Post by Hematite on Jul 4, 2014 13:24:52 GMT
Thanatosis
This is no longer a discipline. Thanatosis is now considered to be a Path of Necromancy called the Path of Thanatos. The In-Clan Disciplines of the Samedi are now Fortitude, Necromancy, Obfuscate. Samedi must take this path as their primary path, and follow the Vodoun paradigm.
Clarifications for this path are included here for completeness and are also present in the Necromancy clarifications.
Because Paths of Necromancy do not extend to elder levels, some of the elder powers of Thanatosis are being converted to modifier rituals. These are listed both here and in the rituals section of Necromancy.
This path of Necromancy has been kept very close by the Samedi. They speak of terrible retribution from the Baron if anyone unapproved should learn it. It is, thus far, unknown among both the Giovanni and the Harbingers of Skulls, though some Vodoun Necromancers have learned it outside the Samedi. It has never been confirmed what might happen to those who attempt to learn it without approval (or indeed what it is that gives approval) but it is notable that no one can point to anyone successfully learning this path without that mysterious approval.
Path of Thanatos 1: Hag’s Wrinkles [V20 471]
The roll for this power is Stamina + Subterfuge, dif 8.
The character may also plunge their hand into their chest or stomach cavity to hide a small item (perhaps
the size of a softball) into their body to keep it hidden.
Storing objects within the body does not have a duration, but removing the object does require another application of this power.
Path of Thanatos 2: Putrefaction [V20 471]
The damage from this power cannot be soaked, as the character's Stamina + Fortitude are already considered in the difficulty of the power.
Additional damage to the Appearance Attribute is cumulative from repeated uses of this power.
Path of Thanatos 3: Ashes to Ashes [V20 471]
This is considered a Complete and Incompatible Transformation. See Transformation Disciplines clarifications for details.
This power does not cause the Samedi to turn into sticky, tarry powder. This power allows the Samedi to turn to ash. The ash looks exactly as if the Samedi had met final death.
While in this form, the ashes are truly invincible to all damage.
The Samedi does not expend blood points to awaken each night while in this form. The total dormancy of the ashes does not require it.
Because the Samedi loses 1 future blood point and 1 future health level for each 10th of the ashes to be separated, the form bears the risk of coming back into form taking enough damage to be in torpor. When the user ends the transformation, the form will recover from the largest collection of ash, with the minimum of the head and heart (and the intervening space) intact. If the Samedi reforms into torpor, they bear out the normal time in torpor prescribed by their Path rating before awakening as normal, but still missing parts of their body.
Health Levels lost from dispersed ashes must be healed as aggravated damage.
Path of Thanatos 4: Withering [V20 472]
If a leg is chosen to be Withered, the target gains all effects of the Lame flaw. If both legs are Withered, they gain all effects of the Paraplegic Flaw. He may not Dodge.
If an arm is chosen to be Withered, the target may not use that arm, and it may impeded certain split action uses at storyteller discretion. If both arms are Withered, the target may not Block, Parry, Strike or use any other form of combat maneuver except Kick, Tackle and Sweep. He may still Dodge.
If the head is Withered, the target loses 2 from each Mental Attribute and may use no Disciplines except Potence, Celerity and Fortitude. This is fatal to any mortal creature. Supernatural creatures that survive their head being Withered may not use any mental powers particular to their kind - only those powers which are physically latent to them and require no magic to work (Werewolves may still shift and spend Rage but may not use Gifts, Mages may not use any spheres, Kuei-Jin may use no disciplines other than Black Wind and Iron Mountain, Demons may still assume Apocalyptic Form but not activate Lores, and Mummies may not cast Spells).
This power has no effect on creatures without a physical body such as wraiths and spirits.
Withering lasts until the end of the night (or permanent for mortals), and may not be recovered from sooner.
Path of Thanatos 5: Necrosis [V20 473]
Like Putrefaction before it, these health levels of damage do not get a soak roll because the victim's Stamina + Fortitude is already considered in the activation difficulty.
If a victim is reduced to 0 Strength or 0 Dexterity, they cannot take physical actions except weak flailing, but they may spend blood to heal the wounds or pump physical stats. The reduced Attribute totals also decrease the "Generation cap" by the same amount for the purposes of how high blood pumped Physical Attributes may be raised and maintained. These missing Attribute levels (including Appearance) only recover when the last point of lethal damage from the attack is recovered from.
Compress - Level 5 Ritual, requires Path of Thanatos 5 (Originally Thanatosis 6 [PG2 144])
This ritual can cause the skin of an opponent to shrink until it ruptures and explodes off the target. The Samedi must ritually prepare a patch of human skin which must be alchemically shrunk over the course of 3 nights in a solution of the Samedi’s own blood (requiring 3 points) and other acids and chemicals.
System:To activate the effects of this ritual, the patch of enchanted skin must be applied to the skin of an opponent. This causes four levels of aggravated damage and reduces the victim’s Appearance to 0 as the victim’s skin contracts and rips apart. Targets with Fortitude may resist this power with a soak roll, though partial success still rips off large portions of the victim’s skin, reducing his Appearance to 1. The Appearance loss will persist until all of the aggravated damage is healed.
If the victim suffers at least one level of aggravated damage from this effect, the contracted skin retains a degree of magic within it, that can be tapped by the Samedi. If he collects a sample of the skin, he may at any point later in the night spend a blood point to absorb the contracted skin within his own putrid form. The Samedi adds three dots to his Stamina score for the remainder of the night. This is considered an Attribute bonus and can exceed generational limits.
