"When I am at peace, I am one with Gaia. She flows through me like the wind through young spring leaves. I am grateful to be the instrument of her restorative touch."
The Rapha are the Garou Apex Kinfolk Healers originating from the Children of Gaia tribe. While not to be confused with modern doctors or having any of the traditional schooling, they specialize in supernatural healing techniques through the use of nature magic, herbology and the “laying of hands” to facilitate healing. They may not be able to tell you exactly how they heal, but there is no questioning that they do.
Origins of the Rapha
Pronounced "raw-faw," the core meaning of the word is to mend, repair or restore something to its normal or useful state — physically, mentally, and potentially spiritually. It is also a word that is both singular and plural in Garou culture. This represents the aspect of Gaia that is personally within a single individual, and at the same time exists simultaneously within us all.
Though the Rapha name is of ancient Hebrew and Aramaic origins, Apex Kinfolk Rapha are associated more with a secular, spiritual nature than with any type of organized religion or belief system. Their abilities manifest by focusing their faint spark of mana that ties them to Gaia by a gossamer thread, though Gaia goes by many names.
About the Children of Gaia Garou Tribe
The Children believe that all Garou are really Children of Gaia who have not yet realized this Gaian spark. They strive for harmony between all the tribes and shun unnecessary violence. The rest of the Garou tribes see their peace loving ways as utter foolishness and consider the Children weak. However, when the Children do strike in battle they do so with the deep conviction that they are truly Gaia's chosen and fight with the berserker strength of religious zealots.
Rapha Characteristics and Life Philosophies
Like their Garou brothers and sisters, the Rapha are interested in the preservation of harmony and balance in nature. They range widely in appearance, but most, though not all by any means, have an ethereal, dreamy look reminiscent of the Flower Children of the 60s and they favor a more Bohemian lifestyle.
Very inclusive, accepting all no matter their gender, race or background, Rapha have no gender identity issues or hang-ups regarding sexuality. They believe to the core of their souls that love is a blessed gift shared between two consenting hearts, and to be one with Gaia we must embrace the truth of who we really are. Oftentimes in this world, a spiritual healing must occur before this can be fully nurtured.
Rapha consider illness and injuries (whether physical, mental or spiritual) as an imbalance and strive to correct such occurrences with healing to bring oneself back into balance. They abhor violence and are very slow to anger. With that said, they are not above violence if they rationalize it as the lesser of two evils in the attempt to protect the innocent or prevent more violence and injury.
While they will do all within their power to heal, they have no such convictions on the unlives of vampires or other creatures tainted by the Wyrm. Unfortunately, they themselves are mortal with limited abilities and identifying such creatures can be difficult. However, Vampires can be identified by touch, but only if a Rapha attempts to heal one. Other taints of the Wyrm are beyond their limited abilities.
Training and Instruction
Neophyte Rapha begin their training by pledging themselves to the protection of Gaia and all her creatures. While this entails an oath to “do no harm,” it does not go so far as to protect any creature that is not within Gaia’s domain. This has caused a confusing gray area for many Rapha. Unfortunately, this gray area has led a rare few down a darker, misguided path.
Those who have progressed to higher levels of learning, study and dedication to Gaia have the ability to heal by the laying of hands on other natural living beings. This requires a deep level of focus to achieve and is a very “active” process. A Rapha enters a mild meditative state. He/she/they may need to prepare mentally with whatever relaxation techniques or prayers to Gaia they have found work for them. Once they are in the proper frame of mind, they may begin.
All Rapha have studied under mentors and masters, allowing them to be competent healers of common illnesses and afflictions, such as setting bones, preventing infection, etc. Some have incorporated the learnings of the more mainstream medical field and embrace the practice of chemistry to better understand why certain plants work the way they do.
A Rapha's training naturally includes a complete understanding of herbology, having trained to identify common plants and herbs, and know which have healing powers, which are dangerous, and how to prepare and use them. This is not to say that a Rapha can instantly identify every single plant on sight. Uncommon or exotic plants will require them to research an unknown plant’s nature and uses. May Gaia bless Google.
ROLEPLAY REFERENCES:
While certainly not necessary for the purposes of playing a Rapha or Healer in Dominions of Darkness, it is often helpful to use real-world references in creating the most rounded, and believable characters to enhance the roleplay experience — for yourself and others. Small details representing even a cursory level of medical knowledge can help paint a more vivid picture of your Character's actions when interacting with others in an RP scene. While not all Roleplayers enjoy the "deep dive" into every detail of their Characters, others thrive on a more complete understanding of skills to really bring their characters to life.
