Sorcerio 4588 Popular Post Share Posted March 28, 2021 * Read the preface for information regarding applications * Preface: Spoiler The aim of this rewrite is to reorient ghosts towards a more roleplay interactive path that scopes beyond superficial combative abilities, whilst also making them tolerable and counterable creatures that add more to narrative and story development. In the past, phantoms often struggled with being rather one-sided and lacked a progression scale that was anything more than a time-sink. This lore hopes to amend that flaw, as well as incentivize interactions between mystics, players, and phantoms without necessarily binding ghosts to the whim of the magic. Playing a ghost requires that one have an accepted Creature Application, which may be filled out here. Any phantom character should be the product of a permanently deceased persona, and one should keep in mind that this change is irreversible, meaning that the character will be forever rendered an undead phantom creature. Players should not make a phantom with the intent to prolong a character or to achieve power through the creature’s abilities, but rather acknowledge that this step is one which marks the near completion of their overall story and progression. Though there is still narrative progression had when playing a phantom character, realize that it is a narrative-supportive role above all else. The formation of phantoms may be creative and bend lore to some extent. Say players wished to attempt a haphazard seance, disturb an old grave, or some other unique method of spurring a spirit to form, they may do so as long as the person putting up the CA has consented OOCly, and the character being created has been deceased for some time. Players who have an accepted CA are held accountable to know and understand all rules and regulations of phantom lore. When filling out an application, the player should be able to adequately describe the following: An explanation of each general type of phantom, even if they know which one they already want to play. This is to ensure that players have a good grasp on phantom lore. The general mindset of each phantom type, explained with some examples. The functions of incorporeality, ectoplasm, and gleaming in phantoms. The interactions of phantoms with aurum, mysticism, and other weaknesses/arts. Do not copy the lore. Players are expected to explain these points in their own words. Upon acceptance of one’s application, they will begin their journey as a Revenant. After this, should the phantom sufficiently perform Geistreach upon mortals - which may occur once they have discovered the matter of their death - they should inform a Story Team member, who will be obliged to update their application stating such. It may take a minimum of three IRL days in order to determine the matter of one’s death, though may take longer if the player wishes. Should this lore be accepted, the following shall occur: Playable Graven CAs will be abolished, the niche encouraged through mystic interaction. Gravens may choose to become either a Revenant or Poltergeist. Phantom CAs will not be reset to Revenant unless the player wishes for them to. This does not mean the phantom CA may revert to descendant. It means that they will simply be PK’d and that’s that. "What are we if not some pensive reflection?" The Spectral Codex Plagued by dubiety, the dead do not always slumber, resisting the sweet embrace of demise which beckons their spirits to the Soulstream. Many among them would believe themselves held to a singular, unfinished task which demands their presence in the Mortal Plane - leaving the soul to remain restless until the mission is completed. All other motives are made obsolete, the spirit determined to enact this irrefutable duty; whether that be the guardianship of a loved one, or some relentless plot of revenge against the foe that slew them. These souls may linger as some macabre remnant of rotting bone which seek to ensnare life from the living, or perhaps a fleeting silhouette of mist that beckons an unearthly chill. No matter their chosen manifestation, one thing remains ever clear — it is most unnatural that the dead do anything beyond rest. Overview of Phantoms Phantoms, otherwise referred to as spectral undead, are deceased mortals who traverse the hair-thin line between the material realm and the Soulstream. Bound to the mortal realm, phantoms embody the true essence of mortal persistence, being themselves a product of the sheer will and the refusal to pass on. Spectral creatures are completely composed of a metaphysical substance known as Ectoplasm, a strange meld between life force and mana. This allows phantoms to appear as anything from an intangible flame to a dense fog, taking on a variety of hues. Their phantasmal nature also allows them a variety of other capabilities, from telekinetic abilities, to being able to change their entire forms to that of an animal or some hideous abomination in the case of a poltergeist. As they are not mortal, they need not eat, sleep, breathe, bleed, or require any form of sustenance, largely unaffected by blows that would kill even a mortal. They are mostly intangible, though at times may be able to forcibly manifest in order to achieve limited interaction with the material realm, whether that be by some holy craft, or a pact with occult sorcerers. Despite their abilities, the existence of a phantom is melancholic, their spirit denied entry into the Soul Stream. These creatures are prone to numerous mental afflictions which make their presence nothing, if not miserable - each day a greater struggle as their mind wishes relief. Nonetheless, as much as they may hope for release, their spirit clings to the material world. Phantoms can thus come to envy man for their abilities, and can encourage them to sap away the essence of mortals to reclaim it. This may cause them to spiral into madness, shifting them to become a malignant Poltergeist, or Black Spirit. Some, however, come to terms with their state, transitioning to a Specter or White Spirit, and may be granted the token of peace. Spoiler - All phantoms are composed of Ectoplasm, a quasi-gelatinous mixture of mana and lifeforce which allows them to fade in and out of sight. This substance is incredibly malleable, allowing phantoms to manipulate it to various extents depending on their proficiency. With this, phantoms have no need to eat, sleep, breath, or maintain any other functions that mortals would have to. Phantom Fruition Ghosts are formed upon the death of a descendant, brought about when the soul is disrupted on its way to the Ebrietaes, instead pulled back to the material realm. This most commonly occurs when a mortal dies rather gruesomely or in a sudden fashion, wherein they would linger instead of passing on into the Soulstream. This process is by no means instantaneous, and may span over months - if not years and longer - of the spirit dredging up enough ectoplasm to compose their spectral vessel. Many would awaken to this new state oblivious, whether rising from their bed at home or assuming consciousness at some familiar sight. Often, these wayward souls would simply continue about their ‘mortal’ life as if nothing had happened. But inevitably, they may find that the world about them has shifted, and thus may begin to unravel. Spoiler - Creation of Revenants can be creative and bend lore. Players may attempt to conduct a haphazard seance, may disturb an old grave, or any other unique methods to “create” the ghost, provided the person putting up the CA has consented OOCly and the character being created is realistically able to be manifested in such a way. The Nature of Ectoplasm All spectral creatures, whether they be fresh revenants or timeless specters, are completely composed of a metaphysical substance known as Ectoplasm; a strange meld between life force and mana. This allows phantoms to appear as anything from a gooey liquid, dense gas, or even a cold flame, ranging in a variety of hues and tones. The nature of this ectoplasm allows them to influence it by sheer force of will, permitting them feats of telekinesis, changing their forms to that of a spectral animal, and even turning invisible. However, ectoplasm is also intangible, rarely interacting with mundane items, as most regular weapons will pass through the phantom harmlessly. Spoiler - Phantoms are made up of Ectoplasm, which is an intangible and malleable substance that can take a variety of shapes and hues for purposes of aesthetic - though most often pale and somber rather than vibrant and bright. The degree to which they can manipulate their ectoplasm is outlined in further detail in the abilities section of each respective phantom. - Ectoplasm is intangible and will pass through most solid objects in its most passive state. This is still limited to mechanical movement, meaning that the phantom cannot move through locked doors, gates, walls, or anything else that a regular player could not move through. Unless met with some weakness, phantoms can pass harmlessly through people to no degree of harm, though may choose to incite a spine-chilling cold as they move for aesthetic purposes. Lastly, ectoplasm is able to float aesthetically, allowing the phantom to hover up to a single foot above the ground to no movement or mechanical advantage. - Phantoms cannot stay out in the sun without feeling a similar pain to that of sunburn. They will also be more visible to mortal sight even if they attempt to fade, appearing as a vague outline of the phantom which requires two emotes of intense searching in order to locate. - Ectoplasm may interact with other phantom creatures, and may also physically see other ectoplasmic beings even when faded. This means that a phantom can physically make contact with another phantom as if they were corporeal, feeling “pain” from the others attack even though they are not mortal. Most spirits will be of equivalent “strength” when fighting one another, though stronger phantom types such as wights and eidola would be significantly stronger when pitted against a lesser phantom. Phantom Pain Tolerance The way that Phantoms experience and react to pain varies depending on the variety, expanded on in their respective sections. The speed at which they will regenerate from non-fatal injury also varies, not only based upon location, but also by what the phantom was damaged by. As they are dead, phantoms have a more muted sense of pain than that of regular mortals, and such would generally feel more as an uncomfortable sharpness which often causes the spirit to recoil rather than thrash about. Of course, different phantom types may react to damage differently, with revenants being the most susceptible, specters moderately so, and poltergeists the least. Spoiler - Though they are intangible, phantoms can still feel a degree of “pain” from contact with things such as aurum, or magical energies such as fire evocation. The lower the tier of phantom, the more erratically they tend to respond to this perceived pain. Revenants would likely be sent into a wailing fit alike to a child who was bleeding, breaking down at experiencing such, compelled to flee from whatever was causing them pain. Poltergeists, while still able to feel pain, are far more likely to be enraged by such rather than shirking away, continuing their attack with greater wrath as a result. Specters respond most alike to mortals, tending to recoil from whatever caused them pain, and can collectively gauge when they are in a state of ectoplasmic damage that would compel them to flee. - Phantoms cannot stay out in direct sun for longer than ten narrative minutes. Over the course of this time, the phantom would develop a similar feeling to that of sunburn across their ectoplasm, resulting in an excruciating amount of pain should they remain for even longer. Staying in the shade, hindered land, or in water will prevent this effect. - Phantoms are particularly weak to aurum, shamanic latuamancy, mysticism, clerical or paladin magic, energy-based evocations such as fire and electrical evocation, and voidal abjuration. All of these “weaknesses” will cause an excruciating degree of pain to the phantom, feeling to them like a white-hot iron pressed against their flesh. These would certainly cause the phantom to recoil, regardless of pain tolerance, and may successfully demanifest them with a critical hit to the core or head. Death and Reformation In the event that a Phantom demanifests, they are temporarily banished from the realm, unable to assume a form within the mortal plane for a short while, wherein their drifting soul settles back down somewhere within the material realm and slowly rejuvenates its store of ectoplasm. However, ghosts may only manifest a set number of times before their spirits are severely destabilized; cast entirely into the Elysian Wastes for a period of time to gather itself back into a functional state. Spoiler - Phantom characters will respawn over the course of one IRL day after being demanifested (killed), adhering to all regular rules of death including being unable to remember the encounters leading up to their demise. In order to effectively demanifest a phantom - that is, to “kill” it - the creature must receive a would-be fatal blow from either aurum, energy-based magic such as fire evocation, or weapons enchanted by holy magic. This “fatal” blow, would constitute anything that would regularly "kill" an individual, such as total decapitation, obliteration, evisceration, blunt force trauma, and so on. - Even if not demanifested, a phantom can still regenerate wounds non-combatively. Minor wounds, such as cuts, the loss of a finger, ear, etc. may be easily regenerated over the course of twelve IRL hours following the encounter. Limbs, large appendages, though not fatal wounds such as a gash or “laceration” across their arm would require one IRL day to regenerate. The rate of regeneration is reduced by a third when the phantom choses to regenerate within their haunt, though this countdown is paused should they engage in any combat or leave the confines of their haunted area. - Wounds that are created by any particular phantom weakness, such as aurum, fire evocation, mysticism, or holy magic, would require double the amount of time to regenerate. - Though phantoms may respawn mechanically at CT, it is typically