They say that if you want to find a Usurer, you need only look for the Wraith that no one will leave alone. Those who can bottle and sell Essence are always popular people, and those who must be paid are to be feared. Usurers also tend to wear their "money" on their person, often in the form of glowing gems and beads of Essence.

Unlike Corpus, Essence is not as easily "frozen" in place. If it isn't stored by some means, it turns ambient and floats away, at which point it can be absorbed by any Wraith who cares to taste of it.

** Soul Jar

This Art allows Wraiths to create Amphorae, which are self-sustaining ampules of pure Essence. If a Usurer needs to give Essence to a Wraith, she most often places it into one of these "soul jars," and then gives it to the Wraith, rather than actually touching the other person's skin.

Amphorae are most often made to look like the jars after which they're named, but they can be molded into any shape or color the Usurer might care to. They glow faintly from within, which is how one can usually tell if an object is Shaped or "Souled."

Amphorae can be anywhere from a small ampule with one Essence to a huge jar of 1000+ Essence. Once it's created, anyone can take Essence from it with a touch, but that Essence cannot be replaced, and it shrinks down accordingly.

*** Power Conversion

Essence must be of an emotion a Wraith has an affinity for in order for her to fully utilize it. This Art allows a Usurer to change stored or ambient Essence from one emotion into another, either for themselves or a Wraith they're choosing to share this Art with. Some Essence is always lost in the conversion, but that is the nature of trade.

**** Hearth's Heart

A Usurer utilizes this Art to suck the ambient Essence out of a location, wholesale, and either take it into herself or store it in some other fashion. This is usually done with clouds of ambient Essence, but it can also be done to Haunts. If it is, the Haunt is left barren and sterile for a time, depending on how powerful the Anchor is.

This Art can be reversed, either to create a cloud of ambient Essence, or add more Essence to a Haunt. In both cases, the cloud remains until it has been absorbed by others.

***** Touch of Power

Wraiths aren't able to use Shaping powers while Manifested, but Usurers have a way around that. Touch of Power allows them to reach into the Liveworld, "touch" mortals or Ghosts, and then either give them Essence, or take it from them.

Giving Essence to Ghosts helps keep them Asleep, and docile, and is one way to throw an angry Ghost back into her normal "sleep" patterns. Taking it may cause them to Attack - or even Awaken - if not done carefully, but if the Ghost's already attacking, draining her of Essence is another way to call her off.

As for mortals...