lyn's disiplines

7/29/2019 Lyn's Disiplines

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Auspex

Heightened Senses

When this power is activated, all of the vampires senses sharpen to a razors edge,effectively doubling both the range and clarity of all stimuli received. Heightened eyesightallows the vampire to perceive the most minute details of objects at great distances, while aheightened sense of smell might alert a character to the presence of trace amounts ofalcohol on a mortals breath. Kindred with this power also have the option of magnifying asingle sense, as opposed to all five, in order to better block out unwanted stimuli from othersources. Note, however, that the risk of sudden distraction remains, regardless of how many

or how few senses are currently heightened. (Note that vampires do not breathe. As such,the Kindred do not smell unless they actively will themselves to do so, and thus cannot beoverwhelmed suddenly by smells unless they are actively smelling at the time.)

Cost:Dice Pool:This power typically involves no roll. The player simply activates the power andexplains to the Storyteller what his character is doing and with which sense(s). TheStoryteller responds by relating whatever information can be gleaned. The only time a rollcomes into play for Heightened Senses is when the Storyteller wishes to permit thecharacter a chance to perceive an imminent threat. In this case, the Storyteller may allowthe player to add her characters Auspex dots to a surprise roll (Wits + Composure seethe World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 151).

This power allows a vampire to see in pitch-black darkness.

Action: Instant_________________________________________________________________________________

Aura Perception AURA SIGNIFIERSCondition Color

Afraid OrangeAggressive PurpleAngry Bright RedBitter BrownCalm Light BlueCompassionate PinkConservative LavenderDepressed GrayDesirous/Lustful Deep RedDistrustful Light GreenEnvious Dark GreenExcited VioletGenerous RoseHappy VermilionHateful BlackIdealistic YellowInnocent WhiteLove struck Bright BlueObsessed Bright GreenSad SilverSpiritual GoldSuspicious Dark BlueConfused Mottled, shifting colorsDaydreaming Sharp, flickering colorsDiablerist Black veins in aura

Dominated/Controlled Weak, muted auraFrenzied Rapidly rippling colorsPsychotic Hypnotic, swirling colorsVampire Aura colors are paleShapeshifter Intensely vibrant aura

Ghost Splotchy, intermittent auraMagic Use Myriad sparkles in aura

Auspex

Aura Perception

With this mystic power, a vampire can open his perceptions to the psychic auras thatsurround all sentient creatures. Numerous and often-shifting hues and patterns composethese auras, and it can take many years before a vampire becomes truly proficient atreading them correctly with any degree of regularity. Although the strongest emotionspredominate, almost every individual has more than one

color to his aura at any given time, and an observer can see any number of streaks orflashes of these other colors.

Psychic colors change with the subjects mental or emotional state, creating an ever-moving pattern that is as unique to each person as a fingerprint. As a rule, the morepowerful the emotions, the more intense the colors, but even this guideline is betrayed byany number of mitigating factors, dependingon circumstance. All the same, practice makes perfect; a true master aura-perceiver learnsto understand the significance of each whorl and eddy.

Due to the peculiar nature of such creatures auras, this power can be used as a meansof detecting other supernatural entities. Vampire auras, for example, tend to be extremelypale, regardless of the colors. Werewolf auras are quite the contrary, nearly frantic in theirintensity. Mage auras sparkle withpower. Ghostly auras flicker like guttering candles.

Cost:

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Empathy + Auspex subjects ComposureAction: Instant (Note that though this is an instant action, it takes more than just a fleetingglance to see the detail in an aura. A character must scrutinize her subjects aura for twofull turns to glean information from it, though only the single, immediate roll is necessary todetermine if she can read it successfully.)

Roll ResultsDramatic Failure:The character gleans utterly misleading and wholly inaccurateinformation.Failure:The character can distinguish no information at all.Success:The character perceives a number of colors in the subjects aura equal to thenumber of successes obtained on the roll.Exceptional Success: As per a normal success, with one additional color or degree ofemotional intensity discernible to the character.

Note that a failure indicates that no useful information is perceived, while a dramaticfailure indicates a false or misleading reading. The Storyteller may therefore wish to makethe roll for the player, to keep the true results secret.

