Introduction

White Wolf created the World of Darkness. Permit me to introduce another version: the World of Fluffiness.

Devilbunnies: the Fluffing is derived from the alt.devilbunnies newsgroup, a collaborative shared-world writing project. The world it depicts is a world just like our own. Except, of course, for the minor detail of a world-wide conspiracy of intelligent man-eating rabbits bent on world domination.

There is no Camarilla, Wyrm, or Technocracy in this world. Instead, humanity must face the dread threat of the devilbunnies. These sentient lagomorphs seek to control humanity by overwhelming our culture in an onslaught of sickening cuteness and deadly high technology. Worse is the fact that almost no-one knows about the "Evil that Fluffs." Only a tiny human resistance, an ancient race, and a species of rebellious rodents stand between freedom and Fuzzy Armageddon.

Setting

No one knows where they came from. The devilbunnies insist they are the product of natural evolution. Humans insist that they come from another planet, or even another reality. The ferroti talk of a mysterious Rift that opened five thousand years ago, disgorging the ancestors of the devilbunnies.

A few basic facts are not disputed. Devilbunnies are a lapine race nearly indistinguishable from normal rabbits. They possess human levels of intelligence, although most are not very smart. Technologically, they are at least 100 years ahead of humans. They have a mysterious power known as "ky00tness" which can warp minds. They also have a penchant for eating human flesh, and employing their sharp claws and fearsome vorpal fangs to getting their meals.

Humans and devilbunnies have been fighting each other since the times of ancient Egypt. Some authorities say Set was not based on the jackal, but was a human representation of the devilbunny god Frith. Julius Caesar wrote of the "bunniculus daemonicus" that plagued his legions during the conquest of Gaul. Many so-called "Indian massacres" in the early days of the colonization of the Americas were really the work of the devilbunnies.

The reason for all this bloodshed is a deeply-held belief of the devilbunnies. The basis of bunny culture is a nature-worshipping religion revolving around the sun-god Frith and Inle the lunar death-goddess. The devilbunnies see humanity as a scourge that threatens to destroy the world created by Frith. The "uprights" must either be destroyed or controlled before the global ecosystem is annihilated.

Throughout history, the struggle was a scattershot affair. Devilbunny society is based on the warren. Each warren is the equivalent of an independent city-state; a warren-leader's word is law within its limits. The decentralized political structure put the bunnies at a disadvantage for any concerted action; personal conflicts and ideological frictions caused most warrens to go it alone, attempting to battle the human threat as a local problem.

The Industrial Revolution changed all that. The devilbunnies were horrified when the new invention of radio brought the ill tidings coming from England and Europe. Landscapes being ravaged by coal-mining, the pollution of the mills, and the rapid growth of human cities terrified the leadership of the devilbunnies. For the first time, regional military alliances were formed to combat the ecological threat. Each warren contributed a portion of its forces to create a common militia. These militias went on a spree of destruction; much of the vandalism attributed to the Luddites were actually the first attacks of the new devilbunny armies.

However, the civilian leaders became worried. Too many overt attacks could bring their existence out into the open. An open war against the humans would probably have been won by the devilbunnies, who had developed the atomic bomb in 1838. The cost to Gaia, though, would have been unthinkable. A better way was needed. The solution was found in a peculiar quality of the devilbunnies. They possess an odd power to affect human minds. Called "ky00t," it can subtly sway human thought towards a mushy urge to hug every cuddly animal in sight. The devilbunnies had always used their inner ky00t for defense and surprise.

Now it had a new role to play. An ambitious plan was devised: control human society via subversion by ky00tness. It was astonishingly successful. The Victorian popular culture of the late 19th century was a prime target; waves of cuteness spread through the mass media of the day like wildfire, inundating humanity with large-eyed waifs and adorable talking animals. The devilbunny conquest of the minds of humanity had began.

Today the fluffers have a firm paw-grip on the global psyche. Their control of the entertainment industry allows them to swamp the world with "Baywatch," "Barney," "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman," and "Captain Planet and the Planeteers." Sympathisers in various sectors of human endeavor -- including politics -- forward their agenda. The world-wide devilbunny militia cements their power-base through more...physical means. They are undefeatable.

Almost.

The Pro-Bunny Groups

The Civilian Warrens

The majority of devilbunnies live in the civilian warrens -- large underground communities resembling the warrens of their normal rabbit cousins. Devilbunny warrens, however, are rather better equipped than those of their mundane cousins. Their technology enables them to enjoy a standard of living equal to that of middle class humans, complete with running water and electricity.

Being civilian does not mean they are uninvolved in the war. In fact, they do most of work to advance ky00tness. Civilian devilbunnies seduce humans to the Way of Ky00t, infiltrate local institutions like PBS stations and pre-schools, and enforce their rule through their warren militias if there isn't a military warren in the area. A civilian warren near a human community has a great deal of subtle influence on activity in the area. The radio stations always play Micheal Bolton; teddy bears are the best selling item; the local fast food joints offer discounts on SpamBurgers and Snapple. There is an atmosphere of fascistic, enforced gaiety.

One of the largest civilian warrens is DenverWarren, home to 2000 lapine souls.

The Devilbunny Militia

The devilbunny militia is the striking paw of the devilbunnies. As the devilbunnies united, the regional militias merged to form huge lapine armies. It was decided in the early 20th century to separate these armies from the civilian militias from which they developed; effective command and control would be impossible otherwise. The modern devilbunny militia was formed as a distinct entity, dedicated to using military force to advance the cause of Ky00tness.

The militia operates from their own military warrens. Troops are raised through volunteers and levies on the civilian militia units. The militia possess substantial resources: a few BunnySat spy satellites, a BunnyNet that piggybacks on the Internet, and a variety of high-tech weapons. However, the devilbunnies lack the industrial capacity to maintain large stockpiles of war materiel. Their aversion to ecological damage and relatively small population have prevented them from establishing large factorywarrens. Much of their equipment is manufactured under the cover of human corporations they control; sophisticated technology tends to be scarce, the products of mentat warrens. The militia relies on the cheaper resource of bunpower for their strength.

