Hermetic Thaumaturgy

[Hematite]

Hermetic Thaumaturgy

Formulaic and precise, Hermetic Thaumaturgy is unique among the arts of Blood Magic for its organized structure and key defined principles. Thaumaturges perhaps among all the Blood Mages have the greatest understanding for how their arts work, and stemming from that understanding the greatest ability to alter and manipulate their arts. A Thaumaturge always strives to perform an effect the same way each time he casts a ritual. With the smallest number of variables possible, the Tremere have regulated and contained magic to more truly resemble a science. A Tremere’s Grimoire will often look far more like an organized textbook, with pages of formulas and alchemical notes than a true book of magic.

Hermetic Thaumaturges may begin with any path as their primary, though the Path of Blood is the most common primary path taught by the Tremere, both within the Pyramid and among House Goratrix.

Hermetic Thaumaturgy being the most adaptable form of blood magic, practitioners have an easier time researching new rituals than other forms of magic. Researching a ritual in Hermetic Thaumaturgy requires only 10 successes per level, rather than the usual 15.

Hermetic Thaumaturgy also has the broadest paradigm, thus allowing far more options for rituals than may be allowed in other paradigms. It is also noted that Hermetic Thaumaturgy is unique among blood magics in that it has the only defined method for creating new paths, the path known as Rego Magica. The methods used by other paradigms to create their unique paths have long since been either lost to their practitioners, or are kept as hoarded secrets of the few who remember.

Core Principles of Hermetic Thaumaturgy

Personal Object

Personal objects are any objects that the individual in question could easily and accurately identify as their own such item in a group of similar items through familiarity. A pair of shoes with telltale wear or frayed laces, a briefcase with your name etched on the handle, and certainly one's driver's license or other explicit pieces of identification would suffice. Any item made by the subject as well as any item used for magical purposes in a ritual will always count as a personal object.

A full point of blood always counts as a personal object for the purposes of magic.

Blood Sample

For the purposes of magic, unless specifically listed or clarified otherwise in an individual power, an entire blood point is necessary for any ritual or power that requires a sample of blood to direct an effect. The volume of blood can vary depending on the potency of the blood in question, but a "blood point" is necessary because that is the exact amount of blood that contains enough magical power to be useful for a vampire's abilities. For mortals, this is almost always going to be 1 pint of blood. Elder vampires or lupines may require less, as defined by their Blood Pool statistic (20 blood pool means half a pint, 40 blood pool means 1/4 a pint, etc)

True Name

True names are the extremely specific universal identity for the character or object in question, like an IP address or radio frequency. It is not the same as your "Real Name" or your birth name. The True name is a collection of everything you were, are, and will be as far as the universe is concerned, and it serves primarily as a way to "aim" magical effects at you when you are without other resources such as line of sight or a personal object in rituals and paths that call for it.

True names are difficult to transmit in verbal or written form as they are more of a mystical understanding than actual language. It requires 5 successes on an Intelligence + Expression test to successfully scribe or explain a True Name that you know to another character.

As per the passage on True Names in Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy on page 40, knowing a target’s True Name conveys a devastating advantage. If the target’s True Name is invoked during the casting of any Path or Ritual of Blood Magic, there is no further need for a Sending to overcome the principle of Identity, thus effectively eliminating all range requirements for the power in question. This will work for any Path or Ritual of any form of Blood Magic that does not specifically have other targeting requirements such as Touch, but will overcome the need for images, personal objects, target’s blood, or any other lesser means of targeting the individual.

True Names are more than just a random set of syllables. They are an absolute identification of every facet of a person’s being. As such, researching a True Name takes far more than simply pouring through some books. To research a True Name, the researcher must become familiar with many aspects of the subject’s life, each type of investigation into them revealing hidden clues to the True Name. As researching a True Name takes real understanding of that name, an innately personal understanding, Leadership may not be used on True Name research rolls, nor may they be accumulated via shared work with another character.

Any character must have a minimum Occult score of 5 in order to make any of the following rolls. The following rolls are all made at difficulty 9. The Specialty of True Name Research may be taken for any of the relevant Abilities (but not Attributes) to apply to this process.

Each of the below checks can be made only once per appropriate subject per person making the roll and may be done over the course of scenes rather than taking Downtime Actions, unless specifically noted otherwise. The rolls listed below are examples only, not an exhaustive list. Players are free to come up with other dice pools that the ST feels are appropriate for the situation and may reveal additional details about the subject.

A botch on any of these research rolls, irreparably taints the research project, mistaking a crucial set of syllables, and rendering a false name, no matter how much additional research is done. The only way for a researcher to detect a past botch is to score a minimum of 5 successes on a reevaluation roll (see below). Even then, this does not allow the researcher to disentangle the false information from the true. The entire process was irreparably ruined by the botch and must be begun again from scratch (though as a new research project, the same rolls may be attempted a second time).

Perception + Investigation – Investigating the aftermath of a scene in which the subject was significantly involved (ST discretion as to what merits significant involvement), looking for subtle touches that betray the subject’s personality.

Manipulation + Intimidation or Subterfuge – Interrogating someone close to the subject, finding out personal details that are not generally shown.

Perception + Empathy – Investigating an important location to the subject such as a home or place of business, finding what his personal belongings and arrangements might reveal about him. Only applies to a personal location where the subject had a significant impact on the layout or arrangements.

Intelligence + Investigation – Researching all publicly available information about the subject, whether in public records, online, etc. This action may only be performed once and takes a downtime action to complete.

Intelligence + Occult (requires applicable specialty such as Numerology, Astrology, Tarot, Divination) – Some form of guided fortune telling to reveal specific details about the subject. This roll may be made once per applicable Specialty.

Certain divinatory powers can also reveal additional information and be used as part of this system to research a True Name. Each divination power may only be used once for this purpose and the successes scored on the power’s activation roll directly add to the accumulated successes necessary for researching his True Name. Some example powers that apply are Aura Perception, The Spirit’s Touch (on a personal object), Telepathy, Eyes of Chaos, Sense the Sin, and any number of Blood Magic paths or rituals. The Storyteller is the final arbiter on what constitutes an applicable divination power for this system.

The number of successes required to be accumulated varies based on several factors. Supernatural creatures are inherently more complicated than mortals, and thus require more successes just for being what they are. The more supernatural something is, the more complex its True Name becomes. The base successes required is based from the following chart:

Ordinary Mortal – 10 successes
Supernaturally affected Mortal (Ghoul, Kinfolk, Kinain, Gypsy, Sorcerer, Thrall, etc.) – 20 successes
Partially Human supernatural (Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Kuei-jin, Mummy, Wraith, Changeling, Demon, Fomori, etc.) – 40 successes
Inhuman supernatural (Fae, Earthbound Demon, Angel, Spirit, etc.) – 60 successes

In addition to the baseline, the more connections a character makes with others and with the world around him, affect the complexity of his existence, and thus the complexity of his True Name. For every dot in Backgrounds the character possesses, increase the required successes by 2. So a Ventrue with Generation 4, Resources 5, Herd 4, and 8 dots in Allies would have a True Name requiring 82 successes (40 base + 21 Background dots x2).

On top of one’s connections to the world around oneself, the sheer amount of life one has lived has an impact, regardless of what the subject has done with that life. As such, characters with the Ancilla template require an additional 10 successes, and characters with the Elder template require an additional 25 successes on top of the usual formula. So an Elder Tzimisce with Generation 5, Herd 5, Status 4, and 10 dots of Contacts would require a total of 113 successes (40 base + 24 background dots x2 + 25 for elder)

There may be specific additional traits based on the specific sphere that may increase or decrease the required successes. These will be adjudicated on a case by case basis and then recorded for future calls.

A character never quite knows for sure whether or not they have completed research of a True Name. Additional syllables and information keeps coming up with more research. Attempting to use an incomplete or false True Name can have disastrous repercussions (treat as an automatic botch regardless of the results of the roll) on the power being used. So attempting to use an untested True Name is a dangerous endeavor that is not entered into lightly. However, there is only so much detail out there to find, and eventually repeat syllables will start appearing. At any point in the research process, the researcher can reevaluate his progress by making an Intelligence + Academics roll at difficulty 9 to attempt to determine if he has completed the process. This roll requires a number of successes equal to 10-1 per 10% additional successes (rounding down) the researcher has gained over the required amount. So if the True Name being researched required 70 successes and the researcher had scored 85 successes thus far on his research attempts, the researcher would need to score 8 successes on the reevaluation roll to spot the redundancies in his research. Unless the required successes are scored, the only answer given by the Storyteller on this roll should be “You are not sure yet, you might have a complete name or you might not.” A botch on this roll will always result in the belief that the name is complete, whether it actually is or not.

A True Name is such a strong resonance with the subject, that the subject is aware when their name is invoked. Each time the researcher attempts a Reevaluation roll, the subject may make a Perception + Awareness roll at difficulty 9 requiring a number of successes equal to 10-1 per 10% of the required successes the researcher has obtained thus far. Success on this roll will instinctively tell the subject that someone knows their True Name, though it gives no indication as to who or where.

