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.
Path of the Velvet Shadow
Masters of Heaven and Earth Ascend the Ladder of Heaven to invoke and create new covenants to gain power from the heavens himself. Almost all ashipu practice the Dur-An-Ki path of Spirit Manipulation. The Path of the Velvet Shadow is the next step in that mastery. While Ascending the Ladder of Heaven allows ones spirit to reach the heavens above, the Path of the Velvet Shadow focuses on physical mastery to reach the heavens. The Path of the Velvet Shadows deals primarily with the High Umbra where the various Heavens of the world exist. One needs to remember that the Heavens, and indeed anywhere in the umbra, is dangerous for a vampire to go. This path is the way for an ashipu to finally be able to face those dangers and attempt to have more direct contact with his gods. While this path deals primarily with the High Umbra, that does not mean it does not deal with other areas of the Umbra or disallow them access to go the other realms. Each Realm has it’s own dangers and troubles. But those risks are for each ashipu to deal with as he chooses.
•Eye of Heaven
As an ashipu the first step in mastering the ladder of heaven and thus the Velvet Shadow itself is to know where you are. The ashipu looks to the stars to learn his place in the world. While the Heavens may change, the stars never do. It is they who hold all the answers and thus can help any who are lost find their way.
System: The caster spends 1 willpower. For the next scene or an hour the ashipu knows the exact realm of the Umbra he may be in. This is useful for any who travel the cosmos and may become lost.
••Guidance of the Stars
When an ashipu travels the Heavens they learn very quickly it is easy to become lost. The Eye of Heaven may tell an ashipu where he currently is but it does nothing to aid him in direction to travel. While the first step of traveling the heavens may be to learn where you are, the Guidance of the Stars will show the Ashipu where to go. Once again the ashipu turns to the stars for answers. In them he will find the way he needs to go.
System: The caster spends 1 willpower point. For the next scene or hour the ashipu can sense direction in the Umbra. He can find a location or person within the spirit world. As long as they follow the sense created by this power the caster will not become lost in his journey in the velvet shadow.
•••Return From the Stars
For an ashpiu to master this path of dur-an-ki they will have to have already mastered the art of Spirit Manipulation. As any user of Spirit Manipulation knows the power of Duality is a dangerous one. If the ashipu is not careful when using this power they will be swept into the Velvet Shadow with few ways to return home. Once an Ashipu has mastered the path of the Velvet Shadow to this degree that fear is no longer necessary. By concentrating and forcing his will, the ashipu can always return home to the mortal realm.
System: When in any areas of the Umbra the ashipu may spend 1 willpower to attempt to return to the normal world. After spending the willpower, the caster then performs a static Willpower challenge against the difficulty of the gauntlet to cross back over. Success means he returns back to earth. A failure means he is still stuck and will have to try again.
••••Door to the Heavens
At this level of mastery the ashipu can finally open a doorway to the heavens. In order to open the way to the heavens the ashipu most first draw the door way into the heavens on a surface. He uses his own blood to draw the door that he may step through. Once the door is completed the ashipu may cross over into the heavens and begin his journey. Though the High Heavens have many dangers and no way for a vampire to feed, this does allow the ashipu to finally physically reach the heavens without incredible difficulty.
System: The caster draws a doorway in his own blood and spend 1 willpower to create a doorway to the high umbra. Only the caster himself may use this doorway to reach the heavens. While in the High Umbra the Vampire faces many dangers. There is no blood for a vampire to feast upon and many of the heavens are downright hostile to vampires. Not to mention the Lupines who would kill any vampire they found there. However, the Vampire is free to explore the heavens anywhere he so dares. Anytime the ashpiu wishes to return he need only will it by spending 1 willpower and he will return to earth.
•••••Gauntlet Mastery
At this the final mastery of the path of the velvet shadow, the ashipu gains control over the strength of the barrier that separates the worlds itself. By exerting his mastery over the spirit ways the ashipu can strengthen the barrier or weaken at as he desires to. It is even possible to raise the strength of the gauntlet so high that few can cross over, or if they so choose they can lower so far that it is possible to create a whole to allow himself and others to cross over (or for spirits to cross over to earth).
