LEXTALIONIS 2003 version a - Web viewNone may challenge thy word in thy domain. ... or need to dig...

LEXTALIONIS 2003 version a.4

Rules for Channel #VampireHall on the Sorcery and Dalnet IRC networks (irc.sorcery.net, irc.dal.net)

*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***This version of the Lextalionis rules supercedes ALL other published materials and like previous versions, is copyright M. Karoly 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003.

New changes have been highlighted for easy finding.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION & HISTORY (Section 1)

CHANNEL RULES (Section 2.a)

IN CHARACTER (Section 2.b)

OUT OF CHARACTER (Section 3.c)

#VAMPIREHALL INFORMATION / DESCRIPTION (Section 3)

CHARACTER CREATION (How to Get Dice) (Section 4.a)

THE EMBRACE (Section 4.b)

VAMPIRES, SECTS & CLANS (Section 4.c)

RARE CLANS (Section 4.d)

GHOULS & REVENANTS (Section 4.e)

MORTALS (Section 4.f)

SYSTEMS (Section 5.a)

BASE CREATION (Section 5.b)

RANK BONUSES (Section 5.c)

INITIATIVE (Section 5.d)

ESCAPE (Section 5.e)

CONFLICT (Section 5.f)

WEAPONS & ARMOR (Section 5.g)

BLOOD BONDS (Section 5.h)

DIABLERIE (Section 5.i)

FRENZY (Section 5.j)

BOTCHES (Section 5.k)

DISCIPLINE POWERS (Section 5.l)

CURRENT OFFICIALS (Section 6)

CURRENT METHUSELAHS (Section 7)

CURRENT OFFICIAL #VAMPIREHALL CHANNELS (Section 8)

OFFICIAL #VAMPIREHALL SITES & RESOURCES (Section 9)

CREDITS (Section 10)

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION & HISTORY

Back in 1995, a man named Har|equin set out to make a place for people to role-play where they could come and simply have fun. Dalnet was flooded with Free Form channels where there was no real structure, scarce and vague rules, and complete chaos whenever a conflict between characters arose. He had a dream of fun with structure, yet a simple structure to where players could make characters, play, fight, and exist without the need for complex character sheets, a calculator, half a day for combat, or complete chaos. So was born the first Lex called the Arcane. It was a crude invention, little more than Rank equals a number of d20's, but it was a start.

Back in 1997, when I first began playing in VampireHall, the channel’s set of rules were called the Lextalionis, or Lex for short. These rules were very loosely based on White Wolf’s Vampire: the Masquerade (VtM) game but geared for IRC play. These rules were designed to mitigate the fact that not all the Ops, STs or players online may have the same rules, the same books, or the same backgrounds in roleplay. The original Lex rules were, in my opinion, a bit too loose and chaotic for such a large number of players, and encouraged too much freeform roleplay. The early Arcane and Lextalionis rules most importantly were not strictly based on VtM, but included many of the prejudices and eccentricities of the previous founder. These first rules had no disciplines, leaving discipline use as a freeform rp hook, and all dice were based on rank in channel, regardless of character generation.

This Lex is a culmination of several versions working at incorporating more of the feel of the original game as published by WW. All of the clans, their disciplines, and other terms and concepts copyright by White Wolf, remain the intellectual property of White Wolf for all purposes. This document is not for sale, hence no profit of any kind is made from its release. It is solely for the benefit of players in #Vampirehall.

Over the past several years, a lot of work has gone into refining these rules into a document that allows the feel of V:tM and World of Darkness play in an IRC format. Since the titles Lex and Lextalionis come from the Latin, have been used by White Wolf as well, and are such an integral part of channel vernacular, I see no reason to change them at this time. The Lex would not be what it is without the input and assistance of many of the ops and players of #Vampirehall, bot past and present. However, The Lex in its current format is solely my property and is copyrighted as such. No other party has any claim to ownership of this document or its contents, except as noted above. Any such claim or use without my express permission is violation of International copyright law.

If you are new to the channel, welcome, and enjoy your stay. For those returning, welcome home. I hope this new Lex helps as we rebuild the channel after a long dry period that began with our move to the Sorcery IRC network from Dalnet.

As always, regardless of source of submission, any errors, discrepancies or mistakes are fully my own. Please direct all issues involving possible errors or typos in the Lex to Mikal, or bring them

to the forums for correction or consideration. - Mikal, Ravnos Methuselah and Channel Founder of #Vampirehall

SECTION 2.a - CHANNEL RULES

VampireHall's rules are designed to keep the channel a fun environment, and at the same time, keep everything in order as well as possible. We all know that in a perfect world, we wouldn't need these rules, as common sense would simply kick in before someone went and put their foot in their mouth or decided to be a nuisance. This is of course, not a perfect world, so here are the rules (Sections 2.b and 2.c), please read them, memorize them, and follow them at all times when in #VampireHall or any of it's adjoining channels, whether official channels or not. Failure to follow these rules will result in anything from a simple warning, to a permanent akick.

SECTION 2.b - IN CHARACTER RULES

1. No cheating of any kind. This includes metagaming, bottom feeding, etc. It doesn't matter what you know, if your character did not find out about it from a source that someone else plays, your character does not know it. We will also not tolerate people asking for info, or for RP in msg specifically so they can get said specifically requested info. Bottom Feeding is finding someone else's stats so that you can beat up on characters with less dice than you, or weaker disciplines. DON'T! You'll be on the tip of an Op's boot right out of the channel if you start pulling that kinda stuff. We like kicking those types of people. :)2. Do not assume your character knows anything of someone else's character or plans. If you don't know anything about that character or group, etc, then neither does your character. See rule #1.3. No excessive emoting. If you type an entire paragraph, and your character has done nothing but think then there's a problem. We'll consider that projecting your thoughts, and everyone can hear your thoughts, or just know what you're thinking via your body language. A lot of people use this as a form of flaming someone in character without having to pay the price for it. We won't allow that, and just treat it as if you spoke the words, and your character will suffer the consequences as such. Beyond that, it's just bad form.4. When all else fails, refer to rule #1.5. English language only in channel please. Take other languages to private chats. If your character is speaking another language, then abbreviate that language in brackets (<rom> <--- romani, etc.) and then type in English after it.6. No over usage of CAPS, Caps are considered as YELLING!! (Unless that is what your character is actually supposed to be doing. :P)7. HAVE FUN!!!!

SECTION 2.c - OUT OF CHARACTER RULES

1. No cheating of any kind. This rule cannot be stated enough.2. No whining, flaming, or throwing temper tantrums. We're all adults here, act like it. If you have a legitimate complaint, see an Op, and provide logs. If it is a complaint based on the rules, then make a statement, but do not argue your points, simply make them and leave the Op to go about their business. The less of a hassle you make of yourself, the more you will be listened to.3. No advertising without permission. We sometimes allow respectable advertising when asked. We always ban for advertising without asking. This includes advertising channels, websites, other networks, MUDS, etc. It doesn't mater if it is in channel, in message, or in your quit or part, advertising is advertising. GET PERMISSION!4. No offensive nicks, parts, or quits. This is up to the Ops on duty. If they are offended, then you obviously went overboard, cuz we've seen just about everything there is to see. :P5. No excessive OOC (out of character) talk in channel. Take it to a private channel, private message, or our OOC channel.6. No over usage of CAPS, Caps are considered as YELLING!!7. No harassing of the Admins/OPs (That will get you kicked/banned). Respect them and they will respect you. This actually applies to all players, respectful play should be a given.8. Do not ask or beg for OPs. We do the choosing!

9. Character descriptions should not exceed 2 paragraphs. Anything in excess of this will be considered flooding.10. Please don't use ctrl + K - 1 to make black text - many vampire scripts use black backgrounds so please select a different color. Also avoid ctrl + K - 0 to make white text, mIRC comes standard with a white background, let's choose a different color that's not so commonly used as a background please.11. No flames or insults in other channels that reflect back on the hall. If you want to mock the folks in #lamers, #realvampsRus, for example, please leave the hall while doing so, and don’t use your hall reg’d nicks while doing so.12. Please do not advertise the Hall anywhere for any reason, it is disrespectful to other channels and reflects badly upon us. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.13. No flooding, nuking, warring or other lameness!14. Remember that this is just a game, so if you're offended, frightened, repulsed, disgusted, or in tears by someone's (legitimate) role-play, perhaps you should consider another game and/or channel.15. No ooc rudeness toward other users or obnoxious behavior, remarks about a user's ethics, morals, or religious beliefs, etc. Don't be a jerk... go elsewhere to act like that.16. Remember that all of these rules apply to the forums and any other #VampireHall related sites, channels, etc. You will be disciplined in channel for your behavior in these places as well. So Behave! 17. No personal B.S. in main channel or otherwise. This entails: If you have a personal problem with someone whatsoever, we don't want to hear about it, keep it to yourself or in private. This is role-play, not Jerry Springer. If you cannot separate the two, then call Jerry, we hear he's looking for guests.18. If you are caught exploiting a loophole in the Lex, or found one and did not report it to an Op, you will be spanked or by far, worse. It's considered cheating to use it to your benefit when it was not meant to be used in such fashion. Please see rule #1 again.

SECTION 3 - #VAMPIREHALL INFORMATION / DESCRIPTION

The construction of this framework took place earlier this year. It was designed after its predecessor that was originally built in the 1680’s similar to the great halls in England. A gothic yet middle-aged theme sculpts the architecture of VampireHall. The hall climbs six stories high with four towers, two right-angled towers face the north, and two cylindrical towers that face the south. The foundation of which is dark gray almost black flamed granite that reflects off the sun at the right time of day.

Passage through this castle like structure starts at the heavy oak double doors. They face the south end. You will be allowed weapons but judgment with them is key.

Once inside you will take note of the polished black marble floor with its white veins that covers the entire first level of the castle. A cathedral like ceiling as its height reaches to about 50’ high gives a spacious atmosphere to its guests. The décor that surrounds you encompasses statues and portraits of various great Kindred of long ago.

Along the east and west walls are two extensive mahogany bar tops that serve the patrons. Each showing a relic view with their intricate carvings and worn grooves. They serve both cocktails and restaurant style services. The staff provided by the wealthy but unknown owners of the hall. Drinks are served in proper etiquette of crystal or silver chalices/goblets.

Your seating choice ranges from the matching oak tables with velvet lined chairs to the curtained booths for a more private setting. Crushed velvet and brocaded couches, chases, and chairs give the lay out of the areas under the balcony.

For your gaming pleasure there is a large wooden framed pool table at the far end on a raised dais. The sounds that flow through these walls come from a state of the art system. Those wishing more than music and game to fill their evening can watch the provided big screen TV. Two spiraling staircases on opposite sides of the room take you to the second level, the balcony.

It frames all four walls of the building. The view from this floor allows you to over look the entire area below. Seating arrangements here allow for one to sit in either chairs or sofas, tables placed between. Also granting less populated areas for those who wish to speak in private in the darker recesses of the alcoves. The common rooms on this floor are clan rooms, meeting rooms, and offices.

Staircases continue to bring you higher as they lead up towards upper level rooms, though some are accessed only through secret passage. Whether it be from underground, or secret rooms, or simply by magic. They are not common knowledge and thus are not frequented by many if any. Moreover, the common rooms that reside in the upper levels weave a labyrinth of bedrooms, guestrooms, lofts, terraces, libraries, and balconies. A maze not easily mapped out.

This newly designed building is set over the old sub-levels of its predecessor. However, no one knows exactly how to access the deeper levels down below (There are said to be up to 13 of them), they are still a secret kept by the former owners.

Though the beginning lower level is used for dungeons. Kindred who find themselves in the dungeons will wish they hadn’t. For these are no ordinary dungeons. There are several rooms built specifically for torture. Encasing iron maidens, flaying tables, meat hooks, as well as medical tools stocked for use. Shackles dangle from each wall awaiting their next confined prisoner.

Gallows and metal frames connected with electric currents also have been said to reside in the dungeons. Rumor has it, there is one room that bears the most screams, and the only information known is that there are slits in the walls that allow for sunrays to beam through. If you think you can escape, you are sadly mistaken. The unknown owners have designed an inescapable dungeon without guards. Dark magic is said to be what keeps you in, and the rest out.

SECTION 4.a - CHARACTER CREATION (gimme dice!)

Okay, so you want to make a character. GREAT! This part is often difficult due to our method of registering characters. This may change in the near future, but for now, here we go:

1. Figure out which character type you wish to play. I.E. Mortal, Revenant, Independent Ghoul, or Vampire. If applicable, choose a Sect the character may either belong to, or be partial to, if any. Make a background/bio for the character. This background should be roughly a paragraph or two. Please do not write a novel, as the background will have to be read and approved. Have some pity on your representative; sometimes they may get many submissions daily. Be sure to not make the character older than 300 years old, as most characters will start out pretty new. Less than 100 years of age is preferable unless otherwise instructed.2. Go and seek out the proper representative to get the character registered. If the representative is not online, then go to the proper section of our forums (as listed in Section 9) and post your request - always be sure to include your email address in a private PM on the forums to your representative so that they may more easily contact you. If all goes as it should you should be contacted within 24 hours. Until then, you may contact an Op, and have them temporarily register your character. All Temp regg'd characters will be given 3 dice as per a mortal character, no matter what they're going to be. Only upon complete registration will you have access to your full disciplines and dice pool. Therefore, temp regg'd characters also may have no use of disciplines until they are permanently regg'd.3. Once you're in contact with the proper representative, you will tell them your clan (if applicable) or whatever it is that you'll be playing.4. Your representative will give you your generation (if applicable) and dice pool. You may also (depending on generation given and character type) be asked to choose additional disciplines.5. Once registration is complete, take some time, and make yourself a good description. Two paragraphs maximum as per the rules. (Section 2.c #9)6. Play! Have fun, and be creative, and imaginative. Never expect people to flock to your character or pay attention to you simply because you're there... you write your part, so go out and mingle, do as your character would do. :) Let me repeat... HAVE FUN!

SECTION 4.b - THE EMBRACE

Characters who are Mortal, Ghoul or Revenant, may be embraced as a vampire. It requires the Vampire to drain his victim of blood to the point of death, and then feed the victim a small portion of his own blood. Upon such a time, the victim then becomes a Vampire.

Vampires may embrace ½ (half) their generation (rounded down) number of Childer. IE. A 4th generation character may Embrace up to 2 childer maximum, while a 13th generation character may Embrace up to 6 Childer maximum. A Vampire may only embrace a Mortal, Ghoul, or Revenant. A Vampire may not be re-embraced as a different kind of Vampire (However, the Baali Embrace ritual can make a Vampire an Apostate. This does nothing systematically. However for all intents and purposes; the Vampire is thereafter -considered- to be Baali). Those of the 4th Generation must gain SOp approval before Embracing Childer.

What does that mean as far as the system goes?First off, before a Vampire may embrace a Childer (that being the term for the new Vampire, as her creator is referred to as her Sire) he must make sure with the clan representative, that there is an available slot open for that particular generation. If there is no slot available for that generation, that Vampire is not allowed to embrace the character. If there is a slot open, then the new Childer must speak to the representative, and character registration may commence. If the character was not mortal to begin with, then the Ghoul/Revenant representative must be asked to remove the character from his/her records as well.

So then what? Is the character suddenly as powerful as a 300-year-old vampire of that generation?No not at all. There's some pros and cons that go along with that territory. First off, for the first 30 days of play, the new Childer is at ½ (half) of her dice pool for that generation. Also, she will only get 1 discipline per 30 days of role-play until she's at her full discipline allotment.

So what about the good news? I assume that was the bad?Yes, that was the bad news, the good news is, you're worthless to an intended diablerist... for 60 days, the childe cannot be diablerized whatsoever by any means. (For rules, systems, and explanation of Diablerie, see Section 5.i)

SECTION 4.c - VAMPIRES, SECTS & CLANS

VAMPIRIC FACTS

1. They do not breathe, and do not need to breathe.2. Upon embrace unless embraced into clans such as Nosferatu, Harbinger, Kiasyd, Gangrel (one animal

feature conjures itself), or Samedi clans, whatever appearance you had when you were embraced is what you will always have. So if you cut your hair and you are a vampire, expect it to grow back the next night.

3. Vampires gain no nourishment from food or drink. In fact, it makes them very ill. They do not have a digestive system that digests food any more. So expect to toss your cookies if you eat or drink mortal food. In some rare instances a vampire may train their body to prolong the immediate vomiting till the end of a night.

4. Vampires cannot get directly high off drugs. If your vampire smokes a joint, nothing happens. The ONLY way a Vampire can get high is if feeding off a vessel that has drugs in its bloodstream. The same works with alcohol. Mixing blood and alcohol together does NOT get them drunk either; it must be ingested through another vessel’s bloodstream first.

5. Vampires CANNOT get pregnant. No way in hell. Not even in the slightest. No. If for some ungodly reason your character was pregnant when they were embraced, for all intents and purposes the fetus dies, and you’re either stuck with the dead fetus forever… or it spontaneously aborts. Either way, its dead, will never be alive, will never be undead.

6. Stakes do not kill vampires, but if done efficiently they can immobilize them.7. Vampires would rather feed from a vessel than have sex with it. 9 times out of 10, if a vampire is

seducing someone, it’s for blood, not an orgasm. Blood IS what gets their rocks off. They would rather get their feed on, then their freak on.

8. The flesh of a vampire is cold to the touch as well as paled, as it takes blood to warm it. To blush, warm yourself, or look flushed you must spend blood consciously to do it. The same is true of tears; unless the character is EXTREMELY humane, it takes a conscious effort to cry, and a vampire’s tears are always blood.

9. If a vampire loses any appendage (EXCEPT their head), it re-knits itself and grows back, though not immediately, it still takes a Vampire time to heal.

10. Crosses, Garlic and holy water do not freak out or damage a vampire unless possessed by someone with True Faith, or if the vampire in question is Baali. If you’re not sure what it is, chances are you don’t have it.

11. Only Lasombra and those vampires with the rare cast no reflection flaw actually cast no reflection into mirrors/glass/reflective surfaces.

12. Unless a vampire possesses Auspex level/tier 4, they CANNOT openly begin telepathy. Either someone with Auspex tier 4 has to open the link to you first, or you cannot talk via minds.

THE CAMARILLA

The largest sect of vampires in existence, the Camarilla concerns itself with the Masquerade, thereby hoping to maintain a place for Kindred in the modern nights. The Camarilla is an open society; it claims all vampires as members (whether they want to belong or not), and any vampire may claim membership, regardless of lineage. According to the often-contradictory history of the Kindred, the Camarilla came to be at the end of the Anarch Revolt, sometime in the 15th century. The Kindred of Clan Ventrue loudly claim to have been instrumental in the sect's formation, to which many Kindred owe their unlives. With the enforcement of the Masquerade, Kindred had a means of foiling the Inquisition, a Church office sworn to the destruction of supernatural creatures.

Though the Camarilla is the largest sect, just over half of the 13 known vampire clans actively participate in its affairs. The sect holds meetings attended by active clans' representatives; these gatherings are known as convocations. It also calls periodic conclaves, which are open to any and all members of the sect, to discuss matters of imminent sect importance. Only Justicars, officers elected by the Inner Circle to attend to matters of the Traditions, may call conclaves. Justicars are always of great age, and rightly feared; as such, their interpretations of the Traditions are heeded out of self-preservation. Coteries of vampires known as Archons attend the Justicars; meeting an Archon is usually a portentous event.

Officially, the Camarilla does not recognize the existence of the Antediluvians or Caine. It reasons that these vampires, if they ever existed at all, have long since suffered the Final Death, and those who allude to them are publicly derided.

What follows is the most common wording of the Traditions. Keep in mind that this is the phrasing used by elders and on formal occasions. The wording may change according to the clan, the age of the vampire speaking, or simple circumstance. During a Childe's presentation to the Prince, she may be required to recite the Traditions as proof that her sire has taught them to her.

The First Tradition: The MasqueradeThou shalt not reveal thy nature to those not of the Blood. Doing so shall renounce thy claims of Blood.

The Second Tradition: The DomainThy domain is thy concern. All others owe thee respect while in it. None may challenge thy word in thy domain.

The Third Tradition: The ProgenyThou shalt sire another only with permission of thine elder. If thou createst another without thine elder's leave,

both thou and thy progeny shalt be slain.

The Fourth Tradition: The AccountingThose thou create are thine own childer. Until thy progeny shall be released, thou shalt command them in all

things. Their sins are thine to endure.

The Fifth Tradition: HospitalityHonor one another's domain, When thou comest to a foreign city, thou shalt present thyself to the one who ruleth

there. Without the word of acceptance, thou art nothing.

The Sixth Tradition: DestructionThou art forbidden to destroy another of thy kind. The right of destruction belongeth only to thine elder. Only the

eldest among thee shall call the blood hunt.

BrujahClan Brujah is largely composed of rebels, both with and without causes. Individualistic, outspoken and turbulent, Brujah hold social change near to their undead hearts, and the clan's ranks contain some of the most violent of the Camarilla Kindred. Most other vampires perceive the Brujah as nothing more than punks and miscreants, but the truth of the matter is that genuine passion lies behind their polemics.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence

MalkavianEven other Damned fear the Malkavians. The cursed blood of their clan has polluted their minds, with the result that every last Malkavian across the world is incurably insane. What's worse, a Malkavian's madness can take nearly any form, from overpowering homicidal tendencies to near-catatonia. In many cases, there's no way to tell a Malkavian apart from the "sane" members of other clans. Those few whose psychoses are immediately obvious are among the most terrifying vampires to stalk the streets.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate

NosferatuCaine's childer are called "The Damned," and no vampires embody this more fully than the wretches of Clan Nosferatu. While other vampires still look human and may travel in mortal society, Nosferatu are twisted and deformed by the curse of vampirism. Other Kindred speak shudderingly of Caine placing a mark upon the entire clan for the monstrous deeds of its Antediluvian founder. As such, Nosferatu find themselves loathed and ostracized by the other Children of Caine, who consider them disgusting and interact with them only when they must.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence

ToreadorThe Toreador are called many things - "degenerates," "artistes," "poseurs" and "hedonists" being but a few. But any such lumping categorization does the clan a disservice. Depending on the individual and her mood, Toreador are alternately elegant and flamboyant, brilliant and ludicrous, visionary and dissipated. Perhaps the only truism that can be applied to the clan is its members' aesthetic zeal. Whatever a Toreador does, she does with passion. Whatever a Toreador is, she is with passion.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, and Presence

TremereWhether dreaded, mistrusted, feared or reviled, the insular vampires of Clan Tremere are anything but ignored. Those who have heard of the clan's doings are typically suspicious of the Tremere, and with good reason - for the Warlocks are aptly named. Through their own artifice, they have mastered a form of vampiric sorcery, complete with rituals and spells, that is as potent - if not more so - than any other power of the Blood. Paired with the clan's rigid hierarchy and the smoldering ambition so common among Warlocks, this power is an unsettling thing indeed to those who know what the Tremere are capable of doing.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy

VentrueThe Kindred of Clan Ventrue have a reputation for being honorable, genteel and of impeccable taste. From time out of mind, Ventrue has been the clan of leadership, enforcing the ancient traditions and seeking to shape the destiny of the Kindred. In nights of old, Ventrue were chosen from nobles, merchant princes or other wielders of power. In modern times the clan recruits from wealthy "old money" families, ruthless corporate climbers, and politicians. Whatever their origin, Ventrue vampires preserve stability and maintain order for the Camarilla. Other Kindred often mistake this for arrogance or avarice, but to the Ventrue, their shepherd's role is more burden than honor.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Fortitude, Presence

THE INDEPENDENTS

The Independents are exactly that, independent. Showing no favoritism to either side, and even allowing each side to barter for their favor. Depending on the clan, some are easily welcomed inside a Prince’s Elysium, and some are reluctantly allowed to pass through. Though they do not belong to either sect, one would be a fool to think they are any less strong because of this. Simply, they do not adhere to restrictions that the Camarilla and/or Sabbat enforce, thus making them free of their own will, and follow their own rules.

AssamitesFrom the desert wastes of the East come the Assamites, and they bring with them a miasma of terror. The Assamites are known throughout vampire society as a clan of murderous assassins, working for whoever can pay their price. The price they charge for their work is the vitae of other Kindred; for the Assamites, diablerie is the greatest sacrament.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus

CaitiffThere isn’t much to say about the Caitiff because they aren’t actually a Clan but rather the absence of Clan. While some may leave their Clans and claim to be Caitiff, these individuals are actually mere Autarkis. The true Caitiff has none of the distinguishing traits of the Clans, no weakness and no inherent Disciplines. They are often seen as a harbinger of Gehenna and are thus usually hunted on sight. Their lives are often brutish, violent and short.

Clan Disciplines: Caitiff characters may choose three of the eight Common Disciplines.

Followers Of SetThe Followers of Set, more commonly referred to as "Setites," are mistrusted perhaps more than any other clan. Their ties with the archetypal Serpent of myth are well-known, and bolstered by their disturbing powers. They are custodians of knowledge that, according to their claims, predates even the First City. When they enter a city, the Cainite power structure almost inevitably erodes. But most unnerving of all, they share a dark and powerful faith as a clan - a faith that the blood of gods pulses in their cold veins.

Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis

GangrelOf all vampires, the Gangrel are perhaps closest to their inner nature. These nomadic loners spurn the constraints of society, preferring the comfort of the wilderness. How they avoid the wrath of the werewolves is unknown; perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the Gangrel are themselves shapeshifters. When a mortal speaks of a vampire changing into a wolf or a bat, she is probably speaking of a Gangrel.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Protean

GiovanniThe Giovanni are respectful, genteel and well-mannered. Affluent beyond imagination, Clan Giovanni traces its roots back to before the Renaissance, to a family of merchant princes. The clan still maintains its original home in Venice, in a thousand-year-old loggia just outside the heart of the city. No other clan makes such a spectacle of humility and propriety as does the Giovanni. And no other clan hides its blasphemous secrets as well.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence

RavnosIf ever a clan was renowned for a wickedly black sense of humor, the Ravnos would be that clan. These Cainites are deceivers of the first order, weaving illusion and lies into elaborate schemes to part the foolish from whatever it is the Ravnos might fancy - be it wealth, blood or even their victims' freedom. Like Mephistopheles or Old Scratch, the Ravnos ply their devil's deals with whomever they choose, be it human or Kindred, and woe to those who wind up unable to pay the hidden costs.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Chimerstry

Ravnos - Phuri Dae Certain Ravnos embraced from the far-seeing Phuri Dae maintain their own family ties, though their greater family is always the Ravnos. Phuri Dae Ravnos often include Auspex in their Discipline repertoire and are among the Ravnos most knowledgeable about the Jyhad (unlike many Ravnos, they understand themselves to be a part of it whether they like it or not). In recent years, certain Phuri Dae have begun speaking of Gehenna, and of a "daughter of Eve" possessing a crescent-shaped birthmark. Other Ravnos know not what to make of the Phuri Dae's visions, though the subfamily has always proved itself uncannily accurate in its prophecies.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Chimerstry

THE SABBAT

Rumored to have its origins in a medieval death cult, the Sabbat is greatly feared by Kindred who do not belong to it. The sect is monstrous and violent, and no longer clings to any trappings of human philosophy or morality. Members instead revel in their vampiric unlives. Sometimes referred to as the Black Hand, the Sabbat actively seeks the overthrow of the Traditions, the destruction of the Camarilla, and the subjugation of humankind. The Sabbat recruits wherever it takes hold, spreading like a poisonous weed and tearing down the established institutions around it. Unlike the Camarilla, the Sabbat recognizes the existence of the Antediluvians, though it rabidly opposes them. According to Sabbat propaganda, the Antediluvians pull the strings of the entire world, and it is this malignant control they oppose. They see the Camarilla as pawns of the Ancients, and oppose its members politically as well as physically. Most Sabbat express bilious contempt for the vampires of the Camarilla, whom they see as cowardly wretches unable to accept their predatory natures.

