Chaos Fantasy: Source

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Chapter 8: Virtues & Burdens
[ | General Rules | Physical Virtues | Physical Burdens | Social Virtues | Social Burdens | ]
Physical Burdens
Inept
If you wish to have a stat lower than one, this would be the place to do it. This Burden grants only 5 experience, but you may take it as many times as you wish (until the given stat is at 1). This will lower your stat by 1 each time you take it; your stat must be 5 or lower to place this Burden upon it. This burden must be bought off to get the stat back up to 5.

The penalties described by this burden are done so on the stat charts in the Primary Stats chapter.
Blindness
The character has reduced vision. The character fails any rolls involving his sight. Ascertaining details from a distance is impossible and the character has no long range combat bonuses. To avoid these penalties, the character must have severe corrective lenses.

The character is practically blind in the night. He cannot make out shapes very clearly and falls much more easily prey to Disorient penalties in any situation (fog, mist, night, rain).

This Burden can be taken again to represent blindness. The character has blindness and disorient penalties at all times. He cannot see anything, failing any rolls that require even basic sight.
Deafness
The character is deaf in one ear or otherwise has reduced hearing. The character has -20% Resist Stun and always finds close combat Disorienting. Not only this, the character cannot properly determine sounds at a distance and is always thrown off as to the location. The character has -5 to all Agility checks requiring balance.

He cannot hear quiet sounds at all and people may have to shout at him even in close proximity. He can't hear anything being said or done from a distance and fails any rolls requiring good hearing (unless wearing an aid).

Take this Burden again to be completely deaf. The character is always Disoriented in close combat; any roll requiring hearing will fail automatically. The character will find it exceedingly difficult to communicate with those around him.
Poor Senses
The character has no sense of taste or smell. This burden grants only 10 experience.
Mute
The character is completely mute and cannot speak. The character will find it difficult to communicate his thoughts. Any rolls requiring communication or speech automatically fail.

A lesser version would be that the character speaks with a slur and a troubled voice. He will likely be treated badly because of this attribute. Because of his limited speech, he is incapable of singing or impressing others. Charisma is limited to 5 or less. The character will often be mocked and rejected by others due to his behaviour. The character automatically fails any skill that requires speech, although he makes a good effort.
Poorly Skilled
To have this Burden on a skill set, you may not take levels in any of them. This applies to an entire section of skills.

If the character is ever asked to do anything involving this skill section, he will miserably fail. Not only that, but just having him make this roll will negatively affect him and his entire group in some extremely bad (but possibly comical) manner. The character is simply inept at even the most facile of tasks from this skill category.

If you take this Burden again, the Burden applies to not only the original category of skills but to ALL other skills which you have no levels in. Simply put, if your character doesn't have the skill, he simply performs miserably if ever asked for it.
Inept Combat
The character has -8 to initiative.
Damned Slow
Raise Interval by 1.
Die Like A Fly
-1 Shock. -1 PFb. -1 Red Limit.
Weak as a Kitten
Unarmed attacks do no damage. Attacks using a physical melee weapon have no penetration and do half damage. The character has no damage bonus. This may be a psychological factor (ie. your character is still strong otherwise) or physical (just lack of strength).
Emotional Susceptibility
You have one emotion that you are weak against. Whenever someone attempts to make you angry, cry, aroused, or anything that affects that one weak emotion, your character completely caves in. You give in to that emotion and do whatever would be natural. It doesn't take much to get your character into that mood. In fact, it's disturbingly easy. Whenever someone is appealing to that emotion, you have -40% to Resist Primal Nature and overwhelm everyone with your feelings. Even in normal situations, you may have to roll Resist Primal Nature where others don't, simply because you are always on the edge of this emotion (ie you are more sensitive to certain comments or situations because of this Burden).

Fear: Your character is immediately horrified if you fail Resist Primal Nature and will become a useless quivering mess. Even for normal situations, your character is shy and afraid of crowds; you may have to roll Resist Primal Nature for extremely simple situations just because your character can't speak up for themselves.
Charm: It's sooo easy to get your character into bed, it's actually kinda sad. Not only that, your character is likely looking for and finding signs that don't even exist.
Angst: Your character is in emotional angst all the time, much to the chagrin of your friends (however many are actually left). Pushing your character over the edge into anger or depression is really easy; if it's done this way, your character will likely act very hasty and not think clearly about strategy or other important plot elements for the scene/combat.

