Rituals

Rituals are Thaumaturgical formulas, meticulously

researched and prepared, that create powerful magical
Level One Rituals
effects. Rituals are less versatile than paths, as their
effects are singular and straightforward, but they are BIND THE ACCUSING TONGUE
better suited to specific ends.
All thaumaturges have the ability to use rituals, This ancient ritual is said to have been one of the first
though each individual ritual must be learned developed by the Tremere and a primary reason for the
separately. By acquainting herself with the arcane lack of cohesive opposition to their expansion. Bind the
practice of blood magic, the caster gains the capacity to Accusing Tongue lays a compulsion upon the subject
manipulate these focused effects. that prevents him from speaking ill of the caster,
Thaumaturgical rituals are rated from 1 to 5, each allowing the thaumaturge to commit literally
level corresponding to both the level of mastery of unspeakable acts without fear of reprisal.
Thaumaturgy the would-be caster must possess and the System: The caster must have a picture or other
relative power of the ritual itself. Unless stated image or effigy of the ritual’s target, a lock of the
otherwise, a ritual requires five minutes per level target‘s hair, and a black silken cord. The caster winds
to cast and the expenditure of 1 blood point per the cord around the hair and image while intoning the
level. ritual’s vocal component. Once the ritual is complete,
Casting rituals requires a successful Intelligence + the target must score more successes on a Resolve +
Occult roll + Thaumaturgy - The Ritual level. Only one Composure roll than the caster scored in order to say
success is required for a ritual to work, though certain anything negative about the caster. At every scene
spells may require more successes or have variable where he would like to say something bad about the
effects based on how well the caster’s roll goes. Should Tremere, he may roll his Resolve + Composure again.
a roll to activate a ritual fail, the Storyteller is The ritual lasts until the target succeeds at this roll or
encouraged to create strange occurrences or side the silk cord is unwound, at which point the image and
effects, or even make it appear that the ritual was the lock of hair crumble to dust.
successful, only to reveal its failure at a later time. A
BLOOD RUSH
botched ritual roll may even indicate a catastrophic
failure or summon an ill-tempered demon. This ritual allows the vampire to create the sensation of
Rituals sometimes require special ingredients or
drinking blood in himself or anyone he gives the
reagents to work — these are noted in each ritual’s
inscription, without actually feeding. The ritual can be
description. Common components include herbs,
used for pleasure, but it is more often used to prevent
animal bones, ceremonial items, feathers, eye of newt,
frenzy when confronted with fresh blood. The vampire
tongue of toad, etc. Acquiring magical components for
must carry the fang of a predatory animal on his person
a powerful ritual may form the basis for an entire story.
for this ritual to work.
Some rituals allow you to create Inscriptions, this are
System: Performance of the ritual results in the
"items" that can be given to anyone, and the person in
Beast being kept in check automatically. Blood Rush
possession can use it to activate the Ritual. Using a
allows the vampire to resist hunger-based frenzy for up
Inscription is a Reflexive Action and requires 1
to one hour, at which point the Cainite feels hungry
Blood Point.
again (assuming he did before). To Activate this ritual,
At the first level of Thaumaturgy, the vampire
whoever has the inscription must take a Reflexive
automatically gains a single Level One ritual. To learn
Action and pay 1 Blood Point.
further rituals, the thaumaturge must find someone to
teach him, or learn the ritual from a scroll, tome, or COMMUNICATE WITH KINDRED SIRE
other archive. Learning a new ritual can take anywhere
from a few nights (Level One ritual) to months or years By enacting this ritual, the caster may join minds with
(Level Five ritual). Some mystics have studied her sire, speaking telepathically with him over any
individual rituals for decades, or even centuries. distance. The communication may continue until the
ritual expires or until either party ends the conversation.
The caster must possess an item once owned by her sire
for the ritual to work.
System: The caster must meditate for 30 minutes to DOMINO OF LIFE
create the connection. Conversation may be maintained
for 10 minutes per success on the activation roll. A vampire wanting or needing to simulate a human
characteristic can do so once Domino of Life is cast.
DEFENSE OF THE SACRED HAVEN
For one entire night, the vampire can eat, breathe,
This ritual prevents sunlight from entering an area maintain a normal body temperature, assume a human
flesh tone, or display some other single trait of
within 20 feet (six meters) of this ritual’s casting. A
humankind she desires. Note that only one trait can be
mystical darkness blankets the area, keeping the baleful
light at bay. Sunlight reflects off windows or magically replicated in this fashion. The vampire must have a vial
of fresh human blood on his person to maintain this
fails to pass through doors or other portals. To invoke
this ritual’s protection, the caster draws sigils in her ritual.
System: Using this ritual adds one die to the caster’s
own blood on all the affected windows and doors. The
dice pools when attempting to pass as human. Unless
ritual lasts as long as the thaumaturge stays within the
onlookers are especially wary, the Domino of Life
20-foot (6-meter) radius.
should fool them into thinking the caster is mortal —
System: This ritual requires one hour to perform,
during which the caster recites incantations and not that they should have any reason to suspect
otherwise.
inscribes glyphs.
