Toon steve jackson download pdf

Transcription

1

2 The creatures of the Other World are all around us. Some were once alive. Some were created by human imagination. And some are completely inhuman but thirst for our souls. GURPS Spirits is a complete guide to the spirit realm and its inhabitants. It includes a catalog of spirits from around the world: angels, demons, djinn, dryads, ghosts, loas, manitou, raksasha, and many, many more. It is also a campaign guide for characters who see spirits, serve them, use them or fight them! Also included: an expanded version of the ritual magic rules first seen in GURPS Voodoo, as a system for spirit-mediated magic. No horror roleplaying campaign is complete without a ghostly apparition, the rattle of chains in the dead of night, or a malevolent spirit wreaking havoc. And the creatures of GURPS Spirits can be used in many other types of campaigns, too from the questing knights of old to the paranormal investigators of today to the galactic explorers of tomorrow! GURPS Basic Set, Third Edition, Revised and Compendium I: Character Creation are required to use this supplement in a GURPS campaign. The material in GURPS Spirits can be used with any rules system. THE LOST SOULS: Written by Stephen Kenson Edited by Janice M. Sellers Cover by Philip Reed Illustrated by Paul Daly, David Day, Tom Fowler, and Sean Murray Additional Illustrations by Gerinaldo Colon and Zach Howard FIRST EDITION PUBLISHED JUNE ISBN X STEVE JACKSON GAMES SJG Printed in the USA

3 GURPS System Design GURPS Line Editor Production Manager Production Artist Production Assistance Print Buying Art Direction Steve Jackson Sean Punch Gene Seabolt Heather Oliver Paul Rickert Philip Reed GURPS Errata Coordinator Lead playtester: Matthew Michalak DENIZENS OF THE OTHERWORLD Remi Treuer By Stephen Kenson Edited by Janice M. Sellers Illustrated by Paul Daly, David Day, Tom Fowler, and Sean Murray Additional Illustrations by Gerinaldo Colon, Zach Howard and Dan Smith Cover by Philip Reed Special thanks to ArtToday for the beautiful Edmund Dulac artwork. Andy Vetromile Playtesting and additional ideas: David Ackermann, SD Anderson, Roland Bailey, CJ Beiting, Frederick Brackin, Michael Brewer, John Buczek, David Cary, Benedict Chapman, Richard Cochener, Mark Cogan, Brandon Cope, Nelson Cunnington, Lee Davis, Peter Dell Orto, Thomas Devine, Christopher Dicely, Robert Dorf, David Edelstein, Christopher Emerson, Travis Foster, John Freiler, Richard Gadsden, Andrew Garman, Jeremiah Genest, Daniel Glass, Brian Gross, Scott Harris, Joanna Hart, Kenneth Hite, Leonardo M. Holschuh, Daniel Howard, Bob Huss, Malachias Invictus, Anthony Jackson, Hunter Johnson, Christopher Kirk, K. David Ladage, Jonathan Lang, Shai Laric, MA Lloyd, James Maliszewski, Peter Martin, Phil Masters, Nigel McCarty-Eigenmann, Beth McCoy, Ian McDonald, David Morgan-Mar, Ben Morley, Michael Newton, Remington Nobles, Nygaard, Stephanie Pennington, Richard Persky, Jeff Raglin, Daniel Rice, Craig Roth, Charles Saeger, Andrea Scarpetta, Curtis Shenton, Scott Simpson, Emily Smirle, Brian Smithson, Brian Sniffen, Adam Solis, David Spitzley, William Stoddard, David Stroup, David P. Summers, Ralf Tschulena, Chad Underkoffler, Earl Wajenberg, Joseph Weinmunson, and Simon Whateley. Special thanks to: C.J. Carella, David Edelstein, Matthew Michalak, Sean Punch, and Janice Sellers for their contributions and hard work, and to Christopher for putting up with me the whole time. GURPS, Warehouse 23, and the all-seeing pyramid are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. Pyramid and Illuminati Online and the names of all products published by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated are registered trademarks or trademarks of Steve Jackson Games Incorporated, or used under license. GURPS Spirits is copyright by Steve Jackson Games Incorporated. All rights reserved. Some art copyright ISBN X STEVE JACKSON GAMES

4 CONTENTS 2 INTRODUCTION About GURPS THE NATURE OF SPIRITS THE ROLES OF SPIRITS Animating Force Guiding Force Higher Power Archetype Servant Spirit Seers Advisor Guardian Psychopomp Monster TYPES OF SPIRITS Nature Spirits Totemism Celestial Spirits Animism Human Spirits Alien Spirits Afterlife and Reincarnation Souls and Resurrection Apotheosis Sustaining Spirits CONTENTS SPIRIT AND SYMBOLISM Shamanism Shamanic Initiation Shamanic Duties Shamanic Trance HISTORY OF SPIRITS Earliest Beliefs Western Beliefs Gnosticism Eastern Beliefs Avatars Australia Africa The Americas The Middle Ages Hierarchies of Spirits The Age of Reason The Age of Industry The Modern World TODAY S SPIRITS Religious Spirits Magical Spirits Psychological Spirits Literary Spirits CAMPAIGN SEED: ONCE WE WERE GODS Pseudoscientific Spirits Morphogenesis WORLDS OF SPIRIT THE NATURE OF SPIRIT WORLDS One Realm or Many? You Can t Get There From Here Mutable or Fixed? Prison Worlds ENTERING AND LEAVING SPIRIT WORLDS The Shamanic Worlds Methods of Spirit World Travel OUTER AND INNER WORLDS Outer Spirit Worlds No Outer Spirit World Where Spirits Live Inner Spirit Worlds The Faerie Veil Spiritual Time Travel Multiple Afterlives Net Shamans CAMPAIGN SEEDS Death Is Only the Beginning The Dreamers Adventures in Godshome SPIRIT ABILITIES FORM AND FUNCTION Attributes Spirit Abilities MOTIVATION AND ROLE Free-Willed Spirits Servitor Spirits Mindless Spirits SPECIAL POWERS Attributes Advantages New Advantages Disadvantages New Disadvantages Other Disadvantages Spirit Disadvantage Table Innate Spells Inherent Magic (Knacks) Magical Spirits Psionic Spirits Ultra-Tech Spirits Skills FINE TUNING Taboo Traits and Features Quirks Spirits That Aren t SPIRIT TEMPLATES ANGEL ANIMAL SPIRIT APPARITION ASCENDED SPIRIT DEMON

5 DJINN Zar ELEMENTAL Air Elemental Earth Elemental Fire Elemental Water Elemental FAERIE GHOST PERSONIFICATION SPIRIT OF PLACE THOUGHT FORM ULTRATERRESTRIAL Ancient One Minion CHARACTERS CHARACTER TEMPLATES Channeler/Medium Charlatan Occultist Priest Seer Shaman Sorcerer Spirit Combat Spirit Hunter Spirit Warrior SPIRIT CHARACTERS NEW SUPER-POWER ADVANTAGES NEW ADVANTAGES Psionics DISADVANTAGES SKILLS SPIRIT MAGIC TYPES OF MAGICIANS Priests Shamans Sorcerers Ritual Magic Terms LEARNING RITUAL MAGIC Magical Traditions Ceremonial vs. Keeping It Mysterious Forms Power Level Interactions Special Powers USING SPIRITS Quantity and Rarity Spirit Servitors God Does Not Play at Dice Location Spirits and Society Spirits and Magic Spirits and Technology SPIRIT FOES Monsters Minions Villains Antagonists SPIRIT HEROES No Spirit PCs Passing Beyond All-Spirit Campaigns Mixed Groups BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX CONTENTS 3

