Pardoners

Your sins cry to me from the depths of your Sha-

dow. I can feel your torment. Yield to me, and I will grant
you absolution and healing. If you resist, I will still aid you as
best I may. It’s just going to hurt a lot more.

Puppeteers
Hiya, bunky. Guess what? You’re a passenger in your own body right now,
so sit back and enjoy the ride. I’ve been watching you for a while, and you’ve been
wasting yourself. It’s pathetic, so I think it’s time that this dead man showed you how to
live. Hope your credit cards aren’t maxed out, ’cause we’re gonna need ’em.

It’s Getting Crowded in Here!

The Puppeteers: Renegades who challenge Charon’s Law every time they practice their
powers of possession. The Pardoners: Confessors and healers of the Dead, but they harbor
a terrible secret. Both groups work toward what they see as the ultimate good for the Un-
derworld — but would any other wraith agree if he knew what these Guilds are hiding?
Guildbook: Puppeteers and Pardoners is the fifth in the continuing series of Guil-
dbooks for Wraith: The Oblivion. The first Guildbook to contain two Guilds
under one cover, Puppeteers and Pardoners includes everything — new Arcanos
Arts, Merits, Flaws, Artifacts, Histories and more — that you need to play a
fully realized member of either of these Guilds. Just keep a sharp eye on this
book; these guys don’t exactly get along.

Guildbook: Puppeteers and Pardoners contains:

• The real reason the Puppeteers turn the Risen loose upon
the world
• The hidden link between the Pardoners and Cha-
ron’s destruction
• New uses for Puppetry and Casti-
gation, and much more!
 Guildbook:
and

By Elizabeth Ditchburn and Heather Grove, and Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea
Credits
Written by: Elizabeth Ditchburn and Heather Grove, and
Special Thanks To:
Justin “The Internet is Bald and Full of Hate” Achilli, for stic-
Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea king to his six-guns, no matter what. You’re a better man than I.
Development by: Richard E. Dansky Phil “Five Cups in the Shower” Brucato, for never being afraid
Editing by: Ed Hall to share, err, anything.
Art Direction by: Lawrence Snelly Ed “Don’t tell me about…” Hall, for working the F-word into
Art by: Richard Clark, Fred Harper, Ron Spencer, Chuck high culture.
Regan, Matt Mitchell, John Cobb, Fred Hooper, Christopher Cynthia “The PhysRep Has a Hole in It” Summers, for never
Shy, Anthony Hightower losing sight of the fact that they’re all just games.
Covers: Eric Lacombe and John Cobb Brian “Mwraor. Mwraor! MWRAOR! rrrowrr” Glass, for sha-
Cover Design: Lawrence Snelly ring the road through blizzards, bad food, and a really crappy DJ.
Layout and typesetting by: Richard Thomas Rob “Sluggo” Hatch, for invertebrate knowledge below and
beneath the call of duty.
Mike “Kneecapitated” Tinney, for finding yet another White
Wolf sport to injure himself in.
Greg “Closer to the Goal” Fountain, for looking way too much
like Geddy Lee.

© 1997 White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduc-

tion without the written permission of the publisher is
expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews,
and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced
for personal use only. White Wolf is a registered trade-
mark of White Wolf, Inc. All rights reserved. Wraith the
Oblivion, Guildbook Artificers, Wraith Players Guide,
Guildbook Sandmen, Guildbook Masquers, Guildbook
Haunters, The Risen and Guildbook: Puppeteers and
Pardoners are trademarks of White Wolf, Inc. All rights
reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein
are copyrighted by White Wolf, Inc.
The mention of or reference to any company or product
in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or
copyright concerned.
Because of the mature themes involved, reader discre-
tion is advised.
Check out White Wolf online at http://www.white-wolf.
Sister Acceptance created by Jackie Cassada. Yaeko
com; alt.games.whitewolf and rec.games.frp.storyteller
created by Heather Grove. Lord Ember created by Ri-
PRINTED IN CANADA. chard Dansky
 and

Table of Contents
Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls Part V: 7
Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 11
Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 23
Chapter Three: The Puppeteers and the Risen 35
Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 43
Chapter Five: Behind the Puppet Show Curtain 53
Appendix: Punches and Judys 64
Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 77
Chapter One: Spiritual Exercises 81
Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 89
Chapter Three: True Confessions 103
Chapter Four: Secrets 119
Chapter Five: The Art of Castigation 127
Chapter Six: Templates 139
Appendix: Who Was Who 146
Where do they
come from?
The dust.
Where do they go?
The grave.
Does blood stir in
their veins?
No: the night
wind...
What hears with
their ear?
The abyss between
the stars.
Ray Bradboury,
Something Wicked
This Way Comes
 Ghost Story:
A Road of Steel and
Souls
Part V: Waking Nightmares carried to her on the breeze, and she cheered even harder.
Jericho steeled himself for the inevitable. This scene was what
he’d come to watch.
lthough he wasn’t really there, the un- In the middle of the meadow, a pure white horse pranced
distinguished man sighed as he stared at and snorted. Its saddle and bridle were hammered gold and
the spectacle before him from his hiding silver, and a rainbow of ribbons adorned its mane and tail.
place behind a tree. Wearily, his short Astride it sat a man in impossibly shiny full plate armor —
fingers drummed against his thigh to a it looked as though the breastplate had been fashioned of
nonexistent beat as he waited for the play aluminum foil. A white plume rose up a full two feet from a
to unfold before him. Jericho had seen it helmet that didn’t allow its wearer more than the narrowest
a dozen times already, and he had no desire to see it again. field of vision. The knight’s vision didn’t seem impaired in the
However, his superiors had told him to be thorough, so he slightest, however. He carried a long, wide sword that looked
resigned himself to another night of reruns and concentrated far too heavy for his slim arm, and he swung it wildly in the
on the scenery. air at the monster before him.
It was a lovely dream. Brilliant, green grass grew knee- The creature was perhaps the strangest part of the odd
high in the sunny meadow. Flowers of every imaginable hue tableau. It was clearly meant to be a dragon, but what mad
waved gently in the breeze. The trees were tall, without scar artist could have conceived of such a creature? Its skin looked
or blemish, and their leaves were perfect. Sweet birdsong, pure like yellow-painted wood with dark-purple polka dots, and a
and high, twittered on the warm summer air. By the edge of navy-blue crest ran up its back to the top of its scalp. It had
the meadow stood a woman with graying hair and a small two green, intricately carved horns on its forehead, and wide,
nose. She wore a child’s pale green dress covered in ribbons, bulging, blue eyes. Jericho sighed when he saw it — he wasn’t
lace and flounces. It was ridiculously tight on her, and her sure whether to grimace or chuckle.
varicose-veined legs protruded comically from beneath her Without warning, the dream changed. The meadow
skirts. Childlike, she jumped up and down, clapping all the suddenly became a lake; the flowers melted into its waves.
while, as her light laughter echoed among the trees. A shout The flowers’ color bled away, draining out of the petals, down

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 7

through the stems and into the frothing water. The breeze “Useful to us, certainly,” Katerina snorted. “I’m not sure
turned into a wind of gale-force strength, whipping dirt and how his sergeant would feel about it. Still, this shouldn’t take
spraying water through the grimy air. The forest earth meta- long. What did you find out?”
morphosed into a beach; the trees became pale and ghostly Jericho shook his head as he picked up the glass of Sprite
men carrying weapons. The green faded gradually into gray, Yaeko had thought to order for him. “Same as the last 14
with only the palest tinge of the original color remaining. Bird- dreams I’ve dipped into. No words, no demand for sacrifice.
song deepened to a roar, became the clamoring of a throng. Jer- Either I’ve been getting the edited versions, or someone’s lying.
icho raised his head, eyes narrowed, thin lips pressed together. Given the nature of Guild politics, I’m betting on the latter.”
The woman’s dress lost its color as well, and the fine lace (“Sucker bet,” muttered Yaeko.) He tapped a finger on the
and satins blackened with rot. The flounces sagged. A rick- wet glass. “Truth be told, though, I’m thinking that it doesn’t
ety dock stretched out from the shore; it looked as though it matter. As long as the other Guilds think there’s something
would barely support the woman’s weight. Her face grew pale, interesting going on, we can use this to our advantage.”
and her eyes widened. She shrank back from the oily water. Yaeko struck a match and lit a Camel. Through the small
In the center of the lake, where the dragon had stood in all cloud of smoke she asked, “How?”
its ramshackle glory, a monster roared defiance. Gone were Katerina was the one who replied, grinning as she ran
the childish colors. Gone was the knotted carving. They’d her fingers through her bangs. “This Charon thing has stirred
been replaced by unrelenting gray and black, a slick hide and up the whole anthill back in Stygia. Now is the perfect time
a massive, stinging tail. The eyes still bulged, but they’d lost to make a few moves. While everyone else is focusing on that
their oaken hardness and brilliant blue shade. expedition into the Labyrinth and trying to figure out what’s
The horse became a flimsy reed boat, swaying dangerously going on, our inside people step up their activities. We might
in the waves. The knight’s armor lost its shine, then elongated even use the confusion to slip in a few extras.”
and softened into a robe and hood. The sword stretched and Yaeko had yet to take a drag on the cigarette. Instead,
darkened, wailing as a sickle-shape devoured the elegant she used it like a pointer and gestured with it. “Now might be
golden hilt and shimmering blade. Where flowers had waved the time to talk to the Monitors as well; while everyone else is
in a summer breeze, water now swirled in an ever-deepening busy with Stygian politics, we could sever a few Fetters. Getting
whirlpool. A final, earth-shattering roar ruptured the air and rid of some key people at this point could throw certain other
threw the girl to the wooden planks of the dock. Locked in Guilds into chaos.”
titanic conflict, the monster and the hooded figure sank be- “Certain Guilds like the Haunters and Spooks? I like it.”
neath the surface of the lake. Katerina smiled nastily.
Jericho nodded. “Now we’re talking. Yaeko, why don’t
Jericho shook his head and turned to go. Nothing but you contact your Monitor friend — what was his name,
reruns, again. Seth? — and have a little chat with him. This is one hell of
The back room of the Fire and Angel stank of old beer an opportunity, and we can’t afford to miss it.”
and cigarettes. Flakes of ash stuck to the tabletop. “I hate this Yaeko grinned. “Sure enough. What can I offer him,
place,” Katerina mumbled as she brushed at the dust on an though?”
orange, vinyl-covered chair and sat down heavily. Seeing the “The usual.” Jericho’s face was a mask of indifference.
grime on her pudgy hands, she made a face and surreptitiously “Cheap thrills, time-share in bodies doin’ the nasty, ice-cold
wiped them on the slightly cleaner formica of the table. Cokes — all that sort of thing. Our friends in the Co-depen-
Yaeko smiled. “It’s convenient and non-obvious. That dent Mafia should go for that in a second.” He slipped into a
counts for a lot these days.” She sat across from Katerina, lifted bad Brando accent and mumbled, “Nice Fetter you got here.
a glass of whiskey in salute and downed half the contents in Be a real shame if something happened to it.”
one shot. She coughed, brown eyes watering. “Hell. This body Katerina laughed and nodded. “Right. I’ll take care of
isn’t used to whiskey.” contacting the spies. Jericho, you still have the strongest ties
Katerina laughed. “Choose a better one next time.” to Stygia. Keep us up to date on what’s going on there, and
Yaeko stared suspiciously at the contents of her glass. don’t forget those blasted Guildmaster meetings.”
“Damn straight I will. No point in doing this if I can’t even “You’ve got it,” Jericho said in his own voice. He smiled
enjoy a proper belt.” fractionally and took a sip of soda. It went down cool and
Wearing the body of a beat cop, Jericho stepped through delicious — just the way he’d remembered it would.
the doorway and shut the heavy wooden door behind him. “In three days, then. Same place, but let’s make it for
“Guards are in place on both sides of the Shroud. We’ll be fine dinner.” Yaeko’s borrowed body made a face. “At least the food
as long as I get this body back to the station by one o’clock. I’d here is better than the drinks.”
rather not get it in trouble; having a cop is useful.”

8 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Yaeko grimaced, glad to be free of the gangly body she’d
used for the meeting. She would definitely have to find a better
one for the next rendezvous; she’d grabbed this consort on Across the table, his unblinking eyes shining like lanterns,
short notice, and it had been a disaster. Maybe Katerina didn’t Seth hovered menacingly as he considered Yaeko’s offer.
care what she looked like when Skinriding, but there was a “You’re asking a lot here, Yaeko.”
certain measure of comfort in using a body-type similar to “And offering just as much, Seth. You know me well
what your own had been. What she really wanted was to have enough to know that I wouldn’t screw you on this,” she re-
long black hair again, hair she could run her fingers through. sponded.
Come to think of it, hair that someone else could run their
“Wouldn’t screw me…,” his voice trailed off. “All right.”
fingers through wouldn’t be too bad, either. She sighed. She
Seth nodded slowly. Dark, curly hair fell into his eyes, and he
desperately wanted the free time to go Skinriding for pleasure,
pushed it back without even the slightest change of expression.
but right now, things were too crazy. No sense getting hauled
“I’ll take your proposal back to the Guild. I like it, and I think
in on a Mortuum charge by some overeager beat Legionnaire;
they will too.” He pulled on a pair of black gloves. “Give me
not when all the rest of this stuff was going on. Her fingers
two days. I’ll meet you at St. Ignatius’ down on Munroe at
itched for a cigarette. There’s always time for just one smoke,
seven; wear a nice body, and we’ll talk.”
her Shadow whispered, but she ignored it. Seth was waiting,
and he was a punctual sort. Anal-retentive, really, her Shadow
said, and she didn’t have the energy to disagree.

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 9

 Chapter One:
No Strings Attached?
Down through the dark glen awaits the aggressor
Shrouded in mist as the victims appear
Watching the ghosts of the fathers of children
Of mercy whose deeds in the nighttime draw near.
— Wolfstone, “A Hard Heart”

24 October 1996

John Miller, Overlord of the Emerald Legion

Sir,
Enclosed are my notes concerning my investigation of the
Puppeteers Guild and their violations of the Code of the
Dead in the Boston area. I hope my report contains the
information you are looking for. I can attest that it is as
complete and as accurate as possible.
Susan Lawrence, Centurion
 the Soul or meddling with mortals they’ve taken an interest

Background s you know, the Puppeteers were never

in. In cases like that, I’m told, they descend on you as quickly
as the Legions would, and not for the purpose of recruitment.
Since they do not recruit, I wondered how they manage
to have a Guild at all. We know that the Artificers induct
anyone they find promising, the Sandmen are motivated to
accepted in Stygia. Their presence was
work together to create Pageants, and that, indeed, most of
merely tolerated before the Breaking of
the Guilds have some pressing issue that causes them to come
the Guilds because of their affiliation with
together. Puppetry, however, is different. The possessing and
the other Guilds. They have always been
controlling of a mortal is a solitary act and promotes working
the most flagrant violators of the Dictum
alone. There is some motivation for practitioners of these Arts
Mortuum, and they continue to be a threat
to come together to share and trade techniques and new uses
to the Hierarchy and all that we stand for.
of the Arcanos, but that does not explain a Guild-strength
Currently, active Puppeteers keep a low profile throughout
level of solidarity. The answer turned out to be quite simple.
Stygia, but they can be found wherever there is Renegade
One of the Renegades I met during my efforts to infiltrate
activity. They never heeded the law before the Decree of
the Guild took notice of my Skinriding habits and suggested
the Breaking, and have shown no inclination to do so since.
that, if I persisted, I’d be safer from the Legions if I “found
Instead of disbanding, all available information indicates that
the right friends.”
they simply went further underground than they already were.
Self-protection. The school of fish theory. If the Puppe-
There aren’t many Puppeteers — sources indicate that
teers move in a group, then each individual is in less danger.
there never were — but they seem to have a great many
friends. There are also numerous people who owe them
favors. I believe that this “network” is why we’ve had such
a difficult time uncovering them — when we go looking for
New Recruits
The newest members of the Guild are the most varied.
them, they always have people willing to hide them, either At this level, you do get some of the troublemakers you would
to return a favor or to cover up the fact the Puppeteers expect, people attracted to the thrill of Skinriding, but still,
have, at some point, violated the Dictum Mortuum on the no one who doesn’t know how to be discreet. Most of the
accomplice’s behalf. new recruits, however, aren’t in it for the thrills. There are
I didn’t get close enough to the Guild to join, as I was many former community activists, social workers and over-
forced to cut my mission short when one of my Fetters was bearing mothers in the Guild’s lower echelons — compulsive
destroyed as a warning. I did meet a number of Guild mem- meddlers. There are even a few former religious leaders, but
bers, and I picked up some information from them and from not as many as one might expect, as most of them seem to
affiliated Renegades. Those findings and my analysis are gravitate to the Purifiers’ Order. Most Puppeteers have good
contained below. connections in the Renegade community, but many of those
connections seem to have developed after they joined the
Rank and File Guild.
Off the record, one thing I can say about the older
From what I knew of the Puppeteers, I had expected them Puppeteers with absolute assurance is that they are all
to be the stereotypical Renegades: radicals, hippies, dropouts, manipulative elitists at heart. Some were just influential
punks. What I found, though, was that, as a rule, they ap- mortals who couldn’t take not being influential ghosts, and
peared very ordinary, even respectable. Many of the people so they turned to manipulating mortals. The rest hold near
they associated with were the punks and other troublemakers and dear to their hearts the belief that the Dead, or at least
that you commonly find in Renegade gangs, but the actual those wraiths they agree with, are better than the living.
Guild members keep a very low profile and blend in well with Death is supposed to have imparted to them some special
local scenery. They’re a very quiet group, probably because, wisdom that is lacking in the Quick. Guild elders go on at
if you hear any one of them talk for any length of time, their length about their responsibilities to the living, but at the
randomized speech patterns (acquired through innumerable heart of it is a belief that only wraiths really know what is
Skinrides) give them away. best. They certainly don’t hesitate to use Obliterate the Soul
Joining the Guild isn’t easy. I tried to infiltrate them by or other arts that adversely impact their hosts if it’s necessary
posing as a potential recruit, Skinriding prolifically and using to achieve a purpose.
other Puppetry powers, all to no avail. You have to find them One trend I did notice among some of the Guild members
if you want to join, which involves getting the word that you’re was that many had held an interest in communicating with
looking for them into the right circles — or Circles. From ghosts or spirits when they were alive. This tendency apparent-
what I’ve learned, it’s different if you start using Obliterate ly first showed up after the Spiritualist movement of the 19th

12 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Confirmation
It’s not really that bad. I mean, it’s mostly just Skinriding, and I’ve done that hundreds of times. It’s not like
it’s something I can’t handle. I’ve got dozens of consorts, and I’ve never had any one of them not move exactly
as I wanted, or not say anything I wanted them to say. But why did they have to pick this for my initiation? It’s a
church, for chrissakes.
Still, I guess it could be a lot worse. I mean, they could have chosen the church my parents used to take me
to. The church may have been feeding us all a load of bullshit, but there’s no way I’d do this to Father Ron. Not
during mass, anyway.
It’s still sacrilege. You will surely be damned if you continue.
I didn’t ask for comments from the peanut gallery, thank you very much. Anyway, it’s not that bad, I used to
be an altar boy back when I was alive. Speaking of which, let’s just hope that this guy has been playing nice with
his altar boys. Just because he’s a priest doesn’t mean he’s perfect.
Okay, here he comes. I’d better make this good, because if there’s any outward sign that something’s wrong, I’ll
be as welcome in the Guild as an ATF agent at an NRA meeting. On three. One. Two. Three. Whew. Okay, I’m in.
God, this place looks better from this side. Old buildings always do. It could still use some renovating, but I
appreciate not seeing every single crack in the stone, the leaks in the roof and all the termites in the pews. And
the smell — I haven’t smelled that church smell since I was 18. It’s funny how you hardly notice smells when
you’re alive, and then you’re dead and the only thing you ever smell is rot. You miss all those scents more than
anything else.
Father Michael here seems to be doing okay on his own for now. Luckily, I can just hang on for the time being,
I don’t have to actually do anything until later.
You know you’ll go to Hell for this. Stop now, and God may yet forgive you.
Will you give it a rest already? We’re dead, remember, and still no Heaven, no Hell, no angels, no pearly gates,
no St. Peter, and no guy who got nailed to a tree.
Ever heard of purgatory?
Purgatory isn’t supposed to be like this. I read my Dante. Look, if you don’t cut it out with the nonsense, we’re
going to go and see Angie when this is all over with. She may not be an official Pardoner, but she’ll do for you.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Well, that’s shut him up for now at least. Where are we? I hate it when he distracts me like that. Okay, not
too much time left before I’m “on.” It figures that my Shadow would take the opportunity to make the most of
the situation, but as Guild initiations go, it really could be much worse. I hear that the Masquers have to literally
put themselves back together, and God only knows what the Artificers do, but word is that it involves getting up
close and personal with soulfire. It really could be a lot worse.
Oh, God, its almost time.
All right, here come the communion wafers. Sorry, Father Michael. God, if you really do exist, forgive me,
okay? Right. I’m in the drivers seat. With any luck Father Michael won’t remember any of this. Luckily, I remem-
ber how its done. Just hand out the wafers, and as soon as Mitch shows, I can get this over with and let Father
Michael take over again. Mitch said he’d be in a blond guy wearing a red-and-white carnation in his buttonhole.
He said he’d be here. Where the hell is he? If I did this for nothing I’m gonna…. Oh, wait, there he is. Wouldn’t
it just figure he’d be almost all the way at the back. Bastard.
Mitch, if you weren’t a Master I’d pound you into plasm. Why couldn’t he have sat at the front? Here he
is. Its really just bread after all, and not very good bread at that. Now for the sleight of hand. We wouldn’t want
anyone to notice anything strange. Yeah, strange like the priest getting struck down by lightning. Hand over the
wafer, and let it fall while no one is looking….
I did it! It’s over, and no thunderbolts from Heaven. It’s just lying there on the floor where Mitch kicked it
under the pew. Just a piece of bread, and you wouldn’t recognize it unless you were looking for it. It’s over with.
I’ll just let Father Mike here take over now, and I can take off with Mitch to the celebration. Maybe tomorrow I’ll
Skinride the governor and sign some laws or something.

Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 13

 century and redoubled when the current round of hippies and
New Agers started to die. Now, demographics indicate that a
sizeable minority of the Guild’s members had a penchant for
crystal-waving before they died.
The things that most, if not all, Guild-signatory Puppe-
teers have in common are:
• A deep and abiding mistrust of Charon and the Hier-
archy
• Contempt for the Dictum Mortuum
• A belief that the Proclamation of Reason was issued
under false pretenses

Activities
By necessity, the Puppeteers hide their activities as well
as they can, but Skinriding leaves certain telltale signs behind.
Many of these signs concentrated in particular areas have
formed a pattern indicating that Guild members are working
in concert toward a goal.

Explanation of the
Puppeteer's Initiation
The Guild initiation trial is as much a test
of loyalty as it is of skill. Each initiation is
tailored to the individual Apprentice, which
is one of the reasons there are, perhaps,
fewer Puppeteers than there are members of
certain other Guilds. The only constant in the
initiations is that each one involves a task
performed via Rein in the Mind. The task is
something the initiate would be hesitant or
squeamish about performing without outside
impetus, and by its execution, it proves the new
Puppeteer’s unquestioning loyalty to the Guild.
To become an accepted member of the
Guild, the initiate is required to perform the ap-
pointed task laid down by her sponsor without
betraying to the Quick any sign that anything
out of the ordinary is going on. If anything
goes wrong, the test is considered a failure
and more experienced Guildwraiths step in
to clean up the mess. If the failed apprentice
is lucky, she will be given a harder trial and
another shot at initiation much later, after more
and harsher training. If she’s unlucky, the Guild
turns its back on her; the former candidate is
expected to keep silent about anything she
might have learned.
It is rare for an Apprentice to refuse
outright to perform the task set for her. When
such a refusal occurs, the wraith is instantly
rejected from the rolls of the Guild. Alas, many
times, things don’t end there. Individuals thus
rejected seem always to have the worst luck,
and “accidents” somehow manage to catch to
their Fetters until the inevitable conclusion.

14 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Among the more disturbing incidences I uncovered were
ones showing that Puppeteers have been systematically using
their arts on biologists and medical researchers. In the Boston
area alone, I’ve found that a number of researchers at MIT,
Tufts, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical
School all show readily apparent signs of regular usage as
hosts for Puppeteers. More prevalent, however, were signs
that members of the boards of these institutions, as well as
a number of individuals responsible for large grants to these
same research centers, had clearly been Skinridden on multiple
occasions. In at least one case, this Skinriding could be directly
traced to a large grant that funded research into a new class
of antibiotic drugs.
When I mentioned this anomaly to one of my Renegade
sources, he made a cryptic remark about trying to even the
score. When I tried to get him to elaborate, he said, “Well, a
lot of us have been thinking how lucky it was for the Skeletal
Lord that AIDS came along right when it looked like they’d
licked just about every fatal disease a person could catch.
And then there’s all those bugs that suddenly can’t be killed
by medicines anymore. Funny how it all happened just when
it looked like the living doctors had put the Gaunt Legion
on a permanent diet. Of course, the Deathlords would never
meddle, I mean, hey, it’s against their precious Dictum, so it
must have been luck — but luck like that changes.” I found
the allegations so disturbing that I transcribed the statement
verbatim as soon as we finished speaking. I suggest that one
of the Marshals look into this.
As you told me at the beginning of this mission, it’s long
been suspected that the Puppeteers have some connection to
the wraiths known as the Risen. Before I was assigned to this
mission, I thought that these Risen were just legends; the idea
that any citizen would flout the Dictum Mortuum to the point
of re-animating his body sounded ridiculous, not to mention
impossible. The shocking fact is that, on this mission, I’ve seen
evidence of more than one of these “Risen,” and conclusive
proof that high-ranking Puppeteers were involved in each
Dictum violation, as well. I believe that the Guild must even
be encouraging the practice of Rising, and that the practice is
either picking up or is more widespread than was previously
imagined.
In one instance (see Addendum #4: Evidence of Risen:
Rindge Avenue Incident), I came across a grave from which
a Risen had obviously just exhumed herself. It was in the
cemetery on Rindge Avenue, which is surrounded by a fence
with barbed wire on top, of the sort that is angled to prevent
people from scaling the fence. As I was leaving the cemetery,
after investigating the grave, I noted that the wire had not been
set up to keep vandals from getting in; rather, it had been set
up to keep people from getting out. Admittedly, it could have
just been installed that way by mistake, but, in that context,
it did make me nervous — especially since a four-foot-long
section of said fence had simply been torn down.

Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 15

 What was even more disturbing was that there was no 15 minutes, as the aide she was talking to spent that time
effort on the part of the Guild to cover up the incident. Also, assuring her that he’d give the matter top priority. Then the
one of those tabloid television crews showed up, with one ghoul’s passenger flexed his muscles, and things degenerated
member of its crew clearly manifesting the signs of being a rapidly. With a little help from Master’s Voice, she called the
host. After the reporters left, I made sure that an accident aide a toadying lard-ass, and that was merely the beginning.
befell their videotape. Luckily, most of the local media simply Needless to say, her mission ended up a complete failure.
reported the incident as vandalism. My source later told me that the ghoul’s master more than
The most frightening aspect of the graveyard incident is lost his temper when he found out what she’d done, and she
the blatant manipulation of the local media. Vampires have ended up on the menu.
long been known to maintain ties to local media outlets for Oddly enough, apart from vampires (whom the Pup-
the precise reason of keeping that sort of news out of the public peteers seem to take a special delight in tweaking), the
eye. As a result, I was curious about how the Guild might be Guild frequently avoids contact with any other supernat-
sidestepping their control. The best explanation seems to be ural beings. Which is not to say that they are incapable of
that, while vampiric controls on mortals work well for long- such contact — I’ve experimented with my own powers,
term behavioral patterns, they don’t do much good to coun- at times, in this regard — rather, that any interaction with
teract direct possession. As the soul in charge of the body at supernatural beings is frowned upon by Guild higher-ups.
that time isn’t the one who has been conditioned to “behave,” My best guess is that while vampiric nature is close enough
all of the vampire-induced controls are no good whatsoever. to human norm for Puppeteers to fake it reasonably well,
On the other hand, vampires can’t afford to ignore werewolves and mages are so wrapped up in their own eso-
such incidents. The source who directed me to the site of teric existences that it’s more effort than it’s worth to try to
the Rising told me that the local vampire powers that be pretend to be “one of the tribe.” You can get by in a vampire
were sending one of their ghouls to city hall to deal with on attitude; with mages and werewolves, you actually have
the matter by getting the stations that “sensationalized” the to know what you’re talking about — and the inability to
incident in trouble with area government. I showed up in use magick, shapeshift and so on immediately tags an overly
the office on the appropriate official and Enshrouded myself cocky Puppeteer as an impostor. Skinriding these kinds of
in a corner; I’m very glad I took the precaution, because, creatures isn’t so bad and can certainly be eye-opening, as
when the ghoul showed up, she obviously wasn’t completely
herself. Things went fairly well for the ghoul for the first

16 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 werewolves are almost walking fonts of Pathos (if you’re the
sort who can feed on anger).
Protecting Business Changelings are a different case entirely. Guild policy
forbids even Skinriding fae, except in the most dire emergen-
cies. The prohibition is less a matter of policy and more in
In Stygia, the Guilds are officially outlawed. Unfortunately for the Deathlords,
the nature of a public service announcement, as Skinriding a
changeling produces adverse side effects up to and including
making it so isn’t as simple as just saying so. The Guilds have and maintain
strengthening the Puppeteer’s Shadow. A Pardoner acquain-
tance of mine claims that this effect is just punishment for
power because they control special commodities for which there is eternal
meddling with something truly innocent. My own take on
demand and because certain professional friendships have grown up over the the matter is that changelings are not quite human, and, as
such, there’s a fundamental incompatibility between our souls
centuries. and theirs. Regardless, it’s a matter for the folks in R&D to
worry about.
One example of how the Guilds function together within Stygia is the case of The long and short of the matter is that direct Skinriding
of most supernatural beings is more trouble than it’s worth.
Ben Pollack, a slaver who finally stepped on too many toes in the Pittsburgh What most Puppeteers prefer to do when circumstances ne-
cessitate involvement with such creatures is to possess normal
Necropolis. The local Anacreon of the Emerald Legion, frustrated with the mortals in the vicinity, thus facilitating communication and
cooperation without risking disaster.
slaver’s excesses, took it upon himself to contact a Monitor he knew for help

in dealing with the situation. Contacts

Most of the contacts that the Puppeteers have are
The Monitor quickly discovered that Ben’s major Fetter was the small business among Renegades, but access to the Guild is not available
to any Enfant who’s just joined a gang. Renegades who have
he’d owned and operated when he was alive. It was not a Fetter that could been around and eluded the Legions for some time tend to
have Puppeteer connections. Puppeteers also have very good
be attacked directly from the Shadowlands, so the Monitors contacted the relations with other illegal Guild organizations, in particular
the Monitors, Haunters, Proctors and Spooks. Heretic Cults,
Puppeteers — as they often do in such situations. Linda Howe, a recent recruit including the Brothers of the Shroud and the Tempest Path,
seem to be tight with the Puppeteers as well.
with great promise, was assigned to the job. She attacked it with gusto. The Guild survives by making itself useful to (and doing
favors for) every sizeable group of Renegades in the area, and
After Howe had Skinridden a manger through a number of shouting tirades and it seems to be their modus operandi everywhere. It seemed,
everywhere I went, there were people who were in debt to
the accountant through a number of addition errors, several key employees the Puppeteers. Often, Guildwraiths trade their services for
oboli, but it is not unusual for them to perform favors for
resigned in disgust, and the company made several serious financial blunders. prominent Renegades in exchange for future considerations.
In one recent incident of this sort, they performed certain
A month later, the company filed for bankruptcy, its assets were liquidated and services for the local Renegade, Erik (File #102470), after
his Shadow had done something particularly nasty. I’ve been
Ben had the worst Harrowing he’d ever known. When he emerged at one of his unable to garner exact details, but apparently, the situation
had something to do with a former coworker, and the cleanup
remaining Fetters, the Emerald Legion’s welcome wagon was there for him. To involved bodysnatching a couple of members of the police
department. I’m not sure what the going rate for bailing out
the great satisfaction of all concerned, he is now contributing to the Stygian living friends is, but apparently his feeling is that it was worth
whatever he paid. The general conclusion that can be drawn
economy in a more concrete way, thanks to the services of a smith who is from this episode, however, is that the Guild continues to do
a brisk trade in oboli and exchanged services with any wraith
certainly a member of the Artificer’s Guild. who can find the Puppeteers.

Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 17

 A number of Heretic Cults actively hide Puppeteers from
potential enemies. These groups are often cults that advocate
interaction with the living and other violations of the Dictum
Mortuum. The Puppeteers, in turn, treat these cults much the
same as the Renegades. Some Puppeteers are even actively
involved in said cults and justify their activities in them as
religiously mandated, even when such actions put their hosts
in danger.
History tells us that the only reason Charon ever counte-
nanced the existence of the Puppeteers Guild was its affiliation
with the others Guilds at a time when he did not have the
power to disband the various groups or to take any action that
might have pitted them all against him. It is that affiliation, in
part, that allows them to survive to this day.
The only Guild that Puppeteers do not have at least
friendly relations with is the Pardoners, though the need each
Guild has for the other’s services mandates at least polite re-
lations in public. Most Pardoners who have had their lantern
hanging for more that a few years have gotten very tired of
seeing clients who use Puppetry; I’ve had this problem myself,
even though I’m a Centurion. There’s something to it beyond
the fact of Puppeteers darkening Pardoners’ doorsteps too of-
ten, though. Skinriding is habit forming. When you Skinride,
you literally become the person; it’s like being alive again, and
you never want to leave. A lot of young wraiths spend more
time ’riding than they spend in the Shadowlands, and when
you’re inside bodies for that long, its very hard to resist the
urge to take over, at least in the small ways. Before you know
it, you can be walking around and talking instead of quietly
’riding, and then your Shadow sneaks up on you when you’re
too wrapped up in the world of the Quick to remember that
you’re not one of them.
Sorry. Personal reminiscence crept in there.
It is also the seduction of the body that leads some to use
Obliterate the Soul. After a point, some Skinriders can’t deal
with the fact that they’ll have to leave a body sooner or later,
and that’s when these Puppeteers take one for themselves. If
killing the mortal in question weren’t bad enough, it seems,
from the figures I’ve gathered, that roughly a third of the
wraiths who use this art on a regular basis become Spectres
within a year. These facts aren’t lost on the Pardoners, who
have about as much tolerance for Puppeteers as workers in a
rehab clinic have for the local crack dealers.
There is one Guild with whom the Puppeteers have
a special relationship: the Monitors. From the number of
unblinking eyes I saw in the vicinity when I spoke, I suspect
the two groups are working closely together. Best guess
from available evidence is that the Monitors use Puppeteer
agents to alter Fetters directly, while the Puppeteers rely on
Monitor assistance to aid in their subversive programs with
Risen and such.

18 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Living Death to Its Fullest
Here's Andrea now. She's my favorite host, a corporate lawyer with the career and the body
I never had when I was alive. Her hair really is naturally blond, and she looks great with it up in a
French twist. I still haven't figured out how she does it, and I've been inside her as she's been doing
it six times now. Ah, well. I'll just slip inside while she's getting ready for her date.
I, umm, I mean, Andrea looks great. The little black dress, the stockings, the heels. If only I'd been
a size six when I was alive! The expensive makeup certainly makes a difference too, not like she really
needs it. Oh, there's the doorbell, that must be Conner. I can't wait to see this guy; its a blind date for
me. She's opening the door now. Ooh! Not bad, and he brought us roses. Pink, so he's not being too
pushy. We're doing well — he's got good hair, a cute face and it looks like a really promising body
under those expensive clothes. Things are definitely looking good. Too bad you were too fat
and ugly to get guys like this. Conner would never look at you twice. Nobody asked
your opinion.
His car is a BMW, and we take it downtown. It looks like Conner is really going all the way,
'cause we're eating at the Julien. He's not doing things by halves. The best thing about being dead is
getting to go to places like this. The problem with ordinary wraiths is they keep bitching about being
dead, but I look at it this way: Before I died, it was a big treat to go to a restaurant where the waitresses
spoke English. Now, I get to go to places where the waiters speak French. Oh, shit, she's looking at the
salads. She's probably contemplating not getting a real entrée. LOOK THERE. Good, she's ordering the
swordfish. Are you going to get her drunk too? I know you want to make her order
champagne. And what if I do? There's nothing wrong with a little alcohol. Well, at least she
has the sense to get a ride, not like some people. Just shut up about that, okay? Just shut up.
This is the best date I've been on in a long time. I wonder why Andrea feels like she's lost interest.
I guess she had a rough day at the office. Now for the best part, the desert cart. I'd better get ready to
take over here, or all we'll end up with is a cup of coffee. "I'LL HAVE THE CHEESECAKE, PLEASE."
Do you have any idea how much time on the treadmill you just cost her? All I can
say is thank goodness she has the willpower to stick to it, unlike certain people
who never last more than three days on a diet, Miss Size 16. Just. Shut. Up.
That was the best meal I've had in a while, and the night is young. We'll go back to Andrea's
place, we'll put on some romantic music, have a drink or two and see where things lead. Conner is
such a good looking guy. Hey, why does Andrea keep looking out the window. If she keeps this up
he's going to think she's not interested or something. Andrea, get with the program, you're in a car
with a rich, great- looking guy. Don't blow this! Are you playing hard to get? Don't tell me you're not
interested in this guy, that would be crazy.
All right, Andrea, we're back at your place. Do us both a favor and invite Conner up for a drink.
Don't be a moron, you have to want to see Conner without his shirt on as much as I do. Oh, shit,
she's saying goodnight! "NO, WAIT. WON'T YOU COME IN?" So, you're completely in charge
of her now. Happy? What's she going to think in the morning when she wakes
up and realizes that she slept with this guy whom she obviously can't stand — or
weren't you paying attention to anything other than the food and his face? You're
a fat, pathetic nympho, and what you're doing is as good as rape. You're blowing this
completely out of proportion. She was just having an off night. She'd thank me in the morning, if
she knew what was going on. It's not like I don't care what happens to her; I'll make him wear
a condom.

Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 19

 Such incidents were dismissed as “unfortunate accidents,” and
TrendsThe man in the television crew van was not the only
the hoary cliché about omelets and eggs was brought up any
number of times. Some even alluded to a large project the Pup-
peteers were working on that would benefit both the living and
member of the media I saw who was a host. In the attached,
the Dead, but the details of this grand work were sadly lacking.
detailed reports, you will find that I observed three televi-
Heretical Puppeteers often take their common “respon-
sion reporters, five cameramen, twelve researchers and two
sibility” to the living to religious extremes. A few as much as
members of the Herald staff who were all hosts at one time or
told me that God had chosen them to remain behind to help
another. Cross-referencing my findings with those of research-
the living, and one even hinted that he had been tapped to
ers in other Necropoli, I noted a disturbing trend. Puppeteer
serve as divine retribution on evil mortals. These fanatics are
involvement in the media is not a localized phenomenon, but
in the minority, but a sizeable minority it is. It is only their awe
rather appears to be blossoming all across the country, and up
of the Puppet Masters — higher-ups in the Guild with broad
into Canada as well. Furthermore, there are multiple reports
disciplinary powers — that keeps them in line. They speak
of an intense Puppeteer involvement in the creation of new
of someone named Colin, who apparently runs not only the
television shows and movies through strong Guild presence
New England portion of the Guild, but Ontario, Quebec, and
in Los Angeles and Hollywood.
the Maritime Provinces of Canada, as well. The Heretics in
I must state that I have not developed a hypothesis ex-
the Guild seem to believe that the Guild’s elites, who manage
plaining the origin of this move toward media involvement,
certain geographical areas, are akin to angels, and they speak
primarily because of the puzzling nature of the sorts of stories
of the High Masters, the three wraiths who run the Guild, as
with which the Puppeteers were interfering. There was very
if they are saints.
little possession of reporters and crew during coverage of the
On local levels, the Puppeteers seem to hew to the stan-
upcoming election, or of financial or sports news. Most of the
dard configuration of Apprentice-Journeyman-Master, at least
Skinriding seemed to be taking place in relation to human
in terms of quantifying their skills. Beyond that, Guild structure
interest stories and local news items. The resulting reports
is quite loose in individual Necropoli, and each Puppeteer is
sounded more like tabloid material than usual, and several
free to cut her own deals, so long as they don’t endanger the
made passing reference to supposed miracles or angels.
whole. It is only when danger threatens — say, a patrol gets too
The media trend does, however, fit in with the increasing
nosy or a favorite host is threatened — that one can observe
numbers of New Agers in the Guild. I doubt that this program
concerted actions on the part of the Guild. Such actions are
is just a case of these crystal-wavers merely pursuing their
usually very brief and extremely efficient — and whatever
mortal interests. The older Guild members have effectively
combination of Puppeteers and their allies performs them
killed any number of activities that would have drawn too
fades back into the woodwork as soon as the job is finished.
much attention to the Guild, and yet, the program of media
Even the nonreligious members of the Guild are in awe of
manipulation has not been challenged. This must mean
someone code-named Marionette, who apparently sits over the
that the program is condoned at the highest levels of the
High Masters and the regional leaders alike. The more practical
Guild. The implications are fascinating, but, unfortunately,
Puppeteers speak of the risks that the Masters take by virtue of
ill-defined as of yet.
their position, especially in light of Hierarchy “persecutions.”
This awe is apparently also reinforced by having all Puppeteers
Heresies
Every Puppeteer I managed to talk to claimed to be very
learn the most advanced arts of their Arcanos directly from
one of the regional elites. This system gives each Puppeteer
of a certain skill level a direct connection to someone in a
concerned about the Quick, especially any of his consorts. position of real power.
While this expressed concern is admirable, meddling across the
The local Puppeteers all seem very attached to Colin.
Shroud on behalf of any of the Quick is expressly forbidden by
One young wraith whom I talked with was speculating about
law, and for good reason. What benefits one mortal, after all,
the possibility of New England becoming a separate region,
almost inevitably hurts another. Needless to say, the Dictum
and she wondered who could possibly be up to filling Colin’s
doesn’t stop the Puppeteers from doing it on a regular basis,
shoes. She was the least closed-mouthed of the Guildwraiths
nor is their meddling always beneficial. Two hosts I came across
I spoke to, and she gave me the one hint to this Colin’s iden-
died as a result of being Skinridden (though they did expire after
tity that I could manage: Whoever this Colin is, he’s based
the Puppeteers had left their bodies), and five more were either
in Canada. Unfortunately, after that conversation, I was no
committed or voluntarily admitted to psychiatric facilities. With-
longer able to use Marie as a source. She apparently had a
out exception, the Puppeteers I met said that it was their duty
nasty Harrowing shortly after we spoke and kept to herself
to help the Quick, even when confronted with these statistics.
from that point onward.

