Post by Hematite on Feb 13, 2014 10:36:08 GMT
Dementation [V20 147]
In order to learn even the first level of Dementation, a character MUST possess at least one derangement. If a character attempts to learn Dementation without a derangement, she will immediately develop one. If she has earned off her derangement through time and willpower, she will immediately develop a new derangement the next time she uses any power of Dementation.
Dementation powers always require line of sight at a minimum.
Dementation 1: Passion [V20 147]
Passion calms or heightens ONE emotion for the duration of the effect. The storyteller will determine which emotion is affected, but it will usually be the strongest emotion at the time the Dementation occurred, which is not necessarily the emotion most visible.
As in most cases, Path of Enlightenment rating substitutes for Humanity when determining the difficulty of this ability.
For targets without a listed Path Rating, assume a difficulty of 6.
The following mechanics are in play when either a negative emotion (Anger, Loathing, Hate, etc) is Passioned "Up" or a positive emotion (Happiness, joy, love, etc) is Passioned "down". Reverse these mechanics for the opposite direction or opposite kind of emotion.
+2/-2 Difficulty to avoid Frenzy
-2/+2 Difficulty on Degeneration checks.
Regardless of the emotion targeted, if Passioned Up the target will be at -2 difficulty to be affected by all uses of the Presence Disciplines as his emotions are that much closer to the surface. The reverse is also true, increasing the difficulty of all Presence rolls against him by 2 while Passioned down.
Dementation 2: The Haunting [V20 148]
Instead of 6+ Successes affecting the character for a year, 5+ Successes affect the character for 3 months.
Even though the vampire does not have control over the effects of the Haunting, if a storyteller or narrator is unavailable, the player may describe something creepy for the Haunting to manifest as for the sake of drama.
Since all the Malkavian has truly done to his target is cause him to experience random sensory input, the truly terrifying thing about this power is the degree to which one’s own mind has the power to torment him. As the madness is essentially the product of the target fooling himself, each week the target of this power must make a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll at a difficulty of his own Permanent Willpower minus one per derangement he possesses. Over the course of the week, he will lose a number of Willpower points and a number of Downtime Actions equal to his successes.
Dementation 3: Eyes of Chaos [V20 148]
Answers given by Eyes of Chaos will always be given in allegorical prose rather than a straight answer.
The kindred using Eyes of Chaos will be struck spellbound and unable to speak sanely or sensibly for a time as she puzzles over the experience. Use this as a roleplaying point, but don’t let it remove you from interaction. The stunned silence usually only lasts for a few minutes at the most.
This power does not grant visions in any way, shape or form. This power is about spotting the hidden truths present in what is already there. The Malkavian sees the pattern in some random paint drips and knows that her childe is in danger, but does not get a vision, allegorical or otherwise.
As with any divination power, this is extremely difficult to adjudicate. The STs can only give their best guesses as answers to this power, especially when the questions pertain to other PCs.
The Malkavian does not have control over the insight she gains as a result of this power. She cannot ask a question and expect a coherent answer to that question. The information given is entirely at the discretion of the STs, though it should be useful and relevant in some way, however obscure the presentation.
Dementation 4: Voice of Madness [V20 149]
This power does not target the Beast directly. Rather this power triggers the primal impetus of fight or flight within its victims’ minds. The Beast then feeds off of that rage or fear and triggers the frenzy.
This power affects different creatures differently. Vampires must make the frenzy/Rotschreck roll caused by this power at difficulty 8. As the system for Lupine Rage is reversed from that of vampire frenzy, Lupines affected with this power must make their Rage roll at difficulty 4. Kuei-Jin must immediately test for Fire Soul or Wave Soul as normal. All other supernatural creatures as well as mortals who are affected by this power will automatically go berserk for the scene, either fighting or panicking at the ST’s discretion. Mortals may not resist this, though other primary supernatural creatures may spend a Willpower point and roll Willpower at difficulty 8 to resist the effects.
At the end of the scene, all afflicted targets may make an additional Self-Control/Instinct roll at difficulty 8. If successful, they may pull themselves out of the Frenzy. All other types of afflicted creatures will automatically leave the berserk state at the end of the scene.
You may in no way deafen yourself to avoid the backlash of this power. Your own awareness of your words is enough.
Dementation 4: Silence the Sane Mind [DAV 185]
This alternate fourth level power of Dementation was lost as part of the Great Prank shortly after the Convention of Thorns. Neonates and Ancilla should have a very good reason for knowing this power. Elder Malkavians will default to this power rather than Voice of Madness. This power must be learned from a teacher. It cannot simply be researched or developed independently.
A victim who has been befuddled by this power should be treated as though under the effects of Quell the Beast (see Animalism) for the full duration listed. During this time she will have no memory of who or what she is, nor even any short term memory beyond the past 5 minutes (and sometimes not even that much). During this time, the victim will respond to (though not necessarily obey) all simple commands, but will be generally useless otherwise. If attacked during this time, she may defend herself normally and may strike back with any ability she possesses. However when the combat has ended, for better or worse, she will likely simply sit down in the gore and wait to be told what to do next.
Even if driven into the apparent catatonic state described in this power, the survival instinct is too strong to be suppressed in the presence of real danger. If attacked while in this state, the Beast will immediately take control and will defend herself with all her capabilities until either she has escaped or the attackers are in bloody chunks in front of her. This is not a normal Frenzy or Rotschreck as the Beast has completely taken over, the Silenced mind unable to resist. Treat this state as a temporary Wassail that will last for the remainder of the night.
