Influence is (through wealth, prestige, political office, intimidation, blackmail, supernatural manipulation, or sheer luck) your characters ability to get other people to do things for them. Your character is capable of "Influencing" the right people to "acquire things" or "perform favors" for your character that the character might not be able to accomplish alone. Unfortunately, Influence is unlike other Backgrounds in one significant way. Influence is not an "all-consuming" Background that applies equally to all situations. In Dark Realms RPG Influence is broken up into Areas of Influence. Each of these "Areas" will allow a character to gain access to unique and useful favors.

Influence is separated into nine Areas:

• Bureaucracy: government administration (city, island, state, etc)
• Finance: banks and stock market interests
• Judicial: police, court systems, federal bureau of investigation
• Media: newspaper, television, and all other reporting methods
• Occult: quasi-religions, natural medicine, and church
• Research: general laboratory, hospitals, clinics, and university
• Society: cosmopolitan life, celebrities, fashion, gossip
• Street: gang-land affairs, crimes of passion
• Underworld: corrupt unions and the mafia

Each of these Areas provides particular "favors" that are exclusive to that particular Area of Influence, and each of these Areas has Levels 1 - 5 that represent your amount of Influence; as Influence increases, the "value" of the "favors" you receive also increases. If you are merely moderately influential in an Area you might be able to instigate petty crimes (Street) or receive small insider trade secrets (Finance) but you may need to become vastly influential to identify lethal Vampire Hunters (Occult) or have that new interstate project rerouted (Bureaucracy).

There are relatively few limitations in regards to the Influence system and the true limitation is your own imagination. However, there are four instances where the Influence system will fall short...

• Influence Downtime Uses:
• Keep in mind that your Influence is influence over other people and their actions. But these are real people, with real jobs and careers; even if those careers are criminal. There are only so many favors that these people are willing to do for you.
• Each month you will be allotted Influence Downtime Actions equal to your Influence Level.
• Example: if you have Influence: Finance 5 you will receive 5 Influence: Finance Downtime Actions every month.
• Influence Downtime Actions by Level:
• These real people are also limited by how powerful they themselves are. If you aren't Influencing the right people, you won't be able to acquire the right favors.
• Each Level of Influence will provide you with unique actions. The cost of these actions is equal to their Level of Influence. General and Storyline Downtime Actions MAY NOT be used for Influence purposes.
• Example: an action that is classified as Level 5 will require 5 Influence Downtime Actions. So if you have Influence: Finance 5 you can either perform one Level 5 Finance Action, five Level 1 Finance Actions, or some other combination of Levels.
• Insufficient Downtime Actions:
• Insufficient Downtime Actions is a problem we expect every character to experience. You may have no Influence in a particular area, may not have enough Influence in a particular area, or might have already used some/all of your Influence in a particular area that month. In the event this occurs you are presented with two options...
• You can simply wait until next month until your Influence Downtime Actions replenish.
• You can "pair" your action with another Character (who belongs to another player). Another Character may sacrifice, in part or whole, the necessary Influence Downtime Actions for you to get a particular task performed for you.
• Unavailable/Unlisted Influence Actions:
• You may look at the Influence Action Examples and decide that what you want to do is not listed! The lists of Examples are just that, examples. If you have an appropriate task that compares well with the other listed examples come into #Gamehelp and speak with a Storyteller. Your action can/may be approved if it follows the typical outline of Influence Actions. If the "action" you present is used often enough, or we think it is particularly brilliant, it may be added to the Examples for future use.

• Creation: at creation Influence is a purchasable Background that is limited to Level 1. You may purchase as many Areas of Influence as you wish.
• In Game Purchase/Growth:
• Influence Levels may be purchased with Experience like all other Backgrounds
• Influence Levels may also be purchased/expanded with Downtime Actions (General, Influence, and Storyline in rare cases)
• New Influence: 3 Downtime Actions
• Influence: Level x 2

Bureaucracy Level 1 Example Actions

• Expedite minor processes that take time
• Alter or trace utility bills
• Persuade a local union to strike (Teamsters, etc.)
• Minor lobbying of politicians
• Identify the truthful platform of a local politician
• Find out about major donors to political campaigns
• Obtain campaign signage, buttons, or stickers

Bureaucracy Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local bureaucrats.
• Alter birth certificates and driver's license (does not produce Quality Fake ID)
• Temporarily close a small road or park
• Get inspectors sent to locations to check business permits or delay business permit applications
• Meet with small time politicians
• Have forewarning of upcoming changes in law
• Get demographic information for particular regions of the islands
• Use a slush fund or fund-raisers to get funds (+1 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)

