Thaumaturgy in v5 by

<div class='cover-header'>Thaumaturgy in v5</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>By CrushLego</div>

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# <font color="black">Thaumaturgy</font>

Thaumaturgy encompasses blood magic and other sorcerous arts available to Kindred. The Tremere Clan is best known for their possession (and jealous hoarding) of this Discipline. The Tremere created Thaumaturgy by combining mortal wizardry with the power of vampiric vitae, and as a result it is a versatile and powerful Discipline. After the fall of Vienna Chantry, many lessons were lost entirely, and most Tremere defaulted to using what was known as Blood Sorcery, or the Path of blood, and Thaumaturgy became far more rare than it once was.

### <font color="black">The Discipline.</font>

Like Oblivion, the practice of Thaumaturgy is divided into paths and rituals. Thaumaturgical paths are applications of the vampire’s knowledge of blood magic, allowing her to create effects on a whim. Rituals are more formulaic in nature, most akin to ancient magical “spells.” Because so many different paths and rituals are available to the arcane Tremere, one never knows what to expect when confronted with a practitioner of this Discipline.

Players need to pay experience points for their characters to learn rituals up to the level equal to their overall rating in Thaumaturgy, though they must find someone to teach the rituals in question. Path ratings never exceed 5, though the overall Thaumaturgy score may. If a character reaches a rating of 5 Thaumaturgy, her primary path matches that score, if she  increases her Thaumaturgy score afterward, and may allocate her “free” path dot to a different path. You may additionally choose to increase your Thaumaturgy rating as though it were a level below what it actually is. If you do this, you may gain a dot in another path than your primary one, assuming that you have all the dots below it.

Paths define the types of magic a vampire can perform. A vampire typically learns his primary path from his sire, though it is not unknown for some vampires to study under many different tutors. As mentioned before, the first path a character learns is considered her primary path and increases automatically as the character advances in the Discipline itself. Secondary paths may be learned once the character has acquired two or more dots in her primary path, and they must be raised separately with experience points. Furthermore, a character’s rating in her primary path must always be at least one dot higher than any of her secondary paths until she has mastered her primary path. Once the character has achieved the fifth level of her primary path, secondary paths may be increased to that level.

*For example, if Lauren's primary path is  Lure of Flames at 3 dots, then she increases her Thaumaturgy rating to 4 dots, then Lure of Flames follows suit. However, she may also pay exp to buy the first level of a discipline, and she chooses Thaumaturgy even though she already has it. She instead learns a new path, choosing Path of Mercury in addition to her dots in Lure of Flames, being one dot in Sadhanna Path.*

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### <font color="black">Activating Powers.</font>

Each time a Thaumaturge invokes one of the powers of a path, the character must roll Willpower. The difficulty will either be listed in the power, or determined by your Storyteller. Failure to get any successes on this roll indicates that the magic simply does not work. A bestial failure causes some kind of loss or catastrophic backfire, such as losing a Willpower point, spontaneous combustion, or accidentally letting a living statue run rampant. Thaumaturgy is an unforgiving art. The storyteller should determine the exact nature of these mistakes, though they should play on the spell and go disastrously wrong.

#### <font color="black">Thaumaturgy</font>
**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Low-High. The individual appearance of the powers and Rituals in Blood Sorcery varies as widely as their effects.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Although not inherent in the Blood itself, Blood Sorcery responds eagerly to blood from human occultists, sorcerers, and cult leaders, as well as hemophiles and bibliophiles.

Individual paths are listed below, in no particular order. Each one may be taken as stated aboe, and only has a single potential power for each level. Therefore, you must take that ability whenever you gain a dot in that discipline.

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# <font color="black">Path of Curses.</font>

Early in the history of Blood Sorcery, the Path of Curses was developed and refined. It is still known by its early names in certain circles: Maleficium, Hexen-Kraft, the Evil Eye. Victims of this path are subject to extreme treatment and psychological feelings of inadequacy, often to the point of becoming social outcasts. Friends tend to distance themselves from the victim, creating a social schism and driving the accursed toward alienation.

■ **Type:** Sorcery

■ **Masquerade Threat:** Mid-High

■ **Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Occultists, Paranormal Investigators and Gypsies

■ **Ingredients:** Hair, blood, flesh, or any other part of the victim (which depending on the age of the vampire decay pretty quickly), as well as clay, straw or another malleable material. Additional ingredients may be required, as detailed in the curse

■ **Process:** The thaumaturge creates an effigy using the clay and the parts from the victim. When directly seeing the target she then proceeds to curse them in whispers. The curse must be chanted for 30 seconds per level and often consists of dead, esoteric languages. You then roll Difficulty using the system explained above. Any interruption during the process automatically forces you to restart, though you may not make another rouse check if required.

■ **System:** Even if the ritual is successful, the target may cancel its effect. Once she knows which specific curse has been inflicted upon her, usually requiring an Intelligence + Occult (or Fortitude) roll against a Difficulty equal to the level of the power + 2, or contacting a specialist on the matter, she then can spend a number of Willpower per level of the Curse to negate the effect. This is the victim asserting his own strength of will and personality to throw off the yoke of anathema. The thaumaturge can lift the curses that she brings down at any time she wishes, which makes an excellent bargaining chip

## <font color="black">• Stigma</font>

The most basic of curses, the victim is stricken with an invisible stigma that manifests only in the eyes of those around them. Few can describe its actual form. People shy away from interacting with the marked victim and will have a hard time taking him seriously. Social interaction becomes difficult, and frustration quickly follows for the accursed.

■ **System:** The stigma lasts until the next sunset or for a week with a Critical Win. The victim is doomed to frustration when performing any Social actions. All of the victim's Manipulation and Charisma rolls are at +1 
Difficulty or add 1 dice to the opposing roll during this curse.

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## <font color="black">•• Malady </font>

The thaumaturge causes the victim to suffer intense illness and discomfort, not unlike the plagues and pestilences of history. During the Dark Ages, this power was used to strike down rivals and force them into subservience to the thaumaturge. Cainites likewise feel the pain and suffering from the sickness instilled by this curse. For elder Kindred, this is one of the worst curses - to be stricken down with illness as if a common mortal! For roleplaying purposes, the intensity of this sickness worsens the better this ritual is cast, varying from a headache to a strong flu.

■ **Ingredients:** Phlegm taken from a patient suffering under a terminal illness.

■ **System:** If this power is successfully invoked, the accursed suffers the effects of severe illness for a week, a month in a Critical Win. It reduces the victim’s Physical attributes by one, on top of other effects the storyteller deems appropriate.

## <font color="black">••• Pariah </font>

This curse touches upon one of the most feared elements of society, that of becoming an outcast. This power goes beyond cursing the victim with simple social ostracism. While under the effects of Pariah, the accursed appears to be the most hated of enemies to everyone they encounter. This alteration of perception is only in body and form, the victim still acts and speaks as normal. But then again, few are willing to listen to the ranting and ravings of a despised foe.

■ **Ingredients:** Blood from an Obfuscate user on top of the regular ingredients. Two rouse checks are required to cast this power.

■ **System:** Upon a successful roll the subject suffers the curse for a period of one week, a month on a Critical Win. Similar to the power Mask of a Thousand Faces, this power influences the perceptions of those around the accursed, leading observers to believe that the subject is a dire rival. This will not necessarily result in attack indeed, in most cases, it shouldn't - but will cause antagonism in whatever way is most appropriate to the onlooker. Most people will just leave the accursed's presence with a look of disdain, but some may snub her, insult her or even throw the first punch. Sense the Unseen can see through this involuntary disguise for the duration. This ritual does not work on people that already know the accursed.

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## <font color="black">•••• Corrupt Body </font>

This powerful curse is invoked by the thaumaturge, who approaches the victim and denounces his physical form. Over the course of seconds, the victim's body distorts and perverts into a parody of itself. During this transformation, the victim suffers extreme pain that wracks his body. This defilement leaves behind a victim scarred both physically and mentally. Recently, Camarilla princes have had this power used upon violators of the Traditions to enforce their will; a graceful Kindred dancer reduced to an uncoordinated oaf is not likely to forget his mistakes.

**■ Ingredients:** Two rouse checks are required to cast this power.

**■ System:** During the three turns that the physical change occurs, the target suffers a three-dice penalty to all dice pools. For the duration of the Corrupt Body, the accursed is constantly marks 3 squares of aggravated damage as being sustained, and cannot heal them until it wears off. This is cumulative with other wounds. Additionally, the thaumaturge chooses Strength, Dexterity or Fortitude to warp. This drops the appropriate Attribute to 1 for the duration. The Storyteller should add any additional effects to aid in how nasty this power is. Only one Corrupt Body can affect a victim at any one time. The power stays in effect for a week, a month for a Critical Win.