If the subject’s True Name is ever fully invoked, the subject automatically hears the invocation of his name with no roll needed. If the subject has ever heard the voice speaking his True Name before, the subject may make a reflexive Wits + Alertness roll at a variable difficulty based on the familiarity he has with the voice (Difficulty 10 if he only heard it once in passing, Difficulty 8 for a passing acquaintance, Difficulty 6 for a close friend or enemy, Difficulty 4 for someone intimately familiar) to recognize the voice and identify the one making the invocation. Furthermore, at the time of the invocation, the subject may make a Perception + Awareness roll at difficulty 9 to attempt to determine the approximate direction and distance of the invocation. 1-2 successes gives only the approximate direction but not distance, 3-4 successes gives the approximate direction and a general distance (accurate to within 20 miles), and 5 or more successes gives the approximate direction and a more accurate distance (accurate to within 1 mile).

A True Name can and will change over time. The acquisition of new backgrounds adds more complexity to the subject’s life, and thus changes the associated True Name by adding more complexity. However, if a researcher ever begins his study on a True Name, even if that name later changes, the original research is still valid and he will only need to acquire a number of successes equal to the difference between the original and the new True Name. Furthermore, if research has been completed on a name that later changes and the previous name is invoked, the researcher will not suffer the usual automatic botch for a false name, it simply will not work as a full Sending. In fact, knowledge of a previous True Name for the subject is still potent enough that the Thaumaturge will forever after gain a -1 difficulty on all Thaumaturgy effects targeting the subject.

Real Name

The Real Name is the name of a character as the character themselves thinks of themselves. This is the name that is uncovered by telepathy or Spirit's Touch at 4 successes. Any text of a power or ritual that says is gives the "true name" in lower case vs the "True Name" in upper case instead means the real name of the subject.

Emotional Resonance

In order to create an emotional resonance to be later picked up by Spirit's Touch or similar powers, the subject must do more than simply touch it incidentally. The item has to have been used with specific and personal important intent for at least a cumulative minute, be a personal item as defined under that heading, or be involved an extremely intense emotionally charged moment, such as a cathartic murder, suicide note, self-loathing scarification, etc.


Sielanic Thaumaturgy

This bizarre art as practiced by the newly reemerged Telyavelic Tremere has baffled Hermetic Thaumaturges for over seven centuries. The Telyavelic Tremere have used Hermetic formulas to quantify Faith, and have used that to tap an unknown power source they call Telyavel, named for the Lithuanian Death God from the land of their origin.

To any other practitioner of Thaumaturgy, a Sielanic Thaumaturge’s formulas will look all wrong. This magic quite plainly SHOULDN’T work. It is like coming across a math problem where the end result of the simplified formula came out to 2 = hydrangea. This magic makes no sense to the logical mind of a Hermetic Thaumaturge.

Nevertheless, this magic does work somehow despite how traditional thaumaturges might rant about its impossibilities. What is more, it covers an incredibly wide paradigm, being one of the rarest of blood magics in its ability to touch both the Shadowlands and the Umbra, and operate on principles that cross more than 3 traditional paradigms.

Sielanic Thaumaturgy, despite its similarities to the parent paradigm, is not truly Hermetic in origin and should be recorded as a separate discipline on the character sheet. Any traditional path or ritual of Hermetic Thaumaturgy may be learned under the Sielanic paradigm, and even be taught as usual to other Thaumaturges as that part of their normal Hermetic Thaumaturgy paradigm, since all but the uniquely Sielanic paths and rituals use the same formulas and procedures as Hermetic Thaumaturgy. Practicioners of Sielanic Thaumaturgy may even teach Hermetic Thaumaturgy as usual, teaching any of the standard Hermetic Paths and rituals to the student. However, in the 700 years since the Sielanic paradigm was created, no outsider has ever managed to learn the Sielanic arts. Their magic simply does not make sense to anyone other than the Telyavelic Tremere. Those embraced of the bloodline seem to be able to learn it, but whether this is due to some secret training regimen or a blood component in the magic is anyone’s guess. The Telyavelic Tremere aren’t talking.

A practitioner of Sielanic Thaumaturgy may learn any of the 4 Elemental Paths of Koldunic Sorcery as part of their own paradigm. They may not learn Way of Spirit or Way of Sorrow as these fall too far outside the Hermetic paradigm, even for the practitioners of Sielanic Thaumaturgy to fully grasp and quantify.

Below this point is the spoiler of the true nature of Sielanic Thaumaturgy. If you do not wish to know, skip this section. This knowledge is not necessary to play a Telyavelic Tremere, and in fact there are no Telyavelic Tremere who are aware of the information below. This is entirely OOC information as to the truth behind the mystery.

SPOILER: Click to show

The hidden truth unknown to anyone including the Telyavelic Tremere themselves is that Sielanic Thaumaturgy is not truly Thaumaturgy at all. In attempting to quantify Faith, one of the original Lithuanian Thaumaturges drew the attention of Telyavel, an Earthbound Demon bound to that region who subtly guided him in the creation of this new paradigm, and bound his blood as his cult eternally. Every practitioner of Sielanic Thaumaturgy is actually an Infernalist, though none of them know this. Due to the precise nature with which this paradigm was crafted and the rituals that go into learning it, every Sielanic Thaumaturge is considered to have the Mask of Innocence investment, hiding all signs of Infernalism in them.

Sielanic Thaumaturgy is a hybrid paradigm between traditional Hermetic Thaumaturgy and True Dark Thaumaturgy. As such, a Sielanic practitioner may teach traditional Hermetic Thaumaturgy to another with any traditional Hermetic path as their primary, as they understand that paradigm just fine and use it for all traditional hermetic paths and rituals. However they are completely unable to teach the unique paths and rituals of Sielanic Thaumaturgy to anyone other than another Telyavelic Tremere, as well as any other abilities gained outside of the usual Hermetic paradigm. Technically, a Sielanic practitioner could learn anything from any paradigm if Telyavel was willing to grant such arts, but Telyavel has thus far kept the secret well, giving only those few arts that can be justified and explained within their false paradigm to the Telyavelic Tremere and drawing Faith from them each time they use their arts.

Halfway Rituals

These rituals, created by the Horned Society, fall somewhere in between the "safe" magic of the Hermetic Paradigm and the infinitely more flexible but far more dangerous magic of Dark Thaumaturgy. For the purpose of Disciplines, these are considered rituals of Hermetic Thaumaturgy, although they have an unhealthy dose of Demonic power associated. These rituals are often used as a midway point while the practitioners of the Horned Society seek to convert the arts of Dark Thaumaturgy for general use by the Pyramid. Many rituals never make it past this stage as the Infernal influence proves too difficult to eradicate entirely.

Each Halfway ritual comes with a dangerous potential drawback that can only be overcome with exceptional skill. It has been postulated that these inherent drawbacks come from the resentment of the Demons at having their power so subverted. Demons, after all, hate giving away anything for free, so it makes sense that they would try to "twist" the power against the demonologist. This is generally not considered a problem, since one need only be diligent and exacting with one's rituals to stop such behavior.

System: Whenever a demon of any kind encounters someone with an active Halfway ritual effect, the demon can roll Perception + Awareness (difficulty 8). Success allows the demon to then attempt a Wits + Law check at a difficulty of the Demonologist's current Willpower (current willpower at the time the demon is attempting to pervert the ritual, not at the time of casting) to twist a single Halfway ritual away from its intended purpose. To successfully subvert a ritual, the demon must score more successes on the Wits + Law check than the Demonologist scored in casting the ritual. Over progressive rounds, the Demon can twist more and more Halfway rituals, but it can only try to subvert a given iteration of a ritual once, and it always makes attempts starting with the highest level Halfway ritual and working down. Only after it has successfully subverted a ritual does a Demon know what precisely it is (though many of the more experienced Demons can identify the particularly obvious rituals normally). The ability of Demons to affect Halfway rituals is not stopped by wards or warding circles, as the connection is already established by the Infernal power channeled by the ritual. The Thaumaturge has no way of knowing that a demon is affecting his Halfway rituals until the drawbacks manifest.

Halfway rituals are occasionally taught outside the membership, although most are considered too dangerous and unpredictable for the rest of the Pyramid.

The Sabbat knows of these rituals and they are declared absolute heresy. It was discovered after the loss of the Tremere Antitribu upon raiding their chantries that these rituals existed and the Inquisition made a public decree that even the possession of the written form of such a ritual was blasphemy and would earn a punishment of Final Death without form or trial. The Inquisition sees such rituals as a gateway to the dangers of Infernalism.

Nevertheless, despite this decree, the Inquisition themselves have appropriated knowledge of these rituals and passed the knowledge to their Demonologist sect, unbeknownst to any outside the Inquisition. The official Demonlogists are the only ones permitted by the Inquisition to practice such rituals, and they have been very firmly warned that if caught in their studies, the Inquisition heirarchy will deny all knowledge of the practice.

[Hematite]

Alchemy [BM:SoT 68]

This path is significantly changed from the original path of Alchemy which was seen as a failure by the Tremere who could never get it to work right. Turning to the arts of Transmutation for converting states of matter, the alchemists of the Tremere instead turned to imbuing power into potions, powders and metals, which proved a far more fruitful endeavor. This path is taken from the Alchemy Hedge Magic as printed in Hunter's Hunted II.

Each use of Alchemy requires 5 days (10 downtime actions) to complete, reduced by 1 day (2 downtime actions) for every level of Occult Library possessed by the Thaumaturge. If the Thaumaturge has Occult Library 5, the time needed is reduced to 1 hour (1 downtime action).

