance
destiny-as-mood. Consider the following questions
for your game:
• What noteworthy items, people, animals, or
other symbols were present when the characters
first took the Second Breath, or when they
earned their first point of Dharmic experience?
What would it mean for these symbols to show
up again – would they ignore them, or follow
them as clues?
• If the characters received an omen that everything
they wanted was about to happen, would they
126
believe it? Would they sit back and enjoy the
movements of fate, or would they still try to
make sure it happens with 100% certainty?
• Have the players imagined their characters’
futures in detail? Do they believe their characters
will obtain enlightenment if they’re given the
chance, or do they think they’ve made Hungry
Dead destined for the Final Void in five, ten, a
hundred years? Whatever the outcome, when
do they think it will happen, and how?
Optional Tool: Icons of Fate
The trick to roleplaying fate and destiny is to make
things feel like they’re “falling into place” without
the dreaded specter of railroading. Storytellers who
wish to make fate and destiny more meaningful for
the group can consider incorporating the following
system, which incentivizes players to think in terms
of signs and portents without forcing them to do
one thing or the other:
At the beginning of a major chapter of your story,
have the players draw slips of paper from a cup or
hat. Written on each slip should be the name of an
object or place, a particular phrase, or anything else
that you feel might be important for the mood of
the game – examples could include “a stone marked
with a good man’s blood,” or “a character who says
‘this is the greatest day of my life.’” Or the slips could
be as simple as “a green jade gateway,” “a streak of
purple,” and so on.
Before the chapter begins, everyone shares what’s
written on their slips, and these are incorporated
into descriptions of their daylight dreams for the
rest of the chapter.
When the group manages to encounter one of these
signs or portents, the Storyteller then gives the player
who drew that sign a choice: The next dramatic roll
could be a perfect success, giving everyone a point
of experience (plus a point of dharmic experience
for the player who drew that sign)... or the next
dramatic roll could be an abysmal, game-changing
botch, giving everyone two points of experience (plus
one dharmic experience for both the player who
drew the sign and whoever suffered the most from
the botch). Once everything plays out, the sign
should be crossed out, and it no longer appears
again.
P L AY I N G W I T H D IFFERENT
CULTURES: SOME ADVICE TO START
Many readers may like what they see, but they feel
nervous due to not being of the right ethnicity or
cultural background. For instance, perhaps you’re
a white or black American rather than Asian, or
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
maybe you’re Filipino or Cambodian and wishing
to play a game set in Japan.
As mentioned in the sidebar in Chapter 1, Kindred
of the East: The Relentless Age is open to all. With
that said, here are some things to keep in mind:
Remember that people are just
people
A college student stays up to ridiculous hours, eats
junk food for breakfast, might study hard, or might
obsess over friend drama and love problems. A
nightclub’s security guy is an ex-cop who quit after
seeing one too many terrible crimes, but he doesn’t
know how to do much other than being a guard –
or, he was a teenage troublemaker who never got a
second chance, so now he’s a bitter adult who makes
ends meet however he can.
Do these people live in Osaka, Phuket, or Minneapolis?
How much does it matter?
Ultimately, the things that move people are not hard
to understand: Maybe you know the pressure of
growing up in a rule-bound religious family, or you’ve
felt the intensity of a religious experience yourself
– these are experiences many folks have in common
around the world, not restricted to just Hindu
households, Catholics, or any other group in
particular. And whether you're from a Confucian
background in urban Taiwan, or you’re a devout
Baptist or a follower of Asatru from rural Montana,
you may share an understanding of how complex
and difficult it feels to have an abusive parent who
has grown old and helpless. You, personally, can be
familiar with what drives people everywhere to crime,
even if you’ve never once met a yakuza member (as
far as you know).
Cultural details are not unimportant, of course;
Kindred of the East is inspired by Asian spirituality,
mythology and pop culture, much like other World
of Darkness games stem from a blend of influences.
But humanity is humanity – how you personally
build your character concepts and play out your
stories should reflect those emotional truths first.
Minority and special groups are
a challenge to play well
Do you want to make a character who is a Rohingya
Muslim in Burma, a descendant of the buraku
families or Zainichi Koreans in Japan, or a person
designated as so-called “untouchable” in India?
Nobody’s banned from such concepts in principle,
but remember that you’re trying to play out a story
of magic vampires – And you’re playing with one
or more other people, some of whom might not be
looking for a heavy exploration of unjust
SECTION
CHAPTERN5: STORYTELLING IN THE RELENTLESS AGE
AME 127
marginalization.
(And if you’re not factoring in said marginalization
in any significant way, then what’s really the point?
Play a bullied, impoverished character who isn’t
from a historically buraku or Zainichi Korean or
Indian Dalit family; there are plenty of bad formative
experiences to go around in this world.)
The same goes for playing yakuza, a member of the
Triads, or an adjacent shadow-organization such as
a country’s secret police. Even if crime and
punishment is a universal part of the human
condition, the nitty-gritty of the criminal element
can get into areas that other people don’t want to
explore, whether because it disturbs them or because
it leads to events they don’t find enjoyable – e.g.
shootouts, torture-filled interrogations, being on
the run, etc.
Note that this advice is not saying “you should not
play ___.” You should, if you really want to. But
certain subjects involve deep dives into the details
of history, especially when it involves oppression
and the things people under said oppression are
forced to do to survive. If you’re bringing it to the
table, you have a responsibility to do your homework,
and more importantly, to make sure everyone else
is on board to have the play experience you’re looking
for.
Have a continual discussion, and
be willing to pivot
We live in an age where communication tools for
respectful, productive roleplaying are widely
discussed. “Session zero,” where the Storyteller sets
the tone and goals of the game and discusses any
no-go topics, is a great idea for all tables. Debriefing
after sessions, where players can bring up with the
group where they want the game to go and any issues
they ran into, is another good practice. “X cards,”
which players can use to pivot a story away from
something they don’t wish to play out, are also worth
looking into, for groups who think they can use
them.
The most important factor, though, is the willingness
to change the details of a game when necessary, and
to do it with a minimum of grumbling or
recriminations. A Storyteller should be prepared to
retcon things that are egregiously incorrect, to change
the story they had prepared if someone they trust
tells them it won’t work, and to generally keep
problems or resentments from boiling over and
ruining the experience. To put it plainly, even a
hundred X-cards are worthless if the Storyteller only
pays lip service to their friendships at the table.
128 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
CHAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME 129

Enjoy the process of discovery

Unlike 1998, today we have incredible access to
resources and information – a true multimedia
smorgasbord. You can use Google Earth to walk
through the streets of a small town in Japan, and
you can find videos on YouTube of nighttime street
vendors in New Delhi. You can listen to free lectures
on the finer points of Theravada Buddhism or the
practices of tantra yoga. And if you’re willing to
spend money, you can go to an online vendor and
buy Chinese joss paper, or try out a Japanese City
Pop record.

To some degree, access to all this information can

be overwhelming; it may feel as though you need to
know everything before you can even begin. But
having just a little knowledge is not such a dangerous
thing, at least on this scale. Don’t forget that you’re
sharing an experience with 2 to 5 people, who will
likely have gaps of knowledge just like your own –
and that the process of play is itself a process of
discovery. Through the course of your character’s
journey, you may discover things you love about
another culture that you’d never even thought of
before.

Ultimately. . .
This book encourages all readers, regardless of
cultural background, to create characters and to play
in settings that speak to them and excite them.
Missteps are always possible, but so is changing
course to something better. When in doubt, consider
this: How can we build a better world if we don’t
take a risk once in a while, daring to put ourselves
in others’ shoes?

“To enjoy a grander sight,

climb higher.”
― Chinese proverb
130
A NOTE FROM
THE AUTHOR
Readers may notice that the material in this chapter
is fairly heavy on China, Japan, and the immediate
sinosphere, with a bit less material when it comes
to elsewhere. As the sole writer for this book, I did
my best to branch out with appropriate research and
consultations, but even so, my cultural comfort
zones are what they are.
If you would like to do a detailed writeup of your
home country or culture using the rules and basic
setting as detailed in The Relentless Age, please know
that you are absolutely welcome to do so. If you’d
even like to do your own take on Japan (without the
Great Clans and Night-Temple and history with the
tsuchigumo), or what-have-you, go right ahead –
This product was made in the spirit of creativity,
and nothing would please me more than to see it
continue. Whether it’s made free online or as a
supplement for sale on the Storyteller’s Vault, all I
ask is for credit to be given to this book.
Thank you for your interest, and happy writing.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
The night world is vast, and the ability to describe
every region in the detail it deserves is beyond the
abilities of this book. However, in the interest of
providing players and Storytellers with tools to run
their own games in the setting of The Relentless Age,
this chapter aims to provide a handful of hooks that
can be of use.
The following writeups are intended as a jumping-off
point for stories. Care has been taken to try and
accurately represent the people and cultures of Asia
in 1998, using select details to spin an interesting
supernatural angle. However, bear in mind that
these writeups deliberately focus more on
supernatural happenings than on the sometimes
difficult details of real world history.
As mentioned in the prior chapter, players and
Storytellers who wish to set their games in these
locales are encouraged to look up the details that
interest them and give it their best shot, using the
wealth of resources that the Internet now makes
available to everyone.
CHINA AND ITS INHERITORS
China has long been the center of the night world.
It was the birthplace of the Immortal Dharmas,
home to an advanced supernatural society that still
has never been surpassed among the Hungry Dead.
For the longest time, regardless of where you took
the Second Breath, China was where you went to
reach the pinnacle of your potential.
Now, the night world has become hopelessly corrupt
– and China is still at its center, an example of what
has gone so terribly wrong.
For five hundred years, the Quincunx was master
of the Asian continent, an empire of the Hungry
Dead founded on the dominance of a sinocentric
interpretation of the Immortal Dharmas. Their
courtiers lurked in the shadow of several dynasties,
with exclusive access to the levers of power in the
mortal world. At its zenith, the nighttime bureaucracy
of the Quincunx ensured the orderly behavior of
all the night world in common, with disruptors and
heretics brought to heel almost as soon as they rose
up.
But as happens to all empires with time, the resentment
of the repressed simmered and grew, until it eventually
exploded. In the late 19th century, reports emerged
of anti-dharmic secret societies: groups who were
opposed not just to the Quincunx, but to the very
dharmic system that benefited from the empire’s
existence. The so-called “Scorpion Eaters” rose up
in revolution with the fall of the Qing, initiating a
decades-long battle known as the Century Rebellion.
SCECTION
HAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME
The Quincunx lost control first of its client territories
in Southeast Asia and Korea, then of the cities of
the mainland itself. After the rebellion came to an
end in 1979, the empire was gone, its glories turned
to ash.
Modern China, encompassing the separate countries
of the mainland and Taiwan, as well as the former
colonial territories of Macau and Hong Kong, is a
place where warlords, charismatic cults, and outside
powers have filled the vacuum of empire, and are
now engaged in a deadly struggle for dominance. It
is a region where the Hungry Dead are fighting to
reclaim what they’ve lost, trying to win back the
Mandate of Heaven – as well as every scrap of power
and prestige they can find along the way.
The Mainland
EBON MASKS:
THE TEN THOUSAND SCREAMS
In the northwest, the Ram-Hearted who watch over
the Hui people have been witness to a disturbing
rise in infernalism. In the wake of the Quincunx’s
fall, cults of demon-worshipers have been discovered
in the cities, often inflicting irreparable damage to
the local spirit world before they’re brought down.
Under interrogation, these Hungry Dead claim to
be followers of the one true Dharma, a heretical
path that they call the Ten Thousand Screams.
Like the followers of Mayaparisatya, the “Ebon
Masks” (a coded reference from their holy text, The
Broken-Winged Crane) believe that the world is a vast
illusion that traps all sentient beings. But unlike the
Pure Illusion-Truth, the Masks hold hell to be the
ultimate and sublime reality. The unrepentant sinners
of the world are simply those who are one step closer
to the truth – which is that morality, conscience,
and avoidance of suffering are mechanisms of control,
to be resisted and destroyed. To free the world, one
must bring hell to earth.
Death and Rebirth:
At first glance, the antinomian outlook of the Ebon
Masks would seem to appeal to misfits and ne’er-do-wells,
those who took pleasure in their living days from
hurting others and indulging themselves. And indeed,
many of the youth who follow the Ten Thousand
Screams are exactly what other Hungry Dead expect
them to be: openly cruel and blasphemous,
possessing a deep and practical knowledge of mayhem.
But they are not merely a demon cult, no matter
what their enemies say: The Ebon Masks are a
Dharma, with all of the spiritual power and
131
WHATʼS IN A NAME?
After careful consideration, The Relentless Age has
taken special pains not to definitively name what
the Hungry Dead call themselves in various regional
languages. The sheer number of languages in Asia
makes maintaining authenticity a challenge, and
there are other ways to make a setting feel detailed
and alive than the potentially incorrect use of native
terms.
With that said, for those who are interested, below
is a selection of some terms that may be usable or
evocative for games involving the Hungry Dead in
those regions.
• Burmese: belu (a demon similar to the Hindu
rakshasa)
• Cambodian: ahp (equivalent to the Malay
penanggallan)
• Hindi: betaal (adaptation of the Sanskrit “vetala,”
a demon that possesses corpses, which is
applicable to other Indian languages as well)
• Korean: yacha (adaptation of the Sanskrit
“yaksha,” a spirit/demon of the earth), gwishin
(a broad category of monstrous ghosts)
• Japanese: yorunoke (an invented term meaning
“mystery of the night,” derived from mononoke),
kijin (a straightforward reading of the Chinese
characters for “demon person”)
• Laotian: kasu (equivalent to the Malay
penanggallan)
• Malay: penanggallan (a vampire depicted as a
floating head with entrails), pontianak (a type
of female ghost or demon)
• Mandarin Chinese: yuan hun (“wronged ghost”),
jian ren (an invented term meaning “people
between,” also invoking “people of hell”)
• Tagalog: manananggal (a type of vampire or
shapeshifter from folklore), aswang (a similar
term)
• Thai: krasue (female vampire, equivalent to the
Malay penanggallan), krahang (male vampire)
• Vietnamese: ma cà rồng (vampire)
132
responsibility that entails. A mature follower of the
Ten Thousand Screams embraces patience and
precision in all things, which can mean aping the
morality of the deluded for as long as it takes. An
act of decades or centuries is sometimes necessary
to achieve a greater goal – and the Ebon Masks want
nothing less than to crack the world like an egg.
In truth, the Masks are closer to their goal than ever.
In 1895, a number of them witnessed the defeat of
China by the guns and metal boats of Imperial Japan.
Where other Hungry Dead saw a dark turning of
the age, the collective of Ten Thousand Screams saw
a grand opportunity: Hidden in urban modernity
and industrialism were the seeds of a new hell, one
that could inflict a lethal wound on the great illusion.
They maneuvered through the Japanese colonies in
Manchuria, Sakhalin and Korea, laying the groundwork
for a master coup.
And half a century later, in 1953, their dread star
was born, more beautiful than anyone could have
imagined: The Wicked City, the King and the Realm
as one.
Concepts:
Midwife - You’re no common slasher; when you
murder, it is with resolute purpose. The liberation
of the world requires many more hands, and that’s
how you give service to truth: You stalk the most
promising mortals, the ones who could return from
hell with the right amount of torture and spiritual
prodding. You ruin their lives and inflict agonies
with surgical precision – and when you’re rewarded
with a newborn Hungry Dead, eyes wide-open and
ready for training, you give your thanks to hell.
Friendly Shopkeeper - When people ask where you
got such good stuff, you tell them you made a deal
with the devil. It usually gets a chuckle – and you
really do love hearing people laugh. You’re the helpful
informant, the black market digger who can find
anything your clients need. You’re so well-liked and
trusted by the community that when you occasionally
share a juicy rumor, or you give a pretty talisman to
a favorite customer, no one bats an eye. By the time
everything goes horribly, hideously wrong, you’re
already gone.
The Talented One - When the world burns down,
the best part is that you can become anyone you
want. The respectable Bone Flower whose identity
you stole died during the Century Rebellion – After
you ate her soul and took her possessions, you were
able to slide into her life with no one the wiser. Of
all the faces you’ve worn, this one is the best, with
the most power and influence you’ve ever wielded.
The Petals call you “honored elder” now, looking
for your guidance and wisdom. You’re more than
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
happy to share.
Tenets:
Hell is the only true reality.
Break the world-prison and liberate humankind.
Pain and suffering is the compass to freedom.
Time is an illusion; be patient.
Above all: Show compassion and love to the ignorant;
prepare them for the truth.
Example Suffering Triggers:
• Acting out of impatience or the perception of
a deadline.
• Becoming overly attached; risking oneself for
someone or something not of the Thousand
Hells.
• Killing anyone without giving them a chance to
choose Hell.
• Allowing the concerns of a particular demon or
Yama King to override a greater plan.
The Fourth and Perfect Crane
The Broken-Winged Crane has not yet been written.
It is said that its creation is a disaster that will crater
itself in the bedrock of time, leaving seismic ripples
in both the past and the future. This is why,
paradoxically, the book has always existed – and why
the book will always exist, even if every scrap of every
sutra is found tomorrow and burned to ash.
The Broken-Winged Crane is everywhere. Hints of its
existence emerge from freak printing errors and the
glossolalia of the mad, half-verses found etched in
the cracked human parchment that flutters in the
Hell of Being Skinned Alive. Some Hungry Dead
– infernalists, thrill-seekers, unhealthy collectors –
dedicate entire lifetimes to collecting authentic
verses.
For those who seek pieces of The Broken-Winged Crane
to root out hell’s corruption, the book is not an
artifact, but a demon in its own right, a dark
meta-intelligence that permeates reality, like a mockery
of the buddha-nature. The devotees of The
Broken-Winged Crane would agree: The book is nothing
less than the future Demon Emperor himself,
speaking his own existence into being.
The very first collection of Crane writings, gathered
nearly five thousand years ago in northeast China,
gave rise to a dread empire – the Hundred Demon
Kingdoms, which lasted for nearly a millennium of
blood and torment before the forebears of the Petals
of Virtue finally crushed them. The Ten Thousand
Screams Dharma was decisively wiped from the
world, making way for the Xia Dynasty and the rest
of Chinese history. But the Crane has lived on,
reappearing through the ages in various collections.
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Tonight, there are no fewer than three books
purporting to be the real Broken-Winged Crane: One
copy is in the vault of the Jinhae Earth-Prison, South
Korea; one copy, presumed lost, is hidden in the
bathroom of an American-Chinese restaurant called
the Lucky Bat; and one is in a quiet temple in rural
Thailand, heavily guarded by a cadre of bird-monsters
who swear service to the Maitreya Deva. Each copy
is cursed and powerful in its own right, able to warp
the Dharmic paths of even seasoned masters who
read the infernal verses.
Seers among the Hungry Dead are beginning to
have visions of a fourth copy of The Broken-Winged
Crane, which will be written in the summer of 1999.
Unlike the others, this one will be penned by the
hand of an innocent, and it will be perfect – For
the first time, the world will look upon the full and
complete Crane, which will usher in the Age of
Sorrows.
The Emperor Yu Huang, first ruler of China and
dictator of the underworld, has made it his mission
to be the owner of the perfected Crane, sending his
spies to read the skein of destiny and stalk the most
promising candidates in the mortal world. If he
comes to believe that one person in particular will
be the author foretold, it will not matter who loves
or protects that mortal. Yu Huang will not hesitate
to kill them and bring their soul into his labyrinth
of delights, to await the composition of his treasured
book.
The Heaven-and-Hell Legion
There was once an empire of the dead, righteous
and pure.
At its height, the August Courts of the Quincunx
held authority from Kashmir to the Korean peninsula,
from the upper reaches of Mongolia down to
Cambodia and Vietnam. Their society was unparalleled,
their five ruling courts (Beijing, Shanghai, Chang’an,
Chongqing and Guangzhou) considered the crown
jewels of the night world. But by 1979, all was lost
– the libraries burned, the learned courtiers dragged
out and staked for the sun. The Century Rebellion,
led by the fanatical and revolutionary Scorpion Eater
societies, brought a violent end to five centuries of
Quincunx rule.
In the southern territories around Shenzhen, the
remnants of the Quincunx are ungracious in defeat,
as they rage against their usurpers. How could a
crowd of no-dharma children rise up against their
betters – and win? Even with help from enemies
that had an ax to grind with the August Courts, the
survivors of the fall insist that the Scorpion Eaters
simply shouldn’t have been able to succeed as they
did. The elders of the former Quincunx, many of
them uncomfortable in the foreign south, now
134
soothe themselves by lording over new Hungry Dead,
as well as rooting out any hint of the western influence
that they blame for their loss.
To Ma Hai-Lan, Grandmaster of the rising association
known as the Heaven-and-Hell Legion, it’s
disappointing, but not surprising. When she joined
the Hungry Dead six hundred years ago, falling in
with the warrior Cranes who would eventually found
the charter cities of the Quincunx, she’d heard more
than her share of whining and bitching – always
from the most unworthy immortals, bamboo princes
who acted like they deserved the world. To “General
Ma,” a proud and militant believer in the Eightfold
Lotus Path, the truth is simple: You take what you
deserve with bloody, battered hands, and only then
can you say you’ve earned it.
According to her, the folly of the Quincunx was that
it became a reactive state, trying to isolate itself from
western influence and concerning itself only with
the Hungry Dead – until everyone looked around
one night and found the Qing Dynasty rotting
around their ears. And now, apparently, the
Quincunx elders who survived the Century Rebellion
are turning their attention to Hong Kong, eager to
slaughter the city’s Cainites and to take control of
the island. The remnants of the old imperial regime
see the former British colony as their prime chance
at reviving the dream of the Quincunx.
At this, General Ma scoffs. More folly and
shortsightedness.
The world, you see, moves faster than it once did:
Hong Kong was a backwater port two hundred years
ago, and yet it was transformed in the blink of an
eye into the jewel of the British Empire. And now,
as China opens to the world and to global money,
it’s only a matter of time before the mainland gets
its own version of Hong Kong – perhaps even two
or three stellar cities within this generation. The
Legion has operations in the most promising
candidates: Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, and more.
As General Ma sees it, the night world of mainland
China has reverted to the banditry and lawlessness
of ancient times – which, to her, represents the
returned opportunities of her misty youth. China
is ripe for the taking once again, if there are Hungry
Dead willing to follow her.
There is no room for bitterness. The old August
Courts may have lost, but so what? They’d lost
heaven’s favor, grown fat and indolent in a beautiful
world that they thought would last forever. The
Scorpion Eaters and their allies in the heretical sects
are not the inheritors of heaven; they have not built
a polity from the chaos they sowed. They are merely
a test, which the next worthy champions must face
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
and defeat. Ma Hai-Lan fully intends to be that
champion, building an army to take cities one by
one.
There was once an empire of the dead, righteous
and pure… and now China is ready for the next one.
Yuzhong, the Town of Golden Children
The problem of revolution, more often than not,
lies in what comes afterwards – Once lit, even the
most righteous fire can move in unexpected directions.
Chongqing, formerly known as the Venerable Bone
Court of the Quincunx, is one such example.
Nicknamed the “home of the revolution,” Chongqing
was the first city to be liberated by the Scorpion
Eaters, sparking the Century Rebellion that would
ultimately collapse the old order. But now, in the
waterside district of Yuzhong, an even more radical
experiment is underway, frowned upon by even
staunch revolutionaries – for the streets here are
ruled not by the Hungry Dead, but by their
half-mortal children. It is a town made for the
Dhampyr.
The half-damned of Yuzhong have spurned their
dead parents, declaring their territory off-limits to
all but their own kind. The night world has shunned
them in response, uneager to upset the Hungry
Dead of greater Chongqing. Despite this, the golden
children have managed to survive through sheer
luck and stubbornness, as well as their ability to
maneuver during the day.
To complicate matters,
since 1990, the eldest
and most enigmatic of
the Yama Kings – called
the Mother of the
Depths and the Silver
Princess of Pearls,
regnant of
the Hell of
Burning
Seas –
SCECTION
HAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME 135
has declared herself the protector of Yuzhong. She
claims the rivers of China as her domain, with
Yuzhong’s position between the Yangtze and Jialing
waterways making it her exclusive tributary. Officially,
the leaders of the Dhampyr disavow her help… But
among the younger golden children, the Mother is
gaining an eager and pliable audience.
Once upon a time, the Scorpion Eaters and their
allies had offered a tantalizing future of freedom
and equality. The golden children of the Quincunx
were considered an eternal underclass, like house
servants – Even the eldest of the Dhampyr, who
could surpass the power of a young Demon Immortal,
enjoyed none of the rights or privileges of the courts.
THE ASPIRATIONS
After centuries of indignity, the notion of a China
controlled not by a mystical ruling class, but by all
OF A YAMA KING
the night world in common, was just too good for
them to ignore. The Yama Kings are not looking for more souls to
add to their personal collection. Frankly, most of
But after victory was declared, what emerged was them don't even care about souls -- They rule the
not the revolutionary government that had been Thousand Hells, and thus are already swimming in
promised. The Scorpion Eaters, as it turned out, souls of the damned. So what are they really looking
were excellent fighters and saboteurs, but the ones for?
who had survived the war were utterly unprepared
to govern. Instead, the old system based around The real answer is influence. The Yama Kings are
Masters, Grandmasters and their students, which gods in their own realms, but their ability to effect
the Quincunx had formerly suppressed as change in the mortal world is circumspect, bound
disharmonious, quickly blossomed anew and began by ancient agreements not to directly interfere in
to fight for dominance. Within a few short years, other realms. Those who are making a bid to become
the once-unified China became a dangerous
patchwork of warlords, feuding clans, and cults of Demon Emperor – The Mother of the Depths, the
personality – To the Dhampyr, it was a cosmic entity called "Mikaboshi," the Iron Queen – are
punishment for their disloyalty. playing a great game in the mortal world, trying to
twist destiny to take the throne when the age turns.
Which was why, when the Mother of the Depths
emerged from the Yangtze River eight years ago, a The only way to win this game is to make deals with
fish-eyed goddess resplendent in barnacles and black exceptional creatures, to make them into chess pieces
pearls, the elder Dhampyr of Chongqing felt a that can shake the world in your favor. This is why
complicated dread. To accept her patronage, the they like making deals with the Hungry Dead (see
protection of a Yama King, would be an utter betrayal the sidebar next to Hellweaving in Chapter 4), but
of the world they had once known. But would a deal they can also make deals with other supernatural
with her be any worse than the one that had already
types – in particular, the Hungry Dead’s strange
burned them – their first betrayal, which had
ultimately been for nothing? half-mortal children.
Tonight, the situation is tense. To the west, the
Scorpion Eaters are looking at a war of conquest to
take back Yuzhong. To the north, a large gathering
of Rootless Trees has settled in neighboring Yubei
district, holding their once-in-a-century retreats –
They care not a whit for recent history, but their
reputation for stirring up chaos in the name of art
precedes them. And in Yuzhong itself, among the
Dhampyr, the cult of the Mother quietly grows.
The youngest see her as the parent they never had,
her priestesses appearing on the banks of the Jialing
and Yangtze: kindly, loving women, arms full of
beautiful gifts.
136 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Hong Kong
Kowloon Dream City
Kowloon Walled City is gone. Where the most
densely populated place on earth once stood four
years ago, there is now a public park and flower
garden. The Walled City, which is remembered
fondly by its residents – and more ambivalently by
Chinese authorities – is destined to pass into history:
fifty thousand souls, who lived and worked in a legal
no-man’s land-turned-concrete jungle, now forced
to move on. For them, it was a few decades of anarchic
urban glory and nothing more.
But in the spirit lands of the World of Darkness,
memory endures, and Kowloon Walled City still
lives. To the denizens of Hong Kong’s night world,
it is called the Dream City, and it is a unique nexus
of umbral pathways: Whether you’re in the Spirit
Wilds, the Shadowlands, or on the bright shores of
the Dreaming, go to the city and you’ll find its gates
waiting for you. The Dream City is the Walled City,
amplified in the wake of the original’s destruction
– The buildings are more, the neon lights and wild
electrical wiring are more, the shadows and smells
and noises are all more. And spirits of all kinds await
in its borders, ruling the urban wilds.
Here are a few things that travelers to Kowloon
Dream City might find:
The Infinity Pavilion
Turn onto an alleyway marked with the symbols of
the five elements, and follow the path through the
sizzling copper sparks and cooking smoke. You’ll
find yourself emerging in an impossible place, a
shade-dappled cityscape with no sky and no ground:
just endless urban growth, with concrete buildings
that stretch upward and downward seemingly forever.
Some of the best occult suppliers are here in the
far-above and far-below, along with a city’s worth of
hermits and fugitives. Rickety wooden walkways,
trash-filled netting, and criss-crossing bridges block
the sky above – but it’s said that if you can find the
hidden elevators and stairs, or if you can grab the
ropes and windowsills and climb inch by inch, you’ll
eventually find your way to Heaven. On the other
hand, going down to the Thousand Hells is
comparatively easy: Just step out into the air and let
yourself fall.
The Lost Triad
They were ten of the best gangsters in the 14K Triad...
Or was it some other group? After more than a
decade, they’re no longer quite sure. They appear
to be young men dressed in peak 1970s fashion,
along with a mix of anachronistic souvenirs and
keepsakes. If you’re looking for someone in the
Dream City, or if you need some legs broken, they
are the best help money can buy – the only problem
SECTION
CHAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME
being that money no longer interests them much.
They may feast and fight and make merry like mortal
men, but what drives them now are strange secrets
and rarities, which they hoard without reason or
rhyme: heirloom pottery, the cheaply-locked journals
of teenagers, horrible confessions spoken and sealed
into glass jars. What they’ve nearly forgotten, in all
these mad years, is their search for the ultimate
secret: How to break their curse and finally go home.
Draculaland
It should surprise no one that Kowloon Walled City
was once infested with vampires. The city of Hong
Kong itself was under strict Camarilla control, which
left the misfits – Hungry Dead, Sabbat operatives,
Tremere conducting unsanctioned experiments –
to skulk in the shadows of ungoverned territory.
The vampires of the Walled City eventually reached
a rough peace, which lasted for a few years before
the city was demolished. But the horrific outbreaks,
turf wars, and other excesses of the first decades left
their mark on the mortal dreams of Kowloon. The
worst of it lingers still in the spirit world, in the
darkest parts of the Dream City, where strange
monsters hold court: not true vampires, but the idea
of vampires. Draculaland is infested with vaguely
European blood-nobles who hang from the windows
like bats, and who take delight in torturing and
eating “unruly natives.”
Taiwan
The Taipei Chapter House
The city of Taipei is home to East Asia’s largest
chapter of the Arcanum. The global Arcanum’s
more radical wing – those who believe that they
should use their knowledge to fight the supernatural,
rather than just study it – are watching the entire
country with great interest.This is because the Taipei
chapter house, unique in the Arcanum, is evenly
split between regular Arcanists and “Executioners,”
whose sole purpose is to seek out and kill monsters.
They work in teams with their scholarly brethren,
together taking responsibility for the peace of
Taiwan’s night world.
It’s proof of a concept near and dear to the radical
wing, which the old fossils in England still refuse to
accept: That the Arcanum can be a hunting
organization, maybe even the best in the world, if
they would just be allowed to use their talents.
The Taipei chapter house was formally recognized
by the Arcanum in 1965, but its history goes back
much further. Its first iteration, the “Taihoku Subtle
Research Society,” begun in 1899 by rogue elements
of the Japanese Imperial Army, had as its founding
mission the total mastery of East Asia’s supernatural
realm. Among the Society’s founding officers were
members of the secretive Yanagi and Okamoto clans
137
– rival families that specialized in the arts of
demon-hunting and assassination. Faced with what
they saw as untold danger in the colonies, they put
aside their past grudges, recruiting talented psychics
and scholars from across the empire to act as the
eyes and ears of the motherland.
After the Japanese left Taiwan in 1945, the Society
(now called the “ Taipei Society for Rare
Understanding”) shrank considerably, left with only
the membership native to the island. Still, it
continued operations, diligently keeping records of
Taiwan’s Hungry Dead and spirit-creatures. In 1947,
when a flood of Chinese nationals entered Taiwan
during the Communist Revolution, the Society was
suddenly faced with a whole new problem: a large
number of demon hunters from the mainland. They
were evidently from an ancient and powerful tradition
– itinerant warrior-monks, many of whom had ties
to the criminal underworld of Shanghai, and who
preferred the exercise of violence over careful study.
The warrior-monks, for their part, were contemptuous
of Taipei’s “Japanese occultists,” who they saw as
weak and borderline monster-apologists.
If it weren’t for a timely explosion in the Hungry
Dead population, this tension might have eventually
turned into war… But explode the population did,
and survival in Taiwan suddenly became a team
effort. The warriors rapidly came to understand the
value of carefully gathered intelligence – and the
scholars, for their part, learned to appreciate having
some swords on their side. They reached an accord
by the end of the 1950s, rebranding at last (at the
advice of their strategists) as the Taipei chapter house
of the worldwide Arcanum.
Today, the Society has its hands quite full. Along
with obser ving the Magpie Court – a
Quincunx-inheritor which rules over the Hungry
Dead of Taiwan – Arcanists can be found advising
the local Beast Court and trying to smooth over the
many spirit conflicts in the countryside. They also
host Arcanum visitors from all over the world, most
recently the rising star Sandeep D’Souza, Chancellor
of the New Delhi chapter house. In the wake of his
visit, D’Souza has been singing the praises of Taipei,
making plans for a cell of Executioners in India.
There are other, less welcome guests: In 1989,
emissaries from the Okamoto clan returned to
Taiwan, bearing gifts of mystic artifacts and cutting-edge
technology. The Yanagi were defeated, they claimed,
every last son and daughter drained of blood and
their souls eaten like sugar-glass. In response, the
Okamoto regrouped and modernized, transforming
themselves into a security contractor. Taipei was the
natural location for their first overseas branch office
– But thus far, the Arcanists of Taipei look askance
at the friendly overtures of “Strike Force Zero.” Near
138 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION NAME 139

