Dementation

Dementation is a Discipline widely known as the hallmark of the Malkavians. Dementation allows a vampire to focus and channel madness into the minds of those around him, It draws on the vampire's own insanity and uses it achieve profound insights or inflict madness upon others. Such powers are one of the primary reasons the clan is often considered both insightful and very dangerous. It also seems to grant a more powerful link to the Madness Network (though a non-Malkavian who learns Dementation cannot access it), and many have suspicions about its connection to the Malkav himself.
Its a widely known fact that when a non-malkavian attempts to learn Dementation, it sets off the imbibed malkvian blood in the system needed to teach the discipline, and imparts the madness of malkav upon the unfortunate soul.
Disturbingly, Dementation doesn’t actually make their victims mad, but rather it seems to break down the doors to the hidden darkness of the target’s mind, releasing into the open whatever is found there. The Malkavians claim that this is because insanity is the next logical step in mental evolution, a trans-humanist advancement of what modern people consider consciousness. Other Kindred scoff that this reasoning is an outright justification for the chaos that Dementation brings. They don’t scoff too loudly, however, lest the Malkavian advance their consciousness next.
Unlike Dominate, Majexty, or even Auspex, Dementation is subtle. Use of it is never a masquerade breach, and its next to impossible to trace back to the kindred who used the ability.
==• Passion==
The vampire stirs his victim’s emotions, either heightening them to a fevered pitch or blunting them until the target is completely desensitized. The Cainite may not choose which emotion is affected; she may only amplify or dull emotions already present in the target. In this way, a vampire can inflame mild irritation into quivering rage or atrophy true love into casual interest.
Effects of this power might include additions or subtractions to difficulties of frenzy rolls, certain social rolls, rolls to resist certain disciplines, etc. In game terms, each success on the activation roll for this Discipline adds or subtracts a die on one roll to resist frenzy or resist a Social action, ect. (making the character more or less receptive to seduction, for instance).
:: Dice Pool: Presence + Empathy + Dementation - Resolve + Composure
:: Cost: None
:: Action: Instant
:: Duration: Night
:: Success: The characters passions are inflamed or deadened for the rest of the night, and the mechanical effects as stated above take place.
:: Exceptional Success: The effects of the discipline last for a number of nights equal to the kindreds dots in dementation. The mechanical aspects of Passion can affect one roll each night.
:: Failure: It fails, the user knows it fails.
:: Dramatic Failure: Madness backfires. And the user infects himself with the Passion (or lack thereof) for the remainder of the night.
:: Note: A person affected by passion can spend a willpower points to shrug off its effects for a number of turns equal to her Resolve + Composure if the Malkavian who inflicted the power is nearby, or a full scene if he is not.
==•• The Haunting==
The vampire manipulates the sensory centers of his victim’s brain, flooding the victim’s senses with visions, sounds, scents, or feelings that aren’t really there. The images, regardless of the sense to which they appeal, are only fleeting “glimpses,” barely perceptible to the victim. The vampire using Dementation cannot control what the victim perceives, but may choose which sense is affected. The “haunting” effects occur mainly when the victim's alone, and mostly at night. They may take the form of the subject’s repressed fears, guilty memories,or anything else that the Storyteller finds dramatically appropriate. The effects are never pleasant or unobtrusive, however. The Storyteller should let her imagination run wild when describing these sensory impressions; the victim may well feel as if she is going mad, or as if the world is.
The victim is plagued with minor hallucinations for a period of time based on whatever dice penalty that the activating vampire’s player takes when using the power (see the chart below). While under the effects of The Haunting a the Storyteller will occasionally occasionally impose a –1 penalty to Mental and Social rolls and Initiative, not more than once per night. And the character receives a –1 to all resistance traits or rolls to resist other Dementation powers. Once used on a given target, The Haunting cannot be used again on that target until the initial use wears off.
If successful, the victim is plagued by The Haunting for a period of time based on whatever dice penalty that the activating vampire’s player takes when using the power (see the chart below).
:: Dice Pool: Manipulation + Subterfuge + Dementation – Resolve + Composure
:: Action: Instant
:: Cost: 1 Vitae
:: Duration: Variable
:: Success: As stated Above
:: Exceptional Success: The die penalty to rolls and resistance against other Dementation powers is increased to -2.
:: Failure: It fails, the user knows it fails.
:: Dramatic Failure: Madness backfires. And the user infects himself with the Haunting for no more then one night.
:: Beat: Gain a beat when you wholeheartedly play along with your Haunting.
Duration 	Modifier
One Night 	-
Three Nights	-1
One Week 	-2
One Month 	-3
Three Months	-4
Six Months 	-5
==••• Eyes of Chaos==
This peculiar power allows the vampire to take advantage of the fleeting clarity hidden in insanity. She may scrutinize the “patterns” of a person’s soul, the convolutions of a vampire’s inner nature, or even random events in nature itself. The Kindred with this power can discern the most well-hidden psychoses, or gain insight into a person’s true self. Malkavians with this power often have (or claim to have) knowledge of the moves and counter moves of the great Jyhad, or the patterns of fate.
Unlike Auspex, which has similar effects, Eyes of Chaos is not noticeable. A vampire being scrutinized by Uncanny Perception is sure to take notice and be quite displeased, but Eyes of Chaos is much ore subtle when used on a person.
However Eyes of Chaos is rather do or die. If you fail in the contested roll Eyes of Chaos cannot be attempted on that subject again for a number of nights equal to 7 + the subjects supernatural tolerance. If the Malkavian tries again during this time he sees only a jumbled mess. A riot of colors, images, and sounds, which gains him a temporary mild derangement.
