Tzimisce

A clan of scholars, spiritualists, and flesh-shapers, the Tzimisce have left the human condition behind to focus on transcending the limitations of the vampiric state. At a brief glance or in casual conversation, Tzimisce appear to be one of the more pleasant Cainite Clans: polite, intelligent, alluring, and inquisitive. Closer inspection reveals this is simply a mask hiding something alien, sinister, or even outright monstrous — focused and driven.

Welcome; a thousand welcomes! I am honored that we could put aside the Jyhad’s foolish rivalries for a night, that you might come under my eaves in the spirit of — eh? What now? Ahh — that noise? A trifle! Nothing that need concern you, sweet guest!

Now, where was I? Of course — that you might come under my eaves in the spirit of education. For you see, education is just a form of transcendence, the domain of my ilk. Let me enlighten you.

Eat, sleep, shit, fuck, die — what a list of chores! The Embrace delivers us from such drudgery, but still, we have our bad habits. Blood for one, and betrayal. Metamorphosists know transcendence surpasses the Curse of Caine — the end of necessity, the unfettering of the ego.

Sascha Vykos is a monster, long divorced from any lingering vestige of humanity. Its name is spoken in whispers even among Sabbat — a face feared, no matter what shape it takes, and a cold cruelty yet more than the face.

What about Ratti-Ben? I believe it means “Sister of Blood.” She is the Childe of Kartarirya. I met her recently and was stunned by her appearance. Covered in skin swatches with a different tattoo on each patch that she’s collected from her victims. A quilted beauty.

Count Rustovich, though, would no doubt defy your preconceptions. He is the epitome of nobility. His face saturnine and sardonic; a slight smile forever graces his countenance. Bedecked in finery that conveys nobility without foppishness.

Lambach Ruthven, one of the most curious of our kind, has reinvented himself many times through the ages and yet is far from the monster or freak you perceive when you think of us. These days you’d be hard pressed to tell him from a Brujah, if he weren’t in hiding — assuming the rumors are to be believed.

It’s perpetual transition, you see. Most people die like they live, waving their impotent little fists in the face of the universe. Not me. Not my ilk. We’ve got places to go, metaphysically speaking. I don’t look up to the stars in the sky. The stars look up to me. I’m the seed Mendel should’ve studied.

Perhaps now you see?

Who are the Tzimisce?

Tzimisce are not known to Embrace capriciously; choice of Childer is reflected upon the Sire, and so Frankensteins choose only those they feel have the capacity to improve the Clan. Both “brilliance” and “insight” are particularly coveted qualities; whether a Childe’s manifests in scientific theory or serial murder is a subjective distinction. While the latter certainly makes for far more fantastical tales, it is the former who composes the soul of the Clan.

Horror stories abound of disturbing and alien Carpathians with a thirst for mutilation and worse depravities; as such it is generally believed that Tzimisce are commonly drawn from the ranks of serial killers, sociopathic torturers, black market organ harvesters, and grotesque street docs. While this is not untrue, and many prominent examples justify such claims, the Clan is equally as likely to draw from the scientist willing to circumvent ethics in the name of experimentation, the spiritualist seeking to master the chakra through extreme measures, or the transhumanist using mortal means to ascend their own forms. Fledglings Embraced for the purpose of being shock troops are commonly known as Fiends.

Tzimisce Archetypes

BODY HORROR

These Tzimisce are probably the most well known outside of the Clan, be it for good or for ill. They are normally selected for their dark and grisly creative bent, leading them to become something akin to Lovecraftian horrors. Writers of the horror genre with their twisted sensibilities, prop and costume designers with an affinity for the grimdark, and serial sociopaths with a love for mutilation all make great examples of the body horror. Their inhumanly shocking appearances demand their withdraw from the mortal world, making them extremely prone to succumbing to the Beast over time without adopting an alien outlook.