as they can tell, the Okamoto clan of old is gone;

these Japanese agents are little better than thugs,
just with nice suits and cars to hide their viciousness.
It won’t be long, they fear, before the masks come
off and blood flows.
THE EDGE OF THE PACIFIC:
KOREA AND JAPAN
Two countries share the easternmost reaches of Asia.
In the world of daylight, Japan and South Korea
have a long history of cultural ties, which endures
despite the bitter legacy of Japanese colonialism. In
the night world, however, the countries couldn’t be
more different.
Korea is a land much changed by the 20th century
and the turning of the age. What was once an
extension of the courtly grandeur of the Quincunx
has become a sharply divided land: To the north,
the spirit worlds lie in ruins, the result of a terrible
experiment in the powers of Hell. To the south, the
world’s few veins of naturally occurring talismanic
jade have turned the country into a prize for all the
night world, forcing the native Hungry Dead to
become ruthless protectionists.
THE ONES WHO SURVIVE
From a payphone outside of Ehime, Japan:
“The Okamoto betrayed us. When the Half-Devils targeted our houses and breached our most secure compounds – when
they aimed their claws and teeth at our youngest heirs, like they had been told who to look for – we knew, and we cursed
them.
“So we went to ground, as we always do when the tide turns against us. We erased our identities, we fled to old mountain
shrines, we saved who we could – the elderly who were overlooked by the Okamoto’s spies, the children young enough to
be spirited away before the Half-Devils noticed. And we waited.
“It has been nearly twenty years. Twenty years of hard lessons, of adapting our methods to the changing world. The
Okamoto have new toys, but our old ones are better than ever. They have money and a new name – But we have twenty
years of pure spite, and unlike them, we haven’t forgotten who we are.
“We are the Yanagi, and we will have our vengeance.”

The “True Bone Societies” that rule Korea’s cities
care little about the finer points of Dharma; they
relegate enlightened hermits and Great Sages to
remote villages, all the better to be ignored.
Descended from the Chinese-style bureaucracy that
defined the (now fallen) Green Court of Kaesong,
each True Bone Society is a cartel organization that
rules the crime and resources of their city – and in
the case of the great capital of Seoul, True Bones
battle viciously to control even individual
neighborhoods and streets.
Meanwhile, across the eastern sea, Japan is a bastion
of tradition faced with a massive challenge. Like
Korea, the upper reaches of dharmic enlightenment
are seen as the domain of a rare and dedicated few.
Instead, the extended mortal and undead families
known as the Great Clans have ruled the Japanese
night for millennia, marrying their power to that of
the Grandmasters of the Petals of Virtue – which
are known in Japan as an (outwardly) unified monastic
order, called the Wheel of the Law or the
Night-Temple.
However, the Hungry Dead of Japan are also not
alone. Native vampires – once called “tsuchigumo,”
after the clan that lost against the Yamato in ancient
myth and legend – have risen up, taking the islands
of Amakusa as their own since 1993. Long oppressed
by the Hungry Dead as pests and monsters, the
former tsuchigumo have declared kinship and
alliance with the Clans of Caine – whose envoys
can hardly hold back their enthusiasm as they
encourage a campaign of revenge.
Japan
Amakusa Vaulderie
The Amakusa Islands, off the coast of western
Kyushu, have been a sanctuary for Japan’s native
vampires for nearly a hundred years. They almost
didn’t make it there: During the last sacred hunt at
the end of the Meiji period, the few remaining
tsuchigumo fled southward, the Hungry Dead close
at their heels.
It was with their backs to the sea, faced with certain
doom, that the native vampires found succor from
an unexpected source: a foreigner, one of the original
Portuguese sailors who’d found their way to Japan
several centuries ago. His name was Tomas – Tomas
the Great Friend, as he would be known later – and
he was Hungry Dead.
Tomas had taken the Second Breath in Nagasaki,
learning of his true nature from the Demon
Immortals in the Chinese trade settlement. His had
been a long and difficult road, he said, but he was
very nearly there. God had spoken to him for this
final mission, directing him to guide the native
vampires to a land where they would be safe.
He led the tsuchigumo to the territory of Amakusa,
where he helped them hide from the ruthless hunters
of the Great Clans. As it turned out, help was already
waiting for them: The refugees were met by Amakusa’s
own native vampires, an ancient, three-eyed bloodline
that had long hidden itself among the mortal
Christians. This was proof that God had preserved
the tsuchigumo for a purpose, said Tomas – and in
this, as in all other things, his faith was absolute.
the forests outside Yasaka Shrine, where he said that
he was retiring to pray. When his companions went
looking for him several nights later, they found no
sign of him. Instead, they discovered a copper bowl
at the base of an enormous wisteria tree, its sides
melted into indelible prints of his hands.
In the modern nights, the vampires of Amakusa are
a force to be reckoned with. They came out of hiding
in the post-bubble years of the 1980s, as the Hungry
Dead of Tokyo and other major cities scrambled to
hang onto their suddenly-diminished influence over
the mortal world. Claiming the islands as a “vampire
free state” in 1993, the last native vampires of Japan
declared that they were not afraid, and that they
would not be called tsuchigumo – They were the
Amakusa Blood Tribe, and they would have their
due.
What helps the Blood Tribe survive is the web of
alliances they have forged with outsiders in
neighboring Nagasaki. The Camarilla and Sabbat
are both watching Amakusa with great interest,
parlaying with their Japanese cousins and providing
valuable knowledge of the Cainite world outside
Asia. As for the Great Clans of the Hungry Dead,
as well as the priests of the Night-Temple, the former
tsuchigumo hold nothing but contempt, along with
a desire to bring them to their knees.
What also helps them is the fierce loyalty that the
Amakusa Blood Tribe has to its members, a willingness
to die and kill for each other – which comes not just
from a shared history of suffering, but a shared
sacrament.

The last sighting of Tomas the Great Friend was in Each night, in a well-hidden ad-hoc church that
140 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SCECTION
HAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME 141

changes locations, the Blood Tribe partakes in the
final gift of Tomas the Great Friend: Up to seven
members pour their own blood into the copper relic
bowl that had been found at Yasaka Shrine, along
with a draught of red wine. After a brief reading of
biblical scripture (normally the most righteous and
invigorating parts), the members share a drink from
in an otherwise sleepy and remote region of Japan.
Locals have long known the beautiful, treacherous
peak as a gathering-place of the gods, and Daisen’s
main shrine is famed as the home of
Kagutsuchi-no-mikoto, the ancient god of fire who
burned his primordial mother, Izanami, to death.
In ages past, Daisen was also the training ground
himself. When the first wave of fire engulfs the
screaming acolytes, some report that they see this
creature in the flames – sometimes in the form of
a smiling boy with vermillion eyes and hair, sometimes
a terrible dragon with white-hot rubies for scales.
The fire emerges seemingly from nothing, but it is
no illusion; most of the Hungry Dead will quickly

“THIS MAKES NO the mixed blood, letting each other’s vitae mingle
with their own.
for mortal ascetic monks, who ascended the foothills
alone to either find the wisdom of the Buddha or
perish. And for nearly as long as the Night-Temple
join the ashes in which they stand, burnt into
charcoal within minutes.

SENSE!” For security reasons, only a few vampires are allowed

Readers may be wondering how the Hungry Dead
and the night world did not understand the existence
of a separate race of vampires, all while the tsuchigumo
were right there in Japan as a target of ire and
persecution. Why didn’t information about the
Cainite curse spread prior to the twentieth century?
Japan’s long history of self-imposed isolation
notwithstanding, it’s important to remember that
the Hungry Dead don’t have copies of Vampire: the
Masquerade or Kindred of the East to view things on
a global level. The Great Clans and the Night-Temple
understood well that the tsuchigumo were a different
type of monster, but they would have had no reason
to connect this information to what little they knew
of the Mongolian Anda, the Chinese Wu Zao, or
the Indian Ravnos, let alone the Cainite clans further
west.
Of course, a theoretical scholar who knew of all
these bloodlines, who perhaps also had some
knowledge of the night world in Europe, might still
have been able to connect the dots. But the other
point to keep in mind is that most Hungry Dead
simply did not care. They were the unquestioned
rulers of the night world, living in an advanced and
cosmopolitan civilization, with plenty to occupy
them. Why would they devote their energy to random
night-creatures, or to the goings-on in distant lands
that, to them, were in the middle of nowhere?
This doesn’t mean that you can’t play a historical
game where Cainites and Hungry Dead interact
heavily. As mentioned in Chapter 1, there were
plenty of individuals with their own stories, which
only coalesced into a greater understanding once
industrialization and global empire had a role to
play.
to partake in the ceremony at any given time. But
has existed, it has maintained its own training
grounds on Daisen.
However, not everyone dies. Everyone is burnt, yes;
the “graduates” of Daisen are always marked by scars,
among the Blood Tribe, there is no shortage of which they often wear proudly as proof of what they
volunteers, as the feeling of trust and communion The acolytes who have been given a last chance must have endured. But of the five or so Hungry Dead
that they gain is like nothing else. When they drink climb the mountain and find the temple on their who come every year for their last chance, occasionally
the mixture of blood and wine, the vampires say own, which must be no later than three nights after one (two or three, in an exceptionally good year)
that it tastes like something they have earned. the mortal world concludes its springtime festival. will be found worthy by the god-fire, which burns
Those who fail are sent back to face their final away everything but heaven’s favor. When the pit
System: Drinking from the sacred bowl is functionally rejection. Those who succeed, however, will find settles into smoke and ash and falling petals, those
similar to participating in the Vaulderie Rite of the themselves in a beautiful white grove of plum found moaning in pain but still alive will be unbound
Sabbat. At the conclusion of the rite, any existing blossom trees, where a trio of demon-masked nuns and sent to the temple. Then the training will
blood bonds are replaced by a Vinculum rating, will direct them to stand in the large circle of ash at continue.
which starts at Vinculum 1 for first-time participants. the center of the grounds.
The rating thereafter will rise or fall with time, The Pearl Court of Hiroshima
depending on how often the character repeats the It is a fire pit, they explain, after the last person In much of Japan, there is a tradition of the gods
ritual – See V20 for full rules on gaining or losing enters and is tied securely to an iron stake – and “giving assent” to govern the mortal world. Once
Vinculum. In addition, characters with Vinculum this marks the beginning of their training. upon a time, when the heavenly kami roamed the
3 or higher gain +1 to dice pools to locate other isles, this assent was a real delegation of authority.
Blood Tribe members in the vicinity, as well as to Those who survive the Rite of the Fire God will But in the modern nights, it’s become purely symbolic
fight on the Blood Tribe’s behalf. learn that the Hungry Dead of Daisen share their – The Hungry Dead of the Great Clans find a
temple with a curious being: a creature of pure living Cerulean Veil (or really anyone), designate them
The Daisen Rite of the Fire God fire, who calls himself the vassal soul of Kagutsuchi “seneschal of the gods,” and then proceed to ignore
The Wheel of the Law has no tolerance for fools.
The organization known as the Night-Temple was
founded over a millennium ago, started by young
Hungry Dead who’d learned the ways of the Chinese
Petals of Virtue. By forsaking the ruling Great Clans
of Japan – rejecting the primacy of their familial
relations, both living and undead – the monks began
a bloody conflict that lasted for centuries. The Great
Clans and the Night-Temple have reconciled since
then, and have even formed into sister institutions
– but the lingering memory of war has made the
Night-Temple into a harsh taskmaster, which continues
into the modern nights.
New Hungry Dead in the Night-Temple have only
a short time to prove themselves. Those who fail to
grasp the deeper aspects of Dharma are either expelled
and pressed into lowly service for the Great Clans
– or, if it seems to be a lost cause, then the Hungry
One will simply be destroyed. But when a master
priest still sees a spark of potential in a wayward
acolyte who has failed at everything else, there yet
remains a trial of last resort, which opens every
spring: A one-year training on the great mountain
of Daisen, beginning with the notorious Rite of the
Fire God.

