Thaumaturgy: Mastery Of The Mortal Shell

[Phsycodelic]

Thaumaturgy: Mastery Of The Mortal Shell ( Vengeance Of Khnum )

Followers Of Set, Tremere

Folklore warns of the dangers of the witches' curse and the ability of warlocks to possess the weak and force them to do their bidding. During the early nights of Clan Tremere, Mastery of the Mortal Shell was developed to battle the Tzimisce and Gangrel marauders that attacked their chantries. The use of this Path was later expanded to enforce subservience among Gargoyles after their first revolt. A thaumaturge practicing Mastery of the Mortal Shell explores the fundamental workings of the body, granting control over the physical workings over her victim. Targets may include humans or any supernatural creatures with flesh such as vampires, werewolves, or mages, but not ghosts or demons, who are made primarily of spirit.

Lesser powers of this Path are clumsy in their control of the body, but become increasingly precise and complete.

A number of the powers in this Path are activated by touch. Depending upon the circumstances, the Storyteller may require a successful Dexterity + Brawl roll for the thaumaturge to make contact with the intended victim. Targeting rules apply for attacking a specific extremity if contact is not guaranteed.

Unless otherwise stated, the powers of Mastery of the Mortal Shell last a number of turns equal to the number of successes the thaumaturge scores on her activation roll. A victim may only suffer the effects of one power from this Path at a time. Thus, a thaumaturge may not enact Vertigo and Contortion at the same time upon the same victim. The most recent power activated replaces the effects of previous powers used upon the victim.

[ 1 ] Vertigo ( Rites Of The Blood - Page 138 )

The thaumaturge induces minor disorientation and dizziness through subtle manipulations in the subject's body. The physical discomfort is temporary and minor, but a clever thaumaturge can use it on rivals at the most inopportune times, causing them to lose their aplomb.

System: A touch from the thaumaturge invokes disorientation in her victim. If successful, all of the victim's physical actions are at +1 difficulty for the duration of the power. Subsequent uses of this Path may extend the duration, though the difficulty will not increase further.

[ 2 ] Contortion ( Rites Of The Blood - Page 138 )

With a touch, the thaumaturge causes a group of her opponent's muscles to contract involuntarily, reducing it to twitching fits. This effect is extremely disconcerting to the subject, rendering the limb or muscle group unusable.

System: By making physical contact with one of the limbs of the target, the thaumaturge renders it useless for the duration of Contortion. A leg rendered useless makes standing difficult, and the victim suffers from increased difficulty (+1 to +3, depending on circumstances) to appropriate Dexterity challenges related to her leg, such as dancing or balancing on ledges. A contorted arm hangs lifeless at the subject's side. A useless head causes loss of speech and increases the difficulty of all Social rolls are at +2 as the facial muscles spasm out of control.

[ 3 ] Seizure ( Rites Of The Blood - Page 138 )

Seizure causes the body to erupt into a fit of convulsions. All the muscles throughout the body tighten uncontrollably, while the victim foams at the mouth and spasms rack him with agony. A mortal may even choke to death as her tongue cuts off her air supply.

System: A light touch from the thaumaturge forces the very unpleasant effects of this power upon the target. For the duration of the seizure, a target's body writhes, tormenting her to the point of incapacitation. Victims suffer a +2 difficulty penalty to all physical actions. The victim also suffers one level of bashing damage every turn, as her body helplessly twists itself. At Storyteller discretion, the effects of this power may even cause death in extremely ill or wounded mortals.

Damage may be reduced as normal (although levels from armor do not apply).

[ 4 ] Body Failure ( Rites Of The Blood - Page 138 )

Thaumaturges wielding this frightful power gain devastating insights into the workings of the body, allowing a complete shutdown of its systems. This sudden biological overload often proves fatal to mortals and damaging to other supernatural beings. Body Failure has been used throughout the ages to afflict horrific ailments in inconspicuous ways that suggest a stroke or heart attack.

System: The thaumaturge no longer needs to touch her victim to strike out with this level of mastery of the Path. She may affect any target within her line of sight, but she must keep visual contact with the victim at all times to maintain this effect. A successful activation of this power grants effects similar to Seizure, except that damage is lethal (and thus not soakable by mortals) due to complete mass tissue and organ failure. Additionally, the victim suffers a + 2 difficulty penalty to all actions.

The subject may resist the effects of Body Failure via a Stamina + Fortitude roll when the thaumaturge attempts to strike the target (difficulty equals the thaumaturge's current Willpower). Each success the victim gains on this roll reduces the duration of Body Failure by one turn.

[ 5 ] Marionette ( Rites Of The Blood - Page 139 )

The thaumaturge invoking Marionette gains such mastery over the body of others that she can magically seize control of another being and force her victim to act according to her own whims. This control is not as fine as the direct and personal command of the Dominate power of Possession, but the thaumaturge's true body is not as vulnerable during the manipulation. Once established, the Marionette victim is under the complete sway of the thaumaturge, forced to perform as the thaumaturge's macabre pawn.

System: The thaumaturge may affect any target within her line of sight, but she must keep visual contact with the victim at all times to maintain this effect. A subject may resist the effects of Marionette on a Stamina + Fortitude roll (difficulty equal to the thaumaturge's current Willpower) when the thaumaturge attempts to take control. Each success the victim gains on this roll reduces the duration of Marionette by one turn. Victims lacking Fortitude do not have the physical resistance to defy this effect.

For the duration of this power, the thaumaturge can cause the victim to perform any physical action, using the target's pools with a penalty of +2 difficulty to all rolls. The concentration this power requires also increases the thaumaturge's own difficulties by two for all other personal actions undertaken while manipulating the victim. To extend the duration of this control, the thaumaturge must make a second activation roll. Marionette does not rob the victim of her cognizance, only physical control over her body. During this time of thaumaturge's mastery, the target remains aware that some outside force is manipulating her physical actions, conscious that they are not her own. The victim may spend a point of Willpower to attempt to take a mental or social action, such as activating a Discipline or speaking.