An Auspex user who observes someone in the act of lying may recognize that the subjectspeaks falsely. Intelligence + Empathy + Auspex is rolled versus the subjects Composure ina contested action. The Auspex user recognizes the lie if the most successes are rolled forhim.

Applied toward reading the mood of potential combatants, this power also grants its usera bonus to Initiative equal to the number of successes rolled in activating the effect. Doingso requires that the vampire speaks to or is in the proximity of intended combatants for atleast one turn before a fight breaks out. That period of interaction allows the readingvampire to recognize that events are about to turn violent, so he can react with advancedknowledge.

Suggested ModifiersThe number of dice added to or removed from the dice pool is determined by the amount ofinformation the character wishes to discern.

Modifier Situation


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+2 Power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie (see p. 162) The shade (such as pale, bright or weak), but not the color of the aura.-1 The primary shade and color.-2 Color patterns, including information revealing the nature of the creature.-3 Subtle shifts in the mixtures of color and pattern.

Thus, if a reader wants to study the subtle shifts in the mixtures of color and pattern in asubjects aura, the player suffers a -3 penalty. Each success rolled thereafter offers onepiece of information in that regard. Two successes might indicate that a ghoul swings fromlove to hate toward his mistress (bright blue to black), and is envious of a fellow ghoul (darkgreen).

Dominate

Command

Once he has established eye contact, the vampire issues a single, one-word commandthat must be obeyed instantly. The order must be clear and straightforward freeze, jump,run, stop, fall, cough, blink and so forth. If the command is ambiguous or confusing, thesubject might respond slowly or perform the task poorly. Further, commands are alwaysinterpreted (within reason) in the subjects best interests. For example, if the victim standson the edge of a roof and the character commands Jump! the victim might jump up anddown, rather than leap off the roof. Of course, the victim would probably not leap off theroof even if the character could find a way to order it. Subjects of Command cannot bemade to directly harm themselves, so an obviously suicidal order such as Die! isineffective. Sleep and the like causes the subject to follow the order only if she does notbelieve herself to be in any mortal danger. A character seduced by a Kindred might sleep if

so instructed, but one in the middle of a combat or interrogation certainly does not. In suchsituations, the character merely falls senseless, but only for a turn.

The vampire may include the command word in a sentence, in order to conceal her useof the power from others. The command itself must be stressed, and the character mustmake eye contact precisely when that word is spoken. Observers may notice the unusualemphasis, but only the most alert and those familiar with the Discipline are likely torealize what has occurred.

Cost:

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Intimidation + Dominate versus Resolve + Blood PotencyAction: Contested; resistance is reflexive

Roll ResultsDramatic Failure:The subject does not obey and is immune to the characters Dominate

until the next sunset.Failure: The character loses or ties the contested roll and the subject does not obey.Success:The character wins the contested roll by getting the most successes, and thevictim obeys literally and with appreciable self-preservation.Exceptional Success:The character wins the contested roll with five or more successes,and the victim not only obeys but rationalizes what she does as her own decision until andunless someone questions her about it in depth.

Assuming the commanded action is one that can carried out for some time, such aswait or sleep, the subject obeys for a number of turns equal to the successes obtainedon the Command roll.

If this power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie (see p. 162), a+2 bonus applies to the users roll.

Dominate

Mesmerize

The source of many legends of the vampires hypnotic gaze, Mesmerize allows theKindred to implant a false thought or suggestion into the subjects subconscious mind. Thepower requires not only eye contact but intense concentration and precise wording, so boththe character and the subject must be free from distraction. The Kindred may activate theimposed thought or command immediately Walk over here and open the door or hemay establish a stimulus that activates the suggestion at a later date When you see a

man in a blue suit with a red rose in his lapel, you will spill your drink on him. The victimmust be able to understand the vampire. The Kindred must maintain eye contact only aslong as it takes to implant the suggestion or idea.

Mesmerize can deliver truly complex and long-term commands, such as followingsomeone, taking notes on her activities and reporting back on the first of the next month. Asubject can have only one suggestion implanted at any given time.