Daisen, on the western coast, is a famous mountain

142
the spirit courts except during festivals, when they
need something, or when there’s a problem.
The city of Hiroshima was once a typical example:
Ruled by the Hungry Dead of the pedigreed Asano
family, they would sometimes go years without a
seneschal. The Little Gods grumbled that they
deserved a servant, that it was only proper – but
kowtowing to fairies and goblins was never considered
a high priority, and there were enough masters of
the spirit-arts to put rabble-rousers in their place.
As far as the Hungry Dead were concerned, things
were perfectly fine.
This changed on August 6, 1945, the day that an
atomic bomb detonated over the city. Everything
was obliterated, on both sides of the Gauntlet:
Dragon’s Nests boiled away, spirit pathways warped
like metal wires thrown into a furnace, and countless
spirits joined the horrific flood of mortal souls who
met their end.
When the Little Gods emerged from the wreckage
to find their home a hellscape, they frantically sought
a return to order, looking for the Hungry Dead and
the beastfolk to help them save as much of the city
as possible. But they found no one; the shapechangers
were dead or dying, and worst of all, the Hungry
Dead court of Hiroshima had already departed –
The Asanos, it seemed, had many powerful augurs
in their ranks.
The gods had been abandoned.
Tonight, Hiroshima is a thriving port city, filled to
the brim with humans and spirits alike. Old fears
that the city would become an eternal graveyard,
overflowing with radiation and poisoned Chi,
ultimately never came to pass – The city struggled
for a few years, and reckoning with the worst of war
is now ingrained into Hiroshima’s identity. But the
roads were rebuilt, as were the spirit worlds, and the
Pearl Court of Hiroshima is now a mecca for the
Little Gods.
There are just two inconveniences, as far as the
Hungry Dead are concerned:
First is their status. The Hungry Dead are tolerated
as guests, but since 1945, they have not been allowed
to hold power in the city. According to the Pearl
Court, the Hungry Dead lost the assent of the gods
when they abandoned Hiroshima and its people to
the bomb – and any attempt to gain a foothold has
been met with vicious retribution. Banned from the
city itself, the disgraced Asano clan now lurks in the
outer suburbs, seething and plotting their return as
the Night-Temple silently observes.
The second concern, and the more insidious, is the
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
manner in which the Pearl Court maintains its rule.
The Lower Heavens of Hiroshima are a bustling,
joyous world filled with ghostly markets, shrines
humming with the echoes of answered prayers, and
even bathhouses where the Little Gods can get a
soak and observe the human world… But there is
at all times a feeling of control over the city, which
is rumored to be maintained by an army of secret,
merciless enforcers.
The truth is that there are darker places in Hiroshima.
In hidden corners, accessible only to senior members
of the court, there are wells of Chi still poisoned by
the bomb. These pools are now deliberately
maintained, fed with a stream of human “volunteers.”
The things that emerge from the pools are abominable
creatures, short-lived Half-Devils riddled with hideous
curses – but they are loyal to the Pearl Court, and
they are very quiet in their work.
South Korea
The Itaewon Black Magic Club
Officially, they are the “True Bone Society of Central
Yongsan,” though it’s often spoken dryly – and that’s
in the best of cases. More often, the Societies speak
of them with undisguised venom, supposedly justified
by a litany of sins: that they like the company of
foreign Draculas more than their own kind; that
they harbor dissidents and criminals from all over
the world; that they are trucking with powers that
will someday turn Seoul into a graveyard.
All grains of truth, to a degree. But the members of
the Itaewon Black Magic Club see the disdain of
their rivals for what it really is: Confucian elitism,
plus a healthy helping of racism and xenophobia –
and frankly, some good old-fashioned jealousy.
According to the Black Magic Club, they were the
ones who took a gamble on the future and won,
and now everyone’s just pissed that they didn’t get
to it first.
Among the True Bone Societies that rose from the
fall of Kaesong, the Black Magic Club was originally
the least of them all: an informal, nameless group
composed of all the hard-luck petty criminals,
prostitutes, and abandoned mixed-race children that
made up the undercaste of the Itaewon neighborhood
of Seoul. The only thing that kept them from being
wiped out by other Hungry Dead, in the first couple
decades, was the protection and generosity of the
few Ram-Hearted who had decided to make the
Seoul Central Mosque their home. Even after the
bigger True Bone Societies decided Itaewon wasn’t
worth their time, the Hungry Dead there struggled
to survive.
This changed in the late summer of 1988, with the
arrival of the Idorans: three vampires who came one
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AME
night from out of the shadows, with jagged
piranha-mouths and an appetite for flesh worse than
any newborn Hungry Dead. They told the Itaewon
crew that they were natives of the underworld, mystics
who had foreseen the destruction of their home and
who were seeking a safe harbor before the inevitable.
They saw promise in Korea, they said – and they
were willing to trade their knowledge for a chance
at a new beginning.
As it turned out, the Idorans – who also called
themselves “Nagaraja” – had powerful, dark
knowledge. They had Necromancy.
Park Jaewon, who runs several nightclubs in the
neighborhood, claims that he was the guy who shook
the Idorans’ clammy, clawed hands and started the
seed of the Black Magic Club. He shares this dubious
claim with Min Yuna, who currently heads the Club’s
martial arm. Regardless of the truth, the Hungry
Dead of Itaewon – who were never given a strong
foundation in the Godbody or Soul Arts – took to
Necromancy with headlong obsession. Within a few
years, the Black Magic Club became powerful enough
in its shadow arts, and feared enough, to demand
their seat at the table with other True Bones.
In 1998, it is now the Black Magic Club who protects
the Ram-Hearted in Seoul, along with other
143
minorities that suffer the prejudice of the other
Societies. Itaewon’s Hungry Dead are on top of the
world, playing host to the foreign Cainites who come
to Korea’s shores. The Club is even beginning to
branch out from Necromancy, learning much stranger
secrets, and they are developing a cataloging system
that is making their library a rival for the one in
Jinhae.
If there’s anything currently bothering the Club, it
is that some members have noticed more Idorans,
new ones, coming from the city of the underworld.
In fact, there are more Cainite expatriates coming
to Itaewon than ever, a significant portion of them
with powers of prophecy, who seem in a hurry to
receive protection... But surely, it’s nothing to worry
about right now. Things are good.
Note: Rules for Itaewon Necromancy are detailed
in Chapter 4.
The Jinhae Earth-Prison
In the southern industrial city of Jinhae, bounded
by mountains on one side and the sea on the other,
you’ll find a gray office building some distance from
the port. It’s one of many just like it – perfectly
nondescript, at least to the mortals who buzz around
during the daytime. Casual visitors will believe the
place to be a rundown chiropractic clinic, or perhaps
an acupuncturist. But those who know what they’re
looking for can find the hidden back room with the
elevator, the one which only has a button to go
down.
The first few basement floors contain a privately
run prison. Each cell is occupied by an unfortunate
soul who was unlucky enough to make enemies with
someone rich, well-connected and amoral enough
to use this place. Prisoners get a television, a toilet,
a cot, and two meals a day – but there are no windows,
nor is there any access to the outside. No one beyond
the prison walls even knows the prisoners are still
alive, and very rarely does a prisoner understand
why they were kidnapped one day and put there.
The guards are trained to be silent and nearly
invisible, no matter how much prisoners scream and
cry in their cells.
Descend even further, and you’ll find floors of a
more bizarre sort:
Entire hallways covered in mystic calligraphy, lit with
hundreds of red candles that expire and relight like
fireflies.
Empty cells lined with beams of black steel, which
subtly contort and moan with pain when you touch
them.
A whole floor with just one set of padlocked doors,
144
sealed with glyphs of pure silver on the floor and
ceiling – and whatever is behind the door is banging
with full strength at all hours.
There are over a hundred floors like this, each
descent stranger and more perilous than the last.
This, too, is a prison; it is the real prison.
The Jinhae Earth-Prison holds the night world’s
worst criminals: the ghost-princes who were never
truly born, and thus can never be killed; the captured
demon generals of the Yama Kings; the smiling
Hungry Dead who worship the darkness outside
the Great Wheel, who can corrode your mind just
by looking into your eyes. If a permanent death is
inconvenient or impossible – and if there’s someone
who can pay the handsome processing fees – then
Jinhae is your destination for a permanent solution.
The warden of the Earth-Prison, a Devil-Tiger named
Kim Bora, is young and thoroughly unenlightened
in the ways of her Dharma. But the lady nicknamed
“Miss Yeomra” by her subordinates is a brilliant
administrator, with a near-supernatural talent for
confiscation and forfeiture. Simply for the treasures
she seizes, the Greater Changwon True Bone Society
tolerates her bossing around a sizable contingent of
its members. The armory of Jinhae is filled to the
brim with incredible artifacts, including a nearly
complete copy of The Broken-Winged Crane – a fact
which Bora unwisely brags about to important
visitors.
What the warden doesn’t know, however, is that
there is about to be a jailbreak.
The upper-level prisoners are taken for granted, as
a source of cash and sometimes chi – They’re mortals
who got on someone’s bad side; what else is there
to say? But they cry themselves to sleep, as mortals
do, and in their dreams they hear the call of the
prisoner on the bottom floor: the very first prisoner,
sealed in 1955 at the 108th level, where even the
elevator can’t directly reach. She is a bodhisattva,
she says, an enlightened being who was cruelly
chained underground, just like them.
She teaches them wisdom and magic, and she tells
them to escape – not upward, but down. She is the
reason the Earth-Prison exists, and one way or
another, she will be free.
Those Who Serve the Goddess
Shamanism is only a marginal practice in Korea,
the result of hundreds of years of state suppression.
Still, the tale of the Princess Bari is about as well
known in Korean culture as any ancient shamanic
song can be: the story of an abandoned princess,
the seventh of seven daughters, who journeys to the
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AME 145
land of the dead to save the king and queen who In their pride and quiet fear, they reject the majority
rejected her. In the end, she becomes the first of Cerulean Veils as superstitious kooks, ignoring
shaman, and the patron goddess of all shamans. their warnings that the corruption that created the
Wicked City is still sustaining it, spreading slowly
The Princess Bari has long been venerated by Korea’s through Korea’s spirit network like fungus through
Cerulean Veils, who see in her the ultimate purpose a rotting log. The Hands of the Princess receive little
of the Hungry Dead. The village gods of old Korea help from their fellow Hungry Dead, as they diagnose
may have grown into mighty city gods, and the the spread of hell’s influence and attempt to cut off
guardian tigers now only prowl through mountains Mikaboshi’s corruption wherever it can be found.
unseen by human eyes, but the “Hands of the
Princess” still diligently serve as caretakers of the But it’s just as well. They call out to their goddess,
great threshold. Tonight, they are a militant and and in fevered daylight dreams the Princess Bari
organized group, on a level that few Cerulean Veils answers: They are abandoned, but not without
are elsewhere. This is because, alone among the dignity – and the Veils will save their ungrateful kin,
Hungry Dead of Korea, the Hands of the Princess whatever it takes.
struggle to save their homeland from an invasion of
hell. System: If using the optional Dharmic sect system
(see Chapter 5), the Hands of the Princess have
There have always been a thousand hells, but they reinterpreted the tenet “Help the spirits who have
haven’t always been the same. The Hell of Spiked strayed from their true nature” to refer to battling
Chains, which once ruled the Siberian steppes, has the growth of the Wicked City in the land of Korea.
long vanished from memory. Conversely, the frozen Whenever they save a spirit from becoming a
wastes of the Night Kingdom are said to have taken mechanical slave to Mikaboshi, or they beat back
their current form only by the mid-19th century. the urban hellscape to restore a natural glade, these
Turmoil in the lands of Yomi is ultimately nothing Veils have the potential to wipe away 2 Suffering
new… But what happened in Korea in 1953 was per night instead of the standard 1.
something entirely different, unprecedented in its
audacity: the deliberate, planned creation of a new
hell.
Its hideous birth started when the first spike was
hammered into the earth at the 38th Parallel, the
beginning of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In the
mortal world, it was done by a random engineer,
nothing special – But that day, the spirits of Korea
screamed in agony as the peninsula’s Dragon’s Nests
were forcefully redirected, drained like severed arteries
by a massive geomantic spell. The new hell-realm
that emerged from the diverted energy was ingenious
and cutting-edge, a vision of horrors to come: an
endless urban nightmare, where all humanity and
meaning would be ground into dust.
Once the demon city was fully formed, obscene in
its concrete and neon splendor, it is said that a new
Yama King named "Mikaboshi" ascended the throne
in triumph – Then the world snapped like an
overstretched rubber band, unleashing a spirit storm
in Korea that raged for several nights. In its wake,
the remaining Hungry Dead emerged to find the
northern half of the country in shambles, its spirit
lands treacherous and run through with poisonous
chi. Many of the old masters were dead or insane,
and the Old Green Court of Kaesong, that shining
beacon of the Quincunx in the hinterlands, was no
more.
The True Bone Societies believe that they have
survived and thrived, that they have risen from the
infernal devastation that nearly ruined Korea forever.
146
INDIA AND THE TIBETAN PLATEAU
Unlike the night world further east, the Hungry
Dead position in the subcontinent is not absolute
– In fact, it can be downright precarious. It is only
once one is firmly in the territory of Tibet and
western China that things shift decisively in favor
of the Hungry Dead: In Pakistan, the vampires of
the Ashirra hold unquestioned dominance, with
the presence of the Hungry Dead limited to the
Ram-Hearted and the odd ancient Godling. And
in Nepal and India, things are far more mixed, where
the blood-drinking cousins of the night must rub
elbows more often than many of them would like.
This region is the cradle of enlightenment and
dharma, both for the mortal world and for the
Hungry Dead – and for Cainites, as well. For while
the vampires of Clan Ravnos war viciously with
Godlings, Demon Immortals, and other deluded
monsters among the Hungry Dead, they have also
long recognized that there are Hungry Dead who
understand the truth of the universal illusion, those
whom the Ravnos can call brothers and sisters.
Together, they claim to have forged the original
Dharma and Road of Enlightenment: the great way
of Mayaparisatya, from which all the other Dharmas
and Paths are offshoots.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
It is the followers of the Pure Illusion-Truth, fittingly,
who point to an apocalypse on the horizon: A demon
will rise in a year’s time, a blood god who will lay
waste to the night world and sit on the throne as
Demon Emperor… But so far, no one is listening.
The night world here is desperately in search of
common ground: between rival Dharmas, between
Hungry Dead and other supernaturals, between
warring projects of enlightenment. No one has to
stand apart, and history proves that working together
will produce wonders – It is only a question of
whether anyone is willing to take the first step before
disaster comes at last.
India
The Asura-Beasts of Bhuvar
There are glorious, maddening beasts in the land
of the dead.
In Tirumala, a temple city in the southern state of
Andhra-Pradesh, the Celestial Tribe is intimately
familiar with the megafauna that roam the
ghost-world of Bhuvar (known in the western world
as the Shadowlands). In other parts of India, these
creatures are sometimes called the “Children of
Kali,” but in Andhra-Pradesh they are referred to as
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asura-beasts, or simply asura – which not only refers
to the demigods of Hindu legend, but is also an
ancient catch-all term for things spiritual and
powerful, both healing and destructive.
Unlike human ghosts, who must struggle to influence
the mortal world at great cost, the asura-beasts leave
massive ripples in the land of the living simply by
existing. When allowed to roam at will, their gathering
heralds catastrophe: not just the expected storm
floods, illnesses, and violence, but also strange runs
of extreme luck and tragedy that turn into mass
hysteria. For this reason, the Hungry Dead of
Andhra-Pradesh do what they can to steer the beasts
away from cities and villages, though specific
approaches differ – The Ram-Hearted, for example,
prefer to fight the asura only when they pose an
active threat to mortal Muslims, just as a shepherd
wards off threats to the flock.
Meanwhile, the Celestial Tribe of Tirumala holds
to a more proactive, extreme method. The mythology
of India, after all, is rife with devi engaging in single
combat with giants and demon armies – While the
greatest battlefields are yet to come, say the Godlings,
they can still reenact the glory of the gods by choosing
the greatest of fights, facing the most fearsome of
enemies.
Over centuries, it has become an initiation ritual of
sorts, most commonly taking place during the
multi-night festival of Diwali: Young Hungry Dead
new to the Celestial Tribe (often two or three
Godlings, but sometimes only one) will be led by
their elders to the rural edges of Andhra-Pradesh.
There, they are stripped to the essentials and ritually
anointed with special paints made of medicinal
formulas – which bestow focus and energy, and
which also glow in Bhuvar like multicolored embers.
Each Godling is allowed to choose a weapon, usually
from an ancient selection of three: a kathari (punch
knife), chakram (circular blade), or vajramu (mace).
Then they cross the Shroud and stand in the great
ruins of Bhuvar, in the vast and empty fields of the
dead, and they wait. It never takes very long.
At their grandest, an asura-beast can be the height
and width of a multi-story building. They are
gestalt-monsters of shadows and hundreds of eyes,
a multitude of claws and whipping tails. The beasts
rarely vocalize, but when they do, the noise is a
deafening boom that can be heard in the Shadowlands
for miles; it is so loud, in fact, that echoes can be
heard in the darkest corners of the living world.
When the beast appears on the horizon – and it
always does, predicted by divinatory rituals and
special arts – the elders withdraw, leaving the glowing,
minimally armed Godlings to face their battle alone.
147
Obviously, not every group survives. It requires not
just teamwork and raw mastery of one’s powers, but
also an excellent sense of timing: Take too long, and
the fields of Bhuvar become a deadly patchwork of
clouds and spectral sunshine, which weakens the
asura but also spells certain doom for the Hungry
Dead. If they do manage to take it down, the surviving
Godlings stanch their wounds, gathering around
the dying beast to drink together from its heart’s
blood. The sticky, black substance they sup upon is
amrita, the elixir of immortality, the same as the
blood and prayers of the mortal cults they will one
night raise – but here, tonight, there is the added
sweetness of victory.
Note: For an example of an asura-beast, see the
spirits detailed in Appendix I.
The Bearers of Varahi
Varahi is a boar-headed goddess of night, known as
a bloodthirsty warrior and marshal of the heavenly
armies. Given such a fearsome namesake, what
surprises those who meet the Bearers of Varahi is
that they seem a decidedly… un-bloodthirsty bunch.
Yes, many of them are quite wealthy, and they have
no qualms about showing it off: Jeweled cufflinks,
thousand-dollar shoes, and imported luxury cars
are not uncommon. But unlike other Hungry Dead
in India who claim to do battle with demons and
monsters, the Bearers of Varahi are oddly unhostile,
suspiciously unarmed – and perhaps it's the desire
to show off their perfect teeth, but they smile so
much. Many come away thinking the name must be
some kind of ironic joke.
It is not, and the Bearers of Varahi are deadly serious
when it comes to their mission of crippling the
beasts who prey on humankind. They simply go
about it in a more efficient way than most, by targeting
the financial assets of the Celestial Tribe, demon
princes, and other beings that they oppose. After
all, it's much harder to pretend at godhood and
other delusions of grandeur when you're flat-broke
in a world that runs on money – And that's exactly
how the Bearers like to see their enemies: their
financial kneecaps broken, rendered utterly
powerless, before they're finally struck down. And
if the Bearers of Varahi and their families get to
economically benefit from the fallout, isn't that a
perfectly just reward?
India was the birthplace of modern finance in Asia,
with the continent's first stock exchange founded
in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1875. Almost
immediately after, the first of the Diamond Serpents
moved their daytime proxies into the organization,
looking to continue the excitement and furious
wealth-building of their living days. They were a
young and small circle in those early nights, calling
themselves "Lakshmi's Men" after the great goddess
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of wealth, power and prosperity – as well as a wink
to her other role as goddess of Maya, the great
illusion.
But it wasn't long before the hidden Serpents found
others hiding right alongside them. Not only was
the stock exchange filled with blood addicts serving
British masters, but Lakshmi's Men were horrified
to discover a radically modernized strain of the
Celestial Tribe, who were making bold moves to
seize capitalist power – After all, what was finance
to the Godlings but the exercise of pure divinity,
shackling the ghosts of gold and silver to one's will?
The Diamond Serpents saw that if left to its own
devices, commerce in the subcontinent – perhaps
all of Asia and the world – would be subsumed by
the inhuman and profane. The common man would
be held in thrall to kings they could not even see,
and any hope of the world’s enlightenment would
surely perish.
The die was cast at the dawn of the new century, in
a midnight ritual honoring the warrior devi Varahi:
a sister-goddess to Lakshmi, sometimes called a dark
aspect of Lakshmi herself. The Diamond Serpents
who had found their way into the Bombay Exchange
were no longer young, no longer consumed with
simply gathering wealth for its own sake. They had
awakened to a new purpose, and they took on an
appropriately humbled name to reflect their
transformation – for it was said that Varahi often
rides forth into battle astride a walking corpse.
In the decades since, the Bearers of Varahi have
become strong: Diamond Serpents remain only a
minority of India’s Hungry Dead, but the Bearers
make up much of the Serpents’ power, as an organized
syndicate that has little problem drawing new
members – and not just men, in these modern nights
– to its ranks.
With the recent computerization of stock exchanges
around the world, the Bearers find themselves up
against all-new challenges: Far to the east, a group
of Devil-Tigers called the Electric Money Wickedness
Club thwarts attempts by the Bearers to expand
their influence in Asia – for it is only the Wickedness
Club, they claim, who properly fights Hell; all others
are fools and pawns of the Yama Kings. To the west,
the money-makers in Clan Giovanni have watched
the industrialization of India with interest, and their
ghost-slaves have begun to appear in the stock
exchanges with increasing regularity.
In this new, faster-paced world, the Bearers will need
all the boldness and savvy they can muster if they
are to survive.
System: If using the optional Dharmic sect system
(see Chapter 5), the Bearers of Varahi have
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
reinterpreted the tenet “Reach out to the world with
human hands” to refer to their work with finance,
particularly in relation to the tenet “Protect the hope
of enlightenment.” Whenever a Serpent in this club
strikes a blow to an enemy using financial means,
they have the potential to wipe away 2 Suffering per
night instead of the standard 1.
Midnight Adda
Every night in Calcutta, you can count on someone
holding a Midnight Adda. In cha shops, markets
and private parlors, the night people of the megacity
engage in their most cherished of customs: a
temporary, quickly-established social club, where
anyone can drop by and converse with their fellows.
Violence is strictly forbidden in a Midnight Adda,
but anything short of it is not – and arguments here
can often reach a stunning level of passion.
Like many idiosyncrasies of Calcutta, the tradition
of Midnight Adda hails from the nights of British
control. Foreign rule of India’s night world was
always tenuous at best, and it was ultimately
short-lived. But much like colonialism left its mark
in mortal society, the brief reign of the Camarilla
left some of its ideas behind. The most popular of
these was Elysium: In a city where almost everyone
hailed from some other part of India, the notion of
a sanctioned, enforced peace, without regard for
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ancient loyalties or rivalries, held great appeal.
Ultimately, though, an Anglo-style vampire hierarchy
didn’t suit local tastes. In the wake of the British
colonial seat moving to New Delhi, attempts to
maintain an official Princedom and institutions in
Calcutta were met with violent disdain, which only
became fiercer after India’s independence. In a
melting-pot city of Cainites both foreign and Indian,
as well as Hungry Dead of every possible Dharma,
there was simply no appetite for an overlord.
Instead, the warrior collective who had driven the
Camarilla from Calcutta – devoted followers of
Mayaparisatya, both Hungry Dead and vampires –
decided on a different approach to the city’s rule:
They took Calcuttans’ notorious love of lengthy,
impromptu conversations (or adda) and they ran
with it, adapting Elysium into an institution better
suited for their people. Instead of a city prince who
enforces the peace, the powerful of Calcutta call
Midnight Adda to discuss goings-on, to work out
solutions (both savory and unsavory) and delegate
enforcers amongst themselves.
Adda is also the tool of choice in the lower levels of
the night world, all the way down to the Ghouls
and Dhampyrs. The “Fleeting Elysium” is the premier
domain of diplomacy and business… But just as
often, supernaturals will call an open Midnight
Adda to talk with anyone, which surprises outsiders
to the city. Why would you expose yourself to attack
or the Final Void, they say, just to satisfy a desire to
chat?
But the Calcuttans simply shrug; if you know, you
know. An open Midnight Adda is the secret to the
city’s peace, an invitation to the universe to allow
dialogue and the blooming of unlikely friendships.
To find an open Midnight Adda, walk through the
city of Calcutta and just keep your senses open.
You’ll feel the pinging invitation in the back of your
mind: a tug that pulls you past fried fish and sweets
stalls, past the smell of boiled ginger and cardamom,
through alleyways and hidden corners. Your intuition
will guide you to just the right spot – if you’re willing
to move where it pulls you.
System: A “closed” Midnight Adda (such as a private
meeting between Ravnos elders and their Hungry
Dead counterparts) is a regular social engagement,
with no additional systems involved. An “open”
Midnight Adda, however, is an invitation to destiny.
It involves the use of a Level-1 Heavenly or Devil
Art (called Midnight Adda), which can also be taught
to Cainites as a Level-1 Non-Clan Discipline.
By activating this power, the player can ask the
Storyteller to bring them to a scene where there are
other supernaturals who want to meet and talk. Roll
149
the relevant Virtue at Difficulty 7, each success
representing one promising person nearby – The
Devil Art encourages one to meet people who will
challenge them and make their lives more interesting,
while the Heavenly version brings the Hungry One
closer to people who will be helpful and reflective
of their own values.
Nepal
The Kailash Parikrama
Mount Kailash lies near the crossroads of Tibet,
India, and Nepal, and it is sacred to the religions of
all three countries. It is said to be the home of the
gods Shiva and Parvati, as well as the site where the
enlightened Rishabanatha and the tantric master
Guru Rinpoche achieved their legendary insights.
To some, Kailash is even the true location of Mount
Meru: the grounding center of the cosmos, around
which everything else in the universe revolves.
To several Dharmas of the Hungry Dead, Kailash
is also a sacred destination for pilgrimage. To some
strains of the Petals of Virtue, Kailash is the former
home of the heavenly immortals (other, more
sinocentric schools claim the Wudan Mountains of
China). Meanwhile, Indian and Nepalese Rootless
Trees believe that their Dharma’s forebears received
the Secret Wheel of Joy after attempting the
treacherous journey to Kailash’s peak. Others in the
night world, hearing of the mystical properties of
braving a view of Kailash at sunrise, simply go in
the hopes of finding something useful.
Much like mortal visitors who wish to take parikrama
– a sacred walk – around the base of Mount Kailash,
Hungry Dead find an easier time going through the
mountain ranges of Nepal. Entry through India or
Tibet involves passing through a gauntlet of several
guardians, from Hungry Dead to wizards and spirits;
some of them are genuine, while others are just
looking for easy targets. Meanwhile, in Nepal, some
Godlings style themselves “gods of the holy journey”
and will take the Hungry Dead to see the best view
of Kailash – for a modest fee, of course.
The peak of Mount Kailash is a total mystery to the
Hungry Dead, as none who have attempted the
ascent have returned. Some say that in the sky above
Mount Kailash is a direct gateway to the highest of
heavenly realms, and that the purity of it burns with
an invisible light more powerful than any sun.
System: Once per lunar month, a Hungry One who
sees the peak of Mount Kailash from a distance, at
sunrise, finds himself refreshed and renewed: His
Chi track is filled to maximum, as is his Willpower;
all Suffering is wiped away – And if it is his first
time viewing the peak, he also gains a point of
dharmic experience. Subsequent viewings within
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the same month offer only non-tangible benefits,
and the cost of being exposed at sunrise means that
only the most prepared – such as masters of the
Godbody of Ash – can do it without risking the
Tibet
On the Enlightenment of Half-Devils
Most Hungry Dead don’t bother wondering why
Half-Devils exist. They are pests, hopeless corruptions,
things to be used or exterminated, as they have
always been. The fact that more of them are appearing
now is a sign of the coming Age of Sorrows, like
pox-marks on an old man dying of disease – There’s
nothing else to be said, and trying to talk to the
Half-Devils to get rhyme or reason out of them is a
fool’s errand.
The Bone Flower monks of Shigatse – who maintain
a secret library beneath the outer foothills of Everest,
and who make it their business to know dangerous
things – are hence considered very odd, when it
comes to what they do about the demon-blooded:
Every few years, they leave Shigatse, moving first to
Lhasa, then out to the rest of the continent, on the
hunt for new half-devils. They’re seeking the most
promising fiends, the ones who have the strongest
whiff of hell and destiny. The ones they find are
given a choice: a swift death, or a chance to live on
in the library’s meditation chambers.
To the Tibetan Hungry Dead, half-devils are not
simply spiritual accidents or products of cruelty.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
That’s a simple fiction, which obscures a greater and
more difficult truth: The native demons of the
Thousand Hells are not independent and separate
beings, but infernal emanations – shards both of
their realm and their Yama King.
The rulers of hell are so spiritually vast, it is said,
their souls swollen by the turning of the age, that
they cannot help spilling over into the Wheel of
Reincarnation. They incarnate pieces of themselves
in the forms of wicked spirits, which then seek out
humans, to make deals and to merge. Half-Devils,
in other words, are each a human incarnation of a
Yama King.
Like the legends of the Buddha, who it is said can
occupy multiple beings at the same time, every one
of the demon-blooded is the tiniest of fractal branches,
a piece of royal glory that also embodies the whole.
The Shigatse library is currently split over whether
this represents a loophole – a way for the Yama Kings
to sidestep their ancient prohibition and interfere
directly in the mortal world – or if it is instead an
opportunity, supposing that the enlightenment of
a half-devil can reverberate through the very soul of
the Yama King who birthed it.
Redeeming the Thousand Hells is a task almost
beyond comprehension, and strengthening the
spiritual power of the most powerful half-devils to
achieve it is incredibly dangerous. But with the
coming end of the current world, they are willing
to try anything.
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that in less than a year, his attacks have devastated
SOUTHEAST ASIA Yangon and Mandalay, leaving the Hungry Dead in
Southeast Asia is a rich kaleidoscope of religious chaos. The stories from survivors are chilling: foreign
beliefs, from the majority-Muslim Indonesia to the vampires turning up as piles of ash; Dhampyrs and
mostly-Catholic Philippines, from the Theravada servants drowned, with prayer-strips and heavy
weights tied around their ankles; newborn Hungry
Buddhism of Thailand to the Mahayana Buddhism
of Vietnam, all the way to the syncretic secularism Dead chained together, doused in kerosene before
a human monk steps up and lights a match.
of the city-state of Singapore. Some countries, like
Vietnam and Malaysia, had to struggle out from
For U Chan, all is well, for he seeks nothing less
under the yoke of foreign colonialism, while others
like Thailand have been fiercely independent for than the death of all monsters in Burma.
their entire history. And some, like the Philippines,
achieved democracy after unseating dictators, while Decades ago, U Chan was known as Johnny Myint,
a Burmese student in Scotland. A budding talent
others like Burma have yet to reach such precious
stability. for the occult earned him attention from mysterious
benefactors, who offered funding in exchange for
favors: a spirit summoning here, an odd translation
They may share the greater region and the seas, but
the cultures of Southeast Asia are each unique. If there, a few cloak-and-dagger trades of artifacts. With
each success, Johnny’s patrons became increasingly
there is one commonality to the night world here,
it is that very abundance of uniqueness, and the generous, until the night that they revealed themselves
and extended an invitation.
need to balance the presence of an overwhelming
mix of supernaturals and their interests. All of the
He had passed all their tests, they said, and their
Dharmas are fully present here, along with the Beast
Courts, Little Gods, Half-Devils and demons, even secret society – the Edinburgh Chantry – was where
he could finally learn real magic. Once he was one
centuries of Cainite presence – and with a few
notable exceptions, none of them can claim absolute of them, all the power, wealth and time he could
ever want would be in the palm of his hand.
dominance.
All Johnny had to do, they said, was let them drink
It is a region of both camaraderie and civil war, the
projects of dictators and demagogues along with the his blood.
undying dream of liberation. Here, perhaps more
than anywhere else, is where the age to come will
be forged and set, whether it is a thousand-year Age
of Sorrows or an age of blossoming hope.
Burma/Myanmar
The Burmese Massasa War
In ancient days, the Hungry Dead and the wizards
of Burma enjoyed, if not friendship, at least a sense
of collegiality. The mystic weikza and the night-dwellers
were said to sometimes seek enlightenment together,
and to assist each other when there was danger in
common – In one noteworthy tale, a group of wizards
and Hungry Dead once stole the throne of the
Demon Emperor from its resting-place in Lanka,
taking great risk to dismantle the cursed palin in
Burma and forestall the Age of Sorrows.
The greatest of the weikza are long gone – either
killed, ascended, or deep in hiding, as Burma struggles
through half a century of civil war. And now a young
wizard currently poses the single greatest threat to
the night world: a zealot by the name of U Chan
Myint.
His devout Buddhist followers say that he is weikza
through and through – but whether U Chan truly
has magic at his command or not, what is true is
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To U Chan’s followers, his refusal to become a
vampire, the subsequent escape from Britain, and
the long journey back to Burma has become legend.
Johnny resumed his Burmese name and discovered
many things in his travels: the truth behind magic,
the monsters who wielded its power through human
blood – and worst of all, the stranglehold that the
monsters had over humankind, ruling the world
from the shadows. When he finally arrived in Burma
to find more of the same – the creatures in his
homeland calling themselves “Hungry Dead,” dressing
like monks and feigning respect for the sangha, all
while gorging on misery – U Chan’s disgust crystallized
into intention and purpose.
For the past year, the night world has vacillated
between indignant rage and fear, looking for the
hunters among the mortals. Even their long-standing
taboo against feeding on monks and nuns, once
non-negotiable, has been violated several times over,
as young Hungry Dead become paranoid and
desperate.
As for the elders, they have ensured their own safety.
They lie asleep in the Dragon’s Nests of ancient
Bagan and elsewhere, quietly biding their time. The
Hungry Dead still active in Burma are the ones too
weak to flee or to claim a Dragon’s Nest, too
unenlightened to avoid the need for blood, too
young and poor to hide within a human herd. For
all intents and purposes, they have been left behind
as a sacrifice for the wizard and his lackeys.
In the meantime, Burma has become an increasingly
strange, dangerous, and hell-tainted world. Demonic
spirits, Half-Devils, and other beings are filling in
the gaps that the more powerful Hungry Dead left
empty in Burma – And with each passing night, it
has become increasingly clear that U Chan, for all
his fanaticism, is unprepared to face a growing army
of things much stranger than blood drinkers.
Hungry Dead with a knack for prophecy can see
even worse things in store: visions of a dark god
crossing the border from Bangladesh, slaking his
thirst on every creature in his path, taking back his
long-stolen throne.
The thousand-year reign of the Demon Emperor is
going to begin, they warn, and this time won’t be
like the legends – The Hungry Ones are diminished
and profane, the greatest weikza an unworthy
pretender and demagogue. Surely, it’s said, they will
never come together as they once did, to save the
mortal world and protect the flame of enlightenment.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Cambodia
The Hell of Wretched Magic
In the ghost-markets of Siem Reap, there is a healthy
market for dead books. Many of the recently deceased
from the 1970s are former students and intellectuals,
whose status as Wraiths or Hungry Dead has not
diminished their desire to learn – Indeed, the fire
burns even brighter in death, with the bitter knowledge
that they were murdered by the Khmer Rouge simply
for having an education. After nightfall, when the
spectral colored lanterns emerge to light up the
Shadowlands, the bookhounds of Cambodia cross
the Shroud and eagerly head to the streets of Psar
Leu to find something new.
For the especially clued-in, there’s much more to be
found here than beloved textbooks or journals of
poetry. Countless arcane texts were burned in
southern China, both during the Century Rebellion
and as a casualty of the Cultural Revolution, and
the ghosts of these books and scrolls have trickled
down to buyers in Southeast Asia. Siem Reap, which
borders the ancient ruins of Angkor, has become
the prime destination if you want to find the best
stuff: epics of the heavenly immortals, formulas for
advanced cultivation, topographical maps of the
Hell of Boiling Oil’s seafloor.
And if you are exceptionally talented, powerful, or
destined, the reasons for Siem Reap’s occult riches
might become clear to you on a moonlit night: As
you turn a corner and see that the ghost-market is
suddenly empty, you may find yourself facing a short,
elderly woman, arms and torso adorned with rings
and buckles of hammered gold. Her palms and the
bottoms of her feet will be dyed bright red, a distinction
once reserved only for the kings of Angkor – and
there’s no mistaking her regal bearing, as she extends
a hand in offering. The woman has many names,
but here she is called Grandmother Witch, and she
rules the Hell of Wretched Magic.
Each one of the Thousand Hells claims a particular
flavor of sinner: The Pit of Salt and Iron takes
traitors, the Wicked City claims those who die of
overwork and corporate anomie, and so on. The
Hell of Wretched Magic takes victims of sorcery,
both those brutalized by cruel magic and those
corrupted by it – which, since the night world rarely
has innocents, is usually one and the same. The
tortures of this hell-realm are almost purely devised
by its prisoners, as damned souls scramble to regain
the powers they’ve lost in death and, once obtained,
to exercise them with impunity.
Grandmother Witch watches the darwinian free-for-all
from her palace, carefully assessing. The magical