When used on a person this potent power can determine all sorts of information about their personality and psyche. However its harder to use this ability on people the kindred do not know well.
When used on a person much of the knowledge gained needs to be mulled over and deciphered. The malkavian must spend a few hours thinking on what she saw to reveal all of it. This just requires time and a successful Wits + Occult roll.
Its worth noting that even more so then Auspex, Eyes of Chaos is treated with mistrust and skepticism in the kindred community at large. Even other Malkavians take information gleaned and passed on by one of their clan fellows with about a pound of salt. "Oh, you just know that the primogen is crazy? uh-huh. Prove it."
:: Dice Pool: Wits + Occult + Dementation vs Resolve + Composure + Supernatural Tolerance
:: Action: Reflexive or Extended
:: Cost: 2 Vitae + 1 Willpower
:: Duration: N/A
:: Success: Success reveals all of the following about the subject:
:* Their nature, demeanor, vices, and virtues.
:* Their derangements.
:* If the subject is Human, Ghoul, Vampire, or another type supernatural. (Does not specify the type if the target is infact another supernatural)
:* Their current temporary willpower. ('full', 'Empty.' Not actual numbers).
:* If Vampire: Whether they are on Path of Humanity or not, and their general path rating. ('Very human', 'Not very human', 'Sure in his morals')
:* If human: The subjects integrity rating.
:* If they are under the effects of a mood or personality altering supernatural power. (Yes or no. No specifics)
:: Failure: It fails, the user knows it fails.
:: Dramatic Failure: The Kindred gets it wrong. They believe wholeheartedly that the power worked but gain only incorrect information.
Modifier	Relationship
+1 to +3	Close friend or Loved one
0 	Friend
-1 or -2	Acquaintance
-3 	Complete Stranger
Malkavians can also use used to gain some sort of mad insight. Almost anything might contain some hidden insight, no matter how trivial or meaningless. The patterns are present in most things, but are often so intricate they can keep a vampire spellbound for hours while she tries to understand their message. Secrets revealed via Eyes of Chaos are never simple facts; they’re tantalizing symbols adrift in a sea of madness and allegory.
Using Eyes of Chaos in this manner is an extended action with each roll representing one hour of peering and obsessing over something. The vampire could read the message locked in a coded missive, or even see the doings of an invisible hand in such events as the pattern of falling leaves.
==•••• Voice of Madness==
By merely addressing his victims aloud, the Kindred can drive targets into fits of blind rage or fear, forcing them to abandon reason and higher thought. Victims are plagued by hallucinations of their subconscious demons, and try to flee or destroy their hidden shames. Tragedy almost always follows in the wake of this power’s use, though offending Malkavians often claim that they were merely encouraging people to act “according to their natures.” Unfortunately for the vampire concerned, he runs a very real risk of falling prey to his own voice’s power.
:: Dice Pool: Manipulation + Empathy + Dementation vs Resolve + Composure + Supernatural Tolerance
:: Action: Instant
:: Cost: 1 Vitae
:: Duration: One Scene
:: Success: Successes has the following effects based on the creatures type.
*Vampires roll for one of the three frenzies, depending on the situation that they are in. This roll is penalized by the difference in success between your roll and theirs.
*Werewolves roll for Death Rage.
*Humans and other supernaturals enter a panicked "flight or flight" mode and cannot do anything but wildly attack or flee.
*Alternatively: If the user of Voices of Maddens wishes the person affected by this discipline must immediately go and indulge in one of their vices or one of their derangement's (derangement's take priority if they have one) for one scene. The subject may spend a willpower to delay the compulsion for a number of minuets equal to their resolve + composure. If they are physically attacked then it breaks the compulsion.
:: Exceptional Success: The effects last the entire night rather then one scene.
:: Failure: It fails, the user knows it fails.
:: Dramatic Failure: Roll for one of the three Frenzies with a -2 dice for every derangement you have. Or, you must immediately go and do nothing but indulge in your Derangement for the remainder of the night.
:: Notes:
*This power cannot be used on the same character twice in one scene.
*The character can use this power on multiple targets, but suffers a –1 for each mortal target and a –2 for each supernatural target. Targets roll separately to resist and compare their results to the vampire’s.
==••••• Total Insanity==
The vampire coaxes the madness from the deepest recesses of her target’s mind, focusing it into an overwhelming wave of insanity. This power has driven countless victims, vampire and mortal alike, to unfortunate ends.
The Kindred must gain her target’s undivided attention for at least one full turn to enact this power. If the roll is successful, the victim is afflicted with five derangement's of the Storyteller’s choice.
If successful, the victim is plagued by Total Insanity for a period of time based on whatever dice penalty that the activating vampire’s player takes when using the power (see the chart below).
:: Dice Pool: Manipulation + Intimidation + Dementation vs Resolve + Composure + Supernatural Tolerance
:: Action: Instant
:: Cost: 2 Vitae
:: Duration: Variable
:: Success: As stated Above
:: Exceptional Success: The Kindred who used the power can choose the Derangement's inflicted, and bump the duration up by one increment.
:: Failure: It fails, the user knows it fails.
:: Dramatic Failure: On a botch… well, the Storyteller can decide what a vampire inflicts upon herself by attempting to incite the primal hells lurking within the darkest recesses of a victim’s mind.
Duration 	Modifier
One turn 	-
One night 	-1
One Week 	-2
One Month 	-3
Three Months	-4
Six Months 	-5
The victim (or the target of a botch) can spend a number of Willpower points equal to the successes rolled to end the duration prematurely. The Story teller decides when such Willpower points can be spent (such as after a therapy session or after a friend has managed to prove a particular delusion to be false).
Category:Rules and Houserules
Category:Disciplines