Vetruvis: The Reawakening

By Skith (ardinn@specent.com)

Chapter one: The Basics

Author's Notes

A while ago, the series Gargoyles came out, and my friend and I watched it, and we were inspired, so we wrote a sub-game for White Wolf based on it, and we play tested it, and liked it, so I decided to post it on the internet so other people could use it, but when I was searching for a place with a large audience to post it, I came across about two or three other versions already out... I have a little qualm about being original, so I abandoned the project entirely, but my friend stuck with it, and kept writing, refusing to quit. Then when he recently came over, I showed him my personal favorite of the few out there, and he whined incessantly about it. So, in consolation, I said we could write rules for the creatures we had planned out to be the gargoyles' antagonists, The Vetruvis. Or, in the gargoyles ancient lost language: "the unnatural ones." My friend said okay, sure, lets do it, and then proceded to sit back while I did most of the work. Then he said "Why don't we put this on computer?", "It might be easier to send.", so I am, even though its forcing me to write all the parts I haven't written already because I didnt have enough help to get it done before that particular suggestion came to mind. In any event, here is my creation, the Vetruvis.

The Vetruvis are similar to the Gargoyles in many ways, but they also differ in many others. First, the Vetruvis are metallic in skin texture during the night, or in the day, if they decide to take their statue form. Second, they can operate during the day as well, but they in all senses become humans for the day if they choose to do this. Third, they heal all wounds when they become statues, recovering even lost limbs if they remain out of the sun's rays, so a Vetruvis missing an arm could simply tuck the stump under her wing and assume the statue form, only accessible during the day, and when night fell, her arm would be tucked under the wing, fully regenerated, tales have been told of Vetruvis doing this without assuming statue form. Fourth, their eyes determine their breed, or which season they were born in. Their eyes are like gems in many aspects, Emerald eyes being Spring, Ruby eyes being Summer, Amber eyes being Autmn, and Diamond eyes being Winter,;their Breed determining which Awakening they are particularly proficient at. Their Human form still has the gemstone eyes. Fifth, they are all spiritually, mentally, and physically connected to the first of their race, a 'magic (Kind of) worker who found a way to make herself withstand more the passage of time, unfortunately rendering her comatose years later, the effect transformed her skin slowly into that of metal, Silver in her case, and turned her eyes into Diamonds. Before her fall, she bore five eggs, each of which a different aspect of her abilities. If she were to die, all Vetruvis would die as well, their connection to her is so immense. Fortunately, because of their constitution, Vetruvis are immortal until killed. The five original progeny of Vetruv, which was her chosen name, are still alive, and guard her zealously, within a forgotten tomb deep within the earth.

The Families

Each of her children represented a different aspect of her persona, one of Flight, one of Speed, one of Strength, one of Regeneration, and one of Resolve. These children formed the Families, of which every Vetruvis is a member; a Vetruvis is born into a Family, and has no choice of which he allies himself to. Family loyalty is a demand, not a request. The Families have friendly relations with one another, and try to work together in excess. The Families are: Valkerye, Daulimae, Scra-onn, Phimlendra, and Grendal.

The Breeds

Vetruvis are deeply affected by the seasons; especially the ones they are born in. The Vetruvis finds deeper insights into himself when the season of her birth is in effect, and this is the time they are most powerful. Also the season of their birth determines their position in Vetruvis society, Spring, or Dawning, Vetruvis are lighthearted and funloving, Summer, or Ascending, Vetruvis are hearty and find a deep pleasure in battle, Autumn, or Descending, Vetruvis are spiritual and questing, and Winter, or Resting, Vetruvis are fascinated by death and chance. Their eye stones are the main social distinction among Vetruvis. Dawning have Emerald Eyes; Ascending have Ruby eyes; Descending have Amber eyes, and Resting have Diamond eyes. Dawning Vetruvis are usually the Aesthetic ones; Ascending Vetruvis are typically warriors; Descending Vetruvis are seers and shamans, and Resting Vetruvis are natural leaders, and receive high positions upon their birth.

