Blood Sorcery- Venefica
The old magic of the Cult of Augurs is an interesting power. From one side, it relays on the mystical energies of the Beast in order to work. On the other, the ancient bargains between the gods and Rome were made with the Man, not the beasts. While most believe it to just be a "civilized" version of Curac with some Greco-Roman aesthetics, Veneficia is more then that- it is found inside the inner balance between the vampire's humanity and curse. The complicated rituals act like a prison for the Beast, taming it, guiding it and using it under the mask of the Man. That is the only way to work that magic- blood is the payment, and the ritual is the bargain. The one to be payed to is unknown, and not relevant. While most believe that the Dii Consentes are the power behind that magic, one does not need to be a faithful of those gods in order to invoke their magic. It is the ritual which is important, and as long as the pacts are honored, faith means nothing.
Limitations
Veneficia requires the Beast to work- but it must be a tamed Beast. Give it too much freedom, and it would not stand on its own end of the rite. As such, in order to use Veneficia the most effectively, one must be in perfect balance with her Beast- not strangling it too much that it can't work its magic, and neither let it run free and loose any semblance of humanity. In order for the character to use the highest rituals (5 dots rites), she must have Humanity at 5 dots. Any dot above or below that score limits the highest rating of rites she can accesses by 1.
The Sacrifice
Blood the the currency used to pay for the miracles given by the gods- but you can't just spill it. You need to do it in a certain way, or else the gods will be offended and not accept the payment. In order to power the rites, the character must expand a single Vitae. In addition, the ritual must be done properly- that means making a complicated ceremony. The more powerful is the rite, a more complicated ceremony is needed. Below is an example table for possible ceremonies according to the rite dot rating-
1- a simple chant, a sacrament of easily found regents which require Resources 1 or above, requires an easily available place
2- a five minute chant, a sacrament of regents which need Resources 2 to get, a grouped prayer of 3 or more participates, an event which happens daily, requires the place to be prepared especially for the ritual.
3- a 10 minute chant, a sacrament of rare regents which require Resources of 3 and above, a group prayer of 5 participates, an event which happens weekly, requires a place which need to be especially built in advance.
4- a 30 minute chant, a sacrament made from regents which require Resources 4 or above, a group prayer of 10 participates, an event which happens monthly, a place which is not easily available
5- an hour long chant, a sacrament requiring 5 dots in Resources, a group prayer of 20 participates, an event which happens yearly, a specific place or city.
if the ritual is bought and not improvised, the character may buy a number of different version of the same ritual, each requiring a different ceremony. The ceremonies always include the use of the Vitae, one way or another.
Motifs
Veneficia is Occult- the magics of the Prophets are complicated and logical, almost scientific. They require an long study and understanding of each part of the ritual. It is not just chanting some words in Latin and throwing some salt to the fire- it is knowing that the words you whisper are meant to open your eyes to the mysteries of of the universe, and that the salt and the fire are a representation of ages old event. When the Prophet preforms the ceremony, she knows exactly what she is doing, and feel its in her bones that the bargain is fulfilled as it was meant to.
Veneficia is Subtle- when preformed, everyone can feel that something is hidden below the surface. Like a movement under a still, dark water, the magic works below the ritual, in a place where the senses of humans (and vampires) can't penetrate- but they still know it's there. There are no flashes of light or ephemeral hallucinations when the ritual is preformed, only a disturbing feeling that something happens, even if you are not sure how it does, or what was the force which made the ritual work. Sometimes, both the witnesses and the Prophet suffer from nightmares after the ceremonies, and while they don't usually remember what happened, they know what was their source.
Veneficia is Sacred- that is, in the same way a promise or a vow are. The ceremonies are important, for they carry ages old pacts, bargains, promises and vows between the mundane and the divine. It is rude to just pray to the gods- everything must be done in the respected way if you wish the gods to answer. It is a vow, a contract, a marriage between the Dii and their Prophet. Break the ritual, and you break each and every connection between you and the gods.
Themes
Divination- true to their name, the Cult of Augurs are able to see through space and time by gaining the sight of the gods and the touch of the Fates. Being one of the Favored Themes of the Discipline, most Prophets use it to guide their clients. While charlatans usually cheat and tell people what they want to hear, the Prophets know that what needs to be said must be said. It is the source of the Cult's power, for all agree that their word is sacred and that the gods speak through them. By saying the right prophesy, nations could either rise or fall, and if too many false prophesies would be told, the group would loose their grip upon Rome's heart.
Protection- the old bargains between Rome and her Gods were made, first and foremost, to protect the Empire and its people and help them prosper. Another Favored Theme, the Cult knows that it is their job to make sure that both the gods and the citizens are happy. Without an empire to rule, the Prophets would have nothing- and so they appease the manes, ward against the lemurs, commune with the lares and tend the Genii. By invoking the might of the greatest Dii, the Prophet may be able to destroy hundreds of souls or change water into blood, but it is the little gods which maintain the empire- and the ones who may make it to fall.
