Beneficial Spirits

[RickAllison]

Are there any benevolent spirits in the New World of Darkness? I am considering having my character potentially become Spirit-Claimed with a like-minded spirit. I know spirits can become stronger through being in an area with like-minded Resonance, so are there spirits that are empowered by emotions like Justice? Spirits that would be empowered by eradicating crime in a city? I would appreciate thoughts on this matter, as I see it as an interesting plot mechanism.

[TheCountAlucard]

Simple Answer: Yes.

The more complex answer involves attaching a load of asterisks to it about spirits not having the most human frame of reference with regard to concepts like justice or love or courage, or how its absorption of other spirits can have twisted its perspective even further, or even how the person attached to the spirit colors the union.

It could indeed be very interesting, though. :smallsmile:

[Sith_Happens]

There's literally a spirit for everything except people themselves so in theory there are plenty of benevolent ones. In practice, though, a spirit's idea of what constitutes "benevolent" is going to be rather... off. Not necessarily enough so to quash the idea altogether, but it's not as simple as finding the nearest spirit of love and justice and calling it a day.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Which isn't to say that there might not be a benevolent spirit, there might be a perfectly good-hearted paladin spirit. But being the World of Darkness, it's more likely to be the perfectly good-hearted paladin spirit that kills babies because they'll grow up to be evil.

[comicshorse]

Just point me in the direction of the spirit of bacon sandwiches :smallsmile:

[Sith_Happens]

Which isn't to say that there might not be a benevolent spirit, there might be a perfectly good-hearted paladin spirit. But being the World of Darkness, it's more likely to be the perfectly good-hearted paladin spirit that kills babies because they'll grow up to be evil.

Or, for a slightly tamer example, a spirit of love that covertly eggs on a stalker.

[RickAllison]

I get it, like the spirit of happiness in the book that feeds off drug highs. Thanks for all the input!

[Astralia123]

It very much depend on what your ST plans but you can be sure there will be some trap in it for you.
I'm not saying there cannot be a truly friendly, and noble spirit to act as your companion, without visible malevolent behaviours.

But consider this example...
If you read about Book of Spirits, there is a merit that makes you very valuable to spirits.
A truly friendly companion might hint you have such a merit (without yourself knowing it) and you might eventually draw some even more powerful spirits' attentions.

More often, as spirits acts actually in a very alien logic from mortals, a powerful spirit that appears to befriend you may abandon or attack you in a wink when you (unknowingly) piss it, or are no longer what it desires. It may also affect your behaviour or secretly manipulate you, and (almost certainly) would ask for payback every time it acts in your favour.


Where this trap hides may differ wildly regarding circumstance, but you may remember that every extra powerful advantage will come either very expensive or with potential disadvantage. Usually both.


It is quite interesting though. Especially for the ST.



Well you can look up in MtA for a less dangerous version of spirit companion...Maybe your ST would allow a non-mage character pick it with reasonable back stories.