By Ronald Romine (malkav@menagerie.net)
I started writing a system of my own design, then I smarted up and searched the Internet for anything related to "Koldun." I found it listed with Russia or Slavic Folk beliefs. Three files were quite interesting, and were used to define the paradigm of Slavic magic and beliefs. You can find them at:
http://www.resonate.com/places/writings/larissa/light.htm
http://www.resonate.com/places/writings/larissa/myth.htm
http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~lwl/vespers/folklore.txt
Of course the Koldunic Ways and Slavic magic have to retrofit into the White Wolf gaming system, and may bear little resemblance to real Slavic magic. White Wolf books used were:
Mage: The Ascension (used as guide for magic effects/levels)
Dreamspeakers (Tradition book for Mage, shamanist magic)
Clanbook Tzimisce (Modern Age Clanbook)
Libellus Sanguinis 1 (Dark Age multi-Clanbook)
Liege, Lord, and Lackey (Dark Age allies, some Hedge magic)
Transylvania by Night (Dark Age area book, Tzimisce info)
Axis Mundi (Werewolf/Mage book of Umbra spirits)
Dark Ages Companion (Dark Age sourcebook)
Instead of re-writing the Thaumaturgy Paths, I decided to create my Koldunic Paths using real world descriptions of Slavic magic, and coding them into WoD magic effects. The sorcery of the Koldun of the real world, appears to fall under the paradigm of the Mage Tradition called the Dreamspeakers and would be similar to the "Pagan magics" mentioned in the Dark Ages Companion.
I acquired my copy of Dark Ages Companion after I finished creating my Koldunic Ways. I found DAC included a section on Pagan Magic (Hedge magic). It named four Ways: Herbal, Nature, Omen, and Warding. I had already designed alternatives to the first three Ways, but overlooked "Warding" as a separate path. After some thought, I decided my Kolduns do not have a Path of Warding, but learn the desired Warding Rituals along with their study of their chosen ways. (But I'm still thinking writing a Way of Wards.)
Other Changes: Libellus Sanguinis 1, gives four Koldunic Ways (Spirit, Water, Fire and Nature). I found nothing (yet) in Slavic magic involving control over the elements of Fire or Water. Everything seems to revolve around spirits and the granting of gifts through forces of nature (namely water, fire and lighting.)
Koldunic Sorcery was to be different from Thaumaturgy. The Ways of Fire and Water were to become paths of Healing and Divination. These two Ways having been named after the elements the Koldun of the Tzimisce use as foci.
In the WoD, this resulted in the Umbral spirits often being referred to as demons. This often misleads outsiders into believing the Koldun is an Infernalist as he has rituals for "Conjuring Demons," when in truth he is summoning many of the same Umbra-Spirits which the Garou have dealings. Evidence of this can be seen within the description of the conjuring rituals in listed in Libellus Sanguinis 1. They declare the summoned creatures have no connection to infernal beings, but are spirits similar to the ones revered by werewolves.
Neither the Koldun, nor their magic were to be Infernal. If a Koldun were to use one of the spirit Thaumaturgy Paths, she would be using the Dark Age Path of "Rego Mentem" used to summon "spirits of nature," instead of the path of "Rego Manes" which is summoning "Infernal demons." Kolduns could still become Infernalists just as any other vampire can, but Koldunic Sorcery was not innately Infernal nor of Infernal origin.
Spirit vs. Vampirism Problem: Koldunic Sorcery is supposedly a variant of Slavic magic which is workable by the Tzimisce. In the WoD, vampires and Umbral spirits are supposedly natural enemies. Yet, Slavic magic is all about dealing with spirits and invoking their powers. If the Tzimisce were enslaving spirits, they would not have lasted very long.
The resolution was to have the spirits being hostile only to vampires whose adherence to their own Road rating has fallen below seven. The Road/Path rating of the vampire, becomes the equivalent of the Abomination's Ego rating. When a Koldun's Road/Path rating drops too low, he must either find a way to restore his Road/Path rating, or turn to dealing with bane-spirits or Dark magic to control spirits.
I use "Road rating" for a reason. Being spirits, these beings should care little for the level of 'humanity' a vampire has retained. Spirits are not human, and do not have humanity. What spirits do have are natures, philosophies and codes of behavior (Correspondences and Taboos).
The philosophy and code of behavior the vampire embraces (his Road) determine his level of Wyrm taint. A predator is not corrupt for being a predator, a scavenger is not corrupt for being a scavenger, and a vampire is not corrupt for simply being a vampire.
A vampire's chosen Road embodies the characteristics of the type of being a vampire is working to become, or is falling away from being.
A true Koldun of the Tzimisce understands his Beast and makes it part of him, instead of becoming part of it. He takes great care in not only choosing his Road, but is truly striving to follow his Road. A path rating of seven in almost any Road, will often keep the spirits tolerant and neutral toward the Koldun.
The answer can be quite multifaceted, but some possible answers:
With all the history and the experience used to develop it, Koldun Sorcery is a vanishing art. Most Tzimisce desiring to become Kolduns will often find their Mentors have lost (or never had) the knowledge behind the origin and development of the magic behind the various Ways. Learning can be further complicated due to the symbolic names and desciptions used for most of the Ways. Much like the Alchemists, the Kolduns preferred to hide their secrets through symbolic language. An ancient text speaking of water, fire and seeds may conceal secrets of Divining, Healing, and Weather spells.
By the Dark Age, Koldunic Sorcery had begun to vanish with a larger number of mortals embraced by Tzimisces for their physical might and cunning, and less for their spiritual insights. Not to say the younger Tzimisce were inferior, just more specialized in physically warring against the other Clans.
The Tzimisce are in the habit of embracing from the Ghoul Families. Some Ghoul Families are degenerating, creating a new problem. Too often the desired Revenant has never had a high enough 'humanity' to understand the need for a high rating in a Road. These Revenants can not raise their Road high enough to attract spirits for alliances or gaining knowledge.
