Few Kindred are able to practice the rigorous discipline of Thaumaturgy. This is the practice of blood magic, and is largely the province of the Tremere Clan, who created it and guard its secrets jealously.
    This magic is directly descended from the theories and practices of the order of Hermes, a medieval order of magi. While few humans know aught of blood magic, this art has been developed for centuris by the Tremere to take advantage of their vampiric strengths. Tremere Thaumaturgy is despised and feared by most mortal wizards.
    Thaumaturgy also allows the wielder to use rituals, as well as a number of different paths: the Lur of Flames, Movement of the Mind, and Weather Control. These are discussed immediately following the treatment of blood magic proper.

[1] A Taste for Blood: You possess a variety of simple Perception-based abilities that relate to blood. You may determine how much blood is left in a Kindred or mortal, how recently a vampire has fed and the approximate generation of a vampire. You must touch the blood in order to be able to tell anything about it.

System: The player must roll Perception + Occult (difficulty 7). The number of successes determines how much information is received and how accurate it is.

[2] Blood Rage: With but a touch, the character can forxe another Kindred to use her blood whether she wants to or not. Thus a vampire may find her Strength suddenly increasing and have no idea why. Additionally, since the vampire becomes more excitable, the difficulties of all frenzy rolls for the rest of the scene increase by one.

System: The player must roll Dexterity + Subterfuge against a difficulty of the target’s Willpower. Every success forces the target to immediately spend one Blood Point in a way the Thaumaturgist desires.

[3] Blood of Potency: You may perform manipulations of blood which make the blood within your body more potent for a short time, thereby lowering your effective generation.

System: Roll Manipulation + Survival (difficulty 8); successes must be spent both to decrease the vampire’s generation and create a duration in hours.

[4] Theft of Vitae: You can mystically transfer blood into your system from a distance and even drain the Blood Pools of other creatures to add to your own.

System: The player must roll Intelligence + Medicine against a difficulty of six if the blood is stationary (such as in a blood bank) or against the target’s Willpower if attacking another being. The number of successes determines how many Blood Points are transferred. The blood to be stolen must be within 50 feet and in clear view, and the source of the attack will be obvious.

[5] Cauldron of Blood: You are capable of manipulating others’ blood. By touching another, you are able to boil her blood, not only causing incredible physical harm but destroying much of her blood as well. This virtually ensures the death of any mortal whom you perform this upon, and can inflict great harm upon vampires as well.

System: The player must roll Willpower against a difficulty equal to the number of Blood Points the vampire wishes to boil at once + 4 (maximum 10). The victim also takes one wound for every point boiled.
 
 

    Rituals are meticulously prepared, but powerful, magical spells which must be performed under highly specific circumstances and according to exacting procedures. All Kindred who know Thaumaturgy also have the ability to cast rituals. By learning the basic concepts of blood magic, an apprentice acquires a familiarity with the magical formulas required to cast rituals.
Each ritual in Vampire is rated in power from one to five (or higher). A character must have a Thaumaturgy rating at least equal to the power level of the ritual in order to perform it successfully. Rituals take at least five minutes per level to cast.
    Sometimes material components are required, as stipulated by the ritual itself. These could include such things as feathers, wood splinters, mud herbs, bones, eye of newt and frogs’ toes. Blood is used in many rituals.
    At the first level of Thaumaturgy, the vampire automatically gains a single Level One ritual. In order to learn further rituals, a character must find a teacher (or scroll) to instruct him in the proper procedures and incantations. Learning how to perform a ritual properly can take anywhere from only a few days (Level One ritual) to many years (Level Five ritual).
Below are examples of some Level One rituals. If you want to include higher-level rituals in your chronicle, you will need to create them yourself.
 

    This one-hour ritual ensures that no sunlight may pass through any window within 20 feet of where the ritual is performed. Sunlight is simply reflected by the windows. This ritual functions only as long as the Kindred who performs it stays within the area of effect. A drop of blood – the caster’s own – must be placed on each window in the ritual’s area of effect. At least one Blood Point will thus be used.
 

    This half-hour ritual must be performed immediately before a vampire prepares to sleep through the coming day. A period of complete meditation is required. Any interruption of performance of other activities after the ritual, but before sleep, will render the magic ineffective. The ritual allows the protected Kindred to immediately awaken at any sign of danger during the next day. The rule regarding how Humanity restricts the number of dice usable during the day is waived for the first two turns of action. Thereafter, it is once again effective, but no matter what the character’s Humanity or condition, he will awaken in time to (hopefully) alleviate the danger. Feathers are required to perform this ritual, and they must be burned and the ashes spread over the sleeping area.
 

    This very practical ritual takes only five minutes. Upon completion, the ritual allows a vampire to speak telepathically at any distance with his sire. The ritual has been modified throughout the years to also allow the vampire to speak with any Kindred who has been Blood Bound to the caster, or even anyone who has partaken of the caster’s blood since the most recent sunset. The communication if two-way, but unlike the Auspex power of Telepathy, the vampire may not probe the target’s mind. The caster need to possess an item which once belonged to her sire.
 

    The caster of this hour-long ritual must be completely surrounded by a circle of wood. Anything wooden, even furniture or wood shavings, will work, but the circle must be unbroken. Thereafter, the caster need not fear being staked until the sun next sets. Though only the first attempt is deflected, any wooden stake that is about to plunge through the vampire’s heart will instead instantly disintegrate. In order to activate the power of the ritual, the stake must have actually been ready to penetrate the vampire. A stake merely held near the Kindred’s heart will not be affected. A wooden splinter must be placed in the caster’s mouth at the end of the ritual (if the splinter is taken out, the ritual is nullified).
 

