近在咫尺
——杰斯·哈特利
当我还是个孩子的时候，我和我的朋友们会在周六早上出发，直到天黑才回家。我们会骑着自行车穿过城镇，在废弃的空地上搭建树屋，或者在游乐场里闲逛。那会还没有手机，所以一旦我们离开了家长的视线（或者能叫喊我们的距离），我们就真正拥有了完全的自主权——至少在我们的父母找到我们之前是这样。
但现在，我是不会让自己的孩子在那个年龄有这样的自由了。我要知道他们在哪里，和谁在一起，在做什么。如果我不能知晓情况，那他们就得待在我确定他们能安全的地方。不是我不信任他们，我只是无法确定这世上其他地方的安全。我认识的大多数父母都有同感。让你的孩子像我们小时候那样四处游荡是不安全的。一般来说，现在的孩子都被栓在离家很近的地方，这样他们的父母就能确定他们是安全的。
不幸的是，并非所有的危险都能通过减少孩子们的游荡来避免。掠食者无处不在，让孩子们待在家里并不能阻止他们遇到那些可能会伤害到他们的人。这仅仅意味着，当他们真正遇到危险时，更可能是在那些他们被灌输为安全的区域。
当一个成年角色在黑暗世界中遭遇危险时，他很有可能并不在自己的那一亩三分地上。他可能会在夜总会偶遇吸血鬼，或在档案室工作时偶遇一位法师，但由于他通常的活动范围相当广泛，所以这些遭遇不太会发生在他家或者他家附近。如果他觉得自己有危险，他有一个安全的避风港可以回归。并且，如果情况急转直下，或是危险离家太近，他还有其他选择：换一套新公寓，换一份新工作，避开那个俱乐部，或者干脆搬到另一座城市。
但孩子们可没有这种奢侈。
如果你的整个世界被限制在12个街区以内，那么在你遇到可怕的事情时你便无处可逃。你并非在城里的夜总会里遇到那个吸血鬼；它就住在街对面那栋废弃房子的地下室里。你也不是在荒野中徒步旅行时遇到那个狼人；他就在你的后院，在你的花园小屋后对着月亮嚎叫，威胁着要吃掉你的狗狗。怪物并不在你上班路上经过的墓地里；他就在你的床底下。无处可逃。它们就在你熟悉的空间里，就在你的左右邻里，甚至就在你的家中。你对此无能为力。你只是个孩子。
你可以试着说服你的父母，有个毛茸茸的生物每夜都在抓挠你的窗户，想要冲进来啃掉你的脸。但十有八九你会被告知那只是风、只是树枝，或者只是你的妄想。很少有父母会认真对待孩子讲述的那些他们认定不可能是真的的事情，而不是粗略的查证一番，更不用说为了那些噩梦或是跳脱的想象而重新安家置业了。
但有时，孩子才是对的。
有时候壁橱里真的有东西。有时候冰淇淋车里的人并不是真的在卖冰淇淋。有时候街角的大宅里那个刻薄的老太太真的是个女巫。
但他对此无能为力。除非他亲自动手。我是说，他难道还有什么别的选择吗？只得如此。他知道它就在这里，他知道它是什么，他知道它做了什么。更糟的是，它知道他知道了。
也许他能找到证据，那些他父母无法否认或是忽视的东西。也许他能找到办法保护自己和他爱的人。也许，只是也许，如果他无路可退，他可以找到一种完全只靠自己，或者在那些还相信他的人——其他的孩子的帮助下，解决那一切的方法。
在纯真者中，对那些危险或未知的事物出现在你的安全区中的恐惧是个普遍的主题。在现实生活中，孩子们一直在应对这些问题，从他们父母无法解释的睡前怪响，到发现卧室的墙上有一只蜘蛛，再到新老师、新监护者，甚至是新的兄弟姐妹，在完全不由他们选择的情况下，几乎毫无预兆地强加给他们。许多玩家小时候都曾经历这些无处可逃的可怕的、威胁性的或者仅仅是讨厌的事物。
说书人可以利用玩家对这种侵入性恐怖的熟悉来构建游戏中的戏剧性紧张感。角色可以被置于这样的情景：他们深深恐惧而其他人并不相信的东西就存在于他们每天都去——且必须要去的地方。他们学校的庭院。他们的巴士站。他们的后院。他们的地下室。他们的衣柜。没人能真正逃离这种危险。它们必须被调查和处理，否则它们将一直停留在那里……并等待着你。在一度被视为安全区的地方发现敌人（或者至少是让人不舒服的意外），无论从字面上还是在比喻上，都会将危险带进家里。
更大的戏剧张力可以通过消除另一层安全，即成年人——角色习惯依赖以定义和提供安全的人——所带来的安全。这可以通过多种方式实现。将保护孩子的成年人从画面中移除，不仅可以确保角色将直接面对威胁，并且当他们的父母在本应在位时不知所踪、不接电话或者无法接近他们时，还会增添额外的忧虑和恐惧。允许孩子联系合适的成年人（包括父母、老师或警察），但在孩子和保护他们的人之间设置一层不信任感，将可以强化玩家角色必须自己应对威胁的意识。而反过来，当一个特定的区域或人被教育为安全，但实际上根本就不安全时，这一认知可能会导致角色不再信任他们生活中的成人权威。对施虐爱好的说书人而言，在儿童角色和成人之间建立一种爱与保护的关系，然后揭示他们的保护者实际上才是敌人，可以在纯真者游戏中构建出令人愉悦的情节转折。所有这些方法，无论单独一条还是相互组合，都可以让角色意识到，他们曾经依赖的东西必须被重新审视。这不仅能创造出一场激动人心的游戏，同时也能促进角色的自我认知与成长。
每当熟悉的事物变得充满危险时，戏剧性的紧张情绪就会飙升。通过在“安全”的地点设置纯真者角色将遇到的挑战、敌人和谜题，说书人可以建立戏剧性的紧张感，非常适合纯真者游戏的主题。
盟友（•至•••）效果：盟友是那些会时不时帮助你角色的人，包括其他孩子甚至是成年人。儿童盟友可以是学校里的朋友，社团或是球队的同好，甚至是街头帮派的成员。成人盟友则可能包括警察或社工、教师、神职人员，甚至是当地的犯罪分子。一个孩子甚至可以通过父母或是其他亲戚在一群大多数孩子通常都无法接触的人群中找到自己的盟友。如果你角色的叔叔是位德高望重的律师，那么与当地的律师协会搭上点关系也不是不可能的事情。每一组盟友都必须作为单独的优势购买：例如，你的角色可能有盟友（戏剧社）•和盟友（青少年服务中心）••，而它们都可以在角色创建时购买或者在游戏过程中通过经验值获取。这一优势中的点数表明你角色在该群体中参与或影响的深远程度。在1点的等级上，你的角色可以请求一些举手之劳的帮助，例如让老师给你一个额外的学分来提高你烂透了的成绩，或者在宵禁后被警察抓到时只吃上一个口头警告。两点等级上的恩惠则更加复杂一些；你的角色可以请求老师给予辅导课程的安排，来帮助他提高成绩，或者在回家时让安全而温暖舒适的警车捎你一程（当然不附赠手铐）。而当有了三个点后，你的角色可以获得相当可观的便利：老师可能会直接给你角色的成绩打上高分，因为“他知道你这门课学得不错”，警察可能会专门在你角色家附近安排一辆没有标记的车，监视那些可疑的人。
