Rituals of the Tal'mahe'Ra

By Gerry Saracco (urbwarzine@earthlink.net)

Description

The following rituals were developed by Thaumaturgists who are part of the Tal'mahe'Ra (aka True Black Hand) for use by sect members. Most of these rituals are specifically geared for the Shadow Crusade, as about half of the sect is involved in this. The last ritual is one that can break the Vinculum, so that new recruits and sect members can be free of outside influences.

Purity of Vitae (level 2)

A variation of Purity of Flesh, this ritual allows the caster to purify her vitae of infectious diseases. The caster follows the procedure described in Purity of Flesh, but must concentrate for 20 minutes instead of 10. As the caster's vitae itself is being purified, a point of willpower is expended in the place of a blood point. If the infection is recent (within a week or less), then success is automatic. For every week (rounded up) beyond the first, the caster must roll Meditation and Thaumaturgy, starting at difficulty of 4 for the second week; the difficulty goes up by one for every week past the second that the caster is infected. All rolls require a minimum of 2 successes to purge the blood of infection. In the case of a high difficulty, the cast may make a willpower roll at difficulty 7; every 2 successes on that roll will lower the ritual roll by one. This ritual was the first one the Hand used to cleanse their vitae of the vicissitude infection; originally it was used to purify vitae against infection by the Black Plague. This ritual, due to the difficulty if the infection goes undetected for a long time. This ritual does not work versus blood bonds, and at the discretion of the ST, will not work versus the HIV virus (in the author's chronicle, it doesn't). Note: A level 3 variation of this ritual allows the thaumaturgist to cleanse the vitae of others; when using that ritual, the subject, not the caster makes all difficulty rolls. This variation was developed to cleanse the vitae of sect members who don't possess thaumaturgy.

Purify Vaulderie (Level 4)

This ritual was developed by sect members in the Sabbat to cleanse vitae used in the vaulderie ritual of the vicissitude infection. This ritual is cast during the vaulderie ritual itself, and is designed to be part of the ceremony (the Tal'mahe'Ra developed the vaulderie in the first place, so this was an easy task). The caster expends a blood point, and rolls thaumaturgy and willpower (difficulty 8). This is an extended roll, and at least 4 successes are needed. Kindred with the concentrate merit have the difficulty lowered by 2. If the ritual succeeds, then the vitae the caster contributes to the vaulderie itself acts like an antibody, and destroys any traces of the vicissitude virus in the combined vitae. This cleansing not only protects the caster, but helps prevent the disease from infecting the entire Sabbat.

Seek The Zulo (level 2)

Named after the Tzimisce term for the horrid form, this ritual was designed by an Old Clan Tzimisce thaumaturgist who had yet to develop Auspex. The ritual allows Shadow Crusaders to detect individuals (other than Tzimisce) who have been infected with the Vicissitude disease. It is commonly used by Shadow Crusaders without Auspex, and while cruder than conjunctional discipline effects, is still an effective way of tracking infected individuals. The caster needs a vial of infected vitae which is then poured into a second vial with a blood point of the caster's own vitae. While mixing the two vials, the caster chants an incantation. This requires a Thaumaturgy + Medicine roll (difficulty 6), and requires 2 successes. Once completed, the caster takes out the vitae into a hypodermic needle, and injects it into a gemstone shaped object made from a semi-pourous material the sect developed. It is set aside until the vitae congeals, and hardens inside the object. Once hardened, the gem is usually placed in an amulet carved with thaumaturgical symbols. Once placed in the amulet, the caster can use the amulet to detect individuals infected with vicissitude if they are within 5 feet of the caster. The caster rolls Perception + Awareness (see Mage; difficulty 4+1 for every 2 additional targets past the first in the radius). If successful, the amulet heats up, warning the caster an infected individual is nearby. This will work versus all infected. After a 5 days, the gemstone dissipates, having burned up the vitae in the crystal.

Scan The Soul (level 3)

As Seek The Zulo only tells if someone is infected with vicissitude, a ritual was needed by Shadow Crusaders without Auspex to detect which ones were souleaters. The caster must pluck out her right eye (which causes 2 levels of aggravated damage, though it can be healed normally), and soak it in 5 blood points worth of her vitae. As she soaks it in the vitae, she recites a chant to Caine to give her the sight to see that which is hidden from her. The caster rolls Intelligence + Thaumaturgy (difficulty 7), and requires 2 successes. If successful, the eye is removed from the vitae, and allowed to dry out. Once it is dried out, it is placed in an amulet similar to the one in Seek The Zulo. The caster can then scan infected individuals to see if their souls have been consumed by the souleaters. If so, the caster will see a grayish tint around the target, with black streaks in it. Surprisingly, this ritual can also reveal infernalists who have sold their souls to demons, and the Tal'mahe'Ra (through the Black Hand) has leaked this ritual to the Sabbat Inquisition (thereby using the Inquisition to root out souleaters they may have missed, or lack the resources to currently investigate), but some infernalists have discovered that a variation of the level 6 obfuscate power "Soul Mask" can be used to generate an illusion of still possessing a soul (in game terms, it raises the difficulty to 8, and a minimum of 5 successes to see that the soul is missing. By using the Sabbat Inquisition to track down souleaters by claiming they are "Infernalists", the Tal'mahe'Ra keeps the Inquisitors from looking too much into the affairs of their infiltrators in the Black Hand.

Mask of the Vinculum (Level 4)

The mages of the Tal'mahe'Ra were the first to discover that the Vaulderie could break the blood bond, and the sect leaked the secret of the Vaulderie to the Tzimisce childer, so that they could destroy their elders. With the formation of the Sabbat, the Vaulderie was used to insure loyalty to the Sabbat. As the Tal'mahe'Ra had infiltrated the Sabbat, they developed this ritual to keep their members in the Sabbat from becoming bonded by the Vinculum. The caster draws a thaumaturgical circle, and the caster (or whomever the effect will be used on) sits within the circle and meditates for an hour. After meditating, the caster pours purified water over the body, reciting the Litany of Purity. Whomever is being prepared cuts her wrists, and releases 2 blood points (one from each arm) over the symbols of the symbols of the circle, while the caster recites the Litany of blood. The circle will glow a faint red at this point. Afterwards, the caster (or whomever the ritual was used on) will be unbondable for the next evening only. This ritual is usually cast the night before they partake in the vaulderie.

System: After the meditation, the caster expends a willpower point, and makes an extended intelligence + thaumaturgy roll (difficulty 7), and needs 5 successes. This roll is made during the reading of the litanies of Purity and Blood, each of which take 30 minutes to recite.