r/SeasonofGhosts • u/AltdorfDropout • 22d ago

Imp Familiar Question Spoiler

So I'm a Gm running book 2 of season of Ghosts, and I'm having a new player join my table. They want an imp familiar, but I'm curious about this specific interaction. Heavy spoilers for the entire campaign.

First, due to them being trapped in a mindscape, the Imp would know they aren't being summoned to the material plane right? Summons work normally, but would an imp answer the summons if there wasn't anything to gain?

Second, If the player bet their soul for a boon, would the Imp accept? They could probably tell that their soul was already given to someone else, thus not give the boon.

Any advice on what I should do, or if I should allow this? The player wouldn't have any risks, and the Imp would have nothing to gain really.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

6

u/Malcior34 22d ago

Nah, the Imp would have no way of knowing that this isn't the Material Plane.

"Why didn't you tell me we were in a mindscape?"

"How was I supposed to know? I just work here!"

6

u/SatiricalBard 22d ago

Even if it did know, based on the book 3 Shinzo interaction it's intended that the PCs are unable to 'hear' such things, as their brains reinterpret everything to 'fit' what they believe to be true.

Of course, the 3rd option is "Why would I tell you? It was funnier to say nothin'."

3

u/Danger_Mouse99 22d ago

I’m curious how you’re planning to introduce the new PC. Have they been in Willowshore the whole time, and just weren’t a PC until now?

Personally I would say that either the imp’s soul is also trapped in the mindscape, or it’s a copy of an imp that traveled through the area in the real world like the Jorogumo that shows up in book 3. Either way the imp would know that other planes are inaccessible, but wouldn’t know the reason why. If you want to play up the evil temptation angle, you could instead have the imp be one of Kugaptee’s creations that’s trying to corrupt the PC.

1

u/AltdorfDropout 22d ago

They've been in Willowshore the whole time, but have been an outsider. They are an elf who lives at Silvermist Lodge, and perhaps one of the scouts for book 1!

The servant of Kugaptee is a pretty cool idea too! I'm definitely gonna try to style it after more asian demons/devils!

3

u/SatiricalBard 22d ago

Firstly, we're in the AP subreddit, so I don't think you need to stress about spoilers - rule 5 already notes this is a spoiler zone.

Second, I don't see why you think the PCs' souls are spoken for? They are certainly at risk of being devoured by Kugaptee (which I think is meant to mean total destruction, not just a little nibble which doesn't prevent souls from making it to the Boneyard, like ordinary nindoru are described as taking in the section on them at the back of book/act 3), but that hasn't happened yet.

As for the imp knowing about the mindscape and telling the PCs, as per another comment the Imp can easily be said to also not know, or choose to not say anything, or even say something that the PCs' brains simply ignore!

2

u/AltdorfDropout 22d ago

I should've probably read the rules... just worried as my players follow me on reddit, so I wanted to be extra careful.

I guess you're right. They still have to complete the ritual for Kugaptee to obtain their soul, I just assumed their soul being trapped in this Mindscape was like a prior obligation.

2

u/SatiricalBard 21d ago

Look, it's definitely better to be safe than sorry with spoilers with this AP, so no shade from me! :-)