Chimera

Chimerae are generally savvy entities, characterised by their keen minds, adaptability to present circumstances, and readiness to seize opportunities in the moment. They are often employed as muscle, perhaps to act as a bodyguard warding off thieves and competitors, to watch over a forbidden gate between worlds, or to remain locked in eternal combat with some other Entity that must be kept at bay. Others, more ferocious in mind than body, may be renowned across the multiverse as the sharpest lawyers, or stand at the head of a cut-throat business. Their Primary Attribute is their Instinct, and their Secondary Attributes are their Grasp, Coat, and Crest.

Chimerae’s primary Attribute is their Instinct. It represents an innate compulsion that they have when interacting with the world and others. Sometimes it serves them well, giving them deeper insight or a chance to react before others; other times it’s less than helpful, a gut feeling leading them astray, or a tendency towards a course of action inappropriate to the circumstances. Instincts describe a behaviour the Chimera often engages in. The advantage is that they are typically very good at what they do most often; the disadvantage comes from applying that same behaviour in an inappropriate situation, or discomfort when unable to engage with it properly.

Examples:

A Fighting Instinct
Advantage: skilled at close-quarters combat
Disadvantage: can never back down from a challenge

A Desire to Make Friends
Advantage: good at charming people and talking them round to your side
Disadvantage: unable to work alone

An Intense Curiosity
Advantage: exceptionally good at picking up on clues relevant to a current investigation
Disadvantage: a tendency to be sidetracked, especially when waiting or idle

A Restless Impatience
Advantage: always first to act when something unexpected happens
Disadvantage: often jumps into potentially dangerous situations without due caution

A Chimera’s Grasp is the primary means by which it physically interacts with the world. Chimerae are very physical entities which prefer to work directly with their hands (or equivalents) rather than with tools. Their Grasp - such as claws, paws or talons - is thus specialised to a particular kind of purpose. The Grasp generally refers to some form of hand or similar appendage found in nature, and describe its strengths with one or two adjectives. Rather than describing a specific purpose, it should describe a broad class of activity to which they are suited.

Choose one of the following, or define your own:

• Vicious, Rending Talons can tear destructively through almost any material
• Steady, Dexterous Paws can manipulate delicate objects with great care
• Powerful, Sturdy Hooves can carry heavy loads with ease
• Coiling, Snaring Roots grapple and bind with great strength
• Adorable, Fuzzy Toe-Beans are just the cutest, oh yes they are

A Chimera’s Coat is what covers almost its entire body, and keeps it safe and comfortable. It generally protects against direct physical effects or hazards, be that by resistance or evasion. A Coat is designed to resist some kind of physical effect. It should include both what kind of material it is made of as well as an adjective which emphasises or clarifies its advantage. It is usually made of something natural and/or organic.

Choose one of the following, or define your own:

• A Coat of Tough Scales protects against extreme environmental conditions
• A Coat of Unflinching Chitin deflects powerful physical blows
• A Coat of Luxurious Fur is always impeccably clean
• A Coat of Chameleonic Fungus lets you blend in with your surroundings and avoid scrutiny

A Chimera’s Crest is a symbol of its power. It is often the first thing a person notices when they meet a Chimera, signalling its strength and majesty, social grace, or feral ferocity. A Crest describes something about how the Chimera interacts with others - both their approach and the impression it gives. It should generally be based on something natural, usually a striking or showy aspect of an animal or plant.

Choose one of the following, or define your own:

• A Crest of Royal Antlers conveys their strength in leadership, commanding respect and imbuing a sense of authority
• A Crest of Iridescent Feathers is a sign of their social graces; it impresses and attracts attention
• A Crest of Fruit-Bearing Branches puts others at ease; the fruit often given as a token friendship
• A Crest of Twisted Spines displays their ferocity, intimidating and unsettling others

As with all Deeds, there are no strict rules except that they should be phrased as “shorthand reference + elaboration”. When one wants to refer to a Deed in play, one can simply refer to the shorthand (e.g. “Nurtured the Great Garden”).

However, Chimerae tend to be quite hands-on with their Deeds, embroiling themselves directly in the affairs of their worlds rather than influencing from afar or maintaining behind the scenes. Note that this will be displayed alongside your public bio.

Examples:

• Fought and defeated the abyssal serpent through sheer strength and endurance
• Nurtured the Great Garden providing sanctuary for all who made their home there
• Freed the moon from her prison by tricking Dreamer of the Endless Night, Darkness Without End
• Sensed the coming of the Storm of Eons and advised the people on how to prepare and survive