House Rules

Arcanos

Little has overall been discussed regarding certain important specifics about Arcanoi, the "magic" of wraiths. Some supplements provided information, but for the most part it was purposely left up to the Storyteller to arbitrate. So consider this page my arbitrations.

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Attunement

Some Arcanoi can be Attuned and some cannot. To explain again, Attunement is the process by which a wraith focuses the use of his Arcanos upon a certain subject in the Skinlands until the magic is easier to use upon that subject. A person who has been so Attuned to a wraith's Arcanos is known as a Consort. The process typically involves the standard use of the Arcanos upon the subject with extra expenditure of Pathos and/or Willpower until a predetermined set has been reached. The set usually reflects the familiarity of the subject to the wraith. Attuning a total stranger with Embody, for example, may demand 5 points of extra Willpower, while a close friend or lover might only need 2 or 3. This section will detail what Arcanoi can be Attuned and what it takes to complete the process, as it will vary Arcanos to Arcanos.

Other wraiths (including Risen Dead) cannot be Attuned, but the other denizens of the World of Darkness may. Note that Consorts do make Arcanoi much easier to use, but the Dictum Mortuus has some good points about it. For example, other mortals may notice a person, place, or thing if it is regularly "haunted". Exorcists that know what they're doing may arrive. Any person, place, or thing may be "cleansed" by certain rituals, religious or magical, and the wraith will thereafter lose all Attunement benefits!

-- Argos
Almost all Argos arts can only be used on the wraith's self. Oubliette is the only exception, and so rarified, powerful, and dangerous is this art that Attunement is illogical.

-- Behest
Behest can be Attuned to subjects, both Right Hand and Left Hand arts. That requires the expenditure of extra Willpower, however. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Willpower points are sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Willpower points are required.

-- Castigate
Castigate by and large cannot be Attuned. Its focus on the Shadow means that very few persons outside the Underworld can be affected. The predominant exception are the Kuei-jin. However, Castigate is not common in the Eastern Yin World, where wraiths and Hungry Dead are most likely to cross paths. The Restless of the Jade Kingdom learn the internalist's Way of the Soul instead. The only Castigate art that would be able to affect Kuei-jin is Dark Secrets, and one really needs to use this particular effect but once per subject. Attunement is out of the question.

-- Chains of the Emperor
This powerful art known almost solely by the Immortal Guard of the Dark Kingdom of Jade has no effect on the Skinlands, and thus cannot be Attuned.

-- Connaissance
Connaissance's effect on spectres is powerful, but the Shadow-eaten are too perilous and too short-lived for Attunement to prosper. This art cannot be Attuned.

-- Displace
Although the focus of this Indian art is solely on other wraiths, it can be Attuned much like Puppetry. Indeed, this art is much harder against wraiths who are not the Tvashtriyas' Consorts!

-- Embody
One of the Arcanoi most commonly Attuned, wraiths find that by Attuning to Consorts, they may manifest in any of the path's methods that much easier. Successfully Attuning to a subject demands the additional investiture of Willpower points. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point when manifesting to a subject. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Willpower points are sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Willpower points are required.

Once Attuned, such Consorts allow the wraith to manifest with any use of Embody at -3 difficulty (not to drop below 4). It also costs no Pathos to manifest to the Consort. The downside is that only the Consort may see or hear the wraith; anyone else nearby will think the person is talking to himself or hallucinating.

-- Fascinate
One of two Arcanoi limited only to the knowledge and use of the Walking Dead, Fascinate can be Attuned. This requires the expenditure of additional Willpower points when using any Fascinate art on the subject. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a revenant can spend 1 additional Willpower point when Fascinating the a subject. For all targets, 5 Willpower points are required. All uses of Fascinate are at -2 difficulty on the Consort thereafter.

-- Fatalism
Fatalism cannot be Attuned, since it is extremely rare that a wraith will use the same arts on the same subjects on any kind of consistent basis.

-- Flux
Flux, like Inhabit, is one of the few examples of objects serving as Consorts. Only simple objects may be Attuned, however, at the cost of 3 Willpower points. The points must be spent individually over the period of 3 separate days and occasions (scenes). All Flux arts thereafter may be used on the object at -2 difficulty (difficulty 4 is the lowest). However, to get this benefit when using Puppet Theatre or Automaton, all objects involved must be Consorts.