Concoctions (elixirs and powders) are good for a single use and a single purpose. A character may only be under the effects of a single concoction within a twenty-four hour period, unless she also has the Occult and Medicine Abilities. In that case, she knows enough about her body's interactions with pure and altered substances, and can be under the effects of a number of concoctions equal to the lower of her dots in either Occult or Medicine in a given twenty-four hour period. Similar effects (such as multiple healing potions) do not stack upon one another.

Metals can also be imbued with powers, as purification leaves room in the material for other effects to be placed within. Metals last longer than concoctions, but are generally less powerful. Metals have a much shorter shelf life, but retain their effectiveness for the full duration rather than being used up in a single scene.

The potency (or "shelf life" as younger alchemists call it) is determined by the number of successes on the activation roll (see below).

All uses of Alchemy still require the usual Willpower roll and blood expenditure as the Thaumaturge enforces his will upon the alchemical process to make it cross the boundary from science to magic. As they are created with the power of vampiric vitae, all alchemical concoctions may be taken by Cainite normally.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, the default duration of any alchemy concoction should last the scene. All specific uses of Alchemy are up to the Storyteller's discretion and may require research to learn a new formula. To learn each new formula, the Alchemist must spend 3x the level of the elixir or metal in downtime actions researching the formula. No experience must be spent for this, but the research time must be put in. If learning a new formula from a text or another character, reduce this to 1x the level in actions. This is a basic enough process that it does not benefit from Instruction. Scribing a formula is identical to scribing a Blood Magic Ritual of the equivalent level. A full sample of each necessary ingredient is consumed in the research process.

O Minor Alchemy

The alchemist can create minor elixirs and powders, including simple poisons, tranquilizers, anesthetics, stimulants, and lesser healing concoctions. A healing elixir reduces the die pool penalty due to injuries by 1 (minimum 0), and halves the healing time for bashing and lethal damage currently taken by a mortal subject.

Tremere spies and Assamite assassins have other uses for these creations: liquids that erase short term memory, powders that counteract the intoxicating effects of alcohol, elixirs that aid in restful sleep with no memories of dreams, etc. (Many will offer their resources and services in exchange for a peaceful night's rest.) As always, whether an alchemical effect can be attempted is up to the Storyteller.

OO Basic Understanding

The Alchemist better understands how reagents interplay, crafting stronger effects that harmonize with the body and mind. This includes powders that grant symbolic visions in dreams (possibly of the future or of some unknown aspect of what's at hand), liquids that allow one to go an entire week with only one hour of sleep a night (this does not apply to Cainite who still suffer the Weight of the Sun), and elixirs that can alter physical elements (such as skin, hair, or eye color) for a few hours.

A two-dot healing elixir works as the one-dot version, but also heals two bashing or lethal levels immediately. Along with this, the Alchemist can devise an elixir that can enhances user's natural abilities for a given situation. She chooses the Ability and Specialization when creating the effect, such as Empathy with the specialty of Insight (for reading emotions) or Subterfuge with the Specialty of Charm (for person magnetism). The user gains that Specialty; if he already had that specialty, he instead gets an additional die when that specialty comes into play, in addition to the one already granted for his natural specialty. This lasts for a number of hours equal to the number of successes on the activation roll.

OOO Moderate Alchemy

The Alchemist's abilities with concoctions are proficient enough to grant superhuman abilities. Different formulae can grant the mortal drinker a specific Psychic Numina for the remainder of the scene. Such formulae are usually baroque or call for bizarre components; one alchemist uses the remains of a burnt Cuban cigar, ash and all, mixed with the filament of an old light bulb that died in Canada as the base for a Pyrokinesis elixir. The Alchemist can only create effects that are of a level lower than her dots in Alchemy, and the drinker must pay any costs associated with the effect.

The Alchemist can also imbue metals with strange properties, removing impurities and bringing out elements of the platonic ideal. Among other uses, the alchemy can cause small weapons (daggers or a handful of bullets) to do aggravated damage against supernatural creatures. Metals can be imbued with some two-dot Alchemy effects as well.

At this rank, the Alchemist can create a normal one-dot concoction far easier, only needing a small travel kit (along with the appropriate materials). This lowers the time needed to gather materials and create the effect to one hour without the need of utilizing an Occult Library or specified Laboratory.

OOOO Master of Natural Philosophy

The Alchemist has mastered all lesser forms of Alchemy. More powerful versions of lesser formulae can be created, as well as concoctions that temporarily increase an Ability by two dots or an Attribute by one dot. Formulae that grant dots last until the end of the scene. Such formulae are esoteric, as the Alchemist delves into substances that represent platonic ideals and emotional purity as much as physical purity.

More than a few Thaumaturges have gone to fetch strange things for such formulae, such as urine from those who are nearly blackout drunk as a component for a powder that grants the user a dot of Manipulation for the rest of the scene.

At this rank, the Alchemist can also create a normal two dot concoction with a travel kit in as little as an hour.

OOOOO Master Alchemist

Along with the more dramatic versions of lower formulae, the master of Alchemy can create transcendent effects that grant vast abilities on par with the supernatural creatures that fill the World of Darkness. Nearly all such formulae require some piece of a creature as a catalyst. These typically last for one turn per success, and cannot exceed the third level of the Discipline or other power in question. Elixirs of vampiric Disciplines require at least five points of vampiric vitae. Elixirs of Werewolf gifts, Changeling Arts, Mage Spheres, or other supernatural arts require a significant portion of the creature themselves, though usually blood will suffice. This art cannot recreate the powers of Wraith Arcanoi or Spirit charms as they do not have a physical existence on this plane.

The Alchemist can create a regenerative powder which, when in the blood stream (usually by applying it to a messy wound) stitches the user together. He regenerates one level of damage every other turn until the end of the scene.

At this rank, the Alchemist can also create a normal three dot concoction in one hour with only a travel kit. Any three dot metallic effects last longer, as though she rolled an additional success.


Durations of Concoctions

The duration of the potency of an elixir or powder depends on the level of successes earned during the activation roll. After this time, the concoction becomes inert and (depending on what was used to create it) dangerous to drink. If the concoction is left out to open air for more than half an hour, it becomes inert.

1 Success One Day
2 successes One week
3 successes One month
4 successes Three months
5 successes Six months

Durations of Metals

The duration of the potency of an alchemical effect on a metal depends on the level of successes earned during the activation roll. Note that if the metal is severely altered or destroyed, the effect ends. Metals fade back to their impure states quicker than sealed concoctions.

1 Success Two Hours
2 Successes One Day
3 Successes Three Days
4 Successes One Week
5 Successes One Month

[Hematite]

Biothaumaturgy [BM:SoT 69]

All uses of Biothaumaturgy require the user to have at least one dot in the Science Laboratory background or suffer a +2 difficulty due to inadequate supplies. The Science Laboratory background grants its benefits to all rolls associated with this path.

This path does not require blood points to activate. However its uses do take time. Each use of this path requires a downtime action be spent by the user to perform the actual surgery. The subject is out of commission for far longer however, as recovery from such a process is extensive. Subjects of this power may take no actions for a number of weeks equal to the power level used upon them, including downtime actions. During this time the subject is effectively bedridden and must be cared for by others to avoid starvation (if alive) or blood torpor (if Cainite). This delay is increased to one month per level for levels 3-5, though the actions still only take a single downtime action to initiate.

A Thaumaturge may have a maximum number of projects in progress at the same time equal to his level in the Science Laboratory background + his level in the Occult Library background +1.

This path is a derivation of the original Path of Biothaumaturgical Experimentation. Although similar, they are not the same path.


Biothaumaturgy 1: Thaumaturgical Forensics [BM:SoT 70]

Use of this power does not consume the sample.

Although this power only takes a single downtime action to initiate, the tests take a complete week to finish running and produce information.


Biothaumaturgy 2: Thaumaturgical Surgery [BM:SoT 70]

This power may be used on oneself, though the roll is made at +2 difficulty and suffers from all usual wound penalties.

The same damage level cannot be targeted multiple times (e.g. a character suffering from 3 levels of aggravated damage could not reduce that damage below lethal with this power).


Biothaumaturgy 3: Lesser Animation [BM:SoT 70]

In addition to animation, the creature animated gains a number of modification points (using the Vicissitude Modification scale) equal to half of the successes scored, rounded down. These may be allocated as the Thaumaturge wishes as part of the surgical process.

All creatures animated by this power are not truly alive and thus do not suffer wound penalties until they reach the Crippled level, at which point they suffer the usual penalties as their body structures become compromised.

The largest animal this power can animate is a wolf.

Plants like vines have 1 health level and can perform a Clinch maneuver with Strength 3, Brawl 1.

Trees have Strength and Stamina 5, Dexterity 2, and Brawl 1. Unlike trees animated with the Green Path, their dead and rotting trunks do not halve damage. Trees may attack with a Stake maneuver at difficulty 10, or attack for bashing at difficulty 8. Trees have 7 health levels.

Creatures animated with this power are not intelligent. They can follow one simple sentence's worth of instructions at a time. If the situation changes, they are not capable of adapting to the situation. They will run into fire to pursue a foe, leap to their deaths, repeat the same unsuccessful action over and over again, etc. Not until the fifth level power do they gain the ability to actively reason.

These creatures are in no way specially preserved by this power, simply animated, and creatures that see rough use (such as combat or labor) will deteriorate to uselessness within a month. Otherwise, they can last about 3 months. Actively keeping such a creature preserved mundanely requires a minimum of one downtime action per month (plus an additional downtime action if that creature sees combat or other strenuous activity) and an Intelligence + Science roll at difficulty 7 scoring a minimum of 3 successes. If such an action is taken, that month does not count against the usual 3 month limit.


