Necropolis: Memphis

by

Dr. Michael Redford




Appendix
Wastrel Wraiths - Memphis Belle - Relic Animals - Arcanoi


Wastrel Wraiths:

The dead who are possessed of neither fame nor infamy, the unwashed masses who would drag the rest down with them into Oblivion's embrace because they are too weak or too irresponsible to resist. Fully 60% of all Wraiths can be classified as being genuine Wastrel Wraiths.

The thing that marks a Wraith as a Wastrel is a lack of Willpower. Any Wraith with a Permanent Willpower score of One to Four can be considered a Wastrel Wraith. The Wraith's Shadow still rolls five dice to determine initial Angst and many Wastrels have Shadows who are more in control than they are.

Other than that, a Wastrel must contend with the difficulty of learning new skills. A lack of motivation and drive means that most Wastrels learn new skills at a much slower rate than other Wraiths. For each point of Willpower the Wraith has below 5, add one to the Experience cost to learn a new Ability or Arcanos. So then a Wraith with 3 Permanent Willpower would have to spend 5 Experience points to gain a new Ability and 9 Experience points to gain a new Arcanos. The price for a new Arcanos Basic Ability can be raised in the same manner or left as is with the Wraith paying the difference upon gaining enough Experience to pay the full cost.


The Memphis Belle:

Built July 2, 1942 and attached to the 91st Bomber Group in the French theater, the Memphis Belle is the most famous B-17 Flying Fortress ever to fly. The Memphis Belle logged 29 missions over France, Germany and Belgium from November 7th, 1942 to May 19th 1943 and never lost a crew member.

Rescued from the scrap heap and 3 years of neglect in 1946, the Memphis Belle was flown to Memphis where she was restored and is on display. First to Finish and Return is the Epitaph of the luckiest bomber of the war. It's understandable then that when the Memphis Belle was first abandoned in Altus, Oklahoma the airship became a relic. Its restoration and subsequent use in movies, documentaries and pictographies have strengthened its Shadowland presence.

The Memphis Belle is one of the most important relic aircraft in the Stygian airforce which means that it is well protected by Monitors. After the fall of Stygia the Memphis Belle made the trip through the Tempest to reach Memphis. Her crew and her Monitors are now allied with the Necropolis of Memphis, but they also sometimes fly missions on the side for Oboli or Soulfire crystals.


A Note on Relic Animals:

Animals are rare on the other side of the Shroud but not unheard of. The most famous are the Stygian Steeds and the mummified cats of the Egyptians. But the practice of having pets has made some animals more likely than others to pass the Shroud.

Animal wraiths are more prevalent in Europe and the United States where people not only attribute emotion and intelligence to their pets, but where funerals and cemeteries are dedicated to them.The Hierarchy classifies them as Relics because even though they are animate in the way of Drones they possess no Passions or Fetters of their own and are mostly the cherished pets of mortals who cannot let go. Some animal relics don't last beyond a child's next pet. But those who were owned by adults who had invested misplaced maternal or paternal feelings in the animal can linger on the Shadowlands longer than many Wraiths.

While any animal can be found in the Shadowlands the most common are of course Dogs and Cats, with Horses running a distant third. Famous animals that have died can live on in the Shadowlands as long as their memory is kept alive. Relic animals have one Trait that serves for their Mental and Social Traits in the Shadowlands. Memoriam is used for their Passion, Fetters, Mental and Social Traits. Here's an example of a famous horse:

Secretariat

Memoriam: 5 (People on five continents have heard about Secretariat and Horse Breeders still obsess over his bloodline)

Attributes: Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Stamina 9, Social All at 5, Mental All at 5 (In this case an Intelligence of 5 doesn't mean that Secretariat is a genius in the Shadowlands, but he is responsive and will understand anything said to him and remember things for a long time)

Abilities: Alertness 4, Athletics 5, Brawl 3, Empathy 2

Passions: One at 5 (Running would be good)

Fetters One at 5 (Possibly the raceway that people most associate with him)

Corpus: 15

Willpower: 5

Angst: 0

As a Relic Secretariat would cost 6 Background points for a character to have.

In general give the animal one less point of Memoriam than the character invests in the Relic Background. If the animal is particularly aggressive, rare and/or dangerous (Like a lion or a bear) add another dot to the Relic cost.