Transmutation- the gods of Rome take and shed their form as easily as a cloud, and by invoking their mercurial nature the prophet can change reality like they do. Nothing is constant, as it was said in the Metamorphoses. The Man, the Beast and the Divine all mix and flow from each other, wearing different masks each time they do so. When the Prophets needs to convince the masses of their strength when their prophesies fail, they usually turn to those kind of miracles, showing them that they share some of the Dii's divine nature. Other popular use for that Theme is curses- following the footsteps of their gods, they know that the best punishment is taking someone's form from him. Some whisper that the Cult has hidden cages, holding in sentence hundreds of vampires who were stupid enough to mock them. The Cult from its side, never support those rumors- but neither deny them.
Destruction- the Prophets are careful when using that Theme. Like Transmutation, it requires the Prophet to call down the great gods for their side. Unlike the former, it asks the blessing of a specific god for each ritual. Lightning from Zeus. Fire from Vulcan. Flood from Neptune. Asking the gods to their help in such a balant way while is not forbidden, but still is seen as a rude act. After preforming such a ceremony, the prophet is expected to pray for that god and give it a sacrifice to show her thanks without regarding the ceremony itself. Those who use it too many time without restrain are seen as a threat by the rest of the Cult- such a careless behavior doesn't go hand with hand together with the nature of their magic, and may be a sign that their Beast is out of control. As long as they don't break the rules, nothing is done against them- but if they'll do, being exiled and branded as a witch is the best case scenario for them.
Creation- the gods don't make something out of nothing. Instead, they change and transform things into a new shape. For that reason, the powers of creation don't come from the gods, but from an older place.. from the Titans. This is why most Prophets are scared from those ceremonies even more then the ones used for Destruction. Even the simplest rites require the essence of the sleeping giants or opening a gate to Tartarus. Using those primal, elemental powers is an act one must not do lightly, for the wrath of the Titans is said to be worse then that of the Dii. Those ceremonies are also usually a lot more wild then the rest of the rituals, for the Titans are so vast that they usually don't even notice the Prophet without a ritual interesting enough.
so- thoughts and suggestions?
EDIT- fixed some spelling and grammar issues
The old magic of the Cult of Augurs is an interesting power. From one side, it relays on the mystical energies of the Beast in order to work. On the other, the ancient bargains between the gods and Rome were made with the Man, not the beasts. While most believe it to just be a "civilized" version of Curac with some Greco-Roman aesthetics, Veneficia is more then that- it is found inside the inner balance between the vampire's humanity and curse. The complicated rituals act like a prison for the Beast, taming it, guiding it and using it under the mask of the Man. That is the only way to work that magic- blood is the payment, and the ritual is the bargain. The one to be payed to is unknown, and not relevant. While most believe that the Dii Consentes are the power behind that magic, one does not need to be a faithful of those gods in order to invoke their magic. It is the ritual which is important, and as long as the pacts are honored, faith means nothing.
Limitations
Veneficia requires the Beast to work- but it must be a tamed Beast. Give it too much freedom, and it would not stand on its own end of the rite. As such, in order to use Veneficia the most effectively, one must be in perfect balance with her Beast- not strangling it too much that it can't work its magic, and neither let it run free and loose any semblance of humanity. In order for the character to use the highest rituals (5 dots rites), she must have Humanity at 5 dots. Any dot above or below that score limits the highest rating of rites she can accesses by 1.
The Sacrifice
Blood the the currency used to pay for the miracles given by the gods- but you can't just spill it. You need to do it in a certain way, or else the gods will be offended and not accept the payment. In order to power the rites, the character must expand a single Vitae. In addition, the ritual must be done properly- that means making a complicated ceremony. The more powerful is the rite, a more complicated ceremony is needed. Below is an example table for possible ceremonies according to the rite dot rating-
1- a simple chant, a sacrament of easily found regents which require Resources 1 or above, requires an easily available place
2- a five minute chant, a sacrament of regents which need Resources 2 to get, a grouped prayer of 3 or more participates, an event which happens daily, requires the place to be prepared especially for the ritual.
3- a 10 minute chant, a sacrament of rare regents which require Resources of 3 and above, a group prayer of 5 participates, an event which happens weekly, requires a place which need to be especially built in advance.
4- a 30 minute chant, a sacrament made from regents which require Resources 4 or above, a group prayer of 10 participates, an event which happens monthly, a place which is not easily available
5- an hour long chant, a sacrament requiring 5 dots in Resources, a group prayer of 20 participates, an event which happens yearly, a specific place or city.
if the ritual is bought and not improvised, the character may buy a number of different version of the same ritual, each requiring a different ceremony. The ceremonies always include the use of the Vitae, one way or another.
