by: Reno Camilani for Sanguinus Curae
At this level of Daimoinon mastery, the Baali may assume the form of a demon lord from hell. She grows to 12 feet tall, and her skin turns into blood red scales. Her eyes become two large fiery orbs. Her knee joints invert, making her legs appear backwards, and a foot-long spike comes out of each kneecap. Large claws pop out of the now-huge hands, and each foot turns into two large toes, each as big as a man's forearm and with a large black spike on the end. Large bone protrusions form out of the skull and twist around like ram's horns. Spikes form on the creature's hands and arms, and the mouth changes into a huge maw filled with six-inch dagger-like teeth. Needless to say, this is not something to be taken lightly. Chances are that if you anger a Baali enough to use Hell's Display, your life expectancy will decrease dramatically.
The Baali spends five blood points to use Hell's Display. The transformation takes three turns. The following powers are gained: Eyes of the Beast (Protean level 1), Feral Claws (Protean level 2), and Bonecraft (Vicissitude level 3) as the monster forms large spikes on his hands and forearms. All Physical Attributes are raised by four, and Social attributes drop to zero. The claws (hands and feet) do Strength +2 aggravated damage (difficulty 6 to hit), and the bite causes Strength +3 aggravated damage (difficulty 8 to hit). If the forearm or knee spikes are used to strike an opponent, the difficulty is 7 on the Brawl roll and the damage is Strength +2 lethal. The creature gains two more Injured health levels and one more Wounded health level. Also, the creature may spit fireballs (similar to the Daimoinon level 3 power Flames of the Netherworld) from its mouth at the rate of one per turn. It uses Dexterity + Firearms (difficulty 7 to hit, modified by range) and the damage is 6 dice, aggravated.
The heat from each fireball creates a ten-foot radius around the blast point, and anything in the circle is subject to three dice of aggravated fire damage. This lasts for two turns (the target of the fireball is also subject to this heat radius, so an unlucky vampire could be looking at a lot of fire damage). Due to its tough, scaly hide, the difficulty to soak all damage is reduced by two. Stamina may be used in addition to Fortitude to soak aggravated damage from physical attacks (Protean claws, vampire bites, Lupines, etc.). The creature's skin is intensely hot, anything that touches it is subject to one die of aggravated fire damage. In addition, the monster deducts one damage level from fire after the soak roll. It has some communion with fire and brimstone, after all.
by: Reno Camilani for Sanguinus Curae
Whenever a servant of Hell wishes to summon or speak to her master, it is generally done through the use of an altar. Many infernalists simply find an old table and carve runes on it. A true Diabolist, though, uses a true altar.
This ritual is generally only possessed by Baali, although other infernalists have been known to use it. It creates a site of pure evil, so pure that holy figures find it difficult to enter. It also makes it easier for the caster to work her infernal magic.
This ritual requires a full month to cast. Ten blood points must be spent during this time, as the Infernalist paints diabolic sigils and glyphs on the altar, which must be made of either oak wood or stone. The thaumaturge makes an extended Intelligence + Occult roll (normal difficulty 8, reduced to 7 if the Infernalist is using Infernal Wisdom instead of Occult) every week. If, by the end of the month, 20 successes are acquired, the altar is finished. If 20 successes are not gathered or the caster skips even one night of work, the ritual fails.
Having a Dark Altar lets the Infernalist have access to several advantages. For a radius 20 feet around the altar, the Baali gets an extra die added to her Dark Thaumaturgy ritual rolls, and the difficulty for any infernal discipline roll (Dark Thaumaturgy, Daimoinon, etc.) is reduced by two. Also, the altar possesses a Dark Faith rating of one, making it more difficult for Hunters and Inquisitors to destroy it.
by: Gavin Bennett for Sanguinus Curae
This power allows the Thaumaturge to sense the true emotions of the target. Most importantly, it allowed the magician to gage the mental state of the victim.
System: The Thaumaturge must roll Perception + Empathy against a target number equal to the targets Wits + Subterfuge. The number of successes determines the depth and accuracy of the probe, using the same scale as Aura Perception.
This power enables the Thaumaturge to actually control the emotions/mood of a person. This power is especially effective against people of lower willpower, or those with Derangements already.
System: The Thaumaturge must be able to talk to the victim, telling them how they should feel, spends a Willpower Point and rolls Manipulation + Empathy, difficulty equal to the target's Willpower. The victim resists against the Thaumaturge's Willpower with their own. If the Thaumaturge gets more net successes, the victim's mood changes to order. If the victim beats the Thaumaturge, the effect is reflected back upon the Thaumaturge. Effect lasts for a length of time determined by the number of successes:
1 Success: One Hour.
2 Successes: One Day.
3 Successes: One Week.
4 Successes: One Month.
5 Successes: One Year.
The Thaumaturge can now control the emotions of a group. Using this ability, the Thaumaturge can calm or incite a riot, or have a crowd believe he is the Messiah returned. The drawback is that the Thaumaturge must address the group.
System: The Thaumaturge spends 2 Willpower points and rolls Manipulation + Psychology, target number 8.
1 Success: Three People affected.
2 Successes: Eight People affected.
3 Successes: 20 People.
4 Successes: Everyone in the immediate vicinity.
5 Successes: An entire community.
This power is a twist on simple demonic conjuration. It asks one of the Nahemoth to come close, and therefore the world is going to be affected. The power allows the Nahemoth to affect any souls in a reasonable radius. It also causes the 'Malkavian Madness Network' to go into overdrive, touching sensitive souls close by. Mad people start seeing what the magician and the demons see, and what they are discussing and what they are doing. This power is an invitation to horror.
System: The Thaumaturge must spend 1 Willpower and 1 Blood point a turn for three consecutive turns, then roll Thaumaturgy + Occult, target number 8. See below for more details on the Nahemoth themselves.
This can make an interesting 'McGuffin' for other stories. All of a sudden the mad are gibbering, the nearby psychics are clawing their eyes out, suicides are jumping. The lords of madness are close by.
This is the magical power which makes a mockery of mortal magicians. It gives the magician a similar control over reality as a powerful Mage might exercise. However it is completely illusory. The followers of this magical path know that the world is always as it is, flawed and broken, God's mistakes, but the mind is its own place. And this power directly affects the mind. And it particularly affects those Mages who deal in paradigmic philosophy. The magician can make anyone see what he wants them to see. Because he is now in their heads, changing things.
System: The Thaumaturge must lay on hands, then spend one Willpower and one Blood point per turn for 4 consecutive turns and roll Manipulation + Thaumaturgy, with a target number of 8. The player describes to the Storyteller what the victim sees, and the victim sees it. The victim is no longer aware of the magician. He exists in a world made by the magician for as long as the Storyteller desires. As for affecting Mages - if someone is getting really read by discussing the nature of reality, hit them with this.
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