Defective Immune System
Your character is simply affected by most things. Your character is so susceptible to diseases that anyone nearby with even a simple cold will pass it on to you. You are affected by even the weakest diseases, doubled in it's effects against you.

You also have a lot of allergies. All the time there is usually something nearby that makes your character sneeze. You will automatically fail Resist Distraction whenever your allergies are acting up, making complex skill performances impossible. There are even a few rare allergies which might kill you if you were over-exposed without immediate medical attention. While undergoing a severe reaction, all actions are impossible.
Midget
The character is pretty small. Penalties may apply which make performing certain tasks difficult or impossible. The character has -3 to all Stamina and Strength checks and -2 to any skill rolls requiring a proper height. Choose a height beneath four and a half feet and a weight less than 100 lbs. Your character is likely mocked and ridiculed constantly without a high charisma stat to back you up. At least your opponents find you more difficult to hit (check the combat section to read up on their penalties).

This burden grants only 10 experience.
Paralysis
Lesser Version - The character has difficulties walking. He is either clumsy or it is like he has a broken foot. The character cannot move faster than walking unless he spends 1 Ki per minute. The character has reduced mobility and sensations in his legs or arms and finds them difficult to control. -2 to any skill rolls requiring delicate or agile movement. The character loses all long-range defensive combat bonuses.

Normal - The character has at least two fully paralyzed limbs. Movements are always Awkward and actions are impossible with the effected limbs (such as reloading a gun with a lame arm). Speed is effectively 1 if both legs are paralyzed unless he has mechanical aid. The character is immune to the pain of Red Damage in his paralyzed limbs.

Taking this Burden again means the character is fully paralyzed. His Speed is effectively ZERO for movement unless he has mechanical aid. The character is capable of moving his head and hands, but nothing else. On the plus side, the character is immune to the pain from Red Damage to his paralyzed limbs. Taking actions or performing skills requiring mobility are simply impossible.
Deformed
A lesser version would mean a large and unique tattoo or easily recognizable scars. Also, concealable deformities such as missing eyes would fall under the lesser.

Your character has a severe deformity. He has a large amount of scars or burns or boils over one area of his body, or has a pretty horrible stench. Either way, this is very very difficult to conceal and can become easily known. His body is absolutely hideous in appearance. Beauty and Charisma are 1 when exposed. People can even be horrified at the sight of you, running you out of town. You don't look cool; you look disgusting.
Poor Body
-15% Resist Coma/Death, -15% Resist Poison. -15% Resist Stun.
Physical Addiction
A lesser version is the character is addicted to one or two common but illegal substances. Without the substance in his system, he finds it difficult to concentrate and perform any mentally challenging tasks. All rolls with attached difficulties or penalties are impossible when suffering from withdrawal.

Normal - The character has a severe addiction and shakes badly without it. The character finds it impossible to perform without the substance. Without the drug, he suffers severe withdrawals and cannot perform any meaningful actions whatsoever. His body is racked with pain and he must spend Ki to attempt any Resist (but otherwise cannot spend Ki at all). His Shock value is cut in half and he is Disoriented and Awkward if this goes on for too long.

The drugs are usually difficult or expensive to find, ruling the character's life. It is likely the withdrawal will kill the character if left for too long. The character must spend Chakra to take meaningful actions during the scene.
Insanity
Normal - The character has a crippling phobia that will send him into fits of terror. Alternatively, his insanity may be devastating to his mental capacity, rendering him useless in social situations. Nightmares may be keeping him awake, leaving him sleep deprived and difficult to physically function. He may have multiple personalities or schizophrenia. Maybe even a great fear of twinkies and hot dogs. Try and get creative here. The character automatically fails Resist Primal Nature when his insanity comes into play and may do shameful or terrible things which just further ruin his mind and remaining sanity.

The only way he can keep it under some control is with a Physical Addiction to a drug. Even then, outbursts are still likely.
Amnesia
Your character does not know anything about himself. Once the game starts, the player may not refer to his character sheet ever. It is up to the GM to know his capabilities and current stats. The player is not allowed to know any of it, nor act with his character like he does know. This character knows nothing. It might be wise for the GM to make the character instead of the player.