assumed that they remanifest themselves out in the wilds or another location of significance such as a haunt. This can be a means of explaining returning via a Soulstone pillar or teleportation, though this does not allow them to return to the location they died until the timer is up.. The Banishing of Phantoms Whilst a phantom may be demanifested to briefly ward them away, their tenacity is seldom quelled, requiring that mortals take even greater measures to fully banish a phantom from the plane. This would demand an intense ritual that any mortal may learn, though seldom often, with which a group of mortals can chose to force a phantom back into the Elysian and prevent them from remanifesting within the material realm - though only so long as they have made the necessary preparations. Spoiler - Phantom characters can be permanently killed/demanifested, or otherwise soft-shelved, through a particular ritual that may be carried out by any living character without the need for magic so long as they understand the means by which to perform it. This requires that the player in question go about learning the ritual in-roleplay from another character that knows it, which they must then go about informing the ST as to the character they’d learned it on, when, and from whom, which the ST will record and backtrack for insurance of quality. - This ritual in question requires five living mortal characters that understand its process, and may be used in combat so long as the participants are uninterrupted. To perform the ritual, the characters require an object with a reflective surface, most commonly a mirror, chalk made with myrrh, and a set of candles. With the myrrh chalk, the participant(s) must draw a large circle on the ground and set the candles around it, before placing the mirror in the center. This circle cannot be any larger than five by five meters wide, and attempting to make it any wider will strain the ritual and cause it to sputter out and fail. - The participants must then draw the phantom into the ring, by whatever means. Upon moving over the line of chalk, the candles around it would suddenly become blue and the room would begin to darken. The phantom would find themselves locked within the ring, as if it had formed a dome around them which prevented them from leaving it, with the barrier rippling and warping should the phantom touch it. Within this barrier, the phantom will be prevented from applying their area of influence, turning invisible, or turning corporeal. - Over the course of four emotes following the phantom’s entrapment, the participants should begin the ritual immediately, in which they must stand around the circle and speak out the phantom’s real name backwards, necessitating that they know it. Other prayers, psalms, or incantations may be added for additional aesthetic effect, though the name component must always be constant and included. After the four emotes, the phantom will be sucked into the reflective object, should they not have managed to escape, and will be force-shelved so long as the object remains intact. This object must then be ST approved/signed with the name of the phantom player/character included on the description or name. Should the object be at all broken or shattered, the phantom in question would be freed and allowed to roam once more. - The invisible barrier may be broken by any ectoplasmic creature or force with five harsh attacks, and should the candles and circle be at all disturbed from the outside, the dome would also fade. If any of the participants be directly attacked, be forced to evade an attack, displace one or more of the components, or cease participation, the ritual would immediately fail without question. This often requires that the participants of the ritual have other individuals with them who may offer cover from the phantom or other external forces. Incorporeality By far the most curious capability of spectral creatures, allowing them a degree of incorporeality. It is by this trait that phantoms are made as physical as light or fire would be, albeit with the caveat that they struggle to interact with the material realm as a result. Though they may pass harmlessly through most objects and people, they cannot move mechanically in ways that a normal person could not. As well, they are able to both see and physically interact with other phantom creatures in the Elysian - though in this regard they are not privy to actually seeing into the Elysian Wastes, not having the same negative downsides of being blighted by geists and lesser souls as those who are afflicted with the Curse of Vivification. Spoiler - Phantom player CAs may both see and physically interact with other phantoms without issue, even when invisible. This also means that phantoms will feel "pain" from other phantom creatures' attacks. - Ectoplasm can take on a variety of strictly aesthetic traits, such as appearing as flame, a cloud of smog, etc. allowing for aesthetic flair for individual phantoms. All phantoms will still be limited to the boundaries of mechanical movement, meaning they cannot move through walls, locked doors, gates, or other such barriers. if a regular Minecraft avatar cannot move this way, the phantom cannot either. Demanifestation Most phantoms are intangible, meaning that they may not be harmed by mundane weaponry. They are, however, still incredibly vulnerable to the effects of aurum, which interacts curiously with lifeforce. This allows for any sort of golden weapon or object to touch phantoms as if they were corporeal, regardless of what state they are in. Similarly, gold lines may also prevent weaker ghosts from crossing lest they risk painful demanifestation — though more potent phantoms can cross it at the cost of being thrown out of invisibility. Direct sunlight is also uncomfortable to ghosts and will weaken their ability to fade fully from mortal sight. In this vein, any sort of raw energy may be capable of meeting most phantoms’ ectoplasm and interacting with their mana, including abjurations, electrical evocation, and holy flame; each running the risk of destroying these entities. However, magic or sorcery that utilizes concrete, material components to try and harm these creatures will often be shirked off with ease, such as druidically manipulated vines, telekinetic manipulation, or even spikes of earth evocation - simply passing through the creature. Nonetheless, any sort of would-be fatal blow by means of one of these would capably demanifest the phantom. Upon demanifestation, a phantom would be forced to retreat to the Elysian Wastes, where they are forced to slowly re-establish themselves within the material realm over the course of one Saint’s Day, as if they had died once again. Spoiler Phantoms struck with aurum, holy magic, slayer-steel, or raw-energy based magic such as fire evocation, will still take “damage” equivalent to that of mortals. For example, a direct blow to the phantom’s head by any of the aforementioned would be capable of demanifesting them just as a mortal wound to the head would normally kill a living person. Merely chopping off an arm would simply cause the arm to demanifest. Making contact with aurum would feel like white-hot fire to the phantom in question. Though stronger phantoms may cross aurum lines with some difficulty, they will give a distinct and immediate tell, that being a great wail of pain. This should always be applied in #shout. Successfully husked phantoms can avoid this. Phantoms require one IRL day to remanifest if they do not possess a haunt/sanctuary. With a valid haunt/sanctuary, phantoms will only need to wait 30 IRL minutes, in accordance with regular respawn rules, to reform at the haunt. Phantoms still adhere to all rules regarding character death, including being unable to recall events leading up to their demise. This also means that phantoms who commit 'suicide' will have to force PK. Shifting Polarity Though remarkably rare, it is possible for the two developed varieties of incorporeal phantom to switch the polarity of their mental state. If a poltergeist is somehow quelled to a great extreme, it is possible that they may find peace within themselves and with the reality of their demise, and transition into the state of a specter. Conversely, if a specter suffers some great trauma in their undeath, and becomes consumed by violent emotion or denial, they may devolve and warp into a twisted poltergeist. Spoiler In order for a Poltergeist or Specter to switch states, a deeply impactful event must take place, such that their minds are forced to realign in a completely opposite emotional direction. This is noted as a comment on their [CA], the same as their initial transition from Revenant to another form. Any phantom may undergo such a shift only twice. The Revenant Among the most tragic of spirits is that of the Revenant, for while bound to the mortal plane and perpetual unrest, they are consistently barred from interaction with it. Often disoriented and forlorn, these spectral entities transition the hair-thin veil between the realm of the living and that of the dead — locked in ceaseless purgatory where it may be left so much as a forgotten memory. By lingering in the Elysian, the ghost is rather disconnected from the mortal world, hampered by the unseen shackles which bars them from the living - and prevents them true release. Physical Description Rarely do newer ghosts make themselves visible or adopt a tangible form, often instead remaining invisible and silent despite whatever efforts they may make to communicate. In instances where the ghost does choose to manifest, they often appear as they did in life prior to their death, albeit shaded in dreary and depressing greyscale hues devoid of color. Though not as daunting as a poltergeist, ghosts may appear to embody subtle, muted hints which point to the means of their demise - whether appearing more pale and shrivelled from old age, or perhaps having some dull stain of grey around their neck had they been decapitated or bled out. Usually, this trait is not too particularly gruesome or striking, being somewhat more elusive the less and less the individual is aware. Though immune to most forms of mundane attack, revenants struggle to interact with the material realm. Whilst a blade would simply pass through the phantom without resistance or injury, they would in turn find it difficult to do so much as open a door on their own. The exception to this is that ghosts are incredibly vulnerable to even slight amounts of aurum, capable of being demanifested by a single swing - and thus are unable to cross gold lines. Mental Description Most ghosts are oblivious to their current situation, lingering in a state of confusion and perhaps even disorientation, alike to as if one had but just awoken from a deep slumber. This is represented best by the hollowness they bear to their eyes, having no pupils or irises in which to distinguish them; merely left as ‘blank’ slates. Upon waking up, most phantoms will simply go about doing whatever it was that they normally did whilst still alive, whether a farmer were to tend to their fields at dawn, or a guardsmen make his way along the alleyway for routine inspection. Though often melancholic, not all ghosts are entirely despaired, and some may actually enjoy their undisturbed state of being should they have been preferring such in life. However, these creatures are far more prone to bouts of frustration and anxiety than when they were alive. Some phantoms may often be aloof and hesitant in their decisions, and may even be stubborn when attempting to perform a familiar task to the point of obsessing over it; and with each passing day, they may become more and more despairing. Ghosts have only begun their journey in unlife, and as such have a long path ahead of them in order to pass from their state of limbo and into the Soulstream. General Abilities While in their fledgling state, a Revenant possesses only a small number of abilities which they may use at their disposal. The learning of these abilities takes time and effort, something that the Revenant will develop as they come closer and closer to the full realization of their situation. Phantasmal As incorporeal undead, ghosts possess a myriad of qualities linked to their state of being, whether that be their intangible nature or their lack of respiratory system - these traits nevertheless a clear distinction between them and the living. Spoiler - Phantoms are incorporeal, being as physical as light or fire would be. By default, they cannot affect the world and the world cannot affect them. However, they are still bound to some of its laws, granting them capabilities such as aesthetic levitation. Mundane weapons pass through them and they are able to phase through people and most objects. Because they are incorporeal, they do not need to eat, breathe, sleep, or rest, nor do they suffer from aging. - Though incorporeal, phantoms cannot move mechanically in any way a player could not. This includes passing through locked doors, walls, gates, and any other mechanical barrier that one does not have access to. - Levitation is limited to 1ft off the ground and offers no RP or mechanical benefit. Invisibility As they are still bound to the physical realm, yet also hold some footing within the Elysian, phantoms may bring themselves closer towards the Wastes, lowering their presence within the Material realm, and thus hiding themselves from mortal sight. Spoiler - Ghosts may shroud themselves in a thin layer of ectoplasm over the course of two emotes, rendering themselves transparent and invisible. Upon successfully fading, the ghost is completely unseeable to most mortals, save for when within direct sunlight, which would instead manifest a subtle outline that may be spotted by mortals with two emotes of careful inspection. In order to return from invisibility, the phantom must take one emote to remanifest. - Taking damage from aurum or magics will force the phantom to reappear. - Attempting to sneak up on someone would cause their their breath to fog up. - Ghosts must take one emote after fully remanifesting before they may attack. - Cannot be corporeal whilst invisible and vice versa. Weak Grasp Revenants, having not yet known the nature of they death, have a feeble ability to interact with the world through means of direct interaction or