History TabletopGame / WraithTheArising

* IntangibleMan / {{Invisibility}} -- Wraiths exist in a state known as ''Twilight'', where they may freely pass through physical objects and are invisible to the living, unless they wish to be seen. A Wraith's ethereal flesh is referred to as ''Corpus'', which is composed of a substance called ''Essence''.

* {{Mana}} -- Wraiths cannot exist without a continuous source of Essence, which they usually obtain from their Anchors (or someone else's). Less commonly, they obtain it from the emotions produced when they haunt the living, when it is given freely by other Wraiths, or by stealing it. Essence is used to power the effects of Numina and repair damage to a Wraith's Corpus.

Tremlett also wrote two short stories set in the gameworld, ''[[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0409gsslf.html Stupid Little Fears]]'' and ''[[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0410gsunnamed.html Old Scars for New Days]]''.

** The Ferrymen are a much more mysterious counterpart faction of the same name in ''Oblivion''. Namely, they are not ghosts, but something stranger.

* LighterAndSofter -- Compared to ''Oblivion'' (relatively speaking, as the game is just as depressing or more so than ''Changeling: The Lost'').

* JacobMarleyApparel -- Objects that are buried with people who become ghosts will develop ghostly doubles known as ''Relics'', and as long as the object continues to remain mostly intact in the Liveworld, the Relic will continue to exist for use by ghosts. This concept was borrowed from ''Exalted: The Abyssals''.

* {{Shadowland}} -- Places where the Deadworld and the Liveworld meet are known as Shadowlands. Created by negative emotional energy, ghosts may freely interact with the living in these places as though they were fully solid. Due to their exceptional creepiness, ghosts also tend to stay away from these places. This concept was borrowed from ''Exalted: The Abyssals''.

** Taking cues directly from ''Orpheus'', even the most recently deceased Wraith is able to materialize and pass for human, negating much of ''Oblivion'''s angst about being seperated from the living. Simple manifestations are not nearly as useful as using Numina, as the Wraith is cold, pale, and unable to do much physical labor.

* TheLostWoods -- This is the ''de facto'' state of the Deadlands outside of

* Shadowland -- Places where the Deadworld and the Liveworld meet are known as Shadowlands. Created by negative emotional energy, ghosts may freely interact with the living in these places as though they were fully solid. Due to their exceptional creepiness, ghosts also tend to stay away from these places. This concept was borrowed from ''Exalted: The Abyssals''.

[[caption-width-right:350:''A Storytelling Game of Flying-By-The-Butt.'']]

Ghosts spend their existence in a dreaming state called the Fugue, unaware of their death and mindlessly haunting their ''Anchors'': objects, people, or places that were important to them in life (or became so at their death). However, some ghosts realize the truth and wake up from this state, and these lucky (or unlucky) ghosts are known as ''Wraiths''.

Wraiths exist in a state known as ''Twilight'', where they may freely pass through physical objects and are invisible to the living, unless they wish to be seen. In death, a Wraith's senses are heightened to a degree only dreamed of by the living, but they perceive the world through the lens of death: everything alive appears blurred and grey, while other ghosts stand out like beacons. Wraiths can sense the distance and depth of emotions, determine the health of objects and people, and even have brief premonitions.

A Wraith's ethereal flesh is referred to as ''Corpus'', which is composed of a substance called ''Essence''. Wraiths cannot exist without a continuous source of Essence, which they usually obtain from their Anchors. Less commonly, they obtain it from the emotions produced when they haunt the living, when it is given freely by other Wraiths, or by stealing it. Essence is used to power the effects of Numina and repair damage to a Wraith's Corpus.

* ''Haunters'', who choose to scare the living for essence. All the other Concords distrust them, in some cases to the point of violence. Even amongst themselves, they do ''not'' tolerate mistakes.

* ''Pardoners'', who wage war against the Shadow and are constantly on the lookout for the Lost and the Damned. They are the proprietors of the Castigate and Shaping Numina, but ironically have stronger shadows than the Wraiths of other Concords.