The Forms

Vetruvis are in many ways more powerful than the Barinchae (The Vetruvis term for regular Gargoyles, meaning "The First Comers"). In one of these ways is their ability to shift forms, The Vetruvis typically have three forms, Statue, Human, and Fætis, or "The True Form". Statue form can only be taken during the day, and this allows the Vetruvis to Heal quicker than normally possible, and Vetruvis heal quick, all wounds are immediately healed if they are hidden from the sun during statue form, or they become aggravated if the sun touches the wounds in any way in statue form. A Vetruvis destroyed in statue form will simply reform when night approches. The statue form is composed of the metal of your Family, and is shed when night falls. An alternative to the statue form would be The Human form, which can also be taken only during the day. In this form, the Vetruvis shrinks into a real human, and all powers are lost, save the powers from the Eyes, which stay gemstones even in daytime. The can also transform her eyes if she uses her Zatruim to suppress her Vetruvis nature, at which time she forgets everything about her Fætis form until night time arrives. When nighttime does arrive, the human form is instantly lost, and the Fætis explodes from the Human confines in a bloody mess. This causes no pain whatsoever to the Vetruvis, and in fact gives the Vetruvis a pleasurable sensation caused by being freed from the prison of skin that they were confined in. The third form, The Fætis, is automatically assumed during the nighttime, unless someone makes sure otherwise. The Fætis is a large metallic form with gemstone eyes; each feature of the Fætis is determined by the Vetruvis' Family and Breed, but, in the end, each Fætis form is dramatically different from the next, taking after the Barinchae in this aspect.

The Kadistae

The Families each represented a different physical aspect of Vetruv, and each Family has an affinity among a different Kadista, or Physical Power, of Vetruv. The Kadistae are: Flight for Valkeryes, Power for Grendels, Withstand for Phimlendra, Speed for Daulimae, and Regeneration for Scra-onn. The Kadistae are typically fueled by the Vasayle of a Vetruvis.

The Barinchae

The Barinchae are respected by the Vetruvis as their progenitors, and an incredibly ancient race, the first one, in fact. This is why they named themselves the Barinchae, or The First Comers, but their ancient language was forgotten by the Barinchae as their need for names ceased, but Vetruv, the Unnatural, in this lost tongue, still had need for this language, so she taught it to her children. A Vetruvis will not harm a Barinchae out of malice, and only rarely out of necessity. In fact, the Barinchae are revered by the Vetruvis, and a Vetruvis will protect the Barinchae nearly as zealously as they will protect Vetruv.

The Barinchae, however, see the Vetruvis as abominations, unnaturals, and most will have nothing to do with this race. In fact, the Barinchae has waged war on the Vetruvis more than once. Some, however have sided with the Vetruvis, and some actions are being taken to assure the Vetruvis' assimilation into the Gargoyle society, and because of the gargoyles' recent reappearance, many have discovered that the Vetruvis gargoyles were forgotten in time, and many are seeking to pass themselves off as a branch of gargoyles that developed while the Barinchae were sleeping. Also, the Vetruvis were the result of an unknown 'mancy power, but only Vetruv knows how to use 'mancy, none of her children know of this ancient art. And only she knows how to use the effect to make new Vetruvis out of a Barinchae. She isn't talking. ('Mancing is actually high level Life and Matter magick; Vetruv has a very powerful avatar.)

The Awakenings

The Families were masters of the Kadistae, but the Breeds had an affinity with the power of the seasons, and thus opened a doorway into Awakenings, the basic elemental prowess of the seasons and other dimensions of the earth. There must be thousands of Awakenings, but only four are known to the North and South American Vetruvis. These Awakenings are: Imvaris, Krandiri, Makaat, and Saraanis. Each Awakening deals from one to many different aspects of the basic idea of the Awakening. To awaken to a new level, a Vetruvis must be enlightened as to the basic premise of the new level. She then must contemplate this premise and draw up her interpretation of the Awakening; she then develops her new level according to this premise.

Mating

Like Garou, the Vetruvis must mate with humans, because when they mate with other Vetruvis, the result is often a non-sentient Vetruvis. Because the Vetruvis value intelligence highly, the Non-sentients usually end up dead or in the dregs of thralldom. Vetruvis females birth eggs, which, upon hatching, become mature in about two years. Vetruvis males are a different matter. Vetruvis males are forbidden to mate with humans unless the human knows and understands the Vetruvis, or is a Thrall of the Vetruvis wishing to have children. The human female bears an egg as well, and slowly becomes bonded to the Vetruvis, and then Becomes able to assume the Fætis form on very special nights, and only with extensive concentration. This is because of the initial transformation it takes to even produce hard-shelled eggs. Eggs normally take ten-to-fourteen months to hatch, and incubate about a month in its mother's womb before its release. Effects of the pregnancy can be seen four to five days after the conception.

