Attributes - 7/5/3
Abilities - 13/9/5
Arcanoi - 5
Backgrounds - 7
Passions - 10
Fetters - 10
Freebies - 15
Initial Willpower - 5
Initial Pathos - 5 + Memoriam
Dark Passions - 7
Shadow Freebies - 10
Initial Angst - To be determined by the ST

Fast Learner
Self Confident

Iron Will
Faerie Affinity
Luck
Weak Shadow
Hierarchy Boon*
Wyld Allies*
Negotiable*
Mortal Companion*
Psychic Ally*
Werewolf/Vampire/Mage/Changeling Companion*

*These merits will be given for free if the ally is another PC, and agreement has been reached between the relevant players and STs.

The following character types will not be allowed at creation:
- Ferrymen
- Spectres
- Great War material

Characters may belong to any of the following factions:
- Hierarchy (recommended)
- Renegades
- Heretics

Please note, the Shadowlands of London in Hollow Dreams is firmly under Hierarchy control. As such, many storylines will reflect this.

Attributes:
- Appearance is restricted to 3 without Moliation
- Attributes at 5 will only be permitted under the most exceptional of circumstances

Abilities:
- Abilities at 4 will only be permitted with a very good reason.
- Abilities at 5 will only be permitted under the most exceptional of circumstances
- There should be no more than 7 dice in any combat pool at creation.

Backgrounds:
- Status is limited to 2 at creation other than with prior agreement from the Wraith ST.

Arcanoi:
- Mnemosynis, Flux and Intimation are restricted.

The Shadow:
- All Thorns are currently permitted

Freebies:
- The optional rule on pg101 of 2nd Edition allowing the increase/decrease of freebies in relation to the Shadow is not allowed.

If the Wraith ST is around, then the shadow will be played by the ST, however the player is encouraged to input shadowspeak as well.

If the Wraith ST is not present, then shadowguiding should be carried out by the player, either through descriptive hints or actual conversation (depending on players own preference). If temporary angst is gained, this should be reported to the Wraith ST as soon as possible.

Should Catharis or permanent angst occur, then the Wraith ST -must- be present. Should these events become imminent in a scene, then the scene should be put on pause until the Wraith ST can be present.

The Wraith ST reserves the right to delegate shadowguiding to a trusted assistant. Formal announcements will be made if this ever becomes the case.

Harrowings will be run as a concise scene by the Wraith ST. If your character reaches a state where a Harrowing is inevitable, then please pause the scene and wait for the Wraith ST. A date and a time for the Harrowing will be set. Other players may be invited to participate by the Wraith ST, and will be assigned temporary NPC roles for the purpose.

Due to the nature of Hollow Dreams, venue cross-over roleplay is encouraged by the STs. To promote cross-over, the following information is provided:

Unless stated otherwise in the character's profile, the following types of supernatural creature present in the chat are able to speak with the dead at no cost, and if the character has also purchased the Medium merit, then they will be able to see ghosts as well:

- Sluagh (Able to both see and speak to ghosts at no cost)
- Eshu
- Theurge Garou
- Malkavians
- Giovanni
- Euthanatos
- Hollow Ones
Any character who has the Medium merit may see and hear ghosts.

Special character relationships between wraiths and characters of other venues (for example a Giovanni/Wraith bonding) are actively encouraged, and free points (such as appropriate merits) may be given to facilitate this. All such relationships need to be approved by the STs of both venues.

- Any character may take the medium merit. Medium characters need to be sanctioned by the relevant venue ST after consulting the Wraith ST.
- Medium organisations presented in The Quick and the Dead or Mediums may only be used with approval of both the Mortal ST and the Wraith ST. Please ask around before creating this kind of character, as it may well not be permitted.

- Risen are permitted, but will be carefully monitored, and are limited in number. Because of this, it is worth checking with the Wraith ST before submitting a Risen character for Sanctioning.
- In character Rises are permitted, and characters wishing to pursue this path will be well supported. Please discuss with the Wraith ST.
- Animal Conduits are permitted at the discretion of the Wraith ST and only with the appropriate justification.
- Risen should be created as per the rules in Risen, with at least Puppetry 1, and 2 dots distributed between Lifeweb, Embody and Inhabit. They are restricted to 5 points of backgrounds, and may not take Artifact. Mentors and Status are confined to the Shadowlands, and when taking Allies, Contacts or Resources, it should specified whether it applies to the Shadowlands or the Skinlands.
- Risen may buy Vampiric Disciplines as listed in Vampire: the Masquerade, with their freebie points. However, they are limited to one point at creation, which must be either Celerity, Fortitude, Obfuscate or Potence.
- Either 'Fascinate' or 'Serendipity' may be taken at 1 at creation, and may not be taken along with a Vampiric Discipline.
- The Merits Innate 'Vampiric Ability' and 'Vampire Friend' are restricted.

- Existing Mortal PCs are permitted to become Wraiths so long as their death is discussed with the Wraith ST before it occurs.
- PCs from other venues will only be permitted to become Wraiths with the consent of their current venue ST and normally, only Kinain, Kinfolk, Ghouls and some Vampires are permitted to become Wraiths. However, there will be exceptions to this rule.
- Two dots in Arcanoi are awarded to begin with, however these can then be raised in game to 5 at no experience cost.
- Extra freebie points will be awarded at Storyteller discretion for the purchasing of Backgrounds, raising of Abilities and Attributes etc.
- All current backgrounds will be lost except under the most exceptional of circumstances, but, as above, freebie point may be awarded to compensate for this.
- All Passions and Fetters must be assigned at starting level.
- A Shadow Archetype and Dark Passions must be chosen at starting level. Thorns may be chosen or left to the Storyteller to assign.

Out of all the World of Darkness games, Wraith is probably the easiest one to jump straight into if you have never played before. Here is what you need to do:

1) Don't read any Wraith books. Really.

2) Create a mortal character with basic stats, That has 3/5/7 attributes and 5/9/13 abilities.

3) Make a detailed background for your character as a living mortal. In particular, think about important events, people, places and objects, and what sort of things drive your character.

4) Decide whether you want to choose how your character dies or whether you want it to be a surprise.

5) Present the whole lot to your friendly neighbourhood Wraith ST, and set a date for some serious scene-running.

During the next few scenes, your character (and you as the player) will be introduced to the afterlife! Please note, there is a... small.... chance your mortal character could die during this process...

Let me know if you have any questions.