Time takes its toll on the dead. Some Wraiths come to think that this mockery of existence is pointless, and just stop interacting with the world. As their activity slows down and stops, their bodies begin to ''Ossify'', their Corpus turning as white and unyielding as marble, cobwebs and chains appearing around their bodies to physically bind them where they stand. If the process is not stopped, the Wraith eventually turns into a lifeless statue, and forever falls Asleep unless charitable Wraiths decide to wake her up.

However, there is hope for the dead. If a Wraith can resolve their ties to life, without falling prey to their Shadow or to Ossification, they can move on to the next life. Wraiths call this fabled goal ''Transcendance'', but few of them take it seriously.

----

Ghosts spend their existence in a dreaming state called the Fugue, unaware of their death and mindlessly haunting their ''Anchors'', objects, people, or places that were important to them in life (or became so at their death). However, some ghosts realize the truth and wake up from this state, and these lucky (or unlucky) ghosts are known as ''Wraiths''.

[[caption-width-right:350:Chapter One: Dead to the World]]

* ''Believers'', who believe that Paradise exists beyond.
* ''Freewraiths'', who choose to live by their own rules, without regard for religion or organized government.
* ''Haunters'', who choose to scare the living for essence.
* ''Messengers'', who acts as guardians and angels to the living.
* ''The Order'', an organized government who follow a series of laws laid down by Charon in ancient times.
* ''Pardoners'', who wage war against the Shadow and are constantly on the lookout for the Lost and the Damned.

Wraiths are not alone in their twilight state. Joining them are the ''Ferrymen'', enigmatic beings that may serve the role of Psychopomps. More rarely a Wraith may encounter Reapers, strange creatures that hunt ghosts for sport and drag them off to some horrible fate, and Dark Walkers, vicious killers similar to Ferrymen at a distance that are given away by their inability to speak. All of these beings originate from beyond the ''Barrier'', an imaginary wall that separates the land of the living from the "true" afterlife, which virtually no Wraith has ever seen. Those rare few that claim to have traveled beyond and returned are invariably insane, making it impossible to determine the truth of their claim.

Wraiths exist in a state known as ''Twilight'', where they may freely pass through physical objects and are invisible to the living, unless they wish to be seen. In death, a Wraith's senses are heightened to a degree only dreamed of by the living, but they perceive the world through the lens of death: everything they see appears to be decaying, and those close to death or destruction are clear as such.

Wraiths are not alone in their twilight state. Joining them are the ''Ferrymen'', enigmatic beings that may serve the role of Psychopomps. More rarely a Wraith may encounter Reapers, strange creatures that hunt ghosts for sport and drag them off to some horrible fate, and Dark Walkers, vicious killers similar to Ferrymen at a distance that are given away by their inability to speak. All of these beings originate from beyond the ''Barrier'', an imaginary wall that separates the land of the living from the "true" afterlife, which virtually no Wraith has ever seen.

Time takes its toll on the dead. Some Wraiths come to think that this mockery of existence is pointless, and just stop interacting with the world. As their activity slows down and stops, their bodies begin to ''Ossify'', their Corpus turning as white and unyielding as marble, cobwebs and chains appearing around their bodies to physically bind them where they stand. If the process is not stopped, the Wraith eventually turns into a lifeless statue, and forever falls Asleep.

''[[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/wraiththearising.html Wraith: The Arising]]'' is a remake of ''WraithTheOblivion'' set in the NewWorldOfDarkness, written by J. Edward Tremlett and Chris Jackson and with some illustrations by artists Taz Jurz and Lost Soul. The story behind the game's genesis is explained in the [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0410wtasoi.html Statement of Intent]].

Ghosts spend their existence in a fugue, unaware of their death and mindlessly haunting their ''Anchors'', objects, people, or places that were important to them in life (or became so at their death). However, some ghosts realize the truth and wake up from this state, and these lucky (or unlucky) ghosts are known as ''Wraiths''.

''[[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/wraiththearising.html Wraith: The Arising]]'' is a remake of ''WraithTheOblivion'' set in the NewWorldOfDarkness, written by J. Edward Tremlett and Chris Jackson and with some illustrations by artists Taz Jurz and Lost Soul. The story behind the game's genesis is explained in the [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0410wtasoi.html Statement of Intent]].