## <font color="black">••••• Fall from Grace</font>

The magus is now able to curse his victim with supreme ineptitude, causing a loss in confidence and failings in any and all tasks. Striking a combination of mystical dread and self-loathing in the victim, failure becomes almost a certainty. Fate and circumstance now conspire to prevent prosperity. Victims of this power often retire from the normal activities of their lives as nothing goes right; relationships fall apart, jobs crumble around them, and accidents seem to become commonplace.

**■ Ingredients:** The blood of a Salubri and cypress leaves knit in occult forms, in addition to two rouse checks that are required to cast this curse.

**■ System:** While under this curse, all failures count as a Bestial failure. Additionally, even the most menial task becomes more difficult to accomplish. Add a +2 Difficulty to all the rolls the target makes. In case of opposing dice pools the enemy gains 2 automatic successes. The power stays in effect for a week, a month for a Critical win.

# <font color="black">The Path of Transmutation</font>

Guns and knives melt into pools of metal, wood petrifies and becomes brittle, and common boundaries such as walls and doors transmute to vapour. The laws of chemistry do not bind Warlocks employing the powers of transmutation, as materials shift their state regardless of their temperature. This path is looked upon somewhat unfavourably among elder Tremere, as it reflects a "quick and dirty" effect rather than true mastery of alchemical transmutation. Though the Path of Alchemy has also fallen out of practice, and yet users of this Path still find it incredibly handy to morph the environment around them.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Mid-High

**■ Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Scientists, engineers, technicians.

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## <font color="black">• Fortify the Solid Form</font>

By fortifying a solid object, a magus increases the strength and integrity of an item. A thaumaturge mystically transmutes a feather to become a crude blunt object, pencils become makeshift stakes, and a cardboard box becomes as tough as metal.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power increases the offensive or defensive capabilities of an object the caster touches. When used for defence, the object should be big enough to cover some part of the body of the vampire, becoming a reinforced cover. When used for offence, the object becomes a Weapon with a Damage bonus equal to half the Thaumaturgy rating (rounded up). Objects that are already weapons are unaffected. This power cannot be used to increase the structure of a living creature.

**■ Duration:** One scene or until the object is destroyed.

## <font color="black">•• A World of Wet Clay</font>

Thaumaturges with this power can deform a wall with a simple caress, leaving their fingers printed like it was made of clay. The main use of this power is to deform solid objects but with enough invention allows the creation of traps or artistic pieces. Quick uses of this power leave significant trails behind, like if the object was melted or the concrete was altered when it was still wet.

**■ Cost:** A Wits+Transmutation roll, in addition to the standard activation one. If either roll fails, the power is unable to be used until the next scene.

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**■ System:** Once activated, the vampire treats any inorganic solid material as if it was mud, being able to easily disable most objects or with enough time, even able to burrow herself into buildings. Molding to deform materials requires no dice pool test, though sculpting to create more complex structures requires a Dexterity + Thaumaturgy roll. The Difficulty depends on the task required, as determined by the StoryTeller. Creating simple spikes is Difficulty 3, while creating complex traps is Difficulty 6. This power can also be used for artistic purposes at the Storyteller’s discretion.

**■ Duration:** One scene or until a mass equal to that of a regular human has been molded.

## <font color="black">••• Liquefy the Solid Form</font>

A thaumaturge may "melt" solid objects and leave them in a liquid-like state. By employing this power, attackers could find their weapons in small pools at their feet. Stakes rot away at a rapid pace, and blades corrode into soft, nondescript puddles. After a time, the object returns to its original shape. This fact leaves many thaumaturges claiming it is a recent improvement over an older, more dated version of this power.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** Touching an object, the thaumaturge transforms it into a liquid, thus assuming a deformed state and rendered useless. Only entire objects can be affected by this power. In combat this can be used against the weapon of an opponent, a win rendering the item useless. This power does not work on objects that forcefully contact the vampire, meaning it will not melt a weapon unless the user can catch it before it hits. As much as many Tremere would like it, Liquefy the Solid Form may not be used on living (or unliving) beings. A transformed object remains in a liquid state for one scene, after which it resumes its original shape.

**■ Duration:** One scene.

## <font color="black">•••• Imbue the Water of Life</font>

The thaumaturge is able to crystallize vitae with the concentrated essence of other Discipline powers. Said crystal grants one single use of the power to anyone who consumes it. Those that prefer commodities dissolve them first in a potion-like fashion, others destroy them with their jaws. But some thaumaturges prefer to create needle-like crystals and insert them with it. The sight of a thaumaturge decorated with bright red crystal became synonymous with trouble.

**■ Cost:** One or more Rouse Checks

**■ System:** Following a Rouse Check plus any needed to activate the desired power, the thaumaturge crystalizes its essence. The resulting crystal (which can have any form) can later be consumed to activate the effect of said power for free with the dice pool and rating of the original vampire. Crystals that house powers that require a target need to be introduced into the body of the desired target to make use of the effects. For the purpose of Dominate powers, the commands are said during the creation of the crystal. Imbue The Water of Life can also create crystals from Kindred that have any amount of the user’s Blood inside them.

**■ Duration:** Depends on the power, but are used but up immediately and often last a single scene.

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## <font color="black">••••• Ghost Wall </font>

After attaining this level of mastery, a thaumaturge finds herself no longer hindered by common barriers such as walls and rock formations. With but a thought, solid objects shift to a vaporous state and may be traversed with little difficulty. The Warlock passes beyond walls, as they are insubstantial and will not obstruct his movement. Targets fall through a gaseous floor, and vaporous parachutes are useless in slowing the travel speed of a skydiver.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** The thaumaturge may transform an object within 5 meters. A transmuted object keeps its shape and becomes transparent, as things are able to pass through it. This effect lasts for three turns, after which the object in question reforms as if nothing had ever happened. Needless to say, this is an outrageous breach of the Masquerade if any inappropriate eyes observe it. If an object cannot reform fully due to the destruction of its environment, this power cannot be used again until the Scene ends. Should a victim occupy the same space as the object after this power expires, she suffers aggravated damage as the Storyteller determines appropriate to the circumstance. For example, a rock reforming within a body might inflict a single level of Aggravated Health damage, where a person trapped within a tree trunk should suffer at least five.

**■ Duration:** Three turns.

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# <font color="black">The Path of Mercury</font>

## (Sadhanna Path)

# 
Praapti is the power of instantaneous travel. The Indian Sadhana practitioners developed this Path to match their mysterious Asian rivals, who have the power to travel instantly along lines of mystical force. Later, turncoat sadhus sold the secret of this Path to the Tremere, who reverse-engineered it into what they call the Path of Mercury. A handful of New Age Anarchs have also stumbled onto the secret of this path, which they simply call Teleportation.

Being able to instantaneously transport oneself is incredibly useful for some. One notorious Nosferatu crime boss Prince kept a Tremere henchman to personally bring her everywhere, and yet after becoming part of his office's floor, decided against this course of action. A more esoteric path, the risks associated mean very few Thaumaturges bother to learn it, let alone carry it as their primary path. As such, finding a teacher is rare, and many looking to learn this even as a useful escape method or infiltration gimmick, and its uses cannot be denied.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** High. It's difficult to explain why a strange person disappears instantly.
**■ Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Thieves, Circus Workers, the Demented

**■ System:** Individual levels of this Path do not have distinct effects. Instead, a higher mastery simply indicates a farther distance that can be travelled. To activate the power, make a rouse check, then make the activation roll. Ideally, the sorcerer must be able to see the target location or know it intimately, though they are able to teleport even to broad ideas. For example, “the roof of Elysium” is a valid location, if it is in range. Failure on a roll to activate this path means that nothing happens at all, but bestial failures are more problematic. If the target location is within sight or is very near (the other side of a wall, for example), such a failure causes the character the usual catastrophic problems for blood magic. If the sorcerer attempts a blind teleport, however, they are much more dangerous. Typically, the sorcerer finds himself merged with a solid object, suffering one aggravated damage per “1” rolled, even on non-hunger dice. Three or more levels of damage also means that the sorcerer is stuck inside a large object such as a wall or the ground, and may need help to break free. The exact distance possible for each level can be seen in the table below.

| Path Level  | Travel Distance |
|:---:|:-----------:|
|  •  | Up to 10 Meters |
|  ••  | Up to 100 Meters |
|  •••  | Up to a Mile |
|  ••••  | Up to 50 Miles |
|  •••••  | Basically anywhere |

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Familiarity with the target location of a teleport location you cannot see affects the difficulty of the roll as follows. The Storyteller decides the exact difficulty of the jump, though some suggestions are below for modifying the number of successes required.

| Familiarity  | Difficulty Modifier |
|:---:|:-----------:|
| Intimate (your own haven) | -2
| Visited Regularly (Elysium as a harpy) | -1
| Unseen but understood (the other side of this wall) | +0
| Unfamiliar (visited a few times) | +1
| Very unfamiliar (a location you only heard of) | +2

Teleportation is rarely exact. Every “1” rolled on a successful roll throws the sorcerer off by 10% of the total destination. The sorcerer may only bring himself and the clothes on his back by default. Each additional person or 100 pounds of mass they want to take with them costs an additional rouse check. For example, if Chris wants to teleport himself, 3 members of his coterie, and a 50 pound computer, he must make 4 rouse checks to bring them all along, and if the roll is a bestial faliure…they’re all screwed.