对盟友给出的帮助或是对他们的请求淫荡限定在他们的影响范围之内，就像上边提到的老师和警察的例子那样。显然，请求警察叔叔帮你修改分数不太现实。而虽然一个和你非常亲近的老师可能会愿意帮助你解决校外的麻烦，但她不会有警察那样的权威或资源。
说书人需要根据以下标准来评估每个求助的请求：它是简单的还是复杂的？容易的还是困难的？是否涉嫌违法？可以被追查到吗？有些因素的影响可能颇为不同，这取决于具体所讨论的盟友——一个罪犯可能对违法犯罪毫不在乎，但怯于暴露自己的形迹，而一个地方长官可能愿意为角色付出大量的时间和精力，只要那件事完全合乎法律与道德。在难以判断的情况下，说书人可以要求进行一个操纵+社交投骰，其修正值等于你在相应的盟友组上的点数。根据请求的重大程度，对投骰可能会有一定的罚值（从严重影响关系的-3到几乎破坏关系的-5）。而如果你的角色过于频繁地进行求助让他在圈子里被人嫌，也会受到相应的惩罚。
你的角色也可以召集盟友进行紧急支援。这种情况下，进行一个操纵+社交+盟友点数的投骰，其成功数将决定团体中有多少成员会提供帮助；例如，有多少戏剧社的社员愿意来帮助你的角色挂上走失爱犬的告示。
而虽然你和你的说书人可以一起详细的介绍团体中的成员，但你并不需要指定团体中的具体个别成员作为优势中所提到的盟友。不过，解释你角色和整个团体之间的关系是很重要的。可以是简单的“我的角色加入了戏剧社”，也可以是迂回的“我的角色被警察逮住了许多次，但他们看得出他是个好孩子”。
缺点：盟友是他们自己故事的主角——他们有自己的生活，并不总能在你角色需要他们的时候出现在他所期望他们出现的地方。此外，相帮需要互助；当你的盟友来寻求帮助时，过去给予你角色的帮助可能是个谈判的筹码。如果你的盟友是成年人，他们可能不会这么苛刻，但这样的关系就又有所不同了。成年人可能不会像其他孩子那样觉得帮助你是理所当然的，如果这种帮助可能会让他们陷入麻烦或是让他们显得可疑（可悲的是，一个成年人带着孩子出去鬼混看起来会相当可疑），他们可能会拒绝或是给角色的爸妈打电话。
劇透 - :
Allies (• to •••)
Effect: Allies are people — other kids or even adults — who will help your character out from time to time. Child Allies could be school friends, members of a club or sports team, or even a street gang. Adult Allies could include police or social workers, teachers, clergy, or even a local criminal enterprise. A child can even justify having Allies among a crowd most children do not normally have access to, through a parent or other relative. If your character’s uncle is a highly respected attorney, a small amount of pull with local lawyers is not out of the question. Each group of Allies must be purchased as a separate Merit with its own dots: for example, your character might have Allies (Drama Club) • and Allies •• (Children and Youth Services), both acquired separately at character creation or with experience points during play. Each dot in this Merit indicates the depth of your character’s involvement in or influence on that group. At one dot, your character can ask for small favors, like an extra credit assignment from a teacher to boost a shabby grade, or just a verbal warning from police for being caught out after curfew. Favors at two dots are a little more involved; your character can arrange tutoring sessions with a teacher to help his grade, or get a safe, warm lift home in a police cruiser (no cuffs). With three dots, your character can get pretty substantial favors: the teacher fudges your character’s grade upward because he knows “you know the material,” or police sit an unmarked car in front of your character’s house to watch for suspicious individuals.
