By Ian Turner
The effects of this path are quite addictive and require that anyone affected by one of its powers make a Simple Test afterward. On a failure, that individual will seek out such pleasures again, whether from seeking out the caster, another such practitioner or dangerous social activities is up to the ST.
The caster can inflict great pleasure upon another by touch. The caster must make a Challenge, bidding his Mental Traits versus the victims Physical Traits. If successful, the victim will be wracked with pleasure for the duration of the scene making him 1 Bid down in all challenges.
Overstimulation
This power is exactly like the preceding one, except that the victim is 2 Bids down in all challenges for the scene.
With this power the caster can cause paralyzing spasms of pleasure for as long as he able to maintain concentration. He must win a Challenge, bidding his Mental Traits versus his intended victims' Physical Traits for this power to take effect. Note that physical contact is not required to use or maintain this power, but the caster must not take his eyes off of the victim or perform any other Challenges. He may answer simple questions and walk slowly around.
Writhing Delights
This power acts as Waves of Pleasure above, except in that it requires the expenditure of a Blood Trait as well and lasts for the remainder of the scene without the caster's concentration.
This power requires the caster to bid a number of Mental Traits in advance and then make a Challenge of his Mental Traits (including those bid in this challenge) versus the targets' Physical Traits. If successful, the victim must make a number of Static Tests equal to the number of Traits bid, for each one failed, the target takes one normal Wound and for each one tied, the target loses another Physical Trait for the night.
The powers of this Path are often incapable of affecting Mystical items. If a Simple Test is required to destroy an item (a win or tie), assume that a Static Challenge (a win, only) is needed to affect one that is enchanted in any way.
With this power the caster can choose a single item in the area and force it to begin aging at an accelerated rate. He must bid Mental Traits, as many as he desires, and for each one bid he may make a Simple Test. Each Simple Test won or tied ages the item in question 10 years. An item cannot be affected by this power more than once per night by the same caster. The ST must adjudicate the exact effects of 10 (or more) years of aging on the item. Weapons may lose Traits (or cease functioning altogether), photographs would become unrecognizable, clothing could all but fall off of a persons' body, etc.
Gnarl Wood
The caster may now exercise his power in such a way as to cause wood to warp and splinter. He must bid a Mental Trait per 50 lbs of object and make a Simple Test to succeed. The object to be affected must be present and only one item can be affected per use of this power. If it fails, the caster may simply bid another Mental Trait and try again in a sub-sequent action.
The caster need only spend a Blood Trait to cause his hands to secrete a potent corrosive, allowing his Brawl attacks to inflict Aggravated damage. This effect lasts for the scene and is also useful for destroying and / or weakening the structure of items handled. Note that the caster will lose rings, held items, etc unless he removes them before activating this power; the corrosive is not selective. If he firmly grasps an item or rubs his hands along a surface, it will be dissolved by the acid. The ST must determine the exact effects, but metals and organics are normally the most affected by corrosives and glass and ceramics almost never affected.
Atrophy
With this power the caster can simply point at any limb on the target creature and cause it to wither and become useless. The caster must make a Challenge of his Mental Traits versus the target's Physical ones and spend a Willpower Trait. If successful, the targeted limb withers away, becoming useless and granting the afflicted person with the appropriate Physical Flaw. In the case of mortals, the afflicted individual must make a Static Challenge and, if failed, the affliction is permanent (barring some sort of supernatural intervention) and if tied it will heal in 3 months, leaving the character with an appropriate Negative Physical Trait (such as Lame). Even on a win, the mortal requires 3 months to regain use of the afflicted appendage. In the case of a creature with supernatural healing abilities, the Flaw remains until the being has expended the resources necessary to cure 3 Aggravated Wounds, but no Test is required for lingering effects or permanence. Note that a creative user can choose targets other than limbs, with sensory organs (conferring Blindness, Deafness, etc Flaws) and the vocal chords (Mute) being obvious choices. It is up to the ST to determine whether or not one can cripple blood (Hemophilia / Thin Blood), the mind (a random Derangement), or other targets of a more systemic nature.
