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.
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.
Description: This Ritae aims, along with Vaulderie, to seal Cainites' commitment to their group for a purpose of unity and loyalty. In this Ritae each member of a nascent pack assumes his commitment to others through a self-proclaimed role.
Sermon: “Cain, cursed and exiled from Eden, found himself alone, lost in the dark, afraid, without light and without anyone. Helpless and lost he wandered, as do many of us as they tread the Path of the sword alone; forgotten, dying without having companions to remind them and tell their stories.
“And then the Black Father found who would guide him, just as our priest guides us, and protects him, just as we meet our comrades. Just as Cain was given food for his hunger, clothing to warm him, and comfort to his grief.”
Ceremony: The Priest then lights a ritually prepared pyre, he will receive blood from the back members – not enough to kill the flames, but as symbolism of their commitment – and claim those of the pack to make their vows, starting with the pack Ductus:
As the Ductus of this pack I offer "X", to "Y" [and deposits the item in the pyre], so”…”;
As the Priest of this pack I offer "A", to "B" [and deposits the item on the pyre], so”…”;
As the Abbot of this pack I offer "T", to "Z" [and places the item on the pyre], so”…”;
As the a brother of this pack I offer "B", to "C" [and places the item on the pile], so”…”;
As the a brother of this pack I offer "D", to "E" (and so on) [and deposits the item on the pyre].”
This will follow until all the packmates put items and make their vows, like the Vaulderie, the pyre should react to the offerings in some way while consuming the materials placed on it.
System: As the Merit: Code of Honor (LotN: Revised Edition, page 116), the manifest destiny of each member of the newborn pack gives its members a retest, either social or mental, in situations that would lead the Cainite to break their votes. The effects of this ritual endure until the member of the pack is tested or a week, whichever comes first.
Ignoblis Ritae — Pack Link
The Sabbat refer to their base organizational units as Packs, and much like the feral monsters that name seeks to drawn upon, many Cainites have found that communication is the key to any victory. After centuries of struggle with linking together Auspex into makeshift daisy chains, the Sect's fanaticism has finally developed a method approaching true pack-mindedness.
System: A group of Cainites seeking to benefit from this ritae must all have a Viniculum to one another. There are many alternative methods of performing this ritae, but that stipulation is absolute. The Cainites involved each drink from a concoction similar to the Vaulderie, but which includes pieces of hair, fingernails, graveyard soil, and of course their blood. Despite the similarities to the Vaulderie, this does not impart a Viniculum, but until the next sunrise they become capable of a form of mental communication similar to that of the Auspex power Telepathy, save that they cannot probe one another's minds, only willingly communicate thoughts, ideas, and images.
System: While the Vaulderie adds bonds to the Sect, it does not always cool tempers. As diplomacy may sometimes serve as a better medium than violence, this ritual was created. The caster takes a small blade, like a needle, and pricks the palm of each person who is going to take part of the ritual. Each drop of blood must be caught in a bowl, and then burned like incense. After speaking the words, "We are all equal in this pain, therefore we all come to this table equally to speak" and having everyone repeat them, for the next scene or hour, everyone who took part in the Rite would be considered up one Self Control or Instinct Trait, or one Trait up for controlling a frenzy. This bonus does count towards the trait total against a source for Frenzy - if with the bonus they double the stimulus rating they need not test. However, if a participant commits an act of violence, including use of quieter powers such as dominate but not defensive uses of presence, then they immediately lose the benefits of the Rite and the smoke from the burnt blood rests upon them to mark them as the betrayer of the Ritus.
While the Vaulderie adds bonds to the Sect, it does not always cool tempers. As diplomacy may sometimes serve as a better medium than violence, this ritual was created. The caster takes a small blade, like a needle, and pricks the palm of each person who is going to take part of the ritual. Each drop of blood must be caught in a bowl, and then burned like incense. After speaking the words, "We are all equal in this pain, therefore we all come to this table equally to speak" and having everyone repeat them, for the next scene or hour, everyone who took part in the Rite would be considered up one Self Control or Instinct Trait, or one Trait up for controlling a frenzy. This bonus does count towards the trait total against a source for Frenzy - if with the bonus they double the stimulus rating they need not test. However, if a participant commits an act of violence, including use of quieter powers such as dominate but not defensive uses of presence, then they immediately lose the benefits of the Rite and the smoke from the burnt blood rests upon them to mark them as the betrayer of the Ritus.
Punishment Doll
The Priest takes a cloth object (it need not be a doll), large enough to soak in several blood points (max of 5, based on path rating of Priest). The Priest speaks what sins the accused has done while they bleed onto the doll, giving it a red tinge. Upon completion of the ritae, the doll is tied around the accused neck. For as many nights as blood points are expended (up to 5, limited by the Priest’s Path Rating), the accused suffers one of the following effects:
· Down traits equal to number of traits expended into the doll
· Takes that much aggravated damaged once per night per the Priest's Command
· Gains Negative Traits equal to half rounded down amount of blood points put into the doll (Priest's choice of negative traits)
· Losses as much blood traits as were put in by the doll when they wake up
The negative effects may change every night or remain the same. The Doll may be destroyed by exposure to fire and sunlight. If it is destroyed, the bearer of the Doll immediately suffers 5 unsoakable aggravated damage.
System: The Priest, while in seclusion, strips nude, kneels in and takes a discipline (a cattail whip made of knotted cords, if the Cainite desires, it can be modified to make it more sturdy, or can be modified to be a harsher tool). While focusing on holding back her beast, the Cainite engages in self-flagellation, seeking to provoke their Beast without actually releasing it. The Priest must inflict at least one level of lethal damage to themself during the course of this Ritus. If successful, they are considered to be up 1 trait on tests of Self-Control for the purposes of ties for either the night, or until they heal the lethal damage, whichever comes first. This may only be used by Cainites whose Paths espouse Self Control.
The Daughter of the Dark Father stand guard over the most holy places of the Sabbat. The Temples of Caine, the Black Cathedrals, and other holy sites they view as their purpose to safeguard. As such, when a daughter takes a duty to stand guard at one of these sites they perform this ritae. The daughter recites the creed of the cult and passages from the book of nod constantly to perform this ritae, as long as they do so they gain a slight benefit in their duties and blessings from Caine.
System: As long as the vampire continues to speak and recites their prayer uninterrupted when guarding a location they gain a free retest in all challenges they must make to defend the chosen sabbat holy site.