Custom Blood Magic: Path
Some chronicles allow for their players to develop customized powers for their characters. The following is a compilation of player created custom content in OWBN. At this time, custom content that is created and/or used by vampire PC's is required to be listed.
A cornerstone of many Afro-Caribbean religions is a focus on community. Civilizations rise and fall, but what holds communities together through it all is a reliance on agreements and oaths. To endorse such agreements, contracts and the like often take on an air of ritual under the auspices of Ayelala. As the Orisha of oaths and divination, some Wangateurs began the practice of invoking her name during negotiations, and over centuries the practice developed into Ayelala’s Accord.
Ayelala’s Accord is subtle art. Most who are subjected to its authority are never aware of the Orisha’s touch. Its use does not manifest in overt hand gestures or mystical phrases, and even supernatural attempts to detect its use must be made as contested challenges against the Wangateur.
Challenges relating to Ayelala’s Accord retest using the Occult ability.
• Ayelala’s Authority
Whether or not an oath is sealed in Ayelala’s name, the Orisha’s province of justice and judgment gives her the ability to see those connections as plain as day. Invoking this authority can verify whether or not such an oath exists.
System: Spend a Blood Trait and make a Static Mental Challenge. If successful, the caster learns the nature of any oaths, pacts, bonds, or spiritual ties (Blood Bonds, covenants, Infernal Bargains, etc.), current or broken, between the target and any other beings (note that this does not inherently reveal to whom such connections are to).
• • Straying from Trust
Agreements are the foundation of community. While it is possible to conceal the breaking of an ordinary covenant, the violation of an oath confirmed with Ayelala’s Accord never remains hidden for long.
System: Whenever an explicit agreement is made (either a promise, an oath, a deal, etc.), either verbal or written, you may spend 1 Willpower Trait to formalize it. The Wangateur is automatically made aware when a formalized agreement has been broken or violated, and they may make a Static Mental Challenge (difficulty determined by the Storyteller) to ascertain the details of the violation.
• • • Peer Through Truth
For those who invoke Ayelala’s domain to pursue her justice in the world, the oaths others make are like open books. A Wangateur skilled enough in Ayelala’s Accord can determine the specific terms of an agreement an individual has made, simply by studying their soul.
System: The caster spends 1 Blood Trait and makes a Static Mental Challenge against their victim. If successful, they learn the details of one of the target’s oaths (pacts, bonds, or spiritual ties). The caster must be aware of the oath's existence beforehand, either through Ayelala’s Authority or some other means (random guesses or rumors are not sufficient justification, and the Storyteller should be on the lookout to prevent such abuse).
• • • • Many Eyes of Ayelala
It is not unheard of for those who form unfavorable compacts to attempt an escape from their responsibilities. Fortunately, Ayelala’s mastery of divination enables her to locate those who have confirmed oaths in her name to ensure they pay their debts.
System: Many Eyes of Ayelala may only be performed upon a target who has engaged in an oath which the Wangateur has sealed with Straying from Trust. The caster spends 1 Blood Trait and makes a Static Mental Challenge. If successful, the caster gains intuitive knowledge of the oath swearer's exact location, and may engage in a second Mental Challenge against the target in order to remotely observe the individual and their surroundings for the duration of a scene. This power works even if the target is in another plane of existence.
• • • • • Fulfilling the Vow
The responsibility for fulfilling one’s promises lies with everyone. Sometimes people choose to run from their debts, and sometimes they simply cannot meet their obligations. Regardless of the reason, Ayelala is unrelenting in her demand for justice when it comes to the fulfillment of an oath. She has even been known to visit death upon those who make promises they are incapable of keeping.
System: The Wangateur spends 1 Willpower Trait and makes a Mental Challenge against their target. Success compels the target to complete the terms agreed upon under Straying from Trust, with all due haste and to the best of their ability. The target will take all possible precautions to avoid situations that might prevent them from the completion of their agreement (such as revealing their situation to sympathetic allies). In the event that a Kindred target has agreed to terms which they are incapable of fulfilling, they instead succumb to torpor which lasts the normal duration set by their Humanity or Path of Enlightenment rating. Should the victim be a non-Kindred, they instead suffer 5 unsoakable levels of aggravated damage which cannot be absorbed, negated, redirected, or otherwise affected, and which can only be healed at a rate of one health level per month regardless of any supernatural healing the victim may possess or seek out.
