Mind's Eye Theatre Thaumaturgical Rituals

By Ian Turner (iant@wpine.com)

Author's Notes

I have just finished (mostly!) converting the Rituals from the Vampire main book, the Player's Guide, Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand, the Tremere Clanbook, the Assamite Clanbook, the ST Guide to Dark Ages, Chicago by Night, Storyteller's Handbook, Milwaukee By Night, Hunter's Hunted, Player's Guide to the Sabbat, and Storyteller's Handbook to the Sabbat for use in Live-Action.

Basic (all take 30 minutes to perform)

Rite of Introduction (Tremere)

This ritual alerts all Tremere in the city of your presence and allows you to tell them individually a little bit (up to 25 words) about yourself. They are allowed the option of telling you a little something (up to a 25 word reply), but some may choose to remain silent. The caster in no way knows how many Tremere are in the city or where to find them, except as so instructed in the replies he receives. Thus, an unwelcome Tremere may cast this ritual, get no response and be quite surprised when a half-dozen Tremere hunt him down and kick him out of their city. The ritual always seeks out the eldest Tremere first, although the caster will no have any way of knowing Generation or relationships between respondents other than by their replies.

Communicate with Kindred Sire

This ritual is less exciting in a world with cellular phone technology, but is still quite useful. The caster can telepathically speak to his Sire, anyone who has drank of his blood in the last 24 hrs or anyone who is Blood Bound to him. He must have an item that once belonged to that individual, but can otherwise maintain the contact for as long as he desires at any range. Note: This ritual only takes 10 minutes to perform and requires a separate use for each subject to be spoken to.

Donning the Mask of Shadows

This ritual enables the caster to move about in a semi-visible shadow state perfect for night stalking. This effect acts exactly like the Obfuscate power Unseen Presence except that it only lasts for up to 1 hour. Once it is dropped for any reason, the ritual ends and must be recast.

Scent of the Garou's Passing

By sniffing a strange herbal mixture containing wolfesbane, milkweed and other more noisome materials, the caster can detect the presence of Garou for the remainder of the night. He gets a Simple Test to spot one within a yard and a Static Mental Challenge (against a difficulty of 5 Traits) to spot one at a range or to notice that one has been immediately present in his current location.

Open Passage

The caster must expend 1 Blood Trait to allow any present (not just the caster) to pass through one wall, door or other solid obstruction that could be traversed in a single action. While the wall or other barrier is effectively insubstantial to living (or undead) creatures, it still interacts normally with the ceiling, etc.

Illuminate Trail of the Prey (Antitribu)

The caster must cast the ritual in the presence of the target and can thereafter follow him easily for the remainder of the night. The ritual ends if the target crosses running water (which must contact the target, going over a bridge or walking over underground sewer pipes doesn't count), making the ritual useless on rainy evenings in Seattle. The ritual creates a glowing trail that only the caster can see.

Preserve Blood (Antitribu)

The caster must place blood to be preserved in a clay pot, seasoned with burdock and sealed with wax and buried during the ritual. The effects of the ritual end when the pot is unburied (although the suspended decay does not suddenly catch up with the blood and it will usually remain usable for a few hours thereafter, months if properly refrigerated). The pot cannot be dug up and carried around; the ritual only lasts as long as it remains buried, and the pot cannot be buried in a box of dirt, it must actually be interred in the earth.

Craft Bloodstone (Antitribu)

This ritual takes 3 sessions to cast on three separate nights, with each session requiring the expenditure of a Blood Trait. Once the stone is fully enchanted, the caster can sense its location at any range with but a moments concentration. He will also immediately sense its location if it is destroyed and must make a Simple Test or lose one Mental Trait for the rest of the night. Such bloodstones are usually given to Retainers, Herd, Allies or slipped surreptitiously onto foes in the hopes that they will not discover them until they get home to their havens.

Power of the Invisible Flame (Antitribu)

Upon finishing this ritual, the thaumaturgist can use the Lure of Flames without fear of inspiring Rotschrock or checks for Beast Traits in himself or others as the flames generated by his magics are invisible (although their effects, from scorching to smoke, as well as any subsidiary fires touched off are quite visible). The ritual lasts for the entire night.

Preserve Corpse (Nagaraja)

This simple ritual preserves a corpse (human or otherwise) for a full years time. All processes of decay will be held in abeyance for the duration so long as the corpse is kept away from sunlight and open flame, which damage it as they would a Kindred.

Blood of Peace (Assamite)

This ritual treats a single Blood Trait (which must come from the caster) turning it into a potent sleep agent. If any creature contacts this treated blood, it seeps into the flesh and requires the victim to make a Simple Test to avoid falling into a deep sleep for the remainder of the scene. If the blood is actually ingested, the imbiber must actually succeed the Test, not Simply tie to avoid falling asleep. The treated blood loses the ability to instill a Blood Bond or to nourish a Kindred, although it looks, smells and tastes no different from any other vitae. The blood only remains usable for the remainder of the night unless subjected to Preserve Blood above, which affects it normally.

Blood Call (Assamite)

This ritual creates a telepathic link between two willing subjects. The only function of this link is to allow either one to sense the death of the other at any range and to clearly see and hear the final minute of his existence (for revenge purposes usually). The ritual costs each participant 2 Blood Traits, which are mixed together and then destroyed. This ritual can be used to create three way (or larger) links, but each participant must then expend three (or more) Blood Traits to enact the ritual, making it impractical for any but Elders. The ritual has no set duration and can last years.

Detect Authority (Anarch)

This rite allows the caster a Simple Test to check another person for signs of being under anothers' influence, whether from a Blood Bond, Dominate, Presence or other effect. The exact effect is only identified if the caster makes the Simple Test, although a tie will still reveal the presence of some sort of outside influence.

Summon Guardian Spirit

This ritual requires a Blood Trait and an elaborate ceremony to summon a minor spirit to watch the casters back for up to 24 hours. Upon any attack upon the caster, he is allowed to pre-empt the attack as if he had Alacrity. This can be countered by an attacker with actual Celerity at a higher level. The spirit only utters one such a warning and then departs, although the caster could return home and summon another before going forth again. The spirit guardian can ring bells, tap the caster or any other agreed upon action as warning, but it cannot speak, only appear to the caster only to warn or imminent danger and then fade away. It makes an excellent day watchman, assuming its charge manages to arouse himself to deal with the threat...

Suppression of the Undead Mind

This ritual must be enacted in advance, but allows the caster to render any one Kindred whose name is uttered during the ritual 1 Bid down on all Challenges related to the use of Disciplines for the remainder of the night. The ritual does not take effect (and the rolls below are not even made) until the caster actually sees the target at some point in the evening. Something of a personal nature, such as a bit of hair or nail, drop of Vitae or personal possession, must be used to target the curse, in which case it can only be avoided by expending a Willpower Trait and then making a Simple Test (only one Willpower Trait can be so expended). If no such belonging is available, the target is allowed to make a Mental Challenge versus the caster upon first sighting him on the night of the ritual, and if he succeeds, is not affected.

Sense the Soul

The caster must acquire a personal belonging, drop of vitae or bit of hair or nail (or be within sight of the target throughout the casting) to enact this ritual, but if successful, the caster will know whether or not the target has ever used magic of any sort in his life.

Calling the Restless Spirit

This ritual requires that the caster be within the site of a place haunted by a ghost or within 10' of the ghosts corpse, but if he succeeds in fulfilling one of these two criteria, he may commune with the spirit of a dead mortal or extinguished Kindred. Note that the spirit may not be very helpful or cooperative, but it is forced to remain present and not attack the caster for the duration of the ritual, which could last up to 30 minutes if the caster wishes. Some ghosts may not let the caster finish casting the ritual, especially if they have seen it before and don't feel like talking...