With this power the user can make a Challenge bidding his Mental Traits against the target's Physical ones. If successful, for each Trait risked in the bid he can force the victim to make a Simple Test to avoid aging 10 years instantly. This power can be quite deadly (or at least very debilitating) to mortals, Garou and Mages, but is of lesser value against Kindred or Ghouls, who will seem to age normally, but will be able to counter each 10 years of aging as if it were an Aggravated wound. Only a Kindred who was Embraced very late in life would be at any risk of death from this power, and this death would not be Final, merely Torpor.
With the exception of the names of the Path's powers, this Path is identical to the standard Thaumaturgical Path, Lure of Flames. Rumors of affecting creatures normally resistant to flame or of burning with infernal persistence are just that, rumors.
The diseases conjured by this Path are non-specific and not treatable by normal medicines. These diseases will never affect their caster, although he is not protected against other forms of contagion.
With a successful Challenge of the caster's Mental Traits versus the victim's Physical ones, the caster can reduce the target by an additional 2 Physical Traits for the remainder of the night as strange fevers, migraine headaches, muscle cramps and hacking coughs wrack his body. This power cannot affect Kindred, but Ghouls and Garou are quite susceptible.
Blood Fever
This power acts precisely as Sickness above except that it affects Kindred as well.
By expending one Mental Trait and making a Simple Test, the caster can summon all insect life within 200'. In the city, vast swarms of roaches are quite common. The summoned insects can then be given one simple command (Attack that man. Eat these bodies. Infest that building, etc) that they will obey to the best of their limited ability. They will remain for an entire scene, although those told to infest a building or eat the evidence may choose to remain on their volition if the situation appeals to them. The user may even end up having to summon his `friends' away from the area later.
Diseased Breath
The user must expend a Mental Trait and a Blood Trait to activate this power, but no Test or Challenge is required. Once it is used all present in the area must make a Static Challenge, those that succeed are aware only of a foul stench as of corpses pervading the area. Those who tie are mildly affected for the remainder of the night, making them 1 Bid down on all challenges for the duration. Those failing this Static Challenge suffer a Wound and are also 1 Bid down in challenges for the rest of the evening. The wound must be healed normally and does not vanish on the next day if ignored. Kindred and other creatures that do not breathe are unaffected.
This power acts as Sickness above, except that it is contagious as well and any who contact or even spend time with the affected individual will have to make a Static Challenge to avoid contracting the plague, losing 3 Physical Traits and becoming carriers if they fail. On a tie, the contactee is affected and loses the 3 Physical Traits, but cannot infect others. On a win, the target is quite unaffected. Note that this can only affect Kindred as Blood Fever if they feed off of an infected person (whether contagious or not).
The powers of this Path are ineffective against someone with True Faith.
The user may instill fear of himself in another person, causing her to recoil from striking him for the duration of one scene. Much like the Presence Discipline of Entrancement, a successful Social Challenge renders the victim unwilling to fight (or even argue with) the caster for the duration. She may initiate such an action freely (unlike Entrancement) but will find herself 2 Bids down on any challenges made against the caster. Note that he is not 2 Bids down when defending herself from an attack by the caster. The victim may choose to expend a Willpower Trait to override this fear.
Spook
This power is similar to the Presence Discipline of Dread Gaze, allowing the caster to make a Social Challenge to cause the victim to flee (if mortal) or enter Rotschroek (if Kindred). The wise user considers whether or not this is dangerous before using the power. As with Induce Fear, a Willpower Trait may be expended to override the effect.
The caster may now subject a person to his worst fears. With a Social Challenge, the caster can bring another person to such a state that he is 2 Bids down on any actions attempted as he is bombarded with phantasmal images of their worst fears. This effects last only 10 minutes, or until the sorcerer negates it or leaves the scene (or is rendered unconscious or dead). The expenditure of a Willpower Trait lessens the fear, allowing the victim to be only 1 Bid down for the remainder of the effect, but another Willpower Trait may not be Bid to negate the effects altogether.
