The Wake
The Wake is the term used by Leviathans for what is, in effect, the sensation that their divine nature produces on normal humans. It is a psychic pressure front that humans feel on an instinctual level - it is the dread majesty of a Leviathan's birthright. Tribal scholars claim that it is the "shadow" cast by the Leviathan's true form, and it affects a region around him, which grows as the Leviathan's Sheol increases.
Mortals affected by a Leviathan's Wake are infused with a mixture of awe, terror, and deference. For all that this seems attractive, it is a deeply isolating effect. A Leviathan can't enter a room without people lowering their voices, or go to the grocery store without people self-consciously apologizing for getting in your way (even if they weren't) - the Wake functions as a psychological battering ram, preventing the Tribe from blending in with a crowd. A Leviathan is always, willingly or not, intimidating every mortal in his presence. The Wake is a beacon, a message from the days of the Primordial that impresses itself on human minds - "You're less important than me; everything here is mine if I want it."
The allure of the Wake, especially for Tribe members who might have been socially awkward or bullied before they awoke to their true natures, is obvious. However, the Wake is also extremely dangerous - taking advantage of it means taking advantage of humans, further alienating the Leviathan from the world he has to live in. Many Leviathans have fallen down the path to degeneration by permitting themselves to revel in the wake, allowing themselves to say "Yes, I am better than these people. It's fine for me to do what I want with them."
Mortals subject to the Wake are aware that they are cowed but will, without training or knowledge, put it down to the Leviathan having unusual charisma or presence. They get the sense that the Leviathan just happens to be the sort of person who the room stops for. The Wake also does not alter a subject's memory, only their current ability to act. Their recollection of events during their exposure will therefore be tinted by their own nature and desires, and how the Leviathan acted towards them. If the Leviathan used intimidation to browbeat them into doing what he wanted, they will recall being intimidated and will attempt to justify their response in a fashion that seems consistent. A timid person, for instance, will assume that they gave way as would be expected, while one that resents being pushed around might formulate reasons why they would permit it. This tendency can be a blessing or a curse - if a person's mental scenario elevates the Leviathan's actions to a criminal offense, they may very well get in touch with the appropriate authorities. Even if a member of the Tribe could breeze into a high-security facility, it'll be considerably harder for them to get away with it.
Some mortals are more drastically affected by the Wake - these unfortunates are struck with a lingering obsession with the Leviathan, hovering between a dangerous mixture of strong emotions. Unaware of the truth of what they are experiencing, they find ways of explaining it - some outlets more constructive than others. The only unifying element of this obsession is that the mortal is certain that there is something different - something special and unique and equal parts horrible and wondrous - about the Leviathan. Some become stalkers, or hangers-on, or even kidnappers, trying to understand the creature who haunts them, awake or dreaming. These cases end in one of two ways - either the complete self-destruction of the obsessed mortal, or the entry of the mortal into the Leviathan's Cult as a Beloved. Established Cults usually begin with a Leviathan's first Beloved, and then grow - the more Beloved there are, the likelier that an ensnared mortal will join their ranks. While the Cult might have members that are not Beloved, they are the only ones whose loyalty and dedication is certain. They serve as extensions of the Leviathan, his agents in the human world, permitting him to avoid the strain of everyday life. Periodic exposure to new revelations of the Primordial world are necessary to keep the Beloved's mind stable, but this is a small price to pay for their aid. A Cult can infuse the Leviathan with Ichor through reverence and the enactment of mystical rites - their subservience reaffirming his divine nature. Beloved are also prime hosts for the generation of Hybrids, as they are willing, perhaps even eager, to be touched by the bloodline of the Tribe.
The lure of staying secluded and meeting only with one's Cult is strong, especially for older, more world-weary Leviathans. This is a potential trap, as interacting with the Beloved is not a substitute for interacting with normal humans, and it is often the ultimate fate of the hidden Cult leader to fall into degeneration, isolated from his own human side.
The Best Idea Someone Else Gave You
The fact is, no normal human that's within earshot of the Leviathan is operating entirely according to their own free will. The compulsion applied by the Wake is problematic to the moral compass of a member of the Tribe. It is subtle enough, playing on instinctual fears, that it does not directly force those affected to do what the Leviathan asks - but it remains an application of force, unconscious or not.
Capitalizing on the Wake is tricky business - it's not like the Leviathan is strictly doing anything to make the subject compliant, but the compulsion exists nonetheless. As far as Tranquility is concerned, any deed that someone wouldn't have consented to without the Wake is one that they aren't consenting to willingly when the Wake is upon them. Even if a cultist willingly declares that he will spend his life in the Leviathan's service, the Leviathan is culpable for sending his cult to their deaths.
Mechanics of the Wake
- Region of Control: The Wake fills an area around the Leviathan, with its diameter determined by his Sheol. Within this area, beings can feel subtle psychic pressure. Beings both inside this area and in the Leviathan's physical presence are subject to the Wake's full effect.
The Fringes: Outside of the Leviathan's presence, beings are not mechanically affected but do feel a pronounced sense of weight and danger. - Fully Affected: Normal beings - both sentient and animal - are subject to the full effects of the Wake.
- Potentially Affected: Beings whose Supernatural advantage is lower than the Sheol of the Leviathan are vulnerable to that Leviathan's Wake. They are otherwise immune.
- Not Affected: Leviathans, Atolls and Ahabs are always immune to the Wake's effects.