6 4 About GURPS Steve Jackson Games is committed to full support of the GURPS system. Our address is SJ Games, Box , Austin, TX Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) any time you write us! Resources include: Pyramid ( Our online magazine includes new GURPS rules and articles. It also covers Dungeons and Dragons, Traveller, World of Darkness, Call of Cthulhu, and many more top games and other Steve Jackson Games releases like In Nomine, INWO, Car Wars, Toon, Ogre Miniatures, and more. Pyramid subscribers also have access to playtest files online! New supplements and adventures. GURPS continues to grow, and we ll be happy to let you know what s new. A current catalog is available for an SASE. Or check out our Web site (below). Errata. Everyone makes mistakes, including us but we do our best to fix our errors. Up-to-date errata sheets for all GURPS releases, including this book, are available from SJ Games; be sure to include an SASE. Or download them from the Web see below. Gamer input. We value your comments, for new products as well as updated printings of existing titles! Internet. Visit us on the World Wide Web at for an online catalog, errata, updates, Q&A, and much more. GURPS has its own Usenet group, too: www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar GURPSnet. This list hosts much of the online discussion of GURPS. To join, e- mail with subscribe GURPSnet-L in the body, or point your Web browser to www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar The GURPS Spirits web page is at Page References See GURPS Compendium I, p. , for a full list of abbreviations for GURPS titles. Any page reference that begins with a B refers to GURPS Basic Set Third Edition Revised; e.g., p. B refers to page of Basic Set. CI refers to Compendium I, CII to Compendium II, G to Grimoire, H to Horror Second Edition, M to Magic Second Edition, P to Psionics, R to Religion, and VO to Voodoo. INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION GURPS Spirits is the continuation of work begun in a number of excellent GURPS books, particularly GURPS Voodoo and GURPS Undead, both of which presented information on spirits and the spirit world for GURPS. But the scope of both books prevented them from being guides to spirits and spiritual phenomena in general: Voodoo focuses on the particular campaign setting of the Shadow War, while Undead, not surprisingly, focuses solely on spirits like ghosts and specters. Spirits is a generic guide for including spirits of all kinds in your GURPS games ghosts, angels, demons, elementals, faeries, and many other incorporeal beings. This book also includes an expansion of the popular ritual magic rules introduced in GURPS Voodoo, breaking them away from the Shadow War setting and broadening them to include spirit magic throughout history and diverse human cultures, making the system truly generic and applicable to any campaign. Spirits contains guidelines for adding a spiritual dimension to any setting, from traditional and urban fantasy to horror and even futuristic science fiction. The spirit templates in this book can be used for NPC spirits or as player characters in a spirit-based campaign. There are also templates for mortal characters who deal with spirits, from magicians to spirit hunters and more everything needed to make spirits a part of your GURPS campaigns. Using this Book To skip right to the rules part of the book, go to Chapter 3 for information on the abilities of spirits and how they re represented in GURPS. Chapter 4 has racial templates for many different kinds of spirits, allowing you to put them to use quickly. Chapter 5 has templates for mortal and spirit characters, along with new advantages, disadvantages, and skills for mortal characters. Chapter 6 has a complete system of magic for GURPS, ritual magic, harnessing the forces of the spirit world. To use Spirits as a source book, check out the information in Chapters 1 and 2 for discussions about spirits and the spirit worlds, then see Chapter 7 for how to include spirits in your campaign and some of the issues to consider regarding them. Then look over the other chapters for the rules on spirits and characters involved with them. About the Author Steve Kenson has been a freelance RPG writer since and has contributed to numerous game lines including FASA s Shadowrun and Earthdawn, Last Unicorn Games Star Trek, White Wolf s Aberrant and now GURPS. He has also contributed many articles to Pyramid. GURPS Spirits is his first GURPS book. Steve has been an avid gamer since His other interests include comic books and working with a local youth group. Steve lives in Merrimack, New Hampshire with his partner, Christopher Penczak.

7 Chapter 1 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. Genesis The T term spirit refers to an entity that is incorporeal, not a being of matter, although many spirits are tied to the material world or are capable of assuming material form. Some spirits interact with the physical world, while others are far removed from it, appearing only to those who leave the physical world behind. Spirits come in many different types, and every human culture has some beliefs about them. They point toward realms beyond the physical and to the possibility of a much larger universe. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 5

8 The Roles of Spirits Although spirits in RPGs are generally associated with magic, spirit is an intensely religious concept. The terms religion and spirituality are often used interchangeably today. Modern psychological models of spirits acknowledge their religious roots. In a campaign, it is important to know the different roles spirits play. Animating Force In most belief systems throughout history there is an extra something, an integral component of living things, that is the difference between living and nonliving matter. It is an intangible force that gives life to all things. Early scientific efforts to prove the existence of a life force studied the difference in weight between a living creature and a dead one, in the belief that something departed from a living being when it died. In an animistic belief system, spirits are present everywhere, even in inanimate matter such as rocks or buildings. Items are imbued with spiritual or living properties. It is possible to contact, and even communicate with, the spirits of animals, places, and items. In other belief systems, the presence of spirit is limited to only living things, only animals but not plants, or only certain types of living things (e.g., humans). Spirits can sometimes be directed to enter into normally lifeless matter in order to animate it or to bring a dead creature back to life (or animate it as undead). Unless defenses exist against them, spirits are nearly perfect spies, able to go anywhere and observe or influence events without being seen. Guiding Force In addition to its role as animating force, spirit is often seen as a guiding force, directing people, creatures, and events toward a particular purpose. Many beliefs claim spirits direct everything: the development of life, the destiny of humanity, and natural phenomena like the weather and the movement of the sun and the moon. In other beliefs they are limited to affecting only certain things. Spirits may also be part of the divine plan of an even greater spirit or spirits, in which case they are guided as much as anyone else. One example of spirits as a guiding force is the veneration of the spirits of one s ancestors. Many cultures believe ancestor spirits (both human and nonhuman) watch over their descendants. They have an interest in protecting and aiding their descendants, although they can also become angry and vengeful as a result of past or present slights. People turn to the spirits for advice, aid, and guidance in times of need. Spirits are also viewed as guardians of morality, particularly when they are agents of a higher power. The faithful petition these spirits for aid and guidance to follow their moral examples and to protect them against temptation or the lure of evil spirits. Higher Power Raised above material concerns, spirits may have great power. In many belief systems, the dividing line between a spirit and a god is blurred. All noncorporeal beings are spirits, even the most omnipotent of gods. Such powerful spirits may be anthropomorphic, animistic, or not personified at all. In general, GURPS Spirits deals with spirits that can be quantified in game terms. Spirits often serve a higher power. This includes the vast hierarchies of angels and demons found in Christian mythology, Odin s Valkyries, and the innumerable spirit courtiers of the Celestial Bureaucracy in Chinese myth. There may be many different levels of spirits, ranging from the most powerful and exalted to the weakest and most earthly. Mortal servants of a higher power may receive aid from these spirits, or be granted the ability to summon or command them. Archetype Spirits can also be seen as archetypes. Plato s philosophy included a realm of Ideals, which contained the perfect archetype of everything in the physical world. Psychologist Carl Jung described spirits as archetypes from the universal unconscious. Likewise, a spirit may embody a particular idea, concept, or thing jealousy, America. Often this is just a metaphor, but spirits are associated with different archetypes. A spirit that embodies an archetype often has great power within its particular field but serious limitations outside it. The spirit may also be tied to the strength of its archetype; its power increases or decreases as belief in the concept waxes or wanes. Servant Spirits are often shown as servants, particularly in fantasy literature, where powerful wizards command legions of elementals, demons, or similar creatures. Spirits may be servants of higher powers or they may be summoned (or even created) by mortals to serve them. Dealing with spirits (particularly demons) is a dangerous business, as evidenced by Mephistophilis in Christopher Marlowe s Doctor Faustus. The djinn of Arabian myth were often bound to grant their summoner wishes or other services but, like demons, could be treacherous servants. Unless defenses exist against them, spirits are nearly perfect spies, able to go anywhere and observe or influence events without being seen. 6 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS

