Castigate

For the Endowment from Hunter: The Vigil, see Castigation.

Castigate
Guild	Pardoners
Status	Allowed
Marking	Black-tinted fingers

Castigate is one of the thirteen primary Arcanoi from Wraith: The Oblivion. Users of Castigate can manipulate and control a wraith’s Shadow.

Of all of the Arcanoi, Castigate is arguably the most welcomed in the Shadowlands. Pardoners have a rare gift: the abilities to soothe an otherwise unruly Shadow, to scare Spectres away, and to take on Oblivion in general. Pardoners can even communicate effectively and calm their own Shadows to a degree. It usually comes at a great cost to the user, however; Pardoners are particularly prone to gathering Angst from their constant contact with darkness. Those who use Castigate foolishly do not last long as a wraith.

The actual use of Castigate is highly personal to each Pardoner. Many favor a method called the Devil’s Dialectic, where a conversation of sorts is held with a Shadow, while using the target’s Nature to strengthen their resolve and lessen the Shadow’s effect. Others may use rituals such as meditation, purification, songs and chants, physical abuse, or other less orthodox methods to reach a Shadow and quiet its destructive cry.

Failed uses of Castigate are extremely hazardous to a Pardoner; it strengthens the resolve of their own Shadow, or perhaps the Shadow of those they are trying to help. In many of these cases, they must start their efforts over from scratch.

Basic Abilities

• Bulwark: A Pardoner can temporarily shield themselves or others from a Maelstrom.
• Soulsight: A Pardoner can measure the strength of another’s Shadow by careful examination.

Standard Powers

First / Second Edition

• Coax: A Pardoner may call on their Shadow at decreased risk.
• Dark Secrets: A Pardoner may coerce a Shadow into revealing their carrier’s darkest secrets.
• Purify: A Pardoner may directly attack another wraith’s Shadow.
• Housecleaning: A Pardoner can drive away Spectres by cloaking themselves in purity.
• Defiance: A Pardoner can beat back a powerful Shadow trying to take over a wraith.

20th Anniversary Edition

Basic abilities were dropped in the 20th anniversary edition.

The standard powers of Castigate are the same as previous editions, with the following exceptions, which replace the skills of the same level or where noted.

• Soulsight: This is essentially the same as the old basic ability.
• Bulwark: This is essentially the same as the old basic ability.
• Get Thee Hence: This is essentially the same as Housecleaning.

Alternate Powers

Guildbook: Pardoners and Puppeteers

Ancient Arts

• Mask Castigation: A Pardoner may look behind a wraith's mask or Moliated form to determine who is truly before them.
• Transfer Angst: A Pardoner can temporarily hold Angst in themselves until it can be transferred to an appropriate storage place.
• Mass Chastisement: A Pardoner can Purify several wraiths at once.
• Shadow Screen: A Pardoner can hide thoughts and memories from their own Shadow.
• Shadow Summons: Similar to the Shadow Summons below, except this version can be used by a Pardoner.
• Shadow Wrack: A Pardoner may use this to strip a Spectre of Angst and pull their Psyche to the fore of their personality.

New Arts

• Attunement: A Pardoner may mark certain Shadows to make them easier to work with in future Castigation attempts.
• Storm Quell: A Pardoner can call on their Shadow to help them when facing Spectres in a Maelstrom.

Wraith: The Great War

Castigate abilities during the Great War are the same as the basic abilities and standard powers with the following exceptions, which replace the skills of the same level or where noted.

• Wrestle the Devil: A Pardoner can force their Shadow to give them help on demand.
• Faustian Rapport: This can help a Pardoner understand a Shadow and make Purify easier.
• Purity Bulwark: A Pardoner may protect a small area from the influence of a Maelstrom and/or Spectres.

20th Anniversary Edition

The 20th anniversary edition introduces the initiate arts, a set of Castigate abilities available to members of the Pardoners' Guild with sufficient standing.

• Playing With Fire: This is essentially the same as Coax.
• Catechize: This is essentially the same as Dark Secrets, and in fact has it as one of its alternate names.
• Trimming the Black Rose: A Pardoner may prevent a Shadow from using its Thorns.
• Cooling the Blood: A Pardoner can weaken a Shadow's Dark Passions.
• Purge: A Pardoner can give a wraith in Catharsis a chance to regain control.

Other Books

• Momentary Lucidity (WTO: Doomslayers: Into the Labyrinth ): A Pardoner can force a Spectre to make a Catharsis check.
• Bolster (Renegades): A Pardoner may harness their Shadow to resist an interrogation.
• Confession (The Hierarchy): A Pardoner can extract information from a wraith rather than their Shadow.
• Shadow Summons (The Sea of Shadows): When used by Archangelics, this allows them to pull a wraith’s Shadow to the front of their personality and fight or speak with them directly.

References

• WTO: Wraith: The Oblivion Second Edition, p. 138-139
• WTO: Wraith: The Great War Rulebook, p. 116-117
• WTO: Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 155-157
• WTO: Doomslayers: Into the Labyrinth, p. 73
• WTO: Renegades, p. 91
• WTO: The Hierarchy, p. 105-106
• WTO: The Sea of Shadows, p. 90-91
• WTO/cMET: Oblivion, p. 102-104