Custom Blood Magic: Ritual

System: The Mystic soaks a foot long wick of pure cotton in human blood for twenty four hours.  At the end of this time, the wick has absorbed the blood and will turn a deep crimson in color.  The Mystic then summons a single Arm of the Abyss (activation cost as normal) and forces it to condense around the wick into a foot long black candle.  At the conclusion of this Ritual, the candle may be used as follows:
When the candle is lit, the Cainite using it must let a single drop of blood fall upon the flame; the blood is consumed entirely in the flame.  If the blood is Lasombra blood, the flame turns black; no other type of blood will activate the candle.  The Cainite making use of the candle may then converse with all other Cainites making use of candles created by this Ritual.

The Mystic prepares and casts this ritual the next time the Mystic uses Shroud of Night an inky portal appears allowing those who enter to traverse the Abyssal Plane. Lacking the elegance and simplicity of Descent into Darkness the portal remains for 3 turns and is accessible from both sides. To exit the Abyss the Mystic only needs to activate Shroud of Night to reopen the portal for 3 turns.

Challenge:    Social (Retest Occult)

Cost:             1 Perm Willpower upon Learning, 1 Temp to activate

Duration:      Instant

Difficulty:      Static: Shroud Rating

Effect:          Activation of this ritual summons a Faux Siklos to the Hands of the Invoker.  This will work in the Skin or Dead lands.  It is useless in the hands of anyone other than its creator.

This ritual calls upon the authority and sheer "awesomeness" that is the emotions and memories of the Tithe, and all the wraiths whom were used in its creation. Charon Created this scythe as an instrument of authority, power, and office.  Although the True Scythe exists in the hands of the Sandmen, or perhaps the Skeletal Lord (no one is for sure admitting to anything).   It is rarely seen and stories vary from wraith to wraith.

        Although this ritual makes no attempt at summoning or fully replicating the real Siklos, merely use all the memories and emotions surrounding it.  Your average wraith will either not be able to tell the difference from the fake and the real thing, or they would dare not presume to speak against someone who speaks with Charon’s voice and authority.   In either event, it is meant to represent the "idea" that the Samedi whom is blessed by the Baron has command over the dead should they desire to use it. Afterall the "idea" is usually more powerful than the actual truth of the situation - and typically just the "idea" is enough.

        Creating this Scythe requires connecting yourself to the Lands of the Dead in ways unspoken.   Dangerous is an understatement.  By this time in your journey following Charon and a collection of stories, memories, emotions, and no small force of will.   The Samedi evokes the age old tales of the lands of the dead, its perception and a personal view on reality. Wraiths rise to power, Some are freshly culled, some are centuries old, some have no real power or even a lot of Arconi. But they are all restless dead, and have much more in common than some may admit or even realize. The Samedi who has studied, and learned to care for thier community, and rule it when nesecary; has but one final step to take.

        Creation of the Scythe Costs the Samedi a Permanent Willpower, and the Samedi gains the Flaw “Shadow Walker” (Giovanni Clan Blook Revised) for the duration of its existence, but does not gain additional points for it.  At any point the Samedi may Destroy the Scythe, but the Willpower is still permanently lost, however they will loos the flaw unless they create a new one.

Charon’s Sythe - Siklos

Weapon

# of Traits is conditional, see special rules, 2 Hands, Conceal: none/special  3 Damage

This weapon appears as a Scythe, made of a white ephemeral substance, some sort of Black ore, and also what appears to be copper coins.

Siklos is a Sentiant and self aware weapon, an Instrument of Charon's Will (or so it's said) and the memories used to create this faux one; although are not self aware and sentiant. However like Siklos will refuse to serve any but its one true master. Thus is is useless in the hands of anyone other than its creator, not even as a mundane weapon (it simply will pass through them; assuming they can even pick it up) Those Dur-An-Ki masters, who would be foolish enough to use Awakening the Steel on the Scythe. While various levels "Might" work, Storytellers are encouraged to "punish" that character in creative, but appropriate ways fitting the theme and idea that fits Siklos. The weapon, although created by Ritual, can not be a victim of Countermagic; or Unweave ritual. The Ritual creates a physical "real" object. that object just has special rules because of its creation. Much like Countermagic or Unweave ritual would have no effect against "Enchant Talisman"
 

Wraith Special abilities:

* Against a Wraith, this weapon is considered Stygian Steel.

* This weapon may be enchanted by various means, unless it is done by an Artificer (or Spirit Thaumaturgy), those enchantments fade at the next sunrise.

* When summoned, the holder gains +5 traits on any challenge against a Wraith, and +10 against Spectres

*This weapon, upon a successful strike may choose to do no damage, but instead banishes a wraith/spectre in the Skinlands back to the Deadlands, no matter what ability they are using to cross over.

Normal Special:
* This weapon may be used in the Skin lands against non-wraiths, its damage type is considered Aggravated, and has +3 traits.
*  Although this weapon may be “destroyed”   Unless destroyed by the Samedi who created it; it is simply banished, and may not be summoned for the rest of the scene.
* This Weapon may be summoned to the hands of the creator, or dismissed back to the ether.  This is done at thought, regardless of whom is holding the weapon.  Summoning it costs a Temp Willpower.