Chango's Grace
Once a proud Yoruban king, Chango enjoys immense popularity among the the devout of the Santeria faith. He and his wife, Oya, wield the power of lightning as their favored weapon, making their mark on any battlefield they cross. By forging an association with these two Orisha's, a Cainite can borrow a small portion of Chango's and Oya's power for themselves, to devastating effect. Some would claim that the Wangateur is merely imitating a powerful deity, but the faithful know the truth; that their lightning is a blessing bestowed upon them by a proud king and his fierce queen.
Basic - Chango's Spiteful Vigor
Virility is one of Chango's most well-known traits. He is often depicted as youthful and passionate. Chango's Spiteful Vigor allows the caster to channel some of that excess energy into anyone he comes into contact with, momentarily filling them with more vigor than their body is capable of handling, and causing it to spasm out of control.
The Cainite needs only spend 1 Blood Trait. Electricity crackles around the vampire's eyes and at their fingertips. This is enough to ignite readily flammable materials (such as gasoline or cloth, though not wood). Anyone who comes in contact with the caster suffers the negative physical trait of Clumsy for the rest of the turn, as the shock causes their body to briefly twitch uncontrollably. Once activated, this power lasts for an hour or the scene, or until the Cainite decides to cancel it's effects.
Basic - Favored Arms
Both Chango and his wife, Oya, wield the power over the domain of lightning. Many tales tell of it's use, to devastating effect, on the battlefield. One story even tell of how Chango, having been captured, was freed from his prison cell when Oya sent a bolt of lightning to strike open the jail.
The caster must spend 1 Blood Trait. The electricity coursing through the Vampire's body can arc across short distances to effect those nearby. Engage in a ranged Mental challenge with a target within 30 yards. the target uses their Physical traits to soak, and must bid an additional trait while attempting to do so, as lightning can strike rather quickly. If successful, the lightning strikes its intended victim, dealing 1 health level of lethal damage and igniting anything flammable it comes into contact with.
Intermediate - Hushed Whispers
Oya is know as the 'Mother of Nine' because she gave birth to nine individual stillborn children. Hushed Whispers is a direct reflection of the sadness and emptiness she feels for being unable to bear children, and a manifestation of the eternal silence of those nine lost children.
The caster spends 1 Blood Trait and must make a static mental challenge against an appropriate difficulty (4 for standard electronics, 6 for shielded power supplies, 10 for military grade hardware, or more at the narrator's discretion). The electromagnetic wave generated by the electricity in the Cainite's body pulses outward a short distance, causing any electronic devices within 10 feet to be disabled as their batteries are immediately drained, and the devices cannot receive power for the remainder of the scene.
Intermediate - King's Decree
Before being elevated to an Orisha for performing miracles after his death, Chango was the third King of Oyo. He is of boisterous temperament, and is said to be the essence of masculinity. His indomitably assertive nature is something that can be channeled to staggering effect.
The Cainite must spend 1 Blood Trait. By channeling the fury of Chango, the Cainite is able to release a devastating sonic burst. All within 10 yards of the caster are knocked to the ground, and must spend an action to get to their feet again before taking any other physical actions. Affected individuals also suffer the Negative Mental Trait Oblivious for one minute, as the intense sound ruptures ear drums. Any who are unfortunate enough to have a means of heightening their hearing become stunned and can take no actions except to defend themselves for the remainder of the turn, and are deafened for the remainder of the scene or hour.
Advanced - Stride of Yansa
Oya is a fierce warrior Orisha who wields the might of storms as her weapon. Even as she passes through the battlefield, it is said that her movements are sudden, sharp, and precise as if she were lightning itself. Through this penultimate mastery of divine favor, the Cainite transcends the physical form. He becomes, for the briefest of moments, the pure essence of Oya's stride.
