| Wraithly Retainers: The Necromantic Advantage Clans Giovanni, and the blood lines of Harbingers of Skulls, and Samedi have an incredible advantage in that they may have wraiths as retainers. Many chronicles, however, are unable to adequately deal with this aspect of the game. The following, therefore, is offered as a guide to all live-action players and storytellers for the Giovanni retainers, and has been adopted for use in many vampire LARP Chronicles. Wraithly Retainers are to be written out on 3x5 cards like items, and like items must be checked when arriving at a chronicle. Moreover, if there is an ongoing Wraith chronicle, the Wraith chronicle should be informed about said retainers. The assumption here is that players are not all that familiar with Wraith: the Oblivion, nor need they be. These rules are an extremely abbreviated version of Oblivion, and are intended for Giovanni retainers and those with the flaw Haunted. Alternately, they could be used as an introduction to the world of Oblivion. While this system may seem overly simplified, keep in mind that the purpose of the system is to stream-line NPC's; it is not meant for fully developed player characters. As such they can not have Xp spent on them. Moreover, the NPC's will not be as powerful as player wraiths in the same way that ghouled retainers are not as powerful as player ghouls. Every attempt to maintain this sort of balance has been maintained. It is important to note that NOT EVERY WRAITH CAN BE A WRAITH RETAINER. It is unlikely that a Giovanni can control more than five wraiths, because most wraiths will simply leave the area rather than work for a Giovanni. Also there were long standing rules in Stygia (the major city/state of the dead) that no wraith is to associate in or with the Skinlands in any way. (That is where Obili comes from. Rule breakers and such the like.) Things have become a bit more lax, in these confusing times, however some powerful wraiths still impose these rules in their regions. However some wraiths were once family members and work out of loyalty, some wraiths have fetters they need protected which the Giovanni will have in his or her possession. Player characters may not be wraith retainers but may play allies of wraiths. As such they would be made as normal wraiths according to the wraith LARP rules. In addition, Risen may not be taken as a wraith retainer. Name - All Giovanni retainers should have a name. Archetype - Sort of a nature and demeanor combined in one, this would be a one word description of personality. Concept - Why is the wraith serving the Giovanni? This is very important. Is she a haunter who also wants to destroy the shroud? Has she been imprisoned by the Giovanni? Did she make a pact with them for power? Or is she a malevolent specter that finds the ways of a vampire evil enough to comply with? Attributes - 6/4/3, like ghouls. These do not have to be specified, save simply by number. Abilities - Giovanni retainers get 5 abilities. Normally, these are Italian, a retest for all three starting arcanoi, and one specialty. Passion - The player should pick one driving passion that drives the wraith, such as serve the family (loyalty) or destroy the world (megalomania). Once per night the Giovanni may have her NPC make an extended simple challenge to regain pathos if appropriate. Fetter - Most likely the Giovanni have at least one fetter of the wraith in question. Which one would that be? Backgrounds - The wraith may choose one of the following backgrounds to help flesh out the character. For greater retainers, multiples can be taken of individual backgrounds or can be spread out among any combination of the players choice. Age - died up to one hundred years ago. Additional dots add another one hundred years of wraithly experience. Eidolon - Allows one retest to avoid thorns per night. Memoriam - May begin with an additional point of pathos each night. Relic - The wraith possesses one relic (probably a weapon) which may be used in the shadowlands. Status - The wraith possesses a level of status, most likely in one of the guilds (esp. the Haunters). Arcanoi - The wraith must choose three basic arcanoi from the list. One of these three must be pandemonium, one must be a common arcanos, and the other must be an uncommon arcanos. The arcanoi of Lifeweb, Fatalism, Puppetry, Flux, Intimation, and Mnemosynis are entirely forbidden to Giovanni retainers. (Three are lost arts, and the other three are unbalancing and difficult to apply to NPC retainers). Thorns - The Giovanni must pick a thorn with which the shadow tortures the wraith. ST's may (once per night) make a simple challenge to activate the thorn at any time. Only Eidolon may be used to retest this challenge. Pathos, Corpus, and Willpower - The NPC begins play with 3 points of pathos, 7 corpus, and 2 willpower. While this is certainly less than starting level PC wraiths, keep in mind that these are NPC retainers that are to be balanced with the rest of game. Certainly no other clan has the option of having up to five NPC's floating around them at any given time. A NOTE ON CHALLENGES Normally most challenges for Giovanni retainers