9 The ability to see, hear, and interact with spirits has long been considered a special gift (or curse). Spirits are normally invisible and intangible to the material world. The ability to see them is relatively rare and usually indicates a person with the potential to become a magician of some sort. Advantages that allow characters to see and interact with spirits are described in Chapter 5. Spirit magic is discussed in Chapter 6. The Benandanti A group of spirit seers existed in medieval Italy. Clergymen there stumbled upon a folk tradition of people called the Benandanti (meaning good walkers or doers of good ). Each of these people was born under the caul, that is to say, with an intact amniotic sac covering his face or head. This indicated they were Benandanti, and most of them kept part of their caul as a talisman. From the ages of 20 to 40, the Benandanti were sometimes summoned in their sleep to travel in spirit form to a distant place. They fought enemies called the Malandanti ( evil walkers ), including witches, werewolves, and other creatures of the night. The spiritual Benandanti wielded fennel stalks as weapons. Their battles helped drive away evil influences and ensured the harvest would be a good one. When the Benandanti lost a battle, misfortune occurred, Spirit Seers usually in the form of blight and plague. Although the church condemned them, the Benandanti maintained they were not evil and that they were doing God s work against the forces of evil. Only under torture did any of the Benandanti confess to being in league with the Devil. The Benandanti may have had the Astral Projection or Spirit Projection abilities (see Chapter 5), allowing their spirits to roam far from their sleeping forms. A fantasy campaign can be based on a group of Benandanti (who might live some distance from each other in the physical world). They work together on certain nights of the month to protect their unsuspecting neighbors from the hazards lurking in the spirit world, while avoiding the notice of the church, which would surely condemn them for heresy. Animals and Spirits Animals are often accorded the ability to sense spirits, domestic animals in particular: dogs begin barking, cats hiss and arch their backs, and so forth. This is usually the case with unnatural spirits like ghosts (p. 59), but it may extend to other types of spirits as well. This ability may result from spirits with the disadvantage Frightens Animals (p. CI97) or certain animals having advantages like Awareness (p. CI33), but the ability of animals to detect them may simply be considered a Feature for some spirits (see p. 45). Advisor As beings beyond the physical, spirits may have great wisdom or insight. Mortals call on spirits to ask their advice, such as shamans seeking spirits while in trance. Spirits are also known to visit mortals and impart important information, such as messages from God. Such messages are not always clear, often being couched in riddles or cryptic metaphors. Spiritual messages may also be contradictory, at least on the surface. Evil and mischievous spirits have been known to trick the unsuspecting into believing lies (or jokes). Even in a world where spirits exist, people can also have delusions or visions, believing they are in contact with spiritual messengers when they are not. Guardian A spirit may be assigned to protect a particular person, place, thing, or even concept. Spirits may protect the priests or faithful of a religion, watch over an important family, guard a sacred religious site, or protect an ideal in the physical world. Spirit guardians of lost temples and other sites are common in fantasy literature and mythology. Ancestor and totem spirits often guide and protect particular families or tribes. Many people believe they have a guardian angel or similar spirit that watches over them, and the ancient Romans believed in the concept of the genius or personal guardian spirit. Psychopomp A psychopomp is a guide and guardian of the spirits of the dead. Able to bridge the gap between the physical and spirit worlds, spirits often guide the souls of the dead to the afterlife. The Norse Valkyries took the spirits of brave warriors to Odin s hall of Valhalla, angels guided souls to heaven while demons dragged sinners down to hell, and the spectral boatman Charon rowed the spirits of the dead across the River Styx in Greek mythology. Shamans (living and dead) also serve as psychopomps. Those able to travel into the spirit worlds may be able to speak with the spirits of the departed and possibly even bring them back into the world of the living (if not back to life). Monster In some stories, particularly in fantasy literature, spirits are simply terrible monsters for heroes to overcome, from ghosts and specters to demons and elementals. These spirits exist primarily as obstacles for the heroes of the story. The Ring-Wraiths from Tolkien s The Lord of the Ring are an example of such monstrous spirits, as is Sauron, their demigod master. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 7

10 Types of Spirits Spirits can be classified according to place of origin and then further by purpose and abilities. Nature spirits are tied to the Earth and natural phenomena. Celestial spirits come from a realm outside of Earth (heaven, hell, Asgard, etc.), often seen as above or below the physical world. Human spirits are the spirits of human beings (and, perhaps, of other intelligent creatures). Nature Spirits A nature spirit is one that springs from the natural or physical world, or that dwells primarily in the physical world. Nature spirits are the most common spirits found in myth and legend. They are especially common in animistic belief systems, which invest every part of the world with some kind of spirit. Nature spirits are often seen as willful and flighty. Animal and Plant Spirits Since they are already alive, it is a small step to invest animals and plants with spirit. Many cultures believe all living things possess a spirit, and that animals and plants are no different from humans in this respect. Some beliefs draw a distinction between animals and plants, or between animals and humans, but belief in animal and plant spirits is common. Animal and plant spirits are often called on to provide food and other necessities. People honor the spirits when hunting and harvesting, and shamans speak with the spirits to ensure the survival of the tribe. Animal and plant spirits are often portrayed as anthropomorphic, having near-human (or better) intelligence, a humanlike form, or both. Powerful animal and plant spirits may be totems in a culture (see Totemism, right). Elementals Elementals embody the essence of the primal elements of nature. In Western mythology, the major elements are earth, air, fire, and water. In Eastern thought they are fire, water, earth, metal, and wood. An elemental may embody a specific subset of an element, such as storms, lightning, rivers, streams, etc. Elementals typically have personality traits associated with their element fire elementals are passionate and literally hot-tempered, while earth elementals are slow and ponderous but patient and nurturing. Elementals are associated with primal nature spirits like dryads, sylphs, and similar beings. Modern literature and RPGs have considered the existence of elementals of technological things like concrete, steel, glass, and electricity. Faeries Faerie is a broad term for a wide variety of anthropomorphic nature spirits. It usually refers to nature spirits from Indo-European cultures, particularly the Celts, but its use in this book covers similar spirits from cultures all over the world. Faeries are generally humanlike in appearance, although they may be much larger or smaller. They often have animal or elemental traits, such as fur, horns, leaves instead of hair, or 8 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS Totemism Totemism is the veneration of the embodiment of a primordial ancestor or patron spirit. It is particularly common in tribal cultures that practice ancestor worship. The totem is represented by a physical symbol, either a crafted object (like a carving or statue) or a living animal or plant. In the latter case, the living totem is considered sacred. It is forbidden to kill a living totem, or it is permitted only under certain ritual circumstances, where the totem is eaten to take in its special qualities. This may grant the consumer special abilities in some campaigns. In some cultures totems are shared among family members and everyone knows what totem spirit is associated with what tribe or family. In others, totems are highly individual, and each person must go on a quest to find his own. This vision quest usually takes the form of a solitary spiritual journey into the wilderness. There the questor undergoes rituals of fasting, trances, and purification and may use sacred herbs or other hallucinogens to spark visions. The quest continues until a totem spirit appears, and questors who fail often die in the wilderness. Those who return home without a totem spirit are often considered dead anyway. A totem may be considered a vital secret; speaking openly about it offends the totem spirit, which departs. Knowing a person s totem may serve as a source of magical power or influence over that person (or simply a source of blackmail, if he believes his totem may abandon him). In other cultures, totems are talked about openly. In campaigns where totem spirits are real and grant benefits to their people, characters should take the appropriate advantages related to their totems. See Chapter 5 for more information. oddly colored skin. Faeries are strongly associated with the natural world and with humans and human habitations (e.g., brownies and other spirits that dwell with people). Most cultures consider faeries proud and capricious. They must be treated with proper respect and ritual or they can become angry and vengeful. Faeries are known for playing elaborate pranks, as well as for abducting mortals into their realm, which usually lies hidden inside a natural formation like a tree, hill, or lake. Personifications Animistic cultures sometimes attribute human qualities to natural forces, personifying them in the form of spirits. Elementals (above) can be considered a kind of personification, anthropomorphizing the elements. Personifications can embody nearly anything, from natural features to abstract ideas or emotions. They are seen as humanlike in thought and emotion and often in appearance as well. They exist primarily to support and further whatever they embody, so disease spirits spread illness, spirits of desire inflame mortal hearts, etc. Powerful personifications may be considered deities (see Celestial Spirits).