Each continent has its own militia which acts semi-independently. The most prestgious militia is the one in the United States and Canada. Their power over Hollywood gives them unmatched influence over the global population. The command centre for the entire militia is located near Dayton, Ohio at Primary Assault Warren (PAW).

The Mentats

Most civilian and military warrens have their own mentats in residence. However, the mentats themselves maintain their own warrens for research and experiments. These are wonders of Weird Bunny Science, stocked to the gills with the latest scientific goodies. Almost everybun is a mentat or submentat. These warrens erect formidable defenses against attack; raids against these institutions are considered suicide missions. Two major mentat warrens are SFUWarren in Vancouver and the Devilbunny Research Group near Amherst, Massacheussetts.

Symps

Short for "sympathiser", the symps are humans who have been seduced into working for the devilbunnies. Most do not really know that they are being manipulated; they only know that they will do anything to spread the happiness and joy of cuteness into the world. The few symps who do know about the devilbunnies come in two forms. One is the ky00t-befuddled dupe, who eats Spam with abandon and sings "I Love You" in the shower. They are the most obvious of bunny pawns. More dangerous are those drawn from the ecological movement. These symps are freely committed to saving the earth the bunny way; they are much less obvious targets. Corporations controlled by symps include Hormel (makers of Spam), Disney, and MicroSoft (small+soft=devilbunny).

Symps can be anywhere. PBS station personnel, school teachers, and such are common niches; however, do not be surprised if the friendly cop or supermarket grocer is one too. The devilbunnies are ever subtle.

The Anti-Bunny Factions

The Army of Fudd

The main human resistance to the devilbunnies. The roots of movement come from the Mountain Men of the 19th century. These wild men of the American frontier often battled the strange rabbits who could kill a man; the legend of the Jackalope comes from third-hand versions of their tales.

One day, a group of such hunters came across an unnamed town a western state. It had been burned to the ground, apparently the victim of an Indian attack. The perpetrators, though, were a local group of devilbunnies. The buns, spotting the Mountain Men, decided to finish the job. They got more than they bargained for. Toughened by years of wilderness living, the humans fought off repeated attempts to destroy them. After two days of fighting the hunters tracked down the local warrens and destroyed it with kegs of gunpowder.

A survivor of the incident, one William Keyes, tried to warn the Federal Army. He was laughed off as a crazy old coot. Determined to protect his fellow Americans, he founded an informal group of hunters dedicated to protecting the frontier from devilbunny depredation. The underground network slowly grew, though constantly under threat of destruction. In the 1940's, it took the name "Army of Fudd" in recognition of the indefatigable bunny-hunter of the cartoons.

Led by Bill Keyes, a descendent of William Keyes, the AoF has outposts in most of the U.S. and Canada. Structured like the Indian-fighting army of the Old West, it consists of small groups of hunters operating out of fortified regional headquarters. Recruits come from humans unfortunate to have witnessed devilbunny attacks; a significant number are college students, as the devilbunnies often attempt to control human educational institutions. The Army of Fudd is the biggest thorn in the side of the devilbunny militia.

Fuhaddi and Fuddites

Subgroups within the Army of Fudd. The Fuhaddi believe Elmer Fudd is, in fact, a god. Known as El'Mahr, he is an avenging angel bent on ridding the world of devilbunnies. Fuhaddi tend to be fanatical killers, with genocidal views on eliminating the bunnies. Fuddites are non-Fuhaddi who advocate many of their views. A hard-line against ky00tness and no mercy towards the buns are defining characteristics.

Splinter Groups

Sadly, the AoF cannot be everywhere. They are mainly limited to America and Canada, though recently a Fudd movement has gained ground in Australia. Non-Fudd resistance groups like the Wanderers in England and the Legion D'El'Mahr in France take the place of the AoF in foreign lands. As well, several regional anti-bunny groups evolved spontaneously in parallel to the Fudds. HUNTER, which operates in the Louisiana bayous, is one such example. These splinter groups lack much of the Fudds' experience, weapons, and technology. The AoF tries to help, but differences in doctrine sometimes causes problems.

The Ferroti

One of the most unusual enemies of the bunnies. The ferroti are giant ferrets, reaching up to fourteen feet in length. Their origins are a mystery; their legends of a human mage indicate some sort of ancient genetic experiment. Whatever the case, they are lethal devilbunny killers. Hunting the "kyr-lth" (devilbunnies) is the reason for their entire existence. Unfortunately, it has also been their downfall. Millenia of conflict has reduced their number to a few thousand spread across the globe. They are a dying race; titanic battles in the past killed most of the males, leaving a bare handful to continue the fight. Most ferroti in modern times are female. They are not expected to survive another two generations.

The ferroti are renowned mystics and warriors. They keep to the deep forests, to root out devilbunny warrens where most humans cannot go. However, the Army of Fudd has many ferroti working in their service. Bill Keyes, the AoF commander, can even speak the difficult ferroti tongue. Some splinter groups in rural areas also have contact with the strange beasts.

The Squirrel Resistance

The devilbunnies employed their knowledge of genetics and nanotechnology to create a race of intelligent squirrels. Beginning in the early days of the 20th century, the bunny mentats reared new generations of these enhanced rodents to provide labour and cannon fodder for the war against the humans. Today the squirrels are a downtrodden group oppressed by their creators. Regarded as second-class citizens at best, the squirrels spend most of their lives doing the jobs no bunny will deign to perform.

This situation has bred a series of rebellions among the squirrels. Most were put down with minimal trouble. However, the squirrels learned from their mistakes. There is currently a strong resistance movement dedicated to liberating their nut-eating brethren from the "fluffourgeosie". Taking a leaf from human revolutions, they are organized in small cells amid the supposedly loyal squirrel workers of the warren.

There is also an entire warren of squirrels who managed to stage a successful coup against the devilbunnies in the early 1970's. Located beneath Case Western Reserve University, this secretive squirrel community is trying to wage a guerrilla war against the devilbunnies of Ohio. The fact that PAW, the militia headquarters, is in Ohio tends to complicate matters. Another squirrel warren at Wake Forrest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina has also come to light...though they are under constant siege by the bunnies.

