Custom Combination Discipline / Technique

Magic is the power of will made manifest, and magic is channeled through the power inherent in symbols of all types. Those symbols can be used to identify, create, bolster, or destroy the things they are linked to. By completing his understanding of the unchanging nature of the Kindred body, and the power inherent in vitae, the thaumaturge can protect himself from the creation and strengthening of those connections, most often referred to as sympathetic links.

Sympathetic magic, the magic involved in accessing and manipulating the connections between things, can be a great boon to a thaumaturge, and a great hindrance when it is used against him. This power renders almost all such connections useless; and unless specifically noted below, covers all such supernatural connections created after the power is learned, as well as all connections from mundane sources. Rituals and powers that specifically create such a connection, like the ritual “Enchant Talisman” or “Transubstantiation of Seven” will still create that connection.

Hair, fingernail clippings, blood (as in DNA sequencing used by mortals) cannot be forensically traced back to the possessor of this power, if the item is question is harvested before the power is learned.
Those mundane connections are not strong enough to maintain themselves in the face of the Apathetic Link. Blood from the possessor of this power cannot be used to ghoul or embrace unless this power is deactivated for a number of turns equal to the time involved to perform the action, plus one, or unless the blood was removed and stored before this power was learned. The cost to temporarily deactivate
this power is a temporary Willpower per turn. For example, to ghoul or to embrace generally takes a minimum of two turns worth of deactivation (plus the blood needed). On the first round the power of
the symbolic connection is re-established, on the second, the actual ghouling or embrace occurs. Additional time may be necessary as per the ST.

A ghoul that is already blood bound that is fed by the possessor of this power will remain a ghoul, and will maintain the blood bond, as that connection is being maintained and not created, and the power of
blood to maintain someone as a ghoul is inherent to vampiric vitae, not to any inherent supernatural connection.

Blood taken from the thaumaturge by supernatural means (such as Theft of Vitae) is still lost, and still counts as blood, but will not increase (or create) any blood bonds.

Mechanics: This power is active once learned, unless a temporary Willpower is spent to negate the power for a single turn.
This power does not stop someone from Blood Bonding the possessor of this power (Blood Bonds, LotN:R, p.211). All mechanical effects of a Blood Bond take effect. However, the RP aspects of the Bond
are considered to be at one drink less, and while this power is active, it counts as “having absolutely no contact” regardless of the contact that occurs. It is the full 12 months, regardless of the amount of
permanent Willpower the thaumaturge possesses, and does not begin until a full (3pt) blood bond is established. Permanent connections of this nature are not affected by this.

Acts that would create a new, supernatural connection from the possessor, require at least two turns to enact, more at Storyteller discretion.

This power does not negate already existing supernatural connections (blood bonds, the Kindred’s blood stored somewhere, etc.) it simply prevents any new supernatural connections from forming (blood
bonds to the possessor, new ghouls, new embraces).

The sorts of connections found using mortal forensics (DNA, etc.) are not capable or being maintained in the face of this power, from links taken after this power is learned. For example, if, for some reason, a Kindred’s DNA were on file, and two blood samples taken from a crime scene were tested, both samples would test as coming from the same individual, but would not be able to be traced back to the Kindred.