ENGAGING THE VESSEL OF
DEFLECTION OF WOODEN DOOM
TRANSFERENCE
This ritual protects the caster from being staked,
This ritual enchants a container to fill itself with blood
whether she is resting or active. While this ritual is in
from any living or unliving being who holds it,
effect, the first stake that would pierce the vampire’s
replacing the volume of blood taken with an equal
heart disintegrates in the attacker’s hand. A stake
amount previously held inside the container. When the
merely held near the caster is unaffected; for this ritual
ritual is enacted, the vessel (which must be between the
to work, the stake must actively be used in an attempt to
size of a small cup and a one-gallon/four-liter jug) is
impale the vampire.
sealed full of the caster’s blood and inscribed with the
System: The caster must surround herself with a
Hermetic sigil which empowers the ritual. Whenever an
circle of wood for a full hour. Any wood will work:
individual touches the container with his bare skin, he
furniture, sawdust, raw timber, 2’ x 4’s, whatever. The
feels a slight chill against his flesh but no further
circle must remain unbroken, however. At the end of
discomfort. The container continues to exchange the
the hour, the vampire places a wooden splinter under
blood it contains until it is opened. The two most
her tongue. If this splinter is removed, the ritual is
common uses of this ritual are to covertly create a blood
nullified. This ritual lasts until the following dawn or
bond and to obtain a sample of a subject’s blood for
dusk.
ritual or experimental purposes.
DEVIL’S TOUCH System: This ritual takes three hours to enact
(reduced by 15 minutes for each success on the casting
Thaumaturges use this ritual to place curses upon roll) and requires one blood point (although not
mortals who earn their ire. Using this ritual marks an necessarily the caster’s blood), which is sealed inside
individual invisibly, causing all those who come in the container. The ritual only switches blood between
contact with him to receive him poorly. The mortal is itself and a subject if it is touched with bare skin —
treated as the most loathsome individual conceivable, even thin cotton gloves keep it from activating.
and all who deal with him do everything in their power Individuals with at least four dots in Occult recognize
to make him miserable. Even bums spit at an afflicted the Hermetic sigil with two successes on an Intelligence
individual, and children taunt him and barrage him with + Occult roll.
vulgarities.
System: The effects of this ritual last one night,
disappearing as the sun rises. The mortal (it doesn’t
work on vampires) must be present when the ritual is
invoked, and a penny must be placed somewhere on his
person (in a pocket, shoe, etc.).
ILLUMINATE THE TRAIL OF PREY WAKE WITH EVENING’S FRESHNESS

This ritual causes the path of the subject’s passing to This ritual allows a vampire to awaken at any sign of
glow in a manner that only the vampire can see. The danger, especially during the day. If any potentially
tracks shine distinctly, but only to the eyes of the caster. harmful circumstances arise, the caster immediately
Even airplane trajectories and animal tracks shine with rises, ready to face the problem. This ritual requires the
unhealthy light. The ritual is nullified if the target ashes of burned feathers to be spread over the area in
wades through or immerses himself in water, or if he which the Kindred wishes to sleep.
reaches the destination of his journey. The caster must System: This ritual must be performed immediately
burn a length of white satin ribbon that has been in her before the vampire goes to sleep for the day. Any
possession for at least 24 hours for this ritual to take interruption to the ceremonial casting renders the ritual
effect. ineffective. If danger arises, the caster awakens and
System: The thaumaturge must have a mental when he makes his Humanity roll, he can count with
picture of or know the name of her prey. The one extra success on his first roll per successes he had
individual’s wake glows with a level of brightness when he performed the ritual.
dependent on how long it has been since he passed that
WIDOW’S SPITE
way — old tracks burn less brightly, while fresh tracks
blaze. This ritual causes a pain, itch, or other significant (but
INCANTATION OF THE SHEPHERD not deadly) sensation in the subject. Similar in effect to
legendary “voodoo doll” effects, this ritual is used more
This ritual enables the caster to mystically locate all out of scorn or malice than actual enmity. In fact, it
members of his herd. While intoning the ritual’s vocal requires a wax or cloth doll that resembles the target,
component, he spins in a slow circle with a glass object which bleeds when the power takes effect.
of some sort held to each of his eyes. At the end of the System: The ceremonial doll must resemble,
ritual, he has a subliminal sense of the direction and however rudely, the victim of the ritual. It produces no
distance to each of his regular vessels. mechanical effect, other than a simple physical
System: This ritual gives the character the location stimulus. The caster may determine where on the
(relative to him) of every member of his Herd. If he subject’s body the pain or itch appears.
does not have the Herd Background, Incantation of the
Shepherd locates the closest three mortals from whom
the caster has fed at least three times each. This ritual
Level Two Rituals
has a maximum range of 10 miles or 15 kilometers
times the character’s Herd Background, or five miles BLOOD WALK
(eight kilometers) if he has no points in that
Background. A thaumaturge casts this ritual on a blood sample from
another vampire. Blood Walk is used to trace the
PURITY OF FLESH
subject’s Kindred lineage and the blood bonds in which
The caster cleanses her body of all foreign material the subject is involved.