The favors and requests made to Allies should fall within their spheres of influence, like the teacher and police examples made above. Obviously, asking a policeman to fix a grade isn’t likely to have the desired effect. And while a very involved teacher may be willing to help with situations outside school, she doesn’t have the authority or resources of the police.
The Storyteller needs to evaluate each request for help with the following criteria in mind: is it simple or complicated? Easy or difficult? Legal or questionable? Can it be traced? Some factors will matter more or less, depending on the Allies in question — a criminal might have no compunctions about breaking the law, but plenty about sticking out her neck, while a local minister might be willing to spend a great deal of time on an issue that is completely legally and morally on the level. In an unclear situation, the Storyteller can ask for a Manipulation + Socialize roll with a modifier equal to your dots in the appropriate Allies group. Penalties may apply to the roll based on the gravity of the favor (from -3 for a serious concern about the request, to a -5 for an almost deal-breaking concern). Penalties may also apply if your character asks for help too often and wears out his welcome with the group.
Your character can also call on Allies for immediate aid. In this case, successes on the Manipulation + Socialize + Allies roll determine how many members of the group show up to help; for example, how many Drama Club members come by to help your character hang up LOST DOG signs.
You do not need to designate individual members of a group as specifically being the Allies referred to in the Merit, although you and your Storyteller together can detail members of the group. It is important, however, to explain the connections between your character and the group as a whole. It can be as simple as “My character is in the Drama Club,” or as roundabout as “My character has been picked up by the police a lot, but they can tell he’s basically a good kid.”
Drawback: Allies are characters in their own stories — they have their own lives to live, and they won’t always be right where your character wants them, when he wants them. Also, favors are barter; a favor granted to your character may be a bargaining chip when your ally comes to ask for help in return. If your Allies are adults, they might not be so demanding, but then the relationship is different. The adults probably won’t take as much for granted as other kids would, and if the favor is liable to land them in trouble or make them look suspicious (and, sadly, an adult slipping off with a child can look suspicious), they might well decline or call the character’s parents.
：联系人会为你的角色提供信息——街上的流言或校园里的蜚语。这个优势中的每个点代表一个信息区域；例如，联系人•••可以覆盖当地酒吧的活动、教师办公室的闲言碎语和区消防站的流言。孩子可以利用这一优势代表父母或监护人的信息来源，孩子可以通过偷听他们聊电话、阅读不该读的论文或仔细地问他们今天的工作情况来获取这些信息。联系人可以包括那些喜欢和你角色聊天的特定人物，但是更多的时候，你的角色所认识的这一大群熟人没有熟到可以向他们提出问题。联系人只适用于收集信息——其他帮助是其他优势的范畴。
获取信息需要一个成功的操纵+社交骰询问周围的人。（ST可能会允许一个操纵+胁迫骰，甚至是一个感知或敏捷+隐匿骰来提出引导性问题、偷听对话、或搜索公文包。）如果信息鲜为人知（-1到-3），机密（-3），或者分享它可能会给某人带来麻烦或伤害（-3到-5），则对该检定进行惩罚。
不过即使是成功的检定也不能保证你的角色的联系人有所需的信息。如果他们没有这些信息，他们就不能分享——但如果可以的话，他们会的！任何一个联系人或一组联系人所知道的信息总是由ST自行决定的。
检定结果：戏剧性失败：你的角色的联系人隐瞒了一条重要的信息，或者提供了完全错误的信息（不管是无意的还是故意的）。
失败：没有你需要的信息。
成功：你的一个角色的联系人提供了所需的信息，或其他同样有用的东西。
大成功：你的角色的联系人是个万事通，分享给你的角色没有想过去问但会感兴趣的项目。
建议装备：一份合适的礼物，比如一张想要的集换式卡牌、一把鲜花或一罐苏打水（+1到+2）；青睐与你（+1到+3）
可能的惩罚：粗鲁的行为（-1），频繁或重复的请求（-1到-2）
劇透 - :
Contacts (• to •••)
Effect: Contacts provide your character with information — the word on the street or the gossip in the schoolyard. Each dot in this Merit represents one area of information; for example, Contacts ••• can cover goings-on at local bars, teachers’ lounge gossip and the scuttlebutt at the firehouse. A child may take this Merit to represent a parent’s or guardian’s information sources, to which the child can gain access by listening in on phone conversations, reading papers he shouldn’t, or carefully asking questions about how a day was at work. Contacts can include specific individuals who like to dish with your character, but more often, it is a large group of acquaintances your character knows just barely well enough to pose a question to. Contacts only applies to gathering information — favors and other help are the purview of other Merits.