NOBLE VOIVODE

Some Tzimisce have a more classical view of perfection that allows them to more seamlessly blend in with the world around them than others of the Clan. In days long past these Cainites would lord over the kine of their claimed territory, normally a moderate fiefdom like the renown Carpathian by the name of Vlad Tepes, better known as Dracula to younger Cainites. In the modern age these Tzimisce replace their fiefdom with charitable organizations that happen to align with and push the ideals of their Cainite patron, community centers where impressionable minds can come to be shaped and molded, or support groups that take in the broken and lost where they might be rehabilitated to the desires of the master. Many fail to see them as Tzimisce outside of the Clan, but that suits the Clan’s needs just fine.

THEORETICAL SCIENTIST

The Tzimisce have a long history with the sciences in the quest for mastery of the corporeal form. Typically they were from the fringes of their fields, lacking in certain ethical doorstops leashing others of a similar bent. The theoretical scientist may have dabbled in illegal biological or genetic experiments, conducted dangerous unsanctioned surgical procedures, or hosted controversially unsettling exposés of academia history that now consist of spectacles like Body Worlds with still living subjects. Their preferred methods may come back to hurt their Clan, but sometimes they produce the greatest advances in the quest for perfection.

TRANSHUMANIST

While there are certainly Tzimisce who modify themselves in profoundly shocking ways, many more seek to mold themselves with something of a transcendent purpose. While the Clan boasts many types, the transhumanist master sees themselves as representing the core identity of the bloodline. Coming from the ranks of tattoo enthusiasts who can now make elaborate designs via skin pigment manipulation, the technophile who experimented with biohacking finding themselves with new horizons of potential, or a researcher of bleeding edge gene therapy finding a new sense of bodily control. While they can certainly become something of an oddity to look at, they are more likely to blend in with the fringes of society than to become completely alien - not that some don’t.

UNDAUNTED SPIRITUALIST

The Tzimisce maintain a strong tradition of spiritualism and the occult, with some of the most significant ritae of the Sabbat having been developed by the Clan. These are most likely to come from a background with alternative faiths and spirituality, it is not unheard of for the Carpathians to draw from the more traditional belief systems as well so long as the individual shows a proclivity to manipulating the world to their own view. Anyone from the modern day Christian body modification proponent, the Hindu priest practicing kavadi, or the pesilat devoted to mastery of the chakra all have the potential to be undaunted spiritualists. They are most likely to serve as spiritual guides for other Cainites.

Disciplines

Animalism: Within themselves or others, Tzimisce seek to exert their control and vision over both the corporeal and spiritual. For them the use of Animalism is generally a little different than most practitioners. While other Clans focus on their lordship over animals, the Tzimisce traditionally use this Discipline to manipulate and master the Beast.

Auspex: While the Tzimisce use their other Disciplines to manipulate the Beast and the Mortal Clay, they make use of Auspex to exert their vision of the spiritual. For them it is the sense that allows them to perceive the realm of the soul manifest, and once perceived to impose their sense of perfection upon it.

Vicissitude: The signature power of the Tzimisce granting them mastery over the physical form; it is almost unknown outside of the Clan, and rumors persist of it being some kind of infection of the blood rather than a true Discipline. Tzimisce skilled in Vicissitude are often inhumanly alluring; those less skilled are simply inhuman. Fiends have certainly used Vicissitude's more grotesque effects to cement their infamous reputation.

Bane

Tzimisce are deeply territorial and become intrinsically connected to a place of profound importance to their lives when Embraced. This could be anything from the place of their birth, the location where they died, or some other deeply profound place that is tied to the individual at the time of their transformation. During daysleep the Tzimisce must rest in at least two handfuls of soil from this location to retain their vitality. Any night the Tzimisce fails to meet this requirement they will suffer a dice penalty to all Physical, Social, and Mental dice pools equal to their Bane Severity due to the extreme discomfort and agitation this causes. This penalty remains in effect until such time as the Tzimisce is able to rest in the required soil. This cannot reduce any dice pool below one die. 

Compulsion

Metamorphose: The need to reshape and manipulate either themselves or the world around them in order to meet the Tzimisce’s (frequently twisted) vision of perfection becomes all consuming. Often going to extremes to meet this urge, while under this Compulsion the Tzimisce must radically alter a target within their immediate vicinity to better conform to their personal vision of perfection. While this can include the Tzimisce themselves and can be accomplished via the application of Vicissitude if desired (in fact, this may be the most obvious method), there are numerous other possibilities that are equally viable such as using social manipulation to alter a target’s belief to your desire, change the state of the Beast via the application of Animalism, drastically altering the feng shui of the environment, etc. The key is that something near the Tzimisce must be significantly altered towards their own personalized view of perfection.