with this ritual. To perform it, she meditates on bare System: This ritual requires three hours to cast,
earth or stone while surrounded by a circle of 13 sharp reduced by 15 minutes for each success on the roll. It
stones. Over the course of the ritual, the caster is slowly requires one blood point from the subject. Each success
purged of all physical impurities: dirt, alcohol, drugs, allows the caster to “see back” one Generation (to a
poison, bullets lodged in the flesh, and tattoo ink are limit of the Fourth Generation — the Third Generation
equally affected, slowly rising to the surface of the do not give up their secrets so easily), giving the caster
caster’s skin and flaking away as a gritty gray film that both the true name of the ancestor and an image of his
settles within the circle. Any jewelry, makeup, or face. The caster also learns the Generation and Clan or
clothes that the caster is wearing are also dissolved. bloodline from which the subject is descended. With
System: Purity of Flesh removes all physical items three successes, the caster also learns the identities of
from the caster’s body, but does not remove all parties with whom the subject shares a blood bond,
enchantments, mind control, or diseases of the blood. either as regnant or thrall.
BURNING BLADE MACHINE BLITZ

Developed during Clan Tremere’s troubled inception, Machines go haywire when this ritual is cast. It takes
Burning Blade allows a caster to temporarily enchant a effect instantly and lasts as long as the vampire
melee weapon to inflict grievous wounds on concentrates on it. This ritual may be used to kill car
supernatural creatures. While this ritual is in effect, the engines, erase flash drives, drain the battery of a
weapon flickers with an unholy greenish flame. cellphone, stop life-support machines, et cetera.
System: This ritual can only be cast on melee Essentially, Machine Blitz stops any machine more
weapons. The caster must cut the palm of her weapon complex than a rope-and-pulley. The thaumaturge must
hand during the ritual — with the weapon if it is edged, have a scrap of rusted metal in her possession for this
otherwise with a sharp stone. This inflicts a single ritual to work, though some vampires use a variant that
health level of lethal damage, which cannot be soaked requires a knot steeped in human saliva to be untied.
but may be healed normally. The player spends three System: This ritual only stops machines; it does not
blood points, which are absorbed by the weapon, grant any control over them. The effects of this ritual
creating an Inscription that can be invoked later. are invisible and appear to be coincidental.
Once the ritual is invoked, the weapon gains +1
PRINCIPAL FOCUS OF VITAE INFUSION
Lethal damage that works on all supernatural creatures,
for the scene or 1 hour, whatever is longer. Multiple This ritual imbues a quantity of blood within an object
castings of Burning Blade cannot be “stacked” for small enough for the vampire to carry in both hands.
longer durations. (The object may not be any larger than this, though it
DONNING THE MASK OF SHADOWS may be as small as a dime.) After the ritual is
conducted, the object takes on a reddish hue and
This ritual renders its subject translucent; her form becomes slick to the touch. At a mental command, the
appears dark and smoky, and the sounds of her caster may release the object from its enchantment,
footsteps are muffled. While it does not create true causing it to break down into a pool of blood. This
invisibility, the Mask of Shadows makes the subject blood may serve whatever purpose the vampire desires;
much less likely to be detected by sight or hearing. many thaumaturges wear enchanted baubles to ensure
System: This ritual may be simultaneously cast on a they have emergency supplies of vitae.
number of subjects equal to the caster’s Occult rating; System: An object may store only one blood point
each individual past the first adds five minutes to the of vitae. If a Kindred wishes to make an infused focus
base casting time. Individuals under the Mask of for an ally, she may do so, but the blood contained
Shadows can only be detected if the observer possesses within must be her own. (If the ally then drinks the
a power (such as Auspex). The Mask of Shadows lasts a blood, he is one step closer to the blood bond). The ally
number of hours equal to the number of successes must be present at the creation of the focus.
rolled when it is cast, until one of affected individuals The object will retain the blood for 1 night per
make an offensive action or until the caster voluntarily success on the ritual roll.
lowers it. RECURE OF THE HOMELAND
EYES OF THE NIGHT HAWK
The vampire calls on the power of the earth to heal
This ritual allows the vampire to see through the eyes of grave wounds she may have received. The thaumaturge
a bird, and to hear through its ears. The bird chosen must use at least a handful of dirt from the city or town
must be a predatory bird, and the vampire must touch it of her mortal birth and recite a litany of her mortal
when initiating this ritual. At the end of this ritual, the family tree as she casts this ritual.
caster must put out the bird’s eyes, or suffer blindness System: The Cainite must mix the earth with three
herself. points of her own blood to make a healing paste. One
System: The vampire is able to mentally control handful will heal one aggravated wound, and only one
where the bird travels for the duration of the ritual. The handful can be used per night. This ritual can only be
bird will not necessarily perform any other action than used on the vampire who knows it.
flight — the caster cannot command it to fight, pick up
and return an object, or scratch a target. The bird
returns to the vampire after finishing its flight. If the
vampire does not put out the bird’s eyes, she suffers a
three-night period of blindness. This ritual ceases effect
at sunrise or when the vampire decides to stop.