Outsiders know little about the Sabbat's inner workings. Some Camarilla Kindred even doubt its existence, believing it to be a rumor created by elders to keep troublesome Childer in line - an undead boogeyman. Lurid tales about the sect spread like wildfire, including claims that its members indulge in ceaseless diablerie, worship demons, hunt and kill other vampires, and possess the ability to break blood bonds. The only consistent rumor attributed to the Sabbat is its members' apparent love of fire - the sect has a fearsome reputation for leaving burning wakes behind it.

What follows is the full text of the Code Of Milan, the rules that all members of the Sabbat are expected to adhere to:

By the solemn word of Regent Gorchist, this is the one true Code of Milan, revised from the original manuscript this night, December 21, 1933. Out of the ashes of our great war may this peace reign everlasting.

An oath of allegiance has been sworn by the regent and the consistory in the presence of all faction leaders and 50 other witnesses to faithfully follow all regulations imposed by this code in leading the Sabbat. This revised Code of Milan is agreed on by all Sabbat factions, including those of Cardinals Huroff, Bruce de Guy, Agnes and Charles VI; and Archbishops Beatrice, Una, Tecumseh, Giangaleazzo, Toth, Aeron, Marsilio, Rebecca, Julian and Salluccio. All other factions must pledge themselves in support of this revised Code of Milan or claim separation from the Sabbat.

These are the statutes comprising the Code of Milan:

I. The Sabbat shall remain united in it's support of the sect's regent. If necessary, a new regent shall be elected. The regent shall support relief from tyranny, granting all Sabbat freedomII. All Sabbat shall do their best to serve their leaders as long as said leaders serve the will of the regent.III. All Sabbat shall faithfully observe all the Auctoritus RitaeIV. All Sabbat shall keep their word of honor to one anotherV. All Sabbat shall treat their peers fairly and equally, upholding the strength and unity of the Sabbat. If necessary, they shall provide for the needs of their brethrenVI. All Sabbat must put the good of the sect and the race of Cainites before their own personal needs, despite all costsVII. Those who are not honorable under this code will be considered less than equal and therefore unworthy of assistance

VIII. As it has always been, so shall it always be. The Lextalionis shall be the model for undying justice by which all Sabbat shall abide

IX. All Sabbat shall protect one another from the enemies of the sect. Personal enemies shall remain a personal responsibility, unless they undermine sect securityX. All sect members shall protect Sabbat territory from all other powersXI. The spirit of freedom shall be the fundamental principle of the sect. All Sabbat shall expect and demand freedom from their leadersXII. The Ritus of Monomacy shall be used to settle disputes among all SabbatXIII. All Sabbat shall support the Black Hand

Addenda to the Code of Milan

Observed by all witnessing parties present on this night, December 21, 1933, and hereafter upheld

XIV. All Sabbat have the right to monitor the behavior and activities of their fellow sect members in order to maintain freedom and security.XV. All Sabbat possess the right to call a council of their peers and immediate leadersXVI. All Sabbat shall act against sect members who use the powers and authority the Sabbat has given them for personal gain at the expense of the Sabbat. Action shall be taken only through accepted means, approved by a quorum of prisci.

LasombraThe Lasombra clan has fallen from grace - and its members enjoy it. Simultaneously graceful and predatory, the Lasombra guide - and, when necessary, whip - the Sabbat into an implacable force. Turning their backs upon the humans they once were, Lasombra give themselves wholly over to the dark majesty of the Embrace. Murder, frenzy, predation: Why fear these things, many Lasombra ask, if one is meant to be a vampire? In contrast to the Tzimisce, though, Lasombra generally seek not to reject all things mortal, but to shape them for their own pleasure.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Obtenebration, Potence

TzimisceIf Clan Lasombra is the heart of the Sabbat, Clan Tzimisce is the soul. Even other vampires grow uneasy around these flesh-crafting Kindred, and the clan's nickname of "Fiends" was given to it in nights past by horrified Kindred of other lines. The Tzimisce's signature Discipline of Vicissitude is the subject of particular dread; tales speak of crippling disfigurements inflicted on a whim, of ghastly "experiments" and tortures refined beyond human - or vampiric - comprehension or endurance.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Vicissitude

Assamite AntitribuThe Assamite Antitribu are almost identical to their non-Sabbat counterparts, except that they accept all races into their clan, granting membership to anyone with a warrior's heart. Also, most importantly, they were never subjected to the Curse of the Tremere. The Assamites of the Sabbat are free to drink the blood of all Vampires. Because of this, they may be considered a separate bloodline from all other Assamites. The Assamites of the Sabbat, acting on the request of the Sabbat leader Vestgeir, severed all direct association to the Assamite clan. The Sabbat Assamites have since that time made peace with their former clan. Assamite Antitribu will not battle non-Sabbat Assamites, and Assamites have never warred against the Sabbat Assamites. This unspoken understanding is at least recognized by Sabbat leaders.

Clan Disciplines: Celerity, Obfuscate, Quietus

Bratovich TzimisceInhumane, depraved and bestial. The Bratovich Tzimisce are those embraced from the Bratovich Revenant family. Like their Revenant counterparts, most seek to become bigger, better and nastier by use of Vicissitude, to modify their bodies, and by consuming their fallen enemies in cannibalistic ritae to absorb their strength. They are the breeders of Hellhounds; fearsome beasts bred with blood like the Revenant for strength.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Vicissitude (May never posses the discipline Koldunic Sorcery)

Brujah AntitribuDifferences between the Antitribu and the mainstream clan are hard to find, but there are some. The Antitribu are very devoted to their sect, as opposed to the Camarilla Brujah, and they are a cornerstone in the Sabbat army. Serving as grunts in almost every major Sabbat offensive or defensive. They're as brutal as they're effective, and in this they take great pride and enjoyment.

Clan disciplines: Celerity, Potence, Presence.

Gangrel AntitribuGangrel has always been the most predatory of the clans; they excel and enjoy the hunt more than any others. The Gangrel Antitribu are however not bound to the same rules as those of the Camarilla, and are often a lot more savage and bestial. There are two different bloodlines existing inside the Sabbat. The Country Gangrel, and the City Gangrel. The first ones are very like the parental clan; they keep to themselves and generally live outside the cities and heavily populated areas. While the second, the City Gangrel, are more at home in the sub-urban areas.

Clan disciplines (Country Gangrel): Animalism, Fortitude, Protean. Clan disciplines (City Gangrel): Celerity, Obfuscate, Protean.

Malkavian AntitribuWhile the Camarilla Malkavians are known to use their madness productively, either to instruct or illustrate an idea, the Antitribu are more inclined to spread their madness like a disease. Many times the Sabbat has thought about eradicating the clan totally, because they are known to frenzy often and when they do it doesn't matter if you're friend or foe. But time and again they show their usefulness. Both as interrogators who control psychological torture to the extreme, and as fearless leaders in times of war, because they do not fear final death and neither are they afraid of doing what is necessary to win, whatever that might be.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dementation, Obfuscate.

Nosferatu AntitribuMany see no difference between the Antitribu and the mother clan. And indeed differences are in no way apparent. Both where hit repeatedly with the ugly stick, and both are a source of information. This has people wondering if indeed the Nosferatu membership in the sect, indeed both of the sects, are just to keep them under surveillance and to work against their ancient enemy, the Nictuku. All of this is rumor; there isn't any proven connection between the clans. Although they have been rumored to be on very friendly terms with their clan mates.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Potence.

PandersThe Panders "clan" is fairly new by vampire standards. It may be a mixture of several clans' blood, but its members are Sabbat through and through. Although Caitiff, the Sabbat accepts them as equals and provides them with the same opportunities for freedom and survival. At least, that is what they would like the Panders to believe. The Panders came into being during the 1950's, as a result of the last Sabbat Civil War. A Caitiff by the name of Joseph Pander decided to gather all the clanless Sabbat under one banner - his own. The Caitiff took the name Panders and considered themselves a legitimate clan worthy of equal rights and recognition. The other clans acknowledged the Panders, but not without great controversy and a fair amount of bloodshed.

Clan Disciplines: Pander characters may choose three of the eight Common Disciplines.

Salubri AntitribuThe tumultuous approach of Gehenna has wrought many strange events in the modern nights, not the least of which is the introduction of the Salubri to the Sabbat. While the mainstream Salubri suffer reputations as soul-stealers and diablerists, the Salubri Antitribu have put the nigh-incomprehensible practices of that bloodline behind them. With a rage borne of centuries of persecution, the Salubri Antitribu have developed a consuming hatred for the Camarilla and joined forces with the Sabbat to bring about its destruction.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Valeren

Serpents of the LightA bloodline of the Followers of Set, which probably originates from Haiti. When the Sabbat took control of Haiti the Cobras where recruited to the Sect. This however was not taken lightly by their mother clan and they demanded that the Serpents of Light terminated their membership in the Sabbat. The Serpents of Light did however refuse this offer, and had it not been for Sabbat intervention they would soon have been crushed utterly by the Setites. Now they have adopted the Sabbat way of thinking completely and they are devoted to the ultimate destruction of their god-founder Set.

Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis.

Toreador AntitribuThe Toreador Antitribu are, like their mother clan, very interested in art. But as some are quick to point out, art is a subjective matter. And indeed the Toreador Antitribus 'art' differ greatly from their mother clan's. While the Camarilla Toreador adore paintings of beauty, and sculptures of man, the Antitribu are more attracted to flayed humans put on display. Pain, savagery and depravity are all fascinating subjects for the Toreador Antitribu. While their counterparts in the Camarilla are considered decadent fools, without any ambition or authority. The same cannot be said of the Antitribu.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Celerity, Presence

Ventrue AntitribuDifferences between the Ventrue and the Ventrue Antitribu are only a few steps. The Ventrue mother clan considers themselves blue-blooded nobles with the right to rule, while the Antitribu are devoted knights and crusaders. Every one of the Ventrue Antitribu is a cold and emotionless warrior, who holds honor highest. They will fight for the Sabbat, no matter what and to the bitter end. As a consequence of this there is a high quota of Ventrue Antitribu among the Inquisition and the Black Hand. Additionally, many become templars and paladins for the Sword of Caine.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Dominate, Presence

Ravnos AntitribuThe Ravnos of the Sabbat are very different from their brethren outside the sect. The Ravnos Antitribu are still pranksters and thieves, but they have devoted themselves to the cause of the Sabbat. They are the only known organization of Ravnos in the world. Together, they are very dangerous, so dangerous that even the Lasombra put up with their ways. The Ravnos Antitribu should be considered the same as other Ravnos in most respects. One major difference is that their honor extends to all Sabbat, but not to Ravnos outside the sect. They are still very individualistic, but they have learned to accept unlife as part of a pack.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Fortitude, Chimerstry

SECTION 4.d - RARE CLANS

BaaliThe Baali are explorers, first and foremost - students of the unknown, the unknowable, the unspeakable. Their eyes and ears glean forgotten secrets. Theirs is the secret song that has echoed through eternity since their nameless progenitor first struck the discordant chord that fractured the wall between worlds. And theirs are the steady, patient fingers that have picked at the wound ever since. In their time they have brought forth wars unlike which the earth has seen. Hate breeders, manipulators, beings so full of malice to put an end to their evil, all the clans rallied around each other to stop their madness, their evil, their corruption...

Clan Disciplines: Daimoinon, Obfuscate, Presence

Daughters of CacophonyAs far as the Kindred are concerned, the Daughters of Cacophony are a modern bloodline, coming into being only within the last few centuries. Many vampires believe this curious bloodline to be the product of mystical unions between Toreador and Malkavians, but little in the bloodline's obscure history indicates that it is anything

other than an anomaly, or perhaps the result of a particularly gifted Caitiff. Whatever their origin, the Daughters of Cacophony are singers extraordinaire, possessed of supernaturally magnificent (or terrifying) voices.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Melpominee, Presence

GargoylesThe Gargoyles are a lingering reminder to the elders of Clan Gangrel, Nosferatu and Tzimisce of just why they despise the Warlocks. Each one is possessed of a stony appearance with wings and an almost demonic countenance. Those who are slaves to the Tremere are generally created from Kindred of the root Clans, and the creation process all but wipes out their memories of their previous life. Those who threw off the shackles of their slavery are beginning to congregate in the Camarilla, embracing as other Kindred do. Those created this way may retain some sense of their former lives, but still much of it dissolves in the process of the Gargoyle embrace.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Potence, Visceratika

Harbingers of Skulls***This ancient and powerful clan claim to have returned from the dead to extract vengeance upon an enemy unknown. (And as they claim to have returned from the dead, so they appear, dead. Skeletal appearance, almost without flesh on their bodies and with the grin of the skull frozen forever upon their visage.) Long ago, they claim, rogue sorcerers hunted their clan for blood and immortality. Without exception their members are old and extremely powerful, and even though they have only been members of the Sabbat for a few years their power is ever increasing.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Necromancy (Path of Mortuus).

*** Note: while Harbingers may be a rare bloodline, they are not registered or approved by the Rare Clans Representative. All of these characters (For #VampireHall play...) are Methuselahs, and therefore, must be approved by an SOp. Do NOT ask for this character type!!! If you are given the opportunity to play a Methuselah character, you may then inquire about playing a Harbinger.

KiasydThe Kiasyd are scholars and keepers of secrets. They tend to be observers rather than taking an active part in acts such as War Parties. Kiasyd don’t like to take physical actions against an opponent, preferring to spar with wits and words instead. They jealously guard their knowledge and their private collections. While a Kiasyd’s home is always open to visiting members of the bloodline, all Kiasyd are viciously territorial, and most cities house one member of the bloodline at most. Weirdlings don’t like to compete with each other for knowledge. If one encounters two Kiasyd together, it is most likely an elder with her childe, who may study with the elder for upward of 50 years. Eventually, however, the time will come when the childe will seek his own haven, almost always in a different community.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Mytherceria, Obtenebration

Koldun Tzimisce It is said that their dark powers of the lands were granted to them by a demon trapped in the Carpathian soil itself, in eons past. Masters of a long forgotten sorcery, these fiends are rare, prized, and respected amongst their clan. With power of the elements, the very earth itself is at their mercy and whim. Sharing most traits with it's clan other than their deep rooted connection to the soil of the Carpathians, and their almost other worldly knowledge and insight, these fiends are a serious force to be reckoned with. Many a Warlock found their ends at the hands of skilled koldun in nights past.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Koldunic Sorcery

NagarajaFrom a nightmare of horror and legend step the Nagaraja. A bizarre bloodline of flesh eating witches, these vampires have been hunted to near extinction in the modern nights by political enemies and the ghosts upon whom they once preyed. A few of these monsters still prowl the darkness, but their numbers are thankfully few. The Nagaraja have never been particularly forthcoming with their origins, but a few learned Kindred suspect that they grew out of a Middle Eastern death-cult.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Necromancy

Old Clan Tzimisce They are so ancient that even the oldest legends speak only of their childer. They are the Old Clan, the True Tzimisce, and all the Tzimisce of the Sabbat (and even the few within the Inconnu and the Camarilla) are their betrayers. Their childer abandoned the lineage of the Tzimisce and embraced the power of Vicissitude; their ways of anarchy brought ruin and death to both the innocent and the guilty of their clan. There are very few Old Clan Tzimisce, and each has sired only a few progeny. They all cling to the old ways of the clan and long for the day their clan sire will return. They continue to hope that one night they will be around to exact revenge upon the traitors of their blood and upon all possessed by Vicissitude.

Clan Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Dominate (May never posses the disciplines: Vicissitude or Koldunic Sorcery)

SalubriThe Salubri bloodline is surrounded by miasma of tragedy, loss and hostility. It is rumored that only seven Salubri Healers exist at any given time - after reaching Golconda, a Salubri Healer embraces a carefully selected childe, who then destroys her sire via diablerie. Few Salubri lead unlives longer than a few hundred years, as they consider the Curse of Caine to be almost unbearable. Exactly how this bloodline attains Golconda so quickly and often is unknown (if indeed they do), and many Kindred suspect deception or outside influence. While the Salubri maintain that they are healers, other Kindred believe them to be despoilers and thieves of souls.

Clan Disciplines: Auspex, Fortitude, Obeah

SamediThe Samedi are vampires of especially unwholesome ilk, and dreadful to look upon. Their bodies resemble corpses, and those who see them sometimes mistake them for zombies or other revenant horrors. Thought to have originated in the Caribbean, the Samedi have strong ties to the region's voodoo legacies. They practice a unique discipline that allows them to manipulate the energies of death, albeit in a much more temporal manner than Giovanni Necromancy. Indeed, the Giovanni have very little good to say about the Samedi, and the enmity between these Kindred runs deep.

Clan Disciplines: Fortitude, Obfuscate, Thanatosis

True BrujahThe True Brujah claim to descend from Brujah himself / herself and not from Troile, who supposedly committed diablerie upon her Antediluvian sire. The True Brujah resent the claiming of their sire's name by Troile and his bastard lineage. They long for the night when they will reclaim their heritage from the false Brujah. Until that night, they must falsely claim lineage to other clans or simply call themselves Brujah. Consequently, they rarely interact with each other or other vampires; instead, they spend much of their time gathering information and developing their powers.

Clan Disciplines: Temporis, Presence, Potence

SECTION 4.e - GHOULS & REVENANTS

REVENANT FAMILIES

Revenant families we for the most part, created by clan Tzimisce. Ghouls bred in such a fashion as to be able to bare children, born ghouls. Whole families of servants, guards, and warriors, needing not to feed from their domitor, but completely self sustained.

BratovichInhumane, depraved and bestial. The Bratovich are all but villified by the other Revenant families and most vampire Clans. But they earn grudging respect for their prowess and down-right bloody-mindedness. Most seek to become bigger, better and nastier by use of Vicissitude, to modify their bodies, and by consuming their fallen enemies in cannibalistic ritae to absorb their strength. They have always been bestial, and this is why they are tolerated at all; for their mastery of the hunt.

Disciplines: Animalism, Potence, Vicissitude

DucheskiThose who know of the Ducheski at all would hear of a history of treachery. Like most Revenant families, they once served the Tzimisce. But since then, something made them turn their backs on their hoary old masters and throw their lot in with the Tremere instead. Needless to say, the Tzimisce don’t like this one bit. For all that, they are often masters of mechanics whose devices tend towards De Vincian brilliance: artwork.

Disciplines: Auspex, Dominate, Thaumaturgy

GrimaldiMoguls and capitalists, socialists and industrialists. The Grimaldi are insiduous ghouls who merge more easily than most with mortal society. Many attend public schools, hold down jobs in the real world, and generally make themselves useful to their Tzimisce and Sabbat Masters. Their resources match the Ventrue and the Giovanni, no doubt, and only a fool would think their ambition is anything shy of those vampiric Clans...

Disciplines: Celerity, Dominate, Fortitude

ObertusKnowledge, lore and the arcane are the generally accepted goals of the Obertus. Abstaining, largely, from Sabbat affairs, they prefer instead to indulge themselves in their intellectual pursuits to the point of fully-fledged obsessions. Looked down upon as wastes by most other Revenants for their unwillingness to stretch their boundaries, the Obertus generally care little for their own safety when some piece of previously undiscovered information is dangled before them.

Disciplines: Auspex, Obfuscate, Vicissitude

OprichnikiWith a long history traced back to the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Oprichniki have long been secret militia. Barely surviving their own master's touch, the Russian Tzimisce took them in and used them as vassals over time. They became Revenants, but never once served on the Carpathian soil. They were kept as a secret from the Transylvanian voivodes, serving the Russian Fiends as vassals in a multitude of ways. To this day, the Oprichniki are cursed to be haunted by ghosts, believed to be the ghosts of those slain under their service to Ivan.

Disciplines: Animalism, Obfuscate, Vicissitude

RafastioMembers of the Rafastio family are witches in the truest sense, having practiced magic since the first night of their patron sect, the Tal’mahe’Ra which now lays shattered, leaving the Rafastio isolated in the world. Life for

them, now, is one challenge after another. Without their patron Sect, the Rafastio are opposed at every turn by the few Kindred who know of them and who fear that they will continue to pursue their former patrons diabolical goals. Some few, however, have made deals with individual vampires, most notably Tzimisce, Tremere and Assamites, offering their witchcraft in exchange for protection.Note: Rafastio cannot be embraced, attempted embrace will result in death. Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Thaumaturgy

ZantosaThe best that can be said for degenerates like the Zantosa is that they are tolerated, and nothing more. While the Sabbat often consider wiping them out completely, they are generally considered not worth the bother and left to their devices. Dilettantes and spoilt almost to a one, they are almost always out for illicit thrills. It is a poor Sabbat indeed who must rely on a Zantosa.

Disciplines: Auspex, Presence, Vicissitude

SECTION 4.f - MORTALS

Mortals are your everyday Johns and Janes, or in some cases, perhaps not. Mortals as in real life, come in all shapes, sizes, varieties, and backgrounds. For "The Hall", we've narrowed it down to some of the most useful in the world of darkness. While there may be alternates players may want that don't quite fit into any category, it will be up to the Mortal Representative to make a decision based on what exactly the player is shooting for. Everything from a teenaged plain Jane, to a hardened Inquisitor, specialized in hunting down and slaying supernatural beings. Keep in mind that unless your character is of a hunter or inquisitor class, he or she will have no knowledge of the supernatural to begin with, and therefore, would most likely freak out and piss themselves when they first find out - if they should survive so long. It's a hard road to immortality, and few have the luck, skills, or stamina for it. Ultimately, a Mortal's single most difficult job in the world of darkness is to simply survive. Below are a few of the more capable of the Mortal classes:

InquisitorsRaised sometimes from birth by the church; members of the Inquisition are some of the most feared mortals in the world of darkness. These men and women have more knowledge on the supernatural than most Caitiff vampires, and knowledge is definitely power. Given the tools to survive, and the weapons to assure that their supernatural targets do not, these Angels of God's wrath live with one wing dipped in blood.

Hunters

These slayers have little unity or coordination like the Inquisitors; however, they are dangerous in their own right. A one-man army against their vampiric enemies, these soldiers often have a bitter hatred due to a witnessed killing of a loved one, or some kind of personal attack. They hunt with whatever weapons they can afford, or find, and loath vampires more so than perhaps even other enemies of vampires in the world of darkness.

Military/SpyPretty simple, we all know about these. Whether it be the Armed Forces, Elite Soldiers, Federal Agents, or CIA Operatives, these men and women are highly trained and function with others of their caliber like a well tuned machine, yet can function on their own far beyond that of your average Joe Shmoe.

Guard/SWATWhether an elite body guard, or a seasoned member of the Police or a SWAT team member, these trained professionals can be highly efficient in their own right.

InvestigatorIf you want info, or need to dig up dirt on an individual, and can't pay the price for the Nosferatu, these are your next best choice. Efficient, stealthy, and quite cunning when need be, these men and women have a talent for getting in close without ever being seen.

TrainedBoxers, Kick Boxers, Wrestlers, Police recruits, and Body Guards make up this band of brawlers and peacekeepers.

Average JoeYep, you guessed it... nothing special here. Just your average blue-collar human being.

YouthAgain, pretty much as it sounds. Any regular mortal under the age of 18. NOTE: Characters may not be under 13 years of age, as children are simply not allowed to be played for a variety of reasons. Also note that the premises of the main Hall serve liquor and as such it is illegal under Massachusetts law to admit anyone under the age of 21 to premises serving alcohol.

SECTION 5.a - SYSTEMS

Vampire character creation will be the most difficult task in "the Hall", as it is more involved than simply making a mortal or a ghoul/revenant, mostly due to the amount of options and also the research involved to properly play one. Below are the system charts, with notes beneath each, to explain what the charts may be unclear on.

SECTION 5.b - BASE CREATION

Each player is allowed FIVE characters max. This includes: mortals, ghouls, vampires, and revenants. A player may drop a character at any time if they wish to free up a spot in order to play a new character, please see the appropriate rep when doing so. Players are also restricted to the allotted generation allowances. Each player is allowed ONE low generation character. Low generations range from 6th - 7th. Each player is also allowed TWO mid-generation characters. Mid-generations range from 8th - 9th. Any generation higher than 9th is unlimited as long as it coincides with your FIVE allotted slots. This includes ALL clans and bloodlines, rare or not, restricted or not. Now, just because everyone is allowed low generation or mid generation characters, does not mean that they will have them. If there are no spots left for low gens clan-wise or Sect-wise, then that's terribly unfortunate, but those numbers come first. These guidelines are simply your MAXIMUM ALLOWED. Not what you're entitled to.

The only exceptions to this are vampire characters of the 4th and 5th Generations**. In cases where a player is allowed a Methuselah, then they do not count towards a low generation spot. They are in the 4th - 5th generation range. So if allowed one (SOp approval ONLY; do not ask for one, that's a sure way of not getting one.), you may also keep a low generation character alongside your Methuselah.

Vampires sired by 4th generation characters (i.e. 5th generation characters) who are not Methuselah classed by rank, do count toward low generation character slots (i.e. normally 6th - 7th generation).

WARNING! Methuselah characters are shit-your-pants scary. They can outfight you, outwit you, and outrun you. Because of this the players of Methuselah characters are expected to behave responsibly with their creations and not throw their weight around on all and sundry that they come across. There are, however, fail-safes in place to stop the players of such monstrous creatures from overstepping their bounds, and if you think that a Methuselah is abusing their power (i.e. “Bottom-Feeding”) then collect logs and report them quickly. That said; if you cross one of these ancients then don’t be surprised if they bite back…

VAMPIRES

Generation Max # in Clan DP/HP/BP Max # of Discs Max Tier/Discs Max # of Paths4 ** 25 8 5 65 ** 20 7 5 56 2 16 6 4 47 3 13 5 4 48 4 10 5 3 39 5 9 4 3 310 6 8 4 2 211 * 7 3 2 212 * 6 3 1 113 * 5 3 1 1

* Unlimited.** Offered by Sops only - Do not ask for this generation. All those who are not Sops and have a 4th generation character must ask a SOp if they may Embrace a childe before doing so. 5th generation characters must confer with the appropriate representative concerning Embracing childer.

Note: If you have a Justicar, Archon, or Primogen - the max rank you may have for any of your other characters is Elder.

If you have a Cardinal, Priscus, or Archbishop, the max rank you may have for any of your other characters is Templar (However you may NOT hold the Ductus or Priest positions).

If you have a Dignitary, Magistrate, or Ambassador, the max rank you may have for any of your other characters is Elder.

Crossovers apply... a Cardinal may only have max of an Elder of an Independent clan or Camarilla clan, etc.

The "Max # in Clan" refers to those who create vampire characters for play in "the Hall". Characters who start off as ghoul or mortal, yet are Sired (Embraced) as a vampire, may exceed these numbers. Those who are not embraced within the channel by another player may not cause the clan list for that clan to exceed the above stated numbers. No character may have more Childer than half her generation, rounded down. So a 7th generation character may have at most, 3 Childer, while a 10th generation vampire may have 5. No clan representative may approve characters below 6th generation.