Biothaumaturgy 4: Greater Animation [BM:SoT 70]

This power allows for the animation of larger or more complex creatures (up to the maximum size of an elephant or complexity of a human).

Creatures animated with this power that fall into acceptable categories for Lesser Animation may be given greater modification. Such creatures gain one Modification Point per success. Creatures that exceed the requirements for Lesser Animation now gain one Modification Point per 2 successes rounded down. This process still takes the extra month of time for using the higher level procedure.

Creatures animated with this power are still not intelligent and are still limited to the instruction conditions described in Lesser Animation.

These creatures are in no way specially preserved by this power. See Lesser Animation for details on how long such creatures remain viable.


Biothaumaturgy 5: Cognizant Construction [BM:SoT 71]

Use of this power is done in conjunction with either Lesser or Greater Animation and the times overlap, requiring a total of 5 months to create a Cognizant Construction.

These creatures can use basic strategy, and even talk, lie and infiltrate if they were capable of such in life. Animated humans still rot, but they can wear makeup and take other steps to conceal their undead nature. These are essentially intelligent zombies, and while they possess cunning and guile, they possess no true personality or will of their own. They do not have Ability scores of any kind, even if they had them in life. They also possess no memories or personality from their original self. They can communicate in a basic sense, and solve problems intelligently, but they lack all semblance of the person they used to be otherwise.

In addition to creating Cognizant Constructions, learning this power grants greater understanding of the surgical procedures involved. If using this power (and thus taking the requisite 5 months) to create an ordinary creature that could usually be created by either Lesser or Greater Animation, more modification points are granted. If creating a creature that fits the requirements for Lesser Animation, that creature gains 2 modification points per success scored. If creating a creature that fits the requirements for Greater Animation, that creature gains 1 modification point per success scored.

[Hematite]

Biothaumaturgical Experimentation [DSoTBH 78]

All uses of Biothaumaturgical Experimentation require the user to have at least one dot in the Science Laboratory background or suffer a +2 difficulty due to inadequate supplies. The Science Laboratory background grants its benefits to all rolls associated with this path.

This path does not require blood points to activate. However its uses do take time. Each use of this path requires a downtime action be spent by the user to perform the actual surgery. The subject is out of commission for far longer however, as recovery from such a process is extensive. Subjects of this power may take no actions for a number of weeks equal to the power level used upon them, including downtime actions. During this time the subject is effectively bedridden and must be cared for by others to avoid starvation (if alive) or blood torpor (if Cainite).

A Thaumaturge may have a maximum number of projects in progress at the same time equal to his level in the Science Laboratory background + his level in the Occult Library background +1.

This path is an older, experimental version of Biothaumaturgy. Although similar, they are not the same path.

In order to use any level of this path on an unwilling subject, the subject must be thoroughly incapacitated or restrained for the entire process.


Biothaumaturgical Experimentation 1: Thaumaturgical Forensics [DSoTBH 78]

This power is identical to the similar power in Biothaumaturgy.

If the user also possesses this power in Biothaumaturgy, he bypasses the usual requirement to wait a full week for results, gaining the information immediately upon completion of the power, which still takes a downtime action to initiate.


Biothaumaturgical Experimentation 2: Animal Experimentation [DSotBH 79]

Use of this power grants modification points under the Vicisstiude Modification system. For each success scored on the power, 2 modification points may be added to the animal. One modification point may be spent to grant an alteration to the animal’s usual ecological needs (change in diet, necessary climate or behaviour patterns). One modification point may be spent to grant any single Ability dot in a single Ability, which must be a physical Ability or other Ability that an animal could naturally develop (such as Survival). All other modifications are handled identically to the Vicissitude system.

This power may only be performed on mundane, living animals, up to the maximum size of an elephant.

Each subject may only benefit from this power once. Subsequent uses may be performed to alter how the modification points have been allocated, but will not grant additional modification points.


Biothaumaturgical Experimentation 3: Thaumaturgical Surgery [DSotBH 79]

This power is identical to the similar power in Biothaumaturgy.

If the user also possesses this power in Biothaumaturgy, the user may eliminate the need for the usual recovery time, granting the benefits immediately after one action is spent to perform the surgery.


Biothaumaturgical Experimentation 4: Human Experimentation [DSotBH 79]

This power is identical to Animal Experimentation in system.

This power may only be performed on mundane humans.


Biothaumaturgical Experimentation 5: Supernatural Experimentation [DSotBH 79]

This power is identical to Animal Experimentation in system.

This power can only be performed on corporeal supernatural creatures.

[Hematite]

Elemental Mastery/Rego Elementum [V20 214]

Elemental Mastery 1: Elemental Strength [V20 214]

The physical attributes gained from this power may exceed your Generational limits normally, even if you have already increased your Physical Attributes with blood.

The Willpower spent to increase the duration of the effect may be spent up front at the time of casting, and more than one Willpower may be spent this way at the player's option.

This power requires the Thaumaturge to have both feet on the ground to activate, and its benefits end immediately if he goes more than a foot or so above the ground.


Elemental Mastery 2: Wooden Tongues [V20 214]

Most objects are not capable of conversing about things which did not directly happen to them, and cannot really "see" their surroundings. The lock on a door could tell you when it was last unlocked, but not what is behind the door it is mounted in. The floor could tell you how many people stepped on it today, but not what those wanted or talked about in any real detail. Reflective objects such as mirrors and pools have some of the best information because their actual surfaces take on the experiences of the room at large, but again, they can only relate information that crossed their surfaces.

The spirits within the objects have long memories but only for things that they pay attention to, which relate to their spirit natures. The following are sample answers to the same question at various levels of success:

Addressing the floorboards: "I want to know who came through this hallway tonight besides myself."

1: "I have watched this hall for years. Hardly anyone uses this place."
2: "Most people who come down this hall rarely stay long. Only you."
3: "So many shoes push on me lately. Tonight there were so many."
4: "Sharp shoes with a horrible, spikey heel. Just when I thought the first six feet were gone, the two spiked ones arrived. Horrible."
5: "Long legs on high points, a red wrapping and black hair on its head. It told the other three humans ahead of it to keep searching, and they went in and out of the rooms. They listened to its commands."

Wooden tongues in no way compels the object to speak if it doesn't wish to for some specific reason (though this isn't generally the case unless somehow cajoled by another). If commanded to silence somehow, this power can't force them to speak.

The object can't distinguish between humans and vampires, but it can tell a human from a werewolf and a person from an animal.

Only the Thaumaturge may hear and understand the spirit that she is addressing.

The spirit awakened by this power is now vulnerable to other spirit-related powers such as the Path of Spirit Manipulation.


Elemental Mastery 3: Animate the Unmoving [V20 214]

Because objects can only remain animated while in the caster's line of sight, an animated object cannot do errands for her without her present.

Each use of this power animates one object no larger than a car.

The objects so animated are under the control of the Thaumaturge similar to Arms of the Abyss. They don't require the Thaumaturge's action to control, and she can take other actions while they move independently, but the objects lose their magic if the Thaumaturge loses consciousness or dies. She can still control them while staked, however, if they have already been animated.

Objects have stats as defined by the Storyteller depending on the object. Generally:

Light objects like books have their Physical attributes at 1 should they undertake physical actions.
Medium objects like chairs and desks have 3 Strength and 3 Stamina.
Large objects like statues or beds have 5 strength and 5 stamina.
Animated solid objects always have 1 Dexterity and attack with the Thaumaturge's Brawl rating, doing Strength in Bashing.
Flexible objects like rope or chains have 5 Dexterity instead, but only 1 Stamina and 1 Strength.
Animated objects have 5 health levels and do not suffer wound penalties.


Elemental Mastery 4: Elemental Form [V20 214]

With less than 3 successes, the power works but the Thaumaturge is totally unaware of her surroundings as if blind, deaf and numb. At 3 or more successes, she can perceive roughly 10 yards around her in every direction to the limits of the room.

In an elemental form, the Thaumaturge cannot move under her own power (though a bicycle could still be ridden by another) and can only take mental actions. She cannot use any power that requires speaking, eye contact, or hand movement. Further, she cannot turn into objects that are overly complex like a computer that actually works or connects to the internet, or even a lamp that actually produces light. If either the Thaumaturge or another caster casts Animate the Unmoving on someone in Elemental Form, the Thaumaturge may move under his own power, though he has no abilities and is limited in his attributes to those appropriate to the object in question.

Turning into a statue or some other durable form does not give the Thaumaturge any special resilience, durability, or protection from sunlight. The change is superficial; a statue whose arm was cut off would bleed and expose open flesh.


Rego Elementum 4: Elemental Form [DAV 216]

This is an alternate power that has become obsolete in modern nights as elemental power has become more understood. In order to learn this power, the character should have a good explanation.

The elemental forms assumed by this power cannot be moved or altered by the Thaumaturge’s own will. Once this power is active, the Thaumaturge must remain immobile where he activated this power.

The Thaumaturge can vaguely control the shape and consistency of the Elemental Form (fog or water, earth or rock, etc.) but cannot take the form of any processed or crafted object.

With three or more successes, the Thaumaturge may perceive approximately 10 yards around his position, but cannot speak. He may use any discipline that doesn’t require physical components, including speech or eye contact.


