Book of Magic

Book of Magic The Pleasure Dome WoD Expansion Troy Heady

The Pleasure Dome

Book of Magic Contents Elemental Magic .................................................................................................................................... 5 Elementalist Levels......................................................................................................................... 6 Elemental Magic in Action ................................................................................................................. 6 Elemental Pools.............................................................................................................................. 6 Elemental Balance.......................................................................................................................... 7 Elementals and Technology ........................................................................................................... 7 Elemental Powers .............................................................................................................................. 8 Gathering Power ............................................................................................................................ 8 Changing Elementals ...................................................................................................................... 9 Summoning Elementals ................................................................................................................. 9 Other Elementalists...................................................................................................................... 10 Altering the World Around You ................................................................................................... 11 Moving Between Planes............................................................................................................... 11 Sight & Sound ............................................................................................................................... 12 Physical Manifestations ............................................................................................................... 12 Ritual Magic ......................................................................................................................................... 13 Laws of Magic................................................................................................................................... 13 Common ritual practices .................................................................................................................. 18 Ritual Magic in Action ...................................................................................................................... 19 Recasting ...................................................................................................................................... 20 Ritual Disruption .......................................................................................................................... 20 Magic Items .................................................................................................................................. 20 Potions ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Common rituals................................................................................................................................ 21 Dark Magic Rituals ........................................................................................................................... 22 Major Players ....................................................................................................................................... 23 LightBringers .................................................................................................................................... 23 The Church ................................................................................................................................... 23 The White Hand ........................................................................................................................... 24 Angels ........................................................................................................................................... 25 2

Lords Of Darkness ............................................................................................................................. 29 The Cult......................................................................................................................................... 29 Devils and Demons ....................................................................................................................... 29 The Fallen ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Vampires....................................................................................................................................... 30 Children of Chaos ............................................................................................................................. 32 The Touched ................................................................................................................................. 32 Chaotician ..................................................................................................................................... 33 The Fey ......................................................................................................................................... 33 The Technocratic Order .................................................................................................................... 35 Virtual Adepts ............................................................................................................................... 35 Dimensional Engineering Corp ..................................................................................................... 36 Syndicate ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Progenitors ................................................................................................................................... 36 Agents ........................................................................................................................................... 37 The Iteration ................................................................................................................................. 37 Elementalists .................................................................................................................................... 38 People of Note...................................................................................................................................... 39 Houston ............................................................................................................................................ 39 Domino ......................................................................................................................................... 39 Janeane Rouse .............................................................................................................................. 39 John Grayman ............................................................................................................................... 39 Chris Shor...................................................................................................................................... 39 Sam White .................................................................................................................................... 39 Azazel ............................................................................................................................................ 39 Father Francis Finkirk ................................................................................................................... 39 Rev. Frank Rossi ............................................................................................................................ 39 Michael ......................................................................................................................................... 40 Gangs ............................................................................................................................................ 40 Organized Crime ........................................................................................................................... 40 Dallas ................................................................................................................................................ 40 Master Po ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Austin................................................................................................................................................ 40 Maximilian von Outen .................................................................................................................. 40 Claudia Blackwell .......................................................................................................................... 40 3

Marc Wailings .............................................................................................................................. 40 James Adams................................................................................................................................ 40 Vivian Bell ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Appendix .............................................................................................................................................. 41 Word Of Darkness System Changes ................................................................................................. 41 Character Building ........................................................................................................................ 41 Elementalist ................................................................................................................................. 41 Others .......................................................................................................................................... 41

4

Elemental Magic

Prime

Air Water Earth

Mud

Fire

Mud

Dust Void Prime

Magma

Radiance Earth

Each realm has an opposite: fire/water, earth/air, prime void, and so on through the para-elements. The relationships are best described by a sphere, with prime and void at top and bottom, earth, air, fire and water along the sides. Drawings are along the side of this page focusing on each element and showing their relationships with nearby elements and para-elements. Since we can only see half a sphere at a time, opposed elements do not appear, so in the first drawing for Earth the element and para-elements of Air do not appear.

Ice

Elemental magic is the manipulation of the fundamental magical forces binding together the six elemental forces of earth, air, fire, water, prime and void, plus the twelve para-elemental forces which lie between each elemental realm.

Earth

Smoke

Water

Mineral Magma

Scientists tell us all matter is simply made of atoms. These atoms are made of protons, neutrons and electrons. And these charged particles are made of quarks, and these quarks are made of… As scientists break down the bonds of matter and energy looking for the forces that bind the universe together, the Elemental Mages have found it: magic.

Fire

Ash An elemental mage, or elementalist, can draw these elements within themselves and use that power to affect the world around them. Each scene starts with a certain number of elementals. These can be:

Void Prime

 Undeclared – not manifesting as a particular elemental.

Lightning

 Controlled – under the control of an elementalist.

Smoke

Fire

 Declared / Free – manifesting as a particular elemental but not under control.

The elementalist first draws the elemental to them. Then can use its powers/actions. Another elementalist can contest this control taking declared or controlled elementals away from the elementalist.

Air

Vacuum

Water

Ice

Void

Prime

Air

Steam

Vacuum

Salt

Air

Mineral

Steam

Earth

Prime

Dust

Water

Air

Water

Lightning

Earth

Void

Radiance

Ash

Salt

Fire

Fire

Void

5

Elementalist Levels There are three levels of elemental mage. Initiates are beginning elementalists that have yet to choose an element to specialize in. Affinities have reached an affinity with certain elements, often having a particular elemental with them at all times. Master elementalists have bonded with one particular elemental, becoming expert in one realm, while forever sealing themselves off from the opposing realm.

Initiate

•Can only manipulate elementals of one type at a time.

Affinity

•Can manipulate all elementals, but have established an affinity with one type which is always with them.

Master

•Can manipulate all elementals but cannot control the element opposite their affinity. •Masters are bonded with their elemental affinity.