The Wangateur spends 1 Blood Trait and 1 Willpower Trait. For a brief instant the Cainite's body transcends the physical, becoming lightning itself. In this lightning form, the Cainite can move with impossible speeds and can cover great distances in a few seconds. While in this form, the caster suffers no damage except from sunlight and magic, but is incapable of interacting with surroundings in any sort of meaningful way. This form begins on the caster's turn and only lasts until the end of the round. Storytellers are advised to limit the distance to about 100 miles per round and not allow such travel to interrupt the flow of game play.
Long ago the August Personage of Jade chose 10,000 heroes to protect against the depravity of the Yama Kings. These would be heroes would undergo tests that would awaken their Chi and allow them to contend with terrors by assuming the God Body. Though not chosen in the way that the heroes of old were chosen, the Sons of Kaali see this virtuous path seek to emulate these heroes. Through Meditation and prayer, the Sons of Kaali attain an echo of the God Body and use it to strike down targets of the cult.
To achieve the God Body requires a full round of concentration, along with the expenditure of three Blood and one Willpower and remains active for one hour. While active, the character gains a number of bonus Agile physical traits equal to half their rating (rounded up) in Assuming the God Body. Each level of this Path also grants a single ability that is always active while in the God Body form. The God Body is considered a form for the purposes of transformation powers and is subject to powers that affect them such as Stone of the True Form. This Path may only be used once per night.
The change in appearance should always be dramatic as they take on the Visage of their idealized self and often appear as something more than human and frankly, Masquerade violating. Players are encouraged to be as creative as possible when describing their form and the unique powers that they draw upon when it's active.
Level One: Treading Upon the Wind
While this power is active, the character seems to be able to walk, run or leap on thin air, maneuvering in three dimensions. System: They can walk or run up to any height and catch themselves if they fall with a Static Physical Challenge, retesting with Athletics at a difficulty equal to the local Gauntlet. Finally, their leaping distance is increased by their levels in Assuming the God Body in yards.
Level Two: Flowing Like Blood
The character character moves as if blinking in and out of existence with a degree of technique that is simply beyond human. System: While Assuming the God Body is active, the character may spend a point of blood at the beginning of the round to attune himself to an opponent. They gain a free retest to all Dodge challenges while in combat against them. Their body moves reflexively to evade their attacks, a major boon in a fight but changing who they are attuned to can prove difficult, requiring the expenditure of a Willpower at the beginning any round that they wish to choose designate a new target.
Level Three: Shattering The Mountain
The character delivers blows that smash through engine blocks and steel doors with awe inspiring ease. System: Whether unarmed or using a melee weapon, the character's attacks deal additional damage equal to the character's levels in Assuming the God Body. This damage may only be applied to spirits, inanimate objects and levels of armor.
Level Four: Awakening The Ivory Mantle
At the stage, the characters control over their perfected form allows for the character to harden, twist and bend their bones at will, charging them with a ghostly flame that protects against spirits, demons and magic and allows for the character to cause bone spurs to sprout from their flesh in the form of foot long talons from either or both hands. System: While Assuming the God Body is active, the character reduces damage from magic sources, demons and spirits by a number of levels equal to half their rating in Assuming the God Body (rounded up) to a minimum of a single level of damage. This is applied after any other sources. Furthermore, the character may spend one point of Willpower to manifest long, razor sharp bone claws. Attacks made with these claws deal an extra health level and the damage is made lethal.
Level Five: Stoking the Ghost Flame
The character's attacks may now channel Yin and Yang energies. These blows are either ice cold and drain weaken their opponents or burn them in an inferno conjured forth from the character's spirit. System: After striking an opponent with either an unarmed attack or with a melee weapon, the character may choose to spend one blood and make a Simple Challenge. On a win or tie the target is engulfed in the character's Chi.
The character decides if they are channeling Yin or Yang Chi. If the character using this power chooses Yin, the character suffers a numbing chill that imposes the Lethargic negative trait as energy is drained from them. The subject may end this effect by using a turn to make a Static Stamina related Physical challenge at a difficulty equal to the character's physical traits, retesting with Occult but must avoid further strikes or they will end up needing to make the challenge again.
