Pyeryem

Pyeryem is a gift from Matushka, where she grants her most loyal boyars with the power to take on the spirit skins of animals. All those granted with Pyeryem have brilliant green eyes from birth, although they cannot actually begin to learn their powers until they learn human speech. Pyeryem has the following Knacks:

Invoking a spirit skin, or reverting to human form, takes one Finesse Action. Clothing and other personal items (including weapons) transform along with you, unless you choose to leave them behind during the transformation. The GM determines what is "yours" based on his own sensibilities. Generally, if the item is clearly yours, or is not important to the adventure, you can bring it with you, but if it's a priceless stolen heirloom, dracheneisen weapon, Syrneth artifact, or some other plot MacGuffin, you can't conceal it within your spirit skin.

Some Boons, such as Flight, are only available when Fully Transformed. Some other Boons, such as Claws, are only available when Fully or Partially Transformed.

If the sorcerer has a Dukh Knack equal or greater than the rank of the spirit skin, he may fully transform into that animal. This grants all of the Boons and penalties associated with the given form. While in animal form, you can speak with animals and other Pyeryem sorcerers with your Yezzik Knack, but not to ungifted humans. You have all of the benefits and penalties of the given form. Transforming back to human also takes a Finesse Action, but does not count against your Kroff Rank for the day.

If the sorcerer's Dukh Knack exceeds the rank of the Spirit Skin by 1 or more, he may perform a Partial Transformation instead of a full transformation. By Partially Transforming, the sorcerer may choose a single benefit of the animal form to use, while still (mostly) retaining their human form. Only Boons which are available as Partial Transformations may be chosen. Certain Boons are tied to specific penalties of the same form, and Partial Transformations must take them both as a single effect (you must take the bad with the good). Boons associated with penalties are noted below with the notation "Boon&Penalty". The sorcerer cannot combine a Partial Transformation with a Full transformation (for instance, taking the form of a cat, but the strength of a bear). Only one Partial Transformation may be in effect at any time. While under a Partial Transformation, there is an easily visible physical effect associated with the Transformation, which is noticeable to any onlookers.

If the sorcerer's Dukh Knack exceeds the rank of the Spirit Skin by 2 or more, he may perform a Spirit Conjuration instead of a full or partial transformation. No Boons which are only available as Full or Partial Transformations may be acquired with a Spirit Conjuration. With a single Finesse Action, the sorcerer may gain any or all of the Boons (and associated penalties) associated with a particular form. Only one spirit skin may be conjured at once, although the sorcerer could use Spirit Conjuration in conjunction with Partial Transformation from another form. While the sorcerer is using Spirit Conjuration, he does not change shape physically, but his shadow becomes that of the animal he is conjuring in spirit.

Spirit Skins

The following spirit skins may be acquired by Ussurans normally. Other skins might be possible (such as more exotic creatures like Aspreys or Hinde), and certain skins are restricted to particular individuals (like the Firebird or Drachen).

A character might have a particularly powerful spirit skin, either passed down from his family, or as a reward for performing some service for a Great Beast. This would be represented by the Powerful Spirit Skin Advantage. This Advantage grants one of the below forms, but with one of the penalties reduced/removed, or a Boon improved, or possibly with some extra Boon added. This will usually increase the Dukh Rank of the Spirit Skin by 1 or more, depending on how much improvement the Spirit Skin posesses. The penalties of "No Grasping Limbs" and "No Fine Manipulation" cannot be removed. The GM is the final arbiter of how a Powerful Spirit Skin can differ from a normal spirit skin.

Boons