Google is always an excellent reference for quickly finding information on medicinal recipes using herbs, molds, fungus and essential oils. Here are just a few of the many, many links on the topic with free downloadable pdfs of books you may find initially helpful:
These references are for roleplay only and are not recommendations for diagnosing or treating any real-life conditions. Direct links to downloadable pdfs cannot be added to this website, but you can find them by doing your own google search by using the title's name, along with "downloadable pdf."
TO CREATE MEDICINALS:
Description:
First level Rapha are skilled in the pharmaceutical benefits of plants and other botanicals, including molds. Gathering and using these local sources, the Rapha of this level can create minor healing Remedies. Depending on how the Rapha herbologist creates the remedy, these can be taken internally or as a salve rubbed on the effected area.
System:
The Player spends 5 Points of Energy and makes a successful roll. This creates a prim Healing Remedy bottle that heals 10 HP of damage. Healing Remedies can only be used on living physical beings and have no effect on Vampires, the undead or spirit beings.
The created healing Remedy "prim" will populate within the Character's HUD, where it can then be used on yourself, targeted to be used on another Player in roleplay, transferred to your SL inventory to be stored for future use, or placed in-world. Healing Remedies placed in world are physical prims that can be given or sold.
Remedies can take whatever Roleplay form the Rapha wishes to create. These can be syrups, salves, ointments herbal teas, elixirs or any other type of consumable product that is rubbed on or taken internally.
TRIAGE — Identify the ailment/injury and how serious it is.
If successful, you will know exactly what the ailment/injury is, and how many Health Points (HP) the patient has left.
Description:
To successfully triage any living being, the Rapha merely needs to Lay Hands on the afflicted to both identify an injury and determine its level of seriousness. This allows them to first tend to those who are the most hurt, or those who are at a greater risk. It also lets them instantly know if a patient is living or dead.
While the Rapha’s ties to the Occult allow them to “see” things others cannot, their enhanced levels of Intuition combine with that skill to create a more 3D mental picture of wounds and injuries within a physical body. By using this skill, the Rapha will mentally "see" broken bones as if viewing an x-ray or soft tissue injuries as if using an MRI.
System:
The Player spends 5 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll. The Rapha is now able to understand the full extent of injuries and knows exactly what needs to be done to stabilize and heal the patient.
NOTE: Rolling a BOTCH during Triage (a natural 1-10) means you simply get no mental images of the injuries and must refocus and try again.
Description:
NOTE: Requires the Rapha to first successfully use Triage on the injured subject.
The Rapha can stabilize an injured patient by the "laying of hands," also know in the Japanese culture as Reiki. This allows the Rapha to transfer energy absorbed from the "universe" from their palms and fingers into the injured patient.
The Rapha cannot Stabilize a patient unless he/she/they first successfully used Triage. It is not possible to lay hands on a patient and heal them if you do not first know what the extent of the injuries are.
System:
The Character lays their hands on the injured subject. The Player then spends 5 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll. The patient will then be healed for 10 Health Points. This can only be done once per patient. The purpose of this skill is only to stabilize the patient for transport, or until a more thorough healing can be done. Using this skill, the Rapha can set bones and suture wounds. Anything more serious will need a more advanced healing skill.
NOTES:
Description:
Rapha abilities are associated with living, breathing beings. Undead creatures, such as Vampires, Wraiths, Zombies, etc., are not within the purview of the typical Rapha. If a Rapha “lays hands” on any undead or dead creature, they will know that person is not among the living. They may not know what they are, but they know without a doubt what they are not.
System:
This is a Passive skill and requires no roll or cost of Energy.
NOTE:
A) There is no benefit for Vampires with Blush of Life or any other trick of the undead since this ability transcends normal physical observations.
B) Keep in mind you NEED to have justification for laying hands on ANYONE. This is not bumping into people and then Knowing they’re a vampire or not human.
For Example: You see someone attacked in the street. You rush to aid them, focusing your abilities as you lay hands on them to Triage their injuries and hopefully attempt a heal. Instantly, you know that the person you are attempting to aid is not among the living. If they are already unconscious, you will pronounce them dead. If they are alert, you will know they are not a natural living being.