are simple challenges. This risks no trait. If the challenge wins or ties, it is effective. If the challenge is extended simple, then if the challenge is won the wraith counts a success and challenges again, counting each win and continuing. Any time the wraith loses, the challenge is over. If the wraith ties, the challenge is considered successful, but the challenge ends there. A NOTE ON GREATER RETAINERS Rather than have five lesser retainers, a player might prefer to have one or more greater retainers. For each additional point spent on a retainer (maximum of four additional points), the wraith gains the following: +1 attribute +1 ability +1 background +1 willpower +1 basic arcanoi Note that two additional basic arcanoi may be "cashed in" for an intermediate arcanoi. This does not apply to the initial three arcanoi allowed. Two additional arcanoi may also be "cashed in" for an advanced arcanoi. Obviously a wraith may not have an intermediate arcanos without first knowing the basic. Thus only a level 3 or higher wraith may have an intermediate arcanos, and only a level five retainer may have an advanced art. A NOTE ON MAELSTROM AFFECTS The 6th maelstrom affects Giovanni retainers just as much as it does other wraiths. If the maelstrom is level zero or one, there is no affect. At level two and above, the player must make a simple challenge for each wraithly retainer. The result of this simple test can be seen in the table below. This is basically just a simple challenge as no traits are risked or compared but a tie haas very different effects from a win. Wraith retainers are not allowed during a level five maelstrom, as the damage they would suffer for even a few seconds outside would shred them utterly. Maelstrom Level Win Tie Loss 1 No Effect No Effect No Effect 2 No Effect No Effect Down One Corpus 3 No Effect Down One Corpus Down Three Corpus 4 Down One Corpus Down Three Corpus Harrowing 5 Harrowing Harrowing Harrowing If the retainer suffers a harrowing they lose the retainer for a week. It takes a day for the wraith to go through the harrowing and then a week to slumber and restore the lost corpus. When a wraith suffers a harrowing they are returned from the Labyrinth with only one health level. THE ARCANOI Note that all basic arcanoi cost one pathos to use (whether or not the art is successful), all intermediate arts cost two pathos to use, and all advanced arts cost three pathos to use. PANDEMONIUM (retest Occult) Basic - Befuddle - The wraith engages the target in a mental challenge. If successful, the target is down one trait for the next action. Intermediate - Foul Humor - A simple challenge is made to evoke truly weird effects, like bleeding walls and raining frogs, that last for one scene. Advanced - Tempus Fugit - The wraith may make a simple challenge. If successful, the target may make one additional action this round. This may not be combined with rage or celerity. Alternately, this power may be used to cancel an action of a target with a mental challenge. THE COMMON ARCANOI ARGOS (retest Survival) Basic - Enshroud - The wraith may turn invisible (from mediums, necromancers, and other wraiths) for a scene with a successful simple challenge. The wraith may not attack while enshrouded. Intermediate - Jump - The wraith may "fair escape" home to her fetter with a simple challenge, even in the middle of combat. Advanced - Oubliette - The wraith may banish another wraith into the tempest with a successful physical challenge. CASTIGATE (retest Meditate) Basic - Bulwark - The maelstrom is considered one less for wraiths with Bulwark. This is particularly useful on the initial challenge for brining wraiths to chronicles with a maelstrom. Intermediate - Purify - The wraith may use purify to bring another wraith's thorn under control with a simple challenge. This will not work on herself. Advanced - Defiance - The wraith may now bring her own thorn under control and effectively cancel it out with a simple challenge. M OLIATE (retest Soulshaping) Basic - Imitate - The wraith may moliate herself into any humanoid figure with a simple challenge. Intermediate - Martialry - The wraith may moliate her arms into weapons (+3 traits) with a simple challenge that last for the duration of the night. Advanced - Bodyshape - The wraith may shape another wraith (or herself) into any shape imaginable (simple challenge on self, physical challenge on another). The Uncommon Arcanoi EMBODY (retest Empathy) Basic - Whispers - The wraith may make a simple challenge to whisper one sentence across the shroud. Intermediate - Phantom - The wraith may appear as a hazy figure across the shroud with a simple challenge. The wraith may whisper at no cost as well. This lasts for five minutes. Advanced - Materialize - With a simple challenge, the wraith may cross the shroud for one round, and may act during that one round. All relics travel with the wraith across the shroud. While across the shroud, the wraith may use only the arcanoi of Keening, Usury, Pandemonium, and Phantasm. The wraith loses any moliated form when crossing the shroud. INHABIT (retest Computers) Basic - Surge - The wraith may short out an