Bureaucracy Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local bureaucrats.
• Permanently shut down a small business (Level ●) on a violation
• Connect or disconnect utilities across an entire region of the island
• Create death certificates, marriage licenses or passports
• Sway or alter political projects
• Manipulate local committes
• Have a private meeting with the mayor or a judge

Bureaucracy Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local bureaucrats.
• Permanently shut down a moderate sized business (Level ●●) on a violation
• Create false land deeds and titles
• Bog down a lawsuit or investigation in red tape
• Obtain building permits for business extensions (Gain 2 free Downtime Actions for use in expanding a Business)
• Enact minor legislation

Bureaucracy Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local bureaucrats.
• Permanently shut down a large business (Level ●●●) on a violation
• Shut down utilities for a business (Affects security system of business)
• Stop a federal investigation
• Destroy records of a person at the city level
• Place your candidate into a minor office
• Block the passage of any bill
• Get a state of emergency declared for an island

Finance Level 1 Example Actions

• Receive a minor loan (+1 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Run a credit check on somebody (Identify their Resource Level)
• Have an individual harassed about lack of payment by phone or mail
• Identify counterfeit sums of money
• Receive a loan (+3 Expense Dots to expire at the end of month, -2 Expense Dots next two concurrent months)

Finance Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local businesses and banks.
• Receive a cash dividend payout (+2 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Receive a loan (+5 Expense Dots to expire at the end of month, -3 Expense Dots next two concurrent months)
• Ruin another person's credit (Adds +1 Expense to all their future purchases)
• Clear up personal credit history

Finance Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local businesses and banks.
• Receive a cash dividend payout (+3 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Receive a loan (+7 Expense Dots to expire at the end of month, -4 Expense Dots next two concurrent months)
• Access ATM/Bank security tapes
• Get copies of someone's signature
• Purchase repossessed houses or cars for buyout price
• Stop the repossession of a vehicle

Finance Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local businesses and banks.
• Receive a cash dividend payout (+5 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Receive a loan (+9 Expense Dots to expire at the end of month, -5 Expense Dots next two concurrent months)
• Cause an IRS/SEC audit or investigation
• Stop the repossession of a home/haven
• Screw up loans for an entire month (adds +3 Expense Dots to the repayment amount for all loans

Finance Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with local businesses and banks.
• Receive a cash dividend payout (+7 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Receive a loan (+11 Expense Dots to expire at the end of month, -6 Expense Dots next two concurrent months)
• Stop an IRS/SEC audit or investigation
• Ruin an individual's income flow (reduce their Resources by half, rounded down) for one month
• Repair loan and rental rates (return rates to normal or gives -3 Expense Dots to the repayment amount for all loans

Judicial Level 1 Example Actions

• Avoid tickets and stops
• Hear about 911 responses a few minutes before the police and emergency vehicles are dispatched
• Get free representation for small cases that don't require you to be present (+3 Dice when dealing with judicial proceedings)
• Ask a patrolling officer about anything interesting happening
• Gather police information and rumors about a case

Judicial Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the judicial system.
• Obtain a private attorney to handle your case (+5 Dice when dealing with judicial proceedings)
• Avoid bail on misdemeanor charges
• Have minor cases thrown out of court
• Run vehicle plates or registration to check for owner
• Get a beat cop to keep an eye on your haven (adds +1 Difficulty to Break-In)
• Find out which detective is handling a particular case (must know about case in the first place)

Judicial Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the judicial system.
• Obtain a decent private attorney to handle your case (+7 Dice when dealing with judicial proceedings)
• Get a warrant issued or revoked
• Alter police records
• Arrange for an area to be patrolled or not at all
• Get copies of an investigative report
• Call in a major helicopter search
• Find out all the investigations a particular detective is working on

Judicial Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the judicial system.
• Obtain a talented private attorney to handle your case (+9 Dice when dealing with judicial proceedings)
• Get a detective to keep an eye on your haven (adds +3 Difficulty to Break-In)
• Avoid bail for felony charges
• Issue subpoenas
• Stop a statewide investigation
• Frame somebody for a misdemeanor
• Obtain drug money from the evidence room (+2 Expense Dots to expire at the end of the month)

Judicial Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the judicial system.
• Obtain a true devils advocate to handle your case (+11 Dice when dealing with judicial proceedings)
• Close down federal investigations
• Frame somebody for a felony
• Get a search warrant revoked immediately
• Stop a swat sting in mid action