11 Spirits of Place Places are often described as having spirits. In many myths, spirits embody the qualities of places and serve as their guardians. Examples include the kami of Japanese mythology, and nature spirits like dryads (which embody specific trees) or naiads (which embody specific bodies of water). Spirits of place are often tied to the places where they dwell and may draw strength from the existence of their homes or the people living there. Damage to their homes may harm them also, so spirits of place guard their areas carefully. Celestial Spirits Celestial spirits come from a realm outside the physical world altogether. Although the term celestial implies the sky or the heavens, celestial spirits may also come from below the Earth ( infernal spirits) or from places that cannot even be described in threedimensional terms. Some modern believers in spirits equate these spirits with extraterrestrials, which is certainly true in the sense that celestial spirits are not from Earth. Angels and Demons The terms angel and demon are catch-all terms for celestial spirits that embody moral concepts of good and evil, respectively. They include the angels and demons of Animism Animism is the belief that everything in the material world has a guiding spirit. It often serves as a substitute for science in primitive cultures. Science looks for explanations for the things that happen in the universe; animism explains everything as the workings of various spirits. Earthquakes happen because the earth spirits are angered. Storms are the work of sky spirits, with lightning as their weapon. Fertility spirits affect the growth of crops. Malevolent spirits cause disease and misfortune, and so forth. Those able to communicate with and command these spirits have control over the physical world, making shamans and magicians powerful figures. An animistic belief system could be true in a fantasy campaign setting. Perhaps thunder really is the clashing of sky spirits and disease really is caused by evil spirits rather than tiny, invisible things called germs. In a campaign where animism is the prevailing belief system it will at least seem that this is the case, whether it actually is or not. Christian mythology, devas and rakshasa from Hindu myth, and Odin s Valkyries. Angels and demons exist to advance their particular moral causes on Earth. Sometimes they operate entirely through visions and similar forms of inspiration, advising and assisting, or tempting mortals into evil. In other cases they involve themselves more openly in mortal affairs, either through possession or direct manifestation. Sometimes one side operates more openly than the other does. Demons are often said to work more freely, while their moral code or the will of a higher power restricts angels. Angels and demons are most often servants of a greater spiritual power, such as God and Satan in Christianity. These powers control and direct their servants toward particular ends, although many stories have shown beings like God and Lucifer as absentee rulers of their domains, leaving their servants to their own devices. Deities The most powerful celestial spirits are gods or deities, often responsible for embodying or controlling major portions of the universe. Monotheistic systems believe in a supreme deity or great spirit responsible for all things, although some belief systems suggest that the great spirit is not as involved in the affairs of the physical world as it once was. The power of a deity can range from that of an ordinary spirit to true omnipotence. GURPS Spirits addresses three major functions of deities: their role as patrons and superiors of lesser spirits; their ability to manifest through their mortal worshippers, usually through channeling or possession; and their ability to grant miraculous powers to their followers. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 9

12 Ultraterrestrials Ultraterrestrial is a modern term coined by John Keel in his book UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse. It refers to beings from outside the normal physical world as we know it. In GURPS Spirits, ultraterrestrial is a general term for spirits that originate from outside the physical world but are not angels, demons, or deities. Ultraterrestrials are often extremely alien beings, coming from a reality outside human understanding or existing on a different dimensional level. Many of the entities from H.P. Lovecraft s Cthulhu stories can be considered ultraterrestrials, as can most beings described in alien abduction scenarios. Some theorists believe that all spirits are actually ultraterrestrials, originating in other dimensions. They point to the similarities between alien abduction stories and faerie abductions in ancient mythology. While some believe ultraterrestrials are helpful and benevolent, many stories suggest a more malevolent nature or motivations beyond human understanding. Ultraterrestrials often behave in bizarre and confusing ways, with no apparent reason for their actions. This makes them particularly suited to Illuminati or horror settings. Human Spirits In many belief systems, humans are the only beings with spirits and are the ultimate source of all other spirits. In others, humans are merely a part of a vast array of different spirits. Souls A soul is an embodied spirit living in the physical world. It is usually associated with life force, breath, intelligence, emotion, and willpower. In this book, the human spirit is referred to as the soul. 10 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS Alien Spirits Some belief systems suggest that spirits are extraterrestrials rather than ultraterrestrials, literal visitors from other planets or stars. Spirits were often associated with heavenly bodies in ancient thought, particularly the motion of the planets and certain constellations. They lived in the upper reaches of the air or among the crystal spheres that held the planets and stars. Later beliefs involved spirit visitors from places like Venus or Sirius coming to Earth, either to aid humanity in evolving or for reasons of their own. This view of spirits best suits an Illuminati campaign, or a space campaign where spirits are actual highly evolved immaterial aliens who may have influenced or created human belief in spirits in the past. Some believe the soul is what makes humans individuals, gives us our personalities, or makes us intelligent. In many cosmologies the spirits of human beings are accorded special status. In some belief systems humans are the only creatures that have spirits at all! Many belief systems subdivide the soul into different parts, each with a different function (see below). In campaign settings with other intelligent races, the GM will have to decide whether or not they also have souls (which may also be a matter of considerable religious debate!). Believers in the soul s existence usually claim it is what makes individuals unique and provides the qualities that make us human. Some believe the soul has untapped powers and is the source of many supernatural or psychic abilities. It is a common belief that the soul survives the death of the body, either passing on to an afterlife or reincarnating into a new body in the physical world. The disposition of the soul after death is a major concern of most religions. Parts of the Soul Many cultures subdivide the soul into distinct parts, each with its own particular function. Aztec The Aztecs believed the soul had three parts. The tonalli resided in the head and related to the life force and magical power, associated with the power of the sun. The teyolia, contained in the heart, was the person s individuality and the part that went to the afterlife. The ihilia, in the liver, was the dark, animal part of the soul responsible for emotions like hate, anger, and jealousy. The naualli was a type of totem associated with sorcerers. See GURPS Aztecs. Chinese Chinese belief divided the soul into two parts based on the principles of yin and yang. The k uei was the yin part of the soul, connected with the feminine principle. It was known as the p oh in life and inhabited the grave site of the deceased after death. The shen was associated with the yang or masculine principle. It was known as the khi in life and passed on to the afterlife. The balance of yin and yang in body and soul was important in Chinese medicine and mysticism. See GURPS China.