If the character chooses Yang, the target ignites and catches fire. This fire cause the attack to deal one additional level of aggravated damage, along with one more at the end if each turn and forces a Courage test at difficulty 3. If the challenge fails, the target enters rotschreck. The subject of this power may end the effects by using their turn to make two Simple challenges as they stop, drop and roll. If they win both, the effect ends but must be careful to avoid further such attacks or they will burst into flames again.
Hermetic Proficiency
This Path is born out of a deep understanding of Hermetic Thaumaturgy and works in conjunction with other hermetic magic. As such it does not require activation but is always in effect. Your maximum level of Hermetic Proficiency is equal to the number of Hermetic Paths at Advanced, with the highest level being Advanced.
Fine Tuning
With this power you can fine tune the cosmetic appearance and tertiary effects of your Thaumaturgy Paths and rituals. You can not make your Thaumaturgy more powerful, though it may be more utilitarian or subtle, and changes are up to the ST. For example, you could make your Lure of Flame blue lasers, make visible waves of force with Movement of the Mind, make an itch become a tickle or a cold chill a warm flush. The description of your change should not take more than one sentence.
Mantle of Spells
Each night, for every mastered path you know you may cast one ritual on yourself without a test.
Expeditious Casting
Depending on your mastery of magic you can cast magic faster.
- If you have mastered 3 Paths you may cast rituals in half the time.
- If you have mastered 5 Paths you may cast rituals in a third of the time.
- If you have mastered 7 Paths you may cast rituals in a tenth of the time!
Certain Offensive/attack rituals (such as Night of the Red Heart) may still take their full time to take effect at ST discretion.
Additionally, Path levels considered a “buff” can now be cast without taking an action.
Hermetic Dominance
Each night you may call a “Magic Proficiency” discipline retest for every two Advanced levels of Hermetic Thaumaturgy you possess. These retests can only be called in tests involving magic (not just Hermetic) either offensively or defensively and may only be used once a challenge, similar to a Might or Awe retest.
Hermetic Magnification
Such is your mastery of Hermetic magic that you can enhance the power of individual Paths of Magic. You may choose ONE of the following benefits that apply when using a level of a Path or Ritual of Hermetic Magic.
- Deal one extra level of damage of the same type.
- Double the amount of time an effect lasts.
- Halve the cost (round down, minimum of one) in blood and/or mentals of any power.
Note that Hermetic Magnification may not apply to all levels of Thaumaturgy and ST may determine that specific effects are not appropriate or too powerful.
Indra is the king of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas. He is the god of the heavens, lightning, thunderstorms, rains and river flows. Indra is the most referred to deity in the Rigveda. He is celebrated for his powers, and the one who kills the great symbolic evil (Asura) named Vritra who obstructs human prosperity and happiness. Indra destroys Vritra and his "deceiving forces", and thereby brings rains and the sunshine as the friend of mankind. A Sadhanna practitioner who uses this path is in a way channeling the Divine powers of Indra.
Providence: HYMN LIII. Indra.
5 Let us obtain, O Indra, plenteous wealth and food, with strength exceeding glorious, shining to the sky: May we obtain the Goddess Providence, the strength of heroes, special source of cattle, rich in steeds. 6 These our libations strength-inspiring, Soma draughts, gladdened thee in the fight with Vṛtra, Hero Lord, What time thou slewest for the singer with trimmed grass ten thousand Vṛtras, thou resistless in thy might.
This Hymn calls upon the Goddess Providence which gives Indra his strength and virility to accomplish the deeds that he is known for. The Sadhanna practitioner calls upon a small bit of this power and enhances the caster with the ability to heal faster.
System: The Character may spend 1 blood a round beyond his generational maximum to heal one level of lethal or bashing damage.
Libations of Soma: HYMN LXIII. Indra
8 O Indra, God who moves round about us, feed us with varied food plenteous as water— Food wherewithal, O Hero, thou bestowest vigour itself to flow to us forever.