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# <font color="black">Path of the Levinbolt</font>

Lightning has long been considered the dominion of the gods but has traditionally been out of reach of thaumaturges due to a lack of understanding of the principles of electricity. As a result, this Path remained relatively obscure until the birth of modern science and the efforts of John Blackwood. The ample supply of electricity in the late 19th century meant that thaumaturges no longer had to wait until a convenient storm to charge their powers but could gather the required electricity in mere seconds to direct as they chose. Practitioners of Levinbolt learn to generate electricity with their vitae, use the flow of electrons as a means to influence the world around them or power up their undead nerves and brain as auxiliary “meat computers”.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** High Harnessing the power of the electricity with bare hands is a clear Masquerade violation.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Scientists, engineers, technicians, those who are very energetic.

## <font color="black">• Flicker </font>

The vampire draws in ambient charge from around her; static electricity and ambient electricity in the air, or actual electricity from nearby outlets and devices. The effect is not obvious, only visible in the snap of static electricity from her fingertips. This charge can be used to cause glitches in machinery and other devices or to directly fry it.

**■ Cost:** Free

**■ System:** No additional test is needed to create the glitches after the initial roll. Any use of a device or machinery within a 10 metre radius of the vampire removes dice equal to half the users Thaumaturgy rating rounded up, as the electricity causes things like systems slowdown, glitches etc. The vampire can attempt to 'discharge' the electricity into a machine, frying it. This requires a roll of Intelligence + Levinbolt vs a Difficulty determined by the Storyteller based on the machine's size, surge protection and other factors, 2 being a regular laptop and 6 being a government drone. If successful, the electricity arcs from the caster's fingertips, frying the machine.

**■ Duration:** One scene or until deactivation.

## <font color="black">•• Electroception </font>

The vampire detects the electric fields generated by living beings and modern technology or machinery. This allows them to “see” these fields even through walls, effectively adding a new sense to her arsenal.

**■ Cost:** Free

**■ System:** The user senses electrical fields related to electronic devices and living beings as part of their standard perception tests. This power also allows the vampire to perceive objects, animals and people otherwise hidden from the naked eye (such as behind a wall or in supernatural darkness) as long as they have electricity.

Anything that has a perceptible electrical charge may be found with this power, at Storyteller’s discretion, including radio waves and other electrical signals. In the modern nights, radio and similar signals saturate the city. Discerning between the multiple signals requires a Resolve + Levinbolt test, vs a Difficulty decided by the specific signal. Deciphering walkie talkie or radio signals is usually rolled vs Difficulty 2, while cell phone communication is rolled at 3. Landline or more encrypted methods involve higher Difficulties at Storyteller discretion.

**■ Duration:** Passive.

## <font color="black">••• Discharge</font>

Rather than drawing in ambient charge from around the area; this time the effect is much more pronounced, as their body takes on a deep blue hue as energy arcs across them, making this an obvious breach of the Masquerade. The vampire immediately discharges this as a burst of electricity from their hands, either in the form of an arc of blue lightning from their fingertips, or a full-body discharge of deep blue electricity. Upon impact, the muscles of the target stiffen up, making it hard to move as pain ignites down each and every nerve in the body.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** Channelling the raw energy of electricity involves an Dexterity + Occult (Thaumaturgy) attack roll on top of the normal activation check. This can be dodged like any ranged attack, and has a +2 damage bonus. Alternatively, if the character is being touched by the target (such as in a Grapple) this becomes a full-body discharge, resisted by the target's Strength + Stamina and given a +4 damage bonus. If the first fails, you and all creatures within 5 feet of you take the damage instead. This attack causes Aggravated Health damage to mortals and Un-Halved Superficial to Kindred. A mortal who takes even one point of damage collapses unconscious. It is possible to use this power on humans in a non-lethal way, removing the damage but not the unconsciousness.

**■ Duration:** One use

## <font color="black">•••• Eye of the Storm</font>

The vampire draws in so much ambient charge that her body becomes the centre of a veritable electrical storm, with significant electrical charge enveloping her body and fluctuating constantly in blinding flashes of light as this epic power allows for great destruction in the area.

**■ Cost:** Two Rouse Checks

**■ System:** Anyone attempting to make a Ranged or Thrown attack against the caster suffers a penalty to their pool equal to the Thaumaturgy rating of the vampire. When within ten feet of the Thaumaturge, the attacker suffers 3 Superficial Health Damage at the start of their turn as the electricity reacts to the stimulus and lashes out at any and everything it can use to ground itself.

**■ Duration:** Number of rounds equal to characters Thaumaturgy rating.

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## <font color="black">••••• Zeus's Fury </font>

An advancement of the Discharge power, the strength of the vampire's bolts are such that the damage is an order of magnitude higher, lightning arcs and bursts from where the vampire wills it to strike, more in line with 'real' lightning.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power uses the same base system as Discharge, with increased damage. The lightning does Aggravated Health damage to mortals and vampires alike. If the target receives any point of damage, the lightning discharges electricity around them. Anyone within three metres of them must make a Dexterity + Athletics roll vs Difficulty 3 to avoid the bouncing lightning. Failing the roll causes the Crippling Injury Stunned for a turn. A mortal who takes even one point of damage dies instantly.

**■ Duration:** Instantaneous.

# <font color="black">Biothaumaturgy</font>

A shunned art, Biothaumaturgy, sometimes referred to as lame necromancy or stitching, is the art of manipulating the dead through science and magic. This bizarre path reputedly has its roots in the secret tomes of the inscrutable Black Hand. Over the past few years, its esoteric secrets have spread among certain cabals of Tremere, who regard it as a curious mixture of Hermetic science and black magic. Biothaumaturgy concerns itself with the manipulation of life energies. In the laboratories of inspired Biothaumaturgists, there's often strange creatures almost out of myth, veritable Frankenstein's monsters and far less wholesome creations. Although it is not considered a "taboo" path by the Tremere, Biothaumaturgy is nonetheless strange and unsettling to those who observe its results, and an instant masquerade breach when creations do escape. As such, many Princes frown on anything more than lab pets being kept.

A quirk of this power is that rather than an innate power, the path is made up of rituals, experiments and techniques that take time to complete. The powers of this path take one hour to complete for every level of the power used. They need not be consecutive. For example, the Level One power takes one hour to complete, while the Level Five one requires 9, as it is taking the level 4 power and adding onto it with its own. These can be done in a single period, or over the course of months, as the Thaumaturge dictates. Additionally, raw materials are required for each. On top of the bodies (or disseperate parts) required for most effects, magical plating, copper tubing, blood of certain resonances and all manner of other bizarre gear is used for these effects. Though not listed explicitly, take the time to play up the style of your thaumaturge and how they work. No activation check is required for Biothaumaturgy, unlike most other paths. Once other requirements are met, the powers simply take effect, though other checks may be necessary.

Biothaumaturgy also requires the thaumaturge to have a laboratory where they can conduct their great work. This need be nothing more complex than a doctor's table and a few sharp knives, but it may be as complicated as the "mad scientist" affairs of pulp fiction, with steaming alembics and crackling generators. The Storyteller should feel free to modify a character's Biothaumaturgy difficulties if he has excellent laboratory resources or his facilities are utterly lacking. Working with a crude lab may add two dice to the activation roll, while a high-grade facility may lower the same pool by two.