powers used by her prisoners are mere facsimiles,
of course; they can twist their own environment and
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AME
torment those around them, but they have no chance
of escaping, let alone challenging Grandmother
Witch’s power. But every once in a while, one of
them shows exceptional potential, even managing
to rattle the real bars of the prison. Such individuals
are either invited to the palace to be further groomed,
or they are simply allowed to escape and take the
Second Breath.
In truth, Grandmother Witch is a contender to the
throne of the Demon Emperor – perhaps the most
serious of them all, though few are yet aware of her.
Whereas the Wicked City has hitched its wagon
entirely upon the horrors of urbanism and modernity,
Grandmother Witch has a different theory about
the Age of Sorrows: It will be the most powerful age
of magic ever seen, albeit not a form of magic that
the current world will survive. To that end, she sends
her agents all over the world to collect cursed artifacts,
to recruit talented infernalists and warlocks, and to
shore up her claim to the throne with as much
forbidden sorcery as she can find.
Hence, the ghost-markets are a perfect honey trap
– a way to capture the occult addicts and risk-takers,
who are willing to make a deal with Hell to get what
they want. But the location of the booksellers also
points to a vulnerability, which Grandmother Witch
is either unable or unwilling to hide completely:
that she was once a mortal among the Khmer, many
centuries ago, and that old Angkor was her home.
Among the many piles of dead books in Siem Reap,
someone who knows what they’re looking for could
piece together the life of the woman who would
become a Yama King, to uncover her secrets and
challenge her bid to rule the Age of Sorrows.
Indonesia
The Godbody of Smoke
If there is one surprising thing to know about
Indonesia, it is that the country is a smoker’s paradise,
even for a time when smoking is still massively
prevalent in the world. The smell of cigarettes,
especially the clove smell of kreteks, is an ever-present
feature of life in the republic, from the poorest parts
of society to the city mosques and rich enclaves.
It is for this reason, perhaps, that young Hungry
Dead who struggle to find their voice have been
learning the forbidden techniques that they call the
"Godbody of Smoke" – officially proscribed, by their
elders, as the "False Godbody of Poison."
Every Godbody is a unique piece of enlightenment,
and there are as many stories of how they come to
be as there are Godbodies. Some, like the corpse-pillars
of Blood, Bone, Flesh and Jade, are said to be
descended from the arts of the heavenly immortals.
Others, like the Godbodies of Devotion and Illusion,
153
THE REAL
SOUTHEAST ASIA
In the original run of Kindred of the East, its
descriptions of the countries of Southeast Asia were
particularly unfortunate. There is a stereotype of
the region as being a wonderland of vices and/or a
hotbed of crime, and the game line at the time didn’t
do much to try and change minds.
So, here are a few points that a group who knows
absolutely nothing about Southeast Asia may want
to know, to get them started on a journey of discovery:
• In Southeast Asia, religion and history are like
an onion: The remnants of ancient Hinduism
interplay in lively ways with folk animism,
Buddhism, Islam, Chinese Taoism, and more.
There are Thai Buddhists who don’t eat beef,
and there are Catholics in the Philippines who
consider visiting the occasional ghost doctor to
be a no-brainer.
• There is color and life to be found everywhere,
most famously among outdoor markets and
street vendors, and in the cities it’s at all hours
– But many regular people actually lean on the
conservative side, and you won’t find them
anywhere near the drinking and party zones
where foreign travelers end up.
• People in the region sometimes have a reputation
with outsiders for following their own timetables
and for being relaxed about most things, for
better or worse. But that doesn’t mean they’ll
shy away from a righteous fight, as the many
struggles against unjust rule show in just the last
few years of the 1990s.
As mentioned in Chapter 5, setting a game in Laos,
Cambodia, Malaysia, or any other country of Southeast
Asia is an opportunity to use the abundance of
resources we now have, to enrich one’s understanding
of a place that too often is ignored or buried under
shallow assumptions. There is much beauty and
depth to be discovered in this part of the world, if
one is willing.
154
are believed by their adherents to have always existed,
pure and perfect since the beginning of time.
On the other hand, there are those who believe that
the Godbodies are simply techniques like any other,
developed through trial and error and the slow pace
of mastery. They point to the oddity that is the
Dragon Tear, or to the forbidden techniques of
Hellweaving, as evidence of Godbodies straining
from within the Soul Arts to reach their final form
– Or, if they are familiar with Indonesia in the
modern nights, they will point toward the restless
youth of Jakarta, and the way they weave cigarette
smoke like magic.
The elders of Indonesia's Hungry Dead rule the
night, and they are as powerful as they are diverse:
Godlings who arose during the Majapahit; ancient
Petals of Virtue who lord over parts of Sumatra;
Cerulean Veils who have tended to the spirits of the
Krakatoa islands for centuries; Diamond Serpents
who wandered the ports of Surabaya before the
Dutch were even a dream.
These ancients coexist in constant simmering tension,
jealously hoarding young Hungry Dead and
maneuvering for dominance. If there is just one
thing that has kept them from openly going to war,
it is the strong and heavy hand of the Eastern Road
of Heaven, whose Rams aggressively keep the peace
in this Muslim-dominant country.
But tonight, Indonesia is a land in turmoil, in both
the night world and the day. The effects of the Asian
Financial Crisis have buffeted the mortal world like
a hurricane, leading to civil discontent and rising
ethnic tensions. Before the year is out, three decades
of authoritarian rule will finally come to a head,
leading to riots and violence that will leave deep
scars on the county and its people.
In the chaos and uncertainty of the nights to come,
blades will be drawn and old grudges will be settled
– And the young know that it is they who will suffer
most, if they don't bring their backs together and
knives out first.
So they gather in secret, inexperienced Demon
Immortals, Godlings, and others. They train together
in warehouses and abandoned fields, teaching each
other what they know, forming a community that
would make their elders furious – even welcoming
Indonesia’s Cainites, the Gangrel Mariners and
mountain-dwelling Nosferatu, who have long been
pushed into the shadows and prevented from having
a voice by those in power.
When the shit hits the fan – and it inevitably will
– they plan to stick together, the young against the
old, the myriad powers of the ancients versus the
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
unifying purity of smoke.
System: The Godbody of Smoke has not yet been
attained; its final form is still unknown. The most
unusual feature of this Art is that it can be learned
by both Hungry Dead and Cainites, similar to the
Godbody of Illusion. Cainites must buy each dot
twice, at the cost of an out-of-clan Discipline.
For those beginning to walk the road to mastery,
these are the steps that have been found and shared:
The First Preparation: Smokeshow (•)
The Hungry One can manipulate existing smoke,
expanding its volume up to the area of a large
warehouse, as well as forming it into all manner of
delightful or horrific shapes.
For 1 Chi, the student can generate smoke from any
orifice or from their hands, which is thick,
sweet-smelling, heady, and potentially poisonous to
mortals who experience heavy exposure (roll Stamina
at the end of a scene to attempt to soak five levels
of bashing damage – or immediately, in situations
such as a smoke-filled kiss).
The Second Preparation:
A Smoker Has Eyes in the Back of the Head
(••)
Once per scene, when the initiate of Smoke is
attacked (but before damage or soak is rolled), they
may reflexively turn part of their body into smoke,
taking just 1 bashing level of damage instead. This
is not a fully conscious action, meaning the player
can choose to apply this power even when the
character is taken by surprise.
For 1 Chi, this can be done an additional number
of times in the scene equal to dots in Godbody of
Smoke.
The Third Preparation:
Reach of Smoke (•••)
By concentrating and taking no other action, the
Hungry One may give a single column of smoke the
solidity and reach of a long tentacle, giving them
the ability to take physical actions from sight distance
(including combat) as if directly present.
For 1 Chi, the apprentice of Smoke can instead
enliven a number of smoke-arms equal to dots in
Godbody of Smoke, though how quickly each arm
can react on its own is limited by the character’s
single initiative roll. The character is also now free
to take mental or social actions, such as negotiation.
SECTION NAME 155
Laos
The Helldivers of Vientiane
Laos is a land blessed by the naga. In the Shadowlands,
ghost-monks who practice the purifying art of
Castigate wear silks woven in elaborate diamond
patterns, bringing to mind the scales of the legendary
healer-serpents. The Hungry Dead, who run the
gamut from Demon Immortals, Godlings, the human
dharmas and everything in between, share a basic
respect for the Godbody of Storms – for the naga,
when pushed to fury, are said to be able to call down
monsoon rains and hurricane wind. And along the
banks of the Mekong River, the shape-changers of
the Beast Courts prefer to be led by the snake-folk,
for it is they who are believed to have the closest
connection to the river and its sacred guardians.
The greatest of the naga is said to reside in the capital
city of Vientiane: a giant, seven-headed king serpent,
which once shielded the Buddha himself from harm,
and which now protects the city and its people. But
for nearly half a century, Vientiane has been closed
to the night world, its portion of the great river
closed and silent. Only a rare few who accidentally
found their way inside and lived – kinfolk and
Dhampyr children, ironically escaping notice by
being too weak and insignificant – have witnessed
the terrible truth: that Vientiane is ruled by a cabal
of monstrous Hungry Dead, who have stolen the
power of the naga king for themselves.
Back during the turn of the century, most of the
hidden Dharma of Ten Thousand Screams threw
their lot in with the burgeoning Empire of Japan,
making plans for a new realm of hell. But a schism
in the south, enamored by the ancient history of
the Hundred Demon Kingdoms, instead decided
on a bid to revive their former rulership – starting
with an artery of spiritual power on the Mekong
River, which had been long protected by the Beast
Courts of Laos.
The night community, already battered by years of
war and unrest, was utterly unprepared for the ritual
that was performed at the banks of the Mekong in
1951, which bound the legendary naga king to a set
of new overlords.
Tonight, the four Ebon Masks who rule the city have
complete control of its environment, like masters
of the Godbody of Jade several times over: Vines
and cables strangle the limbs of people who try to
flee them, streets circle around and don’t go where
they should, vehicles and even animals will move as
if remotely controlled. Worst of all, the Ebon Masks
appear to be unkillable by normal means, as the
power binding them to the naga king has protected
them through decades of mortal turmoil and
supernatural assassination plots.
156
But all is not lost. As of 1998, the night world of
Laos has made a breakthrough discovery, albeit an
unpleasant one: People who enter Vientiane directly
from the Thousand Hells are cloaked in its energies,
making them effectively invisible to the Ebon Masks
until sunrise. At nightfall on the Lunar New Year,
a group of freedom fighters – fera mostly, but some
Hungry Dead, perhaps even a wizard or witch – will
choose to take this most dangerous of routes, armed
with a ritual that they hope will restore the naga
king and break the immortality of the seven Ebon
Masks, freeing Vientiane at last.
They will have two choices:
The Iron Queen, regnant of the Hell of Being
Skinned Alive, has offered the corridors of her realm
to those brave enough to use them. Travelers will
find themselves in a screaming dune of burning
sands and endless howling winds, where even one
step off the black-pebble path will tear one’s flesh
to shreds – The only way to survive, if you are pushed
or thrown off, is to shout your worst memories and
darkest secrets, to “skin yourself” and reveal who
you really are. If it pleases the Iron Queen, the winds
will still themselves for a precious few seconds, no
more.
The Mother of the Depths has also offered safe
passage through the infinite seas of her world –
though “safe” is a relative term, when dealing with
a goddess of shark-teeth and rainbow eyes of abalone.
Outside of a very narrow channel of calm waters,
the stormy seas will destroy even the hardiest of
ships, leaving its occupants vulnerable to
monster-sharks and tentacled beasts from out of
nightmare. The only way back, if your vessel loses
its way or is forced off-course, is to offer something
you love to the depths: Drop it into the ocean, lose
it forever, and the Silver Princess of Pearls may send
a friendly current to save you.
Note: For an example of one of the naga, see the
rules for other supernaturals in Appendix I.
Malaysia
Langsuir
In Malay myths and legends, the langsuir is a female
ghost – Sometimes it is said to be a woman who
died while pregnant, while other legends specify a
woman who died from the heartbreak of a stillbirth.
Adorned with a white or green dress, fine fingernails,
and flowing black hair, the langsuir drinks the blood
of young children and feasts on the fresh entrails of
men it meets at night.
The Hungry Dead of Malaysia hear such legends
and nod their agreement, however soberly: This is
one of the few times when mortal stories are fairly
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
accurate, minus a few cosmetic details. There are
powerful, malevolent spirits, often women, who
terrorize and feast upon the mortal world of Malaysia,
much like the Hungry Dead. This is because they
are Hungry Dead in their most embryonic and
cursed form. When a human escapes from the
Thousand Hells and is unable to re-enter their body,
a Langsuir is the unfortunate – and dangerous –
result.
Even the spiritually dull and blind will know the
presence of a Langsuir by the sudden darkening of
a room and breath-frost on the windows, by the
stench of corpses mingled with wisteria, the laughing
of unseen children. Without a physical body infused
with Chi to provide a measure of containment, the
Suffering of a Langsuir permeates the world with
abandon, twisting the environment around it with
infernal energy. Langsuir are spirits wracked by
hatred, agony, and a sense of incompleteness, which
can only be calmed for a time by glutting themselves
on Chi – Which, since they are Hungry Dead with
access to the Demon Arts, results in exactly the
carnage one might expect.
All across the night world of Asia, there are escapees
from hell who fail to find their bodies, or who don’t
have the strength to reconstitute their corpses from
pyre-ash and grave dust. Some of these unfortunates
settle for any corpse at all, resulting in an unusual
rebirth where the soul doesn’t match its original
body (not necessarily a tragedy, for those who were
not comfortable with what they were before). Most
of the time, however, the escapees who cannot
complete the Second Breath are simply killed and
consumed by more powerful beings, bringing a tragic
end to their journey.
The mystery of Malaysia is why the corpse-less are
so much more common than elsewhere, and why
so many are women. Some Hungry Dead point to
the unusual ley lines of the islands, or to an old
story in which Ravana, King of the Demon City of
Lanka, cursed the Hungry Dead of the archipelago
for rejecting a political marriage. Regardless of why
it happens, Malaysia’s Hungry Dead courts are built
to accommodate this nightly reality: Certain cells
of Hungry Dead are skilled “Kingfishers,” dealing
with the Langsuir by either helping them complete
the Second Breath, or by destroying them when
necessary.
Accordingly, fostering the newly-risen has reached
the level of an art form in Malaysia: A Kingfisher
uses fate-reading arts to track a Langsuir (often using
techniques borrowed from the masters in Singapore),
then captures them using special artifacts. The rite
requires the Langsuir themselves, a bowl of incense,
and a corpse – which can be their original, a close
match, or one they might like instead. At the end
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of the night, either the Langsuir is reborn as a true
Hungry Dead, or they are considered to be beyond
hope.
System: A Langsuir has a pool of 9 points of Chi,
of which it uses one per night. When it is down to
the final point, the Langsuir instead gains points of
Suffering – This Suffering is not tracked, but
immediately disperses, causing deleterious effects
wherever the Langsuir goes. In addition, while the
Langsuir is in this starved state, every point of
Willpower it spends and every strong (3+) success
counts as another point of Suffering, which enhances
existing effects. This cloud of corruption only stops
when the Langsuir replenishes its Chi – which it
can only do by killing and eating the flesh of the
living, or through the blood of very young children.
For a Langsuir to complete the Second Breath, the
normal process of waiting for them to do it on their
own is not quite enough. Unlike other places, where
the escaped soul simply needs to be led to its body’s
resting place, in Malaysia the ritemaster must engage
in an extended challenge with the Langsuir, with
Willpower as the dice pools and Willpower points
as health levels. Assistants to the ritual will add one
die for the ritemaster per assistant; bringing a mortal
tied to the Langsuir to the ritual will add three; and
ritually killing that mortal will add five automatic
successes to the next roll.
When the Langsuir is down to 1 Willpower point,
they can be forced into the corpse, whereupon the
Second Breath proceeds.
Flaw: Reformed Langsuir (3 points)
You spent some time as a tormented, bodiless spirit,
and you needed help to take the Second Breath –
Either in your own body or someone else’s. Any
time you fall into torpor, you must roll Dharma
(Difficulty 7) to avoid losing your grip on the body
you have and becoming Langsuir once again. On
the plus side, you get +1 die in interactions with
spirit beings or the various spirit worlds.
Talisman: The Good Wife's Nail (•••••)
Hammer this nail into the back of a corpse’s neck. If the
corpse is occupied by a supernatural entity of spirit (such
as a Langsuir, Risen, or even a Hungry One), you now
have total control – Any commands you give must be
obeyed by the bearer of the nail to the best of their ability,
even self-destructive ones.
Chi Pool: 5
Related Special Abilities: Jeweled Eyes (Devil Arts
•••, commanding obedience), Throat-Cage of
Heaven (Heavenly Arts ••, controlling the spirit’s
ability to leave)
Note: The Talisman’s special abilities are considered
157
always on when the nail has been hammered into
a corpse’s neck, making the Chi Pool no longer
accessible for anything other than the effect. However,
any time the enslaved party experiences an exceptional
(5+) success, they can push out the nail with a basic
Willpower roll, allowing them to take their revenge.
The Philippines
The Florentine Heresy
On paper, the Society of Leopold has long protected
the Philippines from the forces of Satan. Its officers
report to the Inquisitor-General, telling the
leadership of their daring hunts for monsters, and
of the demonic talismans that they uncover and
destroy in the name of the Lord. To date, this has
much pleased the upper echelons. But the tales are
only half-truths, which carefully obscure the real
relationship between the hunters and the night-brood
– For if Rome were ever to find out the whole truth
of the Philippines, it would invite nothing less than
a bloody, all-out purge.
To the Inquisition, working with witches, shapeshifters
and revenants is unacceptable. Friendship with such
creatures is unfathomable. And yet, the inquisitors
of the Philippines count among their allies psychics,
spirit-healers, ghosts, fairies, beast-people – and most
damning of all, vampires and the Hungry Dead. All
of them work together, sharing information, even
fighting together, for the sake of a greater peace.
For those who know their Society history, they might
see echoes of the Florentine Heresy that once
threatened to split the order. And they would be
right: In 1658, when Inquisitor Raffaele Renzi was
sentenced to death for consorting with the enemy,
not all evidence of his heretical beliefs – that monsters
were capable of redemption, and that the Society
itself needed to make room for God’s grace – was
destroyed. Renzi’s compatriots were forced to recant
their beliefs on pain of the torture rack, but a
handful, unable to relinquish their convictions,
chose instead to flee. The fugitives went eastward
to Asia, settling in the Spanish colonies – a fateful
decision, they discovered, for the night world here
was unlike any other.
In the Philippines, kapwa – meaning “fellowship”
or “communion” – is the rule of the night.
Supernaturals of the islands have coexisted for as
long as anyone can remember, and the lines of
camaraderie run deep. Even now, as mortal believers
pray after sunset in the plaza of the Black Nazarene,
one of the Hungry Dead might do business there
with a fey duwende, a werewolf, and a Cainite from
the Spanish Kastilla, with none of them so much
as batting an eye at the confluence. In principle, at
least, no one has to be enemies. In other words, the
Florentine heretics had accidentally found themselves
158
in the best of all worlds.
Tonight, the inquisitors of the Philippines – no
longer a few rogue Europeans, but native islanders
one and all – carefully maintain their secret, sending
creative reports to Rome while continuing to practice
their forbidden brand of inquisition: peace and
cooperation with the best of the night world, balanced
occasionally by a hunter’s stake and blade against
the worst. Until now, it has been a grand success.
But as the millennium draws to a close, two problems
now loom before them:
The first is one of faith – not their own, but that of
the Hungry Dead. Despite a majority of Filipinos
being Catholic, as well as the major presence of the
Eastern Road of Heaven, the most that Catholicism
has managed to penetrate the Dharmas is in the
iconography of the Cranes and Veils. But a massive
change is at hand: In Quezon City, a group of Hungry
Dead have rediscovered an ancient text, a vampire
holy book called The Gospel of Laodice. The leader
of the group, a former nun named Sofia Alcantara,
has been transformed by the book, shedding her
old Thrashing Dragon beliefs and rocketing toward
a new and mysterious mastery.
But, to the dismay of the inquisitors, those who
follow Sofia are nothing like their cousins among
the Islamic Ram-Hearted, who value cooperation
and generosity: These “Crusaders” are fiery, vicious,
self-obsessed, and completely uninterested in
partnerships with unbelievers. When the Western
Road of Heaven grows enough to start claiming
territory in Metro Manila, it is clear that other
Hungry Dead will have to join them – or burn.
The second problem is the bigger one, at least for
the inquisitors themselves: The Society of Leopold
– the true Society, which believes that it destroyed
the Florentine Heresy ages ago – has become a strong,
global force, and the leaders have turned their
attention at last to reorganizing their hinterlands.
The first-ever Provincial of Southeast Asia, a young
and tech-savvy man, is turning out to be a suspicious
and careful auditor, who with every passing day
appears to be inching closer to the truth.
Barring divine intervention, the careful secrecy of
the shared night world is about to come to an end.
The response from on high, when it comes, promises
to be swift and painfully thorough.
Note: The tenets of the Western Road of Heaven
can be found in Chapter 2.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Singapore
The Disobedient Devils
The night world of Singapore is a haruspicracy: a
society ruled through the power of augury and
fortune-reading. With the use of powerful oracular
arts, problems are studiously predicted and avoided,
crimes and unrest visited early and nipped in the
bud. In a secret upper floor of one of Downtown
Core’s many skyscrapers, a veritable bureau of destiny
even pulls fate’s strings and stays always one step
ahead, shifting the world in favor of the Hungry
Dead and the Golden Lion Court. For this reason,
the Resplendent Cranes count the court as one of
their greatest successes, a city that unquestionably
holds heaven’s favor.
The truth, however, is that the night world on these
islands is a highly stratified society, ruled by the
Heaven and Earth Society – an alliance of largely
Malay Thrashing Dragons, Bone Flowers from India,
and Chinese Resplendent Cranes, with the last
group standing as first among equals. Members of
all other Dharmas, from the most bombastic Godling
to the quietest serpent, are closely watched and
controlled as “troublemaking elements.” When
accused of wrongdoing, there are neither rights nor
room for appeal; unless the accused has something
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special to offer the powers that be, they are simply
disposed of.
But by whom, one may ask? In this country where
the mortal world is so efficient and spotless, where
the Cranes and their lackeys congratulate themselves
for ruling over a perfectly harmonious and
well-controlled system, who does all the dirty work?
Nearly every new Hungry Dead who rises in Singapore
is taken to the city’s oracles, to have their horoscopes
read and their destinies proclaimed. Those with
leading potential are placed among the Cranes, those
with other gifts are given to the Flowers and Dragons,
and the remainder are simply registered and told to
stay out of trouble. But every few years, one or two
fledglings are set aside, their name and existence
wiped from the record. It is because their destiny
shows as an empty, featureless void, which can only
mean the worst possible fate – hence, the only future
that remains for them is to become an enforcer.
The enforcers are the Golden Lion Court’s open
secret: A secret police of Devil-Tigers, ruthlessly
trained by a handful of ancient masters. Aside from
these masters, who count themselves among the
upper echelons of Singapore’s night world, the
Devil-Tigers don’t have an official presence in the
city at all. It’s the enforcers who do fate’s dirty work,
removing those who have been deemed criminals
and spying on the comings and goings of all the
lesser Dharmas. They have no real names, no status
to speak of – Given the brutality of their training,
many can scarcely even remember who they were.
Lately, however, there is a wrench in the gears: The
Pure Illusion-Truth has secretly followed mortal
Indians to the Lion City, cloaking themselves from
the all-seeing eyes of Singapore’s augurs. The
followers of Mayaparisatya have discovered the secret
of the enforcers, and they see the servitude of
Singapore’s Devil-Tigers as an affront to everything
they are supposed to be. How can beings who rose
from hell itself be content to spend an eternity
skulking in the shadows, nameless and unknown?
What, indeed, happens to the enforcers who grow
too much in their Dharma and threaten their
masters? No, they say; this cannot be their true
purpose.
Fomenting a rebellion takes time, but the great
sibling-rivals of the Ravnos know how to entrench
themselves. They have made overtures to promising
enforcers, looking to offer a friendly hand and a
different perspective. The propaganda of the Cranes
is strong and difficult to break – but a precious few
have done so, young Devil-Tigers looking around
and finally realizing that they live in a gilded prison.
The Pure Illusion-Truth teaches these new friends
how to hide themselves from destiny, how to move
159
unseen through the night world of Singapore and
its many spies, and to at last pursue their own goals.
The ultimate endgame – to gouge out the eyes of
every oracle, to break down the haruspicracy all the
way to the rumored bureau of destiny–grows closer
by the night.
Tainted Dragon’s Nest:
The Paper Hell City of Haw Par Villa (••••)
Haw Par Villa, a theme park in Singapore, is infamous
for its “Hell’s Museum,” where the tortures of Chinese-style
hells are rendered in glorious, life-size sculptures. It doesn’t
cost much to get in, and the gory simulacra provides only
brief entertainment – but there is an area that lies behind
a locked room, where a designer for the villa left a miniature
city made entirely out of “hell money,” slips of paper
intended to be burned as offerings. It is said that the
designer was later found dead, his eyes inside his stomach.
It is a beautiful, maddeningly precise diorama. The
Devil-Tiger rebels who meet in Hell’s Museum at night,
who have discovered the paper city, say that it looks quite
familiar.
Max Chi: 16 per night (no more than 4 Chi per
person). Note that this Chi is tainted and inflicts 1
point of accrued Suffering per point of Chi, or
equivalent corruption for other supernatural beings.
Note: This Dragon’s Nest is located in the mortal
world, in an area that receives occasional visits but
is otherwise isolated. As such, the Gauntlet rating
is normally 7, lowering to 5 when there are no
mortals present. Note that this Dragon’s Nest, being
tainted, only allows those who cross the Gauntlet
to arrive in the neon-and-smog streets of the Wicked
City.
Thailand
The Penitence of Alms
Bangkok, the capital and largest city of Thailand,
was once a city of glorious canals. Some parts of it
still are, though the traditional waterways have
become greatly diminished, paved over by construction
and polluted by modern industry.
Bangkok is also a city of temples, which, unlike the
canals, have only proliferated with time. The
thousands of temples, shrines and spirit-houses in
Thailand provide easy access to cross the Gauntlet.
And in both the Realm of Ghosts and Realm of
Beasts, the old canals still cut strongly through the
city, the crisp, colorful ghost-waters providing valuable
transit and riverside commerce.
When you wander the banks of the spirit worlds
after dark, you may run into someone by the water
with their head shaved, dressed in the traditional
robes of a monk. They have no possessions, save for
prayer beads and a small metal bowl; by all appearances
160
they are just like human monks, going through the
traditional rounds to receive whatever food the
community will offer – an ancient and honored
practice, even in the biggest city in the country. But
this is not the world of daylight, and these are not
mortal mendicants; this is the night world, and they
are the Hungry Dead.
The Penitence of Alms is a long-standing institution
among the Hungry Dead of Thailand, adapted from
the customs of Theravada philosophy. While it may
once have been a practice for spiritual betterment,
in these latter nights it is often a form of punishment
– a rough cudgel wielded by older Hungry Dead,
against young ones whom they judge to be making
trouble.
A Hungry One who’s been summarily judged by
her masters will have her possessions confiscated,
handed the beggar’s bowl, and she is thenceforth
forbidden to feed. For the duration of the Penitence,
which can last for a fortnight or more, they are only
allowed to take Chi that has been given to them as
charity.
Anyone of the night world can offer alms, if they so
choose: It can be fellow Hungry Dead, or it can be
sympathetic wraiths learned in the Arcanos of Usury,
human spirit doctors, and so on. Custom dictates
that no one has to give, and that if they do, they
only offer the absolute minimum: dribs and drabs
of blood, tiny offerings of spirit food. The begging
bowl must be able to hold these offerings, which
grant one or two points of Chi at the end of the
night – never more.
Much like the mortals of Bangkok with mendicant
monks, there are some supernaturals who give a
little bit of whatever they can spare as a matter of
habit. However, direct associates of the Hungry Dead
are forbidden from generosity, or to harbor the
Hungry Dead in their homes. Even temporary
housing is provided: cramped, uncomfortable
dwellings near the banks of the spirit canals, which
are nonetheless safe from daylight. Those who survive
the experience are invariably humbled.
Foreign vampires visiting Thailand are often horrified
and fascinated by the Penitence of Alms, which in
turn alienates the Hungry Dead. While the Hungry
Dead have a general understanding of vitae’s addictive
properties, the abject fear that Cainites have of
humbly asking for blood still strikes Thais as childish
and self-obsessed. Is it really so terrifying, they say,
to be reminded that you rely on others to survive
the night?
Lately, however, a system based on tradition and
spiritual purity is showing signs of strain.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Bangkok is ruled by an ancient prince who straddles
the lines of several Dharmas: a Diamond Serpent,
with deep friendships among the Chinese Petals of
Virtue, he is also said by Thailand’s Godlings to be
an emanation of the god Ganesha. Though he no
longer strolls the streets and canals as he once did,
the Prince’s longtime allies and royal guard, the
bird-like creatures called khrut, still soar the skies
of the Lower Heavens as a sign that he is favored to
rule.
The khrut may or may not be the monster-birds of
Buddhist legend – and they certainly don’t talk
much either way – but they are bound by ancient
agreements inside the city, their loyalty to which is
absolute. When a Hungry One who has been judged
by his dharmic betters is caught flouting the Penitence
of Alms, the khrut swoop down without mercy –
inflicting grievous wounds at the first infraction,
and carrying the Hungry One into the sky upon the
second, after which the perpetrator is never seen
again.
In 1998, there are more Hungry Dead being
punished with the Penitence than ever. Masters and
Grandmasters, even Great Sages who have long
withdrawn from nightly affairs, have become suddenly
mad for punishment, eager to force the robes for
even the slightest disrespect. Rumors abound of the
Prince of Bangkok having risen at last to the Hundred
Clouds – or, in hushed whispers, it is said that his
councilors have stabbed him in the back and sent
him to the Final Void, and now they feel they have
license to remake the city however they wish.
The long-standing detente in Bangkok between the
Human Dharmas, the Godlings, and the Petals of
Virtue was largely due to the Prince, who masterfully
balanced the worlds of all three groups. Without
him, it is anyone’s guess who will rise to power, and
who will be driven to extinction in the aftermath.
Those who believe that Bangkok is about to enter
a time of chaos look to the skies expectantly,
wondering what the khrut have seen, what they
know, and wondering how to get their attention. A
brave few are prepared to do crime for the greater
good: to take on the monk’s robes, take blood under
an open sky, and await a dangerous parley under
the flapping of wings.
Note: For an example of a khrut and their ancient
enemies, the naga, see the spirits and supernaturals
detailed in Appendix I.
Dragon’s Nest: Spirit House (•)
Above all, Thailand is a place defined by both Buddhist
faith and belief in the spirits. Spirit houses – small raised
effigies of homes or temples, laden with offerings and
complete with figurines of people and items – are a fixture
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of Bangkok and the rest of Thailand, present in many
street corners and near prominent buildings. While not
every spirit house is actually charged with Chi, many that
are tended to by the night world serve as convenient
gateways.
Max Chi: 2 per night, which can be shared with one
other person or creature.
Note: This Dragon’s Nest is typically located in the
mortal world, normally in places with at least some
human foot traffic. As such, the Gauntlet rating is
normally 7, lowering to 5 when there are no mortals
present.
Vietnam
The Rite of Joined Lives (Major Ritual)
The Hungry Dead of Vietnam are well known for
this unique ritual, which defies easy categorization.
A slow ritual unique to the region's Rootless Trees
– who are so common in Vietnam that their masters
take leadership roles, forming the closest thing in
the night world to a Rootless Tree court – it takes
years to activate the Rite of Joined Lives in its entirety.
But once it is done, two people will live a single,
glorious life: the mortal during the day, and the
Hungry Dead during the night.
System: Spend 1 Willpower while in the presence
of both a human baby and one of the Hungry Dead.
The Hungry One can be either the wielder of the
Rite, or one who wishes to receive the Rite’s effects.
From that point on, until the mortal child is ready
(typically adolescence to adulthood, but at least ten
years), the Hungry Dead recipient must visit the
child for at least half the nights of every lunar month.
Visits can be as simple and unobtrusive as watching
the child sleep, but each visit must be no less than
one hour – If the Hungry Dead ever fails in this
requirement, the Rite is ruined and must be
attempted again with a new infant.
Once the mortal has reached the proper age, the
Hungry One changes his body and face to match
that of the mortal, with the help of either specialized
Talismans or a master of the Godbody of Flesh.
Then, in the presence of the rite master, the Hungry
Dead recipient spends one permanent Willpower
dot, and the Rite is complete: The mortal and the
Hungry Dead will share the same appearance,
mannerisms, basic capabilities, and memories,
growing together for the rest of the mortal’s life.
Obviously, this bond is grossly unequal.
The Hungry Dead doppelganger has perfect recall
of the mortal’s waking hours, as if they had lived
those hours themselves. If both are ever awake at
the same time, the Hungry Dead can simply spend
162
a turn to know exactly where the mortal is and what
they are doing at that moment.
The mortal, however, has nightmarish, fragmented
recollections of what the Hungry One does at night,
and can only sense the location of their double with
a Perception+Awareness roll at Difficulty 8, which
they can only do if they know the truth. And what’s
worse, the mortal experiences extreme drowsiness
whenever the Hungry Dead is active, suffering a -2
penalty to all rolls until they give in to sleep.
There are two blessings for the mortal: First is a
Luck pool of 4 (like Dhampyr PCs – see Chapter
3), which passively protects the Hungry One’s
“investment.” The second blessing is that wounds
are not shared; if the mortal wises up to what has
happened to them, they may find freedom if they
can somehow manage to destroy their other half.
When the mortal dies, the Rootless Tree will spend
time in meditation, sometimes ritually mutilating
themselves to be rid of the old identity as they reflect
on what they learned. Then they will decide which
life they wish to live next, and they will move on.
FURTHER AFIELD
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
heritage and to explain her parting gift to her
daughter.
The Hungry Dead of Southern California, in truth,
are a mixed lot. Unlike the established Dharmic
schools that are said to exist further north, here you
find all the misfits: Godlings who were kicked out
of their bond-circles, trigger-happy True Bones trying
to stop the smuggling of Korean talismanic jade,
renegade immortals on the run with pages of The
Broken-Winged Crane, utterly bewildered Diamond
Serpents who struggle to protect their families in
this strange land. But if there’s one thing that unites
all the Hungry Dead, it is the need to stay fed in a
dangerous world. And the Lucky Bat just happens
to be an incredibly potent Dragon’s Nest, one of
the most plentiful sources of free chi for miles and
miles.
For now, the Lucky Bat is a de facto Hungry Dead
Elysium, where the night people go to rest and
convene with their kind. There is a simple peace
that rules here, enforced by Tiffany and the other
patrons: If you make trouble, no Chi for you.
Four things currently have the potential to break
this peace, turning the Lucky Bat into the site of a
future bloodbath or worse:
SECTION
CHAPTERN6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE
AME
The Eastern Mariners
Few young members of the bloodline know what
they were really called, in the time before the princes
of the Camarilla dubbed them the “Eastern Mariners.”
Those princes are long gone, but the name lives on:
an obscure reference to an offshoot of Clan Gangrel,
aquatic monstrosities who are said to haunt the seas.
Like their namesake, the Eastern Mariners have an
unsettling curse: Over time, their inhumanity
manifests as shiny scales and razor-sharp fins, bulging
eyes and the hard, permanent frowns of sharks. But
the Eastern Mariners are not kin to the legendary
Mariner Gangrel. Indeed, they aren’t really Gangrel
at all.
On the darkened coasts of Japan, they were once
known as tsuchigumo. It was not the name of a Clan
or bloodline, if they ever had such things – This was
an exonym, an ancient title, which designated their
kind as eternal enemies of the Hungry Dead. The
tsuchigumo were despised, their ability to create
more of their kind shunned by the night world as
a pestilence. Among the many indignities they
suffered, the tsuchigumo were subjected to regular
purges by their Hungry Dead lords, who ritualized
brutal hunts as a means to purify the land.
The original Eastern Mariners were escapees from
163
Hawaii. Feeding from the laborers who were journeying
to the sugarcane fields, their boat full of corpses and
invalids was quarantined at the harbor of Guam,
which forced them to board another vessel. That
ship eventually arrived at the Port of Los Angeles,
where the Japanese vampires were shocked to discover
a completely different world – a world where their
kind ruled the night, where everything was different.
A land where they would be allowed to thrive.
And thrive they have: From the original four refugees,
the Eastern Mariners have become a force within
the Anarch Free States. While its members often
hail from Asian descent, the modern bloodline has
vampires of every race and ethnicity, in high society
and low. The youngest take the success of their
bloodline for granted, jockeying for influence and
power like any other Cainite punk – It is the formative
group, the original tsuchigumo and their childer,
who understand how far they have come, and just
how much they could lose.
And of the original four vampires, there are now
only three: One of them, the eldest, was lost to an
unexpected frenzy and Final Death. It occurred after
she caught sight of one of the Hungry Dead, who
was freely walking the streets of her city.