Pacifists

These are devilbunnies who advocate total peace with the humans. Ostracised by the civilians and persecuted by the militia, these lone pacifist buns have retreated to their own warrens. A network of such pacifists has allied themselves with the humans and ferroti in Oregon. Led by a human woman named Sharree, they formed the Human-Ferroti-Rabbit-Joint-Resistance-League to prevent the devilbunny militia from conquering Oregon. These are the few pacifists who actually fight the militia; most prefer to subside into isolation. Their main activity is an underground peace movement organized in a similar fashion to the squirrel resistance.

EARS

Everyone's Authoritative Revolutionary Syndicate is a product of the Second World War. Many senior devilbunnies saw the Axis powers as being incredibly dangerous; enough in the bunny leadership agreed for the alarmists to proceed with a secret effort to defeat the Nazis and the Japanese. Senior human scientists were approached with advanced lapine technology; devilbunnies quietly aided the humans in the war zones. Everything seemed to be going well.

Then came HiroshimaWarren. The American development of the bomb, unwittingly aided by the alarmist group, came as a complete surprise. The dropping of Little Boy on Hiroshima destroyed the largest devilbunny warren in Japan. The alarmists, sick at heart at what they had done, now advocated quick withdrawal of all aid to the humans. To their shock, the mainstream militia rejected their plans. PAW had decided that the great power of the American nuclear arsenal would eventually aid in extending the power of the devilbunnies; an America ascendent meant a corresponding growth in its influence...including the entertainment industries controlled by the devilbunnies. The alarmists found themselves purged from the ranks of the mentats and the militia. Many went into hiding, faking their deaths. Contacting their former human allies, they founded the organization known as EARS.

EARS is a shadowy group of humans and devilbunnies united to stop the devilbunny militia. Anti-war radicals, they see the militaristic ways of the militia as containing the seeds of a future apocalypse. However, they accept the bunny view of humanity as a scourge; their experiences with the worst of humanity in WWII have convinced that neither race can be trusted. Their goals are twofold: to maintain a stalemate in the devilbunny-human war; and to achieve world domination through non-military means.

To date, this tiny organization has achieved partial infiltration of a variety of devilbunny and human institutions. Their hold on the intelligence communities, especially the CIA, is unchallenged. Many former militia symps in Hollywood have been suborned by EARS. Several important corporations are under their control. EARS also maintains "Omega Warrens" -- secret bases filled with weapons of mass destruction, ready to be used to destroy the human and bun militaries if things go out of control.

Few devilbunnies know that EARS exists. Those who do tend to be very, very cautious.

CREATING A DEVILBUNNY CHARACTER

I Concept

There are a wide range of concepts availible for devilbunny characters. They have their scientists, artists, soldiers, and such much as humans do. However, understand that devilbunny society works on different principles. One's function in life is much more a defining characteristic than one's personality. Societal roles are locked in place early in life; a bun is unlikely to change her position in the warren hierarchy unless under extreme circumstances. Finally, devilbunnies are very conformist. Everybun must be ky00t, eco-friendly, and submissive to the demands of one's superior. Oddballs, freaks, and dissidents are either killed or banished from their warrens.

Attitudes are also shaped by a character's membership in either the civilian world or the militia; the sense that "form follows function" is equally strong here. Civilian devilbunnies attempt to advance ky00tness through (largely) non-violent methods. Creation of ky00t propoganda, enforcing the devilbunny paradigm in their region, and working for the greater good of the warren are important goals. Militia characters are usually far more hard-line in their attitudes; advancing the devilbunny cause through force and manipulation is the favored strategy. They also tend to have a wider sense of the struggle. Local issues are less important than the big picture.

To understand the devilbunny mindset, pretend that not only do you see the world through rose-colored glasses...but that any other color should be banished from the spectrum.

II Nature and Demeanor

Again, choose as a human. Though more influenced by their instincts than humans, devilbunnies are also notorious for craftiness and deviousness. The cute Caregiver who fluffs at your feet may hide a Conniver within...

III Breed

One of the single most defining characteristics of a devilbunny. Position in lapine society is determined by three "castes" based on genetic qualities; personal achievement counts, but it is rare for a bun to escape the limits of her Breed. One can be Regbun, Alpha, or Mentat.

IV Attributes

Establish your character's Attributes in the usual 7/5/3 ratio. However, there are some special rules that are based on the unique nature of the devilbunny.
• Strength can never have more than 1 pip. Even the strongest of devilbunnies cannot compete with humans in terms of brute force. Fortunately (for them), their high Dexterity and Stamina more than compensate.

• The Social Attributes start off with two free pips instead of one. Let's face it -- rabbits are adorable. The most recalcitrant curmudgeon has been known to soften in the face of a bunny's innate Appearance and Charisma. Devilbunnies are also capable of awesome feats of Manipulation; their understanding of Ky00tness allows them to bend minds like pretzels.

V Abilities

Again, distribute in the regular 13/9/7 split. Keep in mind, though, that we are dealing with rabbits here. Drive and Firearms are not likely choices. Abilities that reflect the natural nimbleness of devilbunnies are good choices; soldier-buns are especially noted for their Dodge, Brawl, and Athletics skills. Likewise areas which reflect manipulative powers. Devilbunnies are notoriously adept at Subterfuge.

Your Breed should guide your choice, too. Regbuns are best in Talents, Alphas concentrate on Skills, and Mentats learn a variety of Knowledges.

VI Advantages

Distribute the regular 7 point for Backgrounds. Useful Backgrounds for devilbunny characters include:

Allies
Contacts
Destiny (you just know you are fated to save Gaia)
Dream (the Cosmic Secrets of Frith are Revealed)
Influence (useful for the mentat who wants that research grant)
Resources (good thing I inherited that carrot mine...)

