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Vitalis — Purify

Purify is the Vitalis Method concerned with removing harmful influences from living systems.

Threads (Purify)

  • Cleanse
  • Cleanse Lingering Harm
  • Cure
  • Prophylaxis
  • Steady the Spirit

Ka Cost (Purify)

Ka is paid per attempt.

Contamination Ka Cost
Mild toxin / illness 2
Strong poison / disease 5
Entrenched or magical 8
Corruptive / supernatural 12+

Channeling Difficulty (Purify)

Modifiers: - Early-stage contamination: +0 - Established condition: +2 - Entrenched or recurring: +4 - Magical or supernatural: +6

Maintenance

Purify requires sustained Channeling until the contamination is removed. Failure may: - reduce severity - trigger backlash - worsen Burn risk

Burn

Burn may be used to: - force removal at the cost of harm - bypass resistance for one interval

Design Notes

  • Purify does not repair damage caused by contamination.
  • Repeated purification increases difficulty over time.

Threads

Cleanse Lingering Harm

Intent: Support natural recovery from Mental Trauma by removing lingering contamination, backlash, or corruption. Effect: When cast during rest or Downtime, this thread assists Mental recovery: - The next Mental Trauma recovery step is easier and more reliable
- GM may reduce recovery time or allow one Condition tied to Trauma to improve - Relapse risk from Burn, Glamour backlash, or alchemical fallout is reduced
This thread must be paired with time, safety, and ideally Counsel to have meaningful effect. Duration: Brief ritual or sustained casting during rest; effects apply to the next recovery interval. Visual / Narrative Expression: Runes trace slow, deliberate patterns, dimming as impurities are drawn out. The target often exhales sharply or shows visible emotional release. Limits: - Cannot remove Trauma directly - Cannot heal Critical Trauma without Counsel - Cannot erase memories, oaths, or consequences - Ineffective if the target remains under active stress or threat Use Case: This thread prepares the ground for healing. It does not do the healing itself.

Cleanse Lingering Harm and Recovery

When Cleanse Lingering Harm is used during rest or Downtime, it improves the next Mental recovery interval. Mechanical Effects (choose one, GM discretion): - Reduce the time required to recover one Trauma step - Allow one Trauma-related Condition to improve or downgrade - Reduce the risk of relapse caused by Burn, Glamour backlash, or alchemical fallout This thread: - must be cast in a place of relative safety - cannot be used during active danger - is most effective when paired with Counsel

Interaction with Counsel

Vitalis and Counsel are complementary. - Counsel enables recovery - Purify improves recovery conditions When Cleanse Lingering Harm is used alongside successful Counsel: - recovery is more reliable - setbacks are less likely - severe Trauma becomes survivable rather than defining Vitalis alone cannot resolve Mental Trauma beyond stabilization.

Steady the Spirit

Intent: Prevent mental collapse and halt the escalation of Trauma. Effect: The target is stabilized against Mental Trauma. While this thread is maintained: - The target cannot worsen their Mental Trauma level
- Critical Trauma is reduced to Severe for purposes of immediate function - Ongoing supernatural or alchemical mental influence is suppressed, not removed - Mental Impact taken during this time is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 0) This does not remove Trauma, Conditions, or their causes. Duration: Requires active maintenance. Effects end shortly after the thread is released. Visual / Narrative Expression: Runes flare faintly around the head, chest, or hands. Breathing slows. The target appears present but strained, as if holding themselves together by force of will. Limits: - Does not restore lost Mental Track steps
- Does not remove Conditions - Does not prevent future Trauma once the thread ends - Cannot be used to "push through" Tyrannize consequences safely Use Case: This thread is used when someone is about to break, not to make them whole.

Steady the Spirit and Recovery

When Steady the Spirit is active: - Mental Trauma cannot worsen - The character cannot progress to a more severe Trauma state - Mental Impact taken during this time is reduced - Ongoing supernatural or alchemical influences are suppressed Recovery Impact: This thread does not advance recovery. It prevents collapse and buys time. If the character is at Critical Trauma, Steady the Spirit allows them to function at Severe Trauma for as long as the thread is maintained, but no recovery occurs while the thread is active. Once the thread ends, the character returns to their true Trauma level.