telekinesis, capable of manifesting a rather weak, ethereal hold upon some objects. Spoiler - Revenants must focus intently to touch or act upon something and even then do so to little effect. They will struggle to open doors, characterized by a knob twisting sluggishly or erratically and slipping repeatedly, extinguish small lights like lamps or candles, and cannot act upon anything more than three pounds or simply mechanics (doors) if only for a short time. - Anything heavier than three pounds will simply fall through the phantom’s hands. - Revenants can only carry objects for up to three seconds before it falls or slips through their hands, frustrating them. - Revenants can open doors (slowly), act on (push, pull, lift, etc) objects weighing three pounds or less, and extinguish candles or lamps and nothing else. Spirit Progression Death is extremely traumatic and shocking, especially for those who have passed. Having the lowest mental fortitude of other phantom types, revenants are made incredibly distraught upon discovering the nature of their death, retreating to some secluded location. During this period, the revenant will be flooded with vastly ranging emotions and feelings, as it reflects upon the matter of their demise and ponders how it is they might respond. Often they will seek to expel other individuals who attempt to enter the location, sometimes being misidentified as a poltergeist. With the realization of their death, the ghost may draw upon the Geistreach ability and begin to sap away spiritual essence in order to grant itself comfort and restore the feeling of “life”. Spoiler - Geistreach may be performed by a ghost who has discovered the matter of their death, allowing them to sap certain emotions from mortals in order to fulfill themselves. First, the ghost must find a mortal victim to curse, requiring their OOC consent to use the spell in full. Once the curse is seeded, should the victim not have granted OOC consent, they will be prone to dizziness, seeing blurs out of the corner’s of their eyes, general insomnia, and hearing indistinct whispers over the course of one IRL day. These effects will typically fade away upon the third IRL day of the curse, granting the phantom that placed it a fifth unit of soul essence from the mortal. This effect may be purged by holy magic should the victim understand its nature, and should it be purged prior to the completion of the three IRL days, the phantom will not receive the soul essence. The victim is obliged to inform the phantom if this occurs, so that they may act accordingly. - Should the victim grant OOC consent, this effect becomes far more profound. Over the course of the next IRL day following the encounter, severe symptoms would begin to manifest. The victim would be subject to acutely growing symptoms of dissociative disorders, including other symptoms such as memory-lapses, forgetfulness, and seeing flashes of memories not associated with the victim — but rather being memories of the phantom that cursed them. This may cause the cursed individual to develop Dissociative Identity Disorder, and thus have two split personalities, though more commonly their general identity will be altered as a whole. With this, the victim would experience gradual changes in behavior, memory, perception, emotional response, and may, in rare circumstances, completely lose touch with reality. - To make the effect permanent, the ghost should perform the spell upon the OOCly consenting target thrice, limited to once every twelve hours. This encourages the phantom to grow close to a mortal being, perhaps disguising themselves as something they are truly not. Should the curse be cleansed by a holy mage before one IRL week has passed since the cursing, it may be removed. Otherwise, completion of this would make the disorder a permanent trait (not ‘the’) of the victim character, which they are obliged to roleplay out adequately. - Geistreach requires three emotes to perform. Should they successfully manage to phase their arm through the victim’s chest, they may place the curse upon the fourth emote. The mortal would immediately feel something cold begin to seed itself within them, though not necessarily know what it is unless they had some prior encounter with the creature before. - This would completely fulfill the phantom’s craving for soul essence, and should they become addicted to the substance and wish to take more of it, they would begin to devolve rapidly into a poltergeist. Ghosts who manage to quell their thirst for mortal essence would be more inclined to go the route of specterhood, though this is oft rarer considering how dissociated ghosts may be. Geistreach may be performed five times upon non-OOC consenting mortals to effectively allow the revenant to ascend, whereas it only needs be performed once with OOC consent. - After inflicting Geistreach upon five non-OOC consenting mortals, or one OOC consenting mortal, the ghost will be driven to a period of reflection. Over this time, they will either come to accept the terms of their death — becoming a specter; or instead denying it — spiraling into a raging poltergeist. At this point, one should PM a Lore Member with screenshots documenting the encounter(s), as well as stating which path the character has progressed. The Story Member will then update their app with a comment stating which path they had taken. - Note: players should screenshot/collect evidence of interactions of Geistreach with other players, as well as OOC consent the phantom receives, as it must be presented to the ST when it comes time for one to update their app. Phantoms need only perform one Geistreach should they receive OOC consent, though must perform five if they do not receive OOC consent. Ghost players are expected to adequately describe the effects to the target in PMs. - The effects granted by OOC consent are up to both the player and phantom to decide, and should stay relatively in-line with the aforementioned themes. - Phantoms can only use this ability to full effect once every twelve IRL hours. It may still be used outside of this, but to no contribution to progression. - Memories received on behalf of a phantom cannot be used to metagame private aspects of the ghost’s life unless the phantom player gave express OOC permission. - Geistreach only affects those with fully mortal souls. - If invisible whilst performing this ability, Revenants will manifest a vague outline similar to fading in broad daylight, requiring two emotes of keenly inspecting the area for any non-Vivification or mortal mystic to spot. - Geistreach must be performed through quality roleplay. It is not a ‘kill’ drain sort of ability, and is meant to contribute to narrative roleplay. Phantoms going around simply attempting to rush this point of progression by spamming this ability to move on will be subject to warnings, and potentially even the denial of their CA. Revenants are the weakest of all specters, not yet being accustomed to their ectoplasmic vessel. In this state, the phantom is oblivious to their demise and will generally attempt to do what they had done in life as normal, despite the fact that nothing they struggle to interact with the mortal world. The more they begin to notice strange occurrences around them, whether a glass suddenly falls out of their hand, to a woman shrieking when they approach, the more they may become frustrated and driven to investigate the source of these peculiarities. In essence, new phantoms must be awakened by absolutely undeniable evidence of their death. This could be anything from the sight of their body in their own grave, to being the fact that everyone seems to ignore their presence. However, this evidence must be something that the ghost cannot interpret as part of their own delusions or more than a “bad dream”. General Redlines Spoiler - Revenants require a valid creature application order to be played. - Revenants possess a lingering aura of somberness and cold that trails around them in a two-meter radius, felt by all mortals in that area to no mechanical/RP detriment. - Revenants are incorporeal and cannot wear armor of any kind, nor wield weapons. - For purposes of combatting other spectres, revenants exist in a “physical state” equivalent to that of an enfeebled old man. - Do note, when put against other phantom types, a revenant would be feeble in comparison, crumpling under blows and easily defeated by stronger spectres such as wights, apparitions, and even Eidola. - This applies even if their former race exceeded the knight capacity, such as an orc. - Revenants struggle to manipulate their ectoplasm prior to being awakened. This means that ghosts may not yet manifest corporeally unless forced to otherwise. - Ghosts do not possess the ability to possess a vessel or morph their ectoplasmic body into beasts, weapons, or any other form. - Revenants receive no benefit from medicine, alchemical concoctions, etc. - Revenants cannot become other creatures unless stated otherwise. - Revenants are explicitly incompatible and unable to pick up all forms of magic or feats (voidal evo, alchemy, etc,) with the notable exception of Mysticism related augmentation, enchantments on items, and so forth. The Poltergeist Poltergeists are black spirits who have come to deny and reject the nature of their demise, absorbed by the trauma which it has wrought — and choosing to engorge upon mortal essence for the sole sake of reprieve. They are unhinged and feral, driven into the deepest depths of mental illness and unrest by the unbearable stress of death. Unable to be at peace with their new state, the mind itself wars with reality, thus making them deeply unstable and miserable. Though not necessarily evil, poltergeists are a dangerous and violent variety of phantom. Physical Description Whilst a freshly-wrought haunt may subtly point to its demise, the poltergeist is a far more gruesome and wretched thing, emulating in detail the means in which it had passed. Often, these creatures take on shades of pale crimson, onyx haze, and other dark shades which lie in-between, their ectoplasmic vessel ridden with festering blood which streams from their neck, or perhaps bloated and half-decayed should they have drowned at sea; their ethereal flesh kneaded crudely around glowing bone. They often speak in wails, rasps, or perhaps even choruses of terror and melancholy which ring from every side. Though as spectral creatures they do not harbor much physical prowess, poltergeists are capable of drawing upon their utter rage to perform terrible feats in efforts to spite the living. The poltergeist exists in a state of incorporeality and is immune to most attacks, though are still susceptible to aurum alloys, holy magic, and energy-based magic. Spoiler - Poltergeists are almost entirely unrecognizable as the people they once were, warped and twisted by the denial that defines them until they are little but fearsome effigies. Colored in black or shades of red, their voices are frightful and unpleasant, ranging from shrieks to growls or ominous whispers. They bear the cause of their death as a visceral, ever-present detail of their form. Mental Description Having pondered upon their death and rebuked it, the phantom is cast into a furious state of mind, envious of the living, and forsworn against whatever, or whoever, it was that had slain them. What empathy they once held for the living and their fellow spirits has been worn away, leaving almost nothing but a volatile reactivity drawn from their emotional turmoil. These spirits have chosen to reject their nature, and have done so with a violent and unhinged fervor; they know what they are, and the knowledge torments them. It is a terrible reality that they live, but one that they cannot bear to truly accept. While not necessarily malevolent by nature, poltergeists can often best be equated to predatory animals; acting on instinct and emotion, quick to violence and at times opportunistic, and hostile when perceiving a challenge to their dominance. It takes a great deal to inspire these troubled souls to move on to the Soulstream — as they must move beyond the denial they exist in, and find peace in what they have become; a chance seldom had. While possible, it is extremely difficult for them to break through the chaotic fog that shrouds their minds to find such peace. Spoiler - Poltergeists are afflicted by numerous psychological afflictions, and are incredibly attached to their former lives. They do not tend to kill those entering a haunted area directly, but can maim, capture and torment. Injuries can be severe but non-fatal. This is more so because of the poltergeist’s mentality. They would be more inclined to cause the mortal torment, but not kill them, as that would allow the mortal’s spirit to escape the geist’s clutches. General Abilities While Revenants struggled to control the realm around them, a poltergeist’s immense rage and negativity boosts their manipulation over the physical realm, fueling their powers with hate and disdain for all. This is what makes poltergeists truly dangerous, as they typically use their powers in almost animalistic and emotion-driven ways. Phantasmal As incorporeal undead, ghosts possess a myriad of qualities linked to their state of being, whether that be their intangible nature or their lack of respiratory system - these traits nevertheless a clear distinction between them and the living. Spoiler - Phantoms are incorporeal, being as physical as light or fire would be. By default, they cannot affect the world and the world cannot affect them. However, they are still bound to some of its laws, granting them capabilities such as aesthetic levitation. Mundane weapons pass through them and they are able to phase through people and most objects. Because they are incorporeal, they do not need to eat, breathe, sleep, or rest, nor do they suffer from aging. - Though incorporeal, phantoms cannot move mechanically in any way a player could not. This includes passing through locked doors, walls, gates, and any other mechanical barrier that one does not have access to. - Levitation is limited to 1ft off the ground and offers no RP or mechanical benefit. Invisibility As they are still bound to the physical realm, yet also hold some footing within the Elysian, phantoms may bring themselves closer towards the Wastes, lowering their presence within