VII Ky00t and Willpower

Ky00t is a five dot Trait that measures the innate cuteness of the devilbunny. Devilbunnies can use their ky00t to twist the minds of humans like pretzels. A bunny character starts with one free dot in Ky00t.

Devilbunnies start with 5 Willpower.

VIII Health Levels

Devilbunnies cannot suffer as much damage as humans. Their health levels are:

OK
Hurt	(-1)
Wounded	(-2)
Crippled	(-5)
Incapacitated

Freebie point costs:


Ky00t:	Six per dot
Attributes:	Five per dot
Abilities:	Two per dot
Backgrounds, Willpower:	One per dot

Other Species

Fudds and other humans: create as for normal humans. The Fudds can by a Lore variation called Devilbunny Lore. Symp characters usually have low Willpower.

Ferrotti

The ferrotti are enormously strong and nimble creatures. They have two free pips in their Physical attributes to start with, instead of the usual one. They may not take more than 2 pips in Manipulation; they consider lying an odd concept.

These giant ferrets cannot speak in any way intelligible to humans, though most understand English. Direct communication with non-Ferroti is possible if the other character can speak Ferroti through the Linguistics knowledge. Ferroti also employ indirect means of translation, including typing out messages on computer and simultaneous translation devices worn about their necks.

Health levels: OK,Bruised(x2), Hurt(x2), Injured(x2), Wounded(x2), Crippled(x2), Incapacitated

Squirrels

They tend to be at a great disadavtage. Strength may never be more than 1, nor may Stamina be more than 2. However, they can attain a Ky00t rating up to the second rank. They do not start with any dots in Ky00t.

Health Levels: OK, Wounded(-2), Crippled (-5), Incapacitated

DEVILBUNNY TRAITS

I Breed

Your character's Breed is the foundation of her personality. Not all devilbunnies are born equal; in fact, natural selection has created three distinct strains of rabbit which differ in intelligence and aggressiveness. Devilbunnies divide up their society on this inherent quality. A bun's place in their culture is largely determined by their Breed.

The three Breeds are:

Regbun

The majority of the devilbunny population is made up of this Breed. Regbuns -- short for "regularbunnies" -- are less intelligent than higher Breeds. They range from barely above normal rabbit intelligence to that of humans. A Regbun character would concentrate on Physical and Social Attributes at the expense of the Mental.

Alpha

The leaders of the devilbunnies -- highly intelligent and motivated. They are the warren commanders, military officers, doctors, and such. An Alpha character can choose any arrangement of Attributes, though Mental should be primary or secondary. They tend to have higher Willpower.

Mentat

A specialized subset of the Alpha Breed. Mentats are the devilbunny scientists, responsible for creating the awesome technology of their species. A Mentat must choose the Mental attributes as primary. Note that the other Attribute concentrations may be arranged at whim; among the most feared warriors among the devilbunnies are the soldier-mentats, deadly combinations of physical prowess and mental craft.

Most litters of devilbunny kits will produce Regbuns; one kit out of one hundred will be an Alpha. Perhaps one out of a thousand will be a Mentat. Alphas and Mentats often mate within their Breed to increase the chances of intelligent offspring; this practise often creates dynasties of leaders and science-buns.

II Abilities

Weird Bunny Science (Knowledge)

Science deals with run-of-the-mill science that a human can comprehend. Weird Bunny Science is quite a different thing. Lapine technology is very advanced, and designed on principles that make it difficult for non-bunnies to understand. This Knowledge allows your character to interact with -- and create -- the arcane artifacts engineered by their mentats. Humans attempting to use bunny tech without Weird Bunny Science (this includes almost anyone, including Fudds) has to spend a Willpower point to use it in addition to the relevant dice rolls.

*	You can program a simple BUNIX terminal
**	Warren class taught you all the basics
***	You're the Maytag Repairbun
****	You can whip up a new design for morpharmor with one paw tied behind your back.
*****	Starship? Come back in a week...

Possessed by: Mentats, Engineers, Weapons Designers
Suggested Specialties: Nanotechology, Cuton Physics, BUNIX Programming

Morpharmour Training (Skill)

Morpharmor is one of the most effective weapons in the devilbunny arsenal. These nanite suits allow them to impersonate almost anyone...or anything. Buns with this Skill learn the limits and capacities of morpharmor; with rigourous training, they can morph into your worst enemy or your best friend. Anybun who wants to use morpharmor must have this Ability. Note that proficiency in this Skill has no direct effect on Subterfuge -- a bun's talent at fooling others is a separate matter.

*	You can convincingly impersonate inanimate objects.
**	Complex organic forms are beyond you, though lesser animals can be portrayed convincingly.
***	Authentic replicas of humans are possible.
****	Your mastery is incredible -- the smallest details are just right.
*****	Send in the clones.

Possessed by: Spies, Special Forces buns, Black Battalion Mentats

Suggested Specialties: a specific form, Voice Replication, Combat Mode

Hedgewise (Talent)

A rural version of Streetwise. The Survival Skill allows you to forage off the land. A Hedgewise bun possesses deeper understanding of the behaviors of the natural world. She knows why crows and owls fight, the migration patterns of birds, the best time to pick berries. Devilbunnies remain close to nature and retain a greater comprehension of its ways.

*	You have a rudimentary knowledge of the natural world
**	You know a lot of details about the interactions of nature.
***	Few secrets of the forest are hidden from you.
****	You can tell whether the groundhog is going to see his shadow this year.
*****	The flowers don't bloom without your advice

Possessed by: Country Rabbits, Rangerbuns, Herbalists

Suggested Specialities: Specific Environment, Animal Behavior, Herbalism

III Backgrounds

Warren

A measure of the community you hail from. Devilbunnies who belong to large warrens tend to have more opportunities than other rabbits: better chances of snagging that lab assignment, finding a promotion in the militia, encountering more interesting situations. A devilbunny with no Warren Background is considered to be either homeless or not really belonging to the warren she lives in.

*	A small backwoods warren in the middle of nowhere.
**	Your home has a respectable population, but nothing spectacular.
***	Even outside regbuns know about your warren.
****	You belong to a bustling community.
*****	Your warren is the Burrow To Be.

