Ghost merits refer to special skills, abilities, or aptitudes that are only exhibited by ghosts. They generally represent skills or powers unique to them because of their lingering state of liminal death or exposure to the Underworld they inhabit.
Some ghost merits are even more specific, being most often manifested only by specific members of one of the guilds or legions, although it is not always certain whether it is impossible for other ghosts to have these merits or simply very, very unusual.
General Ghost Merits
Bright: This ghost's emotions make them shine so brilliantly that they can be glimpsed by mortals on the other side of the shroud when they are upset.
Cold: This ghost's presence causes mortals to feel cold spots and perhaps recognize that they are there.
Disembodied: This ghost no longer has a corpus and exists as a disembodied voice, making them impossible to harm through most means (although they also cannot use any powers that require being embodied).
Drowned: This ghost drowned in the open ocean and can travel above and through water more easily than most.
Full of Life: This ghost is especially vibrant and visibly "healthier" than other spirits.
Justin, the Nick of Time: This ghost is occasionally visited by a manifestation of the Underworld that dispenses cryptic advice or predictions.
Mortal Companion: This ghost is attached to a friendly human being who is aware of its existence and will help it do things beyond the Shroud.
Natural Helmsman: This ghost was a ship helms master in life and can sail ghost ships easily.
Old Age: This ghost died at a venerably advanced age and is given additional respect even from other ghosts as a result.
Penetrating Glare: This ghost can see through the Shroud more easily and clearly than most.
Phobia Insight: This ghost is innately able to sense what they can do to frighten nearby mortals most.
Psychic Ally: A living person who knew this ghost in life can sense their presence and communicate with them when nearby.
Quick Healer: This ghost heals more quickly when harmed by forces from the living world.
Secure Fetter: This ghost has a fetter in a protected location such as a vault or museum.
Storm Warning: This ghost is sensitive to the approach of Spectres and Maelstroms.
Sympathetic Ear: This ghost is an expert in reading the emotional states of others and finds it easy to feed on their emotions.
Tomb: This ghost's body is in a sturdy tomb full of things they can use as relics or fetters.
Spectre Merits
Secret Fetter: This spectre still has a fetter hidden somewhere in the living world, allowing them to travel to places and access powers most spectres cannot (although they are in great danger of being shunned or killed if this is discovered).
Speeding: This spectre operates at a slightly faster psychic speed than others, allowing it to react before its fellows in most situations.
Wraith Merits
Castigation Junkie: This wraith has a history of abusing Castigation and as a result is largely immune to its effects, or at least not affected as strongly.
Eunuch: This wraith has a personal Eunuch bound to them that can perform simply tasks or carry messages on their behalf.
Favors: This wraith is owed a favor by some significant person or group in the Underworld.
Friends in High Places: This wraith has secret allies among another group of wraiths who will help or defend them in need.
Good Relationship: This wraith has a good working relationship with their darker side and is less likely to suffer sudden attacks of impulse from it.
Guild Sponsor: This wraith has a friend higher up in the guild that tries to get them benefits or shield them from fallout.
Heretic Boon: A member of a heretical cult owes this wraith a favor.
Hierarchy Boon: A member of the Hierarchy owes this wraith a favor.
Malleable: This wraith is more easily altered with the Moliate discipline.
Nostalgic Shadow: This wraith's Shadow has a fond and beloved memory related to one of their fetters and refuses to allow it to be damaged or destroyed.
Other Half: This wraith has a living soulmate who acts as a fetter and is able to more easily regenerate when near them.
Purity: This wraith has great spiritual purity and can withstand the effects of Oblivion for longer than others.
Renegade Boon: A member of a renegade group owes this wraith a favor.
Self-Aware: This wraith understands their Shadow intimately and can gain energy from it without being tainted.
Shadow Obsession: This wraith's Shadow is focused completely on only a small part of their personality, ignoring all other opportunities to harass them about anything that is not related.
Spirit of Healing: This wraith is the local protector of a small town or village and may feed from their energy in return for healing or protecting them.
Unknown Fetter: This wraith has an extra fetter but does not know why it is important to them; they must investigate to find out what is still binding them to the human world.