"DP/HP/BP" is an abbreviation for "Dice Pool, Health Pool, and Blood Pool". All three of these are the same, and may only be altered via Rank Bonuses or Discipline and Combat modifiers, penalties, or a fresh Embrace. (Storytellers may also adjust this for Storyline continuity as they deem fit, but not in life/death situations.)

"Max # of Discs" is how many disciplines a Vampire may take. This number may only be exceeded by their Rank Bonus for Disciplines.

"Max Tier/Discs" is the maximum level of power in each discipline the Vampire has in which he may use. Tiers are Discipline levels 1-5.

"Max # of Paths" is how many paths in each path-based discipline (Thaumaturgy, Dark Thaumaturgy, Necromancy, Koldunic Sorcery) a character may have. Keep in mind that each path-based discipline will still use a standard discipline slot, yet each path of that discipline will use up only Path slots. If a path-based discipline does not have as many paths as the character is allowed, then they are maxed out. No 'credit' is given for unused path slots. The number of path slots again, is per path-based discipline.

Generation Max Discs per Action Max BP per Turn4 5 105 5 96 4 87 4 78 3 69 3 510 2 411 2 312 1 313 1 3

Max Discs per Action: The Maximum amount of discipline powers that may be used in a single action. Only ONE Mental discipline may be used PER TURN. For powers that last longer than a single turn, the discipline will ONLY be counted upon activation. Potence and Foritude are Automatic and do not count toward the Maximum unless the .b powers are being used. Those require activation. The Maximum Tier of Fortitude and Potence the characters possess are assumed to be used, and the character's possession and max Tier must be declared to the Op before combat.

Max BP per Turn: This is how many blood points may be spent in a single turn regardless of max discipline allotments. The opposite works as well. A character may never use more discipline powers by this chart per action, nor exceed their max blood expenditure per turn. This does NOT mean per discipline, but all the BP you may spend IN TOTAL per turn.

Keep these rules and this chart in mind, and plan carefully.

GHOULS

Domitor’s Gen. DP/HP/BP Max # of Discs Max Tier/Discs Max # of Paths4 8 4 3 45 7 3 3 36 6 3 2 27 5 2 2 28 - 9 4 2 1 210 - 13 4 1 1 1

NOTE: One's Domitor is the vampire that ghouled the character. All stats for the ghoul are based of the Domitor's generation. Independent Ghouls are given a Domitor’s generation (8th - 13th only) upon being registered that they will use permanently. If a Ghoul character goes Independent, they remain with their original Domitor’s generation for the systematic purposes.

REVENANTS

Stature Max # Family DP/HP/BP Max # of Discs Max Tier/Discs Max # of PathsElder 1 11 5 3 4Head 1/family 9 4 2 3

Honored 3/family 7 3 1 2No Stature * 5 3 1 1

* Unlimited.

NOTE: Treat families as clans for the purpose of giving ranks. More information on Revenant Families can be found in Section 4.e.

MORTALS

Class # Allowed DP/HP Specialties Special BonusInquisitor ** 5 Same as Below -2 difficulty Hunter ** 4 Below + Vampire -1 difficultyMilitary/Spy 4 4 Below + Revenant NoneGuard/SWAT 4 4 Below + Ghoul NoneInvestigator 5 4 Mortal NoneTrained 5 4 None NoneAverage Joe * 3 None NoneYouth * 2 None None

* Unlimited.** Offered by Sops only - Do not ask for this character type.

"# Allowed" is how many characters are allowed to be of this class. There may never be more characters of this class than the number listed.

"DP/HP" is an abbreviation for "Dice Pool and Health Pool". Both of these are the same, and may only be altered via Rank Bonuses. (Storytellers may also adjust this for Storyline continuity as they deem fit, but not in life/death situations.)

"Specialties" are what type of character that the Mortal is best fit against. All characters of that type are at +1 difficulty on all rolls in combat (Maximum difficulty of 10) against the Mortal other than Escape, Frenzy, and Initiative rolls.

"Special Bonus" only applies when the Mortal is in combat against a character type that fits the Mortal's "Specialty". This bonus applies to ALL rolls in combat, including resisted rolls.

NOTE: Mortal characters who are ghouled or embraced will transfer over to the appropriate lists; no longer being mortal. If a mortal character is ghouled, and then not fed as per the requirements, they will become mortal again, however, will have to take either the same or lower class depending on availability.

SECTION 5.c - RANK BONUSES

VAMPIRES

CAMARILLA

Rank # Allowed Bonus Dice Bonus Discs Combat BonusAncient Meth ** 10 5, +3 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -3 diffElder Meth ** 9 4, +2 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -2 diffMethuselah ** 8 3, +1 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -1 diffJusticar 1/clan 7 2 1 free rerollArchon 1/clan 6 2 1 free rerollPrimogen 1/clan 5 1 1 roll no botches

Sheriff 1 4 1 N/ADeputy 3 3 0 N/AElder 3/clan 2 0 N/AAncilla 3/clan 1 0 N/ANeonate * 0 0 N/A

* Unlimited.** Offered by Sops only - Do not ask for this rank. Representatives who feel that a player should have this rank need to confer with the SOPs first. The SOPs will then vote on it as a whole and decide whether it is warranted.

Sheriff and Deputy positions are not per clan, but per channel as a whole.

SABBAT

Rank # Allowed Bonus Dice Bonus Discs Combat BonusAncient Meth ** 10 5, +3 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -3 diffElder Meth ** 9 4, +2 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -2 diffMethuselah ** 8 3, +1 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -1 diffCardinal 1 7 2 1 free rerollPriscus 2/Cardinal/AB 6 2 1 free rerollArchbishop 1 5 1 1 roll no botchesBishop 1/clan 4 1 N/ATemplar 2/upper ranked 3 0 N/ADuctus 1/regg'd pack 2 0 N/APriest 1/regg'd pack 1 0 N/ABro/Sis * 0 0 N/A


The Priscus position allows for 2 Prisci per Cardinal and Archbishop. Considering there is only a single Cardinal, and a single Archbishop, that means that there will not be more than 4 total Prisci, and no more than 2 per each Cardinal or Archbishop.

Bishops are allowed at 1 per clan and bloodline.

The Templar position says that there is 2 per upper ranked allowed. This means that there may be two Templars assigned to each individual of higher rank than the Templar position itself. Bishops, Archbishop, Prisci, and Cardinal only.

The Ductus and Priest positions are limited to 1 per registered pack. A pack consists of a minimum of 4 characters that band together and share in rituals, travel, etc. together. The players of the pack must register it with one of the Sabbat Representatives.

INDEPENDENTS

Rank # Allowed Bonus Dice Bonus Discs Combat BonusAncient Meth ** 10 5, +3 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -3 diffElder Meth ** 9 4, +2 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -2 diffMethuselah ** 8 3, +1 Blood Discipline Path escape @ -1 diffDignitary 1/clan 7 2 1 free rerollMagistrate 1/clan 6 2 1 free rerollAmbassador 1/clan 5 1 1 roll no botchesMinister 1/clan 4 1 N/A

Emmisary 1/clan 3 0 N/AElder 2/clan 2 0 N/AAncilla 3/clan 1 0 N/ANeonate * 0 0 N/A


NOTE: All names and titles of these ranks may be changed to more accurately portray each individual Independent clan's hierarchy, however, all other details must remain the same.

GHOULS

Rank # Allowed Bonus Dice Bonus Discs PrerequisiteAncient ** 5 2 5th gen. domitorElder 2 4 1 7th gen. domitorVeteran 3 3 1 9th gen. domitorExperienced 4 2 0 NoneNovice 5 1 0 NoneInitiate * 0 0 None


"Prerequisite" is the necessary minimum requirement of class the character must be to attain this rank.

NOTE: This chart applies to Ghouls only, as Revenants do not receive rank of any kind.

MORTALS

Rank # Allowed Bonus Dice Prerequisite Combat bonusVeteran ** 5 Hunter -2 diff. to escapeExperienced 4 3 Guard/SWAT -1 diff. to escapeNovice 6 1 Trained NoneInitiate * 0 None None


"Prerequisite" is the necessary minimum requirement of class the character must be to attain this rank.

SECTION 5.d - INITIATIVE

Sometimes it is important to find out what happened first. In the event of seemingly simultaneous actions that would negate each other, an initiative roll may be necessary. Examples of such instances might be characters that simultaneously post ‘I touch him and use quietus on him’ and ‘I turn into a bat and fly away’. Was he gone before the touch? Or did the touch come first? These are the kinds of conflicts that initiative will resolve. Initiative rolls are usually to be used in the case of a true conflict and, in such cases, only at Ops’ discretion. If one player CLEARLY posts his action first, then initiative does not apply. Initiative may also be called for in events where more than one character wishes to make the same action. The most obvious examples of this are in

group-combat. When attempting to stop an escape (and between combat rounds), initiative rolls are called for to see which effects happen first.

An initiative roll is simply a roll of a single D10, the result of which is added to the character’s Generation dice pool. The sum of these is that character’s initiative for that action, used to determine the result. For example: An 8th Generation Gangrel rolls a D10 and scores a 6. She then adds this to her Generation dice pool (which, for an 8th Generation, is 10) for a result of 16.

SECTION 5.e - ESCAPE

Not all characters like to fight and not all characters are suited for it. The rigors of combat require quick thought and physical prowess, and while all vampires are possessed of a natural resilience that doesn’t mean that all of them want to risk the incapacitation and serious injury that puts them at the mercy of their enemy. Before the first punch is thrown (and in-between combat rounds) any character involved may declare their intent to try and escape.

In combat where there is only one opponent, the escape roll is a simple resisted roll difficulty 6. If the character trying to escape wins, then she gets clean away. If not, combat proceeds as usual. Between combat rounds, any character involved may try to escape again but MUST then parry in the following round if she fails. Note that the opponent may choose to let the character go, or may even elect to try and escape himself. If both characters try and escape then success is automatic with no rolls necessary.

In combat where there is more than one opponent, all characters wishing to stop the character must make an initiative roll. The character that wins the initiative roll is the character against which the potential escapee must roll to get away. As with single combat, between combat rounds, any character involved may try to escape again but MUST then parry (Or parry then defend depending on Celerity levels) in the following round if she fails. If no one elects to try and stop the potential escapee then escape is automatic with no rolls necessary.

Note: OPs supervising combat should be aware that escape is not always possible. The previous Elysium, the Devil’s Kitchen, had a caged in arena that was used to fight. Exit from the arena came either through victory or through the mercy of the victor. In such situations the chances of successfully escaping are pretty damn slim. Unless the player has an ingenious idea (or an appropriate Discipline) for getting out, OPs should be aware of such surroundings and penalize escape rolls accordingly: from increasing the difficulty up to 10, to ruling out the possibility of escape altogether.

Difficulty adjustments due to Celerity are in effect with escape rolls.For example: If you are at +2 difficulty to hit/parry/defend due to another's Celerity, you are at +2 difficulty to escape as well. The same holds true for if you are trying to stop someone from fleeing. If you are at +1 to hit them, you’re at +1 to stop them from escaping.

SECTION 5.f - CONFLICT

Conflict is a central theme of the game and it happens on all levels. Practically all interactions in the nightlife that the vampire race leads are seemingly marked with the word “versus” between them. Character versus Character. Young versus Old. Clan versus Clan. Sect versus Sect. Childe versus Sire. Ghoul versus Domitor. Underling versus Master. Subject versus Prince. Mortal versus Vampire.

Conflict is as unavoidable for characters in the World of Darkness as breathing is for you and I. From the very moment that your brand new character enters play her death is practically assured. The game is one of conflict from start to finish, and it’s not the winning that matters it’s the surviving. Everything in between is a means to that end… power for the powermonger, war for the warmonger, gossip for the gossipmonger.

And because conflict is such a central theme to the game, it merits a section all of its own. Welcome to the place where we lay the misconceptions aside. Where you, the player, learn the ways and means by which we play the Great Jyhad. Where we lay out the systems behind the methods at your disposal for tearing your enemy into shreds, whatever methods you choose to employ. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines… this means WAR!

SECT WAR

When the Camarilla and Sabbat fight, it shouldn't immediately come down to neonates versus Antitribu in the streets. It would even be simplistic to assume the Sabbat scouted a bit and then launched a military-style attack. Sect battles would probably more come down to pawns being manipulated from behind the scenes. Just imagine that no one knew a sect war was even occurring. It consists mostly of secret gambits to gain initiative and sacrificing minions for position.

This, then, is the big picture… the Great Jyhad.

CLAN WAR

Clan conflict occurs at several levels and on almost every night of the week, whether it be neonates exchanging blows or elders debating. Sometimes, however, it comes about when the Justicars or elders of two (or more) Clans disagree so strongly that they declare open war upon the other. Such an event often goes beyond the usual hostilities to the point where the clashes between sides and their allies produce casualties.

A Justicar/Dignitary may declare war on another clan at any time. It is up to the Justicar/Dignitary to make/break alliances, use their members to the best possible advantage, time when to strike, etc. The war cannot last more than 1 week real time. Whoever totals the most 'kills' (which non-involved AOPs will keep track of) wins. ‘Kills’ do not need to be literal - in fact without Prince’s approval, actual kills would be considered a violation of Tradition. Defeats can count as ‘kills’ too.

The losing clan’s Justicar/Dignitary must either step down, or make acceptable amends or concessions to the winning clan or group. These concessions, boons, or amends are totally at the discretion of the winning clan.

Note that while a leader may call a war upon another Clan, short of bullying or controlling their Clanmates’ minds they cannot force them to fight if they don’t want to. However should an unwilling member of a warring Clan be attacked that character really has little choice in the matter.

LEXTALIONIS - THE BLOOD HUNT

“An eye for an eye,” goes the old saying, and this is the root of the oldest punishment laid out for those who break the Traditions: The Lextalionis, also called the Blood Hunt. The Prince can theoretically call Lextalionis on anyone within her city, but she had better be damn sure that the elders would back her up. Being unable to follow through with calling a Blood Hunt on someone is a sign of weakness that other elders swiftly exploit to their own advantage.

The laws of the Lextalionis are that all vampires are to aid in the hunt of the one declared persona non-gratis by the Prince. This aid can, in recent nights, be translated as simply stepping aside to let the Sheriff or the archons go about the business of hunting. While inaction will not be punished, the penalty for being found to have aided a fugitive can be anything as severe as having the Lextalionis declared on the one giving help or shelter as well.

WILD HUNT

One of the greatest crimes a Sabbat can commit is to turn traitor, and the sect protects its secrets. If a member reveals a sect secret to the enemy, she is punished severely.

If a Sabbat leaks information of a vital nature, a priest may call for a Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt is much like the blood hunt, but ends with the eradication of the offending Sabbat sect member, as well as anyone - Kindred or kine - who may have knowledge of the information. Sabbat from all over the territories are called (and expected) to participate. Nothing stands in the way of a Wild Hunt. Obviously, the gravity of the Wild Hunt depends upon the traitor in question - the packs are expected to police their own ranks, while high-profile turncoats receive the attention of archbishops, prisci, cardinals and all those who serve them.

Necessity dictates that those who have passed on or gained forbidden Sabbat knowledge must be destroyed; it is done in a way that makes it plain that such a breach of trust is intolerable to the Sabbat. The priest assembles the local Sabbat and formally calls them to the hunt, which is sometimes similar to the preface of a War Party.

Once caught, the offending Sabbat is staked and immobilized. The pack takes her before the ductus and priest (or bishop, etc.), who recite her crimes for her packmates. The pack then torments the offender in whatever manner it deems appropriate - hot irons, Vicissitude and mutilation are the least creative forms of vengeance a righteous pack can inflict on a traitor. Finally, the pack destroys the traitor by throwing her (still staked) on a consecrated burning pyre. This action is often accompanied by a recitation from the Chronicle of Caine from the Book of Nod, to remind them all that they need unity to overpower their enemies, and mistrust within the sect destroys the Sabbat’s foundation.

After the traitor meets her end, the Sabbat pursues those who either learned of the secret or were involved. Sabbat justice is relentless - the sect stops at nothing to ensure their security. Naturally, the Sabbat cannot know about every little (or even many of the big) secrets that slip through the cracks. Frustration over this fact often makes things doubly bad for those they do catch.

MONOMACY

Monomacy is a special type of challenge within the Sabbat. Typically it is a challenge against one's superiors, a test of worthiness to hold position usually made by someone who is perhaps convinced a superior is ranked higher than they should be.

Special rules apply for Monomacy challenges. Anyone of lesser rank may make a Monomacy challenge for valid reasons of incompetence (real or imagined, they must have some IC reason that makes sense in regard to Sabbat procedures or policies or laws). Sabbat Methuselahs may not be challenged via Monomacy, as they do not hold official sect status or rank.

Once a Monomacy challenge is made, neither side may call for aid in the combat (including for disciplines that may affect the combat). To do so is a sign of dishonor and the person who does, so is considered to have dishonored themselves and the Sabbat. In Monomacy challenges, no mental disciplines may be used; this is a test of personal worthiness to hold rank. The only disciplines that may be used in a Monomacy challenge are Potence, Celerity, and Fortitude. Weapons may be used.

In order for a Monomacy fight to take place, the fight MUST be approved by the highest ranked Sabbat present. If either combatant is the highest rank Sabbat available, the fight must be postponed until it is approved by a sect official who is higher rank than both challenger and challenged. Neither of the combatants may approve their own Monomacy battle. Once the challenge is approved, THEN it may take place. Otherwise, the Challenge stands as made but pending until that time.

If the challenger wins, that character may take the rank of the loser unless such is the rank of Cardinal (representative status) or Priscus (an honorary title). The loser is demoted to rank of Brother or Sister until reassigned by the Cardinal.

TRIAL OF GRIEVANCE

A method favored by the Camarilla, the Trial of Grievance is the way of the polite debate; a judgment of one’s superiors in a polite and genteel fashion. Where the Sabbat bare fists and duke it out in Monomacy, the Camarilla favor a battle of wits and eloquent discussion. Thus was born the Trial of Grievance and its refinement the Conclave.

If a vampire feels betrayed or offended by another vampire then she may call a Trial of Grievance. This is to resolve 1-on-1 conflicts without fighting. Both shall appear before the Prince or his representative. Both the accuser and defender will state their positions and verbally defend themselves. The Prince or his representative present then decides who is right. This would be the usual way to take on someone much more powerful than yourself who has wronged you.

The consequences of losing a Trial of Grievance are many-fold. First and foremost, however, the loser now has the stigma of being someone defeated in debate. This is made worse if the loser is an elder of influence and the challenger a mere neonate. For a full month the defeated character loses all DP bonuses gained from rank. Note that this is not losing that rank completely so Disciplines gained by it remain in effect and the rank is still considered taken by the Clan’s representative.

COMBAT

This is it: the nitty gritty. Let’s be honest here, this is what most of you are either looking forward to or dreading. This is the section where you find out just how much other people can kick your ass when you piss them off, and the ways and means by which they can do it. This is the bit where characters can simply have seven shades of shit knocked out of them or suffer the Final Death for their incompetence and arrogance. Buckle up, kids, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

BEFORE COMBAT (BC)

Combat starts when the first punch is thrown, and it really is that simple. At any point before the first punch is thrown, any of the characters involved in a scene that has the potential to turn into a fight may declare an attempt to escape (see section 5.e above for how this works) by messaging an OP and making the appropriate rolls. If the punch is thrown and no escape is declared first then too bad, you have to sit through the first round.

ALL combat must be overseen by two uninvolved OPs. These OPs may be approved Temp OPs if necessary, but AOPs and SOPs are preferred. Also combat MUST be conducted in an official, sanctioned In Character #VampireHall room (see Section 7-8) to result in Final Death. SOPs may temporarily sanction any room that they want to, as long as they are not involved in combat that is happening in that scene.

STAKING - a quick and deadly end

Staking an opponent requires the target to be a vampire, and to have a sharp piece of wood on hand. Beyond that, 3 net successes must be scored in a resisted roll between both target and aggressor. Disciplines may still be used to avoid being staked, such as Protean and Thaumaturgy (the appropriate levels and/or rituals of course). These disciplines must state that they are specifically meant to remove or avoid being staked. Those with their hearts not in the normal place, (i.e. Misplaced Heart Merit) grant the defender -1 difficulty on the contested roll. Those with their hearts out of their body (i.e. some Setites) are immune to being staked unless the aggressor manages to find and take the vampire's heart into their possession. In such a case, the aggressor need not roll, no resist is allowed, and an automatic success is granted. This may be done at any time during combat, before combat, or completely out of combat.

COMBAT PROCEDURE PART ONE: Single Combat

This is the most common form of combat, existing as either a barroom brawl or an assassin’s attempt to end a life. Whatever the reason, where two characters clash in single combat then this is the process followed.

Combat according to the Lex is, at its most simple level, a two-option version of Rock-Paper-Scissors. The two options in question are Attack and Parry.

If both combatants choose to Attack then they both deal the full damage of the rolls on their dice as they simultaneously strike their foe. If both choose to Parry then neither character takes damage as they each circle their opponent in waiting. If one chooses to Attack and the other to Parry then the loser takes the net successes of the dice rolls as damage. Combat continues until one or both combatants reach 0 HP, at which point she is incapacitated.

Each declaration is considered a single combat round, between which either character may elect to attempt to escape, per section 5.e above. If one or both characters escape successfully then the combat is over immediately.

Some Disciplines may be used to modify or break these basic rules and still others may be used between rounds in place of an escape attempt. Players should be aware of what their own Disciplines are, and what they can do. See section 5.l for details of the various Disciplines.

The following is a more detailed explanation of the stages of combat, accompanied with examples to illustrate the way that it all works.

1. Both combatants declare to the OP their generation and rank, and any Disciplines that they possess. Then they declare whether they are Attacking or Parrying, and any Disciplines that they are going to use that round. If both players Parry, then roleplay a lull in the combat and go to 5. Otherwise, go to 2.

2. Each player will roll first for any disciplines that require a seperate roll outside of standard combat rolls. Once those rolls and powers are resolved, each player rolls a number of D10 equal to their dice pool difficulty 6, modified by any Disciplines they declared in step 1. If both players decided to Attack then go to 3. If one player Attacked and the other Parried then go to 4.

3. Because both characters attacked, both characters deal the full results of their dice rolls in damage to their opponent. Go to 5.Example: Charles and Ruth are fighting. Ruth attacked and rolls 7 successes, while Charles also attacked but rolled 4. Ruth takes 4HP of damage that round and Charles takes 7.

4. Because one character attacked and the other parried, compare the dice rolls. The winner deals as much damage to the loser as they won by. Go to 5.Example 1: Charles and Ruth are fighting. Ruth attacked and rolled 7 successes, while Charles parried but rolled 4. Ruth deals Charles 3HP of damage that round.Example 2: Charles and Ruth are fighting. Ruth parried and rolled 7 successes, while Charles attacked but rolled 4. Despite parrying, Ruth deals Charles 3HP of damage that round in “backlash”.

5. Once the combat round is over, players then have another option of trying to escape. Characters may also use this brief time between combat rounds to attempt to use any Disciplines without a specifically stated combat use such as Dementation, Dominate and Presence. ANY actions taken in this time, be they escape or in the use of Disciplines, means that the character may only Parry in the next round. All uses of Disciplines in this short space of time are at +2 difficulty for the user, due to the concentration it takes in the exchange of blows. Return to step 1 until one or both characters are at 0 HP, then go to 6.Example 1: Charles and Ruth finish the first round and Charles decides that this is one fight he can’t win, so declares his intent to escape. Ruth wants to stop him and so they roll on it. Ruth wins the roll and heads off Charles; next round Charles may only parry.Example 2: Charles and Ruth finish the first round and Charles decides that this is one fight he can’t win, so he declares his intent to use Dread Gaze on Ruth. They roll on it and Charles wins by 2 successes, cowing Ruth with his scariness. Next round Charles may only parry, but Ruth rolls at +1 difficulty (see Presence for a full explanation of this action)

6. When one or both of the combatants has been reduced to 0 HP, that character is considered incapacitated. The victor then has the option to permanently destroy the loser or to grant mercy.

NOTE 1: Any character leaving in the middle of combat without having a legitimate reason (i.e. making a legitimate escape roll or a having a verifiable system crash or a real life need to leave, arranged with OPs) will be considered lost in the battle and at the mercy of the attacker. As in all things, OPs discretion applies.

NOTE 2: Rolling a “True Botch” doubles all damage dealt to the character that round. See section 5.k below for full details.

NOTE 3: Any vampire falling to 0 BP (i.e. depleting their entire blood pool) runs the risk of falling to Frenzy, or Torpor. In this case refer to section 5.j below. If the vampire manages to avoid frenzy and subsequently falls to 0 HP, that character falls immediately into TORPOR and may only be revived after a week spent in this state, or until she is fed the blood of a vampire at least one generation closer to Caine. Note that in so doing, the torpored vampire automatically becomes blood bonded to the first level.

NOTE 4: In single combat, if a player invokes a discipline that creates essentially a 3rd combatant (IE: Shadow Twin, Arms of the Abyss, etc.) combat becomes pseudo-Mass Combat. Initiative does not have to be rolled, however, Celerity bonuses and group combat effects usually reserved for Mass Combat may be used. These like powers and effects that are essentially another combatant, may be targeted as if they were a live player. The effects such as Shadow Twin, or Arms of the Abyss, etc. are always last to attack in Single Combat. Live players go first always unless the discipline power itself says otherwise.

NOTE 5: There are seven possible combat actions to choose from and declare per round of combat.

Attack You may attack with full force against your opponent, however, must take the full extent of damage given by your opponent.

Parry An Evade and Strike style of defense, this allows you to defend against your opponent's attack, and possibly deal a bit of damage as well.

Defend Sometimes an opponent hits a bit harder than you thought they would, and it's just best to cover your head and try to weather the storm, this is a pure defense, no damage dealt.

Escape When the going gets tough, run like hell!

Stake Your opponent MUST be a vampire, and you MUST have a stake or a piece of wood that could very well be used for one in order for this attack to be declared. One good shot could win you the combat.

Bite Attack This attack is solely for the purpose of draining vitae, or perhaps in addition to that, disabling your opponent when all else fails. See below for the system on the Bite attack.

Diablery This attack also referred to as Amaranth by the Elders, guarantees final death to your opponent. The victim must be drained of blood (usually requiring a successful Bite attack), whether in combat, or after the victim is incapacitated, and then follow the system for diablery to continue. If done in combat in conjunction with the Bite attack, also refer below to the rules for the Bite attack.

