TEXT: SUPREME EXCELLENCE
  A magic sourcebook for 
  Dread: The First Book Of Pandemonium
  Written by Rafael Chandler
  Illustrated by Heather Chandler, Rafael Chandler, and Mark Pfahlert
  www.malignantgames.com
  
  The Journals of Edna Council                                                        June 12, 2003
  "To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a regiment, a com-
  pany, or a squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred
  battles is not the supreme excellence. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excel-
  lence."
  -- Sun Tzu 
  The problem with Minx is, she’s very good at what she does, so it’s difficult to hate
  her for her astonishing arrogance and her short attention span.
  Seconds before the policemen reach her, she whips her right arm back. It begins to
  glow with a pale green light, and her wrist and hand flatten into a triangular blade.
  She springs forward and slashes at the policemen, swinging the long blade in a
  short, tight arc. All four of them clutch their midsections, then they freeze. She
  turns and walks back towards me, whistling, and I fear that she has broken our
  covenant and taken innocent human lives. But there is no blood from the wounds,
  and the officers do not fall.
  “Jun Dao,” she says, then laughs at my confusion. “Jade Knife. Paralyzes people.
  No damage. Should wear off pretty soon. And, you know, we should be some-
  where else when it does.”
  We return to the car and drive out of the cemetery.
  The mission was fruitless. For days, we’ve been trying
  to exhume the body of Anne Marcowitz via legal
  channels. Having failed, we decided to take matters
  into our own hands, and brought shovels to Mason’s
  Point Cemetery in the dead of night, ready to dig up
  the truth. But someone had beaten us to it, and had
  disinterred her remains. If there had been less police-
  men, we might have questioned them using magic.
  But four are too many, and in order to subdue them,
  we might have to injure them seriously. Since they
  believe that they’re protecting Chief Thirwell from
  criminals, we can’t do them any harm. It isn’t fair to
  punish them for doing their work. Besides, we know
  that we’ve rattled Thirwell. He’s sent men to dig up a
  corpse. He’s near the breaking point.
  “How did you do that?” I ask. “That spell. I’ve never seen it before.”
  Minx laughs, that deep throaty laugh that she probably thinks comes across as
  seductive and wordly. It doesn’t sound trashy or anything. No, it doesn’t sound like
  she’s a nasty little barfly in a tight little skirt.
  PART ONE: GRAVEYARD SHIFT
  2
  
  “I studied under Jezebel Stone,” she says. She lights a cigarette, which I’ve told her
  is not permitted in my automobile, but I don’t say anything. She’s alluded to Jezebel
  Stone before, and I’ve decided that Stone was her Mentor. But I want to hear the
  details.
  I’m not stupid. I can put two and two together. Angelica told me a great deal
  about Cathexis, and the way that anyone can learn to access that power. But there’s
  something amiss, and I’m hoping that Minx can furnish another piece of the puz-
  zle.
  “Jezebel taught a different kind of sorcery,” Minx says. “Most of my magic is com-
  bat-oriented. And it’s based on the martial arts. Pretty much all I can do is fight,
  really. I leave interrogation spells to people like you. I’m the one mixing it up out
  there.”
  She continues in this vein for several minutes. Since it’s obvious that she enjoys the
  sound of her on voice, I refrain from turning on the radio, even though it’s time for
  NPR news. Instead, I think about Chief Thirwell. He raped and murdered Anne
  Marcowitz, of that we are certain. After rescuing her grieving parents from a
  Remarek Demon, we swore to them that we would punish Thirwell. But we’re not
  officers of the law. We have little to go on, and without some kind of evidence,
  there’s not much we--
  Minx answers her cell phone. “Yeah?” She stiffens, then flings her cigarette butt
  out the windows. “Okay, hang in there.” She folds up her phone. “Hey, Council,
  we got to get over to Thirwell’s place, like, right now.”
  Without waiting for an explanation, I swerve over to the left lane, make a u-turn,
  and barrel down Glenwood at twenty miles over the speed limit. Fortunately, it’s
  just after two in the morning, and the roads are very nearly clear.
  Minx shakes her head. “Shoulda seen this coming. That was Morlock. She’s at the
  Chief’s place, just watching to see what’s up. She saw Anne Marcowitz.”
  “They brought her body to the Chief’s home? Why would--”
  “Nah, she was walking.”
  It takes me a few seconds to catch up. “Daemuil Demon?”
  Minx nods. “Probably. And I’d say, sure, let her wax the guy. Screw him. But,
  then the demon goes after anybody who ever upset her in life, and she kill them,
  and then it just goes straight to hell with the body count and the cops and every-
  thing. We need to take that demon out.”
  I nod. “Afterwards... Can you teach me some of those combat spells?”
  Minx laughs. “Yeah, sure.” She lights another cigarette. Bitch.
  3
  
