by: Belladonna for Sanguinus Curae
Though the clan of its origin is virtually unknown among Kindred history and memory, the discipline of Tranquillus has left its mark throughout legend, myth, and superstition. To follow the trail of Tranquillus throughout history is to find the footprints of an invisible clan - the Gorgons.
Gorgons rarely go about among mortals, but when they do they are rarely remembered. This is most commonly caused by judicious application of this level of Tranquillus. When applied, this power causes the target or targets to become temporarily fascinated by some aspect of their surroundings in a vague and distracted way. It is usually remembered as 'drifting off' or 'zoning' for a few seconds while looking at something - a light source or a shiny object for instance.
This power is incapable of affecting anyone that is in the grips of an elevated emotional state such as acute fear or anger.
System: No roll required.
Can be used against any number of targets within line of sight up to equal to the kindred's Will rating. Each target makes a Wits roll automatically. The success of this roll determines the maximum duration that the effect lasts, though any victim can be easily shaken out of this reverie by another person.
Botch: The effect lasts until the target is forcefully shaken out of it by someone else.
Failure: Will fade within an hour.
1 success: Will fade within ten minutes.
2 successes: Will fade within one minute.
3 successes: Will fade within a few seconds.
4 successes: Will fade within a single turn.
5 or more successes: Does not take effect.
More powerful than Mystify, this power allows the Gorgons to send a single target into a temporary trance-like state. The target can still be interacted with until violently shaken out of the state or the effect wears off. While under the effect, the target will answer simple questions and can even be coaxed into performing simple tasks (walking, dialing a phone, handing over an object, etc.). The target will not do or say anything that they truly believe is wrong, and they cannot be forced to go against their own morals, but their resistance to coercion is severely weakened. In some cases the storyteller may require the player to make a Manipulation + Empathy roll to coerce an answer or action out of a resistant subject.
This power is incapable of affecting anyone that is in the grips of an elevated emotional state such as acute fear or anger.
System: Manipulation + Intimidation roll required (difficulty 6).
Can only be used against one target within line of sight at a time. The target makes a Wits roll automatically. The success of this roll determines the maximum duration that the effect lasts, though the victim can be shaken out of this reverie by another person - albeit with some difficulty.
Botch: The effect lasts until the target is forcefully shaken out of it by someone else.
Failure: Will fade within one night.
1 success: Will fade within one hour.
2 successes: Will fade within ten minutes.
3 successes: Will fade within one minute.
4 successes: Will fade within a few seconds.
5 or more successes: Does not take effect.
This ability allows the kindred to render even targets in the grip of high emotional states, including frenzy, temporarily docile and compliant. This effect does not negate the emotional excess of their condition, only suspends it for the duration. When this effect fades the full power of the target's emotions will return. This power can affect small groups, and puts all targets in a state similar to the effect of 'Daze' detailed above.
System: Manipulation + Intimidation roll required (difficulty 8).
Can be used against any number of targets within line of sight up to equal to the kindred's Will rating. Each target makes a Wits roll automatically. The success of this roll determines the maximum duration that the effect lasts, though any victim can be shaken out of this reverie by another person - albeit with some difficulty.
Botch: The effect lasts until the target is forcefully shaken out of it by someone else.
Failure: Will fade within one night.
1 success: Will fade within one hour.
2 successes: Will fade within ten minutes.
3 successes: Will fade within one minute.
4 successes: Will fade within a few seconds.
5 or more successes: Does not take effect.
A more powerful application that reduces the target to a state of insensate catatonia at a glance. This effect can be quite devastating under certain situations, as the target ceases to think or respond to stimuli - their mind simply shuts off for a short period. If they are standing or sitting, they will remain that way unless pushed over, if they are moving or unbalanced they will simply fall to the ground and stay where they land until the effect wears off. It is even possible to pose the victim like a marionette in some ways if one wishes to be cruel.
System: Manipulation + Intimidation roll required (difficulty=Target's Will).
Number of successes determines the duration of the effect.
Can only be used against one target within line of sight at a time. The target cannot be shaken out of the resultant catatonia until the effect has passed.
Botch or Failure: Does not take effect.
1 success: Will fade within a few seconds.
2 successes: Will fade within one minute.
3 successes: Will fade within ten minutes.
4 successes: Will fade within one hour.
5 or more successes: Will fade within one night.
