GIOVANNI

Blood and Betrayal

Embraced by a fallen clan during nights long past, the Giovanni have always had ambition. Now they bring that ambition to bear on a world they would claim for themselves. With vast wealth, the ability to command the spirits of the dead, and a strict familial hierarchy, the greatest enemy to stand against Clan Giovanni is itself. -- Clanbook: Giovanni - Revised Edition

CLAN OVERVIEW

Achieving prominence during the Venetian Renaissance, the Giovanni family built their fortune on the rise of the middle class and the ready profit of banking and Mediterranean trade (and heavily associated with the criminal enterprise that came with it). However, with the family’s rise came hubris, as its paterfamilias sought evermore power, and with that hubris came horror. With his earthly power at its apex, Augustus Giovanni turned to the arts of controlling the dead, and in doing so, gained the Embrace from a forgotten Antediluvian. With a conclave of conspirators, the Giovanni plunged a now-forgotten Clan into oblivion and built their own legacy on its corpse.

Since those first nights, the Giovanni have accepted no limits on their ambitions, despite opposition from Kindred outside their Clan and a well-deserved reputation as “Devil Kindred.” They studied forbidden arts, becoming formidable in the nigromancy that allowed them power over the spirits of the departed, and degeneracy followed in the wake of unclean ritual. To this night, the Giovanni are known for the insular nature of their Clan and the incestuous practices by which they populate it. 

A few outside families and factions fall under Giovanni auspices, but the vast majority of the Clan comes from the debased mortal family. The family remains successful despite all of their ghastly peccadilloes, and has amassed a vast wealth through crime, politics, and the secrets of the dead that keeps them in their position of degraded opulence.

In public view, the Giovanni make a great show of humility and respect. Part of this gentility is a habit of centuries, still in place from when the other Clans hunted the usurping Necromancers (and to preserve their hard won neutrality from the conflict between the Camarilla and the Sabbat). Another part of it is the velvet glove hiding the iron fist of their nature, remarkable for forcing ghosts, minds, and bodies alike to bow to their needs. To hear the Giovanni tell it, Princes and Archbishops alike owe them favors, and anyone with something to offer may earn their patronage.

For the most part, the Giovanni pursue their own agenda of cultivating wealth and building a foundation of power in the lands beyond the veil of death. Outsiders rarely comprehend the goals of the Necromancers, but only the most trusted of the Giovanni know that the Clan wants to plunge the world into a state where the dead and the living commingle. And with their mastery of Necromancy, the Giovanni would be positioned as the Kings to rule it all.

CLAN GIOVANNI

Quote: You misunderstand the situation if you think you’re important to me alive.

Nickname: Necromancers, Grave Robbers, Bone Collectors 

Appearance: Outwardly, Giovanni dress with subtlety and taste. Though much older Giovanni tend to cling to a Renaissance-inspired fashion sense, others have moved forward by embracing more modern styles, though strongly favoring popular Italian and French designers. 

Much of the Clan comes from the original mortal family, with olive Italian complexions and inherited family features. Those outside the immediate family often appear “of a type,” and in the traditional garb of their regional family branch. As their power stretches forth across the globe, younger members of the family are not necessarily of Italian heritage. However, the Giovanni do favor those with similar appearances as their own.

Haven: The family wealth of the Giovanni is evident in their havens, which may take the form of villas or lavish estates. The Necromancers often have valuables invested in their havens as well, such as galleries of fine art or displays of jewelry. Many Giovanni also maintain secondary havens, where they may have elaborate necromantic crypts or just flats where they can lie low if necessary.

Background: Giovanni of the main family branch have usually spent some amount of time as a ghoul in a practice known as the Proxy Kiss. During this time, the Kindred-to-be learns about the treacherous and jealous reality of the vampire family. She learns ambition and an unhealthy dose of duplicity, in addition to the family history and customs. Giovanni rarely see much of the outside world on their own terms during the Proxy Kiss period, and often become insular and alienated, while at the same time eager to stand out among the other family ghouls.

Character Creation: Giovanni vampires often have outgoing, professional Demeanors that hide unpleasant Natures warped in their upbringing. Social or Mental Attributes are usually primary, though some of the “soldiers” of the family prefer Physical Attributes. Emphasis likewise usually falls on primary Knowledges or Talents, depending on proclivity. A split in the Clan sees those who favor the practicality of Backgrounds (particularly those tied to wealth and exerting influence) diverge from those who prefer the forbidden prowess of Disciplines. Few Giovanni could be described as well-rounded.

Clan Disciplines: Dominate, Necromancy, Potence

Weaknesses: The Kiss of a Giovanni vampire causes excruciating pain in mortal vessels who receive it. If the Giovanni isn’t careful, her vessel may die of shock and agony before being wholly exsanguinated. When a Giovanni feeds upon a mortal, she does twice as much damage as the Kiss of another vampire would inflict. For example, if a Giovanni takes one point of blood from a mortal vessel, that victim would suffer two health levels of damage. As a result, they tend to use blood banks and other means of feeding that don’t fight as much.

Organization: Like few other Clans, the Necromancers have a top-down organization where policy is made by a (presumed) still-active Clan progenitor, Augustus. The family maintains an enormous palazzo known as the Mausoleum in Venice, where elders and fledglings alike dance to the whims of their ancient puppet masters. Clan structure is itself familial, with the added complications that degeneracy and vampirism offer. Incest, ancestor worship, necrophilia, cults of guilt, and bizarre relationships in which fathers and grandmothers are their own issue’s childer make a mire of the Clan and family, and fracture many Giovanni long before they become Kindred.

GIOVANNI SKILLS

POTENCE

Kindred endowed with Potence possess unnatural strength. This Discipline enables vampire to leap massive distances, lift tremendous weights, and strike opponents with brutal force. Even low ranks of this power can give Kindred physical power beyond mortal bounds. More powerful Kindred can leap so far that they appear to be flying, toss cars like soda cans, and punch through walls like cardboard. 

While the more subtle mental Disciplines can be awe-inspiring, the brutal effectiveness of Potence is formidable in its own right. The Brujah, Giovanni, Lasombra, and Nosferatu are naturally gifted with this Discipline, but members of other Clans often make a point to find someone who can teach them the awesome power of Potence.

System: 
Each dot that the vampire has in Potence adds +5 in Physical Attack and to all Strength-related rolls. Further, Potence adds modifiers in melee and brawling combat.