It is said that all the Gods drank healthily but none as much as Indra who was renown for his intake of libations. It fortified him in his fights to drink before hand and he accomplished much with the locations flowing through him. Thus this path allows one to drink of the storm which is Indra's strength and fortify your own self from it’s libations.
System: The character may spend 1 full action to stand in the rain soaking in the water. After which they may gain 3 blood traits as if they were feeding. This may be done once a turn. A Character may not gain more than 10 blood traits a night from this power.
Heaven's Wide Space: HYMN LV. Indra.
1 THROUGH e’en this heaven's wide space and earth have spread them out, nor heaven nor earth may be in greatness Indra's match. Awful and very mighty, causing woe to men, he wets his thunderbolt for sharpness, as a bull. 2 Like as the watery ocean, so doth he receive the rivers spread on all sides in their ample width. He bears him like a bull to drink of Soma juice, and will, as Warrior from of old, be praised for might.
Being the God of the storm, rain, lightning and thunder, Indra was considered the God of the heavens and could command them to bend to his will. Those blessed by Indra are able to channel some of that power and bend an area of the heavens to their will.
System: Spend 1 blood and call upon a rainstorm. The time for the storm to gather is 5 minutes but may be decreased by 1 minute per social trait spent at the time of casting. (Max 5). Those caught in the storm are down two traits in all challenges related to eyesight. The storm is limited in size to a City Block or The Scene. Anything within the range of the storm is to be considered to be within line of sight.
Hawk's Flight: HYMN LXXX. Indra
2 The mighty flowing Soma-draught, brought by the Hawk, hath gladdened thee, That in thy strength, O Thunderer, thou hast struck down Vṛtra from the floods, lauding thine own imperial sway. 3 Go forward, meet the foe, be bold; thy bolt of thunder is not checked. Manliness, Indra, is thy might: stay Vṛtra, make the waters thine, lauding thine own imperial sway.
Being the God of the heavens and thus the storm allowed Indra to travel within them as he transverses across the realms. Hawk's Flight allows you to channel this power that you have been blessed with by Indra and fly through the storm.
System: The caster may move like they are part of the storm. You may fly through the storm as if it was natural up to 45 miles per hour. As long as you stay within the storm you can fly continuously with no more expenditure than the original Willpower to take off. You can carry yourself and up to 200 pounds more and must concentrate to take off. Once outside the storm you will start to lose velocity and descend to the ground.
Cleft in Twain: HYMN XXXII. Indra.
1 I WILL declare the manly deeds of Indra, the first that he achieved, the Thunder-wielder. He slew the Dragon, then disclosed the waters, and cleft the channels of the mountain torrents.
2 He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvaṣṭar fashioned. Like flowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided downward to the ocean. 3 Impetuous as a bull, he chose the Soma and in three sacred beakers drank the juices. Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to death this firstborn of the dragons. 4 When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon's firstborn, and overcome the charms of the enchanters, Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe to stand against thee.
Indra was a fighter with no equal and a hero of the kine who brought the rains and waters to them. In one of his greatest accomplishments. He fought the Dragon and his strikes were so potent they split a mountain in half. Cleft in Twain allows for one to travel the storm in lightning quick movement and even strike your target with the strength of Indra.
System: Those Blessed by Indra, the God of thunder and lightning move like him and fight like him. At a cost of a Willpower you may move like lightning to your target in a physical strike. Dealing 5 aggravated damage as a hammer made of lightning appears in your hands and descends upon your target. This requires a physical challenge against your target retested with occult. Distance is limited to size of storm. Target is limited to line of sight.
Not all battles happen in the streets or even on a typical battlefield. Some battles are fought and won within buildings. Urban warfare is a warfront that thaumaturgists have the hardest time with because most magic is painfully obvious as magic. With Innkeeper, the thaumaturgist taps into the side of war that is urban combat. They become adept at fighting inside buildings instead of on the street and this benefit increases in buildings they are intimately familiar with.
To be considered attuned to a building the Thaumaturge must have spent 3 consecutive days sleeping in the building or have an alternative means of mystically attuning to it.
