Custom Blood Magic: Ritual

Description: When attempting to pierce the border into the Umbra without the need for human sacrifice, a group of Thaumaturge's discovered a new way to cross the barriers without the need for human sacrifice. For you see, it was not the human or the blood, but the violent act that would provide the key. In order to open a portal, the Thaumaturge must carve ritual symbols into their own flesh, taking a single level of unsoakable aggravated damage. For the duration of this ritual, the user cannot heal these wounds. Any attempts while still on their journey results in the early end of said journey. Upon completion of carving the symbols for Clan Tremere, House Tremere, the casters personal sigil, and Umbra in a particular script, the caster can cross over into the Umbra.  If they wish to bring others, the others must be carved in much the same way by the caster.  No more than three may pass, mystic numbers having special significance in the Umbra after all. 

System:
***Self Mutilation is on the CHARACTER, not the PLAYER.*** 
***If you want to costume this, use makeup, not sharp objects***
The ritual requires carving on oneself a number of symbols. This takes no less than 30 minutes to cast for each participant. It also requires one blood per participant. The caster must use a knife or blade dedicated to the purpose and forged just for this.  Any other knife will fail. Once the carving is complete, the ritual is cast and takes the caster (and up to three companions) across the gauntlet and physically into the Umbra. The symbols cannot be healed without ending the effect. Once in the Umbra travel is possible through whatever means the characters have at their disposal, or sheer willpower if need be. While the Umbra is listed as the main place or transportation, other 'planes' are possible, either from utilizing the Umbra, or with other symbols yet to be discovered.  Symbols for other planes may be researched with no less than three levels of appropriate lore over a period of no less than three months. Characters may work together on this, but it does not speed up the research time. As each caster's individual sigil is different, no caster may share the knowledge of any other planes except the base ritual for the Umbra. The understanding of other planes is personal. Please note: Vampires do not belong in the Umbra, or most other planes, having no way to feed except to bring food with them.