The Mission

The Vetruvis are naturally open about things, and feel that keeping their existence secret from mortals is wrong. Thusly, they subtly attempt to dissuade the Masquerade, The Veil, and other names given to the Getuluend, or The Hiding, and spread the Hirishami, or the Awakening. The Hirishami is to be spread as subtly and quickly as possible, because even the Vetruvis know that if everything came into the open at once, all supernaturals would be destroyed out of fear. Though subtly, the Hirishami is to be spread as soon as possible, because the Vetruvis fear the Earth is becoming more resistant to change daily, and the Vetruvis see their dream drift further away every second.

Chapter Two: Character Creation

Step One: Character Concept

Choose Concept, Breed, and Family. As well as Nature and Demeanor.

Step Two: Select Attributes

Prioritize the three categories: Physical, Social, Mental (7/5/3). Vetruvis begin the game with two automatic points in Physical, but none in Social.

Step Three: Select Abilities

Prioritize the three categories: Talents, Skills, Knowledges (13/9/5).

Step Four: Select Advantages

Choose Awakenings: 3
Choose Kadistae: 5
Choose Backgrounds: 5

Step Five: Finishing Touches

Record Zatrium (By Breed), Record Vasayle (By Family), Record Willpower (Breed rating+Family rating)

Spend Freebie Points (21)

Costs (Freebie)

Attributes	5 per dot
Abilities	2 per dot
Sec. Abilities	1 per dot
Backgrounds	1 per dot
Kadistae	3 per dot
Awakenings	7 per dot
Zatrium	2 per dot
Vasayle	1 per dot
Willpower	2 per dot

Cost (Experience)

Attributes	Rating x 4
Abilities	Rating x 2
New Ability	3
Kadistae	Rating x 3
Kadistae from other	Rating x 5
New Kadistae	6
Awakenings	Rating x 5
Awakenings from other	Rating x 7
New Awakenings	10
Zatrium	Rating x 2
Vasayle	Rating x 2
Willpower	Rating x 2

Breed

Dawning: You were birthed in the Spring and are known to other Vetruvis as the Healer, the Maker, and such. Your Eyes are made of Emerald, and You can see People's emotions with them. (An automatic Aura Sight) You are very empathic and hate to see others in pain or suffering. It makes you loath your own position, which, however low it may be, is still more beneficial than theirs. This provides you with fits of depression in which your art cannot be worked, whatever it may be.

Initial Zatrium: 5
Initial Willpower: 1
Awakening: Imvaris

Ascending: You came into this world during the summer and enjoy battle and drink, even though it isn't that abundant where you dwell. Your Eyes are made of flashing rubies, and they help you determine how to best affect your opponent in battle. (+1 to any damage roll when one turn is spent concentrating on the opponent). You are quick tempered and irate, and resisting a battle would be a breach of honor; this leads to many uncomfortable situations, indeed.

Initial Zatrium: 4
Initial Willpower: 2
Awakening: Makaat

Descending: Born during the Season of the harvest, you were always spiritual in nature, and you find you have an aptitude with the spirits. Your eyes are composed of a pure Amber, and they allow you to see into the Eltren's (Garou) Umbra. You feel a longing; you know you belong in the Umbra, but you are always drawn back to the real world. You need to be in the Umbra to avoid your depressions about it not being your natural habitat, but you begin to feel alone and unsure when you are not on Earth. This makes you very withdrawn and quiet, as you are dreaming of the Umbra most of the time.

Initial Zatrium: 3
Initial Willpower: 3
Awakening: Krandiri

Resting: You hatched in winter; others see you as weak and tainted and made only for leadership, but you survived winter as a pup! Who else can say that? All your brethren died, but you survived. Your eyes are made of diamond, and you can see the dead with them, and their world terrifies, or fascinates you. You want to live there, in the Shadowlands; you know you will end up there, but you need to be there now, not later, you will go to extremes to put yourself in fatal situations, just short of dragging others with you on your little quest for the death you want so much.

