- Dear Diary
- I had the dream again. The one with me and Sir Rufus on a quest for the Heart of Earth that I always used to have when Alison bullied me. It made me feel much better, just like it always used to do.
- Maybe I had the dream because everyone's being so mean and shunning Jane. I should just talk to her, if I can make it through the Swamp of Sadness I can talk to one girl no matter what anyone else tells me!
The Light of hope is far from unique to the Radiant; it belongs to all mankind. In the millennia of the Long Night mankind built civilizations and made wonders in the arts and sciences. It was regular humans who achieved the impossible and walked upon the moon, bringing a new dawn to end the Long Night. The Beacons are people whom the Light illuminates somewhat more brightly than most. Some Princesses say that in a better world everyone would be a Beacon. Some (usually the same people) say that in the Kingdom everyone was a Beacon.
A Beacon has a strong sense of hope, morality and idealism that radiates outwards. That’s all it takes - there are no astrological portents during their birth or inexplicable transformative events, only a person with a heart full of hope, empathy and kindness. Their presence encourages people to make the best of themselves. The effect is subtle enough that it could be taken as nothing more than the force of personality, if a Princess’ magical sight did not show that Beacons carry a tiny spark of the Light.
Most Beacons don’t ever discover their supernatural potential. They live ordinary lives, and if they tend to be popular people surrounded by loyal friends or unusually sensitive to acts of cruelty that’s only what you'd expect to happen when someone is extraordinarily kind and emphatic. But Beacons do have their magic and their curses. Given the chance the Outer Darkness will go out of its way to kill a Beacon, and a Beacon carrying Shadows becomes vulnerable to the trap within the Dreamlands. Fortunately, as they entered the Dreamlands far from the Radiant Courts where the Wardens were strongest, many Beacons escaped the Wardens’ notice and instead discovered the strength to face problems in the waking world through their nocturnal experiences.
Princesses usually keep an eye out for Beacons. If they seem in trouble they’ll offer help before the Beacon’s light is crushed. There is a pragmatic reason to keep an eye on Beacons: they are disproportionately likely to Blossom and being ready to ease a new Princess into her role can make a world of difference. Even if that weren’t so, though, the Hopeful would seek out Beacons anyway, just for the pleasure of their company.
Beacon Traits[]
Because of their optimism and Inner Light, Beacons find it easier to keep their balance when confronted with horror; they gain a +1 bonus on breaking point rolls, except when their own action was the breaking point.
Like the Hopeful, Beacons are vulnerable to Sensitivity, with a base pool of 1 die. This makes it possible for them travel to the Dreamlands, though they may not be aware of that before gaining dots of Shadows.
Beacons create a Quiet Echo similar to the one a Princess creates just after Blossoming, affecting everyone in their immediate presence. Alas, the Echo also draws attention from the Darkness much as a Princess does just after Blossoming.
Beacons can recognize Bequests, rolling 1 die in lieu of Inner Light. As they have no Wisps, they cannot use a Bequest, unless its power requires no Wisps, or it can be Charged.
Beacon Character Creation[]
Beacons follow the standard rules for mortal character creation in the Chronicles of Darkness. In addition they start with a few extra character traits.
- Beacons begin play with the Virtuous Merit [CofD 46] for free.
- Like the Nobility, a Beacon is naturally guided by the Light to help his neighbors and improve the world. Like the Nobility, therefore, Beacons begin play with a personal Vocation, on top of Vocations from the sources available to mundane characters. There are no restrictions on the Vocation’s goal, except that it must be suitable for an Aspiration, and that the benefit of completing it goes to someone else. A Beacon may take a new Vocation whenever he resolves his current one.
- Beacons begin play with three Luminous Experiences (from previous work towards Vocations) which should be spent immediately on traits.