System: To use Gauntlet Mastery the ashipu spends one willpower trait. After he does that he may lower or raise the gauntlet rating by one level for each Temporary Mental Trait he spends. Raising the Gauntlet to 10 makes it extremely difficult for creatures to cross over from the Umbra. Lowering the Gaunlet to 1 (the minimum) makes it incredibly easy for beings to cross over into the Umbra (even possibly allowing those who cannot normally cross over to be able to. Either on purpose or by accident). The altering of the Gauntlet lasts one scene or hour.
The Path of Vanity
Tremere are the masters of the hermetic arts, and the power they have amassed can lead to vice. Some Tremere even learn to harness their vices, using them to transmute a weakness into strengths, or in this case, conceit into actual beauty. Using the power of this Path, the Thaumaturge draws on the powerful energies that surround the vices of pride, conceit and vanity, usually drawn from the Thaumaturge himself, and uses them to bolster his own appearance. The creator of this path, Regent Premysl, sought its power to overcome his own physical afflictions.
Manipulating these negativities comes with a price, though. In addition to the normal cost of Thaumaturgy, 1 blood trait per use, each use of the Path of Vanity imparts to the Thaumaturge the negative trait Condescending, which remains for the night, as the Thaumaturge is overcome with their own beauty. Multiple negative traits can be stacked with repeated uses of the power. STs are encouraged to enforce the role-playing aspect of this draw-back, since the more Condescending traits a character has, the more of an insufferable jerk they become.
This Path uses Occult for retests.
Level 1: Convalescent Composure
Hygiene and proper grooming are the basic keys to beauty. This most elementary power of the Path will allow the kindred to instantly straighten up their appearance. With some chanting, simple gestures and a mystical swirl of color and light, clothes will appear cleaned, free of stains and ironed and hair will be combed and trimmed. The kindred's face will be groomed however he/she seems fit, including make up (if any), a haircut, facial hair grooming (if it was already present), etc. This discipline cannot be used to grow hair, change eye color or perform any other significant physical modifications to the Thaumaturge's body. The kindred’s physical appearance reverts to its natural state at dawn the next day.
Level 2: Fountain of Youth
A night of intrigue, backstabbing and politicking can take it's toll on a kindred, causing them to lose confidence in their ability and grace. Drawing on the energy of his vices, the Thaumaturge spreads his hands at his sides with his fingers pointed out and creates a prismatic light show, which quickly funnels into his mouth. As the thaumaturge drinks in this mystical elixir of energy, he instantly replenishes all traits in the Appearance related category: Gorgeous, Elegant, Seductive, Alluring, Dignified (and whatever the book says). The effect lasts the entire round in which the Thaumaturge casts the power, and the replentishing happens at the end of that same round. This power may only be used once per night.
Level 3: Glamour Siphon
A thaumaturge wielding this power has attained the ability to use the power of his vices to strike at others, and to reap the benefit of the negativity that the attack causes. With a few gestures, the Thaumaturge indicates a target, and rays of dark colored light strike out, stealing beauty and confidence from the victim. The energy returns to the caster in rays of brightly colored light. Mechanically, the Thaumaturge engages his victim in a social challenge. If successful, he "steals" 2 appearance related social traits (caster's choice) from the victim, gaining those 2 traits as temporary social traits (which can exceed his generational maximum) for the scene. The victim loses their appearance related social traits for the night. If the subject has only 1 appearance related social trait, only one may be "stolen". If the victim has no appearance related social traits, the power is ineffective on that victim. The Thaumaturge may only reap the benefits of this power once per scene, but in that scene may inflict social trait loss on many different victims. Once this power is used on a victim, they are immune to further uses of the power from the same thaumaturge for the rest of the night.
Level 4: Premysl's Pleasing Pulchritude
No longer needing to steal energy from another, the Thaumaturge is able to channel his vices directly into his own physical beauty. The caster raises his arms into the air, and warm colored lights surround him, settling on his skin and fading, leaving behind a dazzling radiance. The Thaumaturge gains the traits gorgeous and elegant which remain until the end of the scene, an hour, or whenever they are spent or lost, whichever of the three is shorter. In addition, while the thaumaturge has the Social traits awarded by this power, he may call for a retest in a single failed Social Challenge (To be clear, only one retest in one Social Challenge is awarded by this power per scene). This retest can be called in addition to any other retests the thaumaturge has already used, such as those awarded by abilities, surprise, merits, disciplines and willpower. This power may only be used once per scene. Traits gained from this power can be stacked with any traits gained from Glamour Siphon and may take the user's traits above the normal generational maximum.