13 Afterlife and Reincarnation One of the implications of souls is the existence of some form of afterlife (see p. 29). It is possible to say that the afterlife remains as mysterious in the campaign world as it does in the real world. After all, very few people return to tell about it. Those who do may be deluded or mistaken regarding its true nature, or offer conflicting accounts. The GM can decide which sort of afterlife (if any) is real in the campaign. It s also possible there are multiple afterlives. A devout Christian might end up in heaven (or hell), while a Hindu or a pagan is reincarnated and an atheist simply dissolves into nothingness. A person s beliefs and actions may determine the afterlife he ends up in. In settings with sentient races other than humans, they may have their own afterlives (humans go on to heaven, elves reincarnate, etc.). Or all souls may be fundamentally the same and go on to the same afterlife, which has spiritual and social implications. The existence of reincarnation offers the possibility of characters returning to life over and over and recalling past-life memories (see the Reawakened advantage, p. CI43). This may or may not affect the ability to return characters from the dead (see Souls and Resurrection, below). GMs can run lengthy campaigns where deceased characters return in new incarnations, similar to Michael Moorcock s Eternal Champion books. Egyptian The ancient Egyptians divided the soul into many parts, some of which included the physical body (or the soul s vehicle in this world). The major divisions included the ka, the vital force of the body, which often remained with it after death; the ba, which passed on to the afterlife; the khu, representing spiritual connection; the ab or heart, the seat of the mind and emotions; the ren or true name; the khat or physical body (which was mummified); and the khaibit or shadow, which determined influence in the world and was the seat of the darker emotions. See GURPS Egypt. Norse Ancient Teutonic cosmology divided the soul into several parts. The ond was the animating principle, the breath of life. The hug and mun were mind and memory, related to Odin s ravens, Hugin and Munin, representing the cognitive and intuitive faculties. The odhr was the essence of enthusiasm, from poetic inspiration to berserk rage. The følje or fetch was a complex part, often related to a totem, guardian spirit, or magical power. The hamingja was the individual s luck and represented protection from malign magic and similar forces. See GURPS Vikings. Voodoo The Voodoo religion of Haiti divides the soul into two main parts: the gros bon ange ( big good angel ) or the general life force, which is recycled upon death and not unique to each person, and the ti bon ange ( little good angel ), the personal essence that passes on to the afterlife (and can be communicated with by priests). Voodoo also recognizes the importance of the body or corps cadavre and elements relating to the loa or spirits of Voodoo. See GURPS Voodoo. Undead Occasionally, a disembodied soul does not move on from the physical world but remains behind, either as a disembodied spirit or by reanimating its former flesh (or some other material). Cultures around the world have legends and myths of various types of undead. The undead are also a common staple of fantasy and horror literature. GURPS Spirits touches on the existence of ghosts and other noncorporeal undead. For more detail, see GURPS Undead. Ascended Spirits An ascended spirit (often known as an ascended master ) is a once-mortal spirit that has ascended to a higher plane of existence but is still in contact with the physical world. An ascended spirit offers guidance, advice, and aid to certain people, usually followers of a particular faith. Saints, Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and many types of ancestral spirits fall into this category. The prophets and teachers of many faiths are considered ascended spirits, as are many mythic heroes and famous practitioners of the occult arts, such as St. Germaine, Merlin, or the Secret Masters of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. For the most part, ascended spirits are believed to have left the physical world behind, so they rarely intervene directly. They operate through visions, communication with the living, and possession or channeling. Souls and Resurrection If the soul does go on to an afterlife, it may be reluctant to return from there to take up material life again (or the spirits that control the afterlife may be unwilling to let it go and may need to be persuaded to do so). If souls reincarnate, they return to life of their own accord and it may be impossible (or at least very difficult) to force a soul to return to the body it once inhabited. Even attempting to do so may kill or seriously harm the spirit s current incarnation. In this case, necromancers summoning up the spirits of the dead (either to speak with them or to force them to reanimate their corpses) may do grave harm to the living. Imagine if a person has his soul abducted in order to reanimate the body of a previous incarnation that s been dead for a hundred years! The GM should consider the ultimate disposition of souls in the campaign and how it influences the use of various effects that summon or control spirits. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 11

14 Apotheosis Sometimes in mythology and literature a mortal achieves so much that he transcends physical existence and becomes a spirit or divine figure (a process called apotheosis). This happens to only the greatest heroes and spiritual leaders. In many cases, apotheosis doesn t occur until after the mortal s death, so there s no way for anyone to know for certain that he has a place among the gods. It might be something a player character could achieve, but only after a lifetime (or several lifetimes) of great deeds in service to a higher ideal. Mortals who achieve apotheosis generally become ascended spirits (see above), although the power of a newly ascended spirit can vary greatly depending on the nature of the person and the spirit(s) that help him achieve this exalted state. In many cases apotheosis signals the end of involvement with the material world, but other ascended spirits continue to interact with the physical world. These ascended spirits make excellent player characters, since they have an intimate understanding of life as an incarnate soul in addition to the various abilities granted by their new spiritual existence. Sustaining Spirits Many cultures believed the inhabitants of the spirit world relied as much on mortals as humanity relied on them. It was part of mankind s duty to help sustain the spirits and allow them to carry out their important work in the universe. This support usually took the form of worship through various rituals and sacrifices. This provided the spirits with the energy they needed to continue their duties. As a general rule, spirits are reliant on the physical world to provide them with a continuing reason for being. Those spirits that lose this support tend to fade away until they are gone altogether (see Spirit Weaknesses, p. 35). This theme can appear in a campaign in a number of different ways. Player characters may be involved in the rituals needed to help sustain the spirits. Many cultures believed the sun literally would not rise or winter would not end without the guidance of the spirits. In a fantasy campaign this might really be the case, with the PCs as the heroes charged with finding what is needed for the sacred rites. This system also encourages proactive spirits and clergy, since spirits need worship in order to survive and prosper. Conflicts between different groups of spirits are likely, and holy wars take on an added dimension when the survival of a pantheon is at stake. Modern settings may feature spirits that were once powerful deities but that have weakened over the years as belief in them has waned, reducing them in power (and perhaps making them suitable as player characters). Thought Forms Modern occult practitioners describe a thought form as a kind of artificial spirit created by the power of the human mind and/or spirit, e.g., the tulpa of Tibetan belief. A thought form can range in complexity from a simple emotional impression to a fully sentient and aware being, and in power from a minor servitor spirit to a deity. Some beliefs say all spirits are thought forms, created and sustained by human belief. This certainly fits with spirits drawing strength from mortal worship and veneration. Thought forms fit in well with a modern psychological or psychic approach to spirits and are more common in modern fantasy and occult literature. Of course, there s nothing to prevent a GM from deciding that the spirits in a fantasy world are actually thought forms, even if the general populace believes otherwise! Spirit and Symbolism The concept of spirit is tied strongly to religious and mythological symbolism. Certain symbols are associated with specific types of spirits. This is a short guide to some major symbols associated with spirits. Blood The sacred fluid of life, blood was often believed to be one of the primary carriers of spiritual energy or life force. Blood (animal or human) was sacrificed to spirits to nourish and sustain them. In Greek myth, shades in the underworld could become more substantial and communicate with the living after drinking the blood of a sacrificial black goat. Breath Spirits are often associated with the element of air. In many cultures, the term for spirit or life force is similar to the term for breath, e.g., Latin spiritus or Sanskrit prana. Mythic figures often breathe into nonliving matter to give it life. In Asian spiritual lore, special breathing techniques and exercises stimulate inner spiritual powers. Fire Spirits are often seen as fiery beings, made up of energy rather than matter. Djinn are called creatures of smokeless fire in Arabian mythology, and spirits may manifest as flickering lights like candles or torches. Sacred fires served to keep darkness at bay and represented the renewing and cleansing power of spirit. Light and Darkness Good spirits are described as beings of light, and light is often used as a metaphor for the substance of the spirit world (called the astral light in the 19th century). Light surrounds many spirits and spiritual people in glowing auras or halos. Similarly, evil spirits tend to be associated with darkness: unknown, frightening, and cold. Many spirits appear only at night, faintly glowing shapes seen in the dark. 12 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS