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**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** High, though the highest level powers can pass for regular people (assuming they're subjected to no more than a cursory scan), shambling corpses and horrors beyond comprehension tend to raise a few eyebrows.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Melancholy, the blood of inventors, the dying, gravediggers and morticians, as well as blood that emphasizes the specific goal of the creation, such as Chloric for a created body-guard.

## <font color="black">• Thaumaturgical Forensics</font>

Using their magics to first analyze flesh and blood, this power shares much with Auspex, and is able to reveal a wealth of information from what otherwise is a mundane pile of meat. The required tissue can range from blood, flesh, bone and other body parts of a creature, being substantial enough to take up the size of a clenched fist. It does not need to specifically be from a living, dead or undead creature; it only matters that it is from something that was once, or still is, alive. A wealth of information may be gleaned from this sample, including information that "normal" forensics and genetics would not yield, such as age, generation, clan, cause of death etc. This information can be conveyed even if only a small quantity of material is present.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** A player rolls Intelligence + Medicine or Thaumaturgy. Each success on the activation roll yields one piece of simple information about the subject after the required period of time has passed, which may be any living, unliving or dead entity (but not an inanimate object), including plants. This information is limited to physical characteristics of the subject -- Thaumaturgical Forensics can be used to determine gender, clan, traces of diablerie and the like, but it will not reveal if a given subject killed an individual or where she kept her trove of personal belongings. The storyteller has the final call on what can be learnt.

**■ Duration:** Instantaneous

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## <font color="black">•• Thaumaturgical Surgery</font>

The thaumaturge uses his knowledge of magic and physiology to aid a body in its regenerative capacity. Even the most grievous wounds may heal more quickly if aided by this sorcerer’s art. Through fusing mortal medicine with magic and grim science, subjects are often wary of submitting themselves to one that is often capable of turning a dog inside out, though their results are undeniably effective.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** After activating the power, the user makes an Intelligence+Medicine or Thaumaturgy check. Each success on the player's roll allows the thaumaturge to heal one point of superficial damage. Otherwise, the thaumaturge may turn two successes to convert a point of aggravated damage into superficial damage. The player may divert successes however he pleases. This power takes the full amount of time to be completed successfully, (two hours) as the patient is treated, and otherwise recuperates.

**■ Duration:** Instantaneous

## <font color="black">••• Lesser Animation</font>

The thaumaturge mystically endows a dead life form with magical energy and imparts to it a rudimentary set of instructions. Some thaumaturges favour simple necromantic beings, their creations simply being corpses with energy flowing through their bones, while others are stitched from multiple animals, copper wiring running the length of their bodies in a grotesque simulacrum of life. The resultant creation carries out their given orders to the letter, which many Biothaumaturgists adore. Though often far more inconvenient to use than ghouling animals, the loyalty and adaptability will ocassionally make up for this. Skilled Thaumaturges use this power to populate their havens with deathless guard dogs and other, quirkier "pets", all of which no longer need to breathe, eat, and are endlessly loyal, to the dismay of many.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power affects plants and simple animals - nothing more than a single tree or dog per use. If the effect is successful, the animated creation may be given a one-sentence command, which it will fulfill until destroyed. This command can be changed only by the thaumaturge, given verbally.

Minor variations of the subject may even be made - a thorn thicket could be animated to move slowly toward intruders to entangle them,. When animating the corpse, the thaumaturge may choose to roll Intelligence + Medicine or Thaumaturgy. Each success allows for a single minor variation to be made to the animated corpse, though it will take an extra hour of time to raise the body for each. Specifics should be worked out with the Storyteller, though examples are provided  below.

Creatures animated in this manner have their original Strength and Stamina, while their Dexterity drops by one (but never below 1). Social and Mental Attributes are considered to be at zero. Each creation has a number of health levels equal to half those it had in life, yet take damage like kindred, but suffer double damage from fire.

**■ Duration:** Until Destroyed

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## <font color="black">•••• Greater Animation</font>

At this level, the thaumaturge has refined her knowledge to allow her to animate more complex creatures. Working very similarly to the former power, at this level of the path allows for much greater feats of magic. Even human corpses and large animals may be given the "spark of life" with this power - one Biothaumaturge in Egypt is rumoured to have a pair of animated elephants which he terrorizes his enemies.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power works the same way as Lesser Animation, but allows the vampire to animate more complex creatures. Certain life forms are probably beyond the capacity of this power - zombie whales sound fairly foolish, but the only limit is what the Storyteller chooses to allow. Even individual parts of a creature may be animated, such as a single hand or leg, though this is often much more difficult. This power also allows major alterations to be made to lesser subjects, using two successes for each alteration, and adding two hours of extra work. Still, only minor changes may be added to more complex creatures completed with this power. For example, an animate human corpse may wield a bone-hook instead of a hand, or a rat might be able to fly with a pair of leathery gargoyle-wings made from the bonds and skin of birds and infants. Once again, a table of changes are provided below, but players are encouraged to get creative. A human animated in this manner retains none of their original "self." This power merely animates the corpse, it does not reunite the spirit with the body or grant intelligence or personality. Consider the body to be almost a drone in this manner.

**■ Duration:** Until Destroyed

## <font color="black">••••• Cognizant Constructions</font>

The pinnacle of Biothaumaturgy, this power bestows a dead creature animated through one the previous powers of this path with a semblance of the reasoning it had in life. Animated animals possess a malicious cunning while higher life forms gain a shrewd ability to reason deductively rather than satisfy commands single mindedly.

**■ Cost:** 2 Rouse Checks

**■ System:** This power relies on the former two to make use. After creating a creature using one of those, the Thaumaturge may use this one immediately once it finishes, adding the additional time to the base cost. They may not use it on a preexisting creation, as the process must be completed soon after the reanimation. Although this power gives a construct base intelligence, the creature nonetheless still serves the orders it is given by its creator with complete subservience. A creature animated with Cognizant Constructions has Mental Attributes of one less than it possessed in life (but never below 1), though it continues to not possess social stats, and may not speak. This power won't be creating any undead geniuses, but the story effect is that it creates an animated monster capable of reasoning. A Cognizant Construction won't mindlessly fight to its second death if it sees a better or cleverer way of routing foes, and it will be capable of other deductive tasks as well.

\pagebreak

Additionally, major modifications may now be applied even to complex animations. For every two successes rolled, a major modification may now be applied, in addition to two extra hours of work per major modification added. If the Storyteller allows it, the Thaumaturge may even create all new creatures from many corpses, through creating their own stat blocks, though the Storyteller must approve all potential concepts.

**■ Duration:** Same as Power Used

## <font color="black">Biothaumaturgy Modifications</font>

### <font color="black">Minor Adaptations</font>

| Modification | Abilities |
|:---:|:-----------:|
| Extra Limbs | The creature possesses multiple limbs, allowing extra actions or grip depending on what the storyteller decides.
| Metal Bones | With an enhanced frame, increase the creature's strength and stamina scores by one each.
Embedded Weapon | You implant a weapon of some sort into the creature, which must be provided. It is then able to use the weapon at any time, which may not be removed by any means.
Pouch | A hidden space, it is able to carry one item of appropriate size, unable to be found by any means short of an autopsy while concealed on the creature.
Sharpened Claws | Much more conspicuous than embedded weapons, one naturally present attack in the form is enhanced, dealing +1 damage. 
Enhanced Sense | The creature gains a sense type it otherwise didn’t possess, or gains a 2 dice bonus to checks relating to one it already does, taken from and improved with other creatures. 
Frightening Visage | Made to look familiar yet unsettling, the creature gains a six dice bonus to all intimidation checks, and is able to make them despite not possessing social stats.

### <font color="black">Major Adaptations</font>

| Modification | Abilities |
|:---:|:-----------:|
Wings | Stitched from other animals, the creature is able to fly at a speed equivalent to its walking speed. They will likely be quite large for more complex creatures, if the ST allows it at all. 
Extra Limbs | The creature possesses several extra limbs grated onto it, not always from the same creature. The limbs are able to function as intended, as the ST desires.
Extra Heads | With multiple heads, the creature is able to use each as if it were its own, for reconnaissance or guarding.

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| Modification | Abilities |
|:---:|:-----------:|
Vocal Cords | The creature is able to talk. Though not intelligent without Cognizant Construction, it is still able to mimic sounds, whether as a distraction or psychological torment.
Innate Armour | Each time you apply this modification, the construct is able to ignore a single point of superficial damage, before it is halved. This armour may not be removed.
Blood Repository | The creature is able to take two levels of blood and store them within itself for up to a month without it spoiling, allowing a kindred to feed even after it kills, though it will not be pleasant.
Bloated Body | The creature's body is inflated with a substance of some kind. The first time it takes damage, the animation bursts, spilling the substance within a 10ft circle, killing it in the process.
Homunculus | The creature is designed to be a servant, possessing traits that allow it to move much quicker and ferry through information, though the exact details of this are up to the Storyteller.