The introduction of Alchemy and alliances with House Tytalus have already started altering Tzimisce magic practices. Due to House Tytalus, Koldunic Ways based on Hermetic magic, have appeared. These new Ways do not rely on the spirits, allowing 'wannabe' Kolduns to bypass the need to interact with spirits. Some have even turned to learning the less (spiritually) demanding Thaumaturgy of the Tremere.
As more spirits vanish behind the thickening Gauntlet, the younger Tzimisce will turn their eyes toward the more material Ways of magic. The Ways of Alchemy and Experimentation will become more popular as Kolduns turn toward changing the spiritual through changing the material, instead of changing the spiritual to see the affects on the material.
In affect, all these possible answers lead to one path. By the Modern Age, most magic utilizing Tzimisce will have abandoned Koldunic Sorcery (or at least the Ways connected to spirits) for the Tremere's Thaumaturgy.
If using Axis Mundi, Grandfather Thunder's Brood seems tailor made for the Tzimisce. Also, some members of Owl's Brood and Fenris's Broods have possibilities. And there are always the thousands of anonymous, lesser spirits the Koldun can contact.
I found Divination to be a very common magic in Slavic folk beliefs, and chose to make Water Ways a path of divination -- specializing in glimpsing into the past, and predicting fate. Flowing water, especially rivers, is a good symbol of the flowing of past, present and future.
In some Slavic folk beliefs, fire was a purifying force, used in healing and curing. During serious outbreaks of cattle disease, they chased the cattle through the flames of a bonfire in the hopes of curing them. Living fire -- a flame obtained secretly by revolving a wooden peg very fast in the round holes of a special block of wood, was the fire used to light the bonfire. Fire Ways would become my path of Healing.
White Wolf had matched Natural Ways to Elemental Mastery in its offering of "control over the souls of inanimate objects". This is quite comparable with Slavic beliefs, which viewed even the inanimate rocks as being living creatures, and part of nature. My Nature Ways goes a step further; it is to be about communicating with the nature spirits hiding within the plants, rocks, including the spirits inhabiting houses.
Wording in Transylvania by Night implies Weather magic to be a common path used by mortal sorcerers. I have created Storm Ways, a path of redirecting or maintaining weather.
Since the Kolduns also dealt with ancestor spirits, it seems natural that they would develop an offshoot of Spirit Ways for dealing with wraiths and the Shadowlands. I created Death Ways. Not as powerful as true Necromancy, it can be considered a set of light ritual spells , which aids the Koldun in dealing with the problematic dead. Spirit Ways still remains the standard method of communing with wraiths.
The Path of Conjuring is mentioned in Clanbook Tzimisce. Conjuring remains a Path of Thaumaturgy, practiced by the Modern Age Tzimisce who use Thaumaturgy instead of Koldunic Sorcery. However, it is possible for a Dark Age Koldun (or modern Tzimisce using Koldunic Sorcery) to mimic the conjuring of creatures by calling forth Umbra spirits who possess the Materialize Charm.
Alchemy is also listed as being used by the Modern Tzimisce. How and when the Tzimisce acquired Alchemy has not been revealed. Alchemy originated in Egypt and spread across Asia Minor and Europe. The earliest documents date Alchemy as existing as far back as 333 B.C. Alchemy flourished between the 4th and 7th century AD, during the time when Alexandria became a melting pot of culture and intellect to the Persians, Syrians, Egyptians and Greeks. Many of the earliest Alchemical manuscripts originated in Alexandria.
If the Tzimisce of the Byzantine Empire had not acquired Alchemy in earlier centuries, then they most likely gained Alchemy from the Great Library of Alexandria in 620 A.D. It was 620 A.D., when the Akoimetai monks (who served the Tzimisce Elder called Dracon) started transcribing the contents of the Great Library of Alexandria.
Alchemy is listed as a Knowledge in Vampire books, which allows vampires to read alchemy text and understand them. Alchemy is a Path of Hedge magic which functions like a pseudo-science, but allows for supernatural effects starting at level three. Vampires can not work Hedge magic, but they can develop alternatives using their Vampiric Blood Magic. With access to the Library of Alexandria, the Tzimisce learned enough about the nature of Alchemy to develop its equivalent, and are able to duplicate almost any Alchemical effect that True Alchemy can achieve.
In addition, it is quite likely the Koldun would know of Herbalism, and have relied on its powers before the acquiring of Alchemy. Herbalism and Alchemy as a paths of Hedge magic, are in "Liege, Lord and Lackey" and "WOD: Sorcerers."
And finally I created the Way of Experimentation. This Way is not based on Slavic magic, but the Tzimisce's attempt to expand their powers over the flesh. As the Kolduns have Rituals which combine Sorcery and Vicissitude, and the concept of a Sorcerous Way of altering flesh is believable.
I chose to not develop any Koldunic Rituals. I have created only the system for the 'path' spells. Assume the Kolduns have Ritual equivalents to the Tremere's Thaumaturgy Rituals, however I would have the Koldun ritual appear more spiritual or earthy.
One interesting thing about Spirit Ways is, that if used to form pacts with powerful spirits the Koldun needs no other Ways. However, relying on the spirits of the Umbra to use Charms to do everything for the vampire is unwise.
Thus the development of two additional spirit paths for accessing alternate allies.
Naturae Ways deals with awakening slumbering spirits that still reside in the material world.
And Death Ways, as the Koldun will eventually learn his ancestor spirits obey a different set of laws from the animal spirits. While Death Ways is not as powerful as Necromancy it gives the Koldun a few tricks for getting the upper hand when dealing with the dead.
The Ways of Spirit, Naturae and Death, are pure spirit magic. They are acts of communing with spirits and making arrangements for spirits to use their powers or knowledge to aide the Koldun.
Harnessing the Forces: The Koldun can also learn to re-focus the energies stored within the forces of nature. These Ways can be taught by another Koldun, but each path requires a special 'key' used to unlock the power of the path. Without the key, the Koldun is like a deaf person who can feel the vibrations of the piano, but can not hear the music being played. The key is a Gift of Lore, only granted by one of the animal spirits.