    This ritual curses a mortal, causing all those around who do not have a close emotional tie with the subject to feel a distinct dislike for him. They will hate the mortal and will do all they can to make the mortal’s life miserable. This effect lasts for one night, only disappearing with the first light of day. The mortal needs to be present for the ritual to be effective, and a penny (of any coin owned by the caster) must be placed somewhere upon the mortal’s person (such as in a pocket).
 

    This ritual allows the caster to cleanse his body of all foreign matter. The caster must sit on the ground in a lotus position, surrounded by a circle of 13 sharp edged stones, and concentrate for 10 minutes. The ritual requires the expenditure of one Blood Point, after which the caster’s body and blood are completely purged of impurities such as dirt, poison, alcohol and drugs (making this ritual a good way to keep clean). It is important for the Kindred to be completely naked – wearing no jewelry, makeup or clothes – because the spell dissolves all foreign substances, leaving a nondescript ring of gray film around the place where he sat. if analyzed with the right equipment, the residue will show traces of ejected material, and of the caster’s blood. This ritual clears the body of everything from wooden slivers and bullets to prosthetic limbs and silicon implants, but is useless against diseases of the blood and any sort of mind control.
 

    This is a method by which a Tremere announces her presence to the others of her clan in a city. When the caster recites a 30-minute incantation and speak into a cloud of water vapor (such as steam or fog), a telepathic message is received, first by the Regent of the city’s chantry and then by the others of the city’s hierarchy in descending order. This ritual allows for a very short dialogue between the caster and each individual subject, but only the Regent of the chantry is traditionally bound to answer. Thus, although the other Tremere will know of the caster’s presence, the caster will only know of those others at their discretion.
    This is very old and formal ritual, and no longer as common as it once was; many younger Tremere aren’t even aware of its existence. However, some Regents are very insistent that it be used when any Tremere enters “their” city, and tolerate no excuses if it is not done. This ritual can also be used as a distress call.
 

    This ritual empowers a container to draw a Blood Point’s worth of blood from someone who touches it, replacing that blood with vitae previously contained in it (generally that of the caster). Three hours and the initial Blood Point are required to complete the enchantment. The container (which must be between the size of a cup and a gallon jug) must be sealed after the caster’s blood is deposited. An arcane symbol must be engraved on the outside of the vessel; this rune can be understood to mean “change blood” with an Intelligence + Occult roll (difficulty 8), but it can be concealed under another surface. When someone touches the object, he simply feels a strange shivering sensation, and that is all. The object will continue to transfer blood each time a new creature holds it, until it is broken open. To keep a particular measure of blood inside it, it must be held with anther object – gloves don’t count. This ritual can be used to obtain a sample of blood from another for use in a ritual, or as an especially devious way of Blood Bonding someone.
 

    This ritual grants the caster the ability to grow her hair once again. This ritual requires an hour of complex gesturing in front of a mirror, and a strand of hair from a different mortal child, for each inch of hair that the caster wishes to grow. The caster can use this ritual on others, but both must stand in front of the mirror while the ritual gestures are made. The vampire’s hair follicles again die after the ritual is finished, but the hair will remain at the new length until cut. If the vampire’s hair is ever shorter than its length at the time of the Embrace, it will return to its normal length after a day’s sleep. Those who were bald in their breathing days must remains so in undeath.
 

    This ritual takes a mere 15 minutes to perform. The caster needs to spin slowly in a circle while holding some sort of glass object over each of his eyes. He can thereby locate his entire Herd, starting with the closest member and ending with the most distant. The Kindred must have tasted the blood of each vessel on at least three different occasions.
 

    This ritual allows the caster to trace the lineage of another Kindred. Successful casting requires three hours and a Blood Point from the subject to be traced. While the caster is in a deep trance, the blood must be tasted. This gives the caster knowledge not only of the vampire’s immediate sire, but of successively older generations as well. A Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 6) is required; each success discovers a lower generation. Also, the caster automatically becomes aware of any Blood Bonds the subject has, either as Regnant or Thrall. Specific knowledge of each vampire is obtained, including the vampire’s true name, personality and relation to the subject.
 

    This ritual creates a mystic symbol upon an object. The symbol protects the object from ghouls, and transforms it into a potent weapon that can be used against them. The caster must use a Blood Point of mortal blood. This blood is poured onto the object to be empowered – usually a small piece of treated parchment, a coin, or some other small object. In 10 hours, the ritual is complete and the strange symbol appears, emblazoned on the object. Any ghoul who touches the warded object immediately suffers a burning jolt (causing three dice of damage, acting against a difficulty of the ghoul’s Stamina + Fortitude).
    As long as the ward touches the ghoul, he repeatedly suffers this damage, and once a ghoul has touched the ward, he must spend a Willpower point to touch it again willingly. The warded object can be placed on an unbroken circle of any consistency; if this is done, no ghoul will be able to cross into (or out of) the circle.
    One of the restrictions of the ritual is that the mystic symbol only wards one object. An example of this is when a Warlock places a ward on the side of a car; the ward would affect that panel of the door or fender, not the whole car. A final note: wards can be placed on bullets, but this should be done only with small-caliber weapons (about .22 is a safe bet) in order to increase the chance of the bullet staying in the body (remaining in is the only way the bullet will do extra damage). Even then, the ward symbol will probably be destroyed when the bullet if fired, because firing usually distorts the shape of the slug. In effect, a character must score at least five successes on her Firearms roll for the ward to survive and be of use.
 

    This ritual enables the user to move about in a semi-visible shadow state that is perfect for night stalking. Casting requires a 20-minute chant, after which the caster can only be seen with an Intelligence + Alertness roll (difficulty of the caster’s Wits + Stealth). Auspex reduces the difficulty of a person’s chance to see the shady Warlock by three, and animals can automatically sense the caster. The effects of this ritual last for a number of hours equal to the number of successes on a Willpower roll (difficulty 6).
 

