Draconis

By William Adams (william@isla.net) for the Sons of the Dragon

Description

The Discipline of Draconis is similar to the Discipline of Serpentis practiced by the Seteties but it also resembles Protean in its basic applications. It is a Physical Discipline that affects changes of the body that resemble the physical aspects of the classical Dragons of myth.

* Dragon Eyes

The Sons of the Dragon operate mostly underground and in total darkness. Dragon Eyes allow the vampire to see in total darkness. They also glow a sickly green or yellow regardless of the light. This is very intimidating and can be used to strike fear in an enemy. Especially when Frenzy causes them to literally burn with neon light.

System: The change from normal vision to Dragon Eyes is automatic. To intimidate someone the Vampire must roll opposed Willpower scores, difficulty of 7. The Vampire must roll three or more successes beyond those of his opponent to completely terrify his victim. One or two successes simply frighten the victim and causes a +1 to combat and social difficulties against the Dragon Son. Failure frustrates the Dragon Son causing him to have a +1 to combat and social difficulties against his intended victim. A Botch causes a derangement and an immediate Frenzy check. This power can be used on any creature as long as the vampire can see it. The vampire does not have to be looking into the creature's eyes and can use this power even on spirits, creatures that have no eyes and by staring at the back of the victim's head.

** Dragon Claws

By expending a blood point the vampire causes large scaled claws to erupt from his hands. The scales reach up to the elbows and are useful for blocking melee attacks.

System: Creating the claws costs one blood point. The claws do Str+3 damage in hand to hand combat while the scales add three dice to block maneuvers in Martial Arts. To retract the claws takes an entire turn but does not cost anything. Once retracted however the claws must be grown again at the cost of one blood point.

*** Dragon Skin

The skin of the vampire grows scales all over his body with spikes along his spine and extremities. The color and texture are similar to the paper dragons seen in Chinese festivals but these scales are often as hard as steel and do not catch fire so easily.

System: The scales provide six extra dice like armor to soak damage. Damage from fire and sunlight can be soaked and are considered to be non-aggravated as long as the Vampire is sheathed in Dragon Skin. The Vampire uses his full dice pool to soak damage from any source while using this power. The spikes can be used in combat to add one dice to block maneuvers or to do Str+1 damage to attackers. The Dragon Skin can be called upon at will but this takes an action to achieve in combat. While covered in scales the Vampire's Appearance drops to zero.

**** Dragon Wings

Leathery flaps of skin sprout from the sides of the vampire's body extending from his arms to his thighs. These flaps must be unbound for the Vampire to garner their benefits.

System: The vampire with Dragon Wings can fly at three times his normal running speed. Dexterity + Athletics rolls can be made to extend this even further. When pursuing or being pursued by an opponent on the ground, count each success as double to determine if the vampire overcomes or escapes his opponent.

***** Dragon Fire

The vampire can open his mouth and spit fire at his opponents. This is mystical and damages opponents immune to natural flame. It is always the color of natural flame and appears to be nothing more than the fire spitting trick of a circus performer.

System: Roll Stamina + Survival difficulty 7 to hit an opponent using the complications and circumstances from the firearms chart. Base damage is equal to the dice value of the vampire's Generation. A Thirteenth Generation vampire would not cause any damage with this power unless he had more than one success on the strike roll while a Fourth Generation vampire would cause a base damage of nine Health Levels.

****** Cloud Form

At this level the vampire can take the form of a Wind Dragon. The scales of the dragon form are ghostly white and the dragon has no wings even though it can fly with ease. The Cloud form gives no special benefits beyond the physical transformation and the ability to fly.

System: It costs five blood points to become a dragon and each dragon form has different benefits. Each time the vampire transforms into a dragon form his heart becomes solid and covers over with a white semigloss cocoon. This "Dragon Pearl" exits through the mouth once the transformation is complete and the Dragon must swallow it again in order to become himself. While the vampire is a dragon attacks directed at his heart and blood pool automatically fail. However the vampire cannot regain blood while a dragon, not even from spirits. To drink blood the vampire must be in humanoid form. The dragon pearl can be left behind and the dragon form maintained indefinitely free of the need to ingest blood. While in dragon form the Blood pool is put on hold and all Vampiric blood is assumed to reside in the heart. The dragon cannot spend blood points and can only use vampiric disciplines that do not require the expenditure of blood. Of course the heart is vulnerable to attack while separated from the vampire and can suffer Diablerie which leaves the vampire trapped in dragon form until killed. All of the dragon forms take normal damage from fire and sunlight but can roll Stamina to soak. Note: While the dragon form can eat meat and breath air, this is not necessary and the material consumed simply disappears.

When flying the dragon can achieve incredible speeds. Each turn the vampire moves 100 yards per point of Dexterity. The physical attributes of the vampire are modified when in dragon form. When in dragon form modify the attributes of the vampire as follows: Strength +6, Dexterity +3, Stamina +3 (plus any gains from Dragon Skin and other natural armor.). And at this level add one extra Health Level that suffers no dice penalties. Claw attacks in dragon form do Str +3 damage, while Bite attacks do Str +4 damage. Appearance is 1 and it is impossible to use Charisma and Manipulation with mortals.

******* Rain Form

At this level the vampire can take the form of a Sky Dragon. The scales are green and the wings are feathery. The Sky Dragon can withstand the rays of the sun as long as there are rain clouds in the sky. Lord of the storm's fury the Sky Dragon can call down lightning and monsoon rains.