Level 5: Airs of Aphrodite
Upon mastering the pinnacle of the Path, the intense vanity of the Thaumaturge is transmuted into an intense, persistent brilliance, surrounding him and allowing him to dazzle, intimidate, seduce or otherwise manipulate those around him twice as effectively. By spending a temporary Willpower, the caster may now take an extra action during his turn so long as that action is Social in nature, be it a Social-based discipline, talking someone down from frenzy or use of an ability. These actions take place simultaneously on the thaumaturge's turns. Additionally, the Airs of Aphrodite make it difficult to resist the user's beauty and guile. While under the effects of this power, if the thaumaturge uses the Presence discipline, powers that allow the victim to win ties (Iron Heart, Perfect Clarity, etc) are ineffective, and traits are compared normally. There are no other benefits to this power; all actions still require any expenditures, challenges or penalties they would have if performed separately, and no more blood may be spent per turn than is allowed by the thaumaturge's generation. This power lasts for one scene or 10 minutes. It may be activated concurrently with "Dual Thought", but the caster must choose each round between taking the extra action granted by “Dual Thought” or this power.
Path of Winter’s Sorrow
The once planet Pluto is legendary for his coldness, winter, and ice. As many paths of Dur-An-Ki focus on gaining their powers from the heavens and the planets in them, the Path of Winter’s Sorrow is no different. Ascending the Ladder of Heaven the ashipu travels to the farthest reaches of the heavens and seeks covenants with Pluto. This path reflects that covenant. The Ashipu masters the forces of Winter itself and commands them to his will.
•Frost Bite
The ashipu begins to master the art of freezing the air around her. The water vapor begins to condense and form ice around her. With this the ashipu may launch a ball of ice the size of a fist at someone, or freeze any liquid within her line of sight.
System: To fire a shard of ice at a target, the ashipu must engage the victim in a mental versus physical challenge. Success indicates that the victim suffers one level of bashing damage and the negative traits clumsy for the remainder of a scene. Additionally, an ashipu may freeze any liquid in her presence up to the size of her body. This process takes several minutes though.
••Blizzard
The mastery over winter and ice has reached a point where no matter where the ashipu is in the world, she may make it snow. Causing the water vapor in the air around herself to solidify and turn to snow, there is no point in which winter can avoided.
System: The ashipu must spend 1 willpower to make it snow. Additionally, it may cost 1 or more additional willpower to create this snow depending on the outside conditions (decided upon by the storyteller). It may take several minutes for the snow to fall, or the ashipu may spend 1 additional willpower to cause the effect instantly. The snow storm called is large enough to effect one room or a larger area (1 additional willpower per additional room you wish to effect). Those caught in the snow storm suffer the following effects. They must bid four additional traits on attempting to spot anything in the storm (those with Auspex need only bid 2 additional traits). These effects last for as long as the victim is within the blizzard or it ends. Finally those fighting in the blizzard suffer the negative trait clumsy due to the slippery conditions; of which only the caster is immune to. This power lasts one scene or an hour, and may only be used outdoors.
•••Icy Chill of Despair
The ashipu can now concentrate on a victim and freeze the very blood in their veins. For mortals this is lethal, for Kindred it can lead to their deaths if they are not careful.
System: The caster engages the target in a mental versus physical challenge. If successful the caster may then spend up to 5 temporary mental traits and immediately freeze a corresponding number of blood traits in the victim. Each trait spent is rendered unable to be used for one hour or a scene. Mortals affected by this power are instantly killed.
••••Frost Blades
Channeling the art of mastery over winter itself the ashipu causes the wind to pick up and a sort of localized winter to occur around him. In this chill he can forge the Frost blades around him. These swords of ice and snow hang in the air surrounding him creating weapons he can throw with his mind or command to shield him from all attacks.
System: The ashpiu spends a number of mental traits to summon a corresponding number of frost blades up to a maximum of 5. These ice blades hang around the caster telekinetically following his will. The Frost Blades will last for one scene or until they are used up. The Ashipu may command the frost blades to attack or to defend him. If used as an attack, the blades lash out at their target; the caster performs a mental versus physical challenge against his target. If he succeeds the frost blades deal 1 level of lethal damage each and inflict the negative trait clumsy for the scene. Each Frost Blade summoned requires a separate attack challenge. If the ashpiu command the ice blades to defend him, they provide one health level of armor protection. Regardless of if they are used for attacking or defending, once they are used they are gone and more need to be created.
