Thaumaturgy Rituals Level 8

[Phsycodelic]

Thaumaturgy Rituals Level 8

Tremere

Rituals are Thaumaturgical formulas, meticulously researched and prepared, that create powerful magical effects. Rituals are less versatile than paths, as their effects are singular and straightforward, but they are better suited to specific ends.

All thaumaturges have the ability to use rituals, though each individual ritual must be learned separately. By acquainting herself with the arcane practice of blood magic, the caster gains the capacity to manipulate these focused effects.

Thaumaturgical rituals are rated from 1 to 5, each level corresponding to both the level of mastery of Thaumaturgy the would-be caster must possess and the relative power of the ritual itself. Unless stated otherwise, a ritual requires five minutes per level to cast.

Casting rituals requires a successful Intelligence + Occult roll, for which the difficulty equals 3 + the level of the ritual (maximum 9). Only one success is required for a ritual to work, though certain spells may require more successes or have variable effects based on how well the caster's roll goes. Should a roll to activate a ritual fail, the Storyteller is encouraged to create strange occurrences or side effects, or even make it appear that the ritual was successful, only to reveal its failure at a later time. A botched ritual roll may even indicate a catastrophic failure or summon an ill-tempered demon.

Rituals sometimes require special ingredients or reagents to work - these are noted in each ritual's description. Common components include herbs, animal bones, ceremonial items, feathers, eye of newt, tongue of toad, etc. Acquiring magical components for a powerful ritual may form the basis for an entire story.

At the first level of Thaumaturgy, the vampire automatically gains a single Level One ritual. To learn further rituals, the thaumaturge must find someone to teach him, or learn the ritual from a scroll, tome, or other archive. Learning a new ritual can take anywhere from a few nights (Level One ritual) to months or years (Level Five ritual). Some mystics have studied individual rituals for decades, or even centuries.

[ 8 ] Blade Of The Forbidden Flower ( XXX - Page X )

The Tremere guard the knowledge of this ritual closely, and with good reason. If even a whisper of its existence reached the ears of the Camarilla it would likely cause accusations of diablerie. The ritual requires the body of a vampire skilled in the use of the weapon to be enchanted. The body should be completely drained of blood, though the thaumaturge should set aside a small quantity of the subject's blood for later use. The weapon must be cast and forged seven times as the thaumaturge recites an incantation. The magus then drinks the final point of the victim's blood and then drives the blade of the weapon in its chest. The body immediately crumbles into cloud of ash, which is absorbed into the blade, leaving nothing behind but a black scorched mark. The weapon then becomes the vessel for the soul of the slain Kindred, imparting the wielder with strange powers and knowledge.

System: The creator of the weapon, or anyone she freely gives it to, are the only ones who may use it without harm; anyone else who attempts to do so suffers one health level of aggravated damage for every turn he continues to touch it. The blade retains all of the dead vampire's Abilities and Disciplines, which can be used by anyone wielding the weapon as if they were his own. Additionally, the weapon inflicts aggravated damage upon those attacked with it. The spirit inside is unable to speak to others via any means, unless the weapon is destroyed, releasing the spirit.

[ 8 ] Bone Of The Kindred ( XXX - Page X )

This two-night ritual creates an enchanted weapon made of bone or ivory. The ritual requires the lifeblood of a Kindred. This blood is absorbed into the weapon and cannot be used for any other purpose. The enchanted weapon inflicts aggravated wounds. When in use, the weapon seems to "drink" any blood that is on it.

[ 8 ] Chain Of The Blood Line ( XXX - Page X )

This ritual grants the Warlock power over another vampire's extended brood, similar to a limited form of Blood Bond. This ritual takes three nights and must end on the night of a new moon with the death of the Kindred whose brood the caster wishes to control. The subject is completely drained of blood until his life essence is sucked from his body by the caster. In addition to the normal effects of this act of diablerie, the Thaumaturgist learns all of the subject's brood, and all of her brood in turn, down to the last of the bloodline. When any of these Kindred is encountered, the caster may command him in any way, impelling him to obey. The "enslaved" Kindred may resist this power by making a resisted roll of Wits + Self-Control (difficulty is the caster's Willpower) against the caster's roll of Manipulation + Leadership (difficulty is the victim's Willpower). The difference between successes is the number of hours before the caster can again attempt to command the defender, or the number of hours before the defender can again roll to resist. In the latter case, the number of successes is cumulative, so the caster can easily bend the will of a weak minded Kindred, and can command him for extended periods. In addition, the affected vampire begins to grow fond of the caster; this effect may be resisted with a similar roll, and the same type of roll must be made before the commanded Kindred is able to attack the Warlock.

[ 8 ] The Name Forgotten ( XXX - Page X )

This little-known Thaumaturgical ritual eradicates the caster from the mind of any who knew her in life and undeath. Those who had met her find their memories completely devoid of the individual - they have no reason to believe she was ever there. Children and childer of the individual “don’t know” who their parent or sire was; allies and enemies simply forget her and go about their business. Even those who held the caster dear to their hearts forget her utterly, bearing only an unknowable and dolorous nepenthe.

System: The caster must write her own name in the blood of her sire on a sheet of paper milled from wood grown only by moonlight. Over the course of the next 100 years, the caster must “invest” the paper with 100 points of Willpower, no more or less than one per year. Thereafter, when the caster meets Final Death, she vanishes from memory, as her name disappears from the paper and the scrap burns away to nothing.

This ritual has no known countermagic; once performed, the effect is unstoppable. Although the caster will not mysteriously vanish from video footage and her name does not blank itself from books (which would leave some fairly telling empty spaces...), the mere sight or mention of the character elicits no response to any who see it - the name or image has no emotional weight.