the Material realm, and thus hiding themselves from mortal sight. Spoiler - Ghosts may shroud themselves in a thin layer of ectoplasm over the course of two emotes, rendering themselves transparent and invisible. Upon successfully fading, the ghost is completely unseeable to most mortals, save for when within direct sunlight, which would instead manifest a subtle outline that may be spotted by mortals with two emotes of careful inspection. In order to return from invisibility, the phantom must take one emote to remanifest. - Taking damage from aurum or magics will force the phantom to reappear. - Attempting to sneak up on someone would cause their their breath to fog up. - Ghosts must take one emote after fully remanifesting before they may attack. Influence Poltergeists are capable of manipulating a single object through telekinesis, requiring that the object be within the poltergeist’s line of sight and within a certain range. Spoiler - Poltergeists can use telekinesis outside of their haunt, mostly for flavor or to strike fear within onlookers. This influence is limited to three meters (blocks) around the poltergeist, and allows them to control up to one object within that area so long as it is not acted upon by another agent or force, such as motion. To move an object, the poltergeist must take one emote to grasp and lift, and one emote to throw it in the desired direction. Object will fly no faster than as if a person had thrown it themselves, falling immediately to the ground should it leave the radius. - Weapons and complex machinery (crossbows) can be used, however, ghosts are unable to pierce armor or parry blows, limiting their application of weaponry to crude movements. They will at most leave bruises, wounds, and/or scars that may be moderate, but never outright fatal. Weapons that are currently in use/held by a person cannot be effectively manipulated. - Fine particles such as sand, or other liquids, cannot be influenced. - Outside of a haunt, influence is limited to inanimate objects, meaning that one cannot manipulate people or things such as automatons or other phantoms. - Poltergeists are limited to ten kilograms (~20lbs) of weight. Shapeshifting Poltergeist can manipulate their own ectoplasmic form into that of a predatory or scavenging animal, or a more monstrous representation of themselves. Spoiler - Poltergeists can alter their appearance to represent a more monstrous representation of themselves. This is instinctively activated when the poltergeist feels an emotion such as rage, agony, or hate. These traits may be anything from elongated fingernails/claws, displaced jaws/teeth, ectoplasmic scars pouring “blood”, and so on, so long as they maintain the ectoplasmic and spectral nature of the phantom in their embodiment. Phantoms can also choose to appear as spectralesque beast when they are in a collected state of mind. This requires two emotes, wherein the phantom would assume the chosen form, assuming the creature was found naturally in the wild. Such could be a bird, a cat, a hound, and so forth, being no larger than the size of a stag and no smaller than that of a large crow. - Shapeshifted creatures must have some basis in nature. If you wish to have a custom shape, such as a mythical creature or other such entity, consult the ST. - Any chosen form may be maintained for as long as the poltergeist wishes, though some may even choose to adopt a permanent manifestation as a sign of notoriety. - Shapeshifting cannot be used to imitate another individual’s appearance. - Shapeshifted phantoms still bear the same spectral nature and appearance. - Shapeshifting cannot be used to reach locations one could not reach mechanically. Should the creature be able to fly, they are limited to two meters off the ground to no mechanical advantage and are still reachable in role-play. Possession Through shifting their ectoplasm into a foreign corpse, mind, or other vessel, a poltergeist can effectively manipulate it with ill-intent, allowing them to puppeteering it. Spoiler - Possession takes many shapes and forms in general, but specifically the ability exists as means to possess beings and objects of various types. Phantoms are capable of entering humanoid bodies and projecting whispers and images into their mind, should the target have one. Though they have no physical control over a living host, phantoms that utilize possession to its fullest potential are able to incite emotions and ideas into the minds of their victims, as well as inflicting dreams upon the unconscious. Inanimate objects and dead corpses can be possessed, though move crudely and rigidly, making them ineffective for combat. - Possession purely takes basis on a psychotic level, acting similar to mental magic.For instance, a poltergeist may induce intense feelings of dread or anxiety, causing the victim to imagine spiders crawling down their face - despite the fact that this is not the reality and only an illusion within their mind. Additionally, mental magic barriers, mind-like wards, cognantsists, or any similar beings would treat possession as if it were a mentalist type magic. - Nothing larger than an average-sized Uruk can be possessed and animated effectively, including ologs. Inversely, an object must be a reasonable size and shape for a phantom to possess; you cannot possess a needle to hide within a haystack. Possessed corpses or objects are ineffective for combat due to their slow, rigid movement. Phantoms that husk in constructs such as automatons, golems, sorvians, etc. cannot draw upon any of their abilities (i.e. sigils). - Poltergeists cannot force significantly self harm or suicide within a possessed individual. The mortal may only commit the action to do so of their own free will. - Aurum and magic may expel the phantom from their husk. Poltergeists cannot possess objects of aurum nor items enchanted with holy, arcane, shamanic, or mystic magic. Phantoms will demanifest if their husk is destroyed. - Though inside of a host, spiritual beings performing haunting are not immune to harm. Should a person be cut by gold or have an energy/holy based magic cast upon them, the spirit is forcefully ejected and left dazed for one emote. - A possessed object would not be able to move unless it could regularly. For example’ while possessed clothes could move about as if the Poltergeist was wearing them, possessing a tree could not force it to move. Corporeal Shift In pulling their forms closer towards the mortal realm, a poltergeist can manifest a physical presence which they may use to interact better with the world around them. Spoiler - Poltergeists can briefly grant themselves a physical state, outside their haunt, with which they may interact with mortals and material objects. This may be used to scratch surfaces, attack a descendant, and perform other frightful acts outside of their haunt, though to a weaker extent. This would require two emotes of the poltergeist forcing themselves into the material realm, at which they would appear to become slightly less translucent. Upon the second emote, they would become temporarily corporeal, enough so to distribute a single attack equivalent to that of the average human man. This could be a regular punch, a scratch, push, shove, or other such action that would otherwise be doable by a living person. - Once they have distributed the attack, or three emotes have passed without them attacking, the phantom return to incorporeality. - Corporeality has a cooldown of six emotes whether successful or a failure. - Corporeality leaves the phantom susceptible to attack from physical weapons. - The phantom is no stronger than a regular mortal human in this state. - Cannot become corporeal in direct sunlight, and will be forced to revert. - Cannot be used to do things like crush hearts/organs inside of people. Poltergeist Haunts Should a poltergeist so vehemently wish to spite the living, they may chose to take up a haunt, a unique ability wherein the spirit surrenders their capacity outside of the region, though in turn are gifted an astonishing degree of omnipotence. Spoiler - Poltergeists may choose a location, whether a dark, gloomy, or musky area, to which they may bind their ectoplasm over the course of one IRL day. This would render them unplayable for the period of binding. Once the day has passed, they will be severely weakened should they leave the confines of their haunt, though inversely finding their powers augmented within the region. The aura of unease that follows the poltergeist is greatly expanded, becoming far more present within the backs of the minds of whoever entered the zone. Mortals may quickly be overcome by intense paranoia, coldness, and even hallucinations of the phantom's design. - Haunts must be placed in a dark or gloomy area no larger than a (25x25) meter area. Under dense foliage, caves, a crumbling building, or hindered land may all serve as a valid haunt. Areas with large congregations of people are also often avoided, though not impossible to haunt. Locations which have a strong holy aura, as in, a location where Paladins or Clerics might gather frequently, are unable to be haunted. Haunts may be purged by holy magic, mystic scrubbing, and other methods, though they may remain there indefinitely if undisturbed. Haunt Progression: The longer the amount of time the poltergeist has taken to attach themselves to the haunted region, the more potent the scale of their influence will become. Haunts that exist for longer periods of time will release new abilities for the poltergeist to apply whilst within it, as well as other effects coming upon the area. Tier 0 - The haunt is first established. A cold atmosphere slowly takes hold of the region over the course of one IRL day. The poltergeist is granted the ability to manipulate an additional five kilograms of weight and create minor sensory illusions in the minds of their targets; such as that of a distant cough, a shadow in the corner of one’s eye, or a chill that runs along one’s spine. This period begins as soon as the haunt is established. Tier 1 - The haunt has been established for one IRL week. The oppressive ambience of the zone is more noticeable, and the poltergeist possesses a greater extent of power. Their zone of extended influence stretches an additional two meters. Black Water will also begin to manifest within the haunt. This period is reached after one IRL week of haunting. Tier 2 - The haunt has been established for two IRL weeks. Mortals will take note of the deathly ambience immediately when they enter the region, goosebumps forming upon their skin. The poltergeist may now perform Greater Influence as outlined below, capable of manipulating even mortals in their haunt. The poltergeist can also lift an additional ten kilograms of weight, and the reach of their extended influence ranges an additional three meters. This period is reached after two IRL weeks of haunting. Tier 3 - The haunt has been established for four IRL weeks. The poltergeist is now able to perform Greater Possession as outlined below, allowing them to take complete control over a mortal’s body for a period of time. The poltergeist can now lift a total of twenty-five kilograms of weight, and their extended influence ranges a total of fifteen meters. This period is reached after four IRLs week of haunting. Haunt Abilities: The below abilities are only applicable when within the poltergeist's haunt. Manifest Corporeally - Poltergeists can briefly grant themselves a physical state, which they may use to physically interact better with mortals and objects. They often use this to scratch surfaces, attack descendants, and other frightful acts. Takes two emotes to shift from incorporeal state to corporeal, and two emotes to shift back to their incorporeal state. Should the phantom be struck by aurum or come into contact with direct sunlight, they will be forced back into incorporeality, and must wait for one emote after before trying again. Spoiler - Once made corporeal, poltergeists may make physical contact with mundane weaponry. This will cause a “dulled” pain to be felt, though not to the same degree as a mortal. - The poltergeist’s strength in this state is equivalent to that of their former mortal selves. - This cannot exceed the capacity of a human knight even should they have been stronger in their previous life. The further they get from their haunt, the weaker this becomes. - Poltergeists cannot stay or become corporeal in direct sunlight or upon touching aurum. - Cannot become corporeal whilst phasing through a person or object, such as gripping someone’s heart and then becoming tangible to crush it inside them. Greater Influence - Poltergeist to apply intensified telekinetic abilities within their own haunt. With this, a poltergeist may act upon up to three objects at once within a certain radius based upon the tier of haunt. They are also capable of moving (albeit crudely) and biological objects within their haunt. For example, they may push, pull, and throw a living target only to the extent that a regular person would be able to push, pull, or throw them respectively. - Poltergeists cannot manipulate another individual to perform some unnatural action, nor can it control them to any precise degree. They cannot tear limbs apart, cause someone to stab themselves, twist off their skull, and so on. They may only move their target as if they were moved by a regular individual, and may thus be resisted adequately. All other rules of influence still apply. Spoiler - The means by which a poltergeist manipulates an individual or object is limited to broad applications of force, such as pushing, shoving, or pulling. - Poltergeists cannot force the target to move in unnatural ways, such as bending their arm backwards or causing the target’s neck to snap. You cannot freeze someone using telekinesis. - Gripping a person or object with telekinesis requires that the poltergeist take three emotes: one to reach out, one to grab the victim, and one to move them. Greater Possession - Poltergeists may choose to take more active control of a mortal’s body whilst within a haunt, allowing them to manipulate the physical actions of the individual. This would involve the poltergeist appearing visually over the course of two emotes, before they may fly into the target upon the next. Should they succeed in making contact with the