Shadow People v2

[eiredrake]

After taking some of the advice I received here is version 2 of the Shadow People creature

High Concept: Servitor of Those who Dwell Beyond.
Other Aspects;

• From Beyond the Outer Gates
• A Creature of Shadow, Hatred and Hunger
• Nocturnal

Skills

• Discipline: Great (+4)
• Fists : Good (+3)
• Might: Fair (+2)
• Endurance: Good (+3)
• Intimidation: Good (+3)
• Stealth : Great (+4)
• Conviction: Fair (+2)

Powers

• Parasitic Claws (-2) - The 'fingers' of the Shadow curl down into wickedly barbed points. Given the Might of the creature these will function as a Weapon: 3. Additionally if the Shadow makes a successful Fists maneuver, the target gains a 'Infected by Outsider Parasite' aspect (see YS163). This functions to fulfill the Feeding Dependency. However if the Shadow is taken out, or the victim is placed in an empowered circle the Feeding is interrupted and the 'Infected by Outsider Parasite' aspect is removed.
• Domination (Possession) -5 - Much like a Demon, a Shadow is capable of flowing into the nose, mouth and ears of a person not strong enough to fight them off to take control of the body.
• Semi-Corporeal Form (-3) - You exist in a ghost-like state of only semi-solidity. You have the ability to flow much like a gas, through cracks and holes though under your own power and you are not at the mercy of the wind. However since you are semi-corporeal you are vulnerable to things that can affect a gaseous cloud: someone could trap you in an airtight chamber for example.
• Physical Immunity (-8) - since you are semi-corporeal you are effectively immune consequences from physical attacks and other harms unless someone satisfies your catch.
• The Catch (-2) - holy items and expressions of Faith
• Feeding Dependency (-1) - You gain some of your supernatural abilities by feeding on life force in the form of Physical Stress levels and the absorption of direct magical attacks.
• Pack Instincts (-1)

Not sure how to describe this but how about this limitation.

Because the Shadow is semi-corporeal and more than a bit ghostlike, it has to essentially manifest in order to attack or otherwise interact with the environment. This requires an expenditure of energy which it recovers by indulging it's feeding dependency. Shadows who's hunger track has been exhausted are no longer corporeal and are essentially ejected back Outside. This is the reason why Shadows tend to hunt and travel in packs - it changes the effort to reward ration when feeding.

Like ghosts, Shadows do not survive the dawn unless they are protected. Unlike ghosts, they do not require a specially prepared vessel to survive it. Any place that is darkly shadowed and out of direct sunlight is protected enough as would be a possessed victim.

I'm still thinking that they can bypass a threshold without being too badly effected by it. I'm just not sure how to word it. My reasoning is that they are forced into this world by the Will of an Outsider for some specific unfathomable purpose. I just can't see a Hound of Tindalos being stopped by a threshold. Now, a Ward or a Circle, sure. Or a threshold that has been modified specifically to ward off Outsiders (like the Elder Sign for example), yeah I can see that stopping them cold. Maybe something like:

Your Earthly Defenses Mean Nothing (-5) - Because of your connection to the Outsider that projected you into this universe, you are unaffected by the normal threshold that surrounds a home and may pass through it to operate beyond.

[Sanctaphrax]

Better, but still not perfect.

-Nocturnal should be an Aspect.
-Feeding Dependency should specify what it applies to.
-The rebate Powers should include pluses instead of minuses.
-Parasitic Claws needs more mechanics.
-Semi-Corporeal Form seems overpriced for someone with PI.
-Your Earthly Defences Mean Nothing seems pricey, and I'm not sure why it has a Catch when it isn't a Toughness Power.

[eiredrake]

Better, but still not perfect.

-Nocturnal should be an Aspect.
-Feeding Dependency should specify what it applies to.
-The rebate Powers should include pluses instead of minuses.
-Parasitic Claws needs more mechanics.
-Semi-Corporeal Form seems overpriced for someone with PI.
-Your Earthly Defences Mean Nothing seems pricey, and I'm not sure why it has a Catch when it isn't a Toughness Power.

Moved Nocturnal to be an aspect.

Feeding Dependency does specify what it applies to. Maybe I'm not wording it right? Basically it feeds off life force, which causes physical stress levels on normals but it can also be triggered by being hit directly by magic.

Parasitic Claws - It's basically the same as Poison Claws but it wasn't really poison. It's more like the Shadow is drawing off your life energy or your magic if you're a Wizard. So basically it doesn't just make the infected person weaker it's making the Shadow stronger too.

Semi-Corporeal - Semi-Corporeal is kinda what gives it Physical Immunity. What do you think would be a reasonable cost?

YEDMN - Thresholds keep out ghosts and demons and limit a mage's magic. In the case of a Shadow it has no effect at all. Considering it's bypassing a major universal constant I thought it appropriate. What do you think would be more appropriate?

[Silverblaze]

Thresholds work on everything supernatural.

Even WCV have no speed or strength in good ones.

If Shadow People have that...then all Outsiders should have Threshold immunity.  I'm not a fan of that idea.

[Taran]

Maybe they have a clever way of getting an invitation?  Like attaching themselves to other people's shadows, so that when those people are invited in, the shadow people piggy-back over the threshold(or are considered to have an invite themselves. 