The Tzimisce declares to the Storyteller the alteration they would like to see made to a target in their immediate surroundings. Any actions not directly related to making the desired alteration, no matter how significant, suffer a two-dice penalty. The Compulsion ends once the Tzimisce successfully alters the selected target to their perceived state of perfection or until the end of the Scene.

Merits

OLD WORLD BLOOD   The Carpathians keep many secrets lingering from the old world in their veins. Only Ancillae or older Tzimisce may take either of these Merits.

••        Old Clan: Most Tzimisce elders met Final Death in the days of the Anarch Revolt, but some still escaped their hungry childer. Younger generations have taken to calling them the Old Clan, members of the Tzimisce who did not join the Sabbat or cultivate the use of Vicissitude. Most are old, of low generation, and rule small domains almost exclusively in Eastern Europe. Replace the Clan Discipline of Vicissitude with Dominate.

••••        Koldunism: No one knows for sure if Kolduns are a true bloodline or simply a title bestowed. Either way, they are both extremely rare and highly respected among their brethren. Few Childer have the aptitude to harness and control the spirits of the land, and those who fail in their efforts are incinerated by the unrelenting power. Those few who do are Kolduns. Gain one point of Blood Sorcery and gain access to Koldunism Powers and Rituals.

Vicissitude

When the Eldest achieved enlightenment, it became the vitae that now rests in your veins. So don’t be sloppy with it.

I have survived nights of great turmoil, nights where Tremere blood was in my mouth more often than not, but times have changed. In those nights terror was more powerful than allure, with serrated bones to saw through chests or lumps of fat and flesh padding vulnerable areas — while unseemly they allowed me my continued existence. Still, I do not understand the modern fascination with such body horror. I have known Crafters of such beauty as to inspire worship among kine — and mortal obsession with cosmetic enhancement makes it much less likely to draw the ire of the Second Inquisition.

Now go, get to work. The time draws nigh that I will come to test you myself, Neonate. You would do well to remember that your Elders possess powers beyond your nightmares — capable of things you cannot heal.

Nicknames: Body Crafting, Sanguinus, Corpus Mutare

Vicissitude is the hallmark of Clan Tzimisce, known far and wide as their art of flesh and bone shaping, - a bizarre mastery over the physical form. For the Cainite practitioners of this disturbing Discipline, it provides the means with which to exert their twisted vision of the physical form into a reality. Most unsettling of all is their ability to apply this practice to helpless victims - often against their will.

With it an experienced Crafter can sculpt the flesh and bone of themselves or a subject, fashion nearly undetectable doppelgangers, make fantastical weapons from their or others bodies, create twisted and terrible chimeras, and even combine bodies with others possessing the Discipline in horrific fashion.

Characteristics

Vicissitude powers work primarily through direct physical contact and manipulation. So while this Discipline permits powerful and horrific effects, barring a few noted exceptions the wielder must obtain skin-to-skin contact and must often physically sculpt the desired result with their hands and fingers. This even applies to the use of the power on oneself.

Those who find themselves subjected to the effects of this Discipline against their own volition will find their chances to recover vary greatly based on the circumstances. Mortals will have no option but to have changes corrected through further use of Vicissitude, or in rare instances surgical procedures depending on the Modifications endured. For Cainites (and other Supernaturals) the prognosis is at least mildly better, they may attempt to heal the changes as though they were points of Aggravated Damage equal to their Modification Rating.

Vicissitude will weigh heavily on the psyche of the practitioner, perhaps due to the inhumanity of its application or possibly the rumors of the “souleater” parasites have more merit than most Fiends would care to admit. When making a Rouse Check for a Vicissitude power, a result of “1” or “10” induces a Stain in addition to any Hunger gained.