Elemental Magic in Action In elemental magic, there are two types of actions: normal actions and elemental actions. Normal actions occupy the normal action in a round. For the elementalist, normal actions revolve around collecting and preparing elementals for use. Their normal dice roll pool is the elementalist’s talent plus their skill for the particular elemental they are trying to affect. If more than one elemental type is affected, use the lowest skill. For example: Rex (Talent 4, Earth 3, Water 2) is attempting to draw a mud elemental (water + earth). His mundane dice pool would be 6. Elemental actions can occur at the same time as normal actions. They represent the exertion of the caster’s will upon the elementals they control. The elemental dice roll pool is equal to the number of elementals the magus wants to use from their pool. You cannot use more dice than your talent per turn, but you can build up for a larger effect over several turns (never greater than your resolve). See the section on Elemental Actions for more details. Elemental Pools Elemental actions may not take the place of a normal action, but they do require an elementalist to have elementals under their control. Elementalists have a maximum Base Pool Size number of elementals they can control, known as their control pool. This control pool is broken into two types (base pool and elemental Master pools). 5xResolve The base pool size is based on a caster’s Resolve trait. Initiates have a base pool equal to their Resolve, Affinities have a base pool equal to three times their resolve, and Masters have a base pool equal to five times their resolve. Once the base pool is full, the elementalist will start filling their elemental pools. Elementalist can move elementals between pools for no cost or actions.

Afinity 3xResolve

Initiate 1xResolve

Each elementalist gets two elemental pools, one for each of their top elemental magic skills. If the elementalist has equal skill levels, they may choose which elemental pool they want. They can only

6

change this choice when they acquire a new elemental magic skill. The pool size is the same as their skill points, and elemental pools can only hold elementals of that type. Elemental Balance The control pool is represented by a small hex map with a radius equaled to the elementalist’s wits plus their highest elemental magic skill. The Master or Affinity mage’s bound elemental, or the Initiate’s first drawn elemental is placed at the center.

Rex (Wits:2, Resolve:3) Talent: 4 Fire: 1 Earth: 3 Prime: 0 Air: 0 Water: 2 Void: 0

E W

E E

F F

Affinity: Earth

W

Each new elemental drawn into control is placed on a map in a hex touching an existing elemental. When placing elementals:  Fire and Water cannot touch  Prime and Void cannot be within two hexes of each other.  Air and Earth can touch. If an elemental cannot be placed on the map, control of it is lost. When any elemental is removed from the map, you can move elementals to fix the map if needed. You can move a number of elementals equal to your intelligence attribute per turn, anywhere on your control map. If any elemental on the map is still in violation of placement rules, a reaction roll (1d10 per elemental) is made and success means control is maintained for this turn. A reaction role is also made for any elemental not aligned with an Initiates first element each turn. Elementals and Technology We know you really like your new iPhone, but holding too many elementals can hurt technology in your presence (5-10 hex radius). Using the table to the right, treat elementals of prime and void as twice as many as other elementals. Treat electrical elementals as three times as many.

Elementals Present 5 10 15 20 25

Small

Medium

Large

(Cell Phones, Computers)

(Stoplights,Neon Signs)

(Generators, Cars, Transformers)

glitch fry melt

no effect glitch fry melt

no effect no effect glitch fry melt

The elementalist can reduce the effects by one level on the chart per 4 successes on a meditation roll (composure + wits). Meditation takes 30 minutes per roll, and effects last for the length of the meditation plus half that time again. Any successes over 4 can be used to reduce the time it takes to be put in a meditative state by 15 minutes. Combat will cancel all effects without a successful composure roll each turn.

7

Jack (wits: 3, composure: 2, resolve: 2) is holding 9 elementals in his pool. When he draws in the 10th elemental, he attempts to meditate and after 2 rolls (the maximum allowed by his resolve) has 5 successes. The meditation took 45 minutes (30 per roll minus 15 minutes for fifth success) and the effects (electronics in the area will only glitch, not fry) and will last for half an hour. Jill (wits: 5, composure: 5, resolve: 3) is not holding any elementals. She meditates and gets 14 successes after 3 rolls, thanks to her meditation mix on her iPod (+2 dice per roll). Of her 14 successes, 6 reduce her meditation time from 90 minutes to a single action, and the other 8 reduce the glitch effect of her elementals by two levels. The meditation still lasts for half the original length of 90 minutes, or 45 minutes.

Elemental Powers Gathering Power Action Sense

Type Zero Phase

Rank All

Normal

All

Get details of elementals controlled by an elementalist.

Elemental

All

Detect elements up to 30 hexes per success.

Pickup

Zero Phase

All

Any undeclared or free elemental in the same hex as the elementalist may be brought into control as a free action as long as the element is not the target of a current draw.

Draw

Normal

All

Cause an undeclared and free elemental to make their max movement toward the elementalist. When they reach the elementalist, they are controlled and removed from the board, to be place in the caster’s pool.

Zero Phase

All

Release any and all elementals under your control at any time. They will tend to move away from the controlling elementalist, and from one another, especially if they are reactive or opposed. You can release a number of elementals equal to their magic talent per turn.

Release

Description Detect elementals in the area.

Using Pickup or Draw on an undeclared elemental will force it to manifest as the element willed by the caster. If two elementalists attempt to draw the same elemental, this is a contested elemental magic role. It is possible to take a controlled elemental from another elementalist, but this is difficult (-3). If the controlled elemental is your opponent’s affinity, then difficulty is -5 dice and distance penalties apply. This can only be attempted if your target has no other drawn elementals. It is possible to use elemental actions of the same kind to offset this difficulty. When released the affinity elemental will always return to their owner. When an Initiate draws in and controls an elemental that is not aligned (the same as all the others they control), they must turn that elemental on their next action or lose it.

8

Changing Elementals Action Turn

Type Normal

Rank All

Transfer

Normal + Elemental

All

Move prime/void markers from one quasi-elemental (paraelementals which contain either prime or void) to other elementals in their pool. Move up to as many markers as successes rolled.

Normal

Master Only

A master elementalist can turn all undeclared elementals on the scene to their elemental type with any success. For each success rolled the master can turn a declared elemental to their type. With a successful touch attack, they can turn controlled elementals of another elementalist.

Align

Description Change one type of elemental into another.

As the elementals tend to like what they are this can be a difficult process. The required number of successes is based on the number of moves through elemental and para-elementals around the elemental wheel. For example, to change a fire elemental to a water elemental would require 4 successes (fire to smoke, smoke to air, air to ice, ice to water). The required successes are reduced by one for every elemental of the target type you controlled. The required successes are also increased by one for every elemental of the source type, not including the elemental you are changing. You cannot turn your affinity elemental. When transferring prime or void markers among para-elementals, if the marker ends up on a para-elemental, roll a d10 and refer to the tables at right to determine the results. Using Transfer on your aligned elemental is not recommended. Transferring to a quasielemental target is not recommended either.

