By Timothy Toner (thanatos@interaccess.com), for the Machomenoi bloodline.
All those affected get -1 to all combat difficulties, as long as the standard is in sight. If it falls for any reason, the bonus is lost. If it is captured, the Machomenon's side receives a +1 to all difficulties, until it is regained. If it can be recaptured, it is worth - 2 to the Machomenon's side. If the flag is captured, and presented at the end of combat to the loser, the loser owes the victor 5 blood points.
Note that this power is compatible with Mind of the Myrmidon, allowing leaders to enjoy -2 to all combat difficulties when both are employed.
Part of the radical split has to do with what happens when one masters "the basics." (Level 5). Until a Makhomenos masters Ptolemos 5, he is considered an apprentice, completely subservient to his liege. There is no question of inherent loyalty. The moment the apprentice steps out of line, he is destroyed, in accordance with the Ancient traditions. Thus, a kind of ettiquette was instilled in all Machomenoi that does not seem to exist in this day and age. Vampires of this era meeting a Machomenos would more than likely mock them as being too naive for their own good.
When a Machomenos reached Ptolemos 5, he is then inducted into the Order of his Sire. From this point, the three streams of Machomenoi diverge. Each path has a different way of expressing the essential art of war, and how it applied to them.
The Arm were those intensely interested in the Melee, combat won on a mano e mano level. All notions of mass tactics were shunned in favor of a handful of good hard steel. However, to slay would be too quick, too pointless. A warrior squelched in his prime, because of a careless mistake, would never make a worthwhile opponent. But one clubbed into unconsciousness would learn from his error, and live to fight better another day. While all paths fought in combat, the Arm would prefer this style above all.
The Leg were those fascinated with the politics of warfare; the subconscious interactions of troops, as they moved. This would eventually become psychological and guerilla warfare, as the dark tone of the Assamites set in. As it was, they labored to capture the single nuances they needed to gain a decisive edge, to let it all come down to fate.
The Chest were the Master Tacticians. The grease and smoke of warfare was all irrelevant. Wars and battles were about outflanking and supply lines. Manipulate one, and capute another, and surrender could be obtained without a single fatality. War was about strategy on the large scale, taking in terrain, weather, and treating troops as just so many pieces to be manipulated on a map.
Once a Mavhomenos was set on a path, it was almost impossible to deviate. The selection by a Sire boded well or ill on the initial state of the Neonate. If the Neonate proved to be much more of a Arm than his Leg Sire, he would be traded, sold, or given to a more appropriate master. Thus, many truly brilliant Machomenoi would have been passed through masters of all paths, before finally choosing the one he belonged in.
The Machomenos' senses are those of the wielder in all ways, so an excellent candidate is chosen beforehand.
Each hour spent away from the body drains it of a Health Level, eventually sending it into Torpor. To prevent this, the weapon must be returned to the hands of the Machomenos. The Machomenos can freely abjure himself from the weapon, at a cost of two HLs. All damage is healed in the normal manner.
Blood must be replenished at a rate of 1 BP/hour. This blood must be bottled in some way, and time must be taken to spread it over the body. Note that the Machomenos cannot voluntarily end the time. They must ride out the hour as a human, with all the resulting problems.
Oddly, the blood, other than being ghastly-looking, has no effect. Animals will not shy away from the character, as they would if they smelled such a foul stench, or if they sensed a vampire.
A map of the battlefield was usually provided. The chit was placed on a table, and a fairly accurate map was laid out before it, with pieces resembling troops. Messengers would be sent constantly to update the battle as it progressed. The Machomenos would use his chit to move the appropriate pieces around, usually with a fair degree of dexterity.
Instead of this option, a Machomenos can choose to infuse multiple chits with his blood (1 BP required), and know what's going on around that chit (same line of sight). Each hour requires the expenditure of one point of blood to maintain the effect. To do this this, the Machomenos must be awake (with all penalties) and out of the sun, and can receive no healing while in this weakened state. The battle can be directed in this fashion.
The Blood Run is a wicked give and take gamut that the Machomenos endures for the chance to walk in the sunlight. During this time, he can use blood to increase stats, but not to heal, and cannot take in more. He can use all disciplines as normal, but each, regardless of level, takes a point of blood per application. Finally, normal weapons can cause the True Death. As blood is used, the Machomenos becomes more and more pale, and the pain of being in the sun increases steadily (create "phantom" health bar linked to blood pool; at 5 BPs, the Machomenos is in enough pain to cause - 1 to all die rolls, etc. At 1 BP, he is incapacitated with the pain.