Illusion of the Peaceful Death

This spell restores a corpse to an undamaged state (although it cannot be drained of more than a single Blood Trait, nor missing any significant amount of its body). It requires that the corpse be wiped down with white feathers, which are then burned. Anyone not specifically looking for the amount of blood remaining in the corpse does not even get a roll to spot any discrepancy.

Gentle Mind

With this ritual, the caster can strengthen his allies self-control, granting him an extra Willpower Trait that is only usable to resist frenzy. The caster and the subject must share a Blood Trait (NOTE: not necessarily a Kindred Blood Trait) to enact the ritual and it cannot be used by a thaumaturge upon himself. The extra Willpower Trait lasts until used and cannot be recovered, except through another casting of the ritual.

Rending Sweet Earth

This ritual opens a 10' x 10' chasm leading down to an Earth Melded Kindred, who is immediately awakened from sleep (but not from Torpor). This spell cannot be used as a digging tool (unless one has an ally with Earth Meld) as it only opens earth covering an Earth Melded subject. It does not shear away stone and is of no use in rooting out a stone melded Gargoyle.

Rebirth of Mortal Vanity

This ritual allows the caster to lengthen or shorten his own hair or that of another by up to six inches per casting. He must have a strand of hair from six different mortal children to grow hair and strands of hair from six mortals of at least 60 years of age to shorten hair. The effects are permanent. If the hair is cut thereafter, it will grow back to its new length overnight and can only be permanently shortened by another casting of this ritual. This ritual cannot grow hair from a bald area and cannot completely remove hair, nor does it cause hair to grow to an unnatural length for the area affected, making it primarily useful on head-hair and beards.

Incantation of the Shepherd

With this ritual the caster can locate his Herd over the casting time, starting with the closest members first. He must have tasted the blood of those being sought at least three times and they need not necessarily be members of his Herd. Sabbat Thaumaturgists regularly drink their companions blood and can thus locate their Packs with this ritual.

Mourning Life Curse

This ritual is prepared beforehand as the caster drinks a few drops of crocodile blood and recites all but one word of an ancient Egyptian curse. For the rest of the evening the spell waits for him to whisper that final word into the ear of a mortal, causing that mortal to begin crying blood at the rate of 1 Blood Trait per 5 minutes or until the caster removes his gaze from the affected mortal at which time the spell ends. The effect is mostly painless and will usually not awaken a sleeping victim, leaving only swollen capillaries around the eyes (and the usual effects of blood loss) to mark its passage. The caster must make a Simple Test if he has Stealth or a Static Mental Challenge (Difficulty of 5 Traits) if he does not to feed from a sleeping victim with this ritual, as the ritual enhances a sleeping mortals lassitude such that they do not readily awaken from the bleeding or the casters feeding. This spell can be used less surreptitiously in combat to cause a mortal foe to begin bleeding to death (a mortal will take 15 minutes to die, but only 10 to pass unconscious and a Simple Test is required after the loss of the first Blood Trait to stay conscious if attempting any strenuous activity).

Wake with the Evening's Freshness

This ritual allows the caster to burn goose feathers and scatter the ashes over the place where he intends to rest that day, allowing him to awaken instantly at the first hint of danger and act normally for the duration of that danger in the upcoming days rest. The ritual must be cast immediately upon bedding down and, if activated, lasts only so long as immediate danger persists. The ritual will only activate once during the day. If the ritual does not activate during the day, the caster awakens at the instant of the suns setting, regardless of his number of Beast Traits, making this ritual quite useful to Elder Thaumaturgists, whether they expect attack or not.

Will o' the Wisp (Antitribu)

The caster inscribes a willow wand with runes and at any point thereafter can snap the stick, transforming it into a glowing ball of light that flies at the casters will (about as fast as a running man and as bright as a lantern) for the duration of the scene (about an hour otherwise). It can move as the caster wills, and if the caster succeeds in a Challenge of his Mental Traits versus the targets Physical Traits it can be sent to swirl and distract a single foe, rendering him 1 Bid down on all challenges for as long as the caster concentrates on keeping the Wisp dancing about his eyes. A Setite or other Light-Sensitive Kindred is 2 Bids down on all challenges in such a case.

Eyes of the Nighthawk (Antitribu)

With this ritual the caster soaks normal birdseed in black cohosh root, hemlock bark, heartsease and other bizarre components to create 'magic birdseed.' The caster must make a Simple Test to see if a target bird will actually eat the birdseed, but if successful, can then see and hear from the affected birds eyes and ears for the remainder of the evening. He must concentrate fully to do so, covering his own ears and closing his eyes, meaning that he will be automatically surprised by activity at his actual location. For the duration of the evening, he can give the bird simple directions to fly to a particular area of to remain still for a time, but nothing more specific. The bird will not even hear other directions and may take unpredictable actions unless commanded to remain still.

Machine Blitz (Antitribu)

This ritual must be cast in advance and can then be used at any time later in the evening by the expenditure of a Mental Trait. It causes any one machine, up to the size of car, to take one action within its normal operating parameters. Thus a car could swerve off the road, a gun could fire or a watch stop, but a crossbow could not float through the air firing bolts. The spell does impart a bit of telekinetic animation to the object, allowing a gun to aim or a steering wheel to turn itself, but such force cannot surpass that which the caster could generate with one arm. A Physical challenge of the casters Mental Traits versus the machines users Physical Traits may be required if someone is aware of such a possibility or is taking special care, but otherwise surprise rules will allow the first such manipulation to go unnoppossed. Only one machine can be so affected per casting and only one such ritual can be waiting to be used by a single caster. Additional Mental Traits can be bid for additional actions after the first, but the spell always ends once the caster stops concentrating upon it. Note that the Repair ability can be bid in place of a Mental Trait if desired.

Impassable Trail (Antitribu)

With this ritual the caster wraps his feet in soft deerskin and for up to the remainder of the night he moves tracelessly through any terrain (even over fresh snow). Only a creature with Heightened Senses (Kindred, Garou, Wraith or other) can track him while this ritual is in effect.

Clinging of the Insect (Antitribu)

The caster must swallow a live spider to enact this ritual, but can thereafter walk up walls and cling to ceilings like a bug. He can only walk on surfaces able to bear his weight (so that he cannot walk upside down along ceiling tiles) and cannot retain his traction on near frictionless surfaces (like ice or wet glass). The ST must determine if this power can allow a Surprise Attack or increased difficulty to be Physically Challenged in Melee or Brawl combat on a case-by-case basis, although hanging from a high ceiling while firing a gun makes all but ranged retaliation unlikely. This ritual only lasts until the casters feet again touch ground (meaning that he could hang from the ceiling while sleeping the day away or it could lapse almost immediately if he is knocked from his perch unexpectedly).

Black Water (Nagaraja)

This ritual creates a pint of special pitch black oil for each Blood Trait that is expended in the casting. This oil keeps indefinitely and each pint can turn a swimming pool sized quantity of water as black as night for a weeks time unless diluted with a significant quantity of fresh water (a light rain won't do it) or evaporated. The water acts like normal water in all respects, supporting life, putting out fires or quenching mortal thirsts, but does not allow the slightest scrap of light to penetrate it, making it ideal to secure a wilderness pond for the days rest or to hide unnatural beasts from the eyes of the Kine. It does tend to kill off any plant life in the water within a few days as the plants, from plankton to algae to seaweed cannot survive without sunlight.

Moonlight Dancers (Nagaraja)

This odd ritual creates the spectral images of dance couples from any time period the caster chooses (up to one couple per Mental Trait possessed by the caster, although none need be expended to enact the magic) which will then dance typical dances based on their attire and period accompanied by ghostly contemporary music. The ritual can last until sunrise or be ended at any time by the caster. Actual couples can physically dance right through these phantasms with no effect, as they are not spirits or wraiths, merely images loosely based upon days past.