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# <font color="black">The Lure of Flames</font>

This path grants the thaumaturge the ability to conjure forth flames from nothing. Small fires at first, but skilled magicians may create great conflagrations. This path is greatly feared among Kindred, even by its practitioners, as fire is one of the surest ways to bring Final Death upon a vampire. Because of this, many vampires are known to go as far as outlawing its use aside from sanctioned pyromancers, as they are known. One Sheriff in St. Petersburg is known to be a master at the discipline, being the go-to hunter of other Kindred and leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

Fire first created by this path is not "natural." In fact, many vampires believe the flames to be conjured from Hell itself. That being said, once released the flames spread as normal, requiring fuel and oxygen just as any other fire does. Fire conjured by The Lure of Flames must be released for it to have any effect. Thus, a "palm of flame" does not bum the vampire's hand and cause an aggravated wound - it merely produces light. Once the flame has been released, however, it burns normally and the character has no control over it, triggering a Fear Frenzy as appropriate.

**■ Type:** Pyromancy.

**■ Masquerade Threat:** High, there’s not much worse than seeing someone become a living flamethrower.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Sanguine. Blood of pyromaniacs, fire fighters, chefs, artists and spontaneous souls

**■ System:** Rather than have individual powers, each dot in this path allows for hotter fire to be conjured, and more of the substance. With one dot, only a small flicker may be conjured, while three or more allows for great conflagrations. 
The chart below describes the path level required to generate a specific amount of flame. Only a single success is required on the activation roll to summon the fire, which can then be sent forth to a location within range as stated in the description. The fire fills that space, becoming uncontrolled and potentially triggering a fear frenzy as normal. In addition, each activation of this power requires a Rouse Check.

| Path Level | Capabilities |
|:---:|:-----------:|
• | Candle (One aggravated damage/turn, can be placed within 10 ft.)
•• | Palm of flame (One aggravated damage/turn, can be placed within 15 ft. fear frenzy difficulty increased by 2)
••• | Campfire (Two aggravated damage/turn, can be placed within 25 ft. fear frenzy difficulty increased by 2)
•••• | Bonfire (Two aggravated damage/turn, can be placed within 35 ft. fear frenzy difficulty increased by 3)
••••• | Inferno (Three aggravated damage/turn, can be placed within 50 ft. fear frenzy difficulty increased by 3)

# <font color="black">Path of Corruption</font>

The origins of this path are hotly debated among those who are familiar with its intricacies, or even have heard of it. One theory holds that its secrets were taught to the Tremere by demons and that use of it brings the practitioner dangerously close to the infernal powers. A second opinion has been advanced that the Path of Corruption is a holdover from the days when Clan Tremere was still mortal, used to sway the local politics. The third primary theory, and the most disturbing to the Tremere, is that the path originated with the Followers of Set, and that knowledge of its workings was sold to the Tremere for an unspecified price. This last rumour is, Of course, vehemently denied by the Tremere, which automatically makes it the favourite topic of discussion when the matter comes up for all those looking to fuck with the wizards.

The Path of Corruption is very much a mentally and spiritually oriented path, centered on influencing the mind states of other individuals. It can be used neither to issue commands like Dominate nor to change emotions of the moment like Presence. Rather, it produces a gradual and subtle twisting of the subject's actions, morals and thought processes, corrupting them and their beliefs, hence the name. This path deals intimately with deception and dark desires, and those who work through it must understand the heart.

As a rule of thumb, the subject is often unaware they were influenced unless they succeed, though a viewer aware of the action may make a Wits + Awareness roll to figure out the cause of this sudden transformation, contested against Resolve + Path of Corruption ranking. A win for the viewer informs them magic was used, while a critical win shows exactly who it was that used it.

**■ Type:** Mental

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Low. Though others will question why their best friend Todd hates them, few would consider that it is a vampire wizard and not an old grudge brought up again.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Phlegmatic. The blood of liars, thieves and politicians. Lawyers, those who make a living manipulating others.

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## <font color="black">• Contradict</font>

The thaumaturge can interrupt a subject's thought processes, forcing the victim to reverse his current course of action. An Archon may be caused to execute a prisoner she was about to exonerate and release; a mortal lover might switch from gentle and caring to sadistic and demanding in the middle of an encounter. The results of Contradict are never precisely known to the thaumaturge in advance, but they very often take the form of a more negative action than the subject had originally intended to perform, twisting their current thought process to generally the opposite of what was meant.

**■ Cost:** Free

**■ System:** This power may be used on any subject within the character's line of sight. The player rolls activation as per normal. The target rolls Composure + Subterfuge. If they roll successes equal to or greater than those rolled by the Thaumaturge, they carry through with the original action. If they succeed by a margin of two, then they realize magic influenced them, and a margin of three allows them to pinpoint the exact source.  The Storyteller dictates what the subject's precise reaction to this power is if it succeeds.. Contradict cannot be used in combat or to affect other actions (Storyteller's discretion) that are mainly physical and reflexive.

**■ Duration:** As long as the action takes.

## <font color="black">•• Subvert</font>

This power follows the same principle as does Contradict, the release of a subject's dark, self-destructive side. However, Subvert's effects are longer lasting than the momentary flare of Contradiction. Under the influence of this power, victims act on their own suppressed temptations, pursuing agendas that their morals or self-control would forbid them to follow under normal circumstances. A closeted agent may give into the apathy and start binge drinking, while a quiet pornographer would follow all his darkest sexual urges.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power requires the character to make eye contact with the intended victim, as detailed in the Dominate section of the Core Rulebook (pg. 255). The user compares this to the victims roll of Composure + Subterfuge. If the thaumaturge scores more successes, the victim becomes inclined to follow a repressed, shameful desire for the length of time equal to the margin, as shown below.

• Five Minutes

•• One House

••• One Night

•••• Three Nights

••••• One Week

The Storyteller determines the precise desire or agenda that the victim follows. It should be in keeping with the Psychological Flaws that she possesses or with the negative aspects of her Nature. The subject should not become fixated on following this new agenda at all times, but should occasionally be forced to spend a Willpower point if the opportunity to succumb arises and she wishes to resist the impulse. Ultimately, consider the power to make it more difficult to say no to your darkest desires.

**■ Duration:** As above

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## <font color="black">••• Dissociate</font>

"Divide and conquer" is a maxim that is well understood by the Tremere, and this power is an incredibly powerful tool with which to divide the clan's enemies. This power is used to break the social ties of interpersonal relationships. Even the most passionate affair or the oldest friendship can be cooled through use of Dissociate, and weaker personal ties can be destroyed altogether. Though not permanent, the actions of this power often prove disastrous for many allies, as once slighted, they do not forget it easily.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** The character must touch the target. The caster rolls normally, as the target resists with a Willpower roll. If the thaumaturge scores more successes, the victim loses two dice from all Social rolls for a period of time determined by the margin of success gained by the user.

• Five Minutes

•• One House

••• One Night

•••• Three Nights

••••• One Week

\pagebreak

This penalty applies to all rolls that rely on Social Attributes, even those required for the use of Disciplines.

Dissociate's primary effect falls under role-playing rather than game mechanics. Victims of this power should be played as withdrawn, suspicious and emotionally distant, even aggressive against their former allies. The Storyteller should feel free to require a Willpower point expenditure for a player who does not follow these guidelines.

**■ Duration:** As indicated above

## <font color="black">•••• Addiction</font>

This power is a much stronger and more potentially damaging form of Subvert. Addiction creates just that in the victim. By simply exposing the target to a particular sensation, substance or action, the thaumaturge creates a powerful psychological dependence within the subject. Many Tremere ensure that their victims become addicted to substances or thrills that only the Warlocks can provide, thus creating both a source of income and potential blackmail material.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** The subject must encounter or be exposed to the sensation, substance or action to which the character wants to addict them to, as the power is activated. The thaumaturge then touches his target, rolling activation as normal. The victim resists with a Willpower check, contested against the number of successes. Failure gives the subject an instant addiction to what is desired by the character.

An addicted character must get his fix at least once a night. Every night that he goes without satisfying his desire imposes a cumulative penalty of one die on all of his dice pools (reduced to a minimum of one die). The victim must roll Willpower every time he is confronted with the object of his addiction and wishes to keep from indulging. Addiction lasts for a number of weeks equal to the thaumaturge's Manipulation score.

