Nothing is born which Death makes not subject of his state. — Bhartrhari, "Of Time the Destroyer" Sample file Credits Dedication Authors: Liz Argall, Dave Brookshaw, Theo Co- For Lily. han-Diaz, Jose Garcia, Emily Griggs, Lawerence Haw- kins, Olivia Hill, Alisha Karabinus, Eloy Lasanta, James Special Thanks Mendez Hodes, Vivian Paul, Neall Raemonn Price, Rebecca Slitt, Chris Spivey, Travis Stout, Vera Vartanian, Ethan Skemp and Aileen Miles, for giving the game Kat Veldt, Stew Wilson, Filamena Young of second chances its first chance. Developer: Travis Stout The first edition authors, for a legacy of wonder. Editor: Dixie Cochran Whitney Beltrán for her help in filling this book with diverse voices. Indexer: Marshall Oppel Rose Bailey for constant help and advice for a new Art Director: Mike Chaney developer. Artists: Sam Araya, Ken Meyer Jr., Brian Leblanc, Luis Sanz, Drew Tucker, Avery Butterworth, John Cobb, Vince Locke Development Producer: Dixie Cochran Operations Director: Matt McElroy Creative Director: Richard Thomas © 2019 White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, Chronicles of Darkness, Vampire: The Masquerade, and Mage: The Ascension are registered trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB. All rights reserved. Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Werewolf: The Forsaken, Mage: The Awakening, Promethean: The Created, Changeling: The Lost, Hunter: The Vigil, Geist: The Sin-Eaters, V20, Anarchs Unbound, Storyteller System, and Storytelling System are trademarks of White Wolf Entertainment AB SampleAll rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by Whitefile Wolf Entertainment AB. This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised. Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.com/ Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at http://theonyxpath.com/ 2 Geist: The Sin-Eaters Second Edition Introduction 11 On Loss and Having 55 Out of Sight, Out of Mind 55 Themes 11 It Gets Worse 57 Empathy 11 Hitting Bottom 57 Self vs. Service 11 What About the Light? 57 Hope and Joy 11 Looking Back to Look Forward 12 The Bargain 57 A Short Drop 58 How to Use this Book 12 And a Sudden Stop 58 Chapters 12 Hanging Around 59 Storytelling Games 13 The Carnival 60 Inspirational Media 14 Born In Death 60 Books 14 Finding Religion 61 Movies & TV 14 Finite Eternity 62 Glossary 14 The Underworld 62 The Lands of the Dead 62 Chapter One:The Quick and the Dead 19 The Upper Reaches 63 The Abiding 20 The River Cities 63 The Rivers of Death 64 The Bereaved 23 The Lower Mysteries 65 The Hungry 26 The Ocean of Fragments 66 The Kindly 29 Beyond the Beyond 67 The Vengeful 32 Chapter Three: One Foot in the Grave 71 Furies 35 Step One: Concept 71 Step Two: Attributes 72 Mourners 38 Step Three: Skills 72 Necropolitans 41 Step Four: Skill Specialties 73 Pilgrims 44 Step Five: Sin-Eater Template 73 Step Six: Merits 74 Undertakers 47 Step Seven: Advantages 75 ChapterSample Two: The Road Back 53 Geist Creation file75 Step One: Concept 75 The Living 53 Step Two: Remembrance Trait 75 The Sin-Eater 54 Step Three: Attributes 75 The Dead 55 Step Four: Virtue and Vice 75 Table of Contents 3 Step Five: Crisis