Chapter Five: The World of Darkness
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"Fighting to survive, in a world with the darkest powers..."
- Queen
Highlander-style immortals fit perfectly into the
World of Darkness. The movie Highlander is listed as one of the
inspirations for the World of Darkness - a world where supernatural
beings walk among us without our knowledge. However, immortals are
very different from other supernatural creatures in one very important
way - Unlike the Kindred, Garou and Mages, immortals don't have their
own society, for very obvious reasons. In a world where various groups
such as the Sabbat and the Technocracy vie for power, immortals are
wildcards - powerful individuals; mavericks who can be useful allies
or dangerous enemies. They have no clearly defined role, unlike the
Garou, for instance, and instead, follow their own destiny, towards
the Prize.
Immortals don't go around in groups, for very obvious
reasons. Therefore, there will normally only be a single immortal
player character in a Chronicle, and the other PCs will presumably be
one of the other character types detailed in the Storyteller games
released so far - Kindred, Garou, Mage or Wraith. This brings up the
interesting topic of what the other characters actually know about the
immortal character. Given that immortals are probably the rarest of
all the supernatural beings (excepting Mummies), it's reasonable to
assume that it's not exactly common knowledge that these guys are
immortal, and can only be killed if their head is chopped off. If
assessed using supernatural powers, an immortal's aura will look very
similar to a Mage's, or perhaps a Changeling's - They store within
them a large well of power, not unlike Quintessence. However, it will
soon become obvious that an immortal cannot manipulate magick, nor
does he possess powers like that of a Faerie. Normally, an immortal
won't reveal his true nature to people, without a very good reason,
and it is very unlikely that he will reveal the method by which he can
be killed.
Although immortals are, after all, immortal, and don't
necessarily need to eat, sleep, and so on, failure to do so will
result in them becoming weak, although they can never die of hunger or
exposure. However, hunger and cold make immortals as uncomfortable as
they do mortals, and therefore, it is desirable to have a roof over
one's head, and money, in order to make your life more
comfortable. Unlike other supernatural beings, immortals don't have
Caerns, Nodes or Crypts. Instead, they will most probably live amongst
mortals.
During their extended lifetimes, immortals are likely to amass
huge amounts of wealth. However, like Vampires, immortals must
maintain a masquerade - the illusion that there is nothing strange
about them. This can be difficult, and can involve having to leave
worldly assets behind. In the film, Connor used to leave his goods to
children who had died whilst very young, and "die", only to return
after a suitable interval to assume the identity of the dead person
and claim their inheritance. This is probably the best way of ensuring
that an immortal doesn't have to give up whatever worldly possessions
he has earned when he has to move on, in order to prevent his true
nature being discovered. Doubtless, there are immortals who travel
around quite a bit, but it's likely that, after several centuries of
travelling, an immortal may wish to stay in one place for a while.
Obviously, if an immortal has settled down in one place, they
will need to have some way of paying for their lifestyle on a day to
day basis. Duncan, for instance, has extensive stock holdings, but he
is also an antique dealer, as Connor was. What better job for a man
who was alive when many antiques were new? Other professions which
require a knowledge of the past may also attract immortals, like a
history professor, for instance. Who better to describe the Civil War
than someone who was actually there? Immortals' supernatural abilities
mean that they are practically perfect as soldiers, or something
similar. What could be better than a soldier who isn't just simply
unafraid of dying, but is actually unable to die? Most immortals will
no doubt have been involved in some sort of conflict at some point in
their lives, unless they actively avoided it.
Were an immortal's secret to become known, the results could
be potentially disastrous. Imagine what would happen were a company
such as Development Neogenetics Amalgamated or Pentex Inc. to discover
that immortals exist - they would stop at nothing in an attempt to
discover the secret of immortality. Therefore, an immortal character
must be careful to guard his secret, and maintain the facade of
normality.
Antagonists:
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"How do you fight such a savage?" "With heart, faith, and steel..."
- Connor, Ramirez
In this section we will discuss how Immortals are likely to
interact with the other supernatural beings in the World of Darkness,
as well as other individuals and organizations, such as the
Inquisition.
