Chimera - BitD Playbook

Introduction to Chimera

Some madman under the name of science took a scalpel to your flesh, cutting and sewing until half of your organs were no longer yours. You woke up in pain and fear, filled with strange urges that are not your own yet call to you stronger than what you've ever felt before.

Be reborn as the marvel of science and the occult - a creature with extraordinary abilities taken from animals, free and curious to finally see what the world has to offer.

Who did this to you and why?

Who or what do you see when you look into the mirror?

Will try to hold onto your humanity or let the beast take control?

Description

This is a playbook for Blades in the Dark where you take on role of an escaped experiment. An abomination created by combining humans and animals. What kind of traits did you receive from this and how do they affect you. You are a wild card looking for place where to fit in.

Loosely inspired by The Island of Doctor Moreau

Disclaimer

It is currently untested, but a test will be run in my next campaign. I am looking for any kind of feedback. Especially one that makes the playbook better.

Character sheet

If you are using Blades in the Dark Configurable Character Keeper & Lite Virtual Tabletop (VTT) by Roezmv by Roezmv you can add the playbook by inserting the following column into the PCDB sheet at the end of existing playbooks (I advice to use CTRL+SHIFT+V so it doesn't override formatting)

Chimera

Marvel to science and crime against humanity

‣ You addressed a challenge with your animalistic traits or your unnatural nature ‣ You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background ‣ You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas

‣ You addressed a challenge with your animalistic traits or your unnatural nature ‣ You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background ‣ You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas

Stress

Trauma

0

0

0

Vice

Purveyor

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

Unexpected friends

Milo, an animal peddler

Cenile, a smuggler

Hando, a scientist's assistant

Bip, a fellow experiment

Mixie, a circus member

1|A fine disguise

1|Fine animal snacks

1|A muzzle and a collar

0|Leviathan blood syringe

0|A vial of calming essence

0|A patient robe

0|Scent masker

Special abilities

BORN OF EXPERIMENT (mandatory): You start with one permanent animalistic trait from the animalistic trait list and you also gain a bonus weird vice of embracing your animalistic side. Each time you gain trauma, you also gain another permanent animalistic trait. You can pay 1 stress to invoke one of your animalistic traits. This cost is on top of any other cost related to the action, like pushing yourself or gaining stress from resisting consequences.

NINE LIVES: You may expend your special armor to resist a consequence using your animalistic trait, or to push yourself against those that threaten your existence.

GHOST HERDING: You can use your connection with the world of animals to influence their behavior in a way suited to your needs and make them follow your orders.

ANIMAL INSTINCTS: You gain +1d when you gather information using your heightened animalistic senses.

FEEL THEIR PAIN: You can relate to victims of abuse and misfortune by offering your understanding of their situation based on your bad experiences. When interacting with them, they instinctively feel that they can trust your words and will be more likely to listen. You gain increased effect when trying to influence them using this connection.

LEARNED TO ENDURE IT: You can pay 2 stress to become resistant to one type of environmental damage for a moment. You can pay 1 additional stress to gain one of the following additional benefits: you become immune rather than resistant - it lasts for a few minutes.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT: When cornered by the enemy, you may ignore the consequences of harm and you can invoke animalistic traits to fight or escape the enemy without paying the stress cost.

SUDDEN MUTATION: You can push yourself to manifest another animalistic trait till the end of the score. Only one temporary trait can be gained this way.

THE BEAST'S REST: You gain a bonus weird vice of embracing your animalistic side. When indulging in this weird vice it also acts as a recovery activity at the same time.

Credits

Based on the design and world of Blades in the Dark by John Harper

Designed by Trampod

Written by Trampod and Alicja "Allie" Murias

Great thanks to "Salty" for an amazing feedback

Original cover image by Trampod

Blades in the Dark playbook template found on the Unusual Suspects

Structure of credits taken from The Pledge by NotWriting

This work is based on Blades in the Dark, product of One Seven Design, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.