Post by Phsycodelic on Jan 26, 2017 23:38:05 GMT
Sadhana: Temptations Of Mara ( The Snake Inside, Zarabanda’s Malice )
Followers Of Set
Followers Of Set
Sadhana paths all call for Willpower rolls. A sadhu evokes all path magic by sheer force of will because that's how she believes ascetic magic works: If you gain enough merit through your austerities, what you wish comes true. Most Sadhana rituals call for an Intelligence + Occult roll from the player, just like every other style of Thaumaturgy. The exceptions, like Rakta-Maya rituals of hypnotic illusion, are noted in their sections.
Unlike Hermatic magus, a sadhu needs to learn an additional Ability besides Occult. Sadhana's austerities demand that a practitioner also develop the Secondary Skill of Meditation. A sorcerer cannot employ path magic at a higher level than her Meditation Trait, though she may perform rituals of a higher level. She still knows her primary path to the level of her full Thaumaturgical mastery; she simply lacks the spiritual force or focus to use it. When her player raises the character's Meditation Trait, she can use the path to the higher level. Note: This applies to ALL paths learned in this line, including ones "imported" from other paths.
Meditation has many uses in its own right, in accordance with an Indian adept's overmastering will. At the Storyteller's option, a sadhu's player can substitute an Intelligence + Meditation roll for a path power's Willpower roll – but at the cost of the power taking as much time as a ritual of the same level. Meditation is not quick.
Setites love debasement of all kinds, but have developed a special taste for the self-destruction of others. Although the modem concept of addiction exists far from the ancient Egyptian worldview, tonight's Setites confidently believe that their god would approve. Even if he doesn't care for their favorite pursuit, they're not about to stop. After all, it's habit-forming.
Setite Sorcery botches, regardless of school, cause the sorcerer to acquire an intense photophobia. When exposed to extremely bright lights, the sorcerer must roll for Rötschreck against a difficulty of (4 + the sorcerer's Path rating). Setite lector-priests do not suffer this effect. [Rites Of The Blood - Page 132]
[ 1 ] First Taste ( XXX - Page X )
The Setite uses this power while his target is conducting some minor, repetitive action. The power makes him unconsciously associate his action with pleasure, so he'll want to do it again. And again. And again. Creative-minded Setites can addict their victims to thoroughly bizarre substances or behaviors.
System: The player rolls Manipulation + Seduction against a difficulty equal to the subject's Willpower. The number of successes determines the strength of the induced compulsion. Whenever the target sees another chance to repeat the triggering behavior, he must make a Willpower roll (difficulty equals the Setite's Willpower) to stop himself from doing so. The victim loses his compulsion entirely if he scores five successes while attempting to resist.
[ 2 ] Cross-Addiction ( XXX - Page X )
The Setite temporarily changes the focus of an addict or compulsive's dependency to a substance or behavior of her own choosing. For example, a cocaine addict could be made to crave the act of sex while on the rush, or a compulsive gambler may become a kleptomaniac as well.
System: While the Setite is in the victim's company, the player rolls Manipulation + Seduction (difficulty equals the target's Willpower.) If successful, the target switches fixations for a number of scenes equal to the Setite's successes. By spending a blood point, the vampire can extend the period for the same number of scenes.
[ 3 ] The Jones ( XXX - Page X )
The Setite reinforces a victim's preexisting addiction or compulsion, so that he'll set aside all of his moral impulses and ethical beliefs to satisfy his craving.
System: While the Setite is in the presence of the target, the player rolls Manipulation + Seduction against a difficulty equal to the target's Willpower and spends a blood point. If successful, any qualms the victim might have about removing the barriers to the satisfaction of her cravings melt away - she may not even spend Willpower points to overcome the addiction, and she'll gladly leave her office during the middle of work to score a hit. The effect lasts for one scene per blood point spent.
[ 4 ] Fatal Compulsion ( XXX - Page X )
The Setite twists a victim's dependency, turning it into a literal hunger. If the subject doesn't satisfy his addiction, he starves to death.
System: The Setite must be in the target's presence, and the player rolls Manipulation + Seduction against a difficulty equal to the target's Willpower and spends 3 blood points. Whenever she goes for three consecutive nights without indulging her addiction or compulsion, the subject suffers one health level of unsoakable lethal damage. The only way to regain health levels lost in this way is to satisfy the compulsion; the character recovers all of them immediately and the power's influence ends.
[ 5 ] Temperance ( XXX - Page X )
The final power of the Snake Inside puzzles Setites who do not fully understand their clan's seductive ways. What's the point of preventing addictions? Forcing an addicted to abstain, however, can shatter many habits and force a complete lifestyle (or unlifestyle) change - not just an easily visible addiction.
Temperance renders a victim unable to take pleasure from satisfying an addiction. The physical or psychological craving still exists, but the substance or behavior that once gave such pleasure now provokes pain and disgust.
System: While the character is near the target, the player rolls Manipulation + Seduction (difficulty of the target's Willpower) and spends a blood point. The number of successes determines the duration of the Temperance effect.
| Successes | Duration |
| 1 | One scene. |
| 2 | One night. |
| 3 | One week. |
| 4 | One month. |
| 5 | One year. |
The victim suffers one health level of bashing damage from the nausea and pain of satisfying her addiction. Storytellers may impose other problems, too, based on the nature of the victim's addiction. For instance, an alcoholic forced to go cold turkey might need a successful Willpower roll to avoid vomiting when he drinks. Storytellers may also wish to impose withdrawal symptoms on those whose addictions would likely produce such a result for "coming off the junk."
The sorcerer's player must select one and only one craving for Temperance to affect. The character may use the power more than once, however, to block multiple addictions. Temperance does not work against true physiological necessities such as food (for mortals) or blood (for vampires).
