[ORE] Orpheus hacks

I've been running an ORE: Orpheus campaign this year, after we finished the Reign/The
Dark Tower campaign that ws run last year (for some reason, I don't seem to run
straight ORE games). Paul the Bastard asked about what rules I was using for Orpheus,
so I'm posting them here.
Willpower
This trait reflects your character's inner drive and desire to succeed at tasks
she undertakes. Characters who exhaust all of their temporary Willpower
points are spent, both physically and emotionally. Willpower is useful to
Orpheus characters in many situations, and can be regained (although not
always easily) in a number of ways:
A player can spend a point of Willpower to turn a single die into a
master die for their next roll. This applies to simple and resisted
actions.
A player may also spend one Willpower to ignore the increased Difficulty to his rolls
caused by wounds. This lasts for one turn per point of Stamina the character possesses.
As a quick but effective fix, a character can spend one Willpower point as a reflexive
action to immediately regain three Vitality. Willpower-born Vitality may even exceed
the character's Vitality rating (except in a hue's case).
Whenever a character uses an Ability and rolls a successful match with a Height of 10,
the player may attempt to gain bonus experience points to spend on the relevant Ability.
Make a Willpower roll (Difficulty equal to the Ability's current rating); if successful,
the player may convert 1 Willpower point into 1 XP, to a maximum of the Width of the
result. These experience points can only be used to increase the Ability in question.
Characters regain one Willpower point after a full night's restful sleep.
When a character behaves in accordance with her Nature, she reaffirms her sense of
self. The player may roll the character's Willpower rating, and regain a number of
Willpower points equal to the Width of the result.
Characters may gain one Willpower point for achieving a particular
goal or performing a significant confidence-affirming action. If this
is the culmination of a story arc, the characters may regain half or all
of their temporary Willpower points.

Vitality
Vitality is a measure of your character's spiritual strength and presence
among the living. Vitality is a ghost's or spook's essential body, and
whatever harm the spook endures is deducted from his Vitality rating. Very
few ghosts have Vitality ratings over five. Those ghosts with ratings of one
are those quick, snapshot ghosts caught forever in the moment of their death

(drones). Rating two and three ghosts (blips) are more like distant echoes,
repeating sequences of events over and over again but having some sense of
self outside their deaths (although some do not realise that they're dead).
Those at four or five are far more self aware, but only spooks with a Vitality
rating of 6 or above can regularly experience the full gamut of human
emotion. At seven or more Vitality, a spook is effectively indistinguishable
from a living human to such creatures as Spectres.
There are several ways to regain Vitality:
For each eight hours of rest that a spook enjoys, he regains one point
of Vitality. If this rest is interrupted, the spook may afterwards
continue as though undisturbed as long as he has not spent or lost
any more Vitality in the meantime.
A character can voluntarily donate any amount of Vitality to another spook.
As a quick but effective fix, a character can spend one Willpower point as a reflexive
action to immediately regain three Vitality.
A spook can regain Vitality by tapping his Spite: he draws upon the bitterness,
frustration, and anger building in his soul to regain his strength. He may regain an
amount of Vitality up to his current Spite points. He must then roll an equal number of
dice: any die that is not part of a match increases his current Spite poimts by one.
Whenever a character's Spite rating increases because of tapping Spite, he immediately
gains a new Stain.
When in desperate circumstances, a character can also try robbing another spook of its
Vitality.
Characters may also regain Vitality by helping ghosts find peace and transcendence.
The final method of Vitality recovery is open only to skimmers and
those sleepers whose bodies are awake and active. They may gain
one Vitality per hour by returning to their living bodies and resting.
Spite
Spite is a measure of your character's inner rage, emotional turmoil, and
hatred. A character can acquire Spite as a result of particularly nasty actions
(like draining spooks of Vitality) or by a process known as tapping Spite
(see above). In either case, each time a character acquires ten Spite points,
they are converted to one point of permanent Spite.
The one and only surefire way to rid oneself of Spite is by fulfilling a
purpose and freeing other ghosts from the torment of their existence,
possibly sending them in to their fina reward. Each time a character is
directly and personally responsible for the complete resolution of the final
remaining tether keeping a ghost bound to this world, he immediately loses
one point of permanent Spite upon that ghost's transcendence. Only the
character directly connected to the ghost in question (by dint of Nature or
Nature group, etc.) may benefit from this boon.

When a character's Spite rating spirals out of control, he risks falling

headlong into oblivion. When a character's Vitality rating is higher than his
Spite rating, he is relatively normal, and still in control of both his
faculties and his behaviour regarding others. When his Spite rating equals or
exceeds his Vitality rating, matters grow dangerous. All of these effects are
cumulative:
Spite Rating = Vitality Rating: At this stage, the character is quite
literally of two minds on many subjects, with his more violent
inclinations rising to the surface. Until the character rectifies the
situation by lowering his Spite rating, he suffers a +1 Difficulty on
non-violent actions.
Spite Rating +1 over Vitality Rating: Whenever the character encounters a Specte he
must immediately succeed in a Willpower roll. If he succeeds, he can fight or resist the
Spectre's abilities as normal. If he fails, all actions against this Spectre suffer a 1d
penalty.
Spite Rating +2 over Vitality Rating: The character immediately gains a number of
Stains equal to the difference value between his Spite and his Vitality. These new Stains
last until he can decrease the gulf. Additionally, if the character uses two or more Stains
or taps three or more Spite in any scene, nearby Spectres flock to him like moths to a
flame, and may try to abduct him.
Spite Rating 10: The character becomes a Spectre, and may be
permanently lost.
Stains
Over time, ghosts and projectors have a tendency to develop outward
manifestations of the Spite within them. These marks are known as Stains,
and the Orpheus Group believes that each one comes from a place of deeply
personal doubt, insecurity, anguish, or self-loathing. When any of these
feelings reach a point where they can and do negatively impact the
character's core sense of self, they actually appear as alterations to his
plasmic body when he manifests in spook form.
All Orpheus characters begin play with three Stains chosen during character
creation. Players may choose up to two additional Stains, gaining one
additional Freebie Point per Stain, for a total of five initial Stains.
When a person grows even more bitter and repulsed by new and different
insecurities, he will likewise adopt outward reflections of the same.
Whenever a character gains two dots in his Spite rating, or if he loses a dot
of Spite, the player may choose to exchange one Stain for another to
represent his new outlook.
A character gains a new Stain for each point of Spite in excess of his
Vitality rating. Should the character reduce his Spite rating later on, he
likewise eliminates one Stain until he has been reduced to a minimum of
three Strains.