Some of the more scientifically minded members of the Gorgon clan have theorized that their discipline owes its effect to the suspension of energy, and the higher effects beginning with immobilize certainly bear this theory out. This level of Tranquillus allows the kindred to suspend motion in inanimate objects, from falling rocks to speeding bullets to a gust of wind. The suspended object will slow to a complete stop within a few inches from when the effect was applied, defying the laws of physics as it hangs or stands motionless in place. Non-powered objects will simply lose all inertia and can be moved from their resting places at will. Powered devices such as cars and so forth will begin to move again under their own power after the effect has worn off.
System: Will roll required (difficulty 7*). The character must spend a Blood Point to bring on the effect.
* Certain target objects are of greater difficulty such as wind or naturally flowing water (8), bullets (9), and so forth. Actually difficulty under any circumstance is at the discretion of the storyteller.
Number of successes determines the duration of the effect.
Botch or Failure: Does not take effect.
1 success: Will fade within a few seconds.
2 successes: Will fade within one minute.
3 successes: Will fade within ten minutes.
4 successes: Will fade within one hour.
5 or more successes: Will fade within one night.
This level of Tranquillus allows the kindred to suspend motion in living targets in the same fashion as Immobilize affects inanimate objects. The suspended target will slow to a complete stop within a few inches from when the effect was applied, defying the laws of physics as they hang or stand motionless in place. While they can be moved from place, their body will be stiff and resistant, and all functions of life and animation will have ceased. This effect is not harmful to the target in or of itself, although side effects of the application due to circumstance may be harmful.
System :Will roll required (difficulty 8). The character must spend a Blood Point to bring on the effect.
Number of successes determines the duration of the effect.
Botch or Failure: Does not take effect.
1 success: Will fade within one minute.
2 successes: Will fade within ten minutes.
3 successes: Will fade within one hour.
4 successes: Will fade within one night.
5 successes: Will fade within one week.
6 or more successes: Will fade within one month.
It is said that the gaze of the Gorgon can turn objects to stone, and at this level this becomes true. With an effort of Will and the Blood, a Gorgon can turn any inanimate object into brittle stone. The target object takes on the appearance of rough, dull gray stone and has the resiliency of glass - easily shattered when struck or dropped. This power has no effect on the bodies of people or animals of any kind, though it will affect their clothing and hair. Any petrified object can be shattered easily by a Strength of 2 or more, with thin or fragile objects requiring even less effort. Targets are limited to line of sight, and must be conceptually a single object in the mind of the kindred (i.e.: the effect may be focused on an entire wall, a single brick in the wall, or a door set into the wall, but not on both the door and the surrounding wall.)
System: Will roll required (difficulty 8). The character must spend two Blood Points to bring on the effect.
At this level of power the legends of the Gorgon come alive as the kindred gains the ability to turn living beings to stone with a look. The target must be in line of sight, and takes on the appearance of a bleached dull gray stone statue. This effect is decidedly permanent and quite lethal to the target. Targets take on the resiliency and attributes of stone, becoming hard and somewhat brittle. Such statues will also weigh as much as expected were they actual stone - as much as fifty times more than they did in life. This power does not affect the target's clothing or anything they are holding or carrying.
System: Will roll required (difficulty 5 + Target's Stamina, maximum 10). The character must spend three Blood Points to bring on the effect.
This power can be resisted by the target through a Stamina (or Stamina + Fortitude) roll at difficulty 8. The target must make more successes than the character in order to resist the change.
Turning people and creatures to stone has a tendency to clutter up the landscape with detailed life-sized statues which one might think should be disposed of, but the ancient Gorgons were in the habit of keeping these statues nearby. This was because these stone sentinels still held a use to them under the application of this power.
With this the character can temporarily re-animate the statues she has created, lending movement and simple action to the unliving stone. The kindred must smear a quantity of her own blood over the statue while focusing her Will on the task desired. These animated statues can follow simple commands with dim reasoning, performing tasks such as attacking a foe, guarding a haven against invasion, fetching and carrying, and so forth.
Perhaps as a side effect of the vampire's own banishment from the light of the sun, these stone servants are prohibited from functioning during the day. If struck by direct daylight of any kind they will simply cease to function and the power of their animation will be lost.
System: Will roll required (difficulty 8). The character must spend a Blood Point for each night the effect is wished to last.