Although many Innocents are young, there are no age restrictions. Hunters on this primary path answer the Call but do so with no preconceived notions. More than any other hunters, Innocents deal with the immediate present, without holding grudges from the past or scheming for the future. Like others on Mercy's paths, they recognize kindred spirits in monsters - beings with horrific powers and terrible lives foisted upon them. Whereas the Martyr hates what he sees and the Redeemer wants to change it, the Innocent looks on without judgment.
Innocents' unusual candour can sometimes produce unexpected reactions from night-creatures, but more often it simply puts them in danger. Who else could ask a monster a direct question and expect a straight answer? This straightforwardness has led other hunters to give Innocents various nicknames, some meant kindly ("cherubs"), others less so ("bait").

O      HIDE
The Innocent are often perceived as innocuous, harmless and inconsequential. Being underestimated gives them power. Supernatural creatures literally have a tendency to overlook or miss your character's presence. He's there, but not worth the time, attention or effort, or he simply does not seem to exist. Only when your character specifically draws attention to himself, such as through attacking, does he "appear." Your character could even stand face to face with a creature and have it not acknowledge his presence.
An Innocent often discovers her invisibility among monsters when her first instinctual response to such creatures is to stand gaping or to ask straightforward questions. Creatures either take no notice or their attention must be actively attracted. A rampaging monster that completely bypasses a blatantly obvious Innocent is also a hint that Hide is in use.

System: Roll Wits + Mercy, difficulty 6. A Perception + Alertness roll, difficulty 6, is made for each monster in your character's presence. A single, average roll can be made for a group of monsters. The difficulty is reduced for creatures with extraordinary senses such as smell or hearing, or for creatures that are exceptionally old, powerful or wary. If your character gets more successes, he goes unrecognized. He is seen normally if the enemy gets more successes.
Your character goes unnoticed for the remainder of the scene as long as he does not attract attention to himself. Making physical contact with the enemy or performing blatant acts such as jumping up and down and shouting draws attention. Once creatures know your character is present, they do not forget again. And once one monster in a group recognizes your character, all of the enemy in the vicinity do; one of the monsters doesn't simply swing wildly at the "air." However, standing, talking lowly and walking slowly do not attract
unwanted attention.
This power does not work on other hunters or normal humans. It does not function when the user is Incapacitated; supernaturals perceive your character's immobile form.

 

O O      ILLUMINATE
This edge makes it possible for your character and fellow hunters to identify supernatural creatures. Not only does it indicate which beings are inhuman, it suggests what kinds of creatures they are. One drawback to Illuminate is that monsters seem able to perceive
its use and can even tell which human generates the effect.

System: Roll Perception + Mercy, difficulty 6. If you get any successes, your character and all hunters in her presence perceive any supernatural creatures in the area. The effect duplicates and replaces the need for hunters to spend Conviction on second sight. Furthermore, this edge allows all affected hunters to recognize the true nature of creatures that otherwise appear normal - warlocks, the recently deceased, shapechangers in
human form. These beings seem to be outlined in nimbuses of various colours. Note that Illuminate does not confer any of the resistance to mind or body control that spending a point of Conviction does.
Illuminate lasts 10 minutes for each success rolled. Duration can be extended for another 10 minutes for each Conviction point spent. The power can be deactivated at will and shuts off if the user is Incapacitated.
Creatures exposed by Illuminate perceive the wielder as a source of bright light; she is clearly the one revealing the monsters. Use of Illuminate undoes Hide.

 

O O O      RADIATE
If there were ever evidence that hunters are of divine origin, this is it - or, at least, this edge could be used to justify such claims. Once this power is activated, your character radiates a white light that impedes supernatural attacks. People protected by this field appear blurry and indistinct to the eyes of unnatural creatures. The light itself is distinct to hunters but otherwise has no effect on them, whether they're inside or outside the aura. Monsters that do not rely on visual senses are still confused and disoriented by the power.

System: Roll Stamina + Mercy, difficulty 6. Any time a supernatural creature attacks a radiating target, the difficulty of the attack is increased by one for each success achieved in your edge roll. The nature of the attack does not matter - guns, claws, mystic attacks of any sort; all are impeded. For each success you score after the first, your character may also project his light to include one additional person within the aura. That person must be standing within Mercy in yards of your character. The light persists for one turn per success
rolled. The edge can be cancelled by the user at will, and its protection can be denied to an individual at any time. The power fails completely if your character is Incapacitated.
No monster's mystical sight or other sense can be used to negate the field. Hunter senses, even edge-based ones, are not affected.

 

O O O O      CONFRONT
To use this edge, your character must meet a creature's gaze directly and make no attempt to avoid the monster's attack. Even though your character is a "sitting duck," striking her becomes terribly difficult. The few creatures who've been subjected to this power and are willing to discuss it say that striking becomes emotionally impossible. The hunter seems to embody everything that is (or that ever was) pure, important and valuable to the attacker – perhaps even dredging up emotions the creature had thought lost for centuries. Striking or acting against the hunter seems psychologically suicidal - a crime of grotesque magnitude.
Attackers who do force themselves to perform the repellent action find it excruciating.

System: Spend one Conviction point and roll Manipulation + Mercy, difficulty 5. For each success you get, an attacker has to spend a point of Willpower to act against your character. Each subsequent action against your character also requires a Willpower expenditure. The enemy still has to succeed at its attack normally, even though your character makes no attempt to avoid it. This edge functions against only one opponent at a time, unless more can somehow be captured eye to eye, simultaneously. The target remains inhibited as long as your character maintains eye contact.

 

O O O O O      BLAZE
Your character can make one light source agonizing and damaging to unnatural creatures of all kinds. The degree of damage inflicted depends on the intensity of the light source. A match is irritating, a powerful flashlight is dangerous and (on a clear day) the sun is destructive.
Blaze is instantaneous: Your character uses this power and the light source in question becomes amazingly powerful for a moment. While the effect does not last, it can traumatise every supernatural creature exposed to the rays. Strangely, Blaze does not work with moonlight. Some Innocent extremists with this power describe its use as "sharing the true light."

System: Spend two Conviction points and roll Strength + Mercy, difficulty 8. Even one success inflicts the lethal damage dice listed on the following chart, based on the light
source used.

 

Light Source                                               Damage Dice
Match/ lighter flame                                         1
Torch/ small flashlight/ flare                        3
Large flashlight/ car headlights                  5
Bonfire                                                                      6
Spotlight or searchlight                                  8
The sun                                                                    10

 

The range of this power is five yards per success rolled. Thus, all supernatural creatures within range of your character (as opposed to the light source, which can be in someone else's possession) when this power is used suffer searing pain. If you score four successes on your edge roll and your character holds a flare (three damage dice), you roll three lethal damage dice against all supernaturals within 20 yards of your character (or against those within range and that are caught in a light beam).
Many artificial light sources are directional and can be pointed at only one or two targets at a time. As a rule of thumb, using Blaze with a flashlight allows your character to harm three creatures at most, if they're standing close together.
Targets do not have to be physical; spirits and ghosts are vulnerable, too.