A character manifests his Stains when his Spite rating exceeds his Vitality,
as described above. Additionally, the character can also bring forth and use
a Stain to his benefit willingly if he possesses a Spite rating of four or
greater. By tapping Spite points, the character can bring a Stain to the
surface and use it for a number of turns equal to the Spite points tapped.

Banshee Horrors
Banshee Horrors
Wail
The ghost or projector using this Horror can tear down everything from emotions to
flesh to granite, shrieking waves of pure fury at her targets. The spook rolls her
Manipulation + Empathy, and may continue her Wail for a number of turns equal to
(Vitality spent + 1), as long as she remains within range of her target. She may move
without affecting the Horror, though she cannot dodge, fight, or pursue any action more
complicated than a simple walk. All physically damaging effects of this horror are
permanent (unless healed or rebuilt); emotional effects pass with time or with a change
of situation.
Zero Vitality: Mildly soothing or annoying. Adds +1 Difficulty to all
Physical actions if soothing; adds +1 Difficulty to all Mental or Social
actions if annoying. Affects one single person. Requires a Width (2 x X)
result.
One Vitality: Calms a screaming baby or enrages the average queuing
shopper. Increases Difficulties by +2, as described above. Up to two people
affected. Requires a Width (2 x X) result.
Two Vitality: Pacifies an angry commuter or annoys a serene mother.
Increases Difficulties by +3. Up to five people affected. Requires a Width (3
x X) result.
Three Vitality: Calms a freshly bereaved spouse or drives a controlled
security guard into a fury. Increases Difficulties by +4. Up to ten people
affected. Requires a Width (3 x X) result.
Four Vitality: Pacifies a raging lunatic or enrages a meditating Buddhist
monk. Increases Difficulties by +5. Up to twenty people affected.. Requires
a Width (4 x X) result
Five Vitality: Pacifies a frenzied Spectre or raises a coma patient to instant,
waking fury. Increases Difficulties by +6. Up to fifty people affected.
Requires a Width (5 x X) result.
Benefit: For one Vitality, the spook doubles the range, area of effect, or number of
targets of a compatriot's Horror. Using this power's insight into the emotions of others,
the donor may lend that understanding to a beneficiary, giving him a sense of clearer
vision and more precise control. The spook using Wail controls who gains the Benefit,
but not how the recipient applies it. The Benefit is immediate, and lasts only for a turn,
but the donor can direct it towards any spook within line of sight, even if the recipient's
Horror is already in effect.

Forebode
The character may see into the past of her immediate vicinity, or into the future with
relation to specific potential events. The effect requires a Perception + Empathy roll,
and lasts for several turns equal to (Vitality spent + 1); if the ghost or projector spends
zero Vitality, the the effect lasts for a single turn.
Zero Vitality: Field of effect extends up to one hour in either direction (past
or future) and lasts for one turn.
One Vitality: Field of effect extends up to one day in either direction (past
or future) and lasts for two turns.
Two Vitality: Field of effect extends up to one week in either direction (past
or future) and lasts for three turns.
Three Vitality: Field of effect extends up to one month in either direction
(past or future) and lasts for four turns.
Four Vitality: Field of effect extends up to one year in either direction (past
or future) and lasts for five turns.
Five Vitality: Field of effect extends up to ten years in either direction (past
or future) and lasts for six turns.
The width of the spook's Perception + Empathy result determines how precise her vision
of the past may be, or how much she gleans from her glimpse of the future.
Width (2 x X): Past The spook sees a blurred version of events directly in
front of her for the duration of the Horror. Future She perceives a single
event that will take place, but might not perceive the context of that event.
Width (3 x X): Past The spook clearly sees events from the angle at which
she is standing, and dimly hears what is said. Future She sees a relevant
event, together with some context to that event.
Width (4 x X): Past The character clearly sees and hears what transpired,
from the angle where she is standing. Future She sees an event relevant to
the question on her mind, whether she realises it is relevant or not.
Width (5 x X): Past The character clearly sees and hears what took place,
ad she may move around to watch the action from different directions.
Future She sees the probable future (and at least one possible alternative
future) clearly.
Width (6 x X): Past The spook sees and hears precisely what happened at
that place, and may look outside the main action to examine the
background. This entails full immersion in the relevant event, which she
may watch from any position she desires. Future She has a clear vision
relevant to the question on her mind, or if there are several possible
directions that the future could take she sees the nexus point on which
these futures depend.
Benefit: For one Vitality, the character can lend her expertise with this power to a
compatriot, granting him the benefit of her insight into the past and future, and thus
increasing by +2 the height of any match gained by the beneficiary's Horror roll. For the
beneficiary, his focus suddenly sharpens and he can predict exactly how his power
would work, giving him a better idea of where to apply force and impetus. The donor
controls who the beneficiary is, and may benefit anyone within eyesight. If the recipient
does not roll for his Horror's effect within one turn, he loses the boon bestowed by this
Benefit.

