Recruiting: The spirits within, Free spirit only game Options

[Karaden]

You get the friendship pact and any pact of your choise for free, just like matirilization. You can also buy more pacts with Power Points of course.

So yeah, free spirits can all get karma from the start if they can get a full friendship pact.

[BlackHat]

Well, I believe you get the friendship pact OR any other pact (your choice) (pg 93, RC). Normally, if you want more than one, you have to buy the spirit-pact power (at 1 PP), but Dentris has said we can only have one pact to begin with (with the ability to get more later).

[Dentris]

Ok, i plan on allowing you to earn karma like a normal individual as long as you have a spirit pact, no matter what pact it is. Each pact comes with its own unique rewards and limitations, though.

My ruling about spirit/matrix interaction is this: materialization spirits can interact with commlinks (thus to a limited degree with AR) and possession spirits can fully interact with AR since they share their host's senses. Full VR is impossible for any spirit. Gamewise, as long as they have a commlink, spirits can surf the matrix without penalty.

[Karaden]

The PC free spirit has the choice of any of the pacts on page 108 of Street Magic, plus the Friendship Pact, which is detailed below.

Your right, I was just missreading this to mean they got their choice of any one pact and they also got friendship pact, not that friendship pact was included as the options from which to choose.

[BlackHat]

Also, keep in mind that free spirits either get 10% off of their lifestyles (if using the base lifestyle rules) or get to ignore the necessities category (if using advanced lifestyles). I think the character posted earlier had paid for necessities.

[Karaden]

He did, but very low. I'm guessing he took it to provide food to visitors or such (as was stated)

[BlackHat]

Oh yes, that's true. You can do that. My bad.

[BlackHat]

Here's a draft of my entry. Dentris was awesome and happened to have my old entry still on his computer, so I got to reuse a lot of the background and description stuff, for free. It hurt losing some of those sweet powers, but the new rules are way more balanced - and I think if the reflavoring of the pact I selected is okay, the character will retain the same feel.

Reserving the right to make changes, and open to hearing any suggestions/criticisms (so feel free to peek at the spoilers).

[ Spoiler ]

Name:

[ Spoiler ]

Although all spirits have a name in the sense of a True Name, or Spirit Formulae, this spirit went through most of its existence answering the calls of Magicians and dabblers in Black Magic who would seek to call forth an incarnation of human lust. These individuals were interested in many things about this spirit, but having a name with which to refer to it was not one of them.

With those who called it frequently, the spirit began to develop relationships. Sometimes the conjurer determined the name it used to refer to itself, either because the magician believed that to be the spirit's actual name, or because the magician wanted to refer to it by a specific name that held meaning to him or her. With others, the succubus used a number of names of its own design, but the most commonly used name was "Adsinistrati".

When posing as a mortal, Adsinistrati is far more likely to take a normal sounding name.

Description:

[ Spoiler ]

Unlike many spirits, Adsinistrati has been known to take many forms in the physical plane - man, woman, child, even appearing as an animal, inanimate object, or a clearly alien being. Whether in possession of angelic beauty or deformed hideousness - Adsinistrati prides itself in its ability to take whatever shape is most desirable to its consort. Its skill at masquerading as someone or something surpasses others of its kind, allowing it to mimic specific people with such skill that often the magician who conjured it forgot that it wasn't the real thing by the end of the night.

Adsinistrati appears male about as often as female. Until recently, its physical form was dictated by the desires and commands of the magician who called it forth from the shadows. Upon becoming "free," Adsinistrati found that it must now select its own physical form - but still retains the habit of selecting a form based upon the desires of those around it - or, as often as not, an androgynous form that both sexes find appealing. Almost always beautiful, Adsinistrati has a tendency to mix in otherworldly features (small horns, cloven feet, slitted pupils, etc) for a very exotic dark look, which (due to the popularity of extreme body modification) stands out much less in 2070 than it would have a few decades ago.

Occasionally, Adsinistrati has been known to take an unattractive form, but even when deformed, mutilated, or generally unremarkable, there is an artistic quality to the shape.

Personality:

[ Spoiler ]

Adsinistrati is probably not going to be nearly as upset by its "banishment" from the metaplanes as the other spirits in this campaign. Would you be particularly upset if you were banished from Hell? Sure, losing one's ability to heal sucks, and it would still want to figure out what's going on, and eventually get back "home" but there is certainly a worse fate than being stuck on earth. Adsinistrati has always been a sociable spirit, and finds metahumanity fascinating. Adsinistrati will adapt to a life on the material plane rather easily.