  The Journals of Edna Council                                                        June 23, 2003
  The Daemuil Demon was destroyed, and Thirwell was so horrified by the encounter
  that he tried to commit suicide. We stopped him in time, and he was taken into cus-
  tody when his fellow police officers identified the dirt-clad corpse of Anne
  Marcowitz in his living room. He tried to explain that she’d risen from the grave to
  take her revenge, but they wouldn’t listen. By then, we were long gone.
  My entire body aches. Minx has put me through a regimen so brutal that I fear I will
  never walk properly again. I have struck punching bags again and again, and my arms
  feel thick and heavy. My legs are leaden from kicking. Minx insists that the kick is
  the most vital attack. Women’s legs are much stronger than their arms, she says, and
  on the battlefield, every advantage must be exploited. In order to exploit, one must
  first understand.
  So I kick.
  She dangles floppy black-and-white x-rays -- skulls,
  pelvises, rib cages -- and I kick, and I kick, and I kick.
  Now, I cannot walk. Eating is actually quite difficult, because it requires me to lift my
  hands above waist level. This is nearly impossible.
  Strangely, I feel exultation and fierce joy. I do not feel disgusted with my body’s lim-
  itations, as I have in the past. I feel very proud of myself. I feel that I can accom-
  plish a great deal. This is a strange feeling.
  I was able to execute on of Minx’s spells yesterday. Steel Palace, a defensive spell. I
  am able to defend myself in battle. It was not something I could do yesterday, but
  today I am capable.
  Perhaps I was hasty in my assessment of Minx. She is strong, and she is capable, and
  she is, for all her flaws, necessary. She’s very good at what she does.
  I have decided that I want to be good at something, too.
  ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT:
  Supreme Excellence details 20 new spells, most of which focus on hand-to-hand
  combat. In addition, this supplement includes information on the Raleigh Cabal, and
  three of its members. You could use these as pre-gens, or as example characters for
  new players. Future supplements will include information on other Cabals, and on
  other Mentors and allies.
  If you have any questions or comments, hit me at rafael@malignantgames.com.
  Word is bond,
  Rafael
  4
  
  Blood Armor (Kai Mia)
  Duration: 1 minute (12 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When you cast this spell, blood begins to seep from your pores, then solidifies out-
  side your clothing to form dark red armor. The shape that the armor takes is
  entirely up to the you (and this can be a good time to garner a Cool Die by describ-
  ing the armor in detail). The crimson armor affords you an extra Defense Die
  against physical attacks, and two extra Defense Dice against magical attacks (or
  Imprecations) for the following 12 rounds. The armor is weightless, and though
  the bloodshed is uncomfortable (even painful), the process causes you no Injury.
  Burning Dragonfly Wing (Xiao Hui Ma Bing)
  Duration: Immediate
  Range: Self
  After casting this spell, you’re capable of attacking multiple opponents in one swift
  flurry of attacks, but the damage done to you in return is serious. The spell allows
  you to blur through a room, lit by ghastly white flames, striking numerous oppo-
  nents with fists and feet of blinding fire. You can attack up to six opponents in
  one round; for each opponent, roll a normal attack (including all applicable bonus
  dice). For each opponent attacked, however, you sustains two points of Injury.
  Thefore, if surrounded by four enemies, you could cast the spell and attack all four
  in rapid succession, but you’d take eight points of Injury.
  Emerald Fire (Fei Cui Chi)
  Duration: 45 seconds (9 rounds)
  Range: Self
  Mystic green fire coils around your forearms of the caster, allowing you to deflect
  physical attacks. For the next nine rounds, you get extra dice when making a
  Defense roll. For each Attack die that you give up, you gain two Defense dice.
  This must be decided when the spell is cast, however. For instance, If you have a
  Body Score of 3 and the Combat Skill, you would have 4 dice for attacks, and 4
  dice for defense. If you cast Emerald Fire, and gave up one attack die, then for the
  duration of the spell, you would roll 3 attack dice (minus one), and 6 defense dice
  (plus two). Or, if you decided to give up two attack dice, then during combat you
  would roll 2 attack dice and 8 defense dice. These numbers are fixed for the dura-
  tion of the spell, but you can choose to distribute dice differently each time the
  spell is cast.
  Expert Warrior (Zhuan Jia Shi)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When this spell is cast, you become utterly proficient with whatever weapon you
  happen to be holding. For the next 30 seconds, you gain two dice whenever attack-
  ing or defending with the weapon at hand. These dice are added to any existing 
  5
  PART TWO: THE NEW NOISE
  