Symps

The number of humans you hold in thrall. Distinct from Allies, where a human contact is treated as an equal. Symps are people who are utterly besotted by your ky00tness; a single fluff will send them scurrying to dig up carrots for your pleasure. Most devilbunnies lack a personal entourage of Symps -- they rely on the network established by the military or their warren.

*	One symp (the sweet old lady who feeds you carrots)
**	Two symps (local kids can be counted on to groom your fur)
***	Three symps (the schoolgirls who will buy you chocolates at a single twitch of a whisker)
****	Five symps (the school faculty you control in your duties as an Intelligence officer)
*****	Seven symps (a personal retinue of dupes who obey you without question)

HLV

The Human-Lapino Virus -- also known as BunnyVirus -- is a fearsome aspect of the devilbunnies. After infecting a human, the virus replaces her human genetic code with devilbunny DNA. This triggers a transformation sequence that is often fatal; those who survive become devilbunnies themselves. Not all buns produce HLV -- perhaps one in seven have this Background. Dots in this Trait indicates whether your character can generate the virus and her proficiency at spreading the disease.

*	You can infect someone with HLV, though not with any great chance of success.
**	Your tissues make plenty of HLV, rendering you contagious.
***	You know just the right places to bite for maximum effect.
****	Your victims should kiss their butts good-bye and start liking carrots.
*****	Typhoid Marybun Possessed by: Anybun. Anywhere. Muhahahahaha....

IV Ky00t

This is what makes devilbunnies so dangerous. Many things in this world are cute...but only they are Ky00t. Ky00tness is a distillation of cute -- cute squared -- adorability taken to the extreme. It is a combination of innate charm and attractiveness, coupled with a deep understanding of how this affects other minds. There is even evidence that devilbunnies radiate particles known as "cutons," which unbalance the human brain.

A devilbunny uses her Ky00t through through the sheer power of will. Performing an action with Ky00t requires the expenditure of one Willpower point and rolling Willpower at a difficulty of Ky00t level used+4. Humans are the sole species affected by Ky00t. A victim who knows she is the subject of a Ky00t attack may resist with a Willpower roll of her own at a difficulty of 7. An unknowing target must make a Perception+Alertness roll for three successes at difficulty 8 before she can resist.

Ky00t is usually deployed "live." However, devilbunnies can tranfer the essence of their inner ky00tness into other media. To do so, a bunny must make the relevant roll to produce the desired medium. For example, a devilbunny wishing to create a teddy bear that inspires love would roll Intelligence+Expression. Two success is the least that may be achieved on this roll for an acceptable receptacle for Ky00t. The bunny then makes the normal Willpower roll and spends two temporary Willpower. One specific Ky00t effect may be braided into the object in this manner. Each success grants the object a die to "fuel" the effect. The ky00tified object then rolls this dice pool at difficulty 6 to generate the implanted effect. Victims may resist and detect it in the normal way. The effect is automatically generated whenever anyone comes into contact with such an object.

Up to level three, the devilbunny must act in a cute fashion. Only positive emotions and thoughts can be expressed. In higher ranks, the illusion of cuteness is taken for granted.

Ranks of Ky00t

* Fluffy

At this stage, a devilbunny has an instinctive grasp of her Ky00t nature. The first rank of Ky00t allows a bunny to project, in behavior and action, an engaging display of cuteness. Observers about her are completely convinced that the performance is completely authentic. These improvisations range from appearing harmless to being irresistably strokable.

One performance at a time may be assumed. The reaction of those targeted by the display depends on their own personalities. A sympathetic child may hand-feed a devilbunny using her ky00t to look adorably pitiable. The same performance would be less successful on a grumpy codger. As well, the act must be convincing within the circumstances. Talking to a adult who doesn't know about devilbunnies would cause immediate failure; the shock and disbelief causes the illusion to fail. This precludes the use of Ky00t in comabt.

** Cuddly

The second level of Ky00t enables the bunny to directly affect the mind of another person. Through some mysterious force, a devilbunny can cause a subconscious shift in mood; the victim suddenly finds herself drifting to a happier attitude. As with Fluffy, one mood-shift at a time may be attempted. The restriction on maintaining suspension of disbelief applies too.

*** Adorable

This is where a devilbunny becomes truly dangerous. The need for secrecy is discarded -- a victim of the third rank of Ky00t doesn't even question why a rabbit got the power of speech. It's just . . . natural. An Adorable devilbunny can weave suggestions that the target finds no compelling reason to deny. These suggestions cannot be too extreme; telling a normal person to mug an old lady for spare change will be rejected out of hand. However, any reasonable request will be fulfilled. One suggestion at a time can be planted per use of Ky00t.

**** Precious

A fearsome rank in Ky00t. Devilbunnies can grips a target's mind in a web of fluffy love. The victim drowns in Ky00tness, unable to conceive of any other state. A specific command of any sort will be complied with. Mugging the old lady is ok -- after all, you're doing it so that your special friend can eat her carrot ration. Worse, the devilbunny can break a person's will through Ky00tness. Three successes on the Willpower roll will remove one temporary Willpower point from the victim; successes past 3 will remove a Willpower point for each additional success.

***** Barney

The ultimate in Ky00t. A devilbunny may permanently alter a facet of the victim's personality. Two or three successes would be enough to cause a change in a habit, such as switching a fondness for pastrami for a fondness for Spam. Five successes would be needed to change Demeanor. Anywhere from 10 to 15 are needed to alter Nature.

Devilbunny Technology

BunnyArmor

The primary protection of the militia. Rabbit-shaped suits composed of some black, chitinous substance; the plating is covered with mysterious knobs and protuberances. BunnyArmor is one of the best forms of protection on the planet. It will protect against Brawl attacks and projectiles of up to handgun caliber at a Class Four armor rating with only Class Two penalties to Dexterity. It also makes the wearer invulnerable to liquid, sonic, or BunnyBlaster attacks. The only way to breach it is with rifle bullets, shotgun rounds, or Melee attacks. It only offers Class One protection against the weapons. Radio communications are assumed to be built into the armor. BunnyArmor is rare in the civilian warren militias; only officers can access it. It is more common in the devilbunny militia, where 30% of BunnyTroopers wear it. Special Forces and elite units are the few who can equip all their members with BunnyArmor.

