[UA] Exhalomancy

[DL]

(aos brasileiros: desculpe, mas acabei de fazer. Se alguém quiser traduzir,
fique a vontade - to vendo se faço uma www.unknownarmiesbr.net .org ou algo
assim, aí a gente coloca nossas coisas lá - ou uma geocities da vida mesmo,
sei lá...).

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This was just done. I had though about it for a long time, but never even
started it. Since im already using a NPC with this school, i decided to
flesh it out. I hope you enjoy it. Sorry for the many typos, it must have
plenty of them. :)



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Exhalomancy

by Haroudo S. X. Filho (DL) (dreamlord at cryogen.com)

"Dammit," said Bradshaw. "Mr Edison. Exhale yourself. Get in the jar."
Tim Powers, Expiration Date

Motivation: Ghost. Spooky. To die, and hang yourself to the world of living,
sometimes even without knowing why. Sometimes, staying here to protect your
family, to pay old debts, to be relieved of some guilt. Ghosts are in every
culture, even in cultures where the idea of re-incarnation, or the
possibility of be around after dying, must not exist. Ghosts are around.
Sometimes at night, sometimes in dreams, sometimes heard in distance, they
keep coming, and sometimes, they keep even calling me, calling me...like and
eventually to be, old song...

A while back i did a magick school dealing with ghost. Was a old style
magick scholl, and i didnt new a clue about old style magick. Then i got
PoMoMa, a book i hate and love in equal proportion. PoMoMa set the rules for
magick, that was already in the basic UA book, but not as clearly stated as
it became with it. And then, i read Tim Powers. But the most important
things that happened, was a discussion on the UA list, now a year ago
discussion, and the actual UA campaign im running. The discussion gave me
lots of ideas, and without thinking about, i started to use them in the
campaign. To be fair with the players, and to avoid the ghost of "never end
this school", im writing it, finally.

Theme: Exhalomancy is about death. And after death. Death sorrounds us, we
watch it on the news, and stated to be "just numbers", still, we are
affected by it, by the dread of it, and for the thought that "people just
died this instant, live ceased, and all is lost". Even more, Death have a
big grip on our society, became a major comic character, and even some young
groups/tribes devote some big part of their time living in death symbols.

And most believe death is not end. And some, believe death is even a person,
have some personality, and some "whim". Exhalomancy deals with it. Deals
with the passage from alive to death, an even undead. Deals with the breath
of life, and the expiration date, and even, how to keep this date as far
from yourself as possible.

Nickname(s): Sin Eaters, Ghostbusters (and among themselves: Exhalions)

History: Not a Old Style Magick, Exhalomancy is almost outside the grip of
post-modern magick. Born in the end of 19th century, this scholl have been
in the background from the beggining. Not just the people from it realise
instantly the power of it, but they are even more afraid than any other
school, that theirs secrets came to light.

Exhalomancy was born in England, in the small circles of "mediuns" that
really knew what they have been doing, and quickly became a small cabal.
Powerfull as this group started to became, cryptomancers afraid of being
finally ended, decided to strike. Soon, the own cabal members are killing
themselves, and the group break up. Resulting in the members of this schol
to be afraid of the others, and making themselves very protective of their
territories and secrets. The school them spread to the world, reaching the
americas and even India.

Exhalomancers have few reasons to teach it's magick. Still, some are not
callous as most of them, and befriend some other people. This lead to them
to make their friends and lovers impervious to death as they are (see
below). Still, they are deadly afraid of other magick schools and cabals.
Some of them learn about the true end of the first Exhalomancer cabal, but
after so many years, they learn how to live alone, or in very small groups.

At same time, Exhalomancers are all interested in adepts. They are
particularly important for their plans, and makes them fairly powerfull. So
they usually end up around popular places in the occult underground, but
they really avoid contact with other groups unless necessary, or in the case
they can pass for other kind of adept.

Blast style: The blast style is one of the most dread of all. The minor
blast requires a mouth-to-mouth with the victim (no better therm for it),
but the significant blast just need them to be a few yards. The Exhalomancer
literaly, suck the live away from the target. Worst still: if is enough to
kill the target, he eats his ghost, making it something that is not a demon
or revenant, but another kind of ghost, they call "", for a more romantic
reference. [more rules about it, below].