Haunter Horrors
Haunter Horrors
Inhabit
The projector or ghost may merge with an inanimate object, effectively possessing it.
One spook may displace another inhabiting an object with an opposed Willpower roll
(highest roll succeeds; ties go to width). This conflict is quite disturbing to those able to
see it, with both entities' distorted features rising partially out of the contested object
and falling back in upon their adversary.
Once a character has uncontested control of an object, he may perform any function of
which it is normally capable. He may also perceive anything around or within that
object as if it were his own body. Finally, a character in possession of an object may
exert his own Attributes and Abilities through that item as a means of manipulation or
attack, subject to what the object's physical properties allow.
Zero Vitality: The spook may inhabit any small, hand-held object, such as a
cell phone or pistol.
One Vitality: The spook may possess any object no more than one square
yard in size a microwave or personal computer, for example.
Two Vitality: The spook can control any item approximately human sized,
from a motorcycle to a bookcase.
Three Vitality: At this level of expenditure, the spook may inhabit any
object up to the size of a large SUV, be it a high-performance automobile or
a large generator.
Four Vitality: The spook can inhabit large mobile objects or small
structures, such as a bus or a standard house.
Five Vitality: The largest structures a single entity can inhabit at this level
include a richly furnished mansion or a standard airliner.
While inhabiting an object, a character may exert his will over that item to bring about
more specialised effects, rather than just lashing out with it. To do so, the player rolls
his character's Stamina + Crafts or Technology (whichever is appropriate), comparing
the results to the following:
Width (2 x X): The spook may exert himself from within an object to
produce some minor, but terrifying special effect. The spook might create
disembodied footsteps in a deserted hallway or strange voices over a phone,
or leave hand prints visible on the inside of a mirror's glass.
Width (3 x X): The spook may power a device himself without any external
source, for the duration or a scene.
Width (4 x X): The spook may actively harm the host object causing a
computer hard drive to lock up, a car's brake line to sever, or a ceiling to
collapse.
Width (5 x X): The spook intuitively understands the function of all
components within his artificial body and may repair it from within. Roll
Intelligence + Crafts or Technology (whichever is appropriate). The spook
can even effect impossible repairs through Inhabit, so a car's broken
headlights might regrow from their shattered remnants, or a crumpled fender
straighten itself.

Width (6 x X): The spook may make dramatic physical alterations to a host
object. He could brick up a house's windows, manipulate a stairway's
banisters as tentacles, or bring a marble statue to life and attack (using his
normal combat dice pool).
The Haunter is relatively immune to damage directed at the item. Each turn somebody
successfully targets and harms the item being possessed, the Haunter loses one point of
Vitality, regardless of the actual damage caused to the object.
Uses of Inhabit typically last one scene, and may be extended by one additional scene
per point of temporary Willpower spent.
Benefit: For a point of Vitality, the donor can dely the beneficiary's Horror effect. The
donor imbeds the recipient's own Horror into the physical structure of a host object for a
brief time, with the effect immediately manifesting once free. The donor may delay the
onset of the other Horror's effect from one to three turns, depending on how deeply he
plants the effect within the structure of the host object. Area of effect Horrors centre
upon the object they're imbedded within, whereas blasts continue along their initial
trajectories.
Witch's Nimbus
The character surrounds himself with a radiant halo of flickering white fire or
coruscating electricity. Thereafter, anyone who attacks or is attacked by the character in
hand-to-hand combat suffers damage from her exposure to Witch's Nimbus. The effects
of Witch's Nimbus last for one scene.
In addition, by concentrating and spending additional Vitality, the character may
generate an arc of electricity or a gout of flame, directing it against opponents in
combat.
Zero Vitality: Activating Witch's Nimbus without Vitality expenditure
produces either a small ball of fire or a sparking electrical sphere. Each is
about the size and intensity of candle flame and may be used for
illumination or to ignite flammable materials. At this level, the Horror
provides no protection from attack.
One Vitality: The Horror surrounds the character's form with either a sheath
of white flame or an arcing aura of blue-white electricity. Anyone or
anything coming into contact with this energy takes one point of Killing
damage to the appropriate area (roll for location if uncertain). In instances
where the encompassed character strikes an opponent in hand-to-hand
combat, the nimbus adds an additional point of Killing damage to the attack.
The character loses 1d from his Stealth dice pools.
Two Vitality: The Witch's Nimbus surrounding the character now deals two
points of Killing damage to those who come into contact with it, and
subtracts 2d from all Stealth rolls.
Three Vitality: By spending three points of Vitality, the character becomes a
raging bonfire or crackling dynamo. His slightest touch deals three Killing
damage, and all damage done in hand-to-hand combat is automatically
considered Killing damage. In addition, the character can strike at a range of
ten yards every other turn, attacking with a Dexterity + Athletics roll. Any
attempts to use Stealth suffers a 3d penalty to the roll, and his feet scorch
black any flammable materials and trigger fire sprinklers.