host, the body would completely freeze, their eyes staring blankly into the distance as the poltergeist and the mortal’s spirit clash. The victim must then contest a roll of twenty, and should they achieve 14+, they may effectively throw out the phantom. Should they fail the roll, the poltergeist would assume control of their body for the next two emotes, as the mortal’s spirit is forced only to watch for that duration. Upon reaching the end of the two emote mark, the victim may again attempt to resist with another roll, the threshold for success being lowered by two upon each attempt. Should they fail, the poltergeist may possess their body for another two emotes before they may attempt again. - Poltergeists may be forcibly expelled by external forces. Should the possessed individual be cut with aurum - not just receiving a ‘prick’ but actually cut - then the phantom would be forced to leave their body. Successful mystic exorcisms, shamanic blessings, and clerical light may also force the poltergeist to leave their host and become dazed for one emote. Spoiler - The extent to which the victim’s body may be manipulated is limited to that of natural ability, meaning that the poltergeist cannot cause their neck to snap backwards, their arm to bend sideways, etc. They can do things like induce vomiting, harmless seizures, and so forth. They may also choose to input certain images or thoughts into the mind of the one they are possessing, attempting to subdue their victim by berating them with curses and insults. - Possession does not require OOC consent, but it is recommended one offers in advance. - Once a roll threshold of zero is reached, the phantom will be automatically forced out unless the victim were to give OOC consent for them to remain. - Poltergeists cannot possess through solid aurum. If someone is wearing a full aurum chestpiece, then the phantom could not pass through it. This does not apply to small tokens, trinkets and baubles, or aurum alloys such as slayer-steel. - The roll threshold to successfully force out a phantom begins at 14 and is lowered by 2 after each attempt. Failure allows the poltergeist to possess for another three emotes. - Poltergeists cannot move the body in unnatural ways, such as causing their neck to snap, their arm to bend backwards, etc. They can still induce vomiting, paralysis, etc. - Cannot force the individual to perform fatal actions (i.e. severe self-mutilation). - Phantoms that are successfully thrown out from a target will be dazed for one emote and made forcibly tangible, before recovering upon the second emote after. - Poltergeists cannot leave their haunt with the possessed body, lest their influence fades away and the mortal is able to control themselves again. Black Water - A rather curious effect similar to that of apparitions who have made their crib within a pool of water. This similarly occurs in areas where a poltergeist has haunted a location for a minimum of one IRL week, upon which any still bodies of water in the area would begin to take on a subtle dark tint. This could be anything from the holy water font in a church to an abandoned koi pond, so long as it remains within the radius of the haunt. The water itself bears strange properties tied to the poltergeist which haunts the region - that being it is tied intrinsically to their ectoplasm, and thus, their spirit. Should any drink the water found there, they would be overcome by mild flu-like symptoms for a duration of three IRL days, finding it difficult to rest or relax as they are constantly put on edge. During this time, the poltergeist may choose to incite brief dreams or visions within the mind of one who has consumed it, these being limited to vivid, albeit vague, distortions or dreams that may show in the corner of one’s eyes whilst awake; or as an in-depth experience whilst asleep. These effects will subside after the three IRL days have passed. - Victims may OOCly consent for the effects to last for a longer period of time. The effects of the water may also be purged by holy, mystic, or shamanic magics should the ‘victim’ seek one out. Likewise, the aforementioned magics are capable of dispersing the effects of Black Water from an isolated source, though it is more efficient for them to directly purge the haunt itself unless the source of cursed water was, say, in a single bottle brought away from the haunt’s location. Spoiler - The mild flu-like symptoms typically have no bearing on combat ability. - Visions/dreams strictly cannot be used to relay what would otherwise be considered ‘metagamed’ information (i.e. it cannot be used as a telepathic link to warn of a raid). - This cannot be used to replace the bird system. Communication only goes one way: from the phantom to the individual who drank the water. - Does not allow the poltergeist to ‘read’ the consumer’s mind to any extent. - Visions and hallucinations cannot be used combatively. They might occur in combat should the phantom wish, but they would have no effect upon focus or performance unless the victim OOCly allowed for such to occur. V- isions/dreams are blurry and vague, alike to recalling a dream after one had just woken up. They may still be relatively scary in their own right. - Poltergeists cannot actively force someone to drink the water. They may coerce the target or outright lie to them, but they cannot physically manipulate/force them. - Black Water will only form in still bodies of water within a haunt’s radius, such as an underground lake, a bowl of water in a church, etc. - Active rainfall or the presence foreign liquids would not make a location suitable as the water would be disrupted and ‘contaminated’ by the other substance. - Black Water can still be brought outside of a haunt and retain its effects, though it can only be sourced within an active poltergeist haunt. - Mixing in Black Water with regular water will cause the effects to be removed. - Black Water does not require ST signage, but should be signed by the poltergeist player with adequately described effects. Players are expected to be able to relay the effects of the water to players that consume it as well. Cursed Items - Poltergeists may choose to weave malignancy and malice into objects, imbuing them with the raw essence of their rage and woe. This would essentially incite a ‘curse’ upon the object chosen, which may have various aesthetic effects of the poltergeist’s own design. Such trinkets may be mere baubles or small totems that can be worn, held, or otherwise carried on a person with relative ease. The effects upon the cursed object are relatively freeform, albeit with the caveat that they have little no combative potential. One could curse an object so that the wearer progressively loses their ability to see hues of color, as the world around them is turned monotonous and gray. Others could make it so that they see shadows in the corners of their eyes whilst wearing it, or distant whispers that seem to come from all around them. The cursed item may incite feelings of paranoia, stress, and other negative mental afflictions that are otherwise fairly harmless in their own right. So long as the curse or illusion is limited to flavor, and has no bearing upon physical ability, it is otherwise open to the poltergeist’s design. Spoiler - Cursed items cannot cause total blindness, total loss of hearing, total loss of touch, etc; though they may be muted to a minor extent. In this regard, loss of smell and taste are allowed so long as they do not offer any advantage against others. - Cursed items cannot cause extreme degrees of pain. They could manifest frequent migraines, but could not make it so your whole body feels like it's on fire. In other words, the effects of cursed items cannot be extreme to any extent. - Cursed items do not require ST signing but should be signed by the poltergeist to ensure validity. - In the event that a curse is placed upon an item that would require ST signature on its own, said item would still require a signature (i.e. housemagery living dolls). - Living people or animals cannot be cursed objects. - Cursed items may be objects of close attachment to the poltergeist, whether that be a doll from their former childhood, a locket, or some other precious memento. - Cursed items have no extraordinary physical attributes that would make them any more durable or effective than their mundane counterpart. - Cursed items may be purged by holy magic or mysticism, or may be destroyed. Cursed items must be worn (or held) by a mortal in order to take effect. - An individual who has worn a cursed item for a particularly long period of time would gradually return to normal should it be taken off. This is not instantaneous. - Cursed items can only be made from objects in the area the spirit frequents or their haunt. Haunt Abilities The below abilities are only applicable when within the poltergeist's haunt. Leaving the haunt will make the abilities unusable for so long as they are away. Spoiler Greater Corporeality: Poltergeists can briefly grant themselves a physical state, which they may use to physically interact better with mortals and objects. They often use this to scratch surfaces, attack descendants, and other frightful acts. Takes two emotes to shift from incorporeal state to corporeal, and two emotes to shift back to their incorporeal state. Should the phantom be struck by aurum or come into contact with direct sunlight, they will be forced back into incorporeality, and must wait for one emote afterwards before attempting to manifest back. - The poltergeist’s strength is limited to that of their former self. This cannot exceed the capacity of a human knight even should they have been stronger in life. - Poltergeists cannot be corporeal in direct sunlight or upon touching aurum. - Cannot become corporeal whilst phasing through a person or object, such as gripping someone’s heart and then becoming tangible to crush it inside them. Greater Influence: Poltergeist to apply intensified telekinetic abilities within their own haunt. With this, a poltergeist may act upon up to three objects at once within a certain radius based upon the tier of haunt. They are also capable of moving (albeit crudely) and biological objects within their haunt. For example, they may push, pull, and throw a living target only to the extent that a regular person would be able to push, pull, or throw them respectively. All other rules of influence still apply. Greater Possession: Poltergeists may choose to take more active control of a mortal’s body whilst within a haunt, allowing them to manipulate the physical actions of the individual. This would involve the poltergeist appearing visually over the course of two emotes, before they may fly into the target upon the next. Should they succeed in making contact with the host, the body would completely freeze, their eyes staring blankly into the distance as the poltergeist and the mortal’s spirit clash. The victim must then contest a roll of twenty, and should they achieve 14+, they may effectively throw out the phantom. Should they fail the roll, the poltergeist would assume control of their body for the next two emotes, as the mortal’s spirit is forced only to watch for that duration. Upon reaching the end of the two emote mark, the victim may again attempt to resist with another roll, the threshold for success being lowered by two upon each attempt. Should they fail, the poltergeist may possess their body for another two emotes before they may attempt again. General Redlines Spoiler Poltergeists require a valid creature application order to be played. Poltergeists possess a lingering aura of anxiety and unease around them in a five-meter radius, felt by all mortals in that area to no mechanical/RP detriment. This effect is amplified within their sanctuary, to no detriment/benefit. Poltergeists are incorporeal and cannot wear armor of any kind, nor wield weapons. For purposes of combatting other spectres, poltergeists exist in a “physical state” equivalent to whatever they had held in life - no greater than that of a human knight. Do note, when put against other phantom types, a poltergeist would be feeble in comparison, crumpling under blows and easily defeated by stronger spectres such as wights, apparitions, and even Eidola. This applies even if their former race exceeded the knight capacity, such as an orc. Poltergeists receive no benefit from medicine, alchemical concoctions, etc. Poltergeists cannot become other creatures unless stated otherwise. Poltergeists are explicitly incompatible and unable to pick up all forms of magic or feats (voidal evo, alchemy, etc,) with the notable exception of Mysticism related augmentation, enchantments on items, and so forth. The Specter Specters, otherwise known as White Spirits, as the most empathetic of all three specter subtypes, having come to terms with their demise and current state of being. While poltergeists have come to loathe the living in lieu of their death, the specter instead has chosen to embrace it, whether fully or with some reservation — though still accepting nonetheless. They are often graceful, melancholic creatures, who, while still suffering misery, have found peace within themselves and come to share that peace with others despite the grim existence they are prone to. Physical Description Being far more passive in nature, the specter bears rather subtle ectoplasmic tones — generally soft, bleached shades of cerulean blue or white. Having accepted their demise and the state in which they lived their life, the specter’s appearance resembles a more elegant reflection of how the individual looked whilst alive, or perhaps viewed themselves in pure regard. Though this effigy of their mortal self is not perfect, and may have traits that could be considered unsettling by some; eyes without pupils or irises, skin that appears porcelain and without flaw, they are far less intimidating than their seething counterparts, and more well-defined than the fledgling ghosts. Like ghosts and other phantom creatures, specters possess full incorporeality and are even capable of moulding their vessel — though are still vulnerable to aurum and magic. Mental Description Specters have come to terms with the nature of their death and their rebirth as a lingering spirit. Though still prone to depression and sorrow as a result of their state, they are