Roll 1 2-5 6-9 10

Roll 1 2-5 6-9 10

Prime Mud Ice Smoke Magma Elemental is released and purged. Crystal Steam Lighning Radiance Steam Lighning Radiance Crystal Both Elemental above are created.

Void Mud Ice Smoke Magma Elemental is released and purged. Dust Salt Vacuum Ash Salt Vacuum Ash Dust Both Elemental above are created

Summoning Elementals Action Invite

Type Normal + Elemental

Rank All

Purge

Normal + Elemental

All

Description Bring an elemental from their plane to ours. Send elementals back to their plane. Target a hex, and any non-controlled elemental in an area with a radius equal to the number of successes rolled will be returned to their plane of origin. The elementalist may add elemental actions to increase their dice pool.

With Invite, elementals arrive free and declared. Successes indicate the number of elementals. For each element, use 11 minus a d10 to determine how many turns they take to arrive. Another d10 roll is used to determine distance (roll number) and direction (point of the die) from the elementalist for each arriving elemental.

9

A magus may add elemental actions to increase their dice pool, but can never invite more elementals then their combined talent and skill per roll or per turn. Inviting can be made more difficult by conditions of the area. Other Elementalists Action Connect

Type Normal + Elemental

Rank All

Description The elementalist with a successful touch attack may give a number of elementals up to their talent per turn to another willing magus.

Surge

Normal + Elemental

All

By spending one willpower each, up to four connected elementalists may roll as may dice for their normal and elemental actions as they wish.

Connect and Surge both require a successful touch attack to establish contact. As long as the touch connection is maintained, the willing target can exceed their own pool sizes as long as the total pools of touching elementalist is not exceeded. When connection is broken, any elementals over the max pools of the elementalist are released. With Surge, each connected magus rolls with the main elementalist. The main elementalist can add the assisting magi’s successes as dice to their own pool for one and only one effect roll to happen the same round. These additional die given can never be greater than the contributing magi’s talent + skill. For each contributed success generated from the normal pool, the contributing magus losses that level of magic until they rest. For each contributed elemental success, the contributing magus loses the elemental as if it was released and purged. For every three added dice to the main elementalist’s pool, they must roll a die. If this roll does not succeed, they take one lethal damage. Action Disjunct

Type Elemental -3

Rank All

Description The elementalist can reduce elemental dice pools of one other magus in line of sight after a successful contested willpower roll. Pool is reduced by the number of Elemental Actions used.

The -3 penalty can be reduced with the “Counter Magus” (1-5 points) merit. Each point of merit reduces the penalty by 1, into the positive range. This merit at level 5 will give the Elementalist a +2 bonus. A +2 bonus is also given if elemental action pool is aligned (same element as target) and +4 if the elemental action pool is opposite to target. Effects last until targeted elementalist acts. The elemental actions are tied up until then. If either elementalist leaves the scene, the disjunctor can choose to lose the elementals in their pool and continue the effect, or keep the elementals. Disjunct is not cumulative and can only applies once to a target. Choose the largest of the multiple disjuncts in effect.

10

Altering the World Around You Action Control

Type Elemental -1

Rank All

Description The elementalist can cause elemental material to move or change shape. This can be used for defense or attack. Defense gets a +1. Control can also be used to provide minor immunity to the effects of an elemental material. Fine manipulation may require additional penalties.

Convert

Elemental -2

All

The elementalist can cause elemental material to change, but only within the element's range itself. So an earth elemental material like steel could be changed to tin, copper or gold. Change will last ½ hour per success. Elementalists can spend a point of willpower to make these changes permanent. Complex changes may require a craft roll and possibly additional penalties

Combine

Elemental -3

All

The elementalist can join two or more elemental materials to a form a para-elemental material. So water and air could be elementally combined to form ice. This requires elemental actions for both element types.

Separate

Elemental -3

All

The elementalist can separate a para-elemental material into its base elemental materials. The elementalist has free control over the elemental material on his next action. So ash could be separated into fire and void. A reaction role is performed for the other elements let loose and the elementalist has no control over it or its para-elemental byproducts.

Create

Elemental -4

Affinity Master

The elementalist can create elemental material up to 1 hex per success. The elementalist has free control over the elemental material on his next action.

Destroy

Elemental -4

Affinity Master

The elementalist can destroy elemental material. Up to 1 hex per level.

Rank Affinity Master

Description The elementalist can form a gateway between this plane and the elemental plane of the element used. If less than 15 elemental successes are achieved, the gate is not visible or traversable by being of our plane. Gate lasts for success number of turns.

Moving Between Planes Action Gate

Type Elemental -6

The gates direction is chosen at time of creation. Inbound gates with release a number of elemental based on a dice pool for gate creation successes. Outbound gates will draw then same number of elements per turn. Traversable gates will lead to the elemental plane. All controlled elementals not aligned to that plane will perish or be expelled when the elementalist crosses into the elemental plane and moves more than three hexes from the gate’s entrance. It is possible to cast a second gate, through the first, back to a different location on our plane. If the two gates are close enough (within 3 hexes) then no ill environmental effects of the plane are felt. Making a gate end up where you want it is controlled by the Planar Understanding skill plus wits, if rushed, or intelligence, if not.

11

Sight & Sound Action Commune

Type Elemental -4

Rank Master

Description The master elementalist can communicate with elementals here or at any distance. For distance communication the elementalist only needs know the elemental’s true name or true name of the bound master elementalist. With this communication the Elementalist can ask the elemental to do tasks, but it is the elemental that decides if it wants to.

Sight

Elemental -5

Master

The master elementalist can see through the eyes of an elemental (either manifested or not). The elemental must be within line of sight to cast, but can move any distance after that. Duration is 15 minutes per success.

Physical Manifestations Action Manifest

Type Elemental -6

Rank Master

Description The master elementalist can cause a non-controlled elemental to physical manifest. This elemental is visible and corporal. The elementalist gets a free control action next turn.

Command

Elemental -6

Master

The master elementalist can force a physically manifested elemental to do their will. Control lasts 1 hour per success, but never longer than 24 hours.

Elemental Form

Elemental -7

Master

The master elementalist can take the form of their bound elemental. This transformation lasts one hour per success.

