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.
Developed by a Mad Angel of Caine who sought to elevate the cainite condition beyond the limitations set forth by the almighty, the ritae allows a party of sabbat to, temporarily, conquer the sun's weight.
The presiding priest elevates himself above the group and covers himself in a flammable liquid, leaving a line up that leads to his position of the same accelerant. The priest then lights it, letting the fire slowly climb up the elevated position to simulate the rising sun.
The priest is engulfed in flames and becomes 'the sun' of the ritae. The presiding cainites dance around the priest. Chanting about how they will conquer the sun and elevate themselves past the curses of caine.
System: if the priest succeeds the ritae challenge he takes 3 aggravated damage that cannot be reduced or negated by any means. The presiding sabbat then gains the benefit of being able to use a trait pool during the day equal to 3 X the Priests morality rating.
If the priest fails the ritae challenge, they Suffer the effects of the Sun's weight for the next 3 nights with no reprieve or abatement from merits/other powers/abilities
Lastly, the Priest must make a Courage challenge difficulty 5 that cannot be ignored by any means. If they frenzy during the ritae they are considered to have failed the ritae.
Note: This does not give cainites any resistance to the sun's damage. This merely allows them to use a potentially full trait pool.
If a cainite runs into the sun shouting about how he's too tough for it, let him go, that's darwinism in effect
This ritae is a modification on the Sabbat’s on Consecration Ritae. The priest first find a building he wants to consecrate as a Temple to Chakrasamvara. Many priests use brothels, strip clubs, and other appropriate places of sin. Once the proper location has been found the priest must begin the ritual process to dedciate the building and found a new temple dedicated to Chakrasamvara. The ritual itself consist of the burning of incense, ritual prayer and dedicated blood sex. The priest engages in a sinful blood ogry engaging in large amount of sex and sharing of blood. Once the ritual is complete all members who partook in the ritual must spend 1 willpower trait each to finish the dedication. Once done, for the next year and a day the new temple grants the effects of life to those who enter the temple. Regardless of Path of Enlightenment or Morlaity those vampires who enter can experience pleasure and sex as if they were mortal. After the time frame has expired this ritual must be performed again to rededicate the temple.
This ritae is meant to ensure students of nod apply a Cainite perspective of time and help prevent minor slights from blossoming into bloodshed that may needlessly diminish the followers of Caine. When a Noddist has been slighted they may seek out a priest to counsel and direct them. The cainite shares with the priest all that as transpired against them. The priest will then give guidance and perspective to the offended Cainite. This counsel may lead the offended cainite to a new perspective and acceptance of the offender or it may set them on a path to monomancy.
Due to the dangers of the massive mortal population of New York; members of the cities clergy developed this ritae off the effects of the Palla Grande Ritae. The Sabbat priest burns brazers similar to those during the High Holiday to spread a fine pink reddish mist throughout and area. Mortals in that area will find their minds effected when vampires reveal themselves. The vast majority of which will react in fear or panic when the Masquerade is broken in front of them but will forget the event later. Only the strongest willed of mortals can act normally and fully remember the events of the Masquerade breech.
System: To perform this ritae the priest must burn the bones of a fallen sabbat member with the blood of a vampire in a brazer. As the reddish pink mist leaves the brazers it will fill an area. Any mortal in the area will react to any breaches of the Masquerade for the next scene or hour in the following ways depending on their willpower scores:
Willpower Score Forget? Reaction
1 Yes The human faints, or collapses in fear unable to recall anything of the events.
2 Yes The human bolts, trying to put as much distance between himself and the vampires as possible. unable to recall anything of the events.
