Mana Ghost Mechanics and Lore

What Are @Mana Ghost ?

Mana Ghosts are the lingering, ethereal remains of individuals who once wielded mana in life. When a being dies with mana still bound to their essence — especially if their death is traumatic, violent, or sacrificial — their spirit can persist beyond death.

These spirits are not undead in the traditional sense, nor are they sustained by necromancy. Instead, they are pure magical echoes, sustained entirely by their remaining personal mana pool.

  • Only those born with mana can become Mana Ghosts.

  • MortalKin (non-magical humans or races without a BPS score) cannot become ghosts — their life force simply ends.

🔥 How They Exist

Mana Ghosts are self-burning remnants — their continued existence is fueled by the very mana that once made them powerful. The more they exert themselves, the faster their end approaches.

They persist until:

  • Their mana pool is fully depleted, or

  • They are banished, sealed, or voluntarily pass on

Their state is inherently temporary, though some have existed for centuries by conserving energy or anchoring to objects, places, or people.

🌫️ Traits of Mana Ghosts

AspectEffectFormSemi-transparent, glowing with mana color (often matching their mana type)AgeAgeless — immune to time, sleep, disease, hungerMovementCan become incorporeal, passing through walls or levitatingPhysical ResistanceResistant to physical damage, immune to mundane weaponsMagical CastingCan still cast spells, but with a cost to HPAmbient PriceAmbient-casting ghosts lose double HP per spell cast

💀 Mana Ghost Mechanics (Optional)

HP Drain Casting

  • Instead of using mana or spell slots, Mana Ghosts spend HP equal to the spell level × 2 (×4 for Ambient spells).

    • Example: A 3rd-level fire spell costs 6 HP

    • Example: A 2nd-level Ambient spell costs 8 HP

Mana Pool

  • Ghosts have a Mana Reserve (usually equal to their highest HP in life)

  • When this pool is reduced to 0, the spirit fades permanently

Conduit Interaction

  • Ghosts can bond with their former conduit, which may stabilize or extend their existence

  • Some haunt their conduits, becoming "Wailing Weapons" or "Bound Spirits"

🧬 Ghost Origin Types

Mana Ghosts often reflect how and why they died. Their motivations may shape their powers, resistances, or even alignment:

Ghost TypeOriginBehaviorWardenDied protecting someoneGuard-like, defends sacred sites or peopleBinderDied mid-ritual or sacrificeObsessively repeats arcane tasksWandererDied with unfinished goalsRoams ruins or battlefieldsBreakerAmbient user burned out or explodedHighly unstable, flickering powerWhispererDied of age but clung to lifeCalm, secretive, often wise

🪦 Post-Fall Relevance

After The Fall (the cataclysm tied to the ambient sacrifice or mana overload in your setting), Mana Ghosts became more common. Many died with unstable mana or in proximity to ley ruptures and Wellspring collapses.

Some ghosts have become:

  • Keepers of Lost Knowledge

  • Guardians of Ruins

  • Cursed Warnings

  • Bitter Spirits of Vengeance

🧷 Game Usage Suggestions

As NPCs:

  • Quest-givers bound to an old tower or lost battlefield

  • Guardians of hidden Wellsprings

  • Antagonists for exorcism or purification missions

  • Bound spirits powering ancient conduits

As a Playable State (Optional Rule):

  • If a caster dies dramatically or sacrifices themselves, they may return temporarily as a Mana Ghost

  • They can only remain until their Mana Pool runs dry — a final arc mechanic

  • Great for emotional story beats or powerful “one-last-spell” scenes