Sin-Eaters as a Minor Template?

[amechra]

So, I've been working on this thing...

Basically, one thing that's struck me about Geist is that it boils down to "you play the spooky ghost stories". And, well...

I wanted something that would let me investigate the spooky ghost stories without trivializing them.

Basically, I have all the stuff up to the actual template, character creation instructions, and template-unique merits written up; right now, I have the method you would take to get the template in play (as well as a quick rules-hack for 2e Geist).

Some notes:

1. I will be keeping the "come back to life over and over again" aspect; after all, that's half the fun of Sin-Eater! However, it's going to be "integrated" into the Reaper's Bargain condition, which promises that you'll die the "proper" way within a year.
2. A year, that is, unless you renegotiate. There will be a couple ways of putting off your death, from helping Ghosts pass on to getting other people to die the right way.
3. You aren't inextricably bound to your Geist; basically, you can get access to your Template benefits as long as you have a Ghost Fettered to you. It's just that the not dying like a punk part of the template kinda needs someone who can handle the Bargain.
4. Maybe some way to convert whichever Ghost you are hosting into a Geist, if you put the proper effort into it. This'll probably require Underworld runs and everything; I will probably jury-rig a simplified Underworld travel system that fits with the template.
5. Because, well... I want people to be able to run these guys without any books other than 2e Core and the rules doc.
6. They don't get splats or anything; I'm taking a more Hunter approach, where you pick up Initiation merits that get you some neat supernatural oomph.

So, I'd appreciate any thoughts; you can leave your comments here or in the actual document.

[Mr.F.I.X.]

Sounds like a blend of minor mummy themes (in a goods way) with sin eaters so they have a need to preform what they are requested to do. I like the re-bargaining aspect just because it adds an interesting dynamic to it (and i am a fan of demon the decent mostly because of the pact system). It does look like it would be a more minor template like a ghoul or gutter magic witch, half way there but still human so yes I would say it deserves to be a minor template.

My only suggestion is to add in a way to interact and possibly fight/defend from ghosts. not to the extent of sin eater's boneyards and other powers but maybe a way to barter with the geist for it to lend the human a snippet of their power. Like tracking favours these 'points' whatever they end up being can be put to another year of life or for much less temporary use of one of the geist's numen (maybe only a scene). Maybe take a look at the book of spirits, specifically claimed for inspirations but still use geist flavour. But that is about the only suggestions I have so far.

[amechra]

Basically, the core of a lot of a Mortician's more active stuff is a Breaking Point roll, at a penalty dictated by the power itself. As such, most powers don't have a separate roll to activate.

Now, every Mortician has a "Rapport" score, which goes from 1 to 5; by default, any Geist that fetters themselves to the Mortician sets the score to [Rank + 1]. Whenever you take action to "renegotiate", you can either increase your Rapport with that Geist by 1, or push back their Curse (I.E., their "promised" death) by 1 year. Your Rapport score with a particular Geist carries over on a semi-permanent fashion; if you increase your Rapport with a particular Geist to 5, your Rapport is going to stay at 5 even if they get Exorcised and have to subsequently re-fetter themselves.

A Mortician adds their current Rapport to their Integrity for the purposes of determining their bonuses to Abjurations, as well as when making Breaking Points. Also, as long as their current Rapport is above 1, they can't be Possessed or Fettered by any Ephemeral Being other than the Geist they have Rapport with, and they completely ignore the Soulless and Enervated conditions (the Geist serves as a stand-in soul).

More importantly, though, is how a Mortician's Integrity is modified - Breaking Point rolls for a Mortician look like this.

Dramatic Failure: As a normal Dramatic Failure, except the Mortician loses both a dot of Integrity and a dot of Rapport.
Failure: As a normal Failure, except the Mortician may choose to reduce either their Rapport or their Integrity.
Success: As a normal Success on a Breaking Point roll.
Exceptional Success: As a normal Exceptional Success on a Breaking Point roll.

---

They also have their uses of the rituals that Mortals get beefed up; for example, Abjurations against Ghosts for them are Resolve + Composure - Rank rolls instead of being Contested, and the Mortician can leverage an extra Ban on the Ghost if they have a success (by default, this Ban prevents them from harming the Mortician; they can buy more options).


EDIT: Whoops, checked my notes for the wrong version of the project. You'll see, though.

[amechra]

I have updated the doc, nearly doubling its length! A "published" version of the doc can be found here. It's prettier than the unpublished doc, but you can't leave comments - you have to do that through the link in the OP.

I've added most of the template's basic advantages, including their ability to bribe ghosts, ritual style (which could totally be stolen and used by Mortals as well, with only slight modification.)

I thirst for your thoughts on all this.

[Raistlin]

Mortals would use Occult to summon and bind ghosts, plus the Bribing to bargain for their services, right?

[amechra]

Morticians would (kinda); Mortals would have to hope to hit their Ban.

[Raistlin]

I was thinking in the GMC update rules for muggle occultists.

[amechra]

They use Summoning to get the beastie there, and then don't have a way of bargaining (not really); you could hand them Bribery, but that only works on really works on Ghosts.

Morticians, on the other hand, can straight-up use Medium to create the Open condition, and then use Bribery to slap the Leveraged condition on a Ghost to get them to Materialize or Fetter themselves to a specific place or thing. They also get improved versions of Abjuration, Summoning, Exorcism, Warding, and Binding when dealing with Ghosts, though I haven't exactly written those up yet.

In among the different Initiation merits, there will be a Necromancer-type dealie that boosts Bribery and the like; that particular "organization" consists (loosely) of Morticians that decided their powers were really good for telling Ghosts to shut up and sit down.

[Raistlin]

They use Summoning to get the beastie there, and then don't have a way of bargaining (not really); you could hand them Bribery, but that only works on really works on Ghosts.

Good enough for a Second Sight gameplay.

[amechra]

True enough; "just Ghosts" can be plenty.

[Aspel]

The funny thing about Sin-eaters is that if you take away their Manifestations, they're still ridiculously powerful and more than a match for most denizens of the World of Darkness, much less ghosts.

[amechra]

The funny thing about Sin-eaters is that if you take away their Manifestations, they're still ridiculously powerful and more than a match for most denizens of the World of Darkness, much less ghosts.

Good thing that that's not what I'm doing.