Bite Attack:Generation DP (ONLY) is rolled by both players. If the target of the Bite Attack wins the contested roll, the Bite Attack fails. Otherwise, the victim is successfully grappled, and bitten into. A second roll of HALF Generation DP by both players is rolled, the aggressor using the bite attack is at +1 difficulty for this contested roll. If the victim succeeds, then she still has full capabilities to resist. If the agressor using the Bite Attack wins the contested roll, the kiss is envoked, rendering the victim helpless against him. The next round will require no roll, the aggressor will simply gain the 3 BP per round automatically without the need for the roll - FOR ONE TURN ONLY. The following turn after that, the contested roll to envoke the kiss is repeated (Half Generation DP - rounded down in all cases - Aggressor at +1 difficulty), if the victim succeeds the contested roll against the aggressor, then she breaks free of the entrancement of the kiss. Normal Generation DP contested rolls ensue, if the victim wins one of these rolls, she breaks free. If a victim of a Bite Attack breaks free, she will be at -1 difficulty for one turn after she escapes the bite. If her blood supply has been drained down under 4 BP, then she must roll for frenzy. Each Gen DP and Half Gen DP contested roll may be done only once per turn, and no more than 3 BP may be consumed per turn. This ends the turn for 1 round (for both players involved only), and transfers 3 BP from the victim to the vampire using the Bite Attack. Keep in mind that if the victim is a vampire, and does not meet final death, the agressor who imbibed blood from the vampiric victim in this way, will be 1 step blood bound. If the victim is a ghoul, the aggressor using this attack will be one step blood bound to that ghoul's domitor (if applicable) until either the blood bond expires (1 year + 1 day), or until the ghoul's domitor is slain.

NOTE 6: Celerity will cancel itself out should two people fighting possess it. IE. Should Player 1 have CE2, and Player 2 has CE3, then Player 1 is only at a +1 diff instead of Player 1 being at +3 diff, and Player 2 being at +2.This applies individually to each person that they fight.IE. Player 1 has CE2, Player 2 has CE3, and Player 3 has CE1.Player 1 is fighting against Player 2 and 3Player 1 is at +1 diff against Player 2Player 2 is at regular diff against Player 1

Player 3 is at +1 diff against Player 1

Other diff modifications still apply. To further clarify:

If player 1 has CE3 enacted and Player 2 has CE4 enacted. Simply subtract the lower Celerity rating from the higher. Whatever number that’s left, is the tier of Celerity they happen to be using for the effects of adjusting their opponent's difficulty only. Therefore, Player 1 will be rolling at +1 difficulty, while Player 2, will be rolling at a standard, unmodified difficulty.

The one exception of this is in the case of Celerity 5. This power also adjusts the player's difficulty by -1. This is cancelled out as well if the opponent has at least Celerity 1.

Otherwise for group combat bonuses, etc. Treat as normal.

NOTE 7: The maximum difficulty opponents may have to attack/parry/defend is 9.

COMBAT PROCEDURE PART TWO: Mass Combat

Done in nearly identical fashion as Single Combat above, Mass Combat simply involves more combatants. The number of opponents can range from 3, to an unlimited amount of individuals. There are a few small, key differences between Single and Mass Combat, and they are as follow:

All players must roll and tally their initiative as per the Initiative rules in Section 5.d. The highest score may go first (or, alternatively, opt to hold the action for later in the turn), and chooses a single Opponent. Both Predator and Prey resolve their actions, and then pause while the next in the initiative line go; so long as they have not already been chosen, and have taken their action. Once their initial action has been taken, they may only defend. Defending is identical to parrying, with the exception that the defender may not do backlash damage to the attacker by scoring more successes. The actions are taken, moving down the initiative line until all have taken their actions.

Secondly, when a character reaches 0 HP, the attacker may choose to destroy the fallen target immediately, or grant mercy to that character. If the attacker chooses Mercy, that fallen character is still unsafe, for another predator may come along during the remainder of combat, and destroy the fallen target. This is survival of the fittest, after all. Otherwise, combat remains the same as the above described Single Combat.

NOTE 1: Celerity in Mass Combat will give you a number of Defends equal to your Max Tier of Celerity.

NOTE 2: Teams will group together their Tiers of Celerity against the opposing team. Both teams compare the overall Celerity Score, and +1 difficulty is given to the team with lesser Celerity for every extra Tier the opposing team has.

Example:Team 1 has 2 characters with Celerity 3, and 1 character with Celerity 4.Team 2 has 1 character with Celerity 4, and 1 character with Celerity 5.

Team 1 has a total of 10 Tiers of Celerity added together.Team 2 has a total of 9 Tiers of Celerity added together.

10 - 9 = 1

Team 2 will be at +1 difficulty on all physical actions during combat.

Keep in mind that Celerity Tiers are ONLY added from players who are actively using Celerity. If they opt not to use Celerity, their Tiers are removed, and the differences recalculated.

NOTE 3: Characters without Celerity get 1 action. It may be whatever they wish it to be, but still only 1 action per round. When a character is out of actions, he or she may only sit there and try to weather the storm, and take whatever punishment is delivered to them.

For clarification, everyone rolls their initiative, and adds their celerity rating to it. He or she with the highest Initiative goes first. He or she may choose their action. If attacking, their opponent may choose to retaliate. Aggressive attacks, Staking, Bite, Escapes, etc. May ONLY be done on the player's initiative UNLESS they opted to defend during their turn, in which case they may use their one non-defend action at any point they choose so long as they still have an available action. Each player has a number of actions equal to their Celerity rating +1. Only one action may be taken other than a defend. If a player has Celerity 3, he or she may defend 3 times, and then choose any action once. Players may also take no action against an attack, saving their available defends for later in that round if against more opponents than he or she has actions.

NOTE 4: The maximum difficulty opponents may have to attack/parry/defend is 9.

AFTER DEFEAT (AD)

When the fighting is over then there is always the aftermath. If it resulted in death then the killer now likely has the problem of dealing with the Kindred authorities, because vampires don’t take kindly to vampires who kill vampires. The Prince will probably take a keen interest in the events, should they have been witnessed and reach his ears. This is generally not a good thing because only the Prince has the right to order the destruction of another. And what if the victor granted mercy over his defeated foe? Then there’s always the problem of revenge.

In laymen’s terms, then: You’re probably screwed. Hey, whoever said the world is fair?

The technicalities of combat, though, are this: any damage taken by the victor remains for 24 hours if you’re a vampire, and a week if you’re a mortal. Let’s be honest here… fighting hurts and being wounded is a bitch. The only exception to this is if you have Fortitude, in that case, cut the healing time in half you lucky bastard.

The loser doesn’t have it half as good as the victor, though, because not only does it take 24 hours to heal his wounds (if he’s a vampire, a week if a mortal) but he’s also at half dice for the duration. Can anyone say easy pickings? Vampires are tough, sure, but fighting has consequences.

Oh yeah, and then there’s torpor. While torpor may be entered into voluntarily to wile away the centuries, the kind that we’re concerned with here is the involuntary kind. As noted above, if a vampire falls to 0 BP and then becomes incapacitated then she falls into torpor. Torpor is a bad thing to happen because, even if an enemy grants mercy, if you are left outside then the sun will burn you to ash when it rises.

The character that is torpored and abandoned in this way is literally at the mercy of the elements, personified in our fair storytellers. A roll of a single d10 determines their degrees of niceness, so you should start sacrificing virgins to the dice gods ready for the time when it could be YOU whose fate is decided on that roll.

1 - Dawn. Unfortunately it seems you were left outside and before anyone could find you, the sun came up. Final Death.2 or 3 - Someone found your body. Unfortunately that someone was a mortician, or someone who turned your body in to the authorities. Your name is now “John/Jane Doe”, and if you don’t wake up, or aren’t collected, soon then you could be incinerated. Or worse. Another roll of a single d10 is made. a 1 indicates Final Death, all others will mean the character will live. The higher the number rolled, the better the outcome will be within the above stated parameters. 4 - Good news. This time the person who found you isn’t a mortician. Unfortunately, it’s a mortal with a fetish for corpses...5 or 6 - Much better. The one who found you is a vampire, but is ambivalent to your well-being. The simple fact is, keeping your body away from trouble works in his or her interests because when you wake up, you’ll owe them a favor. The storyteller will choose a character who will take your body.7 to 8 - A vampire has found you, and this one actually may well have your well being in mind. The storyteller will choose a character who will take your body.9 to 10 - The best news, because one of your nightly best friends happened across your body. You get to choose a character that will have your body until you wake.

SECTION 5.g - WEAPONS & ARMOR

Many creatures of the night possess, or have access to, various weapons that they use to shoot holes in, chop into little pieces, blow to smithereens, torch and otherwise cause pain and damage to their opponents. These weapons are divided into several categories, laid out in the tables below.

Melee weapons

Weapon Hands Bonus Dice Diff AdjustmentBaseball bat/club/brass knuckles 2 +1 +0Knife 1 +1 +0Short Sword/Axe i 1 +2 +0Fine Sword/Axe ii 1 +3 +12 Handed Sword/Axe iii 2 +4 +2

Missile weapons

Weapon Hands Bonus Dice Diff AdjustmentPistol/revolver 1 +1 +0Shuriken/throwing knives/throwing axes 1 +2 +1Rifle 2 +2 +1Shotgun/Assault Rifle 2 +3 +1Submachine gun 1 +4 +2Crossbow iv 2 +5 +2Flamethrower v 2 +3 (+5) +1 (+3)

Armor

Armor Bonus HP Dice AdjustmentReinforced clothing vi 3 -0Armored jacket vii 6 -1Kevlar vest viii 9 -2Tailored clothing ix 12 -2Riot Shield (1 hand) x 3 -0

General weapon notes

1-handed weapons may be combined with other one handed weapons at +2 difficulty. For example a short sword and a pistol can be combined for a total of +3 dice and +2 difficulty.2 handed weapons are VERY hard to conceal and must be kept underneath long coats that cover to the ankles.

Melee weapon notes

i Includes Celtic and medieval short swords, the Roman Spatha and Gladius, thin bladed rapiers, hand axes and fire axes.ii Includes medieval broadswords, Napoleonic/American Revolution era Sabres, Chinese broadswords, 1-handed Claymores, woodsman’s axes and larger one handed axes.iii Includes Bastard swords, 2-handed Claymores, Katana and large battle-axes.

Missile weapon notes

iv One shot per combat scene only.v Requires SOP approval. Bonus dice are +5 when being used AGAINST vampires and difficulty is +3 when used BY a vampire.

Armor notes

vi Leather clothing such as jackets reinforced with padding and studded to provide some protection against melee and missile weapons.vii As above with the addition of metal bars sewn into the seams to provide more adequate protection against weapons.viii Tailored Kevlar clothing such as that used by Special Forces, particularly anti-terror squads. Requires OP approval.ix Leather trench coat style lined with Kevlar, heavy boots with metal greaves and thick studded leather gloves. Requires OP approval.x Police issue riot shields. Use common sense. These are large bulky items it is highly unlikely that these will be carried around unnoticed. You will quickly earn the attentions of the police if you do.

SECTION 5.h - BLOOD BONDS

THE BLOOD BOND

One of the most wondrous and terrible properties of Kindred vitae is its ability to enslave nearly any being that drinks of it three times. Each sip of a particular Kindred's blood gives the Kindred in question a greater emotional hold over the drinker. If a being drinks three times, on three separate nights, from the same Kindred then she falls victim to a state known as the blood bond. A vampire who holds a blood bond over another being is said to be that victim's regnant or domitor, while the being subordinate to the bond is called the thrall.

First Drink: The drinker begins to experience intermittent but strong feelings about the vampire. She may dream of him, or find herself "coincidentally" frequenting places where he might show up. There is no mechanical effect at this stage, but it should be roleplayed. All childer have this level of bond toward their sires, for the Embrace itself forces one drink upon the childer; they may love their "parents," hate them, or both, but are rarely indifferent toward them.

Second Drink: The drinker's feelings grow strong enough to influence her behavior. Though she is by no means enslaved to the vampire, he is definitely an important figure in her life. She may act as she pleases, but might have to make a resisted roll against her domitor’s DP, difficulty 8 to take actions directly harmful to the vampire. The vampire's influence is such that he can persuade or command her with little effort.

Third Drink: Full-scale blood bond. At this level, the drinker is more or less completely bound to the vampire. He is the most important person in her life; lovers, relatives and even children become tertiary to her all-consuming passion.

At this level, a regnant may use the Dominate Discipline on a thrall, even without the benefit of eye contact. Merely hearing the regnant's voice is enough. Additionally, should the thrall try to resist the Dominate for some reason, the difficulty of such resistance is increased by two. Naturally, a higher-generation vampire still cannot use Dominate on a lower-generation thrall.

The blood bond is true love, albeit a twisted and perverse version of it. Ultimately, we can't reduce the vagaries of love down to a simple "yes/no" system. Some thralls will commit any act, including suicide or murder for their beloved; other characters have certain core principles that they will not violate.

A full blood bond, once formed, is nearly inviolate. Once bound, a thrall is under the sway of her regnant and her regnant only. Another vampire cannot bind her again unless the first blood bond wears away "naturally” or the regnant is killed. A vampire can experience lesser (one- and two-drink) bonds towards several individuals; indeed, many Kindred enjoy such bonds, as they create artificial passion in their dead hearts. Upon the formation of a full blood bond, though, all lesser sensations are wiped away. Vampire lovers occasionally enter into mutual blood bonds with each other, as this is the closest thing the undead can feel to true love. Even this sensation can turn to disgust or hate over the centuries, though, and in any event, few Kindred trust enough to initiate it.

A blood bond is a mighty force, but it is at its most potent when perpetually reinforced with further drinks. Feeding a thrall often reinforces the bond, while depriving the thrall of vitae may cause the relationship to grow tepid over time. As well, like any other relationship, treatment and courtesy play a part in the dynamics of the bond. A thrall who is treated well and fed often will likely fall even more deeply in love, while a thrall who is

degraded and humiliated may find resentment and anger eating away at the bond.

It is possible, though difficult, for a vampire to temporarily resist a blood bond. Doing so requires the player to make a resisted roll against her domitor’s DP, difficulty 8 and accumulate a number of successes equal to the number of times the thrall has partaken of the regnant's blood. Upon doing so, the bond is negated for a variable amount of time: from one scene (if the thrall merely wishes to plot against the regnant, deliver confidential information to an enemy, etc.) to one turn (if the thrall wishes to attack the regnant physically). The thrall may continue to make resisted rolls for as long as she wishes until she fails, or stops trying, once she stops though, the blood bond resumes at full force.

A blood bond can be broken, although this requires the thrall to avoid the regnant entirely for an extended period of time. As a general rule, a thrall who neither sees nor feeds from her regnant for 1 month finds her bond reduced by one level, however to fully deprecate the effects of a blood bond “naturally” takes a full year. Thus, the blood bond will remain at the first level for several months as a niggling feeling in the thrall, who may lapse at any time. Breaking the bond completely at the end of the year requires a resisted roll as laid out above.

Another, though somewhat less certain, way to be rid of the bond is to kill the regnant. Such a choice is extremely perilous on many levels, and makes no guarantees that everything will go smoothly. Those who have been released by such means claim the bond shatters like spun glass upon the moment of the regnant's Final Death.

Also, those vampires of the Sabbat that partake in the rite of Vaulderie have the affects of an individual blood bond shattered upon ingesting their portion from the vessel. See below for details of this rite.

The final way, whispered quietly among those knowledgeable, is to simply ask the domitor with a true want to be rid of the blood bond, and for the domitor to release with a clear conscience.

Note: If a character is bound to someone who falls from the registration lists due to inactivity, etc. The bound individual may choose to drop that blood bond.

THE VAULDERIE AND THE VINCULUM

The vampire of the Sabbat take their nightly struggle seriously - so seriously that they tolerate no dissent in their ranks. From the lowliest new recruit to the most exalted priscus, the Sabbat ensures loyalty to one another through a bloody ritus known as the Vaulderie.

The Vaulderie is similar to a blood bond, though it differs in intent and function. No Sabbat would ever voluntarily succumb to a blood bond, reasoning that such bonds are the tools the elders use to enslave their Childer. Rather, the Sabbat swear the Vaulderie to each other, bonding themselves to the pack instead of an individual and, thus, to the Sabbat's greater cause.

Those who are ignorant of the Vaulderie's finer details believe it to be a simple commingling of vampire vitae in a vessel and the subsequent drinking of it. In truth, the matter is far more mystical. To start the ritual, the priest takes a tool used specifically for the Vauldeire and nothing else and cuts her/his wrist. The ritual cutting tool could be a small knife, silver straight razor or awl. To impart more gravity to the ritus, many packs use elaborate ritual blood letters decorated with engraved swirls, spirals or blood droplets. The priest then bleeds into a vessal and passes the cutting device to each Sabbat member present, who then pierce their own flesh and bleeds into the chalice. The vessel is then passed around the pack again and the priest recites an incantation over it, consecrating it as a terrible sacrament while every member of the pack draws a draught.

Vaulderies take place at any time: before assaults, during important Sabbat gatherings, at the initiation of Creation Rites of new members and almost infallibly at pack esbats. This ritus is perhaps the foundation of the sect's ritae, and it is afforded the most reverent status.

The result of this ritus is known as a Vinculum, or blood tie. These ties connect each member of the pack to one another, engendering a mutual loyalty in addition to bolstering pack moral. Because of the mystical nature of the Vaulderie, however, Vinculi are imperfect - what one pack member feels towards another one night may pale in comparison to what he feels towards her the next. Vinculum ratings may change every time the ritus is observed.

Without the Vaulderie, the Sabbat would probably collapse under its own weight and dogma - the chaos and anarchy that follows the sect endemically would erode what little organization it has without the loyalty and sympathy created by the ritus. Those who refuse the Vaulderie or oppose it are not viewed favorably by other Sabbat. Vampires who refuse to partake of the Vaulderie at least monthly suffer ostracism from the pack at the best - and may become vessels for Blood Feasts or destroyed at the worst.

During the roleplaying of the rite of Vaulderie, the player of the Sabbat’s Cardinal brings each player into #vh_dice one at a time. The player then rolls a number of dice equal to those characters taking part in the Vaulderie at any difficulty; it is, after all, the dice themselves that matter and not the successes. For the sake of consistency, the results are applied alphabetically (i.e., from the top of the nick list in the roleplaying channel, to the bottom), the first die being applied to the first character, and so on. The results on each die indicate the following grades of blood tie:

10 - You will readily give your life - or take the life of another - for the individual.9 - You will do practically anything for the individual, including putting yourself in great danger.8 - You will gladly offer resources or influential assistance to the individual.7 - You may put yourself at moderate risk of harm for the individual and, depending on your code of ethics, may kill for him.6 - You feel strongly for the individual and help him even if it inconveniences you. You will gladly fight for the individual.5 - You respect the individual and help him out as long as it's no huge risk or bother.4 - You will aid the individual as long as it doesn't involve risk or anything out of your way.3 - You are loyal to the individual as long as that loyalty doesn't interfere with your own designs.2 - You have a minor sense of kinship toward the individual, but you're not going to go out of your way to help him unless something’s in it for you.1 - Fuck 'em. This isn't necessarily hostility, but you simply don't care about this person on a Vinculum level, though you may on a personal level.

NOTE: It bears mention that, like the emotion engendered by the blood bonds these feelings are artificial, as they are created by an ingestion of blood. It is quite possible for a character to utterly hate someone for whom she would risk her unlife, just as it is possible to have immense love for someone who has little in the way of Vinculum and everything in-between.

SECTION 5.i - DIABLERIE

There is one thing that elder Kindred dread even more than fire or the light of the sun. This is the sin known as diablerie or the Amaranth. Among kindred society, diablerie is the ultimate crime; those who practice it are subject to the harshest punishments imaginable. It is as loathed and feared as cannibalism is among mortal society. Quite simply, diablerie is the act of feeding on a vampire in the way that a vampire feeds on a mortal. In so doing, not only does the murderer consume the victim's blood (and vampire blood is far, far sweeter than even the tastiest mortal's), but the victim's power as well. By stealing the life of a vampire closer to Caine, the vampire can permanently enrich his own vitae. In this manner can even the youngest vampire gain the power of the elders, should he have the strength and daring to wrest it from them. Elders know the crime as Amaranth; in olden nights, it is said, an amaranth flower was presented to the victim a week before he was to be hunted. Kindred legend tells many dark tales of murderous Childer betraying and cannibalizing their own sires and it is for this reason more than any other that elder kindred harbor such distrust for the neonates amongst them. Indeed, the Jyhad itself may well have its roots in this eternal and save struggle for ultimate power. To commit diablerie, the diablerist must take blood directly and immediately from the victim. Moreover, only one diablerist may commit the act on any given victim. It can never be shared.

SYSTEM

A vampire seeking to commit diablerie must drain all the blood from his kindred victim. This means either reducing a kindred down to 0 BP/0 HP by draining his blood or by combat. Following this act, the vampire must continue to suck, for (according to Kindred legend) the very soul is withdrawn from the victim's body and taken into the diablerist's. The effort involved in diablerie is monumental, for the vampiric soul is a greedy thing and

clings tenaciously to unlife, hoping to regenerate its body and rise once again. Once a vampire's body has been drained of all blood, the true struggle begins. The diablerist's player must make an extended BDP (difficulty 9) and score 8 successes. The victim has 8 dice and only eight they can roll in defence off this, a contested roll at the same difficulty of 9. Each success the victim rolls, cancels out one of the attacks, and they must keep rolling until either:

A) The attacker has a total of 8 uncancelled out successes, or...

B) The victim has collected 8 successes, at which point the soul escapes, and the character only gets the enhanced effects of the kindred's blood and nothing more.

When the diablerist has scored enough successes to cancel out the phantom 8, the victim's essence is taken into the attacker and the emptied body begins decaying immediately.

THE REWARDS OF DIABLERIE

Upon successful completion of diablerie, the diablerist is overwhelmed by euphoria, and a BDP roll is necessary (Difficulty 9) to avoid frenzy. The sensation is akin to orgasm, but much more powerful - so powerful, in fact, that certain Kindred are addicted to the sensation. All other Kindred fear these vampires, known as 'rogues', for their addiction to the pleasures of Amaranth makes them a threat to everyone. Even vampires too weak to provide additional power are devoured for the simple pleasure of the act. The true benefit of diablerie becomes evident if the diablerist feeds on the vitae of a vampire of lower generation (e.g., if a ninth-generation vampire commits diablerie on a seventh generation vampire). The diablerist literally steals the power and potency of the victim's own blood, and thus permanently lowers her own generation by one, bringing her closer to the mythical power of Caine. All benefits of the lowered generation - a larger BDP, the ability to Dominate more kindred and in some cases the ability to increase discipline tiers above 3. If the victim was of much greater power (five or more generations) than the diablerist, the Op may rule that the predator lowers her generation by more than one step. This is particularly likely if the victim was ancient (2000+ years of age). It would not be unreasonable for a 12th generation neonate who drank the blood of a 3000-year-old member of the Fifth generation to advance three or even more generation steps. Ultimately, this decision rests in the Op's hands.

SECTION 5.j - FRENZY

There is, trapped within the false civility of the Kindred, a hidden truth. Vampires are monsters, possessed of an inner beast. Though, like humans, they have the capability of over ruling their baser instincts, sometimes they fail. When this occurs, the hunger and the beast become uncontrollable, and no one is safe from their excesses. Older vampires refer to the ensuing savage fits as succumbing to the beast within Younger kindred refer to these out bursts simply as frenzies. In a Frenzy roll a vampire must roll their base dice pool that is, their straight generation dice. Not their rank, not any other additions, just their straight generation dice. Thus if their generation dice pool is 7 and their rank dice is 4 then they ONLY roll the 7 dice. 5 successes are needed in one roll to completely over come the Frenzy. If below five is scored, for each success below the vampire may resist frenzy for one turn. If the character fails a frenzy roll then they enter the bestial state, become ravenous beasts.

All difficulties for Dominate are increased by two, and all difficulties to resist Dominate are reduced by two. The character will kill and destroy anything in its path including friends and allies. If no enemies remain and only friends are there the frenzied vampire WILL attack them. A true botch on a Frenzy roll indicates that a vampire is in frenzy until the ops present decide otherwise. On a true botch, add the number of 1's rolled to the vampire's DP for the duration of the Frenzy. This indicates the wild fury. Remember Frenzy has the potential to cause the vampire to commit an atrocity (killing a child, an innocent, a loved one, or friend) Frenzy is NOT a good thing.

Example: Eric the Red, a famous Gangrel, has been repeatedly insulted and humiliated in the court of Jochan the cruel, in front of his own men at that. The difficulty as presented for out right humiliation is 8. Eric's dice pool is 15, 10 for his generation, 5 for his rank. So Eric rolls 10 dice difficulty 8 He scores 3 successes. Because he did not get 5 successes outright on his roll, the beast is still gnawing at him and he may only resist the beast for 3 turns. At the end of these 3 turns Eric must roll again. If he doesn’t score 5 successes outright, he must continue this until he does or he is far removed from the source of provocation.

ONLY the .a levels of Celerity, Fortitude, and Potence may be used while in Frenzy.

Provocation Difficulty:Smell of blood (when hungry) 3 (or higher in extreme cases, op discretion) Sight of Blood (when hungry) 4 (or higher in extreme cases, op discretion) Being Harassed 5 Life threatening Situation 6 Malicious Taunts 6 Physical Provocation 6 Taste of blood (when hungry) 7 (or higher in extreme cases, op discretion) Taste of Kindred blood 8 (or higher in extreme cases, op discretion) Loved one in Danger 7 (or higher in extreme cases, op discretion) Out right humiliation 8 Continuous physical abuse/danger 9 Diablerie 9

Note: A vampire MUST roll for frenzy after committing Diablerie.

ROTSCHRECK: THE RED FEAR

There are few things that can kill a vampire, and, though many among the Damned claim to loathe their immortality, certain sources of injury frighten all vampires. Sunlight and fire can bring about a panicked flight or fight mentality. While under the spell of this Rötschreck, a vampire flees in blind panic from the source of her fear, frantically lashing out at anything in her way regardless of any personal attachments or affiliations. Relatively innocuous stimuli, or stimuli directly under the character’s control, are unlikely to induce Rötschreck.

Example: A Character within a torch lit hall, or near a screened in fireplace, might grow uneasy, but is unlikely to succumb to the red fear. However, if that same torch is pointed threateningly at the vampire, or the fireplace suddenly flares up in a draught…

Rötschreck follows the same rolling and 5 success rules as Frenzy. 1s rolled on a Rötschreck roll when it has been truly botched indicate dice lost from the BDP on a one for one basis until the vampire has sufficiently calmed.

Provocation Difficulty: Lighting a candle 3 Sight of a torch 5 Bonfire 6 Obscured sunlight 7 Being Burned 7 Direct Sunlight 8 Trapped in a burning Building 9 Tied down for the Dawn 9

SECTION 5.k - BOTCHES

Sometimes things just don’t go according to plan. Sometimes the Ladies Fate decide to make the dice hate you so badly that rather than simply failing a roll, the character fails so disastrously-so spectacularly-that there is a moment’s “pregnant pause” while storyteller’s grin and players cringe in anticipation of what’s coming up. The term “botch”, however, has two meanings:

THE RULE OF ONES - The first meaning of botching means simply rolling a 1 on any die in the dice pool, and for each 1 rolled in any given attempt the vampire loses a matching success. This isn’t often of itself a bad thing as the odds are that you will roll more successes than 1s.

THE “TRUE BOTCH” - Rolling more 1's than successes is incredibly unlikely, but in fact it still indicates a normal failure. The true slap in the face from Fate comes when the character rolls no successes at all, and one or more 1's. This is the moment that players dread, because this is the “True Botch”; an occurrence so rare and so disastrous that it warrants a set of rules all of its own.

Bend over; this is going to hurt…

In combat, scoring a True Botch on any dice roll doubles all damage dealt to the character that turn. Even the weakest neonate can get lucky and even the strongest elder can get unlucky. In the latter case, the events should be role played with appropriate style as even the weakest character can score truly battle-changing hits.

