Memory Burn
Also called: Burning a Memory, The Burn, The Break (when from Erosion)
Definition: The act of permanently destroying one of a character's five Core Memories, either as the Cost of a Rank 5 Miracle, as the consequence of a full Erosion track (The Break), or from Backlash: The Breach (three 1s on Bleed Dice).
Memory Burn is the steepest cost in The Veil & Lead: the destruction of a piece of who the character is. Every player character has a Memory Palace of 5 Core Memories (Pillars): The Root, The Anchor, The Drive, The Echo, The Scar. Each one is a defining experience that shaped them. Each one can be burned.
Sources of Memory Burn:
| Source | When |
|---|---|
| Rank 5 Miracle (Cost) | Every cast: Memory Hole, The Rewind, Resurrection, The Hollow’s Rest, The Last Thread, etc. |
| The Break (Erosion full) | Automatic when Erosion track fills; the player chooses which Memory burns. |
| Backlash: The Breach | Three 1s on Bleed/Cursed Dice: immediate, the Talent succeeds at max effect, the Memory burns. |
| Mindweaver R5: Memory Hole | If targeted, the Mindweaver permanently deletes a specific memory or skill from the victim. |
The process:
- Choose a Memory (the player chooses, except for Memory Hole).
- Strike it from the sheet. The character forgets immediately and completely. They cannot remember what it was, only that something is missing.
- Erosion resets to 0 (if the burn was triggered by The Break).
Effects of an empty Memory slot:
- Reduced Bulwark (lower Mental Defense bonus).
- No Spark: you cannot Spark a Memory that doesn’t exist.
- Anchoring blocked if the Anchor slot is empty: no Anchoring Erosion recovery until you Harden a new Memory there.
- Narrative weight: the GM may describe moments where you reach for something that isn’t there.
A burned Memory can eventually be replaced through Hardening (8 XP, Downtime only, at least one session after the burn), but Hardened Memories are different in character from original Memories. They are determination where there was once hope. Vengeance where there was once love. Survival where there was once belonging.
When the fifth and final Memory burns, the character becomes Hollow. See the Hollow condition.