[Proposal][NO LEGACY] Addition to Character Bylaw Mage Revenants

I, Adam Sartori, propose the following addition to the Character Regulation bylaws.

10.j.i.6. Revenant Mages – PC: Disallowed – NPC: Coordinator Approval –Coordinator Mage and Tzimisce

Reasoning: From Blood Treachery page 79: “AWAKENED REVENANTS: FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS TWINK OUT

For those who have not heard of them, revenants are some rather disgusting little cousins to vampires. Feed a human family with vampire blood for generations, perform some occult manipulations on its children and throw in a dash of sheer revolting anti-social tendencies, and you get revenants. They're self-perpetuating semighoul beings that are mortal and largely human, but who inherit extended life-spans, a few vampire powers and a hellish mindset born of an inbred, vampire-dominated family.

Assume (generously) that 1000 revenants exist in the World of Darkness. Of these 1000, assume (even more generously) that one percent possesses that certain special something needed to jaunt them out of ordinary perceptions and Awaken. Those parameters leave 10 living Awakened revenants.

Scratch seven who go off to the Cauls. Those who venerate the first murderer or cultivate sadistically jaded pleasures religiously do not make for upstanding Awakened. They instead shore up the ranks of the Fallen. Three to go. Scratch one more. Call it Paradox, Technocrats, vampires, werewolves or what-have-you. At least one of these uber-revenants will get offed by someone or something offended by her very existence. Eight down; two standing.

Of these two remaining — obviously both saintly and discreet revenants -- scratch one. Either this revenant's Avatar is obliterated by the Embrace, or he himself dies slowly and blissfully under the Blood Oath. That leaves one living, un-Fallen, Awakened revenant — under our very generous interpretation — who might see age 40 as an Awakened mage before his own body Gilguls itself. You do not get to play him.

An Awakened revenant is a power-gamer's wet dream. He's got Spheres, vampire powers, a life-span (before magic) measured in centuries, a bit of perspective on two major factions in the World of Darkness and a built-in character history that's guaranteed not to make anybody think too hard. Why be a simple, studious revenant or a Hermetic scholar when one can combine the two into an unassailable fortress of dots on a character sheet?

The question pretty much answers itself.

If, however, you are the sort of masochist who actually caves in to players who request this kind of stuff, be aware of your rights. First of all, require the player to purchase the 7-point Merit: Revenant. Second, have the player record a Path of Enlightenment (for the purposes of an Awakened revenant, only the Path of Humanity is truly appropriate, although one might scrape by on Harmony or Honorable Accord). Although the Path will not have a rating, we encourage the Storyteller to do fiendish things to the Awakened revenant who defies her code of morality continually. (One who cannot remain true to herself will find her mystical Path of Thorns assailed by hardship on all sides.)

Also, feel free to inflict any horrors you see fit on this creature without providing any extra points at character creation in exchange. Dark Fate? Sure. Nightmares 1 Go for it. Echoes? Have a blast. Revenants are the bastard cousins of those cursed by God. The blossoming of a shard of the Divine in such a being is not likely to be the blessing one might initially envision. Think of these little punishments as ways of actually paying for the character's many and potent abilities.

Honestly, the best advice for anyone who actually wants to play one of these things, however, is to let it go. You're much better off with a character whose history, personality and motivations (rather than her dots) define her."

It has come to our attention there are several PCs in OWBN that are awakened mage revenants.  Based on the printed material (see above) we do not believe these to be viable PC concepts.  As described above if one exists there is perhaps exactly one of these in the world of darkness; thus making them extremely rare.  That is why we have left NPC Revenant Mages as Coordinator Approval (joint with Tzimisce Coordinator who deals most with revenants.).  As such we are also not allowing Legacy on this Proposal.  Should it pass, any such existing Revenant Mage PCs will need to decide if they are a Mage PC or a Revenant (not both), or make a proposal to council for an exemption vote.  We also did not consult with the Mage and Tzimisce Coordinator on this matter, as we believe it should be added to the bylaws based on the printed material.  If the Mage or Tzimisce coordinator have amendments they wish to add; we are open to them.  We did however want to start the discussion period before a vote if this is seconded.

Legacy: None