The Serial Killer in Ghost Cartels, What's with all the people burning? Options

[Megu]

So, my players jumped on the hook in Body Snatchers about the killings of tempo users. And I'm reading in here, a little mystified, that the culprit is an Awakened priest who is trying to exorcise people, but they keep dying in fire. So...what am I missing here? I'm assuming that it's the tempo spirits possessing people that he's trying to exorcise, but what's with all the burning? Are the tempo spirits causing that, and what's their motive? Or is it something he's doing? How did you guys run this?

[Mercator]

My take on this would be some kind of 'scorched earth' policy from the inhabiting spirit. Burn the shell on the way out.

Though, the spirit inhabiting might be something more nefarious. Consider if Tempo didn't just give you Astral Perception, but made you more noticeable on the Astral. So something ugly sees you. Hops a ride.

[The_Vanguard]

Burning heretics has a long tradition with the inquisition, so I'd make the priest responsible for it.

[ Spoiler ]

Since Tempo permanently makes the user more susceptible to possession, exorcising a spirit is only a part-time solution. The body is tainted (perhaps reflecting a taint of the soul in the priest's eyes) and must be purified if the soul shall know peace again. Therefore, I'd say that he either a) burns the victims in order to destroy the "chains that bind them to evil", hoping for a miracle that will save their lives if they're worthy, or that b) he is fully aware that his treatment will kill the body but at least will save the soul, yet since non-believers will not understand that he has to explain in "analouges" if questioned (nooo, that's not lying. Nope. Not at all.)

[Pepsi Jedi]

Heh.

[ Spoiler ]

Or.. you know.. he's total bug nuts crazy?

[Dr.Rockso]

Gotta desecrate the corpse; only way to stop them from coming back."

[Megu]

My take on this would be some kind of 'scorched earth' policy from the inhabiting spirit. Burn the shell on the way out.

Though, the spirit inhabiting might be something more nefarious. Consider if Tempo didn't just give you Astral Perception, but made you more noticeable on the Astral. So something ugly sees you. Hops a ride.

Hmmm. I like the scorched earth idea. Perhaps the spirit wants to discredit the priest so no one will listen to his (basically accurate) ravings about tempo and spirit possession? Leave no survivors who could discuss it with him?

The latter idea sounds a little too close to the idea of Red Orchid, though, and that stuff's already got a place in the plot of my game. (local Mafia cuts a deal with Kalokdam to distribute Red Orchid, now that his buyers in the Smoke Circle are decimated post-HK Massacre)

In any case, thanks very much, everyone!