Wraith_the_Oblivian

by increasing taxes against the Shining Ones. Especially did
he tax the Fishers, who had grown powerful.

Finally, the Archbishop of Stygia, leader of the Fishers,
presemed himself to Charon and demanded char Charon re·
duce the fee placed on rhe SQuls h is agents collected for the
Fishers. Charon responded by disbanding the Crusaders and
doubling the fee. For many months there was darkness on Fish·
ei'S' Hill as rhe temple stood deserted. Crusaders still retained
their mount:i and openly wore their cross.t.'S.

At the urging of rhe Archbishop ofSrygia, and with the
help of many Shining Ones,severn! former Crusaders attacked
Charon's palace guard. Unfortumm:ly for thern, they had been
betroyed by one of their fellows, and severo! Knighrs lal' wait·
ing in ambush. Defeating the Crusaders, Charon made an ex·
ample out of them by hanging them on burning chains fronl.
the h ighest monument.

Nor did Charon stop there. l-Ie sacked the f ishers' temple.
in the proc\.~S discovering great trov<.-s of rdics and anifacLs
tl>at had not been passed along ro him. Hesenr his mosr '"""'"
Knights to the far Shores to speak with the Shining Ones there,
and issued an order th<'H all Shining Ones were to depart SLygin
with the next tide.

As Stygia's tide·gong struck, every single boar, skiff, and
mft was employed in the great Evacuation. ClulchinJt all that
they had, the Shin ing Ones piled on rhis ramshackle fleer and
took to the Sunless Sea. The only lighrs left on rhe banks of

the Isle ofSorrow were the conflagrations ofrhe temples, which
Charon's minions bhtst(.-d with the fires o( Ouuagc.

Even as the Shining Ones Jc(c, Charon's emissaries re·
turned from the FarShores. They bore horrific repons ofrealms
where the deadstill waited for relief- where they were herded
into grear antechambers and (orgotcen - where pcu:y diem·
tors in rhc shapes of gods and devils bound souls in erernal
tonncnt or dcnmndcd unquestioning obedience. None had
reached the promised lands. None had found Transcendence.

Charon appeared on his balcony and read aloud the Proc·

la ltulliOn orReason, highlighted b\1 these words: ··oecause rite

Shining Ones /vwe no love far rhe dead, /will nor hnrlxrr rhem.
Because rhey do nor care for rheir prorector Stygia , I will nor c~re
for tl•em. Because c/1cy seck only ro fool, cajole and [n'oselycite, I
will no longer lisren ro rhem. Recmm~ rltey do nm tnd)' bdieve, l
brand them J-lerecics ."

During: chis rime rhc Freewraiths'guilds arrcrnpted to seize

power in a weakened Stygi(l, but rhis revolt was pUL down. In

rewliation, Charon ordered all the guilds disbanded. He im·

mediately rraincd his Legions to do the same thing that th('

guilds did, but later reemployed guild members when it be-

came clear lO them that Charon would nOt allow them ro re-

form.

The Third Grear Maelstrom changed the face of the
Slmduwlands. No longer were there any impass;:~ble places

dominated by rhe D.r~rknc.:;s. Quite clca•·l\1, there were now two

levels to t.he Underworld. The 1111ppcrmost'' level comprised

the Shndowlands, the areas closest to the Sunlit Lands; "he·
low" them, rhrough rhc Tempest, lay Sl)'gia, the Isle of Sor·

rows, and tht> Sunless Sea. The s.-tfcst. MI}IS to SLygin were via

There;.lfter, the Heretics were prevented from entering the roads, for the River of Death hod become choked wirh
Stygia and were constantly hunted by the Hierarchy wherever Renegades and Spccrrcs. Additionally, a power called the
it stretched.Taking a cue from the Inquisition now taking place Shroud separated the living world fmm the dc;~d lands. This
in the Sunlir Lands, Charon fonn(:cl his own Inquisition tO Shroud limited the power of Mystery: the power of magic, of
root out Heretic influence in Stygia. He even gave the lnqui· wrairhs' Arc~mos, and ofspirits and faeries. Many magkttl places
sition its own Equines (called "Grim Riders" by some, but off;.
cially desigrmed "The Order of the Unliddcd Eye") to carry were lost, and m;my wrai rhs in the Shadowh1nds retreated to

out this mission. their Haunts, where the Shroud was still thin.

For several years Charon d id not prevent the dead from Once again, instcado(tldnlittingdefeat, Charon surprised
lc(wing on rheir own to find chc Far Shores. It was a fool's all around him by respondi ng ro the impending A~e of En,
vo1•age, however, as the Second Maelmom had transformed lightcnment. \'\/here once Stygian steel w::1s given only to Lhe

Knighrs of the rcahn, Charon began arming his Frecwr:Jiths
and other sup!X)rrc~ wirh swords u'ladc o( Lhc material. The

the Sunless Sea into a place of strange currents, even srrangcr

bcas{S, :mel chaotic weather.

n,e trade of souls began to suffer: there was no room in

Stygia for more souls, and Charon was loathe to continue to

send souls to the Far Shores after hearing the reports of h is
agenrs. Srygia became a refugee camp as the souls of the dis·

possessed and the abandoned swelled in number. Renegades
walked among them, sowingseeds ofrebellion and dissent. All

grewquiet in the City of the Dead.

Meanwhile, some of the Heretic.• left Stygia altogether.
lly riding along with the explorers of the late Middle Ages,

rhese Heretics found their way across the great area of Dark·

ness inthe Shadowkmdscorresponding to the Atlancic Ocean.
Thus was the New World discovered and,soon after, coloni!cd

and explored.

During the cMly 1500s, rhe Renegades mndc their move.
Theystormed the Onyx Tower and made off with many antiq·

uirit'S, including the legendary Spear of Longinius, said to be

the spear that pierced the side of Jesus Christ as he hung on
the cross. Only through the sacrifice of some of Charon's fa·

voritc Knights were the Renegades pushed back.

Soon thereafter, the Third G reat Maelstrom blanketed
St~·gia. This Maelstrom wasn•t so intense 3S {he orher two, but

much more pervnsivc. It saturated the D:lrkness completely.

Wraiths stopped referring to the area as the Darkness and be·
gan rcfening to it as the Tempest, for it had become a place of

continual srorn\Snnd wild chaos.

Grand l ligh Artificer dc•igncd a wicked crossbow that fiml rhc Stygian Empire imo connictwith rhe jade Emperor to the
chr~c qwtrrcls in rapid succession, and bc~un w cxperimenr e"sr and the Jvvr~' Queen m rhe .so~uh. Afrer bitter Stl'u$(~lc, a
with cxpl011ives and muzzle-loading guns. mutual agrccmcnr \Vl\5 re(lched. This compact gave the Hicr4
nrchy CUSlOO)' of the souls of the European dead, bot left the
Charon himselfmoved through rhestreecsofSrygia, rnak- indigenous dead alone.
ing Thr•lls fmm what he called the "wastrel>": the shifdes.s
dc:ul who had no purpo5e a11d providt-d no help tOSrygia.S<Xm Hicr.rchy, He retics and Renegades banled consmntly
these Thralls were hard 01t work roiling at the Vc11ous Stoir, during the War between the States. The Ivory Queen de·
mi nin~ Styt:ian metal from the bedrock of the Labyrinth it· manded the souls of the dead children of Africa who hod been
self. De•pite the vigilance of C haron's Legions, many Thralls enslaved in life, :md Charon allowed her minions to tnovel
were devoured by Spectres ruing from the deeps. Thralls who with rhe Hiernrchy 's forces as they move-d south. As a r~wlt of
survived often faced an equally grim fate: they were reduced to this. the Ivory Qu<:ell later took control of New Orleans and
ore for Sty~;lan meml once they became ul!eless. The Indus· forbade Hicr•rch)• nnd Renegade alike from adtniuance. To
trial Revolution had come rn Stygia. thi s rlay, ChMon 's llierarchy doc• nor operare In the
Shndowlnnds of New Orleans.
Thmlls became {he founda[iOn of Charon's new ideas on
how ro deal with the deacl: although he could no longer house As the Victnrl:m Age blossomed, Charon's Hicrnrchy
the dend, he could definitely urilize them and, In the proccso., \\1>rked like clockwork. Souls wetc lo;Kk<l OntOCMriOg<$, whkh
perhaps provide rhem with the porpo5e they nc<-dc-d ro m:~ke woold then travel along the roads to Stygi•. Here, souls would
eternity p.1ss a little easier. lle promised the Thrnlls freedom if be separate-d and aw:1rded to rhe Deathlords according to the
they worked hnrd in Ll>c Labyrinth and served Stygia well. manner of rheir de:tth. Charon CllCOuragcd rhe Necropoli in
their colleclion of souls by sending Stygian artifacts to the
Flll'thcrmurc, the spirit of Imperialism infected Charon. AllllcrL"Ons of the Citadels.
lnsre:td of trying to run everything from Stycin, C haron sent
trusted wraiths to the Slmdowlands to S<!t up smaller version> During the 19th century, Charon learned how to solidify
ofStyl(iu, which Chamn c.1lled his "Necropoli." NL-.:mpoli were the essence of the tk-ad and transpon this energy, in a plnsmic
porpoocfully l0<::1red in abandolled sites wtthm living cities, fOIIll, throughout hts Hierarchy. More and more n.nolt. were
near population celltcrs where the dead could be more easily retluccrl w nothing in the fires of K)'klops, and the willngs of
collecLcd.Charon hnpccl £O esrablish pNmAalCnt culonics Hncl the Venous Srnil· rnille became great hills on the coastline.
thcreb)•case Stygia's ovcrcrowdillg.
The first ships forged from Stygian iron were launched
During this time Churon mimed the first deathcoins, abo from rhe quay on the Isle ofSorrows. Th<-.c black $h tps knifed
called oboli. This was becau~ it was easier to tmdc c.lcarhcoins through the black waters, parroling the hcadw:nersol'the River
than 11 w:t< to trade Thralls, which had been rhe former stan· of Deatll, sinkin~: Heretic blockade runners and watching for
dard unit of value. Renegade attacks.

J)y <:xpmuling rhe road $ystem to connect with rhc New More nnd mor<: people beg>m 111 die without belief, falling
World, Chamn was fil>ally oble to selld wmitl" to places like Immediately into Oblivion, which hnd growll stronger and
New Amsterdam and Boston. Wars were fought in the New stronger as the Industrial Age S<!cpcd into people'$ souls. The
World between Stygian colonists and the estnblishcd Hercuc Shroud soon became so strong that wraiths could barely affect
sculemcnts. Also, during chis time the nunpanrcolonialism of the Skinlamls except in areas where they had e>tablished
the British Empire (followe-d closely by the Hierarchy) brou)(ht Haunrs or Feucrs. Charon, notinu this, began recn.Jicing his
Hicrarchs from locoI people, people who had Fetters whet•e he
needed them.

Finally, late in the 19th century, the Deathlords and
Charon made a frightening discrwcry: they cook! no lon1,ocr
travel to the Shu<~>wbnds. As they neared the Shatlowland•,
1hcy began ro discorporate. lnvcstigfu iun soon rcvc:,led that
thei r Fetters had lo11u since been destroyed. Even Chnron, the
mythical G rim Rcar>cr, could not sroy long in the Shadowlancl<.

The mability of Charon to interfere directly in the
Shadowlands promp"-d the fO<mauon of a hcgemooial ~0\'·
ernmem a1nong &he Necropoli. Srygi3 was the ccmcr o(every·
thinr.:, and rhc Cilndels were mther· likc the colonies 1hat the
Brirish had est1lblished nll over the world: each was ruled bya
locul Anacrcott. Tl,l!sc Anacrcons were virtually aulunomou.s
:ts lung as they conrinued to supply Stygia wi<h souls and up·
held the Code of Charon.

During the Victorian Era, nKtn~' g-re3t inventors were born charges rh:u_they had instigated the concept o( trench warfare
and influenced the monO'Is inco using mustard g-.1s jusr S<l they
:ltKI died. Charon dairncd more than a few for his own, and could gail\ more power. They were denred of the chorgcs, but
soonknowle<lge of new rechnology like rhc repeating revolver co rhis day rhe Inquisition of Charon continues to search for
and the sremn engine was taken by Nhudri and incorporated possible clues that the)• violated the Code of Charon.
intothe artifnctsofStygin. Thus were railroads laid in the lands
ofrhc dead. Ald1ough Ch"""' still preferred the reliability of The city ofSt)•gia outgrew the Isle ofSorrows. Iron bridges
Mortus, his hors.c, rhe new roil lines were obviously useful- spread our to the shore, tmd the surrounding Iron Hills soon
more useful, pcrlnlJ~, duln the roads, for it was m.ore difficult bore the weight of great iron towers and bui ldings. Rail lines
to ambush :;1 rapidly moving rrain along a trdck. were laid in a cleared area awa\' from £he Iron Hil1s, and rem..
porary hottsing forsc)uls was thrown up there: great warehouses
In Americn, the frontier was opened up. Charon asked for the dead. Renegades occasionally attacked rhe railyards,
his two greatest Legions, the Grim Legion and the Skeletnl trying to abduct gang~ ofshuffling, confused young soldiers for
l.ecion f1>urvcyers of violence and pestilence), to tn1vcl along their own armies.
with the pioneers and leave Citadels wherever sculet'nenrs were
made. After rhc war, the Hier:;~rchy made sure rhat Hmmrs in

At the turn of the 20rh c<!nrury, things looked well for the France and Gel'lnall\' were protected or rebuilt. Everyching
Hierarchy. Stygia's control over tnecal and m:muf~cwring en4 seemed fine; certainly the mortals were cclcbratinA lhc end of
sured that its satellite Necropoli sent a steady supply of souls. rhe war.
S1ygia bcc~mc increasingly isolationist as the.:. Cimdcls took
more responsibility and more power In the Sh;•dowlnnds. Then the Foul'th Great Maelstrom srruck. The c:1rnagc of
the G reat War blossomed into the Jeadly Maclmom, which
When, in 19 14, rhc f'irst Wodd War broke out. the the Hierarchy In the Shadowlands survived onl)' by huddling
Hicrnch~~ became :1 sottl4collccring machine, using its new rail· in their Citadels. Stygia. though awash in the chaos, did not
road to carry the Incredible number of souls gathered during suffer a scrdcch. Its iron towers were polished to mirror~brighr..
that time. The First Consul of War and the First Consul of ness by the skirl ing winds.
Pcsrilcncc were actually summoned to rhc court of Stygin on

Still, Spccrres mok ~dvnntage of the chaos to infihr.uc The Fifth Great Maelstrom was che rtlOS( widespread o(
the empire to ~n unprecedcmed degree. Rising frmn rhc(lecp· all. 1l1e possibility of glob.1l destmction had become a reality,
est pits of the Labyrimh, they fnllmved the ron,ls to the and the repercussions in the Underworld were dcva>tarmg.
Nccmpuli and hec::.n inserting themselve$ in S\."(rCL places mnid
mortal cities. They belfoln to Skinridc IJ<."<>ple in America, rak· Tt:\vel to and from St)•gia was rendere-d impossible, and wave
ing advantage of the Citodcls' laxer vigilance: this resulted in after wave of Spectres hurled themselves at the Jlicmrchy's
:.cvcml mmpanr crime w:wes ~nd many dark doin~:> in the b:tck Necropoli. The Clmdels In the Shadowlands became i:~~>i:rred
alleys of the industriali:ed cities during the '20s.
outposts battling for survival.
No event caw.<.-d Sp<:etres more glee than the Great De.
Stygia itselfsu«ercd the worst camsrrophe. Agn.-nt Mnlfc:m,
pression. Specrres reveled in the misery caused by poverty, and a reptilian horror nnmed Gorool, lll6e up out uf the Sunlc01 Sea
rhc Hiemrchy had Its work cut out for it dealing wi th the flood and threatened to consume St)'gill completely. Evety ship thnt
ofscnrved, disposscss..:J, itI'd dcs1intrc dead while trying to roO[ went out to challctlj,'C It wns sm:lshed and its crew devoured.
O.amn knew that he alone scood a chance against the fc>ul thrn&·
out the S1>ectrcs. Ch:mm nffcrcd a bounty of 30 oboli to any He hung his great Mosk in d1e d1rone room of his palace, re·
rrieved Siklcl6, his blade, from the llmtOI'\'• and piloted a single
wrairh or wr::tiths who brought him lhc cars ur other impor- skiff imo the Weeping ll.1y to att:\ck the thing. ll>e banlc is, w
rhi• day,depicted In tapestries ond murals throughout Stygla.
mnt pmts ofslain Sp<.-ctres. h was discovered th~t Spectre teeth
were pnrticularly h:~rcly and hard to fake: they became the >tlln· Charon drew the ~rent bm.c'"""Yfrom Scygi:o and opened
dard. Many wr;>iths became what nrc known :~s Dcx>mslayc,.,
professional bounty huntct> who hunred down Spectres nnd a whirlpool in rhc Sunless Sea. Charon nung himself down
turned in their teeth for nholi. inro rhe midst of the whirlpool and was follow<.-d clu~<cly by
the hungry Gorool. Neither,..,.. :~g-•in. In a &ingle Instant, the
Meanwhile, in Europe, SpectreS gleefully flocked to the
N:.zi r~gime in Germany, gorJ.:ing on rhc hate and terror. A I~ greatest ruler of the RC$tless vanished from knowledge.
thOu!lh we arc fairlysur·e 1ha r Hitler himself was nor a puppet
uf rhc Spectres (r:rrher, we believe him to be a purely human Sepemted as It was. from St1•gia, the Hiemrchy rn rhe
foulness),sever;>l of l litlcr's wp aicb were influenced and re~u· Shadowlands had to try to continue on as best ns possible.
lorly possessed by the Sp<.'Crrcs of Berlin. During d1c '50s, as parr of a t:\dic.1l progr;>m, the l lierat·chy

When World WM II bq:an. Charon finally ;;rw a chance rccn1ired some Reneg:1dcs to "icl them in rootil1)! ou1 Spccrrell.
to make war on the Jade EmJ>en>r, who had denied Ch~ron an
entire section uf S:m Fmncisco and threatened to usurp sec· SeveroI times during the dcc:ldc, Spectres sought m c.:1usc II\~
tiUI\S of Srrgia. One of the reasons that the conniets II\ the tcrcontincntnl thc:rmcmuclcar \Vflr ::and were rebuffed.
PaciOc "·ere so bloody nnd destructive was rh:u, right alon~·
side the mortals' carriers and battleships, rhe iron cruise,. of The '60s were n time of great change. In addition ro rhe
St\'l:(in's Legions battk><l the junks of rhe jade Emperor.
changing mornIs of the day, people srarred experimenting with
Sti ll, rhc Warof the D<:nd paled in comparison ll> the dcv· altered stat(.'$ of conscii>U<ness. Spectres are believed to have
astatlon wrought by the Atomic Age. When Far M:m and Little
Boy were droppe-d on Hirc><hima and Nafl"saki, a great rom had a hand in the bloody war in Vietnam: it w·dS stan<.-d ewer a
rcvcrber:ued from rhc depths of the Labyrinth.lllc f·ifth Grc:u triviality and fought in n very controlled fashion. Spectres were
Maelstrom boiled up out of the depths and spat its dcstn~<:tive
force throughout the Sh:K~rwlands.

often seen laughing.wiLh Klcc in the jungles of Cambodia as
more and more )'Oung sold"'" were kill<-d.

By this time,lllernrchyggents had stopped trying mdomi·
nate their Necropoli. TI1c Spectre threat was pervasive, and
any and all wrniths were needed. The Hierarchy had devd·
Oi><:d a kind of attitude that could best be described as "don't

m, don'r reiI." Mnny Shadowlands wraiths were not even re~:·

istered with the Hlcmrchy, cspeci:~lly in America, where the
Anncrconsdid not believe In Impeding a wraith's personal free·
dmn. O mups nf disr>osscssed wraiths began shuffling from chy
to city as rhe Om Vngahnnds.