not nearly as unstable as poltergeists, confused as revenants, or obsessive as some gravens. These gentle spirits tend to edge on a passive demeanor, though are nonetheless tragic and depressed as a result of their inability to pass into the Soulstream. However, it is their characteristic of acceptance that makes them what they are. This variety of phantom can be shy and elusive, at times wary of mortals and their reactions to the undead, though some may be less timid than others. A specter is not prone to fighting, and will avoid conflict wherever possible, unless acting in their better nature to assist a fellow ghost, or even a mortal in some circumstances. General Abilities As incorporeal undead, specters possess a myriad of qualities linked to their state of being, whether that be their intangible nature or their lack of respiratory system — these traits nevertheless a clear distinction between them and the living. Spoiler Phantasmal Since they lack a physical body, phantoms no longer require that which is necessary to sustain the living, meaning that they do not need to breathe, eat, sleep, nor may they make contact with material things - being as physical as light or fire would be. This also allows them to pass harmlessly through most material objects without any inhibition, allowing weaponry to simply pass through them without true harm, or allow them to waltz through a person with some greater degree of difficulty. Though phantoms exist in corporeally, they still may be wounded, and even consumed by other spectral energies, taking on the same damage of mortals would; albeit instead of leaving a corpse, they would demanifest into nothingness upon death. Phantasmal is a passive ability. Redlines: Specters are still limited to mechanical movement, meaning they may not move through solid walls, gates, locked doors, and so on. If a regular minecraft avatar cannot move this way mechanically, the phantom cannot either. Specters player CAs may both see and physically interact with one another without issue, even when invisible or incorporeal. This means that phantoms still feel “pain” from other phantoms’ attacks. Specters struck with aurum, alloys like Slayer-Steel, or raw-energy based attacks such as electrical evocation and fire evocation, will take “damage” equivalent to that of mortals. For example, a direct blow to the phantom’s head by any of the aforementioned would be capable of demanifesting them as a mortal wound to the head would kill a mortal. Merely chopping off an arm would simply cause the arm to demanifest. Having their head destroyed, losing large amounts of ectoplasm, or being severed with aurum will immediately demanifest a phantom. Invisibility As they are still bound to the physical realm, yet also hold some footing within the Elysian, ghosts may bring themselves closer towards the veil - albeit not entirely; lowering their presence within the Material Realm. By dredging up their ectoplasm to the forefront of their being, ghosts may shroud themselves in an invisible layer of ectoplasm over the course of two emotes, rendering themselves transparent and invisible. Upon successfully fading, the ghost is completely unseeable to most mortals, save for when within direct sunlight, which would instead manifest a subtle outline that may be spotted by mortals with two emotes of careful inspection. In order to return from invisibility, the phantom must take one emote to remanifest. Invisibility is an activated ability. Redlines: Broad daylight will always manifest a vague outline of the revenant. If a ghost takes damage while invisible (i.e. through aurum), they are forced to reappear. Attempting to sneak up on someone would manifest a distinct tell: their breath fogging up. Specters must wait at least one emote to directly attack after reappearing. Those with Vivification and Mysticism can still see faded phantoms. Shift Form By masterful manipulation of their own ectoplasm, a specter can change their own form into that of any animal of their choice, oftentimes one that symbolizes peace, wisdom, or sorrow - though not necessarily limited to just that. They may draw upon this ability at a whim, though often seldom chose to manipulate their humanoid appearance as they already assume what their mind believed to be a ‘perfect’ representation. Full transformation requires two emotes: one for the specter to become amorphous, and one for them to reform in the desired shape. Smaller traits such as changing one's appearance, revealing the scars of death, etc. only require one emote. Shift Form is an activated ability. Redlines: Specters may shapeshift into any creature up to the size of a stag. They may also choose to make their humanoid form at a whim. Any and all forms that specters assume will possess the same spectral characteristics. Shapeshifting does not, in any way, grant the specters superior abilities to what they would have when untransformed; meaning that a specter disguised as a dove could not fly to the top of a roof to avoid mechanically engaging in combat. In the event of combat, spectral or otherwise, shapeshifting into a beast does not grant any extraneous or extreme abilities, such as a cheetah’s speed or wolf’s smell. Natural weapons such as claws, teeth, etc. may still be utilized. In roleplay, flying creatures are limited to a height of two meters to no mechanical advantage. This form may be maintained for as long as the specter wishes, though some may even choose to adopt a permanent animal manifestation as a sign of notoriety. Influence Specters are capable of manipulating one or more objects through telekinesis, requiring that the object be within the specter’s line of sight and within a certain range depending on the extent they wish to manipulate the object. The specter’s influence is limited to that of ten kilograms, or twenty-two pounds. Attempting to lift anything more than this will simply cause the item to tremble violently, though will not allow it to be moved. Influence is limited to two ranges: Immediate Influence: This constitutes as a very basic means of telekinetic application, and mostly entails the use of the specter’s abilities for flavor or to strike fear within onlookers. This minor sphere of influence stretches up to one meter around the specter, and is defined as controlling one object that is not acted upon by some other agent or force. This bars actions such as stopping objects mid-air in front of the specter, pulling held objects from peoples’ hands, or operating complex mechanisms or devices (i.e. crossbows). Any attempt to exert this influence beyond the span of one meter will result in the item dropping stagnant to the ground, regardless of motion. All appliances of simple influence may be done at the specter’s whim. Extended Influence: This application of telekinesis is far potent, allowing the specter’s to apply telekinetic abilities beyond the range of their immediate influence. This is defined as acting upon up to five objects within a radius of ten meters from the specter, wherein they may manipulate the target items in any direction they desire, albeit at the cost of precision. Said objects may be thrown at speed equivalent to if a regular person had thrown the item themselves, allowing targets to dodge the projectile with sufficient awareness. Within this sphere of influence, specter’s can operate more complex mechanisms such as bows or crossbows as well. Should any thrown object leave the ten-meter radius, it would immediately fall motionless to the ground. To lift an object with complex influence requires two emotes to grasp it, and one emote to operate the object, with an additional emote added for every other object influenced. Redlines: Weapons can be used in this form, however, ghosts are unable to pierce armor or parry blows, limiting their application of weaponry to crude movements. They will at most leave bruises, wounds, and/or scars that may be moderate, but never outright fatal. Specters cannot manipulate liquids or fine-particle solids such as sand. Specters cannot lift aurum with their telekinetic abilities. Influence is limited to Immediate and Extended ranges of influence. Immediate influence may be performed upon a whim. Extended influence requires three emotes to perform. Weapons that are currently in use/held cannot be effectively manipulated. Objects thrown with influence will fly no faster than baseball speed, regardless of size. This means that they may still be evaded with sufficient awareness and movement ability. Should any item be moved beyond its respective radius, the object immediately loses all momentum and would fall stagnant to the ground. Outside of a haunt, influence is limited to inanimate objects, meaning that one cannot manipulate people or things such as automatons. A simple, rolling ball would be fine. Influence cannot be used upon other phantom entities directly. Possession The most notorious abilities that those of the ghostly variety possess is a feat called Possession. Possession takes many shapes and forms in general, but specifically the ability exists as means to possess beings and objects of various types. With their advancements in their incorporeal state, spiritual beings are capable of entering humanoid bodies and projecting whispers and images into their mind. Though they have no true control over their host, those that utilize possession to its fullest potential are able to incite emotions and ideas into the minds of their victims, often leading men to do heinous or uncharacteristically courageous acts based on one core idea. Possession requires three emotes to perform. Upon successfully haunting, the player may message their victim the subsequent effects of the ability. Redlines: Possession purely takes basis on a psychotic level, acting similar to mental magic. For instance, a specter may induce intense feelings of courage or valor, even in the face of danger. This does not allow them to overcome any unnatural obstacles such as dark magic curses, nor exceed the abilities of their body. Additionally, mental magic barriers, mind-like wards, cognantsists, or any similar beings would treat possession as if it were a mentalist type magic. Possession cannot be used to force a person to move physically. It may coerce them into performing certain actions, though that is up for the victim to enact themselves. Possession can be performed on inanimate objects such as dolls or suits of armor to move them autonomously, though such movement would be incredibly rigid alike to a poorly oiled automaton - making it ineffective for combat. Though inside of a host, spiritual beings performing haunting are not immune. Should a person be cut by gold, be knocked unconscious, or have an energy based magic cast upon them, the spirit is forcefully ejected from the host and left dazed for one emote. This includes having their host channelled with deific magic. While inside a person, willingly or unwillingly, should they cross over an aurum line, the phantom would still be allowed to remain inside the husk unharmed. Specter Sanctuaries Specters who have come to true terms with their death may choose a location they find fitting, establishing a place in which they might meditate and ponder, or perhaps lament, their current state of being - as well as offer sanctuary to those who seek similar reprieve. Spoiler After selecting a somber or isolated area, such as a cemetery or an open glade, the specter may bind their ectoplasm to the region over the course of one IRL day, until they become bound there as a result. This renders them severely weakened beyond the confines of their haunt, though in turn bolsters their powers within the region to a tremendous extent. For one, the somber aura that follows the specter would be greatly augmented, becoming far more present within the backs of the minds of whoever entered the zone. Mortals may be overcome by a sense of subtle sadness, or perhaps inversely comfort should the specter wish to consol the living. Unlike poltergeists, specters may choose moderately illuminated areas, such as the shade beneath a grove of trees. Areas which have particularly large congregations of people are also often avoided, though not impossible to sanctuary. Locations which have a strong holy aura, as in a location where Paladins or Clerics might gather frequently, are unable to be haunted. Unless chased out or forcibly have their grasp relinquished, an area may be haunted indefinitely. The longer the amount of time the specter has taken to attach themselves to the haunted region, the more potent the scale of their influence will become. Sanctuaries must be placed in dull or gloomy areas. Under dense foliage, caves, a crumbling building, or beneath a shroud of hindered land may all serve as a valid haunt. Specter cannot kill those entering a sanctuary directly. They may take up arms to defend themselves or others within the sanctuary, though would seldom wish to kill. This is more so because of the specter’s mentality. The notion of death is rather sensitive to them, and often leaves them with the disinclination to fight. Sanctuaries may be purged by holy magic, mystic scrubbing, and other such methods of warding away phantom spirits. Sanctuary Progression: Sanctuaries that exist for longer periods of time will have different effects and will release new abilities for the specter to apply whilst within the confines of their haunt. T0 Sanctuary - 0 IRL week(s): The sanctuary is first established. A cold atmosphere slowly takes hold of the region over the course of one IRL day. The specter is granted the ability to manipulate an additional five kilograms of weight and create minor sensory illusions; such as the brief gleam of light, somber whispers which trail from afar, and so on. T1 Sanctuary - 1 IRL week(s): The sanctuary has been established for one IRL week. The sorrowful ambience of the zone is more noticeable, and the specter possesses a greater extent of power. Their zone of extended influence stretches an additional two meters, and they are granted the ability to lift an additional ten kilograms of weight within the sanctuary’s location. Pale Water will also begin to manifest wherever there is a pool of still water in the haunt. T2 Sanctuary - 2 IRL week(s): The sanctuary has been established for two IRL weeks. Mortals will take note of the specter’s ambience immediately when