If the shrunken skin is not used within one lunar month of the completed casting, it loses its magic and becomes useless.
Needless to say, Samedi who overtly display this ability are not popular with others.
System:To activate the effects of this ritual, the patch of enchanted skin must be applied to the skin of an opponent. This causes four levels of aggravated damage and reduces the victim’s Appearance to 0 as the victim’s skin contracts and rips apart. Targets with Fortitude may resist this power with a soak roll, though partial success still rips off large portions of the victim’s skin, reducing his Appearance to 1. The Appearance loss will persist until all of the aggravated damage is healed.
If the victim suffers at least one level of aggravated damage from this effect, the contracted skin retains a degree of magic within it, that can be tapped by the Samedi. If he collects a sample of the skin, he may at any point later in the night spend a blood point to absorb the contracted skin within his own putrid form. The Samedi adds three dots to his Stamina score for the remainder of the night. This is considered an Attribute bonus and can exceed generational limits.
If the shrunken skin is not used within one lunar month of the completed casting, it loses its magic and becomes useless.
Needless to say, Samedi who overtly display this ability are not popular with others.
This ritual takes a total of 6 downtime actions to prepare.
Creeping Infection - Level 5 Ritual, requires Path of Thanatos 5 (Originally Thanatosis 6 [V20 473]
This ritual allows the Samedi to delay the effect of a previously cast power of the Path of Thanatos so that it takes effect in its victim long after the Samedi has left. This ritual has led to many rumours that Samedi are infectious, and that their mere presence can cause terrible disease in those around them. Samedi who hear these rumours just smile and pat the rumourmonger on the back.
System: This ritual requires the Samedi consume the blood (at least one point) from a source infected with a virulent disease. The power of this ritual protects the Samedi from suffering any effects of the diseased blood, the power of it consumed in the casting of this ritual.
For the remainder of the night, the Samedi may choose to activate Putrefaction, Withering, or Necrosis on a target, and choose to delay the effect, to activate later at his will. All rolls necessary for the Path of Thanatos power must be made as normal when the power is applied. The delayed effect may remain dormant in the victim’s system for up to one month per success in casting this ritual. At any point during that duration, the Samedi may choose to spend a Blood Point and a mental action to cause the full effects of the dormant power to take effect. The Samedi does not need to be within line of sight of his victim to activate the dormant effect. The Samedi may delay a maximum number of effects at a time equal to his Natural Stamina + Fortitude.
If the duration on a delayed effect runs out, the magic fades from the victim with no ill effect.
System: This ritual requires the Samedi consume the blood (at least one point) from a source infected with a virulent disease. The power of this ritual protects the Samedi from suffering any effects of the diseased blood, the power of it consumed in the casting of this ritual.
For the remainder of the night, the Samedi may choose to activate Putrefaction, Withering, or Necrosis on a target, and choose to delay the effect, to activate later at his will. All rolls necessary for the Path of Thanatos power must be made as normal when the power is applied. The delayed effect may remain dormant in the victim’s system for up to one month per success in casting this ritual. At any point during that duration, the Samedi may choose to spend a Blood Point and a mental action to cause the full effects of the dormant power to take effect. The Samedi does not need to be within line of sight of his victim to activate the dormant effect. The Samedi may delay a maximum number of effects at a time equal to his Natural Stamina + Fortitude.
If the duration on a delayed effect runs out, the magic fades from the victim with no ill effect.
Dust to Dust - Level 5 Ritual, requires Path of Thanatos 3 (Originally Thanatosis 7 [V20 473])
This ritual allows the Samedi to modify his next use of Ashes to Ashes, letting him retain his awareness and mobility in his discorporate state. This ritual requires the Samedi cut off his own left hand, then consume the ashes mixed with cold blood from a week old corpse.
System: Cutting off the hand deals a level of unsoakable lethal damage. For the remainder of the night, while in ash form, the Samedi may spend a Blood and Willpower point to reanimate that form. In the animated form, the Samedi may move as though drifting along air currents, though not necessarily in the direction of the prevailing breeze. The character cannot be blown apart by high winds, and any deliberate attempt to separate the pile of ash may be resisted with a die pool equaling the character’s combined Strength, Stamina, Potence, and Fortitude. He may also use any discipline that does not require physical movement or speech, though sometimes to odd effect (for instance, Majesty will make the pile of dust very impressive, and no maid in her right mind would dare sweep it up).
Each casting of this ritual only allows the Samedi to assume the sentient Ash state once, and only in the same night as the ritual was cast. The Samedi may not cast this ritual multiple times to build up charges.
System: Cutting off the hand deals a level of unsoakable lethal damage. For the remainder of the night, while in ash form, the Samedi may spend a Blood and Willpower point to reanimate that form. In the animated form, the Samedi may move as though drifting along air currents, though not necessarily in the direction of the prevailing breeze. The character cannot be blown apart by high winds, and any deliberate attempt to separate the pile of ash may be resisted with a die pool equaling the character’s combined Strength, Stamina, Potence, and Fortitude. He may also use any discipline that does not require physical movement or speech, though sometimes to odd effect (for instance, Majesty will make the pile of dust very impressive, and no maid in her right mind would dare sweep it up).
Each casting of this ritual only allows the Samedi to assume the sentient Ash state once, and only in the same night as the ritual was cast. The Samedi may not cast this ritual multiple times to build up charges.
See the clarifications for Vicissitude 5 to note how this form may move.
Other than what is mentioned in this ritual, the mobile and sentient Ash form functions exactly as normal for Ashes to Ashes.