    This causes an object of the caster’s choosing to alter corporeally, becoming infused with a Blood Point of her vitae. The object must be of a size that the vampire can easily hold in both hands; it can be as small as a pea. One of the caster’s own Blood Points must be used, and the proper incantations require four hours to complete. Afterward, the object takes on a slightly more ruddy hue and is oddly slick to the touch. By touching the object, the original caster may release it from its enchantment, causing it to disintegrate. In moments, the object completely breaks down into a puddle of blood (one Blood Point’s worth), which can then be used in many ways. The best use of such a focus is to swallow it before allowing it to decompose. Such an “infused focus” can be made for another Kindred, though the other vampire must be present at the initial ritual (the Blood Point must still be the caster’s). many Tremere wear several pieces of infused jewelry as a safety measure.
 

    This is a way to coax vitae from a vessel without having to injure it in any way. The one-hour ritual is performed ahead of time (it involves ingesting a small amount of crocodile blood), but is not completed. The spell is activated when the caster whispers the final power word in a hapless mortal’s ear (the mortal needn’t be predetermined). This causes the mortal to begin crying tears of blood. The victim has no defense against the curse – he continues to cry/bleed until the caster loses sight of or removes her gaze from the object. The effect is not very painful but is often quite traumatic, though sleeping vessels will not necessarily awaken because of it. the bleeding is slow; it takes about five minutes to collect one Blood Point by this method. The only aftereffect is a slight swelling of the capillaries around the subject’s eyes, along with the normal effects of blood loss.
 

    This ritual works in a manner similar to Ward versus Ghouls (Level Two ritual, above), but it affects werewolves. The only component needed is silver dust. In general, a ward can be destroyed by most normal means, but not by beings against which it is dedicated; indeed, such beings can hardly force themselves to approach it. there is no ward versus mortals.
 

    Tremere sometimes refer to this ritual as “our ritual for the Ventrue.” It is tightly controlled secret – so much so that it is supposedly unknown outside the Tremere clan. This most specialized ritual was created (some say by Tremere himself) to combat the power of the Ventrue in the Camarilla. Any Presence Discipline used against the caster is instead reversed to be felt by the offender. Thus, if the crafty Warlock is willed to panic and run, the Kindred who exercised his power must instead roll the Discipline’s effect against himself, more than likely turning the tables on the poor luck. Preparation takes a mere hour, and the ritual remains in effect until sunrise. A blue silken cord must around the neck of the caster for the spell to work and last.
 

    This particular vicious ritual is cast on a stake that is meant for the heart of a vampire. During a five-hour ritual, the caster must carve an ornate series of symbols onto a sharpened shaft of rowan wood, coat the stake with her blood, and blacken it in an oak-wood fire. The darkened shard then becomes one of the most feared Kindred-slaying weapons known. A simple hit with the stake, even in the leg or arm, causes the tip to break off inside the victim and begin burrowing into the victim’s body. The point then slowly works its way to the heart. The victim of this attack may not even know what is occurring until it is too late.
    The point will reach the heart in about one to 10 days (roll a die). During the time of the stake’s journey, the sufferer will occasionally feel sharp pains. These pains grow closer together and more unbearable as the tip nears its unmissable target. Damage caused by the thing’s journey isn’t enough to remove Health Levels from a vampire, but will harm a mortal or ghoul. One of the only ways to be rid of the thing is to dig for it – a very grisly process that won’t necessarily work. The vile thing may actually try to elude the operator, automatically burrowing away from the open wound. The “surgeon” does more and more damage as he digs deeper after it. Needless to say, this weapon is a death sentence for a mortal, and may well destroy a Kindred, because who knows where the vampire might be when she is immobilized . . .
 

    This ritual turns the caster’s own skin into a protective trap. After the ritual is completed, any Kindred who touches the bespelled Warlock’s flesh will receive a single point of aggravated damage in the form of a searing burn. The damage can be resisted with Fortitude, but if the vampire continues to hold the caster, he will continue to take damage. However, the caster cannot inflict this damage by touching someone; he must himself be touched. Although this effect lasts until dusk of the next day, it is not without its price; during the two- or three-hour ritual, the casting vampire must consume a small burning coal, causing an aggravated wound (again, resist with Fortitude) and costing a Willpower point (to bring himself to do it). while the enchantment is in effect, the Kindred’s skin takes on a subtle bronze tint. This hue can be noticed with a straight Perception roll (difficulty 8) by a character who intensely inspects the Warlock. The caster is also unnaturally hot to the touch.
 

    This allows the caster to become intangible and move about. In this state, the caste still maintains a slightly hazy image of herself. This means that the Kindred can travel unhindered through all obstructions, even walls. The caster is also impervious to most attacks, just as if she were utilizing the Protean power Form of Mist. The caster must walk in a straight line through objects; once she begins, she must continue through – she cannot draw back. Thus, the vampire may not travel downward into solid ground, for it would be an impossible walk. Also, the caster must have a piece of a broken mirror to hold her image as she moves incorporeally. The ritual takes about an hour to prepare and lasts a number of hours equal to the number of successes scored on a Wits + Survival roll (difficulty 6). The ritual can be canceled by shifting the mirror so that the caster can no longer see her reflection in it.
 

    This ritual works in a manner similar to Ward versus Ghouls (Level Two ritual), but affects vampires. The component needed is a Blood Point of Kindred blood.
 

