Ghoustly Ascension (to Divinity)
- Thread starter Runelord
- Start date
Mr. S
Junior Member
...but a ghost is already a spirit. What an interesting question. I suppose it would allow them to exceed their natural limitation of essence 5. Perhaps it would be similar to what happens to a god-blood when they go over their natural limitations.
From a rules perspective it probably won't really matter. From a fluff perspective it sounds like an interesting backstory
From a rules perspective it probably won't really matter. From a fluff perspective it sounds like an interesting backstory
Arrghus
Junior Member
Canonically it is not possible, save by becoming one of the Lumina (guardian spirits patrolling the sun). This is because dying is supposed to be irreversible, and since gods are living beings, dead things like ghosts cannot go that way.
In your game, however, one does not need to concern oneself with such big metaphysical things all the time, so it sounds like a splendidly interesting idea, provided, of course, that the ghost in question has earned it.
In your game, however, one does not need to concern oneself with such big metaphysical things all the time, so it sounds like a splendidly interesting idea, provided, of course, that the ghost in question has earned it.
Mr. S
Junior Member
In this case is the difference between living that you're referring to just the ability to channel "live" essence as opposed to underworld? Is there anything more to being living as far as a spirit is concerned? Please let me know. ThanksArrghus said:
Plague of Hats
Member
The fundamental metaphysical and narrative nature of the spirits in question is also a key part of why, canonically, it doesn't really happen. Major state changes like that are a lot like resurrection, and one of the reasons the types of power in Exalted are so strictly segregated is to try to avoid story-dilution, even if it wouldn't lead to complete idiocy like Samuel Haight.
You can do things like it, though. Lumina, as mentioned, are sort of like that and probably channel living Essence. There's some god or another who is the "apotheosized" ghost of a warlord or something, but in all likelihood his deeds probably just created the god in question, his soul went into Lethe or maybe even sublimated into the god, and it's not really a continuity of self in the commonly expected vein.
But, just as you can "resurrect" someone by creating a perfect copy of their memories and putting those in a perfect copy of their body, doing that with the official setting is pretty much there only for things like p-zombie explorations of morality and identity. The only thing stopping you from doing a straightforward "ghost becomes a god" thing is your own tastes and whatever narrative weight you lend to the likely default official Exalted.
Thorn Darkblade
I know lots of things. Lots of things...
I think a ghost that got a charm similar to endowment could ascend to something similar to perhaps the dual monarchs or, maybe, just maybe, one of the less powerful deathlords. After all, those beings are in fact ghosts of IMMENSE power.
misterbananas
Lurker
I once asked a similar question on the White Wolf forums a few years back, about what might happen if a ghost found a way to surpass essence 6 (as that was their limit in 1st edition.) One of the more interesting ideas, I think, was that a ghost might ascend to become a new type of elemental, an elemental dragon of Death.
Ker'ion
Primordial of Abstract Logic
Where is this Essence 5 cap stated at?
According to the books, the Deathlords were Solars who had an Essence of 8 or greater AFTER the one point drop from dying.
According to the books, the Deathlords were Solars who had an Essence of 8 or greater AFTER the one point drop from dying.
magnificentmomo
That Guy
I don't have the ref right now, but that is the cap if you don't die above it. All the DLs died with essence higher than 7.
Plague of Hats
Member
The ghostly Essence soft cap was not reiterated in Second Edition.