Soul of the Earth (Tremere)

This ritual is cast upon an animal and partially shields it from the effects of the Embrace, allowing the animal to gain normal vampiric powers and weaknesses. The animal can only be Embraced by a Gargoyle in this manner, however. The animal must simply make a Simple Test as the Gargoyle Embraces it and only dies on a failure. Note that such Embraced animals are treated as one generation less than their Gargoyle Sire for power, but cannot Embrace others, even other animals under this ritual, nor can they be Diablerized for any benefit. The ritual requires that the animal be sprinkled with one Blood Trait of the Sire's Gargoyle vitae mixed with powdered granite.

Skin of the Chameleon (Tremere)

This ritual can only be cast upon a Gargoyle or Gargoyle animal who is ritually smeared with an ointment comprised of fluids distilled from various color-changing flowers and lizards as well as a Blood Trait of his own Vitae. Once completed, the ritual grants the Gargoyle with the ability to change his coloration to match his surroundings, allowing him to re-test any failed Stealth roll once to resist discovery. Each failed Stealth roll can only be re-tested once by use of this ability, but the Skin of the Chameleon remains good for a full month.

Watcher

This ritual attunes the caster to a single rat (which must be present, the spell does not summon one) allowing the caster to send it where he wishes (although directions must be specific) to spy on (or even steal from) others. When the rat returns the caster can press his forehead to the rats and see all that it saw for the duration of its journey and could then send it out again as desired for the rest of the night. Note that the caster has no control over or awareness of the rat while it is away and must make directions fairly clear. He also cannot hear or smell things that the rat does, only visual images are relayed.

Illusion of Perfection

This ritual makes the caster look completely average and ordinary for the remainder of the night. It requires a white veil be suspended over the face for the duration of the spell (although the veil is not visible to any but the caster usually) and the veil could be torn away in some cases, ending the spell. Note that while this illusion fools animals and children normally, it easily penetrated by anyone with even Basic Auspex or any sort of Bete breed (only a Simple test is required).

Protect the Tomb

This ritual requires the caster to oversee the preparation of an entire gravesite (which will take considerably longer than 15 minutes, especially when all work must be done at night), but that site will then be protected so that no one buried there can be easily effected by Spirit Thaumaturgy, Necromancy or similar forces. The spirit of the one interred there is allowed a Simple Test automatically to defeat any such power used upon it (before any challenges between the caster and spirit occur) and, if successful, the caster will also be 1 Bid down on any further attempts. This is cumulative, meaning that an especially persistent Necromancer could place himself so many Bids down that he can no longer affect the protected spirit at all! Destroying and / or defacing the tombsite will reduce the protection so that only the Simple Test to avoid control is retained.

Consecrate Mirror

This ritual enspells a fine silvered mirror to reflect all viewers as more attractive than they truly are, causing all to make a Simple Test or fall enraptured into a trance-like state for 30 minutes. Toreador are required to make a Static Mental Challenge against the creator's Mental Traits and, if affected, remain entranced for a full hour! Nosferatu, Gargoyles and Samedi are fully affected and tend to see themselves as they were in life. Others viewing the reflection see the changes as well.

Spectral Mask

With this ritual the caster can fashion a visage of horror and unleash it once in the following night, acting as Dread Gaze. The power only affects one person and the ritual can only be cast once at a time, preventing an enterprising sorcerer from 'stacking' them.

Sign of the Moon

This ritual makes the caster resistant to the claws and fangs of Lupines so that such wounds inflict only regular wounds instead of Aggravated ones to the caster for the rest of the night. He does however take Aggravated Wounds from Silver for the rest of the night instead.

Vistas of the Mind

This ritual causes an increase in memory and intelligence allowing a single re-test once in the evening on the use of any primarily Mental Ability (Occult or Medicine, not Firearms or Brawl).

Scent of the Vampire

With this ritual the caster becomes preternaturally attuned to the presence of other Kindred for the remainder of the night, gaining a Simple Test upon entering a room with one and again upon touching one. The ritual does not actually point out Vampires, but walking around shaking hands is a good way to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Escape the Undead Eyes

This spell actually somehow blinds those of the Blood to the caster's presence, allowing him a single re-test on any failed Stealth roll versus Kindred or Ghouls (it also protects against detection of ones Obfuscate, Skin of the Chameleon or Cloak of Shadows). This ritual can be used on others and is useful to cast on ones Gargoyle Retainers.

Voices of the Dead

This spell allows partial animation to a recently deceased body (generally no more than 10 days), enough to allow it to hear and answer questions posed to it by the caster. It cannot normally choose to lie unless possessed by an active malevolent spirit of some sort. The vocal chords must remain intact and the spell will only uncover information that the deceased knew at the time of his death. This ritual is an example of such a power that Protect the Tomb will ward against.

Cloak of the Shadows

This power acts as Unseen Presence but is defeated by any level of Auspex with a Simple Test. It lasts up to the remainder of the night, but goes down once the caster does anything to void its powers (such as speak aloud in the presence of others or initiate a Physical Challenge against another).

Gift of Psyche

This ritual allows the caster to recognize mental states of others for the remainder of the night. He need only make a Simple Test to tell if someone is sleeping or in torpor or is simply 'resting her eyes'.

Confess

This ritual must be cast in the presence of the subject, who must then answer one question posed by the caster fully and truthfully. No roll is required or allowed.

Grasp of the Mind

This spell can be cast upon oneself or another and allows the subject a single retest to avoid Domination in the remainder of the night (or until the next sunset in the case of a mortal so protected).

Light of the True Spirit

This spell allows the caster (or another it is cast upon) to retest any one failed Leadership use or a Social Challenge related to command and / or inspiration. This rarely be used to affect Presence (except Majesty!) challenges. It remains until used for the rest of the night (or until the next sunset, which can be a great boon for a Tremere Retainer who acts in a social role).

Shield of the Thinker

This ritual protects the recipient (which need not be the caster) by allowing him one retest versus any use of Presence (or similar blandishments) before the next sunset.

Warning Sirens

When this ritual is cast, the caster gains a special warning at any time before the next sunset that makes a sound like tolling bells in his mind if he is endangered. This power only activates once, but prevents one use of the 1 Second Surprise Rule against the caster. Even an Assamite's Quietus will not Silence this warning, as it occurs only in the mind of the caster.

Bottled Voice

With this ritual the caster can draw forth the voice of another (who must be present during the casting) into a wax stoppered bottle. Once the voice is bottled the victim can make no utterance, not even a whisper. Even worse, the caster needs only make a Simple Test to use the bottled voice at any time (usually over the phone to his Retainers, bankers, Influences and Allies...).

Mirror Scry

With this ritual the caster can look into any mirror and see out of the nearest other mirror of equal size. However, the caster's face will also be visible to those looking at the other mirror, although sound and other sensoria will not pass through the link. This ritual is a useful prerequisite to Mirror Walk!

Intermediate (all take 1 hour to perform)

Shaft of Belated Quiescence

This spell allows the caster to enchant a rowan stake, fire-hardened, soaked in a Blood Trait of his own vitae and rune-inscribed so that it will break off inside a target (even if hitting only an arm or leg) and burrow through the victim (whether Kindred or Kine) seeking the heart. This process requires the stake to make a Simple Test each day and, if successful, inflicts a Health level of damage (which a Kindred target can attempt to resist with a Static Physical Challenge against a Difficulty of 5 Traits) and is immediately allowed to make a normal set of Tests to stake the subject through the heart! If it fails the Simple Test it makes no progress on that day. If it merely ties with the subject, the damage is inflicted as the stake moves around inside of his flesh (Kindred can roll to resist as above), but the stake cannot actually attempt to pierce the heart. Staking paralyzes Kindred normally and kills mortals immediately! The stake actually resists attempts to remove it, burrowing away from surgeons and inflicting more damage in the process. Someone with Medicine can make a Simple Test to remove the stake, success indicating that the stake is removed and the surgeon only inflicts one Health level in the process, a tie indicates that the patient takes a Health level and the surgeon can try again as the stake has eluded him this time and a failure indicates that the stake and the doctor combined inflict 2 Health levels of damage to the hapless patient and the doctor can proceed if the patient still wishes it...