An individual can only sustain so many Modifications before the stress on their bodies becomes too much. Characters may maintain a number of individual Modifications equal to their Stamina + Resolve. Any additional Modifications beyond this limit will induce 1 point of Aggravated Health Damage that cannot be healed unless the Modification is reversed.

• Type: Physical
• Masquerade threat: High. Vicissitude powers are clearly inhuman when being actively applied, though once the effects are achieved they can potentially go unnoticed depending on the Modification(s) made.
• Blood Resonance: Nil. Blood that is empty of Resonance and thereby equally pliable; psychopaths, sociopaths, narcissists, antisocial personalities, and those who are otherwise emotionally detached in some way.

Level 1

BROTHER’S BLOOD

A peculiar ability, most commonly seen among the so called Blood Brothers for which it is named, allowing a Crafter to call upon the vitae within their own veins to mend the wounds of another Crafter with whom they share either a Blood Bond or Vinculum. Beyond the bond, both participants must also possess at least one level of Vicissitude.

• Cost: One Rouse Check as per normal Healing rules.
• System: A character may Mend the damage of another character who possesses at least one level of Vicissitude that they share either a Blood Bond or Vinculum with. Make a Rouse check as per the normal rules for the type of damage being Mended. A character may only benefit from this power once per Round, though they may still Rouse their own blood in order to Mend further damage if they should desire to do so. This power can be used from any distance so long as all other requisites have been fulfilled.
• Duration: Passive.

MALLEABLE VISAGE

The Crafter is capable of making basic alterations to their own bodily parameters: height up to a foot stretching bone, muscle, and flesh; voice through manipulation of vocal chords; facial features and structure through skull shape and flesh; their skin tone, hair color, eye color, and blemishes through pigment. This may also be used to apply “Looks” based Merits and Flaws or mimic other individuals. This requires physically sculpting the desired changes.

• Cost: One Rouse Check per Modification
• Dice Pools: Dexterity + Medicine
• System: Make a Dexterity + Medicine Extended Test with a Difficulty of 3 + Modification Rating - Vicissitude to a minimum of Difficulty 1. When reverting effects, treat the Modification Rating as being 1 higher than normal. Use the following Modification Ratings based on the Modification being done:
  

•        Cosmetic (skin tone, eye color, hair color, blemishes)

••        Ugly Flaw, voice, height

•••        Beautiful Merit, Repulsive Flaw

••••        Looks Doppelganger

•••••        Stunning Merit, Voice Doppelganger

• Duration: Until undone with Vicissitude or supernaturally healed.

Level 2

TRANSCEND THE LARVAL FRAME

This power allows for the Crafter to make minor unnatural modifications to the physical form. They may alter skin and the underlying fatty tissue, muscle, cartilage, and bone to create cavities and small pockets, or protective bulges in their own bodies around vital areas. This can allow for the Cainite to store various contents within their own bodies nearly undetectably to a passing look or generate abnormally thickened areas to protect their undead vitals. This requires physically sculpting the desired changes.

• Cost: One Rouse Check per Modification
• Dice Pools: Dexterity + Medicine
• System: Make a Dexterity + Medicine Extended Test with a Difficulty of 3 + Modification Rating - Vicissitude to a minimum of Difficulty 1. Reverting effects treat the Modification Rating as being 1 higher than normal. Body Pockets can hold an object no larger than a cell phone and remain undetected or up to a handgun while being noticeable on inspection, a bone Heart Case increases the difficulty to stake by 2, Flesh Padding can be used to protect the neck and chest increasing difficulty to decapitate or stake respectively by 1, Supple Joins grants a 1-die bonus on Physical tests. Every two of these Modifications made will generate “Looks” Flaws progressing from Ugly to Repulsive (assuming these are not already in place). Each of these must be created individually and use the following Modification Ratings:
  

•        Body Pockets, Supple Joints

••        Flesh Padding

••••        Heart Case 

• Duration: Until undone with Vicissitude or supernaturally healed.

Level 3

GESTALT

• Amalgam: Fortitude 1

Another of the more esoteric abilities of the Discipline, this power allows the Crafter to create a hivemind with other Crafters for purposes of communication, sharing senses, and resisting mental effects. As with the power Brother’s Blood, this too requires that all parties involved share a Blood Bond or Vinculum as well as at least one level of Vicissitude. The members of this link are called a circle.