Elemental Mastery 5: Summon Elemental [V20 215]

The Thaumaturge may cap their dice to deliberately summon a weaker elemental that is more easy to control.

The Elementals summoned are artificially manifested spirits made corporeal by this power. They do not need to spend Essence each turn to remain manifested, but neither may they dematerialize at will while under the Thaumaturge’s control.

Elementals of the corresponding element have the following powers:

Fire Elementals: Deal Aggravated Damage to Vampires with their attacks, and automatically set unattended objects they touch ablaze.
Earth Elementals: Can pass harmlessly at a walking speed through any worked material such as metal, dirt and concrete, but not through wood (without breaking through normally). They may soak any kind of damage with their Stamina. They attack for lethal damage.
Water Elementals: Can move 100 miles per hour through water, as well as push through doors and cracks similar to Blood Form. Water Elementals recover health levels from damage at one level per round as separated parts of their body rejoin, and they fully recover all lost health levels on their initiative when they are touching at least a bathtub's amount of water.
Air Elementals: Automatically Obfuscate as per Cloak of Shadows, and like that power, are undetectable so long as they fulfill the conditions. In motion, Air Elementals appear as a wispy and difficult to view similar to Donning the Mask of Shadows. Attempting to see them requires a Perception + Alertness difficulty of 3 + the successes to summon them, and can be automatically seen with any power that can pierce Obfuscate 3. They do, however, maintain their stealth on electronic recordings. They can move through cracks similar to Mist Form, but are not immune to damage. Air Elements may also fly at their running speed, and are always visible when taking an action that exerts solid force, like attacking.

Radiation, plastic, electricity and other exotic elementals can be summoned in theory at a +2 Difficulty on both the summon and control rolls, if you are in an area the Storyteller determines to be ample with the base element (You'd need to be in a reactor or something to summon a radiation elemental). These have abilities determined by the Storyteller as they are too numerous to fully document, but they will be roughly in balance with the primary elementals above.

In addition to these powers, the Storyteller may grant elementals summoned with 3 successes or more 1 or more appropriate charms from the usual list of Spirit Charms.

Elementals do not have Ability scores and strike for Strength + 1 Bashing with their attacks unless otherwise mentioned.

The summoned Elementals can understand and converse with the Thaumaturge through the use of this power, but cannot speak with or understand the communication of any other creature (At least any creature without the ability to speak with Spirits)

A Thaumaturge may only control one Elemental at a time, though she may summon more than one at her own peril. Uncontrolled Elementals have the same response to vampires that most spirits have: fear, loathing, and anger.

A Thaumaturge may use this power to summon specific elementals multiple times if he wishes to build a rapport with a specific spirit.

[Hematite]

The Faux Path [BM:SoT 84]

The Faux Path 1: Hello, Goodbye [BM:SoT 84]

This power does not necessarily make those who listen believe that the user is lying, but only that the statement is false. Whether or not the listeners believe that the user is lying or mistaken can still be handled normally with Perception + Empathy or Subterfuge checks.

When this power wears off at dawn, all those who were affected may reevaluate the situation and believe whatever they like. However they do not have any knowledge that a power was used, seeing any potential change in view as a reevaluation of evidence and not a power being used.

This does not fool any power meant to detect deception such as Mytherceria 1, Bone of Lies, Court of Hallowed Truth, or An Ear for Lies. If the user of this power is not actually lying, such powers will not trip.


The Faux Path 2: Disciplinary Identification [BM:SoT 84]

This power grants -2 difficulty on the appropriate Lore check needed to recognize the effects of a given discipline. Discipline identification is considered Level 2 lore with the appropriate clan lore, or level 4 lore with Cainite Lore for most disciplines. Some particularly esoteric disciplines may be higher, or not even accessible with only Cainite Lore.

In cases where the effects could have resulted from multiple disciplines (and thus unidentifiable by normal Lore checks) this power will identify the correct answer.

Any form of Blood Magic detected with this power will only appear as “Thaumaturgy”. The specific power or even the form of magic cannot be identified with this power.

This power cannot identify Combination Disciplines or the Inceptor Disciplines of Thin-Bloods.


The Faux Path 3: Thaumaturgical Nomenclature [BM:SoT 85]

This power can identify the effects of any form of Blood Magic, narrowing results down to a specific Path or Ritual. This cannot identify Hedge Magic or True Magick.

Any custom-made Path or Ritual effect with which the user is not familiar will not be identified, returning only a result of “unquantified”.

If the power being identified was not already successfully identified with Disciplinary Identification first, false readings are possible if the effect being identified is not actually Blood Magic.


The Faux Path 4: Ritual Madness [BM:SoT 85]

This power may mimic any vampiric effect (discipline, path, ritual, combo discipline, etc.) with which the user is familiar. It cannot mimic any effect not natively vampiric (Hedge Magic does not count, even though it can occasionally be gained by vampires).

No effect of this power will ever produce any mechanical effect.

This power cannot produce visible effects, only psychosomatic sensations.

Other than the powers of this Path, there is no way to tell that the effect being mimicked is not the real thing unless the effect is proven false circumstantially. Even if a victim walks right through a "ward versus fools" there is no way to prove that he did not simply beat the ward. Storytellers should run all effects of this power as though they were the true power except for the actual effect.


The Faux Path 5: Sanguinary Affectation [BM:SoT 85]

Unless compared side by side with someone actually using the discipline or shown direct proof of the non-functionality of the discipline, there is no way to tell that the effects of this power are false.

This power may also mimic Combination disciplines as long as none of the prerequisites are above level 5.

This power may be combined with Ritual Madness (although both effects must be activated) to display both the outward signs and the physical sensations of an effect.

[Hematite]

The Focused Mind [BM:SoT 71]

The powers of this path do not take an action to perform. However, they must still be declared on the user’s Initiative along with any other actions for the turn. The powers of this path still activate on the user’s Initiative as well.


The Focused Mind 1: Readiness [BM:SoT 71]

As an exception to the usual rule for this path, this power activates immediately upon its declaration at the beginning of the turn.

Since Emerald Coven Chronicles uses the old Second Edition system for Initiative which involves actually rolling a dice pool of Dexterity + Wits, this power no longer adds a flat amount to Initiative. Instead dice may be added to this Dexterity + Wits pool for Initiative just as they may be added to any other Wits pool.

Dice added to Initiative only last for the round in which this power is activated. If the user wishes to maintain the superiour Initiative granted by this power, it must be reactivated each round.

Any dice left in the floating pool at the end of the turn are lost.


The Focused Mind 2: Centering [BM:SoT 71]

This power cannot remove the capped dice pools for actions taken during the day or the capped virtues from low Path Rating or low blood pools.

This power has no effect on penalties due to split actions.

This power cannot prevent penalties of increased difficulty, only reduced dice pools.

This power cannot prevent penalties due to actual physical impediments, only due to mystical or mental sources.

If the user gets at least 3 successes, this power can grant a target in frenzy an additional roll to resist.

This power only works if the target is able to hear the Thaumaturge’s words. In cases where physically speaking is either impossible or ineffective, other means of communication will serve (such as Telepathy, though any other powers needed for alternative communication means must be activated as normal).


The Focused Mind 3: One-Tracked Mind [BM:SoT 72]

This power does not limit the target to the precise action he last took. Rather it limits them to the same kind of action. For example, a swordsman whose last action was attacking a target will not be forced to continue to attack the same spot with the same weapon if his target moves, but will be forced to continue attacking that target with any and all means at his disposal. This power does not remove the ability to think tactically.

If the action the target is limited to becomes impossible (the target they are attacking is dead or gone for example, or the target cannot meet the costs necessary to activate a discipline) then the power breaks.


The Focused Mind 4: Dual-Thought [BM:SoT 72]

Unlike ordinary split actions, the extra mental action gained by Dual Thought occurs on the user's Initiative.

This extra action may be any action that does not require any physical movement on the part of the user, and is not a transformation effect.


The Focused Mind 5: Perfect Clarity [BM:SoT 72]

As the powers of this path are not “actions”, they do not benefit from the -2 difficulty granted by this power.

The +2 difficulty to “control or influence” the Thaumaturge applies only to mental or emotional control. Purely physical control such as that granted by the Mastery of the Mortal Shell path or the Puppetry Arcanos function normally.

If used while the Thaumaturge is in Frenzy or Rotschreck (either during a moment of clarity from Willpower expenditure, used remotely through an effect such as Pebble from the Mountain, or a contingent activation due to an effect such as Lesser Trigger) immediately pulls the Thaumaturge out of frenzy.

A Thaumaturge with Path Rating 4 or less under the effects of this power is not subject to the urges of the Beast that require them to spend a Willpower point to avoid heinous actions.

[Hematite]

Gift of Morpheus [SGttS 70]

This path of Thaumaturgy allows the vampire to put others to sleep and enter their dreams. The path does not allow the vampire to enter a real dream dimension, but rather the mind of the sleeping mortal via some unexplained type of telepathic link. The path has a mental effect, and other mind-influencing Disciplines, such as Auspex, Dominate and Obfuscate, may be used in conjunction with this path.

This path differs from the usual system for most Thaumaturgy paths. In converting it from 2nd Edition mechanics, there are more rolls involved. All powers require the usual blood expenditure and Willpower roll to activate the power, and then require any other specific dice pools or expenditures mentioned in each power on top of that. This is all part of the activation of the power and still only requires a single action.

This power has nothing to do with the Dreaming as presented in Changeling the Dreaming.