they enter the region, goosebumps forming upon their skin. The specter may now perform Greater Influence as outlined below, and to a much finer extent than most phantoms. The specter can also lift an additional twenty kilograms of weight, and the reach of their extended influence ranges an additional three meters. T3 Sanctuary - 4 IRL week(s): The sanctuary has been established for four IRL weeks. The specter is now able to perform Blessing of the Ebrietaes as outlined below, allowing them to bless those who have offered them aid or peace. The specter can now lift a total of thirty kilograms of weight, and their extended influence ranges a total of fifteen meters. The below abilities are only applicable when within the sanctuary: Manifest Corporeally: Specters can manipulate their body within their own haunt, allowing the phantom to pull themselves closer to the material realm and grant them a physical state for a brief time. This can be used to physically interact with mortals and objects, whether that be scratching a surface, attacking a descendant, or other frightful actions requiring tangibility. It will take a specter two emotes to shift from incorporeality to corporeality, which can be sustained for as long as they wish so long as they are not struck by aurum or holy light. It will take a specter another two emotes to fully shift back to incorporeality by their own volition. If a specter is damaged by aurum while corporeal, they will be forced back into incorporeality for a minimum of one emote before attempting again. Once made corporeal, specters may make physical contact with mundane weaponry. The specter’s strength in this state is equivalent to that of their former mortal selves. This cannot exceed the capacity of a human knight even should they have been stronger in their previous life. Specters cannot remain corporeal in direct sunlight. Cannot become corporeal whilst phasing through a person or object, such as gripping someone’s heart and then becoming tangible to crush it inside them. This can only be performed within the specter’s sanctuary or hindered regions. Greater Telekinesis: Specters are able to utilize a buffed version of their telekinesis while within the haunted zone; their influence raised to a higher limit based upon the amount of time they’ve spent there. They may, chiefly, apply their telekinesis as a defensive measure rather than offensive, such as redirecting an arrow that flies towards a mortal within their haunt, fling moderately sized objects towards aggressors, and other such means of warding off attackers. While they may apply telekinesis regularly within their extended zone of influence, any attempts to redirect or move projectiles or in-motion objects must be done within a five meter radius of the specter, and only after two emotes of focusing upon the object and redirecting it. Specters cannot manipulate organic or living creatures/people. Redirecting projectiles can only be performed within five meters of the phantom, and can only be performed on up to two objects moving at arrow speed. Melee and raw magical attacks (i.e. fireball) cannot be redirected with telekinesis, though a thrown dagger or a chair could with sufficient awareness. The phantom must have line of sight to see the moving object to redirect it. Redirection is limited to veering the object slightly from its set trajectory so it does not hit the target, though it cannot stop the object mid-air and send it back. The force by which an object is pushed would be alike to if a descendant human of average (not above average) strength had carried out the action. These applications of telekinesis will seldom ever be able to kill someone outright. They may, at most, leave bruises, fracture bones, or cause scars. Follows all other redlines and mechanics of telekinetic influence. Pale Water: Similar to apparitions and poltergeists, specters who have established a sanctuary for a minimum of one IRL week may begin to dilute any still bodies of water with their ectoplasm. So long as it is within the haunted region, the water may be permeated by the phantom’s essence, taking on a dim and pale gleam. The water bears a strange and intrinsic ties to the specter that haunts the region, bound to their ectoplasm and thus their spirit. Should any drink the water found here, they would be overcome by mild nausea and coldness over the duration of three IRL days, finding themselves lethargic and somewhat melancholic. During this time, the specter may choose to incite brief dreams or visions within the mind of one who consumed it, typically pertaining to fond memories of the specter in question. The individual would be made to experience the particular memory imbued within the water, feeling the same emotions and sensations as the specter themselves felt whilst alive, thus making the water an effective tool of spectral empathy. These effects tend to subside after three IRL days have passed. Victims may OOCly consent for the effects to last for a longer period of time. The effects of the water may also be purged by holy, mystic, or shamanic magics should the ‘victim’ seek one out. Likewise, the aforementioned magics are capable of dispersing the effects of Pale Water from an isolated source, though it is more efficient for them to directly purge the sanctuary itself unless the source of water was, say, in a single bottle brought away from the sanctuary’s location. The mild flu-like symptoms typically have no bearing on combat ability. Visions/dreams strictly cannot be used to relay what would otherwise be considered ‘metagamed’ information (i.e. it cannot be used as a telepathic link to warn of a raid). This cannot be used to replace the bird system. Communication only goes one way: from the phantom to the individual who drank the water. Does not allow the specters to ‘read’ the consumer’s mind to any extent. Visions and hallucinations cannot be used combatively. They might occur in combat should the phantom wish, but they would have no effect upon focus or performance unless the victim OOCly allowed for such to occur. Visions/dreams are blurry and vague, alike to recalling a dream after one had just woken up. They may still be recalled as a fuzzy memory or vision. Specters cannot actively force someone to drink the water. It must be of the individual’s own full volition and will. Pale Water will only form in still bodies of water within a sanctuary’s radius, such as an underground lake, a bowl of water in a church, etc. Active rainfall or the presence foreign liquids would not make a location suitable as the water would be disrupted and ‘contaminated’ by the other substance. Pale Water can still be brought outside of a haunt and retain its effects, though it can only be sourced within an active specter sanctuary. Mixing in Pale Water with regular water will cause the effects to be removed. Pale Water does not require ST signage, but should be signed by the specter player with adequately described effects. Players are expected to be able to relay the effects of the water to players that consume it as well. Cannot relay memories pertaining to the imbiber or specter’s death/demanifestation. Blessing of the Ebrietaes Most every specter possesses the means of blessing or cursing mortal souls. From unnamed ghosts to lordly apparitions, more focused phantoms can weave their own spiritual essence into that of a person’s very soul, leaving a transient mark upon their spirit. These marks are often benign in nature, granted to those who have gained the favor of the specter - whether they be long lost friends or newly-made acquaintances. Bestowing a blessing, however, is not something done in arbitrary fashion, and is only reserved for those who have the specter’s utmost faith. Upon being endowed with a blessing, the recipient would find themselves to bear a positive emotion of the specter’s choosing. They would feel particularly inclined towards said emotion, whether that be a calming feeling, confidence, or an overall sense of reprieve. Typically, this comes in the form of the blessed individual experiencing the voices of past loved ones, flashbacks to cherished moments, and otherwise recalling an event that the victim looks back on with fondness. The most generic use of this ability feeds a person boons of confidence, respite from depression or sadness, or an overall calmness. The effects of the boon last for about three IRL days, and ‘radiate’ from the individual in a two-meter radius to no potent extent. Unlike other abilities, blessing of the Ebrietaes can be performed outside of the specter’s sanctuary so long as that location is fully intact. All blessings and boons are limited to a passive positive (or otherwise pensive) emotion that ‘radiates’ from the individual in a two-meter radius. This emotional aura bears no effect on physical ability, bodily healing, or otherwise any sort of physical attributes. The aura may be applied to mildly resist the negative effects of curses or geists, though cannot be used to outright cancel them. These auras do not have any bearing upon combat. The memories or flashbacks entailed are personal to the blessed individual, and cannot be used to metagame what would otherwise be ‘forgotten’ knowledge (i.e. through death). These effects will only last for three IRL days before expiring. General Redlines Spoiler Specters require a valid creature application order to be played. Specters possess a lingering aura of somberness and ease that trails around them in a five-meter radius, felt by all mortals in that area to no mechanical/RP detriment. This effect is amplified within their sanctuary, to no detriment/benefit. Specters are incorporeal and cannot wear armor of any kind, nor wield weapons. For purposes of combatting other spectres, specters exist in a “physical state” equivalent to whatever they had held in life - no greater than that of a human knight. Do note, when put against other phantom types, a specter would be feeble in comparison, crumpling under blows and easily defeated by stronger spectres such as wights, apparitions, and even Eidola. This applies even if their former race exceeded the knight capacity, such as an orc. Specters receive no benefit from medicine, alchemical concoctions, etc. Specters cannot become other creatures unless stated otherwise. Specters are explicitly incompatible and unable to pick up all forms of magic or feats (voidal evo, alchemy, etc,) with the notable exception of Mysticism related augmentation, enchantments on items, and so forth. Mystic Amendment The following amendments tie in heavily with the previous lore and upon up a degree of necessary interaction between mystics and phantoms that was previously not covered in former lore. You can see the main mystic post here. Change: Spoiler Anchoring – The binding of a phantom to a location or pillar-like Menhir by means of ectoplasmic manipulation. A power of Mysticism instituted with annals of antiquity, permitting an occultist to bind an ectoplasmic being, be it a graven, ghost, or apparition to a particular location, oftentimes employed through a means of stone pillars or monoliths. Such is performed through numerous and draining sessions of funneling one’s ectoplasm into the pillar or item, drawing the nearest ghost or graven to it akin to some pseudo-magnet, thus drawing them to linger about the area as if it were a sort of ‘home’, albeit perhaps subtly and even, at times, without their knowledge. Objects, too, may be employed as an anchor, allowing the bound phantom to simulate a mortal haunting, since a phantom cannot be bound directly to a soul beyond the conjoinment of new Mystics. When bound in such a way, the phantom is granted some benefit, rendering them immune to permanent banishment by means of constant demanifestation, often making compliance in such matters appealing to the phantom in question, especially should they not wish to risk their soul being cast into the Ebrietaes. Essentially, these work as a rather crude and basic form of phylactery, maintaining the phantom so long as the crib remained intact, though banishing the spectral creature to the Ebrietaes the moment it is destroyed or purged. However, should the Mystic(s) who bound the phantom will, they may remove the shackles which had bound the phantom, leaving the creature to recuperate for some time afterwards, yet still remaining within the mortal plane. Dissimilar to these common phantoms, however, apparitions will instead instantly enter a sort of dormancy when bound to such as these, though still requiring the alignment of the apparition in question be with that of the Mystic(s), lest they be required forcibly weaken it through means of conduit draining. These creatures, despite the limited capabilities of other bound phantoms, hold much greater power when bound to these cribs, establishing great areas of influence, this varying based upon their power scale, whether by the number or souls consumed or their rage. It should also be noted that still bodies of water work splendidly as a means of crib, establishing these as pools which reflect the nature of the Ebrietæs themselves – the fleeting faces of the tormented dead passing across their dark surfaces as shrouds of thick mist embrace the crib with a perturbing presence. The water itself, as a result of the saturation of the apparition’s soul-consuming ectoplasm, will also take on numerous properties nigh achievable by any that lie within the mortal realm, imbued with the essence of that which lies within. It is with this water that a Mystic may expel curses from the soul, the apparition’s essence consuming the geist or spirit within any hex or malediction of Ebrietael or Shamanic Nature, adding their power to its own and thus rendering the curse null. Yet one should be wary of wading into these pools, as they would be subject to the wrath of the apparition, permitting only creatures as Wights to enter with little endangerment, and even then putting their wellbeing at risk. - Stone monoliths, Menhirs, and items which a phantom is Anchored to act as a pseudo-phylactery. As long as it exists, a CA phantom bound to it will be immune to PK by three demanifastations, though should the Anchor be destroyed or purged, the bound phantom will be forced to PK. - Phantoms bound to items in this way must be ST signed with the phantom’s name set in brackets within the name