Out of combat, consult an ST or available Op for possible effects. Rolling a True Botch on Disciplines such as Dominate, Dementation and Presence render the target immune from further attempts of such use by that character for a full 30 days (STs should record this on the Op/ST forums for reference. Rolling a True Botch on investigation may indicate that the character made such a mess of his investigations that he is discovered, resulting in a potential Masquerade Breech, etc. STs should never feel obliged to play down the effects of a True Botch.

See section 5.j for the effects of rolling a True Botch on Frenzy and Rötshrek rolls.

SECTION 5.l - DISCIPLINE POWERS

COMMON DISCIPLINES - There are some powers that are such signature powers of the vampire that they are referred to as the “Caitiff 8”, due to the fact that these powers are the ONLY ones that Caitiff characters may learn. Any character may learn these powers without special approval.

ANIMALISM (AN)

The Beast is in all living things, from animals to humans to vampires. Users of this Discipline can “talk” to them all, from the lowest and simplest creatures to the most sophisticated humans and even the Beast possessed by the undead corpses of the vampire race itself.

AN1.a: Feral whispers: By making eye contact, the character can psychically commune with a single animal at a time and issue commands as well as garner information. Uses of this power for spying must be overseen by an ST, but requires no rolls.

AN1.b: Beckoning: By calling out like an animal, the vampire may summon to him a creature or swarm of creatures that he may then use as spies, or in combat on his behalf. If used in combat, the animal can be summoned once only and will be of sufficient size to have a dicepool of his Maximum Tier in Animalism multiplied by 3. The animal will fight offensively for one round at full capacity, then at half dp (halves rounded down) the next. After that if it is not dead, it will flee. Use of this power grants the beckoner -1 difficulty to escape while the creature is fighting.

AN2: Quell The Beast: Use of this power quenches all powerful, assertive emotions making even the most willful target indifferent to the happenings around it. Eye or skin contact must first be made, and a series of resisted rolls is made at a difficulty of 6, the result of which must accumulate to at least double the target's dicepool. During the accumulation of these successes a suspicious target may continue to try and get away by breaking eye or skin contact.

AN3.a: Subsume The Spirit: By locking eyes with an animal, the vampire may possess it completely. Use of this power for spying purposes must be declared to an ST, who will observe a roll made of the character’s Generation dice pool, difficulty 8. 1 success = Can use no Disciplines, 2 successes = Can use Auspex, 3 successes = Can also use Presence, 4 successes = Can also use Dementation and Dominate, 5+ successes = Can use anything they possess discipline-wise. When leaving the animal’s body the character will behave in a similar fashion to that animal for the remainder of that day’s role-playing.

AN3.b: Drawing Out The Beast: With such an understanding of the Beast, the vampire is able to draw out his own anger at a point nearing frenzy and implant it into a nearby individual. This power is unusual in that the vampire must first succeed in a resisted roll against himself (first roll must be higher than the second roll), difficulty 6. The character then picks an individual within line of sight and makes a resisted roll. If successful, the target must immediately check for frenzy as if physically provoked. Failing to transfer the Beast makes the character’s own frenzy twice as bad, doubling all negative effects.

AN4: Species Speech: In a manner similar to AN1.a: Feral Whispers, the vampire is able to psychically commune with animals. Now, however, she may commune with a group of animals of the same species, be they rats, dogs, cats, snakes, etc. This is particularly potent when combined with a use of AN.1.b: Beckoning that has summoned a large group of a specific species to the character. As with Feral Whispers, uses of this power to acquire information and to spy on others must be overseen by an ST.

AN5.a: Taunt The Caged Beast: With this level of master, now the character can trigger frenzy in others with only a momentary contact such as a brush of fingers against the target’s skin. The character touches the target and then makes a resisted roll. Success indicates that the target must make an immediate frenzy check, as if suffering continuous physical abuse (see section 5.j on frenzy above). Failure is just that, while a botch for the user triggers his own Beast into immediate frenzy to the same degree, as the target would have suffered.

AN5.b: Unchain The Beast: This potent expression of the Beast within is also one of the most terrifying to witness in use. The elder has only to glance at the target and the Beast of the victim erupts in a harsh display of self-destructiveness. The target literally erupts in a display of gore and blood as claw and bite wounds from an invisible source tear his flesh asunder. Once per combat, with the expenditure of 5 blood points, the vampire makes eye contact and makes a resisted roll against the opponent. If successful, for every net success that the user of this power wins by, the target must make a roll of their own dice, difficulty 8. Every success on these rolls is damage dealt by the character’s Beast to himself.

AUSPEX (AX)

A highly useful discipline resembling something of a highly powerful form of ESP, although far more versatile. Many vampires seek knowledge of this discipline, as it has saved many an unlife in the long centuries, or in some cases, aided in taking those unlives.

Note: Telepathic Communication (AX4.a) MAY be used while in VOLUNTARY torpor, however, may NOT be used in INVOLUNTARY torpor.

AX3: Telepathy may NOT be used in torpor, voluntary or not.

AX1.a: Heightened Senses: The Vampire's senses may be heightened to an inhuman degree; feeling the strain of a board about to give way beneath him, seeing through fog as if it weren't there, hearing a pin drop from across the street, etc. While this power may be infinitely useful, it is wise to know when and when not to employ it. Heightening one's sense of hearing to listen in on a conversation across a loud nightclub, or heightening one's sense of sight at a press meeting as camera flashes go off, could be disastrous.

AX2.a: Aura Perception: Using this power, the Vampire can perceive the psychic "auras" that radiate from mortals and supernatural beings alike. These halos comprise a shifting series of colors that take practice to discern with clarity. The colors change in sympathy with the subject's emotional state, blending into new tones in a constantly dancing pattern. The stronger the emotions involved, the more intense the hues become. The vampire must look at a single target and concentrate while employing this power, rolling DP at a difficulty of 8. Successes determine the clarity of what the vampire perceives of the individual's aura. 1 success = Can distinguish only the shade (pale or bright), 2 successes = Can distinguish the main color, 3 successes = Can

recognize color patterns, 4 successes = Can detect subtle shifts, 5+ successes = Can identify mixtures of color and pattern. Use the chart below to decipher the colors and patterns detected.

Condition Aura Color Condition Aura Color Condition Aura ColorAfraid Orange Excited Violet Confused Mottled, shifting colorsAggressive Purple Generous Rose Diablerist Black veins in auraAngry Red Happy Vermilion Daydreaming Sharp flickering colorsBitter Brown Hateful Black Frenzied Rapidly rippling colorsCalm Light Blue Idealistic Yellow Psychotic Hypnotic, swirling colorsCompassionate Pink Innocent White Vampire Appropriate color is paleConservative Lavender Love struck Blue Magic Use Myriad sparkles in auraDepressed Gray Obsessed Green Werebeast Bright, vibrant auraDesirous or Lustful Deep Red Sad Silver Ghost Weak, intermittent auraDistrustful Light Green Spiritual Gold Faerie Rainbow highlights in auraEnvious Dark Green Suspicious Dark Blue

Other colors or effects might show up in auras. Please be adult about playing things out. If it’s not here you, perhaps your character has just never encountered it before. Don’t whine that it’s not possible because it’s not in the rules. Treat it as a learning experience. Your storytellers may be giving you a puzzle to solve or a tantalizing bit of information no one else has. Treat it as an opportunity, not a source of angst.

AX2.b: The Spirit's Touch: Vampires with this level of Auspex may "read" the psychic imprints left on objects by those who have previously touched or handled items. These visions they perceive are seldom clear and detailed, registering more like a "psychic snapshot." The more a previous owner handled the item in question, and the length of time involved, may leave a stronger imprint, giving the Vampire more information to possibly discern. Gathering information from the object requires the vampire to hold the object and enter a shallow trance. He is only marginally aware of his surroundings in this trance, and any loud noise or distraction will snap him out of the trance, voiding the power's effect. The Vampire rolls DP at a difficulty set by the ST; a pistol used in a murder an hour ago may be a difficulty of 6, while learning of the owner of lost car keys from days previous may require a difficulty of 9. The more successes the vampire scores, the more information they receive, although as previously stated; is rarely more than a brief glimpse of information.

AX3: Telepathy: A Vampire with this power may project a portion of his own consciousness into the mind of another's mind, having wordless conversations or discerning information from the target's mind. This information is most typically simple surface thoughts, however, with a more severe degree of success, may in fact learn more hidden secrets within the mind of the target. This ability is rarely used on supernatural creatures, as the mind works much differently, and is by far more difficult to break. To use telepathy upon a Mortal, requires a DP roll at a difficulty of 7, while using telepathy upon a supernatural creature requires the same roll at a difficulty of 9, and 2 BP to be spent in the effort. 1 success = a single surface thought, 2 successes = communication (1 sentence), or 2 surface thoughts, 3 successes = extended communication (unlimited), or 3 surface thoughts, 4 successes = unlimited communication and a single surface thought, 5 successes = extended communication (unlimited) and several surface thoughts or a single deeply hidden secret. Only a single person may be targeted at a time with this power.

AX4.a: Telepathic Communication: A far more powerful extension of Telepathy, this power allows the Vampire to communicate with several vampires at once. In fact, a Vampire with this power may act as a switchboard, creating a mental link to many vampires so that they may all speak as a group at once through telepathic means. Visions, words, memories, etc. may be transferred through this link. The Vampire may create or sever these outside contacts at will, and has complete control over the mental links established for the purpose of communication. This discipline offers no other benefit. There is no roll required so long as the target is willing, however if the target is not, a contested roll of DP at a difficulty of 6 is required. If the target gains more successes than the Vampire, the power has no effect. There is also no distance limitation or limitation on how many may be contacted via this power.

AX4.b: Mirror Reflex: A precise honing of the power of Auspex, this power literally allows the Vampire to predict his opponent's next moves with enough time to counter or mimic them. This power requires the expenditure of 1 BP and a contested roll of DP at a difficulty of 6 for the Vampire, and 8 for the target. Net successes add 1 die to the Vampire's dice pool for each net success scored. This power lasts 1 turn.

AX5: Psychic Assault: This deadly power of Auspex allows the Vampire to send a wave of Psychic energy coursing through the mind of his victim. He must make eye or skin contact with the target to deliver this mighty blow. Externally, signs of this attack are merely simple nosebleeds and expressions of blinding agony upon the victim's features. The Vampire spends 3 BP (for mortals) or 5 BP (for supernaturals) and rolls DP at a difficulty of 9 vs. the target's resisted roll of the same. Each NET success scored causes 5 HP of damage. If a Vampire is killed in this fashion, he falls to dust immediately, regardless of age. Even if the target is not killed, their difficulty for the remainder of combat is increased by +1 for all rolls so long as the Psychic Assault attack is successful. On a botch, the target is immune to the Vampire's Psychic Assault attacks for a number of nights equal to the number of botches rolled. This power may be used only once per combat.

CELERITY (CE)

Supernatural speed gives the vampire a distinct edge on his opponents. It is terribly difficult to hit something that moves too fast to see. Celerity works in much the same way, giving the vampire the ability to move like lightning, as gracefully and comfortably as if the vampire were moving at normal speeds. NOTE: In Mass Combat, add your celerity level to your Initiative total when Celerity is in use.

CE1: +1 difficulty to all opponents either attacking, or parrying/defending against the user of this power (Maximum difficulty of 9) that turn, with the expenditure of 1 BP.



CE4.a: +4 difficulty to all opponents either attacking, or parrying/defending against the user of this power (Maximum difficulty of 9) that turn, with the expenditure of 1 BP.

CE4.b: Projectile: With this power the character can now apply his Celerity to projectile attacks. By spending one BP, the vampire may split his levels in Celerity between projectile attacks and actions as normal. For example, a vampire with four levels of Celerity may use Celerity 2 to add +2 to his opponent's difficulty, and use the last two as additional points of damage on an already successful attack. Obviously, this only works in combat with projectile weapons, not hand-to-hand or melee.

CE5.a: +4 difficulty to all opponents either attacking, or parrying/defending against the user of this power (Maximum difficulty of 9) that turn, with the expenditure of 1 BP. Also add -1 to all of the user's difficulties. (Minimum difficulty of 2)

CE5.b: Flower of Death: The vampire may take his Celerity and apply it in full to each hand-to-hand or melee attack he makes. The vampire spends 3 BP and may then add 8 dice to his dice pool for the remainder of combat. This effect is not cumulative.

Note: .a levels are NOT stackable! IE. CE3 is only +3, you cannot activate CE2 on top of that.

DOMINATE (DO)

The legendary art of controlling another's mind is an invaluable tool in the vampire's arsenal. Note: A vampire of higher generation cannot use Dominate on someone who is a lower generation than they are. I.E. an 8 th generation vampire cannot dominate a 7th generation vampire.

DO1.a: Command: Power requires eye contact with victim. Vampire may issue a single one-word command, which is clear and straightforward (run, sleep, kneel, approach, strip, laugh, etc). The word may be couched within a sentence to protect the masquerade and be less obvious. To succeed, roll dice, difficulty 6 (resist at difficulty 6). More successes means the target will comply with greater vigour (run faster, laugh louder, etc), and for a longer duration (ST discretion).

DO1.b: Mesmerize: Similar to Command, eye contact is required. Both vampire and target must be free from distraction due to the amount of concentration required for this power to work. The command or suggestion implanted can be immediate, or a triggered response to be carried out later. This power allows the vampire to issue longer, more complex tasks than the single word of Command. To succeed, roll dice, difficulty 7 (resist at difficulty 6). 1-2 successes = target will not do anything that seems strange (will walk outside, but not cluck like a chicken). 3-4 successes = target will complete any task that doesn’t endanger him/herself. 5+ successes = any command can be issued and followed. With this power, no one can be forced to commit suicide, though with 5 successes they can be convinced to do some rather suicidally stupid things (i.e. challenge a meth).

DO2: Forgetful Mind: As with other Dominate powers, eye contact is required. The Vampire rolls dice, difficulty 7 (resist at difficulty 6). Any success pacifies the victim while the Vampire verbally implants memories and removes or changes others... This is NOT done through direct manipulation of the memory but through verbal statements and suggestions. Therefore the victim must be able to hear and understand the Vampire. The number of successes indicates how much can be done. 1 success = vampire can change a single memory, 2 successes = vampire can remove or alter the memories of one scene, 3+ successes = can reconstruct the victim’s life.

DO3: Conditioning: This power requires long-term use that must be role-played out. Over a period of time, the vampire may make a victim compliant to his will, and resistant to the will of other vampires. The vampire rolls dice, difficulty 7 (resist at difficulty 6). This roll may be made once per day, as long as the two meet on that day, no more than a week can go by between rolls. As soon as the vampire acquires 10 net successes, the victim is considered to be conditioned, and under the vampire’s control. This control degrades by 1 point per day, unless the vampire renews it. When the total number of points drops to below the original conditioner’s score, the conditioning is cleared and the victim regains his or her free will.

DO4.a: Obedience: With this level of mastery, the vampire is strong-willed enough to give commands through merely skin contact (although eye contact still works). All previous powers of Dominate work exactly as before, with skin-to-skin contact required instead of eye contact. The skin contact needn’t be maintained for the duration of the time required to issue the commands, but subsequent uses require further touches to the subject.

DO4.b: Still the Mortal Flesh: This potent demonstration of mind control literally convinces the target’s body to shut down, and contrary to its name it works just as well on vampires as on mortals. This power may be used to null involuntary actions both in and out of combat. Once per combat, before the round is rolled, the vampire may declare the use of this power. Either through eye contact, as normal, or with skin contact, with DO4.a Obedience (or Far Mastery, with sufficient power), the vampire can force a resisted roll on the spot. If the roll is successful, the opponent may not move or act for the duration of that round. The user of this power may then either attempt an extra escape roll as the action for that combat round, or attack the opponent once with impunity, dealing the full damage of the roll for that round. Note that successfully stopping the heart of a mortal will automatically incapacitate.

DO5: Far Mastery: This further refinement of (DO4.a) allows the vampire to use Dominate on any vampire he is familiar with, at any distance, at any time. Like Obedience, the lower powers of Dominate can be used, but now without eye or skin contact.

FORTITUDE (FO)

Fortitude is a vampire's greatest ally in combat. The vampire is unnaturally resilient and his abilities to sustain damaging blows rival that of any other.

FO1: +5 HP

FO2: +10 HP

FO3: +15 HP

FO4.a: +20 HP

FO4.b: Shared Strength: It's one thing to laugh off bullets, rather another to watch the ricochets mow down everyone around you. Many Kindred have wished, at one time or another, that they could lend their monstrous vitality to those around them. Those few Vampires who have mastered Shared Strength -- can, if only for a little while. This power allows the Vampire to bestow an equal or lesser amount of the Vampire's mastery of Fortitude to any intended target (Mortal, Ghoul, Revenant, or Vampire). The target does not have to be willing, yet the Vampire must dab 1 BP onto the target's forehead, and then spend 1 BP per tier of Fortitude that they wish to bestow on their target. A DP roll at difficulty 9 is made, and the successes determine the length of time this power remains in effect on that target. 1 success = one turn, 2 successes = one scene, 3 successes = one hour, 4 successes = one night, 5 successes = two nights, 6+ successes = one week. Note: This power only gives the target access to the .a levels of Fortitude. Shared Strength, and Adamantine may not be bestowed in this way. Furthermore, successes are NOT cumulative. 1 roll per target. Also, if the target has Fortitude already, the effects are also not cumulative. The target may not gain a higher level of Fortitude overall than the caster via this power. When this power is used, it may be used on multiple targets, and the Vampire still has full use of his own Fortitude as well.

FO5.a: +25 HP

FO5.b: Adamantine: This power causes anything that strikes the Vampire to shatter on impact. On any successful attack with a weapon, dealt against the character, he may force a resisted roll at the expenditure of 1 BP. If the defender wins, the weapon is shattered and is no longer usable in combat. No damage is dealt for the attack that round, and all weapon bonuses and drawbacks for the shattered weapon no longer apply.

Note: .a levels are NOT stackable! IE. FO3 is only +15, you cannot activate FO2 on top of that.

OBFUSCATE (OB)

Obfuscate is the power to befuddle and fog the minds of others in order to hide oneself, and possibly others at high levels. Animals and children can sometimes see through Obfuscate, or sense something is not quite right. Obfuscate does not affect any devices such as cameras and tape recorders, however, someone watching or listening to those devices WHILE they are recording ARE affected by the Obfuscate power. It is only those who watch or hear the tapes later that perceive clearly what was recorded on them.Those with Auspex can often see through Obfuscate. To determine if this is the case, compare the HIGHEST level of Auspex possessed (not necessarily being used) vs. the HIGHEST level of Obfuscate possessed (not necessarily the one being used). If the Auspex level is higher, that person easily pierces the veil of Obfuscate. If the Obfuscate level is equal, each party rolls their DP. The higher roll wins. (Auspex wins in a tie)

OB1: Cloak of Shadows: The Vampire can virtually become unseen by blending into his surroundings so long as there is good shadow covering and they remain motionless and quiet. This may not be used in combat.

OB2.a: Unseen Presence: The Vampire at this level may move about while remaining hidden. Anything such as speaking, or tripping, knocking something over, etc. will end this power's effect, leaving them once more visible to all. While the power is in effect, shadows seem to bend toward them to give cover, and people unconsciously divert their gaze from the individual. This may not be used in combat.

OB2.b: Mask of a Thousand Faces: With a DP roll at a difficulty of 8, the Vampire may assume the identity of someone else, be it imaginary or a real person's visage. The number of successes indicates the success of the disguise. Where 1 success will give the vampire slight changes (A Nosferatu appears as an ugly mortal), 5 successes will grant the vampire with a flawless disguise including changes in height, weight, voice, and flawlessly and dramatically altered features including the opposite gender. To impersonate someone else, the Vampire will need to have all the information first hand to accurately portray that person. If entering using this power, be sure to put it in your description so that those who can see through it, may know that they can.

OB3.a: Vanish from the Mind's Eye: So profound is this vanishing power; a Vampire may disappear right in front of someone while being watched. This power is disturbing to say the least, and in some cases, will completely remove the memories of having even seen the vampire from the onlooker's mind. The vampire rolls DP at a difficulty of 8. If 3 or less successes are scored, the vampire fades, but does not vanish; becoming wraith-like in appearance. All difficulties to interact in any way with the target are raised by +2. If 4-5 successes are scored, the Vampire appears to vanish into thin air and pursuit is futile. If more than 6 successes are scored, the

onlookers do not even remember the Vampire. With 4+ successes in combat, all opponents of the Vampire are at +3 difficulty, while the Vampire himself is at -1 difficulty. Can only be done once per combat.

OB3.b: Cloak the Gathering: This power allows the vampire to Obfuscate not only himself, but others at the cost of 1 BP per individual beyond himself. The Vampire may use any lesser level of Obfuscate on the entire group, yet only needs to make a single roll if that power requires it. If one of the vampires in this group gives him away, the veil will only be lifted from him. However, if the bestower of this power errs and the veil is lifted, the entire party finds themselves exposed as well.

OB4: Soul Mask: This power grants the Vampire the ability to alter his own aura. If the Vampire also possesses Auspex: Aura Perception (AX1.b), then they may choose any fashion they wish their aura to appear. If they do not possess Auspex, then they may only hide their aura, making it seem as though they have none. This power is always in effect once learned.

OB5: Create Name: The ultimate power of Obfuscate, this ability allows the Vampire to not only create a new visage, but a completely new Demeanor and personality. Merits, Flaws, and patterns… everything. The Vampire literally becomes a new person. This requires an extended roll of DP at a difficulty of 9, once per 24 hours. 25 successes are needed to create the new identity, and a botch on any of the rolls will remove 5 successes. Once the Vampire has created the new persona, they may step in and out of it at will without any expenditure or roll. NOTE: Players and Storytellers alike should take note that this new persona may fail if the vampire does not accurately portray it. IE, one who knows nothing about medicine trying to play out being a doctor will most likely fail very quickly. Once this happens, the guise is lost, and they must make a new one, so stick to what you know.

POTENCE (PO)

Potence gives the vampire his legendary strength, allowing him to lift impossibly heavy objects, leap great distances, and wield a massively damaging blow in combat, among many other impressive physical feats.

PO1: +1 damage on a successful attack.



PO4.a: +4 damage on a successful attack.

PO4.b: Earthshock: This level of mastery allows the vampire to hit the ground with such force as to send a shock of energy under the earth to send an opponent reeling back from seemingly no frontal assault. Once per combat, the vampire may spend 1 blood point and subtract his level of Potence from his difficulty to attack his target. (Minimum difficulty of 2)

PO5.a: +5 damage on a successful attack.

PO5.b: Flick: This potent attack unleashes the full devastating power of the characters arsenal in one, small gesture such as a click of the fingers, a blown kiss, or a tossed ball. Once per combat the vampire may make an appropriate gesture, and then performs a resisted roll against the opponent as if the opponent is defending. If the user wins he may then make a second roll of his Dice Pool, difficulty of 7. The result is the damage applied to the opponent, regardless of attack or defense. If the opponent wins the initial roll, no damage is dealt to either character.

Note: .a levels are NOT stackable! IE. PO3 is only +3, you cannot activate PO2 on top of that.

Note: For every tier level of Potence the character possesses, she may cancel out either one of the +1 difficulty modifiers for a weapon, or add back one of the dice lost via wearing Armor. This ability is ONLY to be used for canceling out the negatives caused by weapons and armor, NOT to give the player more dice, or lower difficulty than she'd have if she weren't carrying the weapon(s) or wearing the armor. If the player does not have enough

Potence to negate all negatives the weapons and armor is adding, then the player may choose which penalties are to be removed, and which ones must remain.

PRESENCE (PR)

Not so 'crash through the front gates' as the power of Dominate, Presence is considerably more subtle, and in some cases, more useful because it uses as its lever the emotions of the target itself.

PR1.a: Awe: Those near the vampire want to be closer and are receptive to the vampire’s words and desires when this power is in use. Danger to those awed will break the ‘spell’. The user rolls dice, difficulty 7. Number of successes indicates number of people affected. 1 success = 1 person, 2 successes = 2 people, 3 successes = 5 people, 4 successes = 20 people, 5+ successes = everyone in the vicinity.

PR1.b: Dread Gaze: Use of this power requires an open show of vampiric nature, and therefore could be a Masquerade breach. Roll dice, difficulty 7 (resist at difficulty 6). Success means the victim is cowed. 3 or more successes (on first roll) indicate the victim will flee in terror. The victim gets -1 DP per success on the following turn if they do not flee but are cowed. These lost dice will return on the following turn unless the vampire continues to use dread gaze against the same target. Continuous use of the power will stack, until the victim has 0 DP remaining, rendering that victim helpless, whimpering on the ground.

PR2.a: Entrancement: Vampire rolls DP, difficulty 7; resisted at the same difficulty. The number of net successes indicates the duration of the power. 1 success = 1hr, 2 successes = 5 hrs, 3 successes = 1 day, 4 successes = 1 week, 5+ successes = 3 weeks. The victim is enthralled with the vampire and does everything he or she can to please the vampire. However this is not mind control, but control of the emotions, so the exact actions of the victim cannot be ordered or predicted. However, these ‘servants’ retain their creativity and individuality, unlike those controlled with Dominate.

PR2.b: Summon: The vampire may call one person he or she has met before from any distance in the world. The victim comes as quickly as they can. The summoner rolls their DP, difficulty 6. Number of successes indicates the speed and intensity of the response. The victim will do the best they can, but a vampire in Hawaii will still need to get a flight to respond to a summons to Chicago. If the vampire is so far away they cannot respond in one night, the summons must be re-issued every evening upon rising in order to succeed. This power will fail automatically should the intent be to harm to subject in any way.

PR3: Majesty: No rolls are necessary for the use of this power. The vampire simply spends 1 BP, and a subject who wishes to even so much as be rude or contrary to the user makes a single roll per event, difficulty 7. This power lasts for the duration of the scene. NOTE: Please note there are right times to do this, and wrong times. Whereas a Prince overlooking his court may use Majesty to garner undivided attention from his peers... it is not a good idea to use Majesty in a bar full of crowded people your character does not know.

PR4.a: Paralyzing Glance: Where PR1.b: Dread Gaze causes the victim to flee; this power roots them to the spot, frozen with sheer terror. Eye contact must be made and then a normal resisted roll is performed. If the user of this power is successful, the target may not act at all other than to curl up into a fetal position and gibber incoherently. The duration of this power is the net successes of the roll in hours. If the subject’s life is threatened (assault, impending sunrise, etc.) then the target may attempt to break out of the catatonic state with a further roll against HALF of the user’s DP. Success means the spell is broken, failure means it continues, while a True Botch sends the target into a state of Rötshrek for the rest of the night. For combat purposes, this power halves (½) the victim’s dicepool for one round of combat.

PR4.b: Cooperation: Vampires are notoriously difficult in their dealings with each other, often disagreeing purely for its own sake. Mastery of this power allows the vampire to nudge those affected into a fragile state of camaraderie. The user first makes a roll of his dice difficulty 6 to activate the power. This is the target number for anyone in the vicinity to beat. All characters in the same room must then roll their dice difficulty 6. Anyone rolling equal to or less than the target number is affected by Cooperation. The effects of this power are to be roleplayed, with characters being more amenable to those also affected. It also provides some resistance to frenzies from insults from within the affected group, lowering the difficulty for such rolls by three.