-- Inhabit
This Arcanos is one of the only examples of objects serving as Consorts. Any device, machine, or object can be Attuned. Like Embody, on separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point while Shellriding the object. The cost depends on the complexity. An object with no moving parts requires 3 points of Willpower. Simple, mechanical objects such as firearms or toasters require 5 Willpower points. Complex devices such as automobiles and computers demand 7 points of Willpower, taking at least a week to Attune. Truly large objects, such as an entire house, require 10 points of Willpower.

Attunement affects only the art of Claim. An Attuned object allows the wraith that Claims it to demonstrate full control of the object, provided she rolls at least enough successes to equate its mass. Thus, provided the wraith had previously Attuned a house, and scored 5 successes on the Claim roll, she could do just about anything in the house. She could slam the toilet seat up and down, fling dishes around, flicker the lights on and off, and so forth. Naturally, only one such effect can be evoked per turn (it's only one wraith doing it, after all).

-- Intimation
Intimation is a powerful and rare Art, but it can be Attuned. Through the art of Deep Desiring, the wraith may invest greater will. Like Embody, on separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point while deep-reading the subject. All subjects require 5 Willpower points. All uses of Intimation on the subject thereafter are rolled at -2 difficulty (not to drop under 4).

-- Keening
Keening can be Attuned. Like Embody, on separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Pathos point while Keening to the subject. A total of 5 extra Pathos must be expended for any target unless the subject is a Fetter (in which case, it costs only 3 extra Pathos). A Consort of Keening may be affected that much easier by its emotional powers. All Keening rolls on a Consort are made at -2 difficulty (never to drop under difficulty 4).

-- Lifeweb
Lifeweb affects only a wraith's Fetters but it can be Attuned nonetheless.

-- Mnemosynis
Due to the direct, invasive, and unpleasant nature of this rare Arcanos, it cannot be Attuned. (This Arcanos is powerful enough.)

-- Moliate
Moliate has absolutely no effect on the Quick or Skinlands and thus cannot be Attuned.

-- Outrage
Although Outrage is designed especially to affect the Skinlands, its violent nature precludes the ability to Attune a person or thing.

-- Pandemonium
Pandemonium can be Attuned, and it is the only case where a wraith creates a Consort out of a place instead of person or thing. The benefits, however, are limited, and the cost high. The wraith must spend extra Pathos, one point per night (scene), until a total is met. This depends on the size of the area. A small area (no larger than the normal room of a house) demands a total of 3 additional Pathos points. A large ball room demands 5 extra points, while a football field would demand 10 points. An Attuned area allows the use of any Pandemonium power at -1 difficulty (no lower than 4).

-- Phantasm
Phantasm may be attuned to dreaming Skinlanders. The requirements are very similar to Embody, though the benefits are not quite as great. Successfully Attuning to a subject demands the additional investiture of Willpower points. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point when using Sleepsense on a subject. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Willpower points is sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Willpower points is required. Using Phantasm on a Consort allows the roll to be made at -2 difficulty (no lower than difficulty 4). Note that Sleepsense is normally a passive, unnoticeable ability. Attuning through it, however, will make any dreamer intuitively uncomfortable.

-- Puppetry
This is the only Arcanos where Attunement is virtually mandatory. Puppetry may only effectively be used on Consorts. Attempting to use any ability of Puppetry except Skinriding on anyone that is not a Consort inflicts a +2 difficulty penalty. Attunement requires the additional investiture of Willpower points. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point when Skinriding a subject. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Willpower points is sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Willpower points is required.

Attunement gives no special bonuses. This Arcanos is powerful enough.

-- Pyris
This straightforward Arcanos does nothing but summon barrow-flame -- it cannot be Attuned.

-- Serendipity
This is the other Art limited to the knowledge and use of the Walking Dead. But where Mnemosynis is too direct, Serendipity is too indirect to allow Attunement.

-- Usury
Usury may be Attuned. To Attune a subject to Usury, the additional investiture of Willpower points is required. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Willpower point when affecting a subject. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Willpower points is sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Willpower points is required. The aforementioned uses of Usury will thereafter be rolled at -2 difficulty on the Consort.