Initial Zatrium: 2
Initial Willpower: 4
Awakening: Saraanis

Family

Daulimae: Descended from Daulimus, or "The Quick One", you are the messenger and courier of the Vetruvis, and this position seems to fit your personality just fine. You're glad you were born into this family; you don't want to belong to anything else and your pride in your family comes foremost. Anyone who decides to disgrace your Family will have hell to pay. Your skin is made out of mercury, and seems to flow freely about your shape. Anything that would normally hurt you will simply pass through your skin if you spend a Vasayle point.

Initial Vasayle: 3
Initial Willpower: 3
Kadista: Speed

Scra-onn: You, grandchild of Scrann, or "The One of Resolve", are known by your fearlessness, for what can you do if not regenerate? This abandon has gotten you into more situations than you can count, and, odds are, you don't want to remember. Your skin is of Iron, and it provides you with a strong resolve against pain directed against you. You get one extra soak die for every Vasayle point spent, and take no damage if it does not at least hurt you.

Initial Vasayle: 1
Initial Willpower: 5
Kadista: Regeneration

Phimlendra: Descendant of Phimlendar, Phimlendr, or Femlannder, which all mean "Noble One,",the honesty of an oath made by you is disputed only by your death, and you would give such to honor yourself, and your family. Your skin is made of copper, which gives you great prestige within your family; your skin gets tainted and slowly turns green if you break an oath. It is shiny as a new penny otherwise. You look as one mass of features and opponents must make a perception roll (difficulty 8) to determine what you are doing; if they do not, or if they fail, they cannot dodge. If they botch, they cannot make any actions their next turn as they try to determine what you are doing. This power is lost if you break an oath, and only regained after performing seven tasks for the one you broke the oath to, as your skin becomes mottled, and a grimy green.

Initial Vasayle: 2
Initial Willpower: 4
Kadista: Withstand

Grendel: From Grendani, "The Strong One," you try to live up to your name, and you flaunt your strength to display your heritage often. This has earned you repute as being too haughty and too masculine for your own good. Your skin is a beautiful gold, but you are wounded easily, giving you minus one stamina for soaking damage, but also making your opponent have to make a will roll (difficulty 6) to attack you. This goes doubly for social situations and verbal insults, making the difficulty 9 to confront you verbally. People simply don't understand how you can be so brutal against others when everyone is kind to you; you just feel you need to test your limits.

Initial Vasayle: 4
Initial Willpower: 2
Kadista: Power

Valkerye: Directly descended from Vetruv's Chosen, Vetruvya, "Daughter of the Unnatural", you are proud and regal, with an apparant noble seeming to you, you hold particular respect from the other Vetruvis because of your blood heritage, and you enjoy the position you were born into, with a passion. Yours is formost in promoting the Hirishami, and this has also gained you respect. Your skin is of the Purest Silver, and gleams with an intensity unparalleled. Among other Vetruvis you get two extra die for all social rolls. Your skin brings you an almost supernatural ability to catch and reflect light, giving you an angelic appearance. Appearance is increased by 1 when in human form and 3 when in statue and Fætis form. Furthermore your skin catches and reflects light so well you act like a living flashlight, lighting even the darkest of pits.

Initial Vasayle: 5
Initial Willpower: 1
Kadista: Flight

Chapter Three: The Powers

First we're going to describe the fueling aspects of the Vetruvis, and some of the example effects for each of the Powering aspects of the Vetruvis. The powering aspects of the Vetruvis are Zatrium and Vasayle. Zatrium represents the spiritual and magickal aspect of the Vetruvis, and Vasayle is the emotional aspect of the Vetruvis.

Zatrium

The Zatrium aspect of the Vetruvis represents the spiritual and magickal aspect of the Vetruvis, and it is typically used to fuel his Awakenings. Vetruvis high in this rating are revered as seers and prophets among the Vetruvis because of their connection to the spirits and the spiritual world. A vetruvis can never have a Zatrium rating above ten. Some Uses of Zatrium:
• Zatrium can be used to heal wounds; no more than one point of Zatrium can be used like this per turn.
• Zatrium can be used to make thralls; this is achieved by means similar to both the Plasmon's (Vampire)', and the Oberite's (Changeling) way. First, the future thrall must have a point or more of zatrium invested into her, then she must drink a small amount of the future regnant's blood, which tastes similar to water to mortals, not copper. This must be done once per night for ten days. Then the amount of temporary Zatrium invested into the mortal is divided by five (rounded up). This result becomes the thrall's permanant Zatrium rating, and the thrall is filled with an overwhelming platonic love for the regnant, similar to one's love for their "parental-units."
• Zatrium can be used to temporarily increase the Perception and Wits attributes. This lasts for one scene, and costs one point per dot gained.
• Zatrium can be regained at the rate of one temporary point daily; two if her breed season is currently in effect.

