Ghost- PC?

[kertain]

Morning!

Kinda of a wierd question..but has anyone run a game with a PC as a ghost?
Starting a new game with new players and one of them asked me if it were possible for them to play as a ghost.

I understand in the universe ghosts are pretty limited in their interaction with the "real world", but if this ghost in his/her past life was magical perhaps they could interact consistently? If its not feasible, i thought as a compromise was he could be an Ectomancer that has a "ghost friend" to help him or something.

Any thoughts, suggestions ideas?
I imagine this will be hard thing to make a template for, but thought it was a neat idea and did not want to dismiss it outright.

-Kertain

[DFJunkie]

It's your game, so if you want the PC to play a ghost, the PC can play a ghost.

Thus far every ghost that's been introduced or discussed in the novels is an echo of thoughts and emotions, not a being with a will of its own.  However there's no reason your PC can't be an odd case, and be a being with a free will and (presumably) a soul.  Assuming he or she has enough points of refresh a ghost PC could be pretty cool.

[zenten]

I think you're looking at something that's basically non-canon (as in, there's no real hints on how to do it) until Ghost Stories comes out.

[Tedronai]

I've actually got a character right now that, if it ever comes to that, will probably end up spending their Death Curse to create and empower their own ghost such that it becomes as close to simply an incorporeal copy of their living self as possible.  I don't see that happening in the foreseeable future of that game, but if it does...

[sinker]

I think you're looking at something that's basically non-canon (as in, there's no real hints on how to do it) until Ghost Stories comes out.

I was going to say.

(click to show/hide)

You could always wait and see how that works out for Harry.

[MacShidhe]

Kravos is the only current example of a ghost with enough free will to be a PC that I could think of and even he was pretty focused on his goals.  

(click to show/hide)

I personally would wait for Ghost Story to come out. But,

if you think that it will fit in your campaign, go for it.

[Haru]

I think a Ghost-PC is a good idea. However, to keep in canon, you should tie the high concept and trouble aspects to the reason the person died and became a ghost. Once that reason is resolved, there should be nothing left to keep the ghost in our world. If the player is up for that, then go for it. You should however keep compelling him, if he tries to do things that are not tied to the reason he is still a ghost.

[HumAnnoyd]

I think it is possible to come up with a rationale for a Ghost PC.  Magic is very unpredictable and can cause all kinds of craziness.  For example:

My character was a young troublemaker who inadvertently released a Dennarion when he broke into his Warden father's vault to show off for his girlfriend.  She was possessed by a Denarrion when she picked up a coin and proceeded to start a ritual using my character and his sister as sacrifices.  Luckily his father had been alerted by a tripped ward and with the help of my PC drove her off.  Unfortunately, the father's spirit was stripped from his body (which lies in coma) and somehow bound into his Warden's sword. He haunts his repentant son who wields the Warden Sword and is doing his best to make up for his checkered past. 

Here is the write up my GM gave him:

JOHN FRANCIS YOUNGBLOOD JR.
TEMPLATE: SPECIAL
HIGH CONCEPT: MOSTLY DEAD WARDEN HERO
TROUBLE: MY SPIRIT IS TRAPPED IN MY SWORD, MY BODY IN THE HOSPITAL

ASPECT: I MAY NOT BE A GREAT DAD, BUT I LOVE MY KIDS

ASPECT: DID I FORGET TO TELL YOU…

ASPECT: LOOK AT THE LEGS ON THAT ONE

SKILLS (+39)
SUPERB +5: Presence, Contacts
GREAT +4: Discipline, Lore
GOOD +3: Conviction, Rapport, Weapons
FAIR +2: Athletics, Burglary, Stealth, Scholarship
AVERAGE +1: Deceit, Investigation, intimidate, Alertness

POWERS (-11)
SPIRIT FORM [-3]

THAUMATURGY [–3] (page 275)
SPECIALIZATION.
Anti-security magic Complexity Bonus +1.

Physical Immunity [–8]

The Catch 3]
Spirit magic and exorcism- Magic [1], everyone knows to use just about anything non-physical.
TOTAL REFRESH COST: 11
CURRENT REFRESH: 11

[devonapple]

THAUMATURGY [–3] (page 275)
SPECIALIZATION.
Anti-security magic Complexity Bonus +1.

I notice that Dad's Spirit has Thaumaturgy but not Evocation. I would imagine that, as a Warden, he would have needed both, and that, as a Spirit, he would retain both or neither, but if there was a game reason to keep it that way, no problem.

[HumAnnoyd]

I notice that Dad's Spirit has Thaumaturgy but not Evocation. I would imagine that, as a Warden, he would have needed both, and that, as a Spirit, he would retain both or neither, but if there was a game reason to keep it that way, no problem.

I think the GM ruled that since he was of spirit he couldn't cast Evocations and used that refresh to give him the Spirit Form powers.  I imagine if he was a PC when all this went down he would be justified in rearranging his character to a great degree. 

[devonapple]

I think the GM ruled that since he was of spirit he couldn't cast Evocations and used that refresh to give him the Spirit Form powers.  I imagine if he was a PC when all this went down he would be justified in rearranging his character to a great degree. 

That makes sense. How has his ability to perform Thaumaturgy been handled?

[Richard_Chilton]

Right now, the setting canon has ghosts as mere echoes of the person they were.

This might change in the future (I think it will) but have you thought "ghost-like" as opposed to ghost?

Say someone who tried to go out of body and got stuck?
Or a mystic accident that destroy someone's body and anchored his spirit to something?
Or a curse? Maybe a curse item?
Or something that a fairy did?
Or a magical weapon whose last victim haunts the owner (which would need a reason for why it's not used again)?

If you make the PC a unique, free willed spirit type then you make that PC more special while avoiding dealing with the rest of the ghost world.  If ghost wander and are free willed, them they would probably gather and talk - there are several games out there that are built around playing PC ghosts and all of them have setting info that handles NPC ghosts.  Making the PC a one off means you don't have to deal with those issues.

Of course, we might discover that everything I've written doesn't fit canon, but speculation on that belongs in the spoiler section.

Richard

[HumAnnoyd]

That makes sense. How has his ability to perform Thaumaturgy been handled?

So far it hasn't come up.  We have only played 4 sessions and he has mostly been busting my character's chops for not being a proper Warden and making it really hard for him to go on a date.   

[Wyrdrune]

in our campaign we have a player who plays the ghost of the kitchen girl of a world war II russian submarine.

[MacShidhe]

in our campaign we have a player who plays the ghost of the kitchen girl of a world war II russian submarine.

Pardon me, the WWII Soviet Front is one of my favorite history subjects so I'm going to take this on a minor tangent and go history geek for a moment.  I know that women served in combat in the Soviet Army during WWII but I didn't know there were women submariners as well.  I'm curious if the player had any scholarship to back the concept up or if it's something they just made up.  The book that was in sounds like a fun read.  :-)