Ghosts spend their existence in a fugue, unaware of their death and mindlessly haunting their ''Anchors'', objects, people, or places that were important to them in life (or became so at their death). However, some ghosts realize the truth and wake up from this state, and these lucky (or unlucky) ghosts are known as ''Wraiths''.

* Wraiths of ''Violence'' died by the hand of another person. They find the Numina of ''Fear'' and ''Kinesis'' easier to learn, but may fall prey to their Shadow more easily.
* Wraiths of ''Sickness/Starvation'' died of disease or deprivation. They find the Numina of ''Bios'' and ''Embody'' easier to learn, but are surrounded by a sickly miasma that is off-putting to others.
* Wraiths of ''Old Age'' died when their aged bodies could no longer sustain themselves. They find the Numina of ''Bios'' and ''Decay'' easier to learn, but are more prone to Ossification.
* Wraiths of ''Happenstance'' died in an accident. They find the Numina of ''Fate'' and ''Kinesis'' easier to learn, but sometimes suffer flashbacks to their deaths.
* Wraiths of ''Insanity'' died when their minds failed. They find the Numina of ''Fear'' and ''Castigate'' easier to learn, but are permantly deranged in some mild fashion.

* Wraiths of ''Fate'' died because Fate decided it must be so. They find the Numina of ''Fate'' and ''Embody'' easier to learn, but risk becoming puppets of Fate.

* Anchorage, which manipulates Anchors.
* Bios, which manipulates the bodies of the living.
* Castigate, which actively defies the Shadow.
* Decay, which manipulates inanimate objects.
* Embody, which creates illusory and physical manifestations visible to the living. It has no set paths.
* Fate, which manipulates destiny and chance.
* Fear, which manipulates waking nightmares and hallucinations.
* Kinesis, which manipulates force, allowing the Wraith to touch and move objects and people.
* Regis, which manipulates the minds of the living and dead.
* Shaping, which manipulates Essence, the substance of the dead.

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

Wraiths exist in a state known as ''Twilight'', where they may freely pass through physical objects and are invisible to the living, unless they wish to be seen. In death, a Wraith's senses are heightened to a degree only dreamed of by the living, but they perceive the world through the lens of death: everything they see appears to be decaying, and those close to death or destruction are clear as such. Wraiths may learn supernatural powers known as ''Numina'', which allow them to interact with and manipulate the world around them.

There are several different kinds of Numina, each with their own purviews. Numina are generally separated into ''Paths'', which each manipulate a different aspect of that Numen.

All Wraiths are cursed with a voice in their head known as the ''Shadow'', a reflection of all the darkest aspects of their personality. The Shadow exists to indulge itself at the expense of the Wraith in question, but they may prove to be useful allies if one can accept the cost. Shadows are able to manipulate their host by using ''Thorns'', which can produce things like hallucinations or Freudian slips.

Wraiths are not alone in their twilight state. Joining them are the Ferrymen, enigmatic beings that may serve the role of Psychopomps, and the Damned, Wraith who have been permanently subsumed by their Shadow and exist only to cause suffering and destruction.

Every Wraith is visually marked by the way they died. Each ''Death'' carries it own benefits and flaws.

''Wraith: The Arising'' is a remake of ''WraithTheOblivion'' set in the NewWorldOfDarkness, written by J. Edward Tremlett and Chris Jackson and with some illustrations by artists Taz Jurz and Lost Soul. The story behind the game's genesis is explained in the [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0410wtasoi.html Statement of Intent]].

The game itself can be read in its entirety at [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/wraiththearising.html the Wraith Project archives]], and a character sheet has been made by both [[http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/pdf/MiscNWOD/NWoD_WraithTheArising.pdf MrGone]] and [[http://mrgone.rocksolidshells.com/pdf/fansheets/wraith_new_v2.pdf Renfield286]]. Unfortunately, [[DeadFic the game was never finished]], although it is in a playable state.