Ghosts as Contacts

[Jkeown]

So Indianapolis seems to have more than its fair share of wackaloons who believe in ghosts. In fact, there is one sleeping about 20 feet away from me.

 

I have to run a one-shot game today, and I was thinking of Urban Fantasy HERO: Indianapolis. Also known around here as Crossroads.

 

One of the pregens will have James Whitcomb Riley as a contact. A kind, fairly boozy ghost who knows all the skinny on the supernatural in Indy. I think a ritual of summons might be required.

 

You have to travel to Lockerbie in Indianapolis. There, get out a decent bottle of alcohol, read Little Orphant Annie aloud to an audience and apply copious amounts of patience. If James is about, he'll materialize, and talk while (reluctantly) partaking of whatever drink you provided. Written up as a power, I got this:

 

James, Are You There?: Summon 548-point Ghost (110 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2), OIF Immobile (Location 528 Lockerbie Street, Indianapolis IN; -1 1/2), Requires A Roll (Summoner roll; -1/2), Summoned Being Must Inhabit Locale (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Real Cost: 18

 

But that implies James will be of more use than just talking about the magical happenings in the city. If he's not likely to go around Ghost-Touching folks, dropping them with cardiac arrest (hardly his style, you'll agree), then maybe this is just an elaborate Contact?

 

For 10 points, you get this:

 

James Whitcomb Riley's Ghost: Contact (Contact has very useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact) 16-

 

One is certainly more characterful, but campaign wise, the Contact makes more sense than the spell.

[Escafarc]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

If it's going to be mostly a source of information I would go with Contact myself.

[JmOz]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

The effect is the thing, so I too would go with Contact, for that matter if a player brought that to me I would Probably allow for a -1 character point for the ritual. It really is about as restrictive as needing to be in costume

[concord]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

The suggestion for spirit contacts in Hero Designer for 5E (Fantasy Hero rulebook as source) was to figure the contact as per the normal process then apply a x3 multiplier like it was a group contact.

 

Since this is only one spirit, I would say just buy it as a regular contact without the multiplier.

 

If this was going to be a campaign and the character could contact any spirits in the area then I would go with the multiplier.

[Jkeown]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

I decided on the Contact easily enough. The PCs loved the idea of the Ghosts of Indiana coming to life in this setting.

 

The game climaxed at the Indiana State Museum with a fight between the PCs and a necromancer, his forces consisted of a reanimated Dire Beaver, a reanimated Columbian Mammoth, and Zombie Abe Lincoln.

 

Why? I do not know.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

a ghost whisperertype campaign?interesting

[Rapier]

Re: Ghosts as Contacts

 

Contact is the way to go. There is never anything in any book that says a Contact has to be immediately available or easy to get hold of. It is possible that to 'contact' the contact you will need a spell, seance or something else. That is just the method you use to get hold of him.