The Ways of Water, Fire, and Storm. They allow the Koldun to tap or direct the mystic forces stored in the material world, and direct them into powering mystically linked effects. These paths do not rely on the powers of spirits, but are still developed through knowledge granted by the spirits. They also rely heavily on a Focus used to direct the desired effect.
Crafts of the Flesh: The Discipline of Vicissitude is not the only craft the Koldun has for affecting the flesh. While a Koldun may have powerful magic for communing with Spirits, or directly the Forces of nature, few Kolduns are truly satisfied until they complement their Vicissitude with the sorcerous Ways that affect the flesh of the living.
The Kolduns may learn the Ways of Herbs, Alchemy, and Experimentation. The Koldun can now extend his arts of crafting beyond Vicissitude. The Ways of Crafting do not rely on spirits for power or knowledge. These are Ways of the material world for use in the material world. Foci are now required, but do not direct the spell's Effects; the foci have become the Effects.
The spell systems for Vampiric Alchemy and Herbalism/Brewing remain largely the same as the Hedge Magic equivalents, but have had some changes in the Difficulty to represent their "re-aligning" to the Koldun's 'Vampiric nature'.
Normally, a Mental Attribute is used to reflect the Koldun's ability to perceive what happening (Perception), how it can be adjusted to the Koldun's satisfaction (Manipulation), or what must be done to if unplanned changes occur (Wits).
The Knowledge or Lore reflects the resources the Koldun has for applying the spell. Unlike Thaumaturgy, Occult Knowledge is rarely used. Almost all the Ways use specialized knowledge (such as Spirit Lore).
With Koldunic Sorcery, the Difficulty of the roll is based on the strength of an outside force, such as the target's Willpower, Health, or the local Gauntlet rating. Some outside forces are so dynamic, the Koldun is given a starting Difficulty of 10, which can then be lowered by the Koldun's growing understanding of the Way. As the Koldun's path rating increases, the Difficulty is reduced. Since most Ways deal with sentient spirits or changing forces, against a varying difficulty, the results of the successes rely on the Storyteller's discretion.
I have made a small re-design. Unlike the Tremere's Hermetic Thaumaturgy, the Tzimisce's Koldunic Sorcery is not powered by Vitae or linked to it. The Tzimisce's Clan Weakness functions as a Geas which links them to the land. It was through this link the Tzimisce were able to develop their Sorcery. This link allows Kolduns to become lodestones of Vis, the additional Vis providing mystic links allowing them to work the more spiritual Ways without problems.
This reasoning can double as a reason why Thaumaturgy spread so quickly, while Koldunic Sorcery remained obscure. Only vampires with the Tzimisce's special link to the land could even think to work Koldunic Sorcery.
The Koldun may still spill his vitae, or draws with his blood to release the mystic power of during his castings. Many Mages claim 'vampire blood' is pure Quintessence. This may be one reason for it use in attracting spirits who can feed on the blood, or on the energies being released. The Storyteller may allow one blood point to be 'used' in the casting of a spell, to gain one automatic success depending on the type of spell cast.
A Koldun can petition the spirits for an exchange of favors. The favors petitioned usually involve the spirits using their Charms in protecting, or granting knowledge to the Koldun. Unlike the Garou, a Koldun can not learn the Gifts of spirits. She can learn the Lores behind them to solve problems with her own static magic.
All things have a price, and a spirit's favors do not come free; there is always a return favor the Koldun must fulfill before asking for more aid. Spirits are an odd group, and often the requested favors seem small. Using hindsight one may recognize them as tests of character or test for changes in personality and philosophy. A spirit could request a sacrifice of a valued personal memento or request the Koldun to commit an act against his nature (singing a song, aiding a peasant or Garou, etc.)
It is important to remember, Spirit Ways is a method of communication, not control. Most spells are complete with the contacting of the spirit. A Koldun must then rely on his Social skills and his Lores to aid him.
System: If the Koldun only wishes to listen or watch any local spirits that may be in the area, he can make a Perception + Spirit Lore Roll against the local rating of the Gauntlet. The more successes, the more clearly the Koldun can hear/see.
Otherwise the Koldun makes a Manipulation + Spirit Lore Roll, against the local rating of the Gauntlet. This simulates the ability to deal with the barrier of the Gauntlet and understanding of what lies on the other side.
Secret Song allows the Koldun to hear the voices of nearby spirits, and allows these same spirits to hear the Koldun as he speaks in their language.
The Koldun can now see the local spirits around him, revealing the true number of spirits to which he has been speaking, or have been listening. The world may appear different as he can see the Umbral representation of objects being reflected in the Umbra. Also, the Places of Power, such as Caerns are now obvious. The range of the Koldun's spirit sight is as far as he can see, but can be obstructed by passing spirits and spirit objects (just as in the physical world.)
Nechistaia Sila allows the Koldun to invoke the name of an Umbral spirit, sending an invitation or message directly to the named spirit. As the spirit hears the message it becomes aware of the Koldun's location. The spirit is not Compelled to answer nor is Summoned to appear before the Koldun, although the Koldun may request an appearance. After forming a pact, the spirit's own word can Bind it to appear immediately to give aid.
The more successful the Koldun is, the more direct and clear the Koldun's invitation (or message) travels to the named spirit. If the spirit does appear, the Koldun then relies in his Secret Song and Spirit Sight to communicate.
This is an Anima Walk (astral projection) into either the Spirit world of the Middle Umbra or the Shadowlands. The Koldun's spirit projection is visible to others with Spirit Sight or other forms of second sight which are aligned to the Umbra in which the Koldun is traveling.
Through Spirit Rider, the Koldun can create a small breech in the Gauntlet. This breech is within the Koldun and travels as the Koldun moves. This allows a spirit to side step through the breech directly into the Koldun, then out again directly into the Umbra. The spirit receives protection by the Koldun's spirit and material body, limiting the power of spirit wards. The breech is carefully aligned for the interfacing only the chosen spirit and vampire. No other spirit can use it. This re-alignment can be dangerous, as trickery or a Botch can allow an unfriendly spirit such one of the Bane-spirits to enter him.