Binding the Beast

This ritual is of limited use as it must be cast in advance and held in abeyance until needed. When the ritual is prepared the caster can, at any time, even months in the future, shove an iron spike thorough his hand (taking one non-Aggravated Wound) and drink a Blood Trait of the subjects blood to pull him out of a frenzy (this ritual cannot be used on oneself and few people would allow a Tremere, even an ally, to hold a Trait of their blood for this ritual). The subject immediately becomes passive and is 1 Bid down on all Discipline use, unable to use Willpower or to frenzy at any provocation for the rest of the evening. He must even make a Static Mental Challenge (Difficulty of 5 Traits) to feed for the rest of the evening! The caster need not be in the presence (or even sight) of the subject to use this ritual, but will rarely use it upon anyone that he doesn't plan on killing soon, as the ritual requires him to drink of the subjects vitae, risking the formation of a Blood Bond.

Splinter Servant

This spell allows the caster to enchant a stake from a graveyard tree wrapped with nightshade twine and sealed in a waxen sheath so that at anytime thereafter anyone can remove the wax sheath and command the stake to attack one target. If a target (who must be present in the area at the time) is not selected immediately the stake will attack the holder! The little terror splinters and grows legs and arms, leaping towards its prey in an attempt to stake him through the heart. It has as many Physical Traits as the caster expended Mental Traits in its creation (plus 2 for being a stake), often 5 or 7 or more! It uses Physical Traits normally in its attacks and can take two Health levels before being destroyed (the first Health level lost does not penalize it in any way, however). Once the stake has pierced the heart, been destroyed or run out of Physical Traits the enchantment fades. To remove the splintered stake from the heart requires someone with Medicine to make a Simple Test and inflict 1 Health level to the paralyzed Kindred (who cannot spend Blood to heal, remember!). If he fails, he does not get enough of the splinters out and must try again!

Stone Slumber

This ritual is cast an hour before sunrise and turns the caster into solid stone. He is immune to staking, sunlight and fire in this form, but could conceivably be broken. He is completely unconscious during the day and can only awaken during nighttime hours by spending a Blood Trait (he still loses one per day as any other Kindred). He could choose to enter true Torpor in this form, but would require 2 Blood Traits (1 from an Elder) to awaken later.

Friend of the Trees (Antitribu)

This ritual attunes the caster to the ways of the forest, causing it to rise against his foes and part to ease his passage. Anyone within the casters line-of-sight (not necessarily seen by the caster) can be slowed and ensnared so as to allow the caster a Fair Escape within wooded terrain. He can also have the trees and grasses hinder their attempts to flee, allowing him a Surprise Attack whilst they struggle with roots and branches. He can only use one function and the ritual only lasts for one use. It must be cast earlier in the evening and can be invoked at any time thereafter if suitable vegetation is available. If not used on the evening of casting it must be recast, unless it is cast upon a particular forested area, in which case it can wait indefinitely.

Haunting Breeze (Nagaraja)

This ritual fills an area with a haunting supernatural wind in which the cries of the dead can be heard and faint ghostly forms dimly seen. The area can fill a room or large outdoor area encompassing the casters line-of-sight. Mortals entering such an area must make a Static Mental Challenge versus a Difficulty equal to the number of Mental Traits possessed by the caster or flee the area not to return that evening. Surrounded by strange sounds and sights, anyone attempting to spot anything, whether by Auspex, Investigation or other means, is one bid down while in the area. The ritual lasts as long as the Thaumaturgist remains within visual range of at least a portion of the affected area (he need not remain within, or even relatively near the area), expiring when he leaves the area or wills the spell to end.

Eldritch Glimmer (Antitribu)

This ritual requires the expenditure of a Blood Trait, but allows the caster to tap into an extradimensional source of energy that causes his skin to shine with a pale emerald sheen for the remainder of the night, or until the power is expended. The power can be used to project bolts of this green energy at any point during the night. These bolts inflict a single wound and use Occult instead of Firearms to hit. Up to three bolts can be fired before the green shimmer fades and the ritual must be recast if the caster wishes to produce more bolts. The caster must carry a piece of sandstone soaked in vinegar for the duration of the spell, it ends prematurely if the stone is lost.

Blood Walk

This ritual requires a Blood Trait of the targets to cast, but allows the caster basic knowledge of the targets Sire (name, personality, relation to subject). He also learns of any Blood Bonds the subject has, learning of both Regnants and Thralls. He can make a Simple Test to learn the characters grand-Sire, and if successful another Simple Test to learn of his great-grandSire and so on. Once he fails a Simple Test, the ritual ends. In the case of Diabolists, basic knowledge of the victims is also gained. Once this ritual is used upon a particular Kindred, that Thaumaturgist cannot cast it upon him again hoping for clearer results, although a different Thaumaturge may have better luck. If the same caster tries again he will get the exact results he got the first time with no Tests necessary or allowed.

Principal Focus of Vitae Infusion

The caster can infuse a Blood Trait into a physical item (which must be of a size that the caster can hold in his two cupped hands, but can be a small as a pea). At any point thereafter he can touch the item and will it to turn back into a Blood Trait, which he can then use however he pleases. This transformation destroys the item. The caster can make such foci for another, but that person must be present at the casting of the ritual and only his touch and desire will be sufficient to transform the object. Note that this is the only way that he can affect anothers' blood, but otherwise he can only transform his own Vitae this way.

Flesh of Fiery Touch

This ritual traps the warlocks very flesh. It requires the caster to swallow a hot coal (the caster must make a Static Mental Challenge against a Difficulty of 10 Traits to go through with this, taking an Aggravated wound if he succeeds and requiring the expenditure of a Willpower Trait to bring himself to go through with it if he fails the Mental Challenge), but makes the casters flesh hot to the touch and bronzed in tint. Anyone who touches him for the duration of the night takes an Aggravated Wound. Unlike the tabletop version, the caster can choose to strike another, essentially gaining the effect of Hand of Flame for the evening.

Incorporeal Passage

Using this ritual the caster makes himself incorporeal allowing him to walk in a straight line through any solid object(s). He must position a fragment of a mirror to trap his reflection and keep to a straight path or else the ritual will fail and he will be expelled from the surface that he entered, taking one (non-Aggravated) wound. He can carry as much as his Strength permits (even another person) for the duration, but must retain full concentration or the ritual will fail as above, precluding the carrying of struggling captives. Carried subjects will not be harmed by the expulsion of a failed passage, only the actual caster of the ritual himself, although all will be expelled.

Heart of Stone

This ritual turns the casters heart to solid stone, rendering him immune to staking and rendering anyone Socially Challenging him 1 Bid down due to his passionless state. On the flip side, the ritual requires the caster to burn a candle down over his chest while lying on a stone floor. This procedure causes one Aggravated Wound. The ritual lasts as long as the caster wishes, but also prevents him from spending Willpower for anything (even healing that one Aggravated Wound!) and renders him 1 Bid down on any Social Challenge. He can end these restrictions at any time (usually to spend Willpower in an emergency) and loses all hindrances and benefits immediately.