PR5: Pulse of the City: Methuselahs of this power are so attuned to their region that their moods literally affect every being in the area, up to the size of a large city. They can control the emotional climate and even inject

specific feelings into every single being within its area of influence. Residents of the area may be so attuned to the Methuselah(s) of the area that they are affected by the character’s mood, even when on the other side of the world. When two Methuselahs who possess this mastery clash, the affect is always terrifying for the residents of the city as anger and hatred well up to the surface, causing chaos and destruction all around the area. Gang violence, looting, riots, demonstrations… the city is thrown into utter disarray. The affects of this power in use are always broadcast in channel and on the forums, approved by channel storytellers.

RARE DISCIPLINES - These Disciplines are the closely guarded secrets of their respective Clans; signature powers for the more exotic Clans and Bloodlines. Learning one of these disciplines requires either playing a character of the appropriate Clan, or writing a story for submission to the SOPs for consideration. Such is the nature of these Disciplines that if just ONE SOp decides it is inappropriate then the acquisition of that Discipline will be denied with no appeals process.

CHIMERSTRY (CH)

The Ravnos' ability to manipulate reality itself is among the most unique of all vampiric disciplines, and as such, is highly prized among the clan, and never shared outside the blood. Note: As with Obfuscate; if a viewer possesses Auspex of a HIGHER tier than the highest tier of Chimerstry known by the Ravnos, that viewer is resistant to that Ravnos’ illusions. He may still see the illusion, but will automatically know it for what it is. If both the Ravnos' Chimerstry level, and the vampire's Auspex level are even, a contested roll is made to see if the victim of the Ravnos' illusion believes the illusion or not. (Auspex wins in a tie)

CH1: Fata Morgana: A vampire with this power can create an illusion that appeals to all senses, although they remain static. For example, the vampire could create an illusionary wall that can be seen and felt, however, if the onlooker fell into the wall, he or she would fall through the illusion. The vampire can make a napkin appear as currency, etc. The vampire could also make the wall look like oak, yet feel like velvet. However, none of the illusions are able to move or change in any way. This power costs 2 BP and lasts up to 24 hours or until the vampire dispels it.

CH2: Apparition: Not really a power unto itself, this ability allows movement and change to illusions created by Fata Morgana. Such things as running water, making rice appear as living maggots, etc. can be created. This power costs 1 BP, and the vampire may make the illusion's movement change only if he has done nothing other than concentrate on the illusion since creating it.

CH3.a: Permanency: This power, also used with Fata Morgana, makes the illusion permanent until dispelled. Illusions that also use Apparition will continue to repeat the same movements as it had upon creation and may not be changed after this power is in effect until dispelled. This power costs 1 BP.

CH3.b: Horrid Reality: Rather than simple illusions, the vampire may now create illusions or hallucinations directly into the target's mind. Targets believe the hallucinations to be completely real, and hallucinations like fire will actually burn the victim, etc. A victim may not be killed by the hallucinations however they may be incapacitated. Even if others try to convince the victim of this power that the illusions are not real, the victim will not believe them. This power costs 4 BP, requires a contested DP roll, the victim at +1 difficulty to resist, and may effect only 1 person at a time. Successes garnished over the victim's indicates the HP of damage this power does. Furthermore, the victim may only attempt to escape at -1 difficulty repeatedly in combat until he either falls incapacitated, or successfully escapes. If the target scores more successes than the vampire, the victim does not believe the illusion and remains unaffected. In the event of a true botch on the part of the vampire, the effects of this power are released upon him, taking all of his target's successes in damage, then must also attempt to only escape combat at -1 difficulty. If the target botches (True Botch), they will take double the damage from this power's effect. (See Chimerstry vs. Auspex notes above.)

CH4.a: Shared Nightmare: This power is the same as Horrid Reality above, only it may effect as many targets as the vampire wishes. The vampire must spend 4 BP plus 1 extra BP for every target beyond the first.

CH4.b: Suspension of Disbelief: This power is used with another illusion of Chimerical origin. The vampire may either reinforce the believability of their own illusion, or make another's illusion seem hokey and false. No matter how real or false the illusion is, it will be as believable or unbelievable as the vampire using this power

wishes it to be. This power works on groups of people, or simply one person if the vampire so wishes. A DP roll, difficulty 8 is required, and the number of successes indicates how many people are affected. 1 success = 5 people, 2 successes = 10 people, 3 successes = 25 people, 4 successes = 50 people, and 5 successes = everyone who can see it.

CH5: Mayaparisatya: The ultimate mastery of Chimerstry, this power allows the vampire to not just create an illusion, but to literally bend reality; creating objects and creatures of finite duration, or alter and twist current existing objects as he wishes. To use this power, the vampire must spend 9 BP + 10 HP and roll DP at a difficulty of 6 for affecting inanimate objects, and 8 for affecting living or unliving targets. On a true botch, the vampire falls into torpor and randomly teleports himself to a remote location, mangled beyond belief, having warped reality around him so badly that he seems to have ceased to exist. This effect and torpor lasts for 30 days of real time. Successes on the roll indicate as follows: 1 success = Render an object useless, 2 successes = Change an object into another (similar) object, 3 successes = Render the object insubstantial, 4 successes = Cause drastic changes (i.e. make stone highly flammable), 5 successes = Cause the environment to behave illogically (i.e. gravity twists sideways, rivers stand still, hills flow upward) 6+ successes = Delete offending material objects from existence, permanently. For 1-5 successes on a conscious being, they will suffer 5 HP of damage for every success (The damage remains for 24 hours IF the target lives through it). 6 or more successes removes them from existence and slays them permanently. This power may not be used with any discipline that gives lower difficulty, extra DP, or auto successes. This power is also unaffected by powers that would raise the difficulty of this roll. Dice and difficulty remain static.

DEMENTATION (DE)

The Malkavians' unique ability to spread and share their madness with others is quite possibly one of the more terrifying disciplines in existence. Their dementia passes as easily as a virus at a football game, and only they have mastered this discipline's true worth. True botches in this discipline always turn it's full, intended effects upon the caster.

DE1: Passion: This power allows the vampire to stir the base emotions within a victim, either heightening them to a fevered pitch, or blunting them until the target is completely desensitized. This requires a resisted DP roll, the victim having +1 difficulty to resist. Each net success = 1 hour of effect. (Real time) The Vampire may only heighten or dull emotions already present and displayed openly.

DE2: The Haunting: The Vampire may imbue a target with whispers and voices, visions, or strange feelings upon their skin. The Vampire has no control over what the victim is plagued by, yet they are too mild to be terribly bothersome or in some cases, even noticed. The real effect of Haunting only happens when the target is alone, and usually at night. The hauntings are incarnations of the victim's fears, guilts, weaknesses, memories, etc. The manifested hallucinations should always be obtrusive, traumatic, and never by any means, pleasant. The victim may feel as if he is going mad, or perhaps the whole world is, and will most likely be scarred for life, however, successes scored on the Vampire's DP roll at a difficulty of 8 and the expenditure of 1 BP, will tell of how long these hauntings will last. The effects are one night for every success rolled.

DE3.a: Voice of Madness: The Vampire may use (DE1) Passion upon a group of individuals. Inciting riots, or frenzy, etc. The vampire makes ONE roll of their DP at difficulty of 7, spends 1 BP, and all victims in the immediate area (1 room, and no more victims than the Malkavian has successes) may resist against that roll with the same difficulty. This power however, unlike Passion, immediately sends all victims into Frenzy.

DE3.b: Total Insanity: The Vampire must gain the undivided attention of the target for 5 full posts in the channel they're in. Any interruptions cause the power to fail, and thus, be attempted again. Once the power is successfully used upon the target, a resisted roll of DP at a difficulty of 6 for the Vampire, and 7 for the target is made. Net successes indicate the length of time this power remains in effect. 1 success = 1 scene, 2 successes = 1 night, 3 successes = 1 week, 4 successes = 2 weeks, 5 successes = 1 month, 6+ successes = permanent. The effects of this power are 2 derangements chosen by a Storyteller, and should be treated as severe forms of these derangements.

DE4: Lingering Malaise: This power imbues a victim with a permanent insanity chosen by the Malkavian. The Vampire must speak, uninterrupted, to the target for 5 full posts. The target may speak in return. However, any outside interruptions cause the power to fail, and thus, be tried again. At least one paragraph must be used by the

Vampire to tell his victim of the derangement he is to bestow. Then a resisted DP roll is made. If the Vampire scores more successes than the target, the permanent derangement is given to the victim.

DE5: Personal Scourge: This fearsome power turns a victim's own mind against him, the strength of his own mind and will causing sores, lacerations and bruises all over his body. The Vampire must touch or make eye contact with the victim, and roll DP at a difficulty of 8 before spending 5 BP. The victim then makes as many rolls as the Malkavian produced successes; of his own DP at a difficulty of 6. Every success on each roll does 1 HP of damage to himself. During this time, the victim may do nothing but thrash and wail as his own mind destroys his body.

OBTENEBRATION (OT)

The Lasombra's art of Shadow manipulation is unique unto them, giving them a frightening edge on lesser vampires. Whether literal shadow or an expression of the occult Abyss is still hotly debated. Whichever it is, all rightly fear Obtenebration.

OT1: Shadowplay: The vampire can manipulate shadows, give them minor tangibility, create small illusions with them, give them movement, even suffocate a mortal with shadow. Spend 1 BP to activate the power and direct it against a single target. The target rolls DP, difficulty 8 to resist. If the resistance fails, the target loses 1 DP from fear for the duration of the scene.

OT2.a: Shroud of Night: The vampire can create a cloud of darkness, 10’ in radius. Vampire rolls DP, difficulty 7. For each additional success, the size of the cloud is doubled. All those inside the cloud are +1 difficulty to all rolls. Mortal and animals automatically flee, no resistance roll required.

OT2.b: Arms of the Abyss: Vampire spends 1 BP and rolls DP at a difficulty of 8. Every two successes rolled (rounded down), summons one tentacle formed of shadow. Each tentacle has DP/HP equivalent to the maximum Obtenebration level possessed by the vampire. Each arm is 6' long, but this can be extended by 6' per extra 1 BP spent per arm extended. These are used to attack the target as if they were a single attacker separate to the casting vampire. As long as just one success net of 1s is rolled, at least one tentacle will be summoned.

OT3: Tenebrous Form: Costs 3 BP and takes 3 full turns to transform. The vampire becomes a shadow-form. In this form, the vampire is immune to physical attacks, and is unable to make any physical attacks or actions other than move. The vampire CAN use mental disciplines in this form. Fire and Sunlight cause damage as normal. Resistance to sunlight is halved.

OT4.a: Shadowstep: The vampire may literally step into a shadow, and emerge through another shadow no more than 50' away. The vampire rolls their DP at a difficulty of 6, or a difficulty of 7 if taking another individual with them, difficulty 8 for 2 other individuals, etc. A true botch indicates that all with the shadowstepper, including himself are trapped between shadows. (Ops and Storytellers should make this a miserable experience, yet not by any means, permanent)

OT4.b: Shadow Twin: The vampire may animate their shadow, or the shadow of their opponent, giving it life, and has full control over it. The shadow has half of it's parent's DP and HP. If the shadow is destroyed however, the parent loses half of his HP, DP, and furthermore, must roll for Frenzy, at a difficulty of 9. To create a Shadow Twin of himself, the vampire spends 1 BP, and rolls his DP at a difficulty of 7. To animate his opponent's shadow, all is the same, but the difficulty is 8.

OT5: Oubliette: The vampire may make an inescapable, nearly indestructible cube of blackness. This Oubliette is thought to be an extension of the vampire’s own soul, so may never create more than 1 Oubliette at a time. Once caught inside the Oubliette, victims that need to breathe will surely die of suffocation, and vampires are simply put into stasis, as no powers or disciplines may be used inside the Oubliette. The Oubliette is only destroyed if the creator wills it to dissipate, or if touched by direct sunlight. To create this cube of blackness, and trap the victim within, the vampire must spend 1 BP and win a resisted DP roll. (Full DP at difficulty of 6 for both creator and target)

PROTEAN (PN)

The Gangrel's power of Protean is nearly unmatched in combative usefulness by any other discipline. Feared by many, this discipline has begun to find it's way into the greedy hands of many non-Gangrel vampires.

PN1: Eyes of the Beast: The vampire’s eyes glow red, and the vampire can then see in natural darkness. This power takes a full round to activate, and mortals who witness a vampire in such a state must roll DP, difficulty 7 or flee.

PN2.a: Feral Claws: This power costs 1BP and one round to activate. This power gives the vampire the ability to do more damage with his teeth or claws (depending on which he decides to grow out as weapons) that is harder to heal. When this power is activated, the vampire does 2 additional damage per successful attack.

PN2.b: Earth Meld: The vampire spends 1 BP, and a full turn to meld with the earth under his/her feet and enter a semi-torporous state. The vampire states when he/she expects to rise, and must roll DP, difficulty 6 to awaken before planned. Rolls to locate the melded vampire via any means (tracking, scent, aura scan, clairvoyance, etc. are all made at +2 difficulty).

PN3.a: Shape of the Beast: The vampire can transform to their designated land or flight form (NO substitutions or adlibbing, whatever you picked when you registered the character is what you use.). This costs 1 BP, and takes 3 full turns to transform, regardless of which form is chosen. In this form the vampire may use all other disciplines EXCEPT Necromancy, Serpentis, Thaumaturgy, Koldunic Sorcery, Dark Thaumaturgy, and Vicissitude.Note: Land or flight form should be reflective of their origin. If you're from the Amazon you'd take a form related to that region.

PN3.b: Mist Form: The vampire may turn to mist. This power costs 1BP and takes 3 turns to complete. This time can be reduced by 1 turn for each extra BP spent (minimum 1 turn). In this form, the vampire is immune to physical attacks, and takes -1 damage each turn from fire and sunlight. The vampire CAN use disciplines that have no physical requirements (such as disciplines that require eye or skin contact).Note: Only objects that are familiar or casual to and on the vampire's form will mist with it. I.e. car keys or the Cainite's dagger. This power is not meant for a form of stealing.

PN4.a: Flesh of Marble: The vampire hardens his flesh to that of flexible stone. All damage done to the vampire is halved, rounded down. This power costs 3 BP, activates instantly, and lasts the entire combat.

PN4.b: Purify the Impaled Breast: The vampire may expel any object from his body with such force as to have it damage an attacker. Swords, stakes, bullets, anything that enters the vampire's body is hurled back with deadly force. The vampire spends 3 BP and then rolls his DP at a difficulty of 8. The attacker responsible for the damage done to the vampire will then take those successes in damage as the objects are hurled back. Stakes may also be hurled from the vampire's body, and will do much the same damage, however, will not stake the target.

PN5: Inward Focus: There is no outwardly visible effects of this power. The vampire heightens the efficiency of his body's internal workings to levels undreamed of by lesser Kindred heightening his strength, resilience, and speed beyond that of similar discipline powers. The vampire spends 4 BP the first turn, and 2 BP every turn thereafter to activate and use this power. The vampire's opponents are at +3 difficulty for all attacks and parries/defends against the vampire. Secondly, all damage inflicted by the vampire is doubled. Lastly, all damage done to the vampire is halved, rounded down. This power may be used with any other Discipline or Protean power.

QUIETUS (QU)

The discipline of the Assamites is the perfection of the silent death. With variances on poison, blood control and disease, this Discipline’s blood-based effects concentrate on destroying the target by various deadly-but not necessarily quick-means.

QU1.a: Scorpion’s Touch: Although methods of delivery vary, from a simple touch to a coated weapon to a spit in the face and more. The effect is always the same, however: The Assamite converts a portion of his blood into a deadly poison that saps away at his target’s resistance to damage. At any time during combat, the Assamite may

spend as many blood points as he wishes to commit to Scorpion’s Touch (up to a maximum of the vampire’s rating in Quietus), a resisted roll at difficulty 6 is made. If successful, for every blood point spent in this power, the target suffers 1 HP of damage that remains for 24 hours. This damage may be resisted only if the target possesses Fortitude, in which case the target may roll ½ (half) of his DP, difficulty 6 and deduct that many points of damage from the damage this power deals. This power may be used once per target, per 24 hours.

QU1.b: Silence of Death: Many Assamites claim never to have heard their targets' death screams. Silence of Death imbues the Assamite with a mystical silence that radiates from her body, muting all noise within a certain vicinity. No sound occurs inside this zone, though sounds originating outside the area of effect may be heard by anyone in it. Rumors abound of certain skilled Assamite viziers who have the ability to silence a location rather than a circumference that follows them, but no proof of this has been forthcoming. This power costs one blood point to activate, which maintains a 10-foot radius of utter stillness around the Assamite for one hour or until the Assamite wishes to end the effect. Inside this radius, no sounds whatsoever may be heard, even by the Assamite using this power. The sheer silence itself, is sometimes a dead give away that the Assamite is near, however, by then it is most typically too late.

QU2.a: Dagon’s call: This terrifying power allows the vampire to drown her target in his own blood. The vampire must first touch the target (suspicious targets require a resisted roll difficulty 6 to successfully touch) and within an hour after doing so, the Call may be issued (but the Assamite need not be in the vicinity at the time) and spend 3 blood points. A resisted roll against the target is then made and, if successful, double the number of net successes is dealt in immediate damage to the target as his blood vessels burst and his system is drowned. Mortals may be killed outright by this power, and vampires may be incapacitated. Regardless, the damage remains for 24 hours per net success.

QU2.b: Baal’s Caress: This simple and deadly application of Quietus turns a portion of the Assamite’s blood into a deadly poison which can then be used to coat the blade of a weapon. As with Scorpion’s Touch, the Assamite can convert as many blood points as he has tiers in Quietus and for each point spent the weapon adds +1 to the weapon’s DP bonus. This bonus is reduced by 1 per combat round as the weapon’s coating is transferred to, and takes root in, the victim’s body.

QU3: Taste of Death: A refinement of QU2.b: Baal’s Caress, Taste of Death takes that caustic and poisonous blood and ejects if from the mouth in a hideous display of projectile vomiting. This stream of acidic blood burns flesh and corrodes bone, deforming the target painfully. Once per combat the Assamite may choose to step back and convert blood into acid. This power takes two turns to complete. The first turn must be spent in defense as in a normal combat round while the vampire brings the bile into his stomach and throat by spending as many blood points as the vampire wants to (up to the maximum they may spend for the turn) invest into this power. The next turn, this stream is unleashed onto his opponent. This power will always deal at least as many HP of damage to the victim as was invested in blood, added to the round’s combat results as normal.

QU4.a: Purification: The vampire may use the powers of his blood to cleanse minds and souls of taint, including the supernatural effects of others. The power takes five minutes to use and requires both the target and the user to concentrate for that time. The Assamite places his hand on the forehead of the target and secretes a thin film of blood (one blood point’s worth), which is absorbed into the subject’s mind. When the link is made, the vampire may then make a roll against all mental and emotional effects used against the target vs. the instigator of that effect. This includes implanted Dominate commands, Dementation and the lingering effects of Presence as examples, but excludes the blood bond.

QU4.b: Poison The Well Of Life: The vampire using this power may taint the blood of a mortal vessel so that any other vampire but himself that feeds from it ingests poisoned blood. This power is usually used to protect the Assamite’s own Herd from poachers, but can be used as a subtle trap in a potential target’s herd as well. The vampire smears a blood point’s worth of vitae into the skin of the mortal and makes a roll of a dice pool equal to his mastery of Quietus difficulty 6, the result is the duration and potency of this power’s effects. For a number of months equal to the successes rolled, any vampire feeding from the affected mortal suffers HP damage equal to the successes on the initial roll, experienced as if swallowing acid or toxic shock.

QU5: Songs Of Distant Vitae: At this level of mastery the Assamite summons to the surface the distant memories of all those vessels that the vampire has fed from in one great confusing sweep of emotion that engulfs and overwhelms the target. The vampire touches the target while concentrating for a few seconds then a resisted

roll difficulty 6 for the target is made. If the user is successful, consult the table below. This power may be used inside or out of combat.

1 success - The victim experiences a brief flashback that lasts for one turn, during which time the target is at +2 difficulty on all rolls (in or out of combat).

2 successes - The victim experiences a longer montage of one turn during which time he is at +3 difficulty on all rolls, and +1 difficulty in all subsequent rounds (in or out of combat), or until the user of the power has left his vicinity.

3 successes - The victim must make an immediate Rötshreck roll, difficulty 8. If he succeeds in this roll then he is affected per 2 successes.

4 successes - The target is completely stunned and is unable to act for a number of quarter-hours equal to the net successes on the roll. In combat, this is regarded as immediate incapacitation.

5 successes - The target is sent crashing into a nightmare world that is the culmination of all his victim’s fears. An immediate roll of his generation dice pool difficulty 9 must be succeeded to avoid falling into torpor for a number of nights equal to the net successes of the initial roll. If the target succeeds this, then he still automatically enters Rötshreck for the rest of the night and must succeed in another roll at the end of the night to avoid gaining the Derangement “Sanguinary Animism”.

Sanguinary Animism This derangement is unique to the Kindred, a response to vampires' deep-seated guilt regarding the act of feeding on the blood of mortals. Kindred with this derangement believe that they do not merely consume victims' blood, but their souls as well, which are then made a part of the vampires' consciousness. In the hours after feeding, the vampire hears the voices of her victim inside her head and feels a tirade of "memories" from the victim's mind-all created by the vampires' subconscious. In extreme cases, this sense of possession can drive a Kindred to carry out actions on behalf of her victims. Obviously, diablerie would be unwise for an animist to perform.

Whenever a vampire with this derangement feeds on a mortal, a roll of the players' base dice pool is needed (difficulty 6, or 9 if she drains the mortal to the point of death.) If the roll succeeds, she is tormented by the memories of the person whose soul she has partially consumed, but is still able to function normally. If the roll fails, the images in her mind are so strong that it is akin to having a second personality inside her, an angry and reproachful personality that seeks to cause harm to the vampire and her associates. The player must roleplay this state; otherwise control of the character passes to the Storyteller, who runs the character as if the mind of her victim is in control. During the moments just before dawn, control automatically reverts to the vampire.

SERPENTIS (SE)

The legacy of Set and the Discipline of the serpent and the tempter, Serpentis is the purview of the Followers of Set the secrets of which is a carefully guarded secret.

SE1.a: The Eyes Of The Serpent: Through use of this power, the vampire gains the hypnotic eyes of a snake, becoming gold with large black irises. For mortals, no roll is required but they may attempt to avoid the gaze of the Setite. For as long as the mortal’s gaze is held, he is rooted to the spot. Supernaturals may be affected with a resisted roll, but the spell will be broken if they are attacked or otherwise harmed.

SE1.b: The Tongue Of The Asp: This power gives the vampire the ability to do more damage with his tongue, which becomes up to 18 inches in length and razor sharp. While in effect, the vampire does 2 additional damage per successful attack. It costs 1BP and one round to activate. This power lasts the duration of the combat.

SE2: The Skin of The Adder: An unsettling power to observe for mortals and the uninitiated, as the Setite’s skin becomes scaly and mottled, taking on the flexibility of the snake and a new resilience. Activated by spending 3BP, this power has the triplicate affect of reducing all damage dealt by 2 for the remainder of a combat scene, increasing attacks inflicted with biting the target by +1dp and allowing the Setite to wriggle through any space he can fit his head into.

SE3.a: The Form Of The Cobra: The Setite can turn his form into that of a huge black cobra, weighing as much as his human form and stretching to over 10 feet in length and as thick as a woman’s thigh. This form, with the expenditure of one blood point, takes three turns to change into and grants several advantages, including a venomous bite (+2dp in combat), the ability to slither through small holes, and a greatly enhanced sense of smell

(+2dp for scent-based perception rolls). While in this form he may use all other disciplines that don’t require hands.

SE3.b: The Heart Of Darkness: As an option for the master of Serpentis, the Setite may pull her heart from her body, or the heart of another with hours of gruesome surgery. The heart is then placed into a clay urn and hidden away. The rite must be performed under a new moon, or else it fails. This power requires nothing more than a declaration to the STs that it has taken place, along with the location of the urn for verification at a later date. With this done, the character can no longer be staked through the breast and rolls to resist Frenzy are two lower. Emotional changes occur after this power has been used upon the vampire. (IE. Colder, less emotional, apathetic almost)

SE4: Divine Image: Quite possibly one of the most potent combinations of combat ability and awe-inspiring presence, the Setite literally transforms into the very image of a god of Egyptian Pantheon. By spending a blood point, the vampire takes three turns to change. For the duration of this power’s effect, the vampire deals an extra 2hp of damage in combat, subtracts 2hp on all wounds taken, and may opt to exude an effect identical to Presence’s PR1.a: Awe.

SE5: Heart Thief: This power is a swift and potentially deadly one, but difficult to use. While SE3.b: The Heart Of Darkness requires that the rite be conducted at a certain time of the month, and with complicated surgery on others, this power allows the elder to literally snatch the heart from her target’s chest. Whether in combat or not, the Setite may make a sudden lunge for the vampire’s chest and a resisted roll is made, difficulty 9. The target immediately gains all benefits and hazards as SE3.b: The Heart Of Darkness, but with the obvious drawback that their heart is now at the mercy of their opponent…

VALEREN (VA)

Valeren is a Discipline of righteous wrath, similar to Obeah, but quickly developing its own martial bent. The sole purview of the Salubri antitribu, who walk the road as crusader, refusing to lay down and be slaughtered. At the second tier of Valeren the vampire gains the mystical third eye in the center of the forehead that opens when the Discipline is used at that level and above. Its precise purpose, though, remains unknown.

VA1: Sense Vitality: The vampire can feel the flow of a subject’s life force after touching them, allowing him to know how close to death they are and how much damage can be withstood before death. The character must first touch their target and then make a roll of their dice pool difficulty 8. 1 success = Mortal/Vampire/Ghoul/Other/None of the above, 2 successes = How much damage the target has taken, and their remaining HP, 3 successes = How full the target’s blood pool is (if vampire or ghoul), 4 successes = any diseases carried in the bloodstream. This power may also be used to reveal how the subject came to be dead or injured. For each success on the roll, the player may ask an ST a simple yes/no question pertaining to the death or injury. For example: “Was he drugged?” or “Are his wounds caused by claws?”.

VA2: Burning Touch: This power can be used to shock a target with searing pain which, while doing no actual permanent damage, cripples the target with its searing pain. During combat the vampire must touch the target with skin-to-skin contact (a successful hand to hand combat attack will usually suffice) and spend a blood point. If the user wins that combat round (indicating a successful touch) then the target’s world explodes with pain, increasing the target’s difficulties by +1 for the next combat round.

VA3.a: Ending The Watch: This simple power takes its name from two Salubri antitribu who walked the streets bringing oblivion to those who wanted it. This power has no rolls or expenditures with it, as the target must be willing for Ending The Watch to be used. The Salubri antitribu simply places his hand against the target’s chest, and soon afterwards the subject drifts into a peaceful slumber. If there lingers any spark of hope or doubt about death then this power fails, without exception. No soul taken by Ending The Watch can be subsequently embraced, or summoned as a Wraith.

VA3.b: Vengeance Of Samael: The Salubri antitribu invokes the names of mighty Salubri warriors to strike with inhuman accuracy and strength. The Salubri antitribu spends 2 bloodpoints for every turn that he wishes this power to be in effect. For these turns the vampire must attack, but regardless of the opponent’s roll in attack or defense he will always do at least 2hp of damage. This power can be used for as many turns as the vampire has blood points to fuel it.