Getting information requires a successful Manipulation + Socialize roll when asking around. (The Storyteller may instead allow a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll or even a Dexterity or Wits + Stealth roll to ask leading questions, listen in on conversations, or search a briefcase.) Penalties on the roll apply if the information is little known (-1 to -3), confidential (-3), or if sharing it could get someone in trouble or hurt (-3 to -5).
Even success on the roll doesn’t guarantee that your character’s Contacts have the desired information. If they don’t have the information, they can’t share it — but they would if they could! The information known by any single contact or set of Contacts is always at the Storyteller’s discretion.
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: Your character’s informant holds back an important piece of information, or gives completely false information (either unknowingly or on purpose).
Failure: Your character’s queries turn up no information.
Success: One of your character’s contacts provides the sought-for information, or something just as helpful.
Exceptional Success: Your character’s contact is a font of information, sharing items of interest your character wouldn’t have even thought to inquire about.
Suggested Equipment: An appropriate gift, like a desired trading card; a fistful of flowers, or can of soda (+1 to +2); an outstanding favor (+1 to +3)
Possible Penalties: Rude behavior (-1), frequent or repeated requests (-1 to -2)
：最新款的鞋子，最新发布的电子游戏，一辆闪亮而装饰精美的自行车——不是所有的孩子都有这些所有孩子们都喜欢的东西，但你有。你的父母或监护人可能非常富有，以至于他们根本注意不到在孩子身上花了多少钱，或者他们既能时常捞到外快又溺爱于孩子。不管“财务经理”怎么做，你的角色总是有时髦的衣服和必要的玩具来保持在邻里间的形象。
此外，每章节一次，你的角色可以向掌管钱袋的父母或监护人提出一个奇怪的要求。为了让他们同意，做一个操控+掩饰或社交的检定（当你购买这个优势时，你必须选择使用掩饰或社交，这取决于你的角色与他的父母或监护人的关系，然后坚持下去）。成功意味着你的角色得到了想要的物品。该物品的费用或其性质可能会对骰数产生罚值。一款电子游戏，一个金属探测器，一台双向收音机，甚至附近商店的一张100美元礼品卡，这些合情合理的，或者至少是你父母可以预期的，都是合理的要求，不会产生任何罚值。一辆昂贵的自行车、一台新电脑（呃，为了家庭作业）、或者一把气枪，可能会让人有点吃惊（罚值1~3）。真正古怪或危险的请求——比如说，对于全地形车、游泳池或真枪——可能会被处以最高-5的罚值。你的角色可以通过在父母身上播下渴望的种子（例如心心念念地提到想要的东西，或者在冰箱上贴上从杂志上剪下的图片）来获得投骰上的+1调整值，但如此做会令你在一段时间内失去任何来自财大气粗的好处。玩家每牺牲财大气粗优势在一个章节中的使用，就会获得+1调整值，最高+5。
缺点：给你的东西可以被拿回去。如果你的角色没有珍惜她的玩具（全地形车被弄坏了，或者气枪被拿去射杀邻居的狗），她可能会发现她不再能得到她想要的东西——她暂时或永久地失去了这个优势。
劇透 - :
Deep Pockets (••)
Effect: The latest style in shoes, a newly released video game, a shiny, tricked-out bike — things all kids would love to have. Not all kids get them, but you do. Your parents or guardians may be so stinking rich that they don’t notice the money spent on your kid stuff, or they may have some other combination of monetary resources and parenting permissiveness. However the “financial managers” work it out, your character always has the stylish duds and required toys to keep up appearances in the neighborhood.
In addition, once per chapter, your character may make an outlandish request of the parent or guardian who holds the purse strings. To get them to accede, make a Manipulation + Subterfuge or Socialize roll (when purchasing this Merit, you must choose to use Subterfuge or Socialize, depending on your character’s relationship with her parents or guardians, and then stick with it). Success means your character gets the desired item. The expense of the item, or its nature, may impose a penalty on the roll. A video game, a metal detector, a set of two-way radios, even a $100 gift card to a nearby store are reasonable, or at least expected, requests and incur no penalty.
An expensive bike, a new computer (for schoolwork, of course), or a pellet gun might raise eyebrows a bit (for a -1 to -3 penalty). Truly outlandish or dangerous requests — say, for an all-terrain vehicle, a swimming pool, or a real gun — might garner a penalty up to -5. Your character can gain a bonus on a roll by planting the seed of a desire with the parent (wistful mentions of the desired item, or pictures cut from magazines stuck to the fridge), but forgoing any Deep Pockets roll for a while. For each chapter in which the player sacrifices his use of the Deep Pockets Merit, he gains a +1 modifier, up to a maximum +5.
Drawback: What is given can be taken away. If your character does not take proper care of her toys (the ATV is wrecked, or the pellet gun is used to shoot the neighbor’s dog), she may find that she no longer gets what she wants — she loses access to this Merit temporarily, or permanently.