Ward vs Spirits

The caster can create a ward that causes any Spirit, Bane, Ghost, Wraith or Spectre to suffer 3 Aggravated Wounds if they attempt to cross the warded area. They feel discomfort upon just approaching such an area, which must be inscribed as an unbroken and immobile circle or loop and requires the use of seawater and the expenditure of a permanent Mental Trait to cast. Alternately, the ward can be placed upon a normal weapon causing it to inflict an Aggravated Wound (in addition to any other damage) to Spirits of any sort, even to the point of allowing a material weapon to strike an immaterial Spirit through the Gauntlet / Shroud / whatever. This spell can affect Spirits in material form, such as a Materialized Bane, but causes no harm to a spirit within a fleshy form, such as a Fomori, skinridden mortal or Vampire Possessed Ghoul. It will affect someone Psychically Projecting, whether through Psychic Numina, Necromancy, Auspex or other means. Garou in the Umbra are not considered Spirits, but Mummies 'between lives' are. Warded areas cannot overlap (although a single area could be Warded vs Ghouls, Kindred, Lupines and Spirits) and weapons cannot have multiple wards inscribed upon them (although a large enough weapon, such as a sword, could be inscribed so as to do Aggravated damage to Ghouls, Kindred, Lupines and Spirits). A particular Warded area can exist wholly inside of another like Warded area (although the cost in Permanent Mental Traits gets rather high after a while), but this does not in any way allow multiply-warded weapons to exist.

Rutor's Hands

This nasty ritual requires the caster to cut off one of his own hands and pluck out one of his own eyes (requiring a Static Mental Challenge against a difficulty of 10 Traits and inflicting 2 Aggravated Wounds! If the Challenge is lost, the caster can expend a Willpower Trait to go through with the ritual anyway, but this will slow his healing process considerably). The hand and eye merge and become an animate servant, the caster being able to see (and even hear!) through the eye at any time and to direct the hand precisely. The hand requires a Blood Trait per week to remain intact, but this need not be the casters blood, or even Kindred blood. Stories of hands whose masters have died and which roam the night murdering stray cats for their blood are doubtless sheer fantasy...

Shadowland Passage (Nagaraja)

This ritual allows the caster to step into the Shadowlands at any point that he has previously visited and regardless of travel in the Shadowlands he can return at any time to his original starting point in the Skinlands, ending the ritual. Alternately, he can choose to simply step into the Shadowlands adjacent to his Skinland location and return the same way (possibly miles from the site where the ritual was cast). In either case, he appears with all worn or carried (even another person if he is strong enough). The caster must stab himself with a silver dagger (taking one wound level of damage) and paint X's over each eye with human ashes to activate the ritual.

A Touch of Nightshade (Antitribu)

This ritual magically envenoms the casters flesh so that the first person touching him thereafter (which could be days or even weeks later) is afflicted by a deadly poison. The caster may determine the strength of the poison at the casting by expending Blood Traits. Each Blood Trait expended during the casting forces the toucher (or touched) to make a Simple Test to avoid taking a non-Aggravated Wound, making this spell potentially lethal, as many casters will use 4 (or more) Blood Traits in the casting! Only blood actually within them during the casting can be so used, making this spell far more dangerous in the hands of Elders. Kindred are not so wounded, but must also make Simple Tests to avoid having a Blood Trait corrupted by the poison. For each Simple Test failed by the vampire, he loses one Blood Trait.

Fire-walker (Antitribu)

This ritual allows the caster a re-test whenever damaged by fire to avoid any damage from the flames. The effect only lasts for one scene once invoked and the ritual must be re-cast to protect against exposures later in the evening. Unless used, the ritual lasts for the entire night.

Banshee Wail (Antitribu)

This ritual allows the caster to perform at any time in the night of its casting a ululating death scream that causes mortals who hear it to age 10 years in the space of a moments time. This reduces them by 1 Physical Trait and 1 Social Trait permanently! It also costs the caster 1 Physical and 1 Social Trait at the time of the scream, but these return normally. The 'aging' caused by the ritual is more precisely a form of withering as children exposed to it do not suddenly become adults, they simply show signs of advancing aging.

Death Wrath (Anarch)

This ritual inflicts a curse of frenzy upon the target, requiring him to make a re-test whenever he succeeds in resisting a frenzy (although if he succeeds the re-test, he is not required to continue the process!). Such Kindred tend to burn out quickly... If the caster has a Blood Trait from the subject or the subject is present during the ritual, it takes full effect allowing him only to resist with a Static Mental Challenge vs the casters Mental Traits if he spends a permanent Willpower Trait! If the caster has only a picture, personal belonging, hair or nail clipping of the victims, or the Blood (or presence) of a Childer (or Sire) available the curse is not as well targeted and the victim is allowed to spend a temporary Willpower Trait to gain a Simple Test to resist. In either case, multiple Willpower Traits cannot be expended for multiple attempts to avoid the curse.

Eyes of the Past

This rituals reveals what has happened in the past in the casters current location. The ritual allows the caster to perceive what has occurred as if standing in his current location and the ritual can give him perceptions of events up to 5 years old. He can choose to search for a particular event, just watch the days go by or view all 5 years in an instant as he desires, the ritual accommodating and allowing him to process the input as if he had stood in that place for up to the last 5 years and watched and listened to all that transpired. Kindred should be wary of triggering Beast Traits with this power as the feeling of sunlight on ones flesh can be quite disconcerting even if just a memory.

Unseen Change

This ritual wards an area, causing any Lupines entering the protected area to make a Mental Challenge versus the wards creator or immediately revert to Lupus (full wolf) form. Once he is transformed, the Lupine must expend a Willpower Trait and make a Simple Test if he wishes to change to any other form. If this test is failed, the Lupine must expend another Willpower Trait to get another Simple Test and so on. He can also simply leave the affected area and then change freely, but he will have to resist the ward again if he reenters the protected area. The ritual requires the caster to pour wolf's blood from a silver jug around the area to be so warded and the caster must expend Mental Traits for the ward to be able to function. It loses a Mental Trait whenever it functions and the spell ends when the ward runs out of Traits. The caster cannot spend more Mental Traits than his current maximum to fuel the ward, but he can add new Mental Traits to the warded area (up to its original maximum) with future castings, essentially 're-fueling' the spell. Note that areas warded by this spell cannot overlap, but the caster can dispell the enchantment to erect a stronger (or better delineated one) at his will.

Innocence of the Childs Heart

This ritual requires the caster to carry for the evening a toy once possessed by a mortal child, but for the night the caster will appear to have a pure white aura, unmarked by traces of vampirism (or Diablerie).

Protean Curse

This ritual requires the caster to create an elixer of rabid vampire bats blood, which is then drunk by the subject, transforming him into a bat, as per the Protean Discipline. Note that the subject cannot change back without a second casting of this ritual, meaning that the caster should prepare a second such draught in an easy to reach open container if he wants to use this ritual on himself!

Impenetrable Gloom

This ritual must be cast in advance and requires the caster to distill a flask of squids ink, a Kindred Blood Trait and other mysterious ingredients, which are enchanted to that upon contact with air, the fluid expands into a Shroud of Night (like the Basic Obtenebration power) that lasts for the rest of the scene and can only be penetrated by Advanced Disciplines of Auspex, Obtenebration or Protean. Thus, the caster often keeps the darkness in a glass flask to hurl upon the floor and make a dramatic escape (or rescue, or attack...).

Taste of the Bitter Touch

This ritual allows the caster to affect any person that touches (or is touched by) him for the rest of the night to suffer the effects of Dread Gaze unless they succeed in a Social Challenge versus the caster. It can theoretically affecting dozens of Kindred (Kine, whatever) in a busy night. The caster must make the Social challenge normally as if he possessed the Dread gaze power, the effect is not automatic.

Defender of the Haven (Tremere)

This ritual is only usable upon Gargoyles and Gargoyle animals and attunes the subject to a structure (up to the size of a small castle) so that he counts as having Advanced Auspex for the purposes of detecting intruders only. This requires the caster to sprinkle a Blood Trait from the Gargoyle to be so enchanted around the cardinal points of the area to be attuned. The ritual also requires the caster to expend a Willpower Trait and lasts one month.

Infusion of the Earth (Tremere)

This ritual allows a Gargoyle or Gargoyle animal to Earth Meld into any solid stone surface able to hold him in all three dimensions, leaving only a shadowy image of himself visible on the surface of the stone (requiring a Static Mental Challenge against 5 Traits to spot casually, and only a Simple Test to uncover in a specific search).

