By Kyle Vogt
One of the disciplines of the Order of Saulot
* Area Awareness: Unlike Heightened Senses, this is the Vampire's knowledge of his place in the Universe, and its relation to other things in the Universe, the first step to spiritual enlightenment. The Vampire can detect all around him, within twenty feet, even if he can't see or hear. This does not, however, work through solid, encompassing barriers. This power can detect illusions and holograms for being what they are. The Vampire must roll a Perception + Zen versus the target's Dexterity + Stealth in order to detect Obfuscated or illusiory objects.
** Flaw Detection: Through his increased understanding of the Universe and the way it works, the Vampire may now detect weak points in a target. The Vampire must make a Perception + Zen roll, difficulty target's Stamina + 3, or 6 versus inanimate objects. Success allows the Vampire to cause Aggravated Damage with his bare hands, by breaking limbs and causing major trauma to animated targets, with the added benefit of doing double damage on the first hit in a scene; and adding the number of Successes of the Perception + Zen roll to his Strength rating when used against inanimate objects for the purpose of damage.
*** Meditation: The Vampire's training has progressed so far as to be able to harness the hidden depths of his mind, as well as speed up its recovery after exertion. The Vampire must succeed in making a Wits + Zen roll in order to enter a medatative state. Once there, the Vampire can recover spent Willpower. The Vampire must make a Wits + Zen roll, the difficulty determined by subtracting the average of the Vampire's Virtues from 10, with each success indicating a recovered Willpower. The Willpower is recovered at the rate of one point per fifteen minutes. If not enough time is spent in meditation, or the Vampire is interrupted, the remaining successes are lost. The Vampire can never exceed his Willpower rating by use of this Discipline. At this level of Zen, the Vampire will not knowingly kill. If he does so, he loses this level of Zen and all higher levels immediately.
**** Inner Harmony: At this level of Zen, the Vampire has obtained almost absolute control over his body and mind, allowing him to temporarily ignore wounds. Such peace has been obtained that the world outside is merely an intrusion on his self reflection and internal studies. By making a Self Control + Zen roll, the Vampire may ignore the Dice Penalties of Wound Levels for ten minutes per success. The difficulty of this roll is the Dice Penalty rating for current wound levels + 3. After this amount of time, all wound penalties apply, unless another roll is made to ignore the wounds. Every roll after the first costs a Willpower. However, the Vampire has reached such inner peace at this time, he is unable to initiate any hostile actions toward any other beings, but not necessarily toward inanimate objects. If the Vampire does initiate a hostile action toward someone, he immediately loses this level of Zen and any of a higher level.
***** Enlightenment: The ultimate goal of Zen, the enlightenment of the soul. At this point, the Vampire has reached a sense of inner balance. If the ST agrees, the Vampire may now begin the path to Golconda, or, if already on that goal, has taken a large step toward its accomplishment. The Vampire has mastered the flow and harmonies of the universe, and his relationship to them. Part of that balance is able to be used to combat multiple opponents at once. The Vampire must spend a Willpower and make a Wits + Zen roll, difficulty determined by the opponent's Wits + 3, or the highest Wits + 3 versus more than one opponent. The combat must be melee, or a firefight with more than one opponent. For each success, the Vampire can redirect one attack, which must be resolved as if that opponent had initially chosen that target. In melee, but not a firefight, the chosen target can even be the opponent. The use of this Discipline can be in conjunction witha full Dodge pool, if desired. However, a Vampire with Enlightenment *must* attempt to end a hostile engagement as quick as possible, and with the least amount of violence. Such examples as running away, destroying weapons, or knocking out opponents are best, as the Vampire will not kill at this stage, at least not knowingly. Also, the Vampire *must* avoid Frenzy at all costs. If a Vampire ever Frenzies, then this and all higher levels of Zen are immediately lost.