**MARA:**

“If it saved them… why would taking it be wrong?”

**CHIBI:**

“Because it’s dangerous.”

**MARA:**

“That isn’t an answer.”

**CHIBI:**

“It usually is.”

**MARA:**

“No.”

She puts a small card on the floor between them.

**BLOOD.**

**MARA:**

“You’re a hunter.”

**CHIBI:**

“Do I get a hat?”

**MARA:**

“No.”

**CHIBI:**

“Bad start.”

**MARA:**

“A vampire is coming.”

**CHIBI:**

“Worse.”

**MARA:**

“Your friends are trapped inside.”

Chibi stops smiling.

**MARA:**

“You’re too weak to get them out.”

She holds up an imaginary vial.

**MARA:**

“But this makes you stronger.”

**CHIBI:**

“Vampire blood.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“I know it might change me?”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“I know I might want more?”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“And if I don’t drink it…”

**MARA:**

“They die.”

Chibi stares at the pretend vial.

**CHIBI:**

“I drink it.”

**MARA:**

“So do I.”

A pause.

**CHIBI:**

“That was too easy.”

**MARA:**

“Exactly.”

—

Chibi picks up another card.

**GLAMOUR.**

**CHIBI:**

“Your turn.”

**MARA:**

“I’m a Changeling.”

**CHIBI:**

“You need Glamour.”

**MARA:**

“Now.”

**CHIBI:**

“Not tomorrow.”

**MARA:**

“And there’s a Dreamer nearby.”

**CHIBI:**

“You can Ravage them.”

Mara looks at the card.

**MARA:**

“And hurt them.”

**CHIBI:**

“Yes.”

**MARA:**

“Take some of what makes them creative.”

**CHIBI:**

“Yes.”

**MARA:**

“Then no.”

**CHIBI:**

“What if ten other people die if you don’t?”

Mara looks at him.

**MARA:**

“That’s cheating.”

**CHIBI:**

“You did it first.”

She sighs.

**MARA:**

“Fine.”

A long silence.

**MARA:**

“I don’t know.”

**CHIBI:**

“That’s worse than no.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

—

Mara picks up the next card.

**SPIRIT.**

**MARA:**

“You’re Garou.”

**CHIBI:**

“Of course I am.”

**MARA:**

“The caern is falling.”

**CHIBI:**

“Of course it is.”

**MARA:**

“Your pack is losing.”

**CHIBI:**

“Wonderful.”

**MARA:**

“And something connected to the Wyrm offers you enough power to win.”

**CHIBI:**

“No.”

**MARA:**

“Your pack dies.”

**CHIBI:**

“No.”

**MARA:**

“The caern is destroyed.”

**CHIBI:**

“No.”

**MARA:**

“The spirits are corrupted.”

Chibi looks at her.

**CHIBI:**

“Mara.”

**MARA:**

“Do you still say no?”

He hesitates.

**CHIBI:**

“Maybe.”

**MARA:**

“There.”

**CHIBI:**

“What?”

**MARA:**

“That’s the point.”

—

She places another card down.

**SHADOW.**

**MARA:**

“You’re a Wraith.”

**CHIBI:**

“Someone I love is in danger.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“And I need one more die.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“The Shadow offers it.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“I take it.”

**MARA:**

“And it works.”

**CHIBI:**

“Good.”

**MARA:**

“No Catharsis.”

**CHIBI:**

“Good.”

**MARA:**

“No disaster.”

**CHIBI:**

“Good.”

**MARA:**

“The person is safe.”

**CHIBI:**

“Very good.”

Mara looks at him.

**MARA:**

“So what did you learn?”

Chibi starts to answer.

Then stops.

**CHIBI:**

“That the Shadow helps.”

**MARA:**

“Exactly.”

**CHIBI:**

“Oh.”

**MARA:**

“The first time doesn’t teach you a lie.”

**CHIBI:**

“It teaches you something true.”

**MARA:**

“The power works.”

**CHIBI:**

“That’s horrible.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

—

Chibi looks at all the cards.

**CHIBI:**

“So forbidden power doesn’t need to trick you.”