•••••The Mask of Winters
The final stage of the Winter’s Sorrow is complete mastery over winter himself. The ashpiu pulls forth the cold within her heart and the air around her. Calling upon the gods of cold, ice, and winter the ashipu assumes the form of the very Avatar of Winter itself. While in this state, the ashipu’s hair turns white; his eyes become a rich unnatural blue; his skin becomes paler then normal. Even cracks in his skin form that seem to be of frost and ice. The ashipu carries an aura of cold wintery death about him. When assuming the Mask of Winter’s the ashipu becomes the true master of the art.
System: To take the form of the Mask of Winters the ashpiu must spend three blood and one willpower. Once he assumes the avatar of winter form, he gains the following benefits for the remainder of a scene or an hour. The ashpiu gains a plus two bonus on all virtue challenges. Additionally the unarmed strikes the ashpiu inflicts also saps 1 willpower from his target per strike. Finally the ashipu becomes immune to any cold or chilling effects he may suffer.
Mixing Sand with ashes, over a full moon night, the magister creates a golden colored dust then increases the effect of rituals and paths of dreams
Granding an extra retest for the next performance of this kind of ritual and path in the same month.
Dream paths and Ritual
Dreamcatcher
Oneiromancy
Path of Morpheus
System:
1 extra retest per month for 1 specific ritual and 2 specific paths, need to be performed (precast) on a specific night of full moon.
Secrets of the Scrivener
The scribes and magi of the Banu Haqim are reputedly the oldest of all practicing blood magicians. Eons of scrolls, tomes, and librams fill the storehouses of the Dragons secret libraries. Preferring a practice of one-up-manship over shared communal academies, the Assamite sorcerer with the most knowledge at their disposal has the best chance of surpassing their peers. Masters of this path find the entirety of their repository safe and easily accessible. When one can easily outlive the hardiest of velum, ensuring the survival of each scrap and note provides a clear advantage for the ambitious sorcerer. Practitioners must have the Background: Occult Library purchased in order to gain the most of this path or be subject to the whims of their Storyteller.
Bind/Un-Bind
Whether through mundane or magical means any document that is bound together can be easily separated with no damage to the source material. Conversely, this path can bind together loose notes just as easily – provided all the requisite components are available.
System: Spend one Blood Point and make a Static Mental Challenge vs the complexity of the documents at the Storyteller’s Discretion. Success allows them to be easily separated from each other or re-bound in a useful fashion. Intricate or extremely fragile works may require a higher than normal difficulty with failure possibly botching or damaging the works.
Never a Secret Lost
While mortals may fret over where a misplaced book may have gone to, a Kindred with this power has nothing to worry about. Whenever a new piece is added to the Sorcerer’s Library they may inscribe their mark upon it. From there on out, the caster will know where the tome is. Eerily similar to the Ritual: Craft Bloodstone, a Sorcerer will know where this book is at all times. Additionally, the closer they get, the more accurate this power becomes. A book housed in their library can be easily found no matter where it ended up.
System: Spend one Blood Point which mystically brands a book in your possession. The Sorcerer thereby knows the exact whereabouts, regardless of location. This is described as more of a sensation, as opposed to an image. Books marked in this fashion cannot be un-marked. Multiple Sorcerers over the years could imbue their glyph upon them; a legacy of theft, gifts, and death that can be told by the number of times it has changed hands.
Arcane Recall
A Sorcerer’s Library is only useful if the owner can remember its contents. Before the time of computers and the internet, a depository of books could easily become ponderous and cumbersome. The more books the more items to recall. With this level of the path a Magi can, if given proper time to prepare, recall exact texts and words with complete accuracy.
System: By spending a Willpower and a Blood Point a Sorcerer may recall specific knowledge that is held within their library. For the rest of that scene they gain an additional number of re-tests equal to the accumulated points of that ability within their tomes. This does not count as ability re-tests and cannot exceed their rating in this path. The specific ability recalled must be designated beforehand. This power may only be used once before needing to be re-cast.
Locked Away
Preventing the theft or destruction of knowledge is critical for those Sorcerer’s that wish to rise above their peers. This level provides a modicum of protection for the accumulated works within a Magician’s library. Those seeking to tamper with or destroy books protected by this path must first contend with the owner.
