Mind Control Demons

[Ben Lehman]

The threads about mind control got me thinking and, against my better judgement, I put together a perfectly good "mind-controlling" demon with the base Sorcerer rules.  Whether or not you want him/her in your campaign is another story entirely.

Slarri--

  Slarri appears to be some sort of object demon -- a ring, a watch, or some such -- which allows the user to mind control a target through some menas.  Slarri is actually a possessor demon that insinuates itself into the target's subconscious.

Stamina -- 1 (incorporeal)
Will -- 5
Lore -- 4
Power -- 5

Powers--
Hop (ranged)
Link (aware of master's desire to control a new target)
Cover (the host's Cover)

Telltale: Host cannot eat
Need: For its ring to be polished
Desire: Service

  The interesting thing here is that the controlled person is really just the demon, every time, so the same issues come up every time you grab a new person.  Further, the control only goes as far as the demon wants it to.  The demon does a very good job pretending to be the person, though.  The demon's desire creates a very creepy "how can I be of Service, Master?" vibe.

  This build is pretty much just the basic idea.  If you want to have the demon know the Sorcerer's will without asking, add Perception.  If you want to control multiple targets, add Spawn.  So on and so forth.

Thoughts?

yrs--
--Ben

[Ron Edwards]

Hi Ben,

In the absence of any "demon stuff" context for the specific game, it works. In other words, it's nonsensical for some games, and a perfect fit for others. Depends on the in-game justification, or better, ruling aesthetic governing all things about demons, rituals, Lore, and so on, for that particular game.

Anyway, it also corresponds to one of my suggestions back in the early "why no mind control" threads. So there ya go.

Best,
Ron

[Bailywolf]

I've used this combo myself (with, as you suggest, Spawn) to good effect for a NPC I ran.  Rather than an object however, he had a possessor parasite thing that lived under his tongue.  He would kiss his target, and the demon would stab them under their tongue and unject a little fleshy seed which would take them over.  The PC's hated him- he came at them through their relationships, taking over loved ones and making them act... not quiet right.  Before they figured out what their friends and family had turned on them, they had both lost half their humanity just dealing with alienation and shock (having to beat your mom up to keep her from killing you is pretty rough on the sanity, I figured).

For a PC sorcerer with this kind of demon, the temptation to power and abuse is awesome- and the fact that possessors are notoriously rough on their hosts...  Used right it makes for good story.


-B