An individual may try to break the effects of Addiction. This requires an extended Willpower roll (difficulty of the thaumaturge's Manipulation + Subterfuge), with one roll made per night. The addict must accumulate a number of successes equal to two times the number of successes scored by the thaumaturge. The victim may not indulge in his addiction over the time needed to accumulate these successes. If he does so, all accumulated successes are lost and he must begin anew on the next night.

**■ Duration:** Thaumaturges Manipulation value

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## <font color="black">••••• Dependance</font>

Some former pawns of Clan Tremere claim to have felt a strange sensation similar to depression when not in the presence of their masters, once they escaped of course. This is usually attributed to the blood bond, but can occasionally be traced as the result of a cruel thaumaturge's mastery of Dependence. The final power of the Path of Corruption enables the vampire to tie her victim's soul to her own, engendering feelings of lethargy and helplessness when the victim is not in her presence or acting to further her desires, forming feelings far greater than the blood bond, even though they’re rarely positive.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** The character engages the target in conversation before activating this power. The player rolls normally, and the victim rolls Willpower. If the Thaumaturge gains more successes than the victim, the victim's psyche has been subtly bonded to that of the thaumaturge for one night per success rolled by the thaumaturge.

A bonded victim is no less likely to attack their controller, and feels no particular positive emotions toward them. However, they are psychologically drawn to their presence, and suffers a one-die penalty to all rolls when he is not around or performing tasks for them. Additionally, the victim is much less resistant to mental powers used against them; dice pools are halved when they attempt to resist their Dominate, Presence or Social rolls. Finally, he is unable to regain Willpower when he is not in the thaumaturge's presence. As with Addiction, this power is largely role play focused, and should be treated as something that very much affects the subject while under its effects.

**■ Duration:** One night per success

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# <font color="black">Path of Technomancy</font>

The newest path to be accepted by the Tremere in large part throughout the clan’s collective repertoire, the Path of Technomancy is a relatively recent innovation. Developed in the latter half of the 20th century, it has not yet proliferated past the North American Pontifices, with African Chantries in particular scorning the use of Thaumaturgy with their magic. The path focuses on the control of electronic devices, from wristwatches to computers, and its proponents maintain the versatility of Thaumaturgy with regards to a changing world, a fact many Kindred are loath to admit.

More conservative Tremere, however, state that mixing Tremere magic with mortal science borders on treason, even blasphemy, and some European Regents have gone so far as to declare knowledge of Technomancy grounds for expulsion from their chantries. Though these measures seem extreme, older Tremere fear the technology they cannot understand, and that the fledglings contain a power they are seemingly unable to grasp. Though the Inner Council did approve the introduction of the path into the clan's grimoires before Vienna fell, they never voiced any opinion on the conservative opposition to Technomancy, leading to a further split after the clan’s fracture.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Low to Medium. Though many powers are impossible to tell, some powers can be far harder to distinguish as simple glitches, especially when your toaster begins assaulting your cat.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Melancholic. The blood of students, thinkers and computer geeks, as well as those proficient with technology.

## <font color="black">• Analyze</font>

Mortals are constantly developing new innovations, and any vampire who would utalize Technomancy must be able to understand that upon which they exert their will. The most basic power of this path allows the Tremere to project their perceptions into a device, granting them a temporary understanding of its purpose, the principles of its functioning and its means of operation. This does not grant permanent knowledge, only a momentary flash of insight that fades within minutes, as the device once again must be learned manually.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** A character must touch the device in order to apply this power. The number of successes rolled on the activation check determines how well the character understands this particular piece of equipment. One success allows a basic knowledge (On/off and simple functions), while three successes grant competence in operating the device, and five successes show the character the full range of the device's potential. The knowledge lasts for a number of minutes equal to twice the character's Intelligence.

This power can also be used to understand a nonphysical technological innovation - in other words, a new piece of computer software. The character must touch the computer on which the software is installed - simply holding the CD-ROM is not enough.

**■ Duration:** 2 x Characters Intelligence

## <font color="black">•• Burnout</font>

It is usually easier to destroy than to create, and sensitive electronics are no exception to this rule. Burnout is used to cause a device's power supply, either internal or external, to surge, damaging or destroying the piece of tech within seconds and probably costing a lot of dough. Though it cannot be used to directly injure another individual, the sudden destruction of a pacemaker or a car's fuel injection control chip can create a definite health hazard, with enough creativity.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** A character can use this power at a range of up to 10 times her Willpower in yards, although using it at a range applies +2 difficulty, if they are not touching the target item. The number of successes determines the extent of the damage.

• Momentary interruption of operation (one turn), but no permanent damage.

•• Significant loss of function; + 1 difficulty to use the device for the rest of the scene.

••• The device breaks and is inoperable until repaired.

•••• Even after repairs, the device's capabilities are diminished (permanent +1 difficulty to use).

••••• The equipment is a total write-off; completely unsalvageable

Large enough systems, such as mainframe computers or passenger aircraft, impose a +2 to +4 difficulty (at Storyteller discretion) to affect with this power. Additionally, some systems, such as military and banking computers, may be hardened against power surges and spikes, and thus possess one to five dice (Storyteller discretion again) to roll to resist this power. Each success on this roll (difficulty 6) takes away one success from the Thaumaturgy roll. Burnout may be used to destroy electronic data storage, in which case three successes destroy all information on the target item and five erase it beyond any hope of non-magical recovery.

**■ Duration:** Instantaneous

\pagebreak

## <font color="black">••• Encrypt/Decrypt</font>

Electronic security is a paramount concern of governments and corporations alike. Those Tremere who are techno-savvy enough to understand the issues at stake have become quite enamoured of this power, which allows the thaumaturge to scramble a device's controls mystically, making it inaccessible to anyone but them. Encrypt/Decrypt also works on electronic media; a videotape under the influence of this power displays just snow and static if played back without the owner's approval, while a credit card simply will read as declined.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** The character touches the device or data container, which they wish to encrypt. The player rolls activation. The number of successes scored is applied as a difficulty modifier for anyone who attempts to use the protected equipment or access the scrambled information without the assistance of the character. The thaumaturge can dispel the effect at any time by touching the target item, as it simply returns to its original state. This power may also be used to counter another thaumaturge's use of Encrypt/Decrypt, or crack non-magical protection. The player rolls Willpower, with each success negating one of the original thaumaturges, or of the base protection. The effects of Encrypt/Decrypt last for a number of weeks equal to the character's Willpower rating.

**■ Duration:** As Specified

## <font color="black">•••• Remote Access</font>

With this power, a skilled thaumaturge can bypass the need for physical contact to operate a device. This is not a form of telekinesis; the vampire does not manipulate the item's controls, but rather touches it directly with the power of his mind, making the machine move itself rather than flesh and blood touching the controls.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** This power may be used on any electronic device within the character's line of sight. After using it, the Thaumaturge ‘sees’ from the machine they control, using it as if they were holding it, though it cannot move unless it possesses the capability to do so. For example, a camera could take photos while lying on a desk, while an excavator will suddenly begin driving itself and smashing the construction site.

The number of successes rolled is the maximum number of dice the character may use while remotely controlling the device for any roll. For instance, if Fritz has Computer 5 and scores three successes when using Remote Access on an automated teller machine, he can only apply three dots of his Computer rating to any rolls that he makes through any use of the power. Remote Access lasts for a number of turns equal to the number of successes rolled, and can only be used on one item at a time. If an item is destroyed while under the effects of Remote Access, the character takes two aggravated damage due to the shock of having his perceptions rudely shunted back into his own body.

**■ Duration:** Number of turns equal to the successes rolled

## <font color="black">••••• Telecommunicate</font>

A progressive derivation of Remote Access, Telecommute allows a thaumaturge to project her consciousness into the global telecommunication network, sending their mind through satellite uplinks fibre-optic phone cables at the speed of light. While immersed in the network, they can use any other Technomancy power on the devices with which they make contact, becoming one spread across a vast field as their reach is far greater than anything possible by other means.

**■ Cost:** 2 Rouse Checks

**■ System:** The character touches any form of communications device: a cellular telephone, network card-equipped computer, fax machine or anything else that is connected directly or indirectly to the internet. The player rolls normally and spends a Willpower point. Telecommute lasts for five minutes per success rolled, and may be extended by 10 minutes with the expenditure of another Willpower point. The number of successes indicates the maximum range that the character can project her consciousness away from her body.