20 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Methods
I firmly believe that Marie’s Harrowing was no coinci- Beyond Fetters
dence. The Puppeteers may present themselves as the protec- It would seem that a Puppeteer who had lost
tors of the Quick and the friends of all Renegades, but they are all of his Fetters would be out of luck. The Guild’s
not the Red Cross or even Greenpeace. They can be ruthless, Renegade leanings would make such a wraith unwel-
especially when it comes to keeping their secrets. come in Stygia, and Puppetry isn’t much good when
The day after Marie dropped out of sight, I had a visit there’s no one around but other wraiths. However,
from a woman in a suit. From her accent, she lived and died Puppeteers without Fetters aren’t without resources.
in Southie. She “suggested” to me that I should stop looking Many retreat to isolated communities on the
into her friends’ business. She went on to say that people who River of Death, where they accept students and
didn’t know when to butt out and mind their own business hide out from Hierarchy patrols. Others do make
might find themselves having long conversations with their their way into the Imperial City and blend in with
Shadows. There were other threats too, but I found I was the innumerable wraiths who dwell there. Some cut
mesmerized watching this woman talk. There was something deals with the Monitors, whom these Puppeteers pay
disturbing about it that I couldn’t quite place. Her accent was in services for the maintenance of temporary Fetters
strictly local and unremarkable, as was her choice of words, until such time as new ones (such as an especially
and she showed none of the strange mannerisms that would beloved consort) develop.
have marked her as a Puppeteer. Finally, I realized what it was Those are the comforting facts. There are oth-
about her that had been bothering me: She never blinked. I’d er, less comforting rumors. There are some stories
been visited by a Monitor. that elder Puppeteers have developed Artifacts
The next day, I did some snooping around in some of the that allow them to reach across the Tempest as
places in the Skinlands that Marie had mentioned in passing, well, so that they can touch the mortal world from
because I wondered what had shaken up the Guild enough anywhere in the Underworld. Even more disturbing
to send in the big guns. I don’t know what to make of the are the persistent tales that the elders of the Guild
things I found. There was a room in a storage warehouse that have discovered methods of modifying their arts to
I discovered [See Attachment #36 for the address], filled with affect other wraiths. Both Hierarchy officials “in the
a strange collection of objects. There were purses, jewelry, know” and Guild representatives pooh-pooh these
toys, letters, bric-a-brac, sports equipment (baseball bats were rumors, which is why the rest of the Underworld is
common), and other miscellaneous objects. Everything was so worried.
small enough to carry, and most of it was small enough to hide
in a pocket. There were traces of dark-brownish aura around
most of these objects, the same shade one often sees around
particularly depraved vampires. Furthermore, while I’m no
expert on Lifeweb, every last item felt like a Fetter — almost.
The feeling was indescribably disturbing. I didn’t stay long, as I
found the place unnerving. The Shroud was nearly nonexistent
in there, and I was getting a feeling similar to when I get too
close to an incipient Nihil.
Three days after the visit from the Monitor, I was forced
to terminate my investigation, as a result of my primary Fetter
being destroyed in an extremely suspicious fire. Now that I have
recovered from the subsequent Harrowing and completed my
report, I hereby request a transfer to other duties, pending your
receipt of this document. I respectfully request that you assign
someone else to any further investigations.

Chapter One: No Strings Attached? 21

 Chapter Two:
Waiting for Fate

The History of the Puppeteers like an accusation, and she looked away. Today, the familiar
and comfortable bookshelves and chairs of her office seemed
distant and cold.
“You’re obviously suffering from a severe emotional distur- Nina left her office and hoped her secretary had gone
bance. We must try to unravel this fantasy.” home already, but Maryel Hinman still sat at her cluttered
“It is not a fantasy.” metal desk. Maryel’s Van Gogh print appeared to stare down
“Of course it isn’t.” at her as she typed up a reimbursement form.
“Do you believe me?” “Good night, Maryel.” Nina’s voice was subdued and
“To you it isn’t a fantasy.” hoarse.
— Terry Nation, Blake’s Seven, “The Way Back” “Good night, Nina. Umm, do you want to go have a drink
octor Nina Peguero tossed the last of the or something? Maybe talk about it?” Maryel’s fingers hovered
tapes into a battered cardboard box. The over her keyboard.
plastic casings rattled as she picked up the Nina smiled, somehow. “No, thanks. Yuji will be ex-
box and pulled her black leather purse pecting me for dinner, and you know how worried he gets
onto her shoulder. She hesitated, then if I’m not home on time. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned
slid the newspaper clipping on her desk her back to Maryel and closed her fingers on the cold metal
into the box, on top of the tapes. The of the door handle. It was stiff today, and she had trouble
words “Mental Patient Takes 10-Story Dive” stood out to her turning it.

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 23

 [coughing] Christianity has caused us more
Tape 2, Side 1, at 20 minutes, 48 seconds: Belief problems than any other single thing —
except Charon and his bloody Dictum. But
[The man’s voice begins soft, polite, hesitant. After several
moments it changes abruptly, becoming harsh. The woman speaks I’ll explain that later, too.
only rarely, and her voice is cool and detached — clinical.] “Now, Eastern religions are often much
[Note: Dr. Peguero also mentioned that the temperature in friendlier toward us. Ancestor worship
the room dropped markedly during the course of the conversation, is the way to go, let me tell you. I’ve
though, obviously, there is no record of this on the tape. M.H.] often wished that I’d died into the Jade
“Oh, my parents were Catholic. They Kingdom. Few people there are as closed
raised me Catholic, too, although I was to the idea of wraiths as people in the
never as devout as they were. I’ve always Western world are.”
believed in God, I just never really had
the time for church. Besides, although I
believe, I’m not sure I agree with all of
the Church’s practices—
Tape 2, Side 2, at 38:16: Charon and the Dictum
“If it weren’t for the Christians it
would be a lot easier for me to talk to
Mortuum
“Charon? I don’t remember talking about
you. Christianity is a fine thing in gen- anyone named Charon. Wasn’t he a mytholog-
eral, but not for a Puppeteer. We had a ical figure who ferried souls across the
perfectly nice deal going before they River Styx? It’s been a long time since I
came along with their exorcisms. It was studied mythology, unfortunately. I used
accepted that people would interact with to love it. Buried myself in it, you might
the Dead. Ghosts were a fact of life, as say. [chair scraping along floor] I was
it were, and most people respected us. something of a loner when I was little
[laughter] Just try getting that kind of — that’s a polite way of saying I was a
respect now. Lately, people tell our, ah, nerd — and so I spent most of my time at
friends, that they’re nuts and need to be the local—
drugged. Do you have any idea how much
“Charon. Mister I-was-chosen-by-the-
haloperidol they put in this body when it
Lady-of-Fate Ferryman himself. Bloody
first got to the hospital? Hallucinations
irritant. He and his Dictum Mortuum
and delusions, they told him! It’s a crime!
have made life very difficult for the
Not that you’re likely to agree with me
Puppeteers; if I could find him, I’d
on this one, of course, Doc, but you did
Harrow him myself — assuming he hasn’t
want me to tell you about everything.
already been destroyed, of course. Good
“There’s this thing called the Shroud, riddance to bad rubbish, I say, though
see…. Oh, Hell, I’ll explain that one lat- the Deathlords aren’t much better. Sure,
er. Anyway, the more the living believe they’re willing to use Puppetry for
in us and in our ability to interact with their own purposes when it suits them.
them, the easier it is to do so. Christi- But officially, we’re still persona non
anity turned away from that belief, and grata in Stygia. Charon made interfering
more than anyone else, my people suffered with the living in any way inherently a
for it. It was quite a shock, let me tell crime. I’ve never heard anything more
you — we didn’t pay much attention to this ridiculous in my life! The Puppeteers
religion when it first popped up. We were Guild in Stygia under Charon was a joke;
fools, and we paid for that foolishness. even Charon used us now and then, but
“First, Christians claimed we were de- he detested us.
mons when we took over people, and now, “Have you ever heard of Richard McCo-
most of them say ghosts don’t exist at all. nnaughey? Ah, I see by your face that you
They say we all go off to Heaven or Hell, have. Marvelous man, eh? My many-times-
or maybe purgatory, when we die. But it great grandchildren grew up watching his
just ain’t so, Doc. There’s only the Shad- TV shows and movies. He put a smile on
owlands, and the Tempest and a few places the faces of children the world ’round. Is
like Stygia. I see I’m losing you again. it a crime for him to keep doing so after

24 Guildbook: Puppeteers
he’s died? What’s wrong with wanting to the masses, then shipping them off and
make people happy? But if they catch him, using them as slaves, or worse. Not all
they’ll turn him into a flagstone. Just Heretics of course, just some. But, in
for making your seven-year-old girl laugh. his usual heavy-handed fashion, Char-
“Don’t look so surprised. I know a lot on outlawed them all. Some Heretics are
about you. Old Horne here may be locked up nuts — fanatics who believe Heaven is
in a mental institution, but I still get somewhere along another Byway. Some are
out. You look skeptical, of course, but really great people, though. For all
that will change. You’re still recording that I say about resenting Christianity,
these things, right? Good. If nothing else many Christians are really nice people;
makes it, those tapes have to survive. The it’s unfortunate to see them, as well as
Hierarchy may silence me, but if they don’t members of other religions, persecut-
know about the tapes, then my words will ed just because they want to believe in
go on. That’s all that matters.” something. On the other hand, people of
every religion have been persecuted for
as long as there have been religions, in

Tape 4, Side 2, at 32:02: Renegades and Heretics the land of the living almost as much
as in the land of the Dead. So what else
“I just want this to stop, Doctor Peg- is new?”
uero. Words start coming out of my mouth
and I can’t stop them, and it’s fright- Nina slogged through the early spring mud to her co-
ening. It makes me feel helpless, and I balt-blue Cadillac and fished in her purse for her keys. A few
hate feeling helpless. Reminds me of that drops of rain spattered her windshield as she slid into the
time in third grade when the class bully, driver’s seat, and she started, hitting her head on the top of
Chad—oh, thank you Miss Hinman. I’d love the car. Pain spiked briefly into her shoulders and then receded.
some tea. Thank you. Yes, cream and sugar She carefully placed the box on the passenger seat, then laid
would be lovely. Anyway, as I was saying— her head back, as she felt the tension that pulled her shoulders
“Tea. I used to hate tea, you know, but up toward her ears. Nothing had gone right this year.
now almost any sensation is wonderful. Earl A few more raindrops turned into a downpour, and the
Grey! You are indeed a gracious hostess. rain cascaded onto the windshield. One drop blurred into the
Where was I? It’s so hard to remember with next until it sounded like waves against stone. With her eyes
these once-a-day sessions. Renegades, you closed, she could almost taste the salt, hear the sharp cries of
say? I was going to explain Renegades? gulls. Horne had liked the sea, hadn’t he? Something about
Well, that’s easy. They’re the good guys. ships and naval warfare. Suddenly, the ocean was gone, and all
“Okay, that’s overly simplistic. Some she could see was his body, splayed and naked, blood sprayed
Renegades are brutal, cruel. Some are in a carnal sunset on the pavement. She sighed and opened
pirates or highway robbers, and they’re her eyes, pulled herself up and turned the key in the ignition.
all criminals. But the worst of them
is better than any Stygian Deathlord.
Stygia is civilized, they say, orga-
nized. Organized what, I ask? Organized Tape 5, Side 1, 16:00: The Guilds
horror, maybe. Organized torture. Or- “You told me these medications would
ganized pain. Any civilization has to get rid of the delusions, Doctor Peg-
have rules, but theirs are insane. The uero, but it keeps happening. You said
Guilds have been outlawed, but most in- you’d help me! Maybe I should get a sec-
telligent people know they still exist. ond opinion. No, I don’t want to calm
Stygia needs them to survive, and yet down. I’m tired of sitting here and lis-
belonging to them can get you forged into tening to myself tell you these strange
fenceposts. Does that make any sense? fictions. I wish I could come up with
Of course not. this kind of material when I was feeling
“Besides the Renegades, there are like myself; I could write all sorts of
Heretics, who are just another breed of stories, maybe make some extra money to
Renegade. Charon outlawed the Heretics pay for these sessions—
because they were promising Heaven to

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 25

 “Guilds. I was going to tell you some- of losing control of the Guild. Given that
thing about Guilds. Well, that’s an in- he was trying to keep us out of conflict
teresting story. Most of the Guilds would with Charon, the fact that his grip was
tell you they formed of their own volition, shaky is no surprise. Also not surprising
that it was all their own idea. I’m going is the fact that it was during this time
to tell you a different story. we got along best with the other Guilds.
“It was Charon who wanted us organized. Despite all of my disgust for Puppet Mas-
He claimed he wanted us to be protected, ter, even I have to give him credit for
to feel a part of Stygian society. That’s keeping the peace as long as he did. Even
bull. He wanted to watch us. He wanted to he, however, couldn’t keep it forever.
know who had which Arcanoi just by watch- “There was a Guild called the Artifi-
ing who met with whom and where they went. cers, who did the soulforging. They had a
Official Guild history says we were formed great deal of power, which almost everyone
in the early 11th century by a mysteri- agreed was a bad thing. From 1096 to 1354,
ous wraith who called himself ‘The Puppet the Guilds fought, as many of them tried
Master.’ One Hell of an ego, if you ask and failed to oust the Artificers from
me. Anyway, he was Charon’s lackey; Charon their virtual throne. This was the War of
tolerated us as long as he had enough in- the Guilds. We took part in this struggle
formation on us. I doubt he ever intended but not as violently as some of the other
to keep his word in the long run. I expect Guilds. There was a lot of backstabbing
he wanted to wait until he thought he could and treachery going on, and many of our
take us down without a fight. people took refuge in more remote parts
“Puppet Master’s origins were never of the Shadowlands, away from Stygia.
clear, but there were several stories. Like I said, our Guildmaster was a puppet
There were whispers at first that he had for Charon, and Charon favored the Arti-
ties to the Laughing Lady, but no one ficers. They were the ones who provided
could prove it. It was clear that he had him with all the materials he needed to
some involvement with the Hierarchy, but build up Stygia and extend the reach of
he claimed it to be an advantage, that his power. We were told it wasn’t really
he’d be able to accomplish more because our business, that we should concentrate
they trusted him. There was a rumor on the Quick and leave the politicking
that one of the Deathlords had killed to others. What a load of bull. Some
Puppet Master’s wife, but I suspect he of us were more active in the war than
spread that rumor himself to drum up others, but anyone Puppet Master caught
more support. There’s no one a Puppe- getting a little too active went to the
teer trusts more than someone who has Artificers as a neatly wrapped gift. Or
reason to hate the Hierarchy. I heard so they say. Maybe if we’d had a leader
a new rumor a few decades back — that who didn’t work for Charon, we could have
he was a descendent of Charon himself, tipped the balance, and things would be
and that he was the only one Charon a lot different today.
would trust with a group as dangerous “Our alliance with the Monitors — ghosts
as our Guild — but I have no idea how who keep track of the things that tie us to
much credence to give it. the real world — cemented during the war.
“Puppet Master is supposed to have been It was a natural pairing, when you think
tall and handsome, strong, imposing. They about it. They’re also intrinsically in-
say he was charming, that he believed his volved with the Skinlands — the real world
own lies so strongly you couldn’t help but to you — and with the Quick, and they too
think he was telling the truth. They say suffered Charon’s persecution. A number
if he told you the Tempest was a child’s of Puppeteers went over to the Monitors
playground, you’d believe him. These days, when they discovered that Puppet Master
they call people like that sociopaths. Then was going to make us sit out the war, and
again, no one ever said the qualities that we lost some great talent. The Monitors
make a good leader make a good man. I have quietly invited any Puppeteers who wanted
the impression he was always on the verge to fight back to join in, in return for

26 Guildbook: Puppeteers
favors. They knew most of us didn’t like of Renegades, thanks to the nature of
Puppet Master’s policies. our Arcanos and the laws of Stygia, but
“We always had problems with the Par- a few remained in Stygia to keep an eye
doners, on the other hand. Dealing with the on things and look for likely recruits.
land of the living can be a dicey thing, And because the Puppet Master disappeared
and some people don’t handle it very well. mysteriously during the revolt, we didn’t
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time have to worry about him any more. I per-
can send you screaming right over the edge. sonally suspect he ran home to Charon,
If you think it’s bad being nearby when who probably ‘rewarded’ him appropriately
some whacko decides to off his family, for failing his task.
it’s even worse when you’re Skinriding “A woman — a Renegade — calling herself
one of the relevant people. The Pardoners Marionette rose up from the ranks of our
think the solution to this problem is not Guild to take his place. Since then, all
to Skinride anyone. That’s like saying we our leaders have taken the name of Mari-
shouldn’t swim because there’s a chance onette to honor her wise leadership — or
we might drown. They used the fact that so they say. I think they’re just cashing
Puppet Master wasn’t letting us fight in on her reputation, myself, as well as
back to take out a few of our good people the confusion it generates because none of
‘accidentally.’ They weren’t expecting the other Guilds can be entirely sure when
the Monitors to help us do our fighting, we change leadership. Marionette was from
and the Pardoners paid for their actions. Greece. She was a farmer’s daughter who
Still, the Pardoners and the Artificers disguised herself as a man so she could
were always tight. become a soldier. She must have died in
“The Artificers continued to grow in battle, because she had one Hell of a scar
power. Guilds not allied with the soul- across her face. She certainly would have
forgers continued to suffer unfortunate been wasted on a farm, but then again,
‘accidents,’ and so, in 1354, the Compact she was wasted on the battlefield, too,
of the Guilds was ratified. It called for in a manner of speaking. Her best field
a Council of Guilds to be formed — led by was politics. More on her later, though.
the Artificers, Charon’s pets, of course. “The Decree of the Breaking made it
Naturally, we signed it; Charon would have illegal to be a member of a Guild, and yet
loved an excuse to exterminate us, and we it became obvious Stygia couldn’t survive
weren’t quite ready to give it to him. It without the Guilds. So, the Hierarchy made
wasn’t long, however, before we thought it clear that allowing them to find out you
we were. were a Guild member was the illegal act;
“Eventually came the Breaking of the as long as they didn’t know and we didn’t
Guilds. The Compact had worked against do anything against them, they wouldn’t
Charon by unifying the Guilds, and we, look too hard. Believe it or not, most
along with the rest of the Guilds, decided Stygians still think the Guilds don’t ex-
we couldn’t deal with him and his Dictum ist. Have you ever heard of a more ridic-
any more. Puppet Master was still extolling ulous arrangement? In my opinion, Charon
the Hierarchy’s virtues, but there was was a loon. Certainly a class-A fanatic,
enough dissent by then that even he had at the least.”
to give in — or so it seemed.
“We tried to oust Charon, but some of Nina shivered as she came to a stop at a light. She turned
the Guilds were betrayed by other Guilds the heater up and glanced at the box. What was she going to
— and the Puppeteers, I suspect, were do with the tapes? Adrian Horne had wanted her to publish
undone by our beloved Puppet Master — so them somehow, to let other people hear them. She knew there
we failed. It was all the excuse Charon was no point to it, that they were just the deluded ramblings of
needed to hunt us down and forge us all. a very sick man, but he’d been so certain of himself that even
Of course, quite a few of us got away, her faith had been shaken. For a moment she was tempted,
and the real Puppeteers Guild was the but she was going to have enough trouble reestablishing her
result. We became, primarily, a Guild

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 27

reputation after what had happened. She didn’t need the kind Artifacts, the Spear of Longinus. Some
of problems those tapes would give her. say our people took it, and still keep
A horn honked, startling her. Green light scattered it safe, but I won’t say one way or the
through the drops on her windshield, then passed over and other. Some knowledge is meant to remain
behind her as she pressed the ball of her foot against the ac- secret. We were certainly involved in the
celerator. Perhaps she would keep the tapes in storage for a few attack; who had more reason to hate Charon
months, then listen to them again. Surely then she’d realize than us? I mean, we even worked with the
how ridiculous it all was. Then she’d be able to throw them Fishers on that one — we disliked the guy
out. Then maybe the guilt would go away. that much. I will tell you this for free,
though — we took a few other things when
we left, things most wraiths haven’t heard
about. We took a sword some have called
Tape 7, Side 1, 13:55: Maelstroms and Abominations Excalibur, a beautifully worked statue of
“Can I have access to a typewriter, Shiva, and a Grecian urn with a detailed
Doctor Peguero? I want to start writing painting of Artemis on a hunt. On the rare
down some of this material. One of the occasions when I had the honor of seeing
people on my wing claims to be a publisher. one of these pieces, it gave me great
If he’s telling the truth, I may actually pleasure to know that we have them, and
be able to sell this stuff. I’m bound and the Hierarchy does not.
determined to get something out of this. “The Second Abomination was the Break-
So far, it’s just gotten me stuck in this ing of the Guilds, and that I’ve already
bloody — oh, heck, that’s one of his words, told you about. The Third Abomination was
isn’t it? — in this hospital. He did ev- the destruction of the Kingdom of Obsidian
erything he could to drive my friends and by various Heretics and Renegades. Emo-
relatives away, and now, there’s so lit- tions and conflict had been running too
tle left. I won’t let him leave me with high for too long, and it really wasn’t
nothing. I won’t— surprising that it boiled over. It’s too
“In 1347, the Second Maelstrom hit the bad a whole Kingdom had to pay for Charon’s
lands of the Dead; the Plague had fall- pigheadedness. I had friends who went over
en upon Europe. We did what we could, to the Obsidian Kingdom in an attempt to
Skinriding doctors to help them fight get away from the Hierarchy, but things
it, Skinriding men on the street to make there went just as bad. Finding out they
them kill the small animals we figured hadn’t escaped after all was too much for
were carrying the disease, but it wasn’t them, and they lost control. Who could
enough. And, of course, since it wasn’t a blame them?
huge, visible defense against the Spectres “Next came the Third Great Maelstrom.
that came then, and since we couldn’t ex- It was entirely due to wraithly activities:
actly go to Charon and say, ‘Look what we the hatred and rage that built up during
did!’ without getting locked in chains, the Abominations brought it on. Again, it
we were seen as The-Guild-That-Did-Noth- was a result of the Hierarchy’s policies;
ing, which couldn’t have been further Stygia brought it on themselves. If the
from the truth. bonds are tied too tight, then those who
“If anything, the Plague hurt us more are bound must break free. Slaves shouldn’t
than the others, and we had more incen- stay slaves simply because someone might be
tive to help. The others concentrated on hurt by their attempt at freedom. Charon
protecting Stygia; we were almost the only should have realized such a thing would
ones who bothered to help the Quick. Even happen when he first declared the Dictum
the Monitors went into hiding. It hurt Mortuum.
like Hell to watch the people we needed “The First World War brought on the
dying by the thousands and to be able to Fourth Maelstrom. We didn’t do as much to
do so little to help. help that time — we were busy fleeing the
“In the early 1500s came the First Abom- grief, rage and hatred that were gener-
ination, in which Renegades stormed the ated in previously unheard-of quantities
walls of Stygia and seized, among other in the Skinlands. We could hardly stand

28 Guildbook: Puppeteers
to be near the Quick, let alone inside “Jeez. This guy has got to chill. What’s
of their skins. And why should we help the big deal? People have believed in
the Hierarchy, anyway? What had they done ghosts for thousands of years. Why is it
for us? We protected our own, and that so hard now? Sometimes, I think someone’s
was enough. The Fifth Maelstrom, brought deliberately tried to make everyone stop
on by the Second World War, was much the believing. And who knows? Maybe someone
same. We thought ourselves better pre- has. Mister Horne here would rather believe
pared that time, but it wasn’t enough. he’s having a nervous breakdown, that he’s
Lance Salles, against everyone else’s bug-f—oh, sorry, I shouldn’t use that word
better judgment, led a small group to in front of you — nuts, than believe he’s
help, and almost all of them went Spectre. possessed by a ghost. What a strange set
The last time I saw Lance, he was all of priorities. I think it would be easier
teeth, and he tried his damnedest to rip to believe in the ghost. At least then,
my plasm to shreds. We didn’t let anyone you can believe it isn’t your fault.
else go on rescue missions — when it came “But I was going to tell you about the
down to losing either a few of our own post-Breaking purge, wasn’t I? Ah yes,
or large numbers of Hierarchy soldiers, that was it. Things didn’t go quite as
the choice was easy.” smoothly after the Breaking as I origi-
nally implied. There was a period of time
The car bounced and jolted through post-winter pot- when the Guild was leaderless and home-
holes, every bump aggravating the pain behind Nina’s eyes. less, fractured and close to destruction.
Little red spots formed around the edges of her vision. She Although, of course, if you asked anyone
pulled an orange-brown prescription bottle out of a coat else in the Guild, they would deny this
pocket and, without looking, unscrewed the lid with one assessment all the way to Oblivion. I
hand. She dropped one smooth, green capsule onto the back guess I’m just more open and honest than
of her tongue. She swallowed, grimacing at the hard pressure most of the others. [laughter]
in her throat. “Anyway. We had to face the fact that
Before she could put the lid back on, the car hit a deep someone — very few wanted to admit it
pothole and pills scattered all over the front of the car — on the could have been the Guildmaster — had
seat, on the floor, in her lap and in the box. She clenched her betrayed us. There was a witch-hunt to
teeth, feeling the pain-pressure in her jawbone, and carefully match your era of McCarthyism. Anyone
put the opened bottle and its remaining contents back into suspected of colluding with Charon and
her pocket. Her peripheral vision was going white now, and the Deathlords was rounded up and ‘taken
she fought it. She needed to get home, needed her soft leather care of.’ It’s said they were fed to the
chair and her warm blue afghan. She needed Yuji. forges of Renegade Artificers or Moli-
ated into something more useful, like
seat-cushions. A group of midlevel Guild

Tape 7, Side 2, 0:04: Guild Politics members with the right reasons and a bit
too much fanaticism went around throwing
“This is sick. Ghosts getting involved people into Nihils. Life in the land of
in our wars? Riding inside people’s the Dead will make you paranoid to begin
heads? I’ve never heard anything more with, but the Cleansing drove us beyond
ridiculous in my life. I’m a scientist! paranoia and into terror. Everyone was
I don’t believe in these things! Don’t watching us, marking our every move-
you believe me? Don’t you understand me? ment, and reporting on us to someone.
There are no such things as ghosts. They It was chaos. If we didn’t want to be
don’t exist! And even if they did, what thought traitors, we had to be in with
the heck would one of them be doing in the witch-hunters. I sent friends to the
my head? No, no, I don’t want any more forges, even one of my granddaughters.
pills. I’ll take it easy, all right? I You can bet I wasn’t going to stand
promise. Just don’t give me any more around to be pounded into steel on some
pills. The little brown ones make my coward’s anvil.
mouth dry out and make my head feel like “I don’t think the Guild would have
it’s full of cotton— accepted any leader except a Renegade

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 29

 at that point. Marionette was relatively
young, but she swept through the ranks
with a confidence that pulled everyone in
behind her. She had a good head on her
shoulders. She knew the persecution of
Guild members had to stop and that the
best way to stop it was to have someone
in authority. She took it upon herself to
become that authority. The Guild was in
such a shambles — and so many of its best
people had either been ‘dealt with’ or gone
into hiding — that there really were no
other candidates. At least, none who could
stand up to her. While everyone else had
been watching his own back and turning in
loved ones, she’d been making contacts,
gaining people’s trust and quietly saving
loyal souls from the forges, substituting
non-Guild people instead. By the time she
moved, she had a substantial following.
“It is said that Marionette was Guild-
master for more than 200 years, but no one
is really sure. They say she personally
trained her own replacement, and that
when Marionette retired, her replacement
took the name Marionette and the mask
her predecessor had worn, so there was
no way to be sure when the first Mario-
nette ended and the next began. The ploy
worked well.
“The Puppeteers Guild has both more and
different problems than the other Guilds,
as far as power struggles and politicking
among Guild members goes. Marionette did
a good job setting up a reasonably stable
governmental structure, but as a group,
the Puppeteers are a notoriously greedy
lot. It often feels as though we’re right
on the verge of civil war, but so far,
we’ve survived.
“The Guild Elders try to keep a firm
grip on the Guild, but it doesn’t always
work smoothly. After all, our group pos-
sesses perhaps the most diverse worldviews
of any group in all the lands of the Dead.
We encompass Renegades and Heretics alike,
and even, in rare and special instances, a
few Hierarchy, or pseudo-Hierarchy, peo-
ple. This combination is bound to create
a few problems.
“In some ways, we act almost as a bridge
of cooperation between various Renegades
and Heretics. We may not see things the

30 Guildbook: Puppeteers
same way in most cases, but we have our “‘It’? I’m an object now? I’m insulted.
key similarities — we all Skinride the I’ll see what I can do, though. You haven’t
Quick for our various reasons, and we all been bored, now have you, Doc? [laughter]
detest the rules of Stygia that tell us we I didn’t think so.
aren’t allowed to do so. We work together, “Let’s see. The history of the Quick. We
and yet we disagree about many things. Add haven’t had as large an impact on it as you
in the factor that many Renegades aren’t might think. When the worst things happen
shy about expressing and eliminating their — like the World Wars, as I said before —
disagreements, and you can see that the the dark emotions generated tend to feed
Guild is a volatile thing, at best.” our bad sides. If we’re at all smart, we
stay away. We aren’t super-heroes, saving
Nina pulled into her driveway. Despite the medication, the world from itself. Occasionally, we
her headache was worse now. It speared into the muscles that may make a small difference, but we don’t
wrapped around her head, and she felt disoriented, dizzy. The make your history for you.
once-welcoming white house loomed over her now. She drove “What little we do is probably more
into the garage and saw that Yuji’s Lincoln wasn’t there. Maybe like what you would call ‘preventative
he was buying groceries; it was Wednesday, after all. Good; maintenance.’ We can’t move mountains, but
that would give her time to clean up the pills she’d spilled and we can alter the course of a small stream.
maybe lie down for a little while. She watched herself open her Of course, some make a difference in the
door and step out; everything was distant and muffled. She wrong direction. Maybe it evens out over
heard the gravel of the driveway crunch beneath her boots, the long run. I know a woman who used to
but she didn’t feel it. work on the design of nuclear weapons.
She went to the other side of the car and opened the door; She was killed in a lab accident. After a
the cold rainwater on the handle barely chilled her hand. She change of heart, she started recruiting
easily found the bright green pills against the gray upholstery, Puppeteers to watch over missile silos in
gathered them up and dropped them into her pocket. Her the hopes of intervening should something
skin felt as if it were coated with plastic; there was a shell go wrong. On the other hand, what if one
between her and the world. She reached for the box and saw, of the people she’s recruited has a dif-
rather than felt, its rough surface against her fingertips. She ferent agenda? Or what if there’s a war,
pulled it toward her. Words ran through her mind almost at and she hasn’t recruited enough wraiths
random: “senseless tragedy,” “should have been on a secured to stop even a 50th of the missiles? She
ward,” “a danger to himself and others,” and most damning, may make a difference, yes, but in what
“inexperienced doctor.” As she began to curl in upon herself direction? And how much of one?
mentally, some part of her noticed with surprise that she had “Did you see in the paper last week
pushed the box back into the car, closed the door and returned that a boy was pulled from the path of a
to the driver’s side. speeding car by a mild-mannered banker?
All the man’s friends said they never
thought he had it in him. They were right.

Tape 9, Side 1, 17:40: Living History Then again, he’d never had one of us in
him before, either. Of course, the whole
“I’m sick of hearing about Renegades thing’s a crapshoot. There’s no telling how
and Guilds and Heretics and Puppeteers. If this experience might change the banker’s
this whatever-it-is is going to use me to life, or who that boy might grow up to be.
tell you about history, it could at least So, in that sense, we may have more of an
tell you about something interesting, impact than even we ever realize.
something I’d understand, for once. I just “My personal favorite period in history
don’t care about Maelstroms. If something was the Seven Years’ War — the first real
is going to be inconsiderate enough to pos- World War, in a geographic sense. Naval
sess me — assuming for a very brief moment strategy was all-important, and I’ve al-
that I’m not actually insane — it could at ways loved the navy. Now, I’m sure that
least try to be a little more interesting. even after everything I’ve said, you’re
Do you find Renegades interesting, or have going to expect me to say that I manipu-
you been as bored as I ha— lated one of the higher-ups, like Pitt, or

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 31

maybe the battleship designer, Sir Thomas I get drugged to the gills, I spend my
Slade. But me, I liked accountants. I had time trying to get some peace and qui-
a living friend who was a British accoun- et, while that nice old lady who thinks
tant of sorts, and his name was Nigel. He she’s Mary, Mother of God, tries to teach
and I manipulated numbers for the war. We me how to knit coat-hanger covers, and
worked on things like the Land Tax, the all you do is ask me what I meant when I
Customs Tax, the Excise Tax. We manipu- talked about the Shroud, whatever that
lated a system of funded debt that helped is! I’m sick of it! I’m tired of it! I
to see Britain through the war intact, want some answers! I want some peace! I
while French finances reached a state of want out of here! No, no, please don’t do
near-collapse. We weren’t responsible for that. You know how much I hate needles.
Britain’s victory, but we had an effect on Please…oh, ouch.
it. They would have won anyway; our help “I hate that stuff. Makes me feel, umm,
simply made it that much more decisive. dizzy. Like there’s blue cotton candy in
While the Brits were buying government my head.” [giggles fading to silence]
stock and short-term Exchequer Bills, the
French were already inheriting a stagger-
ing public debt. Nina drove back down the driveway. The first stars of
the night pierced the blue cloth of the evening sky, as the
“Of course, I took a few side trips. I
clouds parted. The rain had stopped, and as she watched
couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sail
herself lower the window, she heard the chirping of crick-
with the Royal Navy. I even Skinrode Pitt
ets. The stench of a neighbor’s unattended garbage barely
himself a couple of times; it was an amaz-
penetrated the haze in her head, and she wondered where
ing feeling. No matter how many times I’m
she was going. She was on the road to town, headed back
there, watching history happen, it always
the way she’d come. Her grip on the wheel was firmer than
feels new. I didn’t think of myself as a
before, and she reached speeds she hadn’t driven since she’d
historian while I lived, but that’s what
gotten that ticket in college. She easily handled the hairpin
I’ve become. Pitt was a genius; he knew
turn, and she wondered at the sense of purpose that suddenly
better than any other how to use an army
governed her actions.
and a navy together effectively, and he was
a joy to watch. It’s a pity no one learned
how to use his system after he died. There
were those who tried, but none could match
his brilliance. I only wish he’d joined us
Tape 9, Side 2, 11:11: Lowering the Shroud
“Wow. That’s such a great shade of blue,
in the Shadowlands; I could have chatted that suit, I mean. Can you get them to
with him for years. paint my room that color? Would you? Wow.
“Do we ever ‘arrange’ deaths, so as to That’s great, really. I wish I had a dog
recruit promising new members? Of course that color, you know, one of those great
not. We would never do such a thing. There big ones, umm, Grape Dates, or whatever
are rumors, on the other hand, that certain they call—
Deathlords just might. Of course, they’re “Did you have to do that? It feels
only rumors, so who knows?” bloody awful. Nasty stuff. I’m glad they
didn’t have it when I was alive. No, I’m
not going to tell you when I was born or
Tape 9, Side 2, 0:04 when I died. I’ll just say it was quite
some time ago. Of course, the information
“Look, I come to you to get cured.
I’m giving you is very one-sided. And not
I’ve come here every day for the past
all of it is true, I’ll tell you that,
three weeks, not including weekends, and
as well. I can also tell you that it has
you haven’t done anything for me. Some-
great, gaping holes in it, but you’ll have
times, I think you’re more interested in
to live with that.
what I’m saying than in helping me at
all! Hello! Is there anyone in there? No, “Perhaps it’s time for me to explain why
don’t shake your head at me. I’m sick and I’m here. There are two reasons I’ll tell
tired of this. I stay in the hospital,

32 Guildbook: Puppeteers
you about. Let me tell you, historically
speaking, of the first of them.
“Very long ago — some say before time
itself, though I’ll wager that’s quite an Tape 12, Side 1, 39:59
exaggeration — the barrier between the “I can’t deal with this any more. I
lands of the living and the lands of the won’t deal with this any more! You haven’t
Dead was much thinner. Not only did the Dead done a thing for me! Either I’m insane or
pass fairly freely into the lands of the there’s a dead man in my head, and neither
living, but some among the living passed option is particularly acceptable right
into the lands of the Dead, and back again. now. [fist hitting table] Either I get out
There are many legends about them. Orpheus of here, or the lawyer in the room next
springs to mind, as well as Hercules. to mine is going to help me sue you for
“At some point, there was an event everything you’re worth, and I won’t stop
we call only the Sundering. No one knows until I have every last dime, nickel and
why it happened, or how. The lands of the penny you’ve ever touched—
living and Dead were split apart, and the “It’s okay. I’ve got him. He’s lucky
barrier we call the Shroud was erected I never told him about the vampires. Yes,
between them. The Shroud isn’t uniform; there are vampires. There are a few other
it’s thicker in some places and thinner in things, too, but I’m not always sure what
others. How much the living believe they to make of them.
can be affected by the power of the Dead “I was told last night that the Hier-
can thin the Shroud in places, if such archy has picked up my trail, but I wanted
belief exists on a large enough scale. to come say goodbye. It’s been a pleasure
“The Puppeteers have begun a crusade — a working with you, Doc, but now it’s time
crusade to convince the living that we do to for me to move on. Just remember when
indeed exist, and that we have the power you reach the other side that the Hierar-
to interact with them. By doing so on a chy are the bad guys.
large enough scale, and over long enough “See you soon, Doc. Be seeing this gen-
a time, we hope to thin the Shroud. Of tleman even sooner.”
course, my conversation here with you now
will have little direct effect. But who
knows where the knowledge on those tapes The Cadillac screeched to a halt outside the city dump.
will end up, eh? If enough hear them, Nina watched, confused, as she left the car, box in hand. She
perhaps it will have some small effect. strode up to the blond man at the gate and held the sagging
We sometimes choose writers as our vehi- box out to him. “Can you take this?” she heard herself ask,
cles, so thousands will read their words, and she felt herself smile. The grin felt foreign on her face,
but this tactic has the disadvantage that as though her mouth were part of a mask she’d put on for
people think their work is just fiction. the evening.
Or politicians — when citizens hear that “Of course, ma’am.” He held out his callused hands, and
their leaders listen to the advice of dead she gave him the box.
people, some of them start believing as “Thank you very much.” She went back to her car, got
well. At least, their minds may open up in and turned the key. She drove back home, again at un-
to the possibility. comfortable speeds. As she drove, she tuned the radio from
“The second reason? Well, that one is her usual classical selection to a loud, alternative station
simple. To undermine the Hierarchy. People and jacked up the volume. It wasn’t until she pulled into her
may not believe my words now, but when they garage again that the strange layer of fuzziness between her
die and see that everything is as I have and the world fell away, bit by bit. First, sounds sharpened,
said it to be, they will be forewarned stabbing into the pain that reappeared behind her eyes. Then,
about the Hierarchy. They will know which the texture of the steering wheel pushed its bumps into her
side they should be on. They will know to skin. As she stepped from the car, the alien smile fell from
seek out the Renegades, rather than submit her face like rain.
to the rule of the God-damned Deathlords.”

Chapter Two: Waiting for Fate 33

 Chapter Three:
The Puppeteers and
the Risen
he Puppeteers actively help wraiths who Guild’s leadership instructs new recruits that if a choice arises
seek to become Risen, and in many cases between a Puppeteer’s quest for resolution and the safety of
even encourage interested — or gull- a host, the safety of the host is the less important concern.
ible — Restless to undergo the process. Nothing underscores this unofficial policy more than the Ris-
While most wraiths believe the Risen to en. The primary effects of the Risen’s existence are death and
be a legend, all Puppeteers who pass their destruction, and the Puppeteers, the self-appointed protectors
initiation know the truth. The Risen are of mortals, actively support the creation of the Risen, in the
quite real and a very important part of the Guild’s agenda. name of a slim chance at Transcendence.
The official Guild stance is that the key to resisting Transcendence is the carrot that the Guild extends to
Oblivion is to make the world, specifically the Skinlands, a all wraiths whom it guides through the process of Rising. The
better place. The argument goes that if fewer people die in Guild’s pitch is that only so much can be accomplished through
agony, despair or disappointment, fewer souls will go down to Puppetry; some things simply must be done in person. Some
the Void immediately upon death to reinforce Oblivion (not things are also beyond the abilities of a normal mortal body.
to mention those pesky Mortwights). Guild policy also states In such cases, someone has to Rise. Rising is a dangerous
that if the Skinlands and the Shadowlands were brought proposition; not only does it require the wraith to make a deal
closer together, it seems likely that the pull of Oblivion on with her Shadow, it also strengthens the Shadow and risks
the Underworld’s denizens would not be as strong; all of drawing the attention of any Hierarchy official in a position
reality would then serve as a sort of Fetter, anchoring the to notice. Not surprisingly, though, the Puppeteers contend
Shadowlands against the pull of the Void. However, Guild that becoming a Risen is worth the risks involved. So claims
officials are quick to point out that, unlike the Haunters, the all the publicity, anyway.
Puppeteers do not want the Shroud to disappear altogether. The truth is a little different. Few Risen accomplish
After all, if the Shroud were to go away, then Puppetry would their goals and Transcend, and most are taken by Oblivion.
suddenly lose a great deal of its effectiveness. Guild estimates are that the average Risen kills 14 mortals
The official Puppeteer mandate is to protect mortals and before it becomes “inoperative,” and more than half of
to help other wraiths resolve what they left undone in life. those deaths occur when the Shadow is in control of the
Off the record, the message is somewhat different. Few people body. Furthermore, the average Risen causes three to five
die satisfied with their lives, and there has never been a force “accidental” deaths — innocent bystanders caught in the
powerful enough to alter this truth. Privately, however, the crossfire. Obviously, these figures do not jibe with the official

Chapter Three: The Puppeteers and the Risen 35

Guild line — that Risen kill only mortals who truly deserve way out, she could be trapped in her own rotting corpse until
it — and thus, the information’s suppressed. It should also her Shadow devours her.
be noted that the Guild has Reapers in its employ, and that If the wraith is still interested, she is taught to Skinride,
every Guild-sponsored Risen is closely monitored. but she does not learn the more advanced arts. Becoming a
Risen also requires that the wraith have some basic knowledge

Boot Camp
of Embody, Inhabit, or Lifeweb. Normally, isn’t necessary to
teach any of these Arcanoi, as most modern wraiths are skilled
in multiple Arcanoi, but if it’s needed, the Guild arranges for
the training.
f a wraith wishing to Rise can find the Of course, candidates for Rising are also screened by
Puppeteers and can prove that she is rea- members of the Guild who have received surreptitious train-
sonably trustworthy, she is given assistance ing in Castigate. These wraiths, unbound by any Pardoners’
in her journey back across the Shroud. Oath, freely make use of any information they discover
This policy does leave the Guild open to during their intense interrogations of would-be Risen. It is
infiltration by Hierarchy spies. However, at this stage of the process that Hierarchy spies are usually
because involvement in anything having rooted out.
to do with the Risen is as good as walking into the nearest Finally, if the volunteer checks out and acquires the
soulforge, should the Hierarchy find out about it, the Guild necessary skills, Guildwraiths escort him to the vicinity of his
imposes a careful screening process to prevent that sort of own body. The Puppeteers stand watch and offer technical
catastrophe. assistance while the wraith attempts to Rise, even to the
The first thing that a would-be Risen gets is detailed point of fighting delaying actions against interfering Hier-
information. She is told all the risks of Rising and warned archy patrols. Often, Puppeteers follow fledgling Risen for a
about the additional strength her Shadow will have in the few hours or days to help the wraith with the adjustment to
Skinlands. She is warned about the difficulty of digging out her new state. Many Risen are thankful for this assistance,
of the grave: in addition to six feet of packed earth, there is and thus, don’t worry too much when they see their progress
often a metal lined coffin and a slab of concrete between her being dogged by Puppeteer patrols. After all, those guys were
and freedom. She is warned that, should she fail to make her helpful before, right?