Many spirits, will 'mark' those they possess. Those having spirit sight (including Garou) can see the marks, and recognize the Koldun as a spirit rider. The marks of minor spirits usually just note the host as having been used by a spirit. Unfortunately, powerful or corrupt spirits will mark the host as a claim, to prevent other spirits from using 'their' host. These spirits (Banes, Demons, Preceptors,etc.) can also taint the host's aura.
Kolduns who have botched and become possessed by a Bane-spirit will need to perform purification Rituals to remove the marks and taints, or will be unable to deal with other spirits.
Not all spirits reside in the Umbra. The Naturae spirits slumber in their material counterparts. These are the spirits of plants (including trees), the spirits of rocks (minerals, crystals) and the elemental spirits.
The Koldun will need at least level 1 of Spirit Ways to communicate with a local naturae spirit, and level 3 to communicate with a deeply buried or hidden naturae spirit.
System: An Intelligence + Spirit Lore Roll against the local rating of the Gauntlet, represents the search and identification of the spirit.
The Koldun can tune out the presence of spirits in the Umbra -- to sense only the naturae spirits still residing within their plants or rocks. The more powerful the naturae spirit, the greater the force of its presence is felt. Once a naturae spirit is found, the Koldun can switch to Spirit Ways to communicate with it.
The Koldun can spend Willpower in the place of Gnosis for the purpose of awakening the spirit, and attempt to perform any Rites involved (much to the amusement of the other spirits). If successful, the spirit is awakened, allowing the Koldun to use Spirit Ways to communicate with it.
The Koldun can create an opening linking a material counterpart to the Umbra, allowing a naturae to pass through it. The opening is limited to the material counterpart, and will close after one use. This allows a naturae to escape into the Umbra, or enter the material world from the Umbra.
Note: Occasionally the Koldun discovers house spirits (domovoi). These may be naturae spirits residing in the stones of a dwelling, or the more rare weaver spirits who have become linked to a mechanical device such as a clock or catapult, or other crafted items. Treat them the same as forest spirits.
System: Death Ways extends the Koldun awareness of events in the Shadowlands, and where they touch the Skinlands (living world). A Perception + Underworld Lore Roll against the local rating of the Shroud is used. The more successes, the more clearly the Koldun can perceive wraiths and events in the Shadowlands.
When a Koldun aligns his Secret Song and Spirit Sight to see and hear wraiths, his aura starts to glow within the Shadowlands with a brightness which wraiths can notice. Unless the Koldun learns to smother the brightness, wraiths will be attracted to the Koldun like moths to a flame. Smothering the Flame, allows the Koldun to hide that fact he has attuned himself to see and hear the wraiths, allowing him to watch and listen in silence.
When a Koldun's normal spirit sight is aligned to the Shadowlands, it becomes the equivalent of a wraith's Deathsight. With Death Ways the Koldun's deathsight can be extended to seeing the Deathmarks. The Koldun can see the coming of true death for mortals or vampires, as well as recognize the type of death a wraith is marked as having suffered.
The Koldun can now see the chains linking a wraith to its Fetters. By focusing on a single wraith, the Koldun's spirit sight allows her to see the chains running outward from the wraith. By following a chain, the Koldun can find the Fetter linked to the other end. It is also possible for the Koldun to focus on a known Fetter, and follow the chains to the wraith (or wraiths) linked to it.
Kolduns who have studied the dead have found an alterative. Wraiths are creatures of emotion. They feed on emotion, filling themselves with the energies of Pathos or Angst. Using the Feast of Pain, a Koldun increases the Angst for a small area. If the wraith chooses to remain, he risks absorbing temporary Angst points.
Some Kolduns choose to increase the Pathos levels instead, either as bait for attracting local wraiths, or to decoy wraiths away from another place, or as payment to wraiths aiding the Koldun.
When making the Perception + Underworld Lore roll, the Koldun can spend one Willpower point for each success, to increase the Angst in the area by one level. The Koldun can later rebuild his pool of spent Willpower -- without canceling the effects of the Feast.
The Angst will remain until absorbed by a wraith. When a wraith enters the area, he will feel the large amounts of negative energy filling it. If the wraith remains he will gain one point of Angst per scene until he leaves or all the Angst is absorbed.
While it appears to be a limited form of death sight, the vampire has actually created a 'private frequency', allowing him to filter out all other Shadowland beings (and objects) that might mask the presence of the wraith. A hundred wraiths could be surrounding the wraith screaming, but only the single wraith will be seen and heard (and very clearly). Even Shadowland structures are invisible to the Koldun's sight.
If the Storyteller chooses to use Axis Mundi, he may allow for the use of Correspondences. These are special items which can be used to attract certain spirits. Using the correct Correspondences should decrease the Difficulty of dealing with spirits, while the wrong (or lack of) Correspondences could increase the Difficulties.
The Koldun may also attempt to increase his success in attracting a spirit during a summons by adding part of his own blood to the offering. Not all spirits are attracted to this type of offering or the power the blood releases as it is spilled.
If the Koldun does not have Death Ways, yet deals with ancestor spirits (Wraiths), the storyteller may chose to allow substitution of Underworld Lore in place of Spirit Lore.
After some heavy reading, I found the Shroud is also a Gauntlet but differs in that it thins in places of death (graveyards, crypts, etc.), while the Gaian Gauntlet thins in wild places (forest glades, deep forest, etc.)
Koldunic Sorcery has a powerful, but limited Way of divining events of the past, present and future. The limit is related to the divining having to be linked to the life of a person. Nothing can be seen before the person was born and nothing after the true death of the person. All events seen must flow into the person's life. To see an event of the past, the Koldun must find someone who still exists who was directly affected by the event. To see a future event the Koldun must find someone who will be affected. The person to be viewed can be a mortal another vampire or the Koldun herself.