**MARA:**

“No.”

**CHIBI:**

“It can tell the truth.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“‘Drink this and become stronger.’”

**MARA:**

“True.”

**CHIBI:**

“‘Take this Glamour and survive.’”

**MARA:**

“True.”

**CHIBI:**

“‘Accept my help and succeed.’”

**MARA:**

“True.”

**CHIBI:**

“‘Use this power and win.’”

**MARA:**

“Maybe true.”

**CHIBI:**

“Then what is the lie?”

Mara looks at the black candle beside them.

**MARA:**

“‘You’ll still be exactly the same afterward.’”

Chibi goes quiet.

—

He picks up one last card.

**LIFE.**

**CHIBI:**

“Risen.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“I already know my answer.”

**MARA:**

“What is it?”

**CHIBI:**

“If someone I love needs me…”

He looks down.

**CHIBI:**

“…I come back.”

**MARA:**

“Even if the Shadow comes with you?”

**CHIBI:**

“Yes.”

**MARA:**

“Even if you know it may change you?”

**CHIBI:**

“Yes.”

**MARA:**

“Even if anger becomes easier than love?”

Chibi hesitates.

Then:

**CHIBI:**

“Yes.”

Mara nods slowly.

**MARA:**

“Me too.”

—

They both look uncomfortable.

**CHIBI:**

“So we’re bad?”

**MARA:**

“No.”

**CHIBI:**

“How do you know?”

**MARA:**

“I don’t.”

Chibi frowns.

**MARA:**

“Maybe taking the shortcut once really can be the right choice.”

**CHIBI:**

“What?”

**MARA:**

“If the blood saves your friends…”

**CHIBI:**

“Yes?”

**MARA:**

“…maybe drinking it was right.”

**CHIBI:**

“If coming back saves your child…”

**MARA:**

“Maybe coming back was right.”

**CHIBI:**

“If taking the Shadow’s die saves someone…”

**MARA:**

“Maybe taking it was right.”

**CHIBI:**

“Then when does it become wrong?”

Mara looks at the cards.

**MARA:**

“Maybe there isn’t one clear moment.”

**CHIBI:**

“That’s terrible.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

—

She arranges the cards in a line.

**MARA:**

“The first time, you do it to save someone.”

**CHIBI:**

“The second time, there’s still a good reason.”

**MARA:**

“The third time too.”

**CHIBI:**

“And the fourth.”

**MARA:**

“Until one day…”

She stops.

**CHIBI:**

“What?”

**MARA:**

“You don’t need the original reason anymore.”

Chibi stares at the line of cards.

**CHIBI:**

“You just want the fire.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

—

Chibi points toward the black candle.

**CHIBI:**

“So the dangerous part isn’t saying yes once.”

**MARA:**

“No.”

**CHIBI:**

“It’s forgetting why you said yes.”

Mara looks at him.

**MARA:**

“That’s better.”

**CHIBI:**

“I know.”

**MARA:**

“Don’t ruin it.”

—

Chibi picks up the candle.

**CHIBI:**

“What about Skin Dancers?”

**MARA:**

“They’re different.”

**CHIBI:**

“Because they don’t just take power.”

**MARA:**

“They take what someone else is.”

**CHIBI:**

“But if they were Kinfolk?”

Mara waits.

**CHIBI:**

“They grew up beside Garou.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“They may have served Gaia.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“They may think they should have been Garou too.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“So maybe they think the world stole something from them first.”

**MARA:**

“Maybe.”

**CHIBI:**

“And then they take it back.”

**MARA:**

“No.”

Chibi looks at her.

**MARA:**

“They take it from someone else.”

**CHIBI:**

“Even if they think they deserve it?”

**MARA:**

“Deserving something doesn’t make another person yours.”

Chibi nods.

**CHIBI:**

“Okay.”

A pause.

**CHIBI:**

“But resentment could still make it feel fair.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

—

Chibi starts counting on his fingers.