Duration is Str+Survival (Diff 7) in hours. The Machomenos can abjure the form at the cost of 5 BPs. The moment this happens, the vampiric weaknesses kick in again.
The item must be small enough to lift with MotM 1, but can be in practically any shape, which is really the point of this power. The object, usually a figurine, becomes completely animated in every way the figurine could be animated. Thus, a statuette of a bird could actually fly, a statuette of a cat would slink and pounce (though at a greatly reduced distance, considering its size), and a statuette of a man with a spear could poke with it, throw it, or do anything else, although the damage is never more than a Health Level (but can be poisoned).
The item can be destroyed by normal means, inherent to the material it was composed. Destruction of the item causes the Machomenos to take 3 HLs damage, one of which is aggravated. The Figurine is active for an amount of time equal to Int+Artistic Expression (diff 6) hours.
Another wielder then can be selected, and to accomplish this, the Machomenos, through the focus of the True Weapon, can lure a fighter to the weapon with a power similar to Dominate 1 (the fighter must notice the weapons, which often is not hard, considering its quality). Once flesh touches metal, the contest for control begins, with Will+3 of the Machomenos vs. Will of the target. Note that, as before, each struggle saps 1 WP from the Machomenos. The Machomenos can urge his wielder to drop the weapon at any time, and an effect similar to Dominate 3 kicks in, compelling the fighter to wander off.
However, there is a terrible danger to this. Every day that passes, the Machomenos' material form consumes 5 BPs to maintain the magic. If the True Weapon is not returned to the hands of the Machomenos by the time the vampire runs out of blood, the Machomenos' body will deteriorate into dust, and the vampire will be trapped in his True Weapon forever, unable to control his wielder, and granting only those disciplines that do not require blood. If the wielder is a vampire, the trapped Machomenos can use her pool to fuel the power, but only with the consent of the wielder.
The True Weapon will never rust, lose its edge, or fail from lack of care. They are weapons of fine quality, some of which still have Machomenos spirits, waiting to get a proper wielder.
The figurine now enjoys the protection of Fortitude, although its destruction is still traumatic (1 agg.) Also, all "mental" disciplines (those that work in Torpor) work in whatever object he is possessing. A limited form of Telepathy allows him to send simple picture images to targets. This can be useful to take over a weapon. For instance, a Machomenos sneaks into the enemy camp, as a panther figurine, to overhear the details of the plan. He realizes that he must stop the general, and to do so, needs to take over a guard's spear. He touches the guard's sandal, and commands it to start itching the guard, while mentally sending a message to the guard to scratch the sandal with the spear. When spear touches sandal, the transfer is made.
Note that using items as weapons follows the same rules as if you were to use MotM. First, one can only hope to control objects that can be lifted with MotM 2. Next, if the item is being held, or otherwise restrained, and the target knows that the weapon can be "possessed," there is a resisted test, pitting the Machomenos' WP vs. the target's Str+3. Thus, most of the time, the Machomenos prefer a secret attack.
The duration of the Discipline is the Machomenos' Sta+Artistic Expression (diff 6) in hours. The Machomenos may opt for longer, at a rate of 1 WP/hour.
Each of the Machomenoi subgroups have a set of abilities and attributes that they prize above all others. Those mortals being Enhanced drink the potent blood of Vampire warriors, and are forever changed with the power. The dark secrets and potentials of the vampire are realized with only a sip, and the outcome is usually always dramatic.
The Machomenos who is performing the Enhancement rolls Man+Empathy (diff 6). Each success means 1 extra point which can be added to any subset which the vampire controls. The change is permanent, and carries over into vampiric existence.
The sets are:
Arms: Strength, Charisma, Wits, Talents
Legs: Dexterity, Appearance, Perception, Skills
Chests: Stamina, Manipulation, Intelligence, Knowledges
Thus, a Chest, desiring to enhance a mortal, gives him a point of potent vitae, specially prepared (it takes a week to prepare a dose). The Machomenos rolls Man+Empathy, and gets 4 successes. The mortal may add permanent levels to Sta, Man, Int, and Kno (enhancing or adding the Knowledges the Chest knows). However (thankfully), once one subgroup performed their ritual, they cannot use it again on the mortal. He still can be passed off to the other groups.
Once Enhancement was a gift only for heroes, and warriors of distinction. Near the end, it was bandied around too freely for the likings of many, avaliable not to reward, but to make hum-drum existence more exciting. The legacy still lives on, however, in the form of unopened vials, still waiting to be drank.