Night's Pawns: Sourcebook -- Genus Inquietumanes Ghosts (Spectres)

Abiku is the species name for a wide group of related sub-species of the ghosts of children. In their quest for playmates and parents and the entire experience of life that they lost too early, Abiku (et al) enter children before or after birth and steal the essence of food, starving the child (Essence Drain power, only vs. Possessed Child, they receive 1 essence per box of damage from starvation inflicted. If the Child is reduced to 0 essence, their own soul dies, and the Abiku Inhabits the body, which is in and of itself now mindless, but the lost Essence can be "regained" through normal spirit-force gain methods); or steal the child bodily into the forest. Belled, iron bracelets, scarification, or pepper-filled cuts are used to drive the Abiku out and anchor the child to earth. Note that Abiku's Possession, Essence Drain, & Inhabit Powers ONLY function vs. Children, but that its other Powers function at Half Force vs. Adults.

Charos
(Inquietumanes Charontas)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Any

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
F+1	F+2x5	F-2	F	F	F		F		2d6 + F

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Essence Drain, Fear, Paralyzing Touch, Petrifying Gaze, Manifestation, Invulnrability, Search, Home Ground.

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme).

A Greek spirit of Death, a Ghostly Horseman who carries off the dead... the Charos is representative of Death or Tomb Spirits in general. While most Phantasma will feed on lesser ghosts to shore up their own energies on occasion, Charos' subsist entirely on the ectoplasmic energies of other ghosts. It should be noted that while the specific subspecies of Inquietumanes Charontas Charontas embodies as a ghostly horseman, the "ghost horse" is no such thing, rather an extension of the Charos' own ectoplasmic essence, and that not all subspecies tend to manifest that way. While a "Huntsman" or "Grim Reaper" manifestation tends to be the rule, far from all such ghosts take the form of horsemen.

Goryö
(Inquietumanes Esuriens)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Any, prefers Mountain terrain

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	F	F	F		F		1d6 + F

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Animal Control (Insects), Summon Insect Swarm, "Venom" (see desc), Accident, Home Ground, Influence, Momento Mori.

Weaknesses:

Obsessive/Compulsive.

The vengeful, hungry ghost of a person who died martyred or betrayed. Frequently visits misfortune and revenge not just on their murderer, but on any near to them. "Justice" being visited on the perpetrator can sometimes allay the spirit's anger and cause it to depart, but this generally must be accomplished along with a memorial and other anti-ghost measures to be effective. Particularly characterized by insect plagues and unnatural behavior in plants (Growing down instead of up, off-seasonal blooming, etc. This Unnatural Growth Power has no game-mechanics effects, so it remains un-detailed). Summoned Insects will destroy plants and irritate animals and humans (+1 Tgt#'s per Force/2 due to distraction, itching, etc.). At the GM's discretion, the insects may be venomous (treat as a use of the Venom power... the spirit ITSELF is NOT venomous).

Loa
(Inquietumanes Vodoun)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Varies

Carribean Regions

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction

Attacks: None

Powers:

Inhabit, Various Free/Ghost Powers.

Weaknesses:

Obsessive/Compulsive.

Vodoun lore has always classified the Loa as spirits of the Dead, but modern taxonomy tended to classify them as more related to Nature Spirits and Elementals than Ghosts. Current means of detecting and identifying ectoplasm, however, have conclusively validated Vodoun belief: Loa are, indeed, ectoplasmic entities, but for reasons unknown, the Loa are far more stable physically and "psychologically" than other ghosts, not being subject to the normal ebb and flow of ectoplasmic forces, or the psychological instability so often noted as obsessive/compulsive behavior most ghosts evidence. Generally, only Voudois can summon or deal with Loa, and the unique aspects of their abilities are covered in detail in Awakenings' section on Voudoun.

Mi-ah-luschka
(Inquietumanes Osage)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Burial Grounds

North America

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	F-2	F-2	F+3		F		1d6+(2xF)

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Haywire, Essence Drain *, Magic Resistance, Magic Sense, Emanation, Momento Mori, Plasmorphosis *.

Weaknesses:

Amnesia (Partial), Bloodlust, Obsessive/Compulsive, Unstable Plasm.