Vasayle

Vasayle is the Emotional aspect of the Vetruvis; without it, a Vetruvis assumes statue form automatically and rests until she regains five permanent Vasayle, which is regained at the rate of one permanent point every decade. At this point she assumes her human form, and cannot regain the Fætis until she undergoes the Rite of Return, which takes the form of testing the Vetruvis' aspects strenuously. A test of emotions is most common; this is enacted by a representation of the undergoer's most treasured object being destroyed violently, usually, the undergoer doesn't know that the object is a fake, and her reaction is judged by the ritegiver, who is always the seer or the prophet of the Rookery. Some Uses of Vasayle:
• Like Rage for Gurahl, Vasayle can be used to increase strength temporarily, or likewise any Physical trait. This can only be used once per turn.
• Also like the Eltren (Again, the Garou), Vasayle may be used to gain an extra action, but never more than once per turn.
• Vasayle can be rolled to influence others' emotions in any desired effect; the effects generated last for one scene, and the difficulty is 7. Likewise, the target may resist if she knows whats going on, making a willpower roll of difficulty 9.
• Vasayle is regained in times of deep emotions.

Overview

Each of the aspects are channeled from Vetruv, and if she were to ever die or otherwise cease transfer, all the Vetruvis would die slowly, their power eventually drifting away and leaving them withering away. This goes the same with all of her Children: Vetruvya, Grendani, Scrann, Phimlendr, and Daulimus. If any of Vetruv's Children are destroyed, their children are destroyed. So, if Vetuvya was to die, so would the Valkeries. A Vetruvis may only die by having their eyes removed and their body skinned, their eyes wrapped in their skins, and the rest of their bodies cremated. This may only be done to a Vetruvis in the Fætis form.(To even know of the Vetruvis, an Occult rating of 4 is needed, and then the would be killer needs Occult 5 to realize how they may be killed.)

The Kadistae

The Kadistae are the physical prowess passed down from Vetruv to her progeny, so each family has a different dimension of her physical prowess. It is completely possible for a Vetruvis to learn different Kadistae instead of their Families' Kadistae. Kadistae are considered an automatic effect, like Celerity, Potence, and Fortitude, so they are not listed by levels. A Kadistae may be over five, but not over ten. Vetruvis automatically gain one dot in their Familie's Kadista, and if expenditure is required, the Vetruvis need not pay it if the kadista is their family's.

Flight is a common Kadistae among the Vetruvis, and nearly all of them possess at least a minor proficiency in it. Flight simply effects how easy flight comes to the Vetruvis. Unlike the Barinchae, the Vetruvis can actually fly. This is because of their superior muscle control.

System: Each level posessed in flight gives the user more control over their flight maneuvers, giving them an extra sucess for each level posessed. (Note: Flying requires a strength+athletics roll. It also requires a stamina roll to stay aloft.)

A Vetruvis has a strength uncommon to most mortals. This Kadista reflects the strength that is seen in many of these Vetruvis. Grendals get an automatic two dots in this power, and always get one extra sucess when used.

System: Each level possessed gives the user one success in every strength roll performed automatically. Yes, this can be used in conjunction with flight.

Regeneration is a strange Kadistae; it has many different strange effects and results. It seems that the user's spirit form becomes solid, and can be seen when parts of his body are absent, so a missing arm could still be seen and felt, but it would be a glowing, transparent shadow of what the arm was. If the user touches his spirit form to any solid substance, he can absorb that substance into his spirit arm. This substance transforms nearly instantly into the same substance as the user's flesh. And the wound is thus healed. This can be done with minor wounds, too, by packing this substance into the user's wounds, then transforming the substance into flesh where the wound was, effectively healing the wound. The excess simply falls away.