• 25 Miles

•• 250 Miles

••• 1000 Miles

•••• 5000 Miles

••••• Anywhere in the world, including telecommunication satellites

\pagebreak

While in the network, the character can apply any other Path of Technomancy power to any device or data with which she comes in contact. A loss of connection, usually through the shutdown or destruction of a part of the network through which the character's connection runs, hurls her consciousness back to her body and inflicts 4 aggravated damage.

A character travelling through the Net by means of this power can use her Path of Technomancy powers at normal difficulty. Using any other abilities or powers while engaged thus is done at a +2 difficulty. Furthermore there are other denizens of the Net who may not take kindly to Tremere intrusion, and who may well take steps to remove the riffraff from their electronic doorstep.

**■ Duration:** As specified above

# <font color="black">Path of Blood's Curse</font>

Elder vampires have forever flaunted their powers over their younger kin, ancillae and neonates. With the approaching threat of Gehenna, Anarch revolt and desire to not be fucked at every opportunity, young Kindred actively pursue ways to circumvent the stranglehold these powerful relics of the past possess in the Jyhad. With this desire driving their ambitions, a few rogue Pander and Antribu thaumaturges gathered together and developed this thaumaturgical path as a means of ousting those above them, directly influencing one based on age and power.

These rebels resorted to a very basic concept for this path of thaumaturgy by exposing the inherent disadvantages that accompany the vampiric Embrace. The elders' paranoia only increased exponentially due to this movement toward a new method of usurping their power and vitae. Outlawed in many cities, the threat of turning their strengths against them horrifies those used to being able to kick the shit lining their boots. With many having met final death in one grand revolt of progeny, these new thaumaturges give rise to the whisperings of the Day of Reckoning soon at hand in the courts of Elysium, and the new social status already upon them.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Low. If any mortal was aware of the powers exclusively affecting kindred, odds are they probably know more than that.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Choleric. Blood of rebels, punks and those with anger issues, or who scoff at authority.

## <font color="black">• Ravages of the Beast</font>

From the moment a Kindred is Embraced, he suffers the rage and instincts of a primal Beast; it is the first bane to accompany the Change. If provoked, the Beast Within sends a vampire into a mindless, berserk frenzy, slowly twisting a vampire into a true monster. Some Kindred struggle to keep their Beasts in check, while others enjoy riding the waves of this violence, yet with this power there is no choice offered..

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** The subject of this power must make a Willpower roll, adding dice according to their humanity as they would a frenzy. If the victim scores less successes than the activation roll for this power, they cannot resist the Beast, and immediately enter a frenzy the Storyteller deems appropriate to the situation, whether rage, fear, or hunger. A thaumaturge may affect any target within her line of sight, if they can escape the now bestial Kindred.

**■ Duration:** One Scene

## <font color="black">•• Weight of the Sun</font>

A concomitant curse of the Embrace is an inability to remain awake during the daytime. Forced to maintain a surreptitious existence at night, a Kindred loses the opportunity to ever see the sun again, or go up in flames if they do. As that fiery white globe rises in the east, Kindred feel its pressing weight as it drives them down into slumber until it has once more retreated into the west. This power allows a thaumaturge to invoke the same type of lethargy that the sun imposes during the long hours of the day, making a rival Kindred go into daysleep even when daybreak may be hours away.

**■ Cost:** Two Rouse Checks

**■ System:** This power lasts for one scene per success on the thaumaturge's activation roll. Suffering the same penalty as if awake during the daytime, a Kindred reduces his maximum dice pool to equal his humanity, and suffers the intense urge to lay down and take a nice nap. Characters who have achieved humanity 10 are immune to this power, and it may not be used during combat.

**■ Duration:** One scene per success

## <font color="black">••• Abated Tooth</font>

All vampires require blood to survive; they depend on mortal vessels for sustenance and the Kiss to maintain their unlives. When Kindred do feed, they almost always extend their fangs, easily piercing their victim's flesh. By invoking this power, a thaumaturge mystically dulls a subject's fangs, robbing them of the ability to use them effectively, or at all. Their fangs become so severely blunted that it becomes nearly impossible to effectively pierce flesh, even harder than the Kine themselves. This causes affected Kindred to search for alternate methods of feeding, often causing great inconvenience for those who are unused to not stooping this low, and degrading their honour as they act like a petty duskborn.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** Each success the thaumaturge scores dulls the fangs of his subject for a night. Victims may make a Stamina (plus Fortitude, if any) roll  to subtract successes from the thaumaturge, on a 1:1 basis. While affected by this power, a Kindred may not Bite during combat, and their teeth are unable to pierce flesh at all. Storytellers may decide to throw as many obstacles as deemed necessary at the victim in this sticky situation. The police do not look kindly on psychopaths who bite others in the middle of the Rack, and anyone who feeds carelessly is almost sure to arouse the ire of Kindred interested in maintaining the Masquerade.

**■ Duration:** One night per success

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## <font color="black">•••• The Withering of Ages</font>

This devastating power warps the blood within vampires, temporarily suspending the properties sustaining their immortality. A thaumaturge making physical contact with a victim may strip them of their agelessness and render them briefly decrepit. Within moments, the body of the target will reveal the truth of her true age, shrivelling and shrinking to reflect the weight of their years, as skin retracts and muscles atrophy. Additionally, the fangs of the victim become elongated, and other features accentuate his vampiric nature. Ancient vampires become crippled, as their bodies become their own worst enemies, while younger kindred shrug this power off with a laugh. With such an obvious difference in effect, many Elders scorn this power and despise others seeing them in a state that is anything but perfection.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** After the thaumaturge makes physical contact with her victim, the player engages in a contested Willpower roll with the target. Should they accumulate more successes than their victim, they rapidly begin to grow physically older until they entirely resemble their true age, other grotesque features heightened into a truly horrifying frame.

A character will lose one Physical Attribute point per 10 years of age he physically gains, to a minimum of 0. Vampires who sink to scores of 0 in Physical Traits are so enfeebled that they must have help moving, feeding, etc. and can barely be heard or understood. This effect lasts for one night, after which time the victim rapidly sheds his physical years and is restored to the full potency of their vampiric blood. The affected Kindred can also restore himself by making five rouse checks (if able) and spending one Willpower point, though this must be done on the same turn they are afflicted. Once the duration of this power has expired, the victim will appear the same as their normal self.

**■ Duration:** One Night

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## <font color="black">••••• Treacherous Bonds</font>

One of the most potent properties of Kindred vitae is the ability to create a blood bond. A regnant offering blood to a victim on three separate nights floods a thrall with a powerful attraction and devotion to them, as all Kindred are dreadfully aware. Under a blood bond, the thrall becomes a most loyal and subservient tool of the regnant and will do anything to appease him, even though these emotions are rarely positive.

Traditionally when the connection of a bond becomes unstable or weak, emotions of hate may cloud the mind of the thrall, though it may possibly span lifetimes before these feelings become evident. The thaumaturge invoking this power incites an instantaneous, hate-induced emotional state within a regnant's thrall; where once there was love, now only loathing drives his emotions. This power creates a backlash in the target's blood, temporarily twisting any bonds he is under, from the newest to ones built over years' time.

**■ Cost:** 2 Rouse Checks

**■ System:** The vampire must touch his intended subject for this power to take effect. Both parties make a contested willpower roll, on top of the Thaumaturge’s activation roll. For the duration of one night per success a thaumaturge scores on this Willpower roll, if they win, They choose whether to affect a regnant or their thrall, the associated blood bond becoming corrupt and unstable. Should a thaumaturge direct this power at a thrall, only the thrall's bond is corrupt, consumed by hate for as many nights as successes scored. However, if the thaumaturge chooses to invoke this power in a regnant, one of the regnant's thralls is affected per margin of success. Should a regnant also be in thrall to someone else while under this effect, she too will feel only malignity for her regnant.

This power is mistrusted widely by vampires of Clan Tremere, and had the Ventrue or Lasombra any real knowledge of it, they would likely balk at it, too (when they weren't inflicting it upon their enemies). Banned after using it upon clanmates, even enemy ones, the Tremere consider this power to be one of the most egregious crimes, for an organization built entirely on the Blood Bond. More than one regent has levied extreme censure on vampires learning this power, and an apocryphal story tells of a European prince putting a Tremere to Final Death after learning that he had used this power to turn her ghouls against her.

