Werewolf: The Forsaken - Blank It

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Appendix I: The Spirit World
several points of such Essence, carvings might appear on
its trunk, or notices might appear pinned to it. Resonance
can also affect the mood or behavior of a spirit.
In game terms, spirits can feed on Essence that bears
resonance that isn’t compatible with their own, but it
makes for poor eating. In general, Essence bearing an
incompatible resonance gives only half the nutrition.
If a werewolf offers a measure of Essence that’s touched
with the resonance of sadness to a machine-spirit, the
spirit gains only one Essence for every two points offered
— and it measures the value of the gift by what
it receives, not by what the werewolf expends. Essence
that’s directly detrimental or opposed to the spirit’s own
nature, such as a war-spirit attempting to feed on Essence
touched by resonance of contentment, might provide
even less “nutrition” and even begin to affect the spirit’s
own nature. A starved spirit that has no Essence to feed
on but that affected by disease resonance will eventually
become a diseased spirit in its own right, and perhaps
even metamorphose into a true disease-spirit over time.
Those Uratha who wish to attract or ally with certain
spirits must often go to some effort to ensure a potential
supply of Essence with compatible resonance. The rewards
for doing so are well worth it, however. Spirits appreciate
not having to work for Essence that suits them,
and they often strike more generous bargains with those
who can supply their preferred meat and drink.
SPIRIT COMBAT
Combat between spirits, or between spirits and
Uratha, works much like combat between ghosts, as described
in the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 208. A
few differences are worth noting, however:
• Uratha in the Shadow Realm can physically affect
a spirit also in the Hisil and damage its Corpus, but they
cannot affect an ephemeral spirit in the physical world unless
it manifests (see “Manifestations,” p. 210 in the World
of Darkness Rulebook).
• Players of Uratha make attack rolls normally,
rolling their usual traits (i.e., Strength + Brawl for claw
attacks). A spirit’s Defense (equal to the highest of Power
or Finesse) is applied normally. Each success scored in an
attack roll against a spirit inflicts a point of Corpus damage.
A werewolf’s claws and bite deliver lethal damage.
• Spirits make attack rolls by rolling Power + Finesse.
A spirit or Uratha’s Defense is applied normally. Each
success scored in an attack roll by a spirit on a werewolf
inflicts one Health point of damage, as normal.
• Spirits’ attacks usually inflict lethal damage. Spirits
with no claws, jagged spines or other lethal weaponry
might deliver bashing instead.
DISCORPORATION AND HEALING
When spirits “die” in combat (when they have no
more Corpus points), they don’t actually cease to exist.
Instead they discorporate in spectacular fashion, shatter-
ing or exploding into a cloud of particles that are appropriate
for that spirit. An oak-spirit would explode in a shower
of autumn leaves, while a mouse-spirit would discorporate
in a burst of fur and bone. A murder-spirit would splatter
everyone around with ephemeral blood, while a car-spirit
leaves behind a pile of random pieces of machinery and a
spinning hubcap. These ephemeral remains fade away over
the next hour.
The spirit then starts to re-form, either slumbering
in the object it represents or, for spirits no longer tied to
objects, in a nearby area appropriate to its nature. Carspirits
might re-form in a parking garage, while banes
re-form in a Wound. The spirit re-forms at the rate of one
point of Essence per day, and it doesn’t become aware and
active again until its Essence equals its Corpus dots. It
then regenerates Corpus in the same amount of time that
mortals heal damage.
The only way to completely destroy a spirit is to
drain it of Essence before destroying its Corpus, as described
on p. 275.
NUMINA
Spirits have access to powers above and beyond their
Influences. These powers are called Numina. A few sample
Numina are listed here; others take the form of various
werewolf Gifts.
• Blast: The spirit is able to strike opponents at a
distance. An electricity-spirit might hurl small thunderbolts
at its foes, while a pain-spirit with this Numen might
conjure spiritual knives. The range is equal to 10 yards per
point of Power, and the spirit suffers no penalties for range.
The spirit rolls Power + Finesse to hit and may add two
dice to the roll for every point of Essence it spends to fuel
this power. The damage is lethal.
• Chorus: This Numen allows a spirit to speak to
any or all other spirits of its own choir within a radius
determined by the spirit’s Power in miles. To activate the
Gift, the spirit spends a point of Essence and then rolls
Power + Finesse to determine how long and detailed a
message it can send. A single success allows it to send an
image or a short phrase. Three or more successes would
allow a couple of sentences or a detailed image.
• Claim: This Numen is a more powerful version
of Possession; if successful, the possession is permanent.
Spend three Essence points and roll Power + Finesse
in an extended and contested roll versus the victim’s
Resolve + Composure; each roll represents one hour. If
the spirit gains 50 successes between dusk and dawn, it
gains permanent control of the victim’s body. Use the
victim’s available traits (except Willpower points, which
are equal to the spirit’s current Willpower points) and
dice pools for any action the spirit wishes to take. If the
spirit fails to accumulate 50 successes within the required
period of time, the attempt fails. If a possessed body is
killed, the spirit is forced out and must possess another