System: The usage of this Kadistae requires the expenditure of one Vasayle. Then, once the substance is absorbed, the user rolls her score in regeneration (Difficulty 6), each sucess = one regained health level.

The Vetruvis are Preternaturally quick, and those with Speed even more so; those of Daulimus have been known to exist on a faster plane of thinking, talking, moving, and just doing things in general.

System: Each level possessed in Speed gives the user an extra action once one Vasayle is spent to start off the effect. For game mechanics, each level in speed doubles the user's current speed, so a character running 15 mph, and possessing two levels in Speed, could run 30 mph, and then 60 mph after that. This may also be used in conjunction with flight, increasing the vetruvis' flight speed swiftly.

The Gargoyles are known for their resolve, and the Vetruvis are even more popular for their ability to withstand more punishmant than the average Gargoyle. This kadistae represents this power.

System: Each level possessed in Withstand provides an extra soak die for all soak rolls. And even helps in all other stamina rolls.

The Awakenings

The Awakenings are a very different matter than the Kadistae, for they are always warped in some way by their user, so, once level 4 is reached in a certain Awakening, the user's personality develops a separate ability for the Awakening. Also, a vetruvis cannot have more different Awakenings than she has Intelligence, and she cannot possess any levels higher than her current intelligence.

Awakenings are called Awakenings for a reason, primarily because to gain more power, the Vetruvis must "Awaken" to a new aspect of the Awakening. This promotes the originality in the Vetruvis. In game terms, once the fourth level is about to be bought, the character needs to go to an Elder Vetruvis who possesses the Awakening at a proficient amount. This Elder will give the character a word that the Elder feels best describes the Awakening, then the character is required to contemplate for a lengthy amount of time about the aspect of the Awakening and about the word the Elder gave him. The character then develops his own interpretation of the Awakening and the Word, and then, once the character is sure he knows the meaning of the word, he awakens to the new level. (Note: The experience points are spent before the whole process begins.) Listed for each level 4&5 power are two idea variants for each of the four Awakenings. The Awakenings are: Imvaris, Krandiri, Makaat, and Saraani. Imvaris is of the Dawning; Krandiri is of the Descending; Makaat is of the Ascending, and Saraani is of the Resting. Note: Awakenings can be learned by any Vetruvis.

Imvaris is known to be common among Dawning Vetruvis, and it is certanly suitible. Imvaris is the creation, manipulation, changing, and understanding of life and growth.

* Warp With

The use of this level, the vetruvis finds she can manipulate the life strands as easily as 1, 2, 3. To the Vetruvis using this Power, changing appearances of anything alive can be achieved; flesh may be sculpted; bone may be molded, from anything subtle to anything drastic.

System: Roll Intelligence+Imvaris, successes equal how the well the desired effect is achieved. Increasing appearance is harder, difficulty 9, but each success equals two extra appearance points, maximum standard. The effects last until the Vetruvis decides to change them again. Using this power costs one Zatrium.

** Bond

With this ability, the user may bond entities that she has used Imvaris on before. They see the same things; think the same things; hear the same sounds; taste the same tastes; smell the same scents; of course, either one can shut this off and on as often as possible. Sometimes, one entity may take over the other for a short amount of time, but this tends to make the 'partner' upset most of the time.

System: A zatrium point must be spent to begin the forging of the bond; then the initiator of the bond rolls willpower against the target's willpower, difficulty 7. Whomever wins becomes the 'trarch', or 'most powerful', of the bond; the trarch has final say over when the bond will be shut down, what thoughts, smells, tastes, images, and sounds will go through the bond, and when the bond will be shut off completely. The trarch can also enter the other's mind and assume a small amount of control over the other's body; this requires another willpower roll against a difficulty of the target's willpower+3, but never above ten. A bond may be formed with many creatures, and the user may even forge bonds between others; some Vetruvis clans have been known to be completely bonded to one another, with the leader as the trarch.

*** Create Entity

Less than the name suggests, this power is used only to create entities out of the users statue skin, instead of the skin shattering when night falls, the skin melts away from the Vetruvis' body and accompanies her wherever; this skin may be used for many things, and is considered bonded to the creator, with the creator as the trarch, and it can also be used as weapons.