36 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 transformation into a pomander, Joan continued to explore

Conduits nce a wraith has the knowledge and talents

the Animal Arts and her newfound love of flying. By the
time she had earned her place as one of the Guild’s leaders,
she knew more than any other wraith about the use of Pup-
petry on animals. It was shortly after the Decree of Breaking
that she discovered the art that allowed animals to become
necessary to become a Risen, he needs a
Conduits for Risen. At that time, it was unusual for wraiths
Conduit. A Conduit is a special type of
to be skilled in multiple Arcanoi, but Lady Joan knew a few
Fetter. It holds the Shadow (or the Psyche,
of the Lifeweb Arts and was able to put that insight to good
when the Shadow is in control) and also
use. She discovered that if an animal is made a temporary
serves as the Risen’s link to the Shadow-
Fetter of a wraith just prior to Rising, a Puppeteer can use
lands. By necessity, the Conduit needs to
the Shadow Possess Art that she developed to make that
be some small item, for the Risen must always have it near
animal into a Conduit for the Risen.
him or risk destruction.
In the early 17th century, when Lady Joan and her stu-
dents first began the practice of using animals as Conduits,
Finding a Shadow a Home cats were the animals of choice. They were common in the
rat-infested cities and towns of Europe, and their speed
Not every wraith who wishes to become a Risen has a and agility made them ideally suited to keeping up with
suitable Fetter available to use as a Conduit. For centuries, the undead. By mid-century the Guild sought alternatives,
this situation posed a major obstacle to many who sought to however. The overuse of cats as Conduits had reinforced
Rise. Things changed when the noted Puppeteer known as certain unfavorable superstitions, partly because, for what-
Lady Joan learned how to use animals as Conduits. ever reason, most wraiths preferred black animals for use as
Conduits. Since those days, the Guild has branched out in the
A century before the Third Great Maelstrom, Lady
variety of animals it uses as Conduits, though almost all are
Joan began experimenting with animals. She had begun
small mammals or birds. Fish lack the sort of mobility that’s
to Skinride animals as a way of spying on and harassing
desirable in a Conduit, and strange effects are said to occur
her murderer, a cousin who spent most of his time hunting
when Risen experiment with insects or other invertebrates.
and hawking. After her cousin’s execution and subsequent

Chapter Three: The Puppeteers and the Risen 37

 No Such Thing As a Free Lunch…
Although the Guild’s actions in helping wraiths to
Rise are suspect, they’d be even more so if the Guild
performed them for free. One reason the Puppeteers
charge a steep price for their help is to cloak their agenda
involving the Risen. The other reason is to spare the
Guild members from being inundated by wraiths who
want to Rise. Even those wraiths who don’t go for any
of the Guild’s special options (animal Conduits, for one)
have to pay sometimes exorbitant fees.
The cost can lead to an interesting complication.
Most wraiths who still have the key prerequisite for
Rising (a reasonably intact body) are relatively young;
as such, they haven’t had time to acquire large stores
of relics, Artifacts or oboli. How, then, do they pay for
the Guild’s assistance?
The answer is both elegantly simple and deeply
disturbing: “future considerations.” Observers note that
certain Risen, often ones who come to the Guild in dire
financial straits, seem to cause excessive property dam-
age and loss of life. Others somehow find a way to smash
Fetters of wraiths who, of late, have caused trouble for
the Guild. The implications are obvious, but thus far no
one has dared speak out about it.
After all, who wants to be the next target?

To date, no one has successfully used a plant as a Conduit

(and admitted it, that is).
Almost every city has a Puppeteer who, for a price, can
make animal Conduits. The Guild charges a hefty premium for
this service, and Lady Joan’s contribution is almost as closely
guarded as the secret of her whereabouts. If you ever meet
Lady Joan, you should remember three things: Don’t give her
any compliments about the ornament hanging from her belt,
don’t ask her to make a bird into a Conduit and don’t stare if
she turns her head 180 degrees.

Conduit Properties
Many of the properties of Conduits are closely guarded
secrets in the Guild, but a few things are known by all Guild
members. First and foremost is the fact that the Shroud be-
comes slightly lower within proximity of a Conduit. A single
Conduit won’t put a dent in the Shroud of your average
shopping mall, but under ideal circumstances it might take
the Shroud of a nightclub down from a seven to a six. This
effect becomes much more noticeable when there are multiple
Conduits in an area. Additional Conduits have a cumulative
effect on the weakness of the local Shroud. Three Conduits

38 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Man’s Best Fiend
Animal Conduits with Spectres in
them are the ASPCA’s worst nightmare.
Take the case of Dove, once a sweet-tem-
pered German shepherd-Labrador retriever
mix. Dove’s owner, Jerry, was killed by
a drunk driver, but he came back three
months later as a Risen, with Dove as his
Conduit. After two weeks of Jerry on the
loose, damn near every substance abuser
in his small town was either dead, in the
hospital or in rehab. Jerry, meantime, had
a serious problem with a hyperactive Soci-
ety of Leopold operative who thought the
vengeful Risen was a vampire.
Unfortunately for everyone concerned,
the Inquisition hunter, Kirk Armstrong,
pulled out all of the stops and managed to
catch Jerry by surprise with an incendiary
device to the face. Dove escaped the fire,
but Jerry did not. Jerry’s Shadow survived,
however, and now Dove is the four-
legged embodiment of all the frustration,
self-loathing and anger of a yuppie who was
always too busy working to meet the woman
of his dreams and start a family.
Dove, her name tag still attached to
her collar, has had many owners since
Jerry’s second demise. All have been single
women around 30 who lived alone and
worked long hours — the type of women
Jerry used to date but with whom he never
made time to share a serious relationship.
Each one, out of kindness, has sheltered
Dove, just until the dog’s rightful owner
turned up, and then kept her when no
owner could be found. All these women
thought that having a nice, friendly dog
would provide them good company with a
minimum of fuss.
Dove’s first new owner died in a fall
down some stairs, two weeks after the
dog arrived. The second woman kept
Dove outside overnight; she died in her
sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning.
The third was hit by a car while walking
the dog.
Dove is on Owner Number 12, now.

Chapter Three: The Puppeteers and the Risen 39

in one place can cause the makeup counter at Macy’s to feel of a destroyed Risen is a potent source of power that might
like the Bates Motel at midnight. do substantial damage, should it fall into the wrong hands.
The Lifeweb Arts Splice Strand and Sever Strand cannot An abandoned Conduit always retains something of the
be used on Conduits. An active Conduit is a link between owner’s personality and something of her energies, as well.
the wraith and her Shadow, and thus contains an integral Besides serving to lower the Shroud, Conduits can also be used
part of the wraith’s soul. As such, it cannot be torn away as to affect other former Fetters of the Risen. In the presence of
a Fetter. Similarly, a Conduit, whether active or not, cannot a Conduit, all Arcanos Arts directed at another Fetter of a
be used as a temporary Fetter for a wraith; even in an aban- destroyed Risen are slightly easier (-1 difficulty) to perform.
doned Conduit, the lingering taint of Oblivion makes this The Conduit and the other objects are not Fetters for the
tactic impossible. purposes of Lifeweb, nor can the Conduit ever become a Fetter
If a Risen returns to the Shadowlands, her Conduit re- for any other wraith.
mains as a Fetter, but from that point on, the item always has From time to time, a Shadow remains in an abandoned
a rather strange aura about it — a hint at its previous strong Conduit. Such a Conduit, possessed by what is technically a
connection with the wraith’s dark side. If the Conduit is an Spectre, attempts to corrupt or kill any being who is unlucky
animal, it reverts to its previous existence, but somewhat worse enough to touch it. Conduit Spectres are behind many of the
for the wear. Dogs, cats and other animals that have been tales mortals tell about cursed items; think twice before ac-
Conduits are often nervous or vicious creatures afterward. It cepting Great-aunt Martha’s diamond necklace, which she was
is not unusual for a former Conduit to run away and try to oh-so-careful to take off before she mysteriously drowned. The
pursue the wraith whose Shadow it once housed. Abandoned admonition that monkeys’ paws should likewise be avoided
animal Conduits also become more likely to attack humans goes without saying.
and other animals, and often, they appear somehow sinister. The Guild has very strict policies on Conduits. All aban-
Risen often do not return to the Shadowlands. Some may doned Conduits are to be retrieved by consorts and brought to
Transcend, but even the most optimistic Puppeteer admits that a place of safekeeping. The local Guildmaster is to be notified
far more Risen are destroyed. When a Risen fails to return to as soon as a Conduit is brought in, and she takes charge of
the Shadowlands, his Conduit is often left behind undamaged, it immediately. If a Conduit is found to house a Spectre, the
which presents a unique problem for the Guild. As an empty Conduit is destroyed right away, at any cost. Unfortunately, a
link between the Shadowlands and the Skinlands, the Conduit few Conduits sometimes slip through the cracks.

40 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 are. Risen are often told to pass themselves off as Malkavians.
Vampires As all Malkavians are insane, any erratic behavior (from a
Kindred viewpoint) by the Risen can be attributed to dementia.
The Guild often advises Risen to pass themselves off as The Kindred, for their part, remain largely unaware of
Vampires. This masquerade serves several purposes. It helps to this hoax that the Guild regularly instigates upon the undead.
hide the Risen from both mortal hunters and the Hierarchy — Vampires’ egocentrism makes them the perfect group for the
after all, the Masquerade gives vampires plenty of experience Guild to exploit; these self-crowned “ultimate puppet masters”
at concealing their existence. Also, the sham gives the Risen can’t conceive of anyone pulling their strings.
contacts in the Skinlands who are likely to be helpful, once they

Spectral Risen
believe that the Risen is one of their own. Stolid (or at least rea-
sonably friendly) contacts are a must for a Risen; such contacts
help the Risen with his driving Passion, and they also give the
wraith someone to talk to besides his Shadow. The importance
of the latter advantage cannot be overstated. Finally, this vam- ne of the few things more terrifying than
pire-Risen connection illuminates one of the major flaws in the a Risen whose Shadow has taken over
Dictum Mortuum and the Hierarchy’s prohibition against Rising. is a Risen whose Shadow is usually in
The Hierarchy seems to forget that there are already undead in charge. Shadow-eaten Risen are rare but
the Skinlands who do much more interfering and manipulating not unheard of. More’s the pity, because
that the Puppeteers ever do. While Guildwraiths don’t mention when a Spectre clothes itself in a nigh-in-
this final reason to their Risen protégés, it is often discussed destructible body, the consequences are
behind closed doors at Guild gatherings. usually gruesome.
Make no mistake, the Guild knows a great deal about Spectral Risen are almost exclusively of the Doppel-
the Kindred. This knowledge comes from extended observa- ganger and Nephwrack Castes, though Mortwights and even
tion and extensive Skinrides. Some of the information thus Striplings do sometimes Rise. Such Risen usually don’t go
obtained is given to the Risen so they can pass themselves off through the offices of the Puppeteers’ Guild. Instead, they pull
as vampires with a minimal amount of difficulty. The first and the knowledge they need to Rise from the Spectral hive-mind.
foremost piece of advice that Risen receive is to avoid contact Such Spectres often have extremely weak or naive Psyches, for
with the Giovanni, who might see them for what they really just as a wraith needs the cooperation of his Shadow to Rise,
a Spectre needs the agreement of his Psyche.
However, the parallels between normal and Spectral
Necromancy Risen end there. Whereas everyday Spectres are relatively
easily discorporated, Spectral Risen can stand up to as much
Students of the vampiric Discipline of Necro- punishment as a normal Risen. Risen Spectres do gain Angst
mancy are often avid seekers of abandoned Conduits, at twice the normal rate, but their Psyches must plug along at
though not all of these Necromancers quite compre- normal rates of Pathos gain. And while the Psyche does get to
hend the objects of their pursuit. Giovanni vampires, in take over the Corpus of a Spectral Risen if the Spectral con-
particular, chase after leftover Conduits and use them sciousness is knocked out of the fight, odds are, in that case,
to reduce the difficulty of Necromantic rituals (-1 for the Risen’s about to go down for the count anyway.
each Conduit on site). However, Shadows left behind While loose in the Skinlands, Risen Spectres either seek
in Conduits do their best to influence such overeager and destroy the Fetters of wraiths they know, or they go on
vampires into disastrously self-destructive actions. random killing sprees in hopes of creating Mortwights galore
A Conduit containing an abandoned Shadow may in the process. Oddly enough, in such cases, these Spectres are
attempt to whisper to its possessor. By making a Will- actually serving the Guild’s purpose of forcing awareness of the
power roll (difficulty 6), the Spectre in the Conduit supernatural onto the general public — but don’t tell the Spec-
may make itself audible to its owner — and to no one tres that. As far as they’re concerned, it’s all just good, dirty fun.
else. Of course, the definition of “owner” is a loose Thankfully, there is a limiting factor on the genesis of
one; while the master is away, the apprentice may play. Spectral Risen: the unavailability of bodies. Most wraiths don’t
Furthermore, the trapped Shadow can offer Shadow become Spectres until some months or years have elapsed,
Dice and use all of its Thorns. (New Thorns can be which gives their bodies time to rot away to nothingness.
purchased at Storyteller discretion.) If the Shadow Mortwights, while “fresher,” often meet such violent deaths
acquires enough Angst through Shadow Dice, it can that their corpses are unsuitable for re-animation. It is this
attempt a Catharsis on the Conduit’s owner. shortage of corpses, and nothing else, that saves the Skinlands
from being overrun by inimical Risen.

Chapter Three: The Puppeteers and the Risen 41

 Chapter Four:
Pulling Strings
More Uses of Puppetryuppetry is similar to any other Arcanos, who is found to be practicing these arts is likely to have his
in that its commonly known arts are but Fetters destroyed one by one. Puppetry doesn’t do you much
a subset of the many types that exist. good when entering the Skinlands makes you melt like a
Over the ages, the Arcanos’ practitioners crayon in the sun.
expanded and enhanced it, so that today,
Puppetry covers a wide range of arts un-
guessed at by wraiths outside the Guild. Order of Operations
Below are several arts commonly practiced by members of the The Guild has developed these powers into highly special-
Puppeteers Guild. This list is by no means comprehensive, and ized arts. Unlike the New or Ancient Arts of other Arcanoi,
players and Storytellers should feel free to develop their own these unique Puppetry Arts cannot be learned interchange-
specialized uses of the Arcanos. ably with the normal arts. They must be learned in order, not
The Puppeteers Guild jealously protects knowledge of its randomly. In other words, in order to learn Shadow Possess,
specialized forms of Puppetry and does not teach these arts a wraith must first learn Animal Possession, Creature Con-
to outsiders. Doing so would not only break its monopoly on trol, etc. The initial Experience point cost for each of these
these powers but would also put the Puppeteers in further unique aspects of Puppetry is 4 Experience; otherwise, the
danger for spreading their forbidden knowledge (and thus cost for advancing in knowledge is the same as for any other
helping more wraiths jump up and down on the shattered Arcanos. A wraith must first know how to Skinride in order
bits of the Dictum). Any wraith not a member of the Guild to learn these arts.

Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 43

 occasions, a Puppeteer can take permanent control of the
Animal Arts animal by means of this art. If the wraith leaves the body, the
animal lapses into a catatonic state, in which it responds to
no stimuli and barely even breathes.
• Skinride Animal System: Once the wraith has used Control Creature on
a particular animal at least five times, she may choose to use
This art is very similar to the one used to Skinride hu- Obliterate Animal. The player makes an extended action roll
mans, as the only difference is that a wraith using Skinride of Strength + Puppetry (difficulty equal the local Shroud
Animal can slip into the body of a nonsentient being. As rating). If the player achieves a number of successes equal to
with normal Skinriding, the wraith exerts no control over the the number of health levels possessed by the target animal,
animal. However, the wraith can sense whatever the animal she succeeds in obliterating its spirit and taking over its body
senses. For example, a wraith Skinriding a bloodhound would permanently. Two weeks after the wraith forces out the orig-
be able to take advantage of the hound’s keen sense of smell. inal owner of the animal’s body, the host begins to decay. A
This art works only on warm-blooded animals; other species wise Puppeteer leaves an animal host as soon as the first signs
are too radically different from the once-human wraith for of rot begin to set in, as being nibbled on by carrion eaters is
an attempt to be made. Ghouled birds and mammals are never fun.
susceptible to this art.
This art cost 2 Pathos and 1 Willpower to use, and bestows
System: In order to posses the body of an animal, a 1 point of Temporary Angst.
wraith’s player must roll Dexterity + Empathy. The difficulty
for this roll is normally equal to the local Shroud rating, but
the Storyteller may wish to raise the difficulty if the wraith is •••• Manipulate Herd
attempting to possess a large number of small animals (such This art is poorly understood, even among Puppeteers
as a pack of rats). The number of successes on the initial roll who have been using it for years. Older Guild members tend
also dictates the number of successes another wraith must to believe animals targeted with this art are somehow mesmer-
produce in order to force the first wraith from the possessed ized into serving the wraith’s will. Younger wraiths speculate
animals’ bodies. that it has something to do with pheromones or other forms
of nonverbal communication. The truth is unknown, but,
•• Control Creature whatever the case, Control Creature allows its user to call
and manipulate other members of the species he is currently
This art is the animal equivalent of Rein in the Mind. A possessing. The level of control is minimal; a herd’s direction
wraith who succeeds in Skinriding an animal may attempt to and general demeanor (aggressive, passive, frightened, etc.)
use this art to take control of the animal’s actions. As their can be controlled, but nothing more. This art works best on
minds are less sophisticated than humans’, animals do not need naturally social animals.
to be Attuned as consorts for this art to be used on them. As
System: In order to use this art, a Puppeteer must be
with humans, however, any pain that the host feels feeds back
in control of an animal that has been Attuned through at
to the Puppeteer as Corpus damage .
least 10 applications of Control Creature. The player rolls
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Puppetry (diffi- Manipulation + Empathy (difficulty equals the local Shroud
culty equals the local Shroud rating). The wraith’s control of rating). The number of successes indicates the number of
his host lasts for a number of scenes equal to the number of animals successfully controlled. The Storyteller should make
successes gained. This art does not bestow any knowledge of adjustments for numbers according to the particular species
animal communication to the Puppeteer, so that a Puppeteer the wraith is targeting. For example, five successes might
possessing a dolphin or a chimpanzee is not able to communi- control five wolves, but the same number of successes would
cate with other members of the species. If the Puppeteer wishes suffice for 50 rats.
to engage in any complex physical activity that’s not natural
This art costs 3 Pathos per use.
to a human (flying, for example), the Storyteller can ask the
player to make a Wits + Athletics roll in order to determine
whether the Puppeteer succeeds in adjusting to the complex
physical demands of the task.
••••• Shadow Possess
This art allows Puppeteers to turn animals into Conduits
This art costs 1 Pathos per scene used. for Risen. Knowledge of the art is restricted to individuals who
have been trusted members of the Guild for some time, and it
••• Obliterate Animal is taught only by the regional Guildmasters.
System: In order to use Shadow Possess, the Puppeteer
This art is equivalent to Obliterate the Soul for animal
must have access to an animal that has been made a tempo-
hosts. After successfully using Control Creature on several

44 Guildbook: Puppeteers
rary Fetter of the target wraith through the use of Lifeweb. consort. While this ability may seem minor, it can be a great
In addition, the Shadow of the target wraith must be willing help in critical situations such as stabilizing critically wounded
to allow that wraith to become a Risen. The Puppeteer patients or altering the effects of a polygraph test. This art
then rolls Charisma + Puppetry (the difficulty is the local can also be used to induce vomiting, coughing, sneezing and
Shroud rating or the permanent Angst of the target Shadow, mucus production. Some Guildwraiths suspect Heretical Guild
whichever is higher). The number of successes equals the members of using a variation on this art to cause stigmata.
number of turns during which the target wraith may attempt System: The Puppeteer rolls Manipulation + Medicine
to Skinride the chosen body successfully, in order for the (difficulty is the target’s Willpower). The number of successes
effect to be permanent. indicates how successful the attempt is. For example, one
The animal remains the Conduit of the Risen for as long success might be enough to cause the target to sneeze a few
as the Risen survives in the Skinlands. During this period, times or to cause a slight reduction in her pulse rate. Five
the Conduit is resistant to damage (it has 10 Health levels). successes might allow the wraith to place his target in a state
Once the wraith is no longer a Risen, the animal reverts to its near suspended animation, buying time for mortal medical
former existence. Typically, though, the trauma of serving as a crews to help a traumatically injured patient.
Conduit often causes the animal to exhibit abnormal behavior, It is rare that this art can be used on an individual who
such as unexplainable aggression or fear. is not a consort, and doing so costs 1 additional point of
This art costs 4 Pathos and bestows 3 points of temporary Willpower.
Angst on the Puppeteer. This art costs 2 Pathos per use and bestows 2 points of
temporary Angst.

Medicinal Arts ••• Healing

The Medicinal Arts are the most prized talents of the
Puppeteers Guild, and one of its greatest secrets. If it were This art allows the Puppeteer to heal her host’s lost Health
widely known that members of the Guild possess these abilities, levels. This art can be used only on a consort and does not
the Puppeteers would know no peace. Other Guildwraiths heal aggravated damage.
undoubtedly would clamor for a share in the knowledge, while System: The wraith must successfully Skinride the target
Hierarchy troops would see these arts as a total affront to the and then make a Stamina + Medicine roll (difficulty is the
concept of the Dictum Mortuum. Neither prospect is terribly local Shroud). The number of successes equals the number
appealing to the Guild’s members, so they keep their silence. of Health levels that may be healed. A botch indicates that
These arts also come at great personal cost to the user, the Puppeteer loses a number of Health levels equal to the
and thus, the Guild wishes to keep their existence a secret, number of 1s he rolled in his unsuccessful attempt to heal
lest it be overwhelmed with requests for their use. After all, his consort.
it’s a lot easier being thought of as dilettantes than as essential This art costs 2 points of Pathos per Health level healed.
members of a community. The Puppeteers want no part of what The Puppeteer also gains a number of Temporary Angst points
they see the Pardoners endure every day. equal to the total number of Health levels that the target had
lost prior to the healing. Healing may not be used on a single
consort more than once per week, and, as it takes a tremendous
• Analyze toll on the Puppeteer, most wraiths are loath to use it unless
This art allows the Puppeteer to assess her host’s general there is no other choice.
health and diagnose any specific illnesses that the host might
have.
System: The wraith may make a Perception + Medicine
•••• Faint
roll (difficulty equal to the local Shroud rating), once she Faint allows the Puppeteer to render his target briefly
succeeds in Skinriding a patient. The number of successes unconscious. In creative hands, this art can be very deadly, but
indicates the general level of detail available to the wraith. it can also be a blessing to the target if he is in great pain when
In order to diagnose illnesses, the wraith must have sufficient the art is used. This art does not require that the Puppeteer
medical knowledge (at least •• Medicine) Skinride his target.
This art costs 1 point of Pathos per use. System: The wraith rolls Stamina + Puppetry. If the target
is a conditioned consort, the difficulty is the target’s Willpower.
If the target has previously been Skinridden by the wraith, the
•• Alter Vital Signs difficulty is 9 or the target’s Willpower, whichever is higher. If
This art permits a Puppeteer to make moderate adjust- the target has never been Skinridden by the wraith, the diffi-
ments in the heart rate, respiration and blood pressure of a culty is 10. The number of successes indicates the number of

Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 45

turns for which the target is unconscious. If the target’s Health System: The wraith must Skinride her target over several
drops to Wounded or lower, she must either be healed or make weeks and become familiar with his abilities and his mind. The
a successful Stamina roll in order to regain consciousness when wraith then rolls Manipulation + Puppetry (difficulty equals
the art’s normal duration ends. the target’s Willpower). The number of successes gained
This art costs 3 Pathos per use and bestows 3 points of is equal to the number of scenes for which the wraith may
Temporary Angst. fully possess the target. An Awakened target may resist by
spending 1 Willpower point and succeeding on a Willpower

••••• Marionette roll (difficulty 7). Each success he gains negates one of the
wraith’s successes
This is another art reserved for the most trusted members This art costs 5 Pathos and 1 Willpower per use and be-
of the Guild. No one is certain how Marionette came to be a stows 2 points of Temporary Angst on the user.
grouped among the Medicinal Arts, for it has nothing to do
with healing. However, some Puppeteers theorize that the
finite control over consciousness and bodily functions that
the Medicinal Arts teach is what allows Puppeteers to use
this most potent art.
Using Puppetry on
Marionette is exactly like Rein in the Mind, with one
very important distinction: In this case, the target’s own
unique abilities can be used by the invading wraith. If the
Puppeteer takes over a rocket scientist, rocket science is
Supernatural Creatures o member of the World of Darkness is im-
suddenly within his grasp. If he takes over an Olympic ath-
lete, that body’s finely honed athleticism is at his disposal. mune to Puppetry, though certain supernat-
What makes this art truly devastating, however, is that it ural beings have distinct advantages when it
can also be used on all denizens of the World of Darkness. comes to resisting a Puppeteer’s influence.
A Puppeteer could possess a vampire and use Disciplines Any Awakened being who becomes aware
such as Dominate and Celerity, or possess a mage and turn that he is being meddled with can spend
loose vulgar magick to the point where Paradox backlash is a Willpower point and make a Willpower
inevitable. A supernatural target is aware of what’s going on, roll (difficulty 7) to resist the particular use of Puppetry that he
but the average mortal “drowses” during her possession and senses. In most cases, arts like Skinride, Sudden Movement and
later rationalizes any abnormal behaviors. Master’s Voice can’t be anticipated, and therefore cannot be

Tactics
Wraiths — particularly Puppeteers — and vampires don’t always get along too well. However, on the rare
occasions when they do, a vampire/Puppeteer combo can be devastating. Should a vampire need to sneak a little
extra firepower into a meeting, he can have his Puppeteer ally Skinride him into the situation. This gets the wraith
past both ghostly and vampiric guards who are watching for funny business. Then, when things get serious, the
wraith can climb out to do that voodoo that he does so well and provide an unexpected edge for his vampiric ally.
On the other hand, uses of Puppetry on someone who has committed Diablerie can produce dangerous effects.
If a diabolist gets himself invaded by a Puppeteer, the Storyteller should roll the host’s Willpower (difficulty 8). If he
succeeds, the personality of the Diablerized vampire immediately rises to take control of the host (if the vampire has
snacked on more than one Cainite, Storyteller discretion as to which soul comes forth). This new/old personality
has access to all of the Disciplines and Abilities he possessed in “life,” which can spell bad news for the Puppeteer
if he wakes up the soul of a long-gone Cappadocian.

46 Guildbook: Puppeteers
resisted. However, the Awakened being can be on the lookout the Puppeteer picks up part the vampire’s Derangement (at
for repeated attempts from that point on. Storyteller’s discretion).

Vampires Garou
Most vampires are little better than mortals at resisting the Garou aren’t known for their subtlety, which is why a
effects of Puppetry. Only those Kindred with level 4 Auspex or werewolf often won’t detect a passenger Skinriding her until
higher may sense the presence of a wraith hitching a Skinride it’s too late. On the other hand, if a Garou uses Sense Wyrm
and, thus, anticipate the actions of the unwanted passenger. while a wraith is Skinriding her, she may notice the passenger,
To become aware of a potential Skinrider, the vampire rolls especially if the wraith has more than 4 points of temporary
Perception + Empathy (difficulty equals the local Shroud Angst. A Garou thus alerted has a much better chance of
rating); successes indicate that the vampire is aware of the resisting arts such as Sudden Movement and Master’s Voice.
presence of a potentially hostile being. The Rite of Cleansing is effectively an exorcism ritual, and it
expels a Skinriding wraith instantly.
If a wraith tries to influence a Dominated individual, she
must win a contested Willpower roll against the controlling
vampire, if her goal is to counteract a direct order. Both the
Blood Bond and Presence, on the other hand, are easily coun-
Mages
termanded by the use of Puppetry — for a little while, at least. Most mages don’t have advantages beyond what any
(Note: Any attempt to force a Blood Bound individual — or other Awakened creature has when it comes to dealing with
animal — to do something that directly countermands the Puppeteers. Like a Garou using Sense Wyrm, a Mage with
Bond is at +3 difficulty.) knowledge of the Spirit Sphere may make an Arete roll to
notice the presence of a wraith Skinriding him. If the mage has
Some of the Puppeteers’ reputation for weird mannerisms
at least two levels in Spirit, she may also spend 1 Willpower
may come from failed attempts to Skinride Malkavians. A
point and make a contested Willpower roll in order to drive
botch on a Puppetry roll involving a Malkavian indicates that
out the wraith.

Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 47

 Changelings
Hopping into Changelings is frowned upon by the Guild
as a particularly unwise practice. Sluagh, in particular, are
nearly impossible to possess; they can sense wraiths and are
thus forewarned against them. Most fae can be easily possessed
when they are in their mortal seemings, but are almost impos-
sible (difficulty for all rolls is 9) to possess when in fae mien. It
should be noted that the use of Marionette does not give the
Puppeteer access to a fae’s birthrights.
Possession of the fae in their faerie seemings tends to
have nasty side effects. A wraith who Skinrides a fae will
automatically suffer from severe nightmares the next time he
attempts to Slumber, which rob him of any benefit he might
have gained from the rest. If he persists in trying to Skinride
the fae, the nightmares rapidly get worse and worse, to the
point of bestowing 1 point of temporary Angst after the third
attempt (and 1 additional for each attempt thereafter).

Merits and Flaws here are certain advantages and disadvan-

tages that are peculiar to the Puppeteers as
a result of their extensive use of Puppetry
or of the Guild activities in which they
are involved. Some of these Merits and
Flaws could conceivably be possessed
by non-Guild members, but such quirks
rarely manifest outside the Guild.
These Merits and Flaws are intended to be used along
with those in the Wraith Players Guide. Up to seven points
each of Merits and Flaws may be assigned during character
creation. Mutually exclusive Merits and Flaws should not be
taken. For example, it is unlikely that a wraith possessing the
Merit: Discreet would develop the Flaw: Outrageous Accent.

Outrageous Accent (1 point Flaw)

Most Puppeteers have developed a few verbal tics and
affected mannerisms as a result of frequent Skinriding. Many
also find that it takes several hours to lose the accent of a
consort whom they Skinride often, and that they can never
manage to shake their hosts’ mannerisms completely. Wraiths
with this flaw, however, suffer speech problem in spades.
Perhaps you botched a Skinriding roll rather badly or
went along for the trip with a host who was using “recre-
ational pharmaceuticals.” Whatever the cause, you are stuck
with a leftover silly accent that refuses to go away. You may
sound like Porky Pig, or perhaps you’d fit in well with the
cast of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The one constant is that

48 Guildbook: Puppeteers
the accent you must employ is emphatically not a naturally
occurring one. Sticky Plasm (5 point Flaw)
You may spend 1 Willpower point or succeed on a roll of You have a slight problem with Skinriding. You may be very
Wits + Linguistics (difficulty 7) to overcome the effects of good at it, but for some reason, you have trouble separating
this Flaw and speak normally. The number of successes indi- yourself from your host. When it’s time for you to depart, you
cates the number of scenes you may spend free of the accent; literally have to tear yourself away, and you lose 1 Temporary
spending 1 Willpower keeps you free of it for a single scene. Corpus level each time you do. The effect can be overcome
for well-Attuned consorts if you make a successful Stamina
Enemy Consort (2 or 4 point Flaw) roll (difficulty 6) when you pull out, but, even in these cases,
parting is always painful.
One of your hosts is aware of the fact that you have been
taking over her body, and she does not like it one bit. If this
is a 2 point Flaw, the consort in question is a mortal who just Friendly Consort (2 point Merit)
happens to be particularly sensitive and astute. She knows One of your consorts is aware of your activities and is open
what is going on, but there is not much she can do about it, to your presence. He may be a New Ager who is interested
other than try to report it to ghost-hunters or make talk show in “channeling,” a Yuppie who is just bored and welcomes
appearances (both of which might get you in trouble). the change of pace or perhaps even a normal human who’s
If this is a 4 point Flaw, the consort is some type of super- compassionate and eager to help you. Whatever the case, the
natural creature that you had the bad judgment to Skinride difficulty for all Puppetry rolls affecting this person is equal to
against her will. She has probably taken up ghost hunting, at the local Shroud rating, rather than the target’s Willpower.
least as far as you are concerned, and may have contacted The one exception is Obliterate the Soul; if you attempt to use
other supernaturals in the area concerning your activities. this art, the target realizes that something is amiss and resists
to the best of his ability.
Gender Bender (3 point Flaw)
You are uncomfortable Skinriding mortals who are not Risen Contact (2 point Merit)
of the same gender as you. All difficulties on Puppetry arts You helped a wraith become a Risen, and now he roams
are increased by two if you try to use them on members of the Skinlands. He has his own matters to attend to, of course,
the opposite sex. You also have certain…problems when you but he is grateful for the help you gave him and is willing to
possess hosts of the “inappropriate” gender, such as going into do you favors that he can handle more easily than you can.
the wrong restroom, engaging in “unmanly” or “unladylike” This connection can also be a liability, because aiding the
activities, and so forth. Observers who make a successful Wits Risen usually means you end up as bric-a-brac, should the
+ Alertness roll (difficulty 9) may notice that your mannerisms Hierarchy catch you. However, a lot of wraiths think that
and movements are not gender-appropriate at all times when having a nigh-indestructible killing machine on their side is
you are in full control of a gender-bent host’s body. worth the risk.

Racism (3 point Flaw) Discreet (3 point Merit)

In life, you were something of a bigot, and this character For some reason, you’ve managed not to pick up any of
trait has returned to haunt you in death. You find it very dif- those annoying vocal tics and mannerisms that normally mark
ficult to Skinride anyone who is not of the same race that you your kind. You don’t know why, but you’ve managed to resist
were, and you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) before the curse that makes many Puppeteers take virtual vows of
Skinriding anyone who is not of the same general racial type silence. When the local Hierarchy troops come looking for
as you. All other Puppetry arts are +2 difficulty to perform on Renegade Skinriders, nine times out of 10 they miss you, just
hosts who do not belong to your racial category. because you don’t fit the profile.
Note: This sort of Flaw can be extended to religious af-
filiations, sexual orientations, or anything else the Storyteller
deems appropriate. Confessor (3 point Merit)
Normally, Pardoners shun Puppeteers on the grounds that
Puppetry flouts the Dictum Mortuum to a degree that practically
invites Oblivion. You, however, have a friend in the Pardoners

Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 49

Guild, someone who is willing to make an exception in your
case and help out when your Shadow starts misbehaving. This
exemption does not apply to your fellow Puppeteers, but you
Dependent
The Dependent needs people. She feels worthless if others
have someone to turn to in a hurry, should you need the help.
aren’t showing her how much they care. A wraith with this
Nature gets involved in activities (even dangerous ones) or
Friends in High Places (3 - 6 point Merit) learns new skills just to look good to her friends. She’s afraid
You have friends who know what you are and who have a to disagree with the people she respects, and she alters her
vested interest in keeping you off the scrap heap. Maybe you opinions to match theirs. The Dependent has a great deal
did them some favors in the past, or possibly you rendered of difficulty standing up to anyone, and she is often taken
them a service that might seriously harm their reputations if it advantage of by people who pick up on this failing.
should come to light. Regardless of the cause, you have some — Regain Willpower when you get someone to show
protection from Hierarchy persecution. For 3 points, you might approval of you or your accomplishments.
have a local gang of Renegades or a Heretic cult protecting

Artifacts
you from Hierarchy patrols. Four points might mean that you
did a favor for a Marshal or a high-ranking member of another
Guild — and that he remembers what you did for him. Six
points might indicate that an Anacreon owes you a favor and
very much wants to keep the matter a secret.

Hoodoo Doll (Level 2 Relic)

New Archetypes oldly going places few wraiths have gone
Hoodoo Doll isn’t necessarily a doll. That
name is simply the one some of the partic-
ularly flippant members of the Guild use
for a particular type of relic often helpful
before, Puppeteers tend to attract some in Skinriding. Technically, a Hoodoo Doll
of the more…unusual personalities in the is any relic created by a still-living mortal.
Shadowlands. Here are a few new char- Possession of this relic gives the wraith a -2
acter Archetypes that, while not unique difficulty on all attempts to Skinride the relic’s creator. Often,
to the Guild, certainly cluster there more a Puppeteer does, in fact, try to alter such a relic into a likeness
often than they do elsewhere. of the targeted mortal. In many cases, these modifications are
disturbingly successful.
Addict
The Addict is always going overboard. One taste of a new
drug and she’s hooked. One sampling of a new pleasure and it’s
a habit. On the other hand, once she’s gotten hooked, she’s
hell on wheels if she can’t get a fix. Before long, feeding the
cravings is more important than anything else, which can lead
to catastrophe — or other interesting situations.
— Regain Willpower whenever you temporarily sate your
addictions and, by doing so, help to achieve your other goals.

Megalomaniac Marionette Strings (Level 5 Relic)

Only six of these items are known to exist, and every
The Megalomaniac wants pure, unadulterated power. She Skinlands resident on the planet should be thankful for that
wants to control her friends, her Circle, her fellow Legionnaires fact. By spending 1 point of Willpower and whispering the
and her neighbors. Once she realizes what a big, wide world name of her target, a wraith can thereafter use the “tuned”
it is out there, she’ll move on to larger goals. Perhaps she’ll Marionette Strings to affect her victim with any Puppetry
make a play for an Anacreon’s post — or for a Deathlord’s art from anywhere, at any time. The effect of this relic even
mask. Power is the only goal she has, however, and she’ll move reaches through the Tempest or around the world.
heaven and earth to get it. Only one target can be selected at a time. This relic looks
— Regain Willpower when your actions result in your like an intricately worked puppeteer’s crosspiece, with silver
gaining control over a person, group or situation. strings that dangle off into nowhere.

50 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Hosts bservant wraiths (those successful on a
Perception + Awareness roll, difficulty Consorts and Fetters
6) can easily spot Puppeteers’ hosts in a Certain Puppeteers do get extremely attached
crowd. The telltale signs are: to their favorite consorts, enough that the consort
• Odd blurring or tearing of the becomes a 1-point Fetter. Such cases often end in
mortal’s aura tragedy, particularly if the Puppeteer is forced by
• The mortal’s seeming im- circumstances to use Obliterate the Soul on the
munity to both Deathsight and Lifesight Fettered consort. Nevertheless, wraiths sometimes
• A temporary reduction in the Shroud rating can’t help forming emotional bonds with the
around the formerly possessed individual mortals they Skinride. After sharing so much of
• In cases of Attunement, the appearance a host’s life, many wraiths make the mistake
of the Skinriding Puppeteer’s deathmarks of becoming emotionally involved with a
(visible only to wraith eyes) as faint traceries particular host. While, in the short term,
on the mortal’s skin this arrangement can make the experi-
While these effects have no real ence of Skinriding even more fulfilling
impact on the mortal thus affected, than normal (particularly if a Passion
they do stand out to watchful wraiths. involving the host develops as well)
As such, the vigilant can use the and can make Slumbering easier, in
knowledge that a particular mor- the long term, being metaphysi-
tal has been Skinridden to their cally linked with someone who
own advantage — either by was once nothing more than a
waiting for the Puppeteer to cheap thrill isn’t always the
come back to a favorite best idea.
consort and mounting an
ambush, or perhaps by
using this evidence to
build a case against a par-
ticular wraith for Dictum
Mortuum violations.

Chapter Four: Pulling Strings 51

 Chapter Five:
Behind the Puppet
Show Curtain
This is someone else’s story
Someone that I never knew
This is someone else’s body
Am I getting through to you?
— Oingo Boingo, “Skin”

The Puppeteers can be anyone they want, anyone at all. Their mutability makes them hard to pin down into something
as static as a series of templates. Still, collected here for your amusement are five of the ones who were moving slowly enough
for us to catch them. Use, abuse or refuse them as you see fit — they’re likely enough to change who they are shortly, anyway.

Chapter Five: Behind the Puppet Show Curtain 53

 Relics: Green pen, Red broomstick skirt, black silk shirt,

Nightmare Author
Quote: “I will show you the lines of Hell on an unmarked
silver jewelry

page.” Pretty good, huh? Just came up with it myself, actually.

Prelude: You were a creator — your work was your life,
not your hobby. Without it you were…undefined. You wrote
dark things, things that made your friends turn pale, and it felt
so good. You published poetry and stories in horror magazines,
and you got occasional gigs singing with your metal band at a
local club. You sent copies of the work you published to your
parents — not to make them proud, but so you could watch
them squirm as they tried to come up with something nice
to say. You and your little sister always got a good laugh out
of it later.
You were good, and you knew it. Someone was going to
notice you soon. You’d be a famous singer, or maybe a novelist,
and everyone would know your name. You’d give the whole
world a nightmare to match the ones that devoured you at
night. One day, you finally got your chance. An agent con-
tacted you about your stories and offered to buy you lunch.
You were flying high; adrenaline was burning a hole in your
stomach. You were ready for fame. You swaggered into the
subway station and shoved aside the homeless man who asked
you for a dollar. You stood on the platform and tapped your
foot until the train came. As it rushed toward you, you saw the
homeless man from the corner of your eye. He grabbed your
arm and shoved, and the train slammed into you.
A Reaper picked you up and handed you off to the Puppe-
teers Guild. They wanted to train you and to put your talent to
good use undermining their government. You didn’t care one
way or another about their political problems, but, as a payoff,
they were willing to teach you to use the hands of the living
to do your writing. That interested you, and you agreed. You
got to work again, but now your words spoke of the horrors
of the Hierarchy. At first, you fed most of your work to your
sister, hoping to experience fame vicariously through her, but,
after a while, you realized that you didn’t want to draw the
Hierarchy’s attention to her. So you spread out your affections
and gradually collected a circle of talent in the living world.
Concept: You’re a very dangerous thing — a writer with
both a cause and a nightmare. Fame can’t be far behind. Nei-
ther can martyrdom.
Roleplaying Notes: Be arrogant. Your talent makes you
superior to others, whose imprecision with language drives
you nuts. You’re always tired, because you never Slumber well.
You see the horror of the world in your dreams, and you’re
determined to show it to everyone else. Hurt people — terrify
them if possible — when you can get away with it. You tell
yourself it’s for their own good, but you’re a closet sadist and
the door is opening.