  bonuses, but only two dice will be added per round (so if this spell is combined
  with Hundred Fists, you can't expect two dice for each attack if you attack three
  people in one round -- only two extra dice are available, to be distributed as you see
  fit). If you’re separated from your weapon, the bonus does not apply until you
  wield the weapon again. However, if you hold the weapon, but doesn't use it in the
  attack (for instance, you kick someone while holding a sword), the bonus still
  applies. If the spell is cast, but you aren’t holding a weapon, the bonus doesn't kick
  in until a weapon is acquired (and if the six rounds elapse before you can procure a
  weapon, then the spell is over and too bad). In addition to the combat bonus, the
  spell also produces a magnificent sense of accomplishment and confidence. This
  sensation results in a temporary boost to your Spirit Score, which is raised by one
  for the duration of the spell.
  Golden Sword Edge (Jin Se Kun Ren)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  The edge of your hand glows with a deep golden light, and is capable of cutting
  through nearly anything. For half a minute, you can chop through doors, walls, or
  even people. In combat, the chop inflicts damage +1. If cutting through materials,
  use the following chart:
  Hundred Fists (Baak Fai)
  Duration: 10 seconds (2 rounds)
  Range: Self
  Casting this spell causes you to develop incredible speed and strength for a few sec-
  onds. During this time, two dice are added to all combat rolls, including both attack
  and defense, for the duration of the spell. Furthermore, your may divide attacks up
  between multiple opponents, up to the number of dice available. For instance, if
  you have a Body Score of 2, you would get two more dice when attacking and
  defending, for a total number of 4 dice. These may be used in an attack against one
  opponent (using all four dice), or against two opponents (using two dice each), or
  against four opponents (using one die each). If you have a Body Score of 6, the
  Combat Skill, a burned point of Redemption, an applicable Drive, and a cool
  description, you would be able to use 12 dice, meaning that you could attack two
  opponents at 6 dice each, or 12 opponents with 1 die each. Dice can be split up
  any way you choose, but bonuses are not multiplicable -- a cool description garners
  one extra die, not several.
  Substance:
  Difficulty:
  Drywall, plaster
  6
  Wood
  8
  Concrete
  10
  Reinforced concrete
  12
  Steel
  14
  Enchanted materials
  16
  6
  
