Help with an idea

[dustin]

Very useful suggestions. Thank you. Now, I just have to mold them and come up with situations where she can shine. Another option that she expressed a desire for is a magician or wizard. The more that I think about it, a magician wouldn't be feasible. There just isn't enough time for her to "learn" what she needs to know. But she does have very high lore skills, maybe she could pick up enough knowledge (like an old diary or long-lost book) that she could become a Loremaster, complete with its limited use of magic.

Here is a question that came up in the game last night, and I have not come up with an answer that I believe, let alone one they will buy. If using the stats and description of a vampire described in the FB&WM, the spirit can leave any body at any time. The only way to kill a vampire is to destroy the body before he can "leap" out. How do you trap the spirit so it can be destroyed?

If you think it would help, I could start posting a chronicle log and everyone could chime in with their two cents.

dustin

[Manveru]

I'd see this as a test of Willpower (harder) and/or Sorcery/Necromancy (easiser, but risk corruption).

I'd suspect that only a character with Art, Magic, or some kind of Divine providence a la blood of the Numenorean Kings could enter a test of Wills to keep a Vampire in their host body. I'd say that this would be REALLY hard to do. How hard, mechanically in the system, I dunno yet.

If one used Sorcery/Necromancy, this of course would be easier. Technically, according to Tolkien's implications in the Letters, merely attempting to coerce a spirit like this against its will is in fact Sorcery/Necromancy by definition.

Playing with these kind of Fell Spirits is dangerous indeed, especially when they're a fallen Maia (as the most powerful Vamps probably were).

[dustin]

Mechanically, how would this work? First, cast the appropriate spell to hold the spirit (i.e. Voice of Command, Spellbinding, Holding[S], or Command[S]; which of these would be best?). If the spell is successful, engage in an Opposed Willpower test against the vampire. If the test is successful, the spirit is contained.

Now, every following round, the caster must make a Weariness Test to maintain concentration (TN 15+ vampire's willpower?). Any failure on this test, the caster will lose one weariness level with that modifier applied to the willpower test. As long as the caster can maintain his concentration and assert his/her will over the vampire, the spirit is contained so the body can be destroyed. If concentration is lost, or the vampire wins the willpower test, the spirit is no longer contained and the process must begin again (with any Weariness modifiers).

How about another requirement is to call upon one of the Valar to help trap the spirit?

How's this? Any suggestions, comments?

dustin

[Manveru]

Why not allow any of those appropriate spells to do so? You could modify the base TN according to how 'appropriate' you feel a particular 'spell' is. The thing about those 'spells', btw, is that they're more like 'powers', a bit broader than a one off ritual cant of some kind.

Alternatively, you could simply allow a contest of Wills as described in the Core Rules. I'd weight this test heavily in favor of the Vampire when they're being contested by someone without the appropriate Lore skill or 'magic'/Art abilities.

[dustin]

As of now, none of my characters have any significant magical ability. They do, however, have elven rope. Do you think this carries some sort of binding enchantment that could hold the vampire spirit?

dustin

[Manveru]

That's entirely open to dramatic interpretation, I'd say. But keeping in spirit with only what's described in the text, I think that it may in fact drive the Vampire out of a possessed body, if Gollum's reaction to it's touch is any example. This would not necessarily be a 'quick fix trick', but most likely would involve a related test (if any character has The Art, that may be enough to warrant a test).

But, if it works for your story, there's nothing to say it couldn't bind a Vampire AND pain it in the possessed body. You could allow a contest of Willpower between the possessed host (if still alive and their spirit was not ejected) due to the influence of the rope, or even allow some gifted character a difficult challenge to contest as an external participant.

Whatevah! :-)