Pretas

By KevJB (kevjb@hotmail.com)

Author's Notes

The concept for Pretas came from a book on the supernatural which described accounts of vampire-like ghosts. While the accounts were ridiculous, they sounded like a great idea for a fictional creature. No animals were harmed in the writing of this submission. Any similarities to any person living or dead is entirely coincidental. Please return your seats to their full upright position.

Description

The Pretas or "hungry ghosts" are mortals who have returned to life in new bodies. These bodies, called Shells, combined with the innate force of Willpower give them a variety of abilities similar to gifts or disciplines which they refer to as Techniques. They survive by stealing the inner strength (Willpower) of others.

Character Creation

The Pretas return to the world of the living only for negative and selfish reasons. Often the reason is greed or the need to possess something or someone that they couldn't in life. Keep this in mind when creating your character. Pretas do not return for revenge or love; if that is what you're looking for try the Crow or Risen supplements.

Although the Shell is an idealized version of the person's original body it is still for the most part human, therefore they receive 7/6/4 for attributes and 11/7/4 for abilities. But they receive +1 Appearance and 3 Awareness free.

1. Willpower begins at 7.
2. The Shell is filled with a mystical liquid metal (in Wraith terms a Corpus/Stygian Steel alloy). This unique construction makes them immune to damage from fire and able to burn things with their "blood." They give off a natural heat that can makes people uncomfortable.
3. The Shell heals at 1 level of non-aggravated damage every two turns.
4. The Pretas can drain other creatures of their Willpower by touching them and concentrating. When this occurs the player and target make opposed Willpower rolls for each point of Willpower that is to be drained.
5. By expending Willpower a character can use supernatural abilities called Techniques.

1. A Pretas loses 1 Willpower a day. If a Pretas loses all his Willpower or the Shell is destroyed he dies.
2. The "hungry ghosts" receive aggravated damage from extreme cold.
3. Pretas may only have the Arcane background which starts at 3.

The character receives 15 freebie points.

Trait	Cost
Attributes	3
Abilities	2
Willpower	2
Techniques	5

Techniques

All Techniques require 1 Willpower to activate.

This is the ability to regulate the operation of the Shell.

*	You can regulate your body temperature and blood flow.
**	You can regenerate damaged limbs and speed up the healing process.
***	You can alter your appearance slightly.
****	You can fashion your limbs into simple weapons.
*****	You can ignore damage penalties and aggravated damage.

The Pretas can cover his tracks by altering a person's memories.

*	A person will forget one minor detail.
**	The person will forget something important.
***	A short period of time will disappear from a person's memory.
****	The mind is your playground.
*****	You were never here.

The ability to start fires with a touch or a thought.

*	You can generate a small amount of heat with a touch.
**	You can ignite anything you can touch.
***	With a thought you can ignite easily flammable materials.
****	You can start and control the path of a fire.
*****	You can mold the flame with a mere thought.