An awakened spirit of a human-made object
may remain bound to the spirit’s material
analog, its mooring. This bond is so strong that the destruction of the mooring often causes the spirit’s death — it automatically discorporates when this happens. Some- times it never re-forms. . . .
Artificial-spirits with moorings must stay close to their physical counterparts unless they have the Unfetter Numen, even in the Shadow. While almost all artificial-spirits possess the Fetter Numen, moored spirits may use the Fetter Numen on their moor- ings without paying Essence.
For more information on artificial-spirits, see Lore of the Forsaken (p. 136).
• Fetter: This Numen secures a spirit inside an object once the spirit has crossed the Gauntlet into the physical world. Rather than Materializing, the spirit remains its ephemeral self in the material world. Normally, the spirit would be sucked back through the Gauntlet within a few hours, but once fettered, the spirit can remain in the physical world almost indefinitely. Once through the Gauntlet, the spirit activates this Numen by spending a point of Essence. The spirit must choose an object within five meters of its current position and spend an additional Essence to fetter itself to the object. The spirit can stay fettered in the material world for as long as it likes, unless the fetter is destroyed, in which case the spirit immediately discorporates and starts to re-form back in the spirit world. This Numen cannot be used across the Gaunt- let without the use of the Reaching Numen.
The spirit is invisible and intangible while in the material world. The spirit can be seen by werewolves and other spiritually sensitive creatures only. The spirit may never move more than five meters from its fetter, lest the link be lost, forcing the spirit back through the Gauntlet. A fettered spirit may materialize, if it has that Numen. While in material form, the spirit may move more than five meters from its fetter, but must be back within that radius when its materialization ends.
Almost all artificial-spirits possess this Numen. • Final Strike: This Numen allows a spirit on the verge of discorporation to make one last attack against its opponent. The spirit spends a point of Essence and makes an immediate attack against its foe as a reflexive action. This Numen is only usable when a spirit has fallen to 4 Corpus or below.
• Firestarter: The spirit can create a number of
small fires. The spirit spends one Essence and rolls Power + Finesse. Each success causes a small fire to break out within its Power in yards, the number of fires is limited to the Rank of the spirit. This Numen is dependant upon having fuel to feed the flames — the spirit cannot cause nonflammable material to burn. The size and intensity of the fires generated is equal to the flames of a torch — though the fires may grow or decrease in size and intensity naturally once started. Use the Blast Numen to emulate a spirit that can burn living targets.
• Freeze (R): The spirit can rob the heat from a
radius equal to it Finesse in yards. The spirit spends one Essence and rolls Power + Finesse; this is contested by a reflexive Stamina + Resolve + Supernatural Toler- ance roll. If the spirit scores more successes than its victims, they take that number as levels of bashing
Spirit Mechanics:
see Lore of the Forsaken (p. 136).
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Chapter Four-Denizens of Shadow damage. Armor and insulating clothes can provide some protection for a limited period of time. Armor automatically blocks damage equal to its rating for a number of rounds equal to its rating.
• Gauntlet Breach: This Numen allows a spirit to force itself through the Gauntlet. This isn’t a natural or easy thing for a fleshless entity, but it’s the most reliable way to enter the physical world. Indeed, unless the spirit fetters itself (using that Numen), the spirit can remain in the material world for only a matter of hours. Spend three points of Essence and roll Power + Finesse to force the spirit through the Gauntlet. Every hour that the spirit spends unfettered or in Twilight in the material world costs the spirit one point of Essence per Rank, as its ephemera is gradually consumed. When the spirit runs out of Essence, it discorporates, re-forming in the Shadow as normal. The spirit can, however, choose to return through the Gauntlet freely at any time.
• Ghost-Eater: The spirit with this Numen is able to steal Essence from or consume ghosts as if they were spirits. The spirit spends one point of Essence to activate this Numen and attune its “digestion.” The effects last for the rest of the scene. Naturally, the spirits must still be able to affect the ghost in other ways; this usually requires the spirit to be in the physi- cal world and in Twilight.
• Greater Influence: Spirits possessed of multiple
Influences are not necessarily weaker than their more narrowly focused kin. Each time this Numen is taken, a spirit may increase one of its Influences by one dot. Rank 1 spirits may not take Greater Influence. No spirit may have a single Influence greater than its Rank, or more different kinds of Influences than its Rank. Example: By taking this Numen twice, Ember Man, a Rank 2 spirit of murderous arson, could have both Fire •• and Pain •• as its Influences (at the expense of having two other Numina).
• Hallucinations: This Numen allows a spirit to
create an illusion. The spirit spends a point of Essence and pictures the illusion the spirit wants to create in its mind. This may be a sight, sound or even a person meant to interact with the target. The spirit makes a contested Power + Finesse versus the subject’s Wits + Composure + Supernatural Advantage roll. For each success the spirit rolls in excess of the target, the illu- sion affects one of the subject’s senses. The illusion is utterly compelling, but if the vision does something notably unusual the Storyteller may allow the target a Resolve + Composure roll to realize that his senses are lying to him.
• Harrow: This Numen is typically associated with spirits of negative emotions, such as fear or wrath.