Or maybe it's another trick, but I'd think they'd need an invitation like everything else.

[JDK002]

Isn't there a WoJ saying that is something is powerful enough it could easily bulldoze it's way through a threshold?  That it would still be weakened by crossing through, but a moot point against something that can blow up the entire city you're in by speaking a single word.

Though admittedly, this doesn't really fall into the power range of a Shadow Person.  But it does suggest that thresholds are not 100% immune to loopholes.

[Taran]

Isn't there a WoJ saying that is something is powerful enough it could easily bulldoze it's way through a threshold?  That it would still be weakened by crossing through, but a moot point against something that can blow up the entire city you're in by speaking a single word.

Though admittedly, this doesn't really fall into the power range of a Shadow Person.  But it does suggest that thresholds are not 100% immune to loopholes.

A supernaturals powers are reduced an amount equal to the threshold of the location, at the very least.  So, very powerful beings would be less bothered by it.

Loophole is a good word, though.  I could see these things manipulating a situation so that they get an invite without the homeowner knowing they've invited something in.

The other thing to consider is that maybe they gain entry through dreams - or possibly get their invite that way...in the previous thread, he mentionned seeing them when half asleep. 

[eiredrake]

Alright I have an idea how to get them in past thresholds and wards.

Roaches.

Shadow Person possesses a roach (any relatively small bug would do). Hides in the pant leg or pocket of a person. Person gets invited inside...*poof* its past your threshold.

[InFerrumVeritas]

Alright I have an idea how to get them in past thresholds and wards.

Roaches.

Shadow Person possesses a roach (any relatively small bug would do). Hides in the pant leg or pocket of a person. Person gets invited inside...*poof* its past your threshold.

Would still be stopped by it. 

[Taran]

Would still be stopped by it.

I agree.  Nobody invites cockroaches into their house.  When I said "piggyback" on someones shadow, I meant that they somehow, by extention, get an invite.

If they possessed a PERSON, and that person got invited, that would probably count as an invite!

In the middle of the night, when my toddler woke up screaming (probably from a bad dream), I couldn't help think about your shadow people.  What if, when they crossed a threshold, the more powerful ones lost the ability to manifest etc...That way, in a house, they'd be very insubstantial, but maybe maintain the ability to cause fear (just as a maneuver - no actual mental damage.).  So, on the whole, they're harmless but still creep people out.  Outside a house, or in a hotel or apartment, they'd be able to cause much more havoc.  You wouldn't have to make a custom power - maybe give them incite fear and make that the last thing to go.  Or maybe it's just a mundane intimidation check.  It doesn't take much to freak people out in the middle of the night.

Probably not what you're looking for, but since I was up part of the night thinking about it, I thought I'd share

[eiredrake]

I agree.  Nobody invites cockroaches into their house.  When I said "piggyback" on someones shadow, I meant that they somehow, by extention, get an invite.

If they possessed a PERSON, and that person got invited, that would probably count as an invite!

In the middle of the night, when my toddler woke up screaming (probably from a bad dream), I couldn't help think about your shadow people.  What if, when they crossed a threshold, the more powerful ones lost the ability to manifest etc...That way, in a house, they'd be very insubstantial, but maybe maintain the ability to cause fear (just as a maneuver - no actual mental damage.).  So, on the whole, they're harmless but still creep people out.  Outside a house, or in a hotel or apartment, they'd be able to cause much more havoc.  You wouldn't have to make a custom power - maybe give them incite fear and make that the last thing to go.  Or maybe it's just a mundane intimidation check.  It doesn't take much to freak people out in the middle of the night.

Probably not what you're looking for, but since I was up part of the night thinking about it, I thought I'd share

That would actually fit quite well with reports with them. When sighted in houses (which would be behind a threshold) they tend to just sort of stand there looking scary and watching you. When I have encountered these things (IRL I believe them to be a purely mental construct) that's  pretty much what they do too. You wake up in the middle of the night with a FOID (feelings of impending doom) and see the shadow of a human figure in the corner or in the doorway or something.

Perhaps they start off weak enough that this is all they can do. But with sneakery (such as hitchiking on someone's shadow and getting an invite) or whatever. Maybe they can do some minor stuff to mess with you.

[Sanctaphrax]

Feeding Dependency does specify what it applies to. Maybe I'm not wording it right? Basically it feeds off life force, which causes physical stress levels on normals but it can also be triggered by being hit directly by magic.

Sorry, I was unclear.

Which Powers are restricted by Feeding Dependency? If the Shadow Person doesn't eat, what abilities does it lose?

Parasitic Claws - It's basically the same as Poison Claws but it wasn't really poison. It's more like the Shadow is drawing off your life energy or your magic if you're a Wizard. So basically it doesn't just make the infected person weaker it's making the Shadow stronger too.

Venomous Claws costs 3 and is weapon 2.

Semi-Corporeal - Semi-Corporeal is kinda what gives it Physical Immunity. What do you think would be a reasonable cost?

Maybe just one Refresh. That's what the (similar) Amorphous Form custom Power costs.

YEDMN - Thresholds keep out ghosts and demons and limit a mage's magic. In the case of a Shadow it has no effect at all. Considering it's bypassing a major universal constant I thought it appropriate. What do you think would be more appropriate?

Hard to say what cost would be fair. The threshold rules are very vague.