WARD VERSUS GHOULS Failure indicates that the ward blocks his passage and
inflicts three points of lethal damage, and his next roll
Wary Tremere created this ritual to protect themselves to attempt to enter the circle is at -1 dice. If the ghoul
from the minions of vengeful rivals. By invoking this leaves the circle and attempts to enter it again, he must
ritual, the caster creates a glyph that causes great pain repeat the roll. Attempts to leave the circle are not
to any ghouls who come in contact with it. The Kindred blocked.
pours blood over the object he wishes to ward (a piece
of parchment, a coin, a doorknob, etc.), and recites the
OTHER WARDING CIRCLE RITUALS
incantation, which takes 10 minutes. In 10 hours, the The Tremere have access to several other Warding
magical ward is complete, and will inflict excruciating Circle rituals: Warding Circle versus Lupines (Level
pain on any ghoul unfortunate enough to touch the Three), Warding Circle versus Kindred (Level Four),
warded object. and Warding Circles versus Spirits, Ghosts, and
Demons (Level Five). Each Warding Circle ritual
System: Ghouls who touch warded objects suffer must be learned separately. The material
three points of lethal damage. This damage occurs again components required for each warding circle are
if the ghoul touches the object further; indeed, a ghoul the same as those needed for the corresponding
who consciously wishes to touch a warded object must ward, but in larger amounts. The effects against the
targeted beings are the same as for Warding Circle
spend a point of Willpower to do so. versus Ghouls.
This ritual wards only one object — if inscribed on
the side of a car, the ward affects only that door or
fender, not the whole car. Wards may be placed on
weapons, even bullets, though this usually works best
on small-caliber weapons. Bullets often warp upon
firing, however, and for a ward to remain intact on a
Level Three Rituals
fired round, the player needs five successes on the
Firearms roll. CLINGING OF THE INSECT
WARDING CIRCLE VERSUS GHOULS
This ritual allows the caster to cling to walls or ceilings,
This ritual is enacted in a manner similar to that of as would a spider. She may even crawl along these
Ward versus Ghouls, but creates a circle centered on the surfaces (as long as they can support her). Use of this
caster into which a ghoul cannot pass without being power seriously discomfits mortal onlookers. The
burned. The circle can be made as large and as character must place a live spider under her tongue for
permanent as the caster desires, as long as she is willing the duration of the ritual (though the spider may die
to pay the necessary price. Many Tremere chantries and while in the thaumaturge’s mouth without canceling the
havens are protected by this and other Warding Circle power).
rituals. System: The character may move at half her normal
System: The ritual requires four blood points of rate while climbing walls or ceilings. This power lasts
mortal blood. The caster determines the size of the for one scene, or until the vampire spits out the spider.
warding circle when it is cast; the default radius is 10 This ritual can be gifted and activated as an Inscription,
feet/3 meters, with 1 success, and every 10-foot/3-meter but it requires that the caster maitains the spider (alive
increase raises the amount of successes needed by one. or not) inside his mouth from the beginning when he
The player spends one blood point for every extra 10 made the ritual, until the end of the scene where him or
feet/3 meters of radius and rolls. The ritual takes the the person he gave the inscription to, activates and use
normal casting time if it is to be short-term (lasting for it.
the rest of the night) or one night if it is to be long-term FLESH OF FIERY TOUCH
(lasting a year and a day).
Once the warding circle is established, any ghoul This defensive ritual inflicts painful burns on anyone
who attempts to cross its boundary feels a tingle on his who deliberately touches the subject’s skin. It requires
skin and a slight breeze on his face — a successful the subject to swallow a small glowing ember, which
Intelligence + Occult roll identifies this as a warding does put off some vampires with low pain thresholds.
circle. If the ghoul attempts to press on, he must roll Some vain thaumaturges use this ritual purely for its
more successes on a Resolve + Composure roll than the subsidiary effect of darkening the subject’s skin to a
caster rolled when establishing the ward. healthy sun-bronzed hue.
System: Flesh of Fiery Touch takes two hours to cast System: The ritual requires the vampire to bathe the
(reduced by 10 minutes per success). It requires a small mirror with his blood blood. Thereafter, the mirror
piece of wood, coal, or other common fuel source, reflects images of other supernatural creatures’ true
which ignites and is swallowed at the end of the ritual. forms — werewolves appear in their hulking man-wolf
The subject who swallows the red-hot ember receives shapes, magi glow in a scintillating nimbus, ghosts
two aggravated health levels of damage (but can soak become visible (in the mirror), and so on. Sometimes,
with Fortitude). Until the next sunset, anyone who the mirror also reveals those possessed of True Faith in
touches the subject’s flesh receives a burn that inflicts clouds of golden light.
two aggravated health levels of damage (again,
PAVIS OF FOUL PRESENCE
soakable with Fortitude). The victim must voluntarily
touch the subject; this damage is not inflicted if the The Tremere joke privately that this is their “ritual for
victim is touched or accidentally comes in contact with the Ventrue.” Kindred who invoke the Majesty
the subject. Discipline on the subject of this ritual find the effects of
This ritual darkens the subject’s skin to that which their Discipline reversed, as if they had used the power
would be obtained by long-term exposure to the sun in
on themselves. For example, a vampire using Majesty
a mortal. The tone is slightly unnatural and metallic, to instill fear in a Kindred under the influence of this
and is clearly artificial to any observer who succeeds in ritual feels the fear herself; a vampire summoning the
a Wits + Medicine roll.
caster is instead drawn to the thaumaturge’s location.