All levels require the expenditure of 1 blood to activate
1. Weapons at the Ready
Being disarmed can mean life and death but being in a building means that there are always weapons to be found. A chair or table leg can be broken off and used as a club, a drawer may have a knife or letter opener. If one weapon is lost, it can easily be replaced by reaching out for another. When a thaumaturgist reaches out, the building they are in will help that weapon find their hand even more quickly then if they were to flail around for one on their own.
System: The thaumaturge is always able to re-arm themselves immediately upon being disarmed as the house will provide them a new weapon. Regardless of the actual item provided by the house, statistically it will always be a 2 Traits 2 Lethal 0 negative trait weapon. At the end of this power any items provided as a weapon revert to their usual statistics. If used in a building the thaumaturge is attuned to, the item is instead of a 3 trait, 2 lethal 0 negative traits weapon with high caliber. Once active, this power is on for the scene.
2. Kill the Witch
A mob, unlike an individual or matching size party, is much easier to fight in a building. The mob has to both attempt to get to their target and keep out of each others way. They will try to go through doors at the same time, swing and foul another’s shot and so forth. This makes getting around their attacks easier and gives you a better chance of succeeding so long as you are outnumbered.
System: So long as the thaumaturge is outnumbered they will have an additional retest in all defensive challenges. Limited to the number of aggressors or 5, whichever is less. This benefit is lost if they are no longer outnumbered. If they become outnumbered again, or have used all the available retests, they may reactivate this power. If used in a building the thaumaturge is attuned to, the power provides the thaumaturge a bonus retest in all defensive challenges for the scene or hour.
3. House Mouse
Every mouse has its bolt holes and knows the lay of the land it lives in, the same is true of the thaumaturge inside of a building. They are most comfortable in the enclosed environment of halls and rooms, allowing them to be able to move easier beause they know the exact distance of every part of the home.
System: So long as the thaumaturge is in a building they are up 2 traits in all physical, social, and mental challenges. If it is a building they are intimately familiar with (attuned to) they are instead up 3 traits. This benefit can only be used in one trait category per round.
4. Lockdown
Being able to barricade a room to create a controlled environment for fighting or to keep others from getting to you can mean the difference between survival or death. With this power the thaumaturge’s willpower becomes that barricade.
System: The Thaumaturge can bar the exits of a room even if there are no physical doors or window like things to bar the way. Anyone attempting to break in/out of a locked room must make a contested Willpower challenge against the caster retest Security. The Thaumaturge gets a free retest for this power if enacted in a building they are attuned to.
Additionally, those attempting to leave the room via non-physical means automatically win on ties. Attempting to enter the room in this fashion, however, is as per physically entering and does not automatically win on ties.
5. Explosive Demise
In every fight there is that moment when you realize that things have gone sideways and that it is time to pull the pin and toss the grenade. Instead of physically pulling the pin, the thaumaturge will pull the magical pin and use the room as its grenade.
System: First, spend a temporary Willpower trait in addition to the blood point required to activate this power. Then, risk a number of Mental traits equal to no more than 3 (or no more than 6 in a building to which you are attuned) and make a static Mental challenge difficulty 10 (difficulty 7 in a building to which you are attuned). Retest with Occult. If successful, an explosion tears through the room ripping electrical lines, water pipes, gas pipes out of the wall and setting the room aflame for a brief moment and deals aggravated to all targets equal the traits risked within the chosen room. The concussive force sends everyone in the room prone (on their back, on the floor). This can be avoided by spending a point of Athletics to catch oneself from falling. This power does not differentiate between friend and foe, all caught inside are within the radius of the explosive blast. The flames will last through the end of the round if not otherwise extinguished. If used on a room that has been secured by Lock Down, the force of this path’s magic being turned back on itself causes the metaphysical barriers of Lockdown to fall, ending the power. While it goes without saying, the effects of this power will damage both the room and all items in the room. Paper goods will likely be destroyed, walls will be scorched, furniture potentially burned beyond repair, and even sturdier goods may be damaged.
****In order to not have to be within the room upon activation or have line of sight of the room, the Thaumaturge MUST be attuned to the building. If they are not attuned then they must either have line of sight or be physically present in the room and suffer the consequences of this power in order to activate it.