Four Vitality: The spook's fiery or electrifying aura not only deals four
points of Killing damage to those in direct contact with him, it now inflicts
one point of Killing to anyone within one yard. The spook may hurl flame
or electricity up to ten yards once per turn. His footsteps will scorch
concrete, and if he's not careful, he'll end up ankle deep in asphalt. The
character is anything but inconspicuous, and suffers a 4d penalty to Stealth
dice pools.
Five Vitality: The spook now shines as brightly as burning magnesium. His
aura deals an additional five points of Killing damage, and inflicts two
Killing on all who come within two yards. The character can hurl fire or
electricity up to twice per turn (as a multiple action), and his merest touch
can melt steel or fuse sand into glass. Stealth rolls always fail against any
who can perceive the character.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, a donor can double the duration of a lnked Horror's
effect. Thus, an effect that was previously momentary now lasts one continuous turn,
while an effect with a one hour duration now lasts for two.The donor acts like a battery,
powering up the effect with glowing motes or embers that flow from his outstretched
palms into the beneficiary's gauze-form.

Phantasm Horrors
Phantasm Horrors
Bedlam
This Horror produces illusions. An iridescent, silvery shimmer ripples across the eyes of
a Spook who projects an illusion, but the Horror gives no other sign of its use. A
Phantasm imagines the illusion as if he really saw, heard or sensed it himself, and
experienced the illusion as vividly as does the target. Bedlam can add sensory effects or
take them away, but it cannot exert the slightest trace of real force.
The Phantasm can affect anyone he can see, whether spook or mortal, within 30 yards.
Spooks must manifest at least a little (their zero Vitality manifestation) to affect a
mortal. An illusion lasts for up to one full scene provided that the spook concentrates
upon it; if the spook is forced to leave or take fast, violent action, the illusion lasts one
turn longer, plus one turn per point of Vitality expended.
Bedlam can project a waking dream into the mind of just one person (which are as
realistic as the target can imagine), or craft an illusion that can be sensed by multiple
people, and register on cameras, tape recorders, and other machines. Attempting to
create an illusion for new target whilst maintaining an existing illusion requires a Wits +
Subterfuge roll (Difficulty 3).
Zero Vitality: Affect one sense for a single target.
One Vitality: Affect two senses for a single target.
Two Vitality: Affect three senses for a single target, or one sense for general
perception.
Three Vitality: Affect four senses for a single target, possibly including
touch, balance, hunger, or other internal senses; or two senses for general
perception.
Four Vitality: Affect five senses for a single target, or three senses for

general perception.
Five Vitality: Affect up to six senses for a single target, possibly including
supernatural senses, or four senses for general perception, possibly
including touch and internal senses.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the spook conjoins his Bedlam to another spook's
Horror, making that power more difficult to resist. If the target of a Horror receives any
roll to resist the effect, conjoined Bedlam increases the Difficulty of that resistance roll
to 3 (or +1 Difficulty if already equal to or higher than 3). The donor vivdly imagiens
the recipient's Horror acting with greater power and the victim succumbing, while the
recipient feels amoment of dreamlike detachment.
Sandman
Not only can a spook with Sandman watch the dreams of sleepers, they can actually
enter those dreams and shape them to their will. This Horror also enables ghosts to sleep
and dream, something that they cannot experience any other way. Sandman carries
special dangers, however, for every dream ends in time.
A spook must touch the target's head to employ this Horror, though the spook does not
have to manifest in any degree. As she slips into a reverie, the spook sees her target's
dream play out before her mind's eye. Others who can see her see flickers of the dream
flicker across the spook's body like a film projection. This is enough to recognise the
Horror in use but never enough to gain useful information. If the spook chooses to enter
the dream, she seems to step inside her target's head, making first one step that seems to
take her very far away, and then vanishing.
Catching the evanescent threads of dream requires a Charisma + Intuition roll. Using
Sandman on a target currently dreaming (in REM sleep) is at a normal Difficulty; the
transitional state before and after dream is Difficulty 3. Deep, normally dreamless sleep,
or the latent dreams of a drowsing or lightly entranced mortal, imposes a Difficulty of 5.
Zero Vitality: The spook merely watches her target's dream but cannot
affect it. This lasts until the spook stops concentrating or the dream ends
(typically 10 to 15 minutes).
One Vitality: The spook may put a willing ghost into a dreaming slumber.
Two Vitality: The spook may nudge a target's dreams to reveal one brief
fact about that person's life, with a Perception + Intuition roll (Difficulty as
above).
Three Vitality: The spook can enter a dream, move through it, and interact
with any characters in the dream. She can prod the target's unconscous mind
to answer questions, as above, but cannot change the dream to any great
degree. The spook can carry other ghosts or projectors into the dream by
sacrificing a point of Width per additional spook.
Four Vitality: The spook can alter her target's dream. Each change calls for
a Charisma + Intuition roll; changing a significant aspect is Difficulty 7,
whereas completely changing a dream is Difficulty 5. She can declare her
presence to the dreamer or remain hidden, as she wills, and can force the
dreamer to remember this dream when he wakes.
Five Vitality: The spook can shape a dram that evokes her target's deepest
hopes, joys and ideals or his deepest fears, failings, and miseries. This
requires a Charisma + Empathy roll (Difficulty 3), and causes the target to

gain or lose Willpower points equal to the Width of the result. The spook
can bolster or attack in this way only once per dream. If the spook gains no
matched sets (even matched 1s or 2s), the dream ends immediately and the
spook must attempt a Willpower roll (again, Difficulty 3). If she succeeds,
she is merely ejected from the dream and loses a point of Vitality and
Willpower. Failure to roll a match means the spook is trapped in her target's
mind until he dreams again and she can attempt another escape.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the spook can conjoin Sandman to another spook's
Horror, and learn one previously known fact about the target of the recipient's Horror.
Both the recipient and the target strongly feel a presence looking over their shoulder.