True Sight

This ritual can be cast upon another and allows clear sight in conditions of fog or darkness, as well as allowing a Simple Test to spot anyone using Cloak of Shadows, Skin of the Chameleon or Unseen Presence. It will not help to spot anyone who has attained an Intermediate level in any of the three Disciplines mentioned, or indeed even Mask of 1000 Faces! It will also allow a roll to spot those hidden by similar Basic Rituals, Gifts or Magicks.

Return of Light

This ritual must be cast in the presence of the recipient (which can be oneself!) and causes one known Derangement of the target to be suppressed for the remainder of the night. It only lasts a single scene if used on a Malkavian and requires a Mental Challenge between the caster and subject be won. If a Malkavian were somehow to cast this Ritual upon himself, he would still have to make a Static Mental Challenge versus himself and must Bid both sides Mental Traits, meaning that he loses one either way!

Heart of Evil

This ritual allows the caster to learn the forces behind a single person, who must be present throughout the casting. It will reveal Domination, Enthrallment, Blood Bonds and even blackmail and threats. The target will not necessarily know what has been learned from him or even what all the mumbo-jumbo is about without at least two levels of Occult!

Soul of the Tree

This ritual consecrates a wooden stake to the powers of life, allowing it special powers versus the undead. It gets a retest on any failed test to stake a Vampire and ignores the benefits of a Kindred with the Merit Misplaced Heart as the stake magically seeks out the heart no matter where it is.

Bladed Hands

This spell makes the casters hands magically sharp so that they get a Simple test to cut any material that could be cut with a sharp knife with but a touch. Similarly the character must be extremely careful or he will end up cutting himself many times throughout the evening if he is not extremely careful. If he touches an unsuspecting person by surprise he gets to roll a Simple Test to damage that person (an interesting opening line, "Oh, I'm sorry, but are those your fingers on the floor?" Even after a target suspects, the character gets to retest any failed Physical Challenge to slice another with the Bladed Hands. ST's should watch a character closely and assign damage with malice whenever he forgets and slicks his hair back without displaying appropriate caution...

Haunted House

This spell creates rumors amongst the Kine that the affected building is haunted. Any mortal must make a Simple test to approach the house and another to enter; if they fail either they will leave and not return again that evening (and for non-Hunter sorts, probably never).

Ward Magic

This spell creates an amulet that lasts an entire month and protects the wearer versus all hostile magics as if the wearer had a form of Magic Resistance, making all magic used against him 2 Bids down, although it does not affect the wearers own magics, if he has any. This is cumulative with actual Magic Resistance! The amulet requires both a Willpower Trait and a Blood Trait to create.

Curse of the Outcast

This advanced form of Devil's Touch lasts an entire month and renders the subject of the curse 2 Bids down on all Social Challenges for the month. A portrait, Blood Trait, lock of hair, personal possession or similar focus must be present and the subject is only allowed a single Mental Challenge vs the caster to resist the curse if he spends a (temporary) Willpower Trait first!

Enhance Mirror

This ritual enchants a silvered mirror so that the creator can stare into it to alter his appearance as Mask of 1000 Faces with the expenditure of a Blood Trait. It only lasts for the night, but multiple feedings allow multiple changes if desired. The masks can be dropped at will, but not reinitiated until the caster steps before the mirror again and 'waters' it with his vitae.

Consecrate Blade

This ritual creates a vampiric blade that drains a Blood Trait with every wound it inflicts. This is not an additional wound for mortals, it is assumed that the blood lost to the attack is simply sucked up by the thirsty blade, but it is a problem for Kindred. The blade cannot use this blood in any way and can be commanded to either release it, consume it (it needs 1 Blood Trait a month and will eat as much as the caster allows it with no harmful effects) or give it to its creator (who must be touching the blade at the time of the transfer) Blood so transferred from blade to user can still Blood Bond the unwary, so it is advised to allow the blade to keep such blood for its own use. The blade can only hold 3 Blood Traits at once time, but can release or give one to the holder at any time as an action.

Consecrate Jewel

This ritual creates a jewel of hardened vitae over the course of 7 nights (costing 1 Blood Trait per night) that allows the caster to retest any Social Challenge when it is worn at the cost of an additional Blood Trait / retest (it can only retest a particular challenge once).

Apport Object

This ritual enchants an item to come to the casters hand the next time he wills it. It can be cast on any number of handy things that one does not wish to carry around at all times (like shotguns, stakes, spare keys and license, a molotov cocktail, etc), although the magic does not put them back when one is done with the object and the ritual must be recast if that item is to be summoned again later. Range is not a factor, although the ritual will not summon things into other planes, such as the Shadowlands or the Umbra.

Turn to Toad

This traditional spell transforms the caster or someone else (who must be present at the time of casting) into a toad. In the case of oneself the spell lasts as long as the caster wishes and ends at will by the expenditure of a Blood Trait, but for another the spell lasts at least a full night, with the subject being allowed to spend a Blood Trait to get a Simple Test (which he must win, not just tie!) to change back, if he fails he must wait till the next night to try again, and so on...

Invigorate Vitae

This spell supercharges the vitae it is cast upon, allowing that vitae to instill a Blood Bond on animals and humans who have not been Ghouled, although it still requires with the traditional three sips over three nights (and three castings of the ritual as the supercharged blood only retains potency for an hour). It also can be cast upon human blood so that three sips of the altered vitae can also Blood Bond a Ghoul or Vampire, which is of great interest to the Tzimisce who enjoy Blood Bonding mortals to each other and then Dominating them into torturing each other.

Sway Beast

This ritual allows the caster at any point in the night to make a command that will either drive another into frenzy (even a Garou) or control a person already in frenzy. Either requires a Mental Challenge and the control lasts for the duration of the frenzy, with each command after the first requiring another Mental Challenge. This ritual cannot be prepared two or more times so as to allow both effects in a single scene (unless two casters are available and 'one-two' the affected character).

Eyes of the Beast

This spell lasts up to 24 hours and is closely related to the Watcher and Night Eyes spells in that it allows a caster to see what an animal does for the duration simply by closing his eyes. This ritual can be cast just before sleep and allow the caster to see what transpires as he rests! The spell gives no control over where the animal goes or what it looks at.

Lion Heart

This ritual requires the caster to drink a Blood Trait of Lions blood (presumably swiped from a zoo under unusual circumstances) to activate it, but then grants him 4 extra Physical Traits (Brawny, Ferocious, Graceful and Resilient), one extra Willpower Trait and Ability in Brawl and Leadership (which count as extra ones if he already has them). These advantages last only 1 hour and then the caster must rest for another hour or take a non-Aggravated Wound which will not heal until an hours rest is had; if another hour goes by without rest, he takes another Wound and now requires 2 hours to heal (1 for each Wound), etc. This ritual can reduce one to torpor quite handily if the proper rest isn't gained and the Kindred remains at risk of further Wounds if he stops resting before all Wounds caused by the ritual are healed!

Paper Flesh

This ritual is prepared in advance and requires the caster to unleash it later in the night with a simple touch. The victim must then expend a temporary Willpower Trait to be allowed one chance to make a Simple Test (which he must win, not just tie) to evade the curse or he will then be reduced to 1/2 of his normal Physical Traits (round down) for the remainder of the night and additional Willpower expenditures will not bring back these lost Traits!

Mindcrawler

This insidious curse is prepared in advance and unleashed upon the target later in the evening with a simple touch. The victim is allowed one chance to make a Simple Test (which he must win, not just tie) to evade the curse or he will then lose 1 Mental Trait immediately and an additional one every night thereafter until he has only one left! At this point his Traits will begin to return at 1 per week, giving the caster ample time to Mentally Challenge in his weeks of Mental weakness!