Generate a minor charge: Study death and life. Go to a burial rite and watch
it, ready medicine book, or go watch a birth. Visit places where death
occurs frequent, interview murderers, or people with post-life experiences,
etc. To be in place where a death just happened also helps, unless the
Exhalomancer has been the active responsible for it.

Generate a significant charge: Make a ritualize death rite, or connected to
it. Some Exhalomancers are even priests or deacons to be involved with
regilious death rites. Some are Kardecists, and organize seances or such.
One thing to remember: this is not a joke, and should be followed closely as
a related to death ritual, without mockery. Some new and bored Exhalomancers
tried to speed up thing, and got themselves in big trouble. Alternatively,
making a television show about death (ghosts, post-mortem experience, or
even deadly car crashes), or writing a book about it, a published magazine
or newspaper article, etc. Spreading the death idea to the media, can
generate a charge.

Generate a major charge: As far as any Exhalomancer knows, no one ever got a
major charge. The major charge would probably gotten be someone that have
discovery some hidden and fundamental process about death, like knowing for
sure what are the Cruel Ones, or even while alive, visit the "world beyond
the veil", but none have done those things yet. (some claim that old
american indians have rituals allowing them to be in the land of the dead,
but all experiences so far, have just got the Exhalomancers high).

Taboo: To be possessed by a ghost, unwilling or not. Besides losing the
charges, an Exhalomancers loose all ghosts already "consumed" by her,
causing her one wound point of damage for each one.

Rules for ghost consumption: Exhalomancer can consume (inhale) ghosts in a
few ways: draining someone life using the blast spells, or inhaling a
"bottled ghost". A bottled ghost is a ghost trapped in a bottle or
cigarettes through spells. A ghost Inhaled can't do much. He is as if under
the control of the Exhalomancer and can try to "talk" with her direct in her
mind, but she can always close the "chat channel" if she wants it (ghosts
with a Soul score over 80 can keep it open with a Soul check). A
Exhalomancer can have a number of "not yet consumed ghosts", up to her Soul
score, minus the trapped ghosts decimal Soul scores.

Some Exhalomancer spells needs to be fueled not just by charges, but algo by
consuming ghosts. When consumed, the ghost is now "part" of the
Exhalomancer, and can't be contacted anymore, or controlled. But
unfortunately for the Exhalomancer, some ghosts, specially the ones very
close to him or with high Soul scores, can try to communicate using
telephones [most Exhalomancer avoid to talk on the phone as much as
possible], and more hard to do, but possible, televisions and radios. All
those ghosts are released in case the Exhalomancer break the Taboo, causing
one hit point of damage, each.

If a non-Exhalomancer inhale a ghost from a bottle, or from a cigarrete,
this things can happen: A) The ghost will take over the body, destroying the
person Soul forever; B) If is an adept, but not an Exhalomancer, he can
spend a minor charge, avoiding the inhaling, and freeing the ghost or it
will stay and both Souls will cohexist, until the ghost wants to leave.
Checks for control will be made using the Soul score, and can be made
anytime the "other half" is concentrated on something (like casting a
spell); C) The Person is a non-adept, but is a Avatar of score above 55% or
is not an avatar, but have a Soul score above 90. It keeps the ghost inside,
as the adept. D) In case of inhaling a "Sour Ghost", the person is instantly
killed, and the ghost is destroyed. Adepts, avatars and people with Soul
score of 80 or above, can make a Soul check to avoid it, but instantly
receives that much result as damage, and the ghost gets free.

To get hid of a "Sour Ghost", the Exhalomancer have to: Cross her eyes and
spit. But just a few know this, and half of it think is a joke.




Random magick domain: Control life and death flow, curing, killing, and
specially, dealing with ghosts. Besides, some adepts learn how to make
stronger uses of their "breath", making a powerfull weapon sometimes.

Starting charges: Newly-created Exhalomancers receive four minor charges and
nine spells.