Warded Area: This wraith has a warded refuge they can retreat to in which their Shadow cannot attempt to assert control.
Weak Shadow: This wraith has a weak Shadow that has trouble asserting its will against theirs.
Artificer Merits
Clean Countenance: This Artificer is physically unblemished from the forges no matter how much time they spend there.
Master Forger: This Artificer has a reputation as a top-level crafter and is in great demand.
Sense of the Metal: This Artificer is specially attuned to metal and can use powers on it more easily.
Shielded by the System: This Artificer has friends high up in the Hierarchy and is protected from most political problems.
Harbinger Merits
Byway Runner: This Harbinger is adept at traveling through Byways and travels twice as quickly there as others.
Tempest Anchor: This Harbinger has found a stable island in the Tempest that they can find and retreat to when in trouble.
Haunter Merits
Beneficial Quirk: This Haunter's Quirk turns out to be helpful once in a while.
Leech: This Haunter can leech energy directly from the Wyld.
Wyld Allies: This Haunter is so connected to the Wyld that they appear as a respected kindred spirit to shapeshifters.
Wyld Summons: Other Haunters instinctively come to this one's aid if they are in the area.
Masquer Merits
Fluid Corpus: This Masquer is so fluid that they can significantly reshape their appearance even without Moliate, and have a much easier time using Moliate on themself.
Plasm Famulus: This Masquer has a small homunculus made from their own plasm that remains loyal to them and may be used as an errand-runner or scout.
Mnemoi Merits
Heart of Memory: This Mnemos is the sole bearer of an extremely precious and emotional memory for a major wraith, making them more valuable and often protected by others.
Known Memory Pusher: This Mnemos is known in wraith society as a trusted seller of good emotions and memories.
Knows Too Much: This Mnemos can access all of the memories of their ancient forbears, even the secrets that are supposedly hidden.
Mistaken Monitor: This Mnemos is able to successfully impersonate a member of a different guild without notice (although they are in constant danger of being punished if discovered).
'Other Marks: This Mnemos appears to others to be aligned with a different Arcanos than they actually are, hiding their actual activities.
Perfect Memory: This Mnemos remembers every tiny detail they have ever perceived or experienced with perfect accuracy.
Oracle Merits
The Bottom Line: This Oracle knows exactly how they will finally be either destroyed or ascend from the Underworld (although not when or how they'll get there).
Vibes: This Oracle performs an instinctual and accurate surface reading of the character of everyone they meet.
Puppeteer Merits
Confessor: This Puppeteer has a friend among the Pardoners who is willing to overlook their guild and help them when their Shadow causes problems.
Discreet: Unlike most Puppeteers, this one does not pick up tics or mannerisms from those they possess.
Friendly Consort: One of this Puppeteer's hosts is aware of them and intentionally helps them possess them.
Risen Contact: This Puppeteer has a Risen friend who owes them substantially for helping them regain their body.
Risen Merits
Eat Food: This Risen can eat human food without having to purge it, although it doesn't sustain them.
Innate Vampiric Ability: This Risen can more easily learn some of the disciplines normally possessed only by vampires.
Secret Death: This Risen's death was never uncovered, making it impossible for people to realize that their presence is out of the ordinary.
Vampire Friend: This Risen has a friend among the true vampires, who either knows what they are or doesn't but still helps them survive as an undead creature.
Spook Merits
Bargaining Chip: This Spook has provided unsavory services to someone in the Hierarchy and can ask them for help lest they reveal what they know.
Easier Pandemonium: This Spook is especially skilled in Pandemonium and can more easily learn and use it.
Nice Abs!: This Spook's appearance is less affected by the use of Outrage and makes them merely appear physically toned and powerful.
Usurer Merits
Broad Experience: This Usurer is capable of drawing power from an emotion other than the one they are usually considered expert in.
Natural Projector: This Usurer finds it almost effortless to share emotions and powers with others.
Merits | |
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General Merits | Mental Merits • Physical Merits • Social Merits • Supernatural Merits |
Being-Specific Merits | Demon Merits • Fairy Merits • Ghost Merits • Hunter Merits • Kuei-Jin Merits • Mage Merits • Mortal Merits • Mummy Merits • Shapeshifter Merits • Vampire Merits |