Like Jörmungandr’s stranglehold on the world, or Antaeus’ fatal wrestling holds, the Talassii’s grip isn’t easily broken. When a Captor decides to hold something tight, it is often easier to sever the limb than break the grasp.
Dice Pool: Strength + Lair dots – Durability (Satiety ex- penditure only)
Action: Persistent or Instant (Satiety expenditure)
Normal Effect: The Beast locks her grip such that almost no force can make her relax it. She could hang from one hand for days without discomfort — even with others pulling at her. The Beast automatically keeps her hold under ordinary circumstances, and adds Lair dots to any rolls or resistance against opposition. The Beast also adds her Lair dots to initiate a grapple; once grap- pling, non-supernatural characters can’t attempt the Break Free move, while opponents with supernaturally enhanced strength must succeed at a Clash of Wills before attempting to Break Free.
Low Satiety: The Beast’s body resists all efforts to crush or tear her apart. She can clamp each hand on different trains and stop them from moving apart (at least until something on the train breaks free), or grab onto a passing car without tearing off her arm. This usually doesn’t require a roll as the Beast simply ignores forces that would crush or dismember her body. This Atavism provides no protection in from deliberate attacks.
Satiety Expenditure: The Beast can crush almost anything she can place her hands on. For objects too large to fit within her grasp she merely touches it with her outstretched hands and brings them together — her Horror takes hold and does the rest. The player spends a point of Satiety and rolls Strength + Lair – Durability or Size (whichever is higher). She can continue rolling each turn without further Satiety expenditure if the Beast maintains contact with the object. This power doesn’t work directly on living creatures, but can crush those too slow to escape a structure.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The object is too well reinforced for the Beast. Her Horror is confounded and retreats, preventing her for using this Atavism for the remainder of the scene.
Failure: The object resists the Beast’s attempts, suffering no damage this turn. She may turn this to a dramatic failure and gain a Beat.
Success: The object collapses under the Beast’s force. Successes are subtracted from the object’s Structure.
Exceptional Success: In addition to subtracting successes from the object’s Structure, its structural integrity is damaged. Subtract one from its Durability.