A Start in on a Spirit-Talker mantle
There's one by this name on the Emerald City online (dresden files, I think) game... I used that as a basis. THis sort of captures what I see as her foundation. But, it's up to you to tell me if we're even close with this. If NOT, or even fi so, I'd love to hear a lot mroe about how you envision this.
What can she do? And what--of what she can do--should cost her something?
I want to strike a balance between
- Those things she can do because we've given you narrative license in the form of an Aspect or two, and
- Those things she can do, but that should come with an actual cost of some sort.
I'm a firm believer that magic should cost something. It's a zero-sum game, and that means if you move magic here, it has to come from somewhere. Raising powers via rituals (which, again,
everyone can do) takes time and energy. So to should magical rituals involving the spirits.
Talking to them shouldn't cost anything (no more than talking to people). Convincing them to help... as much as they can... same thing. Just like people. But when you convince them to cross boundaries and do stuff that they wouldn't normally do (like borrowing a bear's strength or a skunk's spray attack), that should cost something.
So, with that in mind, what do you think of this for a start?:
Spirit Mystic
Conditions:
Spirit-Obligations (sticky): [_][_][_][_][_]
This condition uses five boxes to represent your significant spiritual capital, which translates to a constant supply of local spirits to help you. Mark a box when you draw on your spiritual resources for this mantle’s stunts.
Remove the marks on this condition by:
- Waiting (one box per chapter)
- Exchanging shifts of stress in this stress-track for Consequences of indebtedness to the relevant spirit.
- Fulfilling the obligations of oaths made to the spirit in question
Demonstrating adherence and honor of the spirit's goals and intentions
While it is possible to take on multiple consequences from one or more spirits, the more such obligations you take on, the sooner one or more of the spirits will demand that you take action on their behalf.
Angered the Spirits (sticky): [ ]
You've violated the spirit world's trust too many times or too often. While the
Angered the Spirits" condition is marked, you may no longer use the
Spirit-Obligations condition to fund associated stunts.. Recover from
Angered the Spirits when you have made restitution with the spirits.
(Potential) Core Stunts
The High-Concept provides a basic narrative excuse to say that you can perceive and interact with spirits. But this assumes that said spirits, interact, socially, like people--meaning that they talk to you because they wish to. Spirits, like people, may choose to try to hide, may not wish to speak to you, etc. Your own social skills come into play to manage this.
The stunts, therefore, are not focused on presenting what you can already do by virtue of your High-Concept. Instead, we explore other potential areas of coolness...
- All Spirits Are One...
Check a box of Spirit-Obligation to access either an Aspect or a bonus in something that a minor spirit you are associated with is experienced in. This can be represented as you allowing the spirit to imbue you (gain the Hunter's Eye of the Eagle, for instance.) or it may represent you possessing the animal in question (literally "riding the Eagle" to use it's vision to scan an area). Check one box per aspects and/or area of competence, with a maximum of +2 in any one area. Use your fate points to invoke these aspects on your behalf.
- Intervention
Mark Spirit-Obligation to call upon the local spirits for favors. One box grants automatic success to a task (provided it is without risk) without having to roll or play out a scene. Two boxes may provide NPCs or a spiritual/magical resource to assist with a dangerous task.
If at least three boxes are unmarked, you may mark the entire track for a powerful Local Spirit to intervene on your behalf and resolve a situation utterly unresolvable under your own power. This particular action requires formally petitioning the spirit and convincing them that the intervention is in their best interest.