◉◎◎◎◎◎◎◎: Potence 1 

Affects:

• Permanent: Adds +5 Physical Attack

◉◉◎◎◎◎◎◎: Potence 2   

Affects:

• Permanent: Adds +5 Physical Attack

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Potence 3   

Affects:

• Permanent: Adds +5 Physical Attack

◉◉◉◉◎◎◎◎: Potence 4   

Affects:

• Permanent: Adds +5 Physical Attack

◉◉◉◉◉◎◎◎: Potence 5   

Affects:

• Permanent: Adds +5 Physical Attack

◉◉◉◉◉◉◎◎: Potence 6 - Crush (Attack) 

• Base Roll: 85
• Mod: Physical Attack, Physical Skill
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3 pts.
• Damage: 3
• Duration: Lasts for the length of a scene
• Permanent Affects:
  • +5 Physical Attack

Description:
A vampire with extensive knowledge of Potence can squeeze very, very hard. As a matter of fact, she can squeeze (or crush, squeeze or push) so hard that she can leave an imprint of her fingers or hand in any hard surface up to and including solid steel. A use of Crush can simply serve as a threat, or it can be used, for example, to dig hand holds into sheer surfaces for purposes of climbing, crush steel bars or twist them like a pretzel.

System: 
The Player spends three points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll.  The power remains active for the duration of a scene. The depth of the imprint the vampire creates with Imprint is up to the Storyteller — decisions should take into account how much force the vampire can bring to bear, the toughness of the material, and its thickness. If the object the vampire grasps is thin enough, at the Storyteller’s discretion, the vampire might simply be able to push through it (in the case of a wall) or tear it off (in the case of a spear or pipe).

NOTE: Can only be used against NPCs and inanimate objects.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◎: Potence 7 - Earth Shock (AOE)

• Base Roll: 90
• Mod: Physical Attack 
• Energy/Blood Cost: 4 pts.
• Def: 80+, Mod Athletics/Reflexes
• Damage: 2
• Area of Effect: 5 Meter Circumference (16.5 feet)
• Affects: None

Description:
According to some, Potence is merely the art of hitting something very hard. But what do you do when your target is too far away to hit directly? The answer is, if you’re sufficiently talented with the Discipline, to employ Earthshock. 

On its simplest level, Earthshock is the ability to hit the ground at point A, and subsequently have the force of the blow emerge from the ground at point B.

System: 
The Player spends 4 Energy/Blood points and makes a successful roll. The Player's Character then punches or stamps on the ground. The force of the blow emerges from the ground as a geyser of stone and earth directly underneath the target. 

The attack can be dodged at a +2 difficulty. Earthshock’s range is 10 feet or three meters for everylevel of Potence the vampire has, up to the limits of visibility. 

A failed roll roll (11-79) means that the strike goes errant and is liable to explode anywhere within range. A Botch (1-10) means that the vampire pulverizes the ground beneath him and may well bury himself in the process.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◉: Potence 8-Flick (Attack)

• Base Roll: 90
• Mod: Physical Attack, Physical Skill, Athletics/Reflexes
• Energy/Blood Cost: 10 pts.
• Def: 80, Mod Athletics/Reflexes
• Damage: 10
• Range: 20 Meters (Chat Range)
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +10 Physical Attack

Description:
It is a truism that “the great ones always make it look easy.” In the case of Flick, that saying stops being a truism and becomes literal truth. With this power, a master of Potence can make the slightest gesture — a wave, a snap of the fingers, the toss of a ball — and have it unleash the full, devastating impact of a deadon strike. 

The attack can come without warning, limiting the target’s ability to dodge or anticipate. This makes Flick one of the most feared applications of Potence.

System: 
The Player spends 10 pts. of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to defend, they suffer 10 pts. or damage.

To execute, the vampire must also make some sort of gesture directing the blow. The Target does not have to be aware of or make eye contact with the vampire. What the gesture is remains up to the Player — anything from a snap of the fingers or blowing a kiss, to flicking a toothpick or throwing a spoon.

DOMINATE

Dominate is one of the most dreaded of Disciplines. It is a vampire’s ability to influence another person’s thoughts and actions through her own force of will. Dominate requires that the vampire capture her victim’s gaze. As such, it may be used against only one subject at a time. 

Further, commands must be issued verbally, although simple orders may be made with signs. For example, a pointed finger and forceful expression to indicate “Go!” However, the subject won’t comply if he can’t understand the vampire, no matter how powerful the Kindred’s will is.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, vampires to which Dominate comes naturally tend to be from willful, domineering Clans. The Giovanni, Lasombra, Tremere, and Ventrue all consider an iron will to be a boon, and are eager to impose that iron will on any who would move against them.

While considered to be one of the more powerful of the Cainite abilities, there are two factors that must be present before it can be used on a victim:

1. The user must meet the eyes of the target and must speak in a language that is clearly heard and understood by the target.
   
   
2. Discipline cannot be used upon Cainites of lower generation and cannot force someone to be self-destructive or defy their Nature. 

Using Dominate is often considered very heavy-handed, hardly appropriate within what passes for polite vampiric society and typically used by those who cannot assert their will by other means. However, it tends to be favored by vampires of age and status as an efficient means of enforcing their authority.

◉◎◎◎◎◎◎◎: Dominate 1 - Command (Attack)   

• Base Roll: 60
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Willpower 
• Resist: Willpower can be rolled each turn to resist
• Duration: Three Turns
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Skill

Description: 
The vampire locks eyes with the subject and speaks a one-word command, which the subject must be obey instantly. The order must be clear and straight forward: run, agree, fall, yawn, jump, laugh, surrender, stop, scream, follow. 

If the command is at all confusing or ambiguous, the subject may respond slowly or perform the task poorly. The subject cannot be ordered to do something directly harmful to herself, so a command like “die” is ineffective.

The command may be included in a sentence, thereby concealing the power’s use from others. This effort at subtlety still requires the Kindred to make eye contact at the proper moment and stress the key word slightly. An alert bystander — or even the victim —may notice the emphasis. Still, unless she’s conversant with supernatural powers, the individual is likely to attribute the utterance and the subsequent action to bizarre coincidence.

System: 
The Player makes a successful roll. If the target fails their Resist Roll, they will follow the command to the best of their ability. The Command lasts for a total of 3 Turns. Each turn, the Target may again choose to resist. A successful resist negates the Command for the remainder of the turns. However, the Vampire may use another turn to reassert the Command if he/she/they choose.

Remember, too, that being commanded to act against one’s Nature confounds the use of this power. Being told to “sleep!” in a dangerous situation or “attack!” in police custody may not have the desired effect, or indeed, any effect at all.

◉◉◎◎◎◎◎◎: Dominate 2 - Mesmerize (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 70
• Energy/Blood Cost: 2
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Willpower, Mental Skill 
• Resist: Willpower 
• Duration: For the duration of the scene, or until a request has been fulfilled
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Attack
  • +5 Mental Skill
  • +5 Initiative

Description: 
With this power, a vampire can verbally implant a false thought or hypnotic suggestion in the subject’s subconscious mind. Both Kindred and target must be free from distraction, since Mesmerize requires intense concentration and precise wording to be effective.

