Telens Telens
By Jeremy Burkett (castagir@iastate.edu) (7 November 1995)
A discipline of the Draculean bloodline.
Description
This discipline represents the special movement abilities that are often thought to accompany the change into a vampire.
* Soft Step
This power (along with Quietus) is what is responsible for the legends of a vampire's silent movement. Whenever active, the vampire only barely touches the ground and thus leaves no footprints and makes no noise by his footsteps. This power does not help in sneaking through shadows (learn Obfuscate), but it will give the user a -1 to -2 (ST's discretion) to difficulties on a stealth roll if sound is a factor. This is in addition to any bonuses that may be accrued from level 1 Obfuscate.Perhaps even more beneficial is the ability of the vampire to walk on surfaces that he "shouldn't" be able to such as water or a weak floorboard. The character must roll (Courage+Wits or Courage+Perception) versus a target number of the ST's discretion based on the suface that is to be walked over. The character may move a number of yards over that surface equal to the number of successes. A failure indicates the character falls through. Each turn the roll may be done again.
** Great Leap
This power allows the vampire to leap great distances. The character may spend one blood to double the number of successes received on any jump attempt.
*** Scale the Mountain
At this point, the character has learned how to cling to shear surfaces. For one blood, the character may move along nearly any solid surface. It takes quite a bit of concentration, however, and if somehow interrupted, the vampire must make a Self-Control check versus a target number of 7 (maybe higher if the surface is wet or slick). This power does allow the vampire to move on ceilings and such.Note that usually, the vampire will crawl along the surface he is moving along, because gravity can still affect his balance.
**** Angel's Decent
At this level of Telens, the vampire no longer falls as fast as gravity asks. The player should roll (Dexterity+Self-Control) versus a target number of 7. The result is the number of dice which are removed from the falling damage roll--with the character's downward momentum proportionally reduced. No expenditure of blood is required.
***** Flight
With Telens 5, the character can truly fly. With the expenditure one blood, the character gains the ability to ignore the bonds of gravity. The character can move at normal speed (walking or running) in all three dimensions. When coupled with Celerity, this can be quite spectacular. The secondary Talent of Flight should govern any difficult manuvers the character wishes to make while in the air.
****** Grand Motion
The character may freely double the speed of all her movement. This applies primarily to walking, flying, climbing, etc. although other actions may appear somewhat faster. It should be of particular note that it is only the speed of movement which is affected, not rate of movement. The character must still buy Celerity to get extra actions.
******* Portal Passage
Now the character, with the expenditure of one point of blood, may pass through any portal she finds, even if closed. The character must be able to approach the portal (door, window, etc.), so flight may be required as well. The character simply becomes insubstantial to the portal for one turn.The definition of a portal can be very vague and the Storyteller should use his best judgement. A locked door, even if air-tight, would count as a portal; but a window, even if it had a pane broken out, would not if it had been build into the wall with no opening mechanism.
******** Flicker
At this level, the character may simply will himself to a new location. The character must be able to sense the exact location in some way and there must be a reasonably clear path to that point. This is not true teleportation, but rather motion accelerated beyond the ability of the eye to comprehend. The character will be aware of this as will any exceptionally perceptive characters or those with Auspex 1, although they will not be able to react until the movement has occurred.
********* Whispering Walk
The character gains the ability to walk through objects, including walls. At the cost of two blood, the character becomes insubstantial to one object (a wall) or close group of objects (a table and the place settings on it) for one turn. She may then move accordingly.
********** True Being
With expenditure of two blood, the character has the ability to simply "be" at any place in the world of which he has knowledge. This effect is instantaneous, but the Storyteller may require a roll for places which are unfamiliar to the character or have changed since his last visit.