History TabletopGame / WraithTheArising

** The section on anchors mentions possibilities for [[Film/TheCar haunted cars]], [[WilliamSleator haunted dollhouses]], [[Film/TheRing haunted video tapes]], [[{{Film/DeathBedTheBedThatEats}} haunted beds]], and [[Film/CatsEye haunted cats]], among other things.

''[[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/wraiththearising.html Wraith: The Arising]]'' is a remake of ''WraithTheOblivion'' set in the ''NewWorldOfDarkness'', with some elements of ''{{TabletopGame/Orpheus}}'' and ''{{TabletopGame/Exalted}}: The Abyssals'', 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 its [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/0410wtasoi.html Statement of Intent]].

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.

* {{Splat}} -- The way a Wraith died and what kind of personality their Shadow has play a much larger role in the rules than in ''Oblivion''. This would predict a similar trend in GeistTheSinEaters.

[[caption-width-right:350:''A Storytelling Game of Flying-By-The-Butt'' (paraphrased from the author's own words).]]

Wraiths are not alone in their twilight state. Joining them are the ''Ferrymen'', enigmatic beings that may serve the role of Psychopomps. The Ferrymen rarely speak, save to tell the Wraiths to "have faith." If they are not careful, and wander to the outskirts of the Necropolis, a Wraith may encounter Reapers, [[http://wraithproject.cattail.nu/archives/tazreaperbluebig.jpg gaunt, cadaverous creatures wearing black, baroque armor]] that hunt ghosts for sport and drag them off to some horrible fate. Even worse are the Dark Walkers, vicious killers similar to Ferrymen at a distance, 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 Underworld, 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 claims.

* FanArt -- Italian artist Darcad drew [[http://darcad.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=believers#/d19wvbi this sketch of his Believer character.]]

* GenreLaunch -- Tremlett once jokingly stated the game's genre was "Gothic Horror Survivalist Heartbreak Psychic Trauma Brainfart Disco."

** The section on anchors mentions possibilities for [[Film/TheCar haunted cars]], [[WilliamSleator haunted dollhouses]], [[TheRing haunted video tapes]], [[{{Film/DeathBedTheBedThatEats}} haunted beds]], and [[Film/CatsEye haunted cats]], among other things.

-> -- ''The Book of Old Times'', first Stanza

** The section on anchors mentions possibilities for [[TheCar haunted cars]], [[WilliamSleator haunted dollhouses]], [[TheRing haunted video tapes]], [[{{Film/DeathBedTheBedThatEats}} haunted beds]], and [[Film/CatsEye haunted cats]], among other things.

* TheHeartless -- If a Wraith falls to her Shadow, she becomes one of the ''Damned'' and falls across the Barrier, returning only to wreak havoc on other ghosts. The Damned are insane and homicidal (but [[TheChessmaster definitely]] ''not'' stupid), even attacking each other when given the chance.

* WorldWreckingWave -- Occasionally, hurricane-strength ''Storms'' will burst from across the Barrier and ravage the Deadlands for a short time. These are always localized events (city-wide, generally) and are typically set off by extremely negative events in the Liveworld. Storms are often inhabited by the Damned, and are the only times when they both appear in large numbers and ''don't'' attack each other on sight.

Wraiths are not alone in their twilight state. Joining them are the ''Ferrymen'', enigmatic beings that may serve the role of Psychopomps. The Ferrymen rarely speak, save to tell the Wraiths to "have faith." If they are not careful, and wander to the outskirts of the Necropolis, a Wraith may encounter Reapers, strange creatures that hunt ghosts for sport and drag them off to some horrible fate. Even worse are the Dark Walkers, vicious killers similar to Ferrymen at a distance, 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 claims.

* ''Believers'', who believe that Paradise exists beyond the Barrier. They see the Ferrymen as angels, and devoutly follow their few words. The Believers are the proprietors of the Anchorage Numen, which lets them provide valuable Anchor-related services to other Wraiths, including the creation of new Anchors. However, following the concord's faith requires them to slowly relinquish the ties to their own Anchors.
* ''Freewraiths'', who choose to live by their own rules, without regard for religion or organized government, seeing the Ferrymen and the Order as liars and fools. They are the proprietors of the Shaping Numen, which they use to produce goods to sell to the other Concords. Those who join the Freewraiths have the "colors" of their allegiance tattooed to their Corpus.
* ''Haunters'', who choose to scare the living for essence. All the other Concords distrust them, in many cases to the point of violence. Even amongst themselves, they do ''not'' tolerate mistakes.

* ''The Order'', an organized government who follow and enforce the Injunction, a series of laws laid down by Charon in ancient times. Their traditions date back to the Etruscans, and their structure has shades of theocracy. As part of their initiation, members are mystically bound to uphold the Injunction, and must pay a tithe to the Order.
* ''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 their initiation requires them to permanently sacrifice some of their strength to their Shadow, making it stronger than the Wraiths of other Concords.

* {{World-Wrecking Wave}} -- Occasionally, hurricane-strength ''Storms'' will burst from across the Barrier and ravage the Deadlands for a short time. These are always localized events (city-wide, generally) and are typically set off by extremely negative events in the Liveworld. Storms are often inhabited by the Damned, and are the only times when they both appear in large numbers and ''don't'' attack each other on sight.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff -- Apparently, ''Arising'' proved popular enough in Italy that [[http://www.gdrzine.com/viewtopic.php?t=7661 a group of fans recruited enough people to translate it.]] ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome All 300 pages of it.]]''

