Custom Sabbat Ritae
Some chronicles allow for their players to develop customized powers for their characters. The following is a compilation of player created custom content in OWBN. At this time, custom content that is created and/or used by vampire PC's is required to be listed.
Ise Kagura (Custom Ignoblis)
Kagura is the ancient Shinto ritual dance of shamanic origin. The word "kagura" is thought to be a contracted form of kami no kura or "seat of the kami" or the "site where the kami is received." There is a mythological tale of how kagura dance came into existence. The sun goddess Amaterasu became very upset at her brother so she hid in a cave. All of the other gods and goddesses were concerned and wanted her to come outside. Ame-no-uzeme began to dance and create a noisy commotion in order to entice Amaterasu to come out. The kami (gods) tricked Amaterasu by telling her there was a better sun goddess in the heavens. Amaterasu came out and light returned to the universe.
Music plays a very important role in the kagura performance. Everything from the setup of the instruments to the most subtle sounds and the arrangement of the music is crucial to encouraging the kami to come down and dance. The songs are used as magical devices to summon the gods and as prayers for blessings. Rhythm patterns of five and seven are common, possibly relating to the Shinto belief of the twelve generations of heavenly and earthly deities. There is also vocal accompaniment called kami uta in which the drummer sings sacred songs to the gods. Often the vocal accompaniment is overshadowed by the drumming and instruments, reinforcing that the vocal aspect of the music is more for incantation rather than aesthetics.
Ise kagura is a collective name for rituals that are based upon the yudate (boiling water rites of Shugendō origin) ritual. It includes miko dances as well as dancing of the torimono type. The kami are believed to be present in the pot of boiling water, so the dancers dip their torimono in the water and sprinkle it in the four directions and on the observers for purification and blessing.
Originally, the practice of kagura involved authentic possession by the kami invoked. In modern day Japan it appears to be difficult to find authentic ritual possession, called kamigakari, in kagura dance. However, it is common to see choreographed possession in the dances. Actual possession is not taking place but elements of possession such as losing control and high jumps are applied in the dance.
Effect: If this ritea is performed successfully it will summon the spirit the priest s attempting to call. This grants no power over the summoned spirit, but the spirit will at least hear what the priest has to say. Additionally, some of the Kami summoned may choose to possess the priest for a time. This possession is not malicious but deeply spiritual to the priest as it is communing with the god. The spirit possessing the vampire will not do foolish things or attempt to kill its rider. That is counter to the point of the ritae. The caster may take no action against the spirit while it is summoned, and loses all challenges to the spirit as he relents to its will. The spirit will not harm the caster in any way unless threatened by others present. Any other individual present who wishes to initiate a challenge with the spirit while it is present must first direct all challenges against the caster until they are subdued, as the spirits manifestation is through their essence.
Brotherhood is a key element in the sabbat but often times pushed aside for petty squabbling. We forget how different someones unlife is to our own.
System: All parties in the ritae must agree to this first. Then change via disguise, obfuscate, vicissitude or anyother way into the other person.Those under the effects get a +2 in acting and disguise. There auras will change to reflex the other persons for the duration of the ritae. As well as gain a stick about the person they are pretending to be. This will give the person no mechanical advantage it is just flavor and must be agreed upon before doing so by players and staff.This ritae lasts a night or until all parties are discovered by others. The one who last the longest undiscovered wins.
A priest who leads this ritae and all those who participate sacrifice a piece of their mind or body and donate a pint of blood into the priests ritual bowl (1 mental trait or 1 physical trait, but always 1 blood). Upon which the priest says a prayer to Caine to invigorate the tools of his war so that they may strike their enemies hearts with fear. After doing so the priest annoints the vessels of caine in the blood collected that has taken on mystical properties through the shared faith of the participants. This blood is used to mark the vessels with tattoos that fade the next night as it sinks into the participants skin, marking them(Possibly requiring a Crafts:Tattoos challenge). After doing so the blood radiates with power invigorating the vessels of Caines chosen, those blessed with such gain 2 bonus social traits for the night for challenges involving Intimidation, Leadership, or Occult. These traits fade once the scene they are called upon in, concludes. In order for someone to benefit from this ritae theh must have a viniculum rating to all those who partake in the ritae. As such this is traditionally done following a Vaulderie.
Summary of mechanics:
-In order to participate, all parties must have a Viniculum rating of at least 1 to all involved.
-All participants lose 1 blood and their choice of a physical or mental trait, this can be refreshed as normal.
-The leading priest makes a Crafts:Tattoo challenge to annoint the vessels to recieve caines blessing, only 1 challenge is needed for the group.
-The participants gain 2 bonus Social Traits in challenges involving Intimidation, Leadership, or Occult, which fade at the conclusion of the scene in which they are called upon.
Marks of the Heavens
The Assamite Sorcerers may be the scariest of there clan. It is just something no one ever realizes. Once the Mark of Caine ritae resurfaced in the Assamite clan, a sorcerer decided to find a way to mark her own caste achievements. Allowing the Dragons to show their skills and ability to ascend into the heavens and return with gifts of magic. You must be an Assamite Sorcerer or possess Dur An Ki out of clan/caste to use this ritae.