54 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Name: Nightmare Author Nature: Architect Life: Artist
Player: Demeanor: Bravo Death: Murder
Chronicle: Shadow: Monster Regret: Wanted Fame
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Glib
Manipulation____________ OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Reli c (Pen)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Make sister famous (Pride) OOOOO Puppetry
________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Have work published (Egoism) OOOOO Usury
_________________________
OOOOO
Contacts
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Become famous (Vanity) OOOOO Intimidation
________________________
OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO Mnemosynis
________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Si ster
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Computer disk of work OOOOO
___________________________
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Gui tar
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Club
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Spectre Prestige (2)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O Tri ck of the Light
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Humiliate sister (Envy)
________________________ OOOOO
Guild Marks Share nightmares (Loothing)
_________________________ OOOOO
oooooooooo ________________________
OOOOO
Acquired Personalities ________________________
OOOOO
 You recently made contact with a Heretic who shares

Heretic Legionnaire
Quote: I betrayed God. There’s no worse crime than that,
your views on religion and the Hierarchy. He promised to get
you safely out of Stygia, but he wants you to stay where you
are a little longer, so you can feed information to him and his
people. You’re glad to finally be able to help a fellow servant
of God, but you don’t know how much longer you can stay
and I shall pay for all eternity.
where you are without snapping.
Prelude: You taught religion classes at a small Catholic
Concept: You gave up your love and your life fighting in
school and lived with your young wife. Life wasn’t perfect —
a war that didn’t belong to you. It’s time to pay for that, and
money was always short, and you and your wife had some bad
everything you do is penance for your sins. You need to get
fights at times — but it was good enough. Then the war came.
away from the Hierarchy before it pushes you over the edge;
You honestly believed it was your duty to serve your country,
before long, either you or your Shadow will betray you to the
and so, you enlisted to fight. You were killed by a sniper’s
Lidless Eye.
bullet less than six months later. You were given little time
Roleplaying Notes: Play the good soldier for now, but
to contemplate the disparity between your teachings and the
you’ll become increasingly upset and reluctant to carry out your
reality of death; you and a couple of soldiers from your unit
orders if you don’t get out soon. Spend any free time looking
barely escaped the Jade Emperor’s Reapers on the other side.
for your son and keeping an eye on your wife. Struggle between
You fled and eventually reached Stygian territory, where you
love for your wife and rage at her for giving up your son. See
were drafted into the Grim Legion.
any bad things that happen to you as your just due — you’re
After you settled into the Legion routine, you finally had
a martyr suffering in the name of religion.
time to think. You decided you must be in purgatory, where you
Relics: A small gold cross you keep hidden under your
clearly needed to work off your sin of putting patriotism before
uniform, sidearm, Legion identification and clearance papers
God. Obviously, fighting for the Legions was not the right way
to do so, and you told your superiors you couldn’t serve in
the ranks anymore. They transferred you to a desk job, but it
wasn’t good enough. You wanted to be able to practice your
religion openly, and the Hierarchy wasn’t going to go for that.
Eventually, you found your wife. She was alive and well,
but you discovered that she had birthed your son while you
were away at war. When she’d learned you were dead, she’d
given him up for adoption; she’d decided she didn’t want
to care for him on her own. Rage consumed you, and you
vowed to find your son. While you were still looking, your
wife remarried. Love and anger still warred within you,
and she then became the focus of
your attention more than ever
before. You were so de-
termined to be with
her again that you
learned how to Skin-
ride her new husband.
You had thought
her lost to you for-
ever, and the plea-
sure of being with
her again was stagger-
ing. You had to find
someone to teach you
more, and eventually,
through friends of friends
of friends, you found your
way to the Puppeteers’
Guild.

56 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Name: Heretic Legionnary Nature: Fanatic Life: Teacher
Player: Demeanor: Follower Death: War
Chronicle: Shadow: Martyr Regret: Put country before God
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Reli c (Cross)
________________________OOOOO ________________________
Find son (Love) OOOOO Puppetry
________________________
OOOOO
Alli es
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Reunite with wife (Loneliness) OOOOO Lifeweb
_________________________
OOOOO
Ei________________________
dolon OOOOO ________________________
Serve God (Faith) OOOOO Keening
________________________
OOOOO
Memori am
________________________OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO Argos
________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Wi fe
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
School
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Church
__________________________
OOOOO
__________________________
Thorns
OOOOO Willpower Aura of Corruption/Shadow Call/
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O Bad Luck/Shadowed Face
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Ki________________________
l wife (Rage) OOOOO
Guild Marks Betray God (Vengeance)
_________________________ OOOOO
oooooooooo ________________________
OOOOO
Acquired Personalities ________________________
OOOOO
 someone to go in undercover. You volunteered. You wanted to

Mole in the Big Anthill

Quote: Life is a network, and I have the root password.
climb higher in the Guild, and the best way you could think of
to get there quickly was to prove yourself invaluable through
assignments like this one.
While working for the Beggar Lord, you discovered that
the Deathlords have been influencing deaths in the Skinlands
Prelude: Your father wanted you to be a doctor, but you
in order to gain more souls. You even came to suspect that the
loved computers. Nobody on the reservation thought you
Beggar Lord may have had something to do with your own
could do it, but you picked up some scholarships and went
death, and now, you’re debating what to do about
to Cal Tech. You majored in computer science and graduated
it. Maybe the Guild will help you; maybe you’ll
with an almost-perfect GPA; you made it by keeping out of
have to force the Guild’s hand. Time will tell.
trouble. Your father wanted you to use your education to help
Concept: You’re a budding megalomaniac,
your people, but you wanted to do something for yourself.
whose mission is more about leverage than
You got a job as a system administrator for a large financial
about helping your friends. You collect as much
company — and found out what you’d been missing.
information as you can and pass it back to the
Power.
Guild, but it’s much more satisfying to
You liked power. You had only a corner of get involved yourself. Manipulating one
one company under your control, but you company doesn’t take that much skill,
milked it for all it was worth. No one else but manipulating the Deathlords….
understood the computer system, so you got
Roleplaying Notes: You’re a
away with a lot. You ordered what equipment
charming, if occasionally haughty
you wanted, rushed accounts for people you
bureaucrat. It’s worth sitting at
liked, delayed them for people you didn’t,
a desk if that’s what’s required
and even changed a couple of files when
to ascend the next few rungs
that bastard Greeley complained about
on the Guild ladder, but you
you. He was gone within the week. You
itch to get back under the skin
had a wonderful secretary in your group,
of the living. Nothing beats the feeling of
Warren. He taught you a lot about dealing with
watching the lives of the Quick fall into the
bureaucracy, and, in return, you slipped him some
patterns you’ve created.
extra storage space and equipment that just got
Relics: Eyeglasses, pepper spray, Pro-
“lost.” You kept an autographed poster of Gillian
grammer Barbie™
Anderson on your door and a copy of Women in
Technology prominently displayed on your shelf,
and everything was coming up roses.
You were walking home from the office
late one night when you heard a scraping
sound behind you, and then, everything
went dark. You never knew what happened.
You were Reaped by a slaver and sold to
a group of Renegades looking for rein-
forcements.
The thing was, you couldn’t stay
away from the Quick. With the back-
ing of your new bosses, you easily ma-
nipulated the employees of your old
company, especially with Warren’s
unwitting help. However, you got
distracted one time too often and
your Renegades eventually trad-
ed you off to the Puppeteers
Guild. One day, one of the
higher-ups said there was a
desk position open under a
Deathlord, and they needed

58 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Name: Mole in the Big Anthill Nature: Megalomaniac Life: Sysadmin
Player: Demeanor: Leader Death: Mystery
Chronicle: Shadow: Paranoid Regret: Wanted power
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Persuasive OOOOO
Manipulation____________ Astute
Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Reli c (Programmer Barbie) OOOOO
________________________ ________________________
Manipulate people (Insecurity) OOOOO Puppetry
________________________
OOOOO
Status
_________________________ OOOOO _________________________
Gain power (Greed) OOOOO Inhabit
_________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
________________________ OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
Contacts
________________________ OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Poster
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
“Tron” video
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Offi ce
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Secretary
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Tai nted Touch/Freudian Slip/
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O Dark Allies (1)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Destroy company (Self-doubt) OOOOO
________________________
Guild Marks Betray Guild (Hatred)
_________________________ OOOO
oooooooooo ________________________
OOOOO
Acquired Personalities ________________________
OOOOO
Puppetry Junkie
Quote: I swear, this is the last Skinride, then I’m off it. Just
wanna feel the rush one more time, that’s all. I swear it….
Prelude: You were a prostitute and small-time thief. All
that mattered was making enough money to support your
heroin addiction and your baby girl. The life didn’t bother you
that much; you did what you had to do in order to get by. You’d
never done anything big — no grand theft, no murder – but
you knew you could do anything you had to do. God knows,
there were people you’d seen who deserved killing.
It seemed particularly ironic when you were arrested, tried
and convicted for a brutal murder that you honestly hadn’t
committed. The old “thoughts are a sin too” catechism came
back to haunt you. You laughed all the way to death row, and
even the priest couldn’t figure out why. You weren’t laughing
when they gave you the lethal injection, though, or when your
eyes closed for the last time and your heart stopped.
A Reaper brought you to the Citadel and left you there
in the Silent Legion’s tender care. You tried to fit in for a
while, but all you could think about was heroin. You knew
you shouldn’t need it, but that didn’t matter. You didn’t just
need it, you wanted it. You were in love with it. When you
were alive, there was no other feeling as good — not sex, not
money, not sunshine, not music. Now that you were dead, it
was more true than ever. Everything in the Shadowlands was
dull, muted, damped, muffled. You wanted to feel again! You’d
rather fall to Oblivion than live in this half-world.
After a little experimentation, your daughter’s fos-
ter-parents were easy enough to control. Once again, you
felt the wind on your face. You even deliberately burned the
wife’s hand in a candle flame, just to feel the sensation. It
was wonderful — but it wasn’t enough. You started seeking
out junkies and addicts and riding them. It was glorious; you
were home again.
Concept: You’re a junkie through and through. In life,
you cared only about heroin and your daughter. Not much
has changed, except that Skinriding itself has become your
new addiction.
Roleplaying Notes: You want your fix. You want to wear
a new body and feel a new drug in its veins. Care for your
daughter when possible, but sensations distract you. Pay lip
service to your Legion and, if they find you, to the Guild, but
you don’t give a damn about the details.
Relics: Needle, length of rubber hose, blackened spoon

60 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Name: Puppetry Junkie Nature: Addict Life: Junkie
Player: Demeanor: Bon Vivant Death: Execution
Chronicle: Shadow: The Freak Regret: Wrongful death
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Sexy
Appearance_____________ OOOOO Levelheaded
Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Notori ety
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Protect daughter (Love) OOOOO Puppetry
________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Get another fix (Desire) OOOOO Mnemosynis
_________________________
OOOOO
Mentor
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Prove Innocence (Outrage) OOOOO Moliate
________________________
OOOOO
Reli c (Needle)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO Usury
________________________
OOOOO
Contacts
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Daughter
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Street corner
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Jai l cell
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Executi on chamber
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Shadow Life
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Get daughter addicted (Jealousy) OOOOO
________________________
Guild Marks Free criminals (Revenge)
_________________________ OOOOO
oooooooooo ________________________
OOOOO
Acquired Personalities ________________________
OOOOO
Flimflam Artist
Quote: Come on, where else are you gonna find soulforged
stuff like this so cheap? Hey, I’m cool with the Anacreon — no
way do you get in trouble for toting this.
Prelude: You hated the idea of getting a job just like
everyone else’s. You weren’t cut out to be a desk jockey. You
didn’t want to punch a time clock or keep regular hours. You
didn’t want to pay taxes. Instead, you moved from place to
place and conned people out of their money. You sold nonex-
istent real estate. You convinced investors to back your café,
your retail computer store, your gaming company and your
cookbook club, and you ran out with the money every time.
Keeping one step ahead of the law was a game you played with
skill and precision.
It was a woman who tripped you up, in the end: You slept
with the wrong man’s wife and earned yourself a faceful of
buckshot for your efforts. The sucker didn’t even give you a
chance to buy him off!
Your introduction to the Shadowlands was quick and
messy. The Hierarchy picked you up. At first, you were sure
you’d ended up on the wrong side of the law at long last:
They just gave you a job and forgot about you. It was a desk
job, and it was utterly frustrating. To keep yourself occupied,
you spent more and more time watching the Quick, and you
found a new pleasure in Skinriding them and touching the
world with their fingers.
Your Marshal found out about your extracurricular activi-
ties, somehow. Instead of throwing you to the forges, however,
she offered you a new job. She needed people to track down
the Puppeteers and fight them with their own weapons. She
needed someone who could correct the damage the Guild did
in the living world.
You jumped at the chance. You’d be able to keep your own
hours, work in the field, and continue some of your Skinriding,
all with the blessing of the government. You wouldn’t have to
worry anymore about the law. You were more than happy to
turn in a few worthless Renegades for such privilege.
Concept: You’re a Hierarchy Puppeteer. You use your skills
to catch Puppeteers and turn them over to the forges. Conning
Renegades is generally more dangerous than conning little old
ladies out of their life savings, but that just makes existence a
touch more interesting.
Roleplaying Notes: You hate regular schedules and rou-
tines. Everything should be new and interesting, fresh and con-
stantly exciting. The best thing about your job is that it takes
you to new and interesting places you’d never see otherwise.
You feel little or no guilt about betraying the confidence of the
Renegades you befriend; it’s their own fault for believing you.
Relics: Three-piece suit, soulforged stiletto, notepad, pen

62 Guildbook: Puppeteers
Name: Flim-flam Artist Nature: Conniver Life: Con Artist
Player: Demeanor: Mediator Death: Murder
Chronicle: Shadow: The Rationalist Regret: Lost the game
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Persuasive OOOOO
Manipulation____________ Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Status
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Hunt Puppeteers (confidence) OOOOO Puppetry
________________________
OOOOO
Contacts
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Explore Shadowlands (curiosity) OOOOO Argos
_________________________
OOOOO
Alli es
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Con people (Insecurity) OOOOO Lifeweb
________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
________________________
OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO Outrage
________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO Usury
_________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Lover
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Bar
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Fedora
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Buck
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Devil’s Dare
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O Infamy (1)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Kill murderer (Revenge)
________________________ OOOOO
Guild Marks Destroy Puppeteers (Envy) OOOOO
_________________________
oooooooooo Betray Hierarchy (Resentment) OOOOO
________________________
Acquired Personalities ________________________ OOOOO
 Punches and Judys
And if those who think you are worthless contradict you, and if those
whom you call your friends abandon you, and if they want to destroy
you because of your precious ideas: what is this obvious danger, which
concentrates you inside yourself, compared with the cunning enmity of
fame, which makes you innocuous by scattering you all around?
— Rainer Maria Rilke, “[Ibsen]” (Stephen Mitchell, translator)

I did everything I could for my little shows and commer-

Richard McConnaughey cials: writing the skits, directing, painting the backgrounds. I
wanted to do things no one else had ever done. To me, it wasn’t
I wanted to do good for people. I knew I couldn’t fix all
work — it was beauty. My wife and I eventually had several
of the world’s ills, but at the same time, I knew that I could at
wonderful children. Observing them, finding out what they
least make a dent in them.
liked and how they learned, was what convinced me to work
It started when I was young; television was just becoming
on a true children’s show.
popular — going from a luxury to the beginning of a common-
Some of my friends in the Guild tell me I reached children
ality — and I was fascinated by this new medium’s possibilities.
all over the world, that my work made a difference. I only hope
I began with puppets. At first, they were a means to an
they’re right. With the talents I collected, I made a movie
end (that end being “getting on the air somehow”), but they
with both puppets and real actors, and I made them do things
quickly became a passion overriding everything else. I had a
no one had ever dreamed of before. More movies and shows
tiny show, twice a day on a local station. People noticed, and
followed, and I managed to put smiles on the faces of millions
before long, I graduated to commercials. I created some of
of children (not to mention a few grownups, as well). I even
the first entertaining advertisements. People noticed me, but
dared to hope that, when I died, the world would be a little
it wasn’t enough. I wanted to put a smile on everyone’s face.
better than I had found it.
There were things I was willing to do for my art that I’d never
One day, I checked myself into a hospital. I felt a little ill,
have done otherwise.
but I didn’t expect anything serious; Lord knew I’d fought off
bugs before. This time was a little different, though — hours

64 Guildbook: Puppeteers
later, I was dead, and a slaver Reaped me. He didn’t when I thought they might need a hand. Then,
get far with me, though, as he was attacked almost someone in the Guild decided I could be do-
immediately by a Puppeteer who took me with her ing something more useful, more productive.
instead. Along the way, she told me what a difference Around the same time, my company hired
my work had made to her as she was growing up. It someone new who used a few too many
was humbling, somehow. words like “profit” and “marketability.” It
So many years became obvious he didn’t care about the vision
o f m a n i p u l a t- that had made my work great. I couldn’t leave
ing puppets, my company then.
cameras, and I was going to make a simple protest. I
people’s emo- was just going to refuse to leave what was
tions paid off important to me. Somehow, it nearly turned
on this side into a civil war, with factions forming; people
of the Shroud. who’d grown up to my work backed me, and some
I found Pup- others backed the Guild official. In the end, the offi-
petry to be cial was ousted, and I got stuck in his place — mostly
a natural due to apathy on the part of his supporters, I suspect,
extension rather than the number of mine. It wasn’t what I wanted,
of my life’s but it did get me the results I’d wished for. I was more or less
work; people in charge of my own actions, and I even had some influence
were my new over other people’s work. The first thing I did was to have
medium. I didn’t someone in the company manipulated into firing the new
care about Guild marketing man. I have more responsibilities now, but more
politics, at first; I control as well, and it’s worth it.
just wanted to do my I don’t care what the Hierarchy says; you can’t tell me
work. I watched over making people happy is a crime or that making the world a
my company from the better place is wrong. I’ve ignored the rules all my life, doing
Shadowlands and things they said couldn’t be done. I don’t intend to stop now.
helped out my chil- Some in the Guild tell me I’m a fool, that what I’m doing can
dren and old friends only lead to my own destruction, but what else can I do? I have
an obligation to do what I can for the children.

Brigitte Gebauer
Let me ride on the Wall of Death one more time
You can take your chances on the other rides
But this is the nearest to being alive
Oh, let me take my chances on the Wall of Death
— Richard Thompson, “Wall of Death”
In my living days, I was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud.
I even studied under him, for a year; the man was a genius
(even if he did have an obsession with sex). As part of my
student work, I experimented with the process of psychoanal-
ysis and discovered that I liked it. I liked listening to people’s
innermost thoughts. I liked knowing what they did when no
one else was looking. I liked hearing about their perversions
and their sicknesses. I would listen to their accounts and dream
that I was the one doing the things they spoke of. It was the
next best thing to being there.
It all came crashing down far too soon, of course. I
died of pneumonia, an inglorious death. A patrol from the
Skeletal Legion reaped me, and I was taken back to Vienna’s
Necropolis for processing. I worked at a Hierarchy desk job,

Punches and Judys 65

but I couldn’t stay away from the Quick. I loved being able to
watch them when they were alone; it was better than listening
to it. Then, I met someone who said he could teach me how
to get even closer. He said I could watch from the inside, and
even feel what the Quick were experiencing. I thought I’d
found Heaven; I’d be able to live other people’s perversities.
The only catch was that I’d have to turn on the Hierarchy
and give the Puppeteers Guild any information I could on
the bureaucrats. Well, that was an easy choice to make.
Joining the Puppeteers Guild was like going home.
It was a whole organization of deviants and voyeurs. I
understood these people — they were a lot like me, and
I’d been trained to study and treat them. Even better, they
were fairly easy to manipulate. I rose through the ranks with
ease, while spending my spare time Skinriding serial killers,
rapists, child molesters, junkies and every brand of pervert I
could find. I spent my time in the Guild learning what made
the members tick and what their buttons were. My experience
with psychoanalysis had made me a good listener, and what
people wouldn’t tell me themselves, I could find out through
observation and listening to others.
The Guild political structure is a tough one to figure
out; it resembles disorganization, but that’s mostly a ruse.
I’ve convinced, helped, blackmailed and fought my way
up it over the past several decades, but the view is no less
confusing from where I sit now. It’s hard to tell, but I don’t
think I’m all that far from the top any more. I’m maybe one
or two levels below that group of counselors who serve
Marionette herself, and I plan to be a member of that
group by the end of the next decade. I’m sure I could do it
sooner, but that would mean curtailing my explorations
among the Quick, which I have no desire to do.
Speaking of joyriding the Quick, I’ve found that
Skinriding the dregs of humanity isn’t enough any
more. My tastes have—ahem—degraded, and the
small perversities don’t quite cut it. It can be hard
to find a rapist or murderer on short notice. I don’t
have the time, these days, to follow likely prospects
around. I have a few helpers who find people for me,
but even that takes me only so far — and I’m not
sure how much I can trust my helpers. My Shadow’s
made a few good points about that, you know.
These days, I help things along: I find people
who’ve slid a bit down the path to corruption and
give them a helping shove the rest of the way.
I’ve broken a few people this way, but as far as I
can tell, I’m just speeding up a natural process.
It goes against what I was taught, but I long
ago gave up heeding my upbringing in favor of
satisfying my tastes.

66 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 true genius when they see one. If only I could have continued
Rasputin to advise the Tsarina Alexandra, my beloved Russia would
never have fallen, and those Godless Bolsheviks would never
Rah! Rah! Rasputin! Lover of the Russian Queen!
have come to power. Alas, thanks to those fools at court, so
There was a cat who really was gone!
pathetic they could not even get an assassination straight, I
Rah! Rah! Rasputin! Russia’s greatest love machine! was taken from the Romanov family when they needed my
It was so bad how he carried on! advice the most.
— Boney M., “Rasputin” Once I was finally dead, I realized that God must have
Good day. I am Rasputin. Of course, you a higher purpose for me. It is up to us, those whom God
have heard others make that claim. You may decides must linger after death, to save all men from
have laughed and said, “No, Rasputin is damnation and Oblivion. People these days, they have no
dead,” — as if that would stop me. You may fear of death or God or Hell anymore. It is all this science
have said, “No, I’ve met Rasputin, and you nonsense, filling their heads with silly stories about apes
are not he.” You may have been right, but you and atoms…but I digress.
were probably wrong, because I have been Once I knew what had happened and that I was
many people. I am everywhere! chosen, I met other wraiths. Some of them were
What, you find that hard to as bad as the courtiers in the palace. All of St.
believe? You laugh like that bunch Petersburg seemed to be in the hands of fools
of stupid Cossacks who strutted who were as stuffy and blind as the mortal
and pranced in Tsar Nicky’s ministers. They had obviously lost their way,
court. They thought poison and many seemed glad that I was among
would stop me. When that them, instead of living any longer.
didn’t work, they thought Then, finally, I met a man who made
bullets would stop me. sense. Misha, he was called. Here was
When that didn’t work, a man who truly knew God’s will, and
they thought hitting to prove it, he could place his very soul
me over the head and in the bodies of the living. He showed
dumping me in a frozen me how I could see through the bodies
river would stop me. Hah! of mortals, but, more importantly, he
That only made it easier. No told me of the fight we must make
one can stop Rasputin now, against those who would keep sepa-
because Rasputin can be rate from the living those Dead whom
anyone! Not just mortals God has chosen. It was Misha who
either, no! In my travels, told me how the men of science
I have been half-a-dozen were leading mankind astray, away
different vampires, three from God and faith, and that this
mages, four ghouls, seven folly was damning men’s souls to
gypsies, and more mortals Oblivion when they died. It was
than I can count. It is most then that I began to understand
amusing to get two clans of God’s plan for us more fully. I had
vampires convinced that been chosen to make sure that
the infamous Rasputin is man did not forget about demons
one of them. You should and devils and follow the men of
see the arguments! science to Hell. Within months,
So, where to begin? I joined with those others who
My life as a mortal is were given the power to move
written about in all the the bodies of the living, and we
history books. Such scan- began our great work together.
dalous things they write Alas, I was not in time to stop
there! They say I was those foul murderers from
mad, insane, fanatical. killing the Tsar, but some
It just goes to show that things are more important
you cannot trust schol- even than kings.
ars; they never know a

Punches and Judys 67

 Much as it pains me, I can no longer pay attention to my and it was as if I’d found home again in this harsh, untamed
beloved Russia alone. Everywhere, the living people must stop place. Things went well enough for several months, then the
listening to the nonsense of the politicians and scientists, and worst happened.
remember their fear. They cannot be saved if they think there It wasn’t much of a battle, mind you. There were bare-
is nothing after death to be saved from. Even the vampires and ly a dozen of us, just doing a bit of scouting at one of the
the mages need to be convinced, for they do not see the truth. smaller settlements. I think it was the Huron in the pay
This is the purpose that I was chosen for, and this is the crusade of the French who attacked us, but it hardly matters now.
I have dedicated myself to. They must know that Rasputin is Whoever they were, they knew the land, and they knew
still here, and he will not be silenced, not even by death, for how to fight men with muskets. They took us by surprise
he speaks the truth. and slaughtered us. We tried to fight them off, but there
were too many of them, and they had muskets as well. The
Colin Grant best we could do was buy time for the settlers to make a run
for it down to the creek.
A window on the stars After the initial volley, the best we could do was bay-
The journey of the few onets, which wasn’t good enough. John fell first, with a
Watching it all survive musket ball in his belly. I saw Jimmy go down as well, and
It’s all I can do Andrew; both bloody ends, but mercifully quick. I think I
— Runrig, “Canada” was the last standing, though I can’t be sure. Suddenly, it
Do you know what it is to be homesick for a home that was quiet, and there were three of them in front of me. I
no longer exists? It is the bitterest thing I have known in my knew that the best I could do was to make this more costly
two-and-a-half centuries. for them. I brought another one down, but at the same time,
one of their knives sprouted from my chest. The last thing I
In 1745, our bonny prince returned to Scotland to claim
saw was the cabins burning, William and Jean’s house, and
the throne that had been stolen from the Stuarts. In that
Donald’s home beyond. I thought, what a horrible waste it
same year, I was born in a small village on the banks of the
all was, all their work gone in the space of an hour. We’d
river Dee. By the time I learned to walk, the rebellion was
put up such a pitiful show of defense, and in half a year,
over, the prince was fled and my father was dead. With such
no one would remember this battle or this place, too small
auspicious beginnings, I should have known better what my
even to have a name yet.
existence was to be.
I stayed, and I remembered. There weren’t many other
You must understand that, though my life was hard
ghosts in the area back then. The colonies were small still,
in those early years, it was happy. I loved my mother and
and, even in death, we stayed clear of the natives. They had
my brothers and sister, and together, we managed to get
their ghosts as well, but we kept a respectful distance from one
through the hard times. I still remember what our house
another. They stayed away from the burned-out cabins, I stayed
looked like, where the hearth, the door and the table were.
away from their burial ground, and we got along just fine.
I still remember how it smelled in summer, when my moth-
er hung herbs up to dry, and I remember the face of Mrs. Eventually, new settlers came along. I learned to Skinride
Rennie in the next house, as she and mother gossiped while on my own; I seemed to have a natural talent for it. At first, I
they hung the washing out to dry. Most of all, I remember just watched, but I didn’t have the patience to keep to watching
the countryside, with its gorse-covered fields by the side long. Even though these people were not my kin, and this place
of the river. was not my home, it was still my duty to protect them. I may
have been given that duty by a government that I never liked
I was 17 when I took my first steps down that final road,
or trusted, but I’d be damned if I was going to have died in
though I didn’t know it at the time. Work was scarce, and my
vain. By the time the Guilds, the Hierarchy and all that went
family needed money. There was war in Europe and a need
with them showed up in any force, I was well accustomed to
for soldiers both there and in the American colonies. I was
my new existence.
young and foolish, and I believed it would be a good thing to
be a soldier having great adventures while I also earned money I found the others, the Puppeteers, when they arrived.
for my family. For the first three years, I was lucky and didn’t If you know what to look for, you can tell when other people
see much action, and I wasn’t away from home for more than have been Skinriding, and so I found them. It turned out that
a few months. Then, they sent us to the New World, and my the Guildsmen and I were like-minded enough, so I joined up.
luck changed. What’s the point of sitting idly by and watching, when, with
a little help from you, others can avoid the pain you’ve been
The French and the Indians were making trouble in the
through? The devil take Charon, if he hasn’t already, and his
colonies, and, as a result, our orders were to protect settle-
blasted Code of the Dead! If it’s such a good thing, then why
ments in Ontario. The small towns and villages made me
is every great house or castle in Scotland said to be haunted?
miss home, for the people were so like those I’d left behind,

68 Guildbook: Puppeteers
No harm has come of that, nor shall any come from what we help them, and help wraiths who wish to Rise. It brings the
do for the living ones we love. living and the Dead closer, as they should be, and it gives
I went home once. Travel is difficult for the Dead, but I people a second chance. It’s a second chance I could never
had to see my home again. It was a disappointment. When have, for my body had long since rotted to naught, but it’s a
I finally got there, there was no home to see — just a few chance I vowed to make certain was available to whomever
foundation stones and a new paved road heading west. It I met who needed it. If the Legionnaires don’t like it, that’s
seems that sheep were more important than people to those what the soulforged bayonet is for, and if anybody who wants
who owned the land, and the people had been moved out to to stop me died anywhere in Canada, then he’d best pay close
make room for the animals. I don’t know why, but I attention to his Fetters.
was angrier than I’d ever been. I wanted to tear I’ve probably pulled a few dozen out of the grave. I
up the paving stones on the road, I wanted can’t tell you exactly how many, but it’s been enough
to go to the nearby rail line to make a difference. More than that, for a century
and tie the rails in I’ve been teaching others in the Guild how to use
knots. I wanted the Ancient Arts. My students and I make sure that the
to take the soft, Guild Reaps our consorts; we owe it to the Quick for their
fat men in suits and make help, and we know them well enough to trust them.
them understand what re- Some say I take too many
ally mattered. I didn’t. There risks, but the fact is that the
is a limit to what you can do through Guild is stronger in my part of
a borrowed body, especially if you the world than anywhere else, and we
care what condition you leave have made a difference in the Skinlands. The
the body in, and no matter what Deathlords can put that in their pipe and smoke it,
they say, it’s still not as satisfying and they can stay the Hell out of my work while
as doing it yourself. I did what I they’re at it.
could through the best hosts I
could find, then I left.
It was that trip that made me
think of the Risen. We Puppeteers
have always made it a policy to

Punches and Judys 69

Name: Nature: Life:
Player: Demeanor: Death:
Chronicle: Shadow: Regret:
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions
________________________
OOOOO ______________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO

Arcanoi Corpus Pantheon Connections

__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _________________________________
___________________________
OOOOO _________________________________
oooooooooo
__________________________
OOOOO
__________________________
Scrying Methods
OOOOO Willpower _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO _______________________________
oooooooooo
_______________________________
Guild Marks Pathos _______________________________
oooooooooo _______________________________
______________________________
 History
Life
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Death
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pertinent Details
Age_________________________________________Apparent Age_________________________Gender_______________
Date of Birth________________________________R.I.P._______________________________Height_______________
Hair___________________________________________Eyes__________________________________Weight________________
Race__________________________________________Nationality__________________________________________________
Garb______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other Distinguishing Features_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Psyche:
shadow Archetype:
Shadowguide Player:
Thorns Angst Dark Passions
O O O O O O O O O O ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ oooooooooo
________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________
__________________________________
Psyche Willpower _________________________ OOOOO
O O O O O O O O O O ________________________ OOOOO
 Allies
Expanded Background Clients
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Eidolon Guild Status
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
____________________________________ _____________________________________
Contacts Status
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Memoriam Mentor
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Notoriety Wealth
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Artifacts Relics
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Prophecies and Visions
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Guild Secrets Known
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
 Merits & Flaws
Merit Type Cost Flaw Type Bonus
___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
Fetters Experience
_________________________________________OOOOO
___________________________________________OOOOO Total:__________________
_________________________________________OOOOO Total Spent On___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO ___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
Ancient/New Arts Known __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Usual Haunts Guild Standing & Contacts
_________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ Standing____________________________________________
________________________________________________________ Rank________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ Guild Contacts_________________________________________
______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
Apprenticed to:
_______________________________________
Combat
Weapon Difficulty Damage Conceal Range Rate Pathos Brawling Table
Maneuver Accuracy Damage
Bite 5 Strength +1
Punch 6 Strength
Grapple 6 Strength
Claw 6 Strength +2
Kick 7 Strength +1
Body slam 7 Special; see Options

Armor:_____________________
 Yet, though I am
guilty of that sin
myself, I can still
make other folk turn
away from it and bitterly
repent.
—Geoffrey Chaucer, “¨The Pardoner's Tale”
 Ghost Story:
A Road of Steel and
Souls
Part VI: Chasing Shadows that time, she had served as Charon’s confessor and confidante.
Assuming the leadership of the Pardoner’s Guild was a step
down from that august and honored position.
rom her window in the tiny peak-roof Her eyes focused inadvertently on the view beyond the
chamber that served as her living quar- ranks of buildings that made up the Eternal City of Death.
ters, Sister Acceptance gazed out at the Stretching outward until they disappeared in an opaque, gray
cityscape of Stygia. The gothic spires of mist, the waters of the Sunless Sea compelled her attention.
the cathedral-like building that served as That was where it happened, where my world ended in
the main Chapter House of the Society of shame and horror. In her mind, Sister Acceptance saw again
Pardoners rose high into what constituted the cloaked figure sail resolutely from the harbor in his fragile
the sky above the Underworld’s greatest city. Sister Acceptance reed boat, as he took the part of a simple Ferryman for one last
smiled as her keen hearing caught the sound of murmured voic- time. Before him, the waters roiled, malicious and foreboding.
es carrying upward from the ground-floor audience hall, which No! Her blackened fingers dug into her palms as tears of
occupied what would have been the nave of a true cathedral. hot plasm blurred her vision and turned the whole of Stygia
Brother Tenacious’ latest retreat was in full swing, as into a watery landscape. I will not think of this — not just yet.
curious wraiths intermingled with would-be Pardoners and A soft knock on her door interrupted her reverie. Without
oath-bound Guild members. The series of meditations, semi- waiting for a reply, Sister Rapture entered the room quietly.
nars, readings and exercises would continue for at least three “I hope I’m not disturbing you, but you did send for me.” The
more days. The merely curious would depart after the first Grand Master of Scourges crossed the room to embrace her
day, their fears about the secret doings of their confessors superior, a gesture which contained both genuine warmth and
at least somewhat alleviated. From the wraiths who stayed sisterly respect.
to complete the rigorous regimen of doled information and Sister Rapture had served as Acceptance’s confessor
private introspection, the Pardoners would choose their next for nearly as long as Acceptance herself had ministered to
batch of recruits. Charon. The women had few secrets between them. But, as
In a little while, this will no longer concern me. Sister Accep- always, there were some things that even a confidante could
tance repeated the phrase over and over again to herself to let not know. The Supreme Master extricated herself gently
its implications take hold. For the last half-century, she had from Sister Rapture’s greeting. Still holding on to her fellow
served as Supreme Master of the Society of Pardoners. Before Pardoner’s elbow, she steered the dark-haired, olive-skinned

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 77

wraith toward one of the two chairs in the room. Seating Sister Rapture stared intently at the floor, saying nothing.
herself in the other one, Sister Acceptance concentrated on Finally, withering under Sister Acceptance’s implacable stare,
her friend’s presence. she raised her eyes.
“Have you learned anything else since you last reported “I’d rather not — no, I cannot — say,” she whispered.
to me?” For a reckless moment, Sister Acceptance felt the urge
Sister Rapture arched an eyebrow. Even without her to dismiss Sister Rapture immediately, gather her cache of
raptor mask, her face resembled a bird’s, with its sharp nose lanterns and her traveling cloak and head for the edges of
and shining, dark eyes. the Shadowlands. I can visit every Necropolis, every outpost,
“I have learned that there has been a constant flurry of and search from there for signs that Charon walks in the Sunlit
secret meetings between the Guildmasters, or at least their world. As quickly as the thought came to her, it crumbled
proxies, since Lord Ember’s announcement of the impending into nothing. Her lack of Fetters, a symptom of her great age,
search for Charon.” precluded such a journey, and she knew this. No, I must hold to
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Sister Acceptance said. “Have my original intent. The honor and delight of finding Charon belongs
any decisions been made that I should know about?” to worthier souls. I have my own duty to discharge.
Sister Rapture’s face wrinkled in an amused grimace. Sister Acceptance leaned toward her friend and confessor
“Well, judging by the fact that suddenly some very high-rank- and placed a hand on her cheek. “Forgive me for my rashness,”
ing members of just about all of the other Guilds are making she said. “I did not mean to cause you any distress.”
appointments for purification rites, I would say yes.” Sister Rapture lifted her own hand and clasped her supe-
The Supreme Master’s expression grew thoughtful. “So rior’s fingers tightly for a moment. “There are some things I
they are really planning to look for Charon in the Labyrinth....” am bound by our oath not to reveal,” she began.
Sister Rapture nodded. “So it seems.” Sister Acceptance raised her already outstretched hand in
“And did the Guildmaster of Pardoners vote for the jour- a gesture of silence. “I understand,” she said. “It matters little,
ney?” Sister Acceptance’s voice took on a rare playful tone. anyway. We are not suited to travel beyond the Shroud. Our
work lies here, among the Dead who need us. Let the ones
“Thank Nhudri for his magnificent masks!” Sister Rap-
most familiar with the forbidden realms worry about searching
ture replied, joining in the precious moment of lighthearted
for Charon on the other side.”
conspiracy. “They hide a multitude of sins. At least we aren’t
the only Guild to send an impostor.” “Does this mean that you want me to cast my vote in favor
of the journey to the Labyrinth?” Sister Rapture’s voice sound-
“I understand that Lord Ember attends in person,” Sister
ed relieved to return to their original topic of conversation.
Acceptance interjected.
“This is what I want you to do,” Sister Acceptance said.
“Usually,” Sister Rapture agreed. “Only, the last time we
“Claim that you need to give the matter more consideration.
met with him, I thought I detected someone else wearing his
Indicate that you are leaning toward agreeing to search the
visage. That disturbed me a little.”
Labyrinth, but delay as long as possible.”
Sister Acceptance shrugged. “Perhaps he is beginning to
“You don’t believe they — we — will find Charon in the
doubt himself. You said there was some disagreement as to the
Labyrinth, do you?” Sister Rapture asked.
veracity of his evidence that Charon survived the encounter
with Gorool.” “You know what I think they will find, what I know they
will find in the Labyrinth,” Sister Acceptance answered, her
“Most of the Guildmasters believe him,” Sister Rapture
voice flat and cold.
said. “A few, however, seem to want to pursue a different line
of action. Those who trust Lord Ember suspect the Sandmen “Not Charon, but his Shadow,” Sister Rapture said. She
of conjuring up some grand drama of misdirection. They feel looked around her nervously, as if afraid of being overheard.
that a search should be mounted, but not in the Labyrinth.” “Gorool,” Sister Acceptance replied, her voice breaking
The Scourge Master stopped herself, as if reluctant to say more. with an unaccustomed bitterness.
“Where else would they search for him?” Sister Ac- “You still blame yourself,” Sister Rapture said. “Don’t.
ceptance asked, her breast pounding as if a heart fluttered No one could have foreseen the results of our last attempts
wildly within it. “Do they think he hides somewhere in the to purify him. No one. Not even the Lady of Fate herself.”
Shadowlands or in the Tempest? Is that where some of them “There is a difference between blame and responsibility,”
plan to search?” Sister Acceptance said, her words coming in a flood. “No, I
Sister Rapture gave a quick nod of agreement. “And am not to blame for the fact that Charon’s Shadow slipped
elsewhere,” she replied, her voice suddenly tight. out of our control and fled into the Labyrinth to emerge as
“Where else?” Sister Acceptance asked. Then it came to the creature called Gorool. But I am responsible for it. I let
her. “The Skinlands?” — certain feelings — blind me to the strength of Charon’s
Shadow. I failed.”

78 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 “You did not fail!” Sister Rapture’s voice cracked like the “Those are Soul Lanterns,” Sister Rapture said.
whip that hung at her belt. “Charon failed. He took too many “Yes, they are. I had them specially made for me by an
worries upon himself. They grew until they conceived a way Artificer who owed me a very large favor.”
to break free of him.” “Are they filled, or empty?”
“That’s enough!” Sister Acceptance stood up, her body “Three are filled. The other three are waiting to store the
rigid as she struggled to control her anger. When she began to Angst I hope to collect.
speak again, her voice was softer, though it still held overtones “You’re going into the Labyrinth by yourself to find —
of suppressed sharpness. “I have heard that argument given and Castigate Gorool?” Sister Rapture’s voice betrayed her
again and again, and each time it sounds as empty and spurious incredulity.
as when I first invented it to keep our Guild from buckling
Sister Acceptance nodded. “I intend to redeem Gorool.
under the shame of what we had done.” I must keep my mind on
When the others — the ones who are going to search the
what I have to do. I cannot risk endangering the only opportunity I Skinlands — return with Charon, I will have his purified
may ever have to undo our Guild’s greatest crime. Shadow waiting for him.”
“Should I leave you now?” Sister Rapture asked, not un- “Then why are you taking Soul Lanterns that are already
kindly. Once again, Sister Acceptance marveled at how easily filled with Angst…” Sister Rapture’s voice trailed off, as the
the Master of Scourges shunted aside feelings she considered expression on her face changed from one of disbelief and sorrow
unworthy. to one of barely contained hope. “Have you finally succeeded
“Not just yet,” Sister Acceptance said. “There is one more in discovering a way?”
thing I would ask of you before you go. I would like for you Sister Acceptance smiled. “I believe that I have,” she
to purify me.” Abruptly, she dropped to her knees in front of said quietly. “I have left behind a book of notes concerning
Sister Rapture and let her robe slip away from her Corpus, my studies and experiments. I think that they will help you
exposing herself to her Confessor. codify a workable method for converting Angst to Pathos.”
“Bless me Pardoner, for I have sinned,” she began, inton- “Have you actually tested it?” Sister Rapture asked.
ing the Rites of Purification made popular with the coming of
“This will be my test,” the Supreme Master replied. She
Brother Tenacious.
pulled a long cloak over her robes. The cowl concealed her
With a grim look on her face, Sister Rapture unhooked face in shadows, while the cloak itself hid the bulky mass of
the whip from her belt and stepped behind her friend, now the Soul Lanterns. “Keep up your impersonation of me until I
her Supplicant. return, if you can. If it looks like I won’t be coming back, then
get together with Brother Tenacious and decide which of you
Purified, Sister Acceptance struggled to her feet, her Cor- is better able to take my place.”
pus weak and burning from the ministrations of the Master of “I thought you had always considered Brother Tenacious
Scourges. Sister Rapture helped her pull her robes about her your successor,” Sister Rapture said.
once more and tried to guide her to her chair. “I had,” Sister Acceptance admitted. “But you have
The Supreme Pardoner waved her away shakily. “I will managed to acquire some useful experience.”
heal,” she said. “Thank you for all you have done.” “Enough to know that I agree with your preference,” Sister
“I’ll stay, if you want me to,” Sister Rapture said. Rapture replied. “Besides, if I take over the Guild, who will
“No, there are some things I must do here, and I would come looking for you?”
prefer to be alone to do them.” Sister Acceptance opened her arms and gathered Sister
“You intend to go into the Labyrinth by yourself, don’t Rapture into a fierce embrace.
you?” Sister Rapture asked. “That’s why you want me to delay “Now I will insist that you go,” she said.
my decision, isn’t it?”
Sister Acceptance smiled faintly. “I suppose I should After Sister Rapture had gone, Sister Acceptance stood
have known that you would discover my purpose in asking for in the room she had occupied for over fifty years, for perhaps
Castigation. My Shadow always was a snitch.” the last time.
“And you know that my oath prevents me from revealing <i>Am I doing the right thing?
what I know to anyone else,” Sister Rapture said. “This is From within her, she received an answer, one she hoped
madness, you know. No one goes there alone.” came from her higher self, her Eidolon. You’re doing the only
“Charon did, when he brought Lord Nhudri to Stygia.” thing you can do. Charon’s Shadow waits for you, and you
Resigned to Sister Rapture’s continued presence, Sister Ac- alone, to finish the job you started so long ago.
ceptance worked as she talked. From a small chest in one She sighed. There was only one way to discover the truth.
corner of the room, she extracted a half-dozen iron lanterns The door slammed behind her as she left. The echoes
and hooked them onto her belt. stayed with her, however, for a very long time.