The world outside of Asia is a harsh one for the
Hungry Dead, with support and resources few and
far between (though they do exist – see Appendix
I). But there is one shining exception, a land that
has hosted the Hungry Dead for nearly a century
and a half, and whose night world is now stronger
than ever – though it is not a place without great
California
one such purge, stowing away on a ship bound for The hidden war of the Eastern Mariners is not
The first thing is the ghosts and shapeshifters – not
because they covet the Lucky Bat, but because they
fearfully avoid it, and tell everyone else to do the
same. They warn Tiffany that every bit of chi drained
is like a tiny mosquito bite upon a sleeping god.
And if the creature that’s bound here were ever to
awaken, they say, it would be a catastrophe on the
level of “Gorool”... whatever that is.

The Lucky Bat Restaurant and
Banquet Hall
At the end of a block of strip malls and aging
apartment buildings, there is a two-story building
with red Chinese-style roofing, most notable for the
granite haetae statues that flank either side of its
front doors. Go in, and you’ll find the interior is
exactly what one expects from a Korean-Chinese
restaurant of Greater LA: ancient posters for Hite
Beer and Tsingtao, ceramic teacups so sturdy they
could kill a man, large family tables with lazy Susans
and ornate privacy screens. Smells of spice, seafood,
fry oil and jasmine tea dominate – And at the end
of your meal, you will, in fact, get a fortune cookie
with your bill.
The current owner of the Lucky Bat is Francis Jin,
a widower who immigrated from Yanbian and bought
the restaurant at the advice of his late wife. Francis’s
only daughter, Tiffany, is Dhampyr – a child of the
Hungry Dead. After her mother faked her own
death, she visited Tiffany one night, to reveal her
The second thing is the Tremere antitribu, who are
beginning to appear in Southern California with
greater and greater frequency. From what anyone
can tell, they seem to be answering some kind of
summons that is taking them south of the border
– but along the way, more than a few of their kind
have sensed the spiritual potential of this “shitty
Chinese joint,” and have expressed their confidence
in taking it.
The third thing is the Anarch Free States of Greater
LA, who rule the territory that the Lucky Bat sits
on. Thus far, they have been content to ignore the
tiny, insignificant presence of the “Kindred of the
East.” But now that these Asians are gathering in
numbers and appear to have a leader – a mere ghoul,
if the reports are true – the calculus of their tolerance
has abruptly changed.
The fourth calamity, and the least known, is Tiffany
Jin herself: how much she misses her mother, and
the things she will do in order to see her again.
 CHAPTER 6: MANY PLACES TO MAKE TROUBLE 165

sanctioned by the leadership of the Free States, nor
is it much known. The three remaining tsuchigumo
have largely kept to themselves, which they now use
to their advantage as they quietly recruit their
grandchilder and great-grandchilder to hunt down
and exterminate the Hungry Dead in California.
PLAYING AS Overwhelmed by past trauma and the paranoia of
age, they see this campaign as a sacred mission, a
NON-ASIAN battle to keep their adopted home free from the
torments of old.
status, identifies you as a most fearsome being, a
legendary immortal of the Golden State.
Like many time-honored traditions, it was utterly
unplanned.
In the wake of the California Gold Rush, when
Chinese Petals of Virtue came to rescue the newly-risen
who were far from home, they quickly came to
understand that they had made a terrible
has made inroads into Silicon Valley, riding the
popular wave of transformational self-help. In Thai
and Cambodian enclaves to the south, the words
of the Thunderbolt Triune have been heard on the
lips of young Hungry Dead, copies of The Mirror of
the World appearing in translation from Pali. And
all across the state, the werewolves are suddenly
struggling with defiant spirit courts, empowered by
mysterious spirit roads and guerilla shines that had
not existed just a few years ago.

HUNGRY DEAD
There are certain things to keep in mind if you want
to play a non-Asian member of the Hungry Dead:
1) Your game is probably set in urban California. With
a few exceptions, the Hungry Dead don't have a
society or culture native to Europe or the Americas.
The world west of India is a Cainite world, and the
Hungry Dead who rise within it have a very strong
incentive to see themselves as Caitiff or as tragically
abandoned Sabbat shovelheads. Only places where
the Dharmas have made inroads, like California
(and to a much lesser extent in London and New
York, under the heavy shadow of the Camarilla),
are where the Hungry Dead have a greater chance
to be found and taught what they really are.
For young neonates, however, the battle and its
stakes are far less understood. What’s more, they
are at the front lines of an evolving situation that
their grandsires don’t understand, making decisions
that would make their elders furious. It’s all well
and good to take down bloodthirsty demons from
the old country, who threaten their ghouls or their
feeding grounds – But what happens when the
demon isn’t very bloodthirsty, or even from the old
country? What happens when he says he’s from San
Francisco or San Diego, and not Tokyo? And what
happens when it’s a mortal you used to know,
huddled in your cheap haven, who alternates between
gibbering about his escape from hell and begging
you, begging you, for help?
Nicknames: Fishheads – but never to their face.
Among the elders of the bloodline, the term “soto
no mono,” or “the ones outside,” sees internal use.
miscalculation: The mission to the west, composed
of all four Dharmas, had expected to find an empty,
wild land. What they found instead was a violent
Interesting times have come to California, say the
elders of the Society – and all who bear a Mark of
frontier, where brutal beastfolk guarded the Dragon’s Excellence must be ready.
Nests, and where parasitic blood tribes exterminated
all threats to their power – a world, truly, where the
Hungry Dead were not welcome.
The “New Promise Righteousness Society" quietly
established itself in Chinatown, succeeding in its
mission to find the just-risen Hungry Dead and train
them in secret. But in just a few short decades, their
own success grew to be a problem, as the
American-born chafed at staying in the confines of
Chinatown. Every time they left the city to feed was
an opportunity to be discovered and destroyed. Still,
this was not China, and the Righteousness Society
was not the Quincunx. They could not hope to
control everything – even so, something would
eventually have to give.

2) Your character is very likely to have ties to an East
Asian, Southeast Asian, or South Asian culture. While
a wandering Ravnos can teach your character the
Pure Illusion-Truth, or your character could get
tangled up with a Celestial Tribe cult or some
Scorpion Eaters hiding out in Mexicali, it's a bit
harder to simply luck one's way into the Dharmas.
In California, the Petals of Virtue are deeply
embedded in Chinese-American culture, while the
Ram-Hearted are among the Pakistani and Indian
Muslim community, just to name two examples.
Rather than a prohibition, this is simply an invitation
to think deeply about your characters connections
and what matters to them.
3) You're unusual, but you're not unique. The reach of
Hungry Dead civilization has at times extended into
Russia and into the Central Asian steppes, through
the lands of eastern Persia and into the edges of
Europe. Other characters are sure to note that you're
different from the usual mold -- But by default, there
is no assumption that you will be seen as a unicorn
or an abomination, unless you specifically want to
tell stories with those kinds of problems.
Disciplines: Protean, Fortitude, Presence
Bloodline Weakness: The Eastern Mariners are not
markedly different from Clan Gangrel in their flaw,
other than their animalistic features almost always
being aquatic in nature. The bloodline also suffers
+1 Difficulty to resist frenzy or rotshreck in the
presence of the Hungry Dead.
Mark of Excellence
(Talisman •, tied to Status)
A Mark of Excellence is a small, spherical gem,
sometimes made of red amber or pearl, but usually
from jade. The Demon Immortals who call Northern
California home have developed a range of fashions
to wear these talismans as jewelry: sometimes
embedded in a ring or medallion, or set as a bead
in a forearm-wrapping mala. Younger immortals –
the kind who square up against rival Anarchs fist
to fist – often wear their Mark in the form of an
eyebrow stud or cartilage piercing.
To possess a single gem is to show the world that
you are a member of one of the great Immortal
Dharmas, trained by the New Promise Righteousness
Society of San Francisco. Possessing two gems is a
sign that you have advanced the cause of
enlightenment and have been rewarded by your
elders. Three or more Marks of Excellence, a rare
A solution finally came from tragedy: In the chaotic
nights following the Great Earthquake of 1906, a
Sabbat war party attempted a hostile takeover of
San Francisco. Among those who sacrificed their
lives to defend Chinatown and the secret of the
Hungry Dead was an elder Resplendent Crane
named Jiejie Li – At the end of a long battle, she
sat down to meditate with her fatal wounds, clutching
tatters of flesh to her body as she faced the sun. At
the moment she would meet the Final Void, Li’s
body dissolved into a thousand perfect beads of
pearl, amber and jade.
The Marks of Excellence are those remnants. Each
bead is a store of emergency chi, as well as a badge
for fellow immortals to recognize each other across
the state. Over time, the Marks became a fruitful
tool, ensuring the safety of far-flung students and
enabling the creation of a Dharma network outside
San Francisco. After the New Promise Righteousness
Society came out of hiding in the early 1990s,
declaring Chinatown and its Hungry Dead to be an
equal player among the Free States of California,
the Marks of Excellence have become a symbol of
their success, as well as a reminder of what they have
sacrificed.
In the modern nights, the Righteousness Society is
far from the only game in town: The Celestial Tribe
166 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES 167