Physically manifested elements fill the hex they are in with elemental material. Elementals stay for 10 minutes per success. A willpower can be spent to increase this to 1 hour per success. 3 willpower spent can make this permanent. If the elemental is not under control it can leave of its own volition. Manifested elementals automatically draw all undeclared and free elementals in the area. When a magus takes on an Elemental Form, this gives them totally immunity to that element and that elemental plane. The elementalist can also attack like a manifested elemental. Master Elementalist in elemental form cannot be Turned, Drawn, Commanded or Purged. Commune is possible. The master Elementalist can also use Commune to talk with humans on this or other planes, but only while in elemental form and only if they know a humans current true name.

12

Ritual Magic All elementalists, and some others (hedge mages), can perform ritual magic. This form of magic takes time to cast and can’t be done during combat or other distracting conditions. What is most important is that details of rituals conform to the Paradigm of the Magus. Each magus has an ingrained perception of how ritual magic works. This framework is wrapped by the cultural ideas the magus believes in and manifests how the ritual would be unique for each different magus. Examples of cultural frameworks are Jewish Kabala, American Indian, Egyptian, Neo Pagan and Nordic Rune Magic. It is quite common for master and student to have different frameworks. A good master leads the student toward ritual magic in terms they already understand. Belief in the system is more important than the details of how it all works especially when first learning.

Laws of Magic All ritual magic, no matter the form, follow certain universal rules. Collectively known as the laws of magic. They are: I.

The Law of World Views The world we perceive is actually the interface of the unknowable, objective (Universal) reality and the subjective reality within us all. Changing your world view does not change the eternal real world but it does change the perceived world. This is important because the perceived world is the world we touch, see, and act upon. Because there are an infinite number of ways to perceive the world, there are an infinite number of worlds we may assemble with our awareness. The true is unknowable to us. You can become one with the universe but you cannot step back and observe it, because you are in it. You cannot observe a phenomenon without altering it by your mode of perception. There is no such thing as an independent observer. To participate in creating the world by perceiving it.

II.

The Law of Attention The more evidence one looks for to support a given law, conclusion, or world view the more one will find. Since we create our world each moment, we are constantly maintaining our worldview. This is done by means of a recursive internal dialogue of words and symbols with which we constantly edit our perceptions. Repetition of patterns enforce a world view because worldviews have inertia. To quote Lewis Carroll, “what I tell you three times is true.”

III.

The Law of Synchronicity Meaningful coincidences that occur which cannot be described by the laws of cause and effect may hint at a dialogue between the perceiver in the consciousness of the universe. This dialogue is overt to the degree the perceiver is receptive to or aware of it. These events seem to be connected by pattern or meaning rather than time.

13

IV.

The Law of Relative Truth Every statement is true in one sense, false in one sense and meaningless in another. This is a function of one's vantage point (world view). In the words of Hassan Ibn Sabbah, “Nothing is true. Everything is permissible.”

V.

The Law of Pragmatism If it works, it is true. The worldview is only valid if it enables its perceivers to accomplish their goals. The more successful a worldview is in fulfilling the goal structure that its viewers possesses, the more valid it could be said to be. By this definition, few people could be said to be completely insane. However, few people could be said to be completely sane, either.

VI.

The Law of Paradox No worldview may encompass the whole world. Two models may conflict with each other and still be true in their proper context. Two people may experience the same events they perceive entirely different occurrences. Rationality is limited by the intellect, the world is not. The world is not bound by the confines of our worldviews. When someone perceives events that fall outside of their worldview, that person will have a motivational drive to reduce this dissonance by either changing their worldview to fit the new facts or by rationalizing that the events they perceive never occurred.

VII.

The Law of Unity Everything throughout all space and time is linked, either directly or indirectly, to everything else.

VIII.

The Law of Reflection The microcosm is the macrocosm. The part contains the whole. As above is as below. Every speck contains the image or pattern of the whole and of the entire universe in the same way a seed contains the whole tree. Each being or person contains this cosmic image. When the inner image is brought into resonance with the outer image, a change in one will be simultaneous with the change in the other and to perceive one is to perceive the other. The universe is within us and without us.

14

IX.

The Law of Association If two things have something in common, then either thing can be used to influence the other. The more they have in common, the more influence they exert upon the other. Corollaries of this are the law of similarity and the law of contagion.

X.

The Law of Similarity Cause and effect resembled or have a resonance with one another. Your ritual to cause a rainstorm may involve dripping water onto the ground. A ritual to fly may involve wearing feathers and chirping like a bird, and so forth. This is also known as sympathetic magick.

XI.

The Law of Contagion Things once in contact continue to interact after separation. Anything once in contact with a substance, person or object may be used as a “witness” for that substance, person or object in a ritual. A good example would be the tradition of using hair or nail clippings attached to a voodoo doll. This is also known as homeopathic magick.

XII.

The Law of Connection Every action is an exchange of energy. To have power over something is for it to have power over you. To oppose something is to maintain it. Two opposites each contain the essence of the other.

XIII.

The Law of Synthesis Any two opposing forces or concepts may be unified in a force or concept that will contain both the original opposites.

XIV.

The Law of Duality Any concept or force may be divided into two totally opposite concepts or forces, each of which contains the essence of the other. Opposites can only be defined in relationship to each other.

XV.

The Law of Personification Any concept, force, object or phenomenon may be considered to be alive, to have a personality, to be an entity. Any concept, force or object which manifest as an entity can and should be treated as a real being. These beings are patterns which can also be viewed as objectified aspects of ourselves, but is useless (perhaps even dangerous) to take this attitude when actually dealing with them. Do not be fooled just because something is only the personification of a pattern of energies. Remember you can be described this way too.

15

XVI.

The Law of Interfaces Power exists in the interfaces of things. These are the between places that are not entirely one thing or another. Traditionally, these places included case, grottoes, towers, mountains, beaches, wells, crossroads and cliffs. All the chief times of change of the day are also considered to be powerful. They are dawn, noon, twilight (sunset) and midnight. Likewise the solstices and equinoxes have always been thought to be very important. There is a medieval legend that if a woman wished to become a witch she need only remove her clothes and stand between the high- and low-tide marks at the seashore.

XVII.

The Law of Words and Symbols There are words and symbols that are able to change the inner and or outer realities of those using or perceiving them. These words or symbols do not necessarily need to be consciously understood by those using or perceiving them in order to have their effect. One view is that these words or symbols have accumulated power through use or attention over thousands of years. Others would say that there is an intrinsic primordial connection or resonance between these words or symbols in the forces or concept there are represent that goes beyond current worldviews or understanding.

XVIII.