：崇拜名人的对象甚至包括儿童。名气意味着认可，可以用网站点击量和你角色专栏的长度来衡量。如果你的角色是个童星，是个当地小联盟的投手，或是一个从着火房子中救出家人的英雄，那么这个名声可能是正面的。但肮脏的负面关注在名利场中也有其作用。也许你的角色是从有线电视直播里一个邪教建筑腾起浓烟的废墟中被找出来的，或者是在一次万众瞩目的绑架案庭审中出席作证过。最中性的名气则来自于知名的父母。大多数儿童角色，除了少数全国知名的演员或是歌星外，至多在这个优势中拥有1到2点。
名气优势上的每个点数都会为在对这些事情印象深刻的人的社交投骰中提供+1修正。
缺点：名气确实会引来疯狂。名人经常会被跟踪，其中有想要给他们拍照的人，当然也有些不那么有道德的人。
监护人（•或•••）效果：在日常生活中，有人对你角色的人身安全负责。这个照看者会陪伴你的角色到任何地方去——上下学、购物、野餐，甚至去博物馆看木乃伊；除非是在家周围。1点的监护人可能是保姆、工读生（au pair）或是家庭教师。3点的监护人则是受过贴身安保训练的职业保镖，他们甚至可能身穿防弹衣腰挎枪支。显然一个典型的保姆或是家庭教师不会受过多少保护孩子人身安全的训练，但毫无疑问，一个有人陪着的孩子要比一个独自游荡的孩子安全得多。
注意：父母和其他亲属可能有资格用于这一优势。作为监护人的全职妈妈和没有此职能的全职妈妈区别主要在于，前者会预设自己的孩子处于危险之中或是会惹上麻烦。而大多数父母，无论对错，都不会觉得自己的孩子整日处于危险之中。
缺点：你角色的行动受到监护人许可的限制。你可以甩开监护人去找乐子，但这并不容易，尤其是当监护人受过战术训练（或者你的角色出了名的滑溜和淘气）。但至少当你的角色消失时，有人会知道他失踪了。
劇透 - :
Guardian (• or •••)
Effect: Someone is personally responsible for your character’s physical safety on a day-to-day basis. This custodian accompanies your character everywhere — to and from school, on shopping trips and picnic outings, even to check out the mummies in the museum; everywhere but around the house. A one-dot Guardian may be a nanny, au pair or tutor. A three-dot Guardian is a bodyguard, someone trained in close personal protection, who may even carry a gun and wear body armor. Obviously, a typical nanny or tutor isn’t trained to physically protect a child, but without a doubt, an accompanied child is much safer than one wandering around alone. Note: parents and other relatives may qualify for this Merit. The difference between a stay-at-home mom who is a Guardian and one who isn’t is that the former expects her child to not be safe, and/or to cause trouble. Most parents, rightly or wrongly, expect that their children not be in danger every day.
Drawback: Your character’s actions are limited by what the Guardian will allow. It is possible to ditch the Guardian to have a little fun, but it won’t be easy, especially if the Guardian has tactical training (or your character has a reputation for escapes and escapades). But at least if your character disappears, somebody knows he’s missing.
：一个奇异的存在守护着你的角色，保护她不受伤害——或者看上去是那样。她经历艰难险境却不会受到任何真正的伤害。而当一个选择可能引发糟糕的事情时，它总是提示正确的方向。也可能你的角色只是运气好而已。
对于守护天使优势你有两种选择。
你可以选择指定什么样的存在来保护你的角色，赋予它特质和具体明确的能力，并让ST在游戏中控制它。这种生物可能是鬼魂或精魂（p.199），或某种超自然生物——甚至可能是吸血鬼、狼人或法师。本书附录提供了一些关于这些生物的基本信息。以这种方式把守护天使塑造成一个角色意味着它能做什么和不能做什么是非常明确的，但这也意味着天使是会死的。“天使”应该在很多时候仍然是看不见的，只是间接地出现和帮助角色。
第二种选择是角色似乎总是交好运。这里的“守护天使”是一种隐喻，而非一个实际的、有知觉的生物。在每个章节前，玩家进行决心+沉着投骰，将成功数乘以2。并将其结果作为在这一章中可以在任何检定上使用的奖励骰的数量。奖励骰可以被应用到与受保护角色直接对立的角色身上作为惩罚。每个奖励骰只能使用一次。
范例：爱丽丝拥有守护天使优势。在这场团开始之前，她的玩家进行决心+沉着投骰并获得了3个成功数。因此她在这一章节中有了6个奖励骰数。在团中，爱丽丝最后从她的一位老师身边逃离，那位老师原来并非他所表现出的那样。为躲避老师，她的玩家使用了3个奖励骰。而后说书人拿起一些骰子让追踪者进行机智+沉着投骰，但爱丽丝的玩家并不喜欢她所看到追踪者骰池的大小，于是将守护天使的剩余三个奖励骰用来作为对说书人投骰的惩罚。投骰最终失败，因此爱丽丝仍然成功隐藏着，但她已经耗尽了她的天使在这一章节中的影响力。
劇透 - :
Guardian Angel (••••)
Effect: A strange presence watches over your character, keeping her safe from harm — or so it seems. She gets into and out of serious scrapes without any real harm. When a bad situation could go either way, it always tips just right. Your character may just be lucky. You have two options for the Guardian Angel Merit. You might decide to specify what exactly the presence is that protects your character, give it traits and fully defined capabilities, and have the Storyteller control it during the game.
The creature might be ghost or spirit (see p. 199), or a supernatural creature of some kind — perhaps even a vampire, werewolf or mage. The Appendix to this book gives some basic information on such creatures. Making the Guardian Angel into a character this way means that what it can and can’t do is very well defined, but it also means that the Angel can die. The Angel should still be invisible much of the time, only appearing and helping the character indirectly.
