SPECIES DETECTION RULES 

Ignorance is bliss, not knowing a supernatural characters species type allows for greater development of in character drama. Identification systems in use in world of darkness games existed only for the purpose of allowing characters to follow pre-established plot points. Werewolves only appeared in vampire games when they were needed as an antagonist or to lead characters to a plot point. In short they only turned up if the plot required them to. Nocturne characters come in all species flavors and are likely to appear with a great deal of frequency, but not as a plot point. Therefore the powers that allowed for detection in World Of Darkness Games are all NERFED in the following ways.

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There are several powers that in the description field state that the user of the power can detect other species. While this is technically true there are in fact several -ANTI META- rules in place governing the use of these powers. Experience tells us these rules need to be spelled out in order for us to provide a degree of flexibility in the sim. We have had characters in the past SPAM SCAN in order to work out the species of every character in sim, and this is clearly not what the game systems had in mind.

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IDENTIFYING OTHER SPECIES

In order to identify species other than human or your own you MUST meet the following requirements.

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• OCCULT KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENT.

In order to correctly identify a species you must possess Occult knowledge of that species. Occult knowledge can only be obtained by doing occult research, occult research can only be done if a character does something obviously supernatural in nature. All of this is covered in Occult Research

If you do not possess occult knowledge of the species in question, you cannot identify it in any way at all. You will automatically assume it is a Human, maybe a strange human, but you have no body of evidence to support the hypothesis that the species is anything other than human being.

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• Vampires can identify vampires & ghouls

• Werewolves can identify  werewolves & Kinfok

• Changelings can identify  Changelings & Kinain.

• Mages can identify other mages and sorcerers.

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Word of mouth is no basis to form a hypothesis that something is not as it appears. If you scan someone and another person tells you it is a changeling, why should you take their word for it?... It does not work that way, word of mouth has zero currency for identifying other species. Even if a changeling themselves told you, it would not stand up to scrutiny. OCCULT RESEARCH is the only way to be able to correctly identify your scan findings

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• REASON FOR DETECTION POWER USE

Believe it or not, just popping off Auspex or inhaling the true form scent of every individual that comes your way in a city of millions would soon get very taxing. It therefore makes sense that characters are NOT doing that. A character must have a motive for doing so, and we understand as well as any that it is extremely easer for players to make up a motivation to justify a scan, therefore, we ONLY accept the following reasons.

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• Your character is acting as a bouncer for a species restricted area such as a species HQ (not a town or area of the city)

• You get the -tingle- of familiarity from a character (Tingles come from your own species or your own support species)

• The target of the detection power has acted in an OBVIOUSLY supernatureal way (It shapeshifted, shot lightning, ran faster than a speeding bullet. Mind control powers are coincidental, always coincidental and so will not trigger detection power usage.)  

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• SCANNING ETTIQUETE (Whatchoo lookin at?)

While scanning is not obviously supernatural it does require focus. If you want to auspex read, take in scent of the true form or anything else you must emote looking directly at the target and leveling  a gaze  at them for a full turn. A quick glance will not cut it, nor would it reveal anything, you have to allow people ample time to catch your gaze so they can react just as they would if a creep was starring at them.

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RECAP

• Need the occult knowledge

• Need a reason

• Need to allow for follow through.

• Consent trumps all. If a character -consents- to a casual scan then you may scan them. Otherwise you need a Valid reason.

• Standing in an entrance area to a particular -settlement- is not grounds for scanning. 

• Standing guard at a door to a HQ and scanning those that attempt to enter -is- grounds for scanning.

• NO OCCULT KNOWLEDGE OF SPECIES  (See occult research) = NO SCAN RESULT. YOU HAVE NO IDEA, NO INKLING,NADA...

• You need no excuse to scan your own species.

• If you are scanning to determine -emotional - mood of the character, you MUST clearly state so, you will ONLY determine emotional state.

• CONSENT IS REQUIRED TO SCAN IF YOU ARE SCANNING FOR CASUAL/WORD OF MOUTH REASONS!