-- Way of the Artisan
The Way of the Artisan is designed strictly for the manipulation of materials in the Shadowlands and thus cannot be Attuned.

-- Way of the Farmer
The Way of the Farmer primarily affects the dark spirits of the Underworld. In the Skinlands, only one denizen demonstrates enough similarity to allow this Art to affect them: Kuei-jin. The art, Deaden Spirit, may be used on a Cathayan lost in Shadow Soul. And it may even be Attuned to that vampire so that future uses are that much easier. To attune one of the Hungry Dead to this Art, the ghost must successfully use Deaden Spirit a total of 3 times, expending an extra Willpower point each time. Thereafter, the difficulty to use Deaden Spirit on the Kuei-jin is at -2 (to drop no lower than 4!). Note, however, that this works only on a vampire in the throes of Shadow Soul. (Whether it works on a vampire's P'o spirit severed through the Discipline of Cultivate is a case so rare it has yet to be widely practiced.)

-- Way of the Merchant
Only Returning the Favor has any direct effect, but it can be Attuned. Successfully Attuning to a subject demands the additional investiture of Pathos points. On separate occasions, on separate days (scenes), a wraith can spend 1 additional Pathos point when successfully using this Arcanos. For a close relative, friend, or lover, 3 Pathos points are sufficient. For a total stranger, 5 Pathos points are required (though it is rare to see this art used on a mortal outside a wraith's own living family). Thereafter, all uses of Returning the Favor on the Consort are at -3 difficulty (though the Pathos cost remains the same).

-- Way of the Scholar
A powerful Art, Way of the Scholar can be Attuned, but the benefits are low and the cost high. On separate occasions (scenes) and days, the wraith must invest an additional point of Willpower. To Attune a subject, the ghost must expend a number of Willpower points equal to the target’s permanent Willpower score. A Consort of this Art allows the wraith to affect her as if her Willpower were 1 lower. But if the target’s Willpower is less than 4, this benefit will not drop the difficulty any lower.

-- Way of the Soul
As an internal Art, no use of Way of the Soul affects the Quick. It cannot be Attuned.

Dark Arcanoi

These Arcanoi were listed for Storyteller reference, primarily.

-- Contaminate
Contaminate, like Way of the Farmer (see above), has extremely limited effect on the Skinlands. Only the dual-souled Kuei-jin are normally subject to this Arcanos. The abilities of Perceive Contamination, Sense the Shadow, Shadowspeech, Sense Nature, and most dread of all, Call the Shadow, may be employed on a Cathayan. Indeed, the vampire can be Attuned through successful use of Shadowspeech on several occasions. The spectre must use Shadowspeech five times successfully, on separate nights and occasions (scenes), expending an additional point of Willpower each time. Thereafter, all applicable uses of Contaminate are at -2 difficulty against that Consort vampire.

-- Corruption
Like Contaminate and Maleficence, this dread art can also be Attuned.

-- Hive-Mind
Hive-Mind is an internal Arcanos and cannot be Attuned.

-- Larceny
This terrifying Arcanos can be leveled against others to the point of Attunement. The arts of Weigh Oblivion, Emotional Infection, Savor Agony, and Defy Oblivion can all be used on the targets in the Skinlands, too, and can even be Attuned. This requires the successful use of any Larceny art five times on the subject. An additional point of Angst must be invested over the course of five separate days and occasions (scenes). Once Attuned, a Consort is subject to further uses of Larceny at -2 difficulty to the spectre’s rolls.

-- Maleficence
Maleficence can definitely be Attuned...woe to the Quick.

-- Shroud-Rending
Shroud-Rending affects the Shroud itself, not a person, place, or thing. It cannot be Attuned. Note however that without Shroud-Rending, a Spectre cannot even perceive the Skinlands, nevermind affect them (without other Arcanos such as Embody, at least). And obviously, if the spectre cannot affect the Skinlands, no Arcanos can be Attuned.

-- Tempestos
This Arcanos deals solely with the stuff of the Tempest and Maelstroms. It cannot be Attuned.

-- Tempest-Weaving
This Arcanos deals solely with the stuff of the Tempest and its flotsam and jetsam. It cannot be Attuned.