Corpus

The Corpus Praxis is often employed by ghosts who wish to interact directly with the living, or simply explore the Brightlands. Skill in Corpus allows ghosts to manifest farther and farther from their Tethers, and even to cross the Veil. Novices of the power are able to achieve such feats as being able to whisper to the living, while those more skilled might be able to manifest as translucent apparitions that mortals are able to see. Experts can manifest temporary physical forms for themselves that allow them to interact with the physical world, whilst masters are able to craft bodies that are nearly indistinguishable from their living forms.

## Mechanics

Corpus functions by ghosts projecting their power and will into the Veil. The most well known use of Corpus allows ghosts to manifest their Plasm in the Brightlands, but the nature of the power known to its more advanced practitioners is that it is truthfully the manipulation of the Veil itself.

Ghostly manifestation via Corpus is constrained by their Tethers, physical objects filled with a ghost's essence which anchor them to the Brightlands, allowing them to remain within the nearby realm of the Shadelands. When residing within the Shadelands, or trying to force their way past the Veil to the Brightlands, hosts must be within a certain range of their Tethers. That range increases the more they master Corpus.

Whenever a ghost manifests beyond the Veil into the physical world, they become vulnerable to attack. Any damage inflicted upon them harms their Plasm, and has the potential to send them into a Halcyon. If a manifested ghost is sent into a Halcyon, they are immediately dematerialized.

Furthermore, apart from the most powerful of ghosts, any time iron is put into contact with a ghost crossing the Veil, they will be forcibly dematerialized.

## Powers

### Shade (Levels 1-2)

* **Whisper (Level 1):** This basic Corpus power allows for ghosts to project their voices across the Veil, so that they may be heard by beings within the Brightlands. The more they wish to say, the more effort is required, though ghosts more skilled in Corpus may communicate more with less effort.
* **Apparition (Level 2):** Ghosts may form Apparitions of themselves within the Brightlands using this power. An Apparition is a translucent, insubstantial copy of a ghost's Plasm, which can be seen and heard, but cannot physically interact with the Brightlands. Doing this can be dangerous, as making themselves known makes ghosts open to attempts by Brightlanders to Cleave them.

### Wraith (Levels 3-5)

* **Wraithgrasp (Level 3):** Through an effort of will, a ghost is able to briefly extend their hands across the Veil and into the Brightlands, allowing them to grasp objects. These hands exist on both sides of the Veil, and within the Brightlands, appear solid, but very pale. The more force the ghost wishes to exert, be it to pick up a heavier object or squeeze something harder, the more effort and energy must be expended.
* **Flicker (Level 4):** The ability to Flicker is often viewed by Brightlanders as ghostly teleportation. This power involves minor manipulation of the Veil, folding it slightly to shift a ghost about through space, allowing them to instantaneously cross short distances or bypass physical obstacles.
* **Materialize (Level 4):** This power allows a ghost to temporarily transport their Plasmic form into the Brightlands. This Materialization is able to touch and interact with the Brightlands as if they had a body, although it appears just like a corpse. The Materialization lacks any sort of vital functions, and does not breathe, or have body heat, for instance. As its digestive system is inactive and its heart does not flow, a Materialized ghost cannot consume food or properly engage in sex. Furthermore, its sense of touch is extremely dulled.
* **Shift (Level 4):** The power to Shift objects enables ghosts to pull inanimate objects from the Brightlands or send objects they have brought to the Shadelands into the Brightlands. This power is sustained by the will of the ghost. The instant they stop keeping the objects on the wrong side of the Veil, they instantly cross back over. While considerable effort is needed for ghosts to pull the object across the Veil, maintaining its presence on the side it was Shifted to requires almost no energy.
* **Veilguide (Level 4):** For any ghosts with friends, this is an excellent gift to have. The ability to Veilguide allows a ghost to extend their own Corpus abilities to another ghost with a touch, allowing more inexperienced ghosts to Whisper or form an Apparition. For some powers, the Veilguiding ghost only needs a brief moment of contact to initiate the power for the other ghost. Other powers require continuous contact, as any ghost who wishes to Realmwalk with another must continually maintain contact with them.
* **Dislocate (Level 5):** An advancement on the ability of Shifting objects, this power enables ghosts to push conscious entities across the Veil, pulling Brightlanders into the Shadelands, or forcing another ghost to Materialize in the Brightlands. In order to utilize the latter use of Dislocation, the ghost must themselves be capable of Materializing. Unlike Shifting objects, however, Dislocating conscious beings requires constant continuous effort, and can therefore usually only be sustained for short periods of time.
* **Realmwalk (Level 5):** The ability to Realmwalk allows sufficiently potent ghosts to cross the Veil between any adjacent realm of their choosing, rather than just between the Shadelands and Brightlands. This enables them to travel throughout the Ether, including between the Underworld and the Shadelands. This power is a necessity for any entrepeneurial ghost who wishes to make profit by transporting their compatriots between the worlds of the living and the dead.

### Specter (Levels 6-7)

* **Veilway (Level 6):** The ability to open a Veilway allows ghosts to rip open small tears in the Veil between a pair of adjacent realms, allowing their denizens to pass through the tear. Maintaining a Veilway is usually quite taxing, and most ghosts who open them can only maintain them for brief periods. In order to open a Veilway, a ghost must first master the ability to Realmwalk.
* **Incarnate (Level 7):** A power that many ghosts aspire to, this ability is a highly advanced form of Materialization. While far more taxing, its benefits are far greater, as they allow a ghost to form a perfect copy of their living flesh. It can has breathing lungs, body heat, and a beating heart. An Incarnated ghost is able to undergo all ordinary biological processes, including eating and sex. In fact, ghosts are even capable of reproduction whilst Incarnated, though female ghosts must remain Incarnated to carry any children to term, a feat beyond any but the mightiest of Revenants.

### Revenant (Levels 8-9)

* **Veilgate (Level 8):** A massively more potent version of a Veilway, the power to open Veilgates is used by the Gatekeepers of the Underworld. Veilgates have the capacity to utterly dwarf a Veilway in size, and furthermore, can cross through multiple realms at a time, not just those that are directly adjacent. Unsurprisingly, keeping Veilgates open is quite taxing for the Revenant doing it.
* **Shatter Veil (Level 9):** The capability of Shattering the Veil is within the purview of only the mightiest Revenants, and is rarely used. This fearsome power obliterates the Veil within a wide area, allowing free passage between realms until the Veil repairs itself, a process which can take minutes, hours, or even days, depending on how much energy the Revenant put into the Shattering. Within the range of the Shattering, any Ethereal entity, be it ghost or otherwise, is capable of Materializing at will.