3 Yes The human retreats to a corner to avoid the “hallucination” until it passes, but doesn’t collapse in fear
4 Yes The human attacks, be it firing a gun (he won’t have enough presence of mind to reload, however), throwing crockery, or even leaping at the “monster
5 Yes Much like panic, except with rational thought. The human is able to think enough to lock doors behind him or to get in a car and flee
6 Yes The human will try to plead and bargain with the Vampire, doing anything possible so as not to get hurt
7 No, but will rationalize Although terrified, he does not panic. The human will flee or fight as appropriate, but remains in control of his actions;
8 No, but will rationalize These people are dangerous, because they remember what they saw (more or less), and they might well investigate the matter further
9 No This human refuses to take anymore. She is afraid but angry, and she will remember the Vampire and probably even try to hunt it down;
10 No The human is not the slightest bit afraid or bothered by the Vampire. Even Ghouls aren’t this stoic, so Vampires tend to be very suspicious of such folks
Inspired by the Ghede holiday, and designed after the Martial ritae, this ritae is designed to
entwine the members of a pack in protection by calling to their Ancestors. Each member of the
pack participating in the ritae donates a point of vitae to the wick of a candle of which the
Sabbat ankh is engraved into while saying the name of a beloved Ancestor. The Ductus or
Priest leading the ritae, lights the candle calling once again upon the Ancestors and concluding
with a beseeching to Caine to come and watch over the pack. The participants then celebrate
with rhythmic drumming and dancing for the length of time it takes for the candle to burn.
Following this ritae, a pack feels watched over by their loved ones and grants a feeling of
protection among the participants.
System: Each Cainite participating must donate 1 point of vitae to gain the spiritual strength
from the pack and their combined Ancestors for performing this ritual. Participants are granted a
phantom observation retest (awareness or alertness) due to the guidance of their Ancestors as
long as the Ductus or Priest performing the ritae spends temporary WP up to their Path Rating
for each participant to be included (i.e. if 3 WP is spent, 3 people can be included)
This ritae was developed by members of the sabbat clergy on crafting and forging relics "holy" to the sabbat. For the priest to create such a Dark Relic they first need an object of renown and importance to the sword of Caine as a whole. Items once possessed by legendary members of the sabbat are often favored. some priests favor skulls and bones of fallen sabbat heroes whose names are written into the Litany of Blood. Regardless, only true Relics of the Sabbat will ever work for this ritae, anything short a d the ritae itself utterly fails. Once a proper item for the relic is found by the priest they must spend several nights in offerings of blood over the item as they recite the deeds of the Cainites in question. The priest also perform other ritae around the item and get other members of the sect to acknowledge the sects importance. once complete, however, The Dark Relic is finally forged for use by the sect as a whole or can even be used by the Sabbat Inquisition in the crafting of their Iron Reliquaries.
System: Each Dark reliquiae is a unique and "holy" item to the sabbat. They are not created often or are common things. the player must truly find an item appropriate to the ritae, just any normal item will not suffice and the ritae will fail. Regardless, the priest performing this ritae must spend 1 to 5 permanent willpower in the crafting of this Dark reliquiae. The traits spent then give the relic a rating equal to the permanent willpower traits spent. this Rating adds additional levels of "True Faith" to anyone with the merit Mark of Caine (Rites of the Blood page 41), to a Maximum of 5. Some examples of Relics and their ratings are below:
Ring of Melinda Galbraith (Rating 4)
Thurible of Venere Carboni (Rating 3)
Cross of Moncada (Rating 3)
Tome of Goratrix (Rating 4)
Fangs of Gorchist (Rating 5)
Dagger or Marozia d’Oscura (Rating 5)
Skull of a Crusader (Rating 2)
Fingerbone of a Fallen Packmate (1)
The Creation of a Dark Reliquiae item must be approved by the Sabbat Coordinator
The ritae begins with the Pack asking the would be member some questions, and giving brief monologues about Caine, and the meaninglessness of clans. The questions are used to determine the cainite’s true motives. The line of questioning ends when the priest asks the candidate “to which clan to you belong?” Their answer will set the tone for what follows. If the candidate say any clan other then Pander, one way or another they will be told they do not belong. If they say Pander or claim they are clanless then the ritae will continue to unfold.