System: The Sky Dragon must spend two minutes within a dark cloud for every minute he wishes to expose himself to sunlight. The Sky Dragon can also cause any cloud to disgorge precipitation while in contact with the cloud. People within the deluge have reduced vision and are distracted by the constant pouring; increase all difficulties on dice rolls by 2. The vampire in dragon form is not affected by the water and can see clearly both through the water and the mists. Likewise lightning can be called from any cloud the Dragon is in contact with. The lightning strike hits on a Dexterity + Survival roll, difficulty 7. The lightning strike always does 7 Health Levels of damage plus the number of successes on the strike roll. Do not roll again for damage.

When flying the dragon can achieve incredible speeds. Each turn the vampire moves 100 yards per point of Dexterity. When in dragon form modify the attributes of the vampire as follows: Strength +6, Dexterity +3, Stamina +3 (plus any gains from Dragon Skin and other natural armor.). And at this level add two extra Health Levels that suffer no dice penalties. Claw attacks in dragon form do Str +3 damage, while Bite attacks do Str +4 damage. Appearance is 1 and it is impossible to use Charisma and Manipulation with Mortals.

******** River Form

At this level the vampire can take the form of a Water Dragon. The dragon is huge with blue green scales but without any wings. It can swim as fast as the vampire can fly and it is invisible in water.

System: While in the water the vampire travels at blinding speeds . Each turn the vampire moves 100 yards per point of Dexterity. While submerged the vampire is invisible and can only be seen with Aura Sight or indirectly such as with Eyes of Chaos. The dragon conversely, while in the water, can see through all illusions and all levels of Obfuscate as if he had Clear Sight. When in dragon form modify the attributes of the vampire as follows: Strength +6, Dexterity +3, Stamina +3 (plus any gains from Dragon Skin and other natural armor.). And at this level add three extra Health Levels that suffer no dice penalties. Claw attacks in dragon form do Str +3 damage, while Bite attacks do Str +4 damage. Appearance is 1 and it is impossible to use Charisma and Manipulation with mortals.

********* Celestial Form

At this level the vampire can take the form of a Star Dragon. The scales of the dragon are silver and the wings are transparent like those of a dragonfly. But the most fearsome aspect of this dragon are its silver claws and Void black eyes.

System: The Star Dragon has claws and scales of silver and is a terror to shapeshifters causing them to lose two points of Gnosis and Rage just by looking upon it. This only happens once per encounter, at the beginning of the encounter. The eyes of the Star Dragon are black voids and leech magic energy from those who fall under its gaze. Mages lose all Quintessence from their personal pool and that from talismans if these are viewed by the dragon. Vampires subject to this gaze cannot use thaumaturgy, paths or demonic investments for an entire day. Werecreatures cannot use gifts or travel to the Umbra for a day also. Fomori and other minor supernatural creatures cannot use any powers or special abilities for a day. Humans are unaffected unless they are hedge wizards in which case they cannot use their paths for an entire day. The claws do damage to shapeshifters like real silver but unlike silver they do not blunt or bend.

When flying the dragon can achieve incredible speeds. Each turn the vampire moves 100 yards per point of Dexterity. When in dragon form modify the attributes of the vampire as follows: Strength +6, Dexterity +3, Stamina +3 (plus any gains from Dragon Skin and other natural armor.). And at this level add four extra Health Levels that suffer no dice penalties. Claw attacks in dragon form do Str +3 damage, while Bite attacks do Str +4 damage. Appearance is 1 and it is impossible to use Charisma and Manipulation with Mortals.

********** Golden Form

At this level the vampire can take the form of a Great Emperor Dragon. With golden scales and gossamer wings the Emperor Dragon is the greatest of all dragons and fears neither sun nor fire. The Golden form radiates the sun's fire and is immune to the frailties of the human mind.

System: The Golden Form is immune to the sun's rays and can cast a glow equal to the noonday sun. This radiance has several effects not the least of which is the ability to destroy vampires though the Emperor dragon can choose to spare them if he pleases. Magicks and disciplines that hide, disguise or otherwise fool the senses are dispelled by the glow of the golden form. While in the presence of the Golden dragon all shapeshifters transform into their breed forms. Vampires cannot use the transformation powers of Protean, Serpentis or Vicissitude and any such alterations are reversed. Mages cannot maintain transformations done with the Sphere of Life or by any other means. And also the illusions of Chimestry, and all levels of Obfuscate and Obtenebration are dismissed by the golden light. While in this form the vampire is immune to all mental states including derangements, frenzy, blood bonds, dominations, presence and all types of fear, normal and magical. Not even True Magick can influence or control the mind of the vampire in golden form. Fire is also of no concern and even magical fire and all forms of hellfire and balefire do absolutely no damage to the Emperor Dragon.

When flying the dragon can achieve incredible speeds. Each turn the vampire moves 100 yards per point of Dexterity. When in dragon form modify the attributes of the vampire as follows: Strength +10, Dexterity +6, Stamina +6 (plus any gains from Dragon Skin and other natural armor.). And at this level add five extra Health Levels that suffer no dice penalties. Claw attacks in dragon form do Str +3 damage, while Bite attacks do Str +4 damage. Appearance is 10 and it is possible in this form to use Charisma and Manipulation with Mortals.