System: The user spends a vasayle point before assuming the statue form; this enables the skin to develop while the user sleeps. When night falls, the skin simply flows off the Vetruvis and reads the user's mind to see the form is most needed; it then takes this form. From this point on, it takes the form most convenient to its master. It may even take the form of a projectile firer, be it a gun, a crossbow, whatever. It has a rating named Body; the body rating is all teporary points, and is equal to the user's stamina+withstand times four. The skin regains all body points nightly, and each time it shifts, it loses one body point. If it loses all body points, it dissipates immediately, and the user must create another skin. One body point is spent each time the skin is fired as well. So a Vetruvis' using this power has a skin with only four body points left, she makes it shift to a gun, it loses one body point and shifts to a gun; then she fires it three times' it shoots three 'bullets'; then promptly dissipates; she needs to make another skin-entity.

**** Idea #1

Manipulate Life: Like level one, but from a distance!

**** Idea #2

Rend: The user can graft another's powers to himself for a short amount of time. She gains experience = to the power levels. These may be used only to buy these powers. This can be used to buy the powers permanantly, but at double the normal cost.

***** Idea #1

Imbue (The user may "copy" her Kadistae upon another Being in bond with the user. This lasts for one scene only.)

***** Idea #2

Teach (The user may "copy" her Awakenings upon another being in bond with the user. This lasts for one scene only.)

Makaat deals with the aspects of battle and destruction, and is typically rampant in many Ascending Vetruvis. It involves using one's strong points to the best advantage in battle, and augmenting them.

* Infuse

Infuse Using this ability gives the Vetruvis a certain advantage physically and mentally for a limited amount of time. This is one of the most common Awakenings used among the Ascending Vetruvis. System: For each Zatrium point spent, the user gets three dots to put in any trait regarding battle, or strategy, this lasts until the end of the scene, or only one dot per scene is lost if the user spends a willpower point as well. A Vetruvis can never infuse more dots than her successes on a Wits+Makaat roll. ** Determine Weakness

A Vetruvis using this power finds she has a very powerful advantage over others in combat, and that she can increase her effective powers in many ways.

System: The user of this ability takes one turn to assess the situation; doing so will reveal any weak spots a person, or place, has, adding two die of damage to any roll to attempt to damage it.

*** Augment

Many ascending Vetruvis have developed a way to aid their Kadistae, and find they can even 'adopt' Kadistae thay never possessed in the first place. This, they find, can be very useful in tight situations.

System: This ability allows the user to increase any kadistae up to three dots higher than usual, and even increase ones not possessed earlier. This only lasts for one scene, and the dots may be distibuted in any order, this power costs two Zatrium.

**** Ideas #1

Exchange: The user may 'exchange' his mental traits for his physical ones; this lasts for one scene only. **** Idea #2

The Force: The user may affect things not near him, by use of physical force on things near him. I.E.: A Vetruvis would punch a punching-bag, and a guy across the room would feel it.

***** Idea #1

Tirnmak Kran: The user gets a new trait, named Himaniti; the Himaniti is similar to the Plasmon's (Vampire) blood pool, except that it is used to decrease the Getuluend among mortals. Each point spent decreases it by one, or, in the situation most Ascending use this power, to inflict the delirium upon anyone in the vicinity, in other terms, this makes the mortal, mundane, whomever, 1 WP point higher in terms of resisting the Delirium, Shroud, or Mists.

*****Idea #2

Fire skin: Like the name suggests, this ability ignites the user's skin, this causes four levels of damage to anyone in contact with it, exepting the user.

Krandiri is the Awakening of the Seers; those born during the time of the harvest, and "All Hallow's Eve." This power involves the spirit world and ways to affect, influence, and control it.

* Step Sideways

This ability allows the user to enter the Eltren's Umbra realm. This power is common among Vetruvis, for they see the use in possessing such powers.

System: The user must stare into any reflective surface, apparently common among the vetruvis, and concentrate for two full turns. Then she must spend one willpower point and one Zatrium point. This allows her to roll her permanent Zatrium score against the local Gauntlet in regards of entering the Umbra.

** Parting the Velvet Curtain

Now the user may bring others along with her into the umbra.

System: This power is handled same as above, but the extra successes may be 'shared' among others.

*** Dispose of Getuluend

This power is not in actuality a power for the Vetruvis, but this power is for mortals and other beings not immune to the Delirium. This allows them to use any level one kadistae. And gives them any level one Awakening. They gain Zatrium and Vasayle as well.

