SPECTRAL RETAINERS
Spectral
Retainers
"Please, my childe... Please. Leave me be. Please. Do not
harm my link. Please. I'll serve you again."
The Necromancer smiled, his perpetually rotted teeth a
mix of yellows and blacks, contrasted against his purple lips
and pale skin.
haracters may purchase dots in the
Retainers Background to represent the
service of a spirit summoned, compelled,
and bound into their fetter by the
performance of the requisite Oblivion Ceremonies.
Spiritual
Conscription
Binding a spirit begins with the successful performance
of the Summon Spirit Ceremony, without which the
spirit is unable to cross the Shroud to affect the mortal
world. Then, the spirit must be forced into service by
the Compel Spirit Ceremony. Finally, the spirit must
be bound permanently into its fetter via Bind the
Spirit.
At the conclusion of all three Ceremonies, the
necromancer can purchase the Retainer (Spirit)
Background at the dot level determined by the
Strength of the bound spirit. Otherwise, the spirit
escapes its bondage at the end of the night.
Shades of Death
Summoned spirits come in six varieties, referred to as
“Shades”. A spirit’s Shade is determined by who they
were in life, and cannot be changed or directly selected
by the summoning necromancer.
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While using the Binding Fetter (Oblivion ●), a
necromancer may study a spirit’s fetter, learning its
Shade on a successful Intelligence + Oblivion roll
against a Difficulty of 3. On a Critical Win, the
necromancer also learns the spirit’s Strength.
Spirit Mechanics
A spirit’s Strength (i.e. its Retainer dot value)
determines three aspects, summarized below and
detailed in the tables on the following page:
Dice Pools — Spirits use one of three dice pools to
⏹
perform actions requiring a roll:
⃞ the Primary Pool is rolled when an
action falls within the spirit’s particular area
of expertise, which is established when the
spirit is first bound
⃞ the Secondary Pool is rolled when
an action is something one would reasonably
expect the spirit to be competent at, as
determined by its background and
experiences in life
⃞ the Desperation Pool is rolled in all
other cases
⏹ Manifestation — All bound spirits can manifest
freely, becoming visible to everyone without the
need for supernatural perception. The nature of
their manifestation is determined by the spirit’s
Shade, and the degree of manifestation is
determined by its Strength (see the tables below).
⏹ Powers — Each Shade offers two unique powers.
Both the powers known by an individual spirit, as
well as the dice pool rolled to activate each power,
are determined by the spirit’s Strength.
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 SPECTRAL RETAINERS

Spirit Strength
strength primary secondary desperation
(dot value) pool pool pool abilities
● 4 2 1 Manifestation ●

Manifestation ●●
●● 6 3 1 Shade Power ● (Secondary Pool)
Shade Power ● (Primary Pool)
●●● 8 5 2 Shade Power ●● (Secondary Pool)
Shade Power ●● (Primary Pool)
●●●● 10 7 2 One Other Shade Power* ● (Secondary Pool)

* chosen by the Storyteller from any other Shade, according to the spirit’s personality and background

Spirit Shades & Manifestations

shade manifests ...
Banshee ● … as disembodied whispers just barely comprehensible
●● … as a traditionally ghostly apparition, shrouded and wispy

Haunter ● … as a shadowy image in a mirror or other reflective surface

●● ... as a human-like figure with features obscured by a caul

Phantasm ● … as a shadow cast by no apparent light source

●● … as a three-dimensional shadowy figure

Poltergeist ● … as the movement of small objects (e.g. key, pencil),

OR as writing on a suitable surface (e.g. fogged mirror, spilled blood)
●● … as a gathering of small objects assembled into a vague human shape

Skinrider ● … by briefly speaking through a mortal

OR by compelling a mortal to make an involuntary, jerky movement
●● … as a ghostly figure made of silvery threads and cobwebs

Wisp ● … as a softly glowing ball of light

●● … as as blurry figure, its features impossible to discern

Spirit Powers
shade powers
Banshee ● Wail — Manipulate the emotions of all listeners, as Awe or Daunt (Presence)
●● Forebode — Glimpse the future, as Premonition (Auspex).

Haunter ● Inhabit — Conceal self inside an object, evading wards and detection.
●● Hijack — Control the inhabited object.

Phantasm ● Sandman — Read and manipulate the dreams of sleeping mortals.

●● Bedlam — Project illusions, as Fata Morgana (Obfuscate/Presence).

Poltergeist ● Helter — Manipulate objects crudely and slowly (Desperation Pool when roll required).
●● Skelter — Manipulate objects expertly (Primary Pool when roll required).

Skinrider ● Ride-Along — Occupy the body of a mortal, seeing and hearing what they perceive.

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●● Possession — Control a ridden mortal, as Possession (Dominate/Auspex).

Wisp ● Fixate — Briefly distract all observers, as Chimerstry (Obfuscate/Presence)

OR Draw one observer’s attention, as Awe (Presence).
●● Lure — Attract all observers, as Compel (“Follow”) + Mass Manipulation (Dominate).