15 Lightning Lightning and electricity have long been associated with spiritual power. Lightning comes from the sky in a brilliant flash of energy, making it a suitable weapon for sky spirits and gods. Later theories about spirits suggested they might be electromagnetic in nature, created or sustained in some way by the body s electromagnetic field. Mirrors Mirrors are seen as gateways to the spirit world in many cultures. Voodoo calls the world where the loa dwell the Mirror World, and many ritual magicians use mirrors for scrying and visions. Mirrors are believed to reflect truth. Some spirits are visible only in mirrors or, conversely, cast no reflection at all, because they are not part of the physical world. Mirrors were often said to reflect the soul, so beings with no soul or spirit (like vampires) had no reflection. Shadows Like reflections, shadows are associated with the spirit or soul of the individual. Sometimes the shadow or reflection is considered part of the soul. Magicians can steal a person s shadow and thereby control his soul, and beings with no souls also have no shadows. Spirits are often described as shadows or shades. The spirit world is sometimes known as a shadow world, a reflection of the physical world without substance. Shamanism Shamanism is a broad term for a set of techniques for interacting with spirits and the spirit world, found in differing degrees in cultures around the world. The term is believed to come from the Siberian saman, a type of medicine man, but has come into common use among anthropologists and others to mean any practitioner of these techniques anywhere in the world. Apart from a fundamental belief in spirits and a measure of animism, shamanism does not imply any particular religious beliefs. It is a technique rather than a religion, although a shaman is often a priest of his religion as well. A shaman s fundamental skill is the ability to enter a trance or altered state of consciousness (sometimes called a shamanic state of consciousness ). In this trance state, the shaman can interact with the spirit world for the benefit of his community. Shamanic Initiation A shaman is often called to his vocation by a traumatic experience, indicating the favor of the spirits. The most common is some sort of near-death experience or shamanic illness ; the proto-shaman falls into a trance due to an injury or illness, often accompanied by a high fever. In this trance, the shaman s spirit is transported to the spirit world, where he encounters other spirits and learns from them. Usually the spirits tear apart the shaman s spirit body. Sometimes the body parts are scattered, eaten, or even cooked in a giant pot. The parts of the body are then reassembled. The spirits may add a special magical bone or stone to the shaman s reassembled body to represent a gift of spiritual power. Upon awakening from this trance, the person has the potential to become a shaman. In game terms this represents the acquisition of World Sight (see p. 75), a level or more of Magery (p. B21), Power Investiture (p. CI42), or some related ability. While shamans commonly undergo this initiation process spontaneously, specific rituals (often accompanied by the use of psychedelic drugs) can also induce it. Such is often the case when a new shaman must be trained and no spontaneous candidates are available. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 13

16 14 Shamanic Duties A shaman s duties include being an intermediary with the spirit world, healing illness, and acting as a psychopomp. In their role as intermediaries, shamans contact the spirit world to speak with spirits and propitiate them for the good of their peoples. Shamans can intercede with spirits to help ensure good weather, fruitful crops, plentiful hunting, and good fortune in general. Shamans can also appease angered spirits and help lift curses. Shamans often struggle against each other to further the causes of their respective communities or as shows of personal power. Shamans are relied upon in primitive cultures to treat illness, which they believe to be spiritually caused, either by the loss of personal power or the influence of a malevolent spirit. The shaman goes into a trance and recovers the lost soul of the patient or casts out the malevolent influences to ensure recovery. Shamans create charms that protect against disease and the influence of evil spirits. In some settings the benefits of visiting a shaman may be nothing more than primitive psychotherapy and country medicine, while in others shamans may have true mystical power. Finally, shamans often attend the dying and perform rituals to ensure that the spirits of the dead do not trouble the living but move on to their appointed place of rest. This makes shamans natural enemies of undead entities like ghosts (see p. 59), although shamans may also call up the spirits of the dead to speak with them, just as they do with other spirits. For information on shamanism as a form of ritual magic, see Chapter 6. Shamanic Trance Shamans use various techniques to achieve trance states. The Autotrance advantage (p. CI20) is obviously quite useful to them. The most common techniques include rhythmic drumming, chanting, and dancing. A regular rhythmic beat creates a kind of autohypnotic effect (see Autohypnosis, pp. 78 and CI). At least part of the performance is for the benefit of the shaman s audience or client, since it helps to place them in a similar state of mind and enhances belief in the shaman s abilities. Shamans also use meditative techniques to help achieve a trance state (see Meditation, pp. and CI). Another resource for achieving trance is hallucinogens, usually derived from sacred plants ranging from hemlock to peyote. These drugs place the shaman in an altered state of consciousness. In cultures where magic is only a myth, the use of such drugs may simply result in hallucinations that reinforce the shaman s beliefs. In worlds where magic is a reality, hallucinogens may open the gates to the spirit world for anyone who uses them carelessly, resulting in spontaneous shamanic initiation, possession, or worse! THE NATURE OF SPIRITS Sigils Many abstract symbols or sigils are associated with spirits, from the Christian cross to the Hebrew Star of David to the pentagram used in witchcraft and ritual magic. Some symbols contain or ward off spirits, like Solomon s Seal or the magic circles used by medieval sorcerers. Others empower or represent spirits, drawing in spiritual energy for blessings. Sun and Stars The sun and stars, as sources of light in the sky, have long been associated with spirits. The name for the astral plane comes from the Greek astra, meaning star. Stars are associated with spirits in many cultures, as either symbols of spirits or as the spirits themselves. The heavens are seen as an abode of spirits from which they can look down upon the Earth. History of Spirits The earliest human cultures believed in spirits, and that belief has lasted into the present. GMs planning on using spirits and spiritual powers in a campaign may wish to understand the roots of these beliefs. Earliest Beliefs The first human cultures were animistic, seeing the power of spirit in everything around them. Invisible spirits were the cause of every mysterious phenomenon, from diseases and misfortune to the continuation of the natural cycles of the world, the movements of celestial bodies, the flow of rivers, the weather, and the migration of game animals. Shamans and other primitive spiritualists performed rituals designed to give them the power to speak with spirits and seek their aid. Many anthropologists describe this as the origin of both magic and religion, as primitive humans tried to influence the world around them. Some shamanic practices survive to this day (see Chapter 6). Western Beliefs The spiritual beliefs of the Western world, particularly those of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Jews, form the basis for Western traditions of ritual magic. Egypt Ancient Egyptian civilization had a complex cosmology filled with gods. The Egyptians subdivided the soul into many different parts and performed burial and funerary rites intended to send the spirits of the dead to the afterlife. They embalmed and mummified their most honored dead and placed them into tombs along with grave goods and even servants to care for them in the afterlife. Most Egyptian spirits were associated with either the celestial or the human realm either powerful gods or human souls (both embodied and existing in the