Cost:

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Expression + Dominate versus Resolve + Blood PotencyAction: Contested; resistance is reflexiveIf this power is turned on a vampire with whom the user has a blood tie (see p. 162), a +2bonus applies.

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure:The subject does not obey and is immune to the characters Dominateuntil the next sunset.Failure:The character loses or ties the contested roll and the subject does not obey.Success:The character wins the contested roll by getting the most successes, and thevictim obeys to the best of his ability.Exceptional Success:The character wins the contested roll with five or more successes.The victim not only obeys, but rationalizes what she does as her own decision until andunless someone questions her about it in depth.

This power lasts for as long as it takes the subject to carry out the required task, or untilthe character is destroyed or enters torpor. Impossible actions such as, Count every grainof sand on this beach, automatically fail to take root in the subjects mind. If, during thecourse of carrying out the implanted suggestion, the victim realizes he puts himself indanger or acts completely contrary to his normal moral code, a Resolve roll may be made toshake off the compulsion. This is a contested roll. Successes rolled must exceed the number

of successes obtained for the dominating character when the individual was firstmesmerized.


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Dramatic Failure: Not only must the subject continue to carry out the command, no moreResolve rolls may be made to shake the dominators control, no matter what the subject isforced to do.Failure: The victim must continue to carry out the command as ordered.Success:The victim escapes the suggestion.Exceptional Success:The victim defies the suggestion, and the dominator incurs a -1penalty to future attempts to Dominate him until the next night.

No matter how strong the dominators will is or how many successes he obtains, hecannot make a subject harm himself directly. Any command to commit suicide is thereforeignored, although commands that are likely to lead to harm such as, Walk into thatcrack house and shoot the man in the red shirt are enforceable, subject to the Resolverolls discussed above.

If a vampire attempts to Mesmerize a subject who is already under the influence of apreviously implanted directive, compare the successes rolled in the attempt against thesuccesses gained during the implantation of the first suggestion. If the character obtainsmore successes than the previous Kindred, the new command may supplant the old one. Ifhe does not, the original command remains active and the new one fails.

Crac

Harvest of Slaves (Transmutation )

The members of the Lancea Sanctum store Vitae in objects, but they do so for their ownuse. At best, a starving vampire might be fed by the Sanctified in exchange for favors later.The Circle of the Crone also performs rituals to impregnate objects with blood, but it does sofor an entirely different purpose. By hiding Vitae in foodstuffs, they are able to feed Vitae tomortals without the kin realizing what it is theyre ingesting, only thatthanks to bloodaddiction and the Vinculumit tastes really, really good. Interprising Acolytes with moneytroubles sometimes even use this rite to place Vitae in drugs. The ritualist adds bloodtheVitae needed to activate the rite along with as much Vitae as she needs to feed to mortalsto the consumable goods during the preparation stage. Raw fruits and vegetables areempowered by blood spilt on the plants roots, while prepared cuisine and pharmaceuticalsare twisted during preparation. If the rite succeeds, the Vitae is divided among all thegoods. The victim must eat, use, or drink an entire share or portion to receive the Vitaeand enjoy its addictive effects, so the more Vitae the ritualist places into the subject, the

better.

Cloud the Watchers Eye (Protection )

In cities where the Lancea Sanctum and Circle of the Crone are in open conflict, Acolytesneed ways to defend themselves against hostile miracles aimed at driving them out. Thisrite is an example of the low-level uses of the Protection Theme, taught to novice Acolytesorcerers as a means of defending against rituals cast on them at a distance. By forcing theSanctified to use their magic in person, the Circle itself decides the field of battle.

The Acolyte ritualist takes an image of the subject or subjects to be protected and coversit with blood until it is no longer recognizableif the one Vitae required to cast the rite isnot sufficient, more blood may be added from any source. If the rite succeeds, any attempt

to target a protected subject with blood sorcery is penalized by the rites Potency in dice.Advanced forms of this rite exist, using Divination as well as the Protectioncomponent to show the

Protected subject a snapshot vision of the ritualist attempting to target her. Even moresophisticated forms better live up to the rites name, adding Divination andTransmutation to strike the offending ritualist blind for the rites Duration.