The spirit can focus its negative resonance to create a crippling attack of its associated emotional state in an enemy. Spend a point of Essence and roll the spirit’s Power + Finesse, contested by the victim’s Resolve + Composure + Supernatural Tolerance. If the spirit wins the contest, the target is overwhelmed by the relevant emotional state for a number of turns equal to the number of successes the spirit gained.
• Heal: The spirit can heal others’ wounds, typi-
cally for a hefty price. The spirit expends a point of Essence and rolls Power + Finesse. Bashing damage is healed before lethal, and all lethal damage must be healed before aggravated damage. Each success heals a level of bashing damage, while two successes can heal a point of lethal damage. The lethal damage healed can be used to mend aggravated damage, but each point of aggravated damage cured costs one additional point of Essence. (Healing two aggravated wounds calls for four successes and three points of Essence.) This Numen may also be used to help a character fight off disease or the effects of poison — each success adding to the character’s resistance rolls on a one-to-one basis.
• Hibernate: The spirit can enter a voluntary
state of slumber in the Shadow to preserve its Essence. Spirits might choose to do this if the Essence flow in a particular area is seasonal. For every point of Essence spent to Hibernate, the spirit may slumber for up to one month. During this time, the spirit does not have to spend Essence every day to survive, though the spirit always awakes from its slumber famished. For an additional expenditure of Essence, the spirit can create an additional condition that will cause the spirit to awaken (other than the passage of time). This condition must be relevant to its Influences. A tree-spirit might choose to awaken if the trees in its wood are harmed, or a frog-spirit might choose to reawaken when it rains.
• Howl: This Numen enables a spirit to let out a blood-curdling howl that causes an opponent to panic and run. The spirit spends a point of Essence and then rolls Power + Finesse – the opponent’s Composure. If the spirit wins the contest, the victim must flee the spirit’s presence for a number of turns equal to the number of successes achieved.
• Innocuous: The spirit is very good at being
overlooked. Onlookers suffer a –2 dice penalty on Perception rolls to notice the spirit, unless it does something to draw attention to itself.
• Left-Handed Spanner: This Numen temporarily
disables a specific technological object, such as a cell phone, computer or an automobile engine. The malfunc- tion has no apparent external cause. In truth, the spirit
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using the Numen has interrupted the flow of spiritual energy into the object, thus causing its breakdown.
The spirit expends a point of Essence and touches the object to disable it. The object ceases to work for a number of turns equal to the successes rolled. If the object is carried by another who seeks to avoid the spirit’s touch, a roll is required to make contact (see “Touching an Opponent,” the World of Darkness
Rulebook, p. 157). Valid pieces of technology that
can be overcome include anything manufactured by industrial means with at least three separate parts; a gun is valid, but a hinge or syringe is not. The object cannot be larger than the spirit, but a discernable part of a complex machine may also be targeted. A human-sized spirit can affect the engine of a car, but not the entire automobile.
• Living Fetter: This variation on Fetter allows the spirit to fetter itself in a living being rather than an inanimate object. The same rules and restrictions as Fetter apply, save that the spirit must first succeed at a Power + Finesse roll contested by the target’s Resolve + Composure + Supernatural Tolerance. A successful use of this Numen creates one of the Ridden, specifi- cally a Spirit-Urged (see p. 166). The spirit essentially uses the living being as a fetter and its Influence to impel its “host.” The most reliable way to break the bond between a spirit using the Living Fetter Numina and its host is to force the host into contact with the spirit’s ban.
• Manipulate Element: The creature can move, morph and shape the element under its purview. The element should have a fairly narrow definition (soil, concrete, steel, stone, plastic, glass, wood, etc.) The spirit can roughly shape a surface area of about 100 square feet or a volume of roughly 40 cubic feet. The Manipulate Earth Numen, for example, is ideal for creating a quick foxhole, a crude wall or small escape tunnel. The Numen cannot be used as a direct attack (use Blast). Elements unable to hold their shape (air, water) should not be chosen. The effects are perma- nent, though they are not magically held in shape. Using the example above, a tunnel may naturally collapse soon after it is formed. This Numen costs one point of Essence.
• Materialize: This Numen allows a spirit to change its form from ephemera to matter, dropping it abruptly through the Gauntlet into the material world. The spirit’s physical form appears in the material world just as it did in the Shadow, and all its Numina and Influences function as normal. All rules for spirit traits in the spirit world apply equally to a Material- ized spirit. Spend three points of Essence and roll the
spirit’s Power + Finesse to allow the spirit to reshape itself into matter. The number of successes indicates the number of hours that the spirit can remain in the material world before reverting to ephemera. The spirit must then choose between remaining in the material world (and either anchoring itself or losing a point of Essence every hour) or slipping immediately back through the Gauntlet.
• Material Vision: A spirit with this Numen can briefly look through the Gauntlet into the material world. Roll the spirit’s Power + Finesse. The number of successes indicates the number of minutes the spirit can spend watching through the Gauntlet.