    This powerful ritual will pull a fellow Kindred out of frenzy and even separate the vampire from his beast for a time. The ritual takes only 10 minutes to perform, and the caster does not have to see the subject, but her must imbibe a full Blood Point of the frenzied character’s blood (it can have been drawn earlier) and push an iron spike through his own hand (causing two Health Levels of damage that can’t be soaked). Upon completion of these acts, the subject suddenly emerges from frenzy, and often becomes uncharacteristically passive.
    In truth, his bestial side has been separated from his psyche for a number of nights equal to the number of successes the caster scored on a Manipulation + Empathy roll (difficulty of 10 minus the subject’s Humanity). During this time, the subject cannot frenzy, cannot regain Willpower, can only use one Blood Point per turn regardless of generation, and cannot even feed without making a Courage roll. In addition, the vampire must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) to use any Discipline. Legend states that some Kindred have starved into torpor after having been subjected to this ritual. The subject doesn’t need to be in a frenzy, nor does she need to be willing, but the caster may never use this ritual on himself.
 

    This interesting ritual transforms the Thaumaturgist’s heart to solid stone – completely stakeproof. The caster must mold a three-inch-high, two-meter-wide earthen circle on a stone surface (solid stone is preferred, flagstone is okay, concrete is unacceptable) and must then lie naked on her back in the center. A bare candle is placed directly above her heart and allowed to burn until the wick is gone and the flame is smothered by the candle’s own wax. The wax melts all over the Warlock’s chest, causing one aggravated wound, which can be soaked with Fortitude. The ritual takes a full seven to nine hours to complete, but lasts as long as the caster wishes. The effect has the following drawbacks and limitations: the caste cannot use Willpower, and if forced to spend a Willpower point, the spell is immediately canceled; the caster’s Conscience drops to one (or zero if the Trait was already one); and the caster loses half her Dice Pool on all Empathy rolls, most Social rolls, and nearly any roll when she is trying to be compassionate or friendly.
 

    This is one of the more horrific and bizarre of the rituals practiced by Thaumaturgists. This ritual creates an anti-Kindred weapon. It involves carving a stake from the wood of a graveyard tree, or at least a tree that has nourished itself on the head. After a two-night period of incantation and preparation, the shaft is endowed with a form of limited, if dormant, sentience. To finish the ritual, nightshade twine must be wrapped around the stake and sealed with wax to form a brittle sheath. If the sheath is subsequently torn off, the enchantment is activated and the one who released the Servant must command it within one turn to attack someone, or it will attack its wielder. The stake then leaps into action, splitting apart and splintering to form makeshift limbs, which it uses to propel itself toward its target. The little terror is relentless and will stop at nothing to impale its target’s heart. It will continue trying until it has either succeeded or torn itself to small pieces (which are inanimate – this will occur after three to five minutes). The fragmentary nature of the thing sometimes causes other side effects: often, if it does impale its victim, it will continue splintering inside the heart, making it difficult to pull out, or maybe even leaving parts of itself behind (and still leaving the target immobilized). The Splintering Servant cannot be commanded to do anything other than attack, and it always goes for the heart. It will always find its target unless it is stopped.
 

    This ritual requires a mortal bone – usually a skull, but even a string of teeth will do. The mortal must have been dead for at least 200 years. The ritual can be performed in a single night, during which the bone must absorb 10 Blood Points of Kindred vitae. This process darkens the bone to a dull red color. Now the bone can be used to make whoever holds it tell the truth. Each time the holder tries to lie she tells the truth, like it or not. This expends one Blood Point. The bone absorbs each of the holder’s lies, causing it to become blacker and blacker until all Blood Points are used and it is black as sin.
    The ritual binds the spirit of the mortal to whom the bone belonged in life, and it is this spirit that forces the holder to tell the truth. Needless to say, this is a very degrading and cruel way to spend eternity. Although this fact is generally unknown, it is the reason that an anonymous bone is usually used; if the spirit of the bone is called forth it will be a most malevolent and devious spirit, corrupted by the vile sins that have been forced upon it. this is also why the blackened bone is traditionally buried after use. The bone can never be reused for this ritual.
 

    This ritual must be prepared ahead of time, but it can be of great use in a tight situation. A one-meter circle must be burned into the ground, and many arcane symbols must be precisely placed about it. the entire process takes about three or four days and costs five of the caster’s own Blood Point. Once this is accomplished, the caster (and only the caster) may at any time step into the circle while repeating a friend’s true name and be mystically transported to that friend. The Warlock will not suddenly appear before his friend, but will materialize someplace nearby and out of enchantment may be reused until the circle is broken or the symbols are marred.
 

    This ritual works in a manner similar to Ward versus Ghouls (Level Two ritual), but of course it affects ghosts and spirits. The component needed is pure sea salt. This is a basic ward and affects all spirits equally.
 

    This ritual creates a nearly impregnable protection for a sleeping vampire. The caster must begin the ritual two hours before dawn. At sunrise, once the ritual is finished, the caster becomes solid stone. Jut like a stone statue, the Kindred can be transported from place to place, even in direct sunlight, and will remain suspended in that state until the following sunset. Awakening from this form requires the expenditure of three Blood Points instead of one. The Warlock is completely protected from stakes and most types of flame and heat, but pieces can be broken off. Most kinds of communication and telepathy are impossible, as the Thaumaturgist’s mind is dormant.
 

    This is a very exclusive ritual used by the Regent of a given chantry during a simultaneous communication with his equivalents across the world. He must engage in an hour-long chant and stare into a silver mirror to cast this ritual successfully. This ritual is one of the main reasons that the Tremere clan is so controlled and organized – it allows the elders to demand current information concerning the progress of all its members’ schemes.
 