Poltergeist Horrors
Poltergeist Horrors
Helter Skelter
Spooks with this unearthly Horror may manipulate physical objects within a 30-yard
radius for a number of turns equal to (Vitality expended + 1), with varying amounts of
force or control upon the object. Each point of Vitality expended allows the spook to
increase his effective Strength or Dexterity score when controlling the affected area.
This power cannot affect living humans, animals, or plants.
Zero Vitality: One dot in Strength and Dexterity; one turn of control
One Vitality: +1 dot to either Strength or Dexterity; two turns of control
Two Vitality: +2 dots to Strength and/or Dexterity; three turns of control
Three Vitality: +3 dots to Strength and/or Vitality; four turns of control
Four Vitality: +4 dots to Strength and/or Vitality; five turns of control
Five Vitality: +5 dots to Strength and/or Vitality; six turns of control
If the character controls multiple objects, he loses one dot of Dexterity per object (or
group of small objects) controlled. The spook cannot have less than one dot in this
Horror's Dexterity, which limits how many items he can wield. However, the benefit to
controlling multiple objects is that other characters attempting to dodge attacks or
similar physical effects face an effective difficulty of 1 per object used to attack them;
thus, a character attacked by four objects would suffer a difficulty of 4 to evade the
attack.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the donor may energise a beneficiary's effect, adding
a +2 Vitality boost to their Horror. The effect is akin to feeling excited about someone's
presence, that moment we all feel electrified around certain people; the donor simply
has control over whom he touches in this manner, and can be directed at anyone
within eyesight. The effect is immediate but only lasts one turn.
Congeal
This Horror enables a character to sculpt physical objects from his own gauze by
spending varying amounts of Vitality. The spook can create up to two items with

Congeal, but cannot hand them off to others. The objects exist in (or in place of) the
creator's hand through force of will, and remain part of him regardless of their form.
Ordinarily, objects created through this Horror can affect only other spooks. The
exception to this occurs if and when the character manifests. In this case, congealed
objects appear with him and may affect living beings and material objects as well, for as
long as they last. The user may also create items when manifesting.
A congealed object does not truly have moving parts, but it may act as though it does,
acting through the spook's force of will.
A congealed object is created with a Manipulation + relevant Ability roll; the spook
cannot spend more Vitality on the congealed object than the width of his roll. A
congealed object lasts for the duration of the scene; it disintegrates into viscid wisps of
spirit stuff when the spook falls unconscious, when the scene ends, or the spook dispels
the item.
Zero Vitality: Hardened hands; max damage Width in Shock
One Vitality: Small objects (knife, lock picks, club, keys, etc); Width 1 in
Killing or Width + 1 in Shock; no projectiles
Two Vitality: Medium objects (sap, small axe, arrows, etc); Width in
Killing or Width +2 in Shock; one-shot projectiles
Three Vitality: Bulky or sophisticated objects (large axe, light revolver,
crowbar, etc); Width + 1 in Killing or Width + 3 in Shock; single shot
firearms
Four Vitality: Large objects (rifle, shotgun, sledgehammer, etc); Width + 2
in Killing or Width + 4 in Shock; multiple-use ranged weapons
Five Vitality: Very Large objects (swords, assault rifle, small wrecking ball,
etc); Width +3 in Killing or Width + 5 in Shock; weapons capable of
multiple ranged attacks per turn
In all cases, a projectile weapon's range, whether thrown, fired or set loose, is equal to
the Vitality spent x 5 in yards. Projectiles fired beyond this range simply dissipate.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the donor may strengthen a compatriot's attack,
adding an additional two points of Width to the recipient's next successful strike. The
effect feels like somebody guiding the blow home, or in the case of supernatural attacks,
providing a boost to the power's potency. This Benefit can be used just once per turn
(upon any recipient within sight), and cannot be used again until the recipient has made
a successful attack.

Skinrider Horrors
Skinrider Horrors
Puppetry
The spook rolls her Charisma + Empathy, opposed by the victim's Willpower roll. If the
spook gets a higher result than his victim, she can control him for a length of time
determined by the Width of her roll:

Width (2 x X): Influence for one turn

Width (3 x X): Influence for one minute
Width (4 x X): Influence for one scene
Width (5 x X): Influence for one day
Width (6 x X): Influence for an indefinite period
The number of Vitality points invested in the attack limits the maximum duration,
however. A character can expend from zero to five Vitality in a single attack; the
effective Width cannot exceed one plus the Vitality actually spent. Thus, a zero Vitality
use of Puppetry cannot affect a target for more than a single turn, no matter how wide
the Charisma + Empathy result.
Zero Vitality: A brief, simple action by a victim who isn't really paying
attention. As soon as the victim recognises that he's done something odd
without meaning to, he's on guard and becomes immune to further zeroVitality effects until he lowers his guard again.
One Vitality: The spook can actually occupy the victim's body, sharing all
of his senses. The spook can control one part of the victim's body to induce
simple actions (as described above), and can do so even when the victim is
on guard. This requires a Charisma + Empathy roll to control the victim for
that turn, and the character has an effective Dexterity of 1 for these actions.
Two Vitality: The spook enjoys full control of the victim's body for as long
as she actively concentrates on making the victim act or speak. When she no
longer concentrates, the victim regains control of his body. The body's
motions remain clumsy and puppet-like, with a Dexterity of 1. The victim is
aware of an alien will intruding upon his own.
Three Vitality: The spook suppresses as much of the victim's consciousness
as she wants, leaving him with gaps in his memory. She can use the victim's
body without any further effort, but cannot access his Abilities or memories.
The spook uses her Dexterity or the victim's, whichever is lower.
Four Vitality: The spook has full control of the victim's body and very
limited access to his mind. The spook can access one dot at a time no
more of the character's Abilities. The possessed character now uses
whichever Dexterity score is higher the victim's or the controlling entity.
Five Vitality: The spook has near-perfect possession. She can access any
five dots of the victim;s Abilities at any given time. The spook also receives
the victim's memories, although she is not consciously aware of all
memories unless she queries them on a particular subject, or something
causes her to suddenly remember naturally.
None of the Abilities or memories gained through Puppetry ensure after the possession
ends.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the character can link his mind to another member of
his crucible who is within sight, and thus transfer some of his mental acumen. The
recipient adds +2d to any Perception, Intelligence, or Wits roll involved in using a
Horror. The two characters also feel powerfully connected to either other, like best
friends or a long-married couple. No actual information passes between them; this is
communion, not communication.
Juggernaut

