Greetings, brethern.

I am quiet found fo the Obliviates from "Creatures Anathema" and would like to use them in a follow up on "Edge of Darkness". Whatsoever, the thing I haven´t quiet puzzled out is how to decide which of the players would be effected by the obliviates special fear trait.

As a rule of thumb, I would claim that every tech-priest and any one hailing from a forge world would not be affected (due to the fluff on p. 27 of the CA).

But what about the others? The mere sight of an obliviate (a drooling, savaged madman with minor implants) does not seem to be "disturbing" enough. Sure, a soon as as some-one with the Forbidden Lore (Heresy or Cult) would come up with the knowlede what this is, he should be aware.

But what other ways? I imagine a close inspection of the a slain obliviate to reveal his "true nature" ( "no, brother...this is neither a combat servitor nor is it an arco flagellant..." )

How do you handle it?

"no, brother...this is neither a combat servitor nor is it an arco flagellant..."

"Then what is he?"

"It seems that he may be a cultist who worships the Necrons and wishes to become like them..."

Would be my follow up to that

The subject must understand what an Obliviate is to be affected. If they mistake it for a mere servitor then they won't be spooked. If they realise that it has been riddled with heretical tech-devices which have destroyed the very essence of the person, damning their soul to a non-existence instead of joining the Emperor in the afterlife, then the Fear counts.

And if they saw, say, a friend or family member in such a state they'd take the full Fear 3 hit. A loved one has been utterly and completely destroyed, only leaving behind a hollow shell jerking around on the strings of some damned puppeteer.

Snidesworth said:

So said the RAW, and it was read & understood. What the RAW of the of the CA did not proclaime was a game mechanic . Of course, I can simply rule that "pc A knows it, pc B does not etc.". And in the case of Tech-Priests and the Forgeworld background, this is what I do. Since the fluff text indicates that the view of the Mechanicus simply reasons this fear away.

But how to handle it for the rest of the imperium? Is in anyone from Scintilla (the world where it started)? Or "just" anyone from Hive Sibillus? (the hive where it started). What other ways?.

Right at the moment, I think about check for "Forbidden Lore (Cults)" or "Forbidden Lore (Heresy)". If a pc is "in the know", he will fear it. Unless, he passes a check for "Common Lore (Mechanicus"" or "Scholastic Lore (Philosophie)" which might allow him to have "another point of view". Which might be dangerous if introduced to the wrong people...

Never the less, I am still not quiet sure on that part. How would you handle this?