Adsinistrati lives up to all the stereotypes of a succubus (or incubus), but does have a few personal quirks. One being in addition to the passions of love, lust, and all of that, Adsinistrati seems drawn to the perverse - and is fascinated by the many ways in which metahumanity expresses those passions. It is also something of a mimic, and takes great pleasure in taking the form of an acutal person, masquerading as that person, and eventually drawing those close to him or her into sexual (particularly forbidden) scenarios - carefully executed, this can lead to a lot of mayhem when the actual person returns completely unaware of what had transpired.

Background:

[ Spoiler ]

Not going to go into a big long background. I imagine the majority of the spirits existence involved being conjured and/or bound by various black magic magicians... in order to participate in various rituals or rite befitting a demon and/or succubi. Something like full VR pornography for mages ... or a hooker you don't have to pay, and don't have to worry about catching anything from. During this time, Adsinistrati was able to, by way of her carnal pact, enthrall thousands of loyal mortals across the world - repeat-clients, whose addictions fed themselves as they began relying on Adsinistrati more and more often. The tables quickly turned - the summoners becoming the one owing services - and Adsinistrati used these pacts to grow more powerful.

Spirit Pact:

[ Spoiler ]

Street Magic says the GM can invent new pacts, but I just want to reflavor an existing pact. I like the way that the Drain Pact works, but want to call it "Carnal Pact" - and stipulate that it involves a sexual encounter between the two. Basically, since energy-drain is not an option for PCs, I wanted to come up with a pact that still allowed Adsinistrati to "feed" by doing succubi-like things. The addiction aspect and the ability for the spirit to cut the mortal off, both work perfectly.

Tradition: Black magic (Twisted) (Will+Cha, Drain)

Karma Used (800/800)

Attributes [180]

[ Spoiler ]

- Str 3 (9)
- Agi 3 (9)
- Bod 3 (9)
- Rea 3 (9)

- Log 5 (9+12+15=36)
- Int 5 (9+12+15=36)
- Will 5 (9+12+15=36)
- Cha 5 (9+12+15=36)

Special Attributes [90]

[ Spoiler ]

- Force/Magic 6 (9+12+15+18=54)
- Edge 5 (9+12+15=36)

Qualities [20]

[ Spoiler ]

- Global Fame (40)
- Inspired (10)
- Dayjob (-30) ("Assistant" to various powerful, influential (and pact-addicted) contacts (switches, from time to time, as they fall in and out of favor), 50,000/month salary)

Skills [295]

[ Spoiler ]

- Influence Group 4 (10+10+15+20=55)
- Disguise 5 (4+4+6+8+10=32)
- Artisan 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Spellcasting 5 (4+4+6+8+10=32)
- Unarmed Combat 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Gymnastics 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Flight 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Assensing 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Perception 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Astral Combat 4 (4+4+6+8=22)
- Counterspelling 4 (4+4+6+8=22)

Knowledge Skills [63]

[ Spoiler ]

- Carnal Knowledge (Kama Sutra, etc) (Academic) 6 (2+2+3+4+5+6=22)
- Brothels and the like (Street) 4 (2+2+3+4=11)
- Metahuman Customs (Interest) 2 (2+2=4)
- Latin (Language) Native
- English (Language) 2 (2+2=4)
- Japanese (Language) 2 (2+2=4)
- French (Language) 2 (2+2=4)
- Italian (Language) 1 (2)
- Spanish (Language) 1 (2)
- Chinese (Language) 1 (2)
- German (Language) 1 (2)
- Korean (Language) 1 (2)
- Or'zet (Language) 1 (2)
- Sepherial (Language) 1 (2)

Spells [35]

[ Spoiler ]

- Mind Probe (F/2+2) (5)
- Control Emotions (F/2) (5)
- Mob Mood (F/2+2) (5)
- Heal (DV-2) (5)
- Dream (F/2-1) (5)
- Orgasm (F/2-2) (5)
- Orgy (F/2) (5)

Spirit Powers

[ Spoiler ]

