Devil

XVI. Devil

“If change is scary and the Devil is scary then it follows that the change is the Devil. Now do you realize how stupid you sound?”

Look, the Devil isn’t really evil. At least, not in the Arcana. Well, not totally.

The Devil Arcana is all about setting obstacles. It’s the Arcana that symbolizes the struggle to succeed, to get out of ruts (or be stuck in one.) It will push and push until you finally succeed. The Devil is an incredible source of power and strength.

That is, if you get along with it. Devil-users are among the worst. They try and test and poke and prod at all of their associates’ weak spots and desires. They offer temptations just as they remind people of the consequences. In short, they’re the assholes and bitches of the Arcana.

Someone has to be. The Devils know that they were given the powers of Persona for a reason. To them it’s not coincidental. They almost seem to have an instinctive sense of where danger is, and it’s their job to ensure that other Persona-users are ready to meet that danger head-on.

They’ve had reason to be quite vigilant in their duty to hone Persona-users to their greatest strength. They’re the victims of exploitation, of freedoms being stripped from them. There is nothing they want more than to establish a status quo where the danger is past, and they’ll do anything to make it happen. While ruthlessness is common in various aspects of the Arcana, nowhere is it more pronounced when possessed by a Devil.

Their inclination to challenge themselves and others make them fast friends with Cards of the Chariot and Strength Arcana, but often puts them in opposition with others. Justicars in particular have a difficult time with them; they think some of the methods they use cross moral boundaries a bit too far for comfort. Powerful Death-users in the other hand find themselves pestered by Devils to create more Persona-users, regardless of the cost. They have many allies, but few friends at best.

Currently their Dealer is Paul Henner, and he’s the asshole’s asshole. A personal trainer by trade, he shapes up his clients with sadistic glee. He loves to push, irritate and annoy, knowing that the results would be worth it in the end. Of all the Dealers, he is the one most willing to pay astonishing costs if the returns are worth it. He pushes his Servitors hard, expecting no less than perfection. In fairness to him he doesn’t expect any more.

Presently Paul is trying to soften the image of the Devil Arcana. He knows that there is power to be gained from establishing as many Social Links as one could. He’s had problems convincing his Servitors of that, however. Most Devils are too ruthless to form relationships that go beyond the mercenary.

The Powers of the Devil

Paul prefers Servitors who are efficient, driven and no-holds barred in their approach. Most enjoy the powers given to them after their times of exploitation. In their minds now they’re the ones in charge, ready to pull other Persona-users into any conflict.

Devil 1: Fiendish Power
Roll: Strength + Stamina + Numina. 1 Numen.
The ability gives Devils the advantage in combat.

Exceptional Failure: The power fails to function and cannot be used for another day.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: The Devil adds 1 to Stamina and Strength; the Stamina boost raises his Health by 1 as well.

Exceptional Success: The Devil adds 2 to his Stamina, Strength and Health.

Devil 2: Fog of Brimstone
Roll: Strength + Stamina + Numina. 1 Numen.
This ability creates a burning fog that offers concealment and damages opponents.

Exceptional Failure: The power fails to function and cannot be used for another week.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: A billowing sulfurous fog surrounds the target area. Visibility is reduced by 50%. Creatures that linger in the fog that need to breathe suffer 1 bashing damage per turn in the fog.

Exceptional Success: The fumes are particularly potent; the damage is 1 lethal per turn.

Devil 3: Inured to Flames
Roll: None. Passive.
Non-supernatural flames affect the Devil-user. Only fires of supernatural origin damage the Devil-user, though their effectiveness is dampened as well. Damage from such sources are reduced by one rank (aggravated becomes lethal, lethal becomes bashing, bashing is ignored.)

Devil 4: Conjure Flaming Weapon
Roll: Stamina + Craft + Numina. 2 Numina.
This ability creates a weapon that the Devil-user may wield in combat.

Exceptional Failure: The power malfunctions, creating a flame that bursts in the Devil-user’s hands for 2 lethal damage.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: A flaming weapon manifests in the Devil-user’s hands. The weapon must be handheld. It is otherwise wielded as a normal weapon, and raises the damage of the weapon by 1 rank.

Devil 5: Fiery Gate
Roll: Strength + Stamina + Numina vs. Willpower + Numina. Contested, 3 Numina per turn.
The ability allows the Devil-user to summon Shadows and bind them to his will.

Exceptional Failure: The power empowers the Shadows, and grants them 3 extra Health.

Failure: The power fails to function.

Success: The power binds a number of Shadows equal to his Numina. They will accept simple commands as long as the Devil-user can pay the costs and win every contested turn. If the Devil-user does not banish them and loses a contested roll, the Shadows will attack their summoner.

Exceptional Success: As Success.