Gift of Morpheus 1: Cause Sleep [SGttS 70]

The maximum difficulty of 10 is figured after all modifiers to difficulties are applied. So if a target has Willpower 9, but the user has Perfect Clarity (See Focused Mind) active, this power is rolled at difficulty 10, not difficulty 8.

A victim of this power, whether mortal or vampiric, appears to be asleep as an ordinary mortal is asleep, not in a vampiric torpor state. He may still be awakened as anyone might be awakened from a light nap.


Gift of Morpheus 2: Mass Slumber [SGttS 70]

This power only affects ordinary, unaugmented mortals. It does not affect lesser templates such as ghouls, Kinain, or Possessed. Kinfolk are affected if they do not possess the Gnosis merit, as are Sorcerers and Psychics as they do not actually have inherent mystical properties.


Gift of Morpheus 3: Enchanted Slumber [SGttS 70]

The difficulty of this power is the victim’s Permanent Willpower.

To better fit with LARP, the maximum duration for this power at 5 successes is 3 months, not a full year.

If the specified condition for the victim’s reawakening becomes impossible, the power automatically ends.


Gift of Morpheus 4: Dreamscape [SGttS 70]

The roll to use this power is Wits + Subterfuge. It does not require the “Dreaming” secondary. The difficulty of this roll is the subject’s Current Willpower plus any effect that increases the subject’s resistance to Telepathy.

Upon awakening, the dreamer should make a WoD roll. If he tests down, he does not remember the dream. If he tests even, he remembers the dream but nothing seems out of the ordinary about it, nothing that distinguishes it from any other dream. If he tests up, he remembers the dream and something about it seems off, but he cannot exactly put his finger on what specifically.

The user of this power cannot control any aspects of the dream or the dream world. The Storyteller should make a WoD check when this power is activated to determine just how bad the situation in the dream happens to be. The user of this power cannot take real damage in the dream, but any injury he accrues during such activities affect his Willpower as if using Astral Projection. If he is reduced to 0 Willpower, he falls into torpor for the usual amount of time based on his Path rating. Once this power is activated, he cannot extract himself by his own will, only able to end the power once the dream is concluded. The only sure way to end the specific dream is to kill the dreamer within the dream, which will force the dream to end and either move to another dream or cause the sleeper to wake. While in the dream, the user may use any of his own abilities or disciplines as needed and all of his traits function as usual.


Gift of Morpheus 5: Master of Dreams [SGttS 70]

At the start of every turn, all parties roll Manipulation + Expression (difficulty of their opponent's resistance to Telepathy) to affect the way the dream takes shape. Any attempt to change the dream by either party is a contested roll with the other. Whoever has the most accumulated successes in any one turn determines what course the dream will take.

Manipulations of the dream can do such things as summon assistance from representations of allies, create volcanoes, make the character grow to enormous sizes, etc. Regardless of the actual form the change takes, the person in control may use any net successes on the control roll over their opponent as health levels of damage directed at their foe. They can describe the action in any way they choose to, but the damage or misfortune afflicted upon them cannot exceed the net successes in efficacy. Alternately, the player may choose to change the features of the dream such as weather, terrain, or other circumstances to add their net successes as additional difficulty to their opponent's actions (though this modifier never changes the difficulty of the Manipulation + Expression roll to control the dream), or choose to lower the difficulty on their own actions. For example one character might trap the other in quicksand with their 3 net successes, increasing the difficulty of all actions taken by 3 until it can be reversed on a subsequent round with their own control of the dream. These bonuses or penalties should make at least crude sense for the kind of rolls they impede or benefit, but the dream nature of the encounter means that the rules don't always have to make the most concrete of sense.

The Thaumaturge may end the dream at any time on their own turn as a mental action by spending a point of Willpower.

[Hematite]

The Green Path [V20 215]

This Path can target any living or dead plant matter or anything made entirely of plant matter. It cannot target anything made of a blend of plant and other materials, though it can target parts of an object if those parts are distinctly plant matter such as a wooden hilt on a sword.

This path cannot target microscopic plant matter, living or otherwise.


The Green Path 1: Herbal Wisdom [V20 215]

This power functions as the Elemental Mastery power Wooden Tongues, but can only be used on plants.


The Green Path 2: Speed the Season’s Passing [V20 216]

This power cannot cause a plant to grow more than it would naturally based on the conditions it lives in, only faster.

This power cannot make a dead plant grow.

The brief growth spurt caused by gaining 1 or 2 successes on this power causes the plant to grow the same amount it would have ordinarily grown in 1 or 2 weeks respectively. With 3 successes, a living plant grows or a dead plant decays approximately the amount it would in a full year in its natural conditions. With 4 successes this increases to approximately 5 years. With 5 successes, a living plant instantly grows to its maximum natural size and a dead plant decays to slush or dust respective of its nature and condition.

The growth or decay caused by this power occurs over a full turn, completing on the user’s Initiative next turn (no redwood arrows).


The Green Path 3: Dance of Vines [V20 216]

Plants animated by this power do not take an action on the part of the user to control, acting on the user's Initiative each turn of the effect.

Plants animated by this effect can perform any combat maneuver reasonable for their size and composition. So while a blackberry bush might be able to use the hold or sweep maneuver, a patch of grass could not.

The Strength and Dexterity scores of the plants animated by this effect are both equal to half the character's Permanent Willpower.

The control granted by this power lasts for the remainder of the scene.


The Green Path 4: Verdant Haven [V20 216]

The difficulty of the roll to enter the Verdant Haven without the Thaumaturge’s permission is equal to the Thaumaturge’s Current Willpower at the time of casting.

There must be sufficient plant material in the area to produce a 6 foot radius hemisphere around the character.

Although the plants that make up the haven can be mundanely destroyed or broken, new plants will instantly fill any gap made from the outside, rendering the barrier effectively impenetrable from the outside. Gaps made from within will not repair themselves.

The Verdant Haven completely blocks line of sight into and out of its borders for all effects. Only effects that bypass the line of sight requirements such as Way of Spirit may cross the barrier.

The barrier is mystical, not just physical. Even incorporeal characters such as those under the effect of Ghost Body or Incorporeal Passage must pass the Wits + Survival roll to cross the barrier. Similarly the effect continues underground in a network of roots so digging underneath will not bypass the effect.

The barrier is limited to the material plane. Those not physically on the material plane such as those in the Penumbra or Shadowlands via effects such as Astral Projection or Ex Nihilo may cross without difficulty. Similarly, as Earth Meld transports the user to the Astral (Penumbra), the elder Protean power Earth Mastery may be used to bypass the barrier under the earth and reemerge on the other side.


Green Path 5: Awaken the Forest Giants [V20 217]

This power awakens one tree per success gained on the casting roll, all of which must be within the caster's line of sight.

This power only costs the usual one blood point, not a blood point per success.

The Thaumaturge only needs to touch one of the trees to activate this power. All other trees targeted must be within a radius of 10 yards per success.

The trees animated by this power do not take an action on the part of the user to control, acting on the user's Initiative each turn of the effect.

Trees can buffet with their branches for Strength + 3 bashing damage or attempt the staking maneuver with a pointy branch, infliction Strength + 2 lethal damage, although this maneuver is made at +1 difficulty. Trees have health levels based on their size. Saplings and other small trees have 7 Health levels, moderate-sized trees (beeches, elms, fruit trees, etc.) have 15, and large pines and oaks have 25. Particularly enormous specimens such as old growth redwoods may have more at Storyteller discretion.

Trees cannot soak any damage from fire and do not halve it as other lethal damage.[/i][/i]

[Hematite]

Hands of Destruction [V20 217]

This power was originally only available via demonic compact as part of Dark Thaumaturgy. The Tremere Horned Society successfully converted it from that paradigm and remade it as an ordinary Hermetic path. In the Sabbat, this path is still viewed with a great deal of suspicion due to its roots. Anyone seen practicing should expect a visit from the Inquisition in short order.

As none of the Tremere Antitribu were part of the Horned Society, this path is extremely rare among the Sabbat. It has made its way to House Goratrix via traitors and agents within the Pyramid, but most Sabbat still distrust this path due to its well-known infernal roots. Characters should have a good reason for knowing this path, particularly after the loss of the Tremere Antitribu. The Inquisition will want an answer or the assumption will be Infernalism.


Hands of Destruction 1: Decay [V20 217]

As a general rule, for every minute the Thaumaturge holds an object using this power, the difficulty to use it for any purpose increases by 1. Certain items may become unusable immediately, depending on the item in question.

If this power is used on a high quality crafted item, the item degrades by one quality level per minute exposed to this power. This occurs before the above rule of it becoming more difficult to use.

This power only requires physical contact, so items like chains or ropes binding the body can be affected.

This power works on corpses, but not on vampires. It can decay a corpse to bones within a minute, and to dust within 10.

This power will override any method of mundane or mystical preservation, spoiling a target’s preserved blood supply with ease.


Hands of Destruction 2: Gnarl Wood [V20 217]

This power may also be used to gnarl wood in a radius around the caster (that the caster specifies) to warp all of the wood within a room and render any stakes that may or may not be present useless. However, this gives no discretion to stakes in particular, and any item of wood (including the floor, walls, furniture, etc will be affected. As a standard, this generally takes about 1 blood per yard of radius unless in a particularly woodless area such as a parking lot, in which case the range extends as necessary.

