Wanga: Path Of Corruption

[Phsycodelic]

Wanga: Path Of Corruption ( The False Heart )

Followers Of Set, Tremere

Wanga blurs the lines between rituals and paths. The invocation of its paths often requires the presence of specific materials and the vocalization of names of power - requirements reserved for rituals alone in Hermetic Thaumaturgy. Even the most basic tenet of Thaumaturgy - that it requires the expenditure of blood to invoke - is belied by one of Wanga's paths. Some of the Wanga's detractors among the Warlocks wish to declare it an entirely separate form of blood sorcery, unrelated to Thaumaturgy at all. Wangateurs laugh at this notion; Wanga was separate, after all, until the Tremere spearheaded the effort to bring the practice into the fold.

Except for the path known as The Flow Of Ashé, Wanga paths require the expenditure of blood for activation. In addition, any time Wanga is invoked, be it a path or ritual, the wangateur must call upon the spirit appropriate to the intended effect. For instance, a wangateur invoking Lure of Flames might call on Chango, Alternatively, were she attempting to call upon the Path of Weather Control, she might invoke Agarou Tonerre, aloa of thunder.

In addition, Wanga possesses its own unique wet of tools, components and ritualistic items that must often be present for the magic to work. Not every ritual involves all of these tools, but the vast majority of them require at least a few. Listed below are the more common of Wanga's tools, once again, a bit of research on the players' part will turn up a wealth of additional material.

Asson: Used primarily in voudoun. This is a rattle wielded by the houngan or mambo, and is considered a magical and sacred object. It is normally constructed out of a gourd to which has been affixed a wooden handle, and is often decorated with such esoteric items as snake bones and bits of coral.

Ekwele: From the Santerfa faith, this is a thin chain measuring about 50 inches in length, and broken at regular intervals by one-and-a-half inch disks made from a tortoise shell. It is used in the practice of Ifa, a form of divination.

Ese: Also from Santerfa, the Ese are poetic verses used in the interpretation of Ifa. Babalawos often have hundreds of these committed to memory.

Farine: This flour used to trace the veves utilized in voudoun rituals.

Gris-gris: A gris-gris is a charm, talisman or any other small magic item. Many of the faiths refer to such charms as wangas; gris-gris is the voudoun equivalent.

Hounfour: A temple or structure used for ceremonies to the god of voudoun.

Kisengue: A human shinbone wrapped in black rags, this is a common component of Palo Mayombe ceremonies.

Ngana: A large iron cauldron filled with graveyard earth, bones, and sticks and other disturbing ingredients. It is one of the most important components of Palo Mayombe. (This term also refers to a priest or shaman of certain African religions, though it is never used in that context here.)

Peristyle: An open courtyard in which voudoun ceremonies are held. There is often, but not always, a hounfour located on the property.

Poteau Mitan: The pole that stands at the center of peristyle or hounfour. It is often carved or decorated, and represents the center of the universe and its connection with the spirit world. All dancing during the ceremony revolves around the poteau mitan.

Veve: Common to many of the Afro-Caribean faiths but most prevalent in voudoun, this is a symbolic design representing one of the Ioa (or other spirit). Veves are used as the focus of rituals, and serve as a temporary altar when a more permanent construct is unavailable. Although they can be found written or inscribed on all manner of surfaces, they are most commonly constructed by pouring flour on the ground during rituals.

The origins of this path are hotly debated among those who are familiar with its intricacies. One theory holds that its secrets were taught to the Tremere by demons and that use of it brings the practitioner dangerously close to the infernal powers. A second opinion has been advanced that the Path of Corruption is a holdover from the days when Clan Tremere was still mortal. The third theory, and the most disturbing to the Tremere, is that the path originated with the Followers of Set, and that knowledge of its workings was sold to the Tremere for an unspecified price. This last rumor is vehemently denied by the Tremere, which automatically makes it a favorite topic of discussion when the matter comes up.

The Path of Corruption is primarily a mentally and spiritually oriented path centered on influencing the psyches of other individuals. It can be used neither to issue commands like Dominate nor to change emotions in the moment like Presence. Rather, it produces a gradual and subtle twisting of the subject's actions, morals, and thought processes. This path deals intimately with deception and dark desires, and those who work through it must understand the hidden places of the heart. Accordingly, no character may have a higher rating in the Path of Corruption than he has in Subterfuge.

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]

Social Responsibilities

Kindred or kine, you cannot just wake up one morning (or evening) and decide, "Today, I will become a houngan (or tata)." As with any position of authority in any other religion, it takes years of learning and initiation to become a priest of voudoun, Santeria. Palo Mayombe or any of the Wanga-practicing faiths. Many are the steps between a simple practitioner and a recognized master of mysteries.