Point Triggers 75 Collectibles 133 Step Six: Ephemeral Entity Traits 76 Creating a Memento 133 Step Seven: Advantages 76 Example Mementos 134 Character Advancement 76 Chapter Four: Old Laws 139 Non-Experience Based Advancement 77 Traits 139 Krewe Creation 77 The Sin-Eaters 78 Attributes 140 The Dead 78 Mental Attributes 140 The Living 79 Physical Attributes 140 Background Players 79 Social Attributes 140 Creating the Krewe 79 Skills 141 Anchors 81 Skill Specialties 141 Root 81 Mental Skills 141 Bloom 82 Physical Skills 142 Setting Down Roots and Flowering Fruits 82 Social Skills 144 Touchstones 83 Willpower 145 Example Touchstones 84 Anchors 145 Merits 85 Speed 146 Merit Tags 85 Sanctity of Merits 85 Defense 146 Supernatural Merits 89 Actions 146 Synergy 90 Extended Actions 147 Crisis Points 91 Losing Synergy 95 Common Actions 149 Abjuration 149 Plasm 95 Argument 149 Gaining Plasm 96 Carousing 149 Using Plasm 96 Fast-Talk 149 Sin-Eater Abilities 96 Interrogation 149 Physical Medium 96 Intimidation 150 Possession Immunity 97 Investigating a Scene 150 Plasmic Healing 97 Jumping 150 Liminal Aura 99 Repair 150 Ectophagia 99 Research 150 Remembrance Traits 100 Shadowing a Mark 150 Unleashing the Geist 100 Sneaking 151 Warding and Binding 151 Haunts 100 Learning Haunts 101 Rolling Dice 151 Supernatural Conflict 101 Dice Pool 151 The Boneyard 101 Roll Results 152 The Caul 103 When to Roll Dice 152 The Curse 106 Action Scenes 152 The Dirge 107 Turns 152 The Marionette 109 Initiative 153 The Memoria 111 The Oracle 113 Social Maneuvering 153 The Rage 116 Goals 153 The Shroud 117 Doors 153 The Tomb 119 Impression 154 Opening Doors 154 Keys 121 Doomed 121 Violence 156 Intent 156 Ceremonies 124 Down and Dirty Combat 156 Symbolism and Sacrifice 124 Detailed Violence 157 The Working 124 Weapons and Armor 160 Innate Sin-Eater Ceremonies 125 Other Ceremonies 127 Injury and Healing 162 SampleSuffering Damage file162 Mementos 131 Healing 162 Death Trinkets 131 Strange Keys 132 Sources of Harm 163 Enduring Symbols 132 Disease 163 Poison 163 4 Geist: The Sin-Eaters Second Edition Drugs 163 Step Two: Determine Complexity 178 Electricity 163 Step Three: Determine the Tasks 179 Extreme Environments 164 Step Four: Establish the Structure 179 Falling 164 Step Five: Generate Effort 180 Fire 164 Step Six: Repeat 180 Equipment 165 Step Seven: Resolve Action 180 Krewe vs. Krewe 181 Mental Equipment 165 Automotive Tools 165 Harm, Healing, and Schism 182 Cache 165 Krewe Conditions 182 Communications Headset 166 Casualties 183 Crime Scene Kit 166 Diminished 183 Code Kit 166 Shaken Faith (Persistent) 183 Cracking Software 166 Coup d’Etat (Persistent) 183 Digital Recorder 166 Heresy (Persistent) 184 Duct Tape 166 Ghosts 185 First-Aid Kit 166 The Nature of Ghosts 185 Flashlight 166 Glowstick 167 Ghost Traits 187 GPS Tracker 167 Rank 187 Keylogging Software 167 Essence 188 Luminol 167 Attributes, Skills, and Merits 188 Multi-Tool 167 Advantages 189 Personal Computer 167 Other Traits 190 Smartphones 167 Bans 190 Surveillance Equipment 168 Banes 190 Survival Gear 168 Influence 190 Talcum Powder 168 Manifestation 191 Ultraviolet Ink 168 Numina 192 Anchor Jump 192 Physical Equipment 168 