Spooks who master Juggernaut are no mere phantoms barely able to nudge a planchette
about a Ouija board, but possess physical force of a superhuman nature. To other
spooks, a character using Juggernaut appears wrapped in silver flame. If the character
materialises and becomes visible, mortals see a faint flicker of this moonlight flame, a
manifestation of the raw force behind the spook's driving will.
A spook can trigger Juggernaut reflexively; no roll is required. This augents the spook's
physical prowess in various ways. He can spend extra Vitality to maintain multiple
Jugernaut effects, or to increase an existing effect. No more than five Vitality points
worth of enhancements can be in effect at a given time. The spook cannot keep a zeroVitality cost effect running constantly, but must actively trigger its effect when he
wishes to use it.
Zero Vitality: One dot in Strength, +1 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 1 for one turn
One Vitality: Two dots in Strength, +2 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 2 for two turns
Two Vitality: Three dots in Strength, +3 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 3 for three turns
Three Vitality: Four dots in Strength, +4 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 4 for four turns
Four Vitality: Five dots in Strength, +5 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 5 for five turns
Five Vitality: Six dots in Strength, +6 width when attempting multiple
actions, or AR 6 for six turns
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the donor can throw some of his silver aura to a
recipient, thus adding +2d to any Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina roll involved in using
a Horror. The donor can grant this Benefit to any recipient within sight, and feels a
surge of tension and sympathetic excitement when doing so.

Wisp Horrors
Wisp Horrors
Unearthly Repose
The spook has an allure that others can't help but gravitate towards. When Unearthly
Repose is active, the Wisp's gauze glows with an eerie and unearthly light, although this
is faint and only noticeable if being used to beckon an onlooker. If the spook is simply
making himself more charismatic and entrancing, the light is present but so faint that
only somebody actively looking for it will notice. To the Wisp, it feels as though his
own aura, essence or personality is reaching out to others and ensnaring them in a net.
The most common use of Unearthly Repose is to add +1d (per Vitality point spent) to
any non-threatening Social rolls made for the duration of one scene. This can be
triggered without taking a seperate action, and affects anyone looking at the spook.
Secondly, the spook can calm an agitated or angry onlooker. The light acts to soothe the

viewer, even lulling her into a stupor. If the spook spends two or more Vitality on this
effect, each turn the target looks into the light the Difficulty of any violent or strenuous
action is increased by +1.
Thirdly, the spook can cause a target to follow his light no matter where it leads. This
power affects anybody who can see the spook, Spectres included. The amount of
Vitality spent determines how long the power lasts and to what lengths a victim goes to
follow it:
Zero Vitality: The viewer takes a step towards the Wisp but is not
compelled any further.
One Vitality: The viewer follows the Wisp slowly, and stops if distracted in
any way.
Two Vitality: The viewer follows the light, ignoring any audible distraction
but stopping if touched or otherwise startled.
Three Vitality: The viewer concentrates solely on the light and stops only if
struck.
Four Vitality: The victim follows the light to the exclusion of all else. If
someone physically stops the victim from following the Wisp, the victim
will struggle to free himself. If the victim loses sight of the Wisp, however,
the effect weakens (allowing a Willpower roll to regain his senses).
Five Vitality: The victim continues following the Wisp to the exclusion of
all other concerns, including personal safety. If stopped, he fights to free
himself to follow the light. Even if he cannot see the light, he walks in its
general direction until the Wisp chooses to terminate the effect.
All who see the glimmer of Unearthly Repose are affected equally. Any viewer who is
aware or suspects that the spook is beguiling him with this light can spend a Willpower
point and roll his Willpower to look away and break the spell. The Difficulty of this roll
is equal to the amount of Vitality spent on the effect.
Unearthly Repose lasts for one scene unless the spook chooses to end the effect earlier.
During this time, the spook can undertake other actions but must do so as multiple
actions (i.e., he drops 1d from his dice pools) while keeping Unearthly Repose active.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the donor can grant some of his allure to any
recipient within sight, thus adding +2d to any Charisma, Manipulation, or Appearance
roll involved in using a Horror. The recipient glows faintly, and feels a rush of
confidence and support from the donor.
Storm-Wending
This Horror allows the spook to sense tiny fissures in the Stormwall, and to move
through those fissues almost instantly, circumventing normal rules of time and space.
Unlike true teleportation, this effect is not instantanous and takes place over a matter of
seconds. When a spook uses Storm-Wending, she feels as though she is digging her
fingers into the very fabric of reality. Ghosts like the sensation to dipping their fingers
into boiling water and then immediately into ice water; projectors feel nothing but a
slight shiver.
Zero Vitality: The spook transports herself alone and moves only a yard or

