Bans and Banes for Spirits Model

[Basilistik]

The following is meant to serve as a Model to maintain some commonality and consistency with the creation, representation and investigation of Spirits Ban/Bane.

I put a table guide for ghost in the Geist forum and was asked if I could do something for Spirits so I created this. This is a good model specially for Banes. I tried to do something similar for bans but it didn't work right. The best I could do was find their most their most common themes. This is basically a nice condensed description of a thought process. I took great inspiration from the 1e and 2e Werewolf books, Shunned by the Moon and Reighnhell's Twilight Menagerie topic. This model descriptions should fit almost all of the Spirits there.

Bans & Banes for Spirits

Most Spirit Banes relate to 3 fundamental characteristics, or investigation angles. Rank 0-1 Spirits' Bane typically only have one investigation venue related to their type called their Main Factor. Rank 2+ Spirits may have a second factor mixed into their main. A third factor only appears for 4+ ranked spirits. Bans, on the other hand, are normally related to a spirit's type: Artificial, Celestial, Conceptual, Elemental or Natural, and fall into 4 groups depending on their restriction. Spirits may have 3 or more Bans of 1 or 2 Ranks lower instead of 1 of their Rank.

Bane Factors
· Birth: These are elements that were around when it formed, landed, evolved, ranked-up or was corrupted.
· Karma: These are elements related to something endangered or destroyed by one of their influences or their own actions. Alternately, a damaged, weaponized, modified or malfunctioning, resonant element.
· Opposition: These are elements relating to opposing concepts, predator and prey relationships or past enemies.

Ban Groups
· Capabilities: Bans that restrict the use of some capabilities. Usually evoke Opposition elements.
· Compulsion: Bans that require to act faithful, loyal and true to its resonances. Usually evoke resonant elements.
· Movement: Bans related to going in/out, moving or staying in an area, world plane, etc.
· Offerings: Bans related to the offering/taking of food, challenges and deals. Usually evoke resonant elements.




Spirit Types

Artificial

Members: Information, Manmade Objects, Structures, Tools, Vehicles, etc.

Banes

· Main Factor: Karma.
· Themes/Symbols: Entropy, Extreme Weather, Nature, Official Documents.
Ban Themes/Activities: Counting, Inactivity (Sleep, Shutdown), Order, Servitude (Master-Slave), Transactions.

Celestial

Members: Celestial Objects, Coalesced Idigam, Meteors, Mulhithim, Helions, Lunes, Void Leviathans, etc.

Banes

· Main Factor: Birth.
· Themes/Symbols: Astronomy, Greco-Roman and others Myths, Celestial Light, Clouds, Mirrors.
Ban Themes/Activities: Boundaries, Celestial Events, Mirrors, Silence, Purity.

Conceptual

Members: Concepts, Emotions, Ideologies, Reactions, etc.

Banes

· Main Factor: Opposition.
· Themes/Symbols: Colors, Emblems, Flowers, Records (Books, DVDs, etc), Symbols.
Ban Themes/Activities: Concepts, Emotions, Ideologies, Reactions, Music.

Elemental

Members: Earth, Fire, Iron, Plastic, Water, Wind, etc.

Banes

· Main Factor: Opposition.
· Themes/Symbols: Alchemy, Chemicals, Machines, Opposing Elements.
Ban Themes/Activities: Challenges, Bigotry, Displacement, Proximity, Transformation.

Natural

Members: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Sicknesses, etc.

Banes

· Main Factor: Karma.
· Themes/Symbols: Natural Weapons, Hunting Tools, Medicine, Poisons.
Ban Themes/Activities: Conditional Attack, Cycles (Day/Night, Seasons), Food, Natural Behavior, Territory.



Spirit Bans Classification & Difficulty Examples

Capabilities Bans: Restrict the use of capabilities

Rank 0-1

· Must/Mustn't use a sense on Opposition elements.
· Must/Mustn't attack unless a simple condition is met.

Rank 2-3

· Can only/Cannot use its Influence/Numina/Manifestation/etc on Opposition/resonant elements.
· When triggered by an Opposition element, must use a specific Manifestation.
· When triggered by an Opposition element, must take Influence dots as a penalty.

Rank 4-5

· Cannot use its Defense on Opposition elements.
· Cannot physically harm Opposition/resonant elements.
· Must/Mustn't be in a specific Manifestation around a specific Opposition/resonant element.

Compulsive Bans: Act loyal and true to its resonances

Rank 0-1

· Must act compulsive within 3 months or lose Rank in essence/day (minimum 1).
· When triggered by a resonant element, must act compulsive for a turn or exceptionally succeed a Resistance roll.

Rank 2-3

· When triggered by a resonant element, must act compulsive for a turn.
· Must act compulsive within a month or lose all Willpower or Rank in essence/day.
· When triggered by a resonant element, must keep acting compulsive until a condition is met.

Rank 4-5

· When triggered by a resonant element, must perform compulsive acts within 4 turns or lose 1 essence/turn.
· Must perform 3 or more compulsive acts within a month or lose Rank in essence/day.
· Must take orders from a holder of a specific resonance.

Movement Bans: Go in/out, move or stay in area, world plane, etc

Rank 0-1

· Must/Mustn't go in/out a resonant/Opposition area for more than 10 yards or minutes.
· Must/Mustn't stand still in a resonant/Opposition area or lose 1 Willpower/hour.

Rank 2-3

· Must/Mustn't go in/out a resonant/Opposition area.
· Must/Mustn't stand still in a resonant/Opposition area or lose Rank in essence/minute.

Rank 4-5

· Must runaway from a specific Opposition element.
· Must be around a specific resonant element or take a -5 penalty to 3 Advantages.