A sometimes quite vicious subgroup of the Osage "Little People", these are the Spirits of those who are improperly buried or died dishonored. They are NOT happy ghosts, and tend to verge closely on behavior normally exhibited by Genus Teneblemurae ghosts, though they generally restrict their attentions to those who desecrate Sacred Ground, their extremely loose definition of "Desecration", and their willingness to strike at targets NEAR (in some way) the descrator when they can't get HIM, as well as their tendency to form groups, makes them QUITE dangerous. Their Essence Drain power functions to allow an opposed Force vs Essence test or drain 1 Ess per box of Physical Damage inflicted in their presence that involves bleeding. THEY cannot directly inflict this damage directly, however. Victims who die from their Essence Drain are the only target's they can effect with their Plasmorphosis Power.

Nachzehrer
(Inquietumanes Manducare)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Isolated Locales

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	F-2	F-2	F+3		F		1d6+(2xF)

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Alienation, Dead Weight, Oneiromancy, Hijack Karma, Momento Mori.

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Amnesia (Partial), Energy Loss (1/Day), Obsessive/Compulsive, Body Ties.

Hungry Ghost (AKA Gespenst; A Japanese version is sometimes collected under the same auspices and referred to as a Gaki or Hidarugami). The Nachzehrer is a North German Revenant so hungry that it tends to gnaw its own corpse's extremities, and will seek physical sustenance over anything else. Their particular Hijack Karma power manifests as draining some essential essence from food, either in the form of offerings made to it (voluntary karma donation) or by rendering food in its vicinity un-nutritous (Hunger damage translating into karma). They maintain a link to their former body, and if this link is severed by proper disposal of the remains, the Nachzehrer dissipates.

Phantom
(Inquietumanes Laruae)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Any

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	(F+2)x3	F	F	F	F		F		1d6+6+F

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Invulnrability, Manifestation, Hijack Karma, Masking, Dead Weight, Deja Vu, Oneiromancy, Fear, Momento Mori, Necromancy (Varies), Possession, Timeslip, Weather Control.

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Obsessive/Compulsive, Energy Loss (1/Day), Flashbacks.

The more powerful and vastly more self-aware and stable form of Phantasm, a Phantom, in general, much resembles a Spectre, the way Phantasms bear a passing resemblance to Apparitions. UNlike Spectres, however, Phantoms have a unique ability to grow, absorbing power from the surges of life, luck and passion around them, even by the devouring of lesser Phantoms or Phantasms, or payment in karma for services rendered. A Phantom is ALWAYS hungry for that little extra bit to tide it over, to remind it of its time in the sun and light of life... While not inherently evil, a Phantom can grow to great levels of power with very little differentiation in appearance or Aura. As a rule, a Phantom will possess the first three special abilities and one additional Special Power per Force Rating, gained in no particular order.

Rusalka
(Inquietumanes Aquavirago)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Near Water

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	#+F	#	F+2		F		1d6+#+F

Attacks: (2xF)L Melee, Elemental Ice FX

Powers:

Accident, Oneiromancy, Essence Drain, Fear, Home Ground, Invulnrability, Manifestation, Weather Control.

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Amnesia (Partial), Obsessive/Compulsive, Essence Loss (1 F/Day).

Rusalki are an exemplary case (Russian, in this instance) of a common sort of ghost -- the spirit of a murdered or suicided young woman or teenaged girl. Invariably tied to rivers or other water, they are hostile to the living, feeding their gnawing hunger by drawing warmth and life-force from any living things nearby (Areas haunted long by Rusalki are dead -- all plant and animal life forces feeding the ghost). Few Rusalki are aware of the devastation they cause, knowing only despair and fear themselves, and suffering from severe memory loss whenever they fade due to the ebb and flow of their ectoplasmic bodies.

Sea Ghost
(Inquietumanes Oceanus)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

In or Near Water

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Attacks:

Powers:

Accident, Astral Gateway, Dead Weight, Haywire, Fear, Home Ground, Essence Drain (Drowning), Invulnrability, Influence, Emanation, Portent, Weather Control.

