Spirits In The Material World

• Because Ectoplasm exists not fully within Astral OR Material space, it's VERY difficult to pin down with normal astral magics, and is virtually invisible (+[8 - Force] to all Tgt#'s for non-necromancers to detect an active ectoplasmic force, +[10 - Force] to all Tgt#'s for non-necromancers to detect a residual ectoplasmic force. These penalties are in addition to normal perception Tgt#'s to detect a spirit).

• It's important to note ectoplasm's SINGLE nature: Ectoplasm primarily existing Materially has NO astral component. Ectoplasm manifesting Primarily on the Astral has NO material component. Besides making it difficult to detect, it means that astrally projecting Magicians cannot affect Material Ectoplasmic Targets, nor can non-assensing Magicians effect Astral Ectoplasmic Targets.

• Ectoplasm's other major game effect is its corrosive effect on living aura's and "normal" astral energy: Ectoplasm per se can penetrate virtually any astral barriers (Subtract the ectoplasm's Force from the effective rating of any Wards, etc. designed for blocking astral energies with respect to the ectoplasm only. (I.e., a Ward isn't DAMAGED directly by a ghost walking through it, but it won't STOP the ghost, either, unless it's notably stronger than the ghost). Note that this does NOT apply to Ichor or Protoplasm: both have components within them that ARE affected either by physical barriers (Protoplasm) or astral barriers (Ichor).

• Ichor is what amounts to Toxic Ectoplasm -- it results when Ectoplasm becomes "active" in an area with an already-strong toxic background count. (Ectoplasm rolls (Force) vs. (8 - Toxic Background Count), any successes indicate that it has formed as Ichor, rather than normal ectoplasm.)

• Ichor IS Dual Natured, and thus is affected more readily by Astral defenses (Ectoplasm's Perception modifiers and ability to penetrate astral barriers do NOT apply to Ichor).

• Ichor is somewhat more stable than Ectoplasm proper, all NEGATIVE modifiers to ectoplasm force apply at only half value while positive mods apply full-power, and in BOTH cases, the alterations to Force remain until the next "solar event". And while no mechanics exist for it, the change in Ichor's apparent "physical" properties is not as immediately notable as that of Ectoplasm, and will focus on nightmarish and negative effects.

• Ichor is more corrosive than normal ectoplasm, so Necrosis and Cacophony increases caused by Ichor are doubled, and Aura Damage inflicted by Ichor is normally Aura Cohesion damage, rather than Aura Integrity Damage (Though specifically mentioned effects use the type of Aura Damage indicated, rather than either default).

• Ectoplasm that encounters decaying organic material in sufficiently intense masses can bond with it to form Protoplasm. This seldom happens without Necromantic Magic, however, as the Plasmic mass must be greater than Force 10, and the matter to be affected must be astrally present. For all practical purposes, this means a sentient being at the point of death (D+ physical damage) with significant Aura-Cohesion damage. The mass rolls (Force - 10) vs. (20 - Target Being's Aura Cohesion Damage), the resulting number of successes/10 equalling points of essence converted to protoplasm. The GM is encouraged to be creative with the results in the EXCEEDINGLY rare case such a situation occurs where the victim does NOT then die. If the Victim DOES die, there is a reasonable chance that they will become a Ghost of Genus Animorticinus (that is, a Revenant).

• "Raw" Protoplasm, while it is not dual natured, is STRICTLY material in nature (thus Zombies, et. al. are typically immune to astral grounding, as they HAVE no astral component), and quite visible, though it will tend to shift size, shape, color, texture, and apparent composition with nauseating rapidity. Think Blobs, Shoggoth's, pools of primordial slime that incessantly spawn malformed THINGS that dissolve back into the soup almost instantly, etc. Specific stabalized forms of protoplasm are not uncommon, but require necromantic spells to accomplish, and are thus covered in the individual creature or spell descriptions. Protoplasm can only taint places, things, or people in direct contact with it, so you're safe as long as you don't drink that well-water.... >;-)

Prev | Next | Out | Introduction | Background | Mechanics | Sourcebook