Archetype: The Heir - LunarNeil/Call-of-Cthulhu-Campaign GitHub Wiki

The Archetypal Heir is a sensible traditionalist, respectable within society and comfortable in their lifestyle. They would be normal in nearly every way if it had not been for an inheritance, where the burden of some terrible curse is laid upon them through no fault of their own. Now threatened with losing the respectability they have lived to attain the Heir is torn between two worlds, one of nature and one of society, and only they can save themselves.

The defining characteristic of an Heir Archetype is their cursed destiny. They mirror the archetypal journey of the Hero in many ways, being called to adventure by forces beyond their control and tested to the core of their being, but where a Hero gets a reward the Heir often gets eaten.

Their Archetypal struggle characterizes a battle for identity, usually between the social identity and the familial identity. They are usually forced to question their own values, and either turn their hatred upon themselves or learn to change their views. In literature the curse is often a source of shame, such as a parent who is a failure or a revelation an ancestor from a hated lineage. In this game it often manifests as literal cursed inheritance, such as a haunted mansion or a horrific mutation passed down through the generations.

Heirs are great Archetypes for players looking to play a real classic character of the genre. They are normally seen as victims and can be played for the challenge, but they also have lots of "stuff" to play around with, great roleplaying potential, and their curse can be a central plot element. If you can survive, an Heir may even master both of their elements and become an incredibly potent individual.