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 79

 Chapter One:
Spiritual Exercises
Welcome to the camp, I guess we all know why we’re here.
My name is Tommy, and I became aware this year…
— The Who, “Welcome”

Welcome, friends, to our final retreat before the millen- you, we apologize. Should any of you wish to withdraw at this
nium. As some of you know, we hold a gathering every five time, you are free to go, with our blessing.
years to introduce our association to others among the Restless Our postulants are here to cleanse and purge themselves
and to welcome new postulants to our group. I am Brother of impure impulses in order to learn our ways and be initiated
Tenacious, of the order known to most as Pardoners. We accept into the ranks of Pardoners. Theirs is a most rigorous task, for
the duty of helping our fellow wraiths cleanse their souls and they will begin a serious and sober journey to full understand-
find surcease from guilt, anger, hatred and all such negative ing of themselves and those around them. We ask that you
Passions that invite our Shadows’ influence or control. It is show them the respect they have earned while you are here.
not an easy task, nor, may I add gratefully, a thankless one. Please, leave them to their meditations when seminars are
Our special skills make us welcome everywhere and assure us not in session, for they have much to consider before avowing
of some small measure of protection from all, for there is none themselves to our order. If any others among you feel the call
among us without a Shadow. None among us is without sin. while on this retreat, please do not hesitate to speak with one
Many of you are here merely to satisfy your curiosity about of our elders, who can help you begin the process of becoming
what we do, or in hopes of learning our Arcanos or secrets. a postulant. That road is not to be traveled lightly, however.
Rest assured, we have no quarrel with your presence. One of Many pledge themselves, but few are capable of fulfilling the
the purposes for our retreats is to educate others of our kind role of Pardoner.
about our activities, beliefs and code of ethics. We welcome We will begin by having you retire to your rooms to read
the chance to let you explore what it means to be a Pardoner. through the first meditation in the Book of Pardons. It will best
We have no fear that you will steal our Arcanos, for we freely explain who we are and why we do what we do. Practice the
teach it to anyone willing to undergo our oath and pledge exercises found at the end of the meditation. We will meet
not to misuse the knowledge. As for secrets, we are sorry to again this afternoon for a discussion led by Sister Hope on
disappoint you, but we have none. If this ruins the retreat for Pardoner-Supplicant etiquette.

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 81

 we were before we took the lantern. When we come to you as

Meditations from the Pardoners, however, we present ourselves as Brother Angyr,

Sister Pride, Father Contrition or Mother Pain. In this way,

Inner Lantern we stress the compassionate impersonality of our sometimes

harsh Castigations.
No secrets? Who’s he think he’s kidding? I wasn’t Reaped yesterday, you While we use cloaks and masks to limit our individuality,
know. Sounds pretty sure of himself, don’t he? Just wait’ll I get started. Here’s a other marks attest openly to our calling as Pardoners and serve
riddle for you: What’s the one Shadow a Pardoner can’t see? Give up? Yeah, his own.
Thought you was pretty smart. Stick with me, and I’ll give you the real lowdown on
to announce our presence wherever we go. You can recognize a
the Pardoners. Oh, and take this with you. It’s called The Inner Lantern. It’s got Pardoner “on duty” by the iron lantern he carries, either slung
stuff about that “meditation” crap they just handed you. And it’s free — what could at his waist or hung outside his place of business. Our Corpora,
be cheaper than that? too, bear the stigma of our profession, as our blackened finger-
tips testify to our brushes with the Shadow. We do not come

First Meditation: Our Nature away from our struggles untouched by darkness.
We call ourselves the Order of Purifiers of the Shadow or
the Fellowship of Bestowers of Pardon. Most of you know us
Between the Shadow and the Psyche stands the Pardoner.
In this realm of spirit made flesh, we strive against the de- simply as Pardoners. We have borne the labels of mystery cult,
structive urges within all of us. We hold the line against the priesthood, Guild and army. All of these labels are accurate.
inner enemy. Surrounded by Oblivion, we cry out against the None depict our true nature.
darkness of destruction, and interpose our knowledge and skills Like mystery cults, we emphasize rituals in the perfor-
to avert the triumph of the Shadow. We prevent the unraveling mance of our sacred duties; like priests, we take vows to
of the fabric of the Underworld. demonstrate our seriousness and commitment. We retain some
When you look at a Pardoner, you should see a warrior. of the organizational trappings of our brief stint as a Guild,
Whether we appear as confessors, counselors, purifiers or primarily in our requirements of membership fees and payment
combatants, our purpose remains constant: to purge the taint for services. As an army, we structure ourselves in ranks, rising
of Oblivion from the wraiths in our care. In short, we are the upward as we demonstrate our ability to wage war successfully
good guys. against our common foe.
Like members of—ahem—other affiliated groupings, we We bring together wraiths from all walks of “life,” united
Pardoners often cloak ourselves in anonymity when acting only by their desire to work some tangible good in this vale of
in an official capacity. We do so not as Haunters do, to hide suffering and struggle. We accept anyone who demonstrates
a hideous or twisted form, but to emphasize our function, a sincere willingness to undertake a dangerous and difficult
rather than our individual identities. Likewise, once we take course of self-knowledge. Once you become a Pardoner, all else
the lantern we all assume new names. When speaking to us as assumes secondary importance. When you join us, you are on
friends and companions, you may know and address us as who the front lines in the war against Oblivion.

Exercises
FIRST EXERCISE: Imagine that you have en- THIRD EXERCISE: Look at the faces of the
tered our Fellowship. What name will you choose Restless around you (if you can see their faces),
to identify yourself in the course of your duties? or call to mind the images of your friends and
Think of a virtue to which you aspire or a fellow wraiths. Now, imagine that you can see
weakness against which you struggle. Consid- through the façades of their Corpora, into the
er your choice carefully, for it will become your black morass of ugliness that forms the cores
signature. of their Shadows. With your Pardoner’s insight,
SECOND EXERCISE: Spread your hands you can discern hidden motivations behind the
before you. Regard your fingertips, as yet un- most benign action. One who is a lover secretly
stained by the Shadow’s taint. Now, imagine desires to see you cast into Oblivion; another,
plunging those unsoiled fingers into the putrid your best friend, perhaps, seeks to cause pain
negation of light that constitutes the Shadow’s and suffering to those closest to her. Knowing
form. Feel corruption oozing into your Corpus. this, can you face these wraiths as petitioners
The act of cleansing inevitably dirties the without prejudice or partiality?
cleanser. Forever. The cloak of anonymity conceals your iden-
tity from wraiths who seek you out; it does not
conceal them from you. Can you love the sinner
and hate the sin?
82 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 membership: analysts, social workers, psychology professors,

Meditations from the existential philosophers and evangelists. Many wraiths be-
longing to the Penitent Legion find that membership in our

Inner Lantern organization answers their need to fight against the madness
and destructive impulses that led to their deaths.
You schmucks need to watch your rear ends around these guys. They talk a The common strand that binds us all together as Pardoners
good game, sayin’ that they’re the saviors of the Underworld. They even fancy it up is our refusal to give up the struggle to overcome the dark-
with religious mumbo jumbo about their “calling.” Yes indeedy, I sure wanna give
up all my secrets to a bunch of Heretic wannabees who’re “bound by an oath.” An
ness. Those of us who have spent our lives seeking to define
oath?! Gimme a break. “good” and “evil,” or to nurture the light and eradicate the
Oh, and exercises, huh? Yeah, well, try this one on for size. Bend over and touch darkness, now find, in death, the opportunity to understand
your toes. Now grab your ankles and hold on. How’s that make ya feel? why Oblivion exercises such an insidious hold over us. Many
also relish the opportunity to strike a blow that will weaken

Second Meditation: Our Attraction that hold. To act, instead of merely to observe — that is one
of the rewards of our company.
Occasionally, we accept a few individuals who, in life,
Not everyone possesses the unique combination of desire
and conviction required to join our ranks. Being a Pardon- embodied the darkness we oppose. Death’s aftermath some-
er means keeping a constant vigil on the inroads made by times works a mysterious change that causes those students
Oblivion’s most insidious agents, the Shadows that seek to of evil to reevaluate their wasted lives. Those whom Oblivion
subvert the denizens of the Underworld. In order to fight does not immediately claim sometimes seek to atone for the…
the darkness, Pardoners must gain an intimate knowledge excesses of their earthly existence. Given the proper training
of their enemy. and counsel, these contrite souls can become some of our most
Because of this mission, we often attract individuals whose astute and zealous warriors. The intimate knowledge they
callings in life predisposed them to the ongoing struggle they have of the Shadow’s machinations comes from their close
face in the Underworld. In ancient times, we counted druids, association with their base impulses during life.
lawgivers, philosophers and healers among our numbers. The Do not think, however, that you cannot find a place with
sons and daughters of Levi found a welcome place with us, us because you do not fall into any of the above classifica-
after their wanderings in the Skinlands. During the Middle tions. All of us have encountered the wiles of the Shadow;
Ages, Inquisitors swelled our ranks, along with the pardoners all of us feel the weight of Oblivion upon our souls. Many
from whom we took our name during the Age of the Guilds. of us wish to learn how to remove that taint from ourselves
Later periods of history added more categories to our ranks: and from others; some of us have the strength of purpose
hanging judges, executioners, confessors and teachers. Re- to do so. That is, in essence, the core of what it means to
cent times have seen new kinds of counselors petition us for be a Pardoner.

Exercises
FIRST EXERCISE: Think about your life Did it undo what you did? Did it relieve you of
before you arrived in the Underworld. Try to re- your guilt? Did it strengthen your resolve to avoid
member who you were and what you did. Make repeating your transgression? Or did it just make
a mental list of all the good and bad acts you you more determined to avoid being caught the
committed. next time?
Which list is longer? Which list contains your
most important actions? Judging yourself by THIRD EXERCISE: Imagine yourself as a
these two lists, would you classify yourself as a Pardoner using the name you chose as part of
good person? Can you even make that sort of the exercises that followed the First Meditation.
decision? As a Pardoner, you might be called A wraith comes to you and asks you to purify
upon to do just that. her Shadow.
How will you go about this task? Will you offer
SECOND EXERCISE: Picture a time in your counsel and advice? Will you exact some pun-
past, “living or unliving,” when you were pun- ishment or penance? Inject as much detail into
ished for something you did wrong. Relive that this scenario as possible. If you decide to join our
punishment. ranks, this scene will become very familiar to you.

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 83

 Meditations from the
Inner Lantern
These guys just kill me! “We’re so special! We used to be priests and
lawyers and doctors and psychiatrists.” What did these guys not do as high
muckety-mucks? Yo! They forgot dentists! You’d think that those guys would get
in under “torturers,” but no.
And more exercises too! Hey, let’s all remember our pasts! Yeah, right, like
most of us’ve got even half our marbles. Better still, let’s play dress up in black
leather and “cleanse” each other. Buncha weird-ass perverts.

Third Meditation: Our Purpose

Our goal as Pardoners encompasses two primary ob-
jectives. The first and most immediate concern lies in the
continual process of cleansing the Shadows of wraiths who
come to us. The second — and long-term — purpose of our
existence as a unified and identifiable group consists of nothing
less than the purification of the Underworld itself. We cannot
accomplish these goals by acting alone, for the Castigation of
individuals and the redemption of the Underworld require
the support and aid of other wraiths. Which, of course, leads
directly to our third reason for perpetuating ourselves as an
organized society: We exist to help one another, to monitor
our progress as individuals and to keep us from falling prey to
the temptations of the Shadows we fight so ardently.
As a group, we have studied and perfected the various
forms of Castigation. Through our mastery of this Arcanos,
we are able to identify and purge the growing taint of Obliv-
ion from the souls of individuals. Our constant attention to
this one aspect of our calling occupies most of our “working”
hours. After all, every wraith has need of a Pardoner sometime.
Furthermore, we clean the soul’s slate only to see the Shadow
begin once more to scrawl its obscenities upon that pristine
surface. Unlike Artificers, who forge lasting creations, we
labor under the certainty that wraiths who pass through our
purifying flames (metaphorically speaking) must do so over
and over again.
No doubt, some of you question our ability to achieve our
ultimate goal, the cleansing of the Underworld of every vestige
of Oblivion. Many Pardoners find it difficult to believe that
we can succeed in such a bold and ambitious enterprise. To
our doubters, both within and without, we can offer only this:
Consider the alternative. Oblivion assaults us from both sides
of the Shroud. The Tempest reverberates with its tumult; the
Skinlands grow darker with each nightfall. As Pardoners, we,
and we alone, have experience dealing directly with the build-
ing blocks of Oblivion. We cannot fight it head on, but we can
eliminate that substance on which it feeds. If we can do so in

84 Guildbook: Puppeteers
a concerted fashion, without faltering in our duty to our fellow one another remain steadfast in our duty. We guard against
wraiths and to ourselves, we can eventually deprive Oblivion abuses of the trust placed in us by our petitioners. We study
of its lifeblood. Once we have done that, we can contemplate together and share our insights with one another. In this
what steps we must take to attack our foe in its stronghold. way, we grow more attuned to our calling and better able to
To accomplish these ends, we Pardoners must strive perform our vital task.
toward self-perfection. Who pardons the Pardoner? Like For those of you who demonstrate a sincere desire to join
our fellow wraiths, we suffer the ravages of temptation and our fellowship, elaborations on these purposes will come later
fall prey to the lures of our own Shadows. We, too, must in the retreat. For now, we have outlined our major tasks and
undergo the rites of cleansing. We cannot afford to allow the given you a glimpse into the heart of our organization.
knowledge we possess to exist without some monitoring body.
In fact, we match our vigilance over the souls of others with
an equal attention paid to ourselves. As Pardoners, we help

Exercises
FIRST EXERCISE: Picture a blank sheet before coming here. Make a brief confession to
of paper. Imagine someone writing a series of your partner by telling her the details of some
obscene comments on it. Erase those words. small transgression. Ask her to assign you a
See the same person scrawling new marks penance in order to cleanse that fault from your
on the paper you have just cleaned. Erase the soul. Do the same for her. Carry out the penance
new obscenities. Continue this process for the given to you. (Your partner is, likewise, to perform
next thirty minutes or until you grow weary of the duty you assigned her.)
the repetition.
This exercise simulates the work of a Par- Afterward, compare your approaches with
doner. each other. Was one of you more severe than the
other? Did the penance fit the transgression?
This exchange happens frequently among the
SECOND EXERCISE: Imagine yourself members of our society
standing on an island surrounded by a dark Note that this exercise is not a true Castiga-
abyss. The ground beneath your feet is solid, tion; these mock penances do not affect the state
but everything else, everywhere you look, roils of your Shad-
with formless, lightless chaos. As you stand ow. Neverthe-
transfixed by the pregnant emptiness around less, please
you, the abyss widens by a tiny fraction. Your make certain
island shrinks by a corresponding degree. You that one of the
somehow know that you possess the means retreat moni-
to restore the lost ground, and you do so, thus tors is nearby
forcing the abyss to retract its hold on your small in case that
sanctuary.You relax your vigilance for a second, this exercise
and the abyss reasserts its claim. Once more, inadvertently
you draw upon your resources and your will to awakens ei-
push it backward.You realize that you can never ther your own
fully relinquish your effort, or else your island will S h a d o w o r
disappear and plunge into the yawning pit, and that of your
it will carry you with it. partner.
Can you afford to give up the fight simply
because it seems to be hopeless? This battle is
the one all Pardoners face.
THIRD EXERCISE: This exercise requires
a partner. Seek out another wraith making the
retreat, preferably someone you did not know

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 85

 of society. Even Deathlords and Anacreons seek Castigation

Meditations from the from us to subdue their Shadows. Those who act as Pardoners
to the rulers of the Underworld carry a great burden and an

Inner Lantern even greater responsibility.

We cannot point to one place as central to our society. We
Get outta here! Half the time, these guys can’t find their own backsides, try to go wherever we are needed. In Stygia, for example, we
much less save the Underworld. Hey, here’s another riddle for you. Whadda you have several Chapter Houses, where we gather for retreats such
give a Pardoner for Christmas? A mop and broom, so he can clean up the whole
Underworld!
as this one and share our skills and insights with one another.
Humble, ain’t they?
We also have a strong presence in most major Necropoli. From
those bases in the Shadowlands, we branch outward to cover
as much of the Underworld as possible. Wherever there are
wraiths, there are Pardoners.
As a group, we have few friends, but we have fewer en-

Fourth Meditation: Our Dealings emies. We do not boast when we emphasize that no wraiths,
however self-sufficient they may be, can do without the
attentions of a Pardoner, from time to time. Even Renegades
Consider the services we Pardoners perform for Stygia
and the Shadowlands. Now, think of Restless who have need and Heretics need someone to cleanse their Shadows — and
of our ministrations. We do not exaggerate when we say that we do not think the Deathlords would thank us were we to
the demand for our talents necessitates our maintaining a allow those souls to drift down to Oblivion.
presence throughout the Underworld. In brief, we stand at the crossroads of wraithly society.
The Hierarchy of Stygia acknowledges our right to exist Most who know us only as Pardoners fear and respect us, for
as a group and accords us a place within their ranks. The they know their souls’ well-being depends on our care. Some
Legions who battle Spectres and other Tempest-spawned actually enjoy our company, for we share a common hope for
creatures have desperate need of us. Indeed, most patrols have the future. However, no one can afford to oppose us. They
their own Pardoner or Pardoner-trained confessor. As active realize what awaits the soul whose Shadow remains too long
members of the Legions, not only do we see to the well-being unshriven.
of our comrades, but we engage the Spectral armies directly.
Our participation in the affairs of Stygia pervades every level

Exercises
FIRST EXERCISE: Think of as many differ- separate your personal feelings from your duty
ent groups of wraiths as you can. Go over each toward this petitioner?
group in your mind, and examine your attitude If you cannot do so, you should think long
toward those wraiths. Arrange them in your mind and hard about whether you are truly suited for
according to your feelings about them, from the a Pardoner’s vocation. Go over, in detail, how
ones you feel most positive toward, to the ones you would answer the needs of your imaginary
who instinctively arouse your dislike or even Supplicant. Spend at least thirty minutes on this
your hatred. problem.
As a Pardoner, you must be prepared to min-
ister to all wraiths, regardless of your personal THIRD EXERCISE: Imagine that a powerful
feelings. First, however, you must know what wraith comes to you and asks for assistance in
those feelings are. Meditate for at least thirty your role as a Pardoner. How will you react to an
minutes upon your prejudices. important Legionnaire? To a member of a Death-
lord’s personal staff? To a leader of a Heretic
SECOND EXERCISE: Imagine that a wraith Cult? How does this reaction differ from the one
from the group you most dislike approaches you in the previous exercise?
and asks you to Castigate her Shadow. Can you Here’s a hint: It shouldn’t.

86 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 We have already made our goals clear to you. If we seek

Meditations from the anything, it is the ability to achieve those ends with certainty,
so that we might strengthen our ability to stem the growth

Inner Lantern of Oblivion in Stygia and in the Shadowlands. We foresee

an expanding role for our society’s services in answer to an
Whoa. Bust my butt! Ya know what these guys are really sayin’, doncha? increasing demand for the works we provide. Our lanterns
They got the real power, and we’re just supposed to get over it. shine throughout the Underworld, but we cannot afford to
’Scuse me a minute. Gotta roll over and play dead. relax our guard or become complacent. To keep up with our
great enemy, we must grow in numbers. We must continue to
work with all elements of wraith society, even those who do
not believe they need our cleansing or our counsel.

Fifth Meditation: Our Future If you are not already one of us, your attendance at this
retreat indicates that you have at least a passing interest in
our work and that you recognize its importance. Those of you
If you have paid close attention to the previous medita-
tions, the information presented in this final passage should who decide to join the Society of Pardoners will shape our
contain few surprises. Our goals remain constant, though future. Your goals and aspirations will leave their marks on
each individual’s methods of achieving them may differ. As us, just as surely as your encounters with darkness will leave
Pardoners, we act as agents of light in a realm of shadows. their mark on you.
What, then, do we hope to achieve, ultimately? To understand fully where we are going, you must first
look backward at where we have been. Only then do the future
plans and aims of our society become clear.
Class dismissed.

Exercises
FINAL EXERCISE: Reflect carefully upon elect to enter the doorway, your journey has
what you have learned about yourself and about just begun.
our society. Have you achieved your purpose in
coming here, or do you wish to acquire a more
intimate understanding of what it means to be a
Pardoner? Imagine that you stand before a door.
Opening that door will change you forever, but
once you have passed its threshold, you cannot
retrace your steps and go back the way you
came. You can turn away and return to your old
life, or you can step into the life of a Pardoner,
but you must choose one or the other. There is
no middle path.
If you choose to remain on the outside, your
time at this retreat has come to an end. If you

Meditations from the

Inner Lantern
Yeah, think real hard about all this. And don’t forget to buy my book, Guildwraiths Among Us: True Secrets of the Pardoners. It’s real cheap.
Hey, would I steer you wrong?

Ghost Story: A Road of Steel and Souls 87

 Chapter Two:
The Pardoner’s Tale
(History)

Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the
things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the
days of thy life; but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.
— Deuteronomy 4:9

”Postulants, this seminar is open to attendance only by candi- She sat nearby, waiting for the former priest to finish his
dates such as yourselves: ones who have pledged their intent to join precious seminar. However Sister Acceptance fared, Sister
our order. Wraiths who have only a cursory interest in our associ- Rapture and Brother Tenacious would be responsible for lead-
ation have no need to know all of our history. You are offered this ing the Guild during the foreseeable future. Acceptance had
glimpse into our past, a glimpse that, of necessity, pulls no punches, thought it only proper that the wraith who might become the
for you must understand who we truly are. To do that, you must next Guildmaster read the last confession of his predecessor.
first learn who we once were.” Acceptance herself had asked Rapture to show Tenacious the
Sister Rapture smiled upon hearing the familiar start to the transcript so he could familiarize himself with events he was
lecture Brother Tenacious had given to so many new groups too young to remember. If he became Guildmaster, he would
of Apprentices. She could picture him, his eyes bright with need to know some of the legacy she left behind.
enthusiasm, as he strutted back and forth behind his lectern Sister Rapture sighed, finally letting her exhaustion
and tried to give the Postulants a sense of the Guild’s history. emerge. Slowly, she rose and left the chamber. Brother Te-
Perhaps this will give him some new insights, she thought, as she nacious was the only member of the Guild who ever came to
placed the transcript she carried onto his meditation mat. this chamber. He would find the transcript when he finished
his seminar.

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 89

 I, Sister Rapture, do hereby with regret that I was fated for a different
swear that this is my transcription role. As an only child, I would be married into
of the final confession of Inachus of a good family to bind a treaty or gain a higher
Mycenae. As Sister Acceptance, position for my clan. I wonder, even now, if the
Inachus was here at the inception gods heard my prayers and let me die so that
of the Pardoners, and she has led I could serve as a priestess after all.
our Guild for the past half centu- I believe that we who became Purifiers
ry. Here follows her freely given were among those spirits who brought with
statement: them into the Deadlands knowledge of
Sometimes, it seems to me as if my mortal the right path. Some among us spoke with
life was only a dream, a momentary adventure still-living shamans, to guide them through
that preceded my true existence. I can barely their near-deaths and return them, cleansed
recall that time, now. My father’s face has of impurities, to the world of the Quick. Many
faded from my memory, and even the language I claim that such was the true beginning of
spoke has long since given way to more modern our order. As for myself, I know only what I
tongues. The beginning of my time as one of have witnessed.
the Restless is far more clear to me, and that,
after all, is what concerns us.
I hope that my recollections of the many The Origins of
the Purifiers
centuries which followed my death will serve the
Guild, and I hereby freely tell them to you, my
Purifier, as my last confession. You know what
it is that I must do. If I do not return from that My first memory of the Underworld is of
journey, you shall have to decide who among wandering aimlessly through a gray landscape,
you is to be leader now. As always, my thoughts devoid of all features save for myself and other
will be with you, and my blessings are given to suffering souls, who moaned in despair. I sought
whatever decisions you make in my absence. desperately for some evidence that this misery
We have changed so through the years that I would not constitute my existence until the end
sometimes wonder if even I, who was here when of time; I did not want to number among the
we began, recall us correctly. I fear that I may dim shapes who fed on the blood Odysseus had
paint too glowing a picture of our accomplish- offered at the edge of the world. Others joined
ments and fail to mention enough of our foibles. me, and we took comfort from one another.
Nonetheless, I hope what follows is as accurate When Charon emerged from Mycenae and
a portrayal as I am capable of giving. made his way down the River of Death, we
Hear, then, is my last confession. joyfully followed. We were among the first to
When I was very young, I once asked my set foot on the Isle of Sorrows, and we saw the
father why we needed priests and priestesses. building of Stygia from its humblest beginnings.
He told me that they were gifted with acute Soon thereafter, I saw what my work would
insights and that people therefore sought them be. I embraced Charon’s great effort to assist
to act as go-betweens, to shield ordinary folk the Restless in crossing over the Sunless Sea
from the raw terror of dealing with the gods. to the Far Shores and finding peace. Most of
Priestly men and women showed their people all, I took to heart the Lady of Fate’s words
the right paths by revealing the ones pleasing to Charon: “Help others to find their true light
to the gods. They also helped people atone for within.” Wraiths among us who shared similar
wrongful acts, pardoning their transgressions views banded together to speak of our hopes
and often assigning them tasks or penalties to and the work we were doing. We had no official
put things right again. Such cleansings were name, nor were we a society. We were merely
undertaken because they pleased the gods and friends who came together out of a common
returned the wrongdoer to the good graces of interest.
the community. With the unleashing of Oblivion during the
Although I admired anyone who would Sundering, many of the Restless were marked
stand and ask for the gods’ divine aid to bring by great darkness. Our Shadows had been
others into the gods’ good graces, I realized within us all along, but now they spoke with

90 Guildbook: Puppeteers
stronger voices. Wraiths who succumbed to
their Shadows’ blandishments fell from grace
and could not make the journey across the
Sunless Sea. They needed someone to act as
an intercessor for them, cleansing them and
soothing their Shadows enough to enable these
Restless to seek the Far Shores.
I discovered within myself (as did many oth-
ers) the ability to see the stain of impurity within
such wraiths. Concerned for their well-being,
I tried instinctively to reach out and help rid
them of the darkness within. No one was more
surprised than I when I succeeded. Hurrying to
the others with whom I had shared visions and
questions, I revealed what I had done. Some
among them had also helped others quiet or
overcome the Shadow within.
We realized what a great gift we had been
given. We could look within the souls of other
wraiths and see the lurking darkness that fes-
tered there. From that awareness, it was but a
small step to confronting the Shadow and strip-
ping away as much of its power as we could. We
perfected our techniques and cleansed wraiths
sent to us by the ones we had already helped.
We called ourselves Purifiers, and slowly our
fame spread throughout the Underworld.
Once we were certain that our cleansings
worked, I went to Charon and told him of our
powers, knowing it was the answer to dealing
with individuals too tainted to make the cross-
ing. For long decades, he had sought some
way to help wraiths who were incapable of
reaching Transcendence. We had given him
a new weapon in the battle against Oblivion.
When I explained to him that my friends and I
had taken the name Purifiers, he asked me to
become his personal confessor.
We joined the Shining Ones, working along-
side them to identify those Restless too troubled
to pass onward. Wraiths we cleansed took their
places among the ones who journeyed over
the Sunless Sea. The Shining Ones welcomed
us among them, granting us chambers within
their temples where we could work with those
in need of our services. Some of the newly
Dead petitioned us to let them join and learn
our rites of purification.
Centuries passed as we dedicated our-
selves to our work, while Stygia grew up around
us. Our numbers grew, and were needed, for
many more Restless began to arrive. Among
them was one who, in life, was known as Hip-

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 91

pocrates. We took him into our company and embraced our society, joining us as fellow seek-
taught him what we knew. ers. Others went their own way, but sought our
help and friendship. The Fishers soon became

The Oath the largest sect in the Underworld.

We had long since found that our calling

allowed us to peer within other wraiths and The First Great
ferret out their deepest secrets. Thus far, we
had relied upon one another’s honesty and
willingness to help others to keep our members
Maelstrom
The First Great Maelstrom erupted from
from using what they learned against wraiths the Labyrinth, sparked by Rome’s collapse. As
they cleansed. Some, however, were not worthy Purifiers, we joined Stygia’s defenders and
of such trust. In a few cases, we had to oust a quelled their Shadows. Some among us instinc-
member who tried to profit from others’ secrets. tively utilized our skills to ward off the Spectres
Now, knowing too well that such powers as inundating the city, much to the amazement of
we possessed led to hubris, we took counsel the warriors who stood with us. Thus, we fended
together. From our meeting came a decision, off the onrush of the Maelstrom.
codified by Hippocrates, to band together in
Although we were not acknowledged to
a sworn society to teach each other, to pass
have turned the tide, we certainly did our part to
our knowledge on to worthy candidates and to
keep the Spectres from awakening the Shad-
swear an oath that we would use our art only
ows of Stygia’s armies. Had we not done so,
to help, never to harm.
I fear that our haven in the Underworld would

The Golden
have fallen under the first combined assault of
Shadows and Spectres. Many Restless would
argue that it constitutes overweening pride to

Age attach such importance to our ministrations on

the field of combat, but I believe those wraiths
fail to note our effectiveness against the worst
During this time, which was a golden age
for Stygia, our society grew and prospered. that the Maelstrom could throw at us. It is not
Charon granted us our own house, a dwelling pride to acknowledge that one has a useful
where we could go to rest from our labors or to talent — or that the talented are capable of
take troubled wraiths for counseling. Grateful great feats.
Restless filled our coffers with their offerings, In the aftermath of this first storm, Stygian
and our fame spread throughout Stygia. Some society was reshaped, and our society adapted
of my fellows asked me to become the leader to meet those changes. When Charon became
of our society, but I refused. After all, my time emperor and his chosen became Deathlords,
was almost wholly taken up in advising Charon. they placed wraiths under the dominion of dif-
Now, I wish that I had never agreed to take on ferent Deathlords according to the manner of
that burden. Though I sought only to help him, each soul’s demise. Some among us, including
I was the agent of our Guild’s greatest crime. the Purifiers, Nhudri’s Artificers, the Mnemoi,
But I must wait to tell that story in its own time. with whom we worked to heal the memories of
As the world across the Shroud changed, Restless we cleansed, and many more, were
so, too, did the Restless who came among us. not required to rearrange ourselves in that
Of particular interest to us were the Fishers, manner. Our skills were more useful and eas-
a new sect whose members began arriving in ily accessed when we stayed apart from the
the Underworld with some frequency. Their crush of souls, separate from (but allied with)
understanding of the eternal conflict between Stygia’s rulers. These groups took the title of
light and darkness increased our knowledge of Freewraiths. To spread our knowledge more
the relationship between the warring parts of effectively, we created collegia with which we
the Restless soul. The Fishers’ doctrine of re- could teach wraiths our skills and oversee their
demption through sacrifice, while not a new one, use. Such societies quickly became self-per-
gave strength to our endeavors. Many Fishers petuating, and allegiance to these groups

92 Guildbook: Puppeteers
quickly became more important, for some, than
allegiance to anything else.

The Age of
Guilds
We existed as a teaching order, long be-
fore the advent of Guilds in the Middle Ages.
Always dedicated to disseminating knowledge
about our Arcanos and the responsibilities such
knowledge entails, we simply formalized that
teaching when the Guilds began coalescing.
To be honest, our internal structure remained
much the same, though we accepted the politi-
cal power Guild status gave us. As Purifiers,
we had practiced Castigation like a religious
calling. Once we became a professional orga-
nization, set apart from other Restless by our
special knowledge, we took a new name to
acknowledge that change.

Our Name
In the Skinlands, the Middle Ages herald-
ed great changes, which were mirrored in the
Underworld. Towns grew; craftsmen’s guilds
flourished. The church from which the Fishers
sprang gained such prominence that their
priests were constantly busy. Few had time to
hear confession from the laity, nor could the
people of the time make weekly trips into town
to visit the nearest church or cathedral. Many
villages had no church and were too far away
from the nearest one to receive any ongoing
spiritual guidance.
Fearful that they would lose believers, the
church created a group of travelers who jour-
neyed from town to town to hear confessions
and grant absolution. These wandering minis-
ters were known as pardoners.
When the practice first began, the people
hailed these pardoners as saviors. As some
among these spiritual journeyers reached the
Underworld, we accepted them into our ranks.
We recognized the similarity between their
work and ours. By adopting the name “Par-
doners,” in honor of their labors in the flesh
and our ongoing quest after death, we showed
that we still considered ourselves a spiritual
brotherhood rather than a Guild.

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 93

 It was only later that the word “pardoner”
became synonymous with greed and corruption.
This change occurred because of nobles who
The War of the
originally showed contrition for sins by doing
good works (paying to build new churches, fund- Guilds
ing God’s work, etc.). Soon, wealthy merchants The Artificers were the first to restructure
and craft guilds found it easier to pay for themselves as an actual Guild, whereafter
indulgences sold to them by venal pardoners, they claimed leadership and special rights
rather than to make honest confession and for themselves. Many other Guilds became
expiate their sins through true contrition, hard incensed at the arrogance of the soulforgers,
labor, flagellation or good works. but we Pardoners understood their commitment
We despised the later earthly practi- to holding Oblivion at bay and creating lasting
tioners of this once-noble calling. Many of us goods for all of us. We felt that their leadership
read the estimable Geoffrey Chaucer’s Can- would simply mean that we could rely on them
terbury Tales and noted that the “Pardoner’s to argue as fiercely for all our rights as they
Tale” is hardly flattering. By then, of course, did for their own.
it was too late for us. We had already taken Though we could claim a past even longer
that name, and the rest of the Underworld than that of the Artificers, we had no desire
knew us as Pardoners. In these latter days, to play power games with them. We were
when we are beset by corrupted Pardoners more interested in working alongside many
and even Spectres hiding within our ranks, I of the other Guilds and improving our ability
wonder if the name was not prophetic. Were to serve petitioners who came to us for help.
some of us doomed from the outset to fall Despite our reticence, we were drawn into the
to darkness? inevitable squabbling through our ties with the
Monitors. They offered to protect our Fetters
from being destroyed, and to warn us if any of

94 Guildbook: Puppeteers
the other Guilds meant to harm us. It seemed to a close. The other Guilds acknowledged
the other Guilds were bent on striking at the that we could not get along without the goods
Artificers (and anyone who sided with them), made by the Artificers. The soulsmiths got what
but under the cover of united opposition to the they had sought all along: leadership of the
soulforgers, old rivalries flared. Various Ar- Guilds and the privileges that entailed. The 13
canoi manifested in their most harmful forms, Greater Guilds signed the Compact that ended
as more zealous Guilds sought to coerce less all conflict and created a Council to hear any
enthusiastic ones to adopt a stance against subsequent disputes.
the Artificers, or as ancient enmities found new Initially, many of the other Guilds resented
expression. Ostensibly, we “joined” our fellow our high-handed treatment of the crisis. Many
Guilds in opposing the soulforgers, but our real probably still hate us for our role in elevating
cause lay in bringing an end to the conflict. We the Artificers to primacy among the Guilds.
could only do so by working within the ranks of Others, who had before seen us merely as use-
the malcontents. ful tools, now got a glimpse of our true power.
One of my chief duties at this time was to After all, no one can long exist without the
dissuade Charon from stepping in and putting services of a Pardoner.
an end to the quarrel himself. The continual We argued long and hard among ourselves
fighting stalled production of goods, disturbed before undertaking this course of action, for it
ongoing work when key Guildwraiths were ran contrary to our avowed oath. In the end, it
quietly ambushed and dragged off, and even was the only way open to us. The only saving
interrupted our ability to perform Castigations grace was that we used our ultimate threat to
without the constant threat of sabotage from end a stupid and costly war. May we never
one side or the other. Further, many talented find it necessary to do so again.
wraiths disappeared into the soulforges as the One result of the Compact was to ban the
Artificers handled their end of the war with Mnemoi from association with the Greater
typical directness. Guilds. We had long worked with the Mnemoi
We attempted to act as peacemakers. and admired their expertise, through the Ar-
Several times during the two-and-a-half cen- canos of Mnemosynis, at calling forth painful
turies of war, we tried to call together all the memories in order to heal them. Little did
Guildmasters to discuss the situation, but trust we realize that they had become corrupted,
was in short supply. One Guildmaster would changing and stealing memories at the behest
come, but four others would refuse, claiming of whoever paid them best. When the Guilds
they scented an Artificer trap. Attacks and signed our Compact, we did not include the
threats continued to escalate; many prominent Mnemoi, who had become the most hated (and
Guildwraiths vanished or were destroyed. feared) Guildwraiths in Stygia. We applauded
Noting that our unwilling assistance usually Charon’s decision to disband and exile all mem-
amounted to very little gain for the trouble, most bers of the Guild. One of our continuing duties
of the other Guilds ceased trying to involve is to hunt for the few Mnemoi who remain, to
us, but we could not ignore the clamor around make certain they never again betray the trust
us. Ominously, I was warned that Charon’s placed in them.
patience with the situation had reached its Despite the other Guilds’ reluctance to
limits. With interference from the Deathlords accept Artificer leadership, the signing of the
imminent and the Guilds locked in a stalemate, Compact in 1354 signified a return to peaceful
the Pardoners once again stepped forward with cooperation among the keepers of the Arcanoi.
a peace initiative. For us, this period of relative political stasis
This time, however, we did not come as was all too brief. Although we succeeded in
supplicants, but as commanders. We asked bringing the Guilds together, the centuries of
that the Guildmasters meet together on neutral inter-Guild turmoil prevented us from noticing
ground. We also declared anathema any Guild the growing discontent within the Knighthood
who refused to send a representative. Issuing of the Fishers.
the threat that we Pardoners would cease to
minister to every wraith in any Guild that would
not sign a peace treaty, we brought the war

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 95

Betrayal by Ones and helped them make souls ready to
reach the Far Shores, and we knew that few

the Shining
of these seekers were guilty. I sought to calm
Charon’s anger by pointing out that many of

Ones
the Shining Ones were innocent. His rage was
such that he would not listen, even to me. I was
barred from his presence for weeks.
Then, catastrophe struck. Charon’s Knights
The Fishers became the largest religious
returned from the Far Shores with news that
faction in Stygia. Feeling strong in their num-
these isles were not the places of rest and peace
bers, they made demands upon Charon which
we had thought them to be. Instead, the rulers
he, justifiably, refused. Defiant, Fisher Crusad-
of the various Far Shores were binding souls to
ers attacked Charon’s Onyx Tower, but were
themselves, greedily feasting on the power of
easily defeated by the force of the Legions.
having so many souls at their command. Some
Charon was quick to respond, and crushed
used the souls as slaves or playthings to provide
the Fishers handily. After taking the Fisher
amusement for more powerful, more corrupted
Temple, Charon’s forces found stores of relics
Restless. Others increased their prestige with
and treasures which, by treaty, belonged to
each new soul’s arrival, yet had no system for
the Empire. It seemed clear; the Fishers had
processing the wraiths who came to them. Suf-
broken their word and their treaty. In response
fering souls were kept waiting, hoping in vain to
to this violation of trust, Charon sent his own
be allowed entry to their chosen paradise. Their
Knights to speak with the Shining Ones on the
new masters, however, would neither let them in,
Far Shores, and banished those who remained
nor release them to go elsewhere.
from the Isle of Sorrows.
This news was the most crushing and
We were greatly troubled by his actions. We
soul-deadening revelation our order could imag-
Pardoners associated closely with the Shining
ine. We had given our all to the cleansing of

96 Guildbook: Puppeteers
souls, making them ready for Transcendence.
Suddenly, we learned, to our horror, that the Revolt of the
Guilds
myth of achieving Transcendence through trav-
eling to the Far Shores was exactly that: a
fantasy. Our very reason for being was in jeop-
ardy; many of us stood paralyzed with shock. The omnipresent threat of Charon’s Inqui-
Good Pardoners left the Guild, convinced that sition brought the Guilds into direct conflict
we had betrayed and lied to wraiths who de- with Stygian authority. Already disturbed
pended on us. A few despaired and gave in to by the Dictum Mortuum’s limitations on
Oblivion, further weakening our ranks. traffic with mortals, many Guilds saw their
Just as we felt lost, so did myriad others, power to affect the course of events in the
including Charon. Betrayed by Restless he had Underworld curtailed by the fear of official
trusted, Charon retired to his rooms for several investigation. Guilds whose chief dealings
weeks. Some believed that his grief was such lay with the living world (such as Puppeteers,
that he was lost to Oblivion. What few know is Monitors, Haunters, Proctors and Spooks)
that such a thing almost came to pass. He still faced grave punishments if they were caught
refused to see me, though, even in the depths using their skills. All of them were prepared
of his torment. Perhaps he thought we, too, to overthrow what they saw as Charon’s
had betrayed him; perhaps he merely wished despotic rule.
to be alone to contemplate his response to the Although we were not privy to each Guild’s
Shining Ones’ perfidy. reasons for advocating that we should collec-
Knowing him as well as I did, though, I tively assume control of the Underworld, we
could not leave him to fall into despair. I defied know that many felt real concern for Stygia
his decree, which forbade me to see him, and and her citizens. Some, no doubt, felt only lust
bullied my way past his guards. Once inside for power and others, mere greed; we cast no
his chambers, I convinced him that he was un- aspersions and name no names. Many simply
der the control of his Shadow when he made wished to stop the Inquisitors. We certainly
the proclamation banishing the Shining Ones, could not blame those Guildwraiths numbered
though, even to this day, I do not know whether among the latter, as we, too, suffered the In-
that was true. Somehow, I found the words that quisitors’ harsh treatment in spite of our loyalty.
helped calm the storm within his heart. Thus, despite the Guilds’ diverse reasons for
We spoke at length regarding what to do joining in revolt, we all agreed that such a step
about the Shining Ones, now that his reason was necessary.
had returned. He initially wished to consign I was personally responsible for convincing
them all to the soulforges for their crimes. I our Guildmaster, Brother Reliant, that Char-
believe that he adopted a less punitive stance on was losing control. In spite of my almost
out of respect for my arguments. constant attendance on Charon, his Shadow
And so, Charon emerged from his Tower tormented him continually. With our imperator
and branded the Shining Ones and their follow- slipping ever closer to madness and Oblivion,
ers Heretics, for they had betrayed their duties we thought it best that Stygia be ruled by those
and led souls astray. Following the practices wraiths whose skills kept the city intact. We
of the Fishers’ own church, he instituted an could not trust such a matter to the Deathlords,
Inquisition to find and destroy all Heretics. All for they had become entrenched in their own
who forswore allegiance to their Heretical be- petty struggles. They cared little what hap-
liefs found clemency, as well as a place within pened to Stygia, so long as each kept his or
the Legions. Any who would not were fed to her power.
the soulfires. Ironically, such was the tide of Granted, the Guilds were already angry. I
suspicion and distrust that even we came under acknowledge freely that my words and those
scrutiny, for many saw us as little different of Brother Reliant were like matches set to dry
from the betrayers with whom we had once tinder. It might well have exploded into flame
worked. Only the fact that our ministrations on its own, but I must accept the responsibil-
were so necessary to every wraith (including ity for having sparked the fire by urging the
the Inquisitors) saved us from outright censure. Guilds to an action that cost us all dearly in
its aftermath. In 1598, the Guilds rose in revolt.