Biting Blade (Transmutation )

This rite allows an Acolyte to feed without the kiss, drinking blood through theintermediary of her weapon. The ritualist takes a bladetypically a ritual athame andmakes several long, shallow cuts across her own flesh, allowing the weapon to taste herVitae.

If the rite succeeds, every level of lethal damage dealt by the blade feeds the wielderone Vitae, as though she had fed directly from the victim. A biting blade neither grantsimmunity to Vinculum or blood addiction nor allows the vampire to feed successfully fromvessels prohibited due to Blood Potency. Each biting blade only works for the Acolyte whoperformed the rite; if another person uses it, neither he nor the intended recipient receivesVitae.

Curiously, a biting blade does allow for autophagy and may even have originally beendiscovered for that purpose. If its true wielder uses the blade to injure herself, she stillsuffers a wound, but she also receives Vitae as though she had fed. Acolytes have used thisrite in emergencies to build up enough Vitae to cast another, critical, rite.

Crac

Confidence in Adversity (Creation )

Tribulation brings enlightenment. Acolytes may surrender an advantage to glean more fromtheir troubles, and there are several Crac rituals that help put this philosophy into action.This is one of the simplest, removing the possibility of a lucky break for a time in exchangefor a dose of insight and, thus, self-confidence. Once this ritual is complete, the ritualistloses the benefits of the 10-again roll for the rest of the scene. At the end of the scene, sheregains one Willpower point. This ritual affords the character no ability to possess more

Willpower points than her normal maximum.


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Transmutation Crac

Transmutation

The first dot of Transmutation allows a ritualist to make a wide variety of minor changes toher subject. By forcing a target to share the Curse, she can store Vitae in inanimate objects,make Kindred instinctively fall asleep as though the sun were up, and inflict ravenous pangsof hunger on mortals in a mirror of the Wassail. If such changes hinder or help the target,apply the Rituals Potency as a dice-pool modifier. At this level, the ritualists ability to alter

physical properties is restricted. She may make minor manipulations to the appearance of aliving or vampiric subject; aging, scars and other features may be altered, but nothing soextreme that he becomes unrecognizable. Dead matter, however, can be warped relativelyeasily, as long as the new appearance remains similar in size. Finally, she may animateliquids, including blood.

Transmutation

The second dot of Transmutation allows the ritualist more control over her target. Shemay disguise a living or vampiric subject as another being of the same general height andweight, and may completely transform dead matter, changing inconvenient corpses intodecaying plants, for instance. The animating power of the Theme now extends to gases andplants. The ritualist can also disrupt a thinking beings volition enough to alter speech, butnot to force physical actions. By instilling a rituals target with power, the ritualist maybless an action or confer the will to carry on beyond normal limits. Rituals at this levelmay grant 9-again on dice rolls, or grant Willpower or Vitae above a characters normalmaximum.

Transmutation

The third dot of Transmutation allows the ritualist to alter living and vampiric beings,granting them theabilities and physical properties of others. Complete transmutation is still beyond theritualists reach, butshe can (for example) give a human being the scales of a reptile or coat the palms of aghouls hands instinging nematocysts. Inorganic objects may have their appearances changed. The

ritualists ability to animate subjects has also progressed to having power over animals.Lastly, she may bless or curse a specified action, applying Potency as a dice-pool modifier.

Transmutation

The fourth dot of Transmutation allows the ritualist to completely change one living thinginto another. She may curse humans into animal shape or keep attack dogs in the guise ofplants until needed. Her ability to animate subjects now extends to the dead, allowing forthe creation of zombies, and to the physical control of thinking beings, allowing for actionsto be forced on a sentient subject. She may also grant material objects the properties of oneanother. Although she cant give inert blood the mystic properties needed for vampires tofeed, she can remove them from true blood, neutralizing it so it provides no sustenance.(Once a vampire has fed, though, removing Vitae requires the Destruction Theme.)

Transmutation

The fifth dot of Transmutation allows the ritualist to transform any object or creature intoany other, transferring and changing characteristics as she sees fit. Her power overvampirism now extends down to the urges that drive the Beastshe may manipulate BloodPotency and Vices. Finally, she is now at the point of being able to animate objects, allowingfor the creation of gargoyles and similar effects.