Offerings Bans: Offering/Taking of food, challenges and deals

Rank 0-1

· Must take offerings of something resonant or that causes it (Gathra — ups impression).
· Must/Mustn't engage in negotiations that involve a resonant/Opposition element.

Rank 2-3

· Must/Mustn't take on any offer of a specific resonance challenge.
· Must/Mustn't consume a specific resonance element when seen.
· Must/Mustn't take/offer specific resonance elements deals.

Rank 4-5

· Must take at least 1 order from an offerer of a specific resonance.
· Once offered, it cannot go back on an offering.
· Must take on offers of any challenge.

[Basilistik]

Banes examples:

Most of the Werewolf 2e book examples are Idegams which are almost all Celestials with Birth as their Main Factor so I'll to skip them.

Asphalt Serpent (Reighnhell's)
The spirit called “Asphalt Serpent” is a road spirit, who maintains and protects a stretch of winding road approximately 2 miles long. It plagues those who do not pay the proper respect with mechanical failure and other mishaps. The spirit appears as a large black serpentine creature with asphalt for scales and is patterned with road markings. Its eyes flash green, yellow and red.

Rank 2, Influence: Roads 2
Ban: Can only manifest on a Roadway
Bane: Soil from beneath a paved crossroad

As an Artificial Spirit, if we try to investigate it the first thing we would look up for is their Main Factor, which would be its Karma. Learning that it has Influence: Roads, means something broken because of a road or a broken road would most likely be its Bane -just as Reinghnhell chose- the soil from beneath a paved crossroad.

However, any other elements destroyed because of the road construction or operation could've worked: Towns, trees, weaponized remains or belongings of those who died in the road, etc. Looking at Artificial bane Themes, it could also had the Theme of Entropy by taking soil or asphalt from an old deserted road. The Theme could've also been Nature, as in plants growing on the side or that broke through the pavement, or weaponized remains of road killed animals.

Examining Rank, the spirit's bane but as a Rank 1 could have just been soil from beneath any paved road, not crossroads specifically. Rank 2 upgrades it to crossroads, Rank 3 and up should include another factor like Opposition or Birth.

With Birth mixed in, its bane would have been dirt not from any road but the road that gave birth to the Spirit or where it ranked up, having to inquire more about its history. With Opposition, we look for things who oppose or destroys roads, maybe a jackhammer or excavator parts cover in this dirt. Rank 5 Spirits would likely have all factors in one, like the tip of a Jackhammer cover in the dirt from beneath the road of its birth.

Spark-blood Seneschal (Werewolf the Forsaken 2e)

Rank: 4, Influences: Electricity 3, Information 1
Ban: Must try to turn on any electricity inactive device in its presence within four turns. After that, it begins to bleed 1 point of Essence per turn until either the items are all on or it flees the scene.
Bane: A decommissioned power station wires and cables.

Another Artificial Spirit, so their bane Main Factor is most likely Karma. Wires and cables from a decommissioned (damaged or destroyed) power station would do. It is the Spirit of a power Station so anything from a decommissioned one, like broken windows glass, could've been it. The bane Theme is Entropy. A decommission notice or some other Official Document condemning a station could also have worked.

It's rare for a Rank 4 Spirit to not have a second Factor like Opposition mixed in. The cables and wires have an isolating sheet which opposes Electricity, and they contain and control the flow of Information which are the Spirit's Influences.

Shadow Wraith (Werewolf the Forsaken 2e)

Rank: 2, Influences: Fear 2
Ban: A shadow wraith cannot enter a circle of illumination cast by a fire or light that a scared human has lit.
Bane: Fire

This is a very obvious one. As a Conceptual their Bane Main Factor is most likely Opposition. The fear of the dark is easily banished by the light of Fire. The Bane Theme is fire as a Symbol of light and courage. Fire could also relate to Fire Spirits being past enemies, preying or fighting darkness spirits for millenniums.

Cheat’Em (Reighnhell's)
The Cheat’Ems are the spirits of carnival games, particularly those rigged against the players. This essence of cheating and dishonesty manifests into spiritual form. Where a Cheat’Em dwells, no matter the players luck or skill, they will always lose. Cheat’Ems appear as tall, lean men, dressed in dark trousers, a white shirt, and a ratty vest. Their eyes gleam silver, their grins are over-wide, and they always wear a hat pull low enough to cast shadows over their face.

Rank 2, Influence: Cheating 2
Ban: Must cheat if possible in any game or contest with set rules.
Bane: Silver.

A Cheat'Em appears as a Rank 2 Conceptual Spirit so it's Main Factor is likely Opposition, with honesty opposing its dishonesty. However, Reinnhell chose silver, which symbolizes many things including duty and purity, but not necessarily honesty. Still, silver is opposition to many impure things, as in to purify its dishonesty.

The spirit could easily fit with Karma as its Main Factor. With Karma, silver could represent the money it cheated out of his victims, or retribution for its "Silvery Tongue." It is still a Rank 2 Spirit, so it could be it developed a dominant secondary Factor. It could also be justified as rigged carnival machines gave birth to it so it's more of an Artificial than a Conceptual Spirit.

The Bane model allows for adaptation and improvisation. It applies to lots of Banes so you don't have to heavily change them. It provides a short guide to create your own Banes. Players can also conduct investigations into these 3 angles and reach acceptable Banes, not necessarily yours, allowing for clever craft plays. I wish I could've done better with the Bans but with luck this could help narrow their process too. I was not considering putting what I came up with because of how lenghtly it became but maybe someone else could get inspired by this and find a better model.