Custom Blood Magic: Path

The paths of Spirit Manipulation and the Path of the Velvet Shadow form the other two Dur-An-Ki Paths that created a trinity of mastery over the spiritual. Where as Necromancy deals with the Soul and Death; these three paths form the core of mastery over the Spiritual and the Divine. The path of Aether Crafting allows an Ashipu to manipulate the very spiritual essence of the creatures that inhabit the divine world. With mastery over very essence of spirits, an ashipu gains insight into the very essence of themselves and others. As with all forms of paths related to dealing with the Umbra and Spirits it is extremely dangerous to Kindred. Most spirits of the Middle Umbra are outright hostile to vampires and only those of the Wyrm willingly work with them. The spirit broods of the High Umbra however, are far more likely to work with Kindred, though it is by no means safe. Every spirit has its own personality and agenda that a Kindred must attend with.

•Naming

The first step an ashipu who seeks to master Aether Crafting learns is to know what he is exactly dealing with. By concentrating for a moment an ashipu can look at a spirit and immediately know its name. While the name itself grants no power over the creature or innate knowledge about it; it does allow the Ashipu to then research using that name more information on that Spirit. Only by truly knowing who you are dealing with can an Ashipu hope to ever become master of the ethereal.

System: The character spends one blood trait and for the next scene or an hour through a Mental Challenge against any spirit retested with Occult to gain its name. This is not the Spirit’s True name, but the name by witch it goes by.

••Divinity of Vitae

Most spirits won’t naturally work with Kindred. They have no spiritual essence to offer or bargain with that might interest a spirit. An ashipu with this power has learned to tap into the divinity of their own blood and extract the spiritual essence from the blood they take from the living. By concentrating for a moment the ashipu can draw forth this spiritual essence and offer it to spirits in hopes of forming covenants with them.

System: After spending one blood trait to activate this power, the character may then for the next scene or an hour spend 1 blood trait to transform it into an Essence trait that can be given to a spirit.

•••Simulacrum

At this level of mastery of Aether Crafting an Ashipu can now move beyond simply placing a Spirit within an object to craft a fetish. They can now force a spirit into a properly prepared vessel to possess and exist in the material world. Firth the Ashipu must craft a stone statue symbolic of the spirit they are attempting to bind into it. This can vary wildly from spirit to spirit. The more effort placed into crafting the Simulacrum though the more appealing it is to the spirit. Indeed, many spirits would leap at the chance to exist in the material plane. Once crafted the spirit is then forced and bonded into the Simulacrum. Thereafter for a time the asipu has a powerful guardian and ally in service to them. There is no mistaking the Simulacrum as anything other then supernatural. There are rumors of ancient Simulacrum that stand over 20 feet tall made of stone that have existed in service for centuries unwilling to leave their new body and form on the material world.

System: The character spends one blood trait and one willpower trait to place a spirit into a prepared vessel. For each willpower trait spent at the time of casting determines the length of how long the Simulacrum lasts. The Simulacrum has the same personality as the possessing spirit but is bound to the service of the caster. A Simulacrum has the following statistics:

Physical: Brawny 4, Dexterous 3, Resilient 5

Mental: Clever 4, Disciplined 4, Observant 4

Social: Charismatic 3, Beguiling 4, Intimidating 5

Abilities: Brawl 3, Occult 3, Survival 3, Awareness 2, Alertness 1, Intimidation 2

Powers: Armor, Blast, Tracking, Incite Frenzy

Willpower: 7

Essence: 40

Rage: 5

Gnosis: 3

Willpower Spent - Duration

1 - One Day

2 - Three Days

3 - One Week

4 - One Month

5 - 6 Months

••••Divine Awakening

An ashipu who learns to master the Aether of the spiritual world also learns how to manipulate it in themselves. Everyone and everything has a soul and a psyche. The spiritual essence deals with the enlightenment of the mind. With this art an ashipu can pull that very same psyche from an individual and caster into the Astral Realm. For a time the victim remains helpless trapped outside their very body. Their body itself and empty shell very appealing to any spirit nearby who might wish for a vessel for possession.

System: You must expend a Willpower Trait (in addition to the Blood Trait) and engage your Target in a Mental Challenge retested with Awareness. If you succeed the target's consciousness is forced into the Astral Realm as per Astral Projection. Even if the target does not have the power Astral Projection, this power still works. The powers targets the victim's consciousness, i.e. their pysche. They will remain in the Astral Realm for a scene or an hour. If however the target does possess the power of Astral Projection they may return to their body after three seconds of being forced out, or if in combat would be the next round on normal actions. If the target does not possess the discipline of Astral Projection, the user must spend an Additional Willpower trait on this power.

(Edit 04/28/20)

•••••Divine Weapons
The final mastery of the Path of Aether Crafting allows the Ashipu to create ethereal weapons from aether itself and manifested by one’s own will.  Such weapons can take nearly any form; though regardless of what weapon is summoned it is rather obvious they are not real weapons.  Such weapons are made of energy and glow with bright blue light about them.  Enemies struck by such weapons are not harmed physically.  Rather it is their very being as a person that is cut and harmed in attacks with them.

System: To activate this power the character spends 1 blood trait and 1 willpower trait to manifest a physic mystical weapon.  These weapons have the game statistics that are provided for weapons in the Laws of the Night MET books.  However, these weapons do not do physical damage to a target.  Rather damage done by these weapons removes temporary willpower traits from a target instead of physical damage.  As these weapons targets a victims will rather than their bodies armor, damage reduction, and supernatural resilience such as fortitude offer no protection from such attacks.  Additionally you may use this power when using Astral Projecting as well.  Weapons created by this power may not be enhanced or augmented in any way.  They will always do the base damage of the crafted weapon using the stats in Laws of the Night Revised.  Additionally only the caster may use these weapons, and cannot be wielded by anyone else.  These weapons lasts a scene or an hour.