System: A Sorcerer may spend a Willpower and Blood to activate this path, as well as temporary mental traits up to their rating in this path. For each Mental trait spent the Library gains one level of Background: Arcane and Background: Haven for the purposes of protecting its contents and dissuading theft. This power lasts a number of days equal to the number of Mental traits spent at that time. For example, someone who spends 3 Mental Traits at the time of casting effectively grants Arcane x3 and Haven x3 for 3 days.
The Librarian’s Defense
If the pen is truly mightier than the sword, this power is the exemplification of such. There are tales of scholars within their athenaeum wielding the might of the knowledge around them to great devastation. Each use of this power comes at a great cost, possibly lowering the rating of their Background: Occult Library until it can be repaired.
System: Spend three Blood Points and three Willpower Points. For the remainder of the scene the very words of the tomes around you spring to life. Books outlining cryptozoological creatures may breathe otherworldly fire, blueprints of firearms might fire ghostly bullets -- the narration is up to the storyteller, but the results are the same. Whoever the unlucky target of the librarian’s wrath is will suffer an additional Physical attack each round. The library itself has a number of traits equal to the Caster’s Mental Traits plus Ability: Occult and inflicts a number of lethal damage equal to the Occult Library Rating on each attack. For every five levels of damage the library takes, it loses a rating, if a library reaches 0 rating this power ends.
Brilliance (Basic) Spend a blood and make a mental challenge. If sucessful, the target isstunned for a round. If Heighten Senses sight is up, the target is blind for an hour/scene (whichever comes first).
Luminance (Basic) Spend a blood and make a static mental challenge against the target in line of sight. If sucessful, the target is illuminated by an aura of light around their body. The target is unable to use Obfuscate level 2 or lower and if in Shroud, any attacker against them does not succmb to a Shroud retest. Also, can be used on an object for a light source in the darkness.
Radiance (int) Spend a blood and create a 20 ft sphere of light in any location within 50 ft. All inside, except the caster, is two traits down on any challenge, are clums, and must submit to a blind retest to any succesful challenge as it is too bright to see. If cast while Shroud of Night is active, both are destroyed and if Shroud of Night is used while this power is in affect, they are both nullified.
Incandescensce (int) Spend a blood and make a mental vs physical challenge against your target. If successful, the target is hit with a beam of light that is as hot as the sun. It burn any vampiric target for 3 aggravated damage, if they are susceptible to light (ie tenebrous form, black metamorphosis, light sensitivity flaw) it takes one additional aggravated damage. If it hits any mortal, the damage is converted to bashing.
Resplendence (adv) Light warps around the caster making them invisible. If the user is invisible they are only detectable by touch. While moving they can be spotted in auspex. The user may add in the levels of this path to compare ties. The user is partially blinded by and is 2 traits down on all vision related challenges.
Suleiman's Vessels
For as long as Man has walked this world the Djinn have walked it for far longer. When humans first
appeared, the Djinn were our teachers and guides as we developed our own civilization from their teachings.
We lived in harmony until jealousy drove the Djinn to turn against us.
That was until us humans learned to harness their power and make them do our bidding from Suleiman
himself. One of the strongest of their kind was captured using these learned spells and the Djinn ran.
They left the Material Realm and went into the High Umbra (Astral Realm) to their cities to live. Rarely are
they seen anymore in this day and age. But if found they are usually never considered your friend.
•Kohl Sight - A skill once developed by the mages of ancient past. This power allows for detection of Djinn
within the High Umbra (Astral).
MET: Spend a Willpower on top of normal costs and rub charcoal across your closed eyes. When you open
them you will be able to see into the High Umbra (Astral) for the time while the charcoal remains. This
allows the user to have line of sight and the ability to use the rest of the Path upon the entities within. The
additional use of Aura Perception might be needed to find things purposefully hidden from you.
•• Know Thy Name - Djinn are creatures too. They are older than us and their naming conventions are
usually hard to understand. But with intense study and a bit of mystical help you can pinpoint which Djinn
you are dealing with.
MET: Enter into a contested mental challenge, with the retest Lore: Djinn. You may find a part of The True
Name of the Djinn that you are targeting with this power. You must be able to see the target for you to use
this power on them and that might require you to use Kohl Sight before using this. To gain more of the true
name would take study and research beyond the scope of this power.
