Re: Re: Animist Power (Was: Animists and available spirits)

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2004 15:19:29 -0700

> But this is all away from my reason for posting, which was to get an
> idea of how common higher level spirits are, those above the values
> listed in the books, which I assume are the common ones. How rare is
> a 10w2 spirit?

As rare as you need them to be (I assume you're being a bastid narrator).

The values listed in the book for spirits are the average for that type of spirit, so the Denbitos "Inferno Destroys Magic" Starfire Spirit is *commonly available* up to 10w3! That's without having to rummage too deeply in the spirit world. However, trying to find a "Stay Still" Starfire spirit of 10w3 is going to take some looking, since it's common power level is a mere 18.

Figure that a player can find a spirit around the range shown in the book relatively easily. These are the ones that will show up when you Open Spirit World and use Follower of [Great Spirit] to create charms & fetishes. Most spirits can be found at any power level, but the farther the expected level is from the average, the harder it will be to find it - perhaps give the hero a penalty for each 10 or 20 (or 5, or 30...) points away from the average. Want a "Stay Still 10w3" Starfire spirit? Okay, you can look for it, but take a -20 to your "Spirit Face" to see if one is out there... You *might* also restrict that sort of "looking for extraordinary spirits" to Shamans only.

Of course, if the heroes are on the Spirit Plane, then you can throw whatever you want at them. "Yeah, it's Stay Still spirit making you stay here. Oh, you want to fight it and continue on your way, okay, it's called, uh, 'Old Quiet Stone', and has a 10W5 power..." (And then be prepared if the players manage to capture Old Quiet Stone...)

RR
It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done.
- Richelieu