The candidate is told to dig a grave and to lie within. Then while standing around the grave the candidate has dug for themself the pack priest consecrates a Vaulderie (the candidate does not add blood). The candidate is then instructed to free the blood from their veins and to allow it to drain into the earth until they have no blood left within their body. As the blood drains from the candidate the pack proclaims the strengths of the clanless, declaring why they have united under the name Pander and how they are Caine’s truer children. A small portion of the Vaulderie is given to the candidate. And the pack quickly buries them as the priest makes proclamations of Caine setting you free from your elder’s and Caine’s blood washing away the curses he laid on the antediluvians.
The candidate is then expected to dig them self free of the grave they dug for their old self. Should the candidate fail to dig themself free the pack leaves them behind obviously their clan had too much a hold over them. If the candidate digs them self out they will find the remainder of the Vaulderie and additional fresh blood awaiting them. After they have finished the blood in the Vaulderie and have filled themselves on fresh blood they are told that their old self is dead, and they must find a new name for them self. They are welcomed into the pack and a Vaulderie is performed cementing their new ties.
Mechanics: The Ritae begins with a Sermon of Caine for all intents and purposes. After the individual has spilt their blood from their veins the pack begins to prepare the Vaulderie. By the mystic nature of the Ritae or the combined belief of the pack this is where the real magic takes place. If the individual as lied about their intent to abandon their clan or held even one blood trait in their system they must make three hunger frenzy challenges (even if they are not hungry) with a difficulty of 6. These challenges should occur when the Vaulderie is consecrated, when the candidate willfully stops shedding blood, and when the small bit of the Vaulderie is given to the candidate. (Optionally these challenges can be made before hand with an ST so the RP is not interrupted by RPS and the host pack does not know if the individual has lied or not.) Should the poor individual enter frenzy, the ritae ends incomplete, and the pack’s punishment will most likely be swift and harsh.
If the individual has spilled all their blood traits and told the truth about their desire to renounce their clan they are not effect by the immediately following sight smell or taste of blood and they will not frenzy, as a result of the Vaulderie being prepared. Use the ancient version of the creation rites mechanics for how this vaulderi works. Further more when the candidate drinks any of the vaulderi, either by will or in hunger frenzy they feel as if they are going through the change a second time. While the candidate is feeling the agony of the change the pack still buries them. If the individual as lied about their intent to abandon their clan or held even one blood trait in their system they will feel the pain of the agony causing three points of lethal damage a round until the failed candidate falls into torpor.
After the candidate is buried they must dig themselves out of the grave. They must win (not tie) two out of three simple tests to free themselves from the grave. Each physical trait the candidate spends entitles them to get another test. Once they have accumulated two wins they have freed themselves from the earth. (Assume each test takes 10 minutes). The now new pack member will have a new temporary derangement that will last for the next month, after which time it fades away.
System: This Mexican Ritus is the observation of the same Mexican Holiday commonly known as the Day of the Dead. The ritus is only performed on the Mexican Holiday and follows the same rituals and procedures as the mortal celebration (altars, toys, candy, alcohol, ect). However the purpose of this Cainite version of this ritual is to see, hear, and touch a fallen comrade. The altar must be adorned with things the slain Cainite would have liked, in hopes of gaining a visitation. At Midnight on November second the priest sacrifices some of his blood upon the altar in hopes of summoning forth his lost ally or friend. This ritus only works on the Day of the Dead and only upon slain friends of the priest (Additionally this will not summon any soul that has either been diablirized or reach Golconda before Final Death.). If the ritual is performed correctly the soul they seek to enjoy the brief company of will hear their summons. A soul such summoned will last to interact with from 12 midnight till the next sunrise. After this time the soul with return to the ether from which it came. Any attempts to use magical arts to bind or command a soul summoned during this time will fail, and will likely cause the ritual to fail for the priest in any further uses until he atones for the offense. This ritus will also fail should the priest attempt to summon an enemy or someone they generally did not consider themselves close to.
