Deirdre's Thaumaturgical Rituals

By Deirdre Brooks (xenya@teleport.com)

Level One

This thirty minute ritual leaves a mark only kindred may say. It usually takes the form of the caster's personal seal. If three or more successes are scored in the casting, then the caster will know if the marked recipient is attacked or harmed.

Level Two

This ritual is a variation of Purity of Flesh which may be cast upon others.

This ritual requires 20 minutes to cast and requires a needle and thread. When complete, the clothing will take whatever form the caster desires, as long as it remains clothing. It reverts to its original form at sunrise.

This ritual also requires 20 minutes casting time. The end result is a full makeover: trim and/or dye hair, apply makeup (which will not smear or run until sunrise). The effects of the ritual wear off at sunrise.

Level Three

After casting this 30 minute ritual, the caster may assume any appearance he desires. However, only mortals are affected by this illusion, and electronic devices will record his true form.

This ritual requires 15 minutes to cast, as well as a pair of sunglasses. The caster need not wear the glasses, although she needs to keep them with her for the duration. For one hour per success, she is not subject to sensory overload, even when using Heightened Senses.

This 45 minute ritual renders the caster's blood poisonous to other kindred. During the casting, he must drink a small amount of powerful acid, and take one unsoakable (even with Fortitude) level of aggravated damage in the process. Until the next sunset, any who drink his blood will suffer one lethal health level (unsoakable) per blood point imbibed.

Level Four

This one hour ritual must be cast upon an item inscribed with the target's name. Afterward, the caster must get the subject to freely accept the item. Once accepted, the caster must roll Manipulation + Occult (difficulty subject's Willpower). Each success the caster achieves over the subject adds +1 penalty to target numbers when using technological devices of any sort. This curse lasts for seven nights.

Level Five

This ritual requires the caster to sprinkle five points of her blood on all doors and windows in the room to be shielded. The ritual takes one hour to cast, and blocks attempts to scry or locate the room. This ritual also seals the doors and windows against unauthorized entry.

System: Each success scored in casting the ritual adds 2 dots to the strength required to break into the room. The locks aren't pickable as the doors simply will not open. If someone who knows where the room should be searches, he may roll Perception + Occult against a difficulty of 11 - his Auspex score, and must gain at least three successes to locate it. Other beings use whatever may be appropriate; Numina, Correspondence, etc.

The caster may use this ritual to alter his own or another's form permanently. The ritual requires six hours to complete, and inflicts five levels of lethal damage to the recipient. This damage is not soakable. The process of casting the ritual is to literally sculpt the target into a new shape. In addition to the usual roll, the caster should roll Intelligence + Body Alteration, against a six to simply change appearance. To duplicate a specific person requires an eight and to improve Appearance requires a ten.

This ward works identically to Ward Vs. Kindred with one change: Any kindred who comes in contact with it must roll Courage against an eight difficulty or suffer from Rötschreck.

Level Six

This adds thirty minutes to any other ritual. However, the ritual does not take effect immediately. Instead, the caster specifies a condition which must occur or fail to occur which will set off the linked ritual. The caster may cast this with a ward against ghouls, which will be triggered after a ghoul (or a specific individual) crosses the threshold.

The trigger holds for one day per success.

This ritual will irrevocably seal anything it's used upon; doors, windows, books, mouths, eyelids, floppy drives, CD players, etc. This ritual is the opposite number to Utter Destruction of Bonds. Either ritual will cancel the other, but will not open or close the portal in question. The casting is identical to Utter Destruction of Bonds.

Level Seven

This ritual requires three months to complete, the first night of which most be on Summer Solstice. The amulet, which must be crafted entirely from gold, must be left in a place each day which will have at least an hour of daylight. Once completed, the amulet partially protects the wearer from sunlight; he will only take half damage (rounded up) from exposure. This is calculated after soak.

The caster must first create a weapon with his own hands, however long this may take. He then quenches the blade in 10 points of his blood. The result is a weapon that inflicts aggravated damage. This weapon may take any form, from baseball bats to pikes.

Level Eight

This ritual requires a year to complete, and consumes five blood points each night. When completed, the building (often the caster's haven) may be moved beyond the reach of mortals. The building may be moved back and forth with the expenditure of a blood point and a Willpower (8) roll. When outside the material world, a physical aspect remains in the physical world. It appears quite foreboding and creepy to any who approach.

This ritual requires 10 blood points and a full night to cast. In the process, the caster must create an effigy of herself from a durable material, such as hardwood or some kind of stone.

System: Whenever the Kindred suffers sufficient damage to kill her or put her in torpor all damage is immediately transferred to the effigy, which is then destroyed. The caster is restored to full health and may use the respite to escape or strike back. Witnesses may have difficulty believing that the kindred survived such a blow.