INCORPOREAL PASSAGE This ritual is an unbroken secret among the Tremere,
and the Warlocks maintain that its use is unknown
Use of this ritual allows the thaumaturge to make outside their Clan. The magical component for this
herself insubstantial. The caster becomes completely ritual is a length of blue silken cord, which must be
immaterial and thus is able to walk through walls, pass worn around the caster’s neck.
through closed doors, escape manacles, etc. The caster System: This ritual lasts against a number of effects
also becomes invulnerable to physical attacks for the equal to the successes rolled, or until the sunrise after it
duration of the ritual, but is not able to attack or use any is enacted. Note that the Presence Discipline power
discipline without breaking it. The caster must follow a must actually succeed before being reversed by the
straight path through any physical objects, and may not ritual. As such, only powers that specifically target the
draw back. Thus, a Kindred may walk through a solid caster (and thus, require a roll to succeed) can be
wall, but may not walk down through the earth (as it reversed — “passive” powers are not affected.
would be impossible to reach the other side before the
SANGUINE ASSISTANT
ritual lapsed). This ritual requires that the caster carry a
shard from a shattered mirror to hold her image. Thaumaturges often need laboratory assistants whom
System: This ritual lasts a number of hours equal to they can trust implicitly. This ritual allows the intrepid
the number of successes scored to cast it. The caster vampire to conjure a temporary servant. To cast the
may prematurely end the ritual (and, thus, her
ritual, the thaumaturge slices open his arm and bleeds
incorporeality) by turning the mirror shard away so that into a specially prepared earthen bowl. The ritual sucks
it no longer reflects her image.
in and animates whatever random unimportant items
MIRROR OF SECOND SIGHT the wizard happens to have lying around his workshop
— glass beakers, dissection tools, pencils, crumpled
This object is an oval mirror no less than four inches papers, semiprecious stones — and binds the materials
(10 cm) wide and no more than 18 inches (45 cm) in together into a small humanoid form animated by the
length. It looks like a normal mirror, but once created, power of the ritual and the blood. Oddly enough, this
the vampire can use it to see the supernatural: It reflects ritual almost never takes in any tool that the caster finds
the true form of Lupines and faeries, and enables the himself needing during the assistant’s lifespan, nor does
owner to see ghosts as they move though the it take the physical components of any other ritual nor
Underworld. The caster creates the mirror by bathing an any living thing. The servant has no personality to
ordinary mirror in a quantity of her own blood while speak of at first, but gradually adopts the mannerisms
reciting a ritual incantation. and thought processes that the thaumaturge desires in
an ideal servant. Sanguine Assistants are temporary
creations, but some vampires become fond of their tiny
accomplices and create the same one whenever the need
arises.
System: The player spends five blood points and rolls. Successes on this roll are added to the successes
The servant created by the ritual stands a foot (30 cm) scored in the initial attack. This represents the tip’s
high and appears as a roughly humanoid shape progress toward the victim’s heart. A botch indicates
composed of whatever the ritual sucked in for its own that the tip has struck a bone and all accumulated
use. It lasts for one night per success rolled. At the end successes are lost (including those from the initial
of the last night, the assistant crawls into the bowl used attack roll). Removing the part of the body where the
for its creation and falls apart. The assistant can be tip impacted (such as a Tzimisce turning into blood or a
reanimated through another application of this ritual; if vampire cutting off their arm) may stop the tip’s
the caster so desires, it re-forms from the same progress, depending on the number of successes
materials with the same memories and personality. acquired and the Storyteller’s discretion. When the
A Sanguine Assistant has Strength and Stamina of 1, shaft accumulates a total of 15 successes, it reaches the
and Dexterity and Mental Attributes equal to those of victim’s heart. This paralyzes Kindred and is instantly
the caster. It begins with no Social Attributes to speak fatal to mortals and ghouls.
of, but gains one dot per night in Presence and Attempts to surgically remove the tip of the shaft can
Manipulation until its ratings are equal to those of the be made with an extended Dexterity + Medicine roll
caster. It has all of the caster’s Abilities at one dot lower made once per hour. The surgeon must accumulate a
than his own. A Sanguine Assistant is a naturally timid number of successes equal to those currently held by
creature and flees if attacked, though it will try to the shaft in order to remove the tip. Once surgery
defend its master’s life at the cost of its own. It has no begins, however, the shaft begins actively evading the
Disciplines of its own, but has a full understanding of surgeon’s probes, and its rolls are made once every 30
all of its master’s Thaumaturgical knowledge and can minutes for the duration of the surgery attempt. Each
instruct others if so commanded. A Sanguine Assistant individual surgery roll that scores less than three
is impervious to any mind-controlling Disciplines or successes inflicts an additional unsoakable level of
magic, so completely is it bound to its creator’s will. lethal damage on the patient.