two away. She may use this to dodge more effectively; double her Dexterity
when using Storm-Wending to dodge.
One Vitality: The spook may transport herself up to 10 yards away.
Two Vitality: The spook may transport herself up to 50 yards away.
Three Vitality: The spook may transport herself up to 100 yards away (if her
destination is outside her line of sight, she must be familiar with the
destination to appear there). She may transport another spook along with
her.
Four Vitality: The spook may appear anywhere within a 1,000 yard radius
of her current location, provided that she has seen the destination at least
once before. She may transport up to three spooks (or two including
herself), but no more than 100 yards.
Five Vitality: The spook may appear anywhere within a mile radius of her
current location, provided she has seen the destination at least once before.
She may transport up to five spooks (or four including herself), but no more
than 100 yards.
If Storm-Wending during a combat, the spook can attempt to appear in an advanageous
position; make a Perception + Alertness roll and add the width of any matched set to the
width of the spook's next roll for iniative purposes.
Transporting unwilling targets with Storm-Wending requires an opposed Dexterity +
Intuition roll; it cannot be used on the living. A spook can continue to use StormWending over multiple turns if she wishes to travel greater distances. A spook cannot
attempt multiple actions when Storm-Wending.
Benefit: For a cost of one Vitality, the donor may bestow upon a beneficiary a glimpse
of unusual paths between different times and spaces. The recipient feels a sudden
chilling sensation, followed by a split second of perfect clarity. This momentary insight
allows the donor to re-roll any two dice on a Horror roll.

Stains
How about some Stains? This isn't an exhaustive list; I only converted the ones that my
players actually wanted.

Bad Blood: You can cut open one of your arteries to spray a burning toxin
against a target within three yards; roll Dexterity + Firearms and deal
Killing damage equal to Width +2. You must cut yourself to spray the black
blood (1 Killing damage). Additionally, you take 2 Killing damage per day
unless your blood is properly drained (with an Intelligence + Medicine roll).
Bristling Hide: You dangerously barbed hide grants Armour Rating 1 in all
locations, and adds +1 Killing damage to your Brawl attacks. However,
during every day that other spooks interact with you, they must make a
Willpower roll or accidentally take 1 Killing from your hide.
Chameleon Skin: You gain +3d on all Stealth rolls. However, you have no
control over your fluctuating gauze, and your Social-related dice pools are
halved.
Claws: Your Brawl attacks deal Width + 1 Killing damage in combat.
Unfortunately, you have greater difficulty performing delicate manipulation
(Difficulty 5 on appropriate rolls).
Compound Eyes: Your red-domed eyes allow you to see things above your
head and outside your normal peripheral vision. However, you lose some
distance vision (Difficulty 4 in any ranged combat or similar situations).
Dagger's Tongue: You can strike with your tongue up to two yards away
(Width in Killing damage). However, you cannot speak without inflicting
spiteful, verbal abuse against anyone within earshot (make a Willpower roll
to control this for one scene).
Gauze Quills: Razorlike quills cover your arms and face, giving you
incredible sensitivity to air movement and ethereal flows (nullifying vision
impairment within 10 yards). The confusion of this additional sensory organ
imposes a Difficulty of 3 on all Wits rolls.
Gossamer Webs: Your gauze becomes sticky and can be shed to entangle
opponents. Each point of Vitality spent adds two dots of Strength to the
resulting web. Unfortunately, passing through any large object causes some
gauze to be caught and sloughed off (losing 1 Vitality each time).
Hungry Eyes: You have enormous dark eyes that cover half your face. You
can see in the dark, and automatically drain Vitality from other spooks after
at least one turn of staring at them, as long as you remain utterly still. Your
Perception rolls suffer a 2d penalty if any light is present.
Leper: Your gauze drops away in leprous chunks, and you can leave hind a
chunk of yourself that lasts for 24 hours before disintegrating. For that
period, you can see, hear and speak through this fragment, regardless of the
distance involved or even if you are in the flesh. When you leave this chunk
of gauze behind, roll for a random body location; you suffer 2d to any
appropriate rolls.
Man O-War: Your gauze is liquefied, like a jellyfish, allowing you to halve
the Shock damage caused by attacks. Your semi-solid and shifting mass also

inflicts a 1d penalty to Dexterity.

Shark's Appetite: Your bite deals Killing damage equal to the Width of
your roll + your Strength score. You can also destroy Artifacts with your
mouth (and a Strength + Spite roll).
Shifting Identity: Your looks and personality slowly shift, allowing you to
move a single dot from one Social Attribute to another for one scene.
Unfortunately, after one day your features have changed significantly, and
after two days you look like a completely different person. You only return
to normal after the Stain is gone or no longer active.
Skeletal Form: You can attempt to frighten an onlooker (Manipulation +
Intimidation, opposed by the target's Willpower). However, you fail almost
all Social rolls (Difficulty 8).
Spider's Bristles: A carpet of hairy bristles emerges from the gauze on your
hands, arms and legs. You can climb sheer surfaces like a spider, as long as
you do not attempt to carry anyone else. Unfortunately, you are constantly
and accidentally sticking to objects, and halve your dice pools on anything
requiring a light touch (to a minimum of 2).
Withered: You register as a zero-Vitality entity to other spooks, regardless
of how much Vitality you spend in a single turn. However, your gauze is
flaky and crumbles easily; Shock damage deals +1 damage per attack.

Shades
Conveniently, we have six players and they each decided to play a different Shade. Here
are the Manifestation forms for each Shade:
Banshee
Zero Vitality: Your voice is heard in whispers and flutter around the living
from all directions. Alternatively, your voice may sound as though drawn
over a great distance.
One Vitality: You appear as an apparition, partially translucent and torn
like the traditional appearance of a floating ghost. Your Attributes and
Abilities are halved (to a minimum of 1).
Two Vitality: You appear as a normal living human, with your normal
Attributes and Abilities. However, others may perceive you as somehow
floaty and light, as though immersed in water.
Haunter
Zero Vitality: You may manifest only in reflective surfaces, in which you
appear as substantial as a living person but utterly silent.
One Vitality: You appear wet and mucous with a caul clinging to your face
and obscuring your features, and your Attributes and Abilities are halved (to
a minimum of 1).