The Law of Names Any name is the thing named. This is to say that, in some way, there is an analogical correspondence between the name and the thing named. There is a connection created by shared structure. To know the true name of a person, place or thing is to have complete control over it. Of course, you could never command something to do anything which was not in its nature. Because people are capable of changing, their true name changes also. Because of this, it is impossible to know a person's true name for very long. What most people consider to be a common name in a magical sense is only a label. As a corollary to this law, if you know something's true name then you also know its nature.

XIX.

The Law of Labeling When you label something, you exclude information about it. This is because the thing becomes obscured by other information stored under the label for the thing. When you symbolize something, you impose the deep structure of the symbol system used on the way you perceive the thing symbolized. There is a Japanese proverb which relates to the confusing of the moon with the finger pointing to the moon. People tend to believe that they understand something when they have a name for it. This is called nominalization. It enables people to take very ill-define concepts and continually process and talk about them as if they were concrete things. The problem is that frequently even the users of these terms (names) do not know what they mean. Nominalization is an important tool. However, we must realize when we are using it.

XX.

The Law of Symbolic Information The more information contained in the symbol of the more general or vague it becomes. The more specific a symbolic system is, the more information it excludes.

16

17

XXI.

The Law of Pattern and Knowledge Information can be viewed as a measure of the unpredictability of a message. The more unpredictable a message is, the more information it contains. In systems, the most is rest or dispersion of available energy. Since systems tended toward entropy, is that of potential work. Plus, we can think of degrees of order in a system as the amount of energy in it. From this we can say:  Pattern is Information.  Information is Energy.  Knowledge is Power. The more information you have, the less energy you need. Some people have defined life as negative entropy because it develops greater and greater complexity of pattern. In this sense, the universe becomes more intelligent every day.

XXII.

The Law of Intelligence Any pattern of sufficient complexity will act intelligent when treated as an entity. A pattern more complex than ourselves could be said to be more intelligent than we are.

Common ritual practices Purification: Many rituals are preceded by some action intended to cleanse the participant of spiritual or mental impurities and unwanted influences, and to focus the attention on the operation about to be performed. Purification may take the form of vigil or fast, or may actually be a literal cleansing. Some rituals also have a purification performed during the closing also to remove unwanted influences. Circling: Circling as a formal method of establishing a sacred space and sacred time in which the ritual may be performed. The separation of the sacred from the profane is essential for any orderly working, because it also separates the inner from the outer, the magic from the mundane. The circles are boundaries and interfaces. They may be used to provide stability, protection, installation and focus. Incantation: Such as the power of language that anything stated in words has some magical effect, however small.

18

Ritual Magic in Action The magus’ ritual skill represents the starting dice pool they can use for ritual magic and the maximum final level of the ritual. They also can never use more dice in a ritual than twice their ritual skill. The magus first spends one willpower toward the ritual. The magus can then choose how many dice they wish to use. Each die represents 30 minutes of ritual. Modifiers do not affect the timing of the ritual. Any successes rolled above two means the ritual succeeds. The additional successes, known as the ritual level, determine the magnitude of the effect. The magus may choose to reduce the time the ritual takes by spending level points to reducing the time. The ritual Time Roll takes one hour less for each level reduced. If the ritual time is reduced 5th hour Stamina to none, then the ritual can be completed in 1d10+5 turns. Additional 8th hour Stamina -1 12th hour Stamina -2 levels can be used to reduce the +5 but never the results of the 1d10. 14th hour Stamina -3 For extremely long rituals, stamina rolls must be made according to the 16th hour Stamina -4 18th hour Stamina -5 table on the right. Willpower can be spent in the normal fashion to th 20 hour Stamina -6 help with these rolls. Failure means the ritual was not performed 22nd hour Stamina -8 correctly and no effects manifest. th 24 hour Stamina -9 Example: With 4 successes rolled on 10 dice, a magus could perform a level 2 ritual in 5 hours or a level 1 ritual in 4 hours depending on how vital time is. A ritual will by default last 1 hour per level Willpower Duration after casting is complete. At each sunrise as 0 1 hour (roll daily) dictated to the left, 1d10 is rolled with a 1 24 hours (roll daily) success meaning the ritual continues. 2 1 week (roll daily) 3 1 month (roll daily) Willpower can be spent during the ritual 4 1 year (roll monthly) casting to increase duration (per chart left). 5 permanent (roll yearly) Any willpower spent is additional dice 6 permanent (roll every 2 years) added to the sunrise roll. Sunrise rolls 7 permanent (roll every 4 years) frequency is listed in the chart below also. 8 permanent (roll every 8 years) Permanent rituals only need one roll per 9 permanent (no sunshine roll needed) year on the anniversary of their casting at 5 willpower spent and half as frequently thereafter. For the chart; treat months as lunar, and years as solar when calculating the actual days. Sunrise rolls can be skipped if the object of the ritual is not on our plane (gate power or pocket universe ritual) when sunrise occurs, but with time possibly traveling at different rates extra dimensional, this may not be a good thing.

19

Some common modifiers are (remember modifiers don’t affect time): Meditation Preparation of the ritual area Preparation rushed Permanent circle High quality materials (gold, gems) Items in ritual not handmade You witness (in person) items being made You make the items yourself Items are not your framework Recasting against successful ritual Recasting against a failed ritual Calling the corners with real elementals A bad connection (if required) Magus elemental pool is not balanced Magus has one of each element Magus has one of each para-elemental Magus has one of each quasielemental Merit: Ritual Master Flaw: Can’t Ritual out of a paper bag

+ successes on the Mediation roll if ritual occurs as soon as meditation is complete +1 to +3 (+1 for each hour of preparation over the first) -1 per every 15 minutes under an hour +3 +1 to +3 (GM discretion) -5 +2 +5 -8 -3 -5 +5 -5 to -10 -1 per non-paired elemental in your pool. +3 +3 +3 +1 to +5 -1 to -5

Recasting It is possible to recast a ritual to try to increase its level and/or duration. Recasting incurs a three dice penalty for each recasting attempt. The resulting new casting ritual’s level is divided by 3 (round down) and added to the existing rituals level up to a max of the magus’s ritual skill. Willpower can be spent the same way. Every three points of willpower count as one additional point toward the original casting. A ritual can never be recast more times than the magus’s resolve attribute. Ritual Disruption Rituals are like intricate machines made of glass. They are difficult to construct, but very simple to destroy. Any magus can make an intelligence + ritual skill roll to figure out the best way to fold the ritual. Failure or a botch means it blows up in your face, but you still stop it. Magic Items Magical items can be created with the proper rituals. The item to be enchanted must be handmade (witnessed) and of good quality. No more than one ritual can be applied to an object at any time. Magical items are good for once a day (one use only if duration is not extended). The Magus can trade one point of level for twice the uses per day (max of 16 Two days to charge +1 to level +2 to level uses per day). A magical item normally needs an hour charge One week to charge Two weeks to charge +3 to level between uses. The Magus can trade one point of level to Four weeks to charge +4 to level half this time. In the other direction, the Magus can make an Eight weeks to +5 to level item that takes longer to charge but operates at an change increased level (never over their ritual skill level, see chart

20

below). This increase of duration adds one hour per level gained to the casting time.

