World of Darkness

Geist launches at Gencon Thursday!
So here's another selection to enjoy...
Posted: 2009-08-11

Archetypes

Nobody comes back from beyond the veil of death unchanged. While a geist helps bring a Sin-Eater back, the real change is in how he reacts to spending time dead. One Christian krewe revolves around the idea that the only way to be born again in Christ is to die first. Most aren’t that direct, but everyone notices some change. The direction that change takes is illustrated by a character’s Archetype.

Archetypes are named such for a reason. They tap into a layer of myth and folklore surrounding death and those who walk close to it. A character can tap into that archetypal role to draw power from the Underworld, refreshing her plasm. She has to remain connected to her human side when channeling plasm, reaffirming her status as a bridge between the living and dead. In game terms, that means the character has to channel her Archetype through her Virtue or Vice.

Sample Archetype: Celebrant
I know what happens next, and I’ll be damned if I just wait for it to happen.

Knowing with absolute certainty that you’re going to die is a powerful motivation to go out and live. Celebrants don’t just know that, they embrace it. Life’s there to be enjoyed, and it’d be irresponsible to waste this new opportunity. Whether a Sin-Eater enjoys life through sex, drugs, or base jumping, one thing’s for certain: his life’s never boring. Time alive is a finite resource, so it’s up to a Celebrant to spend it as best he can. And if he can make other people’s lives more interesting, that’s just great.

For Celebrant Sin-Eaters, living’s the thing. Every day that doesn’t remind them that they’re alive is a day wasted. Activity and action is their bread and butter, whatever the source. One may get his jollies from flipping off three Kerberoi at the end of a thrilling chase through the Underworld, while another has a different man on her arm every night. One thing’s for sure: working 9-5 in a gray office is as good as being dead already. While few Sin-Eaters can hold down a regular job, almost none of those who do are Celebrants.

Some Celebrants think that life is wasted on the living. Most people hit only a few high notes in their entire lives, spending the rest of their time wasting away in endless repetition. To that end, they think it’s only right to spread the joy. Showing someone that they’re going to die is a great way to affirm that person’s life — after all, it worked for the Sin-Eater, right? A few even stick around to see how their visitation plays out, trying to guide the luckless victim towards living his life while he still can. Thing is, nobody’s got a good way to predict how a particular person will react to visions of his own death. Even with a Celebrant’s coaching, few understand their ordeal well enough to share in the Sin-Eater’s joie de vivre.

The knowledge that he’s got a second chance at life is powerful enough to drive a Celebrant to push herself — and her geist — to the very limits of her capability. Throwing herself head-first into risky and dangerous situations soon gets her a reputation as a daredevil. The best Celebrants always manage to pull through, whether that’s escaping another death by the skin of her teeth, or pulling off dangerous escapes with only luck on her side. Thrill-seeking has its darker side: most people only hear of the successful. Without some planning and forethought, a million-to-one chance won’t pay off. Many Celebrants therefore put a hell of a lot of effort into preparation, making them less likely to throw themselves into a random scheme on a whim. They’re valued assets to their krewes, simply because they’ve always got a plan — after all, you only get one shot at base jumping without a parachute. For all her planning, a Celebrant is still after a reminder that she’s alive, and the purest way to get at that is the thrill of adrenaline. She’s not going to back down from a challenge just because it’s dangerous. Hell, most of the time she’s going to up the ante. Running from the cops is just more fun if they’re shooting at the getaway car, and conning some sap into buying the Hollywood sign for thirty million bucks is a damn sight more exciting than hustling pool or playing “find the lady.” And hell, even if the scheme doesn’t come off, the Sin-Eater still feels alive.

Adrenaline isn’t the only proof of life. Some Celebrants indulge themselves in pleasures of the flesh — after all, they won’t have a chance to when death finally claims them. A few try to convince other people to take pleasure when and where they can, while others indulge only their own sybaritic lifestyles. These Celebrants live their life for binge drinking, drug overdoses, and wild orgies. After all, what better way to affirm life than to have a good time? As long as everyone involved consents, nothing’s particularly wrong with it — though everything comes with a cost. A Celebrant who doesn’t think ahead may end up owing money to a lot of people. Even if not, people who want to emulate her may ruin their lives in the process, losing jobs and savings in the pursuit of ecstasy. And then there’s the Celebrants who think that their pleasure comes before everything, even consent.

Virtue Channel:A Fortitudinous Celebrant tests the very limits of her stamina and endurance just to know that she’s alive. A Just Celebrant takes great personal risks in the course of doing what he knows is right. A Prudent Celebrant focuses on planning schemes rather than diving in headlong. A Temperate Celebrant recognizes that focusing too much on enjoying one facet of life is unbalanced, and applies himself to a range of situations.

Vice Channel: A Greedy Celebrant doesn’t care who gets hurt as long as his next indulgence is bigger and better than the last. A Prideful Celebrant focuses on making himself the center of attention—the best way to know you’re alive is for the whole world to remind you. A Slothful Celebrant focuses on short-term thrills rather than working towards a greater celebration of life. A Wrathful Celebrant never feels more alive than when he’s beating someone else to death.

Recent News:
08/31 A Double Dose of White Wolf Interviews
08/25 Dreams of the First Age
08/18 Signs of the Moon
08/12 The Hungry Streets and Return of the Scarlet Empress
08/10 White Wolf Digital Releases for 2010/2011
08/03 North American Championship Schedule

Back to News Index