Media Level 1 Example Actions

• Alter (but not stop) small news stories
• Appear on a small late night talk show
• Learn abut breaking news stories before they are published (tracks reports for two weeks)
• Run small newspaper and television advertisements (250 words or less)

Media Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the media.
• Alter (but not stop) large news stories
• Discredit small news stories
• Get the paparazzi to show up or not
• Initiate news investigations
• Track small advertisements if they are submitted anonymously

Media Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the media.
• Alter (but not stop) major news stories
• Discredit large news stories
• Get a radio personality removed from air
• Get a TV news crew to show up with satellite feed
• Access media production resources

Media Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the media.
• Initiate a fake story with local attention
• Create bad advertising against a local business (reduce their Expense Production by half, rounded down) for a month
• Identify the name and address(es) of reporter sources
• Get an editor to kill a story before it is aired

Media Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the media.
• Initiate a fake story with statewide attention
• Broadcast completely fake stories.
• Change a radio station's format
• Create a massive PR campaign on a person (gives individual Fame 2 for a period of one month

Occult Level 1 Example Actions

• Obtain small common animals for sacrifices (Size 1-2)
• Acquire common ritual components (Level 1-3 Tremere rituals)
• Identify most cults, learning their practices and gathering spots
• Contact common occult groups and practices
• Learn about particularly troubles sinners who have come to church to seek salvation

Occult Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local churches and small time cults.
• Access uncommon ritual components (Level 4-5 Tremere rituals)
• Get large common animals for sacrifices (Size 3-4
• Hear rumors and gossip about supernatural events or creatures
• Pass as a member of the church (as a low priest, etc.)
• Create a fringe religion that people actual join

Occult Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local churches and small time cults.
• Contact other supernatural across the islands of Hawaii (at your own risk)
• Locate the name and location of a very inept Vampire Hunter
• Get massive sacrificial animals (Size 5-7)
• Recruit willing human sacrifices
• Slander a fringe religion to the point where it's members abandon it

Occult Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local churches and small time cults.
• Receive charitable funds (+3 Expense Dots to expire at the end of the month)
• Locate the name and location of a qualified Vampire Hunter
• Create and recruit members into a blood-letting religion
• Recruit specific, willing human sacrifices

Occult Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local churches and small time cults.
• Locate the name and location of a feared Vampire Hunter
• Set up a meeting with other supernaturals from across the Hawaiian Islands (at your own risk)
• Locate "magical/holy" items for purchase
• Arrange for your religion to commit murders on your behalf

Research Level 1 Example Actions

• Access low level university resources
• Obtain copies of school records
• Identify experts in various fields
• Get performance grade computers at a discount (-1 Expense Dots for related purchases)
• Organize students to protest by handing out leaflets
• Access public helath centers (+3 to Healing)
• Get basic medical supplies (latex gloves, bio-hazard stickers, syringes)
• Fake vaccination records
• Get priority at the emergency room

Research Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local schools, hospitals, and clinics.
• Identify the dorm room for a particular student
• Acquire body parts from city morgue
• Block internet services for an individual/business
• Get a medical doctor to make a house call
• Get a medical doctor to refuse a house call
• Delete the record of an ambulance response to an emergency
• Coordinate small student protests
• Get a copy of a coroner's report

Research Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local schools, hospitals, and clinics.
• Obtain a full cadaver from city morgue
• Alter medical records or tests
• Cancel a college class for the semester
• Change final grades given for a class
• Expel students or have a faculty member placed under review
• Gain access to basic Biology or Chemistry labs
• Get a gunshot would treated at the hospital without the police being contacted
• Schedule unwilling patients for surgery

Research Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local schools, hospitals, and clinics.
• Completely erase or rewrite medical records
• Organize a student protest that stops classes for an entire day
• Discredit faculty members or their research papers
• Extend tenure to a particular faculty members
• Organize a team of graduate students to attempt a strange project for you
• Send campus police to an area, or bride them to stay away
• Grant or revoke an undergraduate degree
• Have someone institutionalized or released without cause
• Have a small area quarantined

Research Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local schools, hospitals, and clinics.
• Arrange an island wide protest about a particular event at the University
• Dismiss or hire high level officials
• Grant or revoke a masters degree
• Access high tech Biology or Chemistry labs
• Change campus or hospital policy

Society Level 1 Example Actions

• Obtain hard to get tickets for shows
• Access events that are invitation only
• Get a liquor or entertainment building permit
• Flood the island with entrainment event flyers
• Influence guest lists for events