Description:
Rapha who have achieved this level are skilled in making medicines for internal uses, as well as external medicinal, that heal Health Points. They also have a higher understanding of biochemistry and can freely begin experimenting with rare, tropical, or other plant life around the world. This allows them to identify plants with healing properties and successfully extract them. They understand a more advanced chemistry to create the proper dosages for any number of ailments. Such additional medicines include, elixirs, serums, tinctures, sprays, teas, and anything that is breathed in, such as smoke, incense, powders, inhalants, etc.
System:
The Player spends 30 Points of Energy and makes a successful roll. This creates a Serum Bottle that heals 20 HP of damage. Serums can only be used on living physical beings and have no effect on Vampires, the undead or spirit beings.
The created Serum bottle "prim" will populate within the Character's HUD, where it can then be used on yourself, targeted to be used on another Player in roleplay, transferred to your SL inventory to be stored for future use, or placed in-world. Healing Remedies placed in world are physical prims that can be given or sold.
Description:
This is also referred to less formally as the Soothing Touch among Rapha. While pain is necessary to help us identify injuries, prolonged pain is not. A Rapha laying hands on sore or injured flesh are as soothing as warm milk and almost as relieving as morphine, but without any unpleasant side effects. The affect is both relieving and energizing.
While not technically addictive, those who have repeatedly experienced the wonder of a Rapha’s soothing touch during treatment or therapeutic massage may form a type of mental-physical addiction or attraction for the Rapha.
Those who have received Gaia's Blessing will feel all pain drawn from their bodies and experience an intense sense of relaxation and tranquility. Patients who have sustained levels of pain will tend to fall asleep once the pain is relieved. Gaia's Blessing is not permanent and only lasts for a day or two unless the source of the pain has been alleviated. It has no effect at all on the undead and does not heal health points.
System:
The Player's Character lays their hands on the Target. This is usually done as part of a massage or chiropractic session. The Player spends 5 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll.
Description:
This level of supernatural healing assists in a more rapid recouperation process by the Laying of Hands. Once a patient has been successfully Triaged using the Level 2 Skill (sutures, bones set, etc.), the Rapha may lay hands on the patient, focusing the small amount of Gaia’s mana they can channel into the body of the patient for a more thorough healing.
System:
The Player spends 15 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll.
NOTE: If a patient is dead, this ability will not bring them back or restore any HP.
Description:
Sometimes a patient is in so much pain that sedating them is the only way to begin treatment. This ability is also used when a patient is not being cooperative in their own recovery. To prevent further injury, a Rapha of this level of ability may use Touch of Morpheus to quickly put their patient to sleep.
Touch of Morpheus cannot be used in battle and lasts as long as the scene or until the Rapha wishes to wake the patient (whichever comes first). It has no effect on non living creatures.
System:
The Player spends 8 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist (or chooses not to resist) the Target will fall into a deep sleep for the duration of the scene, or until awoken by the Rapha Healer.
NOTE: Targets who attempt to resist and failed may continue to attempt to resist and wake up once every other turn.
Description:
This supernatural ability allows the Rapha to lay hands on the patient to heal life-threatening injuries and requires a great deal of focus to perform. A Rapha may only successfully perform this type of healing on a patient once per scene. This powerful ability is one of the few abilities that has a chance of bringing other Characters back to life, but it must be used in the same scene as when the Character died in order to be effective.
System:
The Player spends 20 Points of Energy/Mana and makes a successful roll. How high of a roll you made will determine how much healing your Target will receive.
ROLL CHART:
When a Rapha has reached the 9th level of healing, he/she/they takes on the title of Master Rapha (or simply the prefix Master, much like Dr.) once they have successfully created their first healing crystal.
Healing crystals contain powerful spirits that significantly amplify a Rapha's ability to channel spirit healings for physical injuries. However, Gaia rarely gives with both hands. For every point of healing the Rapha restores, he/she/they lose an amount of their own HP in exchange.
The Rapha determines exactly how much of their own Health Points they will sacrifice (at an exchange rate of 1 of their HP to heal 3 HP for the patient). This must be declared in chat before rolling.
For example: A Rapha using a Garnet Crystal presses it to the body of a Garou suffering from a claw gash to the torso. The Garou has lost 45HP. To fully heal the patient, the Rapha would have to exchange 15 of his/her/their own Health Points (45 ÷ 3 = 15). Round up for odd numbers. A Rapha is physically not capable of willingly giving up their last Health Point to heal using Spirit Heal.
