Playthings of Mad Gods

GLOG Class: Spirit-Talker

Special Magic

I like magic in my games to be restricted. Because of that, in the setting in which Archipelago takes place, most types of magic are restricted by species. While minor magical tricks, or gifts of Gods may be passed down, the "main paths" of magic (those learned by leveling) are species specific. Here's a link to the species Here is the first magical class - the humans, harnessing their power to personify inanimate (and non-sapient) creatures.

Spirit-Talker:

Spirit Calling: You know how to call up spirits out of any item or living creature, using the Spirit Calling Tools you possess. If you lose them, you must replace them by rolling on the table again, and finding (or making) an object that is specified.
While you have your Spirit Calling Tools, you may use them to coax a spirit out of Any object or creature. This does not harm to the target, but is quite unpleasant, and takes ~an hour. The spirit is a sentient (like a very smart animal, or a politician) creature, which will try to do the things that are expected of its kind by humans (so the spirit of a snake will probably focus more on biting than on sitting in the sun, or the spirit of a chair will generally want to serve). Spirits know d4-1 spells (roll this once for each object's spirit) related to their object (a chair's spirit may have spells like Break Chair, Make More Comfortable, or Support Weight). A spirit will return to its object at dawn or dusk, whatever comes sooner, unless the object is destroyed, in which case it remains in our world, but withers within 7 days. Treat spirits as 2 HD creatures which may not affect our world otherwise than through spells, except for places of high magic (like near a wizard's tower). They may cast their spells as 2 MD magicians, who immediately return to their objects if they roll doubles, or if they don't have an object they are instead pushed d6!(exploding die)*10 meters in a random direction. They may speak, but will not be able to make a coherent sentence. They only think about here and now - they can be convinced to serve your will, however, with threats and promises.

Talisman Crafting: After destroying an item from which a spirit was born, you may spend a week to make the remains of the item into a talisman. The talisman now counts as the item again (for the purpose of the spirit not withering), but may have its spirit immediately called up with a single word, defined while it is created. The spirit does not return to its talisman with dawn or dusk, but it still needs 8 hours of rest in its item to regain its MD.

Possession: You may put a willing spirit in the body of a willing person (or a restrained animal) with a single round of effort. The spirit may talk (if the body permits it) and will follow its goals - do this only with loyal spirits, so that they don't betray you. While controlling someone's body, the spirit may choose to deal d6 non-lethal damage to its host, gaining advantage on a physical check. This represents over-exertion that is not possible for a creature of flesh. The spirit exits one's body when it wills so, or at dawn or dusk.

Scream of Power: The final technique a Spirit-Talker learns is that of release. By releasing their life essence (dropping to 0 HP) they may make their surroundings (as far as they can see) into a Highly Magical Area, where spirits freely manifest, until the next dawn or dusk.

d10 Spirit Calling Tools:

  1. A set of ivory chopsticks that held the heart of a true monster
  2. A drum out of the skin of giant
  3. A perfect prism out of volcanic glass
  4. An Amulet with an eye of a wrathful deity (hopefully it's just symbolic)
  5. A knife, too precious to be used for cutting
  6. A belt that a hero wore to battle
  7. A brazier in which a hundred skulls were burned
  8. A pelt of a wolf that tasted the flesh of Men
  9. Mummified hand of an elf
  10. A necklace with your own severed tongue