• Cost: One Rouse Check, each participant must make their own Check.
• System: All the participants can enter into a group mind link, allowing them to function as one entity. This allows them to share perceptions, tactics and even knowledge for as long as they maintain the bond. There are several aspects to this power:

• Powers such as Dominate, etc. attack against the highest Willpower of the entire circle, and reduces the dice pool by one per additional member of the circle. If the power succeeds anyway, a mental 'circuit breaker' activates, severing the targeted member from the link, so only they are Dominated, etc.
• A dice pool of one extra die per person is set up; any of the members can draw on this pool per round, although each die used by an individual subtracts from the total in the pool for that round (i.e., if there are five members in the circle, there are five total extra dice available in the pool per round, not five per Crafter per round).
• Surprise attacks, etc. almost never work while in the bond; assume that if ANY of the members could see an attack coming, all in the circle will know. Otherwise, reduce all Awareness difficulties by three.
• By staying out of combat and concentrating, a member can give an Ability to another. Thus, a wounded member with Brawl 5 could rest while at the same time concentrating on her circle-mate who is fighting with Brawl 2; while the other member is concentrating, the Crafter in combat fights with Brawl 5.
• Any other logical advantages of being linked, such as tactical advantages and the like, may be given to the circle. Group acrobatics, etc. are quite common.

A Crafter does not have to have Vicissitude at this level to enter into the circle as long as someone in their circle does. However, if they do not have at least a Vicissitude 3, then they will be subordinate in the link to others of the circle. Subtract one from all advantages listed (if five dice are available in the pool, the character could only use a maximum of four, Awareness difficulties reduced by only two, etc.); the Crafters who control the bond are going to divert all the most useful sensory information to themselves. Additionally, because the character is not attuned to the level of interaction involved, they lose one die in their own pool to compensate for the competing sensory input.

• Duration: One scene.

TRANSMOGRIFY THE MORTAL CLAY

• Amalgam: Auspex 1

One of the more terrifying powers that Vicissitude offers, this power enables the Crafter to extend the effects to a target or transform the bones of the body into weapons. It also opens the potential for the Crafter to do some truly malicious things to their victims and subjects by providing new Modifications and various combat applications. This requires physically sculpting the desired changes.

• Cost: One Rouse Check per Modification
• Dice Pools: Dexterity + Medicine
• System: Make an Extended Test with a Difficulty of 5 + Modification Rating - Vicissitude to a minimum of Difficulty 1. If the target also has Vicissitude lower the base Difficulty to 3. Reverting effects treat the Modification Rating as being 1 higher than normal. New Modifications include Flesh Binding allowing the Crafter to bind appendages of a target together (these can be forcefully separated by taking Aggravated Damage equal to the Modification level to tear them apart), Flesh Muzzle that allows the Crafter to seal the mouth (and optionally nose) of the target which can be fatal to mortals, and Flesh Blinders that impair the vision or hearing of the target as the Crafter grafts eyes and ears closed. A number of new body arsenal options are also available, and the bonuses provided by them are modifiers to Brawl damage equal to the Modification Rating that causes Aggravated Health Damage to mortals. Superficial Damage inflicted from these body arsenal weapons is not halved. Each of these new Modifications made will generate “Looks” Flaws progressing from Ugly to Repulsive (assuming these are not already in place). The following Modifications can be used with this power, as well as all Modifications available through Malleable Visage and Transcend the Larval Frame:  
  

•        Flesh Muzzle, Flesh Blinders, Knuckle Spikes, Horns, Enlarged Fangs, Enlarged Claws

••        Flesh Binding, Knee Spurs, Elbow Spurs, Heel Spurs, Forearm Blades

Additionally, Transmogrify the Mortal Clay enhances Vicissitude’s use in Physical Combat through the following techniques:

• Rend: Crafter rolls Dexterity + Vicissitude in place of a normal combat roll as they attempt to tear away strips of flesh and cause bones to splinter and fray. This causes Superficial Damage as it is wildly uncontrolled and minor.
• Rib Puncture: In a Grapple the Crafter rolls Strength + Vicissitude at a Difficulty equal to the Stamina + Dexterity of the target (if they are conscious) to pierce the heart with the targets ribs. For a mortal this is most assuredly a death sentence, for a Cainite it is as good as Final Death as they fall into Torpor at the mercy of the Crafter.