Morpharmor

The ultimate in lapine espionage technology. Morpharmor is made up of nanites programmed to build an organic shell that can mimic almost any substance, including human tissue. In its dormant state, it resembles a smooth-skinned suit of BunnyArmor. It offers less protection while in this mode -- Class Two against Brawl and light firearms, none against heavy firearms and Melee. However, it does provide a suite of advanced options, such as radio communications and enhanced sensory inputs (add 2 dice to all Perception-based dice pools). No Dexterity penalties apply.

The true power of this device is in its Morph mode. The system can store up two alternate forms programmed into its computer systems. Users roll Intelligence+Morpharmor Training to enter these into memory. One success indicates an imperfect copy; three successes mean a convincing fake; more create an impenetrable disguise. This data cannot be improved without erasing the file and performing another roll.

Users can morph into these preselected forms at will. These forms have Physical Attributes, each of which has as many dots as successes scored on the programming roll. The Appearance of the form has as many dots as the user wishes, within the same limits as the Physicals. Health Levels are as for humans. These altered Traits stand in for those of the suit's wearer for as long as that form is maintained. She herself rests in an armored cocoon deep within the suit, controlling it through a complex array of biofeedback and sensory inputs. The suit can heal one Health Level per three turns; only really powerful attacks (BunnyBlaster, high magnetic fields, etc.) count as aggravated damage.

Morpharmor will revert to its dormant state once its Health Levels reach Incapacitated. Opponents can also attack the wearer of the suit directly if they know where to make an aimed attack on the cocoon; all Fudds are given such training. This can be accomplished with a normal aimed firearms or a melee attack. Any damage not soaked by the suit will be transfered as unsoakable damage to the wearer. If she is killed while wearing the morpharmor, the suit will self-destruct in a large explosion. Bunnies make sore losers.

Morpharmor can be manipulated in minor ways while in any form. Experienced users can grow short blades from the fingers, draw a tattoo, etc. Anything which would not count as radical bodily change is permissible. These can be done on the fly via Intelligence+Morpharmor Training rolls, difficulties 6-9 based on the complexity of the change.

Morpharmor does have one serious weakness: it cannot mask the smell of the wearer. Creatures with sensitive noses--animals, ferroti, squirrels, and others -- can easily detect the lapine scent of a devilbunny even in Morph mode.

Spam

And you thought it was just mystery meat. The devilbunnies invented Spam as a mind-control device. Manufactured through some unknown proccess (though the remains of captured Fudds may be involved), this pink rubbery substance drains away one Willpower point with each consumption. Even prolonged skin contact counts as such. Worse, it is incredibly addictive for humans. Eating four servings in a row will create Spam-dependency; victims must eat at least one meal of Spam a day. A Spam-addict may attempt to break the addiction through a lengthy detoxification proccess. She makes one Willpower roll per day at a difficulty of 7 for a required three successes. Each failed roll causes the difficulty to go up by +1 (to a maximum of 10). The addict must resist the urge to eat Spam for three days in a row if the bond is to be broken.

Snapple

Another seemingly-innocuous form of lapine thought control. This "iced tea" is in fact a cocktail of neurochemical drugs that break the human soul. Treat as for Spam, though it is non-addictive.

BUNIX

The operating system of devilbunny computers. A ky00t, twisted version of UNIX. It is decades ahead of human computer programs, and is designed in a way peculiar to the devilbunny frame of mind. A human attempting to use BUNIX must possess 3 dots in Computer; she is furthermore subject to the Willpower expenditures needed to operate bunny technology. Only bunny characters with Computer or Weird Bunny Science without expending Willpower. BUNIX is also a cryptography system of great power; any attempt to employ a Cryptography roll against it requires 20 successes at a difficulty of 10. Most mentats cannot decipher an intercepted message; the Fudds have long since given up.

BunnyMovers

The devilbunnies have an extensive system of underground tunnels that run between their warrens. Linear induction magnetic-levitation tracks run through them, carrying shuttle cars which can transport 20 buns at a time.

Beer Trucks

The devilbunny militia uses beer trucks to disguise its movements overland. Each can carry up to forty BunnyArmored rabbits, and the more sophisticated come with BUNIX systems. Beer trucks carry both supplies and troops. The Fudds believe they adopted these because of one important ingredient in beer: hops.

BunnyTransport

Mysterious aircraft used by the Black Battalion, the elite soldier-mentat brigade of the militia. Many Fudds believe they use a type of anti-gravity technology. Picture something like a small space shuttle, able to fly at 900 kph and outshoot a helicopter gunship.

Anti-Devilbunny Weapons

Fireaxe

The preferred weapon of the Fudds. Well-balanced, concealable inside a trenchcoat, and unlikely to draw attention from the authorities. It can hack through BunnyArmor like a chainsaw through tissue paper. Melee weapon, difficulty 6 to wield, causes Strength+4 damage.

Shotgun

A Fudd doesn't have time to aim when a target the size of a teddy bear is about to rip her stomach open. The "point-and-shoot" qualities of the shotgun make it a perfect bunny-pacifier. The most common model is the old-fashioned 12-gauge pump; some traditionalists prefer the double-barreled variety, which takes a turn to reload a chamber. The main advantage is its ability to fire both barrels at once (considered a Spray with 16 damage dice).

BunnyShot

A shotgun round specially made for killing devilbunnies. It fires armor-piercing pellets in a tight spread. Shotguns with BunnyShot rounds in their chambers can add 2 dice to any Firearms roll.

Holy Vanilla Extract and Blessed Urine

These two mundane liquids, when sanctified by the prayers of El'Mahr, cause horrendous damage to devilbunnies. Lapine flesh burns on contact with these substances, resulting in unsoakable damage.