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 97

Led by the Artificers, we attempted nothing
less than a complete overthrow of Stygia’s gov-
ernment. Believing that our hard-won Compact
had forged us into a strong and unassailable
union, we underestimated the might of the Le-
gions and our own inadequacy to withstand the
pressures of open war. Almost immediately,
our ranks began to disintegrate, torn apart by
inner strife, as some Guilds began to regret
their decision to participate in the coup.
Though the Usurers had been among the
loudest to cry for rebellion, they abandoned
our cause almost before we had begun. Seeing
their allies leave, the Masquers deserted as
well. Panicking, the Artificers attempted to
bludgeon their way to victory, using raw power
to make up for their lack of tactical expertise.
It was not enough. Divided by internal dissen-
sion and riddled with the loss of many ancient
and powerful Guildwraiths, the revolt crumbled.

The Breaking
As retaliation for our disloyalty, Charon
decreed the dissolution of the Guilds. Any
organization which called itself a Guild would
henceforth be considered outlaws (and its
members fodder for the soulforges). The decree
further stated that Legionnaires would take our
place and perform our jobs. The Guilds were to
vanish from the face of the Underworld.
Naturally, it became clear that the Legions
could not adequately replace us. Work was
left undone or botched, and projects which the
Legionnaires started were soon sabotaged.
Charon stormed and raged, I was told, even as
the works of his empire fell into ruin around him.
For once, I hesitated to approach Charon,
out of fear that his wrath might lead him to
forget our long friendship (or worse, to see my
years with him as an attempt to influence him
unduly). I struggled with my conscience, for I
knew that Charon needed a Pardoner after the
events of the coup, but I was afraid he might
consign me to the soulforges. In my mind, I
was clearly guilty and deserved whatever pun-
ishment he decreed. Equally strong, my pride
made me determined not to abase myself before
Charon. To my shame, it took a visit from other
Guild members to convince me to go to Charon,
to beg him for clemency and reinstatement of
the many Guildwraiths forbidden to practice
their Arcanoi.

98 Guildbook: Puppeteers
 Marshaling my courage and my arguments, (a view not shared by most other Restless,
I went to him, reasoning that Charon couldn’t including my dear friend Ember), though, per-
consign all of us to the forges, lest he risk a haps, we would still need their help in forging
general uprising or strengthen Oblivion. My weak souls to stand against Oblivion. It is
chief fears were that I would arrive at Char- a certainty, however, that Stygia could not
on’s quarters either to be turned away or to stand for long without our abilities. Take away
be met by Charon’s Shadow. To prevent the the material goods, Artifacts and all, strip
former, I brazenly approached Charon’s guards away all else from the majesty of the Isle of
and demanded entry as Charon’s confessor, Sorrows, and you are left with a Psyche and
implying that he had sent for me. My second her Shadow. Everything else is commentary;
fear evaporated when he bade me enter his go and study it.
chambers. Had we been more willing to use that lever-
He was not so much angry as hurt, and he age in the coup, of course, things would have
let me know that he had needed my services been different.
during the time I had avoided him. Now, I asked We could not do so, however. Although the
for him to forgive the transgressors, but first Guilds had many members, when we used the
I performed the rites of purification for him. threat of refusing to Castigate them, we were
It seemed as though we had never been at talking about letting a number of individual
odds. I resumed my regular visits with him and wraiths fall to their Shadows — and even then,
attempted each time to reinforce my pleas that we used our power to force a peace among us,
he soften his position on the Guilds. Though he rather than to wage war. Had we contemplat-
refused to permit the Guilds to return as such ed the same tactic in our attempted coup, we
(as he was fearful of another coup attempt), would have been pronouncing an interdict, an
he allowed former Guild members to practice excommunication on all the Underworld. The
their callings as individuals under the aegis of idea of the battle for supreme power in Sty-
the Legions. gia being fought by Legions of Shadow-eaten
Restless was too horrible to contemplate. It
Survival of the betrayed everything we have always stood
for; do you blame us for not pushing Stygia to

Pardoners this pass? Some of the other Guilds blamed us

for our reticence in this matter and hinted that
our reluctance to hold the ultimate threat over
Despite the Breaking of the Guilds, we
have continued to perform our vital services; we the heads of our foes led to the coup’s failure.
maintain our connections with one another and They might be right, but if we were to remain
with other custodians of the Arcanoi. Stygian true to ourselves, we had no choice.
law forbids us to refer to ourselves as a Guild, Despite what we suffered in the aftermath
but even the most stringent enforcers of that of this political catastrophe, we were able to
law recognize our usefulness as Castigators. utilize the Breaking of the Guilds to our ad-
We function as Pardoners, with individuals vantage. Disguised as refugees fleeing from
hanging out our lanterns wherever there is Stygia, many of our members succeeded in
need. While we no longer have “Guild houses,” infiltrating Renegade and Heretic groups. In
we do maintain Chapter Houses, where instruc- the past, we had ministered to individuals from
tion takes place, and where we can share our these bands only when they came to us; they
knowledge with one another. would not suffer us to join them. The fall of
Other Guilds lost more than either the Par- the Guilds, however, enabled us to place Par-
doners or the Artificers did, and when we can, doners directly within the ranks of the Under-
we aid them. Still, it is meet that we suffered world’s dissenters. Likewise, we have agents
the least from the Breaking, for our society and Chapter Houses in most Necropoli. Most
cannot survive without us. In my opinion, should Pardoners serve their cohorts within their own
we all give up our concern for material things, Legions, forming bonds of affection and trust
we could even get along without the Artificers with those they help.

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 99

Aftermath the threat it posed, though many were lost to
its hungers. Finally, armed with the strongest
blessings we could give, Charon put aside his
In the following centuries, the Third and mask and sailed alone to meet the monster.
Fourth Maelstroms assaulted the Underworld. Drawing the beast away from Stygia, Charon
Once again, Pardoners fought alongside the called forth a whirlpool and flung himself into it,
Legions. Even between Maelstroms, savagery as he dragged Gorool along with him. Neither
and violence in the Skinlands found mirrors was seen again. Though most of Stygia knows
within the Tempest. Spectres became stronger this story, few know of our Guild’s culpability
and more numerous. in Charon’s disappearance; fewer still know of
Seeing the devastation these Spectres my particular shame.
wrought, Charon created a new group of
Restless dedicated to pursuing and destroying
Spectres in return for bounty. Some Pardon- Charon
ers joined that group, which became known Charon was a man of many talents and
as the Doomslayers. Even today, though we great passions. I knew him as well as (if not
now repudiate their methods, some among the better than) anyone. Because I had existed
Doomslayers claim Pardoner affiliation. We, alongside Charon since the earliest days, he
for our part, tend to these souls as best we entrusted the well-being of his soul to me. Most
can, for surely the peril they face at the hands Restless know of Charon only as our greatest
of their Shadows is terrible. leader and the founder of Stygia. Few under-
The Second World War saw massive casu- stand that he could feel betrayed and hurt by
alties among the soldiers and millions of mur- those he trusted when they failed him. Few
dered victims — among them, Europe’s Jews, understand that he was a man.
Gypsies and homosexuals. The Shadowlands Often, he would brood as he considered
filled to bursting with these shattered souls. the problems facing Stygia, as he made plans
Again, we strove mightily to save as many as to ensure its survival. He agonized over how
we could. We did not do enough. For what it best to fulfill the Lady of Fate’s original com-
is worth, though, our emissaries have spread mands — especially once the Far Shores stood
knowledge of our arts inside the wire, though unveiled as a fool’s dream. Charon often cried
we ourselves cannot journey there. for the wraiths he was supposed to lead; he
As battle raged in the Pacific, Stygia and could also let loose a berserk rage when he
the Jade Empire locked together in a war for felt he had been let down. Several times, he
the Stygian souls who died thousands of miles retreated from the Underworld to the maze of
from home. Pardoners traveled with our troops, passageways inside the Onyx Tower, while he
seeing to their spiritual needs and shielding nursed his hurt and anger.
them from Spectres who sought to capitalize Throughout it all, I remained by his side,
on the conflict. I like to believe that, through offering counsel and using our art to erase
our efforts, many souls were saved who might the stains upon his soul. I failed him only once,
otherwise have been lost to Oblivion or its during the Revolt of the Guilds. Seeing his de-
servants. scent into madness and instability in his later
Then the bombing of Hiroshima and Na- years, I feared for Stygia and her Restless
gasaki roared through the Underworld, and Dead. In the end, my abilities proved unequal
all such petty concerns were swept aside. It is to the task of saving Charon. I had hoped our
strange, to me, to call the salvation of souls final cleansing would be enough to restore our
“petty,” but compared to the fury those blasts great leader to what — and who — he once
unleashed, the fate of a single soul was as was. It was not to be. If there is blame to assign
a drop of rain in the ocean. The Fifth Great for Charon’s loss, that blame is mine.
Maelstrom raged, and with it, from the depths Soon after Charon’s descent, the Guild
of the Labyrinth, there rose a great Malfean called upon me to become Guildmaster. I know
known as Gorool. None could stand against many felt that I needed the challenge to keep

100 Guildbook: Puppeteers

me occupied. My first reaction was to refuse. of the most souls, while they forget why those
I needed no such coddling to save me from souls are needed. Stygia’s pride of place, it
Oblivion’s lure. Then, I reconsidered. It seemed seems, has been usurped by the Necropoli,
only just that I should have to deal with the where Anacreons plot their own ascendancy,
many problems of our Guild as it faced a future to the detriment of the Underworld. We, who
without Charon’s tacit protection. I took the title, know these petty tyrants’ souls and innermost
though I felt keenly the irony of having wraiths secrets, see that they are unfit to rule. But who,
whom I had failed petition me to lead them. then, shall lead? We have seen the downfall
My hope in doing so was to undo some of the of the Guilds before, when we rose in revolt.
mistakes I had made and to keep other Par- The Council of Guilds remains divided, and we
doners, some as arrogant as I once had been, Pardoners cannot ever trust the Usurers or
from repeating my errors. You must judge for their allies again.
yourselves whether I have succeeded in those Yet now, paradoxically, the Pardoners might
aims during my tenure. be stronger than many believe, for we harbor a
great machine in the heart of our Guildhouse. Its

Present Day use may allow us to assume the leadership of the

Underworld — if we use it at the right time and

Pardoners can control the forces it shall inevitably unleash.

And we hear that Charon is returning. I pray that
he remembers us only with fondness. Should he
Since Charon’s disappearance, the Death- remember else, I hope that he will grant us what
lords have ruled in Stygia. Pointlessly, they we have given unto countless others throughout
quarrel among themselves and fight for control the centuries — pardon.

Chapter Two: The Pardoner’s Tale 101

 Chapter Three:
True Confessions
While we stand within the lantern’s glow,
Around us, others gather — illumined by
Our light of clarity and contrition.
Outside the lantern’s radius,
The living and near-living hover.
Beyond it all, the darkness rules…
— Brother Tenacious, “Circles”

Now that you have heard our beginnings and have walked terrifying, our internal affairs revolve around less esoteric as-
with us through the years to the present time, you are ready for pects of existence. Policing ourselves, regulating the instruction
the next step in your education as a Pardoner. The following of Apprentices and keeping track of Guild matters — these
brochures describe our structure as a Guild, the various groups things occupy a great deal of time.
our membership comprises, and our relations with the Under-
world’s assorted factions and the creatures beyond the Shroud.
The Structure of the Guild
First Brochure:
In the days before the Guilds, our skill in Castigation and
successes in overcoming Shadows and Oblivion determined
our place within the order. There was no need for rank in
those times, for we each knew the level of our skills and called

Within the Lantern’s Glow

upon others as needed. Decisions that concerned all of us were
settled by reaching a mutually agreeable accord.
Although we had always known we were not equal to one
another in our gifts for Castigation and our accomplishments,
Viewed from the inside, the Pardoners Guild loses some of we were a true society. We all had a say in governing ourselves.
its mystique. While our public image may be an intimidating If more weight were given to a particular Purifier’s words than
one, and our methods of Castigation might seem arcane or

Chapter Three: True Confessions 103

to another’s, it was out of respect for that person’s wisdom and
experience, not merely because she had achieved a certain
level of mastery in Castigation.
With the coming of the Guilds, we lost our easy camara-
derie to artificial stratification. Some members, by virtue of
having learned the deeper secrets of Castigation, became the
de facto rulers of the Guild. Other equally worthy (though
less schooled) Pardoners had little voice, regardless of their
personal wisdom or insight into a particular situation.
In becoming a Guild, we adopted the practice of ranking
members according to their relative skills. We assigned Ap-
prentice, Journeyman, Master or Grand Master status to our
members, although we also kept the old titles of Postulants,
Pledges, Pardoners and Master Pardoners for internal use. At
the top of our Guild, the Supreme Master (or Most Reverend
Pardoner) acts as a spokesperson to the Hierarchy and the
other Guilds. Decades past, he also served as a spokesman to
Charon himself, but that role is sadly unnecessary these days.
The breakup of the Guilds has done little to change our
basic structure. We maintain well-protected and inconspicu-
ous Guildhouses, now called Chapter Houses, in Stygia and
throughout the Shadowlands. Most Necropoli host at least one
Chapter House; larger cities may have several smaller houses
to serve outlying areas.
Most often, the Chapter Houses resemble churches, tem-
ples, convents or monasteries. Regardless of its architectural
niceties, however, each Chapter House prominently displays
the Pardoners’ iron lantern, so that all who need our services
can find us.
Our Chapter Houses serve primarily as centers for fel-
lowship and instruction. Postulants spend their initial training
period in residence, while ranking Pardoners use local Chapter
Houses as their headquarters. While many Pardoners prefer
to conduct their business in their own Haunts, the Chapter
Houses offer private rooms for use during Castigations. They
also provide venues for retreats and haunts-away-from-home
for visiting Pardoners.

Training
Before we reinvented ourselves as a Guild, we trained
many wraiths who stood outside our association. As Purifiers,
all that we had insisted on from these students was that anyone
learning Castigation under our tutelage must also take — and
abide by — our oath. Now we limit our teachings to wraiths
who actually begin an Apprenticeship.

Apprentices/Postulants
Apprentices, or Postulants, come to us through atten-
dance of our retreats or else through referral by a Guild
member (usually the aspirant’s regular Pardoner). These po-
tential Guild members undergo an intensive period of training

104 Guildbook: Puppeteers

 Master), she must perform a rite of purification upon the one
who has overseen her Journeyman training. After successful-

Illumination ly demonstrating her grasp of both the style and substance

of Castigation, the Journeyman receives admission into the
company of Masters and can now call herself a true Pardoner.
When the great city of Stygia arose, Charon
took the lantern he had used in his descent into
the Labyrinth and placed it in a lighthouse to Masters/Pardoners
serve as a beacon shining over the whole city. We At this rank, Pardoners turn their attention toward more
appreciated its symbolic importance and its un- sophisticated and specific studies and learn lesser-known uses
spoken echo of the tale of Diogenes, who carried of Castigation. Using what they have learned as Journeymen
a lit lantern through the brightest part of the day about the Shadow and its ruses, they begin the dangerous task
as he searched for one honest man. Accordingly, of applying their knowledge to the study of Spectres. Most
we petitioned the great lord, so that the lantern Chapter Houses (and some individual Pardoners) possess a
would become the symbol of our order. Just as it copy of Sister Fidelity’s seminal work, De Natura Spectro-
shed light against the darkness and kept it at bay, rum, an exhaustive compilation of Spectre lore. Along with
so we pledged to drive out the darkness within and other works describing encounters with Oblivion’s minions,
replace it with an inner light that would serve each this book forms the core of the Master-level Pardoner’s
wraith as a beacon, illuminating her way to the Far reading list.
Shores. Charon agreed. The iron lantern has been
Masters also apply themselves to a rigorous schedule of
our symbol ever since.
regular Castigations, acknowledging that their close attention
to the source of darkness places them in constant peril from
their own Shadows. Most Masters work in tandem, with each
member of a Master Pair acting as confessor to the other and
during which they study our history and become familiar monitoring her partner for signs of the Shadow’s encroach-
with the various styles of Castigation, as well as the basic ment. This custom, initiated in the 16th century by Brother
abilities associated with our particular Arcanos. Although Loyalty, has proven successful in minimizing the risk involved
they do not yet practice the rites of purification, Apprentices in knowing the enemy too well.
accompany Journeymen on their rounds to learn by obser- Within the Guild, Masters act as teachers and mentors
vation. The final phase of a Postulant’s training involves a for Journeymen and Apprentices. Also, the security and safety
rigorous Castigation by her primary trainer, the Journeyman of the Chapter Houses lies in their capable hands. As if these
who has supervised most of her studies. During this harsh duties did not occupy enough time, Masters also practice their
and sometimes debilitating experience, the Postulant gains trade in the field. Many important wraiths in both Stygia and
valuable insights that inform her later progress through the the Shadowlands insist on receiving Castigation from Par-
Pardoners’ ranks. Once this step has been taken, a Postulant doners of Master level or higher, as they fear to entrust their
takes the Pardoner’s Oath and joins our ranks as a working cleansing to mere Journeymen.
member of the Guild.

Journeymen/Pledges Grand Masters/Master Pardoners

Few Pardoners progress beyond the rank of Master. Some,
The Journeymen, or Pledges, form the core membership however, demonstrate such skill in their work or such a keen
of our Guild. Bound by their sacred oath, they embark on the understanding of Castigation and its applications that they
study of Castigation and practice their skills as Pardoners. merit the status of Grand Master (or Master Pardoner). We
Some of our most talented Journeymen serve as teachers, look to these superior Pardoners for leadership within the
which enables them to build close relationships with the Guild, new advances in Castigation techniques and guidance
Guild’s newest members. Journeymen make regular rounds, in our dealings with other groups in the Underworld.
and report the results of their efforts at Castigation to their The few Grand Masters make up the Curia, which over-
Masters or mentors. During this time of intensive fieldwork, sees Guild policy and supervises the distribution of members
most Journeymen develop their own unique styles of Castiga- throughout the Underworld. Answerable only to the Supreme
tion and enjoy the fraternity of others who share their methods. Master, members of this elite corps of experienced Pardoners
When a Journeyman has accumulated enough experi- also serve as confessors and confidantes to the Deathlords,
ence, she receives a summons from her mentor. In order to Grand Masters of other Guilds, Anacreons of the Shadowlands’
demonstrate her worthiness to attain the rank of Pardoner (or Necropoli and other powerful Restless. They are the Pardoners

Chapter Three: True Confessions 105

 who hold in confidence some of the most sensitive secrets of
the Underworld.

The Supreme Master

The head of the Pardoners Guild is known within the
ranks as the Supreme Master. Responsible for overseeing the
Guild as a whole, she approves postings, acts as mistress of
ceremonies when initiating Journeymen into Master status
and conducts extensive research into new uses of the arts of
Castigation before she approves them for general use. Many
of her duties are political in nature. As Guildmaster of the
Pardoners, much of her time is spent meeting with the heads
of other Guilds and important members of the Hierarchy to
arrange the exchange of knowledge and favors. The current
Guildmaster is Sister Acceptance, once confessor to Charon
himself.

Protecting Secrets
In earlier times, the Mnemoi and the Pardoners worked to-
gether closely. Whenever a Pardoner Castigated an important
wraith, whether Centurion or Deathlord, the Pardoner then
submitted himself to the ministrations of a trusted Mnemos.
The Mnemos would, in turn, use upon the Pardoner a propri-
etary art of Mnemosynis to remove from the Pardoner’s mind
whatever knowledge had been learned during the Castigation.
In effect, this process rendered the Pardoner incapable of
betraying the secrets told to him in confidence, since he no
longer possessed them. Because of the Pardoners’ dedication
and the Mnemoi’s reputation for integrity, no one questioned
the system or worried that his secrets might be made known.
Unfortunately, such naiveté made the inevitable fall all the
more painful.
When it became known that the Mnemoi were selling
secrets, the truth concerning their “removal” of knowledge
from Pardoners also emerged. Rather than simply excising
secrets from important wraiths’ confessors, Mnemoi stole
the information for later sale or use in blackmail schemes.
Indicted along with the Mnemoi traitors, many Pardoners
suffered under the questioning of Inquisitors determined to
root out anyone disloyal to Stygia and all who had betrayed
trusts. Very few Pardoners were judged guilty, yet it was one
of the Guild’s darkest hours.
Since that time, we Pardoners have had to rely on other
means to reassure clients of our good intentions, and to protect
the secrets we learn from being disseminated. Some of the older
Pardoners had learned aspects of Mnemosynis from Mnemoi
with whom they had served, and they utilized the Arcanos on
themselves and their students. Understandably, many wraiths

106 Guildbook: Puppeteers

distrusted this method, having seen it misused already, and the with whom they have built up a relationship. Fewer people
practice gradually petered out. hearing their confessions means fewer chances those secrets
Because the Mnemoi had proved themselves to be un- will be spread around.
trustworthy, many important Restless began exacting terrible If a secret does come out, the Pardoner invariably takes the
oaths from those Pardoners who Castigated them. These blame, and Deathlords have such imaginative ways of punishing
Supplicants promised eternal agony to any who betrayed their traitors. Still, many Pardoners get away more lightly than they
secrets. Although most Pardoners had no intention of betray- otherwise might in such situations, as even the Deathlords fear
ing their clients, many worried that they might unintentionally alienating us unnecessarily. In the end, the simple truth is this:
let something slip (or that their Shadows might delight in Everyone needs a Pardoner, and all simply have to take it on
deliberately giving away what their Psyches learned). faith that we who battle Shadows won’t give those dark alter
Obviously, another method of protecting our clients and egos any more ammunition than we must.
ourselves was needed. As always, the burden of this crisis fell to
Father Compassionate. He, in conjunction with several other
elder Pardoners, developed a new Castigation Art — Shadow
Screen, a way of fencing off things the Pardoner doesn’t want
Status Within the Guild
Despite the official stratification of the Guild and bestowal
her Shadow to know. Incidentally, this art also screens the of various ranks according to expertise, we also acknowledge
information from the conscious mind of the Psyche as well. It what each Pardoner does with her skill. Within the Guild, a
isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly better than nothing — or the lower-ranked Pardoner who has “confessed” important people
Mnemoi. and gained knowledge of a number of secrets is often shown
It goes without saying that Pardoners generally take their more respect than a ranking member who does little other
oath seriously; it is considered a betrayal worthy of serious than dabble among the rabble. We Pardoners look inside other
censure from the Guild for a Pardoner to intentionally reveal people’s souls and discover their fears, their weaknesses and
anything told to her in confidence by a client. We ostracize sometimes their crimes. Although we are bound by our oath
and refuse to teach any wraith, regardless of his rank with- not to betray secrets to others, the mere fact that we possess
in the Guild, who does break the seal of the confessional. such secrets gives us the potential for control, and that is what
This measure serves to keep most Pardoners honest and to gives us status — knowing secrets that we are disciplined
reassure all who turn to the Guild that their secrets will be enough not to reveal. It is considered a mark of honor. We also
kept safe. Finally, some of the more important officials of award status to Pardoners who invent new twists on our Ar-
Stygia simply refuse to see anyone but the regular Pardoner canos or who utilize existing arts in particularly creative ways.

Chapter Three: True Confessions 107

 The Pardoners’ Oath Practices in the Guild
The following constitutes the oath as written by
Hippocrates, known to his fellow Pardoners as Father Why We Accept Fees For Our Work
Compassionate. Sworn by all members of the Pardon- Although we spoke long concerning this practice and
ers Guild, the oath is also required of anyone who is the fear that we might be tempted to corruption through it,
taught any of the arts of Castigation. Although altered in the end, we decided it was better to set Guild-regulated
slightly over time to reflect changes in the Under- rates for our services. Doing so kept individuals from abusing
world (such as the substitution of God or the Saints their necessary office by gouging petitioners, and also served
for Apollo, when it was sworn by adherents of the as a deterrent to any who would abuse the good nature of our
Fishers heresy), this version of the oath covers all the brethren.
major provisions of the original. Fees are not always in oboli. Sometimes Pardoners accept
The Oath information or an exchange of knowledge (a Castigation in
I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepios and all the return for teaching the Castigator a needed Arcanos such as
gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that Argos, for example). Although the other Guilds look askance
I will fulfill according to my best ability and judgment at giving away Guild Arcanoi, there is generally little resistance
this oath and this covenant: to teaching Pardoners basic skills they might need.
I shall look upon those who have taught me this art
as equal to my parents, and share all I have with them
if they are in need. I shall regard their brethren as my
Why We Exact Payment for Training
brethren and teach them this art if they desire to learn Along with charging fees for our work, we also choose
it. I agree that I shall teach no one who has not taken to collect payment for training and upkeep from wraiths
this oath and signed our covenant, and that our art who join the Guild. This practice stems from the feeling that
shall not be used for personal aggrandizement, profit wraiths unwilling to pay lack the necessary commitment to
or other dishonorable purpose. their calling.
I will use my knowledge for the benefit of Suppli- If talented wraiths cannot afford to pay immediately,
cants, according to my ability and judgment; I will our policy allows us to accept them with the understanding
keep them from all harm except that necessary to that all initial fees they collect revert to the Guild until their
cleanse the darkness within them. I agree to take all debt is paid. In some cases, we allow members of Master rank
precautions that my treatment be successful and offer within the Guild to sponsor individuals, in essence agreeing
no lasting harm; I shall not pursue the Shadow to to teach them without payment. Once such postulants reach
such lengths that the destruction of the Psyche might Journeyman status, they are expected to teach newer members.
result. In effect, they receive their education for free, in return for
Whatever place I may visit to offer my Castiga- tutoring others.
tion, there I will go for the benefit of the sufferer,

Pardoner Groups/Factions
remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all
mischief, or other intentional damage or harm to
those there, be they thrall, Legionnaire, Freewraith
or Lord.
What I may hear or see in the course of my ministra- ardoners tend to group themselves by
tions in regard to private matters, personal weak- styles of Castigation. Each method of
nesses or hidden matters which should not be spread subduing the Shadow and ridding a wraith
abroad, I shall keep to myself and hold such things of the inner darkness evolves from a par-
shameful to be spoken about. If I fulfill this oath and ticular philosophy of enacting the rites of
do not violate it, may it be granted me to enjoy fame Purification. While most of these groups
and honor among all Restless for all time to come; cooperate with one another, and member-
if I transgress it and swear falsely, may my fellow ship in one group does not necessarily preclude a Pardoner’s
Pardoners repudiate me and bring me to justice in joining a second or even a third group, occasionally arguments
whatever fashion they deem consistent with my between factions do erupt. These disputes rarely signify true
crimes. To these restrictions and to this covenant I divisiveness. Instead, they serve as forums for debate about
do swear. the best approach to the act of Castigation.

108 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Confessors
The largest faction of Pardoners, the Confessors, draws
upon the ancient method of discourse and dialogue to cajole,
convince or coerce the Shadow into a state of remorse. While
The Inquisition and the Unlidded Eye
some refer to this method as Socratic, others see a greater res- The Inquisitors became the premiere faction
onance with the Catholic Church’s sacrament of confession, of Pardoners during the medieval period, when
in which the supplicant recites a litany of his sins, discusses
them with his confessor and receives a penance in return for numerous practitioners of our Arcanos spread
forgiveness. Despite its emphasis on verbal exchange, this throughout Europe in an attempt to root out
method of Castigation can be just as harsh and painful as ones
practiced by more physical Castigators. Most Confessors come heresy.
from the ranks of the clergy, although guidance and marriage In the Skinlands, the Church’s Inquisitors
counselors, advice columnists and bartenders also find this
style compatible with their concept of Castigation. were concerned primarily with the soul, rather
than the physical body. They performed the most
Inquisitors gruesome and hideous tortures, in the certainty
The harshest style of Castigation involves practices best that such methods surely drove the devil out
described as torture. Although this group of Pardoners takes of their victims. These measures presumably
its name from the medieval institution to which the bulk of
its members belonged in life, many Inquisitors hail from both brought the soul into a state of grace once again.
earlier and later eras. Modern Inquisitors include police inves- It mattered little that many who came under their
tigators, detectives, surgeons, drill instructors and government
ministrations died (or were burned at the stake).
intelligence specialists.
Bodies and Earthly existence were transitory; the
Psychists soul endured forever.
While the idea of purification through self-knowledge When these inquisitors reached the Un-
has existed for millennia, the advent of modern psychology derworld, they found that their jobs were not
and the analytic method of achieving personal clarity swelled
the ranks of this group of Pardoners. More formal in approach over. Once again, they took up the whip and the
than a Confessor, a Psychist attempts to understand and assist thumbscrew and rejoiced that, even after death,
their petitioners’ Shadows to work through the motivations
their vigilance against evil could continue. Though
for their wrongdoing. In addition to old-style philosophers,
these Pardoners include Freudian psychoanalysts, New Age many have since mellowed, others remain as ada-
counselors, complexity theorists, research scientists and mo- mantly determined as ever. Among these staunch
tivational seminar leaders.
advocates of purity, there is a great deal of crossover

Scourges with the Order of the Unlidded Eye. Most Pardon-

The earliest forms of purification or chastisement usually ers were shocked by the revelation of the Shining
involved some kind of physical punishment or suffering. In- Ones’ betrayals, of their failure to help the Restless
deed, public flogging still exists in some parts of the Skinlands.
entrusted to their care find Transcendence. The
It is not surprising, therefore, that some Pardoners follow
the practice of literally beating the Shadow into submission. Inquisitors merely nodded, as if they had always
These Pardoners usually carry specially made whips, flails, or known there was corruption within the ranks; and,
other, similar punitive devices to announce their proclivity for
this form of Castigation. In life, many of the oldest Scourges just as they had scoured the living once before, the
belonged to medieval religious communities that practiced Inquisitors volunteered to cleanse this new group
self-flagellation or other forms of physical penance. Some
of Heretics, too.
Scourges prefer direct physical contact with the Shadow,
and they literally pummel it into repentance as they rip away
the stains of darkness. Modern proponents of this form of

Chapter Three: True Confessions 109

 purification come from a varied mix that includes military
personnel, heavy metal aficionados, boxers, wrestlers, martial
arts instructors and boarding school disciplinarians.

Special Interest Societies

In addition to these factions, a few other groups unite
around special interests or functions. Members of these so-
cieties share a common vision of what they hope to achieve
as Pardoners or else provide necessary services to the Guild
as a whole.

Missionaries
Some Pardoners dedicate themselves to ministering to the
Shadows of wraiths who stand outside the Hierarchy. Traveling
in pairs or small groups, these Missionaries seek Renegade
and Heretic strongholds, outlaw camps and remote pockets
of wraith society. In those places, they offer their services (fre-
quently without compensation) to Restless in desperate need
of Castigation. Although they usually remain away from their
Chapter Houses for long periods of time, Missionaries return
to us whenever they can to share what they have learned and,
occasionally, to bring back recruits.
Of late, a few Missionaries talk of going to the Far Shores
to cleanse the leaders of these false paradises. They believe
that if they can succeed in their mission, the ancient myth of
the Far Shores could yet become a reality.

Darksiders
Made up exclusively of Masters, this highly specialized
society focuses on applying our knowledge of Spectres
(including our speculative theories on their redemption)
“in the field.” Darksiders walk a dangerous path along the
fringes of the Tempest, where they seek confrontations with
Spectres. During some periods of our history, membership in
the Darksiders was forbidden, due to the belief that courting
Spectres inevitably ended in wedding Oblivion. Not surpris-
ingly, the Darksiders survived these difficult periods, and
since the Fifth Maelstrom, the spread of Oblivion has made
their existence a necessity.
Darksiders use their name to remind themselves of
the potentially damning consequences of their activities.
These Pardoners most often attach themselves to groups of
Doomslayers. They minister to the needs of these frontline
warriors and simultaneously seek to further their knowledge
of Oblivion’s armies.
Voluntary submission to the most rigorous forms of
Castigation helps protect Darksiders from succumbing to the
advances of Spectres, but an aura of mistrust surrounds them,
despite their precautions. Many among us fear that constant
contact with the minions of Oblivion can result only in their

110 Guildbook: Puppeteers

eventual absorption into the ranks of Spectres. The persistence little reason to cleanse a wraith’s soul, except to keep her from
of rumors that the Darksiders harbor Doppelgangers in their Oblivion. Many of these practitioners now strive to eradicate
midst has launched more than one official investigation of wraiths’ Shadows, rather than simply to cleanse them over
the society. and over, in hopes that these return customers will someday
Transcend.
The Beacon
Perhaps more than any other Guild, we need to keep our-
The Reclamationists
selves honest. We do so through the auspices of the Beacon, From contact with their counterparts in the East, a tiny
a group of carefully selected Pardoners dedicated to watching number of Pardoners have conceived the idea that the Shad-
other Pardoners and making certain that their colleagues don’t ow is an integral part of the wraith, indivisible from him and
misuse the information they obtain under the seal of Castiga- unable ever to be truly cleansed or purged. They believe that
tion. Referred to by many within the Guild as the Pardoners’ the Shadow must become fully integrated with the Psyche,
Pardoners, members of the Beacon occupy a unique position. each acknowledging the need for the other and working in
While they enjoy tremendous respect from their fellow Guild partnership. As there is light, so must there be darkness to
members, their presence usually evokes feelings of fear and balance it. The Reclamationists see their job as leading the
wariness. Shadow back into cooperation with the Psyche; their goal is
Most Pardoners regularly offer Castigation to Guild mem- to make every wraith a bulwark against Oblivion by giving the
bers. The Beacon steps in whenever charges of corruption arise Shadow equal importance, thereby cutting off the Spectres’
or when a member exhibits behavior that indicates unwonted main argument in recruiting Shadows to serve the great Void.
growth of her Shadow. Members of this society practice a As things currently stand, the Reclamationists have not yet
form of Team Castigation that nearly always ferrets out even broken with the Ablutionists. For now, the two groups form
the most deeply hidden secrets, and unearths the truth in the vanguard of the Darksider movement, through which they
any given situation. While they do not completely eradicate test their various theories.
corruption, members of the Beacon do succeed in keeping it to
a minimum. They also serve as a visible sign to other wraiths
of our good intentions.
The Cult of Inner Flame and Darkness
Some of our number have become outright Heretics.
Disillusioned with the Far Shores and angered by Stygia’s

Philosophical Divisions
he importance of our goals overrides
decline and the continual influx of tortured wraiths, they
have become believers in the cleansing power of Oblivion
itself. They propose that a Pardoner use Castigate only to
guide other wraiths into an acceptance of Oblivion as the
means of Transcendence. Adherents of this heresy maintain
most political and philosophical divisions,
that it is only the struggle against Oblivion that brings forth
allowing us to interact with one another
the Shadow and Spectres.
freely and without the internal rancor
Thus, by their reckoning, if a wraith simply accepts
that threatens the integrity of many other
the erasure of the self, of her particular consciousness, she
Guilds. There do exist some major philo-
will Transcend her own unruly will. Letting go and facing
sophical differences, however, which could
obliteration will then allow the wraith to leave behind her
cause serious internal dissension if left unresolved.
Restless existence and move onward — either to a higher
The main philosophical conflict concerns the disposition
plane or to reincarnation. Needless to say, nobody likes the
of the Shadow. Most Pardoners want to cleanse the shadow
members of this cult. They are banned within the Pardoner’s
entirely. Others want to bring it into balance with the Psyche.
Guild itself, and anyone known to be a member is captured
For them, the obliteration of the Shadow is not the goal.
by her fellow Pardoners and sent to the main Guildhouse,
Another viewpoint has recently gained adherents, that of
for as strenuous and prolonged a re-education as is needed.
Transcendence through Oblivion.
Should the Cultist not respond to these rehabilitation efforts,
she is reluctantly (and sorrowfully) given to the Artificers,
The Ablutionists so that their soulforges may purify her and burnish her soul
to eternal brilliance.
In general, most Western Pardoners adhere to the ideal
of cleansing. Some in this camp, however, are beginning to
wonder what the point is. If there are no Far Shores, there is

Chapter Three: True Confessions 111

 The Fallen
The Guild officially refuses to discuss the Fallen, and Pardoners turn away when the name is mentioned.
Indeed, the Guild resists even acknowledging that the Fallen were once Pardoners. These beings are grouped
together only for convenience when whispering of them, for they have failed in their missions and gone over to
the other side. As has been noted elsewhere, some Shadows become so acclimated to Castigation that greater
and more prolonged effort must be exerted to affect them at all. The Fallen are those Pardoners whose Shadows
eventually triumphed by leading their Psyches further along Oblivion’s path until, eventually, they succumbed
to the lure of the darkness and became Spectres.
The Fallen are exceptionally dangerous. These dark entities are well aware of every trick in the Pardoner’s
book, having used those same stratagems themselves for untold years. Furthermore, they often know Guild
secrets, which the Fallen can turn to their advantage. Many of them have begun working on ways to get around
Castigation’s power to cleanse Spectres from an area or to do battle with the Shadow-eaten. Finally, although
the Guild shudders even to think it might be true, rumor has it that some of the Fallen currently reside within
Chapter Houses, where they pretend they are still normal Pardoners and lead all whom they “Castigate” to
Oblivion. This rumor is, not surprisingly, strenuously denied by the Guild leadership.

Second Brochure: as a “society,” although it is quick to deny that we exist as a

Guild. That suits us as well, as we became a Guild in response
to the demands of the era that gave birth to the Guild system.

Illumined by Our Light —

No Pardoner has, to our knowledge, ever been arrest-
ed for practicing her vocation, nor has any of the Legions
ever interfered with a Castigation in progress. To say that
members of Stygia’s ruling Council consult with us would

Pardoners in the Underworld

ardoners, like all wraiths, exist within a
constitute an exaggeration. To deny that we have some in-
fluence in the highest circles of Stygia and the Shadowlands
would be a lie.

larger society. We recognize the importance Renegades

of maintaining amicable ties with as many Because we exist by the largesse of the powers that be,
groups in the Underworld as possible, while we have no official dealings with the groups of disaffected
we cultivate the measured neutrality so and rebellious wraiths known as Renegades. Nevertheless,
vital to our calling. Nevertheless, we do Renegades — perhaps more than most other wraiths —
hold opinions about the wraiths we serve. need our services, since they tend to accumulate anger
We emphasize, again, the uniqueness of our position in wraith and negative emotions more rapidly than do members of
society: Sooner or later, everyone comes to us. We try to ad- the Hierarchy.
minister our skills without prejudice. Even so, the following We refrain from questioning wraiths who come to us about
passages describe the feelings of most Pardoners toward various their political affiliations, so we have no real way of knowing
groups in Stygia and the Shadowlands. whether a wraith we Castigate belongs to a Renegade group.
Our Missionaries do travel to areas where known Renegades

The Big Three gather. Some of our members sojourn for long periods of time
with a particular group and try to keep these angry young
wraiths on the right side of Oblivion.
The Hierarchy
From the Deathlords who rule the Empire of Stygia to
Heretics
the lowliest thrall in the remotest outpost, everyone within We do recall that Pardoners once bore the label of Heretic,
the Hierarchy depends on Pardoners to do battle with his due to the religious overtones that color our duties. Even today,
Shadow. The Hierarchy officially acknowledges our existence some wraiths consider us only an obol’s throw away from the

112 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Restless who believe they have found the Far Shores. Like
Renegades, they are anathema to official wraith society. To
us, however, they constitute only another populace in need
of Castigation.
Missionaries from our Guild attach themselves to known
Heretic groups, become part of their communities and gain
their trust in order to minister to them. We neither condone
nor condemn Heretics for their eccentricities; theirs are souls
like any others’.

The Other Guilds

Even though Guilds officially ceased to exist after the
time of the Breaking, we still keep contact with the various
societies, fellowships, alliances and unions that arose to take
their places. As with other groups, we attempt to foster cordial
relations with all of our former Guild associates. However,
history has a habit of imprinting its memories upon us and we
can neither forget groups that helped us in the past, nor forgive
ones that betrayed us when the Guilds had the potential to
change the Underworld.

Friends
We maintain strong ties with the Monitors, although
the links between our two groups may not be immediately
apparent. They serve as our connection to the Skinlands and
provide us with vital information about the Fetters of our cli-
ents. Just as we vigilantly watch over the wraiths in our care,
the Monitors exercise a similar guardianship over the people
and things that bind wraiths to the world of the living.
Our relations with the Artificers consist of mutual respect,
in recognition of the fact that we are two sides of the same
obol. The Artificers purify and remake Corpus; we purge and
refresh “souls.” Although they classify us among the “younger
Guilds,” we allow them this fiction because we understand
their need to maintain their place as first among the Guilds.
We take pride in our association with these honorable and —
like us — oath-bound wraiths.
We endeavor to maintain good relations with the Harbin-
gers, since we often need speedy travel through the Tempest, in
response to pleas for emergency Castigations. We have recently
begun an experiment in conjunction with the Sandmen, who
have discovered a method of cleansing souls through the use of
dreams. Their Fortifiers study with us to learn how to combine
what they do with compatible applications of Castigation.

Enemies
Although we do attempt to remain above petty bickering
and hatreds, we have trouble dealing with certain Guilds (or
pseudo-Guilds) as groups. The rabble who call themselves
Spooks seem dedicated to spreading Oblivion through random

Chapter Three: True Confessions 113

 acts of violence in the Skinlands and in the Underworld. Their
mentor Guild, the Haunters, is little better. Although we do not
refuse to minister to individuals from these groups, we refuse
to have any official dealings with them. To do so would be to
give tacit sanction to their aims and practices.
Were it not for their shameless betrayal of the Guilds, we
would have no real problem with the Usurers — apart from
the fact that their Arcanos gives them the potential to shift the
balance between light and darkness within others. We know
our self-imposed limits with regard to this ability; we do not
know theirs. What we do know is that any group which has
once betrayed a trust will likely do so again.

The Greatest Foe

Despite our distaste for the Haunters and Spooks, our
Guildmaster sits with their Guild heads in council. We save
our hatred for the Mnemoi. As we were closely affiliated
with the Mnemoi, we saw them betray their oaths and fall
to corruption. Because of their excesses, our own name was
besmirched. Their ability to shape and recast memories
makes them dangerous to every wraith. Can you imagine
the abuses they have committed? Memories of Fetters and
Passions wiped from wraith’s minds. Secrets stolen and sold
to Spectres for mere oboli. Good wraiths condemned to the
forges when their “own” false memories betray them. Such
crimes are insupportable.
Though their Guild was broken by Charon, individual
Mnemoi still exist. We refuse to Castigate them, never allow
one inside our heads, and never, ever trust one. To our way of
thinking, it would be a far, far better thing that they might do
if they all fell into Oblivion’s maw, than if they were to drag
hundreds of others into it with their lies.

The Third Brochure:

Outside the Lantern’s Radius
— Creatures of the Skinlands
Most of us take seriously Charon’s laws regarding con-
gress with the living world and its inhabitants. We have less
temptation to stretch the interpretations of the Dictum
Mortuum than do other Guilds, such as the Puppeteers,
Haunters and Monitors. Nevertheless, we, too, have Fet-
ters and connections to the Skinlands. Like others, we fall
prey to temptation from time to time. This short pamphlet

114 Guildbook: Puppeteers

explains our limited interactions with creatures who dwell
across the Shroud.

The Quick
Aside from keeping track of our loved ones on the other
side of the Shroud, our contact with the Quick is minimal.
Occasionally, some ambitious Psychists attempt to commu-
nicate with a living individual whose knowledge might shed
some light upon the motivations of a particularly troublesome
Shadow, but that is all. While the Guild officially discourages
this practice, we do not go out of our way to prosecute or
punish this degree of commitment to a client.
Occasionally, we receive information from the Monitors
about certain individuals who, to prevent their subsumption
into the ranks of Spectres, will need immediate Castigation
upon their arrival in the Shadowlands. We keep track of these
living, and of potential recruits. Our primary concern, however,
remains with the Restless.