• Duration: Until undone with Vicissitude or supernaturally healed.

Level 4

HORRID FORM

Considered to be a milestone in body mastery, the Crafter transforms themselves into the war-form known as zulo. The Cainite’s stature increases to an impressive eight feet; the skin changes into a putrid green-gray or gray-black chitin; arms become elongated, tipped in ragged black talons; the face warps into something of a nightmare. Each zulo reflects the Crafter with other variations such as a row of spines sprouting from the vertebrae, vestigial horns adorning the skull, viscous foul-smelling grease covering the carapace, among many others. This transformation does not require the Crafter to sculpt the changes in a traditional sense, as their bodies writhe and convulse as the whole of the Cainite’s body warps and shapes itself.

• Cost: Two Rouse Checks
• System: No test is required. The transformation takes one Turn to complete during which they may take no other action, and is an absolute horror show to observe. Brawl damage is increased by +3 and all attacks deal Aggravated Health Damage to mortals. Superficial Health Damage inflicted from Horrid Form is not halved. The Cainite may still use Physical Disciplines while in this form, but may not use other Disciplines.
• Duration: Until deactivated. Having the power active for longer stretches of time without rest (more than a scene) might necessitate spending Willpower, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

OCTOPOD

With this odd power the Crafter can mold their external limbs or sensory organs to another practitioner of Vicissitude. This doesn’t just make for a terrifying appearance but provides tangible benefits to the recipient. This strange interaction between practitioners has spawned rumors of Vicissitude being some kind of disease spread through the Vitae. This does not require any form of physical sculpting to be performed.

• Cost: One Rouse Check per Modification for each participant
• Dice Pools: Resolve + Vicissitude
• System: The donor makes a Resolve + Vicissitude roll with a Difficulty 2 + Modification Rating and if successful after one turn of concentration where no other action may be performed the desired limb or organ is shed, tendrils of Vitae extend from the limb and host, and finally is grafted to the recipient. The recipient will gain a 1-die bonus to any checks related to the donated appendage or organ at Storyteller discretion. Limbs have a Modification Rating of 2, Sensory Organs have a Modification Rating of 4. Each of these Modifications made will generate “Looks” Flaws progressing from Ugly to Repulsive (assuming these are not already in place).
• Duration: Until deactivated. Having the power active for longer stretches of time (more than a scene) might necessitate both the donor and recipient spending Willpower, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

Level 5

COAGULATED ENTITY

The ultimate expression of the strange interaction between practitioners of the Discipline, with this power the Crafter can physically merge into a giant monstrosity with other practitioners of Vicissitude. It isn’t something they actually physically craft themselves into, rather their bodies directly begin to merge and fuse together into some kind of horrific thing of flesh, eyes, mouths, and limbs. This may well have inspired various well known science-fiction stories.

• Cost: Three Rouse Checks for each participant
• Dice Pools: Resolve + Vicissitude
• System: The host makes a Resolve + Vicissitude roll with a Difficulty of 3 + the total number of participants and if successful they physically meld with the others into some kind of monstrosity. This creature uses the highest Attributes available among the participants, has a Health rating equal to the highest rating among the participants + 1 per total participants involved in the creation. Brawl damage is increased by +1 per total participants and all attacks deal Aggravated Health Damage to mortals. Superficial Health Damage inflicted from Coagulated Entity is not halved.
• Duration: Until deactivated. Having the power active for longer stretches of time (more than a scene) might necessitate all participants spending Willpower, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

GRAFT LIFE TO LIFE

• Prerequisite: Transmogrify the Mortal Clay

The implications of a Crafter that obtains this power are profound, having achieved the skill required to attach the parts of one target to another without it becoming useless. These parts can be harvested from any number of targets, including corpses that have been that way for only a short time (a few hours or less). The collected parts do not even need to be from the same species, which allows the creation of terrible chimeras beyond imagining. Each of these Modifications made will generate “Looks” Flaws progressing from Ugly to Repulsive (assuming these are not already in place).