This Mexican Ritus is the observation of the same Mexican Holiday commonly known as the Day of the Dead. The ritus is only performed on the Mexican Holiday and follows the same rituals and procedures as the mortal celebration (altars, toys, candy, alcohol, ect). However the purpose of this Cainite version of this ritual is to see, hear, and touch a fallen comrade. The altar must be adorned with things the slain Cainite would have liked, in hopes of gaining a visitation. At Midnight on November second the priest sacrifices some of his blood upon the altar in hopes of summoning forth his lost ally or friend. This ritus only works on the Day of the Dead and only upon slain friends of the priest (Additionally this will not summon any soul that has either been diablirized or reach Golconda before Final Death.). If the ritual is performed correctly the soul they seek to enjoy the brief company of will hear their summons. A soul such summoned will last to interact with from 12 midnight till the next sunrise. After this time the soul with return to the ether from which it came. Any attempts to use magical arts to bind or command a soul summoned during this time will fail, and will likely cause the ritual to fail for the priest in any further uses until he atones for the offense. This ritus will also fail should the priest attempt to summon an enemy or someone they generally did not consider themselves close to.
Ignobolis Ritae
Description: Cainites of the Sabbat are by nature young and hungry for power withheld for centuries by the ancients and elders of their kind. Time and again they have devised powers, skills, and new expressions of the blood to catch up, but in this ritae one finds a way to steal at one of the greatest of the Elder's gifts, the potency of their blood. Those who pass the trial of this Ritae find their blood thickened and more potent when they begin. Not all benefit from the process, but those who do gain a sharp edge to their nightly unlives.
Mechanics: Casting the Ritae is a Static Mental challenge at a difficulty of the subjects Generation x 4 traits, retest with Occult. To gain the benefits of the Ritae the subject must pass a series of challenges. The subject must be full of blood at the rituals beginning, they then begin to distill the blood in their own veins and drain it into a receptacle capable of containing their blood pool. Engage in a simple test, there are no retests. On a loss or tie you lose 2 blood traits and the challenge, on a win the 2 traits of blood distills into 1 trait and drains into the container provided. The subject succeeds at the Ritae once they win a number of challenges equal to 2 x their current generation score (minimum of 2 challenges.) The individual gains the benefits of the Pure Blood Merit for the remainder of the night. At ST Discretion this Ritae can be made permanent by purchasing the Merit itself and could even help purge a Cainite of the weakness of being Thin Blooded.
Ignobolis Ritae
Description: Cainites of the Sabbat are by nature young and hungry for power withheld for centuries by the ancients and elders of their kind. Time and again they have devised powers, skills, and new expressions of the blood to catch up, but in this ritae one finds a way to steal at one of the greatest of the Elder's gifts, the potency of their blood. Those who pass the trial of this Ritae find their blood thickened and more potent when they begin. Not all benefit from the process, but those who do gain a sharp edge to their nightly unlives.
Mechanics: Casting the Ritae is a Static Mental challenge at a difficulty of the subjects Generation x 4 traits, retest with Occult. To gain the benefits of the Ritae the subject must pass a series of challenges. The subject must be full of blood at the rituals beginning, they then begin to distill the blood in their own veins and drain it into a receptacle capable of containing their blood pool. Engage in a simple test, there are no retests. On a loss or tie you lose 2 blood traits and the challenge, on a win the 2 traits of blood distills into 1 trait and drains into the container provided. The subject succeeds at the Ritae once they win a number of challenges equal to 2 x their current generation score (minimum of 2 challenges.) The individual gains the benefits of the Pure Blood Merit for the remainder of the night. At ST Discretion this Ritae can be made permanent by purchasing the Merit itself and could even help purge a Cainite of the weakness of being Thin Blooded.
What knowledge gained from this is entirely at ST discretion.