- Materialization
- Banishment Resistance
- Immunity to Normal Weapons
- Magician
- Sapience
- Spirit Pact (Carnal Pact - Like Drain pact, except, you know, Carnal *wink*)
- (2) Influence
- (1) Mutable Form
- (0.5) Realistic Form
- (1) Natural Weapons
- (1.5, after initiation) Fear

Contacts [60]

[ Spoiler ]

- Group Contact C6(24)/L6 (1000+ members +6, Global +6, Magical Resources +4, Broad reaching matrix resources +2) Collection of thousands of pact-addicted mortals. Some of the most powerful and influential people from all over the world. Most practice dark magic, or have it used on their behalf, but some were sought out by Adsinistrati, on purpose. All have partaken in Adsinistrati's carnal pact enough times to have become quite addicted to it - and, after hooking them, the stakes were raised, requiring karma for further 'services'. Adsinistrati also ends the pact shortly after the "act" is undertaken - leaving her mortals jonesing for more, and severing the sympathetic links between them.

Initiation [29]

[ Spoiler ]

- Join Dark Magic Group (Formed with some of the pact-addicted mortal contacts, including roommate) (5 karma)
- Initiate Once (11 karma) (Masking Metamagic - so Adsinistrati can appear mortal, mundane, or as another type of spirit)
- Initiate Twice (13 karma) (+1 power point, taking Fear)

Gear [28] (28x2,500 = 70,000)

[ Spoiler ]

- Fake SIN 4 x10 (40,000)
- Advanced Lifestyle (20LP = 10,000)
- - Comforts 4
- - Entertainment 4
- - Necessities (Don't need)
- - Neighborhood 4
- - Security 4
- - - Friendly Neighbors +1 (On very good terms with the bunraku parlor next door)
- - - Perfect Roommate +2 (Twisted-Black-Magic-Path Magician)
- - - Rad Pad +1 (Place is tricked out with all sorts of bizarre sex-oriented paraphernalia)
- - Includes Leased Vehicle (Hyundai Shin-Hyung)
- - Includes Premium Matrix Services
- Disposable Commlink x2 (600)
- Extra Starting Cash +12 (1200)
- Summoning Materials (Force 6) x6 (18,000)

Starting Cash (average?): $13,000

[crizh]

How does this look?

[ Spoiler ]

Samantha Montgomery is an unregistered Hedge Witch and the loving wife of Darrin a computer programmer who freelances for a number of Matrix companies, or at least he did.

When Crash 2.0 happened Darrin was on-line and he was trapped like so many others. Darrin's was an extreme case, he was diagnosed with PVS, his brain damage was overwhelmingly massive. Samantha's husband was gone and he was never coming back. Only his fleshy shell remained, cruelly able to breathe on it's own but otherwise completely dependent on medical support for survival.

With bills mounting up and their insurers threatening to cut them off Samantha was desperate. She had no legitimate income of her own and to reveal her own talent would be to reveal her daughters, a choice she was unwilling to take away from an innocent child.

And so, Darrin Montgomery was born. Or rather, was summoned...

Samantha conjured a very special Ally Spirit, one with much of the skills and knowledge that Darrin 1.0 had possessed and with the ability to animate the mindless husk that her husband had left behind.

Having miraculously recovered, Darrin left the hospital and returned home, taking up his consultancy business where he had left off. He told his clients that the long coma explained any personality changes that they detected and explained his unwillingness to use DNI as lasting scars from the Crash 2.0.

And life returned to normal.

Ish...

It's a bit rough so far...

[Karaden]

Very cool stories. Blackhat's looks like it will be notably similar to my own, but should be plenty different enough.

I'm still working on finalizing concept and character.

Wow, crazy just how similar Blackhat's is to what I was working on. I'll keep on with what I have and see just how similar it is.

[crizh]

I'm not sure I like Darrin.

It just sort of came to me and I bashed it out while it was fresh.

I'm going to try and work up something else that I might use instead.

[BlackHat]

I thought the Darrin idea was pretty cool (assuming Dentris OKs inhabitation spirits).

One possible problem with his ruse would be being dual-natured all of a sudden... but theoretically, the percentage of people who can notice that is pretty small.

[BlackHat]

Wow, crazy just how similar Blackhat's is to what I was working on. I'll keep on with what I have and see just how similar it is.