• Cost: One Rouse Check per Modification
• Dice Pools: Dexterity + Medicine
• System: Make a Dexterity + Medicine Extended Test with a Difficulty of 3 + Modification Rating of the material being added. The more exotic the materials the more difficult the Modification will be to perform. The possibilities are extensive, Storytellers are encouraged to treat each specific component and the capabilities it grants on a case by case basis.
  

•        Human Limbs

••        Human Sensory Organs

••••        Exotic Parts 

• Duration: Until undone with Vicissitude or supernaturally healed.

Blood Sorcery - Koldunism

Long before the usurpers called Tremere appeared, the Tzimisce wielded the mystical art of Koldunism - drawing upon primal elementalism and enslaving weak spirits or making deals with stronger ones. Foremost among these elemental spirits is the Carpathian entity Kupala, called “the root of all” by the most ancient Koldun.  In truth, what those ancient Tzimisce called Koldunism is known today as Blood Sorcery.

Unlike the arcane paths of Thaumaturgy or Quietus, Koldunism is a spiritual magic that manipulates the elements in nature. From the diseased soil of their ancestral domains the Tzimisce drew demonic power. Now, through the spilling of vitae, as well as the  proper rites of contrition and binding, a Koldun can summon forth the elemental correspondences that shape natural forces.

No Fiend would ever instruct a non-Tzimisce in the arts.

Level 1

GENIUS LOCI

• Amalgam: Animalism 1

There resides a single force, an essence, that encompasses all things in nature. The ancient Koldun mystically tapped into this essence and, as a result, they gained insight and minor control over their surroundings. Oftentimes, the Koldun wielded this in conjunction with other powers. Many also protected themselves by invoking this before entering their havens, to pre-empt attempts on their unlives. Tonight's Koldun procure a similar outcome as their ancient predecessors, creating a bond between themselves and the spirit of the land. When invoking this power a Koldun’s eyes change color to a shimmering, iridescent silver.

• Cost: One Rouse Check
• Dice Pool: Charisma + Blood Sorcery
• System: Make a Charisma + Blood Sorcery roll against a Difficulty of 2 + the level of the desired effect while concentrating for a turn to activate this power. The list below describes how far away from her person a Koldun can "feel" intruders or hostile spirits. This power also confounds use of the Discipline of Obfuscate.
  

•        50-foot radius

••        100-foot radius

•••        Quarter-mile radius

••••        Mile radius

•••••        Five mile radius

• Duration: One scene

Level 2

HEAT WAVE

• Prerequisite: Genius Loci

The Koldun acts as a conduit for steam geysers and evokes a blast of hydrogen sulfide from the Earth's mantle, withering and desiccating an opponent. When invoking this power a Koldun' s eyes change color to a feverish, glowing orange.

• Cost: One Rouse Check
• Dice Pool: Manipulation + Blood Sorcery vs Stamina + Composure
• System: Make a Manipulation + Blood Sorcery roll vs the Stamina + Composure of a target in line of sight while concentrating for a turn. With a win, mortal victims suffer five Aggravated damage as their bodies dehydrate. Kindred react similarly and suffer five Superficial damage while also increasing Hunger by one. A critical win results in death for mortals and an increase in Hunger by two for Kindred (on top of the normal damage).
• Duration: N/A

Level 3

FOG OVER SEA

• Prerequisite: Genius Loci

No longer bound by the laws of physics, a Koldun has the ability to walk along the fluid surface of the water. So long as she invokes this power, the Cainite may walk the water's surface as if it was solid as earth. When invoking this power a Koldun's eyes change color to vivid, almost glowing aquamarine.