It is relatively uncommon for a Kindred follower of an Afro-Caribbean religion to learn the secrets of Wanga without being initiated as a priest of the religion. Remember, Wanga is much a religious system as a form of Thaumaturgy, and like any religious secret, it is rarely taught to those who have not gone through the proper steps and initiations.

What does this mean for your Kindred wangateur? For stargers, it can mean years - often as much as a decade or two - to reach this level of initiation.

Houngans and mambos, santeros and santeras, babalawos, tatas and yayas - they're all religious leaders, which means they have certain social obligations demanded of them by their community and by their own beliefs. In communities where these religions are the norm, the local priest is expected to lead ceremonies on a regular - sometimes weekly if not daily - basis. Many in his community seek his aid, his advice, even his powers of divination. He is expected to his magics to help those around him, to protect them from evil spirits and the influence of malice, or evil spells.

This can cause real problems for those of the vampiric persuasion. Leaving aside the fact that most such events, petitions and requests come during the hours of daylight, bear in mind that such a character is constantly standing on the very edge of the Masquerade. Even if you've managed to explain away your nocturnal leanings, what happens if you frenzy in the midst of a ceremony? Many such ceremonies involve the spilling of blood (albeit animal blood). Between the scent of vitae, the pounding drums, the pulsating pass of humanity dancing their ritual dances - the situation is absolutely ripe with disastrous potential.

There are cultures in which the use of magic isn't inherently a Masquerade breach, where magic is almost common - but most Western princes aren't going to see it like that. You can argue all you want that it wasn't really breaking the Masquerade to use Thaumaturgy in front of witnesses because they were expecting you to do magic, but the local sheriff or archon is still likely to stake first and decide later if she should bother asking questions.

At the same time, such a position of authority offers its own advantages. Herd, Allies, Contacts, even a few dots of Fame or Influence, are all easily justifiable - if not mandatory - for such an exalted post. Your position as a religious leader places all sorts of demands on you, but it opens up an equally large host of opportunities. Don't hesitate to make the most of them.

Some few wangateurs do not bear these responsibilities. Perhaps they have left such concerns behind them after years of practice, or perhaps they serve the spirits in some other capacity. The Storyteller should not feel obliged to include these social aspects if they're going to negatively impact the story.

Ritual Practice

Wanga is often a group activity. Although most of its rituals can be performed alone, they prove easier and more effective when cast as part of a ceremony involving numerous participants. Only the primary caster need follow the steps of the ritual itself; all others are involved primarily in the drumming, singing and dancing common to these religious. These other participants need not be wangateurs, or even Kindred, but they must be true believers in an Afro-Caribbean faith, they must be willing participants (no Dominated dancers, though thralls subjected to blood bonds are common among certain less-savory wangateurs), and they must know the true purpose of the ritual. If the number of participants is at least twice the level of the ritual, the difficulty of the Intelligence + Occult roll is reduced by 1.

Not the downside to this: Rituals invoked this way take substantially longer to cast. Although the standard casting time for a ritual is five minutes per level, the casting time for Wanga rituals that are cloaked in these ceremonies is half an hour per level. Of course, nothing forces the wangateur to make use of other participants if she's in a hurry.

[ 1 ] Contradict ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 221 )

The vampire can interrupt a subject's thought processes, forcing the victim to reverse his current course of action. An Archon may be caused to execute a prisoner she was about to exonerate and release; a mortal lover might switch from gentle and caring to sadistic and demanding in the middle of an encounter. The results of Contradict are never precisely known to the thaumaturge in advance, but they always take the form of a more negative action than the subject had originally intended to perform.

System: This power may be used on any subject within the character's line of sight. The player rolls as per normal. The target rolls Perception + Subterfuge (difficulty equal to the number of successes scored by the caster + 2). Two successes allow the subject to realize that she is being influenced by some outside source. Three successes let her pinpoint the source of the effect. Four successes give her a moment of hesitation, neither performing her original action nor its inverse, while five allow her to carry through with the original action. The Storyteller dictates what the subject's precise reaction to this power is. Contradict cannot be used in combat or to affect other actions (at the Storyteller's discretion) that are mainly physical and reflexive.

[ 2 ] Subvert ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 222 )

This power follows the same principle as does Contradict, the release of a subject's dark, self-destructive side. However, Subvert's effects are longer-lasting than the momentary flare of Contradiction. Under the influence of this power, victims act on their own suppressed temptations, pursuing agendas that their morals or self-control would forbid them to follow under normal circumstances.

