Renders the caster immune to dice penalties from environmental hazards for one night.
The Kindred are largely immune to the dangers of temperature, pressure and other conditions that would kill or cripple mortals. A vampire can still be affected by the most extreme conditions, though, such as arctic cold. This minor ritual maintains a balance within a vampire’s Vitae, never allowing it to become too hot, cold, compressed or otherwise hampered by the external world. Under the ritual’s protection, the vampire suffers no dice-pool penalties due to climactic conditions or extremes.
This benefit does not extend to conditions that would actually cause injury or damage, such as sunlight. Nor does it eliminate wound penalties.
The ritual’s effects last until the next sunrise.
Wake up more easily if sunlight is involved
Nothing is more dangerous to a vampire roaming the world than the burning kiss of sunlight. A temporary haven is never truly safe, not when a single hole in a wall can let in the sun, or an invading witch hunter can tear away a protective curtain. While this ritual cannot guarantee any kind of safety, it can give a vampire an extra moment of grace when disaster strikes, perhaps allowing her a chance to scramble to safety. Her Vitae becomes preternaturally sensitive to changes in surrounding light levels, and pounds quickly through her veins should she be forced to wake during the day.
The successes achieved on the invocation roll are added to any Wits roll made to wake during the day, as long as the circumstances involve exposure to sunlight. A ghoul sneaking into the vampire’s haven and stealing documents doesn’t trigger the benefit, but if the ghoul then attempts to let in the light, the bonus is added to your Wits pool (+ Auspex dots, if any). The bonus dice are also added to the Humanity roll to determine how long the vampire can remain active upon waking. The effects of the ritual last until the next sunset, even if the caster is forced to wake several times during the day.
Strengthens blood ties for one night, such that relatives can sense through them at any distance.
On the road, a vampire risks not just danger but anonymity — if she dies at the hands of her enemies, far from her allies and blood “family,” no one may ever know her fate or be able to take revenge. This ritual mitigates some of that danger; it strengthens the ties of blood between childe and sire, grandchilde and grandsire, allowing the Acolyte’s extended brood to sense her in moments of crisis, no matter how far removed she may be.
Once the ritual is performed, the vampire’s “relatives” can sense her using blood sympathy (see p. 163 of Vampire: The Requiem) no matter where she might be, rather than just within 50 miles.
The effects of this ritual last until the next sunrise.
Creates a shadowy spiritual spider which watches over and protects the caster while they sleep. The venom of the creature is deadly to mortals, and drains Kindred of their Vitae.
This bizarre ritual creates a guardian that watches over a vampire as he sleeps — an undead, spidery homunculus with fangs dripping bloody venom. To perform the ritual, the Acolyte must surrender a portion of her Vitae to create her guardian’s physical form. The ritual creates a large, crimson spider resembling a tarantula that guards her haven as she rests for the day. The creature has the following traits.
Attributes: Intelligence 0, Wits 1, Resolve 1, Strength 1, Dexterity 4, Stamina 1, Presence 0, Manipulation 0, Composure 1
Skills: Athletics 2, Stealth (Hiding in Plain Sight) 4, Survival 1
Willpower: 2
Initiative: 5
Defense: 4
Speed: 8 (species factor 3)
Size: 1
Weapons/Attacks:
Type Damage Dice Pool
Bite 1 (L) and poison Successes of the invocation roll
Health: 2
The blood-spider’s unnaturally powerful fangs also contain a preternatural venom, a corrupted Vitae that affects mortals and Kindred alike. Against mortals, it makes attacks with a number of dice equal to the invocation roll’s successes (usually four, given that this is a •••• ritual, but extra successes on the activation roll do count), inflicting lethal damage. In other words, don’t roll the spider’s Strength + Brawl — use a dice pool of the successes achieved upon activation. Attacks staged against Kindred are resolved in the same way, except each success rolled taints one Vitae in the victim, making that Vitae useless (remove it from the Vitae pool; it nauseates the Kindred but not to the degree of impeding any dice pools).
The blood-spider is absolutely loyal to its master, and en- joys a form of blood sympathy with her. If the blood-spider is injured or destroyed, the Acolyte senses it automatically. No Wits roll is required to check if the character can detect trouble while she sleeps, but a Humanity roll is still required to awaken. The spider cannot be frightened off or repelled by mundane forces or threats, and the ritual’s invocation successes are added to its Resistance traits against Disciplines or magical powers that might drive it off or take control of it. It stays animated and on guard until sunset, at which point it breaks down into a puddle of clotted and rotting blood.
If successful at the contested activation roll, the victim is ruled by their Beast for one night, checking for Predator’s Taint at every encounter with another Kindred.