• Cost: One Rouse Check
• Dice Pool: Wits + Blood Sorcery
• System: Make a Wits + Blood Sorcery roll against a Difficulty of 5. With a win, the Koldun may walk across the surface of water for one scene or two scenes on a critical win. This does not prevent the creatures of the seas or lakes (or any body of water the Koldun traverses) from interacting with her. The Storyteller may find it appropriate to have dolphins torment her, or a hungry shark could surprise the vampire and take a bite at her from beneath. It is also possible that the Koldun will be spotted by individuals in boats, fishermen or even people swimming in her general vicinity.
• Duration: One scene on a win, two scenes on a critical win. Having the power active for longer stretches of time without rest, especially so for high-stimulus environments, might necessitate spending Willpower, at the Storyteller’s discretion.

Level 4

RIDE THE TEMPEST

• Prerequisite: Genius Loci

A Koldun employing this power moves at incredible speeds by riding along the winds. The voivodes of nights past often appeared in each of their servant's homes and to the villages of their lands, instilling fear in the peasants and terrorizing them to fealty. Koldun undertaking these outings could travel to most, if not all of their domains in a single night's time. A Koldun's body becomes almost ethereal while he moves along the wind, disappearing into a blurry outline of his physical self and re-materializing in a similar fashion. When invoking this power a Koldun’s eyes change color to vibrant, sky blue.

• Cost: One Rouse Check
• Dice Pool: Perception + Blood Sorcery
• System: Make a Perception + Blood Sorcery roll against a Difficulty of 6. With a win, a Koldun's body blurs in a gust of wind, moving through the air at 250 mph, though not directly affecting how fast the wind blows. This effect must be invoked outdoors; though she can avoid all obstacles outside, the Koldun lacks the control to maneuver through a building of any kind and risks slamming into walls, doors and people at this high speed. As this power subsides the Koldun re-materializes at her destination from her blurry shape back to her normal physical self.
• Duration: One scene

Level 5

KUPALA’S FURY

• Prerequisite: Genius Loci

Peasants whisper silent prayers to protect themselves from the unusual tremors that sometimes shake the Carpathian Mountains, which they believe to be the spirit of Dracula waking from centuries of slumber. In truth, this odd seismic activity is the result of a Koldun calling upon Kupala to release the dormant wrath of the blighted land. When invoking this power, a koldun creates a large earth tremor capable of shaking the foundations of a city block. When invoking this power a Koldun’s eyes change color to hollow, walnut brown.

• Cost: Two Rouse Checks
• Dice Pool: Stamina + Blood Sorcery
• System: Make a Stamina + Blood Sorcery roll against a Difficulty of 10 - current Willpower to a minimum of 1 (Kupala does not suffer the weak of will). With a win, enables the Koldun to cause the earth to shake violently in a radius of 50 feet. A critical win increases the radius of the quake to 100 feet; victims within the area of effect suffer 10 dice of Superficial damage. Cars, RVs, and small houses suffer substantial damage and, at the Storyteller's discretion, may be destroyed altogether. Buildings three stories and higher, such as apartment complexes and office buildings may sustain some structural damage, but this supernatural tremor is not strong enough to cause them to crumble and fall.
• Duration: One turn

Koldunic Rituals

Tzimisce have long been renowned (or feared) as master sorcerers, though their preeminence has been eclipsed by the rise of the Tremere. Most Fiends have forgotten the elder magic of long-ago nights, and few who remember teach it to their childer.

Koldunic rituals were the foundation for the Sabbat ritae, but the two types of magic are not the same. The commonality is that ritae of the Sabbat tap into the spirits of their practitioners to fuel the magic, rather than the spirits of the elemental world.

Level 1

ENLIGHTENMENT

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

HOSPITALITY

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

REAWAKENING THE DEAD WATER

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

Level 2

BILE OF THE LAND

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

DEDICATING THE DOMAIN

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

ROUSE THE ELEMENT

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

Level 3

CONJURE LESSER DEMON

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

RAZE THE LELEK

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

SENTINELS OF THE HAVEN

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

Level 4

BEWILDERING TRAIL

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

EARTH’S EMBRACE

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

POOL OF SECRETS

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

Level 5

CONJURE GREATER DEMON

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

ELEMENTAL SAVIOR

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details

NEMESIS OF THE LIVING EARTH

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• Ingredients: List
• Process: Detail
• System: Details