“Real things in the darkness

seem no realer than dreams.”
― Murasaki Shikibu
168
APPENDIX I: SPECIAL RULES AND EXAMPLE CHARACTERS
The night world can be a very full place. The main
purpose of the following appendix is to provide rules
for spirits, as well as for the various supernaturals
that share the night world with the Hungry Dead.
Also included are a sampling of example characters,
from Hungry Dead and vampires to a few stranger
beings.
RULES FOR SPIRITS
“Spirit,” in this context, refers to the wildlings of
the Spirit Wilds, the Little Gods of the Lower
Heavens (when they aren’t occupying a mortal
anchor), ghosts and other entities of the Underworld,
and demons of the Thousand Hells. All of the
Hungry Dead have the ability to see spirits with
minimal effort, and to interact with them by learning
some basic techniques.
The following rules are intended to help you build
interesting and flavorful spirits to populate your
night world.
Building a Spirit
Every spirit has a Rank, most being somewhere
between 0 and 5. Above Rank 5 is the domain of
powerful beings who defy easy categorization: Wildling
gods like Luna or Helios, the Yama Kings, or
fully-vested Ministers of Heaven.
A spirit’s Rank determines its Aspects, which function
like Attributes and Abilities rolled into one. Like
the Virtues of the Hungry Dead, these Aspects are
Renunciation, Righteousness, Vitality, and
Wickedness, each reflecting the properties of its
realm in the Great Wheel.
Only the most powerful spirits (above Rank 5) have
all four Aspects available to them. All other spirits
have a primary Aspect that corresponds to their
power within their realm, as well as one or two
additional Aspects that they use to cross the Gauntlet
and interact with beings in other realms, including
the mortal world.
Each level of Rank also bestows a Thematic Action,
which adds to a spirit’s flavor and can bestow special
abilities (such as the ability to affect the minds of
mortals, or to inflict damage on physical beings).
At Ranks 3 and above, a spirit possesses at least one
Taboo: a condition which, when met, renders the
spirit powerless in some way.
The basic breakdown for spirit NPCs is as follows:
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
• Rank 0: Primary Aspect 1, Chi and Willpower
1, 1 health level
• Rank 1: Primary Aspect 2, Chi and Willpower
2, 2 health levels, 1 Thematic Action
• Rank 2: Primary Aspect 3, Secondary Aspect 1,
Chi and Willpower 3, 4 health levels, 2 Thematic
Actions
• Rank 3: Primary Aspect 4, Secondary Aspect 2,
Chi 4 and Willpower 5 (or Chi 5 and Willpower
4), 6 health levels, 3 Thematic Actions, 1 Taboo
• Rank 4: Primary Aspect 5, Secondary Aspect 3,
Tertiary Aspect 1, Chi 5 and Willpower 6 (or
Chi 6 and Willpower 5), 8 health levels, 4
Thematic Actions, 1 Taboo
• Rank 5: Primary Aspect 6, Secondary Aspect 4,
Tertiary Aspect 2, Chi 6 and Willpower 7 (or
Chi 7 and Willpower 6), 10 health levels, 5
Thematic Actions, 2 Taboos
General Rules for Spirit Actions
Only spirits of Rank 3 or higher can take a variety
of different actions in a similar fashion to mortals.
Rank 0, 1, or 2 spirits are limited to the overall area
of their thematic actions, which are listed in each
spirit’s description.
Whenever the Storyteller has a spirit take an action,
roll the spirit’s primary Aspect if they are in their
native realm, or choose a secondary Aspect to roll
if they are taking an action in the mortal world. For
1 Chi, the spirit may add another Aspect’s rating as
a dice bonus to all Aspect rolls for the scene (which
can stack – so Rank 5 characters who spend 2 Chi
can roll the total of three Aspects at once).
For 1 Willpower point, the spirit may cross the
Gauntlet in either direction and manifest a form
visible to mortals. They can also spend Willpower
to add an automatic success to their roll just like
other characters. Note that no matter the Rank,
spirits can only spend 1 Chi or 1 Willpower per
turn.
The Aspects in use heavily color how the spirit
appears to mortals and other visitors – Spirits using
Wickedness will be fearsome and demonic; spirits
using Renunciation will appear wispy, shadowed
and unnerving; spirits using Vitality will radiate
physical energy and presence; and spirits using
Righteousness will be colorful, shining, and emotionally
magnetic.
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES 169
Rules for Spirit Combat and Health
When a spirit decides to fight, the Aspect it is
currently using becomes the universal trait for
everything: Add Aspect plus the result of one die
to determine initiative, roll Aspect to attack, dodge,
or soak, and roll successes to determine damage. If
the spirit spends 1 Chi to add another Aspect for
the scene, the additional Aspect gets added to the
initiative total and to attack, dodge, and soak rolls
(not damage rolls).
As mentioned above, Spirits can manifest to mortal
beings by crossing the Gauntlet for 1 Willpower per
scene. But aside from potentially looking scary or
alluring, they can only attack and harm other spirit
beings, unless the spirit possesses a Thematic Action
that indicates that they can ignore this restriction.
Spirits take aggravated and non-aggravated damage
only. Non-aggravated damage is healed at a rate of
1 Chi per health level, while aggravated damage is
healed at a rate of 5 Chi and 1 Willpower point per
health level. When resting in a Dragon’s Nest, the
spirit heals damage in a human-like fashion, removing
non-aggravated levels as if they were bashing damage
and removing aggravated levels as if they were lethal.
When a spirit fills all its health levels with non-aggravated
damage, or a mix of aggravated and non-aggravated,
then the spirit discorporates, becoming an invisible
mote that can’t do anything for the rest of the scene.
Then it either reincorporates and begins to heal (if
it has Chi), or it floats in this halfway-state until it
gathers at least 1 point’s worth of Chi. Spirits whose
health levels fill entirely with aggravated damage
suffer permanent death.
Example Spirits
Wildling: Sparks of the Forest
These spirits grow rarer and rarer with the passage of time,
as pristine forest gives way to corralled nature and manmade
structures. When they are plentifu l– like crackling fireflies
– in the Mirrorlands, it means that the physical wilderness
is healthy and feeding into its spiritual reflection. When
they are few, or even absent, then there is a growing sickness
in the world.
Concept: Kodama
Rank: 0
Aspects: Vitality 1
Willpower: 1
Chi: 1
Domain: Sparks of the Forest, like many Rank 0
spirits, have no intelligence understandable to us;
they simply are. They gain both Willpower and Chi
on a regular basis when the forest they call home is
healthy and unmolested; they starve, wither and die
170
once the trees come down and the wilderness is cut
through with roads and houses.
Ghost: The Knocking Harbinger
The Philippines are teeming with ghosts, from dead soldiers
covered in bandages – who unravel themselves with alarming
speed as they chase you down abandoned bridges – to
strange demons with razor tongues, who sneak into houses
to feed on unborn fetuses. This spirit is one of the less
disruptive examples of its kind in the night world, but it
is no less frightening to one who receives a knock at the
door.
Concept: Kumakatok
Rank: 1
Aspects: Renunciation 2
Willpower: 2
Chi: 2
Domain: The Knocking Harbinger is a predictor of
coming death. When a knock at the door causes
terror and a change in someone’s behavior, the spirit
regains 1 Willpower. If it eventually results in an
actual death, the Harbinger instantly replenishes all
Chi.
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 1 spirit, the Knocking
Harbinger is utterly single-minded, having lost most
of its once-human personality. It does and says very
little other than predicting deaths in the mortal
world – and in small, subtle ways, also making them
come to pass:
• You Are Going To Die - The kumakatok isn’t
perfect, but it does seem to have some precognitive
ability, choosing to knock only when the chances
are good. If persuaded with a bribe, it may even
talk about some of the promising deaths it
foresees.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Little God: Door God
Rituals to appease the gods of the threshold are not as
common as they once were. But in China and Taiwan,
there are still numerous figures that grace homes and
important buildings, painted in bright colors on poster
paper or on carved peachwood. And sometimes, when
those figures are given their proper due, they will have a
life of their own.
This particular spirit happens to receive regular blessings
of liquor and beer, spilled upon its door by careless college
students – He was once the doorway god of a minor
official’s house, now converted into student housing for a
local university. His quiet life, however, has taken a turn,
as the god has noticed nocturnal visits by creatures that
feed on the helpless students.
Concept: Menshen/Munshin
Rank: 2
Aspects: Righteousness 3 (primary), Vitality 1
Willpower: 3
Chi: 3
Domain: Door Gods are responsible for the
protection and good fortune of the buildings they
oversee, and in particular the people who live within.
This spirit receives Willpower whenever alcohol is
spilled or consumed directly in its presence, and it
regains Chi at a rate of one per day, provided that
a majority of the inhabitants of its building feel safe
and secure – If not, then it regains Chi at one per
lunar month, so long as the building still stands.
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 2 spirit, the Munshin
is somewhat one-directional in its thinking,
concerned mainly with the goings-on of the building,
its residents, and immediate threats and intruders.
It will take some convincing for the spirit to go
beyond the following possibilities, but it can be
clever when cornered:
• Luck of the House - If he likes you and you
make an appropriate offering, the Door God
can roll to add an extra die per success to your
next endeavor, such as wooing a new lover or
winning a drinking contest. He may also take
dice away from your next roll, if he finds you to
be a bad guest.
• Apparition - The Door God is a skilled mimic,
and has a vague sense of the memories of those
who live in his building. He can easily take the
form of a long-dead grandmother, for example,
or a beloved cat that leads an intoxicated student
away from a Hungry Dead predator.
Note: As a Little God, the Door God suffers greatly
if his anchor – the wooden threshold of the building
itself – is destroyed. Without that protection, he
loses 1 Chi and 1 Willpower per scene in the mortal
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES
world, which only stops if he crosses the Gauntlet
into the Lower Heavens. If he loses all his Chi and
Willpower in this naked state, the Door God unravels
and is lost forever.
Wildling: The Thousand-Year Fox
It is said that when a fox lives for a hundred years, it
becomes a “bulyeo,” a fire fox, capable of human thought
and attaining the secrets of magic. When a fox lives for a
thousand years, then it is a formidable beast indeed – it
loses its physical shell and becomes very near a god, though
not a kindly or generous one. After all, a thousand years
of survival breeds a thousand dirty tricks, a thousand
inhuman tastes.
This is a relatively younger example of its type, a fox lurking
in eastern China and Korea, who loves occult secrets and
feeding on the organs of unwary travelers. For many
centuries, her clan has also enjoyed an on-again, off-again
partnership with the Korean vampires who live deep in
the mountains, hiding from both western Cainite agents
and the True Bone Societies. They bond together for a
while, becoming peerless creatures of blood and magic. It
will soon be time for this one to make such a bond herself.
Concept: Gumiho/Huli Jing
Rank: 3
Aspects: Vitality 4 (primary), Wickedness 3
Willpower: 4
Chi: 6
Domain: The Thousand-Year Fox has reached her
status by stealing secrets from gods and men alike.
This spirit regains 1 point of Willpower whenever
she learns – or shares – some interesting pieces of
information that lead to insight or transformation.
As an animal at heart, the fox regains Chi by eating
the internal organs of victims – 1 point for several
animals, 3 points for a human’s, and her full Chi
pool for the liver of a human who is pure and morally
upright (Humanity 8+).
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 3 spirit, the
Thousand-Year Fox is sharp, cunning, and charming,
and she only grows more so by the day – As
represented through the slightly higher trait ratings,
it won’t be long before this fox is Rank 4. Below is
a selection of the actions this spirit most commonly
indulges in:
• Nine-Tailed Woman - The Thousand-Year Fox
may take any beautiful human form it wishes
for the scene, though it must still cross the
Gauntlet (or be bonded to a suitable host, such
as a mountain vampire) to be visible to mortals.
• Fire Fox - One of her oldest tricks is still the
most useful in a pinch. The Gumiho may summon
a gout of flame at will, which inflicts aggravated
damage equivalent to a bonfire (2 health levels
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per turn) and setting fire to vulnerable objects.
• Beast of Magic - To represent the wide variety
of magical tricks learned over the fox’s lifetime,
she may roll once per scene to determine one
secret, one weakness, or one clue to something
she currently faces.
Taboo: The Thousand-Year Fox always has a tell:
Amber-colored eyes, or whiskers, or a red and white
tail sprouting from the lower back. This also applies
to foxes who have bonded with the vampires of
Korea, possessing tells that manifest even in the
physical world. When a human being locates the
tell and guesses what the gumiho really is, she loses
all access to her Chi and Willpower for the rest of
the scene.
Note: When the gumiho bonds with one of the
mountain vampires, they are like one being, with
access to both Cainite Disciplines (the physical
Disciplines of Potence, Celerity, and Fortitude) and
the spirit’s Thematic Actions. If the vampire ever
falls into torpor or Final Death, the bond is broken
and the gumiho must move on.
Demon: The Slit-Mouthed Lady
“Am I beautiful? I see… How about now?”
On a moonless night, in an otherwise-empty street, she’ll
appear: a white-clad woman in a medical mask, hiding
something behind her back as she asks an innocent question.
If you agree and tell her she’s beautiful, she’ll take off her
mask, revealing a bloody smile slit from ear to ear… And
if you tell her she isn’t, she’ll show you the scissors she was
hiding in her hand.
She isn’t a ghost; not quite. In fact, there was never a time
when the Slit-Mouthed Lady was a human girl. Instead,
urban legends of a vengeful spirit – a murdered woman
who’d had her face sliced nearly in half— merged with the
infernal energy that bubbles from cracks in the underworld.
In the shadows between the Tokyo Necropolis and the
Thousand Hells, a demon of fear was born, and it has
only grown more powerful in the decades since.
Concept: Kuchisake-onna
Rank: 3
Aspects: Wickedness 4 (primary), Renunciation 2
Willpower: 4
Chi: 5
Domain: The Slit-Mouthed Lady is closely aligned
with battered women, as well as anyone subjected
– willingly or unwillingly – to disfiguration and
mutilation. She regains Willpower from being in
the presence of their desire for revenge, as well as
from the fear of mortals who possess an abusive
streak. She regains Chi from going dormant in the
dark corners of the underworld, at a rate of one
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every three nights.
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 3 spirit, the
Slit-Mouthed Lady is intelligent and cunning to a
humanlike degree, and the use of her Aspects is not
limited to specific actions. However, as the
embodiment of a strange and complicated fear, she
tends to favor the following:
• Surgical Scissors - They are thin, long, and very,
very sharp, appearing in her hand as she wishes.
If she manifests in the mortal world by spending
1 Willpower, she may attack with them, inflicting
gruesome lethal wounds.
• Blink of an Eye - The Slit-Mouthed Lady often
moves like a spider or disjointed doll when she
gives chase, but that’s only to heighten the fear
of her victims. When she really intends to go
somewhere, she simply appears – behind
someone’s back, or just around a shadowed
corner.
• Twisted Desire - She is indeed beautiful, to the
point where otherwise-intelligent people will
overlook the fact that they’re alone with a strange
woman in the dark. Even the grotesque truth of
her true face has a unique allure, to those who
want to throw their lives away.
Taboo: Answer yes or no, but the kuchisake-onna
cannot stand to be ignored. Those who successfully
act as if she isn't there for a number of turns equal
to the spirit's Rank will trigger her banishment from
the area for the remainder of the scene.
Little God: Raptor of Enlightenment
The god-birds go by many titles: Carriers of Vishnu,
Defenders of Dharma, Enemy of All Serpents. In Thailand,
the khrut are steadfast allies of the ancient Godling who
rules Bangkok, who has withdrawn in recent years –
putting the city in a quiet state of chaos, as less righteous
Hungry Dead have risen to rule the city in his place. Still,
the khrut maintain their duty to patrol the skies, to eat
demons, and to punish the wayward.
Below is a typical “ideal” warrior, balanced in both sagacity
and viciousness. Her feathers and armor are flawless, her
knowledge of the Buddha’s wisdom impeccable – and most
importantly, her skill at dealing death from the sky is
utterly perfect.
Concept: Garuda/Khrut
Rank: 4
Aspects: Righteousness 5 (primary), Vitality 3,
Renunciation 1
Willpower: 6
Chi: 5
Domain: The khrut are upholders of enlightenment
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
and enemies of injustice in all forms. This spirit
regains Willpower whenever she successfully strikes
down evil, or when she is witness to another being’s
moment of insight. As consummate hunters, who
merge humanlike physical perfection with the features
of a bird of prey, the khrut regain Chi by hunting
or scavenging for fresh kills – normally spirits, but
occasionally beings of flesh and blood.
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 4 spirit, this garuda
has an expansive mind, at turns stunningly human
and occasionally showing that it is much more than
mortal. She is not at all limited to the following
actions, but they are emblematic of the god-birds as
a whole:
• Endless Flight - So long as the khrut has her
wings, she never has to stop flying. She can cross
between the night skies of the mortal world and
the Lower Heavens without even pausing to flap
her wings, though she is invisible to human eyes
until she wishes to be seen – often at the moment
of the kill.
• Wicked Talons - The khrut are masters of
weaponry, but none are quite as powerful as
their own hands and feet. When attacking targets
in the mortal or spirit worlds, this spirit inflicts
aggravated damage. If she wishes, the khrut may
also pick up a target up to twice a full-grown
human's weight.
• Scent of the Penitent - The khrut are naturals
at detecting the rot of evil. The spirit can roll to
gauge a Hungry One’s Suffering and other forms
of corruption – and in Bangkok specifically,
whether or not a target has been bound to the
Penitence of Alms.
• Godly Glory - Lesser creatures quake in the
presence of the khrut. The spirit may roll at any
time for the purposes of intimidation or
browbeating, especially to extract the truth.
Taboo: If the khrut can be shown that she has
wrongfully harmed an innocent, all her Aspects
diminish to 1 for the scene.
Note: As an unbound Little God, the khrut is
extremely vulnerable to corruption. She loses 1 point
each of Chi and Willpower for each scene she is in
the mortal world, until she unravels completely and
is lost or she crosses into the Lower Heavens to
recuperate. The garuda are very choosy about who
or what they choose to bind with, and would rather
play with fire than have an unworthy anchor.
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Variant Little God: Royal Garuda
The grand kings and queens of the khrut are rarely seen,
but they are feared in all the realms of the universe.
Rank: 5
Aspects: Righteousness 6 (primary), Vitality 4,
Renunciation 2
Willpower: 6
Chi: 7
Modified and New Thematic Actions:
• Endless Flight - The royal can fly through the
Underworld and Spirit Wilds as easily as the
Lower Heavens and mortal world, and can lead
other khrut through these realms for no additional
Willpower cost.
• Horn of Battle - The royal can blow on a massive
ox-horn instrument, which emits a booming call
to other khrut for miles around.
New Taboo: A Royal Garuda cannot kill another
of its kind, even one that has committed crimes
against enlightenment. One who does so accidentally
will suffer the same death as the khrut it has slain.
Ghost (?): Asura-Beast
There are maddening beasts in India’s land of the dead,
and this is one of them.
Concept: Child of Kali
Rank: 5
Aspects: Renunciation 6 (primary), Wickedness 4,
Vitality 2
Willpower: 7
Chi: 6
Domain: Asura-beasts, not being talkative, are
defined by what they do – and what they do is
endlessly consume. They passively regain Chi at a
rate of 1 point every five turns, represented through
the things they are constantly eating: bricks of white
jade or soulsteel, hapless spectres and wraiths, relic
ghost-objects… everything goes into their maws and
vanishes. If there is any hint of a human nature in
them, it is that they regain a point of Willpower
whenever they successfully crush something that
actively tries to fight or resist them.
Thematic Actions: As a Rank 5 spirit, this creature
goes beyond any conception of a human ghost and
edges upon being a force of nature. As any Godling
of Tirumala will attest, the asura-beasts have tricks
up their sleeve that will surprise and dismay even
the most prepared warrior in the Shadowlands, these
five just being the most unavoidable of them:
• Arrival of Doom - An asura-beast cannot be
hunted or tracked, as it moves through all the
layers of the Underworld like a termite through
173
wood. They simply appear on the horizon from
out of nowhere, and then they are upon a
Necropolis in minutes.
• Titanic Size - The creature can be surprisingly
nimble, when it chooses to be – But when it
wants to be heavy, it has a weight and power to
more than match its building-like size.
• Razor-Whip Tentacles - Every asura-beast has a
different appearance and arsenal of horrors –
this one in particular has many long and pointed
arms, like an enormous stinging jellyfish. The
arms only inflict lethal damage, but limbs stung
by them suffer -4 to all actions using that limb
for the scene, as a spectral poison renders them
all but useless.
• Corona of Eyes - Not all such creatures can see
in every direction, but this one is studded with
eyes of every type and description: human eyes,
insect eyes, goat and lizard eyes, tormented ghost
eyes. There is simply no way to take it by surprise
in a way that involves vision.
• God-Voice - When it senses that it is in real peril,
the asura-beast can choose to unleash the power
of its voice to make the world quake. All present
must roll Dexterity+Athletics at Difficulty 8 to
stay upright, and any white jade buildings nearby
are liable to crack and fall apart.
Taboos: Each asura-beast has a unique weakness,
which can be discovered through divinatory Talismans
or the Soul Arts. This one is weak to weapons made
of petrified wood, which must be properly prepared
by an artisan to resemble the real thing and blessed
by an individual with True Faith. With this, and
only this, the asura-beast will suffer aggravated damage
and can be killed.
Secondly, anyone reciting prayers to the gods in the
presence of the asura-beast becomes invisible and
mute to the ghost’s eyes and ears. The asura-beast
can only track such people through secondary
evidence, such as footprints or snapping twigs.
RULES FOR OTHER SUPERNATURALS
As mentioned in Chapter 1, the mortal world is full
of creatures beyond the Hungry Dead. In the night
world of Asia, which includes some of the most
densely populated places on earth, it is almost
inevitable that Hungry Dead characters will run into
their fellows of the night.
The following are rules intended to quickly model
other supernatural creatures for use in The Relentless
Age. Those who are interested in higher fidelity may
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use Werewolf: the Apocalypse, Mage: the Ascension,
and the many other World of Darkness games, but
bear in mind that those systems were built separately
and may not interact as elegantly with your game of
the Hungry Dead.
For ease of play, supernatural characters who are
not Hungry Dead (or closely related types, such as
Cainites, Dhampyrs and Half-Devils) should be built
using mortal and spirit character creation rules,
which are combined as follows:
After determining mortal traits – Attributes, Abilities,
Backgrounds, Mortal Virtues, Humanity, and
Willpower – assign the character a Rank, including
a Chi rating and Aspects appropriate to their
supernatural nature. Similar to spirits, the character’s
Domain covers the type of supernatural being they
are (including how they regain Chi), and their
Thematic Actions cover their key powers. If necessary,
they should also have a Taboo, representing any
weaknesses.
Unlike spirits, supernatural characters are naturally
of the mortal world and must instead use Willpower
if they wish to cross into the spirit realms. Also
unlike spirits, supernatural characters in a pinch
may use Willpower points in the absence of Chi,
with a direct value of one Willpower for one Chi.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Lastly, bear in mind that in this arrangement, a
character equivalent to your average starting Hungry
One is Rank 2 or 3. Rank 1 is closer to a Dhampyr,
Half-Devil, or mortal folk magician, Rank 4 is a
Dedicant-level character, and Rank 5 represents
someone even more powerful still, in the range of
a Master.
Example Supernaturals
Hedge Sorcerer
Minor sorcerers and practitioners of magic exist all across
the night world; not just legendary wizards and witches
who can crater the earth with every spell, but regular ghost
doctors and keepers of folk ways, who represent the spiritual
lifeblood of the common people.
Below is one such person, who considers himself not a
“magician” so much as someone who just knows what to
look for, who sees what is lucky and what is not. He uses
the traditional tools of Taoist religious practices to cleanse
homes and help people – and occasionally, to delve into
the darkness of the night world.
Concept: Feng Shui Master
Rank: 1
Aspects: Righteousness 2
Chi: 2
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Domain: The master works in a language of auspicious
portents and the flows and dams of qi, and he
possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of signs. He
gains 1 point of Chi after he has rested for at least
one scene in an area where he has spent the previous
scene properly arranging the correct elements (rolling
Intelligence + Occult or Awareness, difficulty of the
local Gauntlet rating), or in a place where those
elements have already been properly prepared. As
a hedge sorcerer, he must have his tools and the
proper amount of time in order to access his Thematic
Action. MORTAL NUMINA
Thematic Actions: A hedge sorcerer or psychic at
Rank 0 would be considered barely on the edge of Some groups may wish to represent the rules for
what might be “supernatural” at all. This master, at folk geomancy, feng shui, and other magical practices
Rank 1, has the training and experience to edge into with more granularity. Detailed rules for mortal
a level of power that is more impressive – and sorcerers, for those interested, are available in the
potentially recognizable as magic, which is not always Onyx Path sourcebook M20 Sorcerer, including effects
a good thing. that encompass the abilities of a feng shui master
like the one above.
• Positive Horoscope - The feng shui master may
always add Righteousness as dice to his Occult
and Awareness rolls, but his real specialty is in
arranging the world for the benefit of others.
Once per scene, he may add his Aspect rating
as bonus dice for up to five rolls related to a
specific endeavor, such as delivering a perfect
dinner service, or preparing for an exam – This
endeavor must take place in his immediate
presence, or in a space that he has just prepared
(within the last hour) for luck and good fortune.
For 1 Chi, he may double this bonus for the
scene, or he may place the standard bonus upon
a home for one lunar month.