    This ritual allows the Thaumaturgist to do just that – resurrect a dead being, allowing it once again to dwell in the world of living. This is not a “resurrection” in the trust sense, however; the creature is not alive, nor is it undead, but is in fact as dead as the day it died. The corpse is animated by a spirit the caster forces into it during an eight-hour ordeal. This ritual involves the pouring of black candle wax over the throat and heart of the corpse. The wax is what initially binds the spirit to the body. The corpse must also be branded on the forehead with a mystical symbol meaning “debtor.”
    The entire ritual must take place within a circle of salt, the diameter of which must equal the length of the corpse from head to toe. Furthermore, the ritual requires complete darkness, save for the candle’s light. The body used must be fresh enough to have tissue still remaining on the bones, for bondage of the spirit lasts only while tissue remains (decomposition continues at the normal rate); the fresher the cadaver, the better. This is a tortuous existence for the spirit trapped within the rotting frame, and most resurrected beings will wish release as soon as possible. This is the Warlock’s main bargaining measure to get the spirit to do her bidding, for only she holds the power to release the spirit. Other than that, the immured being may do as it wills with its new body. Obviously, the spirit used must have been summoned or obtained beforehand. Statistically, the creature has Physical Traits equal to half those the body possessed in life. While the spirit is trapped within the corpse, its Traits are halved as well.
A destroyed vampire cannot be raised by this ritual.
 

    This is an incredibly powerful ritual, although many do not realize the extent of its potential, and it must be used with discretion. This simple incantation takes a mere 10 minutes to recite, but requires that the caster’s tongue be removed, crushed and smeared on the object to be affected. The tongue is removed at the very end of the ritual, so there is no point in cutting out and saving one’s tongues in one’s free time. This action subjects the Thaumaturgist to three aggravated Health Levels that cannot be soaked, and he will be unable to speak for at least three days (or however long it takes to regrow the tongue). It also costs the character a point of Willpower to bring himself to do it. however, this ritual opens any designated object, and that object will never again be able to be closed. This includes manacles, handcuffs, chests, boxes, windows, doors, safes, zippers, wounds, walls, books, eyes, mouths, throttles, holes in the earth, and the mouths of volcanoes. It also opens dimensional boundaries that are tied to physical objects, and permanently destroys wards. Not included are Blood Bonds, mental control or slaver. Storytellers must arbitrate in all cases.
 

    This is a devastating ritual that separates one’s spirit from its physical element, although the spirit is kept imprisoned in the body. The affected individual cannot use or regain Willpower, all of her Abilities and Virtues drop to one, and she becomes almost incapable of creative thought. she has no motivation, little emotion (Empathy zero) and twice as susceptible to mind attacks and control if Dominate, Presence or the like are used against her. She becomes lethargic, careless, depressed and slow. The true strength of this spell is that it can be used on a nearly limitless number of people. During the ritual, the Thaumaturgist drops dead pomegranate seeds in a ring around the target, saying a short enigmatic chant with each one. The target could be a single person, a house, an office building, a city block or even a city. The caster must be walking (one seed per pace), so after the initial seven-hour incantation, the ritual can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several years to complete. The enchantment stays in effect until one of the seeds is displaced (burying them is a good idea). Still, even if the seeds are dispersed over a wide area, it is only a matter of time before one is disturbed.
 

    This ritual grants the Warlock power over another vampire’s extended brood, similar to a limited form of Blood Bond. This ritual takes three nights and must end of the night of a new moon with the death of the Kindred whose brood the caste wishes to control. The subject is completely drained of blood until his life essence is sucked from his body by the caster. In addition to the normal effects of this act of diablerie, the Thaumaturgist learns all of the subject’s brood, and all of her brood in turn, down to the last of the bloodline. When any of these Kindred is encountered, the caster may command him in any way, impelling him to obey. The “enslaved” Kindred may resist this power by making a resisted roll of Wits + Self-Control (difficulty is the caster’s Willpower) against the caster’s roll of Manipulation + Leadership (difficulty is the victim’s Willpower). The difference between successes is the number of hours before the caster can again attempt to command the defender, or the number of hours before the defender can again roll to resist. In the latter case, the number of successes is cumulative, so the caster can easily bend the will of a weak-minded Kindred, and can command him for the extended periods. In addition, the affected vampire begins to grow fond of the caster; this effect may be resisted with a similar roll, and the same type of roll must be made before the commanded Kindred is able to attack the Warlock.
 

    This two-night ritual creates an enchanted weapon made of bone or ivory. The ritual requires the lifeblood of a Kindred. This blood is absorbed into the weapon and cannot be used for any other purpose. The enchanted weapon inflicts aggravated wounds. When in use, the weapon seems to “drink” any blood that is on it.
 

    This ritual creates an enchanted weapon much like the “Bone of the Kindred” weapon from the above ritual. The ritual requires the lifeblood of a Kindred who is also an expert in the use of the weapon to be enchanted. As above, this blood is absorbed and may not be used in any other way. The weapon created by this ritual becomes the vessel for the slain Kindred’s soul and Willpower. The Thaumaturgist conducting this ritual has a great deal of control over the weapon’s new personality and goals, and commonly imbues the weapon with an overriding desire to protect the Thaumaturgist. The weapon maintains all of the Abilities, Disciplines, etc. of the Kindred slain to create it, but all of its memories seem distant and unimportant. The weapon is given a new name during the ritual, and can communicate with its user telepathically. In effect, the weapon is a free-thinking being with its own goals, Abilities and mystical Disciplines.