The vampire may activate the imposed thought immediately or establish a stimulus that will trigger it later. The victim must be able to understand the vampire, though the two need to maintain eye contact only as long as it takes to implant the idea.

Mesmerize allows for anything from simple, precise directives (handing over an item) to complex, highly involved ones (taking notes of someone’s habits and relaying that information at an appointed time). It is not useful for planting illusions or false memories (such as seeing a rabbit or believing yourself to be on fire). 

A subject can have only one suggestion implanted at any time. 

System: 
The Player makes a successful roll. If the Target fails their roll, the suggestion takes hold in the victim’s subconscious. The subject cannot be forced to do anything that seems strange to her (she might walk outside, but is unlikely to steal a car). To determine how strong of a suggestion the Vampire is able to implant, see the Roll Chart below

ROLL CHART

1-10: Botch! The target reacts negatively to the Vampire and no further attempts at using Mesmerize can be used on that subject for the duration of the scene. 

1-69: No effect at all. The Target may react normally.

70-79: The Target has a predisposition to listen amicably and  to agree to reasonable requests or accept logical information. The Target cannot be forced to do anything that seems strange to him/her/them. They would probably not jump up and down on the hood of their car, but they would easily let you look at the contents of their wallet or agree to walk into a store and purchase a pack of cigarettes for the Vampire.

80-95: There is a strong imperative in the command and the Target will immediately comply unless following it immediately physically endangers the subject. For example, the Vampire can Command a small man to attack a 350lb professional wrestler, but could not force the target to put a gun to their own head and pull the trigger. 

96+: The Target is enthralled with the Vampire and treats them like a trusted friend who will follow virtually any instruction, even if it potentially puts them in mortal danger. If the Vampire tells the Target to put a gun to their own head and pull the trigger, the Target has three chances to resist the command. However, be mindful of how you use this power. Killing indiscriminately always has repercussions. 

NOTE: If a vampire tries to Mesmerize a subject before the Target fulfills a previously implanted directive, the command that had the highest roll always wins. If the rolls were equal, the newer command supplants the old one.

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Dominate 3 - The Forgetful Mind (Mental Attack)   

Base Roll: 70

Energy/Blood Cost: 6

Damage: 0

Mods: Willpower, Mental Skill 

Resist: Willpower 

Duration: For the duration of the scene, or until a request has been fulfilled

Permanent Affects:

• +5 Mental Attack

Description: 
After capturing the subject’s gaze, the vampire delves into the subject’s memories, stealing or re-creating them at his whim. The Forgetful Mind does not allow for telepathic contact; the Kindred operates much like a hypnotist, asking directed questions and drawing out answers from the subject. 

The degree of memory alteration depends on what the vampire desires. He may alter the subject’s mind only slightly (quite effective for eliminating memories of the victim meeting or even being fed upon by the vampire) or utterly undo the victim’s memories of her past.

The degree of detail used has a direct bearing on how strongly the new memories take hold, since the victim’s subconscious mind resists the alteration. A simplistic or incomplete false memory (“You went to the movies last night”) crumbles much more quickly than does one with more attention to detail (“You thought about texting your girlfriend while you were in line at the new movie theater, but you knew you’d have to turn your phone off once you got inside. You liked the movie well enough, but the plot seemed weak. You were tired after it ended, so you went home, watched a little late-night television, and went to bed.”).

Even in its simplest applications, The Forgetful Mind requires tremendous skill and finesse. It’s a relatively simple matter to rifle through a victim’s psyche and rip out the memories of the previous night without knowing what the subject did that evening. Doing so leaves a gap in the victim’s mind, however a hole can give rise to further problems down the road or even leave a breadcrumb trail of evidence that the memory was removed.

The Kindred may describe new memories, but these recollections seldom have the same degree of realism that the subject’s original thoughts held. As such, this power isn’t always completely effective. The victim may remember being bitten, but believe it to be an animal attack. Greater memories may return in pieces as dreams, or through sensory triggers like a familiar odor or spoken phrase. 

Even so, months or years may pass before the subject regains enough of her lost memories to make sense of the fragments. A vampire can also sense when a subject’s memories were altered through use of this power, and even restore them, as a hypnotist draws forth suppressed thoughts.

System: 
The Player makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, the target is pacified for the amount of time it takes the vampire to perform the verbal alteration, provided the vampire does not act aggressively toward the Target. How many modifications the Vampire is capable of performing on the Target is determined by the strength of their successful roll.

ROLL CHART

1-10: Botch! The target reacts with hostilityo toward the Vampire and will make any excuse to leave.

11-69: Nothing happens. This Target's mind is closed to you on this attempt, however you may try a different tactic on your next turn.

70-75: May remove a single memory; lasts one day

76-79: May remove, but not alter, a memory permanently

80-85: May permanently make slight changes to a single memory

86-89: May permanently alter or remove entire scene from subject’s memory

90+: May reconstruct entire periods of subject’s life. OR, may restore removed, tampered and/or false memory implants in a subject. The Vampire Character's level of Dominate must be equal to or higher than that of the Vampire who made the alteration.

NOTE: Vampires with skill levels in Dominate cannot use The Forgetful Mind to restore their own memories if they were stolen in such a way.

◉◉◉◉◎◎◎◎: Dominate 4 - Conditioning (Attack)   

Base Roll: 80

Energy/Blood Cost: 8

Damage: 2

Mods: Willpower, Mental Skill, Mental Attack

Resist: Willpower (see System)

Duration: Permanent (see System)

Special: 2 Day Cooldown (see System)

Permanent Affects: 

• +5 Mental Attack
• +5 Mental Skill

Description: 
Through sustained manipulation slowly over the course of time, the vampire can make a subject entirely pliant to the Kindred’s will. With each failure to resist, the victim becomes increasingly susceptible to the vampire’s influence while simultaneously growing more resistant to the corrupting efforts of other Kindred. 

Because this effect is amplified by the increased gravitational pull of the Full Moon, it is typically advised to begin this process on the first, second or third day of any Full Moon. (For simplicity, In DOD the full moon occurs the first, second and third of every month.)

Gaining complete control over a subject’s mind is no small task, taking weeks or even months to accomplish, depending on how weak the Target's mind is or how receptive they already are to the Vampire. This can take less than a week, to a full month. Kindred often fill their retainers’ heads with subtle whispers and veiled urges, thereby ensuring these mortals’ continued loyalty. 

Yet vampires must pay a high price for the minds they ensnare. Servants Dominated in this way can lose much of their passion and individuality. They follow the vampire’s orders quite literally, seldom taking initiative or showing any imagination. In the end, such retainers become like automatons or the walking dead.

