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Old 04-25-2023, 04:54 AM   #1
Luke Bunyip
 
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Default Help needed stating an ancestral spirit NPC

One of the PCs in my current campaign (Dungeon Fantasy meets Dwarf Fortress) is a dwarven cleric who's belief system is focused around ancestor worship.
Been thinking for a while of how to accommodate this, and the solution that I've come up with is something akin the Johnny Silverhand NPC in Cyberpunk 2077, or the occasional spectral Jedi from SWs. What I'm after is the spirit of a rather grumpy great grandfather that can provide some magery support for the cleric, as well as some bit of area knowledge, and arcane language translation.

I've had an attempt and stating out a spirit form of a deceased relative of the PC, but I'm not happy with it. This probably a case of switching to the new model of the GURPS Character Generation software.

Thusly, I turn to you, humble hivemind that you are, for your assistance. Specifically what Disadvantages should I include, and some which I should consider.
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Old 04-25-2023, 06:29 AM   #2
whswhs
 
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Default Re: Help needed stating an ancestral spirit NPC

I wrote up a version of this for GURPS Fantasy, as the ancestral spirit, on pp. 112-113. I gave it the Unmanifested Spirit lens (like the Spirit lens in the Basic Set, but with Mute (Substantial Only, -10%) and a Maintenance requirement (two people, weekly). Lack of maintenance made the spirit's Invisibility unreliable. I also gave it Hidebound, OPH (Bossy), and Sense of Duty (Family), and the feature of being able to curse disrespectful descendants or bless devoted ones (giving them positive or negative traits with Granted by Ancestral Spirit, -40%).
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Old 04-25-2023, 07:03 AM   #3
Luke Bunyip
 
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Default Re: Help needed stating an ancestral spirit NPC

Quote:
Originally Posted by whswhs View Post
I wrote up a version of this for GURPS Fantasy...
Thanks Bill. I'll check it out.
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Old 04-25-2023, 07:05 AM   #4
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Default Re: Help needed stating an ancestral spirit NPC

That's literally a Minor Patron Deity, I like to keep it simple and flexible: so for me with 20 points you can fold in High Accessibility and he is always there ready to do whatever you as GM need it to do.
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Old 04-25-2023, 12:37 PM   #5
Refplace
 
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Default Re: Help needed stating an ancestral spirit NPC

Yeah lot of ways to go here.
Patron if it is background but can provide resources and aid.
Ally if it goes along adventures or directly helps out all the time.
Contact if it provides very minor services or useful information once in awhile.
Special effect for various powers.

You really only need to build it if it is an Ally and even then can often get by with just an approximate build.
If it is an Ally you can apply some of the modifiers for Patron, such as minimal intervention if it is always intangible and does not directly do anything most of the time. Then take powers with Granted by Familiar.
For example the cleric could have an extra level of Magery or Power Investiture with Granted by Familiar to represent the spirit giving him a little subtle aid.
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