electronic contraption with a simple challenge. Intermediate - The Electron Highway - With a simple challenge, the wraith may communicate through machinery, such as a CD player or computer. This lasts for five minutes. Advanced - Claim - The wraith may utterly possess a piece of machinery or electronics, possessing it as if it were her own body with a simple challenge. KEENING (retest Performance) Basic - Dirge - The wraith may make a social challenge against a target. If successful, the target is filled with negative emotions. Intermediate - Ballad - The wraith may make a social challenge to inspire lighter, pleasant emotions in a target. Advanced - Crescendo - The wraith may make a musical blast with an extended physical challenge against all listeners (including those mediums and necromancers who may hear the wraith). Each success is one level of (soakable) damage to wraiths, and every other success is one level of soakable damage to non-wraiths capable of hearing the art. Be careful... this art can hurt other wraithly retainers. OUTRAGE (retest Brawl) Basic - Wraithgrasp - With a simple challenge, the wraith may make cause a simple movement across the shroud, such as pushing a button or lifting a brick. The wraith may only lift up to five pounds. Complex actions (such as writing and attacking in any way) are not possible. Intermediate - Stonehand Punch - This feared art allows a wraith to attack someone across the shroud with an extended physical challenge. Each success is a level of bashing damage the target takes. Advanced - Death's Touch - The wraith may ignite a target with an extended physical challenge. Each success is one level of aggravated damage the target takes. PHANTASM (retest Dreamcrafts) Basic - Elysia - The wraith may bring a sleeping mortal's soul across the shroud into the shadowlands with a physical challenge. If the dreamer suffers any damage in the shadowlands, she will instantly awaken. This art may only be used on one person at a time, and lasts for one scene. Intermediate - Dreams of Sleep - The wraith may cause another to fall asleep with a mental challenge. This art has a variable cost: one pathos if used on wraiths, two if used on mortals, and three if used on supernatural creatures such as werewolves, mages, vampires, and the fae. Advanced - Phantasmagoria - The wraith may make a simple challenge to create an illusion that affects all five senses in the shadowlands. USURY (retest Science) Basic - Assessment - The wraith may make a mental challenge to determine how many health levels a target has (potential and current). Intermediate - Transfer - The wraith may engage another wraith in an extended social challenge to give or take pathos from a wraith. If the wraith resists, each success is one point of pathos so transferred. The other wraith must be touched. Advanced - Exchange Rate - The wraith may engage another creature he can touch (either wraith or a creature visiting the shadowlands) in an extended physical challenge. If the subject does not relent, each success is one health level transferred. If health (or corpus) is stolen, each level is treated as a non-soakable, non-aggravated wound level. If health is given, it is considered to heal non-aggravated damage. The target may not gain more health than her normal potential. THORNS Unless otherwise noted, a thorn may only be activated once per night with a simple challenge by any ST. Only Castigate and Eidolon may affect thorns. Death's Sigil - The wraith is always down three social traits when dealing with other wraiths. This can not be countered with Castigate, except to turn it off for one scene. Wrack - The wraith is incapacitated for five minutes entirely from pain if the simple challenge is successful. Van Gogh - The wraith may have all hearing cut off for an entire scene if a simple challenge is made. Cat Food - The storyteller makes a simple challenge. If successful, the wraith may not speak for one scene. Bad Luck - The storyteller may call for a wraith to retest a successful challenge. Eidolon can be used to cancel this art out. However, this art may be used three times a night (Eidolon may only be used once per night). Freudian Slip - The storyteller can declare a single involuntary action or statement that the wraith may make. If the storyteller makes a simple challenge, such an action is completed. Arcanos may not be activated in this way, nor may attacks be instigated (although pulling the trigger of an already drawn gun is a different story). Shadow Call - The storyteller may make a simple challenge. If successful, a sepectre appears and attacks the wraith. The stats for a few general spectres follow (this will be updated when the Dark Arcanoi are completely integrated into Oblivion). Stats are based upon those found in Dark Reflections: Specters Caste: Nephwrack Doppleganger Mortwright Shade Physical: 4 3 3 6 Social: 6 6 6 3 Mental: 3 4 4 4 Abilities: Leadership Acting Stealth Melee Science Soulshaping Survival Brawl Empathy Dreamcrafts Performance Occult Arcanoi: Usury:2 Moliate:2 Argos:2 Outrage:2 Embody:1 Phantasm:1 Keening:1 Pandemonium:1 Corpus: 7 7 7 7 Pathos: 3 3 3 3 Willpower: 2 2 2 2 |