I almost put this up last night, but the Hecate writeup intervened. I like to put things like Horse in games; sometimes it’s nice to look the players in the eye and go “I don’t know how it happened, either.” Not everything can be explained, hey?
Horse
Ghost
Corporeal Forces: 2 Strength: 4 Agility: 4
Ethereal Forces: 1 Intelligence: 1 Precision: 3
Celestial Forces: 3 Will: 8 Perception: 4
Skills: Dodge/6, Fighting/6, Running/6, Tactics/6
Focus: A stone torch-holder
Horse is, frankly, impossible. Horses don’t become ghosts. They also don’t have 7 Forces in life. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to explain this to Horse.
It’s guessed that, in life, Horse was, well, a horse. From its appearance and behavior after death, it was apparently a racehorse that was used in the old holiday of Benididea: at least, that’s what the expert (a Greek blessed soul) said, and there’s no real reason to disbelieve him. Presumably it died in the middle of a race.
Horse has appeared several times over the last few thousand years, and seems to have no other purpose but to manifest, gallop at full speed for as far as its focus will let it, then disappear. Just before it disappears, an even more ghostly rider will manifest; this just seems to be an illusion, because attacking it does nothing to harm Horse. It does anger Horse, though, who will then proceed to attack in its turn for a round or two, then disappear.
Despite its skill in combat, the Host could easily destroy Horse. However, angels don’t do that sort of thing normally: besides, the ghost is a particularly interesting mystery. Unfortunately, nobody’s ever been able to figure out how Horse came into existence, or what’s keeping it on Earth. As long as no one actually attacks it, Horse doesn’t actually harm anyone, so the Host just keeps an eye on it and occasionally assigns somebody to investigate the mystery.
Campaign Note: Horse is pretty much meant for local color: as written, it won’t have any real effect on the campaign. It’s just a ghostly horse that will run like Hell through a scene – several times – for the express purpose of reminding the PCs that there’s stuff out there that nobody understands. If the PCs decide to investigate, and the GM feels like giving an answer, the actual reason for Horse will need to be decided. Possibilities include:
- Horse is actually a fusion of a horse and his rider, who were both killed after winning a race but before the rider could claim his prize, and thus continually search everywhere for it;
- Horse was, indeed, a mutant 7-Force horse that has lost her master and thus cannot rest until she finds his grave; or
- Horse is actually a fairly clever ethereal that has managed to con the Host for the last thousand years by hiding in plain sight, as it were.
Or, indeed, anything that tickles the GM’s fancy. Whatever the solution, it should involve a good deal of research and, preferably, treasure of some sort (which will justify combat, if desired): treasure is always a nice touch when doing a ghost story.
Sugar cubes are optional.
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