Two Vitality: You manifest as an apparently living person, although you

appear unhealthy if not outright anemic or jaundiced. You may use your
normal Attributes and Abilities.
Phantasm
Zero Vitality: You can appear as a shadow with nothing to cast it, moving
flat and without any details except an outline. You can whisper short
sentences, but cannot affect physical objects.
One Vitality: You manifest as a dark, indistinct and translucent humanoid
figure. You can speak with a hollow, echoing version of your voice, and
your Social Attributes and Abilities are halved (to a minimum of 1). You
still cannot manipulate physical objects.
Two Vitality: Your manifestation appears fully human and alive, although
somewhat idealised in appearance and occasionally seeming to blend
slightly into the shadows.
Poltergeist
Zero Vitality: You are invisible, intangible, and inaudible, but you may
exert control over any objects in your vicinity (for a maximum of Strength
and Dexterity 1).
One Vitality: You can manifest by pulling nearby small objects together to
form a crude body (Attributes and Abilities are halved, to a minimum of 1).
Two Vitality: Your materialised form is indistinguishable from a living
human (with your normal Attributes and Abilities), but betrays a perceptible
intensity, angry energy, or murderous rage.
Skinrider
Zero Vitality: You manifest only by controlling the living. You can touch a
mortal and make him speak your words, or use his body to make momentary
actions (Strength and Dexterity 1, 1 turn)
One Vitality: You materialise a translucent bod of cobwebs and fog, strung
with silver threads. This tissue of gauze has Attributes and Abilities of half
value (to a minimum of 1).
Two Vitality: You create a body that appears fully human, with your
normal Attributes. This body matches your self-image rather than your
actual appearance, and your skin thinner.
Wisp
Zero Vitality: You can manifest as a soft formless glow, usually white or
yellow in colour. The light is very faint and completely mute, but can exert
slight physical force (fogging windows, flicking light switches, and so on).
One Vitality: You look like a blurry rendition of your true appearance.
Your features blur and run together as though seen through a rain-lashed
window. Attributes and Abilities are halved.
Two Vitality: Your manifestation is nearly indistinguishable from a living

body, save that you glimmer with inner light, show obvious grace, a beatific
smile, or an unmistakable devilish grin.

Laments
Finally, Laments. We have three Skimmers, one Sleeper, one Spirit, and one Hue in our
group. It's really handy having more Skimmers than other character types; their Vitalityregeneration is very useful for keeping the Crucible ready for action.
Skimmers
Advantages
You can project your soul after one turn of meditation, and then travel on
foot or by vehicle as far from your body as you wish. You remain connected
to your body by a silver cord that fades into imperceptibility after a few feet.
You may travel back, by simply willing it, in just one turn. This is called
ripcording, and damages the nervous system (one Shock to a random
location).
When resting in your body, you regain one lost Vitality per hour, up to your
Vitality score.
Disadvantages
You must spend one Vitality every hour you are away from your body to
maintain your autonomic functions (breathing, heart ate, etc.). Without that
Vitality, you take one Shock to your torso every hour. Additionally, any
damage done to your soul is shunted along the silver cord, inflicting Shock
damage to the body (regardless of the original damage type).
Sleepers
Advantages
You do not need to spend Vitality to project or stay in the projected state.
Additionally, you can voluntarily shunt temporary Spite points into your
somnolent body, dealing one Shock to a random body location due to the
spiritual toxins. Once you emerge from cryo-sleep, you can drain yourself of
one accumulated Spite per day (also healing those injuries). If you project
again before your shunted Spite has been drained, remaining Spite points
immediately transfer to your normal temporary Spite.
Disadvantages
You cannot project yourself at will or in a hurry. You must enter a
cryogenic cradle and be chemically flatlined, a process that takes about five
hours. Likewise, you cannot re-enter your body until it has been warmed to
living temperatures and the stasis fluids replaced by blood. The body does
not recover Vitality while in cryo-sleep, and you must regain it as a ghost
would (i.e., slowly). Once revived, you regain one Vitality per hour.
Spirits

Advantages
You gain an additional five freebie points during character creation, which
are generally spent on additional Horrors or Willpower points.
Disadvantages
You possess a malignant counterpart, a Spectre that exists as a negative
reflection of your psyche. You can sense this bleak reflection when it is
within the same city, and its general direction. This sense grows stronger
within a couple of miles. You can track down and destroy your doppel
ganger, but it always returns after [20 Spite rating] weeks. Your
doppelganger exists to destroy that which you hold dear. Each successful
attack (a killing, grievous injury, destruction of an important or beloved
object, etc.) automatically grants you one Spite point to reflect your new
feelings of loss, alienation, or frustration. You immediately and innately
understand the source of this newly gained Spite.
Hues
Advantages
You have a greater affinity for your nastier aspects than other spooks. You
can call forth your Stains, with no danger of increasing your Spite, by
spending two Vitality per Stain. Your ability to call on Stains turns a
negative facet of yourself into a positive one.
Disadvantages
Your Vitality points may never exceed your Vitality rating, which has a
maximum ceiling of 7. You cannot suffuse yourself to 10 points as other
spooks can, be it through artifact, bizarre powers, or crucible infusion. Your
soul is too damaged to hold more Vitality than its initial value.