The decay caused by this power takes no additional time and occurs instantly once the power is activated.

As this power requires blood expenditure, it cannot be initiated while staked.


Hands of Destruction 3: Acidic Touch [V20 217]

Acid created for hand to hand attacks is one use of this power per attack. Once activating this power, the Thaumaturge may continue to excrete acid at a rate of one blood point per attack made without spending additional mental actions or additional rolls. This continues until they cease to excrete for one or more turns, after which they must make a new Thaumaturgy activation roll.

This can be used to change the damage type for unarmed brawl strikes to Aggravated, as well as the damage from things like Clinch. Any attempt to place the acid on a weapon simply destroys the weapon.

The Thaumaturge is immune to his own acid, but his equipment is not, nor are any allies.

One blood point’s worth of acid is enough to bypass nearly any mechanical lock, burning it out in seconds.


Hands of Destruction 4: Atrophy [V20 217]

This power functions in line of sight and does not require touch.

For a vampire to rejuvenate a withered limb, the five blood points must be spent over a full day’s rest as if healing aggravated damage. Each withered limb must be healed separately, each as though healing a point of aggravated damage. Other effects that can be used to heal aggravated damage (Such as Corpore Sano) may be used to rejuvenate a withered limb.


Hands of Destruction 5: Turn to Dust [V20 218]

This power, while mostly ineffective on Vampires, may activate certain properties of the blood in rare cases, such as the darkening of an Assamite's skin.

In general, mortals will die if they reach age 80 or so. At storyteller discretion, use 50+10 years for every point of permanent Willpower.

If this power is used on a torpored vampire, the time aged can pull the target from torpor as if the genuine amount of time had passed for them.

This power ages only the physical body and thus does not cause any mystical effects with duration to end.

[Hematite]

The Hearth Path [BM:SoT 72]

This path no longer exists as a path. Instead each level of The Hearth Path is now a ritual of the equivalent level. Details of conversion are recorded in each level individually. Although these original rituals were converted into a path by an eccentric Tremere rather obsessed with his own security, no one else in the Pyramid is quite sure why, as the effects did not change.

Unlike normal rituals, each of these rituals must be purchased in order, each one building upon the principles of the other.

All of these rituals can only be cast upon the Thaumaturge’s own haven. A haven is defined for the purposes of these rituals as any place the Thaumaturge has spent at least 3 consecutive days within the last month.


The Hearth Path 1: Guest’s Herald [BM:SoT 72]

This ritual requires the caster spend a blood point smearing the spilled blood across the lintel.

This ritual may be cast multiple times on multiple doorways or windows.

The effects of this ritual only activate if someone other than the Thaumaturge physically crosses that barrier. If the intruder is incorporeal or enters by another means (such as breaking through a wall, the ritual will not activate. The effects of this ritual do not cross planar boundaries.

This ritual cannot differentiate between types of creatures and will activate for any creature larger than a small mouse.

The Thaumaturge may attune other individuals to this ritual so they do not trigger the effect if he wishes, but must mix a sample of their blood (not a complete point) with his own as he casts the ritual.


The Hearth Path 2: Master’s Order [BM:SoT 73]

This ritual requires the Thaumaturge to meditate within his haven for the 10 minute casting time while holding an object of personal significance.

This ritual can track any and all items belonging to the Thaumaturge, but the Thaumaturge must ask after a specific item to track it. The Thaumaturge may track any number of items with a single casting of this ritual; he does not need to cast the ritual separately for each item.

If the item is no longer in the Thaumaturge’s haven, the ritual returns the results that the item cannot be located.

Clever Thaumaturges will sometimes instruct servants or others to hide certain objects somewhere that even he does not know so that the knowledge cannot be taken from them via telepathy or torture, relying on this power to find the item again should it be needed.


The Hearth Path 3: Rhyme of Discord [BM:SoT 73]

This ritual requires the Thaumaturge to sprinkle a handful of poppy seeds around the perimeter of his haven, walking first clockwise, then counterclockwise. This ritual does not require blood.

Anyone other than the Thaumaturge who physically enters his haven by any means will find themselves hopelessly lost and unable to find their way out again. An intruder will wander for hours until either the effect ends or the Thaumaturge shows him the exit.

This power does not cross planar boundaries.

Other individuals may be attuned to the effects of this ritual if the Thaumaturge desires, but they must be present at the time of the casting.

This ritual cannot limit the intruder’s actions or movements within the Thaumaturge’s haven, only his ability to leave.

Characters with specific resistances to mental influence (such as Ward the Soul’s Sanctity) may roll that resistance once the ritual takes effect.

Should the intruder have a mystical way to leave, such as a teleportation or planar travel effect, this may be used to find a way out. This ritual only covers conventional, physical exits.


The Hearth Path 4: Temportal [BM:SoT 73]

This ritual requires the Thaumaturge to physically walk through 7 doors within his haven forwards and backwards while chanting an invocation of linking. Should a haven contain less than 7 doors, the caster may repeat doors in the process.

Changing the exit point of any door within his haven takes a single mental action, and the doors remain linked in that way until either the ritual ends at sunrise or the Thaumaturge spends another mental action to change the destination again.

A door for the purposes of this ritual is defined as any portal that a person may fit through, including cupboard or pantry doors as well as windows.

Clever or particularly paranoid Thaumaturges often specifically craft secret rooms within their havens that cannot be accessed physically without this power, containing a single door that doesn’t actually lead anywhere.


The Hearth Path 5: The Cauldron’s Rede [BM:SoT 73]

This power combines effects similar to the Koldunic ritual Hospitality and the Elemental Mastery power Wooden Tongues.

All the objects in the Thaumaturge’s haven may answer questions as though the Thaumaturge scored 5 successes on Wooden Tongues.

The objects in the Thaumaturge’s haven only retain their sentience as long as they remain within the haven. If they cross the barrier they instantly lose all sentience.

This power grants the power of verbal communication to all objects within the haven. This means that they may speak to and understand any individual within the haven should they wish to (or be instructed to). The spirits are fickle, but will generally obey such instructions if they are not particularly onerous.

[Hematite]

Lure of Flames [V20 218]

This power creates flame which are then released at a target location. Once it is released, the conjured fire is normal fire that causes Rotschreck in the caster and any others, and the Thaumaturge has no further control of it. This power creates flames, but cannot manipulate existing fire.

Using this power on a target in close range causes a Rotschreck test in the Thaumaturge as well. The rush of heat and the crackle of burning material strikes fear into every vampire heart.

Fire can be placed upon the caster's body, such as a "palm of flame" with one success. This fire is not hot and does not cause damage or Rotschreck. Theoretically, the caster can invoke fire that covers his entire body, but while not effective in combat until released (at which point the Thaumaturge himself would be similarly roasted), it at least looks scary.

Fire created that is not released from the "Safe" state of the original casting, such as the palm of flame used for light can be dismissed at any time without harm.

Targeting an opponent with the fire in combat requires one success per 10 yards of distance.

At levels 4 and higher (bonfire and inferno), the fire can affect more than one person at once. Bonfire attacks can hit tightly grouped targets (within a hallway or around 3 yards from each other) and Inferno attacks can fill an entire medium sized room or around 20 yards across.

Once hit by Lure of Flames, the target is considered to be "on fire." Targets that are on fire take the same damage as the original attack every subsequent round until the fire is put out. Putting out a flaming person requires, first, a Rotschreck test from the person putting it out (even if you are putting yourself out) at a difficulty equal to the soak difficulty of the damage, and then a Wits + Survival test, also with difficulty equal to the soak of the damage.

Because this path causes its victims to catch on fire and continue to burn each subsequent round thereafter, using Lure of Flames to fling more fire at an already burning target has no additional effect.

[Hematite]

Mastery of the Mortal Shell [BM:SoT 73]

Despite the similarity to possession, particularly at later levels, this power does not operate on any principle of mind control. Rather it directly manipulates the physical body. Effects from powers or merits that protect against mind or emotional control have no effect on Mastery of the Mortal Shell, though general powers that protect against mystical effects (such as Magic Resistance or Thaumaturgical Countermagic) apply normally.

Despite the name of this path, it does not only affect mortals. The powers of this path can affect any creature with a corporeal body. It has no effect on wraiths or spirits, as they lack physical substance.

Specific effects of this path do not stack with themselves, however the individual powers do stack with each other.


Mastery of the Mortal Shell 1: Vertigo [BM:SoT 74]

If the caster scores 5 or more successes, the target also gains an appropriate derangement (usually acrophobia or agoraphobia) as long as the power persists. The specific derangement is chosen by the Storyteller and corresponds to the situation around the target. It is not selected by the caster.


Mastery of the Mortal Shell 2: Contortion [BM:SoT 74]

Targeting a limb is done at +1 difficulty. Targeting the head is done at +2 difficulty.

Any items held in a targeted arm are immediately dropped.

An affected leg bestows all of the penalties of the Lame flaw as long as the power persists. If both legs are affected, apply all effects of the Paraplegic flaw.

The increased difficulty to break the grasp or hold applies to attempts to break a hold or clinch maneuver as well as on an attempt to disarm.


If the Thaumaturge targets himself, in addition to the beneficial effects, he also takes the usual effects of targeting one of his own limbs, rendering that arm useless for any actions but maintaining the hold or clinch until either the power ends naturally or the Thaumturge spends another blood point and mental action to voluntarily end the effect. The targeted limb appears locked in whatever position it was in to maintain the hold or clinch until the power ends.