System: 
To effectively and fully condition a Target's mind, the Player must:

• Make FIVE (5) successful rolls within a single calendar month AND,
  
  
• The Target must have failed to resist each of those five successful rolls during roleplay. After the fifth failed roll by the Target, the effects to be relatively permanent*, as long as the Vampire has physical contact with the Target once every 7 days.
• The Player's successful rolls DO NOT need to be successive. Of all the rolls they attempt, five must be successful AND the Target must fail to resist them.
  
  
  • NOTE: However, should the Target only fail several of the rolls but not all five, he/she/they are still under a certain level of permanent influence but are not considered totally lost to the Vampire. SEE ROLL CHART

Each of these rolls by the Vampire Player Character can only be done once in a 24 hour period. This constitutes a 1 day cooldown to:

1. Allow the Character's Target to mentally adjust to the Vampire's growing authority over them, OR 
2. Allow the Character's Target to again be receptive to the conditioning.

If the Vampire's Player does not make a successful roll, the Target does not need to attempt to resist since the Vampire failed to exert an adequately influence the Target. The Target will not be aware that such influence was even attempted.

If within a calendar month the Player fails to make all five successful rolls where the Target failed to successfully resist, then the process is at an end and the Target can only be influenced up to their last failed roll (if any of the Target's rolls failed). See Roll Chart.

ROLL CHART: 
(mods are non stacking)

1. First Failed Roll to Resist:
   The Target has a positive outlook in regards to the Vampire and views that Kindred favorably. They don't know why they do, but they just have a good feeling toward them and will respond amiably. However, they are still under their own free will.
2. Second Failed Roll to Resist:
   The Target is happy to do the Vampire any "favors," though they are still under their own autonomy and do not feel unable to refuse if the favor is dangerous or is something that goes against their character.
   • +5 Willpower when rolling to resist any other Vampire's influence, or other being's attempt at controlling the target 
   • -5 Willpower in regards to any roll made to resist the conditioning Vampire.
3. Third Failed Roll to Resist:
   The Target finds it very difficult to resist the Vampire's influence and may attempt to find reasons to be in his/her/their company given the opportunity. The Target may look for ways to be of interest or help to the Vampire in the hopes of furthering the friendship. This of course is by their own choice and they may still yet refuse a request.
   • +10 Willpower when rolling to resist any other Vampire's influence, or other being's attempt at controlling the target
   • -10 Willpower in regards to any roll made to resist the conditioning Vampire.
4. Fourth Failed Roll to Resist:
   The Target actively looks to be in the Vampire's company, even going so far as to ask the Vampire how they can be of help to him/her/them. The Target feels pleased and perhaps even relieved if given a task to perform. If the request is not unreasonable or does not put the Target's life in immediate danger, they will typically be agreeable. While the Target is very willing, they may still choose to resist obeying a request.
   • +15 Willpower when rolling to resist any other Vampire's mental influence, or other being's attempt at controlling the target.
   • -15 Willpower in regards to any roll made to resist the conditioning Vampire.
5. Fifth Failed Roll to Resist:
   Upon the final failed roll to resist, the Target falls so far under the vampire’s influence that the Kindred need not make eye contact or even be present to retain absolute control. The subject does exactly as he/she/they is told (including taking actions that would result in injury or even death), as long as the Target's master can communicate verbally with them. No command roll is necessary unless the subject is totally isolated from the vampire’s presence (in a different room, over the phone). Even if a command roll fails, the target will still likely carryout part of the orders given, simply because her master wishes it and the Target finds great pleasure in fulfilling those desires.
   1. +20 Willpower when rolling to resist any other Vampire's mental influence, or other being's attempt at controlling the target.
   2. -20 Willpower in regards to any roll made to resist the conditioning Vampire.
   3. -20 Willpower in regards to any roll made to mentally influence the Target in any way that would have the Target harm or betray the Vampire.
   4. The Target will lose much of their independent or creative/problem-solving thought, choosing to stick to the letter of commands than risk failing to comply. 
   5. The Target may lose sleep and their appetite over worrying that they will lose the favor of the Vampire and no longer be of useful service if they do not see the Vampire often. This can give them a drawn, pale and emaciated appearance.

Breaking Conditioning
It is possible, though difficult, to shake Conditioning. The subject must be separated entirely from the Vampire to whom she was in thrall. This period of separation varies depending on the individual, but the Storyteller may set it at six weeks, less a number of weeks equal to the subject’s permanent Willpower rating (so a person with 4 Willpower must stay away from the vampire for two OOC weeks ). 

The subject regains her personality slowly during this time, though she may still lapse into brief spells of listlessness, despair, or even anger. If the vampire encounters the target before that time passes, a single successful roll to reestablish Command (difficulty of the target’s current Willpower Mod) on the part of the Vampire can completely reassert the dominance.

If the subject makes it through the time period without intervention by her master, the target regains her former individuality. Even so, the vampire may reestablish conditioning more easily than the first time, since the subject is now predisposed to falling under the Kindred’s mental control. New attempts require only three successes that coincide with the Target's failed rolls than the last bout of conditioning did (which means the subject reaches the threshold for reduced difficulties sooner, as well).  

*Permanent means how long the Target will be under the Vampire's command unless the conditioning deteriorates or somehow erased by another Vampire, or other supernatural mind-control means.

◉◉◉◉◉◎◎◎: Dominate 5 - Possession (Attack)   

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 8
• Damage: 3
• Mods: Willpower, Mental Attack
• Resist: Willpower 
• Duration: Until the Vampire decides to leave or is expelled.
• Permanent Affects: 
• +5 Mental Attack
• +5 Physical Defense
• +5 Mental Skill

Description: 
At this level of Dominate, the force of the Kindred’s psyche is such that it can utterly supplant the mind of a mortal subject. Speaking isn’t required, but the vampire must capture the victim’s gaze. During the psychic struggle, the contestants’ eyes are locked on one another.

Once the Kindred overwhelms the subject’s mind, the vampire moves his consciousness into the victim’s body and controls it as easily as he uses his own. The mortal falls into a mental fugue while under possession. She is aware of events only in a distorted, dreamlike fashion. In turn, the vampire’s mind focuses entirely on controlling his mortal subject. His own body lies in a torpid state, defenseless against any actions made toward it.

Vampires cannot possess one another in this fashion, as even the weakest Kindred’s mind is strong enough to resist such straightforward mental dominance. Only through a blood bond can one vampire control another to this degree. 

Supernatural creatures also cannot be possessed in this way, although ghouls that have drunk from the vampire using Possession can.

System:
The Player makes a successful roll. If the Target fails their roll to resist, the Vampire will fall into a torpor state and take possession of the Target's body. While in the body of the Target, the Vampire will no longer be affected by sunlight and will be able to speak with the host's own voice. While the Vampire will retain his/her/their own mental skills and abilities, they will not have access to the host's memories or knowledge and are restricted to the physical abilities and limitations of the host's body.

