Passions and Fetters are the things that define and maintain a wraith's existence. On a basic level, Fetters are the things in the Skinlands that a wraith cares about most deeply, while Passions are the things that a wraith most wants to do. Fetters are what tie a wraith to the Shadowlands, giving him anchors in the Skinlands that he can use to resist Oblivion's pull. It is in a fetter that a wraith can Slumber and heal, and often it is easier for a wraith to use his Arcanoi near his Fetters. On the other hand, if a Fetter is damaged or destroyed, the effects can be catastrophic. Furthermore, wraiths without Fetters cannot stay long in the Shadowlands, and so every wraith will strive his utmost to guard his Fetters. Passions are those dictates which a wraith follows in death, the emotional imperatives that drive and fuel his existence. At its core each Passion has an emotion; by following his Passion's dictates (or by being in the presence of the feeling at the Passion's heart), a wraith garners the energy called Pathos. Without Pathos, a wraith's Arcanoi will not function, nor will he be able to heal. Preventing a wraith from tending his Passion and Fetters, then, is perhaps the worst slow torment that can be inflicted on a wraith.
Wraiths can, on very rare occasions, gain new Fetters. Occasionally their interactions with the Skinlands will lead them to care for a person, place or thing (most often a person) so intensely that it becomes a new Fetter. If a player wishes to add a new Fetter, he must discuss the matter at length with his Storyteller and work the new Fetter into the chronicle through intense roleplaying. New Fetters, if the Storyteller permits them, costs 3 times the desired rating for the Fetter.
Losing Fetters
During the course of gameplay, wraiths can see their Fetters weaken or even vanish. Many wraiths have living beings or animals as their Fetters; when these die the Fetters they represent are destroyed. Fetters can also meet with accidents or be destroyed, and there are even times when a wraith's neglect weakens the pull a Fetter has on him. There are five main ways in which Fetters are weakened. Destruction: If a wraith's Fetter dies or is destroyed, its status as a Fetter ends and the wraith is immediately dropped into a Harrowing. For this reason, wraiths do their utmost to protect their Fetters. Neglect: If wraith does his best, intentionally or otherwise, to distance himself from a Fetter, the pull of that Fetter may well weaken. The Storyteller has complete control over wehther a Fetter's attachment (i.e., its rating) to a wraith has diminished with neglect. If a Storyteller decides that a wraith has neglected his Fetter. This could well remove the Fetter from the wraith and drop him into a Harrowing. Harrowings: Some Target Harrowings can reduce or even destroy a Fetter's attachment to a wraith. Rending:Some Spectres have the ability to Rend Fetters. Each successful attack of this sort weakens the Fetter's rating by one, and may well force the wraith into a Harrowing. Resolution: See below.
Resolving Fetters
Eventually wraiths can come to grips with their Fetters, saying farewell to the things and people they loved on their own terms. This is known as Resolving a Fetter, and it weakens the attachment that a wraith has to the Shadowlands. However, it is a healing process as opposed to a violent one (like Fetter destruction), and most wraithly authorities agree that it is a vital step in achieving Transcendence. The Resolution of a Fetter should be roleplayed out, if at all possible. If a wraith has as a Fetter his father, with whom he never settled his difference when alive, and he manages to achive a post-mortem reconciliation, then that Fetter should be considered to be Resolved. When there are no regrets no words left unsaid, when the beloved stuffed animal can be placed on the shelf for the last time, when the last look at the family homestead can be taken with wistfulness instead of regret -- these are moments when Fetters are Resolved. A character wishing to resolve a Fetter should discuss the matter extensively with her Storyteller, who should be prepared to work the attempted Resolution into her chronicle as a major plot element. If the wraith demonstrates conclusively through roleplaying that her attachment to her Fetter has been Resolved, then and only then should she be allowed to make a Resolution roll.
Passions
A wraith's Passions can change over time. Often their focus shifts from the Skinlands to the Underworld. Old Passions are lost, new ones gained, and the transitional period can be difficult. A player wishing to add a new Passion should discuss the matter with her Storyteller. Ideally, the addition of the new Passion as a Trait will be the culmination of a continuing aspect of the chronicle's narrative. New Passions should cost three experience points for each dot in the Passion's rating. A similar cost holds for a player wishing to increase an existing Passion's rating, but the Storyteller has the final say as to whether or not the increase is allowed.
Losing Passions
Wraiths can also lose Passions. Whether through time, neglect or the action of others, a wraith's Passions can slip away from him. The Storyteller has total control over if, how and when a wraith's Passions diminish. There are four principal ways in which a Passion can be weakened or even destroyed. Neglect: If a wraith has not paid attention to his Passion, eventually it will diminish. If a Storyteller feels that a character has neglected hi Passion thoroughly enough to weaken is. This may well excise the Passion and drop the wraith into a Harrowing. Harrowings: Some targeted Harrowings can weaken or even destroy Passions. Numbing: Some Specters have the ability to "numb" a wraith's feelings, even those so strong as to be labeled Passions. If an attack of this sort is successful, it reduces one of a wraith's Passions (selected at random by the Storyteller) by one. This may also force the victim into a Harrowing. Resolution: See below.
Resolving a Passion
Given time, wraiths can come to grips with and master their Passions. While it might not make sense to some wraiths to try to let go of their sources of Pathos, other wraiths feel that calming their Passions is vital to achieving Transcendence. With that in mind, they will attempt to calm their Passions, changing what were once overwhelming emotions into more moderate desires and approaches. The Resolution of a Passion is a delicate thing, and should be roleplayed thoroughly before any modification is made to a wraith's character sheet. A player wishing to Resolve a Passion should bring the matter to his Storyteller and discuss the situation at length, including ways in which to bring the resolution plot into the chronicle. It is suggested that a character attempting to Resolve a Passion not roll against it for Pathos. Once the attempt to Resolve the Passion is well under way, the Storyteller may at his discretion offer the player a roll to weaken the Passion. Eventually, when the Storyteller feels that the character has the Passion firmly under control, a Resolution roll can be made.
