Servitores

By Mist (wanderer@dimensional.com)

Introduction

Even the dead have legends, and Servitores are but one of those legends. Servitores are wraiths who are bound by Oaths taken in life. Because the Oath is taken in life it binds the entire person's soul: psyche, shadow and eidolon. Thus Servitores, while acting to fulfill their Oaths, are whole and have many strange abilities that other wraiths are at a loss to explain.

The Oath

In early times Oaths were magic. The taking of an Oath was a serious thing and never done lightly. The breaking of an Oath had serious supernatural reprecussions, including death and worse. The keeping of an Oath was sure to garner special favors from the spirits of the world and hereafter.

When living, the person that eventually becomes a Servitore takes an Oath of service to a person, country, or institution. This Oath may be as simple as "I will serve faithfully for all my days," or as complex as the Oaths taken by teutonic knights or catholic priests. The Oath, regardless of to whom or what it was made to means everything to the person who makes it. The Oath is that person's only reason to exist.

The Oath as Fetter and Passion

The Oath once taken is irrevocable and may have unforeseen effects upon a person once they die. But an Oath is not a fetter, for it is intangible. It is not a passion, for words spoken with emotion are not the emotion.

Negative passions such as hate, fear, or anger shape the way an Oath is interpreted and perhaps even the way it is fulfilled. The same for positive passions such as love, honor, or loyalty.

The Oath is both fetter and passion. It binds a wraith to the lands of the living. At the same time it gives the wraith a reason for continuing to exist.

Death

When death claims the Oathmaker, regardless of how, the Oath still binds the soul to the living realm. Those who become Servitores usually die while attempting to fulfill their Oaths. Even those who serve a full lifetime, dying of natural causes and in bed, may become Servitores. Others die while breaking their Oaths and thus serve out of penance and not loyalty.

For some duty is everything.

Resent

For others duty is a chain that locks their souls to the realms of living. Not all Servitores are happy about serving even after death. Some wish to be free of their Oaths. They come to resent those they serve, whether it be family, liege, country, or church. But the resentful Servitore may never willfully or knowingly do anything that violates their Oath. Not even the Shadow of a Servitore may violate the Oath, for the Oath was made when the Shadow was not separate from the psyche.

Breaking the Oath

It is far better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven.
-- Milton, Paradise Lost

When the Oath generates resentment from the psyche, shadow or both, a Servitore may seek to break the chain of the Oath. This is never easy and always results in loss of special benefits and special restrictions.

Servitores who wish to break their Oath must complete a long and arduous quest. The quest first leads the Servitore to the method she must use to break the Oath. The second part of the quest is the accomplishment of the method, almost never as easy as it sounds. The third part of the quest is either freedom or bleakest disappointment.

Methods

The search for and results of performing the method of Oath breaking are entirely up to the storyteller. This section only suggests a few possible ways in which an Oath may be broken.

The method of Oath breaking may appear as simple as having the recipient (person, country, or institution) of the Oath release the Servitore from service. Methods discovered and performed may be so complex as to be nearly impossible. Rituals that must be performed by living, acts of atrocity to be performed by the dead or both may be part of deliberate Oath breaking.

Fulfillment

It is easier to simply serve. Fulfillment of the duties of an Oath may be done by following the intent or the letter. (It is suggested that regardless of which style of fulfillment the player chooses that the Oath be written down and a copy kept by both player and storyteller.) Those who serve with resent and reluctance in their souls try to pervert their Oath. This is very difficult and has severe consequences for the Servitore. The least of these consequences is intense physical pain while trying something that is against the Oath. Not even the Shadow of a Servitore may act freely.

To deliberately go against the letter or intent of an Oath Servitore or her Shadow must make a Willpower roll with 3 successes at a difficulty of 7. This will allow the most superficial perversion of the Oath. To go all out against an Oath a Servitore or her Shadow must make a Willpower roll with 3 successes at 10.

The consequence of deliberately perverting the intent or letter of an Oath may nothing more than gain Angst for the Shadow. However, some Servitores suffer physically when they reject their Oaths and lose a level of Corpus.

The storyteller always has final say at to what is true fulfillment of the letter or intent of an Oath, likewise the perversion of an Oath.

Accepting the role of Servitore does have rewards, even when the acceptance is reluctant.

Benefits of the Oath

Servitores, regardless of their willingness, benefit from their Oath. While acting to fulfill their oath Servitores are more likely to succeed at any given task. Servitores have an easier time visiting the Skinlands. Some tales of Servitores even have them taking flesh form for a short time.

Servitores, while acting to fulfill their Oath gain 1 automatic success to all rolls. However, when an extended test is involved the automatic success is exactly 1. For example, a Servitore must climb a tree to get away from an enraged Gurahl, while protecting an artifact from the Gurahl. The Servitore needs 10 success at 6 to climb out of range of the Gurahl. The Servitore gets 1 automatic success and must roll 9 more successes. If the Servitore botches and manages to get a second chance to climb the tree, she would again need 1 automatic success and 9 rolled successes to make it.

When their Oaths force a Servitore to the Skinlands the Servitore will find that it is easier to slip through the Shroud. The Shroud is effectively lowered by one for the Servitore. This is cumulative with any other lowering of the Shroud.

Losing all fetters will not free a Servitore from her Oath. However, the Oath will protect the Servitore from harm and destruction because of such loss while in the Shadowlands. Should fulfilling an Oath require the Servitore who has lost all fetters into the Shadowlands the Servitore will be protected from harm that would normally result. A Servitore without fetters cannot enter the Skinlands. Upon completion of her task a Servitore usually has about fifteen minutes to get back into the lands of the dead or suffer destruction.

Whether a Servitore may appear as a mortal to other mortals is up to the storyteller. Should a Servitore be able to interact with mortals on their own level the wraith is at risk of gaining fetters and passions.

Frequent visits to the Shadowlands and the Skinlands may give the Shadow an upper hand. Then again maybe not.

Kingdoms of the Dead

Servitore legends are known in all of the lands of the dead. Though Servitores may be known by other names.

Heretics, Renegades, and Hierarchs

Servitores are more likely to be Heretics or Renegades than members of Hierarchy. The Oath that any given Servitore takes makes them more likely to interact with the Quick, something the Hierarchy would prefer not happen. Heretics and Renegades, however, attempt to use Servitores for their own ends.

Servitores know when any act will violate their Oath, because such acts cause them physical pain.

Arcanos

The Arcanos of choice among Servitores is Embody. Puppetry, Outrage and any other Arcanoi, which affect the Skinlands are also favored. Servitores may have their own unique Arcanoi but if so they are lost.

Final Word

The Servitore wraith is a concept meant to allow a player who wishes to continue play with the same character after reaching "final death" a chance of doing so. It can also be used as an NPC to weird out or help the characters. As with all role-playing games this set of thoughts is a guide for possibility not the fulfillment of the possiblity.