Sanguinomancy

by Daniel Pond

Blood Magick is the mystickal art of the vampire. It is responisble for most, if not all, legends of their supernatural powers… and weaknesses. This is a truly unusual school of magick (and not recommended for player characters). A the GM's discretion, only genetic vampires may use Sanguinomancy.

Each spell grants the vampire a special power that she may use at will until the next sunrise (Blood Magick cannot be used during the day). However, at the time of casting, the vampire must also choose a weakness to balance out the new power; this weakness also lasts until the next sunrise. The effects of exposure to a weaknesses depend on the power of the spell (minor or significant). See "Taboo" below.

Sanguinomancy Blast Style: None. (The regular spells aught to be good enough!)

Generate a Minor Charge: Drink a little human blood (just enough to make the victim light headed).

Generate a Significant Charge: Drink a lot of human blood (enough to kill the victim).

Generate a Major Charge: Drink the blood of a hisorically important human during a blood ritual.

Taboo: A Sanguinomancer looses all held charges at sunrise.

In addition, Every spell grants a power, and inflicts a weakness. Minor weaknesses may only apply a 10%-30% penalty to certain actions, while significant weaknesses could apply 50% penalties, paralyze the vampire, or even destroy it utterly (GM's discretion). At the time of casting, pick from the following:

Random Magick Domain: Death and the undead, especially as it pertains to vampire legends. In addition, Random Effects are often used by Sanguiomancers to contact and control demons.

Starting charges: None. (GMCs may start with as many charges as the GM desires, however.)

Sanguinomancy Minor Formula Spells

Mesmerize
Cost: 1 minor charge
Effect: Vampire lore often includes tales of charismatic vampires who can seduce their victims, causing them to lower their guard until its already too late. This spell allows vampires to do just that. Victims are allowed a Mind check to resist; if they succeed with a roll greater than the vampire's soul stat, they break free. Mesmerized people are totally passive, unresisting, and suggestable. This effect lasts as long as the vampire is present, or until someone successfully attacks the victim.
Living Slave
Cost: 1 minor charge
Effect: Once a vampire has drank someone's blood, he may use the charge to form a telepathic link with the victim. Via this link, the vampire may track his victim, see through their eyes, or issue psychic commands. As long as these commands do not voilate the victim's nature, they are obeyed. Other commands are resisted with a Mind check; if successful, this check breaks the spell.
Vanishing Act
Cost: 2 minor charges
Effect: The vampire may disappear from the perceptual fields of others. Their eyes will still see the vampire, and their ears will still hear her, but their minds will refuse to ackowledge these facts. This effect lasts as long as the vampire takes no action that would reveal her presence (ie, opening doors, moving objects, attacking someone, etc).
Blunt the Blade
Cost: 2 minor charges
Effect: The vampire becomes immune to all minor damage from non-magickal sources. (This spell does NOT negate damage suffered due to exposure to a weakness or sunlight, however.)
Form of the Predator
Cost: 2+ minor charges
Effect: By using a single action, the vampire may grow claws and fangs, and increase his Body and Speed scores by 20%, plus 10% per additional charge. These features are obvious upon close inspection, but can be overlooked from a distance or in poor lighting conditions. It takes another action to change back into "normal" form… for a vampire (ie, albino).

Sanguinomancy Significant Formula Spells

Unliving Slave
Cost: 1 significant charge
Effect: After exsanguinating a victim, the vampire may use the charge to transform them into an undead slave. Three nights later, the victim will rise from the grave possessing all the skills and knowledge is had while alive, as well as any powers and weaknesses the vampire possessed when the spell was cast. The ghoul, as they are sometimes called, also possesses a telepathic link to the vampire (as per the "Living Slave" spell), and is totally unable to take action against its master. If the master is ever destroyed, the ghoul also dies.
Flight
Cost: 1 significant charge
Effect: Just what it sounds like. The vampire can fly at will, without using an action, and at a maximum speed of 1 mph per Soul point. (ie, a vampire with Soul 70 could fly 70 mph.)
Turn Aside Bullets
Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: The vampire becomes immune to all significant damage from non-magickal sources. (This spell does NOT negate damage suffered due to exposure to a weakness or sunlight, however.)
Form of the Beast
Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: By taking an action, the vampire may transform into a wolf or bat (clothing and equipment are transformed as well). While in animal form, the vampire retains her knowledge and personality, and gains the aadvantages of the new form (ie, flight, enhanced smell, natural weapons, etc), but cannot use other Sanguinomatic powers or gain charges. Changes back to "normal" form, or into another animal form, also requires one action.
Form of Mist
Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: By taking an action, the vampire may transform into a cloud of fog (clothing and equipment are transformed as well). While in this form, the vampire retains his senses, knowledge, and personality, but cannot use other Sanguinomantic powers or gain charges. The mist form can move at a normal running speed, pass through any barrier that is not air-tight, and is immune to damage from all non-magickal sources except fire and sunlight. Regaining physical form requires an action.

Sanguinomancy Major Effects

Sanguinomancers often use Major charges to grant themselves permanent powers or negate weaknesses. They can also raise armies of undead, summon powerful demons, and otherwise cause massive trouble.