••• Prepare Thy Vessel - With an appropriate crafts you can create and prepare the vessel in which you plan
on storing the Djinn. This takes much work and time beforehand if you wish to create something lasting to
store powerful Djinn. But, not so much time is needed if you are targeting a lower level Djinn.
MET: Make a static mental challenge against 9 + the level of Djinn (1 - 7) it is being made to store.
These vessels have 3 key features.
1. The Material - They are Fireproof, Watertight and very hard to destroy. Djinn cannot damage a properly
prepared vessel, but if the container is somehow pierced and the seal on the container is broken, the
Djinn is freed. Disrupting a vessel isn't easy and it takes a set amount of health levels, (Occult Rating x
Crafts Rating x Rank of Djinn to be captured) of damage before the container is destroyed and the
Djinn is set free. The Djinn will usually retreat before their savior's can ask for a boon or they can be
trapped again.
2. The Size - The vessel must be properly sized for the power level of the Djinn it is constructed to hold.
Servitor Djinn, the lowest, can be bound into something the size of a camel's tooth. That is about 2 to
3 cubic inches. The other ranks up to Caliph can be bound in something the size of a man's fist.
Caliph require a minimum of 1 cubic meter. Amirs and Sultan's themselves require much more. A
sultan needs a 3000 cubic meter, fireproof, watertight, vault etched with enormous and complex seals
both inside and out.
3. The Seal - This is the final element in creating a Djinn vessel. It must be appropriate to the Djinn.
Ideally the Djinn true name should be inscribed on the seal. Both as extra security, and to let anyone
who stumbles on the vessel know who is contained within. True names are necessary if there is intent
on making frequent or long term use as a familiar or slave. For simple containment, however, true
names aren't generally necessary unless the Djinn is of the rank Caliph or above. A simple seal of
Suleiman etched on the outside of the vessel is enough.
•••• Bottle of Djinn - As long as Suleiman was capable of controlling the Djinn and trapping them. There
have been many stories of found Genie in the bottles around the world. It was actually fairly easy to capture
one. You just needed to use a vessel prepared correctly. You must also be able to perceive the Djinn to
direct the vessels magic. You must also need know the magic words to activate Suleiman's seal to trap the
Djinn. This power represents the words of binding. Whether you are temporarily using a bottle you picked up
from the roadside or a hand crafted prison. This will give you the chance to seal away the Djinn, even if for a
short period of time while you prepare.
MET: Opening the vessel and saying a short phrase the targeted Djinn is sucked in with no additional
challenge. Unless the vessel is stoppered within the next 3 rounds the Djinn escapes with no additional
challenge. They very well could be angry at their captor for this and retaliate on the spot or run to fight
another day. This power also allows you to identify a vessel at a glance. It doesn't tell you what Djinn it is
made for without actual research first though.
••••• Your Wish is My Command - You call upon the sealed Djinn and Its power. This has multiple effects
depending on which Djinn you have sealed away and what you are looking for it to do.
MET: This level acts just like Elemental Mastery 5 where you can control an Elemental that you summon to
do your command. Except it requires you to have a captured Djinn in your possession already to use. It is
suggested to build each Djinn you have access to before using this power. It takes a Static Mental
Challenge to command the Djinn and it will follow your direction for the rest of the scene.
Synchronistic Theurgy:
If all of reality were an apple, this world is but the skin. We drift upon depths both unknown and unknowable to mortal minds. But we are no longer mortal. The world has been defined by the thoughts of all the conscious entities which inhabit it, an ouroboros of existence containing potential beyond that which is known by simple physics. Cause and effect need not be traceable, and in fact often are not. The practitioner of Synchronistic Theurgy has become skilled at noticing the intangible links between acausal events, is able to draw forth knowledge from the subtle interconnectedness of all things and can even force the world to adopt new archetypical axioms- if only for a short time.
This path is both roleplay and creativity heavy.
1. Archetypical Intraexamination
The collective unconscious binds all minds together. Every answer can be found writhing within its depths. By delving into the collective unconscious, the magus can make jumps of logic with uncanny accuracy, pulling the answers to his questions out by their sympathetic bond to the questions posed. This is not infallible, however, as such dredging rarely retrieves the answer alone, often clouding information through thin membranes of Perspectives, or retrieving versions distorted by Metaphor.
