Extort

*"Jesus Christ. What fucking edgelord came up with these names?"*

*-Unknown, regarding the powers of the Ghostly Praxis of Extort*

Extort is a fairly common Ghostly Praxis, and is heavily tied to the emotions of the ghosts who wield it. It allows ghosts to project their will into their surroundings, even beyond the Veil, in order to compel the nearby forces and substances into obeying their whims. Extort is often the weapon of choice for ghosts needing to defend themselves, or seeking to vent their anger upon someone unfortunate enough to cross their path. Extort is the source behind some of the most common phenomena associated with ghosts, including flickering lights, plummeting temperatures, blood running down a wall, or objects moving about.

## Mechanics

The powers of Extort function by a ghost projecting psychic energy into their surroundings, and using it to distort local forces and reshape physical material to their will. Powerful emotion strengthens this energy, meaning that a ghost that is sad, fearful, angry, or otherwise agitated has an easier time making using of Extort. Weaker ghosts can often only manifest its powers when in a state of extreme fervor, while stronger ghosts might do so with only mild irritation.

Extort can be employed with ease when a ghost is in the Shadelands or the Underworld, or any other area of the Ether a ghost might travel to. However, its most useful feature is the fact that all of its abilities effect not only the ghostly side of the Veil, but can also reach through to the Brightlands.

It is also easier for ghosts to manifest Extort abilities which manipulate that which they are familiar with, as their memories allow them to form a stronger link. For instance, most every ghost was capable of exerting physical force while they were alive, and as such, so called "Phantom Force" is something most every ghost can Extort into being. Ghosts whose deaths were closely tied with a certain subject especially find that thing easy to manipulate through Extortion; a ghost that was burned to death might summon Wraithfire, while one who was killed by electricity might better command a Gravestorm.

## Powers

### Phantom Force

The most common Extort ability, Phantom Force involves ghosts manipulating kinetic energy. Commonly this power is used to enhance their physical strength, though this is among the most simple applications of the ability. Another basic use of the power is the expulsion of a blast of kinetic energy, which can cause small objects to explode or be knocked over, or send someone flying. That particular manifestation often occurs for ghosts who are not proficient in the ability being suddenly spurred to fury. More advanced applications can allow for advanced telekinesis, making objects or people float about, or exerting concisely applied force.

Phantom Force can be used upon purely physical objects, but also effect substances bereft of physical matter, such as ghostly Plasm or demonic Shadowforms. When wielded by a skilled ghost, it can sometimes knock a spirit right out of a mortal that they are possessing, though this is not done if the ghost intends for the host to survive.

### Wraithfire

Wraithfire is an extremely feared Extort ability, as it allows ghosts to conjure and manipulate flames that burn both the flesh and the spirit. Wraithfire is visually distinct from ordinary flames, burning with a pale, sickly blue light. The wounds it inflicts are slow to heal even for most supernatural beings, but it is most effective against spiritual entities, such as ghosts, demons, or faeries, being able to damage their astral forms. Typically, all but the most powerful spirits, if they are possessing a human, will be forced out of their host if burned by Wraithfire.

Another useful trait of Wraithfire is the fact that a skilled ghost can selectively control who it burns. If they so wish, Wraithfire can wash harmlessly over all but their chosen target, or can be made to indiscriminately burn all those it touches.

Weaker ghosts can usually only create Wraithfire from already existing flames, if at all (weaker in this case is subjective, as Wraithfire is a powerful ability not available to mere Shades). Said fire will gain the trademark blue coloration, which fades if the ghosts influence over the fire dies down, causing the flames to revert to normal. More powerful ghosts can summon Wraithfire at will, expelling it from their forms or calling it into being at a point where they can perceive. If a ghost loses concentration or relinquishes their hold on Wraithfire they have created, it will revert to normal flame.

More powerful ghosts are able to forcibly take over Wraithfire controlled by other ghosts.

### Gravestorm

Flickering lights and power outages are phenomena commonly associated with ghosts. The ability to generate and control Gravestorms is the reason why. This ability enables ghosts to command and summon electricity, and is especially common among those who were electrocuted to death. Many ghosts who died within the twentieth century or later also manifest this power to a minor degree, due to their familiarity with electricity.

Gravestorm based electricity is able to devastate both corporeal nervous systems and shred through spiritual forms, with the wounds it inflicts being especially slow to heal. Electricity under ghostly control is visually distinct from ordinary variants in that it usually manifests as pale white in coloration, and is unusually bright.

Most ghosts who manifest Gravestorm abilities only can cause minor distortions to electrical systems, or perhaps even overload them and cause them to fry. Some Wraiths are able to distort preexisting electricity to strike at their enemies, with whatever they take control over transforming into Gravestorm Lightning. Only Specters and above can conjure a Gravestorm out of nothing.

### Dreadtide

Many have met an untimely end at the hands of water, slain by sudden currents or held under by their fellow men. Ghosts who have drowned most commonly manifest the power known as the Dreadtide, the ability to infuse water with their will and force it to obey.

Ghosts cannot create water on their own, but they can manipulate preexisting sources on both sides of the Veil. Many a vengeful spirit has cause a sudden current to sweep victims out to their doom, or the water of a bathtub to pull its occupant under.

Dreadtide water is known to be shockingly cold. Particularly powerful ghosts are able to lower its temperature so drastically that it kills any immersed in it in mere moments, with the water under their command existing at a temperature that should see it frozen solid.

### Grimfrost

Freezing temperatures are often associated with ghosts. Generated by the power known as the Grimfrost, summoning deathly cold comes most frequently to ghosts who died from it, but all ghosts know the cold of death, and as such, summoning it forth is easy for many of them.

The anger of many a spirit often sees the temperature in a room plummet and ice fog across mirrors and windows, and this feeble use of the Grimfrost is but a parlor trick that can be conjured by most any petty Shade. Making the air so bitterly cold it kills, or turning a heated room into an icy waste is usually reserved for more potent dead.

While ghosts and other spirits are not effected by the cold generated by the Grimfrost, it can be wielded against them in other ways. Any surface coated by Grimfrost becomes impermeable to them, and they cannot pass through it as they would normally. Grimfrost coated clothing can even be used to protect a ghost's allies from possession.

Grimfrost requires active effort on the part of a ghost to be maintained, elsewise, ice generated by it will melt, and dropped temperatures will rise back to normal levels.