Inhabitation
Type: P Action: Auto
Range: Self Duration: Special
Most spirits can only affect the physical world by materializing or possessing a vessel. A spirit with Inhabitation exists on the physical plane continuously after it has merged with a prepared vessel. The spirit cannot be separated with Banishing, and the spirit cannot voluntarily leave the vessel. An inhabiting spirit is only disrupted when its vessel is either destroyed or killed from Physical damage overflow (p. 209, CRB). If the inhabited vessel is living, the spirit gains complete control of the body and access to some or all of the vessel’s memories. During merging, the vessel’s original spirit is consumed (if present) and that character is lost (though gamemasters may decide otherwise, if appropriate to their stories).
To inhabit a vessel, a spirit requires a prepared vessel (p. 135, SG) in a magical lodge with a Force at least equal to the spirit’s Force. Once the vessel has been enchanted, the spirit may use Inhabitation on it. The Inhabitation process takes a number of days equal to the spirit’s Force. At the end of that period, the spirit makes an Opposed Test using its Force x 2 against the vessel’s Willpower + Intuition. The spirit’s conjurer (if any) may influence the result by adding his Binding skill to either dice pool. If the spirit is attempting to inhabit a nonliving vessel, the spirit rolls Force x 2 against the vessel’s Object Resistance Table dice pool (p. 295, CRB). The number of net hits determines the resulting form. If the spirit gets a critical glitch, the merge is unsuccessful, and the vessel is immune to further inhabitation attempts by that spirit.
The Inhabitation process is trying for both spirit and vessel. If the vessel is removed from the magical lodge before the merge is complete, the spirit and host generally die (though the gamemaster is entitled to make exceptions for hosts). At the end of the inhabitation period, the spirit takes full control over the host; the type of form depends on the Opposed Test results, as follows:
True form: A true form results when the spirit rolls 2 or more net hits or the vessel gets a critical glitch. The vessel is irrevocably destroyed or consumed during the process. The spirit takes form on the astral plane and gains the powers of Astral Form and Materialization (p. 394 and 398, CRB). The true form bears no resemblance to the vessel and retains only the knowledge, skills, and attributes of the spirit alone. A true form can persist on the astral or physical planes indefinitely without being tied to a conjurer or a spirit formula. Once disrupted, the spirit can only return by inhabiting a new vessel.
Hybrid form: A hybrid form results when neither spirit nor vessel roll 2 or more net hits. Both vessel and spirit become a single, dual-natured entity (p. 395, CRB). The hybrid form’s physical attributes are enhanced by the spirit’s Force. The spirit retains all of the host’s natural abilities but only some of its memories and none of its skills (the spirit retains its own skills, however). A hybrid gains Immunity to Normal Weapons (p. 397, CRB) but loses the ability to assume an Astral Form (p. 394, CRB). The inhabited body exhibits signs of the takeover, as the merge warps the vessel with signs of the spirit’s nature (see Spotting Spirits in Vessels, p. 192, SG). The spirit is under no obligation to return to its native metaplane if its services are banished away, and it may persist indefinitely as an uncontrolled spirit. Unlike Possession spirits, hybrid forms can operate a direct neural interface, and the vessel’s cyberware (if any) continues to function for the spirit.
Flesh form: A flesh form results when the vessel rolls 2+ net hits. A perfect combination between spirit and vessel, the flesh form retains all of the vessel’s abilities, knowledge, and skills (except Conjuring skills), and its appearance is virtually indistinguishable from the original vessel. A flesh form gains the following powers: Aura Masking (p. 194, SG), Dual Natured (p. 395, CRB), Immunity to Normal Weapons (p. 397, CRB), and Realistic Form (p. 198, SG).
(p195-196 SG)