111e '70s saw the contimmtioll of the Cold War and count·
les.~ Spectre incursions. During the '70s, Srygian agents re·
paired the shauercd l'(<>ds and rail., allowing renewed coni•
munictnion with the Shadowlands. Charon wa.• srill missing,
and 1he Dca1hlt>rd• had, in his absence, assumed control in a
great and powerful olig:nchy. This, as you know, was a
1113S!Cr>trol.:e of diplom:>ey and statecraft. Everything MIS to

continue un - bus.incss ns usual.

My lords, you hnvc often expr<>sscd your displeasure at the
relatively low number of sou ls chat the Hierarchy in the
Sh.1<lowlands sent LO Sty~in during rhe '70s and '80s. Whether
this indicate• a rchclliousness on the part of the Citadel
Anacreons or a lock of wralchpowcr needed to gather souls
<fficicnd y in the Shndowlands is unknown.

I musr spc:~k n<>w of the current day, my lords, and for
posterity I will record what I know of rhe currenl and mosr

n..-ccn1 sil.mllion.

As you know, my Innis, the Hierarchy ofthe Shadowlands
has recent!)• devolved into an almosr anarchic mass of self.
intereste-d An:tcreotu who rule to further their own persnnal
po'A-,r. I om remmdcd, my lords, of the Roman leaders in Brit·
ain to"oard the end of the Roman Empire. These >O·callcd Hi·
mrchs have adopted the policy of "might makes righr." fnr
the reptl!arion of the Hiemrchy i> insufficient to instill correCt
behavior among the Renegades, Heretics and Vagabonds of
the pmvincl:S.

Also, my lord<, It is well known that the Hierarchs of the
Shadowloncls seem to Ignore the Code of the Dead in tnany
cases, especially when dealing with the Children ofCaine (the

1·amplres, my lords - a ""''t foul and perverse wee) . I have
C\'CI\ heard rurnors th:lt ccrr.lin Hierarchs have bcgu1' workil\1(
with vampires, performing services for che "unde(td" in ex-
change for the ,.,(e-kccping of their Fellers.

TI1e 1venther of the Shadowlands rhese days is atrocious.
The TcmJ>Clol seethes with Spectres. Maelstroms continually
ori~e, and although the Citadels still keep the ravages at bay,
many souls are loot to Maelstroms on a regular basis.

In the citic;, povetty, race bias and class struggle have
wrought a deadly lcgncy: nmny violem deaths have resulted in
the creation of more wraiths. In fact, sever•I N<"<:ropoli harbor
gan~>s of wmith> thAt owe allegiance to no faction save them·
selves.

enrh follnw<dlry twnitJ .. .r~ worst of both
worlds. lr is a renible rhoug/u .

- Tom Stoppard, Rosencrontt ond
Guildmstt'l'l'l Art ~

With no disrespect, great and Dread Lords, the Heretics Wraiths sec dearl> in everything. They do not see things
and Renegades sti ll operate relatively unhindered in the in rhe physiaJI world as they appear, but as they someday will
Shadowlands. lkcause of the fact that the roads, the mils, and be. A person about to die might appear cadaverou., with hol-
rhe river are all blocked, and because the Fetters of life bind low eyes and jaundic.-d slcon; a car destined to crash will ap-
pear denred in advance. Much of the world :seems dccaj·cd or
rhe wraiths who now live there, there l5 no eoocJ solution ex- near collapse. Billboards are tattered, roads are porholed, paint
is peeling, metal is n~>ting, buildings are crumbling. To the
cept to continue to .send weapons and soulfire to the Restless, much of the world Is already dead.
Shadowlands.
The hazards of the Underworld add danger to despair; soul·
Although the end of the Cold War suhsranrially reduced slavery, intrigue and looming Oblivion take their toll on the
the threat ofabsolute nuclear holocaust, conflicts like the Per· Rt'Stless. Worst o( all iJ a wraith's eternal struggle with her
sian OulfWar and dl:seases like AIDS still provide endless hours Shadow. In the Underworld, there is no place: for a wraith to
ofamu:sement to the foul Spectres who feast on such carnage. hide from her darkest aspects.

My most majestic Lords of Death, I have but a few more These threats to mind, soul and sanity are the lot of every
pieces of onforrMtion ro impart to you: wmlrh, from the youngest to the most ancient. Srill, hope re·
mains. The wandcrin~ souls rcrain rheir identity and can ac·
It is said that the Lady of Fate's mark has been seen on quire grc-ar power and wisdom if they seek it out. After all,
some new wrai ths. Oblivion notwithstanding, they have all the time on the world.

11te Ferrymen have been seen lot the Shadowlands. life in Death

Some soulsarc dying with such violence rhar they instantly For all the suffering and corruption of the Sh•dowlands, the
become Spectres. ngotty of existinu beyond life, and the periL; of the afterlife, the
immorUll spirit continues to bum in Restless souls. Though many
And, it i! wh~red that Charon has been sighted in At· wmiths have given their nfterlives over to hopelcosness, revenge
lanra, Chicago, San Francisco, Edinburgh and other places, and trafficking in souls, others have used their continued exist-
although these nomono have by no meaM been subsrantiated. ence to n:discover rhe(XlMion5 they avoided in life.Some wraiths
pursue enlightenment; death has tom a veil from t.hcir eyes and
I was greatly sorrowed tO leam of the disappearance of proved that there is something more to creation than simpleex•
Charon's Mask. I do hope every effort is being made to secure istence. Orhers glory in rheir newfound powers. Freed from mor·
Its rerum. tal constminrs, they roke ndvnntnge of their insights and abilities
ro explore, experience and pr06per.
I do hope rhat rhe ~:eneral nature of this history does not
offend you. I enjoy writing these historiC$ ro •how myself how Great wealth ;ond power may be acquired among the Rest·
things have chang<.-d as we leam more about them. (e.q of one is ruthless enough to rake it. Many among rhe Hier-
archy have spent their nfterlives making up for opportunities
\Vith utmost humility, I proffer my deepeSf gratitude. they never took while alive. Some wraiths find them:selve.s
gifred wirh potent mynlcal powers (called Arcnnos); other.;
Your Etemnl Servant, simply wheedle, betray or enslave their w;oy to the top. Many
Resdcss embrace the pursuit of material gain ns their purpose
Herodotus for existence. Others of like mind hop "Skinride.s" on the liv·
ing, saturating them:selves with vicarious thrills, or pursue some
ns:endaleft over from lofe. The afterlife can be an advenrure if
one can supersede the gloom and sidestep the pitfalls.

More circumspect wraiths use their insights and Arcanos versely, wraiths are largely unable co affect the real world.
to learn from their mistakes. Like the Skinriders, these Rest- Wraiths are ghosts, and this fact changes all the nrles.
less possess mort:als and live again through them. Unlike their
wilder cousins, these ghosts try co recapmre the pain and joy There arc, however, nurn.erous ways that wraiths canside,
of life, if only for a short while. By traveling the living world step the rules. All Restless can briefly discorporate, passing
again, fu1rilling some last mission or savoring the rastc of life, through solid objects (or leccing them pass through Instead)
such wandering souls learn more about creation rhan any mor- with minimal effort. Moderate levels of Arcanos allow vastly
tal ever could.
increased conrrol overrhe physical world. Because wraiths are
Metapnysics: Tne ~ules tnat Bind tne Dead formed of spirit-matter instead of flesh, most pain or damage
inflicted on them is minimal. A car speeding through the liv-
Lwninous beings are (VC - not [his crude numer. ing world will onlyslightly harm a wraith, though some forms
of damage (Spirit magick, Stygian darksteel or rawOblivion)
- Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back can inflict lasting harm.
Alone, even in a crowd. Dead, but able to touch and sense
the living. Real, but intangible. O n the other hand, wraithsaffectone orher as if they were
still living, and Underworld surroundings that mirror the physi·
\Vrairhs hang suspended betwcl.!n life ;md eternal death, cal world have as much substance for the dead as they do for
and this half-existence dominates their perceptions. In the rhe living. And in rhe Tempest, nearly ~mything goes.. .
world, but not of it, the wraith reaches out from the other side
orthe mirrorand tries to pierce that cold barrier. Like adrown~ Social Status
ing man srntggling to break through the sheet of ice under
which he is trapped, the wraith struggles to touch - if only The dead can be as hidebound and sta!lls·conscious as the
fleetingly- our world. living. The myriad social and class distinctions among the
Rc!itles.s ampl~' demonstrate Lhis nuism. For the most part,
This is not easy. The laws of reality apply itt a different wraiths arcdistinguished by acombinationof(lgc, arcane power,
manner to wraiths than they do to humans. Objects in the real and freedom of movement. Counts, who are able to leave rhe
world may impede or even harm wraiths (albeit slightly); con- Sht1dowlands nnd return at will, nrc accorded considcrabht more

respect thnn Drone.,, who have practically no semiencc left at Domem
•II. While Enfants and Drones have the most m fear from the
snul tmde, all bur the mOSt powerful wrairhs muse beware the Domcm arc older wrniths who no longer IJOSSI!ll:i Ferrers
slavers' chains. •nd cannot rerum to the Shadowlands once they leave them.
Because of their limit<-d mobility, Domem are not as respected
Ahhonsh orocial mobility and intenoction are nor un~n as Gaunts. Many Domem are created tlS a result oftheir Ferrers
among wmiths, most wraiths ally onlywirh those ofsimilar statuS being purposelydestroyed. Moot Domcm flock to Stygia, where
and trust only those who have proved themselves. Gaunl> arc they serve the Hierarchy bure•ucmcy.
particulnrly notorious for their cliquishness. In gcncrdl, rhe whole
Sl"'<em of starus is mainmined by the Gaunro of the Hierarchy, Gaunt
who demand considcmble I'C.'IJ"Ct from those under them.

Enfant An old and powerful wraith, l)'pic:ally one who conrrols
or influences an entire Necropolis. Not only have Oaunrs
cnfnms are the recently deceased who have not yet joined managed to maintain Fetters in the Shadowlands, but they
w"'ith snciery. Typically they are only a few d>~ys or weeks old. have traveled deep into the Tempen- possibly even to a Far
Enfan!'4 wtar a plasmic Caul, which obscures their thoughts Shores realm. Fear..d and respected, Gaunts are the onlywraiths
and vision and induces a dreamlike stare. Until this Caul is who know the truth of what lies within rhe Tempe>(.
ren>ov<'ll by another wmith, they do not have full vision in the
Shaclowlands. ~eapers

Drones are wraiths who, having losr all rooch with their A Reaper is a wraith who collectS an Enfant, removes its
mOrtal idemitics, mindlc.'-ilY H•unt their F<mers. Drones J>a,•c Caul, and penuadcs it by means fair or foul to accompany him.
neither scmienc.e nor willpow~r. Many still manift..-st the marks Each Reaper facesa moralcboice:will he take care of his Enfant
of rheir dearh, or endlessly reenact their demise. and see that it safely completes the rrnnsirion to the Under·
world, or will he sell it to rhe highest bidder! Will he help it,
Thrnlls are the slaves of another wrauh, held in bondage or find a way to bind It ro his service!
by "manaclts ofsubjection." Some Thrall• have been caprured
and enslaved; others have heen sentenced to Thralldom for All wraiths are interested when someone die$, for souls
their crimes. A few Thralls have even sold themselves volnn· are the gold of the Underworld. Some stake out rurf in hospi·
tarily tn pay off debts. (Thoul(h indentured servitude is sup· t.als, homeless •helters. jails, and retirement homes, while oth·
posed to last for a limited duration, many Thrnlls find tbat cts ride amp ambulances or police Cll.rs. Some wraiths are frl~ht·
escaping such a conrract is much harder than they thought it ening Reapen , imprisoning and enslaving all the souls they
would be... ) obtain. Many, however, act as g11ides, teaching their charges
the intricacie.• of the afterlife.
TI>ralls wear leg munacle$ and cannot troveI freely. Son•c
vnrinms uf the OJde ofCharon declare that no Titmil shall be It is not uncommon for wraiths to warch after loved ones,
tormemed or abused. Such prohibitions are widely ignored, meeting them after their dearhs to provide a safer and kinder
and abusers are rarely chnllcnged or punished. Thralls' Shad· passage inro rhe Undtf\\-'Orld than they would otherwise expe·
ows often rake great delight in the suffering their hosrs' P"Y· rience. A few rry ro convert the Enfants to their particular
cha endure. cause or faith, torturing them if they refuse. Othe •·s odopt the
Enfams inro rhelr own Circle, treating them as kin.

Trnditiorolly an Enfant owes his Reaper a gnat deal for
his service. It is dishonor.tble to ignore thedebe, and even moo:
dishonorable ro horm the Reaper. Of course, thi• is not the
case if the Reaper was abusive or caused rhe Enfant harm.

Wraiths who still hold moot of their Fetters are consid· possessions and Trade
ered quite \'OUI\1:- Lemures nrc rhe m0$t common wraiths found
in the Shadowlands. They are manipulated and abused on • Yort can sell one anolh.T fur fiftun anu
regular hasis by the "old hands." Most Wr•ith player charnc• \Velllrye-lryt nwr!.n, ir's common sense.
rers full into this catc)(ory.
-Sisters of Mercy, 11Doc.mr Jeepu
Because wrniths can only r.rely cross between the living
and dead worlds, rhey hunger for the things they sec bur can·
nor have. Accordingly, a thriving economy has developed in

the londs of the dead. TI1is "shadow trade" r'Csembles the tri- n,e grear Underworld commodity is souls, for souls are
angle trade of early America. Raw materials- souls - and the raw materialsfrom which all the goods ofScygia are manu-
relics are harvested in the Shadmvlands and rmded in Necropoli factured. Souls arc utili,ed in all things, from Ciradcl walls to
for material goods made in Scygia. Legion weapons ro paper for hooks ro Moliarcd rorches. Some
decadent wraiths even distill souls, drinking them like fine
Wraiths cannot touch normal objects from the living world
without using a degree of power. However, relics - items in~ wine.
arrnmecl into the Underworld - c,1n be used freely and are
thus highly prized by wraiths. ~elics

Most goods in the Underworld me made from ~ouls, Relics ore objeccs (ron'l lhc real world that huvc been de~
smclrcd and shaped by the arcane secrets of the Artificers.
Because ofthe weird magics and secrecy involved, distant Scygia :nroyecl and now e:..:isr in rhe Shadowlands. Rel ic.~ no longer
hasa monopolyon such guods. Many Thralls or h:~rvc>sted souls exist in the physical world, but possess substance in the spirit
end rhcir afrerlives as building scones or Stygian coins. world. Though most relics fade away sooner or later, they form
;m imporranr p;mofUnderworld rrade. All Underworld goods
The demand for goods creates a corresponding demand other than relics must be smelted from souls in Stygia.
forsouls; while strong or clever wrdith!i can avoid this (;;uc, chc
•.,.,.k or unwary end up bound for rhe furnaces. New souls are Not just any destroyed object car; become a relic. Only
gathered in rhe Shadowlands and shipped through the Byways nhjccrs rhar h}1d gre-..r personal significance ro rheir owners
into Sr1•gia. are thus consccra~ed. The life-force (soul, if you will) imbued
by such care allo"~ the object ro exist in rhe Underworld.
Some modern wraiths Me repelled when they discover the
true nature of Underworld goods. Barter for service is the pre· Nor are ;til relics creared equ<'ll. The porency of a relic
(erred m.ell10d of exchange among these dead. The remnants depends on its "freshness" and rhe importance its owner placed
ofStygia's guilds are strong proponents of rhe barter system. on it. A teddy bear that was treasured in childhood but Liuown
away when rhar child grew up will become a weak ancl cphem·

eral relic at best. Onll' rntly m3Sured goods become potent or fonu, is the only 'uhsr:tn« with permanent shape in Ihe Un·
long-la.<ring relia.
dem·orld. Goods, therefore. must be forg<.-J from >meIced n•ls
Most relics are fairly irmocuoos but useful irem.s: {Oy&, jtw·
elry, n weddingurc>S or 1he fi~r issue of Derecrit;;! Comics. Pow• to ha\'e tangible ond ln~tinR form.
crful relics- guns, cors, computers, etc. - exist, but arc rtnc
ond highly expensive. Exnmplc. nf porcnr relics include n Skilled smiths c;m shape plosm imo ""l' form or texture
hacker's cuswm~bu ilt compurcr. a restored vinroge cnr, n1ld desired. However, the techniques of srnillting :1rc difficulr ro
Dirry Harry's favorite M:lgnum. Such relics n~\!J more cmo..
!lonol investment 10 function in the Underwnrld, nnd roon master;only the S l yJ,(iUtl Art ificersknowall rhe.sccrctso( soul~
fode away in any ca>c. i\nt~cnr relics, like the sword of Uthcr forging.
Pcndmgnn, cxosr fur centuries, but modem relics tend to fooc
ofter a few r~rs. (Perhaps modem obj~-cts mean so much less Soul·forged goods function like normal material ohJCCI~
because modem mort• Is possess so much more.) Srygian coins anu clmin> arc cmfrcd from plnsm, hence their
value and mystic:olpropcnies. Bec:lusc of the skill r"'tuir.-d 10
Mosr wrniths possess relics of one sort or anudtcr. Senne
wraiths still possess the objects tim£ were buriecl whh rhcm, make such goods and the high cost of the ,.,..t, ""'''· •nul·
but chis pra<:Lic.:c is nut widel y known in the modem em. More
often, wrnirhs c1ucr the Shndowlands with an item or two if forged items are scarce and cxpcnsi,·e.
those irems "died" wirh them. like the rcsrom1'57 Chevy ro·
rated in its owner'> falUI acciclenr. Enfants wirh tdlcs often Some Stygi;m u-cms ~mir SO\Inds (rom time tO time. Tiu~
have to fighl rn keep them: a ;'donalion" to one·~ Reaper is a smelring process is irreversible,so no one rcull\'know$ wlw1her
o r not the trans(OI'Illcd wnaiths ;uc srill scl(~aw:.re. M:my sus~
common occurrtncc. peeL chnt they arc. No o ne really w~mts to fi nd t)Ut.

Soul-fo~ed Goods Artifacts

Ry the usc of various Arcanos, souls may be smchcd nnd Anifacrs arc ohjects thnr hold arcane powo1>. 11tcrc arc
cnrnbolhcd into a ;ubso:ntce called plasm. This plasm, ~lven tWO types of artifactS: those from the li\·ing, m:odc fnnn reliC$;
and rhose of rhc de•d, made from souls. Both t)"f'Ci are unique
items, and each has irs O\vn powers and limitation.). Ani(acu
:.re oumgeously C'XJX'nsivc, butnrc sornctin1c:, bcl'tlmwd :1~ !'.l{,'llS
of (avoror I'C\varJsforservice.