Shaft of Belated Quiescence may be performed on
SHAFT OF BELATED QUIESCENCE
other wooden impaling weapons, such as spears,
arrows, practice swords, and pool cues, provided that
This ritual turns an ordinary stake of rowan wood into a
they are made of rowan wood. It may not, however,
particularly vicious weapon. When the stake penetrates
a vampire’s body, the tip breaks off and begins working create a Bullet of Belated Quiescence.
its way through the victim’s flesh to his heart. The trip
may take several minutes or several nights, depending Level Four Rituals
on where the stake struck. The stake eludes attempts to
BONE OF LIES
dig it out, burrowing farther into the victim’s body to
escape surgery. The only Kindred who are immune to This ritual enchants a mortal bone so that anyone who
this internal attack are those who have had their hearts holds it must tell the truth. The bone in question is often
removed by Serpentis. a skull, though any part of the skeleton will do — some
System: The ritual takes five hours to enact, minus casters use strings of teeth, necklaces of finger joints, or
30 minutes per success. The stake must be carved of wands fashioned from ribs or arms. The bone grows
rowan wood, coated with three blood points of the blacker as it compels its holder to tell the truth, until it
caster’s blood, and blackened in an oak-wood fire. has turned completely ebony and has no magic left.
When the ritual is complete, the stake is enchanted to This ritual binds the spirit of the individual to whom
act as described above. the bone belonged in life; it is this spirit who wrests the
An attack with a Shaft of Belated Quiescence is truth from the potential liar. The spirit absorbs the lies
performed as with a normal stake roll ( the attack does intended to be told by the bone’s holder, and as it
not need to specifically target the heart) with a lethal compels more truth, it becomes more and more corrupt.
damage rating of + 1. If at least one health level of If summoned forth, this spirit reflects the sins it has
damage is inflicted after the soak, the tip of the stake siphoned from the defeated liar (in addition to anger
breaks off and begins burrowing. If not, the stake may over its unwilling servitude). For this reason,
be used to make subsequent attacks until it strikes deep anonymous bones are often used in the ritual, and the
enough to activate. Once the tip of the stake is in the bone is commonly buried after it has been used to its
victim’s body, the Storyteller begins an extended roll of full extent. A specific bone may never be used twice for
the caster’s Thaumaturgy rating, rolling once per hour this ritual, though different bones from the same corpse
of game time. can.
System: The bone imbued with this magical power The drawbacks are as follows: this is a breaking
must be at least 200 years old and must absorb 10 blood point, the caster must roll to see if he loses Humanity,
points on the night that the ritual is cast. Each lie the but he also loses 1 extra point of Humanity. And his
holder wishes to tell consumes one of these blood Empathy score drops to 1 (or to 0 if they already were
points, and the holder must speak the truth immediately at 1) and all dice pools for Social rolls except those
thereafter. When all 10 blood points have been involving Intimidation are halved (including those
consumed, the bone’s magic ceases to work. required to use Disciplines). All Merits that the
character has pertaining to positive social interaction
FIREWALKER
are neutralized. Heart of Stone lasts as long as the
This ritual imbues the vampire with an unnatural caster wishes it to.
resistance to fire. Only a foolish vampire would SPLINTER SERVANT
actually attempt to walk on or through fire, but this
ritual does grant an advanced tolerance to flame. Some Another ritual designed to enchant a stake, Splinter
Sabbat use this ritual to show off, while other Servant is a progressive development of Shaft of
thaumaturges use it only for martial concerns. To enact Belated Quiescence. (The two rituals, however, are
the ritual, the caster must cut off the end of one of his mutually exclusive.) A Splinter Servant consists of a
fingers and burn it in a Thaumaturgical circle. stake carved from a tree which has nourished itself on
System: Cutting off one’s finger does not do any the dead. The stake must be bound in wax-sealed
health levels of damage, but it hurts like hell and nightshade twine. When the binding is torn off, the
requires a Willpower roll to perform. This ritual may be Splinter Servant leaps to life, animating itself and
cast on other vampires (at the expense of the caster’s attacking whomever the wielder commands — or the
fingertips...). If the subject has no Fortitude, he may wielder, if she is too slow in assigning a target. The
spend blood and soak fire with his Stamina for the servant splits itself into a roughly humanoid form and
duration of this ritual. If the vampire has Fortitude, he begins singlemindedly trying to impale the target’s
may soak fire with his Stamina + Resilience for the heart. Its exertions tear it apart within a few minutes,
duration of the ritual. This ritual lasts one hour. It is but if it pierces its victim’s heart before it destroys
possible to make an Inscription with this ritual. itself, it is remarkably difficult to remove, as pieces
tend to remain behind if the main portion is yanked out.
HEART OF STONE
System: The ritual requires 12 hours to cast, minus
A vampire under the effect of this ritual experiences the one per success, and the servant must be created as
transformation suggested by the ritual’s name: his heart described above. When the binding is torn off, the
is completely transmuted to solid rock, rendering him character who holds it must point the servant at its
virtually impervious to staking. The subsidiary effects target and verbally command it to attack during the
of the transformation, however, seem to follow the same turn. If this command is not given, the servant
Hermetic laws of sympathetic magic: The vampire’s attacks the closest living or unliving being, usually the
emotional capacity becomes almost nonexistent, and his unfortunate individual who currently carries it. A
ability to relate to others suffers as well. Splinter Servant always aims for the heart. It has an
System: This ritual requires nine hours (reduced by attack dice pool of the caster’s Wits + Occult +
one hour for every success). It can only be cast on Thaumaturgy rating, and a maximum movement rate of
oneself. The caster lies naked on a flat stone surface and 30 yards or meters per turn.