Cat (Generic)

Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2

Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 3, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Intimidation 2, Climbing 3, Stealth 4

Corpus: 3 + Memoriam

Willpower: 1-5

Angst: 0

Dog (Generic)

Attributes: Strength 1-3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2-3

Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 2, Awareness 3, Brawl 1-3, Empathy 3, Intimidation 1-3, Tracking 3, Stealth 2

Corpus: 4 + Memoriam

Willpower: 1-5

Angst: 0

Horse (Generic)

Attributes: Strength 4-7, Dexterity 2-5, Stamina 6-9

Abilities: Alertness 2-4, Athletics 1-3, Brawl 1-3, Empathy 2

Corpus: 10 + Memoriam

Willpower: 5

Angst: 0



Arcanoi:

New Arts:

 

Krlyos

Wraiths skilled in Krlyos are marked by an unearthly chill that causes shivers to run up and down the spine of any of the Quick who happens to pass within three feet of them. They also have a purplish tint to their skins that is hared by many Wraiths who died of freezing temperatures or drowning in cold waters.

The Art of Krlyos is not represented by any Guild. Knowledge in this Art is entirely inherent in the nature of being a Wraith. In fact the Basic abilities of this Art are extensions of properties possessed by all Wraiths. The Chill of the Grave is a universal trait in the Shadowlands and any Wraith who wishes to develop his colder nature can do so without the need for an instructor.

The only thing that is really needed is a desire for total detachment from the world of the living. Wraiths who possess Arcanos which allow them to interact with the Quick generally find it hard to learn Krlyos. Embodiment and Puppetry are the two which most interfere with development of Krlyos. Knowledge in each of these two arts increases the difficulty of all Krlyos rolls by one. If a Wraith knows both then all difficulties are increased by two.

Basic Abilities

Chill: The mere presence of the Wraith will cause a chill around her. This has little effect on the Shadowlands where everything is already cold, but in the Skinlands it has the effect of making the breath of the living visible when they are in the same room as the Wraith. Sometimes the Wraith can only cause a cold spot if he is in a particularly large room or outside but the effect extends at least ten feet. And can encompass up to 30 feet from the Wraith in an enclosed space.

Regular means of combating this cold such as turning up the thermostat or lighting a fire are ineffective. If opposed by mystical means however the Wraith can roll his rating in Krlyos against a target number equal to the Occult Knowledge of the exorcist. Ties go to the entity trying to dispel the cold though, not to the Wraith.

 

Insensitivity: The Wraith no longer feels cold. Even Supernatural forms of cold that do damage will not elicit a response from the Wraith. This ability provides no protection against damaging cold effects. In fact all Wraiths are immune to natural and man made sources of cold. But in the unlikely event that someone tries to torture the Wraith using cold to torment his Corpus, he will find his efforts are wasted.

To ignore Heat and other forms of pain the Wraith can roll Stamina + Krlyos against a difficulty of 8. With three successes or more he can ignore any pain no matter how intense.

 

* Cold Bite: The Wraith can make his chill felt across the shroud causing a biting pain in any mortal whose reflection he touches in the Skinlands.

System: The Wraith simply puts his hand in the general vicinity of his victim and Hypothermia marks will appear on the skin. This causes no damage but the marks are discoloring to the skin and can leave superficial scars that are generally considered unflattering. If the Wraith Attunes a person using this Arcanos then when the process is completed successfully that person will lose one dot from his Appearance score unless that would take him below 2. The scars are bad but not enough to affect a person who is already ugly.

The Victim doesn't necessarily have to be a mortal but Supernatural creatures can easily resist this power and it has no effect on Vampires. If a supernatural creature wants to resist it can roll its Stamina and a single success cancels the attack.

This Art costs one Pathos to use and if it is used to Attune a Consort who then loses a dot of Appearance the Wraith will gain 3 Angst.

 

** Cold Spot: The Wraith can imbue an object with the cold of the grave. This cold can be used to intimidate a mortal or to send a message.

System: The Wraith rolls Stamina + Krlyos against a difficulty of the local Shroud. Each success will extend the amount of time the object remains cold. Stone and metal will remain cold longer than wood and other soft materials. Metal and stone remain cold for one day per success. Water remains cold for one hour per success, everything else retains the cold for one scene per success.

Anyone who touches the object is likely to feel a chill similar to that felt when a Wraith passes through them. If it was recently imbued (within a minute or two) it will cause the person who touches it one level of non-lethal damage per turn of contact. This damage can be soaked.

This Art costs one Pathos and one Corpus per use.

 

*** Winter's Chill: This Art allows a Wraith to slowly freeze a victim. The victim can escape by entering an area with a higher Shroud rating but nothing impedes the Wraith from continuing his assault, though most are content simply to drive the victim off.