Multirud~ ol th~ living :rr~ needt<l to inv~t a Skinlands

artifact, and the item must be destroyed on Eatth before it can

pass through the Shroud. The True Croos, the Malrese Falcon Underworld coins, or oboli, are minted fmm souls. The

and Jack the Ripper's knives are good ~x~mpl~s ol this [)'pe ol disconcerting feelofSrygian coins dissundes some Restless from

artifact. Relic artifacts are almost nevet· given away and arc carrying or exchanging tl>em. Nevertheless, lhcy remain legal

deeply prized by any wraith lucky enough ro own rhem. Un· tender for most debrs.

like many le~r rellcs, they never lade. Sryglan coins often utter faint wails or sighs. Older ghosts

Master Artificers, it is said, invest part of their essence seem not to notice, but more sensitive wraiths have beenknown

into artifactS crcaced in the Undc.rworld. Masks of office, po- ro drop theircoin$ and run when they discover the m>e narure

tent weapons and special tools ate built to specification and o( their cash. Rumor has it that oboll have Shadows; this has

sold for very high p.rices. Toobtain such an item, a wraith must added to the currency's decline in recent years.

pes{om\ some ~rr<..-at service or take it from its owner. Such ani· Manacles an~ Chains
lacu ore neither common nor easily concealt<l; ind~t<l. many
can be traced by the essence within them. Chains arc seen throughout the Underworld; indeed, one

Guilds ofSrycln's many sohriquer.s is rhe 11City ofCh~ins." Chains are
used to control and bind wraiths. They are also used as sym·

Guilds were once fraternal organizations uniting those who bois ofauthority,are worn asornamentotioll by Hiera.rchy types,
and arc used m bind artifacts and thereby prevent their theft.
pursu(.-d mastery in cenain Arcano!i. After a series o( uprisings,
<Aaron disbandt<l th~ guilds and dividt<l rrode among the Chains and monad~ ate actually artifacts cr~tt<llrom
discorpomted souls. It is said that those ulllortunate wraiths
l..gions according to an elaborate code. Since Charon's disap- who are eaten by the lieges ol Sl)•&i• are aczually excrered in
the form ofchains. The chains ol the Underworld art well and
pcaTllnce, these trade articles have been changt<l or ignored. truly hated by Renegades and most Lemures.
In the current economic void, barter lor services has regained
itsold importancc.11lough the guildsarc still officially illcg.il,

d1c services they oller - built around specialized Areanos -

Masksare l.n high demand. The guilds may yet make n comeback.

More than atwthing else, a guild is simply a way to teach Masks ore a fundamental element of wraith society. Not
and P'""' on the oecret knowledge inherent to certain Areanos. only are they symbols ol high station, but they hide a wrairh's
All eulld agenu are independent operatives, with no formal tru~ laee from others. Many masks are artifacts lorgt<l by Nhudri
tUpOnsibillties. Though some wraiths who excel in a given an himstll. P~sslon ol a mask by on~ not authotizt<l to w~r

. .a.e not guild members, most are. the mask is a crime punishable by discorporatlon.

Important Items life among the Dea~

Certain items have special importance amnng the dead, a

social signiOcance above and beyond the Item's purpose. rwas rhe besr of rimes and rhe wom of rimes,

Weapons and it was all of them at once.
-Alan Moore, •{Revelacion.,." Su'amp
Archaic weapons ate widely ust<l throughout the Und~r­
•-orld; modem weapons require a wraith to prime them with Thing 1137
his own CiSCnce, so gurul vehicles and explosives don't work
cheaply or well. Swords and annor, howev~r. can be craltt<l Like the human society it mirrors, the
from plasm with little effort, and have a mystique and flair Underworld has itS poliria: the esrnblish-
ment, with II$ rules, stability and com·
1.luu more utilitarian weapons lack. merce; the rebels, with their spirit and fractious vision; and
rhe faithful, whose fervor and belief inspire rhe socicl)• ro grear·

Highly ornnte and srylish weapons are prized badges of ness or drag It to tyrannicaldepths. O ld habits are Indeed hard

office nnd wealth.Some ancient weapons have passed through to break.
the Shroud after their desuuctio n, becoming relic.~ or even
This Is nor ro imply that all wrdiths belong to some soci-

anifact5. eml group; In death, as in life, most just fall betw«n the ex·

trem~ that drive the body politic. Out as the modem world

grinds forward, engendering Restless in ever·increasing num·

bers, the extremes of Srygian society affect the urban

Shadowlands of the newer wraiths.

For the !1105t pan, the society ofrhe Re&legs mlml<$ the l'!lW
influential ages of irs histo<y. Until the em of Classical Greece,
S<j-gia did not exist; other, less e,;mblished m~lmsllourishcd, crcat·
ing the foundations of the Far Shnn:s. E'-en 110\\', the models fiom
which legendaty Charon roolc.his establishment - the European
systemsofconfederation, feudalism, and mass indusrrialistn- pro-
vide an odd oontmst to modem Wesrem rhousht. Aces collide in
an increasingly overcrowded urban sprawl. Although there are still
fur fewer Restless than mortals, thousno>ds o( y<-ar.; fldd up. Many
Restless souls have p..s<.-d beyond rhc Undcoworld (to eitherTr:m·
<eendenceorOblivion), blot manyothers havestayed behind.Some
o( these wraiths are old indeed, and hold verystning-c beliefs.

Circles

Circle,; are tightly knit groups ofwr:oiths that have banded
together for mutual deferue agalrut slavers and Sp<ettes. The
circle is the fundamental unit o(Shodowlands wraith society.
In many ways, a wraith's Circle takes the place of family.

Members ofa Circle are bound together by the Haunt (or
Haunts) they all share. Most Circles have fewer man 30 mem·
hers, but seldom fewer than three or four.

Some wr•iths are not members of a Circle, either becauSt
they are the only survivors of their respective C ircles or be·
cause they never joined one in the flrst plncc. Such loners typi·
cally amount to little and quickly fall into Oblivlon.

factions

Three major political factions flght for dominance over
the Underworld. With the removal of Charon's stabilizing in·
fluence, their batde,; have grown incrc-.singly bloodj•. Addi·
tionally, each faction iJ fnK:tured lnremally by dispute.

The fucrion called the Hierarchy insists chat it represems
the authority ofCharon, now departed or.lain b1•the Malfean
Gorool. Its minions dem>nd resp<et and obedience from all
wraiths. The Hierarchy Is the most stable and reliable faction,
but also the most confining and orthodox.

The Renegades arc composed ofanorchists and Hierarchs
who broke away from the fold. While once motivated by po·
litical idealism, mosc now seck nOthing more chan perronal
gratiflcation. The Rcnegndc• arc wild and free, but can't be
trusted for anything. At ben, they nrc divided by deep philo-
sophical and political differences; numy arc thugs who care
only for themselves. They room rhe Shadowlands freely, but
must do so covertly.

The Hereticsare those wraiths whostill seck a higherstare,
whether in the F-..r Shores or elsewhere. Composed o( manr
disparate cults, they occasionally cooperate to oppose the op-
pression ofthe Hierarchy and the self.cenoered violence ofthe
Renegades. More often, they b3nle each orher. Abo,•e all elSt,
the Heretics seek converts. Unforrunately, many Heretics are
the dupes of Mnlfean Spectres or the "~>ads" of the Far Shores.

•

Intrigue

Oh children don'r ~o" wtep and moan
Children saue ~11r l>re<~rlt

Yo11'U draw a f>reuy pension

I'Cikn yo11r dMdy muu his ckarh.

-"Hard 11mes• (Traditional Ballad)

Politics and inrrigue are e"en more convoluted in the

Underworld than in the lands of the Quick. R:nher than en-
pting in all-out war with other factions, wraiths commooly
rum lO subterfuge and (>spionagc 10 combat then cncmie.a, as
...:h seeks to collect as much power and inRuence as possible
to stave of( the inevimbility ofOblivion.

llccausc wraiths with different mMters and nllcginnces $0
ofren form alliances to achieve common goals, there are nearly
al•oays several different hidden agendas withill every treaty,
negociation and mission. Betrayal and suicidal nct5 of ven·

gcancc are common.

Ihe Hierarchy

hilc nrLi!il~ and rebels m1-1y thrive on chtm:s,
the majority of people (and wraiths) pre•
fer order nnd stability. Evett nftcr death,
mnny soul£ crnvc 1:1 (umiliar routine, a sys·
tem of trade, nnd some degree of order.
They want to follow aset pnnem, llOt wall·
dcr off on their own. The world of the Hv·
ing is frightening enoush; mosr RestleM seek shelter In num·
hers when faced with the gloom and terTor ofthe Shadowlands.
The Hierarchy answers Lhcir nee-ds.

The Hierarchy is the name by which RestleM refer to the
\'ertically integrated institution of wraiths directly bound by
ooth,loyalry and submission 10Charoni Deathlords. Ito reach
extends <hroughom rhe Underworld, In fealty If not In fact.
The Hierarchy's vamls receive information, authority, re-
50UfctS and procec:tion in rctunl (or liCrvicc to the Hicnnchy,
bu1 must obey rheir S\IJleriors' orders without que$1ion.

Now the foundations of the llierorchy arc crumbling; with
Charon gooe, the system has fallen into a loose conf<xlcr•tion
of powerful Cohons and warlords, nil paying lip•servk;e ro a
loader who no longer exists. With the possing of Charon's in-

n.,.nce, ~lierorchy leaders in the Shndowhmds often make their

o.n rules, keeping up appearances in case anyone from Stygia
srops by. Though many Anncreons have pledged their fealty
in exchange for shipments of precious Stygian mc!UI und uc·
casional prot~'C.tion, rhcy can't be bothered with insigniflt~lnc
rule., and customs.

The last century has seen an increase in tensions between
dtcdistantland ofSrygia and rhe more lndcpe11dcnr Necropoli.

While rhe former suppons ~ labyrinthine network ofold souls,
titles and traditiOn$, the N«ropoli bear the stamp o(rhc mod-
ern world. Even citil!f rul..:d by overlords who ched centuries
ago have had ro change wirh rhe times.

The political structure of the Hierarchy is as con\'OiureJ
and insensible as any creation of the hvmg. The webs of in·

rrigue, ~I!ian~ ;md de~l·making are too complicated for e1·en

intimare participnnts to comprehend fully.

Deathloros

The seven Deathlords were each ~iven :o realmfrom which
to govern their Legions. T he seven realms of the ~thlords
(Fate's re~lm is rumored to lie Ol\ the Isle of Eurydice) nrc all
located within the conr.n~"> of StyMi" upon rhe Sunless Sea.
From these bases the now-mastcrless O.athlords of<en makt
war on one another.

The ~thlords combat one :onothcr in rhc Shaclowland,
as well, seeking ax many new snuls :u rhey C."\n. They ha\"t

gone so fur as to meddle in worldh•affairs, thereb1•affectiOj!

how people die and in what numbet>.

fallen Angels

Originall)', the ~thlords were appoimcJ to their posi·
tions byChHrOn. They wcr4! 1.0 serve :l!Spirirual cuides inroles
similar w elder Ferrymen. 1t i&Ironic dl\lt wmiths who wer~
originally placed in their positions of power ro aid other wrnidlS
now strive w prevent th~t very rntnsform:.rion.

All De3thlords currently strive to collect as many souls,
and thus power, as possible. The Hicror<:hy fccb that even tho.<
who think of thcu»<:lves "-'Heretics or Renegades fall und<t
their jurisdiction 3nd are therefore subjtct to their rule. Anr·
~whocaptures wraiths from outside the Hicrar<:hyand brir«>
them to the applicable DemhlorJ is well rewarded.

legions

Each Legion has ics own srylc, techniques, 3rtifucrs and
special capacities.

• The Seat ofSilence
- hdd by the Quict Lurd

-Overseer of the victims of Oesp<1ir
• TheSe"' of Golden 1cnr.
- held by the Beggar Lm<l

- Overs«r of the victims of M)'Stery

• The Seat ofThorns
- held by tl1e Emcmld Lord

-Overseer of the victims of Happen$t3nce
• The Seat of Burning Wnters
-held by the Smiling Lord

-Overseer of the vlctiniSof Violence

• The Sear of Shadows another ann in the great bureaucracy of the l liernrchy. In re·
- held by the Ashen lady cent \'C'31"5, however, some parrols ha\le grown more autono..
mous and have begun co dcmnnd increasing freedom and power.
-Overseer of the vicrims ofOld Age lnclccd, many Shndowl:md~ patrols ha\1e become virru;.1lu11.:r~
cennrles.
• The Sear of Succor
-held by the laughong lady This increas«< autonomy enrages and frustrates the
O.:.rhlords, but there is little rhcy can do. Instead, they work
- Oveneer of the victims of Madness covertly to manipulate the Circles t hrough bribery, blackmail ,
coercion and inOirmtion.
• The Seot of Dust
- held by the Skeleral LurJ Bargnests

- Oveneer of the victims of Pestilence The Deathlords tnrn certain wraiths Into bloodhounds,
or b.•rghests as the1•nre most often e~lled. Onrghests are wrnith.s
• The Seat of Fate who have been Moliatcd into monscmu_, shapes and "loboto·
- held by the ladies of Fate mitcJ" by the gr.•ftingofa spccinlly prepared mutde of Stygian
iron ro their Coopus. The wrohh wbu holds the corresponding
- Lic~c of thel-lnnds of Fate "whistle" for a bnocc of bar~hens controls their actions.
Boughests are animnhsric and feral, but have extremely keen
Deathmarks senses.

Long :.ago, the Fern•men no(ed [hrtt most wraiths were Braces of harghesrs search the Shadmvlunds for wrniths
adomed with peculiar mark> that could be perceived only by (or other beings) who bear significant nmounr. of Oblivion
thole with the ArcanosofFntalism. These =rkscoold bcdas· taint. When barl(hests catch the scent of a minted being, ther
!IRed on the hasis of the patterns they made upon the Corpus. emit a terrible, gleeful bayins. Cerrnin scll>itive mortals can
Those who could discern the marks srnted thar they resembled even hear this baying throu~th the shroud rhat separates the
birthmarks scell on the livin~, although they varied much more Shadnwlands from the Skinhmds.
In color and rcxturc: some were seemingly carved Into the
wroith's Corpus, while others were sharply raised like scars. ~anks of tne legion

Eventually the Ferrymen nowd a connection berwccn the legionnaire
t)'peofperson rhc wraith had been while alive and the pnnern
tithe marks. Experimcntir1g, they noted that the marks re· Legionnaire ,. the lowest mnk. and rhc >tartillg point for
Oect<-d the way the person had kd her life while among the every rncrnber of che HierMchy. Legionn:1ires do not u::tuall~'
living, and thus showed what her illdividual path to Tmnscell· have regular duties, but :ue smmnuncd tO o Citadel and ;.~s·
dence enrniled. si~ned dutiM as nccdc.J. Successfu l completion of such duties
is the unly way t·o rise in r:mk. L~.:gionnaires are encour.1){\.-d to
Prior to the great Evacuation, when Charon banished the recrun new members, and m;"tny usc their Circles to helpcmry
Heretics to the r-ar Shores, the Hierarchy utilized dearhmarlr.s ouc[heir rnission,"'. Putruls ru·c formed primari lyuf Legionnaires.
~sa means of imerpreting which group of Shining Ones the
wroith should join in her efforts to pursue Transce11de11te. In Centurion
roo:nt times, the Hierarchy has all but Ignored dearhrn•rks,
p:eferring ro classify souls on the basis of how they died rather Cenwrinns arc the leaders of Hiernrchy patrols. Cennori·
dun how they lived. ons have a great de::1l of power over th0$e they mccl. Th~ir
positions arc constantly challenged by those beneath rhem,
Ever si11ce the Heretic$ were banished from Sryciu, the
Hierarchy ha. begun visibly brnnding wr•iths ill ways that re· how~ver, and C'.c:nturions must rise in rnnk 4uicldy or risk be·
stmble deathmarks, in apparent mockery of the way in which
ing cast aside.
they used to classify souls. Because they now divide souls bas<--d

on how the pcrs011 died, they use this method of brnnding ro
mark souls as rhe property ofone Deathlord or another. Those
whowi.sh todemonstrate their loyalty to the Hierarchy Moliatc
themselves in elaborate panems ro proclaim their obedience
to their Lord or lady.

ratrols Marsnal

Many Lemure Circles in the Hiemrchy are formed into The next most powerful mnlc is that of Mar>hal. Marshals
louse unils of multiralenced wraiths; these units. known m:; pa~ are plucc.J in charge of a cermln >uca around a C itadel. Often
trois. are the backbone of the legions. Once they were merely based out ofa <muller Haunt, a Morshal omoy haven number of
patrols under her aurhoriry. Appointed by the Anacrcon of

the Ciradel, M~rshals are somewhat more secure in their posi-

justice Systemtions rhan are the Ccnturion.5..

~egent ll1c H1crarchy has its own S)~tem of law•. The laws pro-

A Regem rules u number o( the perimeter llaunls around recr as well as punish, and the majoriry of the Restless quieti)•
a Citadel and i$ ba-red in on~ of them. Mon: uf a senior M~r·
,,,,) rhan anything else, a Rcgcnr organite4 and coordinate> obey the dicmtc• uf the Dcorhlords without incident.
rhe activities of the Legions in th31 area.
ll10sc whn dn violate the laws may be called to stand trial
Overlord
hcfore a Hierarch)• maginmtc. In rheory, It is possible to ap-
Overlords arc bas<<! directly out of their Citadel and arc peal a judgment to a "higher" magistrate. ahhou)(h this 1s nor·
the personal :wosrants of the Anacreon. Overlords are respon· mally o nly pcrmirted to wroiths with ~(_nne degree o( status
>ible for many of the strategic <kcision.<f..ced by their Legion. wirhin the Hlcrnrch~'· In :.omc cases, a judgment may be :li>'

pealed to the Iland of Fllrc, on which cnse the Hierarchy :.1·
most alw"l" accepts th~ ahemmive judgmcnr. This nonrollr
on)~, happens in cases where chc juri.sdicrion of a case does not
clearly fall to one or anorhcr Deothlord, ahhou~h certain cnJa

have proved ro he exc~ptions.

The high«t rank in the Shadowlands i5 rhat ofAnacreon. Crime and funishment

F..1ch Anacreon is the leader ofa Legion in a Citadel. A coun· justice 1Smered out in the ShadowlamJ. jusr as ir is in tilt
cil of seven An;~creons governs each Citadel. The Anacreon hmcfs of the living. l lowcvcr, bL"cause it is virt~lillly impossible
to kill a wroith pcnnanenrly, "nd exiling someone to the Tern·
uppoims all lesser ranks in her Legion. Anacreons receive ur- pest only strcncthens Oblivion, executions ofany sort are slm·
rlfacts and coins dire-ctly from Sry~la in exchange for the Thrdlls pl1•n01 proctical. Some of the more common methods of pun·
rhey send there, and personally dispense Styg1a's boonry to ishmenr are described bclmv:

rhosc under their command.

• Enslavement -The most conunon Corm of pun~ T'was hard the woeful <oords to frame
isluncnt is ensl:wemenc of rhe offending wraidl. Ch::.ins are To break tile ties that bo~tn'd us
placed around the offender, effectively making her the Thrall
ol another wrnith. Rut harder still to bear ch.e shame

• Torture - Farsurrmssing anything imagined in chc Offoreign chains around us
living lands, wroithly rorture is designed to mark the offender.
While wraid>s easily heal most ordinary wounds, marks inflicted And so I said the mountain glen
by<levice..~ofScygian mcral are infinicely more painful and arc
extremely difficult to heal. Ofcourse, b«:l.use wraiths arccrea· I'll meet at moming early
turcsofspirit, the 1nost lasting pain involves mental anguish .. .
And !'II join che bold united men
• Imrrisonment- Ofrcn rhc Hierarchy incmcemtes
\'VJ.ile soft winds slwke the barley.
criminols in Shadowlands reflections of prisons used by mor·
mls, with reinforced walls and bars made of Stygian metal. - "The Wind chat Shakes che lli•rley" (trAditional)

• Branding - Bnmding is H \VHY to nlilrk criminals, Renegades are those who oppose, deny or rebel against
thereby both ostracizing the criminal tlnd deterring others from the Hierarchy and cvcrythi ng it stands for. Not surprisingly,
committing chc same crimes. Serious criminals at·e btandcd the\' arc consnmtly hunred by the Hierarch~·· Over the years,
upon rheir foreheads. however. Rcnegndcs have carved out their own niche in the
Shadowlands.
• Discorporotion - Ccrroin criminals arc taken to
Stygia and hurled into the Artificers' forges, where they are The cerm "Renegade" is a generdl one, loo.:.;cly cncomP'dss~
Stnclccd into goods. ing oil who act against the Hierarchy. There are nearly as m~ny
Renegade ideologies as the•··e are Renegades. Indeed, the very
ant.ia;u:horirmi:m narurc of Renegades makes cooperation
within their ronks difftcult a11d sporadic. Renegades act alone
oa· in small ,:_13ngs, and fight each other as often and viciousl~·
as rhcy clo rhc Hicr.uchy.