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Reduced Senses, Obsessive/Compulsive, Bound to their Home Waters.

AKA Water Babies, the Sea Ghost is a worldwide class of ghosts of the Drowned, whether by fresh water or salt. They universally appear as diminished, waterlogged apparitions of their living selves, and lurk just beneath the surface or just on the shore of the water where they went down, seeking to draw others to share their fate. Not always hostile, they also sometimes appear as drowning portents, rather than drowners themselves. The best defense is to NOT communicate or respond to them in any way, as they will seldom directly attack any who don't initiate contact. In cases where an entire ship's crew has drowned, they will generally occupy a Phantom Ship (such as the infamous Flying Dutchman), and form a single very powerful gestalt ghost (of 10x normal Force). Their Essence Drain Power operates through drowning... for every box of physical damage from drowning a victim suffers, they also lose a point of essence. Note that not all Sea Ghosts will possess all Powers... genera lly, 1d6 Powers plus one Power per Force Rating will be possessed.

Shiwanna
(Inquietumanes Kachina)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Mountians or near Water

North American Southwest

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	N/A	N/A	F+4	F	F+2		F		1d6 + F

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Oneiromancy, Invulnrability, Influence, Portent, Possession, Weather Control, Teaching Skill (F).

Weaknesses:

Allergy (Sunlight, Extreme), Reduced Senses, Obsessive/Compulsive, Bound to their Home Waters.

"The Cloud People"... Pueblo Kachina associated with the Dead. They live by the shores of the World-Sea, under lakes or springs, and in the mountains. As Kachina Spirits, they are generally friendly to mankind, and manifest through rituals and possession (Pueblo and related tribes Shamans can conjure such spirits w/o necromantic magics)... note that as Guardians of the Dead, the Shiwanna take a dim view of "unbalanced" necromantic mastery, and tend to Take Steps to rectify improper summoning. All observed Shiwanna have been Free Spirits, cooperating voluntarily with Summoning, rather than being forced.

Spectre
(Inquietumanes Valida)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Varies

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
F-3	(F+3)x4	F-3	F	F	F+2		F		1d6+F+2

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Fear, Manifestation, Psychokinesis, , Some Show:, Compulsion, Noxious Breath, Paralysing Touch, etc..

Weaknesses:

Obsessive/Compulsive.

Generalized Ghosts, "Spectre" tends to be a catchall category of stable ghostly manifestations that fail to fit into other categories. They show a wide range of intelligence, motivation, and personality, and the more powerful among the species also tend to have greater corresponding weaknesses, such as vulnerabilities (most often to "Holy" items and rituals... but the potency of the thing used MUST be firmly believed in by the user) and allergies (Sunlight and "holy" things being most common) above and beyond the normal waxing and waning of power tied to their ectoplasmic nature.

Wyrd
(Inquietumanes Vendettii)

Habitat:Range:

Nature:

Astral

Any

Worldwide

Bod	Qks	Str	Chr	Int	Wll		Ess		Reaction
N/A	(F+2)x3	F	F	F	F		F		1d6+6+F

Attacks: Special

Powers:

Masking, Deja Vu, Oneiromancy, Invulnrability, Vision, Chains Of Blood (Spell), Some exhibit Timeslip.

Weaknesses:

Alienation, Obsession (Vengence), Flashbacks.

Wyrd are closely related to Seiryö, Phantoms, and Phantasms, but are the products of deep personal fear/betrayal/inustice. As such, their behavior and powers are different enough to justify a separate species designation. They are obsessed with avenging the event that caused their "Casting" (cf), and will pursue ANY available means to secure justice against the one who wronged them. Particular incidences have involved Wyrd caused by severe child-abuse, hidden murders, betrayal, etc. In almost all cases, the Wyrd seems motivated to EXPOSE the perpetrators' crimes to the justice of the Living, rather than simple attacks. While in many cases even necromantic spells cannot distinguish a Wyrd from a Phantom, their obsession with vengeance shields them from the normal weaknesses of a Phantom. Note that Deja Vu (or Timeslip power, if available) ALWAYS accompanies a Flashback, regardless of whether the Power or the Weakness is triggered/used first.