17 afterlife). There was little belief in intermediate spirits in Egyptian cosmology. See GURPS Egypt. Greece Ancient Greek civilization contributed much of the foundation of Western spiritual belief. In addition to their extensive pantheon of anthropomorphic deities, the Greeks believed in many nature spirits. Many of these nature spirits were portrayed as feminine and highly desirable dryads (spirits of trees), naiads (spirits of streams and lakes), and nereids (spirits of the ocean). Zeus had affairs with lovely nymphs and dryads, leading the jealous Hera to punish the unfortunate spirits rather than her husband. The Greek philosopher Aristotle divided the material world into four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. This system of elements can be found in classical myth and magic up to the present day and is a strong influence on modern concept of elemental spirits. Greek afterlife might occasionally release the spirits of the dead to return to the world of the living. It also connected the realm of the dead with the underworld and underground places like caves. See GURPS Greece. Rome Much of Roman spiritual belief was heavily influenced by that of the Greeks, including their pantheon and a belief in an underworld where the spirits of the dead dwell. The Romans introduced the concept of the genius or guardian spirit, a spirit associated with a particular family or individual that provided guidance and assistance in exchange for veneration. The concept of a guardian spirit or angel has become common in many belief systems. See GURPS Imperial Rome. Jews The ancient Hebrews clearly believed in the existence of many different types of spirits, as their God told them, Thou Gnosticism Gnostic Christians in the first century A.D. embraced a different cosmology from what has become Christian canon. The Gnostics believed the material world was an evil place, a prison for the human spirit. Humanity s fall from grace was a fall from a higher, spiritual existence into the world of matter. The jailer of this prison was the Demiurge, a powerful and jealous spirit associated with the God of the Old Testament, whom the Gnostics believed was a false god. By denying the body and by practicing rituals of fasting, meditation, and prayer, the Gnostics sought to transcend the physical world and achieve spiritual union with the true source of all things. Gnostics were often attributed various mystical powers, which they believed were available only to the spiritually enlightened. The Gnostics developed a complex pantheon of spirits, demiurges, Aeons, and other such beings. Many of the spirits of Gnostic belief became associated with the occult and magic in later years. The various sects of Gnosticism were branded as heresies by the early Catholic Church. Gnosticism was driven underground and nearly wiped out. Many modern Western mystical traditions trace some of their beliefs back to the Gnostics. shalt have no other gods before me. Hosts of angels described as near infinite served God and were agents and messengers of His will on Earth. Hebrew belief, as given in the Old Testament, described humans as made from dust (an earthy, physical material), given life (spirit) by the breath of God. This is one of many associations between spirit and breath. It also creates a clear division between the soul and the material body ( Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. ). Early Christians Early Christianity took its cue from Jewish beliefs regarding angels, heaven, and hell. Christianity expanded on the role of hell in its cosmology and placed Satan, the Adversary, in charge of the underworld where sinners suffered in eternal torment. This created two clearly divided camps of celestial spirits: angels on one side, demons (fallen angels) on the other. Christianity also embraced the idea of God incarnated as Jesus the Messiah, allowing God to become mortal and to die for humanity s sins. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 15

18 Eastern Beliefs The civilizations of Asia have a rich spiritual culture and believe in a diverse range of spirits. China China s pagan religion is strongly animistic and devoted to understanding, communicating with, and pleasing a wide range of spirits, from powerful gods dwelling in heaven to spirits of the elements to beings like dragons, ghosts, and demons. Shamans known as wu act as intermediaries between spirits and humanity. They offer sacrifices to propitiate the spirits and read omens to understand the spirits intentions. Chinese cosmology has a number of spirit worlds and different types of spirits. The realm of nature has dragons, river kings, and faerielike little people. The realms of the dead exist underground, where ghosts dwell, while the gods dwell in T ai Chi and Shang-ch ing, the realms of the Celestial Bureaucracy. See GURPS China. Japan Shinto, the native Japanese religion, recognizes many different types of spirits, known as kami (Shinto means way of the spirits ). Kami range in power from gods to minor spirits that oversee certain aspects of the material world, particularly natural formations. In between are kami nushi (masters) that oversee regions. Japanese mythology also recognizes the existence of ghosts and other sorts of spirits, particularly demons like the fierce oni and ghosts like the gaki and shi-ryo. See GURPS Japan. 16 Avatars An avatar is a physical manifestation or incarnation of a powerful spirit as a living being, either a person or an animal. An avatar may be wholly divine, but generally avatars are mortal and have only a fraction of the great power of a deity, although they may be very powerful mortals. Avatars generally come into being so a spirit can more easily interact with the physical world. Usually an avatar has some specific goal to achieve in the physical world before its mortal existence ends, reuniting its essence with the spirit. An avatar generally knows its true nature and may or may not have memories and intelligence equal to the spirit that created it. Avatars can help to bridge the gap between spirits and mortals. They often possess spirit-related powers and advantages, including the ability to work magic or miracles. Avatars can be used as PCs, although they re best suited to cinematic and superhuman-level games where they can exercise their powers freely. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS India The rich spiritual culture of India describes many kinds of spirits, from the Hindu gods to the reincarnation of the soul in Buddhism. Indian mythology includes ghosts, nature spirits, and demonic spirits like the rakshasa. Hindus believe in reincarnation, the perfection of the soul through a cycle of many different lives. Hindu tradition also describes avatars, manifestations of divine spirits in the physical world (see box). Australia Australian aboriginal tradition begins with the Dreamtime, the mythic time when heroes and spirits performed deeds of legend and the order of the world was laid down. The stories of the Dreamtime were passed down orally from one generation to another and describe the relationship of the tribe to the spirits. Nature spirits are responsible for everything that happened in the world. The First Cause or Baiame, more akin to an omnipotent creator-god, had little or nothing to do with the world once it was made. Birth is seen as the incarnation of a Dreamtime spirit into the world, and that spirit is the person s totem throughout his life. Aboriginal shamans, known as karadji or mekigar, speak with the spirits to gain their aid for the tribe. Africa African spiritual beliefs are diverse but have some common themes. Like the Australian Koori, Africans often believe in a supreme creator-god that remains uninvolved in the affairs of the material world. Lesser spirits and gods carry out the high god s will. People pray to them for aid, and