Moxie

The mustard gas of the war against the Evil that Fluffs. This unky00t soft drink can melt devilbunny flesh away; any damage it causes is both unsoakable and aggravated. The buns thank Frith that it can't penetrate BunnyArmor. Fairly rare -- it is only stocked in stores in certain New England states. The human resistance possesses small stockpiles.

SuperSoaker

A child's toy becomes a tool of salvation against the Furry Menace. The primary delivery vehicle for HVE, BU, and Moxie. Firearm weapon, difficulty 6 to shoot, range 15 yards, 4 damage dice, rate 4, with 20 doses of the liquid in the tank. Spray empties half the tank instead of everything. Concealable beneath a trenchcoat.

BunnyBlaster

The ultimate sidearm. Fudd scientists have developed this beam weapon which fires a modulated anti-matter pulse. Early uses of the weapon rendered the Fudds nearly unbeatable -- until the devilbunnies introduced BunnyBlaster-resistant armor. It was also very costly to manufacture; only six are in existence today. Firearms weapon, difficulty 7 to shoot, range 20 yards, 20 damage dice, rate 3, with 10 charges. Concealable beneath a jacket.

Squirrel laser

The favored weapon of the squirrel resistance. Consists of a backpack containing the battery, a barrel with a pistol grip, and a power cord running between the two. It is so tiny that it is unusable by any creatures other than squirrels or devilbunnies. Firearms weapon, difficulty 5 to shoot, range 10 yards, 3 damage dice, rate 1, with ten charges.

Chainmail

Some Fudds wear this beneath their trenchcoats. Counts as Class Three armor.

BunnyStumper

An unbreakable encryption system employed by the Fudds to guard their communications. Treat as the BUNIX encoding programs.

Anti-Bunnies

An inoculation devised by Fudd medics to prevent conversion. Officially designated "Bunnivax", this vaccine prevents HLV from turning an upright Fudd into a furry Snapple-swigging devilbunny. Requires booster shots every four months to be effective.

Uncute music

Devilbunnies find certain forms of music extremely objectionable. Heavy metal, gangsta rap, Stomping Tom Connors, and recording of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir cause the buns physical pain. Only earplugs or the sound baffles in BunnyArmor can mask out these objectionable noises. Remove 2 dice from the dice pools of devilbunnies when they hear uncute music without protection.

Combat

Fights between humans and devilbunnies tend to be nasty affairs. For all their high technology, devilbunnies fight the old-fashioned way with razor-sharp claw and vorpal fang. Firearms are a nuisance when you walk on your "hands"; a quick bite to the jugular is more effective. The bunnies also lack the industrial base to mass-produce weapons for their militia. Devilbunnies compensate by favoring for rear and flank attacks, ambushes, and bringing overwhelming numbers to bear in combat. Fudds expect to be outnumbered 3 to 1 in any battle.

There is also the secrecy of the war to consider. Neither side wishes to alert the general population of the devilbunny threat. Fudd and bun alike fears a genocidal world war should the Evil that Fluffs be publically exposed. For that reason, fighting is of the guerrilla variety -- each side pouncing on the other in hopes of not attracting too much attention. Major battles almost always occur in uninhabited areas.

Devilbunny Combat Maneuvers

The devilbunnies have their own unique approach to combat. All of the following moves count as Brawl attacks.

Bite, Kick, Claw

Unchanged from the normal WoD rules. Bunny claws and fangs are so lethal that they have the impact of those of larger animals.

Stomp

Devilbunnies have very strong hindlegs; they can break brones with a well-placed hindpaw. A Stomp attack, rolled at difficulty 8, causes Strength+3 damage.

Leap

Rolling Dexterity+Athletics at a difficulty of 7, a bun may perform a mighty jump in the direction of her opponent. Each success adds a damage die to a successful attack launched in the next round. The disadvantage is that the bun may not Dodge during her Leap or the next round. Any succesful attack by an opponent when she leaps results in the automatic failure of the attempt.

Toe-rip

For bizarre reasons, devilbunnies love to eat human toes. This may stem from ancient hunting-practises, when bunnies would disable their meals-to-be by nibbling away their digits. The modern incarnation of this trick is feared by the Fudds. A devilbunny who makes a successful Grapple may try to chew away at the foot of her victim. Each three successes on a Dexterity+Brawl roll results in the permanent loss of a dot in Dexterity. On the downside (for the bunny) is that the Grapple does not cause her opponent to lose any attacks, though she cannot be shaken off until the round after the Grapple.

Fudd combat maneuvers

Pop

An age-old technique where the Fudd grabs the rabbit in a stranglehold and pops its head with his thumbs like a champagne cork. A human character who tries to pop a bunny must make a successful Grapple on a difficulty of 8. Three successes on an opposed Strength+Brawl roll against the opponent results in instant death for the devilbunny.

Whizz

Desperate Fudds sometimes resort to this maneuver. Chanting the blessing of his choice, the human pulls down his pants and, er, "lets fly". Treat the, um, weapon as being a single-shot weapon with a difficulty 4 to use and causing 2 damage-dice worth of Blessed Urine injuries. Range is only point-blank. Normally employed by men, though female Fudds have been known to be mightily inventive in tight spots.

Damage

In the world of the devilbunnies, aggravated and normal damage has different connotations. None of the factions in the war can heal like Kindred or Garou. Normal damage is healable only by time and medical attention according to the standard natural healing rates. Aggravated damage are injuries so horrible that they are permanent -- like Moxie burns or chewed-off toes. To cure aggravated damage, a character must undergo radical treatment such as surgery or prosthetics.

Alternatively, a Storyteller may translate aggravated damage into loss of dots in Attributes. A devilbunny scarred by Moxie may lose her Appearance; a Fudd with an arm chewed away by lapine nanotechnology may find her Dexterity greatly hampered.

Aggravated damage should to be rare. If it does occur, it should have serious effects on the character involved.

HLV

The Human-Lapino Virus is perhaps the most feared abilitY of the devilbunnies. Fudds all over the world shudder with horror at the prospect of winding up a ky00t, fluffy beast eagerly serving the Spam-eating forces of evil.

