Asomatous
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by Bryan Rendell (bryan@nod.zikzak.net)

In what follows, I don't think there is a single power that hasn't been
suggested by others in the Disciplines they have given.  However, I find
that I am dissatisfied with many home made Disciplines, which I don't think
are in any way evocative of the Vampire genre, and of the many myths and
legends about Vampires.  Of the Storyteller games, I think Vampire has
easily come the closest to being evocative of it's sources, but much of the
material that has been added has tended to move the whole enterprise
further and further away from it's roots, until one gets more and more
Bloodlines, more and more Disciplines, that seem to be needless additions
for the sheer sake of variety (similiar to the ancient cry "I'm sick of
fighting goblins.  Let's fight orcs instead.")
Looking at many of the Clans, Bloodlines and Disciplines, one is struck by
how un-vampiric so many of them are.  Certainly there is nothing wrong with
trying to build beyond that which you began with, but much of the work that
has been done has lost the original flavour.
Anyway, the point was that despite none of the powers below being wholely
original, I attempted to incorporate them into the Vampire system in a
manner more in keeping with the original feeling of the mythology from
which they came.  And if you happen to feel that what I have said is a
criticism of your efforts in particular, remember that it is only in
reference to how I feel Vampire should "feel", and as such I may be
dismissed with impunity.

ASOMATOUS
There are many human legends from Asia that tell of vampire ghosts:
incorporeal spirits that feed on blood. It is quite likely that the
Discipline of Asomatous is the root of these legends, for Asomatous is the
power of the spirit form.  Kindred, being dead, have some natural
affinities with the spirits of the dead, and Asomatous enables it's
possessors to exercise power over their own forms, drawing on the spirit
world to become spirit-like themselves.
Asomatous is a Discipline found in the mysterious East, so should be
exceedingly rare amongst western Kindred. Generally speaking, only ancient
western Kindred will possess Asomatous.

Level One - Whisper of Passing
The character is able to move in total silence, and to leave absolutely no
physical trace of his passage.  The character could walk over dead leaves
without a sound, and through sand without disturbing a grain.  The power
can have an unnerving effect if witnessed.  The character may walk through
thick underbrush without causing a single leaf or twig to tremor.  However,
the character can only go where a normal mortal could conceivably go
without actually hacking a way through.  The character could not walk
through a thick bramble patch, for example.
SYSTEM:  The character must spend a single Blood Point to initiate the
effect.  The power lasts for a single scene.

Level Two - Spirit Vision
The character can view the world in an entirely new way. The world is now
perceived in terms of the spiritual presence of objects.  Inanimate objects
are colourless and dark, living things are bright and colourful, and actual
spirit presences made manifest (Kindred, Garou, Mages, materialised
spirits, corporeal Wraiths, mystic items etc) are exceedingly distinct and
sparkling.
The vision is more than enough for the character to navigate around with.
However, many details captured by normal sight are lost.  Text cannot be
read as it is indistinguishable from the material it is printed on,
individuals cannot be recognised except at close range, and distant objects
tend to blur into a featureless mass. The power is totally unaffected by
light or it's lack, and operates equally in total darkness or in blinding
light. The powers of Obtenebration have a spiritual presence of their own,
and will block the use of Spirit Vision normally if the opposing
character's level of Obtenebration exceeds the character's Asomatous level.
Any spiritual presence, wether from the Astral plane, the Umbra or the
Shadowlands, is identifiable by the use of Spirit Vision, but only if it
manifests in the physical world.  The character has no ability to see
anything that remains in the spirit realms.
SYSTEM:  Spirit Vision can be activated automatically, although it takes a
full turn to do so.

Level Three - Ghost Tread
Ghost Tread enables the character to move without impediment across the top
of any solid or liquid.  The character could run at full speed across rocky
ground, mud, snow, thin ice or water.  While the power is in operation, the
character will not sink into liquid, and a character who is immersed in
liquid can use Ghost Tread to "climb" to the surface, as though walking up
stairs. While Ghost Tread allows the character to walk across any surface,
it does not protect the character from what he is walking upon.  The
character can walk on molten lava, but will certainly still suffer for it.
SYSTEM:  The character must spend a Blood Point to initiate the effect,
which lasts for a scene.

Level Four - Flight of the Soul
The character is now able to fly, and much more besides. The net effect of
the power seems to be that the character can redirect and control the pull
of gravity upon himself. The character can thus ignore gravity.  He can
fly, levitate, or walk straight up a wall, on to the ceiling and stand
upside-down.
SYSTEM:  The power activates automatically upon the expenditure of a Blood
Point, and the effect lasts for a scene.  The character can move at a
maximum rate of twice his running speed.

Level Five - Ghost Form
Ghost Form enables the character to transform his body into a strange
ectoplasmic form.  The character's appearance remains unchanged but he is
no longer present to physical objects.  Objects simply pass through the
character, and the character may simply pass through objects.  Thus bullets
and stakes cannot harm the character, and he can walk through walls.
The exception to this is living and spiritual objects. The character can
still interact with the living and the undead whilst using Ghost Form, and
vice versa.  The character can still be punched or kicked (even though the
boot doesn't hit him, the foot does) or clawed, and the character can feed
from a living vessel.  The character can also be hit by, and in turn
manipulate, magical objects.
Ghost Form renders the character effectively immune to the elements.
Freezing temperatures, crushing pressures and howling winds pass straight
through the character. Unfortunately, the character is still fully
vulnerable to fire and sunlight whilst using Ghost Form.
SYSTEM:  The character must spend a Blood Points to activate Ghost Form.
It takes three turns to complete the transformation (though the Storyteller
may allow it to take place in only one turn with the expenditure of three
Blood Points).  The effect lasts until the character chooses to end it.
The effect will automatically end when the character sleeps.