he Dark Arcanos Contaminate is similar to the wraith Arcanos Castigate, in that it allows the user to commune with the Shadow. Similarities end there. Contaminate is used by Spectres t o commune with Shadows of wraiths, and to water and harvest the seeds of Oblivion contained within all souls. This I one of the most feared and admired Dark Arcanoi, as it allows Spectres to damn others by infecting them with Oblivion.

Use the Empathy Ability for retests with the Contaminate Arcanos.

Innate Abilities

Perceive Contamination:

This ability allows the Spectre to see the black light, which is the evidence of Oblivion in living – and thus dying – creatures. By using this ability, the Spectre will be able to perceive mortals in whom Oblivion is strong by the black light escaping from them, even if she cannot actually see the mortal in question through the Shroud.

System: The Spectre makes a Static Mental Challenge to see if she notices any black light auras, which may exist, in her locale. If she succeeds, she can ask one other character how many Health/Corpus levels he currently has.

Sense the Shadow:

With little effort, a Spectre can look at a wraith and see the Shadow lurking within.

System:To activate Sense the Shadow, the Spectre must enter a Mental Challenge. If successful, the Spectre gets the opportunity to look at the wraith’s Shadow sheet for one minute.

Basic Abilities

Shadowspeech:

This art allows a character to speak directly to a wraith’s Shadow, even when it is not dominating the wraith. If the Spectre so desires, he can even judge the wraith’s Nature by examining the dark reflection in the Shadow as the Shadow speaks. The Shadow speaks with the wraith’s voice, who can attempt to resist the process.

System:To successfully speak with the target’s Shadow, the Spectre must succeed in an Extended Social Challenge. The difficulty is that of the opponent’s Willpower. Each success allows the character to ask the Shadow one question or tell it one sentence. Obviously, it is the player who responds, not the Shadow sheet. Suggestions or comments made by the Spectre should be written down on the Shadow sheet, however.

Transfer Angst:

By exerting his will, the character can transfer his own Angst to a visible wraith’s Shadow. The wraith must be within line of sight for this transfer to take place.

System: If an Extended Physical Challenge against the target succeeds, then the Spectre may transfer as many pints of her own Angst to the wraith’s Shadow as successes gained. This art costs one Angst on top of the Angst drained for the transfer.

Intermediate Abilities

Awaken Latent Thorns:

By psychically watering the ashen soil of the Shadow’s mind, the Spectre can encourage new Thorns to grow with which to bedevil the wraith’s Psyche.

System: The player must succeed in an Extended Social Challenge with each success allowing the target Shadow to manifest a previously latent Thorn. A Shadow may be considered to have a number of latent Thorn levels equal to its number of its permanent Angst Traits. It costs the Spectre two Angst to use this art.

Advanced Abilities

Call the Shadow:

By means of this much-respected art, the Spectre can drag a wraith’s Shadow to the surface, allowing it to attempt a premature Catharsis and take control. When this art is used successfully, the Shadow immediately takes control, spending five Angst Traits to do so. If the Shadow has fewer than five Angst Traits, then it spends whatever it has before taking command.

System: With a Physical Challenge against her target and the expenditure of three Angst points, a Spectre can successfully call forth an opponent’s Shadow.

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