• Mechanical Possession: This Numen allows the Manifested spirit to take control of a machine or vehicle that it has made into a fetter. By spend- ing one Essence point, the spirit may operate the machine for the duration of a scene — the spirit can turn the machine off or on and control any moving parts, though the spirit cannot alter electrical flow. A spirit using this Numen to operate a car, for instance, would have to physically manipulate the radio knob to switch stations or turn the ignition switch to start the car. The spirit may make Finesse rolls in lieu of Drive in order to operate a moving vehicle, including all driving, control and crash rolls.
• Morphic Form: The spirit is able to change its
shape, not to disguise its true form, but to allow itself to elude its attackers by squirming through a sewer grate, or give it some edge based on environment. Spirits already possess the ability to increase their Attributes, and therefore make themselves stronger, faster or more slippery. This Numen allows a spirit to change its shape, structure or means of locomotion in a wide fashion, sprouting wings or fins or even mak- ing itself larger or smaller. These changes last for a number of hours equal to the successes on a Power + Finesse roll. Changing a point of Size costs one point of Essence, and adding a new form of movement costs three points of Essence; cosmetic changes (color, skin texture, etc.) cost one point of Essence. It is possible that a spirit might be able to grant itself other abili- ties, but think twice about allowing it to duplicate other Numen. The Storyteller might grant extra dice toward certain rolls for adopting new appendages, but boosting an Attribute, again, is already an ability a spirit possesses. Depending on its sphere of influence, a spirit (perhaps an elemental of metal) might be able to make itself nonflammable or bulletproof — such changes should cost four Essence.
• Mortal Mask: The spirit is able to transport itself across the Gauntlet, but, unlike the Materialize
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Chapter Four-Denizens of Shadow Numen, the spirit appears human. This human “cos- tume” is somewhat imperfect, and the spirit does not choose the guise in which it appears; the mortal form is as generic as possible. Spend four points of Essence and roll the spirit’s Power + Finesse. The number of successes indicates the number of hours the spirit may exist in the material world, appearing human. The human costume offers a number of tiny flaws that are not easily noticeable without concerted investigation; perhaps the spirits smiles all the time or makes small but unusual gestures. Normal witnesses may make a Wits + Composure roll minus a number of dice equal to the spirit’s Finesse. Success indicates that the per- son notices something “off” about the spirit. Mortals with the Unseen Sense (Spirits) Merit do not suffer the penalty and make the Wits + Composure roll as normal. Supernaturals do not suffer this penalty.
• Omen Trance: With this Numen, the spirit enters a meditative trance for the purpose of gaining a potential warning, nothing more. This Numen requires 15 successes and the expenditure of one point of Es- sence; each roll represents one minute spent in the trance. The spirit is unaware of events surrounding it while it is in a trance. The spirit is, however, aware of anything that touches or affects its body directly. A spirit may not attempt Omen Trance more than once in any 24-hour period. A spirit may attempt the trance for another (at a dear cost), but the Essence cost is tripled and the successes needed are doubled. The spirit must also taste of the creature’s Essence or physical body.
If successful, the spirit catches a glimpse of a po- tential event in its near future — anywhere from 24 hours to one week. The spirit might receive warning of an impending attack, foretell the arrival of a po- tential ally or even watch a betrayal unfold before it happens. Viewing the future accurately is impossible, though. No vision is guaranteed to come true. Worse, visions gained are more often signs of ominous events than they are promises of good fortune. They can be confusing and perhaps even lead to actions that cause a foretold tragedy to come true. Whether this is because the Numen’s “eyesight” is through a dark lens, or simply a cold reflection of the hard truths of the Shadow, none can say. The vision lasts for roughly a turn’s worth of viewing — enough time to watch enough of the action to make out the actors and the setting. The vision is usually clear enough to make out details, though the details might be misleading.
• Pathfinder: The spirit with this Numen draws
forth knowledge of the quickest path to wherever it wants to go, be it the quickest way back to its den or the location of his foes’ weakest loci. The quickest
and most efficient path isn’t always the safest, but so it goes. If successful, the spirit visualizes the closest and most efficient route to the location she wishes. The information is stored in its head as a precise set of directions, allowing it to spend minimal time checking for landmarks. This Numen does not reveal the presence of dangers or obstacles along the way, unless they are specific landmarks. (“Turn left at the open chemical vats.”) If the location in question is kept secret by its owner (such as a vampire’s haven), the roll is contested. Roll Resolve + Supernatural Advantage for the subject. If the place is shared by multiple people, roll the lowest Resolve among them. The Numen user must be in the physical presence of someone whose secret lair is discerned. If a subject ties or wins the roll, he cannot be subjected to this Numen again for 24 hours.
This Numen cannot locate the path to a place that is magically veiled or that exists on another plane of existence, other than the plane that the spirit inhabits when it activates this Numen.
The Numen’s effects last for a scene. If the spirit doesn’t reach her destination in that time, she must use the Numen again, or make a Power roll to attempt to remember the details.
• Plague of the Dead: This Numen only functions
if the spirit is using Chain of the Dead, or Corpse Ride. Creatures killed by a Ridden Dead can be animated by the spirit. It costs two points of Essence to animate a corpse for roughly a day — see the write-up below for more details. (Those with World of Darkness: An-