Plasm is death energy concentrated into a physical substance used by Sin-Eaters to fuel many of their powers.
First Edition[]
Being death-infused, plasm may be used for the purpose of such things as such as "absorbing" damage, Manifestations, Ceremonies, and the opening of Avernian Gates. Plasm tends to have different flavours corresponding to the emotional responses to and different causes of Death. The Plasm of the Lower Mysteries, however, is inherently alien to beings with connections to the mortal world.
Gaining Plasm[]
Plasm can be gained in multiple ways.
- Haunt/Cenote: A place infused with the power of the dead (graveyard, battlefields etc) will often slowly "bleed" plasm. Invisible to the mortal eye, the Sin-Eater must simply meditate in the cenote to gain the plasm.
- Deathmasks: Deathmasks (a type of Memento) naturally collect plasm. However, since they are the remnant of a destroyed geist, using this is a sin against Synergy 9.
- Ectophagia: Ghosts are made purely out of plasm. So it stands to reason a Sin-Eater who defeats a ghost can consume it. Apart from the foul taste (a ghost that merely tastes like rotting meat is a good result), this is held to be a taboo in Sin-Eater circles, as well as a sin against Synergy 6, as the geist is revolted by this action. Sin-Eaters who regularly perform this act gain the nickname of ghouls among Bound.
- Threshold Resonance: When a Sin-Eater performs an act that resonates with their geists Threshold, the geist itself gains power due to the strong emotions it generates. The Sin-Eater, for their part, gains plasm . This can be both undergoing a Threshold act (in the example of the Torn, being beaten almost to the point of death) or committing the act (for the Forgotten, gambling for high stakes).
- Resolution: When a ghost resolves the last of its anchors, a Sin-Eater present and influential in the process gains enough plasm to refill their entire stores.
Second Edition[]
Plasm is a death-infused substance that may be touched by anyone, but used only by those who have accepted the Bargain. It is used in place of the Essence that the true dead and other ephemeral beings use to fuel their powers. Just as the Bound cannot use Essence, however, ephemeral beings cannot use Plasm.
Plasm cannot simply be drawn into the body; rather, it must be consumed in some manner, with greater energy being granted for consuming it in a manner resonant with the Sin-Eater's death.
Gaining Plasm[]
- Keys: Unlocking with a Key grants Plasm, albeit at the cost of taking upon oneself the Doom associated with that Key.
- Materialization: Materializing ghosts leave behind residual Plasm in their wake.
- Other Manifestations: Ghosts' use of Manifestations leave behind Plasm proportional to their Essence cost.
- Moving On: Helping ghosts resolve their Anchors and move on provides a burst of concentrated Plasm.
- Underworld Feasts: Sin-Eaters may gain Plasm by consuming the "food" of the Underworld.
- Rites: The religious rites of a krewe draw forth plasm from the Underworld.
- Ectophagia: By consuming ghosts (i.e. tearing them open and consuming their viscera), the Bound can transform their Essence into Plasm.
Using Plasm[]
- Plasmic Healing: Plasm may be spent to downgrade incoming damage and resolve Physical Tilts.
- Haunts: The use of Haunts requires Plasm expenditure.
- Remembrance Traits: Remembrance Traits, remembered Skills or Merits of a geist's life, may be accessed by spending Plasm.
- Extrusion: One of the Bound may simply extrude Plasm from themselves so that other Bound may consume it.
- Open: A Sin-Eater may coat a targeted object or creature in Plasm so as to give it the Open Condition for a time.
- Feeding: Plasm may be converted into Essence usable by ghosts.
References[]
- GTS: Geist: The Sin-Eaters Rulebook, p. 63, 81-83
- GTS: Geist: The Sin-Eaters Second Edition, p. 95-96, 99