The second option is that the character just seems to get all the breaks. The “Guardian Angel” here is metaphorical, rather than being an actual, sentient creature.
Before every chapter, the player rolls Resolve + Composure. Multiply the successes by two. The result is the number of bonus dice that can be used on any roll during that chapter. The dice can, instead, be applied to characters acting in direct opposition to the protected character as penalties. Each die can be used only once.
Example: Alice has the Guardian Angel Merit. Before the session starts, her player rolls Resolve + Composure and gets three successes. She therefore has six bonus dice for this chapter. During the session, Alice winds up running away from one of her teachers, a man who turns out to be something other than he appears. She hides from the teacher, and her player applies three of the bonus dice. The Storyteller picks up some dice to roll Wits + Composure for the stalker, and Alice’s player, not liking the size of the dice pool she’s seeing, applies the other three dice from her Guardian Angel as a penalty to the Storyteller’s roll. The roll fails, so Alice is still hidden —but she’s used up her Angel’s influence for the chapter.
：风度•••
效果：你的角色可以号召其他孩子行动。尽管她的演讲中充斥着漫画角色和流行电影，但不管前方有什么，她的演讲都能鼓舞目标听众的精神，提振他们的勇气。
在每一章节中，你可以为你的角色进行一次风度+社交投骰。如果投骰成功，所有在听的孩子——以及那些打算帮助或附和提议的孩子——都将重新获得1个已消耗的意志力点数（不会超过他们的意志力上限）。你的角色不能将这个优势用于自己。
导师（•至•••••）效果：导师为你的角色提供支持与建议，以及富有经验与智慧的谆谆教诲。
对于一个幸运的孩子来说，可能的导师有很多：父母、祖父母或其他家庭成员；一位老师；一位社工；一位神职人员；一位体育教练；甚至是一个来自职业教导组的人。对于一个弱势群体背景的孩子来说，潜在的导师人选可能没那么多，但仍然可以找到。导师可以利用自己的资产、影响力或能力来帮助你的角色，但她也会坚持让自己的门生在其中学到一些东西。导师不一定是无私的，也不一定会有无穷无尽的耐心——一个乖戾、懒惰或没有积极性的学生可能会发现自己不会有导师。
一个导师总是按照她认为能给门徒最大利益的方式行事。导师的看法和行动都是由说书人来决定的。这意味着在某些情况下，依赖导师并向她寻求帮助可能不会得到孩子所想要的结果。例如，当孩子真正想的是搞清楚那个藏在孩子家附近的陌生人到底是什么人时，导师可能会直接报警。说书人也可能会基于导师的建议来引导你的角色进入新的故事情节，或是推动那些陷入僵局的角色。
在这个优势中购买的点数决定了你角色导师的影响力、知识与经验。一点代表这位导师在你角色感兴趣的领域具备一项或多项专业技能，并伴随着一些实践经验（例如，一位曾经在大学打棒球的棒球教练）。两点代表这位导师在该领域具备广泛的技能和专长，并有着丰富的经验（他是一个当地小联盟的教练，对当地的体育赞助商具备一定的影响力）。三点代表着一位领域更为广泛、经验更为丰富、影响力更大的导师（我们的教练现在已经带着他的青年队赢得了州冠军，拥有一家汽车经销店，并慷慨地捐助慈善与政治活动）。四点会给你的导师带来巨大的影响（这位教练会关注那些大联盟的球队，并戟指那些著名教练的位置）。最后，五点的导师会是他专业领域的领军人物，在该领域和其他领域都具备着巨大的影响力。（你角色的教练是个棒球巨星或是极为成功的教练，他经营着一个慈善基金会，拥有自己的汽车经销店，是个励志演说家，同时仍有时间在自家后院打棒球）。棒球教练、学校老师和其他社区性的人员不太可能成为一个五点的导师，但他们可能会为依赖他们的孩子提供急需的指导。最有影响力的导师可能会是那些在国家或国际层面（甚至完全超越这种局限性的层面）行使权力的人，他们也会有自己的少年门徒。但，有几个这样高高在上的人有时间来和孩子打交道呢？
你角色的导师可能要求完成一些任务（有些任务很无聊，例如坚持练钢琴，有些任务则可能引发伟大的冒险），但她不太可能会要求角色为她的帮助给出回报。但索要额外的特权（例如加入先发真容，或是不在被禁足）就完全是另一码事了。
劇透 - :
Mentor (• to •••••)
Effect: A Mentor provides your character with support and advice, and a voice of experience and wisdom.
For a lucky child, possible mentor figures abound: a parent, grandparent or other family member; a teacher; a social worker; a religious figure; a sports coach; or even someone from a mentoring organization. For a child from a more disadvantaged background, potential mentors may not be so thick on the ground, but they can still be found. A mentor can use her own assets, influence or abilities to help your character, but she will also insist that her protégé learn something along the way. Mentors are not necessarily selfless and endlessly patient, either — a surly, lazy or unwilling pupil might find himself without an instructor.
A mentor always acts in what she perceives to be her protégé’s best interest. Both the mentor’s perception and actions are determined by the Storyteller. This means that in some situations, depending on the mentor, going to her for help may not have the results the child wants. For instance, a mentor may report to the police a stranger habitually lurking outside her charge’s house, when the child really wanted help figuring out just what that lurking stranger is. The Storyteller may also employ advice given by a mentor to guide your character into a new storyline, or to nudge one that has stalled.