In general, Renecades leod a ptrilous exiSlenct. They of. A wraith is initintcd into the sacred mys1crics of hi.s cho·
ren fall prey to Spectres and other Tempest beastS. Rcnc~Jades sen faicl1after proving hlmrelf in some way. In return. the wrnith
must remain mobile, and thus most Renegade Haunts tend to is expected to serve the cult foithfulh•. Service lllll)* mciln per·
be ;horr.tcml hidcours. O nly a few secret Haunts have lasted forming strange missions, c~apturing Thralls, as~tsslnatlng en·
fnr ""l' length of tilne, and the locations of the-se safe havens c.-nics, or recruiting mhcrs. Oond service is re\Vt~rdcd with in..
me known only to the mosL Lm:ncd member$of each f:1ctlon. cre::~.sing: SGltuS ~md power.

Until the lasr few years, rhe Hierarchy dealt effectively Some Heretics lo.c their foith and end up lc:wong rheir
cultS. Mony arc recruit•"<~ mtn orher cults. Others attempt to
with most active thre\tts to It by the Renegades. However, rc· stan rheir own radical fringe cults so they can acquire JlO"'tt
for themseh•es. Many cx·nwmbel'$ simply depart ro orhe1
cent internecine Hierarchy conOlcr.s :md Spectre incursions Necropoli. though most exist in consmnt fear ofhemg hunred
h:ove occupie-d the Dcmhlord•' attemion, prompting a re.ult· down by the Hierarchy's ''"Shtsr racks.

me incr"""' in Renegode tenorism. Outsiders

Many Renegades have infiltrated the Hierarchy, U$ing a
facade of respectabil ity to cover :ocrs of subversion and sabo·
l:II(C. Indeed, large numhcrs of Renegades have joined the
Stygian Legions, and walt only for the signal to strike...

Heretics

uain tach rhmu IJT supplkaring prayer; ferrymen

He drives rhern exile$ from their blest obod<, hat bo.>ck'ninggloosr, alonR 1hc •noo11IW>r slotW

To room a dreary wurld in cktf> despair- hwites m)' su.!IJ, and fx>inu w yonder gladll
Nu frien<l, no home, no refuge. bur rheirGod. -Alexander Pope, "Elc~y"

- l..ord Byron. "Elew on Ncw>tc>Kl Ah· The Pcrryn'lcn a1·c the truvclcrlt u( tht
bey" spirituul seas, the pathfinders rhmugh rhe
Many wraith:; have founded rhcirown groups based nround
common belie~ ~nd the ~~rch for Transcendence. Calle-d Tcm(l<'st, the wardens of the Byways, and
"Heretics" by the 1-lierarcll)'• these wmiths follow faiths dedi· In some "'11\'S the spiritual Kuiue> to all in
cared to some higher odc:ol, fnrce <>< pl...:e. Many Heretics will the Underworld. For aeon> their sdf-appoinred durr has b<tn
go ro exneme lengths to galn new converts for their cuh~ us· to l(uidc those ""''" who were re:>dy to cross the chnRffi)US
ing their powers to ptrform "miracles" and promiSing lirhulous exp:mse of the TemptS( and arrive at rheir ju.r tlcsrin:uion. h
rewnrds.
is not easy to obtain tl Ferryman's aid, bm once one :tccrpt.u
The only thong the majority of Heretic cults shai'C in com· wraith as a tmvclcr, he wdl pmrect his charge at all costs.
rnon is a deep-seated antipathy (o r one another, (or they all
compete (or souls, buth living :md de~d. However, In their The Ferrymen divorce themselves from the penyconOicrs
cnllccrive persecution, they h\\vc learned co work toJ(cthcr. Tl\c o( otherspirits. They Clllhtouu ly'ravel hctwecn rhe Necropoli,
Deathlords are greedy. and arc content with nothing Ius than journeying from rc~1lm ro re::~lm, never ce3sing their cnclle.ss
ollthe souls in existence. In order tO comoot them. the ller· rrnvels. Not even the Hicmrchydisturbs the Ferrynrcll in 1hdr
cries have no choke btu tO c~rme. sel(..appointed duties., (or their assi:.tancc is ofrcn vnal to n.1VI·
f(lltc and mainlain the Byways thmush the TemptS(.
problems ror the kierarchy
FerT)men do not ~[ways take what the traveler woulJ con·
1l1e Hier:uchy's problems with Heretics continue 10 grow sider to be the most direct rourc. Still, in 1he Sh:odowland<,
as more and mnre Lemures put their faith in these cults. S uch
wr:1iths ~rc often conccmptuous or even hostile to rhc Hlcmr· where uncertainty is everywhere and truth is mre, Ferrymtn
chy. rul'thcrmorc, iL is whi:;pcrccl rhat some Within the Hlcror, have an ex<rcmely high repumion for honesty and honor.
chy arc sccrcdy Hercri" themselves.
There is \\lw~ys o price for rhcir assistance: ofl~:n a 1ask or
The Hierarchy mainrahu oform sn>nd against heresy, <t<1Jn(>' :t promise, sometimes fl relic. Those who brc;1k 1hd r promise
ing it out ruthlessly. However, mo<it Hoerarch leadc~ havt ntl·
1hcr the m;oun:es oor the inclination to implement the policy ton Ferryman ;trc mnrkcd :mel will never 3g3in be osslstcd by
full)'· Most igno<c nll but the nlOSt blatant a«ronr.s to the Hocrnr·
ch)•. preferrin~: tu koc1>the peace and nor squander theirSll'Cngth. ano rhcr Ferrym::~n.
1l1cy believe 1he real cm•my ro he the Renegades.
Ferrymen are fcnrsome wnrriOl'$, for they musr be able rode·
\l'rah~ jilt~ion fend themsckcs frum the crc:uures rl rhe TempeM that Inc-.
ingly infest the &,""'!"- The Ferrymen are respoRSible for on.1in·
raining the roodsand paths leading from the Shado\\·hond...u•Sr)l:"
nnd the Far Shon.-s. W11h 1hc ride.< ofOblivion at the OoodSQgt,

•

these roods and p~~dtS arc threatened by r.cnds, monsters, and Though much fearful legend exists concerning the Spectres,
Maelstroms, ~nd everyone values the Ferrymen for rheir•hiliry ro rhey aren't quite so insane as other wraiths tltink, and possess the
find their way through the Tempest without ham1. rudiments ofa sociery. Moreover, many sriII have Ferrers, which
allow them to enter the Shadowlands at any time.
It is said that Lhc Fcrr)111'\Cn seck co guide wraiths toward
Tr:.mscendence. serving as Menrors m rhose who prove wor.. There are various species ofSpectres. Some arc listed and
thy of their aid. Still, most wrait hs' only contact with thes~ brief!y described below.
cnig1natic guides is in their roles as pad,finders and guides
through rhe Tcmpesr. • Shades
Shades a rc monstrous, twisted, cra~cd creAtures of
~pectres Oblivion. The Corpus of a Shade is generally murared beyond
human ken. Their presence is considered an abomination b~'
Man.,~ wr.\iths succumb to tempmtion 3nd allow their Shad· all "civilized" wraiths.
ows tocoalSumc d'lcirsouls. T hese wraiths, known. asSpeccre,s, are
able 10 cxisr in the Tcmpcsr without being discorponncd. They • Malfe.1ns
not only Sllrvive the chaos, but prosper frotn it. Specu'Cs have Ma1feans are Spectres who have ach ieved incr~ible power
full1•accepted their Shadows and exist only in that mode. Need- omd might by consuming lesser beinhrs· They arc lhe rulers of
less rn say, rhcy arc exrmnrdimuily dangerous. the Tempest, and "re to be feared. Differenr Malfcans rend to
dominate various regions of [he Tempest, shaping it to their
Most wraiths know Spectres MshadOW)1, monstrous cnti~ whims. \Voc co the wrnith who has one of these fearful crca..
tics, possessing tcnible cunning and ferocious power, who pe.. tures enter h is H:.urowing!
rindically emerge frum the depths of the Tempest. They arc
why so mony fcor to travel the Byways of the Tempest. Some Malfeans have even deluded Heretic cults into wor·
shipping [hem as gods. These Malfcans arc particularll' dan~
S1>ecrres a1·e able co cotnmunic.atc empathically with the serous. for they h ave minio ns a nd emissa ries in t he
Shadows of wraiths, ~:md sometimes directly speak m them. Shadowlands.
TI\ey ofrcn seem to know everything about a wraith - every
weakness, every Feuer. Some Spectres are even able tO evoke More infonnmio11 about Spectres is included in the Appendix
nwraith's Shadow and usc its inOucncc to weaken their prey. (pp. 231-233).



ree:

I once dream£ I was u:lli114: sroria a..O fdc someone pauing my
fool in tllCOuragemrnt. llooktd down and saw ahacl«oas sur..Orng
un che shnuk/crs of an old woman whu rvat sre<ldyingmy ankles and
smiling up m me.

I said co her, "No, no. come sur..O on mJ shoulders, for you
are nld a..O I am )'Oilng."

"No, no, "site insisted, "This is che tuay it iS>uiiiiOsed w be."
I saw cl1<1t shestood on rhe shorMers ofa u1onwn far older than she,
who stood on rhe shoulders ofa ""'""'" •...,. older...

-Ciariss.l Pinkola Esti!s, \Vomen \'(!Ito Run wich che \\'/ul<o•s

Do you n.:mcmbcr swapping tnles When we press our faces to this ghos1 ly mirror, the reflec-
around ~~ c~unpOrc or ~t a party, trying to tion we see Is still oor own. It's disrortoo, perhaps, but recog·
nimble. The Storyteller's job Is to hold that mirror before rhe
tell the scariest ghost story! Deep inside us playcn and give chem a long, scary look.

all lurks che urge 10 weave :r tale that can If you're new to storytelling games, pbying or running a
score our friends- :rnd ourselves - half game may see1n awkward at first. We have become used to

todc:rth. The urge to fascinnte is as deeply having our entertainment provided for us in nice, nc:tt p3c.k~
agco. Wraith requires you to be your own enterroiner and to
imbtdd«< as the u!J:C to tcllsrories, and no rake an active h:rml in group storytelling. This chapter pre·
subject is more fascimllinR than a ~Hmpse :lt our own mortal~ scnts jtuidclinco, thoughts, hints and techniques for mnning
yourown Wraith game. Pla)'Ct'$ and Storytellers alike will profit
hy. by reading it; the quality of :my Wraith tale depends as much

Wrnith is a storytelling game that allows us ro create oor upon the players' r:rlents as those of the Storyteller.

own ghost stories, stories in which we rlay the ghosts. Wroichs

- :md, by cx1cnsion, the tr.'me - ftfC metaphors for oursclve~.
Oy scttin~: ourselves Inside the World of Dnrkness for an

c-..·cning, we can look into a (unhmw: mirror thru reflects the
cbrlt«t aspc<:IS of our world. The scories to be foond here are
macabre indcccl, but In the end, they arc jusr rales - ghost

mlcs, if you will.

t's llOI <he Ulk; it's~ u<lto «lis it.

- Peter Srmub, Cho<1 Srory

Most stories arc passive. One talc-

teller sddrcsscii an audience, which listens
or watch« for as long as it finds the pre-

stnunioJ' emcrtaining. Movies, TV, live

theater und even books arc examples of
rhi.s: a story isconceived, crcared :md glven to irs ~udience for
their amusement.

Storytelling ganu.:s like Wr.•ith, however, are different.
Here, rhe uaudience'' panicip..1te4 whh the Storyteller to ere·
.,.a story from their collective imaginations. Each player takes
a part and influences the fi~tal shapc of the story. Sroryrelling
games are acnve enrenammenr, inrei"3Cdvt and original. as
op~ to p3$$i\'t. The synergy inherent to play produces a
story grearcr than anything a single Storyteller could create.

Players create rhe story's chamcters, but the Storyteller
creates the world. This is a challenging job. Guiding a group
of players through a collaborative myth can be an imimidat·
ingand occasionally frustrating endeavor. Fleshing our a world,
creating and playing a host of secondary characters, arbirrat·
ing rules and craftin~ sccnurios cnn be tli(ficult tasks. None·
thclcss, [he chance to make n clrc:1m come :11ive is well \VOnh
the trouble. While the other players carve their niches in the
world, you give then\ the world itself.

Wraith has a number of elemems to help the beginning
Storyteller find her voice: a sample chronicle (given in the
Appendix), a detailed 5ellinR chapter th:tt outlines the funda-

I mental differences between our reality and the world ofWraith,
a S)'stem of rules designed for simplicity and elegance - and
this chapter. This chapter outlines the techniques of cff<-cti,·e
storyrelling, provides some bnefrule·related hints, and discusses
storytelling elements peculiar to the world of Wmith.

• While the suggestions given in this chapter will help the

Storyteller juggle her various roles, bear in mind that Wraith

I is, forst and foremost, a game. It can be scary. enlightening,
thrilling, heart~rcnclinf( or exhi larating, but if it isn't enjoy·
able, it isn't worth pl}tying. The Orst rule is co have fun- be
fair, be creative and rake chances. The second rule, however,
is to remember that [hC' talc is Lhc thin,g: bogging agame down
in arguments and needles.~ complic:'ltion robs it o( its magic.
You and your players should enjoy telling ghost stories together.
l( the game is aggravating, boring or frustrdting, why bother!
Story comes firs.t; rules come second.

In fact, the third rule is that there are no rules - only
guidelines. Enjoy!

&ltertainment you should avoid breaking the rules on • ,..,gular bitsis. While
throwing an occasional wrench imo the works is appropriate
Jr's a lor f,J,~ bfe, and rhar's u:har's appealing for Wmith, changing rhe rules roo fn,quently without good
reason simply undermine. the stability of the world rou arc
If:fOl• despise rlvtrrhroooo""Y feeling fr<ym JUposnlk fun, rrymg to create. You may decide to change the rules perma·
Tltm rllit it r'"' one. nently in some way, bur everyone should know when the rules
have been changed.
-Depeche Mode, "Master and Servant"
Though n Storyteller will have many motiv~tions, her It is important that you develop the style of storytell ing
ovcrridin~; ~;oal shoulu be to cmcrtain her players. Came time that best suits you and decide what you nc'<-d tO do to make it
is an investment of 30rts - you and your players could be wot·k. Do you like to try to structure things as much ,., poS·
watching n movie,going on a date, playing softbitll or just h:m&· sible, following the rules and creating a clear, consistent world
ing our.. By spending time on your game, your players are mttk~
ing an investment. Their ~ood Iilith and your work and skill for your ch~m. .tcter$; or do you prcCcr to win): it, rnrch' consul[..
will hopefully pny off for all of you. After all the hard work
char goes inrn pref"lling a game, nothing is more satisfying ing rules or charncrer shefrs?
than watching your plarer& h.-•e a genuinely good time. 111e Your style will most likely fall somewhere between these
pleasure of a job well done is rour reward.
two ext,..,mes; this is entirely up to rou. h is nearly impossible
Sroryrelling i• u chance to show off, an opportunity tO to guess your sryle of storytelling before )'Oll actually begin to
display )'Our ""'"riviry ro your friends, and a way to have them play; styles arc developed through trial and error. Only experi·
share in a common experience. Sometimes, however, rhe de· ence will tell whar works best for you. Leave rourself room to
sire to showboat or to please one's friends grows too strong. move, bot be consistent.
You can go tOO fnr to plc:ue your players, w"drcring down the
game just to make them feel lmportanr, or, conversely, lord Elements ofWraith
)'01.11 position over them. Either technique can lead tOprob·
lems. e're so engaged in doir!R chinStSco achieve pur,
poses of0111er value rhnr we forg« rluu rite in·
When everything proceeds correctly, your players will ncr t,l(lllle, rhe mJ>rure rhm is nssocinr<JI tuirh
guide du:ir charnctcrs lhro ugh a richly woven srory to even.. being alive, is wl111r it's all abo11r.
tual succe$. Advc~ily and sctbitcks abound, especially for the
Rcslless, bur the chnmcters should succeed at wme of their -Joseph Campbell, Tltc l'ou,o/Myrlt
planned goals, even in ll1e face of tragedy and fear. Balnncing
a chronicle's problems and perils with the players' abilities and Wraiths are both heroes and anrihe·
desires takes pmctice, but the moreseamlessly you bitlance these roes: while the stereotypical hero embod·
elements, the more exciting and powerful your stories will be· ies virtue, cour:~ge and hope, wraiths are ofren domina".cJ by
comt. (;reed, cowardice and despair. The existences of many wrauhs
are ruled bl' ll"'ed for souls, fear of Oblivion and the desire for
Using the ~ules Tr:~nscendence. Many among the Resrless, however, resemble
her01:s in the classic sense; like a hero of myth, the wandering
The Storyteller rules system is designed to elevate drama soul nands our from rhe common mass, descends (liter:~lly)
and action nvcr dice ond chartS. As a Storyteller, you should into the Underworld, faces and combars rhc dark side of her·
bc:~r simplicity in mind. Trying to create a set of rules to cover self, and hopefully comes away better for the trial. Dreary
every contingency and possibility would be a thankless and "fterlivcs are for Drones and Thrnlls;a Wn1ith chnrncter looks
unrewardilllt task (not to melltion an impossible one); trying death in the face and laughs.
to mn a game while holding rour place in halfa doren differ·
cnt rulebooks is difficult <lt bcsr. A rmmi>cr of elements must be juggled wlrhin :t game of
Wraith; rmmy themes and ideas nrc ur)ique to mles hwolving
Accordinuly, Storyteller flexibility and judgment are ion· the Restless. Horror, terror and romance require special han·
porranr; as Storyteller, you must be the final interpreter of the clling to i>c effective in a game. Atmosphe,.., and suspension of
rules and must decide in a prnctical way how those rules apply disbelief :tre all-important tools. Without these elements,
in her s:ame. P.aimess and consistency are cntcial. You musr Wmith becomes just anothergame- fun, but ultimately shal·
act tmpaniolly and n.•JSOI'Iably for eVC'f)'One involved if )'OU're low.
going tO wield thor power.
Theme
You will sometimes be obliged to invent new rulell, or even
bre1k old ones. Twi:.ting or breaking rules is often necessary to A unifying theme or colltcrlon of themes is centr•l to
tell the best story. To maintain your players' trust, however, otorytelling games. Wrdith has many themes - alienation,
terror, tr:lnscendence and defiance :tre but a few. Themes fo·

cus the attentiOt\ of both the players and the Storyteller to-
wnrd a shared vision, rumin.g n simple exercise in inrrigue or

mayhem into a &tory with resonance and meanm~.

A theme is a unifying idea or concept behind nstory. One
tale can have many rhemes, while an extend~-d chronicle c.1n
have a single underlying idea. A chronicle about tracking a
serial killer may cover a lot o(ground through different stories.
E.1Ch of mese stories will have 3 central meme; ooe mar cen·
ter around a mother-daught<:r conflict, while the ntxt con·
ccnmnes on recurring nightmare$. The themes o( the SLorics
within the chronicle will vary, but vengeance, the central
theme behind rhe scenario, colors the chronicle :\5 a whole.