System: This power requires the character to make eye contact with the intended victim. The player rolls normally. The target resists with a roll of Perception + Subterfuge (difficulty equal to the target's Manipulation + Subterfuge). If the thaumaturge scores more successes, the victim becomes inclined to follow a repressed, shameful desire for the length of time described below. The Storyteller determines the precise desire or agenda that the victim follows. It should be in keeping with the Psychological Flaws that she possesses or with the negative aspects of her Nature (for example, a Loner desiring isolation to such an extent that she becomes violent if forced to attend a social function). The subject should not become fixated on following this new agenda at all times, but should occasionally be forced to spend a Willpower point if the opportunity to succumb arises and she wishes to resist the impulse.

Successes	Duration
1	Five minutes.
2	One hour.
3	One night.
4	Three nights.
5	One week.

[ 3 ] Dissociate ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 223 )

"Divide and conquer" is a maxim that is well-understood by the Tremere, and Dissociate is a powerful tool with which to divide the Clan's enemies. This power is used to break the social ties of intersonal relationships. Even the most passionate affair or the oldest friendship can be cooled through use of Dissociate, and weaker personal ties can be destroyed altogether.

System: The character must touch the target. The player rolls normally. The target resists with a Willpower roll (difficulty of the thaumaturge's Manipulation + Empathy). The victim loses three dice from all Social rolls for a period of time determined by the number of successes gained by the caster. This penalty applies to all rolls that rely on Social Attributes, even those required for the use of Disciplines. If this power is used on a character who has participated in the Vaulderie or a similar ritual, that character's Vinculum ratings are reduced by three for the duration of Dissociate's effect. Dissociate's primary effect falls under roleplaying rather than game mechanics. Victims of this power should be played as withdrawn, suspicious, and emotionally distant. The Storyteller should feel free to require a Willpower point expenditure for a player who does not follow these guidelines.

Successes	Duration
1	Five minutes.
2	One hour.
3	One night.
4	Three nights.
5	One week.

[ 4 ] Addiction ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 223 )

This power is a much stronger and more potentially damaging form of Subvert. Addiction creates just that in the victim. By simply exposing the target to a particular sensation, substance, or action, the caster creates a powerful psychological dependence. Many thaumaturges ensure that their victims become addicted to substances or thrills that only the mystic can provide, thus creating both a source of income and potential blackmail material.

System: The subject must encounter or be exposed to the sensation, substance, or action to which the character wants to addict him. The thaumaturge then touches his target. The player rolls normally; the victim resists with a Self-Control/Instinct roll (difficulty equal to the number of successes scored by the caster + 3). Failure gives the subject an instant addiction to that object. An addicted character must get his fix at least once a night. Every night that he goes without satisfying his desire imposes a cumulative penalty of one die on all of his dice pools (to a minimum pool of one die). The victim must roll Self-Control/Instinct (difficulty 8) every time he is confronted with the object of his addiction and wishes to keep from indulging. Addiction lasts for a number of weeks equal to the thaumaturge's Manipulation score. An individual may try to break the effects of Addiction. This requires an extended Self-Control/Instinct roll (difficulty of the caster's Manipulation + Subterfuge), with one roll made per night. The addict must accumulate a number of successes equal to three times the number of successes scored by the caster. The victim may not indulge in his addiction over the time needed to accumulate these successes. If he does so, all accumulated successes are lost and he must begin anew on the next night. Note that the Self-Control/Instinct dice pool is reduced every night that the victim goes without feeding his addiction.

[ 5 ] Dependence ( Vampire: The Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition - Page 223 )

Many former pawns of Clan Tremere claim to have felt a strange sensation similar to depression when not in the presence of their masters. This is usually attributed to the blood bond, but is sometimes the result of the vampire's mastery of Dependence. The final power of the Path of Corruption enables the vampire to tie her victim's soul to her own, engendering feelings of lethargy and helplessness when the victim is not in her presence or acting to further her desires.

System: The character engages the target in conversation. The player rolls normally. The victim rolls Self-Control/Instinct (difficulty equals the number of successes scored by the caster + 3). Failure means that the victim's psyche has been subtly bonded to that of the thaumaturge for one night per success rolled by the caster. A bonded victim is no less likely to attack his controller, and feels no particular positive emotions toward her. However, he is psychologically addicted to her presence, and suffers a one-die penalty to all rolls when he is not around her or performing tasks for her. Additionally, he is much less resistant to her commands, and his dice pools are halved when he attempts to resist her Dominate, Presence (or other mental or emotional control powers), or mundane Social rolls. Finally, he is unable to regain Willpower when he is not in the thaumaturge's presence.