System: The Wraith in the Victim enter into a contested roll. The Wraith rolls Stamina + Krlyos against a difficulty equal to the local Shroud. the Victim rolls Stamina + Survival against a difficulty equal to the Wraith's Strength +2. If the Wraith wins the victim suffers one level of Lethal cold damage per success. This damage accumulates at the rate of one per hour, making it difficult for the victims to at first ascertain that they are in danger. After three levels of damage though, even the most dense person will realize that something is wrong.

The Wraith has to stay in contact with the victim as long as he wishes the victim to continue to receive damage. If the Wraith leaves the victim's side for even a moment then no more damage can be inflicted and the Wraith has to start all over again. Multiple uses of this Art on the same victim incur a +1 difficulty penalty but nothing can increase the rate at which damage is received.

This Art costs 2 Pathos and one Corpus to use. It also gains the Wraith one Angst.

 

**** Chill Wind: With this Art the Wraith can cause a cold wind to spring up in the Skinlands that will scour all within its path.

System: The Wraith rolls his Strength + Krlyos against a difficulty equal to the local Shroud and each success causes one level of non-lethal damage to everyone caught within it. This damage can be soaked.

The wind usually encompasses an area that corresponds to the area where the local shroud remains constant. For example if the wind is called up in a cemetery where the Shroud is a mere 4 then it would stop at the boundaries of the cemetery where the shroud goes up. Or if the wind is called in a busy mall where the Shroud is at 10 then it would stop at the parking lot where the Shroud drops. However no matter how big the area where the Wraith calls up the wind it won't go farther than he can see.

This Art costs two Pathos to use, plus one per success.

 

***** Glacier: The Wraith can now cause objects and creatures to freeze solid. The creature will turn purplish and then begin to glaze over with frost almost immediately.

System: The Wraith rolls Strength + Krlyos against a difficulty equal to the local Shroud (6 if used within the Shadowlands) and each success causes one level of Aggravated damage to the victim.

This damage is normally unsoakable but a Wraith can soak it due to his nature and Werewolves can also soak this damage with Stamina due to their hardiness. Vampires do not receive damage from this Art, however they can still be frozen by it. The Vampire has no way of resisting short of setting itself on fire (or a magical ritual that protects against cold) and every success reduces the Dexterity of the Vampire by one dot. If Dexterity reaches 0 then the Vampire is frozen and automatically goes into Torpor. The Vampire remains frozen for one hour plus an additional hour per success above those necessary to reduce its Dexterity to 0.

This Art costs 3 Pathos to use and one Corpus per level of damage inflicted. It also gains the Wraith 3 Angst unless he knows he used it against a Vampire in which case it only gains him one.

 

Arostosis

Wraiths skilled in the Art of causing disease in the Quick are distinguished by marks that are often confused for Deathmarks of the Skeletal Legion. But Arostosis is a forbidden Art even more suppressed than Embody or Puppetry.

Those most likely to have it are ancient reapers of the Skeletal Legion who exist only in Stygia, cut off from the Shadowlands. Only the Skeletal Lord and a trusted few of his closest Servants know this Art and can teach it. Through their Shadows the forces of Oblivion also know of this Arcanos and some Doppelgangers are skilled in its use. However not every Shade is entrusted with this knowledge and those who have it are ever wary of the agents of the Skeletal Lord who considers it his sole property and domain.

Wraiths with this Arcanos outside the Skeletal Legion are virtually unheard of. But rumors abound of Indian Wraiths who know a variation of Arostosis or a similar Arcanos.

Arostosis is the Art of making people sick. At the lower levels this means minor maladies that generally only impair and annoy the victim. But the Masters of this Art can inflict horrible diseases that can maim or kill a person.


Basic Abilities

Sick Sense: An extension of Deathsight the Wraith becomes sensitive enough to the deathmarks of disease to be able to diagnose the disease of a sick person and get a sense of how it entered the body. With this ability the Wraith can see what organs are infected and can plot the course of the infection even before it progresses. Any Wraith can tell that a sick mortal is going to die, but a Wraith with this ability can tell the exact minute he or she will die. The Wraith can use Perception + Arostosis, the intuitive method, or Intelligence + Medicine, the diagnostic method.

* Curse: This Art is named for its effect, not its method. A Curse causes some minor malady in a mortal. Something distracting but not too serious, such as nausea, headaches, fever and a runny nose. All the symptoms of the common cold.

System: The Wraith rolls Manipulation + Arostosis against a difficulty equal to the local Shroud. if he succeeds the victim suffers a +1 to all difficulties until he successfully resists. The victim can resist with a Stamina roll against a difficulty of 7 once per scene. Once the mortal acquires more successes than the Wraith the effects vanish. Only mortals, Mummies and Mages can be affected by this Art.