    This is a jealousy guarded ritual, allegedly known only to Tremere himself. The ritual takes an entire year to cast and a massive number of complex components to complete. The most important component is a large diamond bathed in the sun’s rays for an entire, cloudless day and engraved with the symbols of life and death. This gem is then consumed on the final night of the ritual. It will stay inside the Warlock’s body until it slowly and mystically decomposes after a period of Stamina + Occult (difficulty 4) years. During that time (or until the stone is removed from the caster’s body) the caster is immune to fire, heat and sunlight. Furthermore, the vampire can remain awake during the day for Stamina + Fortitude (difficulty depends on the time of day) hours. It should also be noted that the elder’s blood takes on amazing qualities because of the decomposing diamond – he who drinks a single Blood Point will not only gain the normal benefits of the elder vitae (Discipline enhancement, increased Blood Pool) but will also be immune to the destructive powers of flame, heat and the sun’s light for an hour per Blood Point.
 
 

    The other powers gained by continuing study in the arts of Thaumaturgy usually come from one of three paths – the Lure of Flames, Movement of the Mind and Weather Control. These paths must be initially learned from a tutor or text during the chronicle, and may not be taken during character creation. Experience points are also necessary to acquire and progress in these paths; the costs for such are listed in Chapter Eight.
    Each time these individual powers are employed, a Blood Point must be spent and a Willpower roll must be made against a difficulty of power’s level + 3. A botch indicates that the Willpower point is lost as well.
    Thaumaturgy differs from other Disciplines in a number of ways, most notably the fact that none of the Paths have more than five powers associated with them. Instead, practitioners of Thaumaturgy can develop new Paths and learn higher-level rituals as they gain Levels Six to Ten. Note: Paths only extend to the fifth level of power, and this is widely assumed to be their upper limit, though only the most senior Tremere would know for sure.
 

    The character can create flames. Only small ones are possible at low levels of ability, but larger and hotter flames can be ignited by those proficient in Thaumaturgy. The character can create the flame anywhere within line of sight, but must roll Perception + Alertness to properly place it unless it is upon his own body. The flames create by this path are unnatural and cannot burn objects until they have been released by the Kindred. Therefore, a “palm of flame” will not burn the vampire’s hand and create an aggravated wound – it will only produce light. Additionally, if the Thaumaturgist ignites his own body, those grappling with him will not suffer.

    1 success            Candle
    2 successes         Palm of flame
    3 successes         Camp fire
    4 successes         Bonfire
    5 successes         Conflagration
 

    This path enables the user to mentally control objects’ motions. Objects may be lifted, moved, spin in circles, or whatever. If this path is practiced on a living creature, the subject can attempt to resist; caster and subject match Willpower in an opposed roll. Objects cannot be moved faster than the character can move himself, so objects cannot be “thrown” with any great ability. However, objects may be manipulated as if by the vampire’s own hands, axes can chop at people or trees, and guns may be fired, assuming the Kindred is advanced enough to lift the object.
    The weight of the object moved is very important: a certain rating is necessary to even attempt to move certain objects. Once a vampire achieves a rating of three, he is able to levitate himself, no matter how much he weighs. Otherwise, weight restrictions apply.

    1 success            one pound
    2 successes         20 pounds
    3 successes         200 pounds
    4 successes         500 pounds
    5 successes         ½ ton
 

    This path allows a character to affect the weather. The difficulty of the magic depends on the weather at the time. It is very hard (difficulty 9) to pull a lightning down from a sunny sky, but it’s easy to create a fog in London (difficulty 3).
    The player must roll Manipulation + Survival. The number of successes determines the strength of the new environmental force and how much damage is cased by the lightning bolt.

    1 success            Fog
    2 successes         Rain
    3 successes         Wind
    4 successes         Storm
    5 successes         Lightning Strike (Roll 10 damage dice, difficulty to hit as per firearm range)
 

    The ability to create things out of thin air is a traditional occult power, and those who practice the Path of Conjuring can do much more than pull a rabbit out of a hat. These conjured items differ from their real counterparts in a number of ways – most notably their lack of defects. In addition, each item lacks defining characteristics. For instance, a wolf created via Power over Life will have uniform patterns on its skin and a Mini-Uzi brought to hand via Magic of the Smith will lack scratches, marks or personalized additions.
    Note that nothing larger or heavier than the conjurer can be called into existence through this power, though the Tremere are said to have rituals that allow this. Also, the conjurer must have some familiarity with the object being summoned, for it must be called out of her own memory. If the conjurer has never seen anything more than a picture of the thing to be conjured, the Storyteller should increase the difficulty of the roll, while intimate knowledge (conjuring one’s husband) may well allow a decreased difficulty.

[1] Summoning the Simply Form: The conjurer can summon a simply inanimate object. The object cannot have any moving parts and cannot be more complex than, for example, a flint dagger, a wooden stake or a featureless gold doubloon.

System: The conjurer must spend a Willpower point to summon the object and another point and turn to keep it from disappearing. The object’s quality depends on an Intelligence + (Appropriate Ability) roll (difficulty 6) – the Ability in question may be Melee, Metalworking, Science, etc. One success produces an odd-looking, brittle object; five successes conjure one virtually indistinguishable from the real thing – and maybe even a little stronger.

[2] Permanency: The vampire can conjure an object without a turn-by-turn expenditure of Willpower. This object is real, and will not disappear after a certain period of time – it is here to stay. Only simple objects, those without moving parts, can be conjured in this fashion.
System: This costs the conjurer three Blood Points, and the object’s quality depends on an Intelligence + (Appropriate Ability) roll (difficulty 6). One success indicates a flawed object; five successes summon a nearly perfect one.

[3] Magic of the Smith: This power allows the conjurer to create complex devices with movable parts. Guns, CD players or almost anything else can be called up using Magic of the Smith.