The memes below mere!yscrntch the &~rfu<e ofthe g'dmC.
This list is by no means complete; you will, withtn rour own
games, creare gretlter n.nd more varied rhemes th:m \\'e could
li<t.

• Isolation - Many among the Restlcso exist M bitter
exiles from a hfe they never lived to begin wuh. ~m has
forced them to learn about life, and now it's roo late to go
back. While a wraith may Embody or Skinride for a short rime,
she is trapped between the Oblivion she fears and the life she
can no longer enjoy. Many ghom become brurolly materialis-
tic, hoarding and enslaving th eir own l:ind to compensate for
me things mey can no longer touch. omers )liSt ~it and watch
3$ rhe living world goes by withour rhem.

Wraith players will probably tnkc a more active role in
meir afterlives than many ghosts do. They "''"t defy the lone·
liness felt when noming can be rmsted and everything seems
co die before meir eyes. Characters must fight to overcome
their isolation and make a difference. bolh in their world and
the world of morroIs.

• Fear - What could be a more Mtural theme for a ghost
story than fear! The living have traditionally oc-en afraid of
restless spirits. Why! Is misan uncertain fascmation wim deam
itself, or the dread that those spirits may be angry with us for
living when they do nod What fear. then, drives " chosd The
fear of deach is gone, but terror rc1nains. Why!

Most wrnims exist in fear - fear of each other, fear of
loneliness, and, worsr of all, fear of annihilation, of the de·
struetion of their identiry. Obli••ion and Transcendence are
two halves of the snmc coin: e ither one may mean rhe dissolu·
tlon of the wraith's perwnality. Torment, to many modem
people, is preferable to obliteration. Some pe<>ple would ramer
bum in Hell forever man leave their identity behind.

• Inner Conflict - The wraith's worst foe is her Shadow,
the epitome ofeverything she suppresses, hates and fears about
herself. When you're dead, there's nowhere to hide from that

aspect ofyourself.I usr a< ghosts are trapped outside c>l'life, they

are, in many ways, trapped inside their own heads. Will me
wraith &~ccumb co the temptation• of rhe Shadow or hold (.,t
to her beliefs!

• Defiance - A defiant attitude is ofren useful in the
world of me dead. With w rnany soul$ w-rapped up in mdr

own misery or in ch(tins held by orhers, e;.1ch wrdith must ci·

ther cake control of his own destiny or fall into slavery. Wraiths
continu~ to ~xi~t in <Miancc of death it$elf; ffiO$t .;h~r~<;ter$
will wt"~nt to rebel ::.gainsr rhe rigid systems and soul·slavery o(
the Underworld as well, pursuing their own goals in the after·
life.

• Triumph- Eventual rriumph over death, despair and
the Shadow offers a long-term goo! to Wraith players. Defeat·
ing ~•gcnrs of the Hicnucl\y or Renegades~ besting Spectres or
killing your murderer all qualify as small triumphs. Larger tri·
umphs include finding Tmnscendence by coming to terms with
yourself. batding your inner Shadow and winning, and refus,.
ing to succumb to despair despite the pain that the afterlife
may bring.

Suspension of Dis~elief

The Restless, by their very nature, raise cermin questions

'"'d require careful handling. Suspension ofdisbelief, the prime

elemen( of any swry, is especially important in a Wrcaith game.
If your ghosts seem ridiculous or inconsistent, your game will
suffer for iL

Setting a believable scene is essential; if you can get your
players to accept the reality of the Underworld, the odd fen·

n1rcs composing it arc easy to swallow. Consistent internal logic
i$ virol to believabilitYi all rhings should work the same way
all the time unless there is a compelling reason (like the warped
reality of the Tcmp<.>st) why they do not.

Establish a reali ty to suspend your players' disbelief. Con-
sistency excuses a multitude of sins.

jragedy

I acr rhe role in classic sryle ofa martyr
Cc1rved wit/a c~ twisted sntilc,

To bleed rhe lyric for rhis song

To write the rites co right my wrongs

An eJ>iwph ro u brolu:n dream
To exorcise this silent sCTeam

A scream that's borne from sorrow.
- Marillion, "Script for a jester's Tear"

Although the point of most roleplaying g-•mc-. is to be
heroic and triumph against overwhelming odds, occasionally
yot,~ may wish to tell a very dramatic and, from a storytelling
standpoint, satisfyingly tragic story. Tragedy is often handled
poorly, but this is because many people think that it is simply
a story Hboutsad circumstances. This is not true. A tragic story
is 3bom t'l char<tcter with adeep c harac[er flaw who, because of
this flaw, makes one critical mistake and then. :.tt some point
(usm11ly when it is too late), rcalhes what tl'l.at mistake is and
whyhe 1nade ir. He then changes and, for better or worse, goes
on to meet h is fate. l-Ie faces his fate with dignity, courage and
strength, and in the end, we admire and empathize with him.

To tell a good trt1J.(ctly, you mu$t \mdersrand it in the literary
sense, not the colloquial sense.

A rrngic srory con be just as bc:IUriful an<los uplifting as a
hemic one. Even if l"u don'r rell a rragic srory. you can add
elemcms of tr.tgt.--dy in your main stor~': regret, Ins~. f"r:-.1flaws
und missed chances ore the meat unci drink of o good Wraith

srory.

Horror an~ Terror

Though the nnmcs :~rc often t•~ed inrerc.hangcabl~·, horror
and tenor arediffcrcm cmorions. Each has its place in Wrairh.

• Terror- Terror isrhe intcllccru:~l idea that something
1.5 wrong and it•s goinsc 10 gcr wone. Most terroroperates wilhin
the boundaries of whar an observer will accept; it ig:m oppre·
hcnsi\m rhal h~1s bc~un to take on sub11mnce. When nshadow
em rhc w:.ll seems nOLtluitc right, nch:1mcrer (ora player) can
feel terror.

Terror implie5that all is nor yet lost. While a roller-<oaster

·n,cride evokes thrills of rerror, there "sr illo safe ronc. e:~usc

of rcrror neecl m>l be :m overr threat of ph\'Sic"l violence. h's
much murc subclc thon horroa·, nnd can be far more et'feccive.

TI1c anticipation Or ureacl of some di~-.sler is ofren !\\Ore com·

pel!ins: than the di>:ISt<r •rsclf.

• Horror - Horror is the nlmoM physical revulsion that
come~ when s.:l(C boundHrics h;IVc hccn shattered. Squc-umish

people moy be horrified by the sight of blood; ' ""nger minds

and :.tomachs mighr ~ive way under truly repulsive acts or un..
rhinkable re"elations.

Violation is the key to horror- physicul violnnon (as-
saul t, mutilaLiun unci rnw grossing--out), mcutul viol:nion
(thin~ts """must not and should noLbe) and emorional viola-
tion (ulter betrayal 0( ooor\donmcnt) all overstep the bound-
~ries that player.. or ch:tracrers have ser. Storyrellers musr rake
care when aimmg ro horrify a player rather than :1 chamcrer.
Horrnr is only ~n[ertnining when ir'" consensu3l (sec \\'lllcn to
Sro/J. below). I( terror is a roller-coaster ride, horror i• what
hapiJCIIS when rhe car jumps its tracks and falls...

~omance

The ctL')' arrt~imnenr of lo~~e makes it of liule value: tlif{iCI<Ity
ofauaimnent makes it pritcd.

- Andrea:. Capellanus, Tilt Arr ofCormly Lot..

h is all roo e:tsy to dismiss romnncc as an option for

:r,wryrclling. Ma1w people view mm:mcc as cheesy or sappy.

SriII, Wraith provides a wealrh of romantic possibilities: if you
d() !lot explore ar least some of them, you will be sell ing your-
>df (and rour stories) shon.

T,,ke hearr. Mnny people prefer romance when ir is pre-
sented :r,ubLly rmhcr 1h;:m ovenly. Don'L rush a romantic plotline
0 11 your ch:u. acccrs - it will (eel rorC(.-d, and one thin~ that
rnm:'tncc should never be is forced.

•

When n.mning romance, ir is bat to undersrand what
moti\<t~tes the characters and ny to create Storyteller charac-
ters tailored to their desires. Be sensitive to the players' wishes.

jusr bec~mse :1 charac£er lo,•ed someone in Iifc does not mean
thnt the feelings remain in death. You should explore how the
character feels nbout his Coroner loved ones. Show the wraith

howa loved one is affected by dearh. Be paticnr- no marter

how much you may like romance, you may never be able to
interest your players in it unless you can be patient with them.

If the player i$ amenable, you can play wonderfully ro-
mantic stories involving longing across the chasm ofdeath, of
a living lover essentially willing herself to die for her lost love,
of the pain stemming from a fallen love nnd how rhe lover
who is lefr behi nd remembers his fonncr love. You can also
move these swries beyond the traditional to11Ric Rhostly love

story by giving rhc lovers dtne m be [O(;CI'hcr rhrough (X>WCl'S

like Phonmsm and Embody.

Even more bo;,Jutiful are two who fall in love after death.
The mhcrently tragic nature of their love ndds ro rhc story:
will Oblivion erode the love they have woven from darkness!
()(ten, romance and tragedy combine tO produce stories of

unsurp.,sse<J beaury and P3in.

Knowing When to Stop

A funny rhing happens when people tell stories mgcthcr.
They rake dsks. let themselves go, and evoke nspecrs of them·
sclvc> that they suppress in daily life.TI,iscan, in moderation,
be a great thong. Everyone needs a release. SUI mking risks in a
!OCial siroatlon leav.s many people feeling exposed. Player$
can take offen.e and become discurbed by imaginary things.
Roleplayong •• carharric; rhar is to say, it brint,'S up and purges
deep feelings and impulses. Catharsis is healthy. but le.wes that
person fcdinu more vulnerable than usual. 11'is is especially
m.1e when dealing with horror and fear. IL's fun tO walk along
thor tightrope. Falling can be another thing entirely.

Gaminu is n wonclel'ful way of facing fear and frustration
he:1<l·on. Through our characters, we cun live vicariously, ex~
aminlng things we fear to touch and performing deeds we
wouldn't dare auempt in real life. Somctimts, though, the line
between f:mtru;y :1nd fear blurs, and a good Storyteller knows
~·hen that line Is fading

Chronicle

chronicle i!i a !icdcs of interconnected stop as n whole. A strongly construCted chronicle can help players sus·
rles with commonch:,mcrers and acentr:ll
idea. lf a story is a chapter in a book, than pend disbelief by providing a vivid sellitlg for their imaginations. A
the chronicle is the book itself. good chronicle i.l memorable, enjoyable and meaningful. By setting
)'OUt ste<ics inside a wocld, )'OU and )wr pl>)'trs create mythology.
Individual 6loriesare00.'100."11' impon:am
to a storytelling game, but the chronicle pro·
vidcs a backdrop and foundntion to the tales

Creating aChronicle Most charactereroul"will rc,•olvearound tl1<:irCircle; pial'<~'

Begin br•insmronin~ for yO\or chronicle long before your characters tend to find safety in numbers, and rh,. Is doubly true
players create their chnmcrers. l11c sharper your ide"• and in Wraith. Your players m.1y be united by 3 common cause of
ovemll concept from the outser, rhe hener everything else will death, a single Fetteroracompelling pui'Jl05".1llis unifyin~ rhrcad
work Inter. I! can be rime-consuming to create n Wraith will give all of you n springboard frnm which ro launch your
chronicle, bur rhe work you do ot the beginning will I"'Y off chronicle. Establishing rhe nnrure ofthe Circle ahead of time will
throughout future play >CSSions. save you a lot of trouble In the long run.

laying the groundwork Is o good place to start. Establish Get involved in charnctcr creation; relling yO\or pl~yers
l"'"' serring, anmgoni.su and overall theme at first, then work what to do isn't a Loo00 idea, but a guiding hand will ensure
outward from there. Be flexible; your ideas will change as you rhar rhe pieces ftt t<>geth<r smoothly. Oepcndins on your
~o on. Let them. chronicle, j'OU may even have to dictate some a<pecr. of char·
acrer creation, but be careful to explain, at least vaguely, why
Where will your chronicle take place! Would you prefer a such directives ~re Important to the chronicle.
town, acit)' Ot' some rural area~ \Viii yourcharacters remnln in
the Shadowlands fnr rhe mosr parr, or do they possess Arcanos Antagonists
rhar allow them to rmvellnto the living world! Is your chronicle
set around a Necropolis; i( so, which one! Whar is it like! The opponents the chamcters face in thecourscofuchmnide
are very imporuont. Antagonists provide a foil for reflec:ring what
Once you establish your setting, you ne~ to decide what the characters strive to an:oin; on a more imm~i~te level, they
connecrs and unites the chamcters. At this point, you should add excirement and connlct to the chronicle. A great villain can
develop the primary antagonisu of rhe players- memorable make all the difference in a beginning chronicle, whole a weak
adversaries have distmc:r persooalities and motivations. Finally, one may spoil tl•e lllOOit elabornre oftales.
decode rhe general direction and theme that you would loke
the role to roke. Don't be too rigid in this. Your chronicle will Norhing holds a chronicle together, stOtl' to story, bcucr
coke some surprising tums. than a good villain - all individual (or close group) rhe char·
acters know is &nalcvolcnc or evil. During che course o( the
While C.'!mptcr1\voof this book provides a basic sertil1g a!ld chronicle, rhe characters should confront the same villain(s)
background, the r;uk.s of rn:lpping and populating the IUC:IIUnder· time and time again. TI1is provides continuity ro rhcchmnicle
world fall to )'ou. I( yO<Jr !(llllle begins, as many do, in the as well as a familiar face rhar rhe players may well love to hate.
Shadowlands, decide on a locarion where you want to set thi~ If rhe same villain or group can be found opposing the ch:or.oc·
and rhink abour the~ rcnection of that location in Lhc Under- ters at every tum, you will heighten the playcn' onmlvement.
world. How old is yoursetting! Is itdying in the livongworld!Whnt
are some locallamlomorl<s1 Where will your characters begin! The most imporranr anragonists the characters face, how·
ever, are rheir own Shadows. Turmoil within the individWII is
Some places will become common sites in your swry- a central theme in Wraith. Each Shadow should h:l\'e a dis·
the chapel near one person's grave, a librnry, the bock alley tinct narurc - they arc nor merely "bad angds" on their
where another character died, and so on. M~t of these loca- Psyche's shoulden, but the summation ofall that is most (righr-
rions will tie into the group's Fetters, but other sites will be· ening in that character's soul. Shadows must have depth, com·
come important after their deaths. Familiar places anchor the plexicy and lllutivatiun. Villain\' is not C\lricnrure; the most
chronicle at certain points and keep the players involv~ in a memorable villains nre the ones who are the n'IOSl huumn.
cohesive srory. You ne~ to make these places come alive for
rhe players; until the players can understand and env,.ion their Title
setting, the char•cten cannor fully exist.
Almosr every bool:, pl1y, movie, poem, painting and sculpo
Characters rure has 3 title; )'OU may want your chronicle to have one.., well.
Give l'OUr chronicle a ririe and have the players p;ot it on their
T he charaue" arc rhc mosr important elements of o characrersheers. The title of the chronicle may be as elabonotc or
chronicle and need to be the focus of every story. As such, as simple as you want, and the ritle itself oomy forc•h,Kinw rhincs
to come. A title like "Tile umghing Darkness" m~y $U(lgC$t more
pby~r involvement in crcatit)JC the chronicle 1s paramount to oonin0\15 things ro your pb yers than you yourself had in mind.

success. 11lis onay "'eon obvoous, but it is all too easy to fall
into rhe rrnpofdesignong a -mingly wonderful chronicle th:u
does not involve the characters as it> promgonisrs.

Approa

here are two basic types of plotlincs -
srory·driven and characrer·driven.

With a swry·driven plodine, the Sto•

rytdlcr creates the story of the antagonists.
She derermio1es who the ant<Jgonists are,
what their goals are, and how they plan to
achieve those goals. Independent of the
charncters, the ;:tntagoniscs of the piece pursue their own ends,
which lead them into conflict with the group.

Smry~drivcn plots hinge o n the characters' reactions to

their antagonists. Stopping their enemies should be in the
Circle's best interests. The chronicle ends with the success or
failure of the antagonists' schcntcs.

Story-driven plotlines can be easy to non beamse the Story·
teller doesn't depend on the players' decisions to advance her
chmniclc. If the group doesn't act, their enemies grow stronger.

n,e biggest danger ofdesigning this rype ofplot is balancing
the villains and the player characters. If the antagonists are roo
powerful, the game can become fniSl-ntting. In smry~drivcn plots,
theStoryteller must give players opportunities forl!!occe,<~. Let rhem
have a few chances to stop Enfunts in the service ofthe enemy or
cmsh somcghost·hunters. Otherwise, player.; maydecide that d1ey
don't h~1vc a chance :;1nd refuse m confro nt their persecutors. As a
general rule, an enemy's plan should have three or more things
dmt could go wrong. Also, it is easier to upgrade enemies than
downgrade them.

Despite theadvantages of the story-driven plot, most begin·
ning Wrttith chronidcsarccharactcr~drivcn. In acharactel'..driven
plot, thefocusshifts to the player characters. The Storyteller tries
to manipulate the characters into pursuing a set of goals. The
Storyteller should sketch out some motivations for d1e charac·
rers. If, as a Storyteller, you don't know what a particular charnc·
ter wanrs in life, ask the player. Good players recognize the poten•
tial for a plotline and tend to follow it if they are given the right
reasons. This type of plot gives the player.; great freedom in die·
taring the pace of the chronicle. It works well for quests, where
the chamctcts have to find an object or peoon, or accomplish a
rask.Strong Storyteller·non <tllies help a Storyteller influence this
typeofchronicle, especially if the Storyteller controlsa character
thnt i.s a Circle member.

For designing a ch<lracter~driven plot, a Storyteller first
determines rhe goal and the11 comes up with reasons for the
characters to pursue it. l1'1crc arc two ways to motivate char..
acrcrs- positive reinforcement (the carrot method) and ncga,
rive reinforcement (the stick method). To keep the players
moving toward a goal, vary the use of these methods depend·
ing on wtmt gers the mosr response.

The carrot method involves offering the characters a re·
ward if the1• putsuc the goal. The players see something they

.

want and decide to go afrer it. let the ployers make the dcci·
sion you wanr rhem 10 make, but don't force them to d(l it.
Make no<es on a few possible carrots.

The stick me<hod causes rhe chomc~trs 10 suffer in some
W'dY if <hey don't pursue <he goal. 1l1e puniffiment does not
have to bedirected at the charactelli rhcmselves. Often, it works
better if Contacts, 11ualls or mortol friends suffer instead of
the characters.

Once you've determined the go<rl, you need to create ob·
$lades to impede the characrers' p.11h. Obsracles include en·
emies, but they can also include termin, lack of knowle-dge or
bck of power. Individual stories in a charncrer·driven plotline
cnn center around overcoming rhese obsrocles.

Chronicle Concepts

Chronicle concepo<define who the charactersarc and whar
situations they will encounter. The best way to keep your g:tme
Interesting Is to stnrt it off intereninu. so it helps to choose a
concept with lots of plor hooks that intrigue both you and
your players. A few of the possibilities nrc lis~e-d below.