Magical objects have an activation trigger created during the casting. Common triggers are vocal, gesture, incoming damage, being handled or in proximity to a specific person (connection needed in casting) and use as the object was intended. Potions Potions are another form of magical item and are created using the same rules. The potion ingredients are best if naturally occurring or handmade. Potions act as one-time delayed use magical item with a limited shelf life. Potions lose 1d10 divided by 2 levels every sunrise. Willpower cannot make potions last longer.

Common rituals Healing Curative

Heal one level per level of the ritual. With 3 levels cure any normal ailment, 5 levels or higher for super natural ailments Protection Provide X levels of protection from one thing (fire, cold, bashing damage) chosen at casting time. Environmental With 3 levels or more, change the weather or environment (wind, rain, snow, fog, darkness, light); with 5 levels or more change it is a dangerous way (tornados, flooding rains, hail). With the appropriate levels you can stop the effect too. Locate / Track Each level doubles the range you can search for an item or person. Starting range for 1 success is 20 yards. A connection to the object or person is required. Summoning GM determines the required casting level. Name is required. Also, look at (extracreating a barrier to hold the entity and possible a control to compel it. This dimensionally) is not dark magic, but can not looked upon literally. Travel Each level doubles the distance. Base distance 1 mile. Connection to the (physical) target location is required. Travel (astral) Magus with 5 levels or above can travel astrally with in our own realm. With 7 levels or above they can travel beyond. Glamour With less than 3 levels, the magus can change subtle features (eye color, ear shape, nose slope) of themselves. With 3 levels or more they can appear to be a different person. With 5 levels or more, they can be a specific person (connection required). At 8 levels or more, they can appear as something non-human, but still roughly human sized. Pocket The magus can create a space that is in our universe but has its own set of Universe laws. Common examples include elemental training rings where people do not suffer from harm and storage places for dangerous or volatile items. The GM determines the required casting level.

21

Barrier

Circle of Protection (lesser) Circle of Protection (Greater) Magical Barometer

The magus can create a barrier to keep one type of creature in or out, but not both. This target creature and the direction must be determined at casting time and cannot be changed. The barrier is only solid to this target and anything else can cross as if it is not there. Care must be taken not to disturb the items maintaining the barrier or the barrier will fail. To the intended target the barrier acts as a wall with a durability rating of 1/3 (round down) of the casting level and a structure rating equaled to the casting level. Barriers are normally cylindrical in shape with a radius of level2yards, but can be changed by moving levels between durability and radius. Increasing the radius of the barrier will have a negative effect on its durability or a barrier protecting a smaller space will be harder to penetrate. For example, with a 10th level ritual, the magus can create:  A small, tough 1 yard, 16 durability (12 yard X 19/3 durability) barrier  A normal 100 yard, 3 durability (102X10/3) barrier  Or an expansive, brittle 361 yard, 0 durability (192 X 1/3) barrier. If this ritual is cast to create a magical item, then a minimum of five identical items are required to form points on a circle. These items will require one action to place and one action each to activate. The magus can create a circle that will cause harm to one type of creature. This circle will cause level/3 (round down) bashing damage each turn. The circles radius is level2. Like the Barrier, the levels can be moved around (see above). The magus can create a circle of protection like the lesser one above, but this circle will do lethal damage instead of bashing. A connection to the target creature type is required. The magus can setup a sensory (bell, light, warmth, cold, vibration) indicator for some condition, e.g. buzz in the presences of vampires, have the cross glow if in the presence of someone with faith greater than 5, be warm to the touch if a elementalist is present, or be cold to the touch if I am being watched. The condition and the effect are set at time of casting and cannot be changed after. The effects of the ritual cannot cause harm, but only indicate the condition. The ritual is only effective at a distance of level yards. Caster can spend three levels to make effects directional.

Dark Magic Rituals (The below rituals are forbidden from player characters and may, depending on background, not be known about at all) Control Bind

Compel an extra-dimensional creature to do your will. Fuse an extra dimensional creature to a physical object allowing the object to act as a fetter Dimensional The Magus can open a rift to another extra-planar location. Five successes are rift needed for the inner planes, Nine successes for the Fey realms and near ethereal plane. 12 successes for the far ethereal and Astral planes. 15 successes for any location on the outer planes.

22

Major Players LightBringers And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4

Collectively, the LightBringers represent goodness in all its many forms. Although various groups do not always agree in methods or principles, all are dedicated to the eradication of evil. The Church And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. Mathew 16:18 Make for Me a Sanctuary and I shall dwell among them... Exodus 25:8 The Church is the frontline soldier in the ongoing war against evil. They wage the campaigns, organize the funding, and build the strongholds (churches). The Church first came into existence when early tribal chiefs gave their people the ability to hold out against the darkness. Now, the Church is organized along religious lines, with the most powerful figures at the top (e.g. the Pope of the Roman Catholics). Interdenominational cooperation normally only happens at the lowest level, where a neighboring church, mosque, or synagogue might come to the aid of others, though old wounds and rivalries make this less and less common. This lack of coordination at all levels has hurt the overall battle in recent years. Individual members have no intrinsic powers other than the faith they wield. As a group of three or more, they can consecrate land or objects. Consecration repeals creatures tainted by evil and the undead, damaging or killing them if they come in contact with it. Conversely, ghosts lured onto consecrated land fall into an eternal sleep and eventually sink into the ground. To Consecrate an object to area, the first two priests roll their faith. Any successes they get are added to the dice pool of the third priest plus any bonuses for the area or objects. The number of successes rolled by the third priest is the object’s or location’s new faith value. Consecration requires three willpower points (can be divided up any way among the priests) and can only be reconsecrated once per month. An additional bonus of 1 die per every 5 months of re-consecration is added to the pool (don’t think to hard about the Vatican) Creatures of Darkness suffer lethal damage per turn equal to the faith roll of the object/place, minus their taint rating. Ghosts lose willpower per turn equal to the faith roll of the object/place minus their willpower. When a ghost has no willpower left they will sink into a sleep and eventually sink into the ground. If the holy object is removed or the ghost is “rescued” from the holy place, they will “heal” this lost willpower like bashing damage. People acting in the presence of holy objects or 23

on holy ground in a way that supports the intentions of the place/object can add their personal faith dice towards one roll once per session. The faith dice added cannot be greater than the faith of the object or place.

