Exorcism: Difference between revisions

From gurps
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m Created page with '{{Skill}}{{Will/Hard}} ''Defaults:'' {{Will-6}}, {{Religious Ritual (any)-3}}, {{Ritual Magic (any)-3}}, or {{Theology (any)-3}}. This is the ability to drive a spirit from a p...'
 
mNo edit summary
 
Line 16: Line 16:


''Modifiers:'' -4 if you do not have one or more of [[Blessed]], [[Power Investiture]], or [[True Faith]]; you might understand the ritual, but you lack holy support.
''Modifiers:'' -4 if you do not have one or more of [[Blessed]], [[Power Investiture]], or [[True Faith]]; you might understand the ritual, but you lack holy support.
{{Natural Sciences Skill}}

Latest revision as of 09:11, 18 January 2014

Will/Hard

Defaults: Will-6, Religious Ritual (any)-3, Ritual Magic (any)-3, or Theology (any)-3.

This is the ability to drive a spirit from a possessed person or haunted location. It is not a magical skill, but a religious ritual. Exorcism is not specific to any one religion. A Malay witch doctor and a Catholic priest can both perform exorcisms; their relative effectiveness depends on the originating culture of the spirit.

The length of the ritual is 15 minutes × the spirit's HT. Some spirits wait patiently through the ritual, anticipating the combat to come; others try to distract or even attack you before you can complete the ritual. Once the ritual is complete, roll against Exorcism skill.

On a failure, the spirit remains and you must wait at least a week before you can repeat the ritual. On a critical failure, immediately roll 3d+10 on the Fright Check Table. Even if you keep your sanity, you may never attempt to exorcise this particular spirit again.

On a critical success, you immediately banish the spirit. On a regular success, you meet your opponent in a Quick Contest: your Exorcism skill vs. the higher of the spirit's ST or Will. When fighting a spirit in a living host, add higher of the ST or Will of the possession victim to your Exorcism skill as he tries to "push the spirit out."

If the spirit wins or ties, it retains its current status and you must wait at least a week before you can repeat the ritual. If you win, you drive the spirit from its haunt or victim. The spirit of a deceased mortal is laid to rest. For demons and similar entities, make a reaction roll. On a "Poor" or better reaction, the spirit flees in humiliation. On a "Bad" or worse reaction, the spirit immediately uses whatever resources it has to take vengeance on you and those nearby.

If the exorcism fails at any stage, make an IQ roll afterward. A success means that you learned something about the spirit that will help you in your next attempt to banish that foe, giving you +2 on later skill rolls. You may only claim this bonus once for a particular spirit.

Modifiers: -4 if you do not have one or more of Blessed, Power Investiture, or True Faith; you might understand the ritual, but you lack holy support.