*For example: Clifton Andrews wants to settle a score with Josephine the Seamstress of Flesh, a Tzimisce, by reversing the blood bonds of those in her thrall. Clifton's player activates the power, succeeds on the roll, and then makes a contest against Josephine. Having rolled 3 successes and the Tzimisce only rolling one, Clifton warps the blood bond in three of Josephine's five childer. For the next five nights, those blood bound thralls will not only loathe Josephine but may plot to harm their "tyrannical" mistress. Clifton's revenge is sweeter still, as for the span of these three nights Josephine is racked by fiery hatred for her own sire, who had blood bound her decades before. Clifton knows how treacherous the Seamstress of Flesh is, and rejoices in the knowledge that there is a chance his enemy will suffer a slow Final Death at the hands of her sire.*

**■ Duration:** Number of nights equal to margin of success

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# <font color="black">The Green Path</font>

This Path deals with the manipulation of plant matter of all sorts, acting as what the Kine would call druidry. Anything more complex than an algae bloom can theoretically be controlled through the appropriate application of this path. Ferns, roses, dandelions and even ancient redwoods are all equally valid targets for this path's powers, and living and dead plant matter are equally affected. While not as immediately impressive as some other more widely practiced paths, the Green Path (sometimes disparagingly referred to as "Botanical Mastery") is as subtle and powerful as the natural world it affects.

The origins of the Green Path are thought to lie with the Order of the Naturists, a secretive druidic sect within Clan Tremere that are rightfully shunned. Most practitioners of the path are members of the order, and those who are not were more than likely mentored by one. According to those who are familiar with Tremere history, the Green Path is a blood magic-based derivation of some magickal workings formerly practiced by House Diedne, an order of mortal mages destroyed by the Tremere during the Dark Ages, taking their communion with nature and twisting it to suit their needs.

**■ Type:** Sorcery

**■ Masquerade Threat:** Low-High. While talking to a plant will just get you labelled as a creep, things start getting messy when somebody's oak tree uproots itself to beat the shit out of them.

**■ Blood Resonance:** Melancholic. Blood of game wardens, hunters, survivalists and Gangrel.

## <font color="black">• Herbal Wisdom</font>

With but a touch, a vampire can commune with the spirit of a plant. Conversations held in this manner are often cryptic but rewarding - the wisdom and experience of the spirits of some trees surpasses that of the oracles of legend. Crabgrass, on the other hand, rarely has much insight to offer, but might reveal the face of the last person who trod upon it. That being said, all plants are fickle, and though they aren’t exactly sentient, they can convey feelings and thoughts rather than truly speaking, a fact which disorients many novice Thaumaturges.

**■ Cost:** Free

**■ System:** The number of successes rolled on the activate roll determines the amount of information that can be gained from the contact. Depending on the precise information that the vampire seeks, the Storyteller might require the player to roll Intelligence + Occult or Intelligence + Intuition in order to interpret the results of the communication, or leave the player struggling to figure out what the fuck just happened.

• Fleeting cryptic impressions.

•• One or two clear images.

••• A concise answer to a simple query.

•••• A detailed response to one or more complex questions.

••••• The sum total of the plant-spirit's knowledge on a given subject.

**■ Duration:** Instantaneous

## <font color="black">•• Speed the Season’s Passing</font>

This power allows a thaumaturge to accelerate a plant's growth, causing roses to bloom in a matter of minutes or trees to shoot up from saplings overnight. Alternately, she can speed a plant's death and decay, withering grass and crumbling wooden stakes with but a touch, as it quite literally dies from too much life.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** The character touches the target plant. The player rolls normally, and the number of successes determines the amount of growth or decay. One success gives the plant a brief growth spurt or simulates the effects of harsh weather, while three noticeably enlarge or wither it. With five successes, a full-grown plant springs from a seed or crumbles to dust in a few minutes and a tree sprouts fruit or begins decaying almost instantaneously. If this power is used in combat, three successes are needed to render a wooden weapon completely useless. Two successes suffice to weaken it, while five cause it to disintegrate in the wielder's hand. The Storyteller determines the exact effects of the power, and how each plant reacts.

**■ Duration:** As Above

## <font color="black">••• Dance of the vines</font>

The thaumaturge can animate a mass of vegetation up to his own size, using it for utilitarian or combat purposes with equal ease. Leaves can walk along a desktop, ivy can act as a scribe, and jungle creepers can strangle opponents. Intruders should beware of Tremere workshops that harbour potted rowan saplings, as one Green Mage was known to have the very plants begin staking a group of prospective thieves.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

**■ System:** Any total amount of vegetation with a mass less than or equal to the character's own may be animated through this power. The plants stay active for one turn per success scored on the roll, and are under the complete control of the character. If used for combat purposes, the plants have Strength and Dexterity ratings equal to half the character's current Willpower (rounded down) and Brawl ratings one lower than that of the character.

Dance of the Vines cannot make plants uproot themselves and go stomping about. Even the most energetic vegetation is incapable of pulling out of the soil and walking under the effect of this power. It only allows them to move their limbs or other parts around. However, 150 pounds of kudzu can cover a considerable area all by itself.

**■ Duration:** One turn per success

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## <font color="black">•••• Verdant Haven</font>

This power weaves a temporary shelter out of a sufficient amount of plant matter. In addition to providing physical protection from the elements (and even sunlight), the Verdant Haven also establishes a mystical barrier which is nigh-impassable to anyone the caster wishes to exclude. A Verdant Haven appears as a six-foot-tall hemisphere of interlocked branches, leaves and vines with no discernible opening, and even to the casual observer it appears to be an unnatural construction. Verdant Havens are rumoured to have supernatural healing properties, but no Kindred have reported experiencing such benefits from a stay in one. Useful for Kindred on the lamb or looking for a private setting, the shelter is incredibly useful to create a place to lay low without any effort.

**■ Cost:** One Rouse Check

■ System:** A character must be standing in a heavily vegetated area to use this power. The Verdant Haven springs up around the character over the course of three turns, during which the Thaumaturge may take no other actions. Once the haven is established, anyone wishing to enter the haven without the caster's permission must achieve more than the caster's original number of successes on a single roll of Wits + Survival (difficulty equal to the caster's Willpower). The haven lasts until the next sunset, or until the caster dispels or leaves it. If the caster scored four or more successes, the haven is impenetrable to sunlight unless physically breached.

**■ Duration:** As Above

## <font color="black">••••• Awaken the Forest Giants</font>

Entire trees can be animated by a master of the Green Path. Ancient oaks can be temporarily given the gift of movement, pulling their roots from the soil and shaking the ground with their steps. While not as versatile as elementals or other summoned spirits, trees brought to ponderous life via this power display awesome strength and resilience. Many Princes have outright banned this power, as there’s not much that’s more obvious than a tree that stands up to fight for someone, and the lack of vegetation within urban spaces. Still, many Thaumaturges still favour this power for its sheer, blunt power.

**■ Cost:** 1 Rouse Check

**■ System:** The character touches the tree to be animated. The player makes their activation roll normally. The tree stays animated for one turn per success rolled; once this time expires, the tree puts its roots down wherever it stands and cannot be animated again until the next night. While animated, the tree follows the character's verbal commands to the best of its ability. An animated tree has Strength and Stamina 6, Dexterity 2 and a Brawl rating equal to twice the casters own. It is immune to superficial damage, and all aggravated damage dice pools are halved due to its size, except by fire.

Once the animating energy leaves a tree, it puts down roots immediately, regardless of what it is currently standing on. A tree re-establishing itself in the soil can punch through concrete and asphalt to find nourishing dirt and water underneath, meaning that it is entirely possible for a particularly sluggish sycamore to set up shop in the middle of a road without any warning. Abuses or misuses of this power can very easily lead to breaches of the Masquerade, and the thaumaturge who leaves a row of maples across a major traffic artery is unlikely to have the opportunity to make the same mistake twice.

**■ Duration:** Number of turns equal to successes

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 As someone who loves thaumaturgy and dislikes Blood Sorcery, I made this as a simple port for the discipline for anyone who would like to see the Tremere to be returned to their former status.
 
 I am well aware several of the powers are quite unfair, despite my best efforts. For any tips, feel free to message CrushLego#9944 on Discord. Advice always welcome. 
 
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 ##### Art Credits
 
- Sorin Markov - Rogwump
- Terrence Williams - RPG
- Tremere Chantry - Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption
- Voodoo Doll - sgursozlu
- Unnamed - Leksa Art
- Miles - CrushLego
- Poppet Stitcher - Simon Dominic Brewer
- Evil Catholic Priest - Prompt Hunt
- Blind Obedience - Seb McKinnon
- Tech Wizard - Whily Whatley
- Old Vampire - Unknown
- Evil Druid - Later Day Saint

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