by: Don Lara for Sanguinus Curae
Some Tremere who were Mages in mortal life, striving to reclaim some of what they have lost by the Embrace, have crafted a path that allows them limited manipulation over one of the fundamental Forces in nature: Gravity.
By exerting the power of their blood, some Thaumaturges can actually enact localized gravitational field manipulation, either crushing targets with galvanized G-Forces, or negating gravitational pull to some extent, floating people and objects off the ground.
(Note: Not being extremely well-versed in gravitational mechanics, I have given my best guess as to appropriate "G-Force" numbers that would produce the effects described. I hope the physics majors out there will forgive me, but in the end, details should be decided upon by the Storyteller. It is assumed that gravity is a constant 1G within the World of Darkness, for the sake of measuring this power's effects. -DL)
The Thaumaturge may effect a localized area within his line of sight in the general shape of a sphere, the diameter of which depends on how advanced in the path he is:
● 1/2 foot diameter
●● 1 foot diameter
●●● 5 foot diameter
●●●● 10 foot diameter
●●●●● 30 foot diameter
Only one field may be maintained at a time, and once created it is stationary, and cannot be moved. The Thaumaturge may either negate gravity to the point of zero, causing people and objects within the field to float, or increase gravitational pressure to the point where, for example, a glass bottle could be crushed, or bones broken. If used on a living or unliving target, this pressure causes one level of lethal damage for every round the target remains within the field.
This increase or decrease does not necessarily have to be taken to either end of the extreme: the manipulation could be subtle, like holding someone in place as it becomes a difficult task to even raise their feet off the ground to walk or run with slightly heavier gravity effecting them. Also, once the field is created, the gravity within may be increased or decreased at will, and need not remain static.
In general terms, the range of control is from Zero G - +4 G within a given field. Once created, the field will remain for the scene, the proverbial "hour," or until it is dispelled.
Only one field may be maintained at a time, and remains stationary at the given point in space where it was created. (and no, the interior of a car or the roof of a moving train is not "stationary"). One created, the field last for the scene, an hour, or until the Vampire dispels it.
By spending a blood trait and making a Static Mental Challenge against 7 traits, a Thaumaturge can negate gravity in a stationary area of one foot in diameter for a scene or an hour, whichever comes first. If using this or any other gravitational field against a living/unliving target, a test of the Thaumaturge's Mental traits versus the target's Physical traits is required.
This level of skill functions the same as above, save for the fact that in this case, gravity is increased to a high enough degree to shatter glass and even crack some types of stone. If successfully used upon a living (or unliving) target, the target suffers one level of lethal damage for every round a portion of his body remains within the stationary field, as the gravity strains and crushes flesh and bone. The field need not be made so powerful as to cause damage, but it can be made to do so if desired. To cause any damage, however, the standard test of the Vampire's mental traits versus the target's physical traits is required.
Functions the same as the first level of this path, except that the field of negative gravity can now be increased to a 6-foot diameter.
Functions the same as the second level of this path, except that the field of increased gravity can now be increased to a 6-foot diameter. Upon reaching this level of mastery, the Thaumaturge can now adjust the amount of increased or decreased gravity with a range of Zero to +4 at will within a given field.
At this advanced level, a sphere of gravity up to 15 feet in diameter may be created.