  Iron Hammer (Ju Chui)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When this spell is cast, your skin becomes dark grey, and your body becomes hard
  and heavy, like iron. Your punches and kicks will inflict an additional point of
  Injury (rather than roll an extra die, merely add a point to the Injury inflicted -- if
  your attack is unsuccessful, no damage is inflicted). Furthermore, you will be utter-
  ly immune to attacks from metal weapons. Swords, knives, and bullets will bounce
  off of you harmlessly, though other physical attacks (punches, kicks, wooden
  weapons) and energy attacks (fire, magic, cold) will inflict normal damage.
  Curiously, for the duration of the spell, you will be very cool to the touch, and will
  register as room-temperature if viewed through infrared vision devices.
  Jade Knife (Jun Dao)
  Duration: 20 seconds (4 rounds)
  Range: Self
  One of your hands becomes a long, shimmering blade of translucent jade after this
  spell is cast. The blade emanates a pale green light, and is weightless. Though it is
  incorporeal, and inflicts no physical damage, any successful hit with the blade will
  temporarily paralyze a human opponent for thirty seconds (6 rounds). The victim
  will be unable to move, speak, or cast spells, but will see and hear everything as nor-
  mal. The spell continues, even after you have struck someone, so it is conceivable
  that you could paralyze up to six victims before the spell is over. The spell has no
  effect on demons or angels.
  7
  
  Lightning Attack (Shan Dian Gong Da)
  Duration: Immediate
  Range: 100 feet
  When this spell is cast, you commence an attack, disappear in a flash of brilliant
  light, then appear behind an opponent in mid-strike. Regardless of the position of
  the opponent with regard to you (three stories up, underground, around a corner),
  if you are within 100 feet of each other, the spell is successful. If the opponent's
  back is to a wall, then you’ll appear directly in front of the victim. If the opponent
  is over 100 feet away, or if there's simply no place for you to reappear, then the
  spell has no effect.
  Locust Shell (Huang Bei Ke)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  A glowing swarm of buzzing locusts begins to whirl around you, moving with you
  as you fight. The spectral locusts coil and surge around your body, blocking projec-
  tile weapons, magic, and Imprecations. For the next six rounds, each time you fail
  when defending against a projectile attack, spell, or Imprecation, you may make a
  second roll. The second roll, however, will be half as many dice. For example, if
  you fail to dodge an arrow with four dice, you can make a second attempt, but
  using two dice. Round halves up.
  Pearl Dragon (Zhen Zhu Long)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When this spell is cast, iridescent scales cover your body, and your skin becomes the
  color of mother-of-pearl. These nacreous scales are soft to the touch, but they
  absorb kinetic energy, dulling the impact of physical attacks. During combat, you
  gain an additional die when rolling Defense against physical attacks, and if an
  enemy makes an unsuccessful hand-to-hand attack, you automatically turn the force
  back on the attacker, inflicting a point of Injury. This spell is not effective against
  projectile weapons or magic.
  Perfect Strike (Wan Mei Zhuang Ji)
  Duration: 10 seconds (2 rounds)
  Range: Self
  For the duration of this spell, your mental and physical energy are channeled into
  the art of hand-to-hand combat. Every movement you make is precise and devas-
  tating, and there are no mistakes. You punch, kick, and throw like a veteran war-
  rior, and you block flawlessly, without having to think about it. For ten seconds,
  you become insanely dangerous. While the spell is in effect, you reroll any die
  result less than 5 when attacking or defending. If the reroll is under 5, then you
  roll again, and again, until the result is 5 or higher.
  8
  
  Scorpion Fist (Chai Quan Tou)
  Duration: 15 seconds (3 rounds)
  Range: Self
  After casting this spell, your attacks inflict lingering injuries upon opponents, slow-
  ing and weakening them. Your hands begin to trail black streams of venom that
  float through the air like blood in water. To attack, you must make a Spirit Roll
  against difficulty 10. If you’re successful, you’ve successfully struck your opponent
  (inflicting damage equal to your roll, minus 10), and your enemy is now poisoned.
  For the next two rounds, the victim will suffer an additional point of Injury, and
  will feel weak and feverish. The effects of the spell are cumulative, and your touch
  remains poisonous for three rounds, so it is possible that you might strike the same
  enemy three times in a row, resulting in a total drain of 6 points of Injury (plus
  incidental damage from being struck).
  Shadow Punch (An Ying Chong)
  Duration: 20 seconds (4 rounds)
  Range: Self
  Your enemy is attacked by his own shadow when this spell is cast. You momentari-
  ly casts your consciousness into your enemy's shadow, rip it from the earth, and
  attack with it. For the duration of the spell, your mind is transferred into the tene-
  brous entity that emerges from the shadow, and you can use the spectre to attack.
  The shadow body attacks (and defends) with a Combat Score equal to your Spirit
  Score, and can sustain up to 10 points of Injury before dissipating. When the dura-
  tion has elapsed, or if the shadow is destroyed, your consciousness returns to your
  body. If you’re disturbed in any way, the spell is disrupted, and will end.
  claw, you must make a Spirit Roll against difficulty 11. Failure means that the claw
  did not make contact. If the roll is successful, no Injury is sustained, but the victim
  has lost a point of Body for a short time (5 rounds). The effects are cumulative,
  however, and the spell lasts for three rounds, which means that a total of three
  points of Body can be subtracted from an enemy in rapid succession.
  Silver Claw (Bai Yin Zhua)
  Duration: 15 seconds (3 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When this spell is cast, one of your
  hand becomes a massive claw, like
  that of a lobster. The claw is bright
  and silvery, and it is intangible. If it
  makes contact with a person, it will
  pass through them, but each time it
  does so, it drains a point of Body
  (the minimum Body Score is 1). In
  order to strike an enemy with the
  9
  