The Risen
Like wraiths, these unfortunate creatures possess Shad-
ows. Therefore, they need our help. Sometimes, only a Master
Pardoner can quell the darkness that drives a wraith to reclaim
her body; to be honest, we rarely are able to prevent Restless
from Rising. Still, whenever we can, we respond to their cries
of anguish and desperation. Since we believe that the Risen
do not truly belong in the Skinlands, we feel that contacting
them there and attempting to assist them in acceptance of
their fate violates none of Charon’s dictates.
Because of these special cases, we had to seek instruction
from certain Puppeteers in order to master the necessary power
to cross the Shroud through Skinriding. Oddly enough, wraiths
affiliated with the Puppeteers Guild often refuse to help us
in this worthy endeavor, and we find ourselves working with
wraiths that the Guild has cast off or abandoned. This unco-
operativeness is odd, considering how desperately most Risen
need our help, but the Puppeteers’ unfortunate, unthinking
dislike for us (for which we can find no basis) colors all of
their dealings.
Fortunately, friendly Monitors, despite their Guild’s asso-
ciation with the recalcitrant Puppeteers, also showed us how
to use their Lifeweb Arcanos in locating the Conduits of these
unfortunate, driven individuals. However, finding a Risen is
only half the battle. The increased power of the Shadows of
the Walking Dead makes ministering to them among the most
dangerous ventures a Pardoner can undertake, second only to
the work of the Darksiders.
Ironically, Pardoners who interact with the Risen find
themselves in the awkward position of having to deal with
more than just a recalcitrant Shadow. In many cases, the
Psyches of these revenants actively attempt to undermine our

Chapter Three: True Confessions 115

Castigations by refusing help to curb their potent urges. Often, they intend no harm, we leave them alone to wander their
we must use trickery and duplicity for them to submit to our own paths. On rare occasions, a Pardoner strikes up an ac-
purifications. While many of us seek some way to reconcile quaintance with a Strider; the fruits of such partnerships can
Shadow and Psyche, to heal the division between the two be interesting. These “Garou” seem interested in our ability to
“selves,” the state of cooperation manifested by the Risen is cleanse Shadows. If we can share knowledge that helps their
decidedly not what we had in mind. struggles against whatever great enemy threatens them, we
should feel obligated to do so.

Supernaturals Mages
Other supernatural creatures, both mortal and immortal,
Although technically mortal, these changers of reality
dwell in the Skinlands. Most of them know of our existence,
occasionally visit the Shadowlands. Mages who practice sha-
but few of them care to use what they know. In most cases,
manic rites have long looked to us for guidance during their
the feeling is mutual.
rites of passage, and, when it is feasible, we oblige. They respect
us as spirit guides, and, through them, we have managed to
Vampires pass along some of our learning about the healing of souls. If
Although we sense the imminent presence of the Shadow we can use these postulants to lessen the Shadow’s power in
in the vicinity of vampires, we hesitate to involve ourselves the Skinlands, we will do so at every opportunity. In general,
with these unliving creatures. Unlike the Risen, vampires are however, we stay clear of other mages — particularly those
immune to Castigation. The best we can do is find a vampire who seem interested in gaining power over us.
when death finally claims her, before her inner corruption
propels her into the ranks of Spectres. A few attempt to control
us with their powers. Those vampires we avoid; their powers
Changelings
Long ago, the faeries came to us along a dreampath they
cannot reach us beyond the Shadowlands.
called the Bright Road. As it was part of our duty to do so,
we assisted these travelers in preparing for their next life.
Werewolves Sometime during the Middle Ages, however, they stopped
A few of these shapeshifters, ones who call themselves coming. We thought they had left the Skinlands forever, and
Silent Striders, have traveled in the Shadowlands. So long as wept at the loss. In their place, creatures called changelings

116 Guildbook: Puppeteers

— pseudo-faeries, if you will — have proliferated. Some of
them have an affinity with the Shadowlands; others radiate a
palpable aura of darkness that begs for intervention. We leave
them and their devices to the Sandmen, who seem to have
more in common with them than we do.

The Fourth Brochure:

Where the Darkness Rules —
Spectres
As students of the Shadow’s wiles, Pardoners have closer
contact with Oblivion and its agents than members of any
other Guild. Our knowledge gives us power, but it also leaves
us vulnerable, unless we take great care in how we use what
we learn. This short treatise covers one of the most sensitive
topics within the Guild — Spectres and their potential for
redemption.

Spectres
To most residents of the Underworld, Spectres represent
the epitome of foulness. These soldiers in Oblivion’s army
pose the single greatest threat any wraith is likely to face in
the Underworld. To Pardoners, however, Spectres symbolize
something else. They are our failures. If our goal is to conquer
the forces of Oblivion, both within and without, our battle
cannot end with the war against the Shadow.
Ultimately, most of us simply battle Spectres when we find
them. Central to the Darksiders’ campaign against Oblivion is
a belief in the eventual redemption of all Spectres. They claim
that, if we can find the shred of Psyche that still remains within
each and every one of these Oblivion-wracked creatures, we
can work at nurturing it and giving it the strength to reclaim
its Corpus. If this technique succeeds, we can weaken Oblivion
by convincing its soldiers to desert, and also learn even more
about the tricks and tactics of our supreme enemy.
Darksiders often assist certain groups of Doomslayers,
called Martyr Knights, in their attempts to redeem captured
Spectres. We applaud these wraiths’ noble and selfless efforts,
even as we watch them closely, lest their own Shadows betray
them.

Chapter Three: True Confessions 117

 Chapter Four:
Secrets
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Chapter Four: Secrets 119

 Guildwraiths Among Us: True Secrets of the Pardoners
I figured you’d get it sooner or later. Yeah, so I’m an alter- Now, think about it for a minute. Does Angst help out
native personality. That’s a term we Shadows like to use, so the Psyche? No? Well, who is it good for then? (Let’s have a
we don’t run into so much prejudice. Hey, you think it’s easy little Final Jeopardy music while you think about that one.)
being the Shadow of a Pardoner? We gotta be strong just to Bing! Time’s up. You got it! Its our bread and butter. Now why
get a word in edgewise. So, I got some buddies together (yeah, would the so-called “good guys” want to fatten us up? Maybe
that’s you guys) and we’re using the Guild’s printing press while they’ve made some deals with us. Ever think about that one?
my so-called Psyche is out to lunch. We’re gonna tell you a What if that guy who’s flaying your Corpus is actually some
few of the juicier secrets these guys hide from the rest of the dude whose Shadow’s in control of the show? Puts a whole
Underworld. So, sit back. Relax. Get into “meditation mode” new light on Castigation, don’t it? Oh yeah, and remember,
and get ready to laugh your ass off at the mess these idiots it ain’t the Shadow taking all that damage and pain during a
have made. They got four big secrets they don’t want nobody session with a Pardoner; it’s you!
to find out about. Here’s the first one: Psst. Got it yet? Why would I tell you this? And why
would we let our Psyches do this to other wraiths? What better

Big Fat Lie Number One way to bring out your Shadow than by torture? Pardoners. Ya
gotta love ’em.
Pardoners have more control over their Shadows than
other wraiths.
Not!
Jeez, you’d think these guys would figure things out better. The Pardoner Speaks
Even when they’re just Apprentices they know how to make
I have added commentary to this book in order to
us behave and do what they want. When we act like good guys
and offer to help them out of a bad situation, whadda they do?
refute the material contained within it. While some
They use Coax to make us behave ourselves and give them just may argue that we should destroy these works, I
as much help as they need and not an eensy bit more. They feel that there may be some v alue to our postulants
think that means we can’t fool them into “harming themselves” in seeing the sorts of lengths to which Shadows will
while using our power. Not only do they not even say thanks, go to discredit our calling. Obviously, they fear us.
they’re a real buncha suckers! Here is the truth of the situation: These allega-
They forgot something. We get a free lunch, an Angst tions are outright lies. Remember who is speaking.
appetizer, so to speak, every time they use this trick. And if No one can trust a Shadow. While it is true that
they screw up, we get to chow down all over again. The bottom we intently study our Shadows (and those of other
line: we get ’em coming and going. Whee! wraiths), we do it to understand better how to help
Wanna know why they fall for this one every time? ’Cause our fellow Restless. The trick is to know your enemy,
they aren’t the ones who’re in control a lot of the time. We but not too well. Yes, we acquire Angst during the
got whatcha might call a unique relationship with our Psyches.
execution of our duties, but we willingly accept this
The deal goes like this: We let them get to know us real well;
once they do, we use that against ’em. Then they have a lot of
burden in order to help wraiths in our care. Our cli-
trouble fighting off what we think they should do because… ents don’t gain Angst; they lose some. This procedure
you guessed it! We know them real well too! weakens their Shadows, helping them to carry on
Ever played Pardoner? You got any idea what they really with a lightened soul, one that can withstand the
do? They snoop out all your deepest secrets and biggest weak- blandishments of their Shadows with greater for-
nesses. Yo, genius, you think they aren’t gonna use that stuff? titude. Where did this abominable document come
Why do you think using Castigate to find out secrets (or even from, anyway?
to “cleanse” you of our influence) fills them with Angst? You
don’t believe it? Just ask one. Walk right up and say, “Hey,
Mr. Pardoner, why would you help me out when it gains you
Angst?” Don’t expect an answer, though. That’s Secret Num-
ber Four. No skipping down ahead of time, bozos. Wait for it.
Comments from the Peanut Gallery The Pardoner Speaks
Well, if you can add stuff to the main deal, so Oh, first our Shadows were the ones in control,
can I. So, boys and girls, it looks like my so-called and now, we’re the great conspirators of the Under-
world? This is extremely exasperating! Of course we
better half wants to play rough. Okay, tough
don’t cut our ties with these troubled wraiths! We
guy. Take your best shot. But first, shaddup and minister to all who need us, and they need us more
sit down. It’s my turn. than most. Would anyone really want to face either
the Heretics or the Renegades if they were allowed
to become Shadow-eaten?
Some of our members fled to these groups after the

Enormously Fat Lie Number Two breaking of the Guilds. Though the groups in question
may believe that our brethren’s first loyalties now lie
The Pardoners are apolitical. They don’t have any ties with them, most of these Pardoners have retained
beyond their Hierarchy clients. their loyalty to the Guild. Such Pardoners can often do
Like, we’re supposed to believe this? far more as trusted members of the Heretic or Ren-
Let me get this straight. The Pardoners ain’t got any ties egade faction they espouse than all our Missionaries
to the Heretics, even though they worked with these folks for combined. Why should we disavow our own people?
centuries? The Pardoners have been whining about “cleaning
Even the most fanatical Legionnaire knows that
up souls so they could travel on to the Far Shores” for longer
than most people have been dead, and the Far Shores belong what we do is for the good of Stygia. By interacting
to the Heretics (who used to be called the Shining Ones, back with Stygia’s enemies, we learn more about them and
when they kissed Charon’s ass). have the chance to bring them around to our point of
Now, correct me if I’m wrong here, but the way to power view. That doesn’t mean we control them — or plan to
in the Underworld is to control a buttload of souls. That’s why use them to take over the Underworld. What rubbish!
the Deathlords grab every one they can get their hands on.
Keep following. This all comes together in a minute.
The Pardoners helped the Heretics grab whole boatloads
of souls, and nobody thinks they got paid for it? How ’bout all Comments from the Peanut Gallery
those “future considerations” everybody always talks about?
Bet they’ve really got the Heretics by the halo. They must Nyah! What’s the matter? You’re the nosy
think we’re really stupid if they think we believe they have no ones who’re always making everyone else tell
contact with the god squad. you their dirty secrets. Now the plasm-shoe’s
Speaking of the Renegades, which we weren’t, but who
cares? Guess who hangs with the outlaw brigade? Bingo! Oh,
on the other foot. Nanna nanna boo boo!
they say they’re sendin’ missionaries just to perform Castiga- Everybody’s looking at you! Hey, Pardoner,
tions for them, but is that all they’re up to? if ya didn’t like that one, you’re gonna hate
Ready for the final quiz? Otay, Buckwheat, listen up. If what’s comin’ up!
you were gonna overthrow Stygia (see Secret Number Four,
but not yet) and needed a buncha cannon fodder, who would
you get to do your dirty work? Just how many Heretics and
Renegades have these guys hypnotized using Castigate, any-
way? Spooky, ain’t it?
Unbelievably Fat Lie Number Three
The Pardoners say they always supported Charon,
helping him through “numerous depressions.” They claim
it was their help that allowed Charon to defeat Gorool by
our greatest leader, the most powerful wraith in the
“cleansing” him before he went out to fight. Western world, succumb to the darkness within.
What a crock! Yeah, they “helped” him all right. Get this.
Charon lost to Oblivion was unthinkable; Charon as
The Pardoners are the ones who flushed Charon straight down
a Spectre was a terror too horrible to contemplate.
the cosmic Tidy-bowl. Yep. You got the straight dope. See, this
one Pardoner named Sister Excessive or something, who was Despite the crisis, the Deathlords were too busy
probably senile, decided she could rip Charon’s Shadow right
tending to their own fortunes, and both the war and
out of him and kick it in the nuts. I think it was some crap
the newly created Shoah Necropoli distracted the
about women’s rights. Anyhow, the damned thing zoomed out
Legions. We were the only ones av ailable to help
the window, jumped into the Labyrinth and learned a few new
Charon. However, our straits were dire. Normal
tricks. Then it spewed itself back up and started eating Stygia.
Castigation would no longer work to quell Charon’s
Well, the best the Pardoners could suggest was for Charon
Shadow; it had grown strong over the millennia.
to go sew it back on (kinda like Wendy does with Peter Pan’s
shadow), only Charon got the needle instead. Boom. One Desperate measures needed to be invoked.
emperor, down the hole. Oops. Guess that Ancient Arcanos One of our closely held Guild secrets was our
sorta backfired on the old soul-shrifters. So, what did they do
ability to call out a Shadow from within a wraith, in
next? Elected the crazy broad who caused the whole thing as
their next Guildmaster! Whadda crew! And they say we’re
order to purify it more completely. The process was
dangerous. fraught with peril, though. Bitter experience had
shown that extracting the entire Shadow caused the
wraith to vanish, most likely sent screaming to a fatal
Harrowing. On the other hand, in cases where too
little of the Shadow had been extracted, the treated
The Pardoner Speaks wraith had suffered accelerated Shadow growth in
I begin to regret my decision to let this cretin later days. On that fateful night, we had successfully
rave in such a fashion. Nonetheless, I suppose I should treated an extracted Shadow only three times — and
thank him for introducing this controversial subject. in all of those cases, we had been dealing with new
Sooner or later, you were bound to encounter this Lemures and not with a Shadow as potent as Char-
vicious lie. It falls to me to recount the true story. on’s. The risk was tremendous, and, although Sister
Acceptance hated to utilize that power on Charon,
It is true that, in his final days, Charon grew
both she and Charon felt she had no choice.
increasingly unstable. Sister Acceptance had to attend
Usually, in such a delicate Castigation, the wraith
to him almost constantly, and she worked desperately
whose Shadow is extracted falls into a sort of rev-
to bring Charon’s Shadow under control. His long
erie. Were he alive, it would be likened to a coma.
existence had become wearisome to him, and the de-
But Charon was different, as he had always been
mands placed on him as leader of the Hierarchy were different from the rest of us. He remained awake
more than any single soul should have been asked to and apparently aware. The circle of Pardoners began
bear. He had seen the defection of his closest friends, their Castigation of Charon’s Shadow, as strong in
raised a city only to have it destroyed, labored to its darkness as Charon himself was in the light. Sud-
rebuild that city and had his greatest hopes crushed denly, the Shadow turned upon Charon as if it were
by the betrayal of the Shining Ones. Charon had used truly a separate being. A great struggle ensued in
every means to hold back the tide of Oblivion, even which the Pardoners fought for control. Three of the
when the cries of enthralled Restless tore at his very four Pardoners present were destroyed in the battle
essence, and, still, everywhere around him was evi- as Charon battled his darker self, which called forth
dence of his failures. Though Charon ruled a v ast em- powers born in the Labyrinth.
pire, he was unable even to travel the Shadowlands. In desperation, Sister Acceptance called upon
Little wonder, then, that he had become embittered. her ability to banish Spectres. She hoped, thereby,
While any wraith’s fall to his Shadow is a terrible to separate the Shadow from Charon long enough to
thing, imagine the effect upon the Underworld should gain control over it. To the horror of both, Charon
felt a blinding pain as his Shadow ri pped itself free to save his beloved city. He laid aside his mask that
of his Corpus and fled. Surprisingly, Charon was not all might see his true face one last time and sailed
destroyed, but he could only watch, dazed, as his out to his final battle.
rampant Shadow flung itself over the sill and off the We pray that, when Charon dragged Gorool
side of the Onyx Tower. Sister Acceptance chased down into the depths with him and saved Stygia
the fugitive Shadow, but it had too much of a lead. through his last act of selflessness, he Transcended.
In failure, she returned to Charon. Indeed, such a hope has sustained Sister Acceptance
He seemed fine. Better, in fact, than he had been ever since. Now, we hear that Charon has been seen
in several centuries. Weaker, of course, as all wraiths in the Labyrinth. We do not know whether this
are after a particularly strenuous Castigation, but more story is truth or some Spectral trick, yet we cannot
in control, calmer and almost mystically focused, as he dismiss the it outright. If Charon still exists, we
had been in the beginning times. Sister Acceptance must find him. Only then can we know whether we
looked for the stains of the Shadow upon him and saw stand condemned for his near-destruction or hailed
only the smallest dusting of gray. Her impression was as the heroes who saved Charon (and Stygia) from
that Charon was ready to Transcend. She stayed with the great lord’s darkest impulses. May he remember
him to observe his reactions and to be with him at the us with kindness.
end, if he was indeed ready to go on to his final reward.
But his great love for Stygia bound him to this place
too tightly; he could not Transcend and abandon those
souls who had placed their trust in him.
Comments from the Peanut Gallery
It wasn’t something we planned. It wasn’t Blah, blah, blah. What a bore. Does this
something we botched. If you knew Sister Accep- guy think anyone is interested? Zzzzz.
tance, you would understand that she would never
have intentionally hurt Charon. It was simply an
accident, nothing more. We had no choice. Had we
done nothing, Charon might well have been reborn
as a Spectre of unbeliev able strength. We took the
only course open to us, and it was not enough. None
Amazingly Humongous Lie Number Four
The Pardoners support the Hierarchy; they want only
of us could have foreseen that our attempts to heal what is best for Stygia and the Underworld. They have no
him would result in his lighter and darker halves “political agenda.” (see also Enormously Fat Lie Number
separating. Even had we consulted the Oracles and Two)
Ha! And I have this bridge to the Iron Hills that’s for
learned we would fail, we would have had to attempt
sale….
the Castigation anyway, in hopes that the Lady of Hey, you didn’t think they’d stop with causing most of
Fate might intervene to save her chosen one. Stygia’s current problems by killing Charon, did ya? Nooo….
And so, we stood by Charon, as we ever had. Now, they plan to take over. How, you ask? Well, they’ve got
Without his Shadow’s return, he seemed to weaken this secret machine hidden away under the Guildhouse, way
as time passed. Once, he cried out as if in great pain, down in the deep, spooky part, where most people don’t go.
This thing (Nhudri alone knows where they got it from; they
but we could see no cause for it. must have bribed the Artificers big time) is an Angst Battery.
Gorool rose from the depths of the Labyrinth. Hey, don’t blame me; I didn’t name it.
Both Charon and Sister Acceptance recognized Don’t ask me how it works, either; I ain’t no engineer.
Charon’s Shadow as the animating force within the But what I heard is, they plan to flood whole nests of Spec-
monstrosity. Here was the true reason for Charon’s tres with Angst, overloading them like they’re month-to-
month tenants in a roach motel. They say that’ll destroy
decision to sail forth alone. Though Sister Acceptance the Spectres and send ‘em all screaming down into Oblivion
offered to go with Charon, in the end he chose to face where they belong. Once the Spectres are all gone, there
his Shadow as he had through the centuries, in order won’t be any more agents of Oblivion running around.
No more riding Maelstroms into town, whooping it up takes it down to Stygia and shoves it into the main machine,
like crazy cowboys after six months on the trail. No more the Angst Battery. Naturally, traveling through the Tempest
crunching up innocent wraiths in Harrowings. No more with all that Angst smelling up the joint gets every Spectre
Skinriding mortals and causing trouble that’ll screw up the there all hot to trot for our errand boy. So, whoever transports
Underworld (“Oops, sorry, Mr. President, I just pushed that the barf-bag has to run for his life. Unlife. Whatever. I ain’t
big red button marked ‘world annihilation.’ Guess this is heard that any of the couriers have been caught yet, but just
goodbye.”) Sounds kinda cool, huh? (Oh, sorry, you guys, think about the yummy feast Oblivion’s Funboys would have
nothin’ personal.) if they did catch him. Not dangerous to any of the rest of
Maybe. But what happens when they turn their machine you, no….
on anybody they don’t like? What about wraiths with strong And if that don’t make you nervous, think about this
Shadows; are they gonna fry those guys, too? What’s to keep one. How long have these whackos been storing up Angst in
them from wipin’ us all out in the name of “cleansing?” Or do this battery thing without ever bleeding off any of the juice?
you think they might just waste the guys they don’t like and Forget about what happens if it ever springs a leak; whadda
make slaves outta the rest of us? Who could stand against ya do if it ever explodes? Fer-BLOOOEEEYYY! Angst barf all
’em? If we didn’t just bow down to their demands, FFFZZ- over Stygia! Bet the whole damn city explodes. Cool! Maybe
ZAAAAPPP! Yeah, I definitely wanna haveta depend on the even the whole Underworld, if we’re lucky.
nutso bunch that gave Charon a terminal swirlie. And let’s not even talk about the Angst junkies in the
And come to think of it, wasn’t it pretty convenient that Guild. They gobble up all that Angst, but somehow, they don’t
he popped off like that? I mean, they’ve had just enough time make it back to the Chapter House with it. Instead, they go
to polish up their machine while everybody got sick and tired nuts, lettin’ their Shadows go bonkers. Call me crazy, but I
of the Deathlords and just might support the Pardoners in a really like those guys! At least they’re honest about what they
takeover. Gotta give ’em credit. They’re either the sneakiest want. A few destroy their Fetters or let their Dark Passions
bastards in the history of Stygia or the luckiest bunch of take over. Then they get to go be Harrowed, where they can
screwups I’ve ever seen. You still wanna know how the damn really load up on Angst.
thing works, huh? Okay. I’ll take a shot at it, but remember Spectre nests are just bursting with former Pardoners.
I ain’t no expert. Just your friendly neighborhood “alternate They’re some of the best agents of the Big O, since they know
personality” tryin’ to get along as best I can. what scares everybody. Some folks even claim there are Spec-
Guess they haven’t told ya the difference between Guild tres in the Guild itself. Well, duh!
and non-Guild Pardoners, huh? You know how the Guild 1. They dig out everyone’s secrets.
teaches Castigation to folks who aren’t gonna join? And 2. They’re hoarding Angst.
sheesh, ain’t that smart if they wanna recruit new members 3. They destroyed Charon.
(“Let’s teach ‘em our secret Arcanos, honey, then we can offer
4. What are they planning to do tonight, Brain?
them so much more to join — a lantern and a name change,
and these neat black robes…”). I dunno. Sound like Spectres to you?
Well, the deal is this: they teach a different form of
Castigate to non-Guilders. It’s the type they first teach you,
too. You know how you get that tiny little bit of Angst from
using some of your arts? Well, if you get to Journeyman level,
they teach you a new kind of Castigate. It’s just like the first
The Pardoner Speaks
kind, only you get a lot more Angst using it. You not only get This has gone far enough! You will be informed
your own, but you also leech the Angst out of whoever you’re when you need to know such things. For now, simply
working on. It’s kinda like you steal it from ’em. (Way to go!) accept that what is written here is a lie. As for you,
Now, here’s the weird part. You get your own Angst and my Shadow, I cast you out, foulness. I forbid you to
theirs as well, but it doesn’t go where your own Angst goes. speak. By all that is of the light, I condemn you to the
Instead, you sorta hold it to one side (kinda like birds hold
outer darkness. My strength compels you. My mind
food in their stomachs ’til they can throw it up to feed their
babies). When you get back to the Chapter House, you heave commands you. Get thee hence or I shall
up the extra Angst (and as much of your own as you can get
out) into some kind of bucket. It sounds to me sorta like those
containment units in Ghostbusters, but whadda I know? That’s
what they call irony, huh?
Anyway, about once a month, some poor schmuck gets
stuck on garbage detail. That means, he bags up the Angst,
 The docum
this portend ent ends abruptly at th
s. I hope you is point. We
more servic find this ma do
e I can rend n uscript illum not yet know what
Mother Fait e r re garding it, p in ating. If the
h, editor lease do not re is any
hesitate to a
sk .

Chapter Four: Secrets 125

 Chapter Five:
The Art of Castigation
’Tis an easier matter to raise the devil than to lay him to rest
again.
— Erasmus

A Question of Ethicslthough most Pardoners seem unaware

paradoxically, still regarded with some suspicion — though
this suspicion is never even whispered where a Pardoner
might hear.
The most common fears expressed by other wraiths are
of it, their calling makes many Restless given below:
nervous. Naturally, no wraith likes to be
reminded how fragile her hold on herself
might be. Pardoners, by the very nature Training
of what they do, elicit thoughts about While it is general knowledge that Master-level Par-
Shadow takeovers, Spectral temptations, doners Castigate the Deathlords and other high ranking
Harrowings and Oblivion. Ironically, no wraith in her right officials of the Hierarchy, many wraiths fear that their own
mind dares speak her true feelings concerning the Pardoners’ Castigations are being handled by half-trained, fumble-fin-
vocation to the Pardoners she meets. She needs them too badly, gered neophytes. Just as some Skinlanders refuse to entrust
for those Restless who call out her greatest fears are also the their health to young doctors, some of the Restless Dead will
only ones capable of cleansing her soul of her Shadow’s taint, not patronize a Pardoner unless she appears to be old and
thus holding Oblivion at bay. speaks at least one dead language. Such trepidatious wraiths
Eventually, most Restless manage to overcome their fears have no understanding of the fact that all Pardoners under-
enough to allow themselves to be Castigated, and they form go rigorous training before being allowed to practice. Even
bonds of trust with one or two Castigators. Other Pardoners, Journeyman-level Pardoners are usually more than capable
though seen as necessary (and sometimes even as saviors) are, of handling most Shadows.

Chapter Four: Secrets 127

 System: The wraith rolls Perception + Castigate (dif-
Revelations and Blackmail ficulty varies according to the expertise of the disguise, as
determined by the Storyteller). One or two successes allow
One of the most frightening and potentially humiliating the Pardoner to discern whether or not a wraith is Moliated
acts a person ever performs is to trust someone else with her or wearing a false face. Three or four successes enable the
innermost secrets. Fears, weaknesses, dark desires — all are Pardoner to see the target’s true visage. Five successes let the
made known to any Pardoner worth the title during a Casti- Pardoner establish a wraith’s identity, as well as some hint of
gation. In effect, the wraith strips naked, then waits to see if her profession (e.g., Legionnaire, Artificer, Puppeteer). A botch
she is contacted by a blackmailer using the secret photographs indicates that the Pardoner telegraphs her intent to her target,
taken by the Pardoner. and thus, suffers whatever consequences follow. Spectacular
All Guild Pardoners let each client know that they have botches result in 1 point of temporary Angst for every 1 rolled
taken an oath not to reveal to anyone else anything they learn above the first, because the Pardoner has looked too deeply
during a Castigation session. The Guild thus tries to ensure into her target’s Psyche. This art costs 1 Pathos to use, and
that a wraith undergoing Castigation receives treatment from gives the user 1 point of temporary Angst.
practitioners whom the Guild has trained, rather than ones
who have no controls or sanctions held over them. Memories
of the broken trust of the Mnemoi remain strong among the
Pardoners.
••• Transfer Angst
This art is available only to oath-bound members of the
Despite self-policing and constant reassurances, however,
Pardoners Guild. It allows the Pardoner to take the Angst she
the Pardoners are always vulnerable to these suspicions. Per-
removes from a Supplicant and transfer it to herself, temporar-
haps they always will be.
ily holding it in check (unavailable to her Shadow) until she
can deposit it into an appropriate storage unit. The same art

Blacklisting enables the Pardoner to effect a second transfer of the stored

Angst, from herself into the intended storage receptacle.
Every wraith needs a Pardoner, at least once in a while. System: After using Purify to cleanse a wraith’s Shadow,
After all, who doesn’t need help fighting off their own Shadow? the Pardoner rolls Wits + Castigate (difficulty 8). For each
However, the sheer indispensability of the Pardoners leaves success, the Pardoner may hold in reserve 1 point of Angst
certain paranoid wraiths wondering: What happens if you removed from her original target. This effect lasts for up to
annoy a Pardoner? Are you subsequently blacklisted? How long 12 hours; otherwise, the Angst is absorbed by the Pardoner’s
will the soul-shrivers allow you to twist in the wind? own Shadow. Once she reaches a site where she can unload
Understandably, many Pardoners are insulted by the the Angst, the Pardoner must again use Transfer Angst to rid
notion that they would be so petty as to withhold Castigation herself of the excess baggage by dumping it into a storage unit.
for personal reasons. Every soul is important, they say, and A botch on this roll immediately gifts the Shadow with the
besides, Pardoner training teaches new Freewraiths how to Angst intended for transfer.
separate their personal feelings for their clients from their Use of this art to store collected Angst gives the user 1
professional duties. point of temporary Angst, which cannot be stored. Transferring
Does that fact stop any of the whispers? Of course not. Angst from the user to the storage unit costs nothing.

Ancient Castigation Arts •••• Mass Chastisement

Pardoners with the Legions have long used this art to
“bless” and absolve troops before battle, as a way of making it
more difficult for Legionnaires’ Shadows to gain the upper hand
•• Mask Castigation during critical combat situations. Although the Pardoners
Guild still teaches it to their members, only those Darksiders
One of the Pardoners’ best kept secrets, this art allows the and Pardoners intent on working with the combat troops of
Castigator to look behind a wraith’s mask or Moliated form to the Legions take the time to learn it, due to the excessive toll
discern who or what is really before her. Many wraiths prefer to it takes on the user.
keep their true identities cloaked when they seek Castigation. System: The Pardoner must invoke this art before using
The Pardoner who uses this art can bypass most attempts at Purify on a group of wraiths. Each success on a Charisma +
disguise. The Guild sanctions its use in the belief that know- Castigate roll (difficulty 7) allows the Pardoner to include one
ing more about the client’s Psyche allows members a greater additional wraith in her attempt to Purify. (For example, two
chance of successfully cleansing his Shadow.

128 Guildbook: Puppeteers

successes enables a Pardoner to Purify three wraiths with a remains out of Corpus, the wraith falls into a state that resem-
single attempt). A simple failure indicates that the Pardoner bles Slumber. The summoned Shadow appears as a negative
is unable to effect a Mass Chastisement at the current time. A image of the wraith, connected to the Psyche’s Corpus by a
botch prevents her from further attempts at simple Castigation thin thread of darkness. The marks of Oblivion show up in
(Purify) for the remainder of the scene. If the roll succeeds, greater detail on this Shadow-form, which makes it much
the Storyteller proceeds according to the guidelines for Purify easier for a Pardoner to “read” the Shadow’s strength. In
given in Wraith: the Oblivion. the past, this art made it possible for a Pardoner to exam-
Use of this art costs 1 Pathos per wraith affected, as well ine the Shadow more closely and also to achieve a greater
as 2 points of Temporary Willpower. It also gives the user 1 effect in attempts to Castigate it. Since the disappearance
Temporary Angst for each wraith involved. of Charon, both the use and the teaching of this art have
fallen out of favor.

•••• Shadow Screen System: The Storyteller secretly rolls the Pardoner’s
Charisma + Castigate (difficulty equal to the Shadow’s Per-
manent Angst rating). A single success is enough to wrench
This odd use of Castigate enables a Pardoner to hide
the target’s Shadow out of her Corpus for one turn. Each
certain thoughts and memories from her own Shadow (and,
additional success adds another turn to the length of time the
to some extent, from Spectres during Harrowings). When
Shadow remains separated from its Psyche. The target must
Shadow Screen is utilized, certain thoughts and memories
be willing to have her Shadow drawn forth from her, since any
(which must be determined before the art is used) are no
conscious resistance to Shadow Summons will only increase
longer accessible to the wraith’s Shadow. The Shadow knows
the Shadow’s Angst rating.
that something ‘s being kept from it, but it has no idea what
that something might be. A botch on Shadow Summons severs the connection be-
tween Psyche and Shadow, which has an extremely deleterious
This art has the side effect of making Screened memories
effect on a wraith. Should this catastrophe occur, the targeted
and thoughts hazy to the Psyche as well. Memories targeted
wraith must roll against each of her Passions (difficulty 6) every
by this art become dim and half-recalled. Because neither the
hour. If she should ever roll against all of her Passions and
Psyche nor the Shadow consciously thinks about these mem-
not achieve a single success, he immediately vanishes from
ories, they are very difficult for the Shadow to access during
the Shadowlands, with none of the display usually observable
Harrowings, as well.
during Transcendence. The wraith’s Psyche and Shadow can
System: The Pardoner must utilize this art immediately be recombined by being brought into physical contact with
after Castigating someone, in order for it to be effective in each other. At this point, the Shadow rolls Permanent Angst
blocking specific memories acquired during the Castigation. against the Psyche’s Permanent Willpower (difficulty 6); if the
Any success on a Manipulation + Meditation roll (difficulty Psyche gets more successes, the two are reintegrated. If not,
6) allows the Pardoner to screen her thoughts. Extra successes the two remain separated.
make it harder for the Shadow to break through and notice
Use of this art costs 5 Pathos and 2 Willpower, and it gives
these thoughts.
the Pardoner 2 points of Temporary Angst.
A failed attempt merely means that the Pardoner has not
succeeded in hiding those particular thoughts; a botch makes
the ideas the Pardoner is trying to keep secret blazingly obvi-
ous to her Shadow, who may immediately attempt to initiate
••••• Shadow Wrack
Catharsis — even if the Shadow’s Angst does not exceed the Developed by the Darksiders and used by the most skilled
Psyche’s Willpower. Use of this art costs 2 Pathos, whether it and trustworthy Pardoners only, this art allows direct Castiga-
is successful or not, and also gives the Shadow 2 Temporary tion of Spectres. It reduces their Angst and strengthens the
Angst. A botch results in the Pardoner’s gaining 1 additional sliver of Psyche that still remains within them. Shadow Wrack
temporary Angst for each 1 rolled. forms the basis for the theory of Spectre redemption, and
If there is great need for the Pardoner to remember these constant research is done to “improve” this power, in hopes
hidden details, this art can be reversed for double its normal of producing a safe, practical method of redemption.
cost. However, this action is likely to let the Shadow in on The actual procedure is an exhausting one and requires a
those messy details as well. Pardoner to maintain absolute control over her own Shadow
during the entirety of the process. In addition, the Spectre

••••• Shadow Summons must be subdued or restrained in some fashion to ensure

that it does not attack the user of the art during the process.
The danger is, in fact, so great that Shadow Wrack remains a
This use of Castigate enables a Pardoner to call forth seldom-practiced form of Castigation. Not only is it difficult
another wraith’s Shadow for a brief time. While the Shadow to capture and hold Spectres long enough for a Pardoner to

Chapter Four: Secrets 129

attempt Shadow Wrack properly (most Spectres prefer suicide),
the risks of failure simply are not worth it.
System: An advanced form of Purify, Shadow Wrack re-
••• Storm Quell
quires that the Pardoner engage in an extended struggle with This art lets a Pardoner call upon his own Shadow to help
the target Spectre. The Pardoner rolls Charisma + Castigate him oppose the Spectres ravening within a Maelstrom. Unlike
(difficulty equals the Spectre’s Being). Each success reduces Coax, in which a Pardoner responds to his Shadow’s initiative,
the Spectre’s Angst by 1 and provides the target’s Psyche with 1 a Pardoner using Storm Quell may compel his Shadow to assist
point of Composure. Complete redemption of the Spectre can him with whatever powers it possesses.
be reached only when the Spectre’s Psyche gains a Permanent System: The Pardoner rolls Charisma + Castigate (diffi-
Composure of 10, thus allowing the Psyche to take control culty 7). One success enables the Pardoner to force his Shadow
once more. Needless to say, this result requires an exceptional to provide him with Shadow Dice or any of its Thorns, which
number of rolls, and dictates that multiple sessions be spent in can then be used against the armies of the Maelstrom, but only
attempts to redeem the Spectre. Few wraiths have the Pathos once. Additional successes increase the number of times the
resources to carry a redemption through from beginning to Pardoner may so compel his Shadow. The Pardoner may use
end without resting and recharging, as the Art costs 4 Pathos this art as many times in succession as he has Pathos to spend.
and 1 Willpower per attempt, and gives the Pardoner 1 Angst Use of this art costs 2 Pathos, and gives the coerced Shadow
per attempt, as well. 1 point of Temporary Angst.
During the period in which the Pardoner battles the Botching a Storm Quell roll attracts the attention of all
Spectre, the Pardoner must remain totally focused on her the Spectres in the vicinity, who swoop to attack the Pardoner.
target and, thus, is vulnerable to attacks from her own Shad- These attacks will not be broken off until either the Pardoner
ow or from any Spectres who may be lurking nearby. A botch is destroyed or the attacking Spectres are.
during any one of the extended rolls immediately throws the

Merits and Flaws

Pardoner into a Harrowing, with the Pardoner’s highest-rated
Passion as the quarry.

New Castigation Arts he Pardoners’ special knowledge of the

Shadow’s wiles and ruses and their under-
standing of each wraith’s inner darkness
give many of them an edge in their battle

• Attunement against Oblivion. Unfortunately, there are

also potential drawbacks in knowing the
enemy too well. While other wraiths may,
This new art allows a Pardoner to “tag” certain Shadows
with the Storyteller’s permission, benefit or suffer from these
and make them more receptive to future Castigation attempts.
special characteristics, they work best with Pardoner characters
Made popular by the advent of behavioral modification ther-
or in conjunction with the Castigation Arcanos.
apy, Attunement works best with wraiths who visit the same
Beginning characters may take up to 7 points of Flaws to
Pardoner regularly. Once a Pardoner attunes herself to a
increase their freebie points. Alternatively, up to 7 of Merits
particular Shadow, her attempts to Castigate that Shadow are
may be purchased with freebie points. The guidelines in the
more likely to succeed. The Attunement eventually wears off,
Wraith Players Guide provide additional information on the
unless it is renewed periodically, and it does not effect Casti-
choice and use of Merits and Flaws.
gation attempts by a Pardoner other than the one responsible
for the Attunement.
System: The Pardoner rolls Perception + Castigate
(difficulty equals the target’s Willpower). A success reduces
Storm Warning (1 point Merit)
the difficulty of Castigating the affected Shadow by 1 until You have an early warning system that alerts you to the
the Attunement wears off; the number of successes dictates imminent presence of either Spectres or Maelstroms. Storm
the length (in weeks) of the effect. A botch means that the Warning is similar to the Merit: Danger Sense, but is specific
Pardoner cannot identify the Shadow well enough to place a to creatures of the Labyrinth. It does not alert you to attacks
tag on it, and that he must study it further before attempting by Legionnaires, Renegades or other wraiths — even ones
another Attunement roll. under the influence of their Shadows.
This art costs 1 point of Pathos. Botching an Attunement You must state that you are activating this “sixth sense” in
roll feeds the targeted Shadow 2 Angst. order to use it. Storm Warning doesn’t pinpoint the location
or nearness of the danger from Oblivion, but it does give you

130 Guildbook: Puppeteers

an approximation of how soon the attack will come and the Possible targets for this sort of bias include: Members of
relative strength of the attackers. Once activated, the effects certain Guilds, Members of specific Legions, Heretics, Rene-
of this Merit last for approximately thirty minutes. Overuse gades, Legionnaires, men, women, etc.
of Storm Warning (such as utilizing it more than once or
twice per session) can lead to its malfunctioning at a critical
moment. (“Uh, no Bob, I don’t sense any Spectres around
here. Bob? Bob?”)
Repulsive Technique (2 point Flaw)
The method you use in your Castigations is truly beyond
the pale. Worse than mere torture, what you inflict upon the
Purity (4 point Merit) wraiths who come to you for Castigation makes even other
Pardoners sick. Other Guild members tend to watch out when
You have great spiritual purity, which allows you to utilize you are Castigating folks (just to make sure things don’t get out
your higher consciousness to fight off the ravages of Oblivion. of hand, you see), and they may even attempt to intervene if
With this merit, you begin the game with 2 points in Eidolon. you go too far. Social interaction rolls with any Restless who
Furthermore, this Merit reduces the difficulty of all Purify knows of your reputation are at a +2 difficulty.
(Castigate •••) rolls by 1.

Prejudicial Castigation (2 point Flaw) Sympathizer (3 point Flaw)

You sympathize with the Shadow-eaten and understand
There is a particular group of wraiths you will not Casti- that you are as potentially corruptible as they. Try to protect
gate. Perhaps you dislike their politics, or their looks, or maybe Spectres from being destroyed, for you believe they can be
they just plain scare you. Whatever the reason, you never redeemed, given enough time and attention. This attitude
accept jobs cleansing their Shadows. If forced to do so, the doesn’t make you popular with most of Stygian society (includ-
difficulty of all Castigation rolls goes up by 2. ing a few people within your own Guild). Your social rolls for
interaction in Guild affairs are at a +2 difficulty.