19 shamans speak to them in trances. These spirits control the material world and are the cause of sickness and madness, but also of good fortune. They control the weather and the bounty of nature. Mortals can communicate with the spirits through trance, and the spirits often communicate through possession, speaking through a mortal host. This tradition of spiritual possession is particularly strong in Voodoo and other spiritual traditions that arose among African slaves in the New World. The Americas The native cultures of the Americas believed in a large number of spirits and deities, and many practiced some form of shamanism. North America American Indian religious and spiritual beliefs vary from tribe to tribe, but there are some common elements. Nature spirits are the most common, particularly spirits of natural phenomena, animals, and totems. Many tribes believe that ancestral heroes return to aid their people in times of need. The spiritual world is often divided into three: an upper or sky world, a lower or underground world, and a middle world where humanity lives. A sacred tree, mountain, or pillar unites these three worlds. Shamans travel up and down this cosmic axis to reach the spirit worlds and speak with the spirits living there (see The Shamanic Worlds, p. 23, for more information). See GURPS Old West. Central and South America The civilizations of Central and South America, like the Aztecs, Toltecs, and Mayans, believed in pantheons of gods and spirits. They saw the influence of the gods everywhere, particularly in the natural world. The gods communicated with people through omens and visions, and through their priests. It was the priests duty to help sustain and appease the gods with worship and sacrifice. In Aztec mythology the human soul had several parts (see above), and each person had a special link to an animal, similar to a totem. See GURPS Aztecs. The Middle Ages The Middle Ages saw the rise of Christianity and Islam as well as the survival of some pagan beliefs about spirits. Celts and Germans The Germano-Celtic peoples of Europe have a rich tradition of spirits, primarily nature spirits and deified human spirits, such as the Tuatha De Dannan of Celtic myth, who may have been based on stories of actual people. The Celts are largely responsible for modern legends of faeries and related nature spirits. Originally, faeries referred to nature spirits and the Sidhe (pronounced shee ), figures somewhere between nature spirits and gods. They lived in a magical otherworld but could move and act in the physical world at will. As time passed and Celtic Christianity spread across the British Isles, the Sidhe and faeries became smaller and more mischievous, leading to legends of leprechauns, brownies, and similar beings. See GURPS Celtic Myth. The Germanic peoples of Europe also believed in various kinds of spirits, including the liosalfar ( light elves ) and the svartalfar ( dark elves or dwarves). Most of the spirits of the dead dwelled in Niflheim, but the spirits of honored warriors went to Odin s hall of Valhalla in Asgard. They were brought there by Odin s shield-maidens, the Valkyries, who rode flying horses over the battlefield. Nature spirits also lived in forests, rivers, and glens, sometimes trapping unwary passers-by. Hierarchies of Spirits Medieval Europe, dominated by the beliefs of the Catholic Church, developed a complex hierarchy of spirits (mainly demons) recorded in grimoires like the Key of Solomon. Some of these works acknowledged the existence (or at least the possibility) of lesser spirits like nature spirits and elementals, considered primitive beings inferior to the human soul and far below angels on the great ladder of being. Cultures often developed hierarchies of different spirits, ranging from those closest to the divine down to humanity and other material beings. Some spirits were considered lower than humans, particularly primitive nature spirits and evil spirits consigned to hell. Medieval Christians When Christianity spread across Europe, many of the pagan spirits of the local people were demonized; priests described them as devils and evil spirits that tried to tempt people away from the One True God. A few local spirits and religious figures were incorporated into the Christian faith as saints, and new churches were often built on the sites of pagan religious rites. Medieval theologians tried to further define the nature of spirit. The concept of the great chain of being originated in this period. It defined a continuum of existence, ranging from the most base and material up to the most elevated and spiritual, the closest to God. Humans lay somewhere in the middle of this chain or ladder, above all other animals but below such purely spiritual beings as angels. This concept placed a strong emphasis on the idea of spirit as higher and purer than the physical world. Islam The early Muslims recognized many spirits, particularly angels serving Allah (God) and the djinn, creatures of smokeless fire created by Allah with the rest of the world. The djinn formed their own spiritual hierarchy, ranging from the weakest to the most powerful of sultans. Some djinn became devout Muslims, but most were dangerous creatures. Muslims also acknowledged the existence of Shaitan (the Devil) and various demons in his service. THE NATURE OF SPIRITS 17

20 Golden Dawn, the Theosophical Society, and various splinter groups. They collected and combined spiritual and magical lore from different cultures and claimed to be in contact with secret or ascended masters that appeared only in spirit form to counsel and advise. These groups formed the basis for modern Western ritual magic (see Chapter 6). For more information about this time period, consult GURPS Steampunk. Muslim magicians believed spirits could be bound and commanded, particularly using the power of Solomon s Seal. The Seal could also trap djinn inside bottles or similar containers. Many Arabian legends are based around spirits (usually djinn) bound to obey anyone releasing them from their imprisonment, or holding a certain magical item. See GURPS Arabian Nights. For more on the djinn, see pp The Age of Reason In the Age of Reason scholars questioned the existence of spirits. Use of the scientific method began to replace reliance on spirits. The Age of Industry The Industrial Revolution in Europe led to the rapid development of new scientific ideas and the secularization of religious beliefs. Scientists sought to quantify and isolate the essence of spirit, performing tests on living and dead animals to determine if a vital essence left the body upon death. The discovery of phenomena like electricity and magnetism drew scientists like Anton Mesmer to speculate that the spirit might be electromagnetic in nature and that magnetic fluids were involved in the transmission of spiritual energy. The Spiritualist movement generated interest in spirits and established the modern séance ritual in popular culture. Mediums conducted rituals to contact the spirit world in parlors and drawing rooms across Europe. While some scientists attempted to study the spiritualist movement, most considered it mere fakery and superstition. Mystical sects and lodges experienced a boom in the 19th century with groups like the Hermetic Order of the 18 THE NATURE OF SPIRITS The Modern World In the modern world, the realm of spirit is primarily religious. This has not reduced belief in spirits significantly, however. Vast numbers of Americans still believe in guardian angels and alien visitations from ultraterrestrials. There seems to be something about the human psyche that needs to believe in spirits and spiritual things. The investigation of the psyche also plays a role in modern beliefs about spirits. Spiritual voices and visions may be the result of mental illness or an altered state of mind. Many New Age and neo-pagan religions teach that thought forms are created by people s beliefs. Modern science also brought investigation into the paranormal, originally spurred by a desire to understand spirit in scientific terms. This led to the development of parapsychology by pioneers such as J.B. Rhine, who attempted to explain miracles and spirits as abilities of the human mind. Spiritual visions were ESP and remote viewing, while the physical actions of poltergeists and other spirits became recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis (RSPK). Today s Spirits In modern culture, spiritual ideas are found in religion, science, and fiction. Religious Spirits Nearly every religion involves spirits of some kind. People around the world believe in them: angels, demons, devas, saints, benevolent ancestors, and many more. Religious debate about the nature of spirit, the human soul, and the afterlife is ongoing. Magical Spirits Spirit is one of the areas where magic and religion overlap. Modern magicians, New Agers, and neo-pagans talk about many different kinds of spirits. There are traditional elementals and demons dating back to medieval texts, along with angelic beings, alien spirit guides, and ascended masters. Experimental magicians even talk about artificial spirits created by their summoners.

21