Ok, so the player who plays our tables' magician (a Shinto miko) recently came to me and asked about the True Vessel section from Street Magic (p. 88). Specifically, if his character could create and enchant a True Vessel.

Now I told him initially that since Shinto is not a Possession tradition, that his character would not have the know-how on how to create Vessels for spirits to Possess.

But then he countered by saying that there isn't anything explicitly stated that enchanters from non-Possession traditions CAN'T make True Vessels.

So yeah, kinda at an impasse her.

Tl;dr: Can enchanters/magicians from a non-Possession tradition still make True Vessels?

Some help for a poor, new coming GM, would you kindly?

There is ample indication that a non-possession tradition mage could perform the function of creating a True Vessel. Two important points:

1) Enchanting is a separate skill from Conjuring skills and can be performed by Awakened who are not able to do Conjuring, such as Aspected Magicians and Adepts.

2) Even non-Awakened can do things like fabricate formulas, including spirit formulas.

I don't see any reason why the character wouldn't be able to create a True Vessel just because of their tradition. There's nothing in the rules stating you must be a Possession tradition, and really, is being able to create a True Vessel that game-breakingly powerful anyway? C'mon, rule of fun/cool !

Besides, True Vessels are for dealing with Free Spirits, so the character needs a free spirit's true name, then has to create a spirit formula, etc. Lots of good role-playing and adventure opportunities here.

also, vessels are also useful for inhabitation spirits afaict, and any tradition can make an ally spirit that uses inhabitation.

But aren't insects, allies and custom free spirits the only ones with inhabitation?

Thanks for all of the replies, guys!

Yeah, after I stopped to think about it, Materialization/Possession is only an issue for spirits that the magician summons them self. And since there are a number of spirits out there that don't have an appropriate analog to their tradition (pretty sure there's no counterpart to insect spirits in Shinto), then anything goes.

Also it turns out my player's plan for making a True Vessel is going to be something kind of...um...unique.....

...

yes...

but as i said before (now with 100% more use of font to denote emphasis!): "any tradition can make an ally spirit that uses inhabitation"

therefore, every tradition has some potential use for vessels, even if they never need to make a true vessel for a free spirit.

I was just checking myself in case I missed some spirit

Oh come on, don't leave us hanging on that!

...all right, all right, I'll tell you guys what's up! (plus, feedback is appreciated for this one)

So the backstory of the magician of our table is that she's (yes, the player is a male and his character is female) a Shinto miko. For those that don't know, a Shinto priest/miko's main job is to commune with spirits, and to settle/calm spirits that are causing any trouble. And they are also the people to go to on banishing yokai (the Shinto equivalent to shadow spirits).

So what happened was that during one particular job in Neo Tokyo, she was tasked with trying to dispel a yokai that was draining a 10 year old girl. Unfortunately, not only did the spirit get away, but it killed the little girl in the process. Naturally, the parents got pissed and they blamed her for not being able to save their daughter, so they sicked the cops on her, and when that failed, put a bounty on her head, AND sent an opposing runner team to bring her in. So, she had to flee Japan and Neo-Tokyo to get away from the heat.

(not helping things is that she's an extracted former wagemage to MCT, so MCT would be very interested on taking this opportunity to get her back. Since, y'know, it's MCT)

So of course, she'll eventually get an opportunity to finally catch the shadow spirit.

But here's what she wants to do:

-She wants to trap the shadow spirit in katana, and use it's power as (essentially) and enchanted weapon, ESPECIALLY if something happens where the PC runners got caught in something where shit hits the fan.

And this is her plan BEFORE destroying all copies of it's True Name or going on a Metaplanar Quest to kill it.

This might be an opportunity to try and include a unique enchantment (Digital Grimoire, pp. 8-10)

Hmm...an interesting idea...

At first, I wasn't going to do anything since (if I understand correctly) that with spirits that Possess a vessel, you still have to ask them if you want them to use a specific power, but otherwise they kinda do their own thing.

But now that I think about it (especially in the context of a Unique Enchantment), not a bad idea.

Of course, this is a shadow spirit that we're talking about, so the things it should be asking for return should be something with a really, REALLY high cost.

*starts grinning evilly at the possibilities*

The easy option would be a Stormbringer-style soul eating weapon, though that would be the easy on the character. A nastier option would be the trapped spirit witholding his powers unless specific victimes are killed (ideally in a slow and nasty fashion to allow for maximum kicks/vampire-like essence drain/whatever). For squick factor and considering the sprit's past, kids would be fine.

But the demands are likely begin soft then increase in a slippery slope : first play nice and be generous in power use and lenient on demands until the 'owner' gets hooked on her weapon, then ramp up until she ends up just as bad as the spirit... Sort of like a dealer giving free samples to bait you into addiction.