Which games have especially interesting and well thought out spirit worlds?

What makes an effective 'gamable' spirit world?

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;883802Which games have especially interesting and well thought out spirit worlds?

What makes an effective 'gamable' spirit world?

I'm not sure what exactly "spirit world" is meant to be, whether it's a place where literal spirits reside (ghosts, souls and other not-quite alive beings), or a place similar to WoD's Umbra.

I assume "an alternative to material reality", and if so, then Lovecraftian Dreamlands, KULTish Metropolis, other chessboards from JAGS: Wonderland, the weird reality of The Mad City from DRYH, or realms of HOD from Witchcraft RPG (btw, Hod has nothing in common with dreams, Chokmah is the one responsible for that part of reality... hmmm, yesss...), and of course everything what resembles Gigerian dark biometal realms.

Gamable "spirit world"?

• It must be well developed: some interesting, recognizable places are to be expected.
• It must be full of different creatures, both "friendly" and hostile.
• There has to be something special, some alternative rules to influence the surroundings, shape it, or at least travel across it.
• It must offer possibilities entirely different to our reality, so it's actually reasonable (and possibly profitable) to visit them every now and then.

Quote from: JesterRaiin;883808I'm not sure what exactly "spirit world" is meant to be, whether it's a place where literal spirits reside (ghosts, souls and other not-quite alive beings), or a place similar to WoD's Umbra.

More the latter than the former I suppose.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;883819More the latter than the former I suppose.

My answer is very relevant then, I think.

Out of curiosity: would London Below featured in Gaiman's "Neverwhere" fit your idea of spirit world?

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;883819More the latter than the former I suppose.

The new WoD has a Shadow Realm as well called the Hisil. If you want that but not attached to the Werewolf franchise, you could take a look at the Book of Spirits. Interaction with spirits is always difficult for mortals though.

Quote from: jan paparazzi;883897The new WoD has a Shadow Realm as well called the Hisil. If you want that but not attached to the Werewolf franchise, you could take a look at the Book of Spirits. Interaction with spirits is always difficult for mortals though.

Took your recommendation for Book of Spirits. Not bad, thanks.

QuoteOut of curiosity: would London Below featured in Gaiman's "Neverwhere" fit your idea of spirit world?

Not familiar with it alas. I suppose any, "layer of supernatural weird reality that can be accessed from the real world with some difficulty," would qualify though.

Quote from: Shipyard Locked;883946Took your recommendation for Book of Spirits. Not bad, thanks.



Not familiar with it alas. I suppose any, "layer of supernatural weird reality that can be accessed from the real world with some difficulty," would qualify though.

Everlasting had a gestalten variation of WoD's umbra called "the reverie." It was described as an onion-like series of layers, starting with abnormal perception of reality and gradually segueing into a different reality altogether. Like much of the cosmology in Everlasting, the frame of reference (how its layers related to mundane reality and each other) was poorly enunciated. The underworld, for example, includes a layer mirroring Earth, a Greco-Mayan underground tunnel network and a Giger-style nightmare land but the geography and transportation is never explained.

Edit: The odd thing is that real world animistic religion and folklore doesn't display any concept of a separate spirit world. Spirits exist invisibly alongside the physical world, much as human souls are supposed to exist alongside our bodies. The only other worlds are specifically non-animistic afterlives and fairylands and even then these are supposed to be alien worlds with their own alien physical laws.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;884095Edit: The odd thing is that real world animistic religion and folklore doesn't display any concept of a separate spirit world. Spirits exist invisibly alongside the physical world, much as human souls are supposed to exist alongside our bodies. The only other worlds are specifically non-animistic afterlives and fairylands and even then these are supposed to be alien worlds with their own alien physical laws.

Tricky.

Where do you place shamanism in context of animism?

Quote from: JesterRaiin;884117Tricky.

Where do you place shamanism in context of animism?

Shamanism was made up by anthropologists, neopagans and con artists who misappropriate other cultures. The spirit world is and always has been a metaphorical world, like the criminal underworld, and not a literal otherworld like Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Underworld or Fairyland.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;884201Shamanism was made up by anthropologists, neopagans and con artists who misappropriate other cultures. The spirit world is and always has been a metaphorical world, like the criminal underworld, and not a literal otherworld like Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Underworld or Fairyland.

So when for example an Altaic "animist" undertakes a sky journey through nine to twelve celestial realms, it means . . . ?

As for OP, anything with a viable "cyberspace" navigation and combat subsystem probably qualifies.

Quote from: BoxCrayonTales;884201Shamanism was made up by anthropologists, neopagans and con artists who misappropriate other cultures.

I see. :pundit:

Marchland has four otherwolds called Arcadia (realm of the Fae), Echo (dark reflection of our world), the Wildwood (first forest) and Obliette (underworld, hell). Echo seems to be some sort of noirish spirit world.

What do you want to do with it btw? Some sort of paranormal investigation game?

It was a long time ago but the River of Dreams in Tribe 8 was a pretty interesting spirit world. I just remember having a blast reading Adrift on the River of Dreams.

Quote from: kobayashi;884227It was a long time ago but the River of Dreams in Tribe 8 was a pretty interesting spirit world. I just remember having a blast reading Adrift on the River of Dreams.

Jesus Christ, somebody remembers Tribe 8...

Quote from: JesterRaiin;884230Jesus Christ, somebody remembers Tribe 8...

A lot of people read it. Sadly not nearly as many played it.