Fear Immersion
This power is an amplification of the previous one, completely paralyzing the target if successful and lasting the full scene, even if the caster is no longer present. The victim must expend a Willpower Trait to negate the effects and even that only reduces it to the level of the previous power Terrorize for the remainder of the scene. Another Willpower Trait may not be bid to negate the Terrorize effects, which can last after the caster has left the scene in this case.
With this power the caster gains the ability to feed off of fear itself. Fortunately for others, this feeding cannot take nourishment from the fear instilled by the powers above! Any time a person enters Rotschroek in the presence of the caster he can choose to expend a Social Trait to pull in the essence of that fear and convert it into a Blood Trait. No visible effect occurs, although the caster may seem unusually satisfied with himself. This power can be activated while in Torpor to try and rouse oneself, but in this case a Willpower Trait must be expended in addition to the Social Trait and Kindred viewers may wonder who woke up the sleeper... Note that mortals are not prone to Rotschroek and the ST must adjudicate when a mortal (or Garou, etc) has displayed sufficient terror to warrant a feeding (anyone failing to resist Dread Gaze would be a likely target).
Not all ST's will allow this Path, as it can ruin suspense and short-circuit effective role-playing if abused. Make sure your ST will not make it more of a hindrance than a benefit before choosing this Path.
This power requires that the caster be face-to-face with a mortal. The power will not even affect a Ghoul. A Mental Challenge is required and if successful the caster learns the full name of the person before him. He may then make a series of Simple Tests, for each consecutive win or tie learning one bit of information from the following; age, occupation, residence, family, demeanor, etc. Once he fails a Simple Test the questioning ends and cannot be re-tried that evening. There is no obvious effect with this power and it is instantaneous.
Secrets in the Dark
This power acts almost exactly like Whispers, above, except that it can affect supernatural creatures, from Ghouls to Garou. It can also find out more detailed information about mortals (and can be used after Whispers has been attempted) such as; family names, phone number, interests, and ones' true nature, etc. This power also requires nothing more than a pause in the conversation to use and is not noticeable to the target.
Working as the above powers, this level allows the caster to learn true secrets; passwords, betrayals, secret loves and hates and fears. It affects both natural and supernatural targets.
Dark Prophecy
This power allows the caster to see into the future of a place, object or person that is present at the time. He must make a Simple Test and expend a Willpower Trait, but will then receive a vision of some future happening involving the subject. The only true limitation to this power is that the vision is always of something dark; violence, betrayal, murder, etc. Only incidents involving destruction (even if only the breaking of a heart) or strong dark emotions can be felt with this power. Not all visions come true as predicted; some tragedies can be averted or at least put off indefinitely.
This power requires the user to spend an hour in solitude and expend a permanent Mental Trait (although he can always buy it back later with earned XP) to receive a vision of something that no one alive (or undead) knows. This may seem to be a small list, but many things have been forgotten by Kindred and Kine alike over the millennia. The ST will obviously use this power to further the needs of the chronicle or to reward the character with a chance for long-lost power if he can survive whatever has kept that power lost for so long...
With this power the caster can force a mortal touched to suffer such excruciating pains as to be 2 Bids down on any Challenge attempted (even a Challenge to break free from his tormentor). The caster must make a Challenge using his Mental Traits bid against the targets Physical ones.
Hunger
This ability acts as Hurt, above, but affects Kindred instead, causing their bodies to spasm with the Hunger. The Challenge procedure and its effects are otherwise identical.
With but a touch, the caster can now cause paralyzing pain in mortals and Kindred alike. If a Challenge of the caster's Mental Traits versus the target's Physical Traits is successful, the victim can do nothing until the caster relinquishes his grasp.
Agony
At this point the pain is intense enough to actually damage the target. This power acts exactly as Torment above, but also costs the caster a Willpower Trait for each Wound level he wishes to inflict upon the target. The Willpower Traits must be bid before the challenge is attempted and are wasted if it fails.
The final development of this sadistic path allows the caster to inflict an improved form of Agony. In this case any damage inflicted counts as Aggravated for supernaturals (Chimerical for Changelings) and is permanent (representing neurological damage) in the case of mortals.