A Pair of Podcasts
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 06:00:11 AM

Hey there, Ghostkickers!

I've decided that's one word! Ghostkickers!

First off, an update on Stretch Goals!

ACHIEVED! – Backer T-Shirt! – A World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters-themed Kickstarter Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.

We did it! Another Stretch Goal investigated! And, closing in on our next...

At $48,000 in funding – Monster Hunting Expanded – Even more guidance and options will be created and added to the Hunting Monsters PDF supplement.

Congratulations, everyone! Let's keep it rocking! And, with that, to the talking..

Chigg and Chris are joined by Matthew Dawkins (WoD Line Developer for Onyx Path Publishing) to chat about Ghost Hunters. They look into what this book and stretch goals will provide for your games, and the opportunity for crossover games, and a way to explore the World of Darkness as mortals.

CHECK IT OUT <DARKER DAYS RADIO LINK>

And then, on the latest episode of the Onyx Pathcast, Eddy, Matthew, and Dixie take a deep dive into World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters! Topics covered include:

• Classic World of Darkness support books
• "Most Haunted"
• The two branches of 21st century horror cinema
• Scooby Doo and the light touch of ghost stories
• Hunters who might just be wrong
• Orpheus and other public hunters
• Dixie isn't scared by ghosts
• How to use WoD: GH with the various 20th Anniversary games

Listen <HERE> to the Onyx Pathcast!

Always great to hear about these projects from those behind the scenes!

So, as always, let's keep up the good work! Continue to spread the word - share on your social media and in your social circle, and let's see if we can get more Monster Hunting in our second supplement before we get to the next manuscript preview on Wednesday!

#WoDGhostHunters

Backers Only - Ghost Hunters Manuscript Preview 3
over 3 years ago – Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 04:42:34 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

Mediums [a sneak peek from Chapter 4]
over 3 years ago – Thu, Oct 15, 2020 at 10:54:45 AM

Mediums

At its simplest, a medium is a being who is able to communicate with those who have moved beyond the Shroud — those who are, essentially, dead. Unsuspected by most living (and undead) creatures, what we refer to as “ghosts” are not a single type of entity. There are wraiths and Spectres and a medium might even inadvertently come into contact with a dread Malfean, one of the horrors who inhabit the nastier parts of the cities of the dead. Mediums are nearly always otherwise-normal humans, as mages, werewolves and vampires have their own special means of communing with the departed. The Embrace, becoming a vampire, removes the medium’s talent, though ghouls, the servitors of vampires, may retain the ability to commune with ghosts.

Some mediums are born with their ability, either manifest or latent; some develop it later in life, or learn to be mediums by their own efforts. A talent for mediumship runs in some family lines, but can develop spontaneously in individuals whose families have never before produced a medium. The experience of someone from a family of mediums will differ profoundly from that of someone who lacks such familial support and understanding of their ability. Mediums who have a living relative to guide them will have easier access to family myths and stories about the nature of the dead and the nature of their own abilities, not to mention teaching about methods and mechanisms designed to ensure their safety when dealing with the denizens of the Shadowlands and beyond. Some may gain these benefits from a relative who is already dead, but able to assist from across the Shroud. Those who have no such family support will have to develop these safeguards for themselves, unless they can find a mentor, and mentorship in mediumship is not an easy thing to come by.

In order to retain her sanity a medium needs to make sense of what is happening to her, the sights she sees and the sounds she hears. Ghosts have their own drives and motivations for communicating with the living and not all of them are benign in their interactions, let alone truthful. The Restless are not supposed to treat with the living and, whilst many do break this rule (known as the Dictum Mortuum), they have to be careful to avoid coming to the attention of those who rule over them. Both these factors mean that ghosts can be dishonest or, at best, cagey when explaining the facts of their own existence and the nature of life after death. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a medium to discern the whole truth about postmortem existence. At best she will gain small shards of truth which, being human, she will attempt to piece together into something that makes sense. What makes sense to her will depend largely upon the beliefs of her family and her society.

Most mediums will acquire a set of props which help them to contact the dead and to feel more in control of their communications. For those born into families where the talent is known, these are often heirlooms handed down from grandmother to grand-daughter, from godfather to godson. Each family will have their own set of symbolic items. Others may adopt the props of the fairground medium: crystal balls, decks of tarot cards or some other item, traditional, new age or purely individual, which helps them to focus.

Many mediums see and communicate with spirits as well as ghosts. Few understand enough about the Underworld or, for that matter, the reality of spirits to know the difference. Genuine knowledge of the Underworld is a rare commodity, even amongst those with the gift of mediumship. In Western Europe and North America, a medium will often rely upon the tropes developed by Victorian spiritualists, as these are very widely known and propagated by popular culture. The Victorian age was one of those few times when mediums could thrive within a predominantly Christian society, enjoying considerable favor and admiration.