  Spectral Tiger (Gui Hun Lau Hu)
  Duration: 30 seconds (6 rounds)
  Range: Self
  Your eyes begin to glow with a soft green light when this spell is cast, and your
  pupils narrow to catlike slits. Your skin pales, your teeth become long and sharp,
  and white talons of bone erupt from your fingertips. For the next thirty seconds,
  you are you can deliver devastating slashes with your claws, and your senses are
  drastically improved. You can see in the dark as though it were broad daylight, and
  you can detect a human heartbeat up to 50 feet away. You now possess the Hunter
  skill with a score of 2 (if you already have this skill add 2 to its score for the dura-
  tion of the spell). During combat, your claws add 1 to all Attack rolls.
  Steel Palace (Bin Gong)
  Duration: 15 seconds (3 rounds)
  Range: Self
  While this spell is in effect, you are an impregnable fortress. You block punches,
  kicks, arrows, blades, bullets, Imprecations, and magic with ease. Your hands blaze
  like torches, and you weave in and out of combat, dodging and deflecting. For fif-
  teen seconds, you gain a bonus of six dice when defending against any type of
  attack, be it physical or magical. However, you are utterly incapable of attacking. If
  you attack, the spell is cancelled.
  Storm Kick (Feng Bao Chuai)
  Duration: 15 seconds (3 rounds)
  Range: Self
  When this spell is cast, you are able to deliver devastating kicks, capable of knock-
  ing anyone unconscious in a single blow. After casting the spell, your eyes turn jet
  black, and if one looks closely, pale and wispy clouds can be seen, racing along the
  surface of your eye as if driven by gale-force winds. For the next three rounds, any
  successful kick will immediately render any human opponent unconscious, in addi-
  tion to normal Injury sustained during the attack. You can also elect to strike your
  enemy in a nerve cluster, knocking the victim out without actually inflicting any
  damage. In this case, it is necessary to make a Spirit Roll against difficulty 10.
  Success means that the victim is unconscious, but has not suffered any actual dam-
  age. In either case, the opponent's lack of consciousness lasts 1-12 rounds.
  10
  