The Nature of Healing Crystals and How to Use Them
Healing Crystals must be created and earned in sequential order, these being:
You cannot skip a crystal level. Each crystal is a necessary step in the Rapha’s abilities upon which the following crystal can be achieved. Since a Rapha is still only human, they require the help of an experienced Garou Theurge to bind the healing spirit to the crystal.
Using Spirit Heal Crystals:
CREATING A SPIRIT CRYSTAL: Ritually Binding a Spirit
To begin, the Rapha must find a perfect crystal specimen to house the spirit he/she/they will invite to inhabit the stone. This is not typically too difficult to do as the healing stones are semi precious and not usually uncommon. Though a perfect specimen may require a bit of effort to find. Things to consider when looking for a crystal:
As a rule, a stone should be larger than a marble but generally no bigger than a golf ball if the Rapha plans to carry the stone on them for healing. Once a sufficient stone is found, the Rapha must engage the assistance of a Garou Theurge to bind an appropriate spirit into it.
Both the Rapha and the Theurge must roll for success. The Rapha rolls to determine the quality and suitability of the crystal they have chosen. The Theurge rolls to entice a spirit to inhabit the crystal. Both rolls must be successful in order for the Spirit to inhabit the crystal.
For example: the Rapha rolls a modified 95 and is successful, but the Theurge only rolls a 65 and fails his roll. The Rapha will need to roll again and hope both he and the Theurge successfully make their next modified rolls. If the Rapha fails his roll, the Theurge will not need to make a roll until the Rapha is successful. Again, the team only has three sets of chances per OOC day. After which, they must try again on the following day.
If during this time either the Rapha or the Theurge botch the roll (a natural 1-10), the stone will crack and a new crystal will need to be purchased.
NOTE: If the botch occurs while attempting to bind a vengeful spirit into a Black Sapphire, the stone will explode with great force. This will cause 10HP of shrapnel damage to the Rapha, the Theurge, and anyone within a 5 meter radius of the exploding crystal.
All crystals will heal applicable Health Point damage in exchange for a certain number of the Rapha’s own Health Points (with the exception of the Black Sapphire Crystal). The Crystal must be touching the injured person’s body directly. The Player will still need to make a successful roll to determine if the Character's crystal has any healing impact on the Target.
Crystals will work on an injured person even if that person's Health Points are zero, literally bringing someone back from the brink of death. This includes anyone who has been technically killed or declared dead. However, the healing MUST take place before the end of the scene where the person lost all their Health Points (HP), otherwise they are clinically dead and the Rapha is unable to bring them back by any means.
HEALING CRYSTAL ROLLS:
All Crystals Roll on the following difficulty and modifiers.
BOTCH! – With the exception of the Clear Quartz Crystal and the Black Sapphire Crystal, if a Rapha botches their roll (1-10), the target is still healed, but the Rapha spontaneously takes on all injuries of the Target, immediately loses all their HP and falls unconscious for 24 hours until they can be medically treated for their injuries.
USING A LOADED BLACK SAPPHIRE AS A WEAPON
To target the fully loaded damage on another, the Rapha (using only the Black Sapphire) may aim the damage at another being and inflict that full injury at another (living or undead), causing identical HP damage. There is no resist to this.
It cannot be used on plants, animals, inanimate objects, or creatures of a significantly dissimilar anatomy. Only blunt force trauma injuries work on Vampires.
For example, the Rapha absorbs a serious bacterial infection from a patient and heals him, absorbing 50HP of damage into the Black Sapphire. Inflicting that illness on a vampire would do nothing, given they are not subject to bacterial infections or viruses. But using a Black Sapphire that absorbed HP damage from a sword gash will inflict that same damage on the Vampire.
Inflicting damage on another being is the only way to discharge the crystal. While a Rapha who uses this skill recants his or her vow to “do no harm,” one that has deliberately used their skills to injure others may find taking lives is easier than saving them. For this reason, a Rapha who wears a black sash and has used this ability with questionable integrity may be looked upon with trepidation, fear, avoidance, or even hostility.
NOTE: Black Sapphire cannot be used with Clear Quartz and these stones must be kept separated from each other. Failure to do so will destroy the Clear Quartz and discharge the Black Sapphire.
Rolling a Botch:
The use of the Black Sapphire Crystal is not without its risks. A Botched roll will cause the attack to fully backfire, injuring the Rapha with the identical damage instead of the target. If a Rapha using this particular stone goes below 0 HP, they are killed.