Mediums and Ghosts

Contact with a ghost is terrifying. Even the most skilled and experienced mediums describe a shiver down the spine and a feeling of supernatural dread as the ghost makes first contact. In time, a medium can become attuned to a particular ghost with whom she is in regular communication. However positive her feelings toward the ghost, that initial dread occurs at the beginning of every contact, dissipating when and if the medium recognizes the ghost as a friendly presence or even a spirit guide.

Beyond that, a medium’s experience with a ghost is something unique to each individual. Many feel the ghost as an alien presence in their mind; an entity who does not experience the world as they do, through the five senses, but who, nonetheless, is capable of making demands upon the medium which she may find impossible to deny. A skilled medium can carry on an internal conversation with the ghost, much as all humans do when they imagine themselves in conversation with an absent friend or loved one. The major difference here is that the medium is not in control of the ghost or the answers it gives to her questions. She may hear the ghost talking in the voice it had when it was alive, but this is a voice in her head; although it is as real to her as the voice of a living person, others nearby cannot hear it.

Some ghosts will attempt to take control of the medium’s body, and even her mind and soul. The medium may give in to this happily or she may put up a fight. If she beats the ghost in a contest of wills, the ghost leaves and contact with it breaks. When a ghost possesses a medium, the medium’s own consciousness becomes dormant, much like it is when she is deeply asleep. She may awake to dream-like memories of things she did when the ghost was “in charge” but she will be reliant on other observers for reliable information about her own behavior. Or, rather, what her body did when the ghost was riding her. Although possession by a ghost cannot directly change a medium’s body or physical features, it can make such a massive difference in her non-verbal language and facial expression that she is scarcely recognizable as herself. Her voice changes as the ghost manipulates her lips, tongue, breath, and vocal cords. Her behavior changes; a non-smoker may demand a cigar, a vegan a rare steak or a teetotaler a gin and tonic. She may experience desires and drives that are alien to her nature. All this can be terrifying when the medium comes back to herself, and this is why religions and other social groups which invite such possession have support mechanisms for celebrants lucky enough to be the vehicle for a ghostly manifestation.

Some ghosts are able to take on a physical appearance, often looking and sounding vague and ephemeral, but not all are capable of this. There are mediums who specialize in summoning ghosts who can manifest in this way, though this is no longer as popular as it was in Victorian times. Faking is particularly common when it comes to ephemeral manifestations; the medium may produce the illusion himself or rely on an accomplice. In any case, the fact remains that in some instances, no evidence of trickery exists. There is no “natural” explanation for such manifestations and it is clear that these ghosts are real and can show themselves to the living. These genuine manifestations are rare and, obviously, of great interest to ghost hunters. The medium’s experience of the manifested ghost is identical to that of other observers. She is the one the ghost wishes to be near and, although she may have seen the ghost on many occasions, few mediums ever become blasé about the experience.

This is an excerpt from Chapter 4. Backers will be able to download Chapter 3 and 4 - and have the ability to read the entire preview manuscript before the campaign ends on Halloween! Join now and help us hunt some ghosts!

#WoDGhostHunters

The Arcanum [an excerpt from Chapter 3]
over 3 years ago – Wed, Oct 14, 2020 at 08:04:52 AM

The Arcanum

Founded in 1885 by a former member of the Hermetic Order of the Rising Day, the Arcanum is a highly organized and well-funded collection of investigators who study supernatural beings. While other occultists focus on acquiring useful knowledge and artifacts to hunt creatures, the Arcanum’s members are more interested in amassing and controlling information pertaining to the supernatural. Many in the Arcanum focus on the activities of mages and vampires because they see them as agents of great change and destruction. Others, however, focus on sorting fact from fiction concerning ghosts.

Though the Arcanum’s knowledge base is extensive, it’s not absolute. Arguably, there is more information circulating about ghosts than there is any other type of supernatural being — thanks to modern methods of communication. To keep their facts current, small, focused groups are often encouraged to investigate ghost activity on the material plane and in other realms of reality known as the Penumbra and Near Umbra. These groups view traces of spiritual resonance in the Penumbra through special instruments and occult ritual practices to assess threats and investigate rumors.

Arcanum ghost hunters mostly spend their time tracking down mysterious occurrences and rumored ghost sightings. While they can interact with the Umbral realms, because they are mortal their actions are severely limited and doing so is dangerous. Obsessed investigators skate dangerously close to being classed as Reality Deviants; their fascination with the sphere of Spirit bears similarities to that of the loremasters of the Hermetics and the shamanic visionaries of the Dreamspeakers. Some in the Arcanum are experienced thanatologists, devoting their lives to communication with the dead and understanding the workings of the afterlife.

Unlike other groups, the Arcanum recognizes that necromancy doesn’t always neatly intersect with the hunt for ghosts. Members take special care to review incident reports, because they’re aware that power is wielded by the supernatural. For example, while members are expressly forbidden to engage vampires, some experts spy on the Giovanni, collecting reams of information on their necromantic activities. Despite explicit orders, certain Arcanum members cannot help but directly investigate such instances, risking their lives (and the Arcanum) for the sake of unlocking the dark secrets of the Clan of Death — for the pursuit of knowledge, of course.

