Custom Combination Discipline / Technique

Throughout time, the haunting idea of old souls and linked souls has served both as a source of romantic inspiration and as a pillar of reincarnation myths. Due to the five-sectioned nature of the soul,  Egyptian sorcerers were said to have the power to call upon the dead even after they had left this realm, for part of them still resided here.  This ritual draws upon the myriad beliefs that the heart is the seat of love and life, and forges them into an eternal pact, forever binding two souls in the book of life.

System: both participants must be either willing, or completely incapacitated for the duration of their part in the ritual.  Furthermore, they must be at least 2 steps blood bound to each other or share a vinculum rating of at least 8. The sorcerer may be one of the participants if they so choose.  Each step of the ritual takes an hour. 

The first step of the ritual is the removal of the heart, as per normal.  However, instead of the power ending here, the sorcerer must inscribe half of the true name of the hearts recipient on the heart with a ritual dagger dipped in his own blood.  This process deals 7 levels of aggravated damage to the heart's owner, which may not be healed until the ritual is complete.

Next, the same process is performed in reverse upon the second individual.  Finally, each heart is placed in the chest of the other individual, and their chests closed in an hour long chant during which their spirits visibly mingle and merge to those who can see such things, and the IB of each is transferred to the other.  During this final step, both participants are locked in deep existential ecstasy of an intensity they will never experience again outside each others presence.

The overt effects of the ritual are similar to the standard removal of the heart, except that the emotional coldness each recipient feels towards others is reversed with regards to each other, and all emotions are richer and more intense.  Additionally, since they carry each others hearts, if one is staked, it is the other who will be paralyzed.

Metaphysically however, the ritual has far deeper implications.  Since the recipient's souls are linked, neither can be truly unseated from its place.  Should a power that effects the soul be successfully used on one of the individuals, they will be disoriented and stunned for a full turn instead of the power's normal effect, as their soul is tugged upon.  However, should both individuals be present when such a power is used, the power is instantly upgraded to a mass challenge against both of them.  While they receive a free retest on this challenge, should they both fail the power effects them both together normally.

Finally, should one of the individuals die, the heart within them shrinks and hardens to a fortified, mummified state, as with the original power to remove one's organs.  It can only be destroyed through subjecting it to prolonged damage such as a furnace or volcano, during which time it's owner is drawn to it in mortal terror.

So long as both hearts remain intact, the dead partner remains at the edge of the underworld, unable to be judged without their IB.  If a suitable host is found before the heart is destroyed (who must share a metaphysical connection with the departed individual such as mortal relation) the original performing sorcerer may conjure the dead participant back into the new body, snuffing out the body's own soul, in a night long ritual.  Doing so causes a permanent derangement to all participants, and the newly returned is left fully mortal and vulnerable, though at ST discretion their strength may return in time through in-depth story and rp.

The user spends a willpower and makes a social challenge against the target, retest empathy. For every trait spent in a catergory the user can transfer the negs they are under from that category to their target for the next scene or hour. This can be used to temporarily get rid of negs or to influence a target to use against them. Once affected with this combination, the target may not be affected by it again during the same scene/hour and the negs wear off at the end of the scene/hour and transfer back to the user of Contact High. The time cannot be extended with Permanency.

Conversation Distance

Presence 4, Temporis 3

7xp

Sometimes a vampire just needs to have a conversation in peace and quiet. Many a technique, mundane and esoteric alike, has been bent towards this purpose, and Conversation Distance is merely the Kairos’ attempt at just such a feat.

System: With the expenditure of a Willpower and a combination of their force of personality and mastery of time, the Kairos summons another target into a world of frozen time. This effect is similar to Quicksilver Contemplation, with the exception that both the Kairos and their companion can still move and converse with each other, and that it only lasts for 5 minutes from the Kairos’ perspective. Conversation Distance can only be used on a willing companion, though, and no violence can be committed under its auspices. Rumor persists of a more potent version of this ability that can pull a victim into a pocket of frozen time for more sinister purposes.

Requires: Path of bones x4 or Spiritual Thaumaturgy x4, Auspex x4
Special: Only members of House Saturday can learn this combo.

With this power, the conjurer can force a wraith to connect with their own soul, confusing their adversaries when they attempt to see their aura or read their mind.

System: Once the caster is in the presence of a wraith, he spends one willpower point and makes a mental contest against the wraith to activate this power. If successful, the wraith's body overlaps with the caster's body, creating a situation that gives the impression that the wraith is linked to the caster's very soul. The aura reading shows two overlapping auras. Every time someone tries to read the caster's mind while this combo is active, the checks are made against the wraith, and the reading reveals information of the wraith's mind alone. This power's duration is one night or a maximum number of mind readings equals to the caster's level of the Occult ability.

This technique was developed shortly after the Revolt as the children of Virstania fled Ceoris and the other chantries, hiding in any cave, rock formation, and stoney crevice Europe had to offer. On rare occasions, Grotesques would experience the presence of otherworldly beings living side by side with them in their mountain retreats. One such event saw a Gargoyle Scout use her Aura Perception while scrying a cavern to determine its viability for settlement, upon doing so discovering strange presences within the very walls. The presences were in fact beings similarly made of stone, but entirely natural: Elemental spirits embodying the rock and the earth.

System: This power is always active once the Gargoyle has developed her connection to the pure essence of stone, triggering whenever she uses Scry the Hearthstone. She can see, feel, and interact with spiritual beings, from earth elementals to terrible demons to mortal ghosts, which house themselves within or are anchored to this world by a building, cave, or other structure. If the spirit is using other means to hide, this power will only reveal them if the Gargoyle wins an a Mental challenge, retest investigation, vs the being’s Mental traits, retest stealth.