The number of dots purchased in this Merit determines the influence, knowledge and experience of your character’s Mentor. One dot represents a Mentor with one or more specialized Skills in an area of interest shared with your character, and some life experience to go with it (for example, a baseball coach who played some college ball back in the day). Two dots represents a Mentor with a wide range of Skills and abilities and significant experience in that area of interest (here, a coach who played for a minor league team, and has some pull with local sports fundraisers). Three dots represents a Mentor with an even broader reach, years of experience and accrued influence (our coach has now led his young teams to state championships, owns a car dealership, and has donated generously to political and charitable fundraisers). Four dots adds major influence to your character’s Mentor (Coach scouts for major league teams on the side, and keeps his fingers in a whole handful of high-profile dugouts). And finally, a fivedot Mentor is a leading figure in his area of expertise and has vast influence in that area and many others. (Your character’s coach is an active baseball star or successful coach who runs a charitable foundation, owns a car dealership, works as a motivational speaker and still finds the time to throw the ball around in the backyard.) Baseball coaches, schoolteachers and other neighborhood types are not likely to be five-dot Mentors, though they provide much-needed guidance to the kids who rely on them. The most powerful mentors are likely to be individuals who wield power on a national or international level (or on a level that transcends such boundaries), who are also related to their child protégés. After all, how many such high and mighty types have time to deal with a child?
Your character’s Mentor may have tasks that she requires be completed (some boring, like keeping up with piano practice, or some that may lead to great adventures), but it is highly unlikely that she will demand quid pro quo for her assistance. The earning of extra privileges (like joining the starting lineup, or not being grounded anymore) is another matter entirely.
：修剪草坪、清扫落叶、照看宝宝——这些都是那些想挣零花钱的孩子们由来已久的工作。在一些地区则还有其他类型的工作，诸如铲雪或是挖掘虫饵。甚至还有一些合法性存疑的工作，诸如为赌徒跑腿或是给帮派放哨。无论你角色选择了什么样的工作，他都能从中获利。他口袋里总会有10到20美元可花。这笔钱是他的，他爱怎么花就怎么花，不用征求任何人的同意。当然，如果你的角色不消耗时间来干活，他就拿不到钱。
宠物（•或•••）效果：你的角色饲养了某种宠物：一只狗、一只猫、一匹马、一只仓鼠、一条蛇，或者几乎任何可以被赋予可爱名字的小动物。宠物是孩子生活中非常重要的一部分。不管成绩单上的分数是多少，或者家里的衣服有多破旧，一只能被给予基本食物与照料的宠物总是会带来陪伴与爱。一个孩子可以把那些她从来不敢告诉任何人——即便是她信任的父母或朋友——的事情告诉宠物，希望、恐惧、梦想和烦恼都可以安全地流进宠物的耳朵里。
这种难以衡量的友谊（judgment-free friendship）是1点优势宠物能带来的唯一好处。消耗15分钟时间来和宠物玩耍或照顾宠物可以让你的角色在下一次堕落投骰中获得+1修正值；她知道无论发生什么事，总会有谁爱她、听她的。此修正将持续到进行堕落投骰或到角色入睡，以先发生者为准。当你的角色进行堕落投骰时，他可以不去睡觉先回到宠物那里寻求安慰（并获得+1修正值）。
一个3点优势的宠物和一个1点优势的宠物提供着同样的爱与感情，因此在堕落投骰中具备着相同的奖励值。但在这个级别的投入上，角色和宠物之间的关系是不同的。宠物将忠心耿耿，即使面对的是恐怖的威胁或是可怕的猛兽。你角色的宠物将与她同甘共苦。如果可能找到救援，宠物会跑去寻求帮助。而如果无路可退，宠物会心甘情愿为保护你的角色而赴死。
宠物的类型和体型在决定该优势需要多少点数时无关紧要。狗可以是1点或3点的宠物——1点的狗会在危险出现时转身逃跑，而3点的忠犬会拦在危险与孩子之间。当然，豚鼠、鱼或是它们的同类将会是非常糟糕的保护者，应当降低等级处理。你的角色可以使用动物沟通来教授她的宠物技巧，使用正常的方式。在所有用于训练宠物、理解宠物身体语言或是与它沟通的动物沟通投骰获得+2修正值。一个3点的宠物可以自由地学习“守卫”和“跟上”的命令，你的角色仍需要训练它们，但这两个命令不会影响动物所知的其他技巧。
缺点：这是来自父母的讲座：饲养宠物是个重要的职责。你必须喂养宠物，带它散步（或者清理它的猫砂盆、笼子或水箱），给它梳洗，并表现出关心和爱。一只被虐待的宠物不会带来任何好处——一只被踹的太远的宠物甚至可能反过来攻击它的主人。而宠物的死亡则是件悲伤而无可奈何的事。它们会变老，它们会走失，或者可能会因为各种原因提前悲惨地死去。
一个孩子可能会因为失去一只1点优势宠物而悲伤，但幸运的是，这样的宠物在某种程度上是可以替换的。一条鱼死了，被换了下去，几周之后，新的它的主人就像爱它的前任那样爱它。在一个月的故事时间之后，失去的1点优势宠物的好处可以由它的替代者来提供。但失去一个3点优势宠物就是另一回事了。孩子和宠物之间的这种联系是独一无二的，如果宠物死亡，玩家必须为角色进行一个爆发投骰。随着时间的推移，孩子最终可能会用另一个动物伙伴来替代她失去的朋友，这将提供1点优势宠物的好处。在说书人的判断下，这个宠物（如果种类合适的话）最终可能会提高到3点优势级别。
劇透 - :
Pet (• or •••)
Effect: Your character keeps a pet of some kind: a dog, a cat, a horse, a hamster, a snake, or practically any kind of animal that can be given a cute name. A pet can be a very important part of a child’s life. No matter what grades are on the report card, or how shabby the family’s clothes are, a pet given just the basics of food and care will always provide companionship and love. A kid can tell things to a pet that she would never dare tell a person, even a trusted parent or friend — hopes, fears and dreams and troubles all go safely into a pet’s ear.