Members & Teams

Members of the Arcanum tend to be more informed and better equipped than other paranormal investigators. This gives them an edge other ghost hunters can only dream of. While their knowledge is impressive, members don’t always have the same gritty field experience other groups do. Collating and analyzing data is something at which Arcanum groups excel, and their occult collections are remarkable, but when it comes to their personal safety they often forget the basic arts of self-defense.

Teams are instructed to witness, observe, and record signs of paranormal activity. The Arcanum discourages teams from interfering with the supernatural, but understand some encounters cannot be avoided. Ghost hunting teams are often sent to investigate rumors of sightings and haunts after the police or another organization has already been at the site.

Team members are tight-lipped and guard their secrets well for fear of exposure; they are fully aware their occult libraries and knowledge of the supernatural make them a target. Of all ghost hunters, Arcanum teams tend to be the most secretive and least likely to work openly with non-members. Often, teams will fabricate personas to hire other ghost hunters to do their legwork for them, and pay them in cash to avoid unnecessary questions. Rival ghost hunters who’ve proven they can hold their own often unwittingly work for the Arcanum, and never realize the danger in which they’re putting themselves. Should the Arcanum’s “contractors” realize who’s pulling their strings, the organization will have more than the supernatural to fear.

Notable Arcanists

Arcanists who study ghosts tend to be more paranoid than other members of the organization, and use a variety of aliases to cover their tracks. Some fear ghosts; most are terrified that other denizens of the supernatural will lure them out into the open, either pretending to be a ghost or by planting a plausible rumor. Specialists range from Arcanist mediums who want to learn more about their own abilities, to students of world myth.

Amaya Ito, Professor and Archivist

Amaya Ito is an archivist who works in acquisitions for Harvard University. Ito holds a PhD in American, Japanese, and Korean folklore, and travels around the country to acquire rare books and papers for Beinecke Library. The daughter of immigrants who practiced the Shinto religion, Ito grew up believing the supernatural is real. Following the mysterious death of her younger brother, Ito struggled to make sense of his death, and spent years separating fact from myth. Eventually Ito was approached by the Arcanum, who offered her books and resources in exchange for her loyalty. Ito’s motivation for staying with the group is to uncover more information about her brother’s death. Thus far, they haven’t given her any leads, but the professor doesn’t feel her time has been wasted. In the absence of answers, Ito has been dedicating hours to research. Her goal is to find and communicate with her brother’s ghost in order to take down his killer.

Jack Davis, Technophile

Jack Davis is a young technologist who is obsessed with traveling to the Underworld and recording his activities in that plane. He believes the best way to serve the Arcanum is to ensure that the organization embraces modern technology. David spends a lot of time creating a digital archive of its rare books; he believes it’s only a matter of time before the supernatural finds and destroys the Arcanum’s physical resources. To prevent a catastrophe, Davis hopes to create a searchable, digital version of the organization’s entire library that can be remotely accessed by its members. His obsession has led him to champion a new library of audio files and video footage of real supernatural encounters. Though some members of the Arcanum think Davis is heading down a path of self-destruction, they are unaware the technophile has secretly been hiring other experts to authenticate and supply him with footage. Davis is unaware his time is running out. Sooner or later, another member of the Arcanum will find out what he’s up to — hopefully before they encounter the ghosts that are toying with him.

This is an excerpt from Chapter 3. Backers will be able to download Chapter 3 and 4 on Friday - and have the ability to read the entire preview manuscript before the campaign ends on Halloween! Join now and help us hunt some ghosts!

#WoDGhostHunters

Second Week Stretch Goals!
over 3 years ago – Tue, Oct 13, 2020 at 11:12:48 AM

Kick out the Ghosts!

Hey there, Paranormal Investigation Enthusiasts!

What a nice way to start the second week of our campaign! We've hit another Stretch Goal and ushered a new supplement onto the project grid!

ACHEIVED! - At $43,000 in funding – Hunting Monsters! – Let’s flip the script! Rules, options, and guidance will be created for paranormal investigators dealing with other non-ghost monster types will be created and released in a supplemental PDFF.

Similar to our first PDF Stretch Goal supplement, Paranormal Investigator's Toolkit, Hunting Monsters will be released as a PDF and automatically added added to the rewards list of all backers receiving the World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters PDF.

Let's keep our Stretch Goal streak rolling...

At $45,000 in funding – Backer T-Shirt! – A World of Darkness: Ghost Hunters-themed Kickstarter Backer shirt will be hosted on Onyx Path’s Redbubble store for a limited time. Only backers will be notified when the shirt becomes available for purchase.

Our next target, an Onyx Path classic! And then, like we did with our first supplement, let's work to double up on our second...

At $48,000 in funding – Monster Hunting Expanded – Even more guidance and options will be created and added to the Hunting Monsters PDF supplement.

We've had a tremendous first week! I think our second can be just as stellar! Remember to share this campaign with your social circle and on your social media, and let's keep it rolling!

#WoDGhostHunters