Mortal-Bound Little God
The types of mortal vessels chosen by the Little Gods are
as wide and varied as the heavenly ones themselves. For
every sacred vessel groomed from birth to be an appropriate
carrier of the gods, there is a sickly, bed-bound child who
just happened to meet a trickster spirit at exactly the right
time.
This child has grown into a young woman now – and
she’s blessedly healthy, made strong by the racoon-dog spirit
that sleeps and dreams inside her soul. Those who are
clued-in to the realm of gods and dreams will see a tell-tale
mask pattern on her face, as well as black hands and an
unmistakable tail.
Concept: Tanuki
Rank: 2
Aspects: Righteousness 3 (primary), Vitality 1
Chi: 3
Domain: The Little Gods are creatures of heaven
and of mortal dreams, whose bodies live partially
in the Lower Heavens at all times. Every one of their
kind, mortal-bound or otherwise, has the ability to
cross fully into the Lower Heavens by spending 1
Willpower. This particular tanuki enjoys fulfilling
small dreams; she regains 1 Chi when she’s directly
in the presence of a spoken prayer, and she regains
her full Chi pool when she helps a mortal surpass
their self-imposed limitations.
Thematic Actions: At Rank 2, this human-tanuki
hybrid is no slouch, but she’s not the strongest of
her kind, either. The wide variety of magic tricks
available to her elders – a wild found family of
Inari-gitsune, kappas, and other beasties – are not
yet within her grasp. But what she does have, she’s
creative with:
• Racoon-Dog Magic - The tanuki are master
shapeshifters. As a Little God bound to a mortal,
this character can take any human form by rolling
Manipulation + Subterfuge. (Those wishing to
pierce the disguise must achieve more successes
on their perception roll than the tanuki’s
Righteousness.) For 1 Chi, she can take real,
functional animal forms for the duration of the
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scene – but never a large or threatening animal,
except as a harmless illusion to scare off attackers.
• Treading the Earth - This racoon-dog-girl is
naturally fast and dextrous – and when she needs
to be, she can be very strong, too. Add Vitality
to all of her physical dice rolls; for 1 Chi, she
may also add Righteousness to her physical rolls
for the scene.
Taboo: Binding to an anchor protects the Little
Gods from corruption, but it isn’t perfect. If the
tanuki is forced to be in the presence of hell’s power
– or its mortal reflections, such as misery, tyranny,
hatred, and other forms of spiritual darkness – then
she will lose one Chi per scene, and once that’s
drained, she will start losing Willpower points. This
loss is stymied as long as she makes an effort to
improve the situation she’s in, but if she is unable
to do anything about it, then she will continue to
wither. Once everything is gone, she will fall into a
coma and awaken with no memory of her heavenly
self, unless someone knowingly gives her an offering
of Chi.
Mystic Warrior
For whatever reason, humans with true mystic power tend
to shy away from their fellows of the night – perhaps the
nature of gathering their knowledge tends to make them
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
secretive and paranoid. Regardless, the Hungry Dead are
everywhere, and from time to time they have reason to
cross paths and swords with real wizards.
This one is an itinerant monk, living on the charity of the
communities he passes through and helping solve their
problems before he leaves. He abhors violence, and takes
pains to only move against people as much as he needs to
in order to make them calm and ready to talk… But when
it can’t be done, it can’t be done.
Concept: Akashayana Monk
Rank: 3
Aspects: Renunciation 4, Vitality 2
Chi: 4
Domain: The true wizards of the night world are
exceptionally powerful, but a part of them remains
as fragile as any mortal. Without the training and
preparation to resist lethal wounds, they die; without
spells or magical items, they cannot contend with
the spirit realms or arm themselves to fight against
the other denizens of the night world, such as the
Hungry Dead. They, more than any other supernatural
being, rely on Dragon’s Nests both for their Chi
and their magic, and thus guard them with fanatical
dedication.
Thematic Actions: At Rank 3, this monk of the
Akashic Sangha is one of the more accomplished
sorcerers on the streets. Like most of his mystic kind,
he has a set of moves that he has trained to perfection,
but he is bright and capable of great creativity beyond
these as well:
• No Desire - The monk has been trained to keep
his mind still and resistant to the dread powers
of monsters. He may roll Willpower to resist
mind control or pierce illusions like other
supernaturals, and for 1 Chi, he may add his
Renunciation rating to such rolls for the scene
as well.
• No Suffering - Like the Buddha and his legendary
periods of deprivation, the monk has trained
his body to ignore the most hostile environments.
He adds his Vitality rating to all Physical rolls
– and by spending 1 Chi, he can roll to soak
lethal and even aggravated damage with a dice
pool of Stamina+Vitality.
• No Existence - The monk’s ability to disappear
is legendary. Roll his Wits+Renunciation,
Difficulty 6, to allow the monk to vanish from
a scene where no one is watching him,
reappearing in a nearby area of his choice. If he
spends 1 Chi, he also clouds the memories of
anyone looking for him for the scene.
Taboo: Wizards of exceptional power seem to require
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secrecy to access their most potent spells. When
witnessed by mundane human eyes, their magic
unravels and becomes inert, or they must hide it
behind tricks and fakery – Why this is the case is a
mystery to the Hungry Dead.
Beast Courtier
The Beast Courts of Korea have not done well with the
turning of the age. Where they once had to deal only with
a few fox-vampires in the mountains and the Hungry Dead
in the Green Court of Kaesong, now they must contend
with a hundred different “True Bone Societies,” along
with endless threats to Korea’s precious stores of talismanic
jade.
This spider-woman is an elder of the largest Beast Court
outside of Seoul. Styling herself in the manner of mountain
shamans, she is now in the position of advising young ones
fighting the good fight, a scary grandmother who has
wisdom to share. To Hungry Dead and other tainted
creatures, she has learned that it is better to be simply
terrifying.
Concept: Ananasi
Rank: 4
Aspects: Vitality 5 (primary), Wickedness 3,
Righteousness 1
Chi: 5
Domain: The beast-folk are creatures of both spirit
and flesh, and can cross into the Spirit Wilds by
spending 1 Willpower, which becomes no-cost if
they can walk “into” a mirrored surface. Like the
Hungry Dead, members of the Beast Courts make
use of Dragon’s Nests and Talismans unique to their
kind to regain Chi, but when pressed can hunt
spirits – or people – for more. In the case of
spider-folk, any hunting of mortals means drinking
blood; use the rules for feeding as detailed in V20.
Thematic Actions: At Rank 4, this Ananasi is quite
powerful and possessed of many magical secrets.
These four Thematic Actions are not necessarily the
limit of what she can do, but they indicate what she
favors and what one may expect from an average
encounter:
• A Thousand Forms - The beast-folk sorceress is
capable, at any time, of shifting into the form
of a large, palm-sized spider. She can roll Vitality
at Difficulty 6 to change into this form and back
instantly, or she can spend three turns to avoid
a roll altogether; alternately, she may roll Vitality
at Difficulty 8 to change into different animals.
For 1 Chi, she may shapeshift for the scene into
a giant, spider-like war form, which adds Vitality
to all her attack and defense rolls, as well as
Wickedness to all her damage rolls.
• Dark Secrets - Much like the Thousand-Year Fox
177
(see example spirits), this shapeshifter has access
to a shocking level of experience and insight.
She may roll Wickedness at any time, Difficulty
7, to recall one secret, one weakness, or one clue
about the situation before her. For 1 Chi, she
can automatically have as many secrets as dots
in Wickedness.
• Summon the Eight-Legged - The beast-folk are
capable of calling animals and wildling spirits
of like kind to their side. Roll Vitality at a
Difficulty of the local Gauntlet, with each success
representing one creature who is willing to fight
for the Ananasi elder. For 1 Chi, each success
instead represents five creatures.
• Spider’s Lair - Particular to the Ananasi is an
ability to create a small pocket realm, neither
fully in the Spirit Wilds or in the mortal world.
She may roll Vitality at any time, at a Difficulty
of the local Gauntlet, to cross into her lair from
wherever she is. For 1 Chi, she may cross without
rolling, and she can take a number of additional
“guests” with her equal to her dots in Wickedness.
Taboo: The beast-folk are weak against silver; touching
silver objects brings them great discomfort, and they
suffer aggravated damage if they are ever struck by
a silver weapon.
Prince of Serpents
The naga are particularly venerated in Laos and Thailand,
but the whole of Southeast Asia recognizes these fierce
and (mostly) benevolent beings. Even as far away as Tibet
and Korea, people know tales of the giant serpents, who
exist for three great purposes: to call down life-giving rains,
to dispense the wisdom of the ages, and to mercilessly hunt
evil.
This creature is one of the greater examples of its kind still
active before the Age of Sorrows. Not a spirit and not one
of the beast-folk, he is a true-born naga, naturally half-serpent
and half-man, though he can disguise himself among
mortals when he must. No other being is as dedicated to
fighting against the wave of darkness that threatens to
consume the world -- except perhaps the garuda, but you'll
never tell that to a naga if you want to keep your head.
Concept: Phaya Naga
Rank: 5
Aspects: Vitality 6 (primary), Righteousness 4,
Wickedness 2
Chi: 7
Domain: Like the garuda, the naga are guardians
of enlightenment and defenders of the land, though
the god-serpents are perhaps more indulgent when
it comes to earthly pleasures. This prince regains
Willpower by striking down evil, by bringing wisdom
to the ignorant, and by successfully encouraging
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others to enjoy love, community and companionship.
As a hunting creature at heart, the naga regain Chi
by killing for it, though they will rarely hunt a mortal
human for sustenance alone.
Thematic Actions: Perhaps a true nagaraja, such as
the guardian naga of Vientiane (see Laos in Chapter
6) would be akin to a true god at Rank 6 or higher.
But at Rank 5, the naga prince is still second to very
few beings when it comes to the clarity of his thought
and the potency of his powers. Below is a selection
of some things he can do:
• Lordly Bearing - Whether he is in his true form
or in a mortal disguise, the naga prince never
skimps on impressing others, adding his
Righteousness rating to all social dice pools. For
1 Chi, any creatures at a Rank (or approximate
equivalent) lower than his Righteousness must
speak the truth, and any creatures at a Rank
lower than his Wickedness must obey him
unquestioningly.
• Fecund Waters - The rains brought by the naga
are profoundly restorative and healing – Anyone
touched by the first few seconds of a shower that
he calls down will gain a floating dice bonus
equal to the naga’s Vitality, which can be used
to add to any physical efforts or to speed healing
until the bonus is used up. For 1 Chi, the benefit
is doubled.
• Storm of Rage - A naga inspired to rage can also
call the weather to harm, summoning winds and
unseasonal frosts at will – Add Wickedness to
the naga’s damage dice pool when such effects
are used in combat. For 1 Chi, the naga prince
can call lightning, heavy hail, or similar harmful
effects, using a dice pool of Vitality+Wickedness
to determine damage.
• Sagacity of Serpents - To represent the depths
of an ancient and enlightened mind, the naga
prince may roll Righteousness once per scene
to determine one deliberately held secret, one
as-yet-unknown truth, or one clue to something
he currently faces, and he does not need to roll
to sense spiritual presences. For 1 Chi, the naga
can look upon any spirits in the area and hunt
them for the scene as if they were physical beings.
• Giant Snake - At the end of the night, the “half
giant snake” part of being naga is perfectly
serviceable. In his natural form, the naga prince
adds Vitality to all physical rolls. For 1 Chi per
scene, his venom inf licts a dice pool of
Vitality+Wickedness in aggravated damage upon
first bite – which, for mortals and other living
creatures who cannot regenerate like beast-folk,
gets rerolled every scene until they either die or
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
are granted a reprieve from the naga prince
himself.
Taboos: Despite his great power, the naga prince is
vulnerable in manmade and polluted places, especially
polluted water. When he cannot escape such an
environment, the naga gradually loses power in a
manner similar to Little Gods around spiritual
corruption, with Chi or Willpower fading at a rate
of one per scene.
The naga are also the sworn enemies of the garuda,
the great raptors of enlightenment (see example
spirits, above). When faced with an opportunity to
chase and fight one of the khrut, the naga prince
must roll Willpower at Difficulty 7 to avoid falling
into a frenzied lust for battle, dropping everything
else to pick up his sword.
EXAMPLE CHARACTERS
Hungry Dead and Vampires
Artie Huang, Fortune’s Deputy
Arthur is one of the growing number of “ABCs” who have
taken the Second Breath on the west coast. A former boxer
who never gave the old country a second thought, “Artie
the Artist” saw the light after a brutal beatdown by an
apprentice of Jade, which brought him to the door of the
New Promise Righteousness Society.
As a celebrant of the Resplendent Cranes, he pays for his
lessons by working for the Society’s ruling Minister of
Fortune. Between collecting tribute money, training in the
Godbody, cracking the skulls of Anarch saboteurs, and
keeping the spirits and ley lines happy, Artie is beginning
to wish there were more hours in the night.
Concept: Bareknuckle Bureaucrat
Nature: Gallant
Demeanor: Bravo
Dharma: Resplendent Cranes
Master: Han Yue, The Minister of Fortune
Destiny: Leader of a breakaway Dharmic sect in
Oakland
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES
Attributes
Physical: Strength ••• / Dexterity ••• /
Stamina ••••
Social: Charisma •• / Manipulation ••• /
Appearance •
Mental: Perception •• / Intelligence ••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness • / Athletics ••• / Brawl ••••
/ Intimidation ••• / Streetwise • / Subterfuge •
Skills: Drive •• / Larceny •• / Melee •• /
Performance (Showboating Fights) •• / Stealth •
Knowledges: Academics •• / Medicine •• /
Occult •
Backgrounds
Status •
Contacts • (Various lesser spirits of Chinatown)
Mentor • (A disciple of Jade living in Oakland)
Talisman • (Mark of Excellence)
Retainer • (A mortal son, now grown into a
college-aged adult)
Advantages
Virtues: Righteousness ••• / Vitality ••• /
Renunciation •• / Wickedness •••
Willpower: ••••
Chi: 10
Dharma: 1
Arts
Devil Fist •
Black Wind •
Iron Mountain •
Demon Regalia: Giant Form, Toughened Hide,
Extra Arms
Beast Arts: At the Gates of Wind and Water •
Godbody of Jade •
Roleplaying Hints: You appear to be a thug, a surly
clenched fist for the powers that stole Chinatown
from the Anarchs of the Bay – And you have no
problem playing up the ugly bit. But the truth is
that you want to be the best at whatever you put
your heart into, and nothing gets you going like the
purity of unarmed combat. Even so, you respect
people who fight in their own way. Sometimes you
even think you’re beginning to understand all the
“harmony of heaven” stuff they’re always yammering
about.
Hardipa Kaur, Questioner
Hardipa grew up a Sikhi in Punjab. She fled from the
strictness of her parents’ home as soon as she came of age,
after which she was murdered by a jealous lover and
plunged into the jungles of Lanka – a planned sacrifice
to the demon of the temple, from whom she only barely
escaped.
179
She took the Second Breath outside of Mumbai, where
she was rescued and fostered by a member of the Pure
Illusion-Truth. But as the nights go on, she is finding her
teacher increasingly alien in outlook, with beliefs that she
privately finds absurd, whenever she has a moment to turn
them around and around in her head.
But what choice does she have otherwise? What path can
Hardipa follow that is true to her heart?
Concept: Burgeoning Lioness
Nature: Visionary
Demeanor: Judge
Dharma: Mayaparisatya (for now)
Master: Jaswinder Singh
Destiny: Founder and sage of the Dharma of the
Lion
Attributes
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity •• /
Stamina ••
Social: Charisma ••• / Manipulation ••• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence •••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •• / Athletics • /
Empathy ••••/ Streetwise • / Subterfuge •
Skills: Etiquette •• / Leadership ••• / Melee •
/ Stealth •
Knowledges: Academics •••• / Finance • /
Investigation • / Medicine ••• / Occult •• /
Politics ••
Backgrounds
Allies •• (A mortal couple, two Sikhs of Mumbai,
who – dangerously – are fully aware of what she is)
Mentor •• (A master of the Godbody of Illusion)
Talisman •• (A bronze blade once wielded by her
master’s master, now ascended)
Advantages
Virtues: Righteousness •••• / Vitality ••• /
Renunciation •• / Wickedness ••
Willpower: ••••
Chi: 10
Dharma: 1
Arts
Iron Mountain •
Demon Regalia: Loyal Chakram
Heavenly Arts: The Scent of Heaven’s Favor •, Read
Destiny ••
Godbody of Illusion •
Roleplaying Hints: Many Hungry Dead pick the
wrong Dharma at the start of their long journey,
and in that respect you’re nothing special. But you
are gradually returning to the faith of your childhood,
180 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
to the sacred teachings of the gurus – and if your
destiny goes a certain way, you’re going to stick with
it through your eternal night. You’re catching whiffs
of other Sikhi in the past who took the Second
Breath, who may have been so successful that they’ve
already ascended. Or maybe not. Either way, you’re
going to find out.
Lin Xiao, Warlord of the North
Grandmaster Lin is power personified. She tells many
tales of her mortal days, most of them definite falsehoods
– She was a dancer in the court of the first Han emperor;
she disguised herself as a man and was a leader in the
Yellow Turban Rebellion; she was a skilled groom of the
Great Khan's horses, who liked China so much she decided
to stay. No one knows the truth.
What people do know, however, is that Grandmaster Lin
rules the city of Beijing with absolute control, only keeping
counsel with her circle of students, now all Masters
themselves. She believes that she is the sole Demon Immortal
fit to rule the new China – of this, she and her students
have no doubt whatsoever.
Concept: Deadly, Smiling Conqueror
Nature: Autocrat
Demeanor: Bon Vivant
Dharma: Devil-Tigers
Master: Old Li of the Yellow Dunes (now ascended)
Destiny: Dead at the hands of General Ma Hai-Lan
in single combat
Attributes
Physical: Strength •••••• / Dexterity ••••••
/ Stamina •••••
Social: Charisma ••••• / Manipulation ••• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence ••••• /
Wits •••••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •••••• / Awareness •••• /
Athletics ••••• / Empathy ••/ Streetwise •••
/ Subterfuge ••••
Skills: Brawl ••••• / Etiquette •••• /
Leadership ••••• / Melee ••••• /
Stealth ••••
Knowledges: Academics •••• / Investigation •••
/ Medicine ••• / Occult •••• / Politics •••••
Backgrounds
Dragon’s Nest ••• (a personal grotto under the
largest building in Beijing)
Dragon’s Nest •• (a secondary location, found at
the end of a road in the Spirit WIlds)
Talisman ••••• (a ceremonial shield depicting
the five realms of the Great Wheel, which allows
her to cross into any realm she wishes)
Allies ••••• (her students, powerful and
independent but fiercely loyal)
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES 181
Contacts ••••• (a network of well-fed ghosts who
act as spies for the Grandmaster)
Retainers ••••• (a small army of Dhampyr children,
some of them hers)
Advantages
Virtues: Righteousness •••• / Vitality ••••• /
Renunciation ••• / Wickedness ••••••
Willpower: •••••••
Chi: 20 (3 Chi per turn)
Dharma: 6
Arts
Devil Fist ••••••
Black Wind •••••
Demon Regalia: Horns, Skinner, Monstrous Maw,
Extra Arms, Inhuman Dexterity, Eyes of Darkness THE DHARMA OF
Beast Arts: At the Gates of Wind and Water (•),
Healing Sleep (••), Junkyard Menagerie (•••), THE LION
Running with the Wolves (•••), Stone Lion
(•••••) When Hardipa – or one of her Sikhi predecessors
Devil Arts: Tears of Hell (•), Wrathful Ajna (••), in the night world– forges a Dharma based on the
Joyful Spark of Union (••••), The God of Being teachings of the gurus, its tenets and triggers for
Crushed to Death (•••••) Suffering will be as follows:
Ghost Arts: Ghost Mask (•), Like a Wisp (••),
Through the Spider-Lily Gate (•••) Tenets
Heavenly Arts: The Scent of Heaven’s Favor (•), Breathe, and be with God in every breath.
Wayward’s Brand (••), Fate of One (•••) Lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego – These are the
The Dragon Tear: Perfect Eye of Heaven (•••) five thieves; resist them.
Hellweaving: Flowing Canal of Hell (•••), Wax
Seal of the Demon King (•••) Compassion, truth, humility, contentment, love –
Godbody of Flame ••••• These are the five treasures; cherish them.
Godbody of Bone ••••• Share what you have with those in need.
Godbody of Blood •••• Above all: Earn your existence with honest labor.
Godbody of Flesh •••
Example Suffering Triggers:
Roleplaying Hints: You were actually no one amazing • Using an inhuman appearance or monstrous
in your mortal life, an unwanted daughter who failed behavior beyond what is needed in order to
to marry and who died from having your parents protect.
drown you during an ancient famine. It was the • Turning away from someone in need when you
Second Breath that gave you power and purpose, are able to help.
and it is the night world that you seek to thank for • Lying, especially in order to achieve a goal that
the beauty that is your immortality – by ruling over
China as its new empress regnant, of course. You harms someone.
have seen the agents of Ma Hai-Lan’s “Heaven-and-Hell • Benefitting from someone else’s labor without
Legion,” but you have no fear. They are mere ants offering anything in return.
trying to chip away at your power, nothing more.
Tamaki Sui, Amakusa Ninja
Sui is a fervent believer in the Blood Tribe. A half-Chinese
woman, originally from Okinawa and transplanted to
Kyushu, she was well-acquainted with what it took to be
an outsider: a good scowl, a take-no-shit attitude, and a
willingness to hit first. After dropping out of high school
and drifting for years, she was embraced by one of the
tsuchigumo, who was one of the first people to show her
unconditional kindness and compassion.
Under her sister-sire’s tutelage, Sui learned to still her
raging heart, to wear a convincing smile, to embrace the
peace and mystery of silence – and now, as an agent for
 APPENDICES 183

the Blood Tribe, she has found purpose and belonging of similar skills but higher seniority)
at last. Generation •
Contacts • (Camarilla operatives in Nagasaki)
Concept: Modern-Day Kunoichi Resources •
Nature: Anarchist Status • (Amakusa Blood Tribe)
Demeanor: Child
Clan: Caitiff (Amakusa Blood Tribe) Advantages
Generation: 12th Virtues: Conscience ••• / Self-Control •••• /
Destiny (optional): Entangled with a lover from the Courage ••••
Scorpion Eaters Willpower: •••••
Blood Pool: 11
Attributes Humanity: 7
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity ••• / Vinculum: 7 to her sister-sire, Midori
Stamina ••
Social: Charisma •• / Manipulation ••• / Disciplines
Appearance ••• Valeren (Path of the Healer) ••
Mental: Perception •••• / Intelligence ••• / Celerity •
Wits ••• Obfuscate •
Abilities Roleplaying Hints: The truth, beneath whatever
Talents: Alertness •••• / Athletics ••• / disguise or refined manners you put on, is that you
Intimidation •• / Streetwise •• / despise bullies and take great pleasure in seeing
Subterfuge •••• them knocked down. You view the Hungry Dead,
Skills: Drive • / Etiquette •• / Firearms •• / both the Great Clans and the Night-Temple, as the
Larceny ••• / Melee •• / Stealth ••• ultimate tormentors, privileged and seemingly secure
Knowledges: Investigation •••/ in the big cities of Tokyo and Osaka. Hence, you’re
Medicine (poisons) •• happy to take orders from your sister-sire, wearing
a variety of disguises and identities, doing whatever
Backgrounds dirty work is necessary to take back Japan from the
Mentor • (Her sister-sire in the Blood Tribe, possessed real monsters. If your enemies show you kindness
or mercy, it’s not necessarily going to change your
mind about anything… at least not right away.
Dhampyrs, Half-Devils, and Demon
Hunters
Tiffany Jin, Keeper of Elysium
Tiffany grew up doing homework in the steaming kitchens
of the Lucky Bat, which has survived gang wars, obtuse
city health officials, and more than its fair share of rowdy
drunks. Her father’s been a walking shadow ever since
Mom disappeared, but someone needs to step up to serve
the crazy night crowd – So, she figures, it may as well be
her.
As the de facto head of Southern California’s number one
spot for the Hungry Dead, Tiffany is beloved and protected
by a motley assortment of night-monsters. In secret, she is
also learning that the fruit of her parents’ love – both the
restaurant and herself – is far more interesting than anyone
could have imagined.
Concept: Beloved Local Waitress
Nature: Idealist
Demeanor: Survivor
Parent’s Dharma: Rootless Trees
Destiny: Dread Messiah of the Neverborn
Attributes
Physical: Strength • / Dexterity •• / Stamina •••
Social: Charisma •• / Manipulation •• /
Appearance •••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence ••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •• / Awareness •• / Empathy
••• / Leadership •• / Streetwise • /
Subterfuge •
Skills: Crafts (Yanbian-style Chinese cuisine) • /
Drive • / Etiquette • / Performance (Zither) • /
Stealth •
Knowledges: Investigation •• / Medicine • / Politics
• / Occult •••
Backgrounds
Allies •• (Major allies: 1 - a curmudgeonly Devil-Tiger
who was in love with Tiffany’s mother; 2 - a
recently-deceased cousin who is now a powerful
ghost)
Contacts ••• (Major contacts: an Anarch
powerbroker from Long Beach; a representative from
the New Promise Righteousness Society of San
Francisco; a respected elder of the Diamond Serpents
in greater Los Angeles)

THE INEVITABLE COMPARISON

In a white room fight between a Cainite and one of the Hungry Dead, who would win?

There’s no avoiding the fact that the Hungry Dead are individually powerful in combat. All of them have a
built-in potential to deal aggravated damage through Demon Regalia, and having Regalia also means that
they are effectively never unarmed. In addition, a majority of them have some means to deal truly grievous
wounds through the advanced applications of Black Wind or Devil Fist. If a player decides to optimize in
character creation for combat – by, say, purchasing a Demon Art to 6, which also comes with three pieces
of Demon Regalia – then it’s fully possible that they could turn the average Camarilla neonate into blood
paste, provided they’re willing to accumulate the cost in Suffering. And that’s not even considering the
possibilities of the Soul Arts.

Bear in mind, however, that a game is rarely just a single white room fight, and that Cainites as a whole have
thrived in a world filled with Lupines, archmasters of the Technocracy, and other, much stranger things. In
the actual world of the setting, Hungry Dead characters are aware and careful about the buildup in their
Suffering – which happens astonishingly quickly, when one wants to guarantee the outcome of a fight. And
rare is the character who won’t have some kind of personal connection that can be exploited by a careful
vampire, able to make their own personal army of Renfields, using the resources of the Camarilla at their
disposal.

