by: Bleep for Sanguinus Curae
While looking over the rules for Dark Thaumaturgy, a system of Thaumaturgy taught through demonic pacts, I had the idea of the opposite side of the coin, High Thaumaturgy, Holy Thaumaturgy, Divine Thaumaturgy, Angelic Thaumaturgy, or what have you. The idea of a kindred so pure of heart and faith as to be taught this discipline by an angel or God himself could be considered a bit of a stretch by some, especially if you hold to the noddist belief of the Kindred being spawned by Kain. But think of lines like the Salubri, particularly the warrior caste of the dark ages.
This should certainly not be allowed to be taken during character creation, but later, with some heavy role-playing involved (this could be the focus of an entire story). Characters should have very high humanity scores, no less than 8. The only paths that should allow this discipline would be paths like Heaven, if you are using Dark Ages rules, or Path of Honorable Accord. The true faith merit might also be a requirement.
To learn this discipline, one must be taught it by God himself or one of his angels. This does not come lightly. While entrusted with these powers, the slightest evil act (ie. one that constitutes a humanity role) might very well result in a very painful final death for the character. Each path is taught separately, and costs current rating x 8 to increase. This is always considered an out of clan discipline.
Learning disciplines such as Dark Thaumaturgy and Damoinion should instantly cause all dots in this discipline to be erased, and again, most likely result in final death for breaking the trust the Almighty had in him.
To use these disciplines, the kindred spends a blood point and rolls willpower, difficulty of the level of power in use plus three, just like regular Thaumaturgy. If by some chance, the character's true faith score exceeds his willpower, he may roll that instead. Botching the faith roll will result in loss of a point of permanent willpower, or faith if that was used.
This functions mechanically exactly like the path of flames, only that the fire produced is a bright white, and may not be soaked by any means by evil creatures. Good, pure creatures are not harmed by this flame at all. Difficulties on Courage rolls caused by these flames are at +2. Due to the purity of the light, the use of shadow based disciplines, like Obtenebration or Obfuscate is negated unless the user of these powers has a higher number of dots then the High Thaumaturge. Creatures created by Obtenebration (including a vampire using Black Metamorphosis or Tenebrous Form) suffer double damage from these flames.
- Candle
- Palm of fire
- Campfire
- Bonfire
- Conflagration
This power was primarily used by the warrior caste of the Salubri during the Dark Ages. It is unknown if any modern kindred use this power in these modern, faithless nights. The user's body glows slightly silvery while this power is in effect.
This applies to smaller, weaker demons and malicious spirits. Most of the time, these spirits are incorporeal. This does not apply to wraiths who by some chance serve the infernal. They are covered by the next level.
User may use his body to inflict wounds on lesser demons for one turn per success.
The term "servant" applies to any one earthly creature (human, vampire, mage, etc.) who has willingly entered into pacts with the infernal. This will not have any effect on someone who is simply a 'bad person'. This will also apply to wraiths, so they will take full damage from this power.
User causes aggravated damage to servants of the infernal for one turn per success. This applies only to attacks made by his own body.
This power only works on melee weapons, though of course that term can apply to any object the character has handy, so the character could swing his rifle like a club and get the same effect. The weapon will now glow much like the character does, with holy light.
The weapon being used by the character gains the properties of other powers of this path for one turn per success. This only works on the weapon in the character's possession. If he drops it, it no longer has the desired effects. The character must spend the blood point and roll normally to bestow whatever power he plans to use in addition to this power.
Greater demons are anything larger than a human, and something very powerful. Most are powerful enough to take on a coterie or pack. Often a brood of lesser demons would be led by a greater demon, who will very likely resemble a larger version of the lesser demons.
As level one, but applies to greater demons
High Thaumaturges will use this power to turn their whole coterie into a corps of powerful demon hunters. The chosen comrade will also take on an unearthly light as this power takes effect.
The Character may grant one of the powers of this High Thaumaturgy to a chosen person within a hundred foot radius for one turn per success. The character must also spend the blood point and roll the chosen power he wishes his friend to use.
The character binds the object or individual down, after spending hours in silent communion with the almighty. The character will very likely have all sorts of religious trappings present (not necessarily Christian crosses, depending on the individual's particular faith, Jewish menorahs, stars of David, or Islamic crescent moon symbols would not be inappropriate, remember it is not the object itself, but the faith in the wielder). The Exorcist will then spend several hours invoking the names of angels and the almighty, sprinkling holy water, etc. Again, this should depend on the faith of the individual.
The blood point and the appropriate roll is made to activate the discipline, and the character must score more successes than the possessing demon on a contested willpower roll (Difficulty 7). If the character's faith rating exceeds his willpower, he may roll that instead. Not this only releases the demon from the target, now you might need to actually fight the demon. Note that the fifth level applies to anything possessed by a greater demon. Storytellers, if the player botches, let your twisted little minds do their absolute worst.
- Exorcise object
- Exorcise animal
- Exorcise mortal
- Exorcise supernatural/or location
- Exorcise greater demon