or description. Similarly, for structures as Menhir or cribs, a sign must be placed stating such, stating the name of the bound phantom, as well as approved by an ST. One cannot metagame the names and identities of phantoms bound. - Only one phantom may be bound to a location/crib/item/Menhir. - A phantom cannot destroy their own crib. They can leave their crib to wander about, but will always be bound to it and forced to return should they be instructed so by the Mystic who had anchored them. - Permanent binding of a CA phantom cannot be done without OOC consent. To: Spoiler Rite of Anchoring (Non-Combative | T1) An ancient rite of Mysticism instituted throughout the annals of antiquity, allowing an occultist to more permanently pull an ectoplasmic being towards the material realm. This is performed by taking an object - culturally being a rock or stone idol - which has been drenched in the mystic’s own ectoplasm. An amputated occultist must then thrust it into the chest of the specter, allowing it to soak up their ectoplasmic energies like a sponge. Excruciating to the ephemeral undead, this would bind a portion of the specter’s soul to the object — thus linking their spirit to the stone. Spoiler Mechanics: Mystics may bind phantoms to a saturated object with expressed OOC consent, essentially creating a phylactery which pulls the phantom closer to the material world. This would turn the spectral creature corporeal, albeit at the cost of their telekinetic ability and the potential to turn invisible through the Elysian. So long as the anchor exists safely within the Mortal Realm, the bound phantom would be permitted an ability similar to that assumed when in a hindered plane. The anchor allows them to deliver physical attacks, wear armor, and perform any other action as would a mortal, albeit still banished from death. This comes with the caveat that the phantom loses their ability to perform telekinetic influence or become invisible while corporeal, forcing them to conform to the restrictions of a physical vessel similar to gravens. Their strength would be, at most, equivalent to that of a well-trained human knight if humanoid in shape, regardless of what race they may have been prior. In the case of animalistic forms, their strength could be more equivalent to that of a direwolf or small bear depending on their general proportions. A corporeal phantom will be limited to their immediate area of influence, meaning that they may only manipulate objects within a meter of themselves, though still permitting them feats such as aesthetic levitation. Phantoms will also be allowed to retain their spectral shapeshifting ability, though this strictly offers no distinct advantages or affinities of that particular animal, and is rather an outward representation of the phantom’s own dismal mind. Should the anchor be shattered, the phantom would be banished from both the mortal world and the soulstream, PKing the character as they are forced to watch helplessly from the Elysian. The anchor should be story-signed and have a valid description detailing its effects and name - at the very least - the phantom player in question that is bound to it. These objects may not be placed in enderchests and require active interaction on the part of the mystic and phantom in order to be considered valid. This may be anything from relaying command, to attending an assembly. Anchored phantoms who have not had a ‘fulfilling’ interaction with their anchorer - whether that be the receiving of a command, an address in an assembly, and so on, will be able to gradually unweave themselves from the anchoring after thirty IRL days. - Anchoring a phantom requires OOC consent from the player. The mystic is expected to relay all mechanics and conditions of being anchored to the phantom foremostly. - Corporeality may be assumed over the course of two emotes within low-light or hindered regions, the phantom losing access to telekinesis and invisibility whilst corporeal. They may shift back to incorporeality after two emotes to regain those abilities. - A corporeal phantom is only able to draw upon their immediate area of influence. - Attempting to fade to invisibility will render one incorporeal once again. - Whilst corporeal, the phantom's strength is equivalent to either that of a human knight, or that of a direwolf if they had assumed an animalistic form fitting of such strength. - Anchored items must be ST signed and name the phantom player that is bound to it. - A phantom refusing to log on to unbind themselves does not constitute for this clause, as it was of their own volition that they chose to avoid interacting with their mystics. - Anchored items cannot be hidden in enderchests and should be mechanically accessible. - A shattered anchor is an effective force-PK for the phantom bound to it. Change: Spoiler SCRUBBING: The veil between worlds is often thin, weakened by the aberrant interactions of the dead between those of the living. Yet in times of need, through a particular ritual involving the burning of ritualistic herbs, performed by those of the Mystic Arts, the veil between the two worlds may be bolstered to a state greater than it was prior. This may act as a sort of spiritual ward, rendering the influence of phantom beings less than what it once was, perhaps protecting those who seek respite and sanctuary from the more relentless spirits of the deceased. Such rites may be performed through means of burning herbs associated with the notions of death, whether they be of alchemic or cultural symbolism matters little. This will then appears as what may seem as a cloud of incense, shield, or other aesthetic manifestation, so long as it pertains to the general theme. Once such has been established, phantom creatures as Ghosts or Gravens will be unable to penetrate the defensive region, or may even be made weakened should they be entrapped within such. Wights, however, due to their more potent nature, suffer little more than some discomfort, their power level being reduced by a single tier at most. Meanwhile, things as Apparitions themselves are immune to the effects of Scrubbing, though will have their area of effect unable to reach those within the field. The general area-of-effect of this ritual is dependent upon the Mystic’s tier, though Wights and amputated occultists are unable to perform such. Tier 1: The Mystic may scrub a 5x5 space. Tier 2: The Mystic may scrub a 10x10 space. Tier 3: The Mystic may scrub a 15x15 space. Tier 4: The Mystic may scrub a 20x20 space. - Wights, whilst able to be present within a Scrubbing to little ill-effect, are unable to perform it themselves. Similarly, those who have undergone amputation will find their spectral limb to demanifest should they enter the field. - Any being already husked when entering or entrapped will not suffer consequences of their powers, yet will feel great discomfort and will be unable to assume their phantom forms until their husk has been destroyed or they depart. - While Eidola themselves are not effected by the effects of Scrubbing, they will be unable to use any sort of phantom/ectoplasm-based augments. Additionally, should they enter whilst carrying within them an apparition or soul fragments, they will demanifest. To: Spoiler Scrubbing (Combative | T1) The veil is a most fragile thing, constantly weakened by the aberrant interactions of the dead. To bolster such a thing would come as a great detriment to any wayward spirit, and many would think such as the antithesis of a mystic — yet quite curiously it is the opposite. Instead, willing mystics may embolden the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead, creating what would be a spiritual ward or sanctuary that would stand strong against the sway of the damned. Spoiler Mechanics: Scrubbing requires that the mystic first lower themselves into a deep trance, focusing on clouds of burning incense that fill the air around them. These clouds allow them to spread their control of the veil throughout the area, giving them the ability to pry ectoplasm free from all things, rather than a single target. The more mystics that partake in a scrubbing ritual, the wider its area, and more powerful targets may be capably dispelled by their combined force. Whilst a single mystic could effectively scrub a four meter area on their own, every additional mystic would increase this size by an additional four by four meters. By doing this, any weakening in the veil caused by mass death will be undone. Haunts will have their effects completely reversed if a scrubbing ritual is performed upon them, or upon a significant area of them. If a haunt has at least a twelve meter area of blocks scrubbed, the haunt will be suitably unsettled and will collapse, even if some artifacts remain. At least two in-character years must pass before an area can be considered a haunt again. Rather than simply casting ectoplasm out from a target, scrubbing actively destroys ectoplasm by pulling it back onto the living side of the veil, transforming it back into mana, life force and soul essence. Single mystics may also use a scrubbing ritual to defend themselves from apparitions. The small area they project is dense enough to ward apparitions that attempt to reach within that area. Moreover, the distortions caused in their ectoplasm will be so great, that telekinetic abilities will not be capable of reaching within the mystic’s scrubbed area. Smaller spectral entities cannot be destroyed by scrubbing, though they will feel immense pain and have whatever ties that bind them to the area broken — and even eidola have small enough portions of ectoplasm that they can instinctively weave their way between the waves of energy emanating from the mystic. - Menhir and gateways require at least two mystics to scrub them. - Apparitions require at least five mystics to scrub them, if the intent is to destroy them. The number required may scale up depending on the apparition’s own power. - Scrubbing will effectively nullify any attempt to conjure ectoplasm within the region, whether by a mystic or a phantom (i.e. walling, deadbreath, etc). - The mana, life force, and soul essence that results from a successful Scrubbing vanish almost instantly as they drain away, and cannot be captured. 30 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rukio 8908 Share Posted March 28, 2021 (edited) First Honestly though, can't say I'm a fan of this rewrite. Edited March 28, 2021 by rukio 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valannor 6342 Share Posted March 28, 2021 Enjoyed helping you out with this one, Pund! +1 Ghostwrite 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronin_champloo 5950 Share Posted March 28, 2021 why did you steal my lore from the googledoc? - i was about to post it :/ 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nozgoth 2897 Share Posted March 28, 2021 haven't read it yet but this seems epic 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobBox 3191 Share Posted March 28, 2021 3 minutes ago, Spoons said: why did you steal my lore from the googledoc? - i was about to post it :/ +1 for spoon's lore 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnBaed 8685 Share Posted March 28, 2021 add the redline that people who bring back dead characters just to do slice of life rp again as a ghost yield MORE ectoplasm for anyone that would like to harvest it..... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valannor 6342 Share Posted March 28, 2021 15 minutes ago, UnBaed said: add the redline that people who bring back dead characters just to do slice of life rp again as a ghost yield MORE ectoplasm for anyone that would like to harvest it..... I will personally eat those ghosts. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComicD 226 Share Posted March 28, 2021 He gave me two russian names and the hour in Vietnam, +1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slorbin 1763 Share Posted March 30, 2021 I don't really see the need for TWO MORE ghost races, so unless this is two subraces of ghost, eh.. If it's just removing graven and ghosts both, and turning them to 'poltergeist/revenant' both, that's fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorcerio 4588 Author Share Posted March 30, 2021 15 hours ago, Slorbin said: I don't really see the need for TWO MORE ghost races, so unless this is two subraces of ghost, eh.. If it's just removing graven and ghosts both, and turning them to 'poltergeist/revenant' both, that's fine. It's the latter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rukio 8908 Share Posted April 14, 2021 On 3/30/2021 at 5:34 PM, Sorcerio said: When will you change ur lore so paladins/holy magics in general are relevant to getting rid of them again . . .and I don't mean haunts I mean purge to despawn them for x days or for good if they consent like the old lore had. With your rewrite since they have no physical touchable body (outside of haunts/sanctuaries) it is impossible to purge them. You can only hack them to pieces which is zzz. I like the ability to say "Why are you still here" and if its not something rly obtainable being able to be like "Okay, I can purge you in a somewhat less painful way or I can end you by a blade, your choice" yadda yadda. This just forces me to go "hur dur me have big glowy stick I bash on his skull" Also...the marking/branding/whatever they're able to do to people should be purgeable, so on so forth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScreamingDingo 16728 Share Posted April 14, 2021 10 minutes ago, rukio said: When will you change ur lore so paladins/holy magics in general are relevant to getting rid of them again when holy magic is relevant again 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rukio 8908 Share Posted April 14, 2021 2 hours ago, ScreamingDingo said: when holy magic is relevant again Mood Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
squakhawk 7208 Share Posted April 28, 2021 This Lore has been accepted. Moved to Implemented Lore, it will be sorted to it's appropriate category soon. Please note that if this is playable lore, such as a magic or CA, you will need to write a guide for this piece. You will be contacted regarding the guide (or implementation if it isn’t needed) shortly. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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