Society Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local socialites.
• Track celebrities and luminaries (or any character with Fame)
• Influence local talent scouts to recognize an individuals efforts
• Get a private "sneak" viewing of a show
• Deny a liquor or entertainment building permit
• Get popular local acts to perform
• Investigate local private collections for pieces of art or antiques that are extremely rare (does not necessarily allow you to purchase item)

Society Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local socialites.
• Blacklist people from establishments
• Crush promising careers
• Get backstage passes to anything
• Have rich people ask you for trend advice
• Get nationally renowned acts to perform at events
• Rip off starving artists (gain 1 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)

Society Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local socialites.
• Achieve temporary minor celebrity status (gain Fame 1 for one month)
• Get VIP treatment anywhere, anytime
• Rip off talented artists (gain 2 Expense Dots to expire at the end of the month)
• Have an episode of a "Famous House Show" taped at any house/haven you have access to

Society Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local socialites.
• Appear on a talk show
• Ruin a high society gathering (club, gallery, festival, other)
• Host an annual must-attend event that all island celebrities will attend
• Arrange for the purchase of "concept" products
• Slander anybody to the local media in regards to their fashion
• Gain access to visiting celebrities

Street Level 1 Example Actions

• Identify gangs and know their turf
• Know a street doctor to help with minor health problems
• Get your car fixed cheap
• Know your way around homeless shelters
• Read graffiti and understand it
• Find an illegal card game or a small time drug transaction area

Street Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local gangs and street rats.
• Convince a homeless person to do minor tasks for you (spying etc.)
• Identify any illicit substance
• Know where a crooked pawn shop, chop shop, whorehouse, or illegal casino is located
• Access small time contraband/drugs

Street Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local gangs and street rats.
• Influence gang wars over territory
• Arrange for gangs to ignore their territory for one night
• Get a homeless guy to assault an individual or property for you
• Suggest that somebody is a rat
• Acquire unregistered hooligan tools or melee weapons that have to be returned by the end of the night

Street Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local gangs and street rats.
• Boast somebody's street cred for something they've done, whether they actually did it
• Mobilize an entire group of homeless people
• Get a gang to protect somebody for the night
• Get illegal ranged weapons that have to be returned before the end of the night

Street Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local gangs and street rats.
• Arrange a drive by shooting
• Arrange neighborhood wide protests and require Police involvement
• Initiate gang shootouts
• Get a homeless person to take the fall for anything
• Get somebody's car wired to explode when it is started
• Know the location of major drug houses
• Get a cop to bust somebody for anything

Underworld Level 1 Example Actions

• Arrange safe passage from mundane threats (police stops, sunlight)
• Gain membership in a union
• Create minor transportation problems (flashing lights, orange barrels, road blocks
• Find an escort that is not an undercover cop
• Learn about industrial projects and movements
• Borrow small construction equipment
• Recognize shipments that are unusual or unscheduled
• Get someone's car stolen and chopped (you must know where the car is parked for the day or night)

Underworld Level 2 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local unions and mafia. A private cab will always be available to you.
• Avoid being tracked while using private transportation (including leaving the docks)
• Sell stolen loot (can sell item for 1 expense dot below purchase cost)
• Orchestrate minor road construction and road detours
• Track an individual that uses public transportation
• Arrange for small "accidents" on construction sites
• Dip into union funds to embezzle petty cash (+1 Expense Dot to expire at the end of the month)
• Obtain serious contraband/hot goods on short notice

Underworld Level 3 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local unions and mafia. A private limo will always be available to you.
• Get large construction machinery for one night
• Arrange for a wise guy to visit somebody to rough them up
• Arrange major detours and road construction
• Avoid being tracked while using all types of transportation, or track an individual
• Encourage the opinion that an individual can or can't be trusted
• Organize a minor union strike

Underworld Level 4 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local unions and mafia. A private sunlight-proof armored car will always be available to you.
• Arrange for protection for one night (two union thug ghoul type individuals are available to you
• Close airports or the ferry between Maui and O'ahu for the night
• Get somebody removed from a union
• Get a haven/house/business burned down (must pass Break-In Difficulty)
• Initiate or stop an OSHA/EPA inspection
• Get a place immunized from organized crime

Underworld Level 5 Example Actions

• You are considered as having Status ●●●● for bonus dice purposes when dealing with the local unions and mafia. A private sunlight-proof armored car will always be available to you.
• Arrange for the purchase of "concept" products
• Get union thugs to blow something up without a record of it
• Identify undercover police informants
• Intercept small shipment of goods throughout the islands
• Get union thugs to kidnap somebody
• Trigger a dock inspection or allow shipments to skip customs