**CHIBI:**

“Ghoul: ‘I only need it once.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Diablerie: ‘I need their power more than they do.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Skin Dancer: ‘It should have been mine.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Ravaging: ‘I need it more than they do.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Wyrm power: ‘I can use the enemy’s weapon without becoming the enemy.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Shadow: ‘I can stop whenever I want.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Infernalist: ‘I’ll pay later.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Medium: ‘I can close the door whenever I want.’”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“Risen: ‘I only need one more day.’”

Mara nods.

**CHIBI:**

“And Bane Mummy…”

He thinks for a moment.

Then quietly:

**CHIBI:**

“‘I’m still me.’”

Mara looks at him.

**MARA:**

“That one scares me most.”

—

**CHIBI:**

“Why?”

**MARA:**

“If something comes back with your body…”

**CHIBI:**

“Your memories.”

**MARA:**

“Your voice.”

**CHIBI:**

“Your love.”

**MARA:**

“And says all the right things…”

**CHIBI:**

“How does anyone know?”

**MARA:**

“Maybe they don’t.”

Chibi looks toward the candle.

**CHIBI:**

“So Borrowed Fire can change more than what you can do.”

**MARA:**

“Yes.”

**CHIBI:**

“It can change who is doing it.”

—

For a while neither speaks.

Then Mara looks past Chibi.

Toward us.

**MARA:**

“We keep pretending this is about monsters.”

Chibi follows her gaze.

**CHIBI:**

“It isn’t.”

**MARA:**

“No.”

**CHIBI:**

“It’s about what would make you say yes.”

Mara holds up the black candle.

**MARA:**

“If it lied…”

**CHIBI:**

“…you might refuse.”

**MARA:**

“If it failed…”

**CHIBI:**

“…you’d stop using it.”

**MARA:**

“If it gave you nothing…”

**CHIBI:**

“…there would be no temptation.”

Mara’s voice becomes softer.

**MARA:**

“But what if it really saved them?”

Chibi looks directly at us.

**CHIBI:**

“No trick.”

**MARA:**

“No fake promise.”

**CHIBI:**

“They live.”

**MARA:**

“And you pay later.”

A long pause.

**MARA:**

“Would you take it?”

**CHIBI:**

“I would.”

Mara nods.

**MARA:**

“Me too.”

Another pause.

**CHIBI:**

“And that’s why it’s dangerous.”

**MARA:**

“Because the hardest forbidden power to refuse…”

**CHIBI:**

“…is the one you can justify.”

Mara lowers the candle.

**MARA:**

“So perhaps the real question isn’t whether you would ever borrow the fire.”

Chibi finishes:

# **“When would you stop?”**

# 🎲 PLAY EPIC. FEEL THE STORY.

**Game:** World of Darkness
**Campaign:** Mythveil Chronicles
**Theme:** Month 8 · Inner Fire · Week 3 · Borrowed Fire

The first forbidden choice may even be the right one.

That is what makes the second choice dangerous.

In the World of Darkness, corruption rarely begins with someone deciding to become a monster.

It begins when something forbidden saves the person they love.

👉 https://startplaying.games/gm/dunchan

Want to explore the stories behind the philosophy?

Discover the complete Mythveil Chronicles, exclusive essays, research dossiers, and living worlds where every choice leaves a mark.

👉 https://www.patreon.com/c/mythveilchronicles_bydunchanhuntergames

# MYTHVEIL NOTE

“Borrowed Fire,” “Stolen Fire,” “Returned Fire,” “Counterfeit Fire,” and the other fire categories used in this series are interpretive Mythveil Chronicles concepts. They compare recurring themes and mechanics across World of Darkness game lines and are not presented as official World of Darkness metaphysical categories.

This discussion draws inspiration from themes surrounding ghouls, Diablerie, Skin Dancers, Ravaging, Wyrm corruption, Wraiths and their Shadows, infernal bargains, mediums, the Risen, corrupted resurrection, Hunters, and other forms of supernatural power whose immediate benefit may carry a delayed cost.

Our exploration is written with deep respect for the writers, designers, artists, developers, and communities — from the original White Wolf era to the creators carrying the World of Darkness forward today — whose work created these worlds and gave us questions worth carrying back to our own tables.