Distortion

## Known Powers

### Aspirant Powers

**Ashen Voice [5 points]-** *Allows the Aspirant the cast their powers and rituals upon Spirits aswell as objects in Umbra.*

Passive: Spirits loose any supernatural resistence against the Aspirants powers and rituals if one would have applied. They can be targeted by supernatural plagues alongside *Elite Mortals*.

**Voice in the Veil [10 points]-** *Allows the Aspirant to instantly strengthen or weaken the Veil at a small area.*

Active