  Swift Thunder (Kuai Ting)
  Duration: Immediate/ 10 seconds (2 rounds)
  Range: Self
  With one massive punch to the ground, you send shockwaves reverberating through
  buildings, vehicles, and your enemies. The blast shatters glass, crushes trees, and
  stuns your opponents, rendering them senseless for 10 seconds. However, the spell
  targets a specific number of victims, so if there are innocent bystanders or allies
  among the enemy’s number, the spell doesn’t have to affect them. To cast the spell,
  add the number of targets to 8, and make a Spirit Roll against the total. For
  instance, if there are three enemies you wish to stun, make a Spirit Roll against tar-
  get difficulty 11. If successful, you have immobilized your enemies for two rounds
  (including the round during which the spell was cast). While the spell is in effect,
  they can move around, albeit very slowly, but can neither attack nor cast spells.
  They can, however, defend themselves and use their skills. The spell’s victims suf-
  fer a penalty of 1 to all die rolls made until the spell wears off.
  Temple Of Serenity (An Xiang Miao)
  Duration: 45 seconds (9 rounds)
  Range: Self
  While this spell is in effect, a sphere of glowing energy, 15 feet in diameter, sur-
  rounds you. So long as you remain inside the sphere, you are completely immune
  to any Imprecations. Furthermore, demons and angels are unable to penetrate the
  sphere physically. However, humans are able to come and go at will, but if anyone
  enters the sphere, the spell is immediately cancelled. If you leave the sphere, the
  spell is cancelled. While in the sphere, you must devote all of your energy to keep-
  ing the spell going. If you pause to attack the demon or use another spell, the
  sphere collapses. Though demons cannot penetrate the sphere, they are able to
  hurl projectiles at you. So long as you remain conscious, however, the spell remains
  in effect.
  11
  
  The Raleigh Cabal is one of the oldest in America. Having hunted and slain
  demons for over a year, the Disciples actually qualify as veterans in the war.
  Recently, two of the Disciples (Hush and Slashfic) were injured during a scuffle
  with a Grusce demon. During their convalescence, the group’s Mentor (Angelica)
  introduced the others to a new member: Minx. The three active Disciples, Council,
  Minx, and Morlock, continue to hunt demons and exorcise the possessed.
  Council is the tactician. Educated and intelligent, she is also skilled at using magic
  to extract information from people and situations. She is quiet, however, and fre-
  quently observes the interaction of others, rather than participate.
  Morlock serves as the group’s muscle. She is strong, intimidating, and an excellent
  fighter. Her magic knowledge is limited, and outside of combat, there’s not very
  much that she’s good at.
  Minx is ebullient, sarcastic, and flirtatious. She is also wields a devastating array of
  combat-oriented spells. She lies convincingly, picks pockets with the best of them,
  and can open locked doors in seconds. She talks constantly.
  Council
  Real name: Edna Council
  Attributes: Body 1, Mind 6, Spirit 2
  Drive: Excellence
  Skills (base score/total score): Hacker 3/9, Linguist 3/9, Medic 1/7,
  Occult Lore 1/7, Scientist 2/8
  Spells: Barricade, Bete Noir, Confession, Oracle, Steel Palace
  Weapons: Revolver 1
  Equipment: Cell phone, first-aid kit
  Contacts: Dr. Erik Smythe, cultural anthropologist; Karinna Borowitz, computer
  programmer; Dr. Anne Wu, county coroner
  Description: A slender, dark-eyed girl, Council spends most of her time reading
  books or tinkering on her computer. A brilliant tactician, and extremely educated,
  she nonetheless finds it difficult to express her thoughts to others, and often keeps
  her ideas or insights to herself. Her knowledge of the occult is broad, and she
  speaks a half-dozen dead languages fluently. However, she lacks confidence, and
  sometimes requires some coaxing (or bribery; cake and pie are her favorites).
  During her adolescence, she suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutional-
  ized. She regarded the psychiatrist and his staff as her captors, and experienced
  grotesque hallucinations of torture and brutality. In the company of uniformed
  males, Council becomes nervous, and if sufficiently agitated, will turn violent.
  Though mild, Council is pleasant, and is frequently able to lull enemies into a false
  sense of security by playing the innocent. She is not innocent, and is happy to spill
  blood in the service of the cause.
  12
  PART THREE: RALEIGHWOOD CABAL
  
