They’re in the closet, under the bed, lurking in the deepest shadows and just past the corner of your eye. In most games, the horrors and terrible monsters you face are your enemies and your character reputation, power and glory increases the more of these nightmares you slay. But what of you were one of those horrors, what if you looked into your mirror one morning and realized that you had become the very evil you had dedicated your life to destroying?
One of the best games to come out of the World of Darkness has been Slasher. Slasher is a supplement for Hunter that gives players and storytellers a chance to put on a hockey mask and start a little mayhem. Slasher characters are divided up into five Undertakings which detail the broad type of character; each have both a Ripper and Scourge template. A Ripper is the more grounded option while the Scourge is a much more capable, even supernatural option.
First, the Avenger is the guy out to get even–to avenge a wrong. Which is something I think most of us can identify with. Someone harms their child and an Avenger is bound to take action! But then the character turns their attentions to those who commit similar wrongs upon others and eventually their scope is so wide, they become a Legend. A Legend is a monster, plain and simple, epitomized by such characters as Freddy Kruger, who was also out to right a wrong–but let’s face it–there was nothing redeemable about that guy!
Second, we find the Brute. A Brute is a big, strong, tough and deadly enemy, yet still a human being. They don’t speak much and though they can blend in to some degree, they typically don’t interact with others or express themselves through any medium besides pain. Brutes then become Masks; Masks have no trace of their humanity left. They are vicious, blood brutal horrific Death without remorse or pity. Masks are also very, very hard to kill. No matter what the attack, or how much damage it does, Masks only take one level of damage per attack!
Next we have the Charmer; a Charmer is the most normal, the most human, of all the Slashers, because they kill you with kindness. They earn your trust and get you to let down your guard, then when you’re vulnerable–it’s lights out! Charmers become Psychos, and though the Psycho may still act like a Charmer in most ways, this is just an act that thinly hides the Slasher’s true intentions. More so than the Charmer, a Psycho has a reason for doing what they do; maybe they’re punishing others for a particular sin, or purging a class of people from the world. A great example of a Psycho is the character Patrick Batemen from American Psycho–one of my personal favorites.
Then we come across the Freak; Freaks have a lot of similarities to Brutes, but while Brutes are defined by their strength, Freaks are set apart by their deformity. Freaks can be born with their deformities or may even inflict them upon themselves! Either way, they are easily identifiable and are misshapen by their evil. Mutants, like Freaks, are deformed but their deformities are more likely to have some supernatural cause. Mutants are gifted with some type of natural weaponry, such as fangs, claws, or bony protrusions.
Finally, we have the Genius. These Slashers probably put the most effort into their kills. They profile their victims, plan several steps ahead of their victims and tailor their crimes to best take advantage of the victims. Without a doubt, their power lies in their intelligence. Geniuses can become Maniacs. Maniacs are much like Geniuses, except they are much more likely to work through their henchmen. The Maniacs’ most devious ability is to change their victims morality to align with their own twisted philosophy (in much the same way Jon Doe tried to impart his lessons in the movie Se7en)!
Any one of these Slashers would make a great adversary or a deadly ally for your World of Darkness game as main antagonists, muscle for your mastermind or even as the evil genius behind all of the setbacks your characters have been experiencing, which was all designed to teach the characters an important lesson. But be careful gamers, that bump in the night might be more than just the neighbo’rs cat getting into the trash–it could be a Slasher at your door!
Alex Montoya
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