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Spirit Possession without being from a possessing tradition

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Sonarean

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« on: <09-15-10/1404:18> »
A mage in my upcoming game wants to be able to be possessed by his mentor spirit, but doesn't want to be from a possessing tradition.  I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to make it work.

So far, I have the following:

1.  Take the mentor spirit quality.
2.  Send him on a quest, spiritual journey, etc. to find the true name of his mentor spirit.  (In this manner, I'm likening the mentor spirit to a free spirit.  Since free spirits can have the possession power, this could work.)
3.  Take the Channeling metamagic for this single spirit.  (This will allow him to channel this mentor spirit and only this mentor spirit.)

What do people think?  Is this grossly over powered (beyond what channeling already does, of course)?

The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #1 on: <09-15-10/1407:57> »
The spirit has to agree to it, in order for the mage to NOT be completely subsumed by the will of the spirit.  Even with knowing the spirit's true name, I can't see any mentor type spirit allowing these shennanigans without some heavy, heavy price to pay.
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

anotherJack

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« Reply #2 on: <09-15-10/1414:36> »
Oh yes, heaaaaaavy price, because giving its true name is really putting its existence in great great danger. If the mentor spirit does not agree with this quest, then it will take it as a betrayal. And if it's a free spirit with possession, he does not need to be summoned to come and take possess of the magician. The difference here is that, with its true name, the magician will force his mentor spirit to take possession, which is very dangerous, both because the magician betray his belief, and because giving his body control to a spirit he forced into slavery is not the best idea I've heard of.

But to my eyes, it looks like he wants to have advantages of both possession and classic traditions.
« Last Edit: <09-15-10/1435:10> by anotherJack »
Me am french, me am not speaking good english, but me am trying to correct this.

The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #3 on: <09-15-10/1441:03> »
Then you might want to allow it, but hammer him with the details.  Especially since other spirits related to the mentor will likely be upset at the mentor's treatment.
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

anotherJack

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« Reply #4 on: <09-15-10/1449:49> »
I'd say you might let him try, since it's a wonderful hook for adventures and roleplaying his relations with his mentor. But you've got to make something to avoid a totally overpowered combo. You've got multiple options : the mentor may fool him, allowing him to get a false name, but acting like it's the true, and then punishing him during possession in the way it wants, to make him learn the lesson, or he may make a pact with the spirit, with a heavy price as said Gun Nut, or something else.
But assuming a Mentor spirit must have an huge Force, the concept of the summoner who can summon normal spirit, send them like drones or personnal army, AND get the huge power of possession - attributes near to the max, immunity to normal weapons and so - is really overpowered, don't allow it.
Me am french, me am not speaking good english, but me am trying to correct this.

The_Gun_Nut

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« Reply #5 on: <09-15-10/1500:52> »
You could make it part of an over-arching plan on the part of the spirit to further its own goals in the world.  That way when the summoner says "I don't want to do that" the spirit just says "So, what?  I do, and that's all that matters."

Remember that these beings aren't just there to hand out bonuses to the character.  They have their own motivations.
There is no overkill.

Only "Open fire" and "I need to reload."

voydangel

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« Reply #6 on: <09-15-10/2303:27> »
You could make it part of an over-arching plan on the part of the spirit to further its own goals in the world.  That way when the summoner says "I don't want to do that" the spirit just says "So, what?  I do, and that's all that matters."

Remember that these beings aren't just there to hand out bonuses to the character.  They have their own motivations.
/agree

I guess if I were to consider it for a game I was running, the 1st and main question would be: Why would the spirit want to do this or allow this? What is it getting out of the deal?

As Nut put it - these guys have their own agenda. If anything, I might even be inclined to make this free spirit using the rules for creating them in the runners companion, and run it like an NPC of sorts, give it some extra build points, its own wants, needs and goals. And then see how it can manipulate/force the character into helping it with those plans. Think of it as a combination contact/enemy.

But, as anotherJack said, if it seemed like the PC was just trying to set this up for supreme cosmic power, I would just say no. This combo has way too much potential to be abused unless the player has the noblest of role-playing (not roll-playing) intentions.
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