* GhostAmnesia -- Obviously, those who died by Mystery do not remember the details of their death. Sleepers are trapped in a perpetual state of this.
* GhostStory -- The premise.

* ISeeDeadPeople -- Mediums, Projectors, and certain Consorts.

* MagicalSociety -- Each of the Concords is one of these, more or less.

* MonkeyMoralityPose -- This is inverted by a trio of Thorns: Speak Evil (see FreudianSlip, above), See Evil, and Hear Evil. The latter two allow the Shadow to manipulate the Wraith's senses to a certain degree.
* TheNecrocracy -- This is the stated purpose of the Order, and to a lesser degree the other Concords. Any city inhabited by Wraiths is known as a ''Necropolis'', and is usually split amongst multiple necrocracies in the form of the Concords.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent -- Eve within the game ghosts come in several varieties. The basic division is between Sleepers (ghosts trapped in a fugue state) and Arisen (fully self-aware ghosts). The Arisen are further divided by their manner of Death. Then Wraiths can become Lost or Damned. And ''then'' there are the Ferrymen, Dark Walkers, Reapers, and whatever weird fauna from beyond the Barrier that make forays into the Wilderness.

* HauntedHouse -- Unsurprisingly, Wraiths tend to live in these. Any anchor that happens to be a building is known as a ''Haunt''.

* HeroicBSOD -- A Wraith is provoked into one of these by losing an Anchor, performing a cruel and selfish action without remorse, or seeing anything that reminds them of their death. This gives the Shadow a free chance at taking control of their body or forcing the Wraith into a Harrowing.

* FateWorseThanDeath -- There are [[BeyondTheImpossible quite a few of these]], actually. A Wraith might become [[TheSchizophreniaConspiracy Lost]], [[TheHeartless Damned]], [[AngstComa Ossified]], or [[AndIMustScream paralyzed in a state of perpetual agony]].

* ParanoiaFuel -- The express purpose of the Shadow. How can you trust your own senses when ''it'' can trick you at the tip of a hat?

* The Heartless -- If a Wraith falls to her Shadow, she becomes one of the ''Damned'' and falls across the Barrier, returning only to wreak havoc on other ghosts. The Damned are insane and homicidal (but [[TheChessmaster definitely]] ''not'' stupid), even attacking each other when given the chance.

* HeroicBSOD -- When a Wraith becomes so angry or upset that he enters into an agreement to temporarily share power with his Shadow, known as Shadowstate.

* ShoutOut -- As a spiritual sequel to ''Oblivion'', this is par the course.

** Many of the nicknames for users of specific Numina are taken directly from ''Oblivion'', but they are often switched around since the author wanted to keep familiar readers on their toes.

* [[World-WreckingWave]] -- Occasionally, hurricane-strength ''Storms'' will burst from across the Barrier and ravage the Deadlands for a short time. These are always localized events (city-wide, generally) and are typically set off by extremely negative events in the Liveworld. Storms are often inhabited by the Damned, and are the only times when they both appear in large numbers and ''don't'' attack each other on sight.

* World-WreckingWave -- Occasionally, hurricane-strength ''Storms'' will burst from across the Barrier and ravage the Deadlands for a short time. These are always localized events (city-wide, generally) and are typically set off by extremely negative events in the Liveworld. Storms are often inhabited by the Damned, and are the only times when they both appear in large numbers and ''don't'' attack each other on sight.

* HauntedTechnology -- Wraiths can have mechanical or electronic objects as Anchors, which will exhibit weird behavior even when the Wraith isn't physically present. The Decay Numen allows a Wraith to enter and eventually control such objects at will, including traveling across power lines or even through the internet.

* FanArt -- Italian artist Darcad drew [[http://darcad.deviantart.com/gallery/?q=believers#/d19wvbi this sketch of his believer character.]]

** The section on anchors mentions possibilities for [[TheRing haunted video tapes]], [[TheCar haunted cars]], and [[Film/CatsEye haunted cats]], among other things.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy -- The reason why ''Arising'' dropped many of the structures and conventions of ''Oblivion'' was to avoid this very problem. YMMV as to how well that works.

* LighterAndSofter -- Compared to ''Oblivion'', at the least. Ghosts are no longer hopelessly separated from the living and slavery is no longer the norm.

** Taking cues directly from ''Orpheus'', even the most recently deceased Wraith is able to materialize and pass (mostly) for human, partially negating much of ''Oblivion'''s angst about being separated from the living. However, simple manifestations are not nearly as useful as using Numina, as the Wraith is cold, pale, physically weak, and unless they achieve a CriticalSuccess the effect lasts only for a few moments.

** Taking cues directly from ''Orpheus'', even the most recently deceased Wraith is able to materialize and pass for human, partially negating much of ''Oblivion'''s angst about being separated from the living. However, simple manifestations are not nearly as useful as using Numina, as the Wraith is cold, pale, unable to do much physical labor, and usually lasts only for a few moments.