by: Benedira |
The Disciples of Horus believe this discipline is one of the gifts given them to battle the Followers of Set. The discipline is no less than the manipulation and eventual mastery of light. Because of the horrendous and horrible potential of this discipline, the Disciples of Horus are careful who they allow to learn it. If a Kindred who is not a Disciple learns even the most basic level of this discipline, you can be sure that a Disciple of Horus must have owed them a great debt. This discipline has only seven levels, as there are no Disciples of Horus above the sixth generation and no kindred who is not a Disciple has ever been taught the seventh level. Because of the inherent natures of the two disciplines, a kindred cannot possess both Illumination and Obtenebration.
This most basic ability allows the kindred to control light levels in a small area (roughly 30x30). She cannot create light in darkness or extinguish it completely, but can choose to make existing light considerably brighter or dimmer.
This power requires no roll, but a blood point must be spent to activate it. Glimmer lasts for one full scene, during which the Kindred may adjust the light level as often as she pleases. No real active concentration is required to employ Glimmer; the kindred's dice pools are not affected by it's use, and she may still act normally each turn while using it. Those in the area affected by glimmer may be temporarily blinded by overly bright light, or find it more difficult to see in considerably dimmed light. Constantly shifting light levels may severely disorient those in the area of the effect.
This ability allows the kindred to produce a flash of light from their palm or the ground around them. The flash is as bright as a camera flash bulb, and can be made more effective by increasing the size of the flash. Scintillation can create a flash up to the rough height and width of the kindred employing it.
The player rolls Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 7). Even one success creates a flash of a size determined by the kindred using Scintillation. Those looking at the kindred when Scintillation takes effect must make a Perception + Dodge roll (difficulty 7) to look away in time, or suffer blindness for two turns. A botch on this Dodge roll results in blindness for the remainder of the scene.
At this level, the kindred begins to gain full command of her abilities. Limelight creates a 'spotlight' for the kindred that employs it, though the light seems to come from nowhere. While this light is bright, it is not normally painful to look on. If touched, however, the light burns kindred as sunlight does. The normal fall of shadow does not apply to Limelight - there is no portion of the Kindred's body not lit. This ability is protective only; if the kindred employs Limelight and then touches another kindred of her own free will, it will not damage them.
The player spends a blood point and makes a simple Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 7). Limelight lasts for the duration of the scene, or until the Kindred chooses to dispel the light. Contact with the light causes damage exactly as clouded sunlight does (difficulty 9 to soak), with the appropriate modifiers for those with light sensitive flaws. The number of aggravated health levels inflicted depends on how much of the offending kindred's body comes in contact with the Limelight.
This power allows the kindred to call forth bolts of light from her hands to strike her enemies. These bolts can be painful and damaging, as they are like the sun's rays to kindred. The kindred who employs Coruscate must use her hands to direct the bolts.
The player spends a blood point and makes a Dexterity + Brawl roll (difficulty 7). The bolt is automatically created, but the roll determines if it strikes the intended target. The target may make a Dexterity + Dodge roll (difficulty 10, as light travels fast) to avoid being burned by the bolt of light. If Coruscate strikes its intended vampiric target, the light causes damage exactly as direct sunlight (difficulty 10 to soak), with the appropriate modifiers for those with light sensitive flaws. Because these bolts are never larger than the hand of the Kindred employing Coruscate, only one aggravated health level per turn can be inflicted.
At this level, the Kindred's command of light becomes truly deadly to her vampiric enemies. The kindred who casts Glow about herself is surrounded by a five foot radius of light. Vampires in the direct area of the effect are burned as if by the noonday sun, and direct onlookers suffer temporary blindness.
The player spends two blood points and makes a Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 7). A success creates a blinding light all around the kindred; the number of successes determines how many turns the effect will last. Vampires in the area of the five foot radius must make a Dexterity + Dodge roll (difficulty 8) or suffer the same as if their entire body had been exposed to direct sunlight (difficulty 10 to soak, inflicting 3 aggravated health levels per turn with appropriate modifiers for those with light sensitive flaws).
This power allows the Kindred to create and direct light from her hands much as Coruscate does, though at this level she has learned to create a constant beam of light.
The player spends two blood points and makes a Dexterity + Brawl roll (difficulty 7). The beam is automatically created, but the roll determines if it strikes the intended target. This roll must be made for each turn the beam is in use with appropriate modifiers based on the target's evasive movement. The target may make a Dexterity + Dodge roll (difficulty 10 for the first roll, storyteller's discretion for subsequent turns) to avoid being burned by the beam of light. If the Beam strikes its intended vampiric target, the light causes damage exactly as direct sunlight (difficulty 10 to soak), with the appropriate modifiers for those with light sensitive flaws. Because these bolts are never larger than the hand of the Kindred employing Beam, only one aggravated health level per turn can be inflicted. The Beam will last for the duration of the scene, or until the Kindred wills it to stop. If the kindred uses her hand for something other than directing the beam, the beam will cease to exist. Additional blood must be spent to create it anew.
At the final level of Illumination, the Kindred has truly become a terror to her vampiric enemies. Irradiate envelops its target in light that is no kinder to the body vampiric than the cruel rays of the midday sun.
The player spends three blood points and makes a Manipulation + Occult roll (difficulty 7). A success wraps the target in burning light (difficulty 10 to soak, inflicting 3 aggravated health levels per turn with appropriate modifiers for those with light sensitive flaws). The target may make a Dexterity + Dodge roll (difficulty 9) to avoid the initial envelopment, but may not try to dodge the light once she is surrounded. This effect lasts until the Kindred employing it decides to release her prisoner, or until the target successfully escapes the Kindred's line of sight.
Note from the author: There seems to be some confusion about the nature of this discipline. This is not the ability to control actual sunlight. References to sunlight in this article are made only for the purpose of figuring damage. - Benedira
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