Examples: Father O’Toole Priest at St. Michaels Cathedral: He tends his flock and prevents the spread of evil in his parish and raises money for the bigger fight. Casey Douglas Demon Hunter : Armed with blessed weapons, holy water and a Vatican expense account, he hunted down and destroys vampiric and demonic infestations. The White Hand Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective James 5:14-16 The White Hand is a sect of spiritual healers. Spread around the world, they work in secret healing the injured and caring for the infirm. The White Hand recruits mostly children and the occasional wild talent. Young recruitment ensures the correct religious disposition of its members. Training is harsh and mastery takes a life time making young initiation all the more important. The order recognizes four degrees of training: Initiate, Pathseeker, Cleric, Master. Initiates learn about conventional medicine (i.e. bandaging, stitching, splinting, etc…). As a Pathseeker, they learn to take injury or illness away from a suffering person and into themselves. As Clerics, they learn to heal themselves as well as give that healing to other individuals they touch. Masters of the White Hand are deep wells of healing energy and can radiate this energy to their followers. On a successful faith roll, the White Hand healer (Pathseeker and above) can take the wounds from a person and apply it to themselves. Pathseekers can only heal bashing wounds, and Masters can heal aggravated wounds. All White Hand heal at an accelerated rate. Twice as fast for Initiate, three times as fast for Pathseekers, four times as fast for Clerics and five times as fast for the Master. Masters seem to have 3 times their normal health stat. This is only used for healing purpose and never for damage they receive themselves. If they are down of their normal health stat due to injury, then recalculate the size of the extra health pool. If the pool cannot hold all the extra 24

damage, apply it to the base health but don’t recalculate again. The master should be careful not to take injury away from someone into their base health poll because this will cause the pool to shrink also. The White Hand may attempt to heal each type of damage once per 24 hour period per target. If the White Hand rolls too well, they can choose not to accept all the damage. For each point of damage they choose not to accept a dice is rolled with success meaning they take the damage anyway. Angels And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?" Judges 13:18 Angels are the messengers of God. They carry light and goodness into the darkness and fight the forces of evil. All out open warfare has not been seen since the 1st century. Now the battle is like cold war Germany with spies, plans, sabotage, secret drops and of course the occasional assassination. Each Angel’s nature and task are defined by the choir they belong to.

25

The Seraphim •The Seraphim are considered in this system to be the highest ranking angels and sit at the hand of God. They spend most of their time continually chanting "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth" (which translates pretty much into "Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the entire earth is full of His Glory"). They are associated with healing fire, are said to have sixteen faces and a radiance which makes it impossible for any creature, or other angel, to look upon them. They are also usually described as having three pairs of wings. The Cherubim •Mentioned in Exodus 25 as having carved the figures (or simply having been the figures depending on the biblical translation) for the Ark of the Covenant, also said to have been posted at the entrance to Paradise after Adam and Eve were politely asked to leave. They are said to have two pairs of wings and four faces and stand for eternal vigilance and knowledge. Sometimes they are said to drive God's chariot for him, serve as a bookkeeping service, and maintain the hosts of heaven. The Thrones •"The many eyed ones who serve as the wheels of the chariot of God." Sometimes called the Ophanim, they are said to have been assigned the task of fulfilling the justice of God. Their power lies in humility. Although they are said to shine as brightly as the Seraphim and the Cherubim, their humility allows them to objectively pass judgments on behalf of God. The Dominations •Administrator types who are said to prefer wearing green and gold outfits and carry both a sword and a scepter. They regulate the work of other angels and keep a close watch on even the most intimately small details of existence.

26

The Virtues

•Also said to perform administrative duties similar to those of the Dominations, but they are most specifically assigned to the details of our world and the cosmos. They are said to keep planets and stars moving in their proper order and looking after the weather on earth. They also are said to do a bit of work with bestowing character, such as valor and truth, in the souls of mortals. They are the patron angels of saints. According to Thomas Aquinas they regulate miracles as well. The Powers •Sometimes referred to as the Authorities, they are said to have the task of hitting demons over the head if they attempt to take control of the world. They guard the pathways between heaven and earth and assist humans in resisting temptation. It is this class of angels that Lucifer is said to have once been, and the class from which he drew his greatest following during the fall from grace. The Principalities •Said to look over the goings-on in cities, towns, houses and any structure that contains humans, they are said to be given fairly frequent permission to deal one-on-one with mortals. They work forms of miracles that are overlooked generally and greeted as "hey, an odd thing just happened... how strange, I guess everything is going to work out after all." They hold the power to move the hearts and minds of humankind when deemed necessary. They tend to aim for guiding and regulating the ideas of world leaders for maximum results. The Archangels •The most historically ambiguous of the angels, sometimes considered leaders of the entire angel command. This stems from the original angel hierarchy where there were only two types of angels, Archangels and run-of-the-mill Angels. In Dionysius' model they serve the Will of God in direct relation to mortals. Their close association with mankind leads to their low ranking in this model. They are field commanders in the battle against evil and the fallen angels under Satan's command. To mankind they impart comfort, solace and inner strength through unconditional love, usually in the darkest moments. The Angels •They don't get a special name, although sometimes they are called the Guardians or Guardian Angels. They are said to focus on being caretakers for mortal humans. Their position is said to be no lower than that of the Seraphim in the eyes of God and they are content with their position in the choir.