This Art costs one Pathos to use.

** Flush: With this Art the Wraith can cause a full blown fever in his victim. Even though there is no disease the body reacts as if it were the target of a viscous infection.

System: The Wraith rolls Intelligence + Arostosis vs. a difficulty of the Stamina +3 of the victim. Each success inflicts the fever on the victim for one hour. During this time the victim is at -2 on all dice pools and will usually wish to remain bedridden. This Art can be resisted with a Wits + Meditation roll, but only if the victim realizes that the fever is the result of a mystical attack.

This Art costs one Pathos plus one Pathos per success.

*** Contagion: A Wraith with knowledge of this Art can pass disease from one carrier to another simply by touching the disease carrier and the victim at the same time. The Wraith doesn't need to Embody or Skinride either party but must put part of his Corpus in contact with where the two mortals are in relation to the Shadowlands.

System: The Wraith 'touches' the disease carrier and the intended victim then rolls Stamina + Arostosis vs. a difficulty of the local Shroud rating. The victim resists the disease as it normally would if it received the infection from its regular source. Vampires can be infected with any blood born infection in this manner, but suffer no ill effects from it themselves. Werewolves resist most diseases as a matter of course. This art is most effective against mortals, Mummies and Mages.

This Art costs 2 Pathos and one Corpus to use.

**** Black Wind:

The Wraith who calls up the Black Wind infects everyone in its path with a wasting disease drawn from his own Corpus. The Wraith can inflict upon the living any disease he suffered while alive, however the more virulent and deadly diseases will cost the Wraith dearly to inflict on the living. The Wraith has to sacrifice from his own Corpus the toll that the disease took on him in life.

System: The Wraith must roll Stamina + Arostosis against the local Shroud to determine how much area is covered by the Black Wind. The wind extends from the Wraith for 100 meters per success and generally covers 10 feet. Everyone in that area is vulnerable to infection regardless of how the disease is normally transmitted. Not everyone will catch the disease though. Only those who fail to resist on a Stamina roll vs. a difficulty equal to the Arostosis +3 of the Wraith will actually succumb.

Apart from this Art's cost in Pathos the Wraith must also sacrifice part of his Corpus in fashioning the disease. Determine the effects of the disease and then tally its cost on the Wraith as follows: For each +1 difficulty it imposes on the victims actions - one Corpus, for each level of damage it inflicts - one Corpus, for each -1 die from dice pools it inflicts - 2 Corpus, for each dot in an Attribute it reduces - five Corpus. Additionally if the disease is transmittable then add 2 Corpus to its cost. A fatal disease would cost 8 Corpus and if it were virulent then it would cost 10 Corpus, throwing the Wraith into an immediate Harrowing. A disease can cost more than 10 Corpus with the difference being taken from the Wraith's Pathos.

This Art costs 3 Pathos plus one Pathos per success. It also gives the Wraith one Angst per Corpus invested. So not only will the Wraith who uses this power to unleash a fatal, virulent disease be cast into a Harrowing, but the Shadow will be at full power when he does so.

There is a very simple way to get around the restriction that the Wraith can only inflict a disease that he suffered in life. All he has to do is Skinride a person who is suffering from the disease. To get the full effect the Wraith should stay with the victim until the disease runs its course.

***** Plague: Many times Kindred have heard rumors of an AIDS that affects Vampires, Wraiths have heard the same rumors about themselves. Even Werewolves and Mages have heard of a particular disease that interferes with mystical healing. This Art is the source of all those rumors.

System: The Wraith rolls Manipulation + Arostosis against the local Shroud. If the victim is another Wraith, then the difficulty is 6. For each success the Plague lasts another day. The victim can resist with a Stamina roll but the difficulty is 8. While afflicted with the Plague the victim cannot heal itself by mystical means. Regeneration, conversion of Pathos and Life Magicks all prove ineffective. Only Slumber, rest and natural healing can restore damage while under the effects of a Plague.

 

New Alternate Arts

Inhabit

** Ghost Call: The Wraith knows how to make his voice heard across the telephone lines that most Artificers use to get around. The Wraith sounds like his normal self and can seek to disguise his voice if he wishes.

System: The Wraith has to roll Intelligence + Inhabit to reach a specific phone. Caller ID will give an unknown caller message. But Wraiths who are good with computers can cause this message to display anything they want. Police trying to trace the call will be baffled as the trace leads nowhere.

This Art costs one Pathos to use.


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