The true Dead (including wraiths) have vanished from the sight of the waters of life. Spirits cannot be viewed directly, but if the Koldun comes into possession of a fetish, the fetish's life can be viewed from the point the spirit joined to the time it leaves.
Before learning this Way, the Tzimice must first be taught by Spirits possessing Gifts of Wisdom and the Future. Only the Lore is needed; the spirits only offer their wisdom. The Koldun must discern the future using her own abilities. For reasons only known to them, the Norns will answer a Tzimisce's Nechistaia Sila, then only for the sole purpose of teaching this one Lore. Many Kolduns find willingness of the Fates to even appear, or teach this Lore . . . worrying.
Dark Destiny: After the Kupala's Eve on which Lugoj formed the Sabbat, the Norns will cease to to answer the Tzimisce call for wisdom. Starting on that night, all Kolduns desiring to learn the Lore either turned to other spirits, or abandoned their attempts to learn this Way.
System: The Tzimisce relies on a serene body of water for a focus. Without the foci, increase Difficulties by 2. A Perception + Alertness roll against a Difficulty matching the client's current Willpower is used. Due to the Koldun's powerful ability of discerning detail, it is always assumed that the client subconsciously becomes aware of the Koldun seeing her past and fate, and subconsciously fights it (even if the client consciously believes she wants the Koldun viewing her Fate.)
Example: A client's Willpower is 8. The Koldun wants the see her future so the Difficulty is 8, but the Koldun does not have a Foci available. The Difficulty increases to 10.
"Testing the Waters," does not show the Koldun events or fates. However, it is one of the most important powers of divination the Koldun will need. It is like the sailor's sexton -- needed in navigating the seas, but has little to do with act of moving through their waters.
Using this information the Koldun can tell when the client was born, sired children, ended other lives, and will meet his True Death. However, at the point where the river flows into the present, it starts shifting its banks, going wilder and twisting the farther it extends into the future. The very thoughts the client has during the viewing can change the course of the river as it flows into the future.
Symbols of the river
Birth: The beginning of the river starts with a waterfall.
Children: Possibly one or more blue waterfalls will flow outward from the Client's river. These are mortal children sired, or children the client has grasped as her own (adopted, foster, wards, etc.)
Childer: A vampire's embraced childer appear as red waterfalls flowing out of Vampiric client's river of life.
Hungers: Blue streams feeding into the river, are deaths that extend the life of the mortal client -- her meals of animal or plants.
Victims: Some lives ending are murders or martyrs. These streams fall into the client's river as a red waterfall. The victims of a vampire's feeding will be also appear as red waterfalls.
Fasting: A lack of blue or red feeder streams may represent a period of starvation or fasting (or torpor for vampires.)
Changes: Major life altering events are bends in the river. These are actions taken by the client that changed her fate. A change of religion, changing Road or Path of Enlightenment, being told one's fate.
Threats: Sickness, being wounded in battle, suffering from poison, being struck by lighting, etc. Shallow waters filled with rocks and rapids. These were the times when the waters of the Client's life almost vanished.
Embrace: Vampires have a short tunnel or cavern in which their rivers of blue water appears to flow into, then out again as red water.
Death: The ending of the river as a water fall vanishing into darkness is true death. (The client may continue as a wraith, but this is an unknown).
With the Tossing of the Pebble, the Koldun is attempting to research a way to change a Fate that is already being fulfilled. This can be one of the most difficult or simplest changes any Diviner can perform. A Koldun can examine current events extending into the future to attempt to find the spots where they are most changeable. This is the finding of the falling pebble that will trigger the avalanche that will alter the course of the river.
The Koldun does not change the future, but after examining the possible futures, arms the client with the knowledge of where it can be changed (or ensured). To be effective, the client must choose to take the action, and not turn from the course of the new action.
While a Koldun can not change the events of the past, she can show the past events as a shared vision. The events may be from either the Koldun's or the client's past. Both will experience the events as third person observers, able to travel invisibility and unrestricted by walls or obstacles. They are not traveling into the past, but a memory of it.
At first, the healing of mortals appears to be an odd path for a Koldun of the Tzimisce Clan. But Allies get sick, plagues can destroy one's subjects, and sometimes Vicissitude experiments need specialized repair work. Then there are the great boons, gained by healing the son of a Czar, and the possible Chiminages involving the healing of mortal allies of Gaia.
Due to their Vampiric natures, and ability to rely on Vicissitude, the path of healing of Koldunic Sorcery follows a tangent course from that of Hedge Mages and other mortal healers. Note, Fire Ways heals only the material Living -- whether they are mortals, ghouls, Revenants, or were-creatures.
Before learning the Healing Way, the Koldun must first be taught by Spirits possessing Gifts of Healing. Only the Lore dealing with healing is taught to the Koldun. The Koldun gains insight from the knowledge granted, and learns to tap the purifying forces of fire to empower the healing spells. Darklings of Owl's Brood are favored teachers of this needed Lore; others speak of the Twice-Born.
System: The Focus of fire is needed as a force of purification. Without the foci, increase the Difficulty by 2. Depending on the level of healing the fire may be a single candle to a great bonfire. A success roll of Intelligence + Medicine, made against the double the current damage level of the patient is the Difficulty. The Koldun can decrease the Difficultly roll by subtracting 1 for each level of Fire Ways he knows.
Example: A patient that has become crippled with sickness has a -5 in health, double the damage level to create a Difficulty of 10. If the Koldun knows four levels of Fire Ways, he can decrease the Difficulty by 4, making it a Difficulty of 6. If the Koldun does not have the Foci, +2 is added to the Difficulty increasing it to 8.
After revealing the problem, the Koldun may make several choices of how to treat the problem. He may attempt to use Vicissitude to suture internal damage. He could also use Alchemy, Herbalism or higher levels of Fire Ways. Finally, he may deem the patient as winning his battle with corruption and wait for it to run its course.