Exhalomancy minor formula spells

I See Dead People
cost: 1 minor charge
effect: You can "see", or better, sense, ghost in the imediate vicinity, for
a number of minutes equal to the Exhalomancer Soul score. This is different
for every Exhalomancers, and some claim to really see the ghosts, while
others just "feel" them close.
cost:1 minor charge

  Do you know why you're afraid when you're alone? I do.
cost: 1 minor charge
effect: Some Exhalomancer never do it. Most are really afraid of it, or the
effects it can have upon them. Anyway, most of them cast it eventually. To
cast the spell, the Exhalomancer must Inhale the of someone dying, without
inhaling the ghost. If sucessfull, she will now the exactly date of her
death by natural causes, every year, month, minute she still has. Some,
imediatly start to make Expiration Date spells to avoid it [see below].

Bradshaw
cost: 1 minor charge
effect: You can "hold" someone else live for a few minutes. Breathing in the
person face, just after it has died, the ghost will stay in the body for a
number of seconds equal to deceased Soul score. The Exhalomancer can't do it
more than once at anyone.


Ghost Smell
cost: 2 minor charges
effect: The Exhalomancer can sense an "bottled" (see below) ghost in a
radius of 3 miles from himself. If the ghost is sorrounded by water, it
can't be sensed. Some rituals can also scramble it, ordinarly, encasing the
bottled ghost into a saint or religious figure or archetype statue.

Collect Call
cost: 2 minor charges
effect: Pick up a phone, and dial the birth date of the ghost you want to
talk. If sucessfull, he will talk to you through the phone. Far safer than
have it on your head. Still, he is also beyond any form of control by the
Exhalomancer.

Knowledge from the Dead
cost: 2 minor charges and consume a ghost
effect: For the number minutes equal to the Exhalomancer Soul score, he can
have the ghost obssession skill as his own.

Direct Call
cost: 3 minor charges
effect: It summons a ghost. Still, no garanties he talks the true, but he is
now under the reach to be controlled or consumed.

Bottle Trap
cost: 3minor charges
effect: The Exhalomancer will make a "ghost magnet" using a bottle. Ghosts
will feel atracted to it, and in a few hours, eventually, one ghost will be
trapped in the bottle. The Exhalomancer can sense the ghost inside, and
"know it", but can enter in a conversation, or try to control it. But he can
inhale it. If the bottle is dark, and be closed after get the ghost inside,
and keep in the dark for a few weeks, it became it transform the ghost
inside into a "sour ghost". If a Exhalomancer inhale it, he will be stucked
with this ghost, and can't use any of it's powers until he gets free from it
(wich is quite easy to do, but feel people realise it, since it involves a
ridiculous and bizare performance from the Exhalomancer). The ghost can
resist the trap with a Soul check, but after caugh, it can't leave unless it
is inhaled (even for a clueless kid) or the bottle breaks.

Breath of Life
cost: 3 minor charges
effect: She can "breath" life to another person. Breath in the mouth of the
person, and roll. The number of dice is the number hit points the
Exhalomancer can transfer to the other person (she dont have to transfer ALL
of them, this is just the maximum possible number). She can heal wounds
easily, but can't do anything against diseases.

Ghost Bind
cost: 4 minor charges
effect: The Exhalomancer can control a ghost alread inhaled. The ghost will
obey the Exhalomancer even if not inside her anymore (as long as didnt scape
in a "taboo break"), doing anything she wants for a number of hours equal to
the Exhalomancer Soul score [see below - Breathing Out]. Still, it will not
give any details, and even will avoid as much as possible to give any
information about afterlife, and in no hipotesis it will give informations
about the Cruel Ones.

Taking Your Breath Away
cost: 4minor charges
effect: This is the Exhalomancer minor blast. It is described above. If the
target dies while suffering the effects of Taking Your Breath Away, it will
be inhaled by the Exhalomancer. [can be used with Cigarette Cage - see
below]

Cigarette Cage
cost: 4minor charges
effect: More reliable than a bottle, cigarette are the common currency
between Exhalomancer. This spell is used to trap a ghost in a cigarette (the
ghost is aware of the sorrounds when trapped this way). Spending the charge,
and inhaling it from a blast, or from a bottle, using a cigarette, this will
transfer the demon to the cigarrete. Lightning it up, and smoking it, will
make possible for the ghost and smoker to talk 9but control of possession is
not possible). At any time, the Exhalomancer, or even a non-adept, can
inhale the ghost. If the cigarrete is all burned up, the ghost is destroyed.
Dead Man Walking
cost: 5 minor charges
effect: Breathing in the mouth of someone just dead, the Exhalomancer can
keep him alive for a number of hours equal to the person Soul score. The
Exhalomacer takes a number of wound points, equal to the decimal number of
the person Soul score.