Chapter Four: Secrets 131

 System: Each Soul Lantern can hold up to 100 points of

Artifacts: Temporary Angst. Once it has reached this limit, any attempts
to use Transfer Angst to pour more Angst into the Lantern
simply result in the expulsion of Angst into the surrounding

The Pardoner’s Arsenal

vicinity. A Pardoner must place her fingers on the Soul Lantern
while she transfers her collected Angst into another vessel.
Otherwise, the transfer fails.
Breaking the Lantern releases all of its contained Angst

Instruments of Chastisement into the immediate vicinity, and the Shadows of wraiths
caught in the blast will absorb as much of the floating Angst
as they can. So, if a full Lantern explodes when there are two
(Common, Level Two) wraiths nearby, each wraith’s Shadow sucks down 50 points
of Temporary Angst (which then gets converted into 5 points
A long-standing arrangement with the Artificers Guild of Permanent Angst, which makes things very interesting).
supplies Scourges with these implements used in Castigation.
Whips, flails and truncheons are the most popular Instruments,
but other types are available.
System: Use of these weapons lowers by 1 the difficulty
Angst Battery (Singular, Level Five)
This massive containment vessel resides in the lowest
of any roll for the arts related to Castigation. chamber of the Pardoners main Chapter House in Stygia.
Observers have commented that it resembles nothing so

Iron Lantern (Rare, Level Three) much as an enormous iron lung. The purpose of the battery
is simple: It stores Angst transferred to it from Soul Lan-
terns. Lord Nhudri himself created the Angst Battery for
This lidded lantern, which looks very similar to the
trademark lantern of every Pardoner recognized by the Guild, the Pardoners before the breaking of the Guilds (though it is
creates a 20-foot circle of light in which the Pardoner may doubtful that even he guessed its true purpose). Conceived
work with reasonable assurance of safety. Although the Iron by a brilliant Pardoner called Brother Generous, the great
Lantern is always carried on the Pardoner’s person or hung storage vessel was intended to remove excess Angst from the
outside her place of work, it is typically activated only when Underworld and eventually reshape the stuff, through the
a Pardoner has reason to believe that she needs additional art of Castigate, into Pathos. In essence, his plan was to take
protection during a Castigation. “pollution” and recycle it as abundant energy. Unfortunately,
System: Opening the lid of the Iron Lantern exposes Spectres took Generous before he discovered the exact art
the light inside. The circle of light emanating from the open that would effect that change.
lantern duplicates the effect of Housecleaning (Castigation His successors in the Guild have posited that the battery
••••). The lantern’s light is powered by the Pardoner’s Pa- might be usable as a weapon. Their theory is that even Spectres
thos. Each point of Pathos the Pardoner spends provides one might find an abrupt overload of Angst deadly. Told that the
half-hour’s worth of illumination. The Pardoner must spend a device possesses “almost infinite” capacity to store Angst, the
permanent point of Willpower to attune the lantern to herself. Guild has brought Soul Lanterns to the Angst Battery and
Until the lantern is attuned, it may not be used. emptied them into it for centuries.
Nobody’s fools, the Pardoners realize that they are po-

Soul Lantern (Luxury, Level Three) tentially sitting on enough Angst to blast apart most of Stygia
should the battery ever overload or rupture. This possibility
is why they struck an extremely expensive bargain to acquire
Called a “lantern” to disguise its true purpose, this artifact
an unusually large portable Nihil, which they stored under
resembles its namesake in size and shape only. Soul Lanterns
their main Chapter House, right next to the battery. A cadre
reside in secure rooms within each Chapter House of the
of specially trained Pardoners watches the battery. Guard duty
Pardoners Guild. Usually, as a safety precaution, no more
lasts only a few hours for each group, so they will remain vigi-
than one of these objects can be found in any single location.
lant. If the battery shows signs of weakness or disruption, these
Soul Lanterns act as containment units for Angst collected
Guildwraiths are charged with sounding an alarm, unleashing
by Pardoners during their Castigations. Periodically, a trusted
the Nihil and dropping the battery into the Tempest.
Pardoner bears a Soul Lantern to the main Chapter House in
Despite these precautions, there is a serious problem with
Stygia, where its contents are emptied into the Angst Battery
the battery. The “almost infinite” containment unit recently
(see below).

132 Guildbook: Puppeteers

began showing signs of reaching its storage capacity. Leaders nuclear engineers into their ranks, in hopes that these highly
of the Guild are concerned, for an examination of the battery trained experts can repair the damaged machine or purge it.
also revealed clear evidence that someone had tampered with They are also focusing their scrutiny upon their own Guild
it. The battery had not reached its natural capacity. Rather, members and wondering who the traitor is.
its storage space had been sharply reduced by sabotage. Some of the more pessimistic Masters now whisper
No one is quite sure of what may happen when that the battery was not invented by Generous, but by
the battery finally breaks down, but there are plenty his Shadow. Others claim that a Doppelganger took
of theories. Whether it might simply expel its excess the brilliant Pardoner’s place and fooled the Guild
Angst in the same fashion as the Soul Lanterns or into accepting the means of its ultimate destruc-
explode catastrophically is anybody’s guess. In tion into their midst. Some of these Restless point
the meantime, the teams on watch have been to the fallacy in the initial design and ask the
doubled, while Pardoner researchers have question no one thought to ask before: How
dedicated themselves to discovering a meth- can a machine made from soulforged wraiths
od of either successfully bleeding off some and metal from the Labyrinth not react,
of the Angst from the battery or of finally somehow, to the pressure of holding so
discovering how to convert the Angst into much Angst within itself? The answer, as
usable Pathos. much as anyone in the Guild hates to admit
The Pardoners’ upper echelon tries to keep it, is “No one knows.”
this problem very quiet, to avoid a panic and to System: Bringing a Soul Lantern into con-
keep the Guild’s secret. To help them deal with tact with the Angst Battery drains all of the Angst
the battery, the Pardoners now enlist scientists and in that Lantern at a rate of 1 point per turn.

Chapter Four: Secrets 133

Chapter Six:
Templates
The Pardoners Guild is a true cross-section of wraith
society. It contains everyone from the prototypical medieval
seller of indulgences to the latest proponents of self-analysis
and holistic healing. The keepers of the secrets of Castigation
embrace psychoanalysts, advice columnists, private eyes, In-
quisitors and good-old-fashioned medieval torturers. While
the method of Castigation chosen by a Pardoner sometimes
reflects her calling in life, this correlation isn’t always the
case. Many Pardoners’ preferred style of purification derives
from their changes in perspective since coming to the Un-
derworld. Each Pardoner is a unique combination of personal
background, Castigation style and belief in the necessity of
waging an intimate war against Oblivion.
The following templates illustrate some of the myriad
possibilities for customizing Pardoner characters. Use them
as written, tailor them to your own needs or find in them the
inspiration you need to create your own.

Chapter Four: Secrets 135

 — your higher self. As you are now one of the Scourges, all

Evangelist
Quote: I have come to cast away the darkness. The light of
those painful switchings your momma and daddy gave you
make sense.
Roleplaying Notes: Flavor your conversation with Bible
quotes and hymns. Ask your friends questions such as, “Are
you washed in the blood?” or “Have you looked into yourself
my lantern shines for you and you alone.
today, and do you like what you see?” You care about others
Prelude: You grew up in a “sanctified” household nestled
and work hard to save them from the dark ugliness inside them,
in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. Your daddy was the
but that doesn’t mean you’re going to let them slack off when
pastor and your momma the choir director of the New Rev-
it comes to taking care of their souls.
elation Independent Gospel Tabernacle. Your parents raised
you by the Bible and the switch (they called it a “rod”), but Relics: King James version of the Bible, choir robe,
they also gave you a lot of love. Scourge’s whip
When you were 12, it happened. During one of your
daddy’s impassioned sermons, you felt something stir within
you and take hold of you. You don’t remember exactly what
happened, but folks later told you that you started speaking
in tongues and weeping tears of blood. From that day on, you
were a preacher, just like your daddy.
Your daddy gave up his church when you turned 16. He
bought a used RV, packed you and your momma into it and
started touring the revival circuit. That’s where you met Eddie.
Your parents took one look at him, there in the audience during
one of your tentshow sermons, and labeled him an irredeem-
able son of the Devil. That only made you more determined to
find some good in him and save his soul. For the first — and
last — time in your life, you disobeyed your parents’ orders
after they told you to leave him alone. The night before you
were to leave for the next stop along your revival route, you
even let Eddie take you for a ride.
Unfortunately, it started raining that night, and Eddie’s
truck wasn’t up to the curves on the treacherous mountain
roads. He survived the crash; you didn’t.
You were surprised when, instead of meeting the Lord
you met a kindly-faced, white-haired woman who informed
you that, no, she wasn’t an angel, she was a Reaper. You had
a million questions, but before you could ask the first one,
you took a good look at her. What you saw stunned you into
silence. It seemed that you could see right through her, and
inside her was something ugly and evil. Brokenly, you told
her that she had a devil within her and that she needed to
get rid of it. She gave you a strange look and took you to the
Pardoners Chapter House.
At first, you were afraid that you had ended up in the place
where Daddy said Catholics go, but you soon learned you were
in the Shadowlands, where all souls wind up, if they haven’t
finished their work on Earth yet. This revelation suited you
just fine. You settled down to the serious business of learning
how to heal the darkness inside the souls around you.
Concept: Your desire to save souls endures even in the
Underworld. You like to emphasize love and forgiveness,
though you can conjure up images of fiery pits and hideous
tortures when you must. Even better, it seems your gift of
tongues was nothing less than a message from your Eidolon

136 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Name: Evangelist Nature: Caretaker Life: Tent-Revival Preacher
Player: Demeanor: Traditionalist Death: Auto Accident
Chronicle: Shadow: Perfectionist Regret: Did’t have time enough
to finish mission work
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Religon
Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Alli es (Pardoners)
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
Watch over your Mommy & OOOOO Castigate
________________________
OOOOO
Ei_________________________
dolon OOOOO _________________________
Daddy- just like an angel (Love) OOOOO Argos
_________________________
OOOOO
Memori am
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
Help others see the light OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
Reli c
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
through Castigation (Pride) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Make sure Eddie accepts Christ (Guilt) OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Transcend so you can go to OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO Heaven (Envy)
_________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Preachi ng podium
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Mommy
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Daddy
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
RV
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Devi l’s Sigil-Black, oily wings and
_______________________________
Eddi e
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O halo (3)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Ki________________________
ll Eddie (Revenge) OOOOO
Guild Marks Undermi ne Christianity (Anger) OOOOO
_________________________
oooooooooo Harm clients (Malice)
________________________ OOOOO
Shadowy Taint ________________________
OOOOO
 the head. Maybe all of the bottled-up anger finally screamed

Drill Instructor
Quote: So you think you’re tougher than me, huh? We’ll see.
its way loose in your brain. One day, something went “pffft”
inside your head during morning drill. The next thing you
knew, you were in the Shadowlands.
You beat the crap out of the guy who Reaped you, until a
bunch of his buddies slapped chains on you and dragged you
Prelude: You were all that you could be — and it wasn’t
away. You tried to fight, but the chains did weird things to your
enough. Your home life sucked. Your parents fought all the time,
muscles and coordination. It looked hopeless.
and your father beat your mother for reasons you never could
Your Reaper hauled you, kicking and cursing, to the
understand. When you finally tried to stand up to him — at about
soulforges and turned you over to the hammer-and-apron
age eight or nine — he expanded his range of targets and beat you
crew. Luckily for you, the Artificer slated to smelt you down
up, too.
to soul-slag saw something in you. He said something about
School wasn’t much better. You hid your bruises under long
your joining the war against Oblivion, and he ended up
sleeves and long pants and your pain under a surly attitude. You
shoving you into the hands of the Pardoners. They helped
addressed the fact that no one liked you much by beating the crap
you “enlist” in the Emerald Legion, right after they inducted
out of anyone who looked at you the wrong way.
you into their Guild.
When you were 14, your father left town. Neither you
Concept: You are the good guy who’s tougher and nastier
nor your mom was sorry to see him go. Unfortunately, things
than most of the bad guys. As a Scourge, you specialize in get-
didn’t get much better when he went. You spent more and
ting down and dirty with the Shadow and beating it to a pulp
more time on the street.
with your bare hands. You don’t spend much time worrying
Then your mom screwed things up by killing herself, about motivations, you just kick ass and take names.
leaving behind even more debts than your father had. Once you make Master in the Guild, you plan to apply
You had no job, no family and no way in hell of keeping for membership in the Darksiders. Who knows,
up the rent on the apartment. So, you did the you might even find your father somewhere in
only thing you could think of: You joined the Tempest. You look forward to showing
the Army. him what you’ve learned.
You hardly noticed basic training. While Roleplaying Notes: You judge people
the others who enlisted when you did started by how tough they are. If they can’t take
dropping like flies, you just buried your hatred for your constant insults and verbal abuse, then
the drill sergeant, dug in and showed him that they certainly can’t stand up to what their
his methods didn’t measure up to a lifetime Shadows give them. SHOUT A LOT!
of blows and curses. Never admit to feeling pain, but
When it became clear that never let an insult go unan-
you were there for the dura- swered. Because you (and
tion, the promotions start- your Shadow) respond
ed coming. You made drill instantly to any offense,
sergeant, and then it was you have surprising-
your turn to bully and ly little accumulated
beat some backbone Angst. You intend to
into the wussies who keep it that way.
thought they could Relics: Box-
be part of the nation’s ing championship
defense team. When medal, pair of worn
the Gulf War start- boxing gloves, ser-
ed, you stayed be- geant’s stripes,
hind, but the boys Army dog tags
you trained went to
the desert. Most of
them survived.
Maybe you took
one blow too many to

138 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Name: Drill Instructor Nature: Bravo Life: Soldier
Player: Demeanor: Bravo Death: Brain Aneurism (Disease)
Chronicle: Shadow: Abuser Regret: Not making Master Sergeant
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Alli es (Pardoners)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Watch trainees at old base (Love) OOOOO Castigate
________________________
OOOOO
Notori ety
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Show everyone what you’re made OOOOO Outrage
_________________________
OOOOO
Reli c
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
of (pride) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
Haunt
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Find your father & pummel him (Hate) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Teach others what you know OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
(Generosity) OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Army base
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Hi ghschool gym
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Key to locker
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Photo of mother
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Bad Luk (3) / Tainted Relic
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O (baton)(2) / Spectre Prestige (1)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Protec Father from self (Sadistic Glee) OOOOO
________________________
Guild Marks Make others pay dearly for OOOOO
_________________________
oooooooooo your teaching (Greed)
________________________ OOOOO
Shadowy Taint Fail (Envy)
________________________ OOOOO
 In the Shadowlands, your Reaper saw deathmarks on

Darksider
Quote: No fear. Absolutely!
you that caused him to deliver you to the Legion of Fate, no
questions asked. Your knowledge of psychology led you to study
Castigation and brought you into contact with the Pardoners,
who recruited you into their Guild. Eventually, you heard of
a special cadre of wraiths called Doomslayers, which courted
Prelude: You spent your life defying death, making your danger by doing battle with Spectres on their home ground
living as a professional thrill seeker. Your parents had money — in the Tempest itself. It seemed “fated” for you to hook up
— enough to send you to the best schools, give you a generous with this group of danger-freaks. The Guild agreed with you,
allowance (so you never had to hold down a real job) and pro- and trained you as a Darksider.
vide you with the finest counselors when you began exhibiting
Concept: A consummate daredevil, you finally have a way
signs of self-destructive behavior. Whoop-de-do. They loved
to combine your craving for danger with a sense of purpose.
you, but they never understood what drove you to take risks.
While your comrades take the war to the Tempest, you watch
They never realized that you were begging for the one thing
their backs and protect them from their Shadows. In some
they didn’t give you — their attention.
ways, you fight battles that are even riskier than the ones your
As a child, you pushed the limits by attempting all those Doomslayer companions wage; they fight the enemy, while you
things labeled “do not try this at home.” You wanted to see struggle with your own allies.
how high you could climb, how far you could fall, how fast
Roleplaying Notes: Show
your bike would go. But when you told your folks about your
no fear. The risks you take as
adventures, they always said, “That’s nice, dear.” It wasn’t
a Darksider reflect the
until you jumped from the garage roof and broke your leg that
attitude you have held
you finally got a little attention. Unfortunately, it was medical
attention. Your parents had the best doctors fix you up, and
then things went back to normal.
In college, your horizons broadened. Your early exposure
to therapy awakened in you an interest in abnormal psychology,
and you spent your term breaks gaining “experience in
the field” — bungee jumping, mountain
climbing, skydiving, motorcycle racing
and freeform skiing. Your parents died in a
plane crash before your graduation, and they left you with
a trust fund and an annual income that assured your financial
independence; after that, there was no stopping you.
You embraced danger with a vengeance. Your money
on both sides
bought media connections, and you began to advertise your
of the Shroud.
“stunts” to gain publicity and notoriety. (After all, if your
Your Castiga-
parents weren’t around to notice you, you had to get
tion style con-
attention from someplace….)
sists of goading
Finally, your luck ran out. While trying for a the Shadow into betraying
free-fall record, you waited a little too long to itself. You’re not afraid of put-
pull the ripcord on your parachute. You hit the ting your own existence on the
ground before it opened fully. Thankfully, line to shame a Shadow into some
you never felt the impact; from what action that weakens it. Unfortunate-
others have told you since, it must ly, your recklessness also carries over into
have hurt a lot. your normal activities as an adjunct to your
Doomslayer companions. Goad them, as
well. Push them to achieve things they never
thought possible. Risk can only make them stronger.
Relics: Ripcord, basic psychology textbook

140 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Name: Darksider Nature: Gambler Life: Thrillseeker
Player: Demeanor: Explorer Death: Skydiving accident
Chronicle: Shadow: Perfectionist Regret: No real attention from parents
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Alli es (Doomslayers)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Gahattention (Greed) OOOOO Castigate
________________________
OOOOO
Reli c
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Challenge yourself & allies (Pride) OOOOO Argos
_________________________
OOOOO
Status (Guild)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Sub jugate Shadows (Aggression) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO ________________________ OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Chi ldhood home
__________________________ OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Parachute worn at deathOOOOO
___________________________
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Ski lodge in Rockies
__________________________ OOOOO
Thorns
Parents’ graves
__________________________ OOOOO Willpower Devi l’s Dare
_______________________________
Your grave
_________________________ OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O Bad Luck
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Destroy Doomslayer (Hate)
________________________ OOOOO
Guild Marks Seek out no-win situations
_________________________ OOOOO
oooooooooo (Self-Destruction)
________________________ OOOOO
Shadowy Taint Get attention (Greed)
________________________ OOOOO
Angst Junkie
Quote: Hey, man, you look like you could use some Castiga-
tion. Lemme do you. No, man, it’s free. I swear it.
Prelude: It started with the ritalin in grade school. Your
parents thought you were too fat and lethargic, and they
wanted to pep you up a little. By the time you were 16, you
were into crystal meth. You just couldn’t get through the day
without that pick-me-up. On the plus side, you were no longer
fat, and you had enough energy to light up the science lab,
basketball court and cafeteria. Your parents were thrilled with
your new, slender form and cheery, talkative persona. On the
downside, your 78 RPM ways gained you many friends, but
no one really special who cared just for you. Nobody seemed
to notice how nervous and shaky you always were.
As you were someone “cool” and in the know about the
drug scene, the other kids looked to you for advice. Somehow,
they just didn’t understand that you were as hooked as they
were. You needed more and more speed, just to keep going.
Nobody really cared about you anyway, so you decided to
end the pain. Injecting yourself with a massive overdose, you
waited for the final rush. And when it hit, you found yourself
in the Underworld.
Instead of ending your pain, you just made it permanent.
Still, not everything was bleak. The woman who Reaped you
took you under her wing, as if she were the big sister you never
had. Hoping you could find something to stop the need inside,
you went with her to the Pardoners Guild. They taught you
Castigation and how to give other wraiths peace. That was how
you found out that doing so filled you with as big a rush as any
you ever got in the Skinlands. Angst felt just like old times.
Concept: You’re the little girl lost, who always looked for
love. Because you got approval only when you transformed
yourself through drugs, they became your sole source of joy.
Now, it’s Angst that gets you high and eases all the pain.
You crave it like nothing else before, except maybe love and
attention. Because you are so desperately in need, you make
an excellent Pardoner. You search out anyone who requires
your services, and you even offer free Castigations. Angst is
the only payment you truly want, anyway.
Roleplaying Notes: Stay on the lookout for anyone whose
Shadow seems the least bit in evidence. Set up shop anywhere,
anytime. Never turn down a chance for that rush Angst gives
you. Be crafty enough to take back a little bit of Angst to the
Chapter House for deposit into the holding unit. After all, it
would never do for the others to know your secret. Never let
your Shadow out where another Pardoner might see it. He
might Castigate you then, and take all that lovely Angst away.
Relics: Needle, high school yearbook

142 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Name: Angst Junkie Nature: Gambler Life: Junkie/Student
Player: Demeanor: Gambler Death: Overdose (Suicide)
Chronicle: Shadow: Pusher Regret: Never found love
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Alli es (Pardoners)
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Get more Angst! (Greed) OOOOO Castigate
________________________
OOOOO
Contacts
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Find love (Pride) OOOOO Usury
_________________________
OOOOO
Memori am
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Stop drug pushers (Regret) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO ________________________
Help others (Love) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Daughter
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
Street corner
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Jai l cell
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
Executi on chamber
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Pact of Doom (3)
_______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Destroy those in love (Envy)
________________________ OOOOO
Guild Marks Take what you want from
_________________________ OOOOO
oooooooooo others (Hate)
________________________ OOOOO
Shadowy Taint ________________________
OOOOO
 you could take those sins upon yourself and gain him entrance

Sin-Eater
Quote: We are all sinners. There is not one among us who
to Heaven. Taking up his cloak, you went to the neighbor’s
house. When finished there, you returned home and fulfilled
your duty toward your mother and father. The next week, the
plague claimed you as well. The Pardoners Guild, which was
apparently waiting for you, Reaped you, and you became a
is truly pure. Who eats the sins of the sin-eater? Who pardons the
member of the Beacon.
Pardoner?
Concept: Knowing your duty to the others of your Guild,
Prelude: You were born in a small village whose name
you have become a Pardoner’s Pardoner. As you once cleansed
you no longer remember. You grew up ostracized by
the sins from your loved ones, so you now remove the taint
the other townsfolk. Your house lay outside the
from your fellows. That they are honorable people who help
boundaries of the town, and you were never
others makes you proud to help them. Into your capable
allowed to play with the other children.
hands is entrusted the very soul of the Pardoners Guild,
Unlike the other men of the town, your
its many sin-eaters. You feel privileged to be where
father did not go out to plow the
you are.
fields or chop wood. He never
Roleplaying Notes: You are the elite, yet you
hunted. Much of the time, he
remain humble, for you intuitively understand
simply carved toys for you or
others’ burdens. Offer counseling and Castigation
utensils for your mother. When
to your fellow Pardoners whenever possible. Root
he wasn’t carving, he spent his
out any who show signs of betraying secrets
time on his knees in prayer. Most of
learned from their clients. Such sins need
your needs were met by the townsfolk.
eradication, which you are determined to
Food, clothing, and whatever else your
make happen.
family lacked was brought in the dark of
the night and left on the doorstep. Still, at times you long for something
more. You enjoy your work, yet it’s all
When you were 10, you discovered why.
you’ve ever known. First, you took on your
You had known that your father was always
parents’ burdens. Now, you shoulder myr-
called to any house where someone had
iad responsibilities as a Pardoner. Some-
died. Taking up his hooded cloak, he
times, you feel trapped, and you wonder
would go from your house like some
when you will ever have the chance to do
black-winged scavenger bird and
what you want to do, rather than always
return with the dawn, wearied and
fulfill what others expect of you.
desperate. Eventually, he explained
that he was a sin-eater: one who Relics: Long black cloak, wooden toy
consumes a feast laid out upon
a corpse. With that feast, the
sin-eater took upon himself
all the transgressions of the
deceased, which allowed the
dead person’s soul to go, unburdened
by its trespasses, to Heaven.
When you turned 19,
your parents died from
plague. A neighbor called
for the sin-eater to come
unburden her husband,
who had also died. Al-
though you were his
daughter, and not expect-
ed to follow his calling, you could
not simply abandon his responsibili-
ties. More importantly, you could not
let your father face judgment for all
the sins he had consumed, not when

144 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Name: Sin-Eater Nature: Martyr Life: Sin-Eater
Player: Demeanor: Leader Death: Plague (Disease)
Chronicle: Shadow: Martyr Regret: Never marrying &
having children
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions Arcanoi
Alli es
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
Help others overcome sin (Duty) OOOOO Castigate
________________________
OOOOO
Ei_________________________
dolon OOOOO _________________________
Protect orphaned children (Regret) OOOOO Fatalism
_________________________
OOOOO
Reli c
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
Comfort survivors whose loved OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
Status
________________________ OOOOO ________________________
ones have passed on (Compasion) OOOOO ________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
Root out those who betray OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________
their calling (Hate) OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO _________________________ OOOOO _________________________
OOOOO

Fetters Corpus Angst

Father’ s carving
__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
tools (In museum)
___________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo oooooooooo
Never-worn wedding
__________________________
OOOOO
Thorns
dress (In museum)
__________________________
OOOOO Willpower Devi l’s Dare (7)
_______________________________
Rui ns of house
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO
oooooooooo Dark Pasions
Pathos Destroy other Pardoners (Envy) OOOOO
________________________
Guild Marks Li_________________________
e to clients (Hate) OOOOO
oooooooooo Accuse innocents of wrongdoing
________________________ OOOOO
Shadowy Taint (Spi te)
________________________ OOOOO
 Appendix:
Who Was Who
and began to Castigate the Spectres within the Maelstrom. In
Angyr order to strengthen himself, he enlisted his own Shadow to
fortify his power. Angyr’s ferocity and single-minded deter-
Although he remembers little of his life before coming mination bolstered his reputation among the Renegade and
to the Shadowlands, Brother Angyr, a Master Pardoner who Heretic groups that proliferate in San Francisco’s Necropolis,
dwells in the Necropolis of San Francisco, feels such a strong and he soon became the hip Pardoner of choice.
attachment to that city that he seldom leaves its confines. Since then, Angyr has voiced his support for Renegades
Trained by the local Chapter House, Angyr demonstrated a and other dissenting wraiths, and he has sought Guild sup-
streak of independence that made many of his fellows believe port for the agendas of various opponents of the Hierarchy.
he had more in common with certain bands of Renegades than Wraiths at the main Chapter House in Stygia worry that this
with his Guild. His investigation by a team from the Beacon, talented but brash Pardoner has overstepped his bounds.
however, turned up no sign of divided loyalties. They fear he may draw the Hierarchy’s wrath for his breach
Angyr progressed quickly within the Guild. He joined of the tacit agreement between the Pardoners and the pow-
the Scourges as a Journeyman and attained Master status ers-that-be. Recently, the bureaucracy summoned Angyr
in record time. Once he completed his training in advanced to Stygia and required him to submit to a second panel of
Castigation, he worked the streets of the Necropolis. His inquiry — this one comprising members of the Beacon, as
nimble mind — uncluttered by memories of his skin-clad life well as a visiting Darksider. Although the investigators could
— and his experimental approaches to Castigation made him find no disloyalty in Angyr, they were reluctant to turn him
popular with the innovative wraiths of San Francisco. While loose without a severe warning. Secretly, the representative
his methods of Castigation were harsh, they usually resulted of the Darksiders tried to enlist Angyr as a Doomslayer. He
in extremely successful cleansings. promised the Pardoner immunity from further investigations.
A few years ago, an earthquake rocked parts of the city. Angyr declined the invitation and expressed his desire to
The tremor coincided with a fierce storm in the Skinlands and return to San Francisco, where, he said, he had someone
an equally intense Maelstrom in the Shadowlands. Caught up waiting for him on the “other side.”
in the fury of the unleashed Tempest, Angyr aided to a few of Angyr’s appearance gives substance to his name. He
his acquaintances by raising a bulwark of protection against stands over 6 feet tall, and has long, straight, black hair, an
Oblivion’s onslaught. Not content simply to weather the at- arrogantly handsome face and a lean, hard body. He stalks the
tack, the young Pardoner lit his lantern, uncoiled his bullwhip streets of his home city with the predatory grace of a feral cat.

146 Guildbook: Puppeteers

Reaped in the early 70s, Angyr does not recall his birth name.
His memory still has huge gaps in the details of his mortal life,
though he retains a strong attachment to the Haight-Ashbury
district and Golden Gate Park. His affinity for music connects
him to the psychedelic rock scene of the 1960s, while his
penchant for black leather, bullwhips and chains hints at time
spent with an interesting crowd.
Many traditional Pardoners complain that Brother An-
gyr is a loose cannon who needs to be brought under tighter
control. A few of his supporters — some of them influential
Darksiders — insist that Angyr and others like him hold, in
their ability to act spontaneously and unpredictably, the keys to
ultimate victory over Oblivion. Recommendations for Angyr’s
promotion, as well as requests for his censure, have reached
the Council of Pardoners; all are being weighed. Whether he
ultimately embodies the Guild’s future or represents its in-
ability to exercise control over its radical elements remains to
be seen. It is questionable whether Angyr himself gives either
possibility any thought.

Brother Tenacious
Juan de Manresa, an early follower of St. Ignatius of
Loyola, followed his mentor throughout his travels. He re-
members many details of his life as a member of the Society
of Jesus, but his fondest memories are of Ignatius’ Spiritual
Exercises and his enjoyment acting as leader of the Society’s
retreats. Though he lived his life as well as he knew how, when
he died of pneumonia at age 40, his soul did not go on to the
reward he expected.
Juan’s Reaper jerked the Caul from his quarry’s face, then
manacled him to a long line of other suffering souls. He dragged
the coffle away for processing and indoctrination into the Skel-
etal Legion. When Juan passed the soulforges, he thought he
was in hell. The flames, screams and torments all convinced
him that he had fallen into the Pit. Although he had no idea
how he had transgressed so gravely, Juan refused to give in to
the inevitable. A soldier of Christ he had been in life; a soldier
of Christ he would be in death. He knew he would refuse to
serve the Devil, no matter what torments lay in store.
Who knows what trouble Juan might have caused had
a passing Centurion not recognized him. The Centurion had
also been a priest, before a bout with plague took his life, and
he quickly explained to Father Juan what was really going on;
then, he personally oversaw his fellow priest’s induction into
the Skeletal Legion.
Father Juan rapidly learned what he needed to know
about Stygia and the Restless. His main regret, that he could
not carry on the work he had loved in life, lasted until he met
the Pardoner who worked with his cohort. That wise woman
(known in the Guild as Mother Joyous) spoke with him at
length about Castigation and other matters. When, shortly
thereafter, she asked if he would like to assist in her work, he

Appendix: Who Was Who 147

 jumped at the chance. Once it was clear to her that his
true calling was with the Pardoners, she presented him to
the Guild. Juan recognized in them the kindred spirits he
sought, and he begged admittance to the order. Granted
Apprentice status in the Pardoners Guild, he took the
name Brother Tenacious.
Tenacious took to his existence as a Pardoner with
the same fervor he had once exhibited as a priest. Eagerly
recalling St. Ignatius’ methods and works, he was almost
solely responsible for instituting the idea of retreats and
meditations into the Pardoners’ practices. For centuries,
he has written numerous histories, tracts, treatises and
manuals for the Guild, and he has served enthusiastically
and tirelessly in his capacity as retreat leader to recruit
new wraiths into the Pardoners Guild. He considers the
Guild to be much like a religious society, and he takes very
seriously both his own vows and others’.
Wraiths who have read his works but have never
met Brother Tenacious are surprised to learn that he
isn’t tall, stern and ascetic-looking. He is a short, blocky
man with a fringe of graying brown hair and a congenial,
if sometimes formal, manner. His most notable features
are his overlong nose and the piercing intelligence of his
eyes. Tenacious usually prefers to appear in garb like that
of his breathing days; most often, he is the very image of
a black-robed Jesuit.
Tenacious’ deepest embarrassment is the strength and
wiliness of his Shadow. While he finds it both easy and
natural to confess his shortcomings to another Pardoner,
he often feels the stirring of the Shadow within himself —
stirring he ruthlessly represses. Or so he believes. Unknown
to the good Pardoner, his Shadow can take over whenever
Tenacious sleeps. Once free of the Pardoner’s interference,
it performs actions calculated to damage the Guild and
undermine Tenacious’ recruitment efforts. Its latest esca-
pade is a collaboration with Spectres on the writing of an
irreverent book that spills many of the Pardoners’ most
closely guarded secrets. Known as Guildwraiths Among
Us: True Secrets of the Pardoners, the ongoing work has
been produced on the Guild’s own printing press. Brother
Tenacious, to his chagrin, has only recently discovered who
is behind the odious book.
A large number of Pardoners both like and respect
Brother Tenacious, and they freely acknowledge his
contributions as a recruiter and leader of retreats. He
has risen within the Guild to the status of Master
Pardoner, and he moves easily through the corridors
of power in Stygia. Few doubt that Tenacious would
be chosen as the next Guildmaster, were Sister
Acceptance to step down. Although flattered
by his fellows’ love and trust, Tenacious would
rather continue doing what he enjoys most

148 Guildbook: Puppeteers

— introducing the ways and philosophy of the Guild
to new Pardoners.

Father Compassionate
Born on the island of Kös in the fifth century
before Christ, the man who would become known as
Father Compassionate spent his early life as a teach-
er. Schooled in the philosophies and learning of his
Greek forefathers and contemporaries, Hippocrates
gravitated toward the practice of medicine because
of his interest in gymnastics. As an itinerant practi-
tioner of medicine, he had to treat everything from
injuries to war wounds to potentially fatal diseases.
Working alongside other medical mendicants,
he developed a whole new method of treatment.
It emphasized rational observations and healing
based on herbal knowledge and the radical theory
of treating not just the body, but the mind and
emotions, as well. Maintaining that treatment
should focus on the patient rather than the injury
or disease, the young physician and his fellows
used long discussions, pleasant surroundings and
music to put their patients at ease.
Hippocrates advocated extended ob-
servation, which entailed the noting and
reporting every symptom (no matter how
seemingly inconsequential). His treatment
then proceeded from the theory that nature
would work to cure the patient, if given
the chance to do so. He even understood
that some illnesses originated from mental
or emotional causes, and he treated them
as well. Despite his mistaken understanding
of an imbalance among the four humors as
the cause of illness, Hippocrates’ otherwise
sophisticated techniques made him highly
successful and respected. By adding ethical
considerations to the methods he and his
fellows had originated, Hippocrates created
an oath that is still taken by doctors today.
When he died at age 90 or so, Hippocrates
traveled to the Underworld. There, he met
like-minded wraiths, philosophers, priests and
physicians. They cleansed the soul, as he had
treated and strengthened the body. Hippocrates
learned the art of Castigation and, in turn,
taught his fellow Restless all he knew of medi-
cine. Because it seemed to be the aspect of his
knowledge with the most practical application
to wraiths, his teaching focused especially on
that part of his methods dealing with the
mind and emotions.

Appendix: Who Was Who 149

 Realizing the power he and the others who called them- until she was nearly 22. Most other women her age had long
selves Purifiers held, he determined that they should not be since married and borne children, and many believed her
feared by other wraiths. He wrote the Oath of the Purifiers, parents had condemned her to a life alone or as a boarder in
based upon his own Hippocratic Oath. That oath (with some their home. Finally, however, when a marriage was arranged,
modifications) is still sworn today by all Pardoners, as part of Inachus set out for another city, where she was to meet her
their stated practice. intended husband.
Hippocrates has always commanded a great deal of respect On the road, bandits set upon Inachus and her traveling
from his fellow Purifiers. Although he is of short stature, his companions. Her servants were carried off screaming, but she
dignified posture, his short, curly white hair and well-trimmed, refused to be taken. Drawing the dagger that was the only
elaborately curled beard and his modest garments all distin- weapon she carried, she fought so fiercely that the bandits
guish him as a man of means and high standing. His speech is had to kill her in self-defense.
always measured and thoughtful. He is not without humor, but She awakened from the blackness of death as one of the
he always maintains a serious demeanor whenever he is with a many milling souls lost in the gray Underworld. She wandered
patient. Age has lent him a great deal of his dignity, while his for an untold time before she found the man who led her to the
accomplishments in both life and death are enough to shame Isle of Sorrows and gave her new existence meaning. Awed by
the least respectful wraith into behaving. Because he believes his strength, power and goodness, Inachus loved Charon from
so much in the rational approach, Hippocrates is not always as the first time they met. Denied the chance to share eternity
gentle in his Castigations as he might be. His focus on rooting with Charon in matrimony, however, she searched for some
out the sickness he sees within all Shadows sometimes leaves way she could aid his cause.
his clients shaken. Because he recognized an innate streak of While pondering this dilemma, Inachus discovered
sadism in his own makeup, the great physician took the name that her insights into the souls of others were particularly
Father Compassionate, to remind himself always to consider keen. She realized that they suffered from the same despair
his patients’ pain first. and rage that she often felt, so she began to talk with these
Father Compassionate disappeared several months ago, other wraiths. She attempted to ease their distress by sharing
after long service to the Guild. Some wraiths still claim to their woes. It worked. As she spoke, she felt the lightening
see him from time to time, his bearded face and white robes of their hearts.
making him stand out among a crowd of Renegades or a host One day, while performing this counseling, Inachus in-
of Heretics. Such witnesses believe he has become a Missionary stinctively reached out and twined the imaginary dark yarn of a
to Restless in need of his services. Others say he has long since fellow wraith’s anxiety around her fingers, just as she had often
either Transcended or gone down to Oblivion. Most do not done with wool when she wove in her father’s house. Tugging
believe that this vital Pardoner could leave the Underworld at the shadowy stuff, she felt the strand break away from the
without there being some sign that he had gone. other wraith, as she relieved him of part of his Angst. It also
The truth is far more disturbing. Just before Father Com- wounded his Corpus, but he smiled at her. She blanched as she
passionate disappeared, his Shadow seized him in a bout of saw the yarn dissipate, leaving black stains upon her fingers,
Catharsis. While under its influence, he distracted the Angst stains she could not wash away. Balanced between horror at
Battery’s guardian and sabotaged the machine. When he her contamination and joy at what she had accomplished for
regained control of himself, he was so ashamed by his loss of her fellow wraith, Inachus found herself performing this ritual
control that he fled into the Tempest. Now, he wanders from again and again.
Renegade camp to refugee settlement and helps all who ask. Word of Inachus’ doings spread, and soon, other Restless
He spends most of his time, however, trying to think of some who could perform the same service contacted her. They called
way to undo the terrible act he has committed. themselves Purifiers. Joyful that she and her fellows could
offer something valuable to the Underworld, she rushed to

Sister Acceptance tell Charon of her discovery. She saw, to her horror, that he,
too, was stained by his Shadow. Reaching out, she sought to
cleanse him, as she felt that the darkness within his soul must
As the only child of a well-connected Mycenaean family,
Inachus received training in all the proper arts for a woman be eliminated. He cried out as she plunged her fingers into the
whose marriage into a good house was assured. Because he blackest portion of his being, drawing it forth and banishing
valued her keen mind, clever wit and fearlessness, her father it. Then he saw the caring that lay behind her rash action.
also introduced her to knowledge usually reserved for men. Taking Inachus aside, Charon questioned her about her
He taught her to read, write and speak several languages. ability and smiled as he realized its meaning. What else they
Inachus also learned philosophy, rudimentary medical skills said to one another is unknown, but when their conversation
and the art of warfare. Unable to bear the thought of her ended, Inachus was Charon’s personal Purifier. After that
absence, her father refused to consider a marriage for her exchange, the two came to trust one another implicitly, and

150 Guildbook: Puppeteers

they worked together to help other Restless overcome the
ravages of the Shadow. To signify her acceptance of her role
as Charon’s counselor, rather than that of his companion,
Inachus changed her name to Acceptance. From that
time until Charon vanished into the Sunless Sea, she
counseled him and Castigated him whenever he
needed her (and sometimes when he refused her
attentions). Often, she disagreed with his decisions,
but she never betrayed him. When the Guilds rose
in revolt, Sister Acceptance briefly abandoned
him, out of fear that he would consign her to
the soulforges for her part in the rebellion. She
reconciled with him to beg clemency for her
fellow Guildwraiths, however. Many believe
that the Pardoners Guild suffered so little
for its part in the attempted coup because
Charon was loath to sentence Acceptance
to discorporation or the soulforge.
With the coming of the Fifth Great
Maelstrom, Charon entered a madness more
severe than any he had ever before suffered.
With his consent (given during one of his few
lucid moments), Sister Acceptance tried a
desperate group Castigation on the imperator,
in hopes of restoring him to lucidity. It failed.
Charon’s unchained Shadow slipped free and
fled into the Labyrinth, only to be heard from
again howling through the mouth of the Malfean
Gorool. Although Sister Acceptance begged him
to let her fight at his side against the creature, Char-
on refused. Alone, he met Gorool, created a whirlpool
and disappeared with the monster into the spiral.
The Pardoners, knowing Sister Acceptance might
give in to despair without something to occupy her, elect-
ed her Guildmaster by unanimous accord. She has fulfilled
that role for almost 50 years. Of late, news came to her
that Charon has been seen in the Labyrinth. Sister
Acceptance, her eyes brightened by hope for the first
time in a half-century, plans to be the first to enter that
dread place in search of her lost emperor.

Appendix: Who Was Who 151

Name: Nature: Life:
Player: Demeanor: Death:
Chronicle: Shadow: Regret:
Attributes
Physical Social Mental
OOOOO
Strength________________ Charisma_______________ OOOOO Perception______________ OOOOO
Dexterity______________OOOOO Manipulation____________OOOOO Intelligence_____________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Stamina_________________ Appearance_____________ OOOOO Wits___________________ OOOOO

Abilities
Talents Skills Knowledges
Alertness______________OOOOO Crafts___________________OOOOO Bureaucracy_____________ OOOOO
Athletics______________OOOOO OOOOO
Drive_____________________ Computer_______________OOOOO
Awareness_____________OOOOO Etiquette________________OOOOO Enigmas________________ OOOOO
Brawl___________________OOOOO Firearms________________ OOOOO Investigation____________ OOOOO
Dodge__________________ OOOOO Leadership______________ OOOOO Law____________________OOOOO
Empathy______________ OOOOO Meditation______________ OOOOO Linguistics______________ OOOOO
Expression_____________OOOOO Melee__________________ OOOOO Medicine_______________ OOOOO
Intimidation___________ OOOOO Performance_____________OOOOO Occult_________________ OOOOO
OOOOO
Streetwise__________________ Repair__________________OOOOO Politics_________________OOOOO
Subterfuge_____________OOOOO Stealth_________________ OOOOO Science_________________OOOOO

Advantages
Backgrounds Passions
________________________
OOOOO ______________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO
________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO ___________________________________________________________OOOOO
_________________________
OOOOO __________________________________________________________OOOOO

Arcanoi Corpus Pantheon Connections

__________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _________________________________
___________________________
OOOOO _________________________________
oooooooooo
__________________________
OOOOO
__________________________
Scrying Methods
OOOOO Willpower _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO O O O O O O O O O O _______________________________
_________________________
OOOOO _______________________________
oooooooooo
_______________________________
Guild Marks Pathos _______________________________
oooooooooo _______________________________
______________________________
 History
Life
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Death
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pertinent Details
Age_________________________________________Apparent Age_________________________Gender_______________
Date of Birth________________________________R.I.P._______________________________Height_______________
Hair___________________________________________Eyes__________________________________Weight________________
Race__________________________________________Nationality__________________________________________________
Garb______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other Distinguishing Features_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Psyche:
shadow Archetype:
Shadowguide Player:
Thorns Angst Dark Passions
O O O O O O O O O O ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ oooooooooo
________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________ ________________________ OOOOO
__________________________________
__________________________________
Psyche Willpower _________________________ OOOOO
O O O O O O O O O O ________________________ OOOOO
 Allies
Expanded Background Clients
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
Eidolon Guild Status
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
____________________________________ _____________________________________
Contacts Status
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Memoriam Mentor
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Notoriety Wealth
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Artifacts Relics
____________________________________ ____________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
Prophecies and Visions
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Guild Secrets Known
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
 Merits & Flaws
Merit Type Cost Flaw Type Bonus
___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
Fetters Experience
_________________________________________OOOOO
___________________________________________OOOOO Total:__________________
_________________________________________OOOOO Total Spent On___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO ___________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ OOOOO _________________________________________________________________________________
Ancient/New Arts Known __________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Usual Haunts Guild Standing & Contacts
_________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ Standing____________________________________________
________________________________________________________ Rank________________________________________________
________________________________________________________ Guild Contacts_________________________________________
______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
Apprenticed to:
_______________________________________
Combat
Weapon Difficulty Damage Conceal Range Rate Pathos Brawling Table
Maneuver Accuracy Damage
Bite 5 Strength +1
Punch 6 Strength
Grapple 6 Strength
Claw 6 Strength +2
Kick 7 Strength +1
Body slam 7 Special; see Options

Armor:_____________________