Yurei
Yurei are crystalline symbionts or parasites that can enhance magical effects.
1. Origin of Yurei
Yurei arise from magical energy, which in turn arises from emotions. Yurei are therefore the product of emotions.
If a living being is exposed to excessive amounts of emotional energy, it is possible that parts of the body crystallise. This crystallised tissue is called yurei.
Several crystals can form in the host's body. As long as they are continuously connected to each other via a conductive medium, they behave like one large crystal.
How exactly this happens in the game is described later.
A Yurei is characterised by the emotions that led to their creation.
2. Infection with a Yurei
Casting magic costs a player their mental resistance. If they lose the check against their mental resistance, they can be infected by a Yurei. If they are already infected, the Yurei can take control and level up. Both are described below.
If a player is infected, a "Yurei Infection" bonus card must be filled out together with the game-master and then be attached to the character-sheet.
If the event just described occurs, the game master can have the player heal part of their mental resistance.
Various things must be specified for the infection.
2.1. Emotions
Which emotions led to the creation of the Yurei. These emotions now represent the types of magical energy that the yurei needs to be able to strengthen magic.
A yurei can arise from several emotions. The yurei crystal will have clearly coloured poles for the different emotions.
The emotions are entered in the bonus card under "Emotions"
2.2. Magical affinity
Each Yurei has certain magical strengths. These are entered under magical affinity. Only a rough direction of magic must be entered here, e.g. water magic, light magic, necromancy...) must be specified here.
Which direction is selected here must be decided by the player and the game master together from the circumstances of the creation and the hosts character.
2.3. Level
Each Yurei has a level. If the level increases, the Yurei itself becomes stronger and enables the player to cast better magic. It also has an increasingly stronger effect on the player's body and mind. More on this in the effects.
The game-master must determine the level at which a Yurei starts based on the situation. Yurei usually start at level 1, but this can be higher in exceptional cases.
2.4. Infected body parts
The body parts that the yurei has already infected are noted here. More on this later.
2.5. Notes
Further information about the Yurei.
2.6. Effects
Yurei have various effects on characters. These are listed here.
2.7. Magical reinforcement
When an infected character casts magic, the Yurei becomes active if the character currently has access to the emotions the Yurei is imprinted with and the magic cast is compatible with the Yurei's affinity.
In this way, the player receives the level of the yurei as a bonus to their magic-checks. It also makes the spell stronger. The player cannot refuse this.
If the player has no magical abilities, they can also specify the affinity of the yurei as an skill and thus cast magic.
Each time the yurei gets active, an infected player must roll an action die. If the value of this roll is 5 or less, the Yurei levels up. More on this in #levelup
2.8. Taking control
If the Yurei has broken the mental barriers of its host (player fails their mental resistance check), it rises in level by one. It can now influence the player or (if it is strong enough) take over completely.
If it only influences the player, the yurei's emotions affect the player. e.g.: Yurei is the result of anger, the player becomes angry at this stage. If the player feels emotions in this way that feeds the yurei.
When the yurei takes full control, the game-master can control the character for the interim if they wish.
3. Yurei level up
When a Yurei levels up, the Yurei becomes a bit more powerful, but also has a stronger effect on the player. After each level-up, the player must roll a d20 and, depending on the value, the Yurei infects a body part.
| Dice value | body part |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | left leg |
| 5-8 | right leg |
| 9-12 | left arm |
| 13-16 | right arm |
| 17-18 | torso |
| 19-20 | head |
The player must now make a point on the body part that they have rolled. If they then have more than 1 point on a body part, they receive a penalty for each point they have over 1, depending on the body part.
| body part | malus |
|---|---|
| Leg | Dexterity - 1 |
| Arm | Dexterity - 1 |
| Torso | Body - 1 |
| Head | Intuition - 1 |
If the player has a max. physical resistance of 0 after this malus, the player dies. If the player has a max. ment. Resistance of 0, the Yurei takes over the player for good.
4. After the death of the host
The death of the host does not automatically lead to the death of the Yurei. While the host's body decays, the yurei's crystals remain. If several crystals have formed in the host's body, the yurei splits into several fragments.
The crystals can then be used by mages or incorporated into magical items (more on this under Items).
5. Touching two Yurei
If the crystals of 2 different Yurei touch each other, unpredictable effects can occur, as the Yurei can start fighting each other. In the best case nothing happens, in the worst case the entire magical energy in both crystals can discharge explosively.
This effect also occurs when two characters who both have a Yurei inside them touch each other, or if a character with a Yurei inside touches a magical item that has a Yurei crystal built into it.
The exact effect is up to the game-master.
6. Healing
A character cannot treat a yurei infection on their own. There are basically 3 ways to treat a Yurei.
6.1. Magic-dissipation
To stop a yurei infection, a character must perform a magic dissipation. As many characters as possible must take part in this ritual. All characters must touch each other with skin contact. Now all participating players must pass an intuition-check, including the player who is infected.
Now the level of the Yurei is doubled and divided among all characters who have successfully rolled the dice. If the result is less than 1, the yureis essence is diluted sufficiently, that no new Yurei is formed.
However, if the result is larger or equal to 1, then all players, that rolls successfully, are infected by a yurei.
The level of the new yurei is the previously calculated result rounded up. The players must play out all disadvantages of the new Yurei level according to levelup.
If no new Yurei have formed, all participating characters must dissipate the Yurei essence they have absorbed over several weeks. During this time, they are mentally affected by the emotions of the Yurei and are more susceptible to being infected by a Yurei themselves.
6.2. Yurei transfer
A player who is carrying a Yurei whose emotions are compatible with the Yurei of the player whi needs to be healed can fully absorb the Yurei. In this process, the levels of the two Yurei are added together and the result is the new level of the Yurei in the receiving character. All new levels must be played according to levelup
6.3. Surgical removal
It is also possible to surgically remove the Yurei crystals. However, these operations are very risky, especially if several parts of the body are affected. Then each crystal (each point on the body diagram) must be removed individually.
6.4. After the healing
Healing by magic drain or yurei transfer does not remove the crystals that are in a character's body. The health penalties are thus retained. The character can have these surgically removed. However, these operations can be very complicated, especially if the Yurei was already very strong.
The crystals also make the character more susceptible to a new infection. If the player is infected again in the future, the Yurei will start at a higher level.