So here is the situation. I have a psyker, who, early on, was afflicted with demonic possession after a particularly bad roll on the Phenomenon Table. I don't want to abruptly destroy the character (the rest of the team are fairly hard-line); and just causing a demonic possession to manifest will get the character a hot lead lobotomy. No fun. So far all I've done is add an addition die to the psyker rolls to manifest powers. It doesn't add the total, all it does is check for an additional "9". I've even stepped it up to compare the die total with all the other dice. If it and any other given die totals "9" then that counts as a roll on the Phenom Table.

I'm going to start making demands of my "host". Depending on his compliance, I might step back down to the "one die rolling 9" idea. If he resists, I'm considering using that die as a subtractor to the overall total. If it causes the power to fail "Oh well, too bad for you, you should've done that which I asked...". The other idea I had was that, in the event of a rogue psyker being killed in his presence, he takes one unresistable wound, the possessor demon absorbs the rogue psyker's soul (and adds another die to the "annoyance pool") and all Acolytes in the psykers presence must make a perception test (at half value) to hear the soul screaming in agony as the demon laughs. Visually, the rest of the team will see lightning arc from the dying rogue psyker and the Acolyte psyker.

Anyone have any additional ideas to add? I don't want the player to think that demonic possession is a good thing. Overall I want it to harm more than help, but I don't want this to go 'whole hog' and have the party kill him.

NOTE: Eventually the demon will abandon the psyker and take up residence in a new host, but that will have to be developed as the story progresses.

Why exactly don't you want the psyker to think it's a good thing? As a demon, I would be doing everything in my power to tempt and befriend the psyker with promises of power and control beyond anything he's ever imagined. Also, I feel being possessed by a demon would really cause the psyker to load up on corruption points. I was thinking either make it so if the additional die adds up to 9 with another die, the psyker takes a point of corruption. i do think that if it rolls 9 alone, it should count towards a phenomenon. About the whole rogue psyker thing, perhaps insanity and corruption, as having the psyker have to listen as the demon consumes another's soulin his own head would certainly seem quite traumatic.

jareddm said:

I like the ideas you gave. Thanks!

To explain a little better. I don't want the psyker to think being possessed is a good thing because it will only lead to more destruction and anguish across the galaxy. Personally, I think it's a great opportunity for me to have a little fun, give some good "bad guy" roleplay and tempt some of the players. Of course I'm going to try to "sell' him on the idea that borrowing the daemon's power is the sure and easy way to victory. That the price to be paid is minimal. That he can just "get rid of" the daemon when he has no more use for it. How little he knows! I just need to ramp up the "hmmm...maybe this wasn't so awesome after all". However, the daemon wont be patient about it, and I need to find some ways for the daemon to "punish" the character in game when he doesn't acquiesce to the daemon's demands. Point being, I don't want to rapidly kill off the character, I want him to squirm. I want him to dread hearing the daemon's voice. I want him to know that using the daemon's power is bad, but that he also has "No Choice" but to use it. Over and over. (For more on what I'm looking for, read the Malus Darkblade series. That guy was hosed but still tried to make the best of it.)

What is the daemons character and style, Illithelderbrain? Is it able to use its powers or is it just a voice in the head at the moment?

Ways of punishing the character if its fairly free could be making 'accidents' happen to friends and associates ala The Omen. Or granting visions of the future filled with images of how and when those dearest to the Pysker will die. Maybe it i able to sense what people really think about the pysker and convey this information to him. If its powerful enough it could even go out for strolls in the Pyskers skin while they sleep, doing all sorts of activities. Ultimately the daemon will probably want to corrupt the pyskers soul so the punishments should be all about breaking their will.

Id have the daemon go quiet at some point during the experience almost as though it had gone away. Let them relax a lttle, then when they get into tight spot have it come back offering even more power, with a price to be paid later.

Finally the knowledge to banish the daemon could be just as morally hazardous as the daemon itself and further entangle the Pysker in corruption and madness.

Hope these give you a few more ideas!

Hi Divinator,

Thanks for responding! My little pet daemon is a surprisingly patient sort. Right now he has a nice little warp-filled home on this side. He can see his enemies every day without them knowing it. He wants to savor the experience of it all. Also, at the moment, it is very difficult to use his powers, so instead he's manipulating the odds of things happening. When he acquires a little more power (in the form of those rogue psykers) then perhaps he'll take a firmer hand in matters. Primary consideration right now is to fortify his home against detection and intrusion.

In terms of inspiration for this, you may want to have a read of the Dresden Files- the titular character has a daemon (well, fallen angel) take up residence in his head in Death Masks (iirc), and spends the next 4 books (and so 4 years, in universe time) trying to hide that fact from everyone else while simultaneously balancing the powers and niftiness it gives him with the threat of falling permanently under its' thrall. Said Fallen (Lasciel) spends most of her time trying to tempt him- appearing as a hot woman, throwing up useful and amusing illusions only he can see, supercharging his spells...

Which Power (if any) does this daemon (Undivided?) serve, and how will this affect his/her/its personality? What's its sex? Does it have any personality quirks/foibles? The Radicals Handbook is likely to be quite useful when it come out. All things worth considering.

MDMann said:

Thanks for the suggested reading Alasseo!

MD,

The daemon seves Tzeentch, is asexual and I haven't developed any quirks or foibles yet. I haven't worked out what is plan is yet (fortunately I have lots of time. Each of the players at the table is required to run a game, and we have a total of 8 people at the table, so I have some time to really develop things in the "prep phase")

If it serves the changer of ways then you can do what I did for my psyker PC....the more he gave in the more his power die inproved not only that but after a few more deeds and the killing of an Iquisitor he was granted an additional fate point. This one special fate could be used to re roll perils once. Thus showing more how much Tzeentch is a master of fate