 If the vampire leaves the mortal shell (by choice, through supernatural expulsion or after sustaining significant injury), his consciousness returns to his physical form in an instant.

Once freed from possession, the mortal Target regains mental control of herself. This can happen in an instant, or the victim may lie comatose for days while her psyche copes with the violation. The vampire experiences everything the mortal body feels during possession, from pleasure to pain. 

While the Vampire does not incur and actual physical damage experience by the host's body, the Vampire DOES experience any damage or repercussions from Mental Attacks. The only exception to this is If the mortal dies before the vampire’s soul can flee from the body, in which case the Vampire succumbs to torpor. Presumably this is in sympathetic response to the massive trauma of death. 

The Kindred can remain in the mortal’s body even if his own torpid form is destroyed, though such a pathetic creature is not likely to exist for long. At each sunrise, the vampire must roll Willpower + Mental Skill (difficulty 80) or be expelled from the body. If forced from the mortal body, the vampire tumbles into the astral plane, his soul permanently lost in the spirit world. A vampire trapped in a mortal body may not be “re-Embraced.” If the Embrace occurs to such a creature, he simply meets Final Death. The mortal, however, regains consciousness and becomes awakens to the horror of becoming a vampire.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◎◎: Dominate 6 - Chain the Psyche (Debuff)   

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 8
• Damage: 10 HP
• Mods: Mental Attack, Mental Skill, Willpower
• Resist: None
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +10 Mental Attack
  • +5 Mental Skill
  • +10 Initiative

Description: 
Not content with merely commanding their subjects, some elders apply this power to ensure obedience from recalcitrant victims. Chain the Psyche is a Dominate technique that inflicts incapacitating pain on a target who attempts to resist the Vampire’s commands.

System: 
The Player spends 8 Energy/Points identifies the Target, and makes a successful roll. If the Target attempts to resist (aka: rolls to resist, whether successful or not) the vampire’s implanted commands or to recover stolen memories causes intense pain and 10HP of damage. 

When such an attempt is made, the Storyteller rolls the character‘s Manipulation + Intimidation (difficulty equal to the subject’s Stamina +Empathy). Each success equals one turn that the victim is unable to act, as she is wracked with agony. Each application of Chain the Psyche crushes a number of resistance attempts equal to the character’s points in Willpower. 

For Example: The Vampire uses Chain the Psyche on the Mayor of the city, for whom he has already successfully placed a level 3 Command upon. The Mayor attempts to resist the Vampire's command to fire the Chief of Police. Whether or not his roll fails or succeeds, the Mayor suffers 10 HP of damage. Since the Vampire has 4 points purchased in Willpower, the Mayor will suffer this same fate for the following 3 attempts to resist the Vampire's commands of him.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◎: Dominate 7 - Mass Manipulate (Area of Effect)   

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 18
• Damage: 10 HP
• Mods: Mental Attack, Willpower
• Resist: Willpower
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +10 Initiative

Description: 
A truly skilled elder may command small crowds through the use of this power. By manipulating the strongest minds within a given group, a gathering may be directed to the vampire’s will. The Sheep always follow the leader.

System: 
The Player declares he wishes to use this skill when roleplaying within a group (three or more people) he desires to control or influence. The person with the strongest Willpower within the group is identified. If there is a tie, the Storyteller will select the Target Character to make the roll for the group.

The Player then spends 18 Energy/Blood points, makes direct eye contact with the Target Character, then makes a successful roll. The identified Target Character in the group with the highest Willpower rolls to resist. If he makes his roll to resist, the Vampire's attempt to use Mass Manipulate fails and no one in the group can be manipulated.

If the Target Character fails his roll, how many others in his group who are affected depends on how badly he rolled. See Roll Chart below.

Those under the influence of the Vampire's Manipulation will be amicable with the Vampire and very open to his opinions and suggestions. While the Vampire can make a good case for starting a bar fight or a flash mob, he cannot directly suggest that the group do direct harm to themselves. The suggestions should have some type of rational basis...even if they are illogical.

ROLL CHART:
How many points below the Vampire's Manipulate roll the Target Character Rolls determines how many others in his group will also feel the full affects of the Manipulation. The Player's Vampire choses the additional person.

• 1-5 points below: 1 other person 
• 6-10 points below: 3 other people 
• 11-20 points below: 5 other people
• 21-50 points below: 6 other people
• 51+ points below: 7 other people
• BOTCH! Rolling a natural 1-10 will have everyone in the group energetically fall under the Vampire's Manipulation. Plus, the Target Character who rolled the botch will vigorously agree with the Vampire no matter how ridiculous or illogical the Vampire's point of view is. He will also heartily encourage all others to rally around the Vampire. What a great guy!

◉◉◉◉◉◉◉◉: Dominate 8 - Oberon's Grail (Attack)   

• Base Roll: 140
• Energy/Blood Cost: 22
• Damage: 15 HP
• Mods: Mental Attack, Mental Skill, Willpower
• Resist: Willpower, Mental Defense
• Permanent Affects: None

Description: 
While challenging, a powerful Vampire can completely dominate an unresisted mind and wipe it clean of the last 24 hours. Like a surgeon with a laser scalpel, the Vampire cuts out the specific time range of memories. Anything that was learned or that occurred in  in the past 24 hours is forgotten and the Target loses an entire day of their life with no clue as to what transpired or where they were (think Alien abduction cases). While the memories are removed, the Target experiences sudden and intense deal of pain as though being stabbed with an icepick in the back of their head. 

System:
The Player's Character makes direct eye contact and spends 22 points of Energy/Blood points. He then makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, the memory of the last 24 hours is wiped from their mind. This removes any skills learned during that specific 24 hours, any mental commands (or resulting mental trauma/damage) since those events will simply not have happened.

NOTE: This only effects memories and acquired information that happens in roleplay. This does not effect a Player having purchased skills using Experience Points. However, it DOES apply to any roleplay where the Target was taught a skill by another player in roleplay. If this is a qualifier for having an RP reason for the skill, that RP session will need to be done again. IF this causes problems for the Target Player, contact an Admin and your XP will be refunded.

Lost Forever???
While it is possible to regain some of those memories with the help of certain other vampiric or supernatural skills (determined by the Storyteller), Oberon's Grail physically tampers with specific brain functions making total recall impossible. Because of this, it is possible to remove the Commands of other Vampires (either on purpose or by accident) IF those commands were issued within those 24 hours which are now lost. (Storyteller's discretion.)

NECROMANCY

Necromancy is both a Discipline and a school of Blood Magic devoted to the command of the souls of the dead. The study of Necromancy is not widespread among the Kindred, and its practitioners— primarily the Giovanni — are shunned and despised for their foul practices (until those practices become useful, of course).