Placing the mortal near a warming fire, the Koldun through invocations, can increase the patient's stamina. He may increase the patient's Stamina to a maximum level of five. The increased stamina fades one level a day until it returns to normal level for the patient. The Koldun can re-boost the stamina without having to wait for it to return to normal levels.
The Tzimisce can pour his vitae mixed with ashes from a 'living fire' into the wounds and force the body's natural healing process to tap the life-energies of the Koldun's vitae to heal quickly. Healing only one wound level a day, as the body must then rest and the patient eats to rebuild his body's stores (proteins, fats, sugars, etc.)
Creating a living fire -- one obtained secretly by revolving a wooden peg very fast in the round holes of a special block of wood -- while using invocations of purifying, the patient or patients are passed through the fire one or more times. If successful, the patient's losing battle for life is reversed, and he will recover from the disease, although he still may suffer scars and crippling left by the disease.
Smearing ashes on the area to be untwisted while using invocations, the Koldun spills his blood onto the ashes. The Koldun then guides the reshaping with his hands. Unlike Vicissitude, the Koldun is tapping mystic forces to restore the original pattern of the mortal's body.
Kolduns can achieve powerful Effects, but are limited to using a natural event as the seed of their Effect. The vapor rising from a pond in the early morning could be transformed into a thick fog filling the whole valley. Winds barely strong enough to shift the flag of a ship, redouble into a hurricane. In all cases, nature has to provide the initial 'seed', but once the seed is planted the Koldun can make the seed grow and change to her heart's content.
To cast the spells of Storm Ways, the Koldun must first learn the Lore of Storms. He must seek this knowledge from Spirits possessing Storm Gifts. The Stormcrows of Grandfather Thunder's Brood will often teach the needed Lore to Kolduns who have also become powerful Voivodes.
System: The Koldun relies on a twig from a tree which has been hit by lightning for a Focus. The twigs are often broken off the tree while invoking a special charm. Without the foci, increase difficulties by 2. The success roll of this sorcerous Way uses Manipulation + Area Knowledge* against an initial Difficulty of 10, (Difficulty 12 without the Foci). As the Koldun needs a 'seed effect,' the use of Area Knowledge simulates the need to study the an area to find the Seeds she will later grow into powerful forces of nature. The Player can decrease the difficultly roll by subtracting 1, for each level of Storm Ways her character knows. This represents her character's growing understanding. Just having the first level of Storm Ways reduces the difficulty to 9, with a minimum difficulty of 5 is reached with Storm Ways level 5.
Example: A Koldun with Manipulation 5, Area Knowledge 2, and Storm Ways 3, who wishes to create a Fog to fill her valley, can Manipulate the mist raising off the local ponds. Her Difficulty is 7 to increase the strength of the mist into a great Fog.
This level grants no power, except the power of knowing. The Koldun can scan surrounding area to see what 'seed effects' are available, or if a specific seed effect is still in place. Detectable seed effects may involve:
Remember it is an art; if something could be linked to a greater force or change in weather, it can be used as a Seed. Also, since the Koldun is only attempting to learn information, for this level she may substitute Perception in place of Manipulation.
The power to grant strength is the power to take it. The Koldun may also choose to retard the growth of a Seed sprouting on its own. The Koldun may find a sprouting Seed and simply stop the Seed from sprouting any farther, holding it in place.
This is the power to take an existing weather effect and make it a stronger or weaker version of itself. The Koldun cannot control the direction it may travel. She may expand one cloud into many, but this does not stop them from blowing way or force them to drop their rain.
The Koldun may attempt to repeatedly cast this level to reach a desired effect. She could spread the one cloud into many, then cast again to increase the moisture of the clouds in hopes of triggering rain. A third time to lower the temperature to make the rain turn to ice or snow.
The Koldun can now change the path of the local weather. Winds not only can be strengthened, they can change direction. Fogs will flow where the Koldun wishes them to go. However, this is a local affect. Only the weather local to the Koldun can be controlled. If the Koldun wishes to power the sails of a ship with strong winds, she must travel in the vessel to keep them from turning as they mix with other winds.
Instead of growing a weather Effect from a local Seed, the Koldun can summon storms (fogs, winds, etc.) from the bordering lands or seas -- areas outside her local area. This summoning is either an attractive or replusive force, pulling the storm toward the Koldun or sending it away. The Koldun cannot command the storm outside her lands; she simply calls them to come toward her. Storms can be sent toward other lands, but the Koldun will lose control as it leaves her lands.
The Koldun can now move or cause storms outside her land through another person. This person can be made either a Lodestone or a Trigger:
If the Koldun wishes to create a Lodestone, she must either create a storm or find a storm to move -- before "Shipping to Market" is cast. In the heart of this storm, she must scribe in her blood upon the Lodestone's body: the nature of the storm, and how long it will follow the Lodestone. The Koldun may choose to include an action the Lodestone can take to break his connection with the storm. As soon as the spell casting is finished, the storm will center on the Lodestone, and travel were he travels.
In the case of a Trigger, the storm does not exist before the scribing. The Koldun scribes in her blood upon the Lodestone's body: the nature of the storm, and the nature of the Seed needed to create the Storm. Once the Trigger comes in contact with the Seed, the Seed sprouts and grows into the Storm described upon the body of the Trigger. These storms will not follow the Trigger; it will center on the place of the Seed.
The Storyteller may allow Hearth Wisdom or Survival in place of Area Knowledge. In the Dark Ages, Survival not only dealt with living in the wild, but understanding its ways, including reading the clouds, their movements and recognizing smells in the air (i.e. ozone) to detect changing weather. The Koldun trades knowing where the local Seeds are, for the power to recognise various, unfound Seeds in the progess of growing.
There may be times when a Koldun knowing the Ways of Storms may need to undo the work of another Koldun. She may find herself using her Wits + Survival to change or reverse the other's spell.
