I've been trying to catch up on the entire Cronenberg discography lately, including watching his son's work! Brandon Cronenberg is a fantastic director, walking down a path in cinema that honours his father's work while also bringing his own style into the fold, and I wanted to celebrate it a little. Still gotta watch Infinity Pool!
Enjoy this weird thing.
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Fun Fact: Most Of The Effects Were Practical! Even The Weird Fractal Stuff! Cameras Are Magic
Art by Randy Ortiz(?) |
At some point, you found work within The Company: a clandestine operation of unknown origin and dubious funding, who utilize their positions of power and influence to shape the world to their whims. You are one of The Company's prized assets, not just for your training but your aptitude: you have been ranked highly compatible with The Company's Possessor program. For better or worse, you are worth your weight in gold.
The task is simple: research the inner workings of a targeted individual, learn their mannerisms, and then use the Technology provided to submerge their consciousness.
Typically, your operations would include murders committed under the guise of the hijacked, but The Company receives offers from various clientele.
Where do your loyalties lie? Who is it that hides behind that mask? Which is the real you?
POSSESSOR
+1 Stability per template
Starting Skill: 1) Subterfuge 2) Behavioral Recording 3) Intelligence Gathering 4) Mimicry
Starting Items: Light pistol with 20 bullets, whatever clothes you woke up with, $200 cash.
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A – Agent, Possession
Δ – It Takes A Village
Agent
Upon taking your first Possessor template, you become an employee of The Company. If you begin a game with this template, you likely already possess a host body. If not, or when planning another operation, some crucial information should be kept in mind:
- Possession of a host body first requires medical preparation, including target acquisition and surgery. Without a team, the time this takes to plan and execute is up to you, usually 2d4 days.
- Your work also requires access to limited Company technology. As you are aware, only they possess machinery capable of performing Possession. You are immobile while plugged in.
- An agent can remain in a host body for a number of days equal to 2 + their Possessor Templates before the severe risk of brain damage sets in.
- An agent must kill the host body in order to extract. This is non-negotiable. Mostly.
- Death with some level of precaution will kill the host body. Carelessness will kill you both.
Before session one, speak with your GM about the mission parameters surrounding your first Possession (or leave it a surprise!). Upon awakening, your clock begins.
Possession
While under Possession, you track an additional resource known as Stability. If you're playing a GLoG hack or other OSR TTRPG that uses a mechanic similar to sanity/willpower, consider tracking that resource instead. Your Stability total is calculated similarly to your HP but with Wisdom instead of Constitution. Anything that restores HP (except for magical healing or basic sci-fi medipacks) also heals Stability, but only by 1d6 + your level.
note: super experimental, super weird. Just wanna try sticking my toes in "sanity mechanics" while also trying to make them good/cool/interesting. Or at the very least tolerable. In an ideal world, all characters are working with some sort of Stability mechanic: Possessors are just a bit tougher. Bear with my experimentation.
While under Possession, the host body's consciousness puts you under constant pressure. Your intrusion into the mind of the host body does not erase it, but merely assumes control, meaning that anything which disturbs your command over the host can have dramatic consequences. Some ways to lower or regain your Stability include:
- Witnessing something horrific, such as a depraved act of violence, for a prolonged period of time. (-3)
- Receiving a hideous wound, taking 5+ damage in a single turn. (-3)
- Purposefully damaging the host body. (-2)
- Getting high. (-2)
- Witnessing an emotionally distressing event, such as a team member's death or capture. (-2)
- Being reminded of personal, emotional conflicts. (-1)
- Engaging in graphic violence, if you're not into that sort of thing. (-1)
- Taking the equivalent of a short rest. You probably can't chain these. (+1)
- Completing a mission objective. (+1)
- Taking an hour each day to meditate. Also called running diagnostics. (+2)
- Going to bed. (+2)
- Completing your assignment (+3).
Whenever you would be reduced to 0 Stability, make a Wisdom check. On a success, you regain +3 Stability, and on a failure you UNRAVEL.
Note: What does that entail? My mind says that it should involve a good rollable table, but that's more effort when this post should have been put up over a week ago. The general assumption is that it should be possible to come back from UNRAVEL'ing at least once, but is otherwise something to be avoided. Use your own Sanity table for now: I will be back!
It Takes A Village
Extract.
Nobody can be truly exceptional without people willing to support them, and this is no less true for your team. Your original body is effectively comatose whilst under Possession, meaning that not only is there an expectation of safety while handling your assignment, but an opportunity for growth.
The first time you extract, prematurely or after completing your assignment, choose two of the following templates below. A unique hireling joins your repertoire, hired out from the coffers of The Company, solely tasked with aiding you in your assignments. You may take an additional Possessor template whenever you level up, granting you another hireling, as well as the subsequent ability of each tree.
HANDLER — The Therapist; takes care of you.
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1) Can communicate with you while under Possession, Restores ½ your Stability upon extraction.
2) Once per session, grants intel regarding your current objective, so long as you haven't UNRAVELED this session.
3) Immediately pass your first Stability check under Possession.
ANALYST— The Interpreter; speaks to machines.
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1) Warns you if the host body is about to UNRAVEL, +1 Initiative.
2) +1 Save.
3) You can pull a skill your host body possesses from its subconscious. Rank equals your Possessor templates. Once per day, lasts until extraction or you UNRAVEL.
MEDIC— The Doctor; treats you well.
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1) Watches your vital signs (blood pressure, IV, etc) while under Possession, +1 Save.
2) Advantage against Save vs Death effects.
3) +2 HP.
RETRIEVAL— The Gatherer; tags and bags.
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1) Does most of the work for you, reduces time to prep Possession to 1d4 days.
2) Once per session, can retrieve an item from an improbable location (e.g. a hospital garbage can or a plane bathroom).
3) Once per day, will pick you up (and maybe your friends) if you need to get somewhere in a jiffy. Needs space and time, so no tight alleyways and no last-minute Uber chases.
COLLABORATOR — The Hunter; never works for free.
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1) A random hireling is recruited by The Company. Loyal and will work around your host body's cover. Can appear when activated on request, but otherwise at The Company's discretion. Resets every assignment.
2) Contact your hireling and ask for a favour which can be done in a reasonable amount of time, such as collecting evidence, assisting a break-in, or dispensing supplies. Money isn't an issue, but don't expect hitmen for hire.
3) At any time, If your hireling hasn't been activated yet (you can say no), choose a non-core NPC in the same room as you. They are immediately activated and revealed to be your Collaborator.