places a bare candle over his heart. The candle burns Note that these values are those of the caster who
down to nothing over the course of the ritual, causing created the servant, not the individual who activates it.
one aggravated health level of damage (soakable with A Splinter Servant cannot fly, but can leap its full
resilience). movement rating every turn. Every action it takes is to
At the end of the ritual, the caster’s heart hardens to attack or move toward its target; it cannot dodge. The
stone. The caster gains special armor equal to his servant makes normal stake attacks that aim for the
Thaumaturgy rating to soak any attack that aims for his heart (-3 dices), and its success is judged as per the
heart and is completely impervious to the effects of a rules for a normal staking. A Splinter Servant has three
Shaft of Belated Quiescence (see p. 237). health levels, and 11 defense due to its small size and
Additionally, the difficulty to use all Majesty or other erratic movement patterns.
emotionally manipulative powers on him is increased,
reduce three dices from anyone trying this against the
caster.
A Splinter Servant has an effective life of five combat ENCHANT TALISMAN
turns per success rolled in its creation. If it has not
impaled its victim by the last turn of its life, the servant This ritual is the first taught to most Tremere once they
collapses into a pile of ordinary, inanimate splinters. have attained mastery of their first path. Create
Three successes on a Dexterity roll are required to Talisman allows the caster to enchant a personal
remove a Splinter Servant from a victim’s heart without magical item (the fabled wizard’s staff) to act as an
leaving behind shards of the stake. amplifier for her will and thaumaturgical might. Many
talismans are laden with additional rituals (such as
TORMENT OF SALOUT
every ward known to the caster). The physical
appearance of a talisman varies, but it must be a rigid
This monstrous ritual is used to imbue weapons with
the ability to drain the target's blood. Usually through object close to a yard or a meter long. Swords and
walking sticks are the most common talismans, but
their eyes, like they are crying. It was vastly used after
some innovative or eccentric thaumaturges have
the Diablerie of Salout, when the Tremere started
hunting all remaining Salubri, even the ones that enchanted violins, shotguns, pool cues, and classroom
pointers.
because of their doctrines refused to fight.
System: The caster imbue it's blood in a inscription System: This ritual requires six hours per night for
one complete cycle of the moon, beginning and ending
that can be later activated. When activated, it makes the
chosen weapon destroy blood on it's target for each on the new moon. Over this time, the vampire carefully
prepares her talisman, carving it with Hermetic runes
damage dealt, up to the caster's Blood Potency. When
that signify her true name and the sum total of her
activated, this lasts for the scene or 1 hour (whatever is
longer). thaumaturgical knowledge. The player spends one
blood point per night and makes an extended roll of
Intelligence + Occult, one roll per week. If a night’s
work is missed or if the four rolls do not accumulate at
Level Five Rituals least 20 net successes, the talisman is ruined and the
process must be begun again.
A completed talisman gives the caster several
BLOOD CONTRACT advantages. When the character is holding the talisman,
all harmful magic that targets her are less efficient (-3
This ritual creates an unbreakable agreement between dices). The player receives two extra dice when rolling
the two parties who sign it. The contract is composed for uses of the character’s primary path and one extra
by 2 identical copies and must be written in the caster’s die when rolling for the character’s ritual castings. If
blood and signed in the blood of whoever applies their the talisman is used as a weapon, it gives the player an
name to the document. This ritual takes three nights to additional die to roll to hit. If the thaumaturge is
enact fully, after which both parties are compelled to separated from her talisman, a successful Perception +
fulfill the terms of the contract. Occult roll gives her its location. If a talisman is in the
System: This ritual is best handled by the possession of another individual, it gives that individual
Storyteller, who may bring those who write and sign the five additional dice to roll when using any form of
blood contract into compliance by whatever means magic against the talisman’s owner. At the Storyteller’s
necessary (it is not unknown for demons to materialize discretion, rituals that target the caster and use her
and enforce adherence to certain blood contracts). The talisman as a physical component may have greatly
only way to terminate the ritual is to complete the terms increased effects.
of the contract or to burn both copies of the document A thaumaturge may only have one talisman at a time.
— attempts to add a clause forbidding burning the Ownership of a talisman may not be transferred — each
contract have resulted in the contract spontaneously individual must create her own.
combusting upon completion of the ritual. One blood
ESCAPE TO A TRUE FRIEND
point is consumed in the creation of each document,
and two additional blood point are consumed by those Escape to a True Friend allows the caster to travel to the
who sign them. person whose friendship and trust she most values. The
ritual has a physical component of a yard-wide/ meter-
wide circle charred into the bare ground or floor.