Angels are incorporeal beings on our plane. In this form they can travel great speeds and distances, crossing the world in seconds. In darkness, they are limited to 200 yards a turn. Angels cannot be in darkness (out of natural light) in their incorporeal forms. Darkness will harm them at the rate of 1 bashing wound per turn. Holy objects or places will protect Angels from this damage. They are capable of creating human bodies with 30 successes on an extended faith roll (each roll representing 3 hours time) and spending 3 willpower points. It is possible to create a spare body, but an unoccupied body will need 10 additional faith roll successes and 1 additional willpower point 27

each week. Failure to upkeep a body will cause it to dissolve to goo in under a day. Once this process starts the body cannot be saved. Also once an Angel is in a body they cannot leave it until the body is destroyed, which is a painful and abhorrent process the Angel will not undertake willingly. Angels can use faith skill to boost any physical skills. While they are doing this those faith dice can’t be used for anything else and the Angel is effectively at the lower faith level. Also, any object the Angel wields or holds out in front of them is considered a holy object of equal faith to the Angel. Dropped objects lose faith at a rate of one point every 10 minutes. Angelic healing is direct, unlike the White Hand, but works on a similar scale. The Angel, on a successful faith roll, can remove twice the rolled successes of bashing damage, once the rolled successes of lethal damage, or half the rolled successes of aggravated damage. The Angel may attempt to heal each type of damage once per 24 hour period per target.

28

Lords Of Darkness Darkness falls across the land The midnight hour is close at hand Creatures crawl in search of blood To terrorize y'alls neighborhood Thriller - MJ The Lords of Darkness strive for wickedness and evil to prevail. They wish the world to be plunged into the permanent darkness of the Master’s shadow and will not stop until all good and light is removed from this world. The Cult All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche The Cult stands against The Church. It strives to give evil a foothold in this world. Though much less organized and fragmented, its guerrilla and sleep cell techniques make it a dangerous adversary. They charm the disenfranchised to join cults of personality, deface houses of god, and tempt men of the cloth with taboos (lust, greed, even food). Where the cults flourish, a devil is not too far away. The may not work in the spotlight, but they will pull the puppet strings from behind. The members of cults have no powers in game terms. They may have a few magic items, given by the devils, but the members can’t even produce taint. They are cannon fodder up against things they cannot and do not wish to understand. Devils and Demons …and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27 Followers of the original fallen angel, these malevolent creatures seek to corrupt mankind and spread evil throughout the world. They work from the shadows and the darkness, which they prefer, and stir up trouble. They form a constantly shifting power based hierarchy, where each Demon knows his place and who he will have to kill to move up. Demons typically have a particular sin that is attached to their nature. They work hardest to promote their particular sin. Common sins are Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. A Demon can read a person to learn their sin or vice. This is a contested roll (Manipulation + Subterfuge vs. target’s willpower). If the sin matches the demons, they can subtly influence a target to want to indulge in that sin. To resist, target rolls their willpower and they need to get successes greater than the demons taint – the targets faith.

29

The Fallen I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places Isaiah 45:3 Humans corrupted by the power and lure of evil. Their corruption does not happen overnight. It is a slow process where a demon or devil tempts the person with more and more power until the person loses their very humanity. For each taint die rolled against the fallen person, they permanently lose one faith point. When they are out of faith they start losing willpower point. They will not realize they have lost any points until it is too late. When all willpower points are gone, they will be under the control of the demon or devil. At which point their skin will rot and their mind will go a mad zombie insane. The demons voice is the only one they will listen to. Like some kind of loyal dog. Vampires The blood is the life of the flesh Leviticus 17:11 Vampires are a form of demon that was trapped corporeally and found they could infect others. There are 3 or 4 know species of vampire. All vampires do not cast a reflection and get one quick initiative bonus per scene. White Vampires feed on one kind of emotion (lust, anger, sorrow, etc.). They can walk in sunlight and are not affected by any other movie vampire myths. White Vampires appear to be beautiful people (not as pretty as the High Fey, but close). They are not stronger than normal, but can heal much faster when they feed. White Vampirism is passed on to the children of the vampire and non-vampires. At puberty, 1 in a 100 half vampire children will change over. White vampires tend to form tight family groups and use money and power to hide. Red Vampires feed on blood. They take one lethal damage per turn in sunlight and can be immobilized by a wooden stake through the heart. They are harmed by fire and holy water, but not holy symbols. Red Vampires only take bashing damage from lethal attacks and lethal damage from aggravated attacks except were mentioned above. Most are more animal than person, always hunting for prey. Red Vampirism is a blood disease passed on during the vampires bite. A bitten person rolls a dice pool equal to the most health levels they are down in the first 30 minutes after the attack. Any successes and the personal is a half vampire. Holy water can be drank (-3 dice) and/or put on the wound (-2 dice). Drinking blood will complete the transformation of the victim into a full vampire.

30

Black Vampires feed on the souls and rotten corpses of others. They take one aggravated damage per turn in sunlight, are allergic to garlic, silver, holy symbols, fire, and open running water. They are killed instantly by decapitation or stake through the solar plexus by a properly crafted silver / copper Babylonian weapon called the nannaru-sukurru (Akkadian for moon spear)

31

Children of Chaos Cause as much chaos and disruption as possible but don’t let them take you ALIVE Sid Vicious Other than a complete lack of order and a common enemy of the Technocracy nothing holds this group of misanthropes together. Most don’t work with other let alone know that the others exist. The Touched I couldn't live forever, I wouldn't if I could: But I needn't fret about it, For I couldn't if I would. I see the tree, planted when I was born, now just dead wood. I may couldn’t and I may wouldn’t, but death will still not visit my door and his tea is getting cold. Jeremiah Malkav (1324 AD - ???) What does it mean to live forever? To never die? The human mind is not prepared for this reality. The Touched, sometimes called the children of Malkav ,suffer this. They cannot ever be killed. Death is not permanent. They will rise once their bodies mend themselves, even after what we would call death. The more damage, the longer it could take. Some “young” malkavians that were torn to shreds have taken 50 years to heal. The shock of dying over and over again leaves all malkavians mentally disturbed. They have at least one permanent derangement if not more. If this is not bad enough, they can project illusions that seem entirely real to those around them. There are also claims that some malkavians may be able to read minds. The malkavian will continue to age until their first “death” when they will age backwards to what they looked like at 25 years old. From there they will age forward to 50 and then back to 25 again. No matter what their appearance, they will always be in the peak of physical health. No one is quite sure if this aging appearance is just another illusion they subconsciously wear or how they really look. In systems terms, the malkavian heals at a very fast rate. The formula to calculate how long, L, it will take a malkavian will heal wounds, W, is

The X factor of a malkavian is his age divided by 75 years (round down, 1 if age