Vampire: the Middle Kingdom - MrGone's Character Sheets

Spirits
Here are some basic rules for spirits, supplementing material found on pgs. 210-217 of Kindred of the East. I've taken
liberties with the mechanics and terminology a bit to streamline the system, eliminate redundancy, and reflect a more Eastern feel for
the spirits. Both Yang-spirits and Yin-spirits are described with the same basic mechanics and traits. (Yin-spirits are better described
in terms of Attributes, Skills, Pathos and Arcanoi, but since I've not gotten around to converting Wraith: the Oblivion to the new
mechanics yet, these simplified rules should work well in a Vampire: the Middle Kingdom context).
Forgive the homebrew stuff; the spirit list needed some fleshing out.
Spirit Traits
Hun: Hun is the spirit's higher, rational nature, and serves as the default Mental and Social Attribute for spirits; in any roll
that would call for one of those Attributes, roll Hun instead. This trait also functions as the spirit's Willpower, and temporary Hun
points may be spent to add extra dice to rolls and resistance traits in precisely the manner Willpower points are. Any roll that doesn't
involve the P'o defaults to the Hun.
P'o: P'o is the spirit's ability to attack and harm spirits and others, and measures its spiritual strength and “physical” presence;
a high P'o doesn't necessarily indicate wickedness, though that's often the case. P'o is used in any roll a Physical Attribute would be
used for, including attack rolls and Defense. Spirit attacks typically do lethal damage, with exceptions noted otherwise. Defense in
this context means a spirit's ability to protect itself; a demon with a high P'o might be very quick, or have thick armor plating that
deflects blows. Similarly, while spirits may carry weapons or display fearsome natural weapons, these are reflections of those beings'
aggressive natures, and offer no bonus to the P'o roll when an attack is made – the P'o rating takes such armaments into account.
Yin and Yang: Most spirits have either a Yin and Yang ratings, with the Virtue reflecting its nature: so Yang-spirits have
Yang, naturally. The Virtue is a rough measure of the spirit's power, and indicates its status among its kind: a Yin 8 ghost has more
“rank” than a Yin 4 one, and has considerably more power to call upon. It's very rare, though perhaps not entirely unheard of, for a
spirit of one Mirror World to have a rudimentary rating in the opposing Virtue. Demons from the Yama Hells usually have ratings in
both Virtues.
Chi: Chi serves the dual function as a spirit's Health and as a power reservoir for Arts; Chi is lost as the spirit spends it, and
as it is attacked and damaged. Spirits don't differentiate between bashing and lethal damage; aggravated is a special case, as spirits
destroyed by such are often destroyed permanently (see below). Damage penalties don't apply to lost Chi. Chi is usually Yin or Yang,
depending on the nature of the spirit; the maximum Chi rating of a spirit is equal to its [Virtue rating x 5]. Some rare spirits, like
demons hailing from Yomi Wan, have both Yin and Yang Chi; these spirits will always have both ratings in Yin and Yang, with Chi
reservoirs to match; damage inflicted on the spirit is split evenly between its Chi pools, unless an attack targets one or the other.
Derived Stats: Defense = Hun or P'o (whichever is lower); Initiative = Hun or P'o (whichever is higher); Speed = [Hun + P'o].
Tasks
• Actions: Spirits can only act once per turn to attack, defend, move, or use an Art.
• Communication: Yin-spirits can speak the languages they could when they were alive, while Yang-spirits are often less
communicative; some know the speech of men, but most don't bother and instead rely on the exchange of concepts and
ideas in the “tongue” of spirits. Many denizens of the Thousand Hells, especially P'o-spirits, speak human languages. In
any case that a spirit is intelligent enough to communicate, a Kuei-jin can communicate with any spirit with a successful
Hun roll (as described under that Virtue, pg. 7 of this document).
• Reincorporation: Normally, when a spirit is destroyed by reducing its Chi to zero, it's absorbed into the Tapestry where
it recovers slowly; during this time, it can't be summoned, attacked, communicated with or affected in any way. After a
number of hours equal to 30 minus Hun, it reforms in a safe area with 1 Chi; Yin-spirits always reincorporate at a Fetter
(an object of great personal significance while it was living). A spirit taken to zero Chi by aggravated damage must
make a Hun roll; failure indicates it's destroyed permanently, while success allows it to reincorporate after double the
normal time.
• Movement: Many spirits float or fly through the Mirror lands, though others resort to more standard forms of locomotion
like walking or running. Spirits use Speed to determine their rate of movement.
Nushi Cost: If a spirit is appropriate for use as a Nushi, one can calculate the Nushi cost by averaging its Hun, P'o, Yin and
Yang, and then using that figure as a base. A distant spirit, or one unable to offer much in the way of benefits to its supplicants, can
offer a slight break on the cost; meanwhile, a spirit that offers its wu potent advantages (especially those that are continually active)
would increase the nushi cost by 1, 2 or even more.
Strengthening Nushi Spirits: By investing time and energy in honoring a spirit, it wu gives it power. In short, players can
invest their exp in their nushi, improving its power, and in turn themselves (as the spirit is able to offer more benefits). Exp can be
used to increase Hun, P'o, Yin or Yang as a cost of [new rating x 2]; if the spirit lacks either Yin or Yang, the first dot can be purchased
for 10 exp. New arts cost 5 exp apiece. Finally, buying new benefits – or improving existing ones – should cost from 5 to 10 exp
(scaling with the potency of the boon), or “buying off” behavioral restrictions; the cost is up to the Storyteller, who decides ultimately if
such modifications are even possible.