Like Thaumaturgy, Necromancy has also spawned a series of rituals. While not nearly so immediate in effect as the basic powers of Necromancy, Necromantic rituals can have impressive long-term effects. Unsurprisingly, the elements of Necromantic ritual are things like long-buried corpses and hands from the cadavers of hanged men, so obtaining suitable materials can be quite challenging.

Necromancers can witness, summon, and command the spirits of the dead, they can also force those souls to reanimate their remains and serve their Vampire Master. At higher levels, the necromancer can force the ghost to remain in a particular place or object, or even damage wraiths directly. 

Note: If a Kindred uses a power in the presence of something of great importance to the ghost the power affects, the chances for success in the summoning increases dramatically (reduce the difficulty by 2). This might be the bathtub in which the ghost’s mortal body was drowned, the rusted-out wreck of the car where the ghost’s physical body was trapped alive, or something unrelated to the ghost’s demise, such as a favorite book or a child-ghost’s beloved rocking horse in his nursery.

◉◎◎◎◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 1 - Insight (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 60
• Energy/Blood Cost: 3
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Willpower, Mental Skill
• Resist: Willpower 
• Duration: Scene
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Skill

Description: 
Before it is possible to control the dead, one must perceive them. This power allows just that, attuning a vampire’s unliving senses to the presence of the incorporeal. 

Under its effects, a necromancer sees ghosts as translucent phantoms gliding among the living and hears their whispers and moans. The Necromancer feels the spectral cold of their touch and smells their musty hint of decay. Yet one cannot mistake the dead for the living, as they lack true substance, and appear dimmer and less real than creatures of flesh and blood. 

When a vampire uses this power, her eyes flicker with pale blue fire that only the dead can see. While it is possible for the Necromancer to use this skill to communicate with the dead, ghosts resent being spied upon, and more powerful shades may use their own powers to inflict their displeasure on the incautious.

System: 
The Player spends 3 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The Vampire can now perceive ghosts as described for the rest of the scene, whether in the mortal world (or the spiritual realm should they find themselves there).

Speaking with Spirits
Once Insight has been successfully initiated, the Necromancer may attempt to communicate with the spirits. While some spirits may actively initiate a conversation, many may not. In this case, the Vampire must roll vs Persuasion to entice the spirit to engage in any type of conversation:

• Dif: 80
• Mod: Persuasion, Occult

BOTCH! Rolling a Natural 1-10
If the Player rolls a natural 1-10, the Player's Vampire Character will have keenly manifested this skill in reverse. For the duration of the scene, he/she/they can now clearly see the dead as they were when they were living standing in front of them, and everything in the material world appears as shapeless, translucent dim shadows. 

While the Vampire’s other senses still remain attuned to the living (feel, touch, hear, smell, etc.), he is all but blind in this state to the material world and suffers a -15 difficulty to most vision-based Perception rolls and attacks. 

In addition, the Vampire can very clearly hear the dead as though they were alive, which makes it difficult for the Necromancer to tell the difference between what he is hearing in the living world and what he can now clearly hear coming from the spirits.

◉◉◎◎◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 2 - Zombie (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 70
• Energy/Blood Cost: 5
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Willpower, Occult, Mental Skill
• Duration: Until the Necromancer ends the effect.
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Skill
  • +5 Physical Skill

Description: 
The Necromancer can animate any fleshy corpse into a Zombie to perform non-combatant functions, or simply because it's fun to watch them twitch like rotting meat puppets. Whatever the motivation, this ability allows the vampire to perform their choice of one of following:

1.  Flail: Cause a corpse to flail, twitch, sit up or other rudimentary action.
2.  Animate: Give motion to a dead body, compelling it to rise and perform a simple function or task. For example, the corpse could be set to carrying heavy objects, digging, sweeping a floor, chopping wood, etc.
3. Zombie Shuffle: Animate a dead body and have it mindlessly shuffle about a set perimeter. While there is no intelligence or consciousness, the body will move around obstacles (much like a Roomba vacuum cleaner does by bumping into something, then moving aside to continue on in its programmed ask.)
4. Turn to Ash: The Necromancer can render any corpse (no matter how fresh or ancient) into a pile of gray-white ash. This is commonly used to easily dispose of one's unneeded minions.

The cadavers thus animated do not attack or defend themselves if interfered with, but instead attempt to carry out their given instructions until such time as they’ve been rendered inanimate again (or to dust) by the Necromancer. While a Necromancer can always stop a corpse from animating at any given time, he/she/they will need to use this ability again to render the corpse to dust.

Generally it takes decapitation, flame, or something similar to destroy a corpse animated in this way by anyone other than a Necromancer using this skill.

System: 
The Player spends 5 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The Necromancer must then state the simple task to which he is setting the animated corpse. The cadavers turn themselves to their work until they finish the job (at which point they collapse) or something eventually destroys them. 

Corpses animated in this way have no initiative of their own, and are unable to make value judgments. They respond to very literal instruction. Thus, a zombie could be told “sweep this room every day until all the dust and cobwebs are gone” or “transcribe this manuscript” with an expectation of reasonable results, while a more open-ended command such as “fix this motorcycle” or “research this Necromantic ritual and write down the results” would be utterly doomed to failure.

There is no limit to how many times a Necromancer can use this skill to animate corpses. While it is possible to eventually create an army of these mindless zombies, there is really very limited uses for them given their impaired (and sometimes comical) lack of autonomy. They also continue to decay, giving off the stench of rotting flesh. (Besides, how many Roombas can one person reasonably use?)

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 3 - Undead Servants (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 70
• Energy/Blood Cost: 12
• Damage: 0
• Mods: Willpower, Occult
• Duration: Until the Necromancer ends the effect.
• Permanent Affects: None

Description: 
Undead Servants creates the obvious results: reanimated corpses with the added ability to serve as guards, attack on command, or defend the Necromancer. The type of Undead Servant the Necromancer creates depends on the type of corpses he/she/they has available: Skeletons or Fleshy Corpse. 

In either case, once primed by this power the Undead Servants wait — for years, if necessary — to fulfill the command given them. The orders might be to protect a certain site and attack any who trespass, or simply to attack immediately. In either case, their instructions will be carried out faithfully until every last one of the decomposing monsters is destroyed by either decapitation, flames or by a Necromancer turning them to ash.

System:
The Player's Character locates an adequate source of skeletons or fleshy corpses. Usually a local graveyard is an ideal place to start, or a battlefield of the more recently dead.  Any corpse that is being summoned from a grave or tomb will take three full turns to dig themselves out to serve their Master. Corpses already dug up or not buried will be animated immediately.