Advanced (all take 90 minutes to perform)

Raise the Dead

The caster must pour black wax over the throat and heart of a fresh corpse surrounded by a circle of salt in the light of a single candle. This binds a spirit (which must be summoned separately!) to the Corpse, making it into a zombie-like servant for as long as the body remains functional (it decays at the normal rate). This animation only serves the caster under the promise of being freed from this wretched state and is 2 Bids down on any action! This is the only way in which a zombie-like servitor with Abilities (however pathetically it uses them) can be made. Normal Zombies (AKA Corpse Minions) and Demon-bound are made by other Advanced rituals. Such creatures are most often made only to interrogate and carry stuff around; they are all but useless for social interactions or combat uses.

Bone of the Kindred

This spell allows the caster to enchant a weapon of bone or ivory by soaking it in the life's blood of a fellow Kindred (check for Beast Traits!) which cannot be used for any other ritual or practice (including Diablerie). Once finished the weapon inflicts Aggravated Wounds and seems to soak up any blood spilled upon it, whether from Kindred or Kine.

Weapon of the Kindred Soul

This spell enchants any weapon usable by the subject Kindred with a significant portion of his soul. This requires that the caster pour the subject Kindred's lifeblood over the weapon destroying that Kindred in the process (check for Beast Traits!). His lifeblood can not be used for any other purpose as the weapon 'drinks' it in, drawing in much of his soul and allowing the holder of the enchanted weapon to telepathically call upon the Disciplines and Abilities of the extinguished Kindred! The weapon also possesses the subjects memories and can be telepathically interrogated, but its personality is formed by the caster during the enchantment. Most Tremere make their weapons fanatically loyal to themselves and give them new Natures like Martyr and Conformist, although some may choose to make weapons for their friends as well (more Beast Traits!).

Escape to a True Friend

This ritual allows the caster to burn a rune-inscribe circle into an immobile place (usually a secure one!) that is so enchanted as to magically transport him to any named friend (he will appear somewhere near the friend, out of sight) if he steps into the circle and speaks the name of the chosen friend. Usually, Allies, Retainers or even member of a Herd or influential Contacts are so named. Once the circle is used, the ritual must be recast.

Blood Contract

This ritual makes an unbreakable bond between two parties in a contract. The contract must be written in the caster's blood and must be signed by both participants in their own blood. The only way either of them can break the contract is to burn the written copy, although the compulsion ends whenever they both complete all terms of the contract.

One Mind of the Covens (Tremere)

This ritual is only known to Regents and allows them to stare into a silver mirror and speak to any other Regent across the world. It can be maintained all night and can switch from Regent to Regent throughout the casting. It can even contact several (or all) of them simultaneously, with each Regent getting a signal, much like that sent by the Rite of Introduction, alerting him to the fact that another Regent seeks his attention. (Many regents carry pocket mirrors in compacts or cigarette cases for just such an event) With the invention of the conference call, this ritual has fallen into disuse, but it was shockingly useful in centuries past. Its main limitation is that Regents across the world tend to be asleep whenever someone wishes to talk with them, meaning that news takes up to 12 hrs to travel to all Regents worldwide. Others in the room will see and hear nothing in the affected mirror, it is only a focus for a form of telepathic communication and, while the Regent will be noted to be talking into his mirror, no replies or images will be noted by viewers who do not also know this Ritual.

Soul of the Homunculous

This ritual creates a cat-sized humanoid servant, in appearance much like a miniature Gargoyle, to serve the caster as a spy and tiny helper. The creature has a facial appearance that resembles the caster (allowing anyone seeing the creature who also knows the caster to make a Static Mental Challenge (Difficulty of 5 Traits) to recognize the casters features). Homonculi have no true intelligence and function as extensions of the casters will. Variants are known that are wingless leapers and even some that are slug-like burrowers. Regardless of the creatures form, all require the caster to sacrifice a part of his body permanently to create the link between thaumaturgist and homonculi. (Fingers, toes and teeth seem the most common choices) The caster suffers no additional loss if the creature is destroyed. Homonculi are Quick, Resilient and Wiry, have the Mental Traits of their creator and no Social Traits. They have only two Health levels; Unhurt and Incapacitated. While they have no Abilities, the caster may be able to use some of his Abilities through them, barring things that a 9" creature could not accomplish such as Drive. (The slugs can do even less...) Finally, the caster is incapable of using his Disciplines through the Homonculous, although it is rumored that some Elders have developed Advanced Dominate levels that can be used through their creations eyes. While the ritual only takes 90 minutes, crafting the tiny creature takes a full month of work, during which the caster can perform no other rituals and must neglect his Influences.

Umbral Walk

Allows the caster at the conclusion of the ritual (which requires the sacrifice of a sentient creature) to step into the corresponding Umbral locale. Non-magical equipment stays behind, usually meaning that the caster steps through naked. The caster can step back through at any time, but the ritual ends immediately upon his return to the material world, and he returns to his corresponding locale in the material world (which could be miles from where he left his clothes). Otherwise the ritual lasts for the remainder of the night. Additional persons may come along, but each requires a separate sacrifice.

Drawing on the Bound (Antitribu)

This ritual allows the caster to borrow any one Discipline level for the night from anyone that he has Blood Bound to himself, regardless of where they are and whether or not they approve. For each Discipline level beyond the first to be borrowed, the caster must spend another 30 minutes in casting the ritual, and the Disciplines used must follow the normal chain of pre-requisites (exception: a Ghoul with Might can be borrowed from without first having or acquiring Prowess). Thus a Tremere with no Fortitude who wishes to gain Mettle from a Gangrel slave must spend 2 hours gaining first Endurance and then Mettle, both of which will be lost to the Gangrel for the night. If the Gangrel had Resilience, the Tremere could spend an additional 30 minutes gaining that as well or stop there leaving the Gangrel with only Endurance (his own Fortitude having dropped as many levels as were borrowed). If the caster already had Endurance, he would only have to spend 90 minutes gaining Mettle, as he already has the prerequisite, and the Gangrel would only lose access to Resilience for the night. The caster must have a drop of the lenders blood in a glass vial to use this ritual.

Mirror Walk (Antitribu)

The Thaumaturgist can step into any mirror large enough for him to crawl through, and use it to transport to the nearest mirror large enough for him to exit. The mirror seems to ripple as the caster steps through it and stops rippling immediately once he is completely through. The caster cannot be seen in the mirror once he has stepped into it, and in fact is not actually 'in' the mirror for any duration as he immediately steps forth from the nearest applicable mirror. The caster can carry through anything that can fit in the mirror and that he can lift (even another person). It is useful for the caster to know before he uses this ritual where he is going as the ritual allows no control over the destination. While this ritual does take over an hour to cast, the ritual need not be used immediately and will 'wait' for the caster to step through for any amount of time, allowing the thaumaturgist to fill his house with mirrors and have one of them enspelled for a rapid escape (although the ritual will still take him to the closest other applicable mirror, which could be in the next room!). Obviously, it is prudent to destroy other mirrors of the appropriate size when planning an escape unless one wants to waste time teleporting across the room... The ritual requires the caster to wear an emerald-set ring, which will glow faintly while the spell is waiting to be cast. Only one of this ritual can be cast and waiting at any given time by a single caster.

Dominion (Antitribu)

This ritual lasts a week and costs a Willpower Trait to cast, but protects all within the confines of a single location (up to 500 cubic feet) from the effects of Auspex, Dominate, Presence or Animalism from anyone but the rituals caster! For the ritual to be effective, a seal of iron must be imbedded over all doors in the effected area. If a single seal is marred or pulled out, the ritual is broken.

The Gift (Antitribu)

This rarely used ritual allows the caster to give some (or all!) of his Disciplines to another permanently. For every 90 minutes of casting the caster can give one Discipline level to another, losing access to the highest levels first. Thus a Tremere with Endurance could give this level to someone else permanently. If the recipient already has Endurance he gains Mettle, and if he already had up to Resilience, he then gains Aegis! Note that the levels trade one at a time, precluding the use of this ritual to give another any significant amount of Thaumaturgy, as the loss of the Advanced level would cause the caster to immediately lose the use of this ritual!