The Kolduns of the Tzimisce long ago sought to learn the secret of duplicating this potent Hedge magic. For while the vampire may appear to be a mystically powerful creature, many of the natural mystic links used by mortal Sorcerers are broken or greatly weakened by the vampire's undead nature. The secret of converting this ancient Hedge magic into a form of Vampiric Blood magic was finding a way to re-link the Koldun's spirit to the spirits of other living things. Some of the harvested materials maintained were still linked to the vampire (earth, bodily fluids and remains of the dead.) As vampires the Kolduns could no longer partake of the life of plants, mosses, grains, molds, even mushrooms. It was the link to the living that had to be restored.
A Koldun wishing to use Herbal Ways, must rebuild her mystic link to the plants she wishes to use. The Koldun builds this link not by restoring her body's power to draw life, but by offering her borrowed life to the plants. The Koldun mixes her own vitae with water, then soaking the soil surrounding the plants with the mix. By feeding the plants the nutrients of her own vitae, she re-links her inner spirit and the spirit of plant. She re-links by making the offering all mortals will eventual make to the plants, the nutrients of their bodies. Once the link is established, the Koldun can harvest from these plants and brew with them just as a mortal Sorcerer could.
Herbal Garden: (Background) As the Koldun must re-build her link to her plants, she must offer her own vitae to either wild plants or plants cultivated in a garden. The time taken to forge the link may take from a night to a week, depending on when the plant accepts the offering. The link will fade a month after the last offering is made or a week after the plant dies. This gives the Koldun one week to use the plant in brewing, once the plant is harvested.
The smart Koldun maintains a garden or knows several sources of wild plants. The Herbal Garden Background represents a source of plants, plants which have been properly re-linked to the Koldun. Without this resource, the Koldun will often find her brews fail as she did not create a strong enough link to the herbs used, nor properly maintained the link. For each Dot in Herbal Garden, the Koldun's Difficulty in finding or having usable herbs is decreased.
Koldunic System: The Koldun will need the Herbalism Knowledge to identify the various Herbs and other plants she will be using. A successful roll of Intelligence + Herbalism defines the roll to be made. The Difficulty is not based so much on the proper brewing of the Herbs, but in the harvesting of fresh, spiritually linked herbs. Without the spiritually relinked plants, the Difficulty is 9. The Koldun reduces the Difficulty by -1 for every Dot in the Herbal Garden Background.
More details on Herbalism/Brewing can be found in WOD:Sorcerers, and the Dark Ages source book "Liege, Lord and Lackey".
Using the vast resources copied from the Alexandrian Library, they developed an Alchemy which was very close to the True Alchemy practiced by Hedge mages. As vampires the Kolduns had already undergone a transmutation: one of living flesh into undead, an awakening of the spirit that birthed the Beast. Through Alchemy, Kolduns explore the link between the spirit and the flesh, how changing one affects the other.
The transformation of lifeless material (such as lead into gold) is considered a diversion of the true purpose. Almost all Koldunic Alchemy formulas exist for making alterations upon the living or undead. The alchemical formulas for creating enhanced mirrors, swords, and amulets are so rare some Kolduns even claim Koldunic Alchemy does not offer this power.
Alchemical Laboratory: (Background) Alchemists, even Koldunic Alchemists, need a laboratory to work their art. A basic laboratory will have a furnace, distilling vessels, mortar & pestle, measuring device, and an alter (or sacred place of meditation). Each Dot in Alchemical Laboratory, represents a larger, better stocked lab, or even multiple labs, and greater access to ingredients. However, due to his vampiric nature, the Koldun must perform a single task to align (or link) the equipment to himself. The equipment must be 'touched' with the Koldun's vitae. Many Kolduns favor the drawing of mystic runes upon the outside of their Alchemy equipment using their vitae. Some clain this increases the potential of success.
Koldunic System: The Koldun will need the Alchemy Knowledge, to reflect actual knowledge of the workings of Alchemy. A success roll of Intelligence + Alchemy defines the roll to be made. The Difficulty is depends on the Koldun having a properly supplied Alchemical Laboratory. The initial Difficulty is 9, which is reduced by -1 for every Dot in the Alchemical Laboratory Background.
More details for Alchemy can be found in WOD:Sorcerers, and "Halls of the Arcanum".
Experimentation allows the Koldun to use his skills with the knife and other surgical tools to make alterations on others (mortals, animals, or supernaturals). A Koldun can experiment to change the size, Attributes, Abilities, instincts, nature, ecology, internal makeup and appearance of his subjects.
The mystic link the Tzimisce have to their land is enough to allow them to work this magic. The difficulty is in acquiring tools of quality, and enough medical knowledge to perform successful operations. Kolduns choosing to learn this Way, will need to invest in a Medical Laboratory.
Medical Laboratory: (Background) Kolduns with this Way, will need a Laboratory in which to work their wonders. While an operating table and collection of knives and saws are a start, the Koldun will also need tools of observation and study. A proper Laboratory will need a Surgical Table, as well as Books and Charts of Anatomy, various vats and jars for storing or growing 'things', and all sorts of strange surgical equipment and tools. For every Dot in Medical Laboratory, the Koldun's Difficulty in Experimentation is reduced.
Koldunic System: The Koldun will need the Knowledge of Medicine to reflect his growing knowledge about the workings of living (or undead) bodies. A success roll of Intelligence + Medicine defines the roll to be made. The Difficulty is based on the Koldun having access to a properly supplied Medical Laboratory, with an inital Difficulty of 9. The Koldun can reduce the Difficulty by -1 for every Dot in the Medical Laboratory Background.
There is no need to spend vitae, nor apply vitae to the equipment. The true cost of this path is time spent operating on the subject, and the time the subject needs to recover. Every roll of the die will represent either a full week's worth of surgical work, or a week's worth of healing time.
This dissection differs from normal Medical dissection. The Koldun is attempting to learn about the supernatural nature and supernatural abilities of his subjects. It is through Study and Observation that the Dark Age Koldun develops most of his Medical Knowledge of supernaturals.