System: The cost to conjure something if five Blood Points, and the object’s quality and reliability depend on an Intelligence + (Appropriate Ability) roll (difficulty 7). A gun created with only one success may well jam or even blow up in its creator’s hand, while one made with five successes will work just as well as the real thing.

[4] Reverse Conjuration: This power allows the vampire to attempt to dissolve someone else’s conjuration.

System: This requires the vampire to spend twice as much Willpower as the conjurer did to create the conjured object. The vampire must also make a Willpower roll (difficulty of the creator’s Willpower at the time of creation). To dispel a creation, the vampire must score a number of successes equal to those the conjurer scored upon creation; this can be done over a number of turns as an extended roll.

[5] Power over Life: While true life is still beyond the vampire’s capability, this power enables her to create simulacrum of living creatures. The living beings thus summoned lack free will, emotions or creativity, but will intelligently follow the creator’s instructions.

System: Creating a simulacrum requires an Intelligence + (Empathy or Animal Ken) roll (difficulty 8), depending on what is to be summoned, and the expenditure of 10 Blood Points.
Even with Permanency, these creatures are too complex to maintain for long. Every night they are kept in existence they become a little more insubstantial, until by the end of a month they have faded into nothingness.
 

    Vampires generally have little to do with water, for they no longer need to bathe or drink, but the liquid can still have a great effect on them. In legends, water has often had a restrictive effect on the Kindred, and certain Thaumaturgists have duplicated some of these myths in magic.

[1] Eye of the Sea: This power allows the character to view past events that have occurred around a standing body of water as though he were that body of water.

System: The number of successes scored on a Perception + Occult roll (difficulty 7) determines how far into the past the Thaumaturgist can look.

    1 success            one day
    2 successes         one week
    3 successes         one month
    4 successes         one year
    5 successes         10 years

A body of water can be anything from a lake to a puddle. Obviously, oceans and rivers are not standing bodies.

[2] Jail of Water: While this power must be used in the presence of a substantial amount of water, it can bind Kindred more effectively than steel chains. At the Thaumaturgist’s command, enough water leaps from its resting place to cover the target completely, capturing Kindred and possibly drowning mortals.

System: The character must make a Dexterity + Survival roll (difficulty 6). The number of successes she scores is the number of successes the trapped being must score on a Strength roll (difficulty 8; Potence adds successes) to break free. The target can only be held in one of these jails at a time. The Thaumaturgist can dissolve it at will.

[3] Dehydrate: This path allows character to inflict wounds from a distance by pulling minute amounts of water from the victim’s body.

System: This power requires the character to make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8); this roll is resisted by the target’s Stamina + Survival (difficulty 9). Each success scored over the target’s total number of successes causes the target to lose one Health Level. Theses wounds can be healed normally. Vampires lose Blood Points instead of Health Levels. The victim must also make a Courage roll (difficulty of the number of successes the character scored + 3) to take any action the next turn. Failure means the victim has been incapacitated by the pain.

[4] Flowing Wall: One of the classic vampiric weaknesses of legend was the inability to cross running water. While this is only myth, those who can create the Flowing Wall have learned to use water as a barrier to the undead.

System: A standing body of water touched by the Thaumaturgist becomes impassable to supernatural creatures (vampires, werewolves, etc.) for one night, provided the Thaumaturgist spends Willpower points and makes a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 6). To break the barrier, an intruder must make a Strength + Courage roll (difficulty 9). At least three successes are required, and they cannot be accumulated. Note that the Flowing Wall will also block its creator, though he can remove it at will.

[5] Blood to Water: This power allows the vampire to turn an opponent’s blood to water with but a touch. This process is generally fatal to mortals, and can prove a great inconvenience to the undead as well.

System: To use this power, the Thaumaturgist must make a Willpower roll (difficulty of the victim’s Humanity + 3 [maximum 10]). Each success converts a Blood Point to water. This is almost immediately fatal to mortals. Besides destroying a Kindred’s vitae, such an attack inflicts wound penalties to Dice Pools just as if the Kindred had actually suffered an equivalent number of wounds. The water evaporates after the vampire sleeps, but the blood does not return.
 

    This path of Thaumaturgy involves using spirits to do one’s work; if one fails, however, the cost is not only a point of Willpower, but also the enmity of the spirit. The Storyteller should decide what type of spirit the would-be caster was attempting to use, and then have it interfere with the character’s plans in the future.
    This is the rarest Path among the nine given here and in Vampire. It is generally found only in the most primitive regions of the world. Many who know this Path learned its rudiments while they were mortal, for contacting spirits can be very hard for Kindred. These are also some Sabbat who know this Path.

[1] Evil Eye: Bad luck seems to plague those who have been cursed by the Evil Eye. In fact, spirits follow them around, jinxing their every action.

System: The vampire makes a Manipulation + Intimidation roll (difficulty of the victim’s Humanity). The number of successes equals the number of botches the character can assign the victim at any point during the scene. These botches can be assigned singularly or in groups. The effects only last one scene, and any unused botches are lost at the end of the scene, but the Evil Eye can be cast again and again on the same subject.

[2] Spirit Eyes (“The Sight”): This power is very similar to Aura Perception, but the character perceives spirits instead of auras. He sees them in the forms they take: i.e. fox spirits, faerie plant spirits, etc. This power enables the Thaumaturgist to see ghosts.

System: The vampire must roll Perception + Occult (difficulty of the target’s Willpower). The more successes he scores, the more information is revealed. The character may speak with the spirits once he sees them.

[3] Spirit Slave: The character can demand a task of a spirit. The spirit has to be in the caster’s presence. The spirit will perform the task demanded unless it is beyond its power. The recently dead can be forced by this power into being ghosts and haunting a location. However, this particular application will wear off after a while (Storyteller’s discretion. For permanent hauntings, see Fetishes, below.

