Artificial Spirits

From OakthorneWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

The phrase “artificial-spirit” doesn’t imply a spirit that is not “real,” but rather the spirit of something created out of artifice. Packs whose territory is in or near the city may deal with artificial-spirits as often or sometimes even more often than nature-spirits. The spiritual representations of man’s creations may have much to offer werewolves, but artificial-spirits also represent some of the greatest threats to them. Many artificial-spirits, at least those not tied to vehicles or other concepts that involve motion, have a Speed “species factor” of 0. The spirit can still move, but that is a function of its Power and Finesse alone.

Vehicles Choir

Many automobiles, ships and planes are singularly important to the humans who spend time in and on them, often to the extent of their owners projecting personalities onto them and giving them names. It shouldn’t be surprising, then, that vehicles are among the most common non-living entities to exhibit awakened spirit representations in the Shadow Realm.

Structures Choir

Not every building in the physical world has an awakened spiritual representation. Most often, structure-spirits are brought from slumber when something significant happens within their walls, and, while they rarely stray far from the location of their physical counterpart, they can manifest in ways that more represent those events than the actual building.

Tools Choir

For decades, the creation and use of tools was thought to be a uniquely human characteristic. While scientists now know that some other animals create and use tools as well, tool use is still closely linked with mankind’s perception of what makes them human. Regardless of their creators, there is no doubt that tools and other utilitarian objects are sometimes invested with enough spiritual energy to manifest a spirit representation in the Shadow Realm. Uratha tend to lump tools together in a single choir, although knife- and jackhammer-spirits may have very different driving goals and perspectives.

Weapons Choir

It is not uncommon for Uratha to awaken the spirits of their weapons, utilizing ancient ritual to create a gun or sword that actively wants to enter battle on its owner’s behalf. But werewolf ritual is not the only method that creates such spirit creatures. Spirits from garrotes to Gatling guns inhabit the Shadow Realm; some are associated with death-spirits, some with fear and intimidation. One thing is constant, however; they are rarely amiable entities to deal with.

Information Choir

More so than tool use or any sense of self-awareness, some believe that the true differentiation between humans and other animals to be humans’ ability to record information for future use. The spirits of the Information Choir are among the most useful to the Uratha, but few are anxious to deal kindly with the self-appointed guardians who seek to keep them from the physical world’s rich information sources.

Objects Choir

Some spirits do not fall easily within one of the Uratha’s commonly understood choirs. Windowpanes, for example, are rarely awakened, but in the Shadow Realm there is no such thing as “never.” Other object-spirits, such as money or toys, may be awakened more frequently, but can belong to such diverse choirs, depending on individual personality, that classifying them defies even the most obsessive Ithaeur

City Choir

More than a location, more than a set of buildings, cities have their own identities, their own personalities and their own spirits. But within each city is also a network of spirits that are vital to the city’s identity. These can include spirits of subways, bus systems, parks, famous buildings, anything that makes the city what it is.

  • Famous Buildings Descant: None
  • Playgrounds Descant: Child Farmer, playground spirit
  • Sewers Descant: Cesslord, sewer spirit
  • Streets Descant: 6th & Lake, Rank 4 intersection spirit
  • Subways Descant: Travels Below, subway spirit
Retrieved from "https://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Artificial_Spirits&oldid=10651"