In the hands of blood sorcerers, this curse is a personal and dangerous blight, for it can turn a respected member of a domain into an outcast, forced to flee for his unlife. While under the effects of this ritual (which lasts a single night), a vampire’s Beast is ascendant and uncontrollable. The Predator’s Taint flares every time a vampire encounters him, even one he has known for centuries. In cases where the subject uses powers such as Mask of Tranquility or Aspect of the Predator, compare the Blood Potency of the vampire using the power to the Blood Potency of the vampire enacting this ritual. If the ritual performer has the higher trait, the subject’s Mask of Tranquility or Aspect of the Predator has no effect. If the subject’s Blood Potency is equal to or higher than the ritual performer’s, Mask of Tranquility or Aspect of the Predator works normally.
The vampire targeted by this ritual must be visible to the invoker. A contested roll is made to activate this power, pitting the sorcerer’s Manipulation + Occult + Crúac versus the subject’s Composure + Blood Potency, and this resistance is reflexive.
Permanently marks one subject as a Legate.
This is the initiation ritual that brands one of the Sanctified as a Legate, creating an arrow- or spear-shaped mark on his or her chest. Unlike many Theban Sorcery rituals, this is permanent. There is no known way to remove the Mark, though it can remain hidden at the Legate’s discretion. Even though the ritual is simple to perform, its elements are kept secret by the Anointed among the Sanctified so that only true Legates, rather than frauds, are ever marked.
A Bishop or other Member of the Anointed casts this ritual, but thereafter the individual Legate controls it. At will, the Legate can cause the image of a lance to rise out of his flesh in the center of his chest. It appears to be a scar or brand, but the lace shape is quite clear.
Offering: A shaft made of rowan wood
Increases the caster’s speed by Theban Sorcery x Activation success for a few turns. May be activated later during the night. Does not stack with Celerity.
This ritual allows a sorcerer to increase his rate of movement — useful for a fast getaway or a sprint to a safe haven before the sun breaks the horizon.
Once cast, the ritual remains in effect until the sorcerer chooses to tap its power. The effects of the ritual wait in reserve until the next sunrise, at which time they fade if never called upon. Willpower is spent when the ritual is actually performed.
Activating the power adds a number to the sorcerer’s Speed equal to his Theban Sorcery dots for each success rolled. So, if the user has Theban Sorcery 3 and two successes are rolled, a total of six is added to his Speed. (If the user runs, his total modified Speed rating is doubled. If the aforementioned sorcerer had a starting Speed 0f 9, it would increase to 15, and would double to 30 if he ran.) This ritual’s Speed increase lasts for a number of turns equal to the sorcerer’s Blood Potency. This ritual may be performed and used only once per night, and only on the user himself. Triggering the dormant effect is a reflexive action. The Speed bonus applies only as long as the user does nothing other than travel. If he performs any other action in a turn such as making an attack or performing another ritual, the effect terminates prematurely. Wings of the Seraph cannot be used in conjunction with Celerity. If Celerity is already activated or is activated when this ritual is in effect, the rite fails to activate or ends immediately and Celerity alone applies.
Offering: Two raven feathers
Digest a large amount of information which may be recalled with perfectly clarity, for a number of months based on Intelligence.
This ritual allows a sorcerer to absorb and memorize large amounts of information quickly and with crystal clarity, a boon for Legates tasked with transporting complicated messages with the utmost security. The Legate casts this ritual (or another Kindred casts it upon her) as she learns whatever secret, message or other information is conveyed to her.
Information memorized under the effects of this ritual can be recalled with perfect clarity (no Intelligence roll is required; see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 44) for a number of months equal to the character’s Intelligence. After this period of time the memories are lost. This loss is a function of the ritual itself, so the Eidetic Memory Merit cannot be used to recall the information lost. Of course, the Kindred could easily write down the information in question, but few Legates wish to leave such lasting reminders of their passing.
Offering: A scrap of age-yellowed paper
Wards a small area for a single day, such that no sunlight can enter it.
This ritual raises a protective ward around a single room or chamber that’s no larger than 30 feet on a side, preventing sunlight from entering the area for a single day. Dust and dirt flow into cracks in the walls and ceiling. Doorjambs swell shut around gaps. Even if a window is broken or curtains are pulled open in the middle of the day, a heavy haze of airborne dust keeps sunlight from penetrating more than a few inches into the room.
Note that the power of the ritual affects sunlight alone. Individuals inside the chamber can see and act normally, and artificial light or that cast by fire is unaffected. This ritual expires at an hour after sunset. The ritual affects only a room or chamber that is already largely closed on all sides. It doesn’t spontaneously create a “cube of protection” in the middle of a field, or offer shelter from the sun on a porch that lacks walls, for example.
Offering: A pinch of crushed obsidian