I didn't know. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif) You have my apologies, though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Which parts were similar to your ideas? We could probably work around each other pretty easily, or even accept it and work some pieces together.

I can't tell how many people are working on characters for this game, but Dentris mentioned looking for 4-5 characters - so it might not matter, if he gets a lot of submissions, before making his decisions.

[crizh]

I thought the Darrin idea was pretty cool (assuming Dentris OKs inhabitation spirits).

One possible problem with his ruse would be being dual-natured all of a sudden... but theoretically, the percentage of people who can notice that is pretty small.

I was just going to go with Possession and Realistic Form. And staying home a lot..

I'm still not sure I like it but I'll run it up and see how it feels.

edit - however an Inhabitation Ally would have been an option in that scenario and would have had access to his DNI. I think..

[Karaden]

Could we have phobias/manias from agumented?

[BlackHat]

Oh, nevermind. Being in a dead body is "possession" and not "inhabitation" (as I thought, for some reason).

Realistic form is a good call for looking normal too - I hadn't noticed that that power worked for possession, before.

[Karaden]

Oh, nevermind. Being in a dead body is "possession" and not "inhabitation" (as I thought, for some reason).

Realistic form is a good call for looking normal too - I hadn't noticed that that power worked for possession, before.

Indeed, and PC free spirits can also have mutable form with possession, which is rather interesting. I assume that means we can mutate whatever we inhabit into another shape (likely within reason). This could be very cool for things like inhabiting a car and changing that model it is as you drive away to throw off pursuers.

[crizh]

Indeed, and PC free spirits can also have mutable form with possession, which is rather interesting. I assume that means we can mutate whatever we inhabit into another shape (likely within reason). This could be very cool for things like inhabiting a car and changing that model it is as you drive away to throw off pursuers.

Bwahahahahaha!

[BlackHat]

They can? The power says "when you materialize" which I think would limit it to "materialization" spirits. I didn't see anything in RC that said PCs could ignore that for some reason (other than it being in the list of available powers, which jsut means it is available to PCs.. .doesn't change how the power works, though)

[crizh]

They can? The power says "when you materialize" which I think would limit it to "materialization" spirits. I didn't see anything in RC that said PCs could ignore that for some reason (other than it being in the list of available powers, which jsut means it is available to PCs.. .doesn't change how the power works, though)

Having just looked it over it explicitly bans Possession Traditions from using it.

No shape shifting robots for me. Boo.

[Karaden]

Oh, and as for the similarities, was going to have my spirit (a mimic) have a cult following. However instead of them joining for sexual purposes, they often join because of my healing abilities. As a mimic however, my largest vice is, you guessed it, sexual indulgences, often gained through the cult following. Inhabiting one member (Viewed as an honor) and using their form to enjoy sex, with the other members (A lesser honor). Also inhabits a corpse that is made to look beautiful through realistic form, mutable form, and healing to keep the corpse looking still alive even without the other abilities.

Also use sturdier forms (homunculus) when required to do dangerous things. Major karma gains are from health pacts with members. Karma and/or money gained through possessing them for various reasons (Advanced healing, aiding in this or that, because it feels good, whatever).

[Karaden]

They can? The power says "when you materialize" which I think would limit it to "materialization" spirits. I didn't see anything in RC that said PCs could ignore that for some reason (other than it being in the list of available powers, which jsut means it is available to PCs.. .doesn't change how the power works, though)

Mutable Form*

*available to free spirits of all traditions

I figured this meant that it was available to spirits of the possession tradition as well.

[crizh]

I figured this meant that it was available to spirits of the possession tradition as well.

Actually what Mutable Form (SM p109) says is 'only available to Spirits with the Materialization power.'

So, not contradictory, just a little confusing.

[Karaden]

I'm just trying to figure out why they... Oh, no I think I just realized.

You see, usually you have to have in your tradition at least one spirit type that can take a given power for you to be able to take the power, but the * denotes that you don't have to meet that requirement. You would still have to meet the 'possession v materialization' requirements.

[Play]

Bah, Divining (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)
With 8 magic + 6 sorcery, I was still in the butter zone - 6 + 6 is certainly less impressive. I'll spec manipulation obviously, but it still sucks a big one.

Magic 8...are we not capped at 6 to start?

Also, with multiple initiations, there's no increase in magic or force but one gets the extra metamagics?