Mechanics:
Spend one blood and one mental trait, then make a simple test versus a variable difficulty determined by the ST. On a success, the ST provides an answer to the question posed by the player. The answer may be presented as a strange coincidence (a bird cawing loudly over a sought-after item's hiding place) or enigmatic visions (seven winged apples representing airport terminal A7). Failure retrieves nonsense. Optionally, in the event of a failure the ST may request a follow-up test- on a failure, the information is dangerously misleading.
This power can only be used once per subject per scene/hour.
2. Conjunctive Dowsing
One cannot have an effect without cause- and the two are inextricably linked; a river of temporospatial causation that must exist so long as either the source or destination remains manifest. In the eyes of a skilled Magus, such aetheric linkages may be traced from either end to the other, revealing source or target of mystic effect. Some effects, however, are self-contained, usually rituals and the like.
Mechanics:
Spend one blood, then make a contested mental challenge against the source of the effect being dowsed. On a success, the Magus is able to trace the sympathetic links between cause and effect- effectively identifying and locating either the caster or the effect.
Dowsing does not work on self-contained effects such as rituals, and the Magus must be aware of the existence of the effect to attempt the dowsing. It also does not function on effects that are not being actively maintained or cast (such as Forgetful Mind).
3. Drafter's Prerogative
Once a Magus truly understands the nature of the connections between people and ideas, they may begin to draft them themselves. Forging connections from whole cloth is neither simple nor lasting, and such links rarely last longer than a single hour. Curiously, such connections may be made between entities, objects or a combination of both, though an entity must be willing.
Mechanics:
Spend one blood, then make a contested mental challenge against each target you wish to forge a connection between. For one hour or the duration of the scene, a single type of effect (such as damage, healing, or enhancement) used on one target is halved in effect and shared between the two. In circumstances where halving effectiveness would not make sense, duration is affected instead.
A single target cannot be affected by more than one use of this power at once, and targets must be unattended objects, or willing.
4. Praxis of Will
By forging temporary connections between events and the concept of success, the Magus can collapse quantum superpositions as he desires. This effectively lets the Magus determine the results of otherwise random chance, allowing anything that could happen to happen as they see fit.
Mechanics:
Spend one blood, then make a static mental challenge against a variable difficulty determined by the ST. Success allows the Magus to determine the results of a random event or cause a plausible random event (such as transmission failure in a vehicle). Multiple uses in the same scene should increase the difficulty of the static challenge. This power cannot be used in combat.
5. Prophetic Self-Actualizaion
The apotheosis of Synergistic Theurgy involves inextricably binding the practitioner's fate to that of success. By metaphorically writing ones own destiny, a Magus can ensure that they persist long enough to see the prophecy through. The mental toll may be extreme, and the effects engendered may be obviously breaches of the masquerade, but survival may be worth it.
Mechanics:
Spend one blood and one Willpower. For the remainder of the scene, you may spend one mental trait and describe an unbelievable coincidence which grants you one additional, might-like defensive retest.
The Faustian Way
Since the first interactions between mankind and the Infernal, their relationship has been defined by the exchange of information and services, historically leaving the mortal holding the short end of the stick. The Associates have watched and learned from their clients' demonic patrons, and over the years adapted some of the most effective of those techniques into a path of Dark Thaumaturgy which they proudly call The Faustian Way.
The Faustian Way is a subtle art, and many who fall under its influence do not realize it until their final moments. Its use is not betrayed by outward signs, and even attempts at supernatural detection must be made as contested challenges against the caster.
• Record Keeping
All contracts are recorded. Whether on paper or electronically, they mark the very souls of those who make them. Record Keeping can verify whether or not such a contract exists. Spend a Blood Trait and make a Static Mental Challenge. If successful, the caster learns the nature of any pacts, bonds, or spiritual ties (Blood Bonds, covenants, Infernal Bargains, etc.), current or broken, between the target and any other beings.
• • Breach of Contract
Contracts are formally binding, moreso for those formed through the Faustian Way. When agreed upon and sealed with Breach of Contract, any violation becomes plain for the Associate to see. Whenever an explicit contract is made (either a promise, an oath, a deal, etc.), either verbal or written, you may spend 1 Willpower Trait to formalize it. The caster is automatically made aware when a formalized contract has been broken or violated, and they may make a Static Mental Challenge to ascertain the details of the violation.