The caster may step into the circle at any time and INVISIBLE CHAINS OF BINDING
speak the true name of his friend. He is instantly
transported to that individual, wherever he may be at This ritual allows the caster to create a supernatural
the moment. He does not appear directly in front of force that holds a target immobile with invisible and
him, but materializes in a location within a few intangible chains. They are still able to fight and use
minutes’ walk that is out of sight of any observer. The any power, but can't move from that place (unless they
circle may be reused indefinitely, as long as it is can teleport or something similar)
unmarred. System: This ritual take an 1 hour to make and the
System: This ritual takes six hours a night for six usual 5 blood points cost, and will create an inscription
nights to cast, reduced by one night for every two that can be given to anyone.
successes. Each night requires the sacrifice of three of To activate the inscription, the one holding it must
the caster’s own blood points, which are poured into the pay the blood point and take an Instant action making
circle. Once the circle is complete, the transport may be bold hand gestures. The target can't move, having his
attempted at any time. The caster may take one other defense halved, but can take Instant Action to try and
individual with her when he travels, or a maximum break from the chains making a Strength check (plus
amount of “cargo” equal to his own weight. Vigor, if any).
When activating this inscription, a number of targets
EXTINGUISH equal to the caster’s Occult (the one who performed the
ritual) rating may be chained at the same time, provided
This ritual allows the caster to douse flames up to the
they are all within 20 meters of the one activating the
size of a bonfire. To enact this ritual, the caster pinches
ritual.
out a candle’s flame (might provoke frenzy) while
spitting on the floor. For the duration of the evening, the QUINTESSENTIAL BLADE
caster can speak as a reflexive action a magical syllable
to extinguish a number of fires equal to the amount of Another Legendary Tremere ritual, this was used to
successes scored on the casting roll. imbue blades with such power that they would always
System: The caster must pay 2 blood points and cause grievous injuries to vampire and any other
pinch the candle with provokes a frenzy test (albeit he supernatural beings.
does it with +2 dice, since it was his intention). Than This ritual is so mighty that the blade can even cut
the caster rolls for the ritual. Write his success, he can through vampires in swarm form, shadow form, blood
extinguish fires in an area not bigger than a Hex, x form, etc. Even spirits and demons not manifested are
times where x is the number of successes he had in the not safe from this blade, provided the user can perceive
ritual. This ritual takes only 15 minutes to enact. them.
System: The caster takes the normal time and blood
PAPER FLESH to make a Level 5 ritual and make an inscription that
can be used to infuse a weapon with the power of this
This dreadful ritual enfeebles the subject, making her ritual. Nowadays it seems it's extremely popular for
skin brittle and weak. Humors rise to the surface and
Tremeres to infuse their Assault Rifles with this ritual.
flesh tightens around bones and scales away at the Once the Inscription is Activated, the power of the
slightest touch. Used against physically tough ritual last for a scene or 1 hour (whatever is longer) The
opponents, this ritual strips away the inherent resilience weapon will deal Lethal damage to any supernatural
of the vampiric body, leaving it a fragile, dry husk. The creature. And if the weapon bearer uses 1 Point of
thaumaturge must inscribe his subject’s true name Willpower, for that round the weapon will deal 2 extra
(which is much harder to discern for elders than it is for aggravated damage and will affect spirits, demons,
young vampires) on a piece of paper, which he uses to swarms, shadows and etc.
cut himself and then burns to cinders.
System: This ritual causes the subject’s Stamina and
Resilience (if any) to drop to 1 each. For every Blood
Potency over 4, the subject retains one extra point of
Stamina or Resilience (keeping Resilience first, though
she may not exceed her original scores). For example, a
vampire with Blood Potency 9 with Resilience targeted
by Paper Flesh would drop to a Stamina + Resilience
score of 6 (assuming the score was 6 or more to begin
with). This ritual lasts one night.
SCRY

This ritual causes a body of water stained with black

ink, a black-tinted mirror, or a dark, rounded, highly
polished stone to becoming a scrying device, able to
center on an item that bears his psychic impression, or
on a person or location. The object used for the scrying
can be no smaller than a foot in diameter or larger than
a well. The caster is able to see and hear as if she was
personally there with some caveats:
The caster cannot use additional Auspex powers
through the ritual.
If used to center on a person, the caster must have a
personal item belonging to the individual in his
possession.
If a location is the center of the Scrying, it cannot be
changed for the duration of the ritual.
This ritual lasts for a number of hours equal to the
number of successes for the casting; the caster only
has to concentrate during this duration to view
scenes through the water.

System: This rituak takes the usual amount of time

and blood for a Level five ritual. Creature with
Obfuscate or other supernatural forms to obscure
themselves might be able hide their presences (clash of
wills at the narrators criteria). Creatures with Auspex or
other supernatural forms of special awareness might
perceive they are being watched/scried (clash of wills at
the narrators criteria).
SUMMON GUARDIAN SPIRIT

The caster summons a spirit for the express purpose of

guarding him. The spirit serves the caster for 24 hours
and aids in no other way except to alert the caster to
danger. Though the spirit cannot speak, the caster is
often jarred (and awakened if at rest) by a sudden and
strong intuitive sense when something is amiss. The
spirit is only visible to the caster or those capable of
seeing it through supernatural perception, such as
Auspex, Mortis or Necromancy. The spirit only appears
during times of danger, staring at the caster while
pointing in the threat’s direction.
System: The caster must pay for the blood and
spend 1 point of Willpower to enact this ritual that takes
5 hours to complete. But each success on the ritual,
decreases the ritual time by 30 minutes.