• The True Believers
The Circle wmb for one of the three major factions of
the Underworld - the Hiernrchy, the Heretics or the Ren·
egades - and believes strongly in i.- cause (or pretends tO
believe). 1l1c chnrnctcn; are on the low end of the totem pole,
and they're sent on the dirti~t jobs ond the most hopeless
a5Signments. Depending on the auirude of theirwpcrloN. this
could be a glorious campaign to""' rhings right and improve
the world, or ncnr·rormenr or the bottom of the bureoucrar ic
ziggurat. T hough the charoctcrs mny have access to gre:ner
resources than frcelnncer·sor ncutruls, they nlro must keep their
faction's ends in sight...which may make it difficult to tend to
their own Fette" ond Passions.
Because of the "go <here, du this" slanr ro the siroation,
this may be a good beginning chronicl.: stroightfonvard in·
structions and cle:.rgooIs are helpfulwhen teaming :.&new b'711lle.
Once the characrers ond players gain confidence, rhe concept
may become limiting. They can then easily strike out 0 1\ their
own- working for or against their organization- and shake
up rhe game a bit.
Keep in mind that there arc more forces in the World of
Darkness 1han just the Hierarchy, Renegades and Hereric.<.
V:1mpires. werewolves nnd mages urc all known £O conwet the
Restless at times and might offer relics or protection in rerum
for services rendered. In addition, o<her creatuR'$ of the Um·
bro have unknown poweN and incomprehensible moth•es rhat
could engender very...umtsual...n5Signments.
• Staying N emral
Why foght; you're already dead. The chamcrers may avoid
conflict as much ns possible, whcrhcr because of idenlism, pnci·
fi:.1n, cowardice, or o1her intertsts. This is nor easy. ~ide from

the fact that tm one around them is likely to stop their intrigu· nario, the1•could be double agent>. They cun be honorable or
ing, rhcch.1rncters m:tyfind thenuelvtsunderfl.-., in turfbanles
tO test their neutrality, or even to test the Strcn~th orGan~ entircl)' clishom:."it, ancl they rna)' not even uncler&rand which
and Cohott>without fear or retaliation by more powerfulal· >tdc they 1\'0rk for...
lies. Thei r friends, whether few or many, will flnd it difficult to
help them without compromising their Owll positions. Even~ Ag:1in, if the Storyteller is willing to rut'l crossovergames,
tually, they cuulJ become respected for their scond and sought the chnractcrs cuukl easily become involved wirh orherAw:ak~
af1er to ;orbitrate disputes, but StatuS of that SOrt will come cned crcar.trcs. Keeping tabs on the vnmpire prince o(a city is
slowly, If at all. a more·than·fllll·time job... as isspyin~ on the Glass Walker

or COOl><!, the Circle might avmd direct loyalties just to wen:wolvt.-s oa' bchal(or a Hierarch.
play all ends •G"Inst the middle. Some spies and freelancers do
this. Watch out - double agents and mercenaries arc what • Babe• in rhe Wonds
the VII'> cllll "expendable." The charactersare among the extremely rccentlydecc-.~><"tl
and ha\'C little or no mcmOf)' of the1r IXtSI Jt,·cs. A'i new arrh·~
• The Guardian5 als, the)' know hardly an)'thing about the Unden,·orld. either.
This is a problem.
Home is where the heart is, nnd the wraiths of this Yuunu wrai1hs might be under chc care :•nd wrelage of :.t
chro nicle nrc om w protect whar they love, no matter what.
They have living relatives and friends - strong feners - and more experienced wraith o r undl'r lndoctrin:ltion by a fanati..
now that they know, firsthand, what the afterlife holds, the
chamch.:r) )cck to prevent both supcrnacurnl and mundane cal brnnch of the IJiemrchy, Heretics ur Rene~aJc-.. T he per·
forces from dtStllrbing what they hold dear. sonulity -good ur bad- of their Menror(•) will be very im·

This kind or chronicle allows plenty or det<'Ciive work, pormnr m the chronicle. Conve~ely, they could be trying to
S.ltut))( rolcphaying opponunities and crossover s:rorit:s. Be care·
ful nm to limit the !:"me ro "what's botheringour living friends make It on their own, figuring things out lb they~ along.
this week I" One mysterious phenomenon in the neighborhond This approoch is one of the 51mplcs1 for new playe~; no
could eu>ily fuel session after session. And don't forger: the
Unclenvnrl<i im 'r likely ro leave the chnrncters to their own one has to know anything mo.-., aboot the ~r.~me than is neces·
devices for long. sary for character generation. If the eharncter> arc complete
an\ll\.:~ina, c\'crything a m be discovcn.-d :•s rhe ~me progresses,
• Transcendence :melthe players willleam things just ~s their characters do.

The Undenvorld Is a waysmtion between this life and the • Historical
next, and the characters just want to move on. They may know Nut ever~· character in Wraith dk·d ycsrcrd~y, of course.
(or think they know) exactly whar needs robe done, or they The C.rclc could well be composed of people from any time
m.•y Ap<nd their time desperately seeking that information. and place, 00.11\d together thr~h >imilar l'i1ssions and Fer·
tcr:. ((rccdum, iusticc, homelands).
The characters' banle to conquer their Shadows will prob- Ano1her op!lon is mo,·ing the seuin~ i~SCifback in time.
ably become" nmjor theme of the chronicle, so be prcp<lred to ln rhe french Revolution, for instuncc, the >pirits of goillo-
explore the darker halfof the game extensively. tincJ uri:ttucr.us mighr unire for vcngc.1nce nr rn make amends
for theor fomilies' corruption. Middle·das.s ghosts continuing
Ofcourse, ifthcchal'flC{Crsnrc SLill seekers, they maycover the fight would harass them, their anCe>tOt'>would order them
nbout, und the peasantry would make claims upo n them (or
the length and hrcaclrh o( rhe Underworld following up clues protection or retribution. All this would add to the ordinary
and leads concerning Tmnscendence. ferrymen are rumored hamrds of the Underworld.
to know a clue or two, some of the agems of rhe Far Shores
insist that they know bi1s and pieces, and rhe Circle might Story
contoct stranger things as well.
earh I<>V<!s a shinh1g mark, a signal blow.
• Espionage
- Edwa1-d Young, Night TltoughtS
In :m intriguc-fi1kod wc:iety like that of the Restless, good Each Wraich scK..~ion is a sep::trate StO')'·
agents;trc in constant demand. Enrly itt theirafterlife, rhe char- You, ::ts the Sror~1tcllcr, must have a firm
<'Cl'CI'S in lhis type o( chronicle arc '4rccruiLcd" b)' .-he inrelli~ idea about where und ho w each story be·
gins and what texture you want i( to h:.we.
NCilCc..J.(ul.hcrin~ division of rhc Hicr:uchy, the Heretics or the
Renegades. Now, wirh a little experience under their belts, Once the game begins, yo" ond your play·
they srorr to receive more imcrcstin.g nssignmcnts. The enrirc
Circle coukl be •enr on a varicry of mi:<lllonJ: infiltrating one •~ "'Ill hopefully toke the idea and run with it from there.
Do not try to dc'Cide absolutes concemin.g what will or
of 1hc other f:1ctioru, ..assassinating" or cnpturing important
w1ll not h:tppen in your story. Few things :tre more irritating to
figures, executing terroti.st~tyle missions, or acting as nom101l
"citi:em" und keeping their eyes open. In a more difficult S<:e·

~ plo~r than a storyteller who pulls the g-.tme along a prede- months cleaning up the mess and liCatching for the losr. Bt.ides
termined path ":gardlcss of whar rhe players want or do. Try the changes in their own world, some horrible t\'tOt was so~ly
nm to force your pl:.tyers intO any situation they try to avoid the sparlc for che devasrorion- Maelsrromsoften begin with death
unless you have some re;::ason lO (rustratc them orsome plan ro In huge numbers - and Fetters can be completely dcsunyeclln
reward them. Stories ideally begin with an idea and grow out• riors, {ires, wa.r orother disnsrcr.t
ward rhrough the efforts of everyone concerned.
• The Harrowing
The story cottcepts below may give you a few idea5 for
your game, but only you know which concepts work best for Try though the characters might to avoid ir,eventually at
you :md your gro<.ap. Feel free tOexperiment; storytelling, un· least one of their number will be taken by the Tempest. This
like boord gaming. is freeform, not rigid. nighrmare ride is fast, tenifying and confusing, and makes for
excellent story mat<rial.
Stol)' Concepts
Even if only one rm:mber nl rhe Circ:le is being Harrowed.
Swift as light and as clact'l'ing '"""'the idea liw brok in upon the resr of rhe rroupe doesn't N:ave ro sit on rhe sidelines. The
me. "lluwc found it! What terrified me<viii terrify others; /need
only describe the spectre which had haunted my midniglat /lillow." characters may play the Shooows nlthosc alfccwd, and rhe oxpe·
On the morrow, I announced tluu I had thought of a story.
l'ience ma~~ provide coundcMS cxrra characters (or thr others lO
-Mary Shelley, Introduction to Frankenmin
enact.
Uued below are a number of concepr:s that you can usc •••
~ to create your own stories. Read these con<:epu. pick out • Mystery
the i<k-as \'OU like the best, and "'e:lve a &ory from wMt\'OU get. A mystery may start n~ something small, but quickly as•
sumcs an imporrance and relev:\nce to the Circle. Dark sccrct.s
• Cening across Town omong the wroichs of the Circle or their :lS$0CiatCll :ore excel-
For one purpose or Another- the reason isn~t necessarily lent ways to begin a "'l~tcry, bur munler is the cla$$IC device.
important - the Circle I• In one place and their goal is sonle• Perhaps one nlthe hving Is found decapitated in rhe character's
where else entirely. This Is where the fun begins. As if the Haunr. Will the polico arrive ar all! Has the spirit lx.-come a
Underworld is out to geethem, one disasterafteranothercrosses wroith, and if so, how is he raking rhisllt's very e~sy to rope
their path. With a little luck, rhc ch~racters can make it co the characcers inro the plot from here, particularly if their liv-
their g<>al. ..and hope that whatever they needed is still around. ins Feuers nrc under pressure ns witnesses or suspects.

• On the Home Front • The Boo j ob

Sometimes the story comes home to the charncters. Per- Yuppies move inro your Haunt. Sound familiar/ Whether
haps their Haunt ill in dancer, or their loved ones are under rhe threat is from chc upwardly mobile, fcom nice folks rrymg
atrack. The Circle is forced on the defensive, trying to stay co clean up the neighborhood, or from bulldm.ers clearing out
one step ahead of their enemies- and the enemies they see the local cycso~. there's somerhing breathing down the char·
mny not be the real threat. While rhe characters are trying to acrcrs' necks. Now the characrers have ro get the living out of
prcvem rhe Hierarchy from takingover the neighborhood, the there, by hook or by crook. Can they be scary enough ro rid
Heretics may be convincin)l their alii(-,; that holy war Is rhe themselves of these pcm!
key ro salvation. Meanwhi le, crazed Spectres threaten to de·
srrny che lives of the living. Con the characters figure out whn • Freelancing
Is behind this madness! Only time will tell.
The characters ore npprooched by highcr·ups willing ro
• The Maelstrom pny well for services rendered. They might be asked to hunt
In rhe midst of an ordinary evening, bells rinx out fn.lln
the towers of the Necropolis in which the characters live. The down a Spectre, rrnck down n wraith's Fetters, or corry mcs,
alarm is a waming that come$ perhaps once in a decade - a
Maclsrrom is coming. O ld souls head for their Hnums immc- ""ges from Necropolis to Necropolis.
diMcly. knowing thnt chc storm Lrnvds faster than a wr;llth This could be os stnaighrforw:ud as it seems. If the Story·
cnn run. The panic is incrcdihlc, ~md no one sl!em.s co kllow
when nr where rhe thing will starfoce. If the chnrocters have a teller wishes co make things tricky, however, the chamctcrs
strong Haunt, will they reach it in time! If rhcy have nQ could find themselves embroiled in local politics. Arc they
safehold, where will they 1,>0? And wherever they cod up, will being framed! For whom arc they actually working! Was the
their shdrcr l:ur the night! mission as simple :•s ir seemed? Did the charocrers sig11 nny•
thing co guarontee completion of the task!
Aft<r the Maelstrom, assuminlt the characterssurvive inmet,
how will thcShadowlamls;oppear!Thesurvivorsmayspend many • Raiders ol the Lost Afrcrlife

There's an ;utifacc our chere- a (nmous, powct-ful one,
and the race is on to get to it before someone else due•. ln fact,
everybody wants it, nod the chamcters have snunbk-d on an
imponanr clue co it• location. Now, not only muse they rush
ro find it, they must also dodge all the other competitors.

Even if the Circle ~'"'" this amating rhing, they still have
to figure out what ro do wlrh it. Escaping the other SCllrthcrs

••ith the mysterious object inmet won'r be eosy. Whar if it's ing. A moment of silence, the lighting of a candle or even a
huge! Whar tfit'$ fragile! It may ~ven be an obnoxious wraith concise phr-•sc (like "•nd ir hegins...") c,1n set the tone for the
imprisoned long ago and transfonned into a mere obj<-ct... game. This kind of"once upon n time• introduction can gu a
long wny toward establishing the right mnod.
~etting the Stage
lk(orc you begin a new $ession, mnke sure that there are
Storytcllinl: is a lot like the>~tre; setting rhe stage allows no loose ends from the last se$Si01\, such ns cl1arncter expcri·
ence or rule interprcLaLions. Once you nrc ready ro begin, you
your audience ro srcr from the real world into another one, mighrrcll rhc players rhe ririe of the new srory, if you've given
lea>•ing everyday concerns behind. This approach, also u..::d it one. Remember that the most importnnrline is the fir>tline;
in mngic and religious riHr•l, helps prepare bnrh ynur plarers hook your players at the lx:ginning of each game session and
and yourself forsomerhmgdifferenr,somerhing "othtr.• Cl>ang- dnlw them along as you go.
ong rour mindsers from "daily life" to "storyrime" frees you to
Conflict
create together. Removing distractions, if only fnr a moment,
llliurrature is concerned ouirh nuo rhings: ~X
can make u world o( difference in your go.me. and violence.

Storytelling games ore usually played indoors at a table in -Dr. Kenn<rh Campbell, from a k-c·
the kitchen, den or living room. There should he ch• irs for all turc on Western dramaturgy
the phoye,., nncl refreshments if the gaming se$Sion is to last
awhile. You should also consider any props you ntight nc<-d, O>nOict isdynamic; through struggles
any modifications to the room to set rhc mO<><I fnr rhe gaming both internal and external, rour tales and
St."'S.Sion, und nny spec1al provisions nect.ssary for live~Action char.tclcn progress. By providing your
if rour story will involve it. character'!§ wirh an obsn•cle to overcome, whether it's a char..

It's hard to get into a ghostly minclser in the afremoon.
\Vmith g:unu ~hnuld ideally take place at night, possibly in a
room lie by candles or dim light. Music can add a great deal ro
the ntmosphc1'C, as long a.s it is appmprinrc :md not disuact..

/

... ..' • ' •

acrer, a situation or :.'n institution, you give them motivation • Circle vs. Hierarchy
and purpose.
The colossal bureaucracy of the Underworld is much like
lnrerm.J <-111d extermlf connicr lUC both important ill cenain unscrupulous governmen ts in the Skinl:lnds. Call ing
Wraith; internal battles with the Shadow contrast with the rhe Hierarchy corrupt is an exercise in undcrsuncmcnt, and
e xternal t hl'ears from the Hierarchy, soul~slavers, Heretics. the c.ha racrers will ofte n find {hemselve.s pirrecl ag-.tinsr irs min·
Renegades :1ncl m her assorted rac rions. No nmttcr which side ions and its dictates, even if chcy work for it. Existing within
of the fence your players choose, their characters will feel en· irs lahyrinrhine im emal (Xllitics is ;·Jlmost ns chlngcrous as rc#
<auics brc.,thing down their necks (so to speak). While stories sisting its enforcers. Though the Hierarchy docs offer smnc
chat move from one fighr scene m the ncxr quicklyget boring, small prorectioll from the tribulations of the UndNworld, its
tales with no direction, conflict or struggle meander listlessly power is often used ror ryr.mny, and the Circle would do well
before f.liJing intO 3 I'Ut. co avoid its direct attention.

Conflict provides energy and direction for ;.i story - it • Circle vs. Heretics
provides the characters with someone to fight. The battles may The religious cults o( rhc dead can be just as fanaticaland
he emotional, philosophical or brutalll' physical, but conflict oppressive as any followed by the living. Altl>o11gh m"" Yof
of some kind o r ;morher is vital to a corn inuing chronicle. these groups arc wcll~intentioned ::md basically benevolent,
Conflict propels the story by involving '"'d motivating rhe rhc resr arc as clrcadc<l as any goons of the Hierarchy. Rumors
chamctcrs on an emotional level. If you give rhcm someone to of brainwashing, deportntion and the outright .evering of Fct·
h:;~tc, rhcy'll he far more interested in wht~t's going on. Though rers abound. If the characters are marked as valuable potential
the characters n~ight not st::ut :15 t he prim:.lry p(lrtic ip::mrs in convcrrs, the evangelical furor over their beliefs mighc even
the conflict, they will quickly become involved by being en- become violent. If more chan one seer is after t he wmiths, 11
veloped in the stmgglc. Simply make il impossible for thcrn. to minol' holy war could spring up on the spot.

remain nemr:ll.

• C ircle vs. Renegades tribes o( werewolves unless they m11ke a special effort to do so.
Unfortul"'rltely. such an effort is nlmosL certainly unwelcome.
You can't make on omelet without breaking eggs, and you TI1e Restless believe that Spectres anack werewolve$ when~
can't have a revolution without a little bloodshed, or shred· ever they can, as parr of some unknown plot ofOblivion. Be-
ded plasm, as !he casc may be. If !he charocters try to oppose
the Renegades' pl:uu, the rebels may take steps to ck-ar them cause Garou seemingly can't tell wroiths apart from Specnes,
out of the way. Even as innocent bystanden, the Circle may werewolves· 1uua,nisn1 is undcrsntndable.

be in danger as the silent war continues around them. Totally • Wraith v•. Mase

neutral charocters can still come under fire if they get a repu· These magicbl, reality·shiftin~ idealists work wio h wrAiths

mtlon (deserved or o\Ot) for assisting other factions. Player more closely and more often dum any orher Aw~tkened crea..

charoctcr Renegades may find it difficult to obey orders given tures in the Umhrnl Realms. Mony of them can see and hear

them if their peoonal gools fail to conform to those of their rhe Restless if they make the effon. Quite a few of them are

allies. In any case, e11re should be taken when dealing with aware of the situation in !he Shadnwlands and will trade fa.
these ul\prcdict:3ble guerrillas. vors ancJ assi~• l'hc wr;;ti(hs in their go.1ls. However, less scrupu·
Ions m~tl:e& are not above enslnvin1( wmidls, bindin~ [hem inro
• C ircle vs. C ircle magickal objects or even distillin~; rhem for rheir Pathos. The
Conflict between groups may take place on a much smaller,
more personal level, of coune. Circle vs. Circle conflict is all knowk-dgc woincod by rhe fint group often fulls into the hands
too common in the fight for the Shadowlnnds' scarce resources. ofrhe second, forcing entire Necropoli to submit to the whims

The issue could be as simple as right-of-way <hrough a gang's of wizards.

territoo·y, or as complex as members ofopposing groups sharing • \Vruilh vs. Supernatural
the :~amc Fetter. If the other Circle hos friends io\ high pluccs, Depending on what other supernatural clements you

it may rapidly become di(focult to rcsulve the differences be· choose to include ial your d•roniclc, mher (orccs may :1lso op·
tween them. Both sides c(>uld seek impartialarbitr:uion (ifsuch pose dlc chur.ococn;. Besides regular vampires, werewolves and

u thing exis!S), bm there's no guamntee that either will abide mages, there arr mummies, ~hangelings, !he animated dead,

by the decision. shnpeshifters and gargoyles, ju>t oo name a few.

