Losing or changing a Stasis item

In the French version, Stasis items worked differently. A Nephilim dissolved immediately if their Stasis item was broken. At any time the Nephilim could be bound to a new Stasis item by exposing their blood to Orichalc, with the resulting litharge used to create the new Stasis item. This severed the bond to the old Stasis item and explained how a Nephilim's Stasis item could change over time.

The Third Circle invocation Shai Hulud could change a Nephilim's Stasis item. The summoner provided the Stasis item, his own or another's, and the item to become the new Stasis item. Shai Hulud then transferred the Litharge containing all the magical properties of the old Stasis item to the new one, no Orichalc required. Only one transfer was allowed per invocation.

In the US version, Stasis items worked differently. A Stasis bond could be broken by physically breaking the Stasis item. A Nephilim could survive without a Stasis item, but had to serially reincarnate because it would soon dissolve without a Simulacrum. There was no way to bond a Nephilim to a different Stasis item or repair a broken Stasis item. The Philosopher's Stone meditation Crafting the Vessel of the Winds (Unpublished Alchemy Rules p59-60) allowed the alchemist to replace his own Stasis item but nobody else's.

In the unfinished Ex Oculis fan book, this restriction was relaxed. A Nephilim could have a new Stasis item bonded if his previous was broken. However, he lost access to all past lives predating his current Stasis item. This preserved the importance of the Stasis item's loss without making it unplayable.

As I said in an earlier post on Stasis items, I would adopt the ExO rule. However, I would add a few other house rules that I will explain here.

Past Life Skills

Nephilim don't steal skills from their Simulacrum. Track mundane skills separately for past lives and simulacra, including Life Experience. Whenever the Nephilim rolls mundane skills, he uses those of his Simulacrum and/or one or more past lives. The same skill from different past lives can synergize as if using teamwork (see the Basic Roleplaying rulebook for rules on teamwork), even to the point of increasing the chance above 100%, but don't flatly stack.

Past life skills cannot be improved through experience, as that character is dead. The current Simulacrum may improve their skills using past lives as teachers, however. While dead, they can still share their knowledge like any living tutor.

GMs may need to increase the skill points available to past lives to provide worthwhile ratings. You may find the linked house rules for expanding, revising and/or simplifying past lives useful, as well as saving occult points.

Creating a new Stasis item

A new Stasis item may be created for a new Nephilim without one using the High Magic spell Create Stasis or the Philosopher's Stone meditation Crafting the Vessel of the Winds.

The Stasis item is bonded to the Simulacrum's Solar-Ka as this moment too. Every time the Nephilim reincarnates, the sacrifice of 2 Ka also represents renewing this bond with the new Simulacrum. The connection to past lives is provided by the Simulacrum's bond to the Stasis item, which endures even after death.

Replacing a broken Stasis item

If a Nephilim's Stasis item is broken, then it may be replaced with the same spells. However, upon reincarnating the Nephilim permanently loses access to their past lives' memories, experiences and skills. They will have to read history books like everyone else.

The Philosopher's Stone meditation may replace the alchemist's own Stasis item without losing access to past lives, but nobody else's.

The Third Circle invocation Shai Hulud can restore a broken Stasis item brought before it by transferring the bond to a new object (see below).

Changing an existing Stasis item

The only way to change or repair a Nephilim's Stasis item is to by invoking the Third Circle Fire entity Shai Hulud, The Deep Wind of Kesh. It guards the spirits of destroyed Nephilim and other Elemental Ka annihilated by Orichalc. It will provide one of two services per invocation: it will transfer Litharge from one Stasis item to another, or it will help the summoner recover a lost Stasis item.

Presented with any intact or broken Stasis item—not just the summoner’s own!—and another object to serve as the new Stasis item, it will transfer the Litharge (and thus all magical properties) of the old Stasis item to the new one. This includes the sympathetic bond, all past lives, any charged Ka, and any Nephilim in stasis. This works even if the old Stasis item is broken: the transference restores the bond. If the owner has been bonded to a new Stasis item after its old Stasis item was destroyed, then Shai Hulud will transfer the bond from the broken Stasis item to the new one—thereby restoring access to the lost past lives.

If the old Stasis item is lost to the summoner, then Shai Hulud may be petitioned to help the summoner recover it. The amount of help it provides in this matter is based on the payment and the GM’s discretion.

Shai Hulud will only perform a single service once per invocation per astrological day. Third Circle invocations may only be cast under a Grand Enthronement (in this case Fire), unless the spell’s aura was enchanted onto a magical item, so choose carefully. 

Shai Hulud will demand appropriate compensation, and if not paid then it will immediately attempt devour the summoner alive. As it is a giant sandworm, there’s very little the summoner may do to stop it.

Hope you enjoyed!