This book endeavors not to shame those who want to simulate combat; those can be very fun. But hopefully
a one-on-one fight between a Child of Caine and a Demon Immortal is a dramatic event in play, with both
an interesting road that led to it and an interesting road of consequences.
184
Dragon’s Nest ••••• (The Lucky Bat Restaurant
and Banquet Hall, also known as the bound resting
place of Eater-of-Eyes, ancient god and son-husband
to the Labyrinthine Neverborn)
Advantages
Virtues: Conscience •••• / Self-Control ••• /
Courage ••••
Willpower: •••••
Humanity: 7
Dhampyr Advantages
Ghost Arts: Ghost Mask •
Chi: 4 Luck: 7
Roleplaying Hints: Beneath your friendly waitressing
skills, people find you to be eminently practical and
no-nonsense, which is exactly how you want to come
across. You’re a little too young to be trying to keep
it all together, which you hide by championing your
community – both local Chinese-Americans and
the night people – with everything you’ve got.
Secretly, you miss your mom terribly, and any evidence
of her greater plan for you will lead you to make
rash and unwise decisions.
Fujimoto Asahi, The Unlucky One
Asahi was a loner growing up, and she’s still a loner now:
a bitter wallflower, thinking snide thoughts at the happy
people around her going about their happy little lives. An
orphaned childhood, going from unwelcome home to
unwelcome home, has left her soul closed off and dark –
Perhaps a perfect candidate to join the Hungry Dead, if
the demon hadn’t found her instead.
Yoru-no-hana is Asahi’s dark passenger, seeing what she
sees and whispering in her mind at all hours. A devil of
the Thousand Hells, it took advantage of a moment of
peril in Asahi’s life, and now the girl is merged with the
demon forever. “She” is now “they,” and they have big
plans in store for the mortal world.
Concept: In Over Her Head
Nature: Curmudgeon
Demeanor: Chameleon
Demon: Yoru-no-hana, Rank 4, Demon of Perfect
Peace (i.e. of All-Out War) from the Hell of
Upside-Down Sinners
Destiny: Gold-hearted friend of new Half-Devils
Attributes
Physical: Strength • / Dexterity ••• /
Stamina •••
Social: Charisma • / Manipulation •• /
Appearance •••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence ••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness ••• / Awareness •• /
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Empathy •• / Intimidation • / Streetwise • /
Subterfuge ••
Skills: Animal Ken •• / Etiquette •• / Stealth •
Knowledges: Academics • / Computer • /
Investigation •• / Medicine • / Occult ••
Backgrounds
Allies •• (Another Half-Devil, a friend of your devil
half – but not you)
Contacts •• (a Demon Hunter in training, who is
a boy from a neighboring school)
Resources •
Advantages
Virtues: Conscience •••• / Self-Control ••• /
Courage ••••
Willpower: •••••
Humanity: 7 (max 8)
Half-Devil Advantages
Demon Regalia: Razor Claws, Glider Wings
Roleplaying Hints: The truth is that you’re afraid:
afraid of the demon inside you, afraid of telling
anyone – because they wouldn’t understand, and
frankly, why would anyone have a reason to care
about you now? Ironically, the desperate situation
you’re in seems to make your devil half your only
real friend. But you can tell she’s starting to get
frustrated with your lack of development, and more
and more often you’re waking up from nightmares
with strange instructions, ritual components… The
things needed to call on your devil half’s boss back
home.
Okamoto Risa, Oddball Occultist
Strike Force Zero R&D was not Risa’s first choice of career.
But she needed to do something in the family, and the
rapid modernization of the Okamoto clan’s business under
the new family head has opened up job pathways that –
thankfully– don’t require her to carry a sword and kill
bloodsucking demons.
Risa is making good use of her master’s degree in folklore,
not to mention her hobbyist’s interest in metalworking
and welding. Nobody in the clan likes the folks who toil
in the workshop, but everybody needs the tools. Sometimes
she even leaves little signatures on company weapons that
she’s especially proud of, which she regrets whenever she’s
drinking alone at night and she hears something in an
alleyway.
Concept: Nerdy Weapon-Maker
Nature: Artisan
Demeanor: Loner
Destiny: Excommunicated from her family, on the
run with a Yanagi clan assassin
Attributes
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity •• /
Stamina ••
Social: Charisma ••• / Manipulation ••• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence •••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •• / Awareness ••• / Empathy
••• / Subterfuge ••
Skills: Animal Ken • / Crafts (metalworking) •••
/ Etiquette ••• / Melee • / Stealth •
Knowledges: Academics •••• / Investigation •••
/ Occult •••• / Technology ••
Backgrounds
Resources ••
Allies •• (a duo of Strike Force Zero field agents –
both cousins and childhood friends)
Hunter’s Talisman ••• (a tanto short sword with
a handle wrapped in an ancient invocation to the
goddess Amaterasu-no-mikoto – when activated, it
emits a flash of blinding light with each successful
blow, inflicting Strength+1 dice in aggravated damage
upon vampires and Hungry Dead)
Advantages
Virtues: Conscience ••• / Self-Control •••• /
Courage ••••
Willpower: •••••
Humanity: 7
Demon Hunter Advantages:
Chi: 1
Roleplaying Hints: You’re a folklore geek, a scrawny
ne’er-do-well, trying to make your way in a clan of
too-cool-for-school Demon Hunters in suits and
mirrorshades. But damn it, those agents in the field
who look down on you would be D-E-A-D without
your gear, and that keeps you going. You just wish
they’d treat your creations better… Also, you keep
telling the higher-ups that you think someone’s
following you, that someone is carving graffiti that
says “vengeance” and “traitor” in places where you
can see – but nobody’s listening to you about that,
either. It’s your safety on the line, so what’s the harm
in taking your work home with you?
Josephine Chan, Promising Apprentice
Josephine was born to be an Executioner, at least on paper.
An American-born troublemaker transplanted to the city
of her parents, she broke her way into the Taipei Arcanum’s
chapter house thinking she could find something good to
sell. And when she got caught up in an ugly incident
involving a captured vampire, she put up enough of a fight
that the head Executioner was impressed.
She’s late to the way of the Demon Hunter, but she’s more
than made up for lost time, shadowing more experienced
185
Executioners on their missions. As she’s grown older and
made friends among the Arcanists, however, she has begun
to spend more and more time at the library, growing
interests she’d never imagined before.
Concept: Arcanum Intern
Nature: Conniver
Demeanor: Dabbler
Destiny: Author of the second Kindred of the East
memorandum, the "Analects of the Damned" papers
Attributes
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity ••• /
Stamina ••
Social: Charisma ••• / Manipulation •• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence ••• /
Wits •••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •• / Awareness •• /
Empathy •• / Intimidation •• / Streetwise •••
/ Subterfuge •
Skills: Animal Ken • / Brawl •• / Etiquette • /
Melee •• / Stealth •
Knowledges: Academics • / Investigation •• /
Occult •••
Backgrounds
Mentor •• (The vice-chancellor of the Taipei chapter
house)
Contacts •• (various junior Arcanists)
Hunter’s Talisman • (a crystal pendant that acts as
a lens, showing spiritual corruption)
Advantages
Virtues: Conscience •••• / Self-Control ••• /
Courage ••••
Willpower: •••••
Humanity: 7
Demon Hunter Advantages:
Chi: 1
Battle Arts: Mastery of Wounds (Self-Control)
Roleplaying Hints: You currently stand at a major
crossroads in your life. In one destiny, you will be a
superb Executioner, one of the best in a generation
– and like all Executioners, you will eventually die
or retire after a crippling injury, and that will be the
end of it. In another destiny, you go to the other
side of the Taipei Arcanum, to the bookish Arcanists
and their ways of careful study and critique. There,
like most Arcanists, you will likely slide into obscurity
and scholarly minutiae… or perhaps something
grand and intriguing waits for you in this future,
too.
186
Assorted Secrets
Marissa Reyes, Lost Lamb
Marissa began her unlife in a mass grave outside Oklahoma
City. Her packmates still share the story of how she literally
chewed her way out, leaving nothing but shreds of the
unfortunates who were buried with her – evidence, to
them, that she was destined for greatness.
In just a few years, Marissa has established herself as an
exemplary member of the Sabbat, currently acting as scout
for a major war party that is making its way west. But
she’s beginning to feel unsettled, as the evidence of her
existence builds toward a conclusion that no one around
her is equipped to understand: Marissa Reyes is not actually
a Cainite.
Concept: Confused and Hungry Dead
Nature: Critic
Demeanor: Fanatic
Dharma: None – Clan-wise, she is known as a
Pander, and believes she is actually a Toreador; both
of these are wrong
Master: None
Destiny: Lay student of the Godbody of Flesh,
Celebrant of the Devil-Tigers
Attributes
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity •• /
Stamina ••
Social: Charisma ••• / Manipulation ••• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception •••• / Intelligence ••• /
Wits ••••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •••• / Athletics ••• / Brawl
•• / Intimidation •• / Streetwise •• / Subterfuge
••
Skills: Drive • / Firearms •• / Larceny ••• /
Melee •• / Stealth •••
Knowledges: Academics •/ Investigation •••/
Technology •
Backgrounds
Allies • (an odd friend who calls her from payphones
all over the country – in reality, the ghost of her old
boyfriend from her mortal days, recently deceased)
Armory • (standard-issue fare for a Sabbat scout in
enemy territory: guns, knives, stakes, etc.)
Contacts • (ghoul and vampire plants operating in
California)
Resources •
Status • (Sabbat)
Advantages
(Note: As one of the Hungry Dead following a
Cainite Path of Enlightenment, Marissa suffers +1
difficulty to all rolls to resist Soul Imbalance, and
her Path rating can never go above 1.)
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
Virtues: Righteousness •• / Vitality ••• /
Renunciation ••• / Wickedness •••
Willpower: •••••
Chi: 10
Path: 1 (Power and the Inner Voice; no special
Suffering triggers. Marissa will only lose this dot if
she violates the worst of the Path's sins, or if she
abandons the Path to pursue Dharma.)
Arts
(Note: Marissa knows none of the true foundations
of the Hungry Dead Arts. She uses the following
powers intuitively, believing that they are the same
Disciplines that her peers possess. However, she
hides that she can summon a Monstrous Maw from
all but her closest packmates.)
Black Wind •••
Demon Regalia: Inhuman Movement, Monstrous
Maw
Devil Arts: Tears of Hell •
Roleplaying Hints: You feel ill-fitting and out of
place, which you compensate for by throwing yourself
into service for the Sword of Caine. The dreams
you have of escaping a dark, hellish place before
your “Embrace” are disturbing, and you’ve just
experienced your first major eruption of Suffering,
which is freaking you out quite a bit. As a free-ranging
scout, you have a few options ahead: go north to
San Francisco, to take advantage of the chaos you’ve
heard is taking place in Chinatown; go down to the
South Bay to initiate secret talks with the elders of
the Eastern Mariner bloodline; or go even further
south to Mexico, where you’ve received an odd tip
just as the Sabbat Tremere are converging for a
gathering.
Armin Aghajanian, Owl of God Most High
In the lands formerly claimed by the Ottomans, at the
beginning and the end of the Silk Road, the Mhachkay
take flight after dark.
The Mhachkay see themselves as kin to no one, not Cainites
or the Hungry Dead. Instead, they believe that they were
humans uniquely cursed with two souls: one ascending to
heaven after death, the other pulled down into a deep,
dark labyrinth filled with demons, from which only the
mercy of God allowed them to escape. Now the second
soul needs to find its way to heaven's grace -- albeit under
much harsher conditions.
Armin is considered a seasoned elder of the Mhachkay,
an experienced demon hunter. He leads a small clutch of
fellow “Owls,” possibly the last of their kind, soaring the
skies across the Anatolian peninsula in a never-ending
search for redemption.
Concept: Hungry Dead of the West
Nature: Autocrat
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES
Demeanor: Penitent
Dharma: Western Road of Heaven (see the variant
tenets under The Eastern Road of Heaven: The
Ram-Hearted, in Chapter 2)
Master: Pyotr Astakhov, a Russian Mhachkay, now
deceased
Destiny: The true last of the Mhachkay, dead at the
hands of an ancient vampire
Attributes
Physical: Strength •••• / Dexterity ••• / Stamina
••••
Social: Charisma ••• / Manipulation •• /
Appearance ••
Mental: Perception ••• / Intelligence ••• / Wits
••••
Abilities
Talents: Alertness •••• / Athletics ••• /
Awareness ••• / Brawl •••• /
Intimidation •• / Subterfuge ••
Skills: Drive • / Firearms • / Larceny ••• / Melee
••• / Stealth •••
Knowledges: Investigation ••• / Occult •••
Backgrounds
Allies •• (two young Mhachkay under his care,
inexperienced but loyal)
Armory • (stakes, knives, ropes, a few guns)
Contacts • (a handful of penitent ghosts in the
Shadowlands)
Haven •••
Advantages
(Note: The Mhachkay do not recognize the four
souls of the Hungry Dead. Instead, they see the
imbalances specifically as four inner demons: The
Vainglorious Demon, the Beastly Demon, the Slothful
Demon, and the Wrathful Demon.)
Virtues: Righteousness ••• / Vitality ••• /
Renunciation •••• / Wickedness •••
Willpower: ••••••
Chi: 10
Dharma: 3
Arts
Form of the Owl ••••••
(Astounding Speed, Razor Beak, Razor Talons, Spirit
Flight, Wings of the Evil Eye)
Devil Arts: Killing Shriek •••
(System: Form of the Owl is a Demon Art unique
to the Mhachkay. At one dot, the character can
transform into a large black raptor for the night for
the cost of 1 accumulated Suffering. Armin cannot
speak to humans in this form, but he can fly and
retains all his Attributes, plus whatever Abilities are
reasonable for a bird to use. Any damage he inflicts
in this form is lethal – or aggravated, for one
additional Suffering per attack. Each additional dot
187
in the Demon Art allows a character to add the
following features at one per dot, which the character
can accrue 1 additional Suffering to activate all at
the same time for the scene:
• Razor Beak: +2 lethal damage to bite (Aggravated
damage for +1 Suffering)
• Razor Talons: +2 lethal damage to claw and
scratch (Aggravated damage for +1 Suffering)
• God-Given Strength: Double Strength for the
purpose of lifting others while still maintaining
flight
• Spirit Flight: Cross the Gauntlet at will, back
and forth, for the scene
• Astounding Speed: When flying high in the sky,
move at the speed of a bullet train for travel and
maneuvering purposes (i.e. no special bonuses
for attack)
• Wings of the Evil Eye: -2 dice for all actions,
inflicted upon non-Mhachkay who look upon
the character’s spread wings for as long as they
can see them
Armin can return to human form at any time he
wishes, but bear in mind that each transformation
into the demon bird form requires gaining another
point of Suffering.)
Roleplaying Hints: You were not a good Christian
boy growing up, and you’ve been trying to make up
for it ever since – too late for your earthbound soul,
but at least you can ensure no one else makes your
mistakes. Your teacher is long dead, and you’re
almost certain that your group is the last of the Owls
remaining in the world, which is perhaps a good
thing… though there are so many demons these
nights, it’s hard to say your kind is no longer needed
to serve God. To lead by example, you’ve long
endeavored to subsist solely on the evil spirits you
dispatch, not even feeding on human criminals and
low-lifes. But you have early memories of feasting
on flesh and blood, and the pleasure it gave you still
haunts your daylight dreams.
Cassius Green, Confused Tremere
Among the apocryphal tales of Saulot’s many experiments,
it is said that a handful of his childer were charged with
finding and fostering the Hungry Dead. This small, select
group of vampires maintained houses across the continent,
in a time span stretching from ancient nights all the way
to the early medieval era.
The Salubri Keepers spent their time studying the undead
condition in all its forms, particularly to rehabilitate the
newly risen. Their secret houses were places of great learning,
where the Hungry Dead of Europe could study their unique
state and possibly prepare for a pilgrimage to the lands of
Dharma.
With the rise of the Tremere and the extinction of the
188 KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES 189
Three-Eyed Clan, this history has been eradicated, and Thaumaturgy Rituals: Blood Contract, Blood Mastery
knowledge of the bloodline lost. But some young Tremere
in the modern nights are guided by strange visions in their
Auspex •• APPENDIX II: THE WAY OF THE DEMON HUNTER
daysleep: nightmares of their grandsires diablerizing Roleplaying Hints: You’re really not sure what you’re Demon hunters are fully mortal characters. Their If the Chi is bound, it activates a power indefinitely,
three-eyed monsters, of corpses rising from the earth and doing. Playing by ear has been working so far: studying Virtues are the mortal Virtues of Conscience, but the Chi cannot be used for anything else until
eating flesh. Slowly and in secret, they have begun to the infamous recent “Kindred of the East” Self-Control, and Courage, and their dot spread is the binding is released. If the Chi is spent, then it
rediscover the former resting places and texts of the old memorandum, sneaking into chantry libraries to no different from other V20 mortals (Attributes replenishes upon the next sunrise, or can otherwise
Keepers. find techniques with funky names like “Eye of Shiva” 6/4/3, Abilities 11/7/4). The one difference is that be regained through use of a (rare) Talisman or
and “Infernal Road,” listening very carefully to the they have trained in secret, sometimes for their entire Dragon’s Nest. Unlike the Hungry Dead or Dhampyrs,
This is one such Tremere, an inquisitive and ever-skeptical odd reports coming out of San Francisco. But there lives, to fight toe-to-toe with monsters. demon hunters cannot use Chi to heal themselves
member of the clan operating from the Chantry of Five was always something missing, some piece that was without a special power to do so.
Boroughs, New York City. As they continue following the needed to bring everything together into a cohesive Their lives are brutal and short, and they rarely win
trail of clues, each night brings apprentices like Cassius picture – And now you’ve found it, in the form of against the renegades of the night world – But In a crisis, a Demon Hunter may choose to unlock
closer to apostasy from the Pyramid, and to the strange a newly-risen Hungry One from Queens. You have sometimes, just sometimes, they do. For those who a second point of Chi (either to refill a spent Chi
truth of the Hungry Dead. so many questions, and so many things you want to wish to use these characters as supporting cast or point or to make two points available at the same
do… but the first priority is to get a handle on his antagonists, this book recommends using the quick time). This inflicts two levels of lethal damage, which
Concept: Reluctant Mentor craving for flesh before Regent Sturbridge finds out. rules for other supernaturals in Appendix I. cannot be soaked and must heal at the normal mortal
Nature: Competitor rate. Unlocking a third point of Chi is theoretically
Demeanor: Pedagogue For those who wish to represent Demon Hunters possible, and it can be done by taking three more
Clan: Tremere in more detail, or who wish to play as one of these points of lethal damage. But it is almost always a
Generation: 10th characters, more detailed rules are below. death sentence – Even if the demon hunter doesn't
Destiny (optional): Salubri Keeper in both name die at the end of the scene, only prompt and masterful
and spirit Awakened Chi: Systems medical attention will save them.
Attributes The intense training undergone by the Demon Awakened Chi Abilities
Physical: Strength •• / Dexterity •• / Stamina Hunter Families makes 1 point of Chi available to
•• characters for free. This point can either be bound The training process of awakening Chi allows demon
Social: Charisma •• / Manipulation ••• / or spent to use special powers. hunters to resist the natural memory-erasing and
Appearance ••• fear effects of supernaturals (e.g. Delirium, Paradox,
Mental: Perception •••• / Intelligence •••• / the Mists). When faced with an appropriate situation,
Wits ••• they may roll Willpower at Difficulty 8 to overcome
the normal mortal response. This is a dramatic roll,
Abilities so an experienced demon hunter need not perform
Talents: Alertness •••• / Empathy ••• / Streetwise the check unless they’re facing something new or
•• / Subterfuge •••• particularly horrific.
Skills: Etiquette •• / Firearms •• / Stealth ••
Knowledges: Academics •••• / Investigation ••• The special powers of demon hunters must be
/ Law • / Occult (Hungry Dead) •••• purchased for 10 freebie points, or 20 experience
points each. Note: Only pure mortals, untouched
Backgrounds by any supernatural bloodline or influence, can buy
Mentor • (Regent of the Chantry of Five Boroughs: and use these techniques. Ghouls, Kinfolk,
Aisling Sturbridge, a distant but sometimes helpful Dhampyrs, and Kinain can be demon hunters – just
– and potentially dangerous – superior) not demon hunters with these powers. Finally, if a
Generation ••• demon hunter is changed against their will to a
Contacts • (Ghoul spies among the Ventrue and Ghoul or Enchanted or the like, they lose their
Toreador) powers until they can revert back, if it is possible to
Resources •• revert.
Retainer • (Mattias Cho, Hungry Dead trainee and
baby bird in the palm) The Battle Arts of Conscience
Status • (Tremere)
To see the truth, and to prevent evil from taking hold.
Advantages
Virtues: Conscience •••• / Self-Control •••• Deny Sustenance
/ Courage ••• • Bind 1 Chi to provide a target with a “False Chi”
Willpower: •••• pool equal to Conscience. False Chi acts like
Blood Pool: 13 Chi, but the target is unharmed by having it
Humanity: 8 taken from them, and the “Chi” disappears after
one night (or when the binding ends).
Disciplines • Spend 1 Chi and strike a target to make them
Thaumaturgy (Path of Blood) •• unable to feed from any humans, which lasts for
190
the rest of the night or until you are killed.
Ensnare Evil
• Bind 1 Chi to penalize attempts to remove a
snare you’ve put around your target – remove
your Conscience in dice from their dice pool.
• Spend 1 Chi to make your snare come alive and
seek its target, moving around obstacles and
only stopping when destroyed. After it takes
hold, the snare is unremovable by anyone except
you for one scene.
Resist Illusions
• Bind 1 Chi to add your Conscience in dice to
any rolls to overcome mind control or illusions
being used against you. This includes piercing
supernatural obfuscation effects.
• Spend 1 Chi to break a mind control effect for
up to three people in the area for one scene.
The Battle Arts of Self-Control
To surpass the normal limits of body and mind.
Mastery of Wounds
• Bind 1 Chi to lower your bashing and lethal
healing times by your Self-Control: Self-Control
2 is one-half the time, 3 is one-third, and so on.
(Demon hunters, as mortals, do not take
aggravated damage.)
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
• Spend 1 Chi to heal all normal damage (not
counting any damage taken to unlock Chi) and
to ignore wound penalties until the end of the
scene.
Mastery of Might
• Bind 1 Chi to add your Self-Control in dice to
all Physical actions.
• Spend 1 Chi to convert your entire dice pool to
successes (including your Self-Control rating)
for a single action.
Mastery of Movement
• Bind 1 Chi to add your Self-Control to Initiative,
and to multiply speed by Self-Control (minimum
x2) for the purposes of a chase or travel on foot.
• Spend 1 Chi to effectively enjoy the benefits of
the passive (zero Chi) second preparation of the
Godbody of Jade, “Tread the Dragon Tail,” for
one scene, including vastly increased jumping
distances.
The Battle Arts of Courage
To confront monsters, and to defeat them.
The Killing Art
• Bind 1 Chi to increase the dice pool for inflicting
any damage by dots in Courage.
• Spend 1 Chi to bless a weapon to inflict aggravated
damage for a scene.
The Purity of Fire
• Bind 1 Chi to make your barehanded strikes
f lammable: Convert one damage in any
successful blow to aggravated, and roll Courage
to set objects on fire.
• Spend 1 Chi to ignite a target with roaring
flames, which inflicts 4 dice of aggravated
damage per turn until the fire is put out normally.
Spirit Sight
• Bind 1 Chi to see and speak to spirits in the
mortal world, with a Social dice bonus for
negotiating and intimidation equal to Courage.
• Spend 1 Chi to bless a weapon to fight a wicked
spirit as if it were a physical creature, which lasts
for one scene.
New Background:
Hunterʼs Talisman
Some Demon Hunter Families have special tools
that have been passed down for generations: a
magical sword or dagger, an ancient jug that ferments
rice beer into a holy substance. In the case of Japan’s
Strike Force Zero, entire teams of agents are dedicated
to tracking down magical items and retooling them
into modern, practical accessories for the field.
SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES 191
These kinds of special items are represented through Effect: For the cost of 1 Chi, the Azure-Wave Sword
a variation of the Talisman background, though it will inflict Strength+3 dice in aggravated damage
functions differently for mortals compared to the for the next ten turns. Those who the sword-wielder
Hungry Dead. Taking the background represents declares will be struck down are unable to use special
the owning of a single Hunter’s Talisman, and powers to hide, and they must win a contested
multiple Hunter’s Talismans means taking the Willpower roll in order to flee.
background multiple times.
Note that unlike regular backgrounds, a single dot
in Hunter’s Talisman costs 5 Background points or
5 freebie points, and 10 experience points per dot
to obtain the background during play.
• Useful: Your Hunter’s Talisman possesses a single
power equivalent to a 1-dot Soul Art Technique. A
Chi point must be bound to use the power.
•• Powerful: Your Hunter’s Talisman possesses a
single power equivalent to a 2-dot Soul Art
Technique. A Chi point must be bound to use the
power.
••• Renowned: Your Hunter’s Talisman possesses
up to two separate powers, equivalent to 3 dots in
Soul Arts. A Chi point must be bound to use any
of the powers.
•••• Legendary: Your Hunter’s Talisman possesses
up to two separate powers, equivalent to 4 dots in
Soul Arts. A Chi point must be spent, after which
all powers of the Talisman are available for eight
turns.
••••• One of a Kind: Your Hunter’s Talisman
possesses up to three separate powers, equivalent to
5 dots in Soul Arts. A Chi point must be spent,
after which all powers of the Talisman are available
for ten turns.
Example Hunter’s Talisman:
Electroshock Gloves (••)
A thick set of gloves with circular beads of shiny metal on
each knuckle. The beads were melted down from an amulet
depicting Raijin, the Shinto god of lightning and thunder.
Enhanced with threaded metal wiring and grounding
protection for the wearer, now Raijin’s power is being put
to practical use.
Effect: Against regular mortals, these gloves have
no special effect. Against vampires and Hungry
Dead, however, being successfully struck by the
electroshock gloves inflicts +1 lethal damage and
stuns them for three turns.
Example Hunter’s Talisman:
Azure-Wave Sword (•••••)
An exceptionally crafted straight sword from China, its
blade etched with a stylized wave pattern and the
scratched-out name of the swordsmith. It is said that the
smith, through a miracle of the gods, placed the soul of
his dying son in this blade, and that the sword still howls
with rage when it strikes particularly well.
192
“You are my Childer:
alone among the rest of existence,
you are my only companions,
forever will we be locked in the
way that fathers are bonded to their
sons and sons to their fathers.”
― The Book of Nod
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE SECTION
A NAME
PPENDICES
APPENDIX ???: THE THIRTEENTH GENERATION
The Camarilla has long banned the practice of Noddist
augury, which was the province of the now-destroyed Clan
of Time-Keepers. And yet every vampire in the modern
nights seems to know the truth: We are now, at last, in
the prophesied Thirteenth Generation – the final generation
before the end of days.
Caine’s fate marked the world’s First Generation, when
God took the blood of gentle Abel and marked his
brother-murderer with an indelible curse: No sunlight
would warm him, no food or water would sustain him,
and he would walk the darkened desert forever.
It was when Caine, in his wanderings, discovered the
realms of spirit and the gateway to the realm of demons,
that the world turned toward the signs of the Second
Generation. Three damned souls he rescued from the
darkness of hell, restoring them to their dead bodies and
teaching them the secrets of Aunt-Mother Lilith’s
blood-magic, all to soothe his wretched loneliness.
And it was when Caine’s three acolytes, in their resentment
and spite, devised a rite of dark magic to send others to
hell and bring them back, to force them into undying
corpse-bodies just like them, that the world at last lurched
toward the Third Generation. That blighted ritual, the
Rite of the Embrace, has cursed the world with the Children
of Caine ever since.
Thirteen clans now rule the world of night, variously
descended from those who first received the Rite of the
Embrace in the lands of Nod. Without a clan, the Thirteen
say, you are nothing: You cannot rise above your bestial
state; you are doomed to eat flesh and not indulge in the
purity of blood; you are Caitiff, a non-person.
And yet, in these modern nights, there are more vampires
than ever who rise outside the Rite of the Embrace, who
see and reject the clan system and its millennia of elitism.
These “Anarchs” are mocked in the Elysiums of the
Camarilla – and secretly, they are also feared, for they are
a sign of the final age.
Generations have passed since the momentous darkness
of the Third, each passing marked by inauspicious signs:
At the end of the Seventh Generation in the early medieval
age, a clan of healers was cruelly slain, their mystical
secrets consumed by a cabal of sorcerers who’d stolen the
Rite of the Embrace through torture and trickery.
At the dawn of the Tenth Generation, several clans rose
up and slew their antediluvian founders, forming the
fanatical Sabbat through this act of symbolic
chain-breaking.
193
The turn of each Generation has come with a loss, a
diminishment or chaos-making for their kind, and they
have come faster and faster with each turn. The Twelfth
Generation, the twilight age, has been longer than expected,
lasting for nearly two hundred years… But now that it has
ended, the Children of Caine tremble at the signs of
darkness to come.
For those who wish to reskin the preceding systems
to run an “alternative” game of Vampire: the Masquerade
– running the Paths as Dharmas, giving Cainites
the Demon Arts, Soul Arts and Godbody Arts, and
so on – you certainly can.
Here are some assorted pointers for a smooth
conversion:
• The Rite of the Embrace is a major ritual (see
Rituals background, Chapter 3), which outwardly
functions exactly as it does in Vampire: the
Masquerade: A mortal is chosen, drained to the
point of death, and then they are fed the vitae
of their “sire” to give them a lifeline back from
Hell. This recreates the familial structures of the
Clans as they exist in the original game, albeit
without reinforcement from the Blood Bond.
• Optionally, the Blood Bond or Vaulderie may
be reintroduced as a major ritual unique to
certain clans, such as the Tremere or the clans
of the Sabbat. In that case, the rules as outlined
in V20 can be used as-is whenever one possesses
the ritual.
• The main benefit of the Rite of the Embrace,
aside from lineage and political power, is as
follows: The rules for Hungry Dead on Humanity
are the same as in The Relentless Age, except that
Hungry Dead who were born into or adopted
into a Clan can have Humanity as low as 6
without losing the ability to drink blood.
Otherwise, they must eat flesh starting at
Humanity 7.
• Those who rise without the Embrace are the
clanless. The Rite of the Embrace can also be
performed on one of these individuals – They
don’t go back to Hell, but the conclusion of the
rite gives them a lineage and confers the benefits
of being in a Clan. This, for the Anarchs (who
stay clanless for political reasons), is what it
means to “sell out.”
• The existing rules for Hungry Dead and Paths
of Enlightenment can be discarded, and Paths
of Enlightenment can instead be treated like
194
Dharmas: Roll 10 minus the Path rating when
committing a Path “sin,” bestow 1 point of
Suffering for failure (2 for a botch), and require
“Path experience” to raise one’s Path rating.
• Much like the original setting, Paths are likely
to be frowned upon in the Camarilla, if they are
known at all. Both Sabbat and Anarchs are likely
to pick them up in lieu of having a Clan, in
order to avoid the difficulties of being clanless
on Humanity.
• The Arts and Virtues may or may not require
aesthetic retooling to match the Masquerade
atmosphere, such as reframing the Godbody
Arts as highly prized, mystical Clan Disciplines
or secrets of the Paths (also, see the Mhachkay
in Appendix I for a quick example of
“western-style Virtues”). Otherwise, these
elements of The Relentless Age can be used as-is.
• Since Generation is a prophetic marker of time
rather than a literal bloodline, what defines a
Clan is murkier, and immediate lineage (of who
gave the Embrace to whom) is far more important.
Antediluvians still exist, and the Tremere still
ate Saulot’s soul, but it was the work of eradicating
the Salubri and legitimizing themselves to their
peers that turned them into a Clan, same with
the Giovanni and Cappadocians.
• In a setting where raw power is no longer defined
by one’s literal descent from the first vampire,
there is likely to be a history of people rising
meteorically, founding “Clans” (which may even
be widely accepted as legitimate for a while),
then their lineages quickly fall apart and fall into
obscurity. Even more so than in the classic
Masquerade setting, the present-day Thirteen
Clans being descended from the biblical age is
something of a fiction.
• Lastly, converting the Yama Kings and Thousand
Hells into a western-style Hell would benefit
greatly from intertwining the setting with the
details outlined in Demon: the Fallen – which
happens to make the Fallen returning to the
mortal world all the more meaningful, as a plus.
That’s it. Good luck.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE ERRATA
ERRATA AND CLARIFICATIONS
To the fullest extent possible, corrections and rewrites
have been directly added to the text itself, without
altering the original layout. The following are
clarifications and expansions that needed more text
than was possible with only judicious rewording.
Demon Arts: Activation Times
Accumulating Suffering to activate Demon Arts is
reflexive, just like spending Chi on other Arts. But
unlike Chi, Suffering has no brakes. If you wish, for
example, you may accumulate three points of
Suffering all at once to activate Black Wind, Devil
Fist, and your full Demon Regalia at the same time.
Note that doing this also grants you an attack action
in the same turn that guarantees a hit at the fullest
possible damage – And if you’re willing to accumulate
five points of Suffering, then that perfect attack also
inflicts aggravated damage on top of everything else.
Again, there is no waiting or concentration time
involved; all of this happens instantly, so long as the
character is willing to accept the heavy cost.
This is a fully intentional part of the design for
Demon Arts. Enjoy.
Dhampyr: Luck-Binding
Character creation rules for Dhampyr PCs (see
Chapter 3) were rewritten to more closely recreate
the children of the Hungry Dead as detailed in the
original supplement Half-Damned: Dhampyr. Dhampyrs
can soak lethal damage, and they now have a standing
Luck pool, which both regenerates slowly or can be
replenished quickly for a cost in Chi. For those who
wish to also recreate the advanced power of “joss
binding,” see below:
System: Luck-Binding is purchased by Dhampyr at
the same rate as a Soul Art Technique – 10 freebie
points at character creation, or 20 experience points
during play.
A Dhampyr who knows Luck-Binding may bind
points to specific Abilities (e.g. Drive, Melee, Finance),
granting those Abilities a semi-permanent boost.
When points are bound in this way, the character’s
maximum Luck pool is diminished for as long as
the binding lasts – For example, a Dhampyr with
Luck 7 who binds four points to Drive will now only
have 3 points available to protect himself from
damage or to boost other rolls.
Bonuses from Luck-Binding can exceed normal
mortal maximums; its effects manifest as exceptionally
lucky maneuvers or benificent coincidences, just
like spending Luck. Note that characters may only
195
engage in Luck-Binding once per night, and may
only do so when their Luck pool is full. However,
characters can choose to instantly release an existing
binding whenever they want, freeing up Luck points
to be used as normal.
Godbodies: Duration
All Godbody Preparations – both passive and active
effects – last for one scene by default, except in
specific cases (such as the first part of the Godbody
of Illusion •, which involves a single roll for
information).
Godbody of Flame: Battling With Flame
When using the passive version of Beautiful Spark
(•••), the palm-sized flame can be wrapped around
a fist, wreathed around a crowbar, or any other
creative application, but bear in mind that it only
causes 1 aggravated damage, with the rest being
whatever damage type is normal for the attack.
When using the active versions of Beautiful Spark
or Dance of Embers (••), the student of Flame may
control or create any fires in her line of sight, within
the limitations of her dots in Flame. She is allowed
to hold multiple fires in their current positions
without penalty, but she may only focus on actively
manipulating one fire at a time – Otherwise, the
student must roll Wits+Flame at Difficulty 6 for
each additional fire being manipulated, following
the rules for multiple actions. Attempting to take
normal actions while controlling fire also falls under
the rules for multiple actions.
A blaze that has been created and left to its own
devices, of course, becomes an environmental hazard
and follows the normal rules for fire.
Godbody of Illusion: The Grand Stage
It bears mentioning that the student of Illusion is
both immune to his own creations and a perfect
player in whatever phantasmagoria he creates. When
creating a scenic illusion with Glittering Paradise
(•••), for example, the student cannot change the
ballroom he’s made into a torture chamber, but he
can appear to be a waiter at one moment, and an
alluring green-gowned dancer at the next.
When activating the full Godbody, then any manner
of nightmares can be made or unmade from moment
to moment. As a guideline, the master may roll
Dharma at Difficulty 8 to shape one feature of the
illusion at a time, Difficulty 7 if the change directly
relates to the target’s dreams or fears. Whatever the
illusion is at the end of the scene defines what the
permanent change to the world will be.
196
Soul Arts: Rooting Spirits in the World
When using effects such as the Conjunctional Art
“Dream-Being,” or the Beast Arts “Goblin Cat” or
“Stone Lion,” one creates or awakens a spirit to
temporarily act as a servitor. As written, these are
temporary effects that create short-term spirit beings:
A stone lion reverts to stone once it stops receiving
1 Chi per scene; a goblin cat will return to being a
normal animal in the morning; a dream-being not
gifted with a dot of Willpower from its creator will
gradually degrade and disappear, even if it is deep
in the spirit worlds. But it is also possible for such
a creature to gradually earn its way to permanency.
KINDRED OF THE EAST: THE RELENTLESS AGE
System: The Hungry One’s new pet must receive 1
Chi every 24 hours, which can come from any source
– Being ordered to stay near a Dragon’s Nest is one
way, or being directly fed blood from the cultivator’s
veins is another. Spirits with sufficient power can
also be set loose to hunt other spirits (or physical
beings) for sustenance. If it ever goes a day and a
night without spending its required 1 point of Chi,
the spirit unravels or is otherwise lost. If, however,
the spirit persists for a full lunar month, then it
becomes a permanent part of the world and follows
normal rules for spirits, choosing a Domain by which
it can regain Chi and Willpower without the need
to hunt or plunder.