The Player then spends 12 points of Energy/Blood, sprinkles their blood on the pile of dead bones and flesh, then makes a successful roll to animate three Skeletons, Zombies or a combination of both. Each time this skill is successfully used the Necromancer can raise a max of three Undead Servants from the grave (if the raw material is available). 

Each Undead can follow one relatively simple instruction, such as “Stay here and guard this graveyard against any intruders,” or “Kill my enemies!”

Note: All Undead created by this ability will wait forever if need be to fulfill their functions. The Undead will wait and wait and wait, still able to perform their duties.

ROLL BOTCH!

Rolling a natural, unmodified 1-10 brings to life an Abomino. This is a horrifying conglomerate undead creature made up of multiple corpses and random body parts. 

For stats on Undead (Skeletons, Zombies, Corrupt Liche and Abomino) CLICK HERE.

◉◉◉◉◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 4 - Soul Stealing (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 100
• Energy/Blood Cost: 20
• Damage: 10
• Mods: Mental Attack, Occult
• Duration: Scene
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Mental Attack

Description: 
This power affects the living, not the dead. It does, however, temporarily turn a living soul into a sort of wraith, as it allows a necromancer to strip a soul from a living body. A mortal exiled from his body by this power becomes a wraith with a single tie to the real world: his now-empty body.

System: 

This ability can always be used on NPCs. It CAN however be used on another Player Character, but is only effective if that Player Character botches the resist roll, meaning he/she/they rolls a natural, unmodified 1-10. 

The Player identifies the Target, spends 20 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. If the Target fails to resist, their soul is cast our of their body and must follow their body in spirit form or be lost to the ether. This lasts for the duration of the scene, after which the Target's soul is merged back with his physical body.

The body itself remains autonomically alive but catatonic. This power can be used to create suitable hosts for Daemonic Possession. It has no effect on Kindred or other supernatural creatures (except ghouls and kinfolk).

◉◉◉◉◉◎◎◎: Necromancy 5 - Daemonic Possession (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 80
• Energy/Blood Cost: 20
• Damage: 10
• Mods: Willpower, Occult
• Permanent Affects: None

Description: 
Daemonic Possession lets a vampire insert a soul into a freshly dead or spiritually-vacated body. This does not turn the reanimated corpse into anything other than a reanimated corpse, one that will irrevocably decay after a week, but it does give either a wraith or a free-floating soul (say, that of a vampire using Psychic Projection) a temporary home in the physical world.

System: 
The body in question must be no more than 30 minutes dead/vacated, and the new tenant must agree to inhabit it — a ghost or astral form cannot be forced into a new shell. However, most ghosts would gladly seize the opportunity. 

Should the vampire, for whatever reason, wish to insert a soul into another vampire’s corpse (before it crumbles to ash), the necromancer must roll a minimum of 20+ higher than the resisted Willpower roll against the original owner of the body. Otherwise, the interloper is denied entrance.

Note: The soul can use whatever physical abilities (Athletics, Brawl, Potence, etc.) his new fleshy home possesses, and whatever mental abilities (Computer, Law, Presence) he already possessed. He cannot use the physical abilities of his old form, or the mental abilities of his new one.

◉◉◉◉◉◉◎◎: Necromancy 6 - Breath of Thanatos (Area of Effect)   

• Base Roll: 90
• Energy/Blood Cost: 18
• Damage: 14
• Mods: Occult, Physical Attack, Physical Skill
• Resist: Physical Defense, Physical Skill
• Permanent Affects: 
  • +5 Physical Attack
  • +5 Physical Skill
  • +5 Initiative

Description: 
The Breath of Thanatos is one of the most versatile skills in the Necromancer's portfolio of abilities, allowing him/her/them to use it in their choice of one of several powerful ways:

1. Lure Specters: The first is to draw out entropic energy and focus it upon an area or person by taking a deep breath and then forcefully exhaling a fog of powerful Necromantic energy. This cloud of virulence is completely invisible to anyone without the ability to see the passing of entropy.
   
   The energy of this cloud is like a beacon for Specters, and they are drawn to the entropic force like moths to a flame and may wreak havoc over those in the area. Once the energy is expelled from the Necromancer’s body, she can either disperse it over a large area as a lure for Specters, or use the mist for more sinister purposes.
   
   
2. Physical Attack: The second is to channel the Breath of Thanatos into an object or person. The death mist inflicts the subject with a debilitating, wasting illness. Furthermore, the focused energies are tainted and eerie, and though generally invisible (except to powers such as Aura Perception), they tend to cause people and animals to feel uncomfortable around the victim.
   
   
3. Corrupt Liche: When this powerful mist is focused and breathed into a Necromancer's already-created Zombie, it transforms the previously non-autonomous hulking mass of dead flesh into the more sentient Corrupt Liche underling. While similar in name only to traditional Liche, these creatures regain a small semblance of their former selves when they were alive, though that personality is extremely corrupted. For stats on the Corrupt Liche, CLICK HERE.
   
   

System: 
The Player identifies the purpose/intent of the Breath of Thanatos and spends 20 points of Energy/Blood. If the roll is successful, then one of the following intentions will result: 

• Lure Specters: 
  If the mist is dispersed to summon Specters, the energies cover roughly one-quarter of a mile (400 meters) in radius, centered around the Necromancer. Specters summoned with this power will ignore the summoning Necromancer for the duration of the scene unless provoked, but may well go out of their way to wreak havoc on anyone else in the vicinity. If the Necromancer rolls a Botch (natural 1-10) then the Vampire will become the focus of the most powerful Specter in the area, and this rarely if ever bodes well for the Necromancer.
  
  If successful, the Necromancer can then use other Necromancy powers to manipulate and affect these Specters. Ghosts so targeted may then interact with the Necromancer as normal, although the other Specters in the area will continue to ignore both the vampire and the targeted ghost. This energy disperses after a scene, after which the Specters leave to find new prey.
  
  
• Physical Attack: 
  If the cloud is directed toward a particular target, he/she/they suffers 14 points of damage over two turns. This generally manifests as sudden illness. This effects normal humans, as well living supernatural creatures. It has no effect on Vampires. A botch on the roll to control this power has the effect inflicted on a random person (Storyteller's discretion).
  
  
• Corrupt Liche:
  The Necromancer seals his lips about those of the Zombie's and directly exhales the Breath of Thanatos into the decaying vessel of animated flesh. (This does not work on Skeletons since there is no flesh to be infected.)
  
  The Corrupt Liche's eyes become clear and the flesh ceases to decay at whatever stage of corruption it had already attained. The spark of intelligence is reignited and the Liche gains independent thought. Some memories of the body's previous life and knowledge can be remembered, though this is merely residual. The actual soul of the person does not reinhabit the body. The Corrupt Liche will obey commands, even those far too complicated for Zombies or Skeletons.
  
  For information on the Corrupt Liche, CLICK HERE.

