Ascension

BY Mike Vides (xwiteheatx@aol.com)

Author's Notes

Yup, its another flying discipline! Why one more when there are so many out there already? Well, hoping not to offend anyone too heavily, it's my personal opinion that the others lack the "feel" of the original disciplines found in Vampire itself. In fact, too many disciplines are that way these days: very specific, very tacky, or just plain "unvampiric," if you will, in nature. So here's my (perhaps feeble) attempt at a discipline that isn't simply "He can fly this high and this fast at X level...". I've tried to retain that less restricted feel that the first disciplines, like Auspex, Obruscate and Protean have over some of the newer ones I've seen pop up (official or otherwise).

Enjoy.

Description

Ascension grants the vampire the legendary ability to ride the night. Through the force of her will, the vampire ascends into the sky, breaking away from the earth's embrace. While flying, the character uses her Ascension rating to determine how well she maneuvers, dodges, etc.

Maneuver	Roll*
Sharp maneuver	Dexterity + Ascension
Dodge while in the air	Ascension + Dodge
Remain aloft for extended flights	Stamina + Ascension
Attacks, such as diving thrusts or flying kicks	Ascension + Brawl or Melee

^*The optional Flight ability may be used instead of Ascension if the Storyteller desires.

A character's Ascension rating also grants her Automatic successes when resisting damage from falling, one success per level of the discipline.

Note that the use of this discipline in public is considered a highly vulgar breach of the Masquerade.

* Light as a Feather

The vampire's body becomes as light as a feather, allowing her walk across water and other similar feats.

System: No roll need be made. A blood point must be expended, and for the rest of the scene, the vampire may walk across any surface without sinking (Indeed, she may be lifted almost effortlessly by just about anyone). Strong wind may cause the character to raise off of the ground for brief moments of pseudo-flight. However, the character does not quite fall as a feather, as this power may not be used to negate all falling damage (See the description of Ascension above).

Additionally, the character may summon a stiff breeze (about 20 miles per hour, not enough to lift her into the air) whenever she desires.

** Acclivity

When invoking Acclivity, the vampire summons a sudden gust of wind to carry her aloft into the night. The vampire may rise gently above the ground and hover in place, or move slowly through the air.Her hair and clothing whip wildly around her when this power is in use.

System: The character expends 1 Willpower point any time after initiating the level 1 power Light as a Feather, allowing her, for the rest of the scene, to raise off of the ground slowly (her Dexterity in feet per turn) and levitate in a limited fashion through the air (at jogging speed, Dexterity +12 in yards per turn). In addition, the vampire may double all jumping distances, summoning the wind in one strong burst (there is no cost associated with this use of the power, unless the storyteller deems otherwise, in which case a cost of 1 blood point, rather than 1 Willpower point, is recommended).

*** Wings of Night

The Cainite gains a greater understanding of the night-winds, allowing her to control her flight more fully and for extended periods of time.

System: The vampire spends a Willpower point after initiating Light as a Feather. She may fly at a rate of (Dexterity + Ascension) x 5 in miles per hour, and uses the rules above for maneuvers, dodges, etc. This ability lasts for the remainder of the scene.

**** Turbulence

The Vampire may summon the night-winds as an offensive tool, forcing her enemies back, or knocking the weak to the ground.

System: The Vampire spends a bloodpoint and rolls Ascension + Brawl, difficulty of the target's Stamina + Athletics, resisted by the characters Strength + Potence (Difficulty of the vampire's Strength + Ascension). With 1 or 2 successes, the target is forced back a few steps, with 3 or 4, the target is thrown to the ground, with 5 or more, the target is thrown back, suffering 1 health level of normal damage per success when they strike a wall, object, ceiling, floor or other hard surface which may be soaked normally (Ascension applies to this soak roll). With enough successes, the vampire may be able to stake his target to protruding objects (tree branches, etc...).

***** Gift of Daedalos

The vampire may extend his powers to his comrades, granting them the equivalent of the first level of Ascension for a limited period of time. He then summons a strong wind to lift his coterie into the night.

System: The vampire must expend 1 blood point for every other character he intends to bring with him. This blood point must be ingested for the power to work and the point is then used to fuel the first level power. Additionally, the Vampire granting the blood must also expend 1 Willpower point per character past the first to which the Gift of Daedalos is to be granted. For the rest of the scene, the Vampire may call upon a gust of wind strong enough to bear all of his troupe. Note that the recipients of the blood do not actually gain the discipline, simply the ability to be affected by the winds summoned by the doner. Thus, recipients may not utilize Light as a Feather of their own will, they may simply be born aloft by the donating character.