Motifs
Veneficia is Occult- the magics of the Prophets are complicated and logical, almost scientific. They require an long study and understanding of each part of the ritual. It is not just chanting some words in Latin and throwing some salt to the fire- it is knowing that the words you whisper are meant to open your eyes to the mysteries of of the universe, and that the salt and the fire are a representation of ages old event. When the Prophet preforms the ceremony, she knows exactly what she is doing, and feel its in her bones that the bargain is fulfilled as it was meant to.
Veneficia is Subtle- when preformed, everyone can feel that something is hidden below the surface. Like a movement under a still, dark water, the magic works below the ritual, in a place where the senses of humans (and vampires) can't penetrate- but they still know it's there. There are no flashes of light or ephemeral hallucinations when the ritual is preformed, only a disturbing feeling that something happens, even if you are not sure how it does, or what was the force which made the ritual work. Sometimes, both the witnesses and the Prophet suffer from nightmares after the ceremonies, and while they don't usually remember what happened, they know what was their source.
Veneficia is Sacred- that is, in the same way a promise or a vow are. The ceremonies are important, for they carry ages old pacts, bargains, promises and vows between the mundane and the divine. It is rude to just pray to the gods- everything must be done in the respected way if you wish the gods to answer. It is a vow, a contract, a marriage between the Dii and their Prophet. Break the ritual, and you break each and every connection between you and the gods.
Themes
Divination- true to their name, the Cult of Augurs are able to see through space and time by gaining the sight of the gods and the touch of the Fates. Being one of the Favored Themes of the Discipline, most Prophets use it to guide their clients. While charlatans usually cheat and tell people what they want to hear, the Prophets know that what needs to be said must be said. It is the source of the Cult's power, for all agree that their word is sacred and that the gods speak through them. By saying the right prophesy, nations could either rise or fall, and if too many false prophesies would be told, the group would loose their grip upon Rome's heart.
Protection- the old bargains between Rome and her Gods were made, first and foremost, to protect the Empire and its people and help them prosper. Another Favored Theme, the Cult knows that it is their job to make sure that both the gods and the citizens are happy. Without an empire to rule, the Prophets would have nothing- and so they appease the manes, ward against the lemurs, commune with the lares and tend the Genii. By invoking the might of the greatest Dii, the Prophet may be able to destroy hundreds of souls or change water into blood, but it is the little gods which maintain the empire- and the ones who may make it to fall.
Transmutation- the gods of Rome take and shed their form as easily as a cloud, and by invoking their mercurial nature the prophet can change reality like they do. Nothing is constant, as it was said in the Metamorphoses. The Man, the Beast and the Divine all mix and flow from each other, wearing different masks each time they do so. When the Prophets needs to convince the masses of their strength when their prophesies fail, they usually turn to those kind of miracles, showing them that they share some of the Dii's divine nature. Other popular use for that Theme is curses- following the footsteps of their gods, they know that the best punishment is taking someone's form from him. Some whisper that the Cult has hidden cages, holding in sentence hundreds of vampires who were stupid enough to mock them. The Cult from its side, never support those rumors- but neither deny them.
Destruction- the Prophets are careful when using that Theme. Like Transmutation, it requires the Prophet to call down the great gods for their side. Unlike the former, it asks the blessing of a specific god for each ritual. Lightning from Zeus. Fire from Vulcan. Flood from Neptune. Asking the gods to their help in such a balant way while is not forbidden, but still is seen as a rude act. After preforming such a ceremony, the prophet is expected to pray for that god and give it a sacrifice to show her thanks without regarding the ceremony itself. Those who use it too many time without restrain are seen as a threat by the rest of the Cult- such a careless behavior doesn't go hand with hand together with the nature of their magic, and may be a sign that their Beast is out of control. As long as they don't break the rules, nothing is done against them- but if they'll do, being exiled and branded as a witch is the best case scenario for them.
Creation- the gods don't make something out of nothing. Instead, they change and transform things into a new shape. For that reason, the powers of creation don't come from the gods, but from an older place.. from the Titans. This is why most Prophets are scared from those ceremonies even more then the ones used for Destruction. Even the simplest rites require the essence of the sleeping giants or opening a gate to Tartarus. Using those primal, elemental powers is an act one must not do lightly, for the wrath of the Titans is said to be worse then that of the Dii. Those ceremonies are also usually a lot more wild then the rest of the rituals, for the Titans are so vast that they usually don't even notice the Prophet without a ritual interesting enough.
so- thoughts and suggestions?
EDIT- fixed some spelling and grammar issues
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