Protection Crac

Protection

With the first dot in Protection, a ritualist can make it more difficult to harm his subject withother bloodsorceries, subtracting Potency from the ritual roll for anyone targeting the beneficiary. Hemay heal bashing damage in vampires and grant protection from the very least power ofthe Kindred, the Kiss. Subjects protected from the ecstasy of a vampires Kiss are still fedfrom, but add the rituals Potency in dice to the resistance roll.

Protection

With the second dot in Protection, the ritualist can protect a subject from injuries by

granting armor and ward off environmental hazards such as electricity. Vampires can bemade more able to resist frenzy.


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Protection

With the third dot in P rotection, the ritualist can shield the rituals subject from physicaldangers. Targetscan be rendered untouchable or unable to be fed from, and the physical effects ofDisciplines such as Nightmare can be warded off. Using the Theme on vampires allows theritualist to protect his target from being staked or to heal lethal wounds.

Protection With the fourth dot in Protection, the ritualist can defend his target against the mentaleffects of Disciplines such as Majesty or Dominate. Targets can be protected from theVinculum for a single dose of Vitae per Potency, and vampire targets can be protected fromfalling asleep against their will during the day, allowing them to remain active for turnsequal to Potency.

Protection

With the fifth dot in Protection, the ritualist can protect his target from becoming addictedto Vitae. Usingthe Theme on vampires, he can heal aggravated wounds and ameliorate the effects of

sunlight or fire to a limited degreereducing the health lost per turn of either bane byPotency, to a minimum of one.

Creation Crac

Creation

With the first dot in Creation, a ritualist can summon liquids, which typically pool up fromwherever the ritual is targeted, and dead organic mattercorpses and the rotten remains ofplants. She can also create sensory phenomena, such as sounds emanating from nowhere,strange smells, or lengthening shadows that arent cast by anything. If a sensoryphenomenon is intended as a help or hindrance to a dice roll, the bonus or penalty added is

equal to the rituals Potency.

Creation

With the second dot in Creation, a ritualist can summon living insects or arachnids, vermin,amphibians,fungi, plants, spoiled food, drugs, and gases. Living things created by ritual are under themental command of the ritualist so long as she maintains concentration.

Creation

With the third dot in Creation, a ritualist may summon predatory and scavenging animals,

such aswolves, foxes, owls, and cats. As at Creation , animals summoned are under the control ofthe ritualist. Living creations dont have to be natural animals, however homunculi,stunted humanoid servants made of twisted flesh and warped bloodmake for excellentfetches and helpers. At this level, a ritualist also learns how to summon physical objectsmade of solid, homogenous material and to trigger weather so long as conditions areappropriate. She can make it rain or snow from a clouded sky, evenmake it rain blood or hail frogs or fish, but she cant summon a thunderstorm out of acloudless night.Finally, a ritualist at this level of proficiency may produce diseases.

Creation

With the fourth dot in Creation, a ritualist can cause the Curse to extend to her creations.Animals, plants,and homunculi can be brought into being as ghouls by spending Vitae during the ritual (ontop of any spent as the sacrifice in a Crac rite). Combined with Destruction orTransmutation Themes to remove it from elsewhere, she can even create Vitae within herown system. Homunculi may be granted dots of her physical Disciplines on a one to- onebasis with the rituals Potency. Objects created may now be complex or made of multiplematerials, but they may not include valuables such as precious metals or gems. Theritualists command of the environment now extends to creating heat or cold, blanketingareas in magical darkness (that is still pierced by sunlight during the day), and whipping upstrong winds.

Creation With the fifth dot in Creation, a ritualist can now grant her non-physical Disciplines tohomunculi on a one-tone basis with the rituals Potency. Her command of the environmentcan create radically different weather patterns: she can summon thick cloud cover from asunny day, or call up a gale-force wind or tornado. Her ability to create material goods isnow complete with the knowledge of creating valuables through sorcery, though jewels arealways dark or flawed and precious metals have an unhealthy sheen.

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