Rituels

To perform this prophetic ritual, an Acolyte smears a quantity of her own Vitae on her face before lying down to sleep for the day. As the hours of daylight pass, the Blood is transformed into a thin membrane that attaches itself to the flesh of her head. When she wakes, the Acolyte tears the membrane away, seeing the likeness of an individual who may be important to her situation from the shape, texture and pattern of dark and light spots on the skin in the moments before it collapses into ash. The number of successes on the activation roll determines the clarity and usefulness of the vision imparted. On an exceptional success, the shape of the torn membrane and the pattern of spots on it may form recognizable features of a face that even appears to move and mouth a few relevant words as the dead skin disintegrates; whereas a single success might only show an abstract representation symbolizing the individual’s name or affiliation.

This reading grants a +2 dice bonus on any dice pools to locate or identify the individual in question in the future. If the character using The Boyar’s Caul has Auspex, it may be applied to rolls made in an attempt to spot an obfuscated subject.

Note that the Acolyte has no control over who the Caul selects. The subject revealed is someone who is currently important to the Acolyte’s situation (whether friend or foe), and one who the Acolyte might wish to seek out. The subject of the ritual is chosen at the Storyteller’s discretion.

In times of war, many of the Yagnatia carry a braid of hawthorn branches, specially prepared by this ritual. It is used to halt the advance of a Kindred enemy, even if only for a moment — but that can be enough to turn the tide of battle.

To prepare for this ritual, an Acolyte must first grow a Hawthorn Mandragore infused with Kindred Vitae, entwining and braiding the branches as they grow. In winter, when the thorned branches are without leaves, the braided segments (each about six inches long and half an inch around) are cut away and dried.

To perform the ritual, the Acolyte must grasp the braid tightly, allowing the thorns to pierce his flesh and bleeding a few drops of his Vitae onto them. If he then throws the braid on the ground, it creates an invisible barrier to vampires that extends outwards about one foot from each end, creating a space effectively two and a half feet wide that no Kindred can easily pass.

Vampires with Blood Potency less than that used to activate the Hawthorn Barrier cannot voluntarily pass through it without making a Resolve + Composure roll and scoring more successes than were attained on the ritual’s activate roll. Those with higher Blood Potency may freely cross. Regardless, any vampire stepping through the mystic barrier suffers bashing damage equal to the successes scored on the Crúac roll, minus his Defense.

The Hawthorn Barrier lasts for one minute per success scored on the activation roll.

Also called “Afanasiia’s Blessing” by elder or nostalgic Boyars, this is the ritual that allows a member of the Yagnatia to Embrace another into the bloodline. Without it, the Vitae flowing through the Boyars’ veins is sterile and unable to pass on the curse of vampirism to another. The existence of this ritual is completely unknown outside the bloodline, where it would be useless anyway, but is the most closely guarded secret of the Yagnatia.

The high priestess anoints the intended sire with a mixture of honey, sacred oil (usually olive) and a point of her own Vitae. The whole of the Chorus joins her in an ancient, dirge-like chant. If the ritual’s casting succeeds, the recipient has 24 hours in which to Embrace an individual before his Vitae becomes sterile once more. This blessing is only good for a single Embrace; multiple vampires cannot be created. An individual can only receive The Mother’s Blessing once a month, usually on the night of the new moon, and it cannot be cast on oneself. Perhaps as a holdover from Afanasiia’s curse upon Konstantin, only women are able to cast this ritual successfully.