• Wraith vs. Wruith • Wraith ' '"· the Quick
Imagine being murdered and d iscovering that your killer Most ofthe wraiths who Inhabit the Shadowlands are more

has On:llly been executed and revenge is yours - if you c:m concerned with getting into contnct with tl1e living rh:on wor·

find her. The reasons why one wraith mleht trouble another ried about what might happen when they do. The Quick don't

arc"" numerous and complex as in real life, but wilh !he ele· tend m noroce them, and unless the wraith neecls to talk to

ments ofdeath and eternity thrown in, even minor slights c.1n someone, rhi,sispreny convenient.

take on obscene importance. Despilc l his, there :uc many orr;:lnizations whose sole pur..

Ofcourse, wrnirh vs. wraith might be a po6itive challt nRC: pose is to g:oin knowledge about the afterlife and the Restless,

two rival &lndmen could strive to put on the best drt,.on·plays and their reasons are not usuallygood. TI1e best ofthc.<e groups

for the Living, or famous historical swordsmen might duel in wish only to prove !he existence nf wraiths; the worst are out

the Necropolis streets, or adolescent wmlths could vie for the for the power they represent or the opporrunity to destroy the

best trick on Halloween. It all depends on the intent of rhe "crearures of evil."

participants. • Wraith vs. Shadow

• Wraith vx. V11mpire The "'"" important conflict in Wraith is that between

As the movers and shakers behind much !hat is wrone the Shadow and the Psyche. The darker side of the relf is in

with the World of Darkn<-.s, vampires may be the indirect cawe constant battle for dominance, and this struggle b the source

o( otumy wrailhs' dc:uhs, particularly !hose who dwelled in cit· o{ much of the drnma inherent to the game. This is a onore

ics while livin.g. Any wroith out for justice or rcforrn woll have intense, more frightening area ofd\c chronicle. Be careful when

ro byp.1ss the Leeches one way or another. you explore it, i>articularly if the player is at all like his chamc•

Or 1he vampires may come to them first. The Treonere tcr.

(!<>rccrer vampire$), the Samedi (hideous zombie-kin vam· • Wraith vs. Self
plres), and especially the Giovanni (ne-cromancers) all have
interest in infom1ation from the Underworld, and most would Not every intemal struggle nec<l be between Shadow and
have no qualms about binding wraiths into positions of servi· Psyche, ofcoone. E,·en a well·oolan~ed person can have doubts
tude. and crises. The "better'' half of the personality, because i< is
usually the more self-critical, is •1uirc prone to oh is. Natur:olly,

• Wnoith vs. Werewolf an y moment of indecision o r worry could lenve the Psyche

Alrhough the Garou ore aware that ghoors exist, they tend open to the Shadow's persuasioo\...

to avoid contact with them. Wmiths me unlikely to meet most

The chamctcrs do not rc-.tlizc whn rheir enemy is, or who caricarures of themseh•es. Even if the dream is that of only
oet:ks their dotrucnon. This makes it all the more terrifying. one chamcter, the other players may sttll participate in the
dream by assuming rhe roles of the cxher people, creatures or
• Wraith vs. Spectre even settings in the dream. The player or players ne<'tl ne\•er
know whose dream they have entered, bur the story of the
Oblivion is a pOwerful enemy, and many are not strong dream should always be important to the overall theme of the
enou~;h to wnhsmnd it. These lost souls, called Speccrcs, wan- tale.
der the Shndowlands, leaving desuuction in their wake; rhey
flU the Tempest to bursting with rheir grote$<Jue selves and While playing out the dream •cquence, you must deter·
their niulmnarish collection of dead memories. Wraiths fear mine how much larinade rhe ch:."tr~ccers have within the dream.
Spectres both for their actual, horrifying acts and abilities and This spectrum of Storyteller control over the dream sequence
the final horror they represent: rhc nc&Mion of the Psyche. ranges from a minute descriptionof the dream tO simply throw~
The1• have completely lost the battle with Oblivion, but arc ing the charncrers into o dreom and describing what appears
roo strong or useful to be completely consumed, and thi• i• rhe while giving players control ro do as the!' will.

worst fnte most Restless can imagine. Nothing can be more Storyrellcr·COntrolled dreams lire cood for foreshadowing
fri~;htening rhan recogniting an old friend's face with aSpe-ctre\; upcomingeven!$ or foresmblishing symbolism within the story.
The charocter's Shadow may begin to ~naw at the Psyche by
eyes. appearing in dreams and driving sleep away. Such an invasion
may precede an all-out assault or may come to n()(hing. Keep
• Sanity vs. Madness your players wondering.

Wraith lends i!$elf easily to this kind of conflict. lltc Remember that when sroryrelhng a dream sequence, the
Underworld Is not kind to the weak-rnind<<l or the dcmnged,
although it i> possible that this kind of person may Tmnscend action and senings should be dreamlike. Characters disappear
very ea.'nly. Those who arrive slightly crocked had beller mend and reappear from the dream, events happen with no logical
quickly or move on ...the Shadow can subven most kinds of
madness. order or Row, settings change in<tanrly, and the dreamer feels
extreme emorion.s £hat do not neces.saril)~ correspond co what
Advanced Iechniques is happening in the dream.

flas~~ack

o what are we going w do for the rest of our While a dream is concerned with how an aspccr of rhe
pr~nt relates to the current story, a Ra>hback is concerned
lit'Cs! Stay lwme and wou:h rht /J<lradtJ go with how an a>p<-ct of the pasr relates ro the pr~nt. Rash·
by! Amuse our~lut< with the glass menag. backs are common around Fetters. and vivid memories of the
moment of death Haunt many of the RestiC$$.
trit, darling! Eternally play !hose worn-out
phooograplt r«<rds :yourfarhtr k[t asa pam· The events of the flashback, or at least h•outcome,should
be pretty well dicrared by the Storyteller, even if the flashback
{ul reminder of him! ...I su~tar it's the only does involve the players' characters. Even though they arc not
in control, players will ofrcn enjoy flashbacks that give them a
alrcnati•~t I can think of. glimpse of rhe behind·the·scenes Incidents that spawned the
- Tenn<!$See Williams, The Glass Mena:trie events they are currently tackling.

The following techniques are excremely difficulc to utilize lllere are other, mure dr:mmic uses offl:tShbacks, but these
properly, bur can be very rewarding if done well. Thc>C uJ· should be used less often. For cxomple, a flashback to a certain
vonced concepts must be carefully planned and executed with player character's past can be used tO intrO<Iuce a Storyteller
grncc and finesse to work effectively. If you employ them cor· character from r:hc ph)\'cr character's childhood, ora loved one,
or a killer whme face the ghost still cannot see...
rccdr, howe"er, you will create a story your players will never
Sym~olism, Motifs and icons
forget.
One of the rricks )'OU c.1n steal from mo'•iemakers is the
Dream Sequence
use ofspnbolism, motifs and icons. This must be done subtly;
Used properly in a storytelling ~me, the clich~d dream if )'OU put heavy-handed symboliSm mto stones, ir will feel
sequctiCC can oc-come a powerful device. The dead do indeed IK-avy·handed and min rhe effect.
dreltm, and their ' 'isions are rarely pleasant. Wroiths with the
Phonmsm Arcnnos may even emer and alter the dreams of You must introduce a symbol by dropping it into tltc back·
mo rro Is. ground ofyour seuing: street namc:J, places, people, the names

llle t<-chnique, a$ i!S name implies, is simplyo dream that
Is either shared by all the chamcters or is specific to one of
them. In the dream, the chamcrcl':! are either themselves or

o( stores, gra(fili on a wall, }t ntpestry rhac•s hanging in che ments. Remember that you are w~ving a gr~t novel. and no
Citadel's main hall. Once you introduce the symbol, keep it in author knows for certain whar every detail of his finished uovcl
mind and mention it once in a while when the thing reprc· will be before he begins writing ic. Also, writers don't have ro
scmet.J l>y that symbol appears in rhe srory. compens:lte for player decisions.

For example, let's say you d~cid~ that fire is a major sym- The other imporranr thing ro do before you bcghl dcsigu·
bol for the rebellion against authority in your setting. Let's say ing the next story in the chronicle is making nmes of an)t new

your chamcttrs rtbcl against the Hierdrchy by seeking the settings orchamctcrs that were introduced into the chronicle.

Heretics in their Mea. When they return from their fateful Large chronicles can spawn casts of hundreds of major and
meeting with rhe Heretics, they may pass by a burning build· minor Storyteller chan&ctcrs and :;core.'i of imporr-.mr serrings.
ing.
To keep your san ity, it's best to find a way to keep track of
A morif is a symbol that recurs throughout the chronicle, everything as it develops in the chronicle. Norccards (one 3"
3nd its meaning changes as the chronicle continues. lf it rains x 5" for each setting or character) work well because more
in the same <~fire" chronicle, it could mean chat rhe Hierarchy
has raken power once again. At the end ofthe chronicle, how- information can be ;rdde<l to them later and they're easy to
ever, perhaps the Renegades rake control after a particularly file, but most of us can onl\' aspire co be so organized.
destructive coup. The rain, now gentle ;md cle:msing, could
symbolize " purge of the city as a whole. Ending aChronicle

Below nrc some sample symbols to starr you thinking; you Ending with a strong conclusion is as importan t as any
will think of many O<hcrs as well: other part of a chronicle. Even if a chronicle conrinucs for
sever(~) years, there is something magical about che moment
Fire: Wildfire dewoys; rhe hear of a forge can temper that all (or most) of the various intcrconnccccd stories juxla·
strength; the flame of a candle is meditative; the warmth of a p<>sc in a great climax. l11e finalsession ofan)'ChrQnideshould
hearth can convey safety. be an event to remember, so make the extra effort tO make the
climactic event something special.
Rain: This can be dreary and depressing, or cleansing
n.nd nourishing. After the climax, it often helps to wind down rhe :-tcrion
wi1h a bit more storytelling in the same setting. Charac1ers
Flowers: Rosemary and (orgct·me·nOts show rcmem· can say any necessary good-byes or return things ro a normal
brancc, roses speak of love, and lilies beamify death . state a(tcr vanquishing a villain. Once that's finished, ir's rime
10 begin planning the next chronicle.
Chains: A visible representation of loyalties and alliances.
Ofcourse, there is nothing that says you have to start from
Masks: This carl be an oulward sign of duplicity and de- scratch each time. 1( you wanr to cominue on with the same
ception. charnccers and seuing. you can cake these elements in new
directions. Players can become attached and acCt.IStomcd to
Mirrors: They may reflect the truth, or a twisted version their characters, and it's satis(ying to experience the growrh
of it. and developmen1 of a single character through several
chronicles.
Mazes: These embody confusion, as well as a challenge to
be mastered and overcome. However, t.lon'tlimit yourscl(to continuing what has come
before. Some player$ may want to try a (resh penpective and
Dirds: Canaries, crows, eagles and robins arc all used as create new characters, while others in the group keep [heir
icons. Birds arc legendarycarriers of the soul. and also serve as established chanlctcrs. Also, perh~1ps one of the players would
spies ~md watchers. like ro swirch roles with the Story1eller so that she may design
and run the next chronicle. The storytelling troupe may also
Crossroads: Often haunted, crossroads can repn:-sent a wish m consider integrating che new Wrdith chronicle with
decision or a turning point in life. elements from one of While Wolf's other storytelling games
such as Vampire: T he Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apoca-
Colors: Each color has countless meanings; for example, lypse or Mage: the Ascension.
green is sometimes represented as the color o( death, some·
linu::s as the sign for life :u'ld growrh.

After aStory

S11y g"r•l·byc ro all rhi$ .. . and hello to oblivion.
- Riff RaA', The Rocky 1-lorror Picwrc Show

A(tcr a story's conclusion, you should consider rhc impact
ofdu~ srory•s events upon the hlrger chronicle. Because stories
often end in an unexpected manner, it is important for you to
derem1inc how co reroute the chronicle int<> the plotline you
desire or replot the chronicle based upon the new develop-







ues

Rule number six: r.ltere is no rule number six.
- Moncy Python's Flying Circus

II games have rules. Some have only a few and • Tum - One unit of time within ascene, anywhere from
are fairly simple, such as Chutes and Ladder.;. three seconds to three minutes in length. A tum is enough
Od1ers have many and are extremely compli- time to rake one action (discussed below).
cated, like bridge. Wraith has something in
common wirh hom types- it has o!lly a few • Scene- One compact period ofaction and roleplayh,g
simple rules, bur mese few nales have a large that takes place in a single location. A scene is made up of a
number of permutations. You need only leam variable number of turns (as many as it takes to complete it);
the basic nales, but their permuratioru evoke d1e flavor of the game, it can also be completed strictly through roleplaying, which
allowing it to simulate the complexiry of real life. This chapter pro· require$ no U$e of turns.
vides the basic rulesofWraith; youdecide which permutation to use.
Rules are like the myths rha< shape and describe a culture. • C hapter- One independent part of a story, :>Imost al·
l11ey define what is important and delineate rhe possibilitie.~ of ways played in one game session. It is made up of a number of
existence. Though dlesc rules may seem somewhat strange and scenes connected by periods of downtime.
exotic, mey really aren't all rhat complicate-d. Once you under·
stand them, you'll understand how to play this game. just concen· • Story- A complete tale, with an introduction, buildup
tme on learning these basics; everything else will come naturally. and climax, that often rakes several chapters to complete.

lime • C hronicle - A whole series ofstories connected by the
lives of me characters and perhaps a broadly conceived theme
De110uring rime, blunt thou tlw lion's paws, and plot. It is simply the ongoing story told by you and the
And make the earth dt110ur her own sweet brood; players.
Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaM,
And bum the long-lived phoenix in her blood. Actions

-Shakespeare, "Sonnet 19" Besides acting out their characters' speeches and conver·
sations, players will want their characters to perform (or at
The first thing you need to learn is how time passes in least attempt to perfortn) actions rhey describe to the Story·
Wraith. There ar; five different ways to dcscribe .time, pro· teller. An action can be anyming from jumping over a gorge
gressing from the smallest unit to the all-encompassing one. to glancing O\•erone'sshouldcr to check for pursuers. TI1e player
tells the Storyteller what her character is doing and details the
proc<.-durc she uses.

Many actions ore nuLomatlc- forlnsr:'lnce, when npln~rcr I
tells the Storyteller o·hat her ch~racrN walks across the street
toward a warehouse. All the Storyteller 11ccds to do is keep
track o( where the character is aod what she is doing. I low·
ever. cermin acLions require 3 dice roll lOdeletmine success or
failure.

~oiling Dice

There is always chance inli(c. There's a chance you'll win
the lonery, a chance rou'll be audited, and a chance you'll die
ill a plane crash. Chance plays a role in Wraith as well. How-
ever, Wraith playNs use dice co simulate the duplicity ofl:ody
Luck.

Wraith requires the use o( 10-sided dice, which rou can
buy in any game store. I(you arc the Storyreller, you will want
a lot o(dice, at least 10, all to yourself. As~ player, you'll also
want dice, but you mny share dice with other players.

Whenever the success ofall action is in doubr, or the Sto·
rytellcr th inks there is a chance your character might (nil, you
will have to roll dice. Thb gives yourcharacteran opportunity
to let weaknesses and strengths exhib it themselves, thereby
revealing somethilllC o( the charncreri true narure to both )'OU
nnd the other players.

1\atings

A charncrer is described by her Traits- the innate nnd
learned abilities and aptitudes she possesses Traits arc deftned
by numbers; each Trait has a r-•ting from 1 to 5, which de·
scribes the character'$ ahiliry in th~r particular Trait. A I is
lousy, while a 5 i~ superb. This scale of I to 5 is the ".r:or"
mrlng system made (omous by movie and restaumnt critics.

The normal human Trnit rnnge is from I to 3, with 2 !Je.
ing average. HQ\\·ever, exceptional people can have Tmots of4
(exceptional) or 5 (superb), or even h•ve a zero in a Tmit
(which is extremely rare, but nor unheard of).

x Ab)•son~l

• Poor

•• Avcrcagc

••• Good

• • • • Exceptional

• • • • • Superb
For each dor your character hos in a p3rticulur Trait, )'Oil
get to roll one die. Thus, i( you had (our dots in Strength, you
would get to roll four dice. I( you had one dot in Perception,
)'OU would only get to roll one die. llowever, you almo.t ne,·er
•imply roll the number o(dice you have in an An:ribute, which
defines your intrinsic cnpabilities. UsOJnlly you get to add the
11umbcrofdice you have in an Amiburc to the llumbcro(dice
you have in an Ability - things thm you know and have
learned.

So ifthe Storyteller wants the players to roll to see if they Marginal
notice the patrol car creeping up behind them, he would have
them roll Perception + Alcrmc.ss- an Attribute + nn Abil~ Two Successes Moderate
icy. E.1ch player would take as many dice as she had dots in
Perception and put them in her hands. TI1en each player would Three Successes Complete
~•dd one die for each dor in Alerrness.
Four Successes Exceptional
These dice are collectively called the Dice Pool. A
character's Dice Pool delineates the total number o( dice a Five Successes Phcnornenal
player may roll in a single w m - usually for a single ttction,
although a player can divide a Dice Pool in order to allow her You can see that if the difficulty is lower, it bccomcst~rsicr
chnractcr to perform more than one action. When rolling for
:;1 Trait such as Willpower, which has both a pcnmlnCnt and a to score a success, while if it is higher, it becomes more diffi·
temporary score, a player almost always rolls a number of dice
equal to the Trait's permanent l'flting (the circles), not its cur.. cult. The Storyteller will assign high difficulties whenever the
rent score (the squares).
action you have decided ro rake is difficult, and will either let
Ccnain actions don't require or even have an appropri~te
Ability. An example of this is when a player soaks damage your character do something automatically (because her At-
from 3 11 ~tttack. In s-uch c::tses, the playeronly uses an Attribute,
rolling the number of dice listed for that Attribute- in this tributes and Abilities arc so high) or assign a low difficulty if
case, Smmino.
the desired action is particularly easy.
There is absolmely no siwarion where more than two
Troits can combine ro form a Dice Pool. Only one Trait can be Though they arc not on the list above, you, as the Scory·
usc-J if it has a potential value of 10 (such as Willpower or teller, can also assign difficulties of 2 or 10. However, these
Angst). This me:ms that a Tmir like Willpower can never be should almost never be used. Difficulty 2 is so patheticallyeasy
combined with another Trait. It is generally impossible for a that you might as well let the player succeed wi thout wasting
non·nal htunan being to have more than IOdice in a Dice Pool. Lime on a roll. Difficulty 10 isso difficult thattherc is an equal
chance ro borch (described below) as there is to succeed, no
Difficulties matter how many dice the player rolls. A I0 is pretty near
impossible. On the rare occasions when you do announce a
I tiltv11ys rry ro do six impossible tltings before brcakfasc. difficulty of 10, he sure you rc:-.lizc how impossible you arc
making the chance of success. If a pbyer ever rolls a 10, the
- The Red Queen, Alice in Wonderland rcsulc is automatically a success, no maner whm.