This judgment-free friendship is the sole contribution of a one-dot Pet. Spending 15 minutes playing with or caring for a pet gives your character a +1 modifier on her next degeneration roll; she knows there is always someone who will love her and listen to her, no matter what has happened. This bonus lasts until a degeneration roll is made, or until the character sleeps, whichever comes first. When your character has made a degeneration roll, she may go back to her pet for solace (and refresh her +1 modifier) without having to sleep first.
A three-dot Pet provides the same love and affection as a one-dot Pet, and therefore the same bonus on degeneration rolls. There is, however, a different bond between a character and a pet at this level of investment. The pet is fiercely loyal, even in the face of terrible danger or a terrifying creature. Your character’s pet will remain with her through thick and thin. If rescue is possible, the pet will run for help. If there is nowhere left to run, the pet will gladly die protecting your character.
The type or size of pet does not matter when determining how many points this Merit will cost. A dog can be a one or three-dot Pet — a one-dot dog will turn tail and run when danger appears, whereas a three-dot dog will interpose itself between danger and child. Admittedly, guinea pigs, fish and their ilk are lousy protectors and should be relegated to the lower rank. Your character can teach her pet tricks with Animal Ken, using the normal method. All Animal Ken rolls for training the pet, understanding its body language or communicating a need to it are made with a +2 modifier. A three-dot Pet learns the “guard” and “heel” commands for free — your character must still train the pet, but these two commands do not count against the animal’s known tricks.
Drawbacks: Here begins the parental lecture: having a pet is a big responsibility. A pet must be fed, taken on walks (or have its litter box or cage or tank cleaned), groomed, and shown attention and love. An abused or mistreated pet provides no benefits — an animal pushed far enough may even attack its owner. It is a sad fact of life that pets die. They grow old, they get lost, or they may die tragic deaths before their time.
The loss of a one-dot Pet may grieve a child, but such pets are, blessedly, somewhat interchangeable. A fish dies, is replaced, and a few weeks later its owner loves it as much as its predecessor. After a month of story time, the benefits of the lost one-dot Pet can be provided by its replacement. The loss of a three-dot Pet is another matter. This bond between child and pet is unique, and if such a pet dies, the player must make a trigger roll for the character (see p. 82). The child may, in time, replace her lost friend with another animal companion that will provide the benefits of a one-dot Pet. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this pet (if it is of an appropriate species), can eventually rise to the three-dot level.
：在任意社交属性上••••
效果：你的角色是天生的神童，在很小的年纪就掌握了这个年纪不太可能掌握的社交礼仪或是某一领域的艺术。从社交类别中选择一项技能。你的角色在这个技能上的等级将可以超过儿童角色的上限（见第47页）。你仍然必须在创建角色时支付技能所需的全部点数，或者在那之后使用经验值。技能应该与特定的社交属性有关。例如，动物交流可能源于风度（动物们非常喜欢你的橘色），操纵（你的角色可以让动物做他想要的事情）或沉着（你角色镇定自若的冷静态度让动物安心）。ST对所选的天才及其先决条件有最终决定权。只在创建角色时可以选择。
动人外貌（••）效果：你角色的容貌极为动人，即便它尚属稚嫩。大人们有时会说些诸如“这家伙长大了后得当心”的话，或者有时干脆会为了乐子而默许他的请求。在可以展现外貌的场合，你的角色可以在风度或是操纵投骰上获得+1的修正——显然，这在打电话时是无效的。
缺点：你角色的脸令人难忘。你无法简单地遁入人群之中。同时，它可能会引起掠食者——人类或别的更糟糕的东西的注意。
团队型玩家（••）效果：你的角色知道如何在团队中和其他的孩子一起工作——何时应该放权，何时应当领导，何时要参与并完成工作。她也知道如何去鼓励他人合作，至少在短时间内让乱糟糟的一群孩子保持条理和效率。
在每一章节，你可以为你的角色进行一个风度：共情投骰。如果成功，团队中的所有儿童角色在此场景中的所有团队协作投骰中获得+1修正。这既适用于主要成员也适用于次要成员。如果团队中不止一个角色在同一场景中成功使用该优势，那么奖励修正将会累计（2个角色则+2，3个角色则+3，以此类推）。更多有关团队协作的信息参见第127页。