Exhalomancy significant formula spells

That I'm a Freak
cost: 1 significant charge
effect: Breath in the direction of someone. This spell forces the person to
make a Level 9 stress check. The target will see your face contorted to the
faces of the ghosts consumed by you, and they will even try to speak to her.

How often do you see them?
cost: 1 significant charge
effect: Same as "I See Dead People", but the number of Soul points is equal
to hours instead of minutes.

Last Breath
cost: 2 signficant charges
effect: Exhalomancy significant blast.
Don't be Afraid
cost: 2 signficant charges + Ghost consumption, see below
effect: Breathing heavely and consuming a number of Soul points from the
ghosts inhaled, the Exhalomancer can ignore this much damage in a combat
turn. This can be used before or after the damage is dealt. Example: Ronald
Chalker receives two bullet wounds from Mancinni, a mob guy thats was trying
to smoke him out. He had a full ghost staff inhaled (he has a beef Soul
score of 85, so he can have ghosts with up to a total of 850 in Soul score).
The Bullets gave him 67 Wound points. He choose not to take them. He spend
the charge, and consumes a number of ghosts that added, have a Soul score of
an equal, or higher number from the wound points he wants to ignore.

My Body is a Roadmap of Pain
cost: 3 significant charges
effect: As That I'm a Freak, above. The Exhalomancer breaths out, and in the
room or in the few feet around it, people will see and heard the ghosts he
consumed, causing everyone to make level 9 stress checks. Is up to the
gamemaster if it also causes some poltergeist, if so, give a number of wound
points to the people in the vicinity equal to the result of the roll added
togheter.

Expiration Date
cost: 3 significant charges + consume a ghost
effect: Consuming an inhaled ghost, the Exhalomancer adds to his months of
life, a number equal to the ghost Decimal Soul score (A 50 points Soul score
ghost, gives 5 extra months of life). If Exhalomancer is already beyond its
"expiration date", as they call the moment in wich they should be dead by
natural causes, the spell will not just keep them alive, but with an young
aspect (30's, maybe 40's). This looks will started to get old again when the
next "expiration date" gets closer.

All the time
cost: 3 significant charges
effect: Same as "I See Dead People" and "How Often Do You See Them?", but
now the Soul score represents the number of days the effect will work.

The Others
cost: 4 significant charges
effect: With this spell, the Exhalomancer can try to control ghosts he
haven't inhaled, and are not even trapped. The ghosts must be around, or at
least be summoned by a Direct Call spell.

Pneuma
cost: 4 significant charges
Effect: With this spell, the Exhalomancer can breath out the ghosts he have
inhaled in a powerfull breath. The Breath will struck down objects, even a
wall, and the ghost will try to posses anyone they pass (Soul checks to
avoid it, using the book rules for possession). The breath will not hurt
people, just physical objects.

Breathing Out
cost: 5 significant charges
effect: The Exhalomancer can breath one inhaled ghost in a target. If the
roll is sucessfull, and is also above the target Soul score, the target is
possessed for a number of minutes equal to the Exhalomancer Soul score. The
Exhalomancer can breath the ghost back at any time, just inhaling it from
the target mouth. If the target dies, or the time of the possessiion ends
without the ghost been inhaled back, the ghost is lost, and the Exhalomancer
receives a number of wound points equal to the ghost Decimal Soul score (if
the ghost have a 36 Soul score, the Exhalomancer receives 3 points of
damage).

Sin Eater
cost: 5 significant charges
effect: The Exhalomancer can cure the target from any disease, be it a flu
or aids. The bad news is that in case of really deadly ones...the ones that
would "expire" the target, those will short the Expiration Date of the
Exhalomancer in five years.

Exhalomancy major effects

A Exhalomancer with a major charge can indefinitely extend his "expiration
date", have a permanent ability to converse with the dead or see them,
ressurect someone that had just died, make a hous e a permant "ghost trap",
etc.


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Ok, that was it. Any suggestions? Do you liked it? Hate it guts? Will make
donations in my paypal account? :)

Haroudo Xavier
UIN 1504427
www.geocities.com/hasfix/


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