VA4: Blissful Agony: On the surface this is similar to VA2: Burning Touch, but a far more potent expression of that power as the pain lingers long after the user has removed his hand. In extreme cases it has driven Kindred to frenzy, has incapacitated Lupines, and even killed mortals outright. During combat the vampire must touch the target with skin-to-skin contact (a successful hand to hand combat attack will usually suffice) and spend a blood point. If the user wins that combat round (indicating a successful touch) then the target’s world explodes with pain, increasing the target’s difficulties by +2 for the next combat round, and +1 for each round thereafter.

VICISSITUDE (VC)

Called Fiends, and feared by even other vampires, the Tzimisce owe much of their terrifying reputation on their art of Vicissitude. The molding of flesh and bone takes time and must be accomplished as if working clay, using the hands to mold the shape and position as desired. It is not instantaneous, nor is it done with merely a touch or pointing from range. This does not apply to rote changes to the Tzimisce himself, such as Horrid Form. Once learned and perfected, such rote forms can be taken at will. Fleshcraft or Bonecraft used on others are permanent unless removed by a vampire with Vicissitude of equal or lower generation than the one who made the original alterations, or the victim himself using blood to heal, but only if his generation is equal or lower than the vampire who made the original alterations.

VC1: Fleshcraft: The vampire may sculpt and mold flesh as if it were clay. This can be a cosmetic change, or possibly an attack or making personal armor via clumping fat and flesh into certain areas of the body. This power may be used on others. This power gives the vampire an extra success to attack or parry/defend. For cosmetic changes, the vampire rolls his DP at a difficulty of 6-9 depending on the extents of the changes (at Op or ST discretion).

VC2: Bonecraft: This power is similar to Fleshcraft, on the effect is far more gruesome. The vampire may shape and craft bone as easily as flesh. Combined with Fleshcraft, the vampire may alter his visage or that of another's beyond recognition. The vampire may also use this as an attack, inflicting +4 damage on a successful attack, and raising the victim's difficulties by +1 for the remainder of combat (Maximum difficulty of 9). Furthermore, the effects of this power are permanent unless removed by another vampire with an equal or higher level of Vicissitude than he who made the original alterations.

VC3.a: Horrid Form: The vampire may take the form of a horrific beast, growing in size up to 8', and nearly doubling in mass. The skin becomes a sickly greenish-gray, or grayish-black chitin; the arms become apelike and ropey, tipped with ragged black nails; and the face warps into something out of a nightmare. A row of spines sprouts from the vertebrae, and the external carapace exudes foul-smelling grease. This power costs 2 BP to activate, and all damage dealt in combat by the vampire, is increased by 2.

VC3.b: Blood Form: The vampire may turn all or only part of his body into vitae. This blood is identical to the vampires' and may be used in all the same manners. The vampire may retain his solid shape while in this form, or may become a puddle. The vampire may move about at a walking pace when fully in this form, ooze up walls or under cracks, and may not be staked, pierced, bludgeoned, etc. However, he may still be burned, or exposed to sunlight. The vampire may also not use any disciplines that require eye contact. If a vampire "washes" over a mortal victim, that mortal must make a Frenzy roll, difficulty 8, or fly into a complete panic. In combat, the vampire takes no damage while in this form. (Once per combat.) When changing into this form, no roll is required, nor blood need be spent; and is instantaneous. If all of the blood is spent, consumed, or destroyed, the vampire meets final death. When using this in combination with Blood of Acid (VC4.b), The legs convert to 2 BP each, the arms and head converts to 1 BP each, and the abdomen converts to 3 BP for the sake of dealing damage.NOTE: When taking this form, the vampire changes, however, all clothing and items do not. They simply fall to the ground.

VC4.a: Chiropteran Marauder: Similar in effect as VC:3.a: Horrid Form above, only add an additional +2 on all damage dealt by the vampire, and in this form, has draconic wings and is able to fly. The Chiropteran Marauder generally takes the form of a giant bat, but other forms have been known to exist.

VC4.b: Blood of Acid: The vampire may turn his blood into acid (and also revert back to a non-acidic vitae at will) to use as a weapon or to keep from being diablerized. Each point of blood that comes in contact with

anything other than the vampire himself will suffer 2 extra successes of damage. The vampire must state how much blood is being spent on the attack (up to a maximum allowed per turn). A vampire with this power activated may not blood bond, ghoul or embrace. In situations of diablery, the Diablerist will take 3 HP of damage for every BP consumed. This power is permanent once taken. A vampire of generation high enough to take this power may opt instead to take only VC4.a: Chiropteran Marauder. That decision may be changed at a later date, but once taken, this power is always permanent.

VC5.a: Breath of the Dragon: The vampire may exhale a flaming cloud that affects everything in his direct area. (6' area) Any vampire caught in this flaming cloud must roll for Frenzy at a difficulty of 8. This power inflicts an additional 5 HP of damage on a successful attack to everyone in the area (presently in combat, friend or foe). This may be used once per combat.

VC5.b: Earth's Vast Haven: This power allows the Methuselah to dissolve his body completely into the ground, becoming the earth itself. Nothing short of a nuclear explosion or something so great as to destroy the land within can harm the Methuselah in this state. The Methuselah may move about as if in water; through the land, and during the night, may see and hear all that happens above them in their area (1 city block), and may use any disciplines that do not require eye contact or physical solvency. This power costs 6 BP, and lasts as long as the vampire wishes to remain in the soil. (This may not be used as an Auto Escape... escapes must be rolled as per the Escape rules.)

BLOOD MAGIC - Path based DisciplinesThese potent expressions of blood manipulation are path-based and heavily restricted. Like Rare Disciplines, learning one of these requires either playing a character of the appropriate Clan, or writing a story for submission to the SOPs for consideration. Such is the nature of these Disciplines that if just ONE SOp decides it is inappropriate then the acquisition of that Discipline will be denied with no appeals process. Blood Magic is acquired in Paths, with each character able to attain Mastery in a number of Paths indicated by their Generation/Rank limits (see section 5.b and 5.c for details). Unless stated otherwise, all uses Blood Magic are assumed to require at least one blood point to activate the power. These powers are, after all, called Blood Magic for a reason.

KOLDUNIC SORCERY (KS)

The raw and wild Blood Magic of the Tzimisce takes its roots from the elements themselves by drawing power from blood sacrifices and the character’s surroundings. The mighty koldun and koldun’ia are feared in battle simply for the pure destructive forces that their mastery of the elements can bring to bear. Because Koldunic Sorcery is enacted through the spirits of the old world-rather than through directly manipulating vitae-wherever the power calls for one or more blood points to be spent, the koldun may instead opt to sacrifice blood from a mortal vessel to appease the spirits. Blood sacrificed in this way must come from another player character-no making up NPCs to get away with it-and gathered through logged role-playing. Ultimately the spirits called upon by use of Koldunic Sorcery are a fickle lot and they don’t much care where the blood comes from. Bloodshed during combat offers no sustenance to the spirits and so this must come from the vampire’s own blood pool.

THE WAY OF EARTH (EA)

The ancient way of manipulating the earth, used by the koldun hospodars to invoke their power and instil fear into their boyars and peasants. When the koldun uses The Way of Earth, his eyes turn to walnut brown and his skin ripples with small patches of stone.

EA1: Unearthly Stamina: The koldun invoking this power temporarily borrows the earth’s natural resilience, lending him incredible resistance to damage. For every turn that the koldun invests a blood point to this power, he may reduce all damage from attacks against him by 2. This power can remain in effect for as long as he has blood to sacrifice.

EA2: Soil Of Death: The user of this power commands roots to rise from the ground and drag a target below the soil, effectively incapacitating him. Mortal victims, once trapped up to their neck, find it increasingly difficult to breath as the earth crushes their chest. 2 blood points are spent and roots issue forth from the ground automatically. Between combat rounds the koldun and the target compete in a resisted roll. If the koldun wins,

then the roots trap the target and begin pulling him into the ground. This increases the victim’s difficulty to fight effectively by 1 for each turn this power is in effect. Subsequent rounds require further cumulative blood expenditure in increments of doubles by the koldun, and more rolls between rounds, each time increasing the victim’s difficulty to fight by 1 (up to maximum of 9). After three such rounds, the target is fully captured in the earth and is effectively incapacitated.

Example: Casius casts Soil Of Death on Felish during combat. Before the first combat round, he spends 2 blood points and then makes a resisted roll, difficulty 6, against Felish. Casius wins, and for that round of combat Felish is so distracted by her entanglement that she is at +1 difficulty to fight. Before the next round, Casius spends another 4 blood points and again rolls Vs. Felish at difficulty 6. Again, he wins and she is pulled deeper into the earth. She now fights that turn at +2 difficulty. Before the third round, Casius spends 8 blood points and again rolls Vs. Felish at difficulty 6. Again, he wins and Felish is pulled into the ground up to her neck, effectively incapacitating her. Had he lost in that round, Felish would have rolled her next round of combat at +2 difficulty again and Casius would have had to spend another 8 blood points again to try and capture her completely in the earth.

EA3: Dracula’s Restless Soul: Use of this power grants control over seismic activity, even in areas where such events are unheard of. By invoking the dormant wrath of the land, the koldun creates a large tremor capable of shaking a city block. The koldun makes a roll of his dice pool, difficulty 9. 1 success = one structure, 2 successes = five structures, 3 successes = a residential street, 4 successes = half a city block, 5 successes = a full city block. Anyone caught within the area of effect rolls 10 dice difficulty 6 and takes that much damage. Cars, RVs, and small houses suffer substantial damage and may even be destroyed on particularly impressive rolls. Larger buildings may suffer damage, but are unlikely to be destroyed. At the ST’s discretion, an impressive number of extra successes on this roll may increase the area of effect and the strength of the tremors.

THE WAY OF FIRE (FI)

Potentially the most destructive of the elemental Ways, masters of this Path are rightly feared purely for their capacity to destroy so much in such a short space of time. When using this Way, the koldun’s eyes glow a feverish, fiery orange. Vampires observing the more impressive displays of this power, except the koldun, must make an immediate Rötshreck check.

FI1: Gates of Magma: The koldun invokes molten rock to bubble up from the ground and erupt into a circular ring of magma ten feet high. This superheated rock is a constant flow, creating a makeshift wall around the caster. For every success scored on a roll of his dice pool difficulty 8, the koldun must spend a blood point and the Gates remain in effect for two turns. It inspires Rötshreck in all vampires that witness it, and makes the koldun practically impervious to attack. Anyone approaching the wall, vampire or otherwise, must make a further Rötshrek roll (simulating self preservation instincts in mortals and ghouls). While success means the character may approach, an amount of damage equal to half of the roll to summon this power. This damage is dealt to the character automatically, and may be resisted only with Fortitude (roll ½ (half) the character’s DP to resist if Fortitude is posessed.). Physically touching the wall of lava deals the full number of successes in immediate, irresistible damage. This power is so taxing that it may only be used once per 24 hours, and never during actual combat. (It may be used before combat, however, in an attempt to make attackers flee!)

FI2: Heat Wave: Using his own body as a conduit, the koldun channels steam geysers and dehydrating air to wither and desiccate his opponent. Once per combat the sorcerer stands back and summons up hydrogen sulphide from the earth’s mantle, which he then directs at his opponent. The combat round is rolled as normal. If the target wins then no damage is dealt that round. If the koldun wins then the full damage is dealt. Due to the desiccating blast of heat this power invokes, not only does the target take damage but also an equal amount of blood points are also lost from her system as they evaporate from her body. This may send some Kindred into frenzy, or even torpor if they have no blood points remaining.

FI3: Volcanic Blast: Far from being subtle, this power is practically a flagrant breach of the Masquerade in non-volcanic areas. The koldun summons lava to the surface, causing it to erupt from the ground like a volcano in a fountain of molten rock 20 feet high. With the expenditure of a blood point, the player rolls his dice pool difficulty 9. For every success scored, the lava continues to erupt for one turn. The lava fountains from the ground and runs in fast rivers in all directions, igniting and dissolving all in its path. Anyone coming into contact with the stream must roll the number of successes scored by the koldun and takes that amount in immediate damage.

THE WAY OF SPIRIT (SP)

There is a force that encompasses all things in nature, and this Way taps into that force to allow the koldun to perceive and even control their distant surroundings. This Way is different to the others in that it doesn’t have individual levels, but rather an increased area of effect. This Way requires no roll and no expenditure, rather it is turned on and off like a switch. While using this Way, the koldun perceives the area of effect in terms of those who intend harm, intruders to his haven, individuals of interest, and also automatically confounds the Discipline of Obfuscate. The koldun may also use other Ways anywhere within the area he can perceive.

SP1: Perceive within a 50-foot radiusSP2: Perceive within a quarter mileSP3: Perceive within five miles

THE WAY OF WATER (WA)

Most effective, obviously, when near a water source, this Way is still a potent force to be reckoned with. The elder koldun mastering this Way would confound Turkish invaders by sinking their ships and drowning them in mystical riptides. When using this Way, the eyes change to a vivid and seemingly glowing aquamarine blue.

WA1: Watery Solace: Similar in effect to the Protean power of Earth Meld, this mastery of the Way of Water allows the koldun to seek shelter beneath the water. Requiring no rolls or expenditure, other than the normal blood point for activating Blood Magic, the vampire takes a full turn to walk or submerge into a body of water large enough to hold his body, thus entering a semi-torporous state. Rolls to locate the melded vampire via any means (tracking, scent, aura scan, clairvoyance, etc.) are all made at +2 difficulty.

WA2: Water Walk: The koldun becomes unbound by physicality and may walk across the water’s surface as if it were solid earth. Requiring no rolls or expenditure, other than the normal blood point for activating Blood Magic, the vampire is able to walk across any body of water. Note that this grants no immunity from interaction from creatures living in that water, such as dolphins and sharks, or people on boats in the vicinity.

WA3: Watery Minions: The koldun’ia summons minions from a sufficient body of water to act as her servants. These creatures are composed entirely of water and can follow only simple instructions, but may be used to fight on their summoner’s behalf. After spending a blood point to activate the power, the player rolls her dice difficulty 9. For every success scored, a minion may be summoned at a cost of one blood point for every two minions called forth. If used in combat, only one minion can be summoned and will be of sufficient size to have a dice pool of her Max Tier Rating multiplied by 3 (see section 5.b and 5.c for this rating). The minion will fight offensively for one round at full capacity, then at half the previous round’s DP (halves rounded down) the next. After that if it is not dead, it will flee. Use of this power grants the koldun an extra escape roll for each round that the creature fights.

THE WAY OF WIND (WI)

This way grants to its user the power to control the winds themselves, referred to either as Great Winds (Baltaret) or as Black Winds (Austru). When invoking the Way of Wind, the koldun’s eyes change color to sky blue and gusts of wind breeze all about him.

WI1: Winds of Guilt: This power was a tool used to ensure the loyalty of their subjects through fear at the consequences of betrayal, and came without the use of the blood bond. It invokes a gust of wind which whips around the target, carrying with it voices which whisper of the fate that awaits them if they betray the master. A resisted roll is made, difficulty 6. If the koldun wins then the power takes effect and the winds harass the victim for a duration indicated by the net successes of the roll. 1 success = one hour, 2 successes = two hours, 3 successes = four hours, 4 successes = one night, 5 successes = two nights. Further uses of this power on the same target lower the koldun’s difficulty to Dominate the character by 2.

WI2: Biting Winds: Use of this power summons forth chill, icy winds which wear down the resistance and sap the resolve of its victims. At the beginning of combat-or during any scene-the koldun may declare a casting of Biting Winds. It begins as a light breeze, barely noticeable at first. During the first round of combat this power has no effect. However, from the second round of combat the difficulty for all actions not made by the koldun are

+1. This remains for the next round also. During the fourth round, this penalty increases to +2, and during the sixth it becomes +3, etc. Each round that the power increases the difficulty of the opponent-up to a maximum of 10-the koldun must spend another blood point to keep the power in effect, otherwise the winds stall at their current penalty level. This power also has the effect of stopping anyone else from joining combat from the second round onwards as the winds pick up strength.

WI3: Body of Zephyr: A koldun dissolving his body with this power blends into the air, becoming able to maneuver through the smallest of cracks and traveling at twice his normal rate of movement, although becoming unable to make any physical attacks himself. Body of Zephyr is exclusive, meaning that no other Disciplines may be used while in this form. However unlike other full body transformations (Tenebrous Form, Mist Form and Blood Form), the transformation into Body of Zephyr is near instantaneous. This means that, unlike its lesser blood-based cousins, it CAN be used to assist in escaping combat. Body of Zephyr adjusts the difficulty of the koldun to escape combat by -1.

NECROMANCY (NE)

The Giovanni primarily practice the power of Necromancy, but other more rare bloodlines have refined their own Paths also. The unnerving study of death lends the necromancers a distinct edge that no other Clan possesses.

THE SEPULCHRE PATH (SE)

The primary path learnt by Necromancers is the Sepulchre Path, and it is the foundation of the Giovanni’s power. This Path concerns itself mostly with the dealings of wraiths: summoning, compelling, binding and punishing. If the vampire has in his possession an item of personal importance to the ghost, reduce all difficulties on this Path by two. No power on the Sepulchre Path requires blood expenditure. An ST should oversee all uses of the Sepulchre Path, to play the part of spirits and spectres summoned and to mediate information gathered.

SE1: Insight: This power allows the necromancer to stare into the eyes of a corpse and see reflected there the last thing the dead one witnessed. This power automatically fails if the body is in an advanced state of decomposition, or if it is a vampire who has reached Golconda. The difficulty of the roll, made with the character’s dice pool, is 10. Successes determine results: Failure or 1 success = The necromancer sees nothing. 2 successes = A basic sense of the subject’s death. 3 successes = A clear image of the subject’s death, and the seconds preceding it. 4 successes = A clear image, with sound, of the minutes preceding death. 5 successes = A clear image, with sound, of the half-hour before the subject’s death. 6 successes = Full sensory perception of the hour leading up to the target’s death.

SE2: Summon Soul: To summon a wraith, the vampire must meet two criteria: he must know the name of the ghost that he is summoning, and he must have an object that the ghost had contact with in life. A roll is made, difficulty 8. The number of successes determines the duration the spirit stays and the tractability of the ghost. Failing the roll indicates no spirit is rolled. Rolling a True Botch indicates that a Spectre or worst case scenario, an Old Soul has been summoned.

SE3: Compel Soul: While wraiths can be convinced to act without compulsion, many necromancers prefer the security of knowing that their subjects are both to honesty. Compelling a soul is likewise dangerous. Failing to properly do so can put both vampire and ghost in a great deal of danger. A resisted roll is made, difficulty 6. See below the Necromancy paths to the “Wraiths and the Necromancers” section for Wraith dice system, and powers. The net successes hold the wraith for a number of hours equal to, and also determine the effect: True Botch = The compulsion and the summoning end, and the wraith is very angry. It will take one turn to assault the necromancer, dealing damage with a DP as described in the “Wraiths and the Necromancers” section. Failure = The compulsion and the summoning end, the wraith is free to go. 1 success = The wraith must remain in the vicinity and refrain from attacking anyone without the necromancer’s consent. 2 successes = The wraith is bound to remain and answer any questions truthfully, but they had best be phrased carefully. 3 successes = The wraith is forced to remain and must answer any questions without evasion or omission. 4 successes = The wraith must remain, answering truthfully any questions asked of it. It must also perform any services commanded by its new master, though only the letter of the command and not the spirit of it bind it. 5 successes = The wraith is trapped, obeying the spirit of the vampire’s commands to the best of its ability.

THE BONE PATH (BO)

Where the Sepulchre Path is concerned with the business of wraiths and spirits, the Bone Path is concerned with the corpses left behind by the dead. All powers on this path are assumed to require an expenditure of at least one blood point to activate. Uses of the Bone Path beyond the first level should be overseen by an ST.

BO1: Shambling Hordes: The necromancer may animate a corpse and instruct it to carry out a simple function or call upon them to attack. After spending a blood point to activate the power, the player rolls her dice difficulty 9. For every success scored, a zombie may be summoned at a cost of one blood point for every zombie called forth. If used in combat, only one zombie can be summoned and have a dice pool of her Max Tier Rating multiplied by 3 (see section 5.b and 5.c for this rating). The zombie will fight offensively for one round at full capacity, then at half the previous round’s DP (halves rounded down) the next. After that if it is not rendered inanimate, it will flee. Use of this power grants the necromancer an extra escape roll for each round that the creature fights.

BO2: Soul Stealing: This power allows the necromancer to temporarily snatch the soul out of the target host. The player makes a resisted roll against the target. Success indicates the soul is taken from the body, creating a wraith-like spirit that retains its normal dice pool, but may make no physical actions. During this time the body is technically alive, but catatonic and can now be used for BO3: Daemonic Possession.

BO3: Daemonic Possession: The necromancer can take any willing spirit and insert it into any recently dead-or vacated-body. Recently dead mortal bodies inevitably continue to decompose, however the spirit does have a temporary for a full week (the point at which the body becomes too far gone). The spirit (ghost or astral projection) MUST be willing to inhabit the freshly dead body, or else this power automatically fails. The necromancer makes a resisted roll against the target body’s former-dice pool. If successful, the spirit may inhabit the body. Note that the possessed body now effectively two sets of stats: Physical and Mental. For all physical actions the possessed body uses the dice pool of the host, this includes all physical Disciplines the host may have possessed (Potence, Protean, Vicissitude, etc.). For all mental actions, the possessed body uses the dice pool of its spirit possessor, and all mental Disciplines the host possessed (Dominate, Auspex, Presence, etc.).

THE ASH PATH (AS)

This path is concerned with peering into, communicating with, and affecting items in the lands of the dead. It is also the most dangerous to master because in many cases it increases the necromancer’s exposure to wraiths on their home turf. All powers on this path are assumed to require at least one blood point’s expenditure. An ST should oversee all uses of the Ash Path, to play the part of spirits and spectres summoned and to mediate information gathered.

AS1: Lifeless Tongues: With this power, the necromancer can peer across the veil to perceive ghosts in their natural habitat, and communicate with them. Once this power has been activated, the vampire can continue to use Lifeless Tongues without further blood expense, and the power can be activated without rolls. Note, however, that observant wraiths are likely to notice when a vampire starts watching the residents of the Shadowlands, which may have unfortunate consequences.

AS2: Dead Hand: This power literally allows the necromancer to reach across the Shroud and affect the Shadowlands. He becomes able to attack-and be attacked by-wraiths and pick up ghostly items for inspection, climb Shadowlands architecture (giving real-world bystanders the impression that he is climbing on thin air!) etc. Ghosts are completely solid to the vampire using this power, including any ghostly weapons they may have. Once this power has been activated, the vampire can continue to use Dead Hand for a scene without further blood expense, and the power can be activated without rolls. Further uses, however, require additional expenditure of blood.

AS3: Ex Nihilo: The necromancer can now step completely into the lands of the dead, leaving the Skinlands behind him. While in the lands of the dead, he is essentially an ultra-solid ghost, retaining his normal dice pool and health pool, the use of only mental Disciplines and the blood that he brings with him. This power is extremely taxing and dangerous as it opens the necromancer up to Final Death; a character killed in the Shadowlands is gone forever, sucked into the maelstrom and beyond the reach of even powerful other necromancers. To activate the power, a doorway must first be drawn with three blood points of the vampire’s own blood, and a roll is made difficulty 9. If successful, the doorway opens and the necromancer steps through. Returning to the Skinlands merely requires concentration, assuming he is not too deeply immersed.

Wraiths and the Necromancers

Ghosts. Phantoms. The restless dead. Call them what you like, these malingering spirits of departed mortals have been around as long as Cainites have, perhaps longer. Many call themselves wraiths, and they are bound to the living world by some Passion, some unfinished business in the warm realms. Not every dead mortal manifests as one of the Restless, but all who do so retain links to people, places or things from their lives. Such physical anchors can sway the emotion-driven existences of wraiths, who sustain themselves with strong emotions much as Kindred do with blood.

As any victim of a haunting can attest, wraiths, though normally incorporeal, can appear among the living in a variety of guises and through a range of powers similar to vampiric Disciplines. The invisibly hurled plate, the sourceless whisper, the worm-riddled visage that flickers at the edge of perception - are all in a wraith's bag of tricks, and Cainites are not immune to such magics. Haunted vampires are doubly damned, and such unfortunates typically find themselves shunned by Kindred society. But wraiths can't howl and rattle their way around the Skinlands - the warm world, where people still have skin - with impunity. Impeding them is the shroud, a spiritual wall that separates the living from the dead.

Most Cainites, save the Giovanni clan, manage to elude any entanglement with wraiths. Vampires who do otherwise sometimes regret their actions. A dead person with a grudge against a vampire can be an annoyance (by frightening off prey) or a threat (by directing wraithly powers at the target of his ire).

*Wraiths "feed" on emotion; this recharges their passion pool, which is used to power their magical abilities. Kindred in frenzy may actually find themselves strengthening a ghostly opponent.

*Wraiths manifest most effectively in "haunted" sites and places where great suffering or trauma has left a psychic residue (battlefields, torture chambers, the bridge where a suicide leapt, etc.). In such places, the Shroud between the worlds of the living and the dead is weak.

*Cainites' physicality and wraiths' incorporeality make conventional fights between them out of the question. Vampires can influence one of the Restless by manipulating her fetters (objects or persons important to the ghost in life), or they can affect a wraith directly with Thaumaturgy, Necromancy, or other Disciplines. Conversely, wraiths can possess mortals in order to attack a Cainite, or they can invisibly propel inanimate objects.

*Wraiths are normally invisible unless they choose to be seen. Vampires can perceive them through Auspex, however.

*Some Giovanni have encountered ghosts of true malice and hatred, who set about making their would-be masters' lives an absolute misery. These dark spirits seem to "live" only for inflicting pain, and indeed seem to thrive on it. Other ghosts seem to fear them, and refer to them as spectres.

*Wraiths can affect the lands of the living, albeit with great effort. In the Shadowlands, however, they can easily inflict damage to the foolish who invade their home turf.

Recently Deceased:This newly made wraith is most likely quite cocky and still has significant ties with the mortal world. However, he is inexperienced about the ways of the Underworld and the supernatural, often leading to a few rude surprises.

Equivalent Disciplines: Auspex, Chimerstry, Dementation, Dominate, Vicissitude.

Dice pool: Treat their DP/HP/BP as an 11th generation vampire without rank (7 dice). They have up to 2nd Tier in the above listed Disciplines.

Spectre:Death and time have not improved this wraith in the least. Perhaps he died with such rage and hate in his heart that his dark side consumed him utterly upon death, or perhaps his bitterness slowly drove him into darkness.

Whatever the reason, he now keeps fear and pain as his companions. Spectres seem to communicate by way of a shared consciousness, and if one requires aid, at least three more will answer his summons.

Equivalent Disciplines: Auspex, Chimerstry, Dementation, Obfuscate, Obtenebration, Presence, Protean, Vicissitude.

Dice pool: Treat their DP/HP/BP as an 9th generation vampire without rank (9 dice). They have up to 3rd Tier in the above listed Disciplines.

Old Soul:She may have been dead for a decade or centuries. Those of such power are not often seen in the Shadowlands, as time has worn away some of their connections to the mortal world. Those who do appear are considered some of the strongest and most feared wraiths.