Every path of Dur An Ki the person this ritae is caste on shows as a dark blue tribal 5 pointed star (Coord Approval). For each level of the path they master a point will turn silver, with the whole star silver after they pinnacle a path.
These marks are not for ranking purposes in the Clan. They are for intimidation. Having a visual reminded to just how dangers the sorcerer can actually be.
These marks have 2 purposes. First, for every 3 full silver stars the Dur An Ki use gains a +1 trait bonus for all Dur An Ki challenges(max of 5). Second, for every full silver star an Assamite sorcerer has over another Dur An Ki user gives them a +1 trait on any non combat social interaction with the Dur An Ki user(max of 5). As they have shown their mastery of Dur An Ki is more potent. This will also affect any non Dur An Ki user who knows what the stars mean. Sorcerers must be showing their own marks to compare for the social traits. Otherwise they count as a non Dur An Ki user with no stars.
All Assamites and Dur An Ki users can recognize and know the meanings of the marks. Anyone else requires Assamite Anti lore 3 or higher. These marks are permeant and cannot be removed. Once the ritae is caste marks will appear and change as you get granted more paths or master levels. These marks start at the wrist and will continue to climb higher up the body. If you run out of room your stars will adjust themselves to force your most recent path to be the highest on your person.
Description: Grants a 1 time retest when resisting mind altering effects
System: Castor prays for Caines favor and support of the participants. Upon completion
participants receive 1 retest for the night when resisting Dominate or other mind altering effect.
Casting time: 1 hour
This Ritus is akin to the Catholic Church's normal mass. However instead, it is solely for Cainites. Sabbat gather in a Catholic Church (usually cleared of all non Sabbat before hand). There, the Preacher reads Sermons, Tales, and other Noddist lore to his Brothers and Sisters. The goal of the Ritus is to help the Order of St. Blaise gain more acceptance with the rest of the Sabbat and uplift their mass. However, the truth is that the Ritus holds another purpose. While the Midnight Mass appears to be a Social gathering of Cainites to discuss the religion of the sect, the Order also uses it as a method to scout out heretics. After a Midnight Mass, the Order gains a number of bonus traits on all challenges to determine if someone is a heretic equal to the casting priests path rating. This effect lasts for one month.
The Sabbat of New York, in particular the covens, are fanatical about their love for their city. Priests of New York have developed this ritae to bolster the convictions of the sect within New York in times of need or celebration. The priest gives a speech about both the Sabbat and New York city with fiery conviction. Additionally the priest hands out a special concoction of blood that is flammable. They ignite the blood and consume it as the end of the speech as it is in flames.
System: This ritae may only be performed for members of the Sabbat who call New York their home. Once performed, for the next scene or an hour, the vampire gains 2 attribute traits of their choice which must be chosen at the time of performing this ritae and may not be changed. These traits may go over generational maximums, but not passed max trait bid rules. Additionally this ritae may not be stacked. The priest performing this ritae must drink flaming blood. To do so the priest must either pass a Courage 5 challenge or spend 1 level of the fire eating ability to automatically succeed.
System: Converted from the Order of St. Blaise and Inquisition Ritae Exorcism. Adapted from Catholic practices as a basis for power to fuel the rites and ideas of the Shinto practice of Ofuda, or prayer paper that can be used to banish or ward off an evil spirit. Based primarily on the religious practices of the Shugendō sect of Shingon Buddhism, the would be “exorcist” performs the standard religious rites and asks for the blessings of caine. First the priest must learn the name of the “Demon” (Demons in this case means malevolent spirit. Aka Wyrm Spirits, Djinn, and spirit “demons”) to write upon the piece of holy paper. Once this is done, the priest must confront the spirit and place the sacred Ofuda upon its head. The Priest engages the spirit in a contested Willpower Challenge. The Priest needs to defeat the “Demon” in a number of challenges equal to the possessing Gnosis Score. The priest may only perform test one per Ofuda placed upon the demon or its vessel, meaning to fully banish the spirit might require several nights of interaction and several Ofuda to be placed upon their heads over a course of time. Upon a possessed host a successful use of Ofuda causes it to separate from its host and manifest to be further dealt with. Once manifested or is a manifested “demon” without a host, an Ofuda use will banish it back to its home realm and be unable to return for a year and a day. Should the priest lose, there is always a chance the spirit or demon may take them over instead. This ritae has no power or effect on Fallen. It only effects Umbral Spirits.
The Sabbat Priest and participants light Nag Champa, or other meditative incense. Clearing their minds. Letting the scent clog their senses. Opening their mind to enter their a memories. Allowing them to pull information and see objectives more clearly.The Sabbat priest makes uses a hookah tabbaco to induce this state. Those who smoke it and breathes the smoke in from the haze or the hookah on purpose feel their mind open up a bit. Those who particpate in this ritae gain 2 bonus traits on all investigation, awareness and alertness challenges for the next scene or an hour. This ritae may only be performed once per night. The benifits of this ritae may not be used in combat.