Shadow of the Wolf (Antitribu)

This dreaded ritual allows the caster to become a Lupine for the remainder of the night (although he can end it at any time beforehand). The ST should write up an appropriate character using the Apocalypse rules. Thus a Tremere caster would become a Homid Uktena Theurge in most cases. The caster loses access to all Disciplines while in this state, but does gain access to the Basic Gifts and forms of a Garou.

Mass Grave (Nagaraja)

This powerful ritual can either transport an entire group into the corresponding Shadowlands or to any place in the Shadowlands that the caster is familiar with. They are transported with all carried gear and equipment and the caster can return them to either the place in the Skinlands where the ritual was cast or to the corresponding Skinland at any time, ending the ritual. If he does not accompany them, they may only step forth into the corresponding Skinlands. The caster must bury all of the persons to be affected in a grave large enough to cover them all and then make a human sacrifice and water the grave with blood.

Light of Vengeance (Assamite)

This spell allows a caster to water a light-source (torch, fireplace, light bulb or flashlight) with his vitae, turning the light source into artificial sunlight for one action. This costs the caster one Blood Trait and the light source need not be ignited immediately, remaining usable for up to one month. The fuel (torch, oil, batteries, filament, etc) is depleted by the stresses of the ritual and must be replaced before being used for its normal functions, let alone for another ritual.

Evade Curse (Assamite)

This ritual allows an Assamite to drink Kindred vitae for one scene, although he must use all of the blood to heal, boost attributes, fuel Disciplines, whatever by the end of the scene or take one Aggravated Wound / Blood Trait remaining.

Healing Blood (Assamite)

With this ritual, the caster can heal Aggravated Wounds just like normal wounds, with the expenditure of a single Blood Trait / Wound at a rate of one per action.

A Curse Upon Thy House (Anarch)

The caster may choose to inflict the Curse of any Clan or Bloodline (or a similarly restrictive one of his own devising) upon a person of his choosing. For each permanent Willpower expended by the caster he can make the curse affect a Generation of the targets progeny! Thus expending 2 permanent Willpower will make the curse chosen afflict the target, his Childer and his grand-Childer! It affects those progeny already in existence, allowing them the option of resisting the curse by expending a permanent Willpower for a Simple Test as above, but progeny created after the curse is laid get no resistance! If the caster has a Blood Trait from the caster or he must be present during the ritual for it to take full effect allowing him only to resist with a Static Mental Challenge vs the casters Mental Traits if he spends a permanent Willpower Trait! If the caster has only a picture, personal belonging, hair or nail clipping of the victims, or the Blood (or presence) of a Childer (or Sire) available the curse is not as well targeted and the victim is allowed to spend a temporary Willpower Trait to gain a Simple Test to resist.

Sands of Time

The caster must enchant a white marble bowl full of white sand and glass shards to enact this ritual. Once it is complete, the caster can hurl this sand onto another, causing her to lose her next action (allowing anyone present a free surprise attack). The enchanting process requires the caster to expend a number of Willpower Traits and for each one expended in the casting, he enchants one 'dose' of sand. Note that he may choose to throw another handful of sand during his free attack, allowing any allies yet another free set of attacks.

Transform Skin to Stone (Tremere)

This ritual can only be cast upon a Gargoyle or Gargoyle animal, costing the caster 3 Blood Traits of Gangrel Vitae (from different Gangre1!) and 1 Willpower Trait. The subject Gargoyle gains resistance to fire (counts as Resilience vs Fire only, with re-tests allowed to a Gargoyle who also has actual Resilience) and is 1 Bid up on all defensive challenges. The caster must make a Simple Test when using this ritual; on a failure the ritual fails and the ingredients are expended, on a tie the ritual succeeds and lasts one full season and on a success the ritual succeeds and is permanent!

Stone Heart (Tremere)

This ritual costs 1 Blood Trait per night for 7 successive nights and can only be cast upon a Gargoyle or Gargoyle animal, allowing the subject a re-test to avoid damage by any piercing attacks (from bullets to stakes) and an attacker must have Potence to have any chance of staking the subject. This ritual normally lasts a season, but at the cost of a permanent Willpower Trait at the end of the ritual can be made permanent, and even a normal casting costs a temporary Willpower Trait.

Spider Web

This ritual spins steel strong webs around an entire room (or even the interior of a small building) over the course of the casting. These webs allow the caster to pass unharmed but cause all others to make a Physical Challenge vs the casters Mental Traits or be held for the turn, each retest after the first (save those gained by Potence or similar means) is an additional Bid down, meaning that most will be helplessly ensnared in a few minutes. Even those breaking free must flee immediately or risk being recaptured, making the rescue of comrades problematic at best.

Inner Furnace

This ritual prepares a fiery trap that is only useful against mortals (including Garou and Ghouls). At any time in the following night the caster can will his touch to activate a fiery curse that costs the ritualist 1 Willpower and the mortal 1 Health level as he bursts into flames much like Engulf. However the person must then make 2 Simple Tests in the subsequent turns to put out the flames or burn to death, meaning that even the luckiest of mortals will take 2 Health levels of fiery damage! Each turn he gets 1 Simple Test to extinguish the flames and then 1 Health level of damage if he hasn't just made his second success. Mercifully, the successes need not be consecutive, although the distinction is hardly relevant for the poor mortal...

Soul Leech

This spell can only be cast in the presence of the subject (who must generally be helpless as it does not take much Occult knowledge to figure out what the sacrificial knife is for), whose soul then flies out (the caster must make a Simple Test to catch it, although the subject dies anyway!). If the caster catches the fleeing soul he may eat it, gaining back any used Willpower Traits or Physical / Mental / Social ones, up to as many as the soul possessed, as well as any Blood Traits the body held! The body then crumbles into dust and an immediate check for Beast Traits or Path Traits is required.

Transfer Essence

This ritual allows a ritualist to transfer his soul (Willpower, Beast Traits, Mental Traits, Abilities, Disciplines and Manipulation and Charisma-based Social Traits) into another body, gaining its Physical and Appearance-related Social Traits. A Simple Test is required and the ritual succeeds if the caster wins or ties. If he loses he crumbles to dust and his soul is freed to go on to its final reward (in other words he dies). The body to be transferred into must be that of a freshly killed human and the corpse immediately transforms into a Kindred of the same Clan / Bloodline and Generation as your original body (which then crumbles into dust). A check for new Beast Traits / Path Traits is immediately required.

Geas

This potent curse requires the caster to prepare it in advance and then simply tell the intended recipient later in the evening (at which point he must spend a Willpower Trait to be allowed a Simple Test to escape the Geas, but he must Win the Test, not simply tie it). Once the Geas is laid, the subject must follow the command (a single task that is possible for the individual to accomplish) given or be unable to sleep or heal for so long as he shirks the responsibility.

Ritual of Darkness

This ritual covers an entire haven with impenetrable darkness that the caster can see through normally. It lasts until touched by sunlight and could last forever deep below the earth. Others can be similarly made immune to the darkness at the cost of a Mental Trait for the night or a Willpower Trait if the effect is to be permanent as it is upon the caster.

Harmonize Building

Any new building built under the casters specifications (only at night obviously and well over 90 minutes unless one Blood Bonds a convention of Jehovah's Witnesses) will gain one specific benefit chosen by the caster. The benefit will relate to the building's function (a bank will enhance Finance, a Chantry Occult, a Hospital Medicine, etc) and will allow those using the affected ability within the building to have an additional use of that Ability each night and be allowed one retest on a failed use of that Ability each night! Sadly this only affects Abilities, not Disciplines, Traits or other statistics.