Equivalent Disciplines: Auspex, Chimerstry, Dementation, Dominate, Presence, Thaumaturgy (The Lure of Flames, Movement of the Mind), Vicissitude.

Dice pool: Treat their DP/HP/BP as an 7th generation vampire without rank (13 dice). They have up to 4th Tier in the above listed Disciplines.

Note: As with all of the three types, their Strength is at 0 in the Skinlands, which means that disciplines other than direct combat would have to suffice, unless fighting another wraith, or a kindred by some means becoming spiritlike. In the shadowlands, these are all forces to be reckoned with, which could mean increased dice pool in their "turf" and what not.

THAUMATURGY (TH)

The most diverse and deadly of the Blood Magic Disciplines rooted in the Hermetic traditions of House and Clan Tremere. The Warlocks’ mastery and near-monopoly of this power is the reason that they were so successful in gaining (begrudged) acknowledgement by the other Clans, and the unending hatred of the Tzimisce for usurping their place as master sorcerers of the night. Regardless of Path, any use of Thaumaturgy requires the expenditure of a blood point and a roll versus a difficulty of the power’s level +5, so a first tier power rolls versus difficulty 6, etc.

THE PATH OF BLOOD (PB)

Studied by almost all Tremere and often as the primary path, the Path of Blood is the epitome of the fundamental principles of Thaumaturgy and the basis of all other Paths in its techniques for manipulating the blood of Kindred.

PB1: A Taste For Blood: This power was developed as a means of testing an enemy’s strength. By tasting the blood of a subject, the Thaumaturge can determine how much vitae remains in his system, the tendency of his blood, how recently he has fed, and-with six or more successes-whether he has diablerized recently. For every two successes scored on the roll, the Thaumaturge learns another piece of information about his subject’s blood.

PB2: Theft Of Vitae: A Thaumaturge using this power literally siphons the vitae from her target. Not even needing contact, the blood literally streams from the target from the eyes, nose, ears, mouth and any other available orifice (though the vitae is mystically absorbed and need not enter through the mouth). A resisted roll is made (only once per combat, if used in such a situation), the margin of success indicating the number of blood points the Thaumaturge may siphon from the subject (minus the initial expenditure to use Thaumaturgy, of course). The user of this power may not exceed her normal maximum blood pool. Note that using this power is like drinking from the target, and used three times from the same Kindred will create a blood bond.

PB3: Cauldron Of Blood: This excruciating power literally boils the blood of the target, causing damage from within as well as render an amount of their blood useless. A resisted roll is made (only once per combat, if used in such a situation), the margin of success indicating the number of blood points boiled. Not only does the target lose a number of blood points equal to the net successes, but he also takes an equal amount of damage as the blood boils inside his system. This damage is automatic and can ONLY be resisted if the target possesses

Fortitude, in which case the target may make a roll of ½ (half) of his DP (difficulty 6), subtracting any successes from the damage taken.

THE PATH OF CONJURING (PC)

The user of this Path allows the Thaumaturge to literally invoke objects, limited only by the Thaumaturge’s mind and mastery, from midair. Conjured items are inevitably generic-a knife is a knife-and two objects thus conjured would appear exactly alike. Conjurations are also limited by the size of the Thaumaturge himself.

PC1: Permanency: The Thaumaturge may summon a simple form and make it real and permanent. A simple form can be no more complicated than a melee weapon or a simple box. Weapons summoned in this way have the same statistics as the “real” objects listed on the weapon tables above. Objects created by Permanency cost three blood points.

PC2: Magic Of The Smith: Similar to Permanency, only the Thaumaturge may now summon more complex items such as guns, bicycles or chainsaws. The ability to conjure particularly complex items requires knowledge of such items. Objects created by Magic Of The Smith cost five blood points.

PC3: Power Over Life: While not creating actual life, this power does produce impressive facsimiles of it. Creatures (or even people) conjured have no free will, and will instead act on simple instructions given by the Thaumaturge, even attacking on his behalf. Creatures remain for one week, after which time they fade away from reality. Creatures created by Power Over Life cost ten blood points. If used in combat, the creature will have a dice pool of the Thaumaturge’s Max Tier Rating multiplied by 3 (see section 5.a for this rating). The creature will fight offensively for one round at full capacity, then at half the previous round’s DP (halves rounded down) the next. After that if it is not killed, it will simply become catatonic. Use of this power grants the Thaumaturge an extra escape roll for each round that the creature fights

THE PATH OF CORRUPTION (PU)

Primarily a mental and spiritual Path, this Path centres on influencing a subject’s psyche. While it cannot be used to issue commands, like Dominate, or change emotions, like Presence, it can be used to subtly twist a subject’s actions, morals and thoughts. Those who learn this Path deal intimately with dark desires and must have a good understanding of the heart. The effects of this power are primarily role played, and therefore reliant on the player of the victim. Failure to properly depict these effects is considered cheating, and if necessary an ST will take over that character for the duration.

PU1: Contradict: The Thaumaturge may interrupt a subject’s thought processes, forcing the victim to reverse his current course of action. While the results are never precisely known in advance, they almost always have a more negative affect for the target than the original intent was. The target rolls against the Thaumaturge’s roll, difficulty 6. Success for the Thaumaturge indicates the subject changes his mind immediately. If the target wins by two successes or more, he will be immediately aware that some outside force influenced him, but not exactly whom.

PU2: Dissociate: Acting on the principle of Divide and Conquer, this power is used to insert barriers to social intercourse. Great friends may become cooled to each other, while weaker personal ties can become destroyed altogether. The character must touch the subject, who then rolls to resist difficulty 6. A Thaumaturge’s success determines the duration of the effect in days.

PU3: Addiction: Exactly as it sounds, the Thaumaturge makes the character become addicted to a sensation, substance or action to which she wants him to become addicted. She then touches the target and makes a resisted roll, the Thaumaturge rolling at the difficulty set by the level of this power and the target rolling difficulty 6. If the Thaumaturge is successful, the character becomes addicted. For every night he doesn’t get his fix, he suffers a 1DP penalty on all actions until he does. Addiction lasts for a number of weeks equal to the net successes scored.

ELEMENTAL MASTERY (EM)

Not, as some believe, the mastery of the four basic elements (air, earth, fire, water) but rather a control over, and communion with, inanimate objects even enabling them to move as if alive. This grants no control over living matter, so a tree cannot be made to walk, but a wooden puppet could be.

EM1: Wooden Tongues: The Thaumaturge is able to communicate with the spirit of an inanimate object, conversing with it in a limited fashion. Generally, rocks and lawn ornaments don’t have a lot to say for themselves, but use of this power can yield incredibly illuminating facts if one can ask the right question. The greater the number of successes on the roll, the more detailed the information the object can give. An ST should mediate this power.

EM2: Animate The Unmoving: Using this power, the Thaumaturge may direct an object to move as if alive. It cannot make an object do anything that it could not normally do-such as a door jumping off its hinges-but it can twist a seemingly solid object into movement, for example a stool could walk or run on its legs. For every success on the roll, the vampire can control one inanimate object. Guns can be twisted out of their owners’ hands and statues can be made to move like normal people. In fact, the power is quite diverse. But because of the concentration required, it cannot be used during combat.

EM3: Elemental Form: The vampire can take the shape of any inanimate form of roughly the same mass as himself. A desk or bicycle would be viable, while a house or a pen would not. At least four successes on the roll are required to use senses and Disciplines while in this altered state. The character may return to his normal form at will.

THE LURE OF FLAMES (LF)

The Thaumaturge learning this path gains control of mystical flames that he conjures forth. This Path is feared, and rightly so, because fire is one of the surest ways to bring death to vampires. The Lure of Flames functions slightly differently to other Paths. Rather than having individual powers at each level, each level increases the size and damage a use of this Path can bring forth. Use of this Path is almost always martial in nature, so descriptions are written in terms of combative affects. As with all Discipline uses, the flame must be declared before all rolls are made, so if an attack is unsuccessful after having declared use of the Lure of Flames, it still counts as a usage of that power for that combat. Note that fire summoned by this Path has no effects but as illumination until released, at which point it burns objects including the Thaumaturge, if it gets out of control-just as any normal flame would. At the storyteller’s discretion, those witnessing use of this Path-especially once the flames are released-should check for Rötshreck.

LF1: Palm of flame: Up to a fist’s size of fire, which can be released to increase the Thaumaturge’s damage by +1 on any successful attack.LF2: Campfire: Up to a bonfire’s size of flame, which can be released once per combat to increase the Thaumaturge’s damage by +2 on a successful attack.LF3: Inferno: Up to a large cloud of flame, which can be released once per combat to increase the Thaumaturge’s damage by +4 on a successful attack.

THE GREEN PATH (GP)

Use of this path grants control over plant matter of all sorts. From controlling vines to speeding growth to unearthing great trees as large, animated flora. While all but the highest tiers are not all that impressive to observe (compared to, say, Lure of Flames), they are as subtly powerful as the natural world they affect.

GP1: Speed The Season’s Passing: This power allows the Thaumaturge to speed up a plant’s growth so that a tree can go from a sapling to a tree overnight. Alternatively, death and decay can be sped up, killing plants and withering wooden stakes with a touch. Under normal circumstances, the number of successes indicates how much the plant grows or withers. In combat, any wooden weapon used against the Thaumaturge runs the risk of being withered in its wielders hand. Should the Thaumaturge beat his opponent by three successes, the weapon’s becomes useless. If the weapon is a stake then the Thaumaturge must win by five successes to completely wither the stake before it reaches his heart.

GP2: Dance of Vines: The vampire can animate any vegetation with a mass equal to or less than his own for utilitarian or combative purposes. While it cannot be used to uproot vegetation, potted plants can be used to stretch nearby and leaves can be told to walk across a desk. The successes on the roll indicate the number of

turns the Thaumaturge can cause the flora to be animated. For every two turns, the Thaumaturge must spend another blood point or be forced to recast this power. Fauna being used to interfere with an opponent act as a second combatant with half the character’s own dice and health pools for as many turns as the Thaumaturge continues to animate it.

GP3: Verdant Haven: While other mystical havens involve interring the vampire into a substance (Protean, Visceratika and Way of Water for example), this power knits the very vegetation around the Thaumaturge to provide her with temporary shelter from the sun. Obviously, this power requires sufficient vegetation to cover the vampire. It takes three turns for the vegetation to knit together and form the haven, which appears as a dome that is rather obviously unnatural to even a casual observer, and thus isn’t all that stealthy. Characters attempting to enter the haven must make a roll at the same difficulty of the Thaumaturge, and score more successes than the caster to break their way in. The haven provides ample shelter from sunlight during the day as long as the Thaumaturge rolled at least four successes when constructing the haven.

HANDS OF DESTRUCTION (HD)

Not widely seen outside of the Sabbat, this Path is one of the most widely feared and is oft refused by conscientious Tremere solely on the strength of rumours that it has its roots in infernal pacts with demons. It causes living victims extreme pain as the Thaumaturge attacks the very matter that makes them live, and can even kill mortals outright.

HD1: Decay: This power accelerates the decay of inanimate objects. If the roll is successful then the object ages ten years for every minute contact is held. Thus, it is at a storyteller’s discretion how fast an object decays. Wood may take mere moments, while a section of wall could take an hour or even longer. If contact is broken then another blood point and another roll must be made to continue the decay.

HD2: Acidic Touch: This power secretes a bilious acid from any portion of the body and is capable of corroding metal, destroying wood and causes horrendous chemical burns to skin. This power costs one blood point for every turn that the Thaumaturge secretes this acid, and in combat it deals 2HP damage to the opponent in any successful touch (parry/attack).

HD3: Atrophy: At a touch, the Thaumaturge can wither a victim’s limb, leaving a desiccated husk that is useless. The effect is instantaneous and, in mortals, permanent. Once per combat the Thaumaturge may declare use of this power. On any successful attack or defence, the net successes between the two dice rolls are dealt as damage to the opponent. Additionally, that number of dice is removed from the target’s dice pool for the remainder of combat.

MOVEMENT OF THE MIND (MM)

Like the Lure of Flames, Movement of the Mind is based around increases in potency rather than specific functions at different levels. It is, essentially, telekinesis made possibly by using the mystic powers of vampiric vitae. In all senses of the description, this power allows the Thaumaturge to lift, spin, juggle and throw objects without touching them. A Thaumaturge may levitate himself at the second tier, and at the third tier “thrown” objects can be thrown with enough force to actually do damage (see the weapons chart in the combat section for thrown weapon statistics). Attempts to use Movement of the Mind on an unwilling subject require a resisted roll. In combat however, Movement of the Mind may be used to either raise the difficulty of an escaping target (by 1 per Tier of this path), or to add damage (by 2 HP per Tier of this path) to any successful Attack or Parry.

MM1: Manipulate up to 20lbsMM2: Manipulate up to 200lbs, or himself or another person.MM3: Manipulate up to 1,000lbs, himself or another person, or throw an object hard enough to do damage.

NEPTUNE’S MIGHT (NM)

Enjoying a small but devoted following, Neptune’s Might is concerned with the manipulation of water. Primarily dealing with standing bodies of water, there are nevertheless some disturbing powers to be found within this Path’s mastery.

NM1: Eyes Of The Sea: By peering into the water, the Thaumaturge is able to see events that have transpired on, in or around the water. The number of successes determines how far in the past the vampire may look in days.

NM2: Blood To Water: Blood to Water allows the Thaumaturge to simply convert the blood in the target’s system to water. In this way, vampires are weakened and mortals can even be killed outright. A resisted roll is made (only once per combat, if used in such a situation), the margin of success indicating the number of blood points changed in this fashion. Not only does the target lose a number of blood points equal to the net successes, but a vampire also takes an amount of damage equal to half that number as the blood changes inside his system while mortals take the full amount. This damage is automatic.

NM3: Dehydrate: Where Blood to Water changes blood into water, this power attacks the very liquid stuff that makes up the body, making it disappear to leave behind a withered husk of a body. A resisted roll is made (only once per combat, if used in such a situation), the margin of success indicating the margin of success. Vampires lose blood points in this fashion, whilst mortals lose health points. If a vampire has no more blood points to surrender, then it deals health points instead.

THE PATH OF TECHNOMANCY (PT)

The most recent development of Thaumaturgy is also one that has seen little use outside of the United States. It focuses not only on computers, but also on all electronic devices from electronic watches to televisions. Its practitioners often tout it as a prime example of Thaumaturgy’s diversity in the face of a rapidly changing world.

PT1: Analyse: With the rate of development that mortals progress these days, a Thaumaturge must be able to constantly adapt his techniques with the times. This power allows the Thaumaturge to touch any electronic equipment, or a computer containing a new piece of software, and gain momentary insight into its purpose and function. While one success may grant the vampire a basic understanding of its function, five or more successes allows him to fully grasp the device’s potential.

PT2: Burnout: Sensitive electronics are no exception to the rule that it is easier to destroy than to create. By focusing on a system within his line of sight, the Thaumaturge can cause the device to temporarily or permanently fail. Some systems are heavily protected against power surges and spikes, and in these cases the computer system may resist with half of its programmer’s dice pool. Generic government and business systems resist with a dice pool of 5. The number of net successes determines the result. 1 success = Momentary interruption, but no permanent damage. 2 successes = Significant loss of function for the rest of the scene. 3 successes = Total loss of function until the device is repaired. 4 successes = Total loss of function, and significant loss of function even after repair. 5+ successes = Total write off, completely unsalvageable.

PT3: Telecommute: The Thaumaturge may not only remotely operate a single electronic device; he may use communication devices to interact with other devices all around the world. He literally projects his consciousness into satellite uplinks, ISDN lines and fibre-optic cables. Whilst immersed in the digital world, the Thaumaturge may use lesser powers on any device he comes across. This power requires a touch to any communication device, and then the roll is made as normal. Telecommute lasts for half an hour of real-time per success rolled, and also indicates the range of his projection. 1 success = 25 miles, 2 successes = 250 miles, 3 successes = 1000 miles, 4 successes = 5000 miles, 5+ successes = anywhere in the world, and telecommunication satellites.

SPIRIT MANIPULATION (SM)

Use of this power allows the Thaumaturge to manipulate spirits into doing things they wouldn’t normally do, an extension of the time the Tremere spent as Hermetic Magi. While this can be incredibly useful, it is well worth noting that this can open the Thaumaturge up to danger if the spirit is given a chance to retaliate for being forced. A botch on any roll in this Path frees the spirit to attack the Thaumaturge. Spirits follow the same rules for spirit wraiths, as described under Necromancy above. An ST should oversee all uses of Spirit Manipulation, to play the part of spirits summoned, commanded and to mediate information gathered.

SM1: Hermetic Sight: Use of this power enables the Thaumaturge to perceive the spirit world, either by peering deeply into it or by seeing the presence of nearby spirits as a hazy overlay on the material world. This does not, however, allow the Thaumaturge to peer into the Shadowlands of the dead, or the Dreaming of the fae. If the

Thaumaturge rolls less than four successes in activating this power, he is at +2 difficulty on all actions in the material realm while he continues to perceive the spirit realm.

SM2: Voice of Command: This power is potentially the most dangerous, allowing the Thaumaturge to issue commands to spirits against their will but also opening the vampire up to considerable dangers should he fail. Note that the spirit is well aware that it is being forced to do the task, and may well seek revenge at a later date. The spirit resists and the net successes determines the result: True Botch = The spirit is immune to further attempts to command it for the rest of the night, and may well taunt and attack the Thaumaturge. Failure = The spirit is unaffected and further attempts to command that night are at +1 difficulty (cumulative). The spirit may also taunt or attack the Thaumaturge. 1 success = The spirit obeys a very simple command that is of no great inconvenience to it. 2 successes = The spirit heeds a relatively straightforward command that it is not innately opposed to performing. 3 successes = The spirit agrees to perform a moderately complex task that does not violate its ethics. 4 successes = The spirit consents to an extended task that does not place it in immediate danger. 5+ successes = The spirit accepts a lengthy or nigh-impossible task, or one that may well mean its destruction.

SM3: Duality: The Thaumaturge cannot fully interact with the spirit world, and exists on both planes at once. He may pick up objects in one plane of existence, and place them in the other and vice versa. Beings and landscapes in both are completely solid to him, which, while useful, can also open the Thaumaturge to attack from both planes. Successes determine the amount of time in hours that the Thaumaturge can interact with both realms. Less than three successes on this roll indicate that he is at +2 difficulty on all actions due to the distraction of dual perception. For basic physics the character is considered to be in the material world physically (standing at ground level there, rather than in the spirit realm). Botching this roll tears the vampire from the physical world and traps him in the spirit realm. The character is trapped for a number of weeks equal to the number of 1s rolled.

WEATHER CONTROL (WC)

Thought to predate the Tremere themselves, this path allows the Thaumaturge to literally alter weather patterns, bringing them under her direct control. While lower mastery allows the Thaumaturge to affect smaller changes, greater mastery can conjure storms and out of season weather, even bringing down lightening to strike her foes.

WC1: The Thaumaturge may bring in fog, summon up rain showers, affect a few degrees of temperature change or start light to moderate winds. Rain increases the difficulty of perception rolls by +2

WC2: the Thaumaturge may summon snow, even out of season, affect temperature changes of moderate degree, and call in gale force winds that increase the difficulties of physical actions by +2.

WC3: Lightening Strike: The pinnacle of this power, the Thaumaturge may summon up a storm from nowhere. This may take several turns in fair weather, but once the storm is in effect it has the combined effects of rain (see WC1) and gale force winds (see WC2). The Thaumaturge must accumulate ten successes over several rounds on normal Thaumaturgy dice rolls (during combat, the vampire may only parry/defend while doing so). The accumulation of these successes indicates that the storm has enough power to call lightening strikes. During combat, the Thaumaturge declares a lightening strike and opts to parry/defend. If he wins the roll, then a further roll of ten dice difficulty 6 is made, with the result being applied to the opponent in additional damage. Body armour is not a defence against this form of attack. The Thaumaturge may use this power only on alternate rounds.

SECTION 6 - CURRENT OFFICIALS

#VampireHall has a well-formed and maintained government for OOC (Out Of Character) and IC (In Character) matters. A standard pyramid or hierarchy of leadership and command governs the channel in any and all matters. A strict rule of process must be followed at all times when in #VampireHall to assure a stress free environment for not only the players, but the chain of command as well.

Players; when seeking assistance of any kind, whether it be to ask for help, or make a complaint; should always start at the lowest end of the chain of command, and allow the hierarchy of leadership to function at it's preordained pace and manner. Thus, if a player has an issue that can be resolved by simply going to their clan representative, then no, they should not see anyone about the problem other than said representative. If this fails due to being unable to contact the representative, or simple failure to perform on behalf of the representative, then the Player may go on to contact an AOp or a Temp Op to process and resolve the issue. Players are NOT to go directly to an SOp or the Channel Owner on ANY issue unless the problem in question involves a particular person within the #VampireHall chain of command.

Even so, the Channel Owner should ALWAYS be the 'last ditch effort'. Problems must also be presented in a calm, collect, and mature manner, whether it be on the forums or in message with the Representative or Op in question. Logs of events may or may not be asked for, as with meetings between all parties involved and a Mediating Op or Representative.

Methuselahs, being an IC rank, are not always of the #VampireHall chain of command OOC, however are trusted individuals that may or may not be willing to give aid when they feel so inclined. NEVER expect a Methuselah who is not a #VampireHall staff member, to do anything within the chain of command. If they do anything, it is simply out of kindness, and as it is well known, kindness is often a thankless act, no matter how appreciated it may be. Due process must at all times, be observed, and obeyed. Below is a list of the current hierarchy and pertinent positions of power and leadership. This list may not always be accurate, as changes in said hierarchy may change between releases of new Lex versions.

Founder Head SOp SOps AOps Temp OpsMikal Casius }Eddie{ Dominik `Pogo`

iHeretic Silver`Fang Lidia`ArdetteCori|OOC Infected_Goblinjen_ Ace0fSpadesJessie`Bebe `Pax (vacation)The`KittyRoo Mark|OOC``Danath ^Raziel^ScrewFace

Head Storytellers StorytellersAce0fSpades (Coordinator) CasiusScrewFace iHeretic

ArchEvil

* If your name is not on the ST list, you are not authorized to Storytell unless you are a clan Rep, and then you may only ST clan storylines. (The bartender may be ST’ed by any Op) Reps are listed below.

Clan RepresentativeINDEPENDENTS INDEPENDENTS

Assamite ^Anastacia^ Caitiff Maya_Sevan Followers of Set Leisha`CorbinGangrel Zaria`Dane Giovanni Armando`GiovanniRavnos jen_CAMARILLA CAMARILLABrujah Bronwyne_Darke Malkavian ``Danath`` Nosferatu David_AndersToreador Noire`Lange Tremere Lidia`ArdetteVentrue GraceFairmontSABBAT SABBATClans & Bloodlines Gregory_ThadesAntitribu Clans Harun-al-RachidOTHERS OTHERSRare Bloodlines ScrewFaceGhouls, Revenants, & Mortals Bastion`Pendragon

BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP

SOPsAll things channel related.

AOPsKeep role-play going at all times. Settle player disputes. Maintain professionalism in the public eye at all times. Coordinate with other Ops and Storytellers. Op combat. Anything asked of you by an SOp. Always help and greet newcomers, making them feel welcomed.

TEMP OPsSee AOp duties. Also do anything asked of you by an AOp.

StorytellersCoordinate with the Head ST. Do as asked by the Head ST. Keep role-play going at all times. STICK TO THE HEAD ST'S PLANS! Aid the Head ST in storyline development and execution. Do anything asked of you by an Op of higher station. Aid newcomers whenever necessary, or Ops whenever needed.

RepresentativesRegister characters, greet newcomers, recruit for your grouping, and inform all those within your grouping. Moderate the forums within your given section. Keep role-play going. Keep lists, and help wherever needed.

SECTION 7 - CURRENT METHUSELAHS

Ancient Methuselahs Elder Methuselahs MethuselahsMikal - Ravnos Vres - Tzimisce Koldun ThunderAngel - RavnosCasius - Tzimisce Koldun Luka`Celina - Tzimisce Koldun ScrewFace - Unknown

SECTION 8 - CURRENT OFFICIAL #VAMPIREHALL CHANNELS

In Character Channels:

#vampirehall The main downstairs room.#vh_alcove Intimate private area away from the main room.#vh_arena Place for authorized fights by Prince.#vh_balcony Landing that surrounds the inside of the hall.#vh_common Boston commons, the park outside the hall.#vh_dungeon Dungeon below the hall.#vh_garden A part of the commons where butterflies fly.#vh_outside Any place outside the hall not listed above.#vh_terrace Terrace outside hall facing downtown Boston.#vh_beach A beach with rocky cliffs.#vh_Sabbat The Sabbat haven, wherever it may be.

Out Of Character Channels:

#vh_dice Dice channel#vh_plottingevilthings OOC and help channel#kindred_senate OOC Meeting channel#bloodlines Op & ST only channel - all SOps, AOps, Temp Ops, and STs must idle here when on.

*Note: These are all legal channels, however a SOp may legalize any channel for fighting if they feel so inclined.

SECTION 9 - OFFICIAL #VAMPIREHALL SITES & RESOURCES

Mikal - [email protected]

Casius - [email protected]

Website - Coming Soon

Forums - http://forums.vampirenights.org

Clan Database - Coming Soon

Resources & Books - http://www.white-wolf.com

SECTION 10 - CREDITS

CREDITS:

Initial write-ups: Disciplines:Mikal MikalCasius Casiusjen_ iHereticSilver`Fang jen_ScrewFace ScrewFaceiHeretic Silver`FangJoytoy ``Danath``}Eddie{ `Pogo`

Clan/Sect write-ups: Charts & Dice Pools:Silver`Fang Casiusjen_ jen_ScrewFace iHereticCasius `Pogo`iHeretic`Pogo` Final Editing:``Danath`` iHeretic

MikalCasius``Danath``jen_SilverFang`Pogo`

Special thanks goes out to everyone that aided in the making of this version of the Lex, past and present whether you're on the above list or not. As always many thanks go out to #VampireHall's dedicated players, without you, this wouldn't be worth a damn. For those who left us, we hope to see you again, and if not, take care, and best of luck in your future endeavors.

One last note of thanks goes out to all those who helped in the development of past Lex versions. Without you, we'd be nowhere.Har|equin, Ineluki, Mikal, Casius, }Eddie{, ScrewFace, Iggy, Sun, Autumn Magnus, Katherynn, Sharodyn, Nexus Magus, Jon Constantine, Gerald Tarrant, Spider B, Dark, Chant, Rose, Susurrus, Ashlyn, Tza, Arc, Carmy, }{aily, kit, `Tia, Al-Ashrad, Mortina, Rakdanit, Drake, iHeretic, canth?, Ine's mom, and Ine's pet turtle - and all the others of whom never got credit for the help they gave.

ON A FINAL NOTE: Certain things such as Rare disciplines, Expanded Blood Magic, Clan/Bloodline/Family weaknesses, True Faith, Numina, and Rituals, have been left out of this version. The next full revision of the Lex will include these and several other items, as well as changes to preserve balance, etc. Thank you for your continued patience and support. Game on.- Casius -

LEXTALIONIS 2003 version a - Web viewNone may challenge thy word in thy domain. ... or need to dig...

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