Death in the Catacombs
Assuming Cairn or a Cairn-like baseline. Inspirations include the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the short-lived Ghostwalk campaign setting, and Anne’s (and others’) dreams of an “astral Traveller” campaign.
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If a character dies in the catacombs while chasing a goal that they set for themselves while in the catacombs, they may choose to play as a ghost until that goal is met, rather than roll a new character. Ghosts can communicate freely with those they knew in life (other players, generally), but can only interact directly with holy, unholy, ab-holy, magical, dead, and undead things. Ghosts have only one stat left: Wil. To touch the mundane or appear to an outsider requires a Wil save. Ghosts can also test Wil to do anything generally spectral: pass through walls, whisper on the wind, etc.
Ghosts still have HP (but of course don’t take damage from mundane sources), and can attack (subject to a Wil save for mundane targets), and can even be deprived or fatigued. The basic needs of a ghost are company (knowing or not) and they draw sustenance from offerings given by the living. (Offerings are not consumed, but they must be left behind.) Ghosts don’t get backpacks.
If a ghost is reduced to 0 Wil, they truly die. If their HP is reduced to exactly 0, see the Astral Scars table.
A ghost can never leave the catacombs.
Astral Scars
Cross-reference with the amount of damage that dealt the scar. Bold scars can be re-rolled. Otherwise, move up or down the list to the nearest new or bold entry.
- Clarify your purpose. Roll 1d6, if it’s higher than your max HP, keep the new result.
- This world is an illusion. You can see in the dark.
- You are single-minded. Your goal alone provides sustenance and anchors you.
- There are allies to your cause. You may transfuse your HP to a living creature, although not more than their maximum.
- You are a weapon. Your chill touch deals 1d6 damage, ignoring armor, without requiring a save or a weapon. You can freeze water.
- You are of the catacombs. Teleport at will to any area you’ve seen before.
- Material ends have material means. You can manifest fully, forcing a morale test in your enemies. While manifested, use Wil in place of other abilities.
- You take the form you need. You can move, manipulate, or attack with any unattended object in sight.
- You’ve been going about this all wrong. Roll 3d6 and if the result is higher than your max Wil, take the new result.
- Your tether weakens. Lose one inventory slot then make a Wil save. If you pass, increase your max Wil by 1d6.
- Annihilation awaits you. If you fail your next save against critical damage, you dissipate into nothing. If you pass, roll 3d6 and if the result is higher than your max HP, keep the new result.
- Your purpose is lost. Roll 2d6 and take the result as your new max HP. You can continue to haunt the catacombs for as long as you like, but you gain no further benefit from scars.
- Image by Rijin S., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Palette: Bronze Palette
- Dither: Text 4
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