Vampires
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Immortals are quite likely to run up against the Kindred of
any city they visit - Kindred feed off mortals, while Immortals are
more likely to try and protect the them. Kindred seek to control and
they will normally try to destroy that which they are unable to
control. Immortals don't often fit into their schemes, which makes
them dangerous. However, as much as an immortal can be a powerful
enemy, they can also be a powerful ally. It is possible that
individual immortals and vampires can become friends and allies, for
both have one major trait in common - both have the potential to live
for an inordinate length of time. Both understand what it is like to
live for much longer than mortals. Added to this is the fact that,
unlike mortals, immortals have nothing to fear from Vampires - as has
been stated before, immortal blood holds no sustenance for Vampires,
and immortals cannot be Embraced, nor made into Ghouls. However,
unlike many Kindred, Immortals are still innately human, and the
bestial nature of many Kindred will repel them. If an immortal has a
Vampire as a friend, it is likely that the Vampire will have a high
Humanity.
Werewolves
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Immortals are more likely to join the Garou than the
Kindred. The Garou fight for a simpler time, a time the immortal may
well remember. The Garou also fight against the desecration of Gaia,
and, as PC immortals are likely to follow in the hero mold of Connor
and Duncan MacLeod, it is extremely likely that Garou and Immortals
would consider each other to be brothers, fighting on the same side,
against the destruction of a mother earth the Immortals have watched
being desecrated over the centuries. Add to this the fact that Garou
Caerns are Holy Ground, and a refuge for immortals, and it becomes
obvious that the Garou and Immortals are very likely allies.
However, there is a possibility that some immortals may come
up against the Garou, especially if they have amassed great wealth,
and control portions of man's world which the Garou do not
appreciate. Such immortals may be considered by the Garou to be agents
of the Wyrm. In general, however, Immortals are much more likely to
form friendly relationships and allies the Garou than anything else.
Mages
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Immortals and Mages don't mix well. This isn't because of any
direct conflict, but because Mages will often wish to acquire the
immortal's Quickening, in order to empower their own node. Also,
Mages, like the Kindred, are often distrustful of that which they
can't control, an immortals' immunity to magic of both the Prime and
Life spheres makes them a danger. On the other hand, immortals make
useful allies, powerful and yet not beholden to any clan or
tribe. Also, the Mages' nodes are Holy Ground, like the Caerns of the
Garou. However, what immortal is likely to feel comfortable in a place
surrounded by people who could gain a lot of power for themselves by
beheading him?
Wraiths
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It's likely that Immortals and Wraiths do not normally
interact very much, due to the simple fact that while Immortals
inhabit the mundane world, Wraiths dwell in the Deep Umbra and rarely
manifest themselves on Earth. It should be noted, however, that
because of the manner in which the Quickening binds an immortal's
being together, Immortals cannot be possessed.
Changelings
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Like the Garou, the Sidhe are likely to form strong alliances
with Immortals, as they are, in many ways, kindred spirits - human,
and yet wielding powers which no mortal can possess. Both Immortals
and Changelings strive towards a goal which is their destiny to pursue
- Immortals strive to win the Prize, while the Sidhe dream of
returning to Arcadia, to join with their faerie kin. The Sidhe's
relationship with the Garou (especially the Fianna), is also likely to
result in Changelings and Immortals becoming friends and allies.
Certain members of the Fey may also hold clues to the origins of the
Immortals...
The Wyrm
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Minions of the Wyrm, such as Fomori and the Black Spiral
Dancers are very likely to attempt to kill any Immortals they come
across, as Immortals are likely to be considered to be of neither the
Wyld nor the Weaver alone, but of both - their role as wildcards and
mavericks is a trait of the Wyld, yet the Weaver holds their body and
spirit together. Suffice to say that the Wyrm would consider Immortals
to be enemies.
Governments
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It is highly unlikely that the Government knows, or even
suspects that there are immortals out there, although there may be a
section of the FBI or some similar organization which is carrying out
an investigation into the possibility that there is a serial killer
going around, chopping people's heads off. Witnesses of Immortal duels
are likely to be given the same amount of credibility as the ex-Marine
was in the movie - ie. none at all. On the other hand, Immortals are
likely to have to tread carefully, and take extra care, when trying to
hide their immortality from individuals in government departments, and
so on. However, immortals are much more likely to run into trouble
when trying to deal with the police. Particularly if they are murder
suspects, like Connor was in the film. An immortal had better make
sure that his cover is unshakable if he comes under investigation by
the police or FBI.
The Inquisition
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The Inquisition is likely to have encountered immortals during
the Dark Ages, when they would have been considered to be witches, or
"in league with Lucifer", as Kate said. The punishment for such heresy
was burning at the stake, and at least one immortal in the series has
survived such an ordeal. It's very unlikely that the Inquisition knows
of the existence of Immortals. However, see the information on the
Watchers below.
The Watchers
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The