Information that can be discerned: For each success the Koldun learns one piece of information, If Living:
If Undead
Enhancement: The Koldun can enhance a Attribute at the cost of diminishing another Attribute. Through his sorcerous surgery upon the body (or brain) the Koldun can alter such Attributes as Strength, Charisma, and Perception but by doing so the Subject could lose Stamina, Manipulation, and Wits.
For each Success of the Difficulty Roll, the Koldun can move one Attribute Dot into another Attribute of the same type (Physical, Social or Mental.)
Appearance: The Koldun can make cosmetic changes to the Appearance of the subject. This allows detaching and re-attaching of muscle for the purpose of changing their lay across bone. Cracking and reconnecting bone to change facial structure. Moving (or removing) of fat to thin, fatten or reshape features. Swap areas of skin, remove scars or create them.
Depending on the purpose of the operation the Subject's Appearance can be improved, degraded or remain at the same level. Three Successes are needed to improve the Subject's appearance, two Successes to change it without improving of degrading it, and one Success to degrade the Appearance and still have the Subject look normal and remain functional.
Behavior: The Koldun can also change instincts and behavior patterns. Similar to Enhancement, the Koldun operates on the brain with hopes his Sorcery can remove a Derangement or Flaw, or instill a new Merit.
Each Success of the Roll, equates 1 point worth of Merits or Flaws. Thus a 5 point Flaw, requires 5 Successes to remove. A 2 point Merit requires only two Succeses to instill. A Derangement, takes three Successes to remove, or instill.
Behavior changes are story driven attempts to give a Player a reason for losing flaws or gaining merits that are normally available only at Character Creation. All changes should be approved by the Storyteller. Some merits and flaws can not be changed through these form of Sorcery (Cainite Ties, Mortal Society, some types of Supernatural and Aptitude flaws/merits.)
Mortal Healing: This is basic surgery, and can be used to remove diseased organs, foreign objects (arrows), and seal wounds caused by sharp tools or blade weapons. The subject can still die of shock, blood loss, and corruption (infection.)
For each Success of the Roll, the subject's health level is healed one level, but never below Bruised as the operation leaves a level of Damage that must heal naturally over the next week.
Vampiric Repair: A knave with a knife slashes a vampire and creates a wound that takes only one bloodpoint to heal. A Garou uses a single claw and the vampire gets a Bruise that take five bloodpoints to heal. How many vampires would be willing to replace an aggravated Bruise with normal Hurt damage?
A Koldun with Surgical Repair knows how to do this. He can convert an aggravated would into a normal wound. The process involves removing the tissues which suffered the aggravated damage allowing the unaffected tissues to regenerate normally. However, this increases the Subject's normal damage levels by one level per operation.
For every Success of the Success Roll, the Koldun can convert one level of aggravated damage into normal damage. The Koldun can operate once once per night, and each operation addes one level of normal damage.
Thus, a vampire with four levels of aggravated damage can have two levels of aggravated damage converted to normal damage. One additional level of damage is added, but two levels of aggravated damage were converted to normal. The vampire can spend 3 bloodpoints to heal three levels of normal damage, leaving him with 2 levels of damage (aggravated).
This process requires all ghouls to be substained with vitae from the same vampire, then fed blood from each other. This allows the Subject to receive the new parts from the Donors without rejection. Normally, only the Subject survives the operation, as the Donor(s) are often less favored ghouls who were valued only for the 'materials' which were transferred to the Subject.
For Successes of the Difficulty Roll:
The Koldun will need enough ghouls to donate the needed 'materials'; between two and four ghouls should be enough. The Koldun must choose what type of Guardian to design: Animal, Monstrous, or Human. Each type has its merits and flaws.
Animal Guardian: These are ghouled animals. Due to their limited uses and the high cost of maintance, some Kolduns only create them for the practice. A limited Bestiary can be found in the appendix of the Dark Ages Companion.
A well re-constructed Animal Guardian will have one additional Dot in each Attribute, and one addional Dot added to each of the animals Abilities. As a ghoul the animal will already have one Dot in Potence. Additional Dots in Disciplines can be added, but only in the Disciplines of Potence, Celerity, and Fortitude.
Any more additional Dots added to Attributes or Abilities, or the adding of new abilities will cause the animal to become mentally unstable. If the Guardian botches while using the 'over-enhanced' Ability or Attribute it gains a permanent Derangement. All Abilities and Attributes are halved until the Animal fully heals from the operation. Every Success represents one day of operating, and one week of recovery time.
Monstrous Guardian: These are human ghouls of patchwork quality, some even enhanced with animal parts. Fully functional extra limbs are still not possible, and any animal parts are limited to passive uses only (such as turtle shell armour, fixed spikes, or horns) or must function closely to the part replaced. These Guardians can be terribly unbalanced in Attributes and personality as many Koldun repeatedly operate on them.
The Guardian can have up to five Dots in any Attribute except Appearance which is always 0. As ghouls they will always have at least one Dot in Potence. Monstrous Guardians will gain a Derangement after each five Dots transplanted.
Human Guardian: The masterpiece of Guardians, these ghouls look totally normal. No scarring nor anatomical oddities can be found. Unlike the Monstrous Guardian there is a limit to the number of Attributes, Abilities and Disciplines that can be added.
These Guardians can have upto 27 dots distributed among Attributes, 32 Dots among Abilities, and 6 Dots in Disciplines. Any more Dots and the Guardian "overloads" and becomes Monstrous. Human Guardians are designed to pass for normal humans (or at least normal ghouls). Great care must be taken to prevent scarring, deformation of the body and face, and damage to the mind of the Guardian. For every success, the Guardian must remain in recovery two weeks instead of one week.
Disadvantages of Koldunic Guardians: The new Koldunic Guardian will lose one bloodpoint a week instead of one bloodpoint a month. This is due to the use of the vampire's vitae as a blocking agent which prevents rejection of the new parts. The Guardian must never be allowed to run out of bloodpoints, as doing so will result in immediate rejection of the new parts. Also the Guardian can no longer be Embraced, as only the Guardian's own flesh will undergo undeath, leaving the rest to rot and fall away.