A devilbunny character can infect a human -- and only a human -- if she has the HLV background. Infection is accomplished through a successful Bite; damage is inflicted through a Stamina+HLV roll, difficulty 6. The victim may soak any "damage" as normal. Any damage not soaked means the victim now has the virus.

The conversion process is fairly slow -- it takes months before the transformation is complete. Sufferers sprout fur, grow pointed ears, and lose weight rapidly. Each month after infection causes the loss of a Health Level, considered incurable aggravated damage. Once at Incapacitated, the victim must roll Stamina at a difficulty of 7. One success means the transformation has destroyed the mind of the character (reduce all Mental attributes to one dot). Two successes indicates a mind largely intact, but subsumed by the ky00t devilbunny way of thinking; Nature and Demeanor must be altered to reflect this. Three successes means the personality has survived fairly well. Failure signifies that the victim has died from the strain of conversion. A botch...well, let's just say a really horrible mutation occured before the character was put out of her misery.

Either way, the character is now a devilbunny. Human covertees tend to be much larger than the devilbunny norm; a four foot bunny is not unknown, though rare. Strength is reduced to a maximum of three dots, and no extra dots are given to the Social Attributes of a converted human. They do gain the Ky00t Trait with one free pip. Mating with a devilbunny or fellow convertee will produce normal devilbunny offspring

The Fudds have developed the Anti-Bunny vaccine; all Fudds are administered the serum during training. A character who has been given Anti-Bunnies is immune to HLV for four months; any attempt to infect her with HLV is an automatic failure. In addition, Anti-Bunnies may be used to reduce the horrors of conversion. Regular injections of the vaccine during an HLV infection reduce the difficulty of the final Stamina roll to 6.

Devilbunny mentats have created their own enhanced versions of HLV. These are unstable and must be applied via injection; they are almost never found in the field. Enhanced HLV has its own Stamina rating (3-5 is common). Devilbunnies using it must make their rolls based on this Stamina and their own Medicine or Weird Bunny Science ratings. Conversion is accomplished within days, and several types of enhanced HLV can ignore Anti-Bunnies.

INTEGRATING DEVILBUNNIES INTO THE WORLD OF DARKNESS

Devilbunnies: the Fluffing is intended for a different game reality than World of Darkness. However, they do make interesting additions to the standard WoD menagerie. Devilbunnies in the Gothic-Punk world become more sympathetic characters; the threat they pose is more ambiguous as they become the lesser of far too many evils. How much more dangerous, after all, is a toe-eating rabbit compared to a Black Spiral Dancer or a Ventrue Prince? Most mortal residents of the WoD would flock to the bunny vision of a Ky00t World.

And perhaps the proccess has already begun...

Here are a few thoughts on working devilbunnies into an ongoing campaign.

• Vampires and Devilbunnies don't have much contact. Most buns consider them myths, though EARS knows better. A similar situation exists on the lick side of the fence. Some Gangrel Elders know enough to stay away from local warrens. The Toreadors are constantly battling a mysterious force which threatens to destroy Art with cute banality. The Nosferatu know something, but aren't telling. And the Malkavians have a long history of ghouling devilbunnies (where do you think they get all those fluffy white rabbits?)
• The buns and Garou are uneasy allies. The Garou consider ky00tness a diseased philosophy, reeking of the control-fantasies of the Weaver. The extremist tribes (Red Talons, Get of Fenris, etc.) avoid or attack devilbunnies. Children of Gaia and Glass Walkers maintain an uneasy detente. The rest keep a wary eye. Only a Wyrm attack will bring werewolf and devilbunny together; a few Ahrouns have been quietly heard to remark that bun technology does help... The buns are friendly with the Bete tribes, though many Changing Breeds look askance at them.

  Note: a Garou infected with HLV before the First Change does not become a devilbunny. The result is much worse: instead of a wolf, her alternate forms are those of a rabbit. We leave it to the imagination of our fellow players to envisage such a creature in Crinos. [evilgrin]

• The Wyrm hates their guts. Dealing with a bunch of technologically-adept bunnies who usually outnumber your forces several times is a bit tougher than killing your average Garou hick. Pentex has had many an unfortunate surprise when that choice toxic waste dumping spot was the site of a territorial warren.
• On a similar note, teaming up ferroti and Garou has wonderful story possibilities. The ferroti are still bunny-hunters, though they are a bit less rabid about it if the buns try to battle the Wyrm.
• Magi and devilbunnies have even less contact than vampires. The strongest connections are with naturalistic Traditions (Verbena and Dreamspeakers). However, it may have been the Verbena who created the ferroti as a check against the buns. Sons of Ether often try to steal bunny technology. The Virtual Adepts are scared stiff about the BUNIX systems invading the Digital Web; many unfortunates who tried to crash devilbunny systems whisper horror stories of cloying prisons filled with Gund bears and Barney reruns. The Technocracy considers the bunnies reality-deviants; however, their technological paradigm is close to the Union's. And it is said EARS is angling to become the Sixth Convention...

  Note: the Avatar survives HLV conversion of a Mage, though Arete will be lost. Just try to imagine a devilbunny Mage with Mind 5. ;)

• Changelings are terrified of the buns. Their quest to turn the world into a Ky00t paradise is seen as the worst possible sort of ravaging. Worse is the effect a devilbunny has on Faerie magic. Some Kithain are foolish enough to use Glamour on regbuns and devilbunny kits, who have low Banality. These unwary souls find that their magic becomes contaminated by the devilbunny paradigm. Everything they do becomes twisted to conform to Ky00tness. Eventually, their True Forms become warped into Hallmark-card fairies...
• Devilbunnies can become Wraiths. These lapine ghosts form their own distinct society in the Tempest, constructing warrens in quiet spots. They possess Arcanos that functionally parallel those of the human Wraiths, and do not need to seek out the guilds to learn them. At one point, the Hierarchy attempted to crush these upstarts. Now they stay very, very far away.