The Duration of the Frenzy state caused by this power will also last for the remainder of the night, however it is not truly what it seems. Much like its successor Voice of Madness, this power does not target or enrage the Beast further. Rather it gives the Beast a chance for real control, all will to resist driven out of the victim temporarily. This use of the power, unlike the catatonic state, causes the same state of temporary Wassail immediately which will likewise last for the remainder of the night.
Dementation 5: Total Insanity [V20 149]
For the sake of LARP play, the maximum duration of this effect at 5+ successes is reduced from 1 year to 3 months.
This power requires the target’s undivided attention for at least one full round.
The derangements gained are at Storyteller discretion, though they should be mostly random. Storytellers, in this unique circumstance the normally frowned upon excuse of “I thought it would be funny”, is not only tolerated but encouraged in the choice of derangements.
The Derangements gained by this power may be suppressed with Willpower as normal, though of course it would take 5 Willpower per scene to suppress all of them.
The expenditure of Willpower is not one per success, but one per Derangement. The player may spend a Willpower point to remove one of the Derangements inflicted by this power after spending 2 downtime actions performing some therapeutic act (Traditional therapy, prayer, confession, meditation, self-flagellation, etc.). She may do this individually for each derangement gained via this power.
This ability used to be far more controlled before the nights of the Great Prank. Elder Malkavians may choose to instead take the Dark Ages Version of this power Howling Lunacy, which is treated exactly the same except that the Malkavian himself may choose which derangements shall afflict his target.
Dementation 6: Babble [CbR-Ma 60]
The Babble lasts indefinitely until the user removes a target from his network.
The user of this power must have at least one dot in Malkavian Time.
This power may only target those with at least one dot in Malkavian Time.
This power does not convey a switchboard. When linked parties are communicating through this power, all those linked will hear everything that is said.
The user of this power is the only one who may add or remove members from the link.
Use of this power is dangerous. Each participant linked with this power must immediately make a simple test as in Telepathy or gain a new derangement, usually one of the core derangements of one of the other linked parties.
Dementation 6: The Call [CbR-Ma 60]
The Call is only usable by a character with at least one dot in Malkavian Time.
The Call goes out to all those within the designated radius who have at least one dot in Malkavian Time.
The time and place indicated in the Call are chosen by the user of the power when he activates it. They do not need to reflect his current whereabouts, but must be a location he has personally seen.
This power may also be learned through Auspex, though it is a level 8 power rather than level 6.
Dementation 6: Derange [PGttS 107]
This is a previous version of the power Lingering Malaise presented in V20 on page 150. Emerald Coven Chronicles uses that power rather than this one. See Clarifications on that power below.
Dementation 6: Devil in the Mind [PGttHC 148]
This power is largely dependent on roleplay, though, due to its short duration, if used a Storyteller should be informed immediately. For the duration of the scene in which the victim has been afflicted, the Storyteller will whisper inappropriate impulses and urges that the victim feels compelled to do. This should happen regularly throughout the scene.
This power is very difficult to detect as it draws on the subconscious desires already present in the mind. The afflicted character will not realize anything is wrong unless he scores 3 successes on a Perception + Empathy roll at difficulty 10. Auspex does not aid this roll, nor may any other power not already active do so.
After the scene is over, the victim may again roll Perception + Empathy, this time at difficulty 9. 1 success allows him to understand that his actions and impulses were stronger than normal and somewhat out of character, but not suspect supernatural tampering. 2 successes allows him to suspect some form of supernatural tampering with his emotions, but not really be sure. 3 successes allows him to know that his emotions were tampered with.
Dementation 6: Enigmatic Text [LotH 137]
In order to pick up on the hidden meaning or even know that one exists, an observer must do more than casually observe the storage medium. He must actively study the medium to even gain a glimmer that there might be something to find.
To decipher an Enigmatic Text requires the observer to spend 2 Downtime Actions per roll and requires a number of accumulated successes equal to the user’s Expression Ability + 3 for each derangement the user possesses.
The user of this power may instill any hidden meaning of any length in an object, though doing so requires the entire passage to be spoken aloud in a single sitting. Whatever the medium, the hidden meaning must take the form of something that can be expressed in writing.
A temporary use of this power lasts until one person has successfully deciphered the meaning. A permanent use retains the meaning eternally, able to be deciphered again and again.
Dementation 6: Kindred Spirits [PGttS 107]
This is a previous version of the power Shattered Mirror. Emerald Coven Chronicles uses that version rather than this one. See the clarifications for that power below.
Dementation 6: Kiss of the Moon [DAV 185]
This power requires the undivided attention of the victim for a minimum of 3 rounds as the Malkavian describes the new derangement.
The derangements inflicted by this power are treated as mundane derangements in all respects.
Dementation 6: Lingering Malaise [V20 150]
This power requires the undivided attention of the victim for a minimum of 3 rounds as the Malkavian describes the new derangement.
The derangement inflicted by this power can never be removed or permanently suppressed through mundane means. All supernatural means of removing the derangement must be performed at +2 difficulty and can only be successful if the user of that power possesses it to a higher level than the Dementation rating of the Malkavian who inflicted this power. The derangement may still be suppressed for a scene with the expenditure of a Willpower point.
This power is rolled at a difficulty of the victim’s current Willpower.
Dementation 6: Luna’s Embrace [DAC 82]
This is a previous version of the power Shattered Mirror. Emerald Coven Chronicles uses that version rather than this one. See the clarifications for that power below.
Dementation 6: Shattered Mirror [V20 150]
The derangements granted by this power are treated as mundane derangements in all respects.
Unlike normal LARP restrictions, this power’s duration scale is not being altered to a maximum of 3 months. 5 successes will last 6 months and each additional success will add a year.