  Morlock
  Real name: Melinda Strattman
  Created by: Rafael Chandler
  Attributes: Body 6, Mind 2, Spirit 1
  Drive: Rage
  Skills (base score/total score): Athlete 1/7, Combat 1/7, Intimidator 4/5
  Spells: Dresden, Hemophage
  Weapons: Tire iron 1, Stockless shotgun 2
  Equipment: Flashlight, duct tape, hacksaw
  Contacts: Wanda Pierce, women’s shelter director; Raymond Cruz, weight trainer
  Description: A tall, muscular woman, Morlock serves as the group’s muscle. She
  kicks down doors, beats information out of reluctant informants, and takes the
  brunt of combat. She rarely speaks, but is generally pleasant and easy-going.
  During her free time, Morlock lifts weights, reads muscle-mags, eats monstrous
  quantities of protein-heavy foods, and practices smashing things with her tire iron.
  When angered, she tends to resort to violence, and has difficulty controlling herself.
  As a result of her late husband’s assault, she had to have reconstructive surgery, but
  despite the damage to her face, Morlock is still a fairly attractive woman. Due to
  her size, and her unshakable confidence, many men are intimidated by her. Fiercely
  loyal and protective of her friends, she is quick to violence if she feels that it is
  called for. She killed her husband without a second thought, and in prison, learned
  the value of swiftly delivered damage. A formidable opponent, Morlock relies on
  her brawn to get her through combat with demons.
  Minx
  Real name: Karen Hong
  Attributes: Body 3, Mind 2, Spirit 4
  Drive: Adrenaline
  Skills (base score/total score): Con Artist 3/5, Criminal 2/5, Perception 1/5
  Spells: Bloor Armor, Burning Dragonfly Wing, Expert Warrior, Hundred Fists,
  Pearl Dragon, Perfect Strike, Spectral Tiger, Temple of Serenity
  Weapons: Sawed-off pool cue 1
  Equipment: Lipstick, nail polish, 17 fake IDs
  Contacts:
  Description: A lean, wiry brunette, Minx is half-French, half-Vietnamese, and
  utterly incapable of telling her life story the same way twice. Though not a patho-
  logical liar, Minx has difficulty relating facts without embellishment of some sort.
  However, she possesses the two traits of a successful liar: she sticks to her story,
  and she believes it herself (but only during the telling). She owes thousands of dol-
  lars to people whose names she has long since forgotten, and she has changed
  names and identities so many times that she no longer thinks of herself as Karen
  Hong. She chose the name Minx long before Angelica rescued her from a Nethasq
  Demon, and though she is happy to work with the Cabal, it is possible that she will
  walk away from the war one day. She studied Cathexis in Vietnam, where Angelica
  found her. Deceit she learned in America, years before. Glib and confident, Minx
  lives for attention. She smiles constantly and has a weakness for sweets.
  13
  
  Art Credits:
  Heather Chandler 7
  Rafael Chandler 1, 10
  Mark Pfahlert 9, 11
  Joy Priest 2
  14
  Angelica Mason
  A tall, enigmatic black woman with grey eyes and long braids, Angelica is the
  Cabal’s Mentor. Though she does not actively participate in the Cabal’s adventures,
  she plays a significant role in their lives. At least once per week, she contacts the
  Cabal (vai phone, email, or occasionally in person) to tell them of some new threat
  to innocent lives. She is soft-spoken, but radiates confidence and power. Her
  whereabouts are usually unknown to her Disciples, and she comes and goes with-
  out warning. Alarmingly fast, Angelica can deal massive amounts of damage in
  seconds when provoked.
  A note on spell design:
  Spell design in Dread is extremely subjective. Most spells affect combat or the use
  of skills, in which case dice are usually modified in some way (add a die to your roll,
  subtract from an enemy's roll). A quick rule of thumb: maintain balance. If a spell
  affords a character a minor advantage (an extra die, a bonus of one point), a dura-
  tion of one minute is ample. If the spell affords a significant advantage (several
  extra dice, immunity of some kind), then a shorter duration is called for.
  Remember that a Disciple with a high degree of magical power is usually an inferior
  hand-to-hand combatant; therefore, refrain from making Disciples perform Body
  Rolls except when absolutely necessary. Rely on the Spirit Score as your indicator
  of success (for instance, the spell may require the Disciple to make a Spirit Roll
  against a target difficulty, or against an antagonist's Defense Roll).
  Above all else, work with your fellow players. If there's something about a spell or
  effect that the rest of your group finds objectionable, be willing to compromise.
  Have fun.
  Word is bond,
  Rafael
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dread/Dread (malignant games)/Dread Supreme Excellence.pdf