174 lines
No EOL
4.9 KiB
Markdown
174 lines
No EOL
4.9 KiB
Markdown
In Vaelora, Spirits are not abstract statblocks. They are living echoes of desire, memory, domain, and will—embodied forces shaped by the world's soul and the dominions they represent. From the shy Ember Whims that flicker near the hearth to the dread Sovereigns of Plague, every spirit obeys a hidden geometry: Power Rating (PR), Dominion Affinity, and the weight of presence.
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This section provides a structured method for GMs and designers to build custom spirits, using the **Power Rating (PR)** as a foundation.
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---
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### 📐 **Step 1: Determine the Power Rating (PR)**
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The **Power Rating** is the spirit’s overall tier of influence. It determines the scale of its abilities, its strength of will, and how much chaos it can stir in the world.
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|PR|Type|Narrative Scale|
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|---|---|---|
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|1|Lesser Spirit|Flickering minor forces, local echoes|
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|2|Minor Spirit|Useful familiars, ambient manifestations|
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|3|Common Spirit|Site guardians, pactbound allies|
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|4|Greater Spirit|Local legends, battlefield entities|
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|5|Major Spirit|Mythic forces with lasting presence|
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|6|Arch-Spirit|Realm-warping entities, nearly divine|
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Higher PR spirits command deeper dominions and more volatile power—but they also attract greater spiritual attention, responsibility, or corruption.
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---
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### 🔥 **Step 2: Choose One or More Dominions**
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Every spirit embodies one or more **Dominions**—the thematic pillars that shape its behavior and power. Each Dominion grants access to specific **Active** and **Passive Abilities**, and determines which **Magical Traditions** can interact easily with the spirit.
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A spirit knows:
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- 1 Dominion at PR 1–2
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- 1–2 Dominions at PR 3–4
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- Up to 3 Dominions at PR 5–6
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Examples: Fire, Death, Shadow, Growth, Storm, Dream, Binding, Illusion.
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---
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### 🧠 **Step 3: Assign Attributes**
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Use the standard 8 attribute spread:
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- Might, Agility, Fortitude
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- Wit, Focus, Presence
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- Spirit, Cunning
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**Guidelines by PR:**
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- PR 1: Total = 10–12
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- PR 2: Total = 13–15
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- PR 3: Total = 16–18
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- PR 4: Total = 19–21
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- PR 5: Total = 22–24
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- PR 6: Total = 25–28
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Distribute based on the spirit’s behavior: a stalking shadow may have high Cunning and Stealth; a protective guardian may favor Fortitude and Spirit.
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---
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### 🛠️ **Step 4: Skills and Expression**
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Assign 2–4 **skills** to express the spirit’s interaction with the world. Suggested skill totals:
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|PR|Skill Total (Ranks)|Notes|
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|---|---|---|
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|1|3|1–2 dice in key instincts|
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|2|5|Capable of one reliable action|
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|3|7–8|Tactical in combat or rituals|
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|4|10|Versatile and dangerous|
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|5|12–14|Spirit duelists or ritual threats|
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|6|15+|Legendary avatars|
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Skill choices should reflect instinct, not training: a fire spirit might have Melee (lashes of flame), Attune (to flicker between planes), or Intimidate (through heat and light).
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---
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### ✨ **Step 5: Abilities**
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Spirits possess a mix of **Passive** and **Active** abilities:
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- **Passive Abilities**: Always on. Derived from Dominion themes.
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- **Active Abilities**: Cost MD (Marked Dice). Based on PR and spirit’s role.
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|PR|Passive Abilities|Active Abilities|MD per Scene|
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|---|---|---|---|
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|1|1|1–2|1|
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|2|1–2|2–3|2|
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|3|2|3–4|3|
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|4|2–3|4–5|4|
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|5|3|5–6|5|
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|6|4|6+|6+|
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> ❖ Use the **Dominion Ability Menu** (per domain) to select or adapt appropriate powers.
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---
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### 🌀 **Step 6: Dominion Power**
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Every spirit has a **Dominion Power** score, equal to its PR by default (can be adjusted by bond strength or corruption). This governs the strength of its abilities and is used in spirit duels or resisting banishment.
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---
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### 🪞 **Step 7: Language and Size**
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- **Language**: Most spirits do not speak mortal tongues. Define how they communicate—emotionally, symbolically, through dream-speech, element gestures, etc.
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- **Size**: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, or Vast—affects physical interactions and targeting.
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---
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### 📦 **Optional Tags and Flavor**
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You may add:
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- **Tokens**: Link to art or game-ready icons
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- **Unique Traits**: e.g., “Burns without light”, “Reflected only in dreams”, “Feeds on grief”
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- **Bound Objects**: If summoned, what item or location is the spirit tied to?
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---
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### 📋 **Example Output Format**
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All spirits are formatted as:
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```statblock
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layout: Vaelora Spirit
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name: [Spirit Name]
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pr: [1–6]
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language: [e.g., “Emotion through flickering light”]
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size: [Tiny / Small / Medium / Large / Vast]
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skills:
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- name: [Skill]
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desc: [Value]
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...
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attributes:
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- name: [Attribute]
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desc: [Value]
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...
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dominions:
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- name: [Dominion]
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dominion_power: [Usually = PR]
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abilities:
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- name: [Ability Name (type, PR)]
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desc: [Effect description]
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token: [Image file or token link]
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```
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---
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🎴 **Design Tip:** When in doubt, imagine what the spirit would do _if left unsupervised in the world._ That’s its core instinct. Build toward it.
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Would you like a visual generator or quick reference table next? |