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 7 - Wither (Mental Skill)   

• Base Roll: 90
• Energy/Blood Cost: 18
• Damage: 12
• Mods: Physical Skill, Physical Attack
• Resist: Physical Defense, Physical Skill
• Permanent Affects: None

Description: 
Reminiscent of some of the powers of Vicissitude, Wither allows a vampire to cripple an opponent’s limb. Whether the foe is living or undead, muscle shrivels away, skin peels, and bone becomes brittle. The target is unable to exert any noteworthy strength in the crippled limb. This injury lasts for far longer than most injuries trouble vampires, and in mortals it simply does not heal under normal medical care.

Wither doesn’t have to be used on a limb, although that is its usual purpose. It can also be used simply to affect the target’s face and hair, making him appear far older than his years. It could also be applied to a target’s eye or ear, killing the sense in that organ (and thus requiring two uses to blind or deafen).

Wither cannot be used as an “instant-kill” power— necromancers cannot wither internal organs — but it can inflict a wide variety of injuries on a foe.

System: 
The Player identifies the Target and which body part is the focus of the Vampire's Wither. The Player's Character must then physically touch the body part effected. Failure to touch the body part negates this ability.

• If the Target attempts to avoid the contact, the Player must roll to hit. 
  • DIF: 60
  • MOD: Physical Attack, Physical Skill
  • Defense: Physical Defense
  • If the roll fails, or the Target successfully defends, the Vampire will be noticed attempting to touch the Target.

Once the Player's Character touches the body part (even a light touch in passing will do), the Player then spends 18 Energy/Blood points and makes a successful roll. 

• If the roll is a Botch (natural 1-10) the attempt backfires on the Vampire and a random body part on the Necromancer is temporarily affected for the duration of the scene (Storyteller's Choice).
• If the roll is successful and the Vampire touches the intended limb, the target instantly suffers 12 points of Damage, and the permanent crippling effect of the particular limb until healed by supernatural means, if mortal. Vampires will suffer the effects for 24 hours (OOC) unless healed by supernatural means.

Crippling Effects:

• A withered limb does not degenerate further, even on a mortal and the condition is not life-threatening. The character may be crippled for life, but the limb won’t become infected or gangrenous. The effects of the withering depend on the affected limb. A crippled arm has a Strength of 0, cannot benefit from Potence, and cannot carry anything heavier than about half a pound (200 grams). 
  • Crippled Leg: prevents the character from moving faster than a stuttering hop or dragging limp. The character suffers the effects of the Lame Flaw (see p. 482).
  • Withered Eye or Ear:  imposes a -10 difficulty to relevant Perception and Initiative rolls. Losing both eyes or both ears imposes will make the target blind/deaf until healed by supernatural means. 
  • Withered Tongue: will make the Target mute.
  • Withered Face: induces the same effects as Bell's Palsy.

◉◉◉◎◎◎◎◎: Necromancy 8 - Necropolis Mastery (Attack)   

• Base Roll: 120
• Energy/Blood Cost: 20
• Damage: 18
• Mods: Occult, Mental Skill, Willpower
• Duration: Until the Necromancer ends the effect 
• Permanent Affects:
  • +10 Physical Attack
  • +5 Physical Skill
  • +5 Mental Skill

Description: 
This powerful skill allows a necromancer to physically enter the Underworld and communicate with, attack, or compel the dead. While in the lands of the dead, the vampire is essentially a semi solid ghost and subject to the perils of this realm. The Necromancer maintains his normal number of health levels and abilities, but can be hurt by anything that damages ghosts, such as weapons forged from souls, certain ghostly powers, other Necromancers in the Underworld, etc.. 

A vampire in the Underworld can pass through solid objects in the real world (at the cost of 5 Energy/Blood points per physical object) and remain “incorporeal” for the duration of the scene, or until they wish to return to the material plane.

While in the Underworld, the Necromancer may attack spirits or even compel them to do their bidding. 

System: 
The Player spends 18 points of Energy/Blood and makes a successful roll. The Player's Character will then be transported into the Shadow Realm, a world that juxtaposes our own but is but a misty shadow of the world of the living.

While there, the Vampire can be injured or even killed. In turn, the Vampire can attack and injure or destroy ghosts and wraiths (attacks and damage are treated as the same). The Vampire can transport physical objects into the the Shadow Realm, but only if those objects are on his body or held in his hand. Necromancers still have all their mental and physical skills. While in this realm, the Vampire can compel ghosts or wraiths to do their bidding.

• Compelling Command
  DIF: 80
• MOD: Occult, Willpower
• Resist: Willpower

While in the Shadow Realm, the vampire can use Compel on any ghost or wraith he sees. However, if the Vampire is looking for a specific ghost, he can summon it to him if he speaks the ghost's name, or has an object having belonged to or is associated with the ghost (same DIF/MOD as Compelling Command). At this point, the Vampire may attack the ghost, attempt to communicate with it, or bind it with Compelling command.

If the Player's roll is successful, and the ghost fails it's willpower roll to resist, the Player's roll determines the degree of control he has over the ghost (see Roll Chart). Moreover, the vampire’s control keeps ghosts that have been called from other places in the Shadow Realm from returning to their original locations at the end of the scene. If the ghost successfully resists, the vampire is forcefully expelled from the Shadow Realm and suffers 20HP of damage.

Roll Chart:

1-10: Botch! The Vampire is forcefully expelled from the Shadow Realm, suffers 30HP of damage, and cannot reenter the Shadow Realm for the duration of the scene.

11-79: No effect. But you may attempt to enter the Shadow Realm on your next turn.

80-85: If requested, the ghost must perform one simple task for the vampire that does not place it in certain danger. It must attend to this task immediately. The ghost may not attack the vampire until this task is complete. It is possible instead to issue the task of answering one question, in which case the ghost must answer truthfully and to the best of its knowledge.

86-90: The vampire may issue two orders, or ask two questions as outlined above. Alternatively, the Vampire may demand a simple task with a real possibility of danger, as long as the danger is not certain.

91-95: The vampire may issue three orders or ask three questions, as outlined above. Alternatively, he may demand the ghost fulfill one difficult and dangerous task or a simple assignment that has an extended duration of up to one month. 

96-105: The vampire may issue four orders or assign two tasks, as outlined above. Alternatively, the vampire may command the ghost to perform one complex assignment that puts the ghost at extreme risk, or perform any number of non-threatening tasks as the vampire’s slave for up to one month

110+:  The vampire is now the Ghost's Master and may issue multiple orders of any level of danger or complexity. Such a tasks can place the ghost in immediate peril of destruction, or even force it to betray and assault loved ones. They must obey. The Ghost will follow the Necromancer wherever he goes until dismissed or destroyed. (See an Admin or Mod to receive a notecard Character Sheet for your new Ghost Servant.)