Mastery of the Mortal Shell 3: Seizure [BM:SoT 74]

The bashing damage suffered from this power has no effect on Cainites due to their inherent ability to halve all bashing damage.


Mastery of the Mortal Shell 4: Body Failure [BM:SoT 74]

Unlike Seizure, this power may be invoked on any target within line of sight.


Mastery of the Mortal Shell 5: Marionette [BM:SoT 74]

Non-Cainite victims of this power need some other inherent toughening power to allow a resistance roll. Werewolves and other Shifters may resist this power automatically in any form but their breed form (in their Breed Form they can only resist if they have some Stamina-enhancing or other toughening Gift active). Mages would require an active Life effect granting increased Stamina or other toughening effect. Changelings may resist with Oakenshield (Primal 3) active. Kuei-Jin may resist by rolling Stamina + Iron Mountain. Demons may only resist this power while in their Apocalyptic Forms.

While this power is active the Thaumaturge has full control over the victim, dictating the victim's actions on the victim's own initiative. Should the the victim wish to attempt a mental action he does so at split dice penalties. Unlike normal split actions, this does not reduce the dice pool for the physical actions directed by the Thaumaturge.

The control granted by this power is purely physical. The Thaumaturge cannot make his victim spend blood or activate any non-physical discipline.

While this power is active, the victim may still take mental actions of his own on his Initiative. However any mental actions taken by the victim cannot involve any physical components (including transformation effects) and are still performed at +2 difficulty.

A second application of this power to extend the duration may be resisted again with the standard resistance roll (if applicable). However, do note that the Thaumaturge is still at +2 difficulty to reactivate the power while still actively controlling the victim.

[Hematite]

Movement of the Mind [V20 220]

The Thaumaturge can control objects for one turn per success scored. With 5 successes or more, they may control it for the duration of the scene or hour.


Striking opponents with objects does not require this path at 4. To hit someone with an object animated this round (referred to as “Throwing”), simply use the successes on the activation roll as successes on a melee roll, and use a damage rating assigned by the Storyteller for the object, using the Thaumaturge's Movement of the Mind rating instead of Strength. For subsequent actions controlling (referred to as “Controlling”) the same object to hit an opponent, roll Movement of the Mind + Melee to hit. “Throwing” an object using this system does not remove it from the Thaumaturge’s control.

For objects from the scenery being controlled or thrown with this power at opponents, use the Feat of Strength chart on VtM: Revised page 202 to determine the damage rating. See Potence clarifications for details on hitting people with giant objects. Remember that the heaviest object that can be controlled is 1000 pounds, which is +8 on the chart.

Objects that are too heavy to be controlled fully with this Path (objects over 1000 pounds) can still be influenced by the power as if they were struck with 1000 pounds of force (or force appropriate to the level of mastery). This can cause a car to careen off the road or a plane to dip its wings to one side, even if the same power could not control the object totally. Trying to "push" a conscious person using this application is still identical to the "control person" use of this power, however, and still provokes an opposed Willpower roll.

A person being controlled by this power may make an opposed Willpower roll every turn they are controlled to break the effect.

The Thaumaturge can move an object 5 yards per turn for every level of the Path they possess, should the distance become relevant. This distance is regardless of the object's weight, so long as it can be brought under control. Raising a victim high into the air and dropping them is possible with this power. Consult the falling rules for damage.

Using this power to control something nearby that cannot be seen, but you know the basic location of, is at +2 difficulty, like trying to unlock a deadbolt on the other side of a door. Using the ability this way cannot affect conscious people. This system also applies to controlling objects viewed remotely via video link or a scrying power. In this case, the power still requires that the targeted object be within approximately 50 yards of the Thaumaturge.

Objects that you control can continue to take actions even as you take new actions, similar to Arms of the Abyss. So long as you are conscious and actively aware of their situation (can see them, understand where their targets are, etc) you can continue to direct them while taking actions normally.

You may control closely grouped objects as if they are one object, such as a sword and shield, or a cloud of books.

If this power is used for flight, the flying speed is computed with the same formula as the vampire’s base speed, but using the vampire’s Wits rating instead of Dexterity. So a Thaumaturge with Wits 4 could move 16 yards and still take an action (12 + Wits rating) or 32 yards as their full action (20 + 3x Wits rating). If used for maximum movement, this counts as a mental action rather than a physical one.

[Hematite]

Neptune’s Might [V20 218]

The chosen specialty of saltwater or freshwater applies to all natural bodies of water. Artificial bodies of water are affected at normal difficulty unaffected by the specialty. Man-made lakes created via dams still count as natural bodies of water for this purpose, but swimming pools or retention ponds do not.

Once the specialty is chosen at level 3, the specialty applies to all uses of this path that targets a body of water, not only those of levels 3 or above.


Neptune’s Might 1: Eyes of the Sea [V20 219][/h3]

This power can only reveal information that the body of water was in a position to directly observe. So a fish tank in a room could reveal what it saw in that room as if the water were a camera, but could not reveal what happened in the next room over or behind cover.

Each scene viewed is a separate activation of this power, costing an additional blood point and needing its own roll.

The Perception + Occult roll to notice small details does benefit from Auspex.

This power contacts spirits, and as such, they are sentient creatures and vulnerable to Obfuscate. Like all spirits, they may roll Gnosis at a difficulty of the Obfuscate level + 3 to see through it. Typical puddles have a gaffling with a Gnosis of 1 to 3. Larger bodies of water may have more powerful spirits.


Neptune’s Might 2: Prison of Water [V20 219]

The prison lasts indefinitely unless the caster dismisses it. Dismissing the effect is a mental action.

If an insufficient quantity of water is present, the roll can still be made at +1 difficulty. If there is no ready source of water, the roll can be made at +2 difficulty as the necessary moisture is drawn from the air.

Ensuring that a creature that needs to breathe does not drown in the prison increases the difficulty of the roll by 1.

To break out of the hold, the target must score the necessary number of successes on a single Strength roll. This is not an extended roll.

Once a prison is broken, the water loses cohesion and splashes to the ground where it was. This water may be reused for additional uses of Neptune’s Might.


Neptune’s Might 3: Blood to Water [V20 219]

This power may be used on any mundane liquid, transforming it to water. This use of the power is at -1 difficulty. The reduced difficulty only applies to liquids that have a water base. Liquids with an oil base or other form do not gain the -1 difficulty.


The phantom wound penalties suffered by Cainite victims of this power may not be healed by spending additional blood. The penalties themselves can be ignored for a turn by spending a Willpower point as any other wound penalties. These penalties stack with any additional wound penalties suffered by the Cainite while this power is active, so a Cainite hit with this power for 4 successes, who later took an additional 3 levels of damage would be treated as Incapacitated from the 7 levels of damage he had taken. This stacking cannot reduce a victim below Incapacitated until 8 levels of real damage are suffered.

The blood points replaced with water in a Cainite’s system by this power still occupy space in the vampire’s blood pool until they naturally evaporate at a rate of one point per hour. There is no other natural way to purge the “water points” from a vampire’s system (though certain mystical effects such as Purity of Flesh would work, as might a compact with a water elemental).

When used on a mortal, the mortal is immediately reduced to Crippled, and suffers an additional unsoakable level of lethal damage per minute thereafter. A mortal victim can be saved with extremely fast medical intervention and a blood transfusion, but given the time constraints it is extremely unlikely.


Neptune’s Might 4: Flowing Wall [V20 219]

This power requires a minimum of 2 gallons of water per success to be allocated on the effect. If there is insufficient water for the number of successes scored, the effect still activates, but successes are capped based on the amount of water present. Other liquids may be substituted for water by taking a +1 difficulty on the roll.

The wall created by this power is opaque, and no amount of Auspex (short of a specific elder power like Clairvoyance used to see a different location) will see past or through it.

This does not create a physical barrier, but a mystical one. As such it cannot be bypassed by incorporeality from any source or through the use of powers such as Ghost Wall. It also crosses planar boundaries, so those in the Penumbra or Shadowlands must still contend with the barrier to cross.

Successes are applied to length and height of the wall, not width. Width of the wall is immaterial as it forms a mystical barrier and not a physical one.

This power may be dismissed by the Thaumaturge at any time as a mental action, causing the water used to fall to the ground as ordinary water again.

Successes may be spent for less than the full amount of distance in one dimension. For example, in a 16-foot wide room, placing two successes into length could stop at the walls of the room with no need to push beyond the walls.

Those Cainite with the Flaw Can’t Cross Running Water may not attempt to cross the Flowing Wall.

The Thaumaturge who created the wall may freely cross the barrier, though he cannot see through it. The Thaumaturge may not attune anyone else to the barrier. All others who wish to cross must make the Willpower roll.


Neptune’s Might 5: Dehydrate [V20 219]


This power has no resistance roll.

Successes on this power do not eliminate blood points from the body. Instead they convert those blood points to ash as all liquid is dehydrated from them. Ash points take up space in a character’s blood pool as normal, but can only be spent to wake for the night. Ash points cannot be spent for any other effect a vampire spends blood for such as raising attributes, healing or discipline activation. Ash points will be automatically spent first upon awakening before any actual blood points in the vampire’s system. Short of them being spent over time to wake up, the only way to remove ash points from one’s system is to be forcibly drained. When draining a vampire with ash points in their system, all actual blood points must be drained first.

The visual effect of blood streaming from every orifice of the victim is still in effect.