Compendium: Kami

The first post on this blog introduces names without a background. The compendium series will discuss and highlight particular concepts in detail and introduce the world of the new setting.

Kami -

The word Kami comes from Japanese Shinto religion, specifically meaning spirit, a creature that may range from a tree, to the mighty god Susano-O. Not all people use the word to describe them, many cultures use different terms, though the term Kami has propagated many places around the world since the Day of Slumber, the day when the Veil broke. Kami have no physical presence, and are tied directly into Dreamtime, not able to sustain themselves within Reality on their own.

Kami take on many names, shapes and forms, and their power varies greatly. Some are little more than a stiff breeze, or the gentle warmth of a stove, while others bear the names of Gods and walked among the ancients. Their strength is tied directly into the Dreamtime, which is shaped by belief. While Kami may become very powerful, they are only as powerful as humanity believes them to be, driving a symbiotic relationship with mortals.

Kami may be bound to objects, called Dreamcatchers, created by humans forcing them into service. Their powers may be called upon by mortals, though it is rare to see anything powerful enough to bind a God. Many Dreamcatchers are little more than trinkets, baubles used to command tiny fractions of the power of the Dreamtime. And yet, some Dreamcatchers are more powerful, evoking powerful magics and affecting the destiny of those that hold them.

Kami may also possess living bodies, though all but the weakest willed should be able to resist a lesser Kami under normal circumstances. However, Kami are crafty, and inside nightmarish places called Penumbra, they may break down a mortal's defenses and crush their soul, taking the power and shaping the flesh into things now called Husks. Husks may contain tiny fractions of the person they once where, but even if the Kami where banished, their mind and soul may be far too damaged to ever return.

The lesser Kami act on instinct, little more than elemental sprites, connected to nature or an emotion that they where born from. Greater Kami, those born intelligent are crafty creatures, and may attempt to approach godhood should they be given the opportunity to collect followers, birthing new Gods. Old gods hold onto followers, clinging to stories still told of them or finding interesting ways to maintain belief despite man's fading faith in the modern age. Other, nameless Kami, latched onto the void left by the named ones, rising in the modern era without a face and yet tapping into the collective worship of modern man. All of them fighting for followers, even willing to give up a piece of themselves in exchange for followers who will act in their favor.

These gods will form Contracts with mortals. Each party agrees to the terms, and in exchange for the devout belief and following the Kami's will, the mortal gains great power. However, many Kami are crafty, and the contracts are warped in their favor, giving them a path to enact their will with little option on the mortal's end. Each contract has unique conditions for the terms ending, if either party breaks the contract they must pay the other based on the terms described, though many Kami have escape clauses that allow them to end the contract should they feel the mortal did not keep up their end.

This covers the basics of Kami, but below highlights a sample of one of the contracts, a well known Native American spirit Raven.

The following is an excerpt from the first draft of the book and both the mechanics and theme are subject to change.  It is not edited currently, so do not judge the quality of its final form based on this excerpt.

Raven - 

To many he is the wise one, and to others he is the trickster. Never as great as his brother Coyote, nonetheless he found followers in his name. He is known to bargain, taking knowledge in exchange for gifts, but his gifts are always double edged and his words are riddles. He may appear in dreams to lead, to help or just to steal, preferring to do as little work as necessary. He also likes eyeballs.

Contracts with this elusive trickster are difficult, for he rarely wishes to share his precious knowledge, preferring to award more directly, but those who manage to convince him to take them on may find it equally troublesome, for Raven appears to be a magnet for everything that goes wrong, and maybe he had a reason for taking the contract.

Signing the Contract Grants:
Trouble seems to find the character no matter what they do, increasing the likelihood of generally bad things happening to them. Most notably inside Dreamtime, Umbra tends to be more prevalent around, while outside antagonistic Kami often show up in Wilds. Worst of all, inside settlements, the character tend to draw husks of the smarter kind that find ways through the cities defenses.

At the same time Raven’s tendency to draw trouble also means he’s prepared, adding the player’s luck stat as a bonus to Initiative, and the character’s spirit is added to their maximum Avoidance.

+2 Weaving to Balance, as its hard to throw off Raven even when presented with daunting tasks and the player may choose three skills to reduce the Fraying of those skills by 1 to a minimum of 1, these skills may be adjusted by visiting Raven in the Dreamtime during a Long Rest and delivering him a tale of his own accomplishments, where he excels in the skills to be selected. This action consumes the entire downtime.

The greater bond grants:
Grants an increase equal to half the character’s Spirit to maximum Mental Fortitude, for Raven is both crafty and wise, and increases the Mental Fortitude Recharge by 1, and the player’s connection to Raven’s craftiness will help escape the most troubling situation.

Raven’s pride means that he is quick to boast, and when using deceit or storytelling to talk about the character’s deeds or raven’s the Force and Weaving of all rolls are increased by the character’s Luck. The character also gains the trait Skilled (Deceit).

Raven's black feather's tend to appear in many locations around the character's various body parts in any shape they take, and hair, scales or feathers will always be black as night.

The greatest bond grants:
May call upon Raven for a favor once per Long Rest as a Major Action, and he shall appear if it suits him and grant varying requests. His favors may include removing frayed conditions from the contract holder or their allies, accomplishing a skill requested of him. He’s quite powerful in some, but if he’s no good at the skill requested he’ll try anyway and never admit a fault. He may also answer other requests at his whim. His fickleness however means nothing may happen at all.

Raven’s obsession with shiny things means he rewards the character for collecting them. When using Sleight of Hand they get +2 Weaving and gain Focused (Sleight of Hand). May also trade stolen items of value to the original owner with Raven for more favors on summoning him. When summoned the character may trade non catcher stolen items for additional favor.

Raven's wings adorn the default shape of the character, fully feathered, or replace the arms, but they are not necessarily functional. Raven's pride means the character is equally proud of their feathers.

Joining a contract:
It starts with a dream, whether a variety of black birds, or a lone raven finding their way into the player’s subconscious. Then the tendency to see them in Reality and Wilds. A plague of black birds, or a hellish raven keep them company in Penumbra.

The character’s reaction to Raven’s presence determines whether he decides to offer a contract or a gift, a gift being his primary offer in trade for wisdom or knowledge he does not have. He plays a game of challenge with the character, which they may approach as a solo encounter and if they succeed he will offer them the choice, and if they fail his flock will abandon them. Accepting the gift grants temporary boons, but the contract may be far more valuable. Definitely, far more dangerous.

Breaking a contract:
Raven no longer wishes to help those who no longer honor his bargain, and does nothing to assist them as Raven’s tendency to draw trouble continues to plague the former contract holder. Maybe that will teach them a lesson.

Raven has also been known to flake out on his end of the bargain, simply one day not showing up when he is called. At which time the contract is broken. The character’s plumage grows in more fully, adjusting their default shape towards Raven’s, especially that stunning beak, and that plumage never seems to go away. His ego seems to transfer over, small parts of his personality infecting the former contract holder turned Raven. They now have a strong desire to collect shiny things, and if they gain one, they may grant their own boons now to their allies. When presented a shiny thing they may remove a frayed condition from an ally once per short rest, or if they acquire one through sleight of hand they may remove their own.