System: The mortal gains level one in all Kadistae owned by the user of this power. She can also choose one Awakening her bestower possessed. The user of this ability must spend at least two Zatrium and one Vasayle initially. Then afterwards each point spent gives the mortal a permanent point of Zatium or Vasayle. This effect is permanent until cancelled. Also, the mortal gains an immunity to the Mists, Delirium, and the Fog.

**** Idea #1

Become Spirit: Take a wild guess! Zatrium becomes Gnosis, Vasayle become Rage, and the the number of Zatrium, Vasayle, And Willpower added together becomes the power level.

**** Idea #2

Summon Spirit: The user must know the name of the Spirit to be summoned, that is all that is required. Most Spirits are kindly resolved to the Vetruvis, escpecially metal elementals.

***** Idea #1

Become Incarna: Incarna are extremely powerful spirits, the power is as above, exept Gnosis and Rage are doubled, and the power level is times ten.

***** Idea #2

Realm's Master: The user creates his own realm, which reflects his inner personality, the user can automatically traverse to this realm at any time, and the user is a virtual god here, warping it's reality to his very whim.

* Traverse the Dark Umbra

Resting Vetruvis are known for their connection to the Underworld, and this furthers their conversions with those of the dead. With this power, the Vetruvis may travel to the underworld and go anywhere a ghost may, though they are limited by the same restrictions as the ghosts until they return to the real world.

System: Operated in the same mannor as Step Sideways; this instead takes the user into the underworld. This is not advised to anyone who does not possess the Wraith: The Oblivion book, because the Underworld is an incredibly complicated place.

** Convert

The Vetruvis knowledgeable in this power finds that he can use Wraith abilities while in the Dark Umbra instead of his Awakenings.

System: The User can convert one Awakening point into one Arcanos point while in the Dark Umbra. But he must know the basic premise of the Arcanos before he tries using it.

*** Bestow Body

The Vetruvis are known to barter with certain wraiths. These wraiths are useful spies, and knowledge hoarders when prompted with the right bait: A new body.

System: The user rolls manipulation+Saraanis, ten successes are needed to graft the wraith into the new body, permanently. The body must already be vacant of a soul; say a recently dead body, or a victim of repeated uses of Dominate and Puppetry.

**** Idea #1

Rend Soul: The user may separate a person's soul from his body for a limited amount of time, when he returns to his body, then anything occupying it at that time is flushed from the body.

**** Idea #2

Summon Wraith (Same as summon spirit, above)

***** Idea #1

Grant Material Form: This gives the wraith/artifact/relic in the underworld a form that reflects their form in the Dark Umbra for one scene per success on a dexterity+Saraanis roll, the subject looks exactly as it does in the Dark Umbra, even if Moliated.)

***** Idea #2

Resurrect (A complex ritual must be enacted on a body that has not been dead for more than 24 hours; this completely reverses the process of separation and resurrects the individual, this does not work on Vampires. Or Vetruvis)

Chapter Four: Appendix

The Forms

Faetis: No modifications; this is the form the Vetruvis are expected to start out with.

Statue: +4 Stamina, no Awakenings or Kadistae.

Human: -1 Stamina, no Awakenings may be used.

Upcoming

The Family Books: Oooooh, goody, more info on each Family! Includes Family Merits & Flaws, New Awakenings and Level By Level Kadistae explanations!

The Hirishami: Explanations on the Two lost Families, and their current status; includes rules for making elder Vetruvis and an brief explanation of the exploits of certain Families and Breeds.

Rookery: Detailed workings of Vetruvis magics, and their form of 'mancy and how it is interpreted by the Hjelkin, and the Yulis; the lost Families. Includes the Ryrlam Awakening, and a brief overview of why Vetruvis remain away from the Asian and African areas. Also a brief description of Rookery society and such. Includes the main list of Merits and Flaws for the Vetruvis.

Book of the Seasons: A complete and utter description of Vetruvis society and the varied positions of the Dawning, Ascending, Descending, and Resting Breeds, also various positions available to certain breeds, not available to others. Such as the Diviners of the Descending vetruvis; or the Commandment position of the Ascending.

Character Sheet: (Note: Tsuornakh will be explained in "The Rookery," until then, please leave that area alone or simply cross it out, thank you.)