• • • Terms and Conditions
Often, mere knowledge of a contract's existence is not enough. A skilled Associate can determine the specific terms of a contract simply by studying an individual's soul. 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 contracts. The caster must be aware of the contract's existence beforehand, either through Record Keeping or some other means (random guesses or rumors are not sufficient justification, and the Storyteller should be on the lookout to prevent such abuse).
• • • • Implied Venue
It is expected that those invested in any contract will want to check in on their interests periodically. Likewise, when a contract is breached, measures must be in place to secure damages. Implied Venue may only be performed upon a target who has engaged in a contract which the Associate has sealed with Breach of Contract. The caster spends 1 Blood Trait and makes a Static Mental Challenge. If successful, the caster gains intuitive knowledge of the contractee'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.
• • • • • Mandatory Injunction
Caveat emptor: buyer beware. When a party enters into a contract, they own the responsibility of ensuring they are capable and willing to meet their obligations. Sometimes, parties opt to flee from that responsibility, while other times they are simply incapable of fulfilling their end of a bargain altogether. To a master of the Faustian Way, these diversionary tactics are irrelevant. The Associate spends 1 Willpower Trait and makes a Mental Challenge against their target. Success compels the target to complete the terms agreed upon under Breach of Contract, 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 can only be healed at a rate of 1 per month regardless of any supernatural healing the victim may possess or seek out.
The Path Beyond
This path is designed for walking through the realms often considered out of reach to Cainites. It is a Necromantic interpretation of the Wraith Arcanos "Argos" and serves as a pathway for a daring Necromancer to explore the realms beyond and bear witness to the Far Shores and stranger realms connected. This Path of Eastern Necromancy is Yin aspect and is specifically not tied to the workings of the Umbra or Astral realms. The Far Shores are a place of mind bending terror and practitioners of this path are forever warped by its deeper understandings. The character gains the "Desensitization" derangement permanently, which can never be bought off. Furthermore, whenever a level of the path is activated, the Derangement is automatically triggered and Willpower may not be spent to suppress the derangement. Use of this Eastern Necromancy path requires intense focus and as a result, its levels may never be activated during combat.
Desensitization: Commonly found among vampires, the character has lost every feeling in his dead body. This affects his ability to feel any emotion except in highly rationalized forms or through foreign influences like the Blood Bond or Dominate. Such desensitization makes it difficult to truly devote oneself to Humanity or a Path of Enlightenment, causing a forced retest on degeneration checks.
Basic - Watch the Wending: The Necromancer is always aware of current conditions in the nearby Tempest or "Far Shore" they are visiting and can take shortcuts between two Shadowlands locations. System: By spending a point of Willpower, the character becomes in tune with the realm and gains a sense of nearby dangers, hidden pathways or strange laws that govern the realm. The player should work with their storyteller for degrees of understanding. Some secrets may require a Cosmology test.
Basic - Donning the Phantom Cloak: The Necromancer can manifest protective robes that ward off Maelstrom and Tempest's harmful environmental effects. System: By spending a point of Willpower, the Necromancer conjures forth a ghostly cloak. While wearing it, the character suffers no damage or debilitating effects from the Maelstrom or Tempest. At Storyteller discretion, these protections even extend to the environmental dangers that can be found in the Far Shores.
Intermediate - Walking Beyond: The Necromancer can manipulate the membrane between the Shadowlands and Tempest, allowing them to enter the Tempest without opening a Nihil. System: The Necromancer spends a point of Willpower and makes a physical challenge at difficulty 8. If successful, the character passes into the Tempest.
Intermediate - Sojourn: A Necromancer may manipulate the metaphysical shortcuts through the Tempest. System: Spend a Willpower and make a Static Mental challenge at difficulty 8, if successful the character collapses into a cold, black wind and safely passes into the Tempest and from there may use physical challenges to journey through to other places such as Stygia or even the Far Shores. This can greatly reduce the distance traveled. Storytellers are to keep in mind things like trods and moon bridges when thinking about how this modifies a journey through the shadowlands. This power never takes a character more than 100 miles when traveling to an earthly destination.
Advanced - The Walker in Darkness: At this level, the Necromancer has mastered their ability to traverse the Tempest and personally witness the wonders and horrors that lie beyond. System: The character may spend a point of Willpower while in the Tempest to instantaneously travel to any of the Far Shores that they have already visited or any location in the Underworld that they have been to, provided it does not have a reflection in the skinlands. This power is intended for travel to dark and mysterious locations. It is not a travel shortcut to mundane places and should not be treated as such.