Now you've got to figure om what you need to look for Unless rhe Storyteller says otherwise, the difficulty for a
when you roll the dice. The Storyteller assigns each task a dif- particular task is always 6. This is rhe standard difficulty; 6 is
ficulty racing, a number thar quantifies the challenge posed by assumed if a difficulty number is otherwise unstated.
the task. A difficulty is always a number between 2 and 10.
You need to roll that number or higher on at least one of the The ~ule of One
dice in your Pool in order ro succeed. Each lime you do so, it's
called a success. If the difficulty is a 6, and you roll 2, 3. 5, 6 The last thing you need to know about rolling dice is the
and 9, you have scored two successes. Though you usually need ..rule ofone.•• Whenever yma roll a" l," it ct1nccls out asuccess.
only one success w succeed, rhe more successes you score, the It completely rakes it away. You remove both the "success" die
better you perform. Scoring only one success is considered a and the "I" die and ignore them. If you roll more ''l's" than
n1argi1,al success, while scoring-three is considered a co1nplere you do successes, a disaster occurs; something called a ''botch"
success, and scoring five is a momentous event. takes place. Don't count the" l's" that canceled out successes,
but if even a single " I" is left after all the successes have been
Difficulties e3nceled, a borch occur,;. Gening a single .. )" or five "l 's" has
3 Easy about the same result in most cases; the circumsr;;~nces sur.-
rounding Lhc botch dercnninc if it is carastrophic or a minor
4 Romine mishap. If (here aren't any" I's" orsuccesses left, you've simply
5 Straightforward
6 Standard failed.
i Challenging
Automatic Successes
8 Difficult
9 Extremely Difficult You don't want to be rolling dice all the time~ it can ger in
the wa\' of the roleplaying. Wraith employs a very simple s~rs,
rem for 3uron1aric successes, ~1llowing players to avoid making
rolls for actions their characters could perform in their sleep.

It works like this: if the number of dicein your Dice Pool
equals or exceeds rhe assigned difficulty, your ch>Wdctcr suc·
ceeds automatically.Such a success is considered mart:iMI (the

equivalel\t of scoring only one success), so a player will some· to climb down the tree because it is on fire, the amount of
times want co roll anyway In Oil attempl to gain even more time It rakes becomes exceedingly important.
successes. For very simple nnd oftcn·repeated ~ctlons, how·
During an extended action, you can keep trying tu obtain
tver, automatic su<.:ccs:scs can eliminate a lot of waned time. successes for as long as you want, or at least until you full to
score even one >ucc=. If you botch, your character may have
(Note that ccl'l3in actions, such as combat, an: alw:.ys prob· tO start over from ~<:rarch, with no accumulated successes. The
lematic and should not be handled with this system.) StOryteller may decide not to let the churncrer try agai n~~ nil.

TI\e automatic success mles can be used ro elimio\arc dice Thi$type of action is more complicated than a simple ftC·
completely. In such siruarlons, automatic successes aren't a mac~ tion and should not often be employed In the middle of in·
tense roleplayina. As the Storyteller, you decide what type of
ter o( choice. Either you are f!OOd enough to •ucceed or you are action is appropriate. A little bit o( experience will serve you
well when employing these rules.
nor. It is simple, bur sow"" Cops 'n' Robbers, and we liked it just
fii\C. TI>c sta<y w:.. what was imponant; the rules didn't matter. ~esisted Actions

Thts simple system even has a twist, makina It nor quire Sometimes you will act in opposition to another churn<:·
so black·and.white. A Willpower point (se<! pg. 99) can be ter. Both of you make rolls, with a difficulty often indicated by
spent to cam an automaclc success. You won't wnnt co do this a Tralt of the other character, and the person who scores the
often. but for certain actions, it cim be very adv;.lntngeous to most successes sucoc:c:ds. However, you ore considered to score
do so. Of course, the Willpower expenditure only counts for only as many successes as the amount by which you exceed
one SUCC<'S:I if multiple wcccMCs are requin:d. your opponent's successes. The opponent's successes eliminate
your own, just.,. "l's" do. Therefore, It is very difficult, und
When we play, we usually combine dice rolling and autO• nuc, ro achieve an OUt$tanding success on a resisted action.
matlc successes. During most scenes- especially when we're Even If your opponent cannot beat )'OU, she can diminish the
deeply involve-d in the story- we don't even roll dice, prefer· effect of your effom. During actions that are both extended
ring to roleplay through scel\es without interruptions. How• nnd rcsisred, one of the opponents must colk-c.t acertain num~
ever, when we get in the mood for ploying..,•game rather than her of successes in otdcr to succeed completely. Each succeS$

tdJ;ng..,..,.ory, we make lots ofdice rolls and add many compli· above the opponent's total number ofsucce$Ses in a single tum
is added to a success totnl. The first opponent to cnllecr the
cations to the rules. dcoignated number of successes wins the contcot.

Complications Teamwork

You may have already realiz<-d that it is quire easy ro score Sometimes characters can work to~ether to collect sue·
a single success, even when you roll only one or rwo dice. You cesse&, most often during an extended action. At the
have a 75% chance for a mafl:inal SUCCtSS when you roll only Storyteller's discretion, two or more character> can make rolls
two dice and the difficulty Is 6. While that may sound too separately and combine their successes. TI1cy may never com·
bine their separate Traits for one roll. Teamwork is effective in
easy. there ::tre various ways to complicate matcers, some of some circumstances, such as when engaging in co1nbat, shod·
which are discussed below. For troupes heavily Into roleplay·
ing, simple rolls and automatic succcsscs arc enough. Gener·
ally, compllcarions are needed only if the playen or you want a
break from the roleplaying, If )'OU want a realistic result, or if
you want to make a game out of the scel\e. Complications add
drama to the story, evoking passion and focusing events.

Exten~e~ Actions owing prey, collecting Information and repairingdevices. 0\lr·

In order to socceed fully, you will sometimes need more ing others, it can actually be a hindt'•nce, such as in many
than one success - you will need to accumulate three, or seve!\ social actions (where it can confuse the subject).
or even (rurcly) 20successes. An ~ction that rcquir.,:; only one
~uccess is cnlled nsimple action. An action rlmt requires more The charr below may serve tO dispel your confusion re·
than one success is called un extended action. garding some of the different type'S of rnll• <hat can be mnde.

TryingitAgain

An extended action allows you ro roll over and over on It can ol'ten be frust.rating to fail. Ifyou are havina trouble
with your computer and can't figure out rhe source of a sysoem
subsequent roms in an attempt to collect enough successes 10 error, Lhen you're in for a frustrr.ring time. 11lis annoyance is
succeed. For il\stancc, suppose your character Is climbing a tree. reOected in Wraith by increasing the diffleul<y of •ny action If
It Is tried again after it's already been failed.
n,c Storyteller announces thnt when you roll a total of seven
Whenever a character n11cmprs an action she h•s prcvi·
successes, your characterhns climbed to the top.She'll get there ously failed, rhe Storyteller h:l1thc option of incre..'\Sing the
eventually, but the more times you roll, rhe more chances your

character has 10 botch and injure herself. If she is attempting

difficulty of the action by one. Consider a character who tries •
to intimidate someone. If the first auempt failed, it's going be
harder the second time around, so the difficulty is one greater. Try It Out
If tried a third rime, rhen the difficulty is two greater. In cases
like this, though, the Storyteller might simply n1le that the Well, that's it. These are rhe rules. This system for dice is
character cannot even make another try - how do you in.. all you really need to know in order to play this game. All the
timidate someone who has already called your bluff?
other rules arc just clarifications and exceptions. So long as
Other examples of when to use the rule are picking a lock
(Repair), scaling a wall (Athletics), and remembering a word )'OU understand what's been discussed here, you won't have
in a foreign language (Linguisric.<). any difficulty understanding anything else. If you don't think
you've caught everything, just read the above again; you'll find
Sometimes the Storyteller shouldn't invoke this n1le. A it makes more sense rhe second time around.
notable cxatnplc is during combat. Missing $0meone with a
first glmshot doesn't necessaril~' mean rhat the gunman is frus~ Now go ahead and make a few rolls, using the example
troted and has a better chance of missing again. But after the chamctcr from the other page. Cassandra is attempting toes·
gunman has missed a couple of times, especially if they are
easy, close·range shoes...

Other examples of when not to use the n1le ate seeing
something out of the corner of the eye (Alertness) and dodg·
ing an mack (Dodge).

ca~ a group of Hierarchy legionnaires. She crouches down
behind a low w:~ll, hoping that th~-y will mn pGS< wi<hout sec·
ing her. The Sroryreller a.stgns a difficulcy of 7 to tlus fea<,
nnd decides that the appropriate roll is L>cxtcrity + Stealth.
Take two dice because ofCassattdm's Dcxrerity Amibute ofZ,
and one exun die becaU>C of C1.ssandro's Stealth Abih<y of I.
You M>ould now have rhree dice in )"OUr hand- nor a lot, bur
at least you h:tVe a chance. Go ahead and roll the dice. look
to sec how numy successes \'Ou have, making sure co utkc nway
a success for every "I" you roll. Did you make it, did you fail, or
did you botch?The more successes you get, the better you hide.
Only one success might mc11n rhar you barely made it under
cover in time. Two might me:ln that you manage co crouch
under a little overhang. Three migh< mc:tn <ha< you're toutlly
silent and quiet, in which""-"" you\·e fooled <he lcgionnail"e$.

Nex<, tty out an exrended and resisted action. An example
o( this is an :urn wrestling 1natch. It requires :tn indeOnitc sc~
ries nf rolls, each with a differcnr difficulty. You need to •ccu·
mulat~ five successes more than your opponent in order to win.
A botch eliminates all of your accumulated successes.

• Firs< roll: Each player rolls Strength: the difficulty tsthe

opponen<'s Dexterity + 3 (s~ed is importnnt ac first).

• &-cond ond third rolls: Each player rolls Sttength: the
diffic:ulry is the opponent's Strength + 3.

o Fourth roll (and all subsequent ones): Eac:h player rolls
Strength; the dlfnculty is the opponent's Willpower.

Examples of ~oils

Following arc some exnmples of rolls, m provide you with • After being ques<ioned for houn; by Hierarchy lnquisi·
some ideas ;~bout how co incorptmue rhese n1les inco yuur role· tors, roll Sramina + Subterfuge (difficuhy 8) to see if you can
playing. Pie~ note that each A<tribote can work with each maintain your story successfully. Ob<aining live successes ol·
Ability, so <here are 270 poten<ial type> of stmple rolls that lows you to convince them fully.
cnn be made. Admittedly, you will not of<en roll Stamina +
Computer, bu< i< might come up. • You threaten the young IVrairh by trying to lift him up
by his collar; roll Strcng<h + Intimidation (diffoculcy 8).
o You arc protecting your Fetter late at nigh<. Roll Sromina
+ Alermess (difl'iculry 7) to stay awake and alert. • Yelling and screaming at the Harbinger, you tty to ger
himm go faster. Roll Charisma + lnrimidatlon (difficulty 6).
• A S~crre rises out of rhe gloom and floaa quietly be-
hind you: roll Perception + Alermess (diffkulty 9) to notice • You nsk a series of mpld·flre questions in order ro dis·
its approach. cover IVhat thrcars IVill intimidate <he >ubjec<. Roll Wits +
lntimida<ion (difficulcy 6).
• A <ough Reneg-ade refuses <o roke your commands. Roll
Strength + leadership (difficulty 7) in :m arremp< to domi- • You're trying to calm doiVn someone you're Skinndin&:
llnte him phy.1icolly and get him to do what you say. roll Manipulation + Empathy (difficulty 6).

• Can you convince the gathering crowd of Rc.~<I•M to
follow you! Roll Chamma + leadership (dtfficulty 7) as )"OU
attempt to gtve an off-the-cuff speech. You'll need four suc·
cc~!ICS to convince Lhcm completely.

o A Hierarchy Cenwrion is attem,,ing ro command a
group ofwranhs <o come with him. Roll Percep<ion + le-ader·
sh•p (difficulty 6) to sec how good a leooer he is. If y<>u score
five S\lccesscs, you'll know hisexact raLing.

Name: CaBBandra Nature: ViBionary tfe:ArtiBt
player: Meg Demeanor: Rebel
, Chronicle: Atlanta Shadow: Leech Death: Rantlom Violence

~egret: True Love

Attributesg :CI c g :J mo-o a Q Cl a o a a aCl Cli a: Cl D '; a : • I
a aCl Cl Cl Cl Cl Cl 0 Cl a a a C3 Cl a c

~I Y!cial flental
Charisma Gu&,; eeeeo Perception,_ _____eeOOO
~----'••• oo
Manipulat ion_ _ _ _ _,eeeo o Intelligence eeooo
_ __ __ ,eeooo

~-----•· ••oo Appearance eeeoo Wits eeeoo

a~ AOilitieSo-oa a c a o a a a a a Cl Cl c:r a a g 1:1 Cl a a •
cr o o o Q o a a a o a :a a c:1 1:1 a o

Talents slills koo~ledge

•••oo Crafts 0 0000 Bureaucracy 00000
Drive Computer
00000 00000 Enigmas eoooo
Etiquette lnvestigatio
00000 Firearms 00000 Law 00000
Linguistics
eeooo Leadership eoooo Medicine 00000
Meditation ••ooo Occult
Dodge eoooo Melee eeooo Politics eoooo
Performance Science eoooo
Empad>y eeooo Repair 00000
Stealth 00000
Expression St reet Poet!Y..._eeeeo •••oo
eoooo
lntimidadon 00000 00000 eoooo

StnX:twisc eeooo eoooo 00000

Subterfuge eoooo

Advantages .... "' 0 Cl 0 OC1 "' 0 0 a Cl Cl C> 0 a a a ... .. a a Q""lf'a G a Cl Cl .. Cl D " c : a •• '

Back~rounds r~ions Alrutos

~ldQIQn ••ooo ProtectC!i!!thla (Love) •••oo Argoe~ eoooo
eoooo Get back at gang (Rcvenee) eeooo eoooo
Haunt Ruin J1ubli,;her (Hate) eoooo Embod:~
•••oo eoooo
h::h::rnQdf!t!l eeooo Q~ lw~~ 11~" (EnlC£) eoooo l ifeweb eoooo
eoooo
Relic~ 00000 Ph~nJ:i!l!m eoooo
00000
Rt;n~gadetJ PUJ1J1et!Y
00000
00000

00000

~;tCCI CICI' O fefters ..OOCI aoc I G a ICI a a C1 CofFJS ;JI 0 Ea-0 d C . a a a a c Combat oo:= ao•

Cafe Inferno eeeeo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Weapon Difficulty l>•magc Pathoo

~~------·•••oo

Macinto,;h'"Computer eeooo • o a o a o \~llpo~tr >d fll>oO a c
"" '-''" '-'Pi,ecl.,m,_,o"'-n"'t_,_P,_a,'-"·k___ _ -'eOOOO

• • • • • • • oo o~~~~m ___________~ooooo 0 0 00 0 00000
_ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _0 0 0 0 0

fxperience a 0 a a Q c 1 a o et a a c fathos o o ca-o D-G

00000\ll\ll o oo

• You•re rrying to nop a c..1r thar·s careening out of con.. • Where should you search for your killed Roll lntelli·
trul. Which engine purt should you destroy wirh 011rrage 1 Roll gence + lnvestig-•tion (difficulty 6).
Intelligence +Repair (difficulty 6).
• While riding rhe electron highway, you get losr in the
• You try to dN:ipher whar's wrong with the car engine lmcmet. Roll Perception + Computer (diffoculry 6) to figure
from rhe mange sounds ir's making. Rolll'crceprion + Repair out where you arc.
(diffkulty 6).
• You're trying to tell another wraith how to get what she
• You're rrying to make a m:uk out ofncollection of trivial wants ITom a computer. Roll Manipulation + Computer (diffo·
Relic<. Roll Intelligence +Crafts (diffoculty 6). culty 7).

• You're wanr to impress the He.reric priest with your • BncakmG into rhe compurer system takes a long time,
and you're fl~hting off (a<igt•e ~• you do it. Roll Stamina +
wenponmakingskill. Roll Manipulation+ Crafts (difliCIIIty 7). Computer (difficulty 6).

• How long can ynu rem31n motionlcs.'i in the bushes ~as • While adrift in the Tempesr, you disco,•er a realm th~t
rhe two guards char for hours 00 end? Roll Stamina+ Stealth you've never before seen. Roll Intelligence + Enigmas (diffo·
(diffoculty 7). Each success indicates the passing of iO min· culty 9). If you score three successes, you might be able to tell
whether it's dangerous to remain.
utcs.
• A Heretic comes to you and offers aid - if you care 10
• You aucmpr ro follow the paper rrnil to rhe person who listen to his sermon. Roll Stamina+ Enigmas (diffoculty 7) to
gave the order to destroy your Ferrer. Rolllmelligcnce + Bu· stay awake.
reuucmcy (di((iculty 7).
• \'(/here's n good place co find a consort? Roll lntelli•
• Wouldn't you love to have that "Condemn" order lost gence + Streetwise (difftculty 6).
in the paper clut1 Possess a clerk and roll Manipularion + Bu·
rcaucmcy (difficulty 6) w dow. • What l•nguage is he speaking? R.olllntelligcnce + Lin·
guisrics (difficulty 7).
• Can you find rhe clues the police miS<ed at the scene of
your death! Roll Perception+ Investigation (difficulty 8).

Game Terms Points :The temporary scoresofTraits, such as Willpower,
Pathos and Corpus- the squares, not the circles.
bility: A Troit that describes what a char-
acter knows and has learned rather than Rating: A number describing the pcnmmcnt value of a
what she is. Examples ate Intimidation,
Firearms and Occult. Trait; usually a number from 1 to 5, though sometimes anum-

Action: An action is the pcrfonnancc ber from I to I 0.

of a consciously willed physical, social or Refresh: \Vhcn points are regained in a Dice Pool, it is
mental activity. When a player announces said that they are being "refreshed." The number of'points re-
that his character is doing something, he is taking an action. gained is the "refresh rate."

Advantages: Th is is a catch-all category that describes Resisted Action: An action that two different characters
the Arcanos, Backgrounds, Passions and Fetters ofa charocter.
take against each ocher. Both compare their number of suc-
Arcanos: The mystical abilities of wraiths. cesse,s; the character with the most wins.

Attribute: A Trait that describes a character's inherent Scene: A single episode of the story; a time when and
aptitudes. Attributes are such things as Strength, Charisma place where actions a.nd events rake place moment by mo-
and Intelligence. ment. A scene is often a dramatic high point of the story.

Botch: A disastrous failure, indicated by rolling more "l's" Shroud: The difficulty to pcrfonn some Arcanos in a given
than successes on the 10-sided dice rolled for an action. area of the Shadowlands; this begins at a base of l0 during the

Character: Each player creates a character, an individual day and 9at night. Various factors (Fetters, Warding, etc.) can
she roleplays over the course of the chronicle. Though "char- modify a Shroud score.
acter" could imply any individual, in Wraith, it is always used
to describe the players' characters. Simple Action: An action that requires che player to score
only one success to succeed, though more successes indicate a
Corpus: This Trait measures the degree to which a char- better job or result.
acter is wounded or injured.
Storyteller: The person who creates and guides a Wraith
Dice Pool: This describes the dice you have ill your halld
after combining your different Traits. It is the maximum num- story. The Storyteller assumes the roles of all the c haracters
ber of dice you can roll in one tttrn, although you can divide not run by the players and detcnnines all the even ts beyond
these dice betweell (or even among) different actions. the control of the players.

Difficulty: This is a number from 2 to 10 measuring the System: A specific set of complications used in a cenain
difficulty of an action a character takes. The player needs to situation; rules to help guide the rolling of dice to create dnl-
roll that number or higher on at least one of the dice rolled. matic action.

Downtime: The time spent between scenes when no role~ Trait: A Trait is any Attribute, Ability, Advantage orother
playing is done and rurns are not used. Actions might be raken, character index that can be described as a number (in terms of
and the Storyteller might give some descriptions, but gener- dots).
ally time passes quickly.
Troupe: The group of players, including the Storyteller,
Ext.endcd Action: An action that requires a certain num- who play Wraith - u.sually on a regular basis.
ber of successes for the charocter to succeed.
Willpower: One of the most important Traits is Willpower.
Pathos: The raw power ofemotion use-d by wraiths to per- It measures the self-confidence and internal control ofa char-
form Arc.;mos. acter. Willpower works differently from most Traits - it is of-
ten spent r•thcr tll>m rolled.