Awe 192 Battering Ram 168 Blast 192 Bear Trap 169 Descend 193 Caltrops 169 Drain 193 Camouflage Clothing 169 Emotional Aura 193 Climbing Gear 169 Empower Ghost 193 Crowbar 170 Engulf 193 Firearm Suppressor 170 Firestarter 194 Gas Mask 170 Hallucination 194 Handcuffs 170 Host Jump 194 Lockpicking Kit 170 Implant Mission 194 Mace (Pepper Spray) 170 Innocuous 194 Rope 171 Left-Handed Spanner 194 Stun Gun 171 Moliate 194 Social Equipment 171 Omen Trance 194 Cash 171 Pathfinder 194 Disguise 171 Proxy 194 Fashion 171 Puppeteer 194 Services 172 Rapture 195 Regenerate 195 Objects 174 Reap Memory 195 Krewes 174 Seek 195 Krewe Traits 174 Speed 195 Sign 195 Attributes 174 Stalwart 195 Merits 175 Telekinesis 195 Doctrines 175 Virtue and Creed 175 Damage 195 Congregation 176 Legions of the Dead 196 EsoterySample 176 Doppelgängers file196 Ceremonies 177 Barghests 196 Regalia 177 Castoffs 196 Krewe Action 178 Geists 197 Step One: Determine the Desired Outcome 178 Kerberoi 197 Table of Contents 5 Chthonians 198 Necromancers 225 Ghost Advancement 198 Graverobbers 226 Dr. Jordan Thames 226 The Underworld 199 Ritualists 227 Avernian Gates 199 Erica Greenwood 227 Crossing Over 199 Necromantic Cults 228 Crossing Back 200 Enemy Bound 229 The Guardian Geist 200 Archetypal Mirrors 229 Dead Roads 201 Kerberoi 232 Architecture 201 Crime and Punishment 232 Society 201 Numina 233 Instinct 201 Dominion Sense 233 The Ever-Hungry Maw 202 Enforcement 233 Needs Must: Survival in the Underworld 202 The Moth 233 Don’t Starve 203 The Scribe 233 Dark Markets 203 Chapter Six: The Quiet Places 237 The Autochthonous Jungle 204 The Politics of Passing 204 In the Room Where It Happens 237 The Rivers 204 Washington, D.C., USA 1968 237 Dead Waters 204 Southern Hospitality 242 The Ferryman’s Bond: Travel on the Rivers 205 Mobile, Alabama 1910 242 What Lies Beneath 206 Edinesis 245 Houses of the Dead 206 Edinburgh, Scotland 245 The Aegis of the Old Laws 206 Run Away Home 246 Irkalla’s Gates 207 Quilombo dos Palmares, Brazil 1654 246 The Undiscovered Country 208 Widows’ Walk and Salt Spray 247 Hindsight is 20/20 208 Winslow, Massachusetts 247 Uncanny Tableaux 208 Ylem 209 God Will Know His Own 247 As Below, So Above 210 Carcassonne, France, 1360 247 The Ocean of Fragments 211 Solstice Spirals 248 Navigating the Final Frontier 211 Bru na Boinne, Ireland 248 Chapter Five: Antagonists 215 Mega City 4 248 Beijing, China 248 Reapers 215 City of Spices 250 A Ghost Like You 215 Calicut, India 1526 250 The Dead Belong Below 216 Harvesting Methods 216 Dominion: The Nameless Bridges 251 Strength in Numbers 217 Dominion: The Nursery 252 Mechanics 217 Faces of Death 217 Dominion: The Cavern of Flame 254 Desperate Spouse 217 Dominion: The Dead Forest 254 Ambitious Reformer 218 Dominion: The Crossroads 255 Ruthless Judge 219 Cannibal Geist 220 Chapter Seven: Ghost Stories 259 Eaters of the Dead 221 Theme 260 Ghosts and Shadows 221 Those Left Behind 260 Haute Cuisine 221 Why We Fight 260 Five Cuisines 222 Breaking the Cycle 260 New Advantage: Rapacity 223 Mood 261 Dread Powers 223 Hope, Joy, & Healing 261 Anchor Eater 223 Modernity 261 Death Inurement 223 Abmortality 224 Conflict 261 Numen 224 Sin-Eater vs.