Watchers

The Watchers are a rarer form of specter, but for the most part content to let the living go about the business of their day to day lives as they linger. These ranks of the dead retain their awareness and memories from life, and for the most part are benign and can be convinced to help a Spiritualist if asked, though each retains an individual personality that must be navigated if the request of the Spiritualist goes against their nature. The Watchers tend to have been intelligent or skilled individuals in life, and some even retain abilities that can be manipulated through the inherent talents of the Spiritualist.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Watchers, a rarer category of specter, exhibit an ethereal anatomy that sets them apart, appearing as blind, bound, or blindfolded entities. Despite their visually impaired appearance, these specters possess a heightened awareness of their surroundings, navigating the spiritual realm with a unique perception. In their blind state, the Watchers lack traditional vision but compensate with other heightened senses, allowing them to perceive the living and the spiritual realm in ways beyond the physical. Those bound by ethereal chains are tethered to specific locations or objects, while blindfolded Watchers wear an otherworldly veil that symbolizes their transition to the afterlife, enhancing their spiritual awareness.

Ecology and Habitats

• Spiritual Realm Habitat: The Watchers exist within the ethereal confines of the Spiritual Realm, a dimension that coexists with the mortal world but remains unseen by the living. Their habitat within this spectral domain is diverse, ranging from serene planes to more tumultuous regions shaped by the unresolved energies of the deceased.
• Temporal Anchors: Points of connection between the living world and the afterlife, serve as focal points for the Watchers. These anchors are often tied to significant locations or objects from their past lives, forming the core of their haunting grounds.
• Crossing Over: Crossing Over occurs when the veil between the living and spiritual realms is temporarily lifted, allowing the Watchers to interact with both realms. During these transient moments, the Watchers may draw closer to the Temporal Anchors, intensifying their connection to the mortal plane. These events can be triggered by emotional surges, rituals, or disturbances in the spiritual energy.
• Interactions with the Living: While their presence is typically benign, their actions can range from subtle manifestations to more overt attempts to communicate with or assist Spiritualists. The Watchers' responses are often influenced by their personalities and the nature of the requests made by the living, providing a dynamic element to their interactions.
• Haunting Grounds: These grounds are often linked to the Watchers' past lives, where emotional imprints, unresolved issues, or significant events occurred. It is within these haunting grounds that the Watchers may manifest more prominently, and Spiritualists can seek their assistance or negotiate their cooperation. The intensity of the haunting grounds can vary, with some locations exuding a peaceful aura while others carry a more restless or turbulent energy.

Behaviour

The behavior of the Watchers is a subtle interplay of ethereal tendencies and individuality, shaped by their past lives and the circumstances of their existence in the Spiritual Realm. Generally content to observe the living world passively, these spectral entities exhibit a heightened awareness of their surroundings, perceiving both the living and the spiritual energies that envelop them. Guided by distinct personality traits retained from their previous lives, each Watcher brings a unique set of quirks and preferences, influencing their reactions to the living and their readiness to assist Spiritualists. Their affinity for Temporal Anchors, specific locations or objects tied to their past, reflects a deep emotional connection to the mortal realm. During Crossing Over events, Watchers may selectively interact with the living, responding based on the nature of requests or actions. Negotiating with them requires an understanding of their individuality and a respectful approach, as they can be convinced to provide ephemeral assistance using their abilities from life. Within their haunting grounds, Watchers may manifest more prominently, displaying ethereal phenomena that mirror the emotional charge of these specific locations. The Watchers' behavior thus emerges as a nuanced blend of passive observation, individual personalities, and selective interactions, creating a dynamic and complex presence within the spiritual ecosystem.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

• Non-Visual Perception: Watchers lack conventional sight, yet their perception transcends the visual spectrum. They navigate the spiritual plane through an alternative form of awareness, relying on a combination of spiritual energies, vibrations, and residual emotions.
• Heightened Spiritual Sensitivity: Their senses extend into the spiritual energies that surround them, allowing them to detect the presence of other entities, living or spectral, as well as fluctuations in the spiritual realm. This heightened sensitivity enables them to perceive the emotional states of the living and the residual energies attached to objects or locations.
• Temporal Awareness: Watchers are attuned to temporal shifts and the occurrences of Crossing Over events, indicating their ability to discern moments when the veil between the living and spiritual realms is temporarily lifted. This awareness guides their movements, drawing them closer to Temporal Anchors during these significant temporal occurrences.
• Ephemeral Communication: While lacking vocal cords or physical forms, Watchers can communicate with other spectral entities and, at times, with the living during Crossing Over. Communication is often conducted through subtle manifestations, symbolic gestures, or influencing the energies around them.
• Resonance with Haunting Grounds: Within their haunting grounds, Watchers experience a heightened connection to the emotional imprints of the past. Their sensory capabilities intensify in these locations, allowing them to manifest more prominently and interact with the living or Spiritualists in ways that mirror the emotional charge of the haunting ground.
• Selective Engagement: Watchers exhibit a selective engagement with the living, responding to specific stimuli or requests based on their individual personalities and the nature of the interactions during Crossing Over. 

Civilization and Culture

History

In the wake of the Blight, a catastrophic event that tore through the fabric of the afterlife, a desolate void was left in its wake, a void that became an unintended crucible for the souls of the departed. Seemingly severed from their customary journey into the realms beyond, these souls found themselves trapped within the emptiness of this spiritual tapestry. Stripped of their connection to the divine and the expected passage to the afterlife, this void became the foundation for an unprecedented and enigmatic existence. Born from the shattered remnants of souls and the lingering echoes of their past lives, spirits emerged within the vast emptiness of the spiritual void. Initially formless and chaotic, these nascent entities gradually took on defined shapes as they clung to the unresolved emotions and memories of their mortal existence. Within this spectral crucible, the Spirits found a peculiar solace in the fragments of what once was, shaping their ethereal forms from the remnants of their former selves. The Blight not only severed the souls' connection to the afterlife but also imbued them with an insatiable yearning. This yearning was not for an ethereal paradise but rather a relentless desire to resolve the issues that bound them to the mortal realm. The spiritual void, far from being a mere abyss, became a realm of profound complexity and emotional resonance. The Spirits, driven by an internal compulsion, sought to reconcile the unresolved facets of their past lives, weaving together the threads of their existence that had been torn asunder. As these Spirits navigated the emptiness of the spiritual void, a unique society and ecology formed. Interactions among these ethereal beings were defined by the emotional imprints that clung to their incorporeal forms, creating a tapestry of memories and experiences within the emptiness. The history of these Spirits became an exploration of identity, redemption, and the pursuit of closure within the shattered remnants of their once-continuous journey through the afterlife.

Scientific Name

Spirit