System: The character must succeed in a resisted Willpower roll against the spirit (difficulty 6 for both). If after any turn, the character has zero cumulative successes, the spirit is free to leave.

[4] Fetishes: The character can force spirits to inhabit objects, or fetishes, which she may then carry around with her. Once a spirit is so imprisoned, the character may use its powers any time she wants, without having to cast this spell again. The caster can create ghosts by first using Spirit Slave and then forcing the ghost into an object, which she buries or hides at the location. Such heartlessness will cause the caster an automatic Humanity loss.

System: The character must score at least one success against the spirit in a resisted Willpower roll (the difficulty of each participant’s roll is equal to her opponent’s Willpower). If, after any turn, the character has zero cumulative successes, the spirit is free to leave.

[5] Journey: This spiritual projection is similar to Psychic Projection, but the spirit remains within the physical realm. The character’s body remains in one place, generally guarded by a fetish, while her spirit travels about. The character can be trapped into fetishes when in this state, and can potentially be controlled by any spirit spell. Physical attacks have no effect on him. While the character cannot use any physical Disciplines (Celerity, Fortitude, Potence and Protean) while in this form, all the rest act normally. The spirit form is generally visible unless the character uses Obfuscate.

System: The character must spend one Willpower point to Journey. The spirit can travel at speeds up to 500 miles per hour and appears naked.
 

    Similar to Spirit Thaumaturgy, Elemental Mastery offers the Kindred control over the souls of inanimate objects. Often seen as control of the four elements (Air, Earth, Fire and Water), this Path actually gives its followers the ability to manipulate all forms of insensate objects.

[1] Elemental Strength: With this power, the Elementalist can increase all his Physical Attributes without the need for Blood Points.

System: The vampire spends two Willpower points to increase Strength, Dexterity and Stamina by one dot each. Each turn the heightened Attributes are maintained, however, the vampire must spend another Willpower point.

[2] Wooden Tongues: While inanimate objects have only a limited concern for what goes on around them, Wooden Tongues allows a vampire to get at least impression of what an object has experienced. Such an object’s memory is limited and its feelings may be alien to the character but it can give information of extreme value.

System: This communication requires a Wits + Linguistics roll (difficulty 7). The more successes are scored, the more information is received.

[3] Animate the Unmoving: Chairs grab their occupants, doors swing open and closed and guns leap out of their owners’ hands when this power is used. An object cannot take actions impossible for its form (a door could not pick someone up and carry her across the street), but objects with legs can run, wooden stakes can twist out of hands and statues can mimic human life.

System: Use of this power requires a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) and the expenditure of a Willpower point. Each such use makes one object within the character’s line of sight come to life. The object maintains this mobility for as many turns as the character is willing to spend Willpower.

[4] Elemental Form: With this power, the character can take the form of some inanimate object of equal size and weight.

System: This requires a Stamina + Repair roll (difficulty 6) to see how accurate the change is. At least three successes are required to allow the character to use any senses or Disciplines while in this form.

[5] Summon Elemental: Summon Elemental allows the character to summon one of the traditional elementals of myth and legend. Beings of water, earth, fire and air appear within five feet of the character. There are rumors that elementals other than the traditional four may be summoned, such as electricity and even nuclear ones.

System: These beings require the presence of some amount of their natural element to be invoked, and may or may not follow their summoner’s instructions. Summoning an elemental requires a Manipulation + Science roll (difficulty 8), while forcing an elemental to obey requires a Charisma + Intimidation roll (difficulty 7).
 

    The power to manipulate and wrap others’ forms and personalities can be looked upon as natural for the Tremere. Indeed, it is said that one cannot be a true master within the clan unless one has mastered this path, but then many things are said about the Tremere. All of these powers require that the target be within arm’s reach.

[1] Contradict: The corrupter can make any individual say or do the opposite of what he had originally intended – but only in the moment. An arresting officer will let a prisoner go, a marriage proposal will turn into a bitter denunciation and a left turn will become a right turn.

System: This requires a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (difficulty of the target’s Willpower + 1 [maximum 10]).

[2] Disfigurement: Just as One Thousand Faces allows a character to change his own appearance, so does Disfigurement allow a character to change someone else’s for a night. This power only changes facial appearance, and the individual otherwise remains the same. Normally this power is used to disfigure others, but it can actually be used to make them look better (or simply different).

System: This requires a touch and an Intelligence + Disguise roll (difficulty 8). It is very difficult to make the victim look like someone else (such an action is difficulty 10).

[3] Change Mind: With this power, the vampire can cause drastic changes in another’s actions. A person affected by this power can undergo extreme mood swings in mere seconds.

System: The number of successes achieved on a Manipulation + Empathy roll (difficulty of the target’s Willpower + 1) determines how long the character can make the victim assume whatever Demeanor the character desires.

    1 success            one turn
    2 successes         one day
    3 successes         one month
    4 successes         one year
    5 successes         Until some event occurs to make the victim change Demeanor involuntarily.

[4] Cripple: This power lets the corrupter effectively turn the target into a paraplegic.

System: A vampire can paralyze someone from the waist down with a successful Willpower roll (difficulty of the target’s Courage + 3). Note that Fortitude is also added tot he target number if the victim has that Discipline. The effect lasts for a variable length of time according to the number of successes rolled.

    1 success            one turn
    2 successes         one day
    3 successes         one month
    4 successes         one year
    5 successes         permanently

[5] Corrupt Soul: A more intense version of Change Mind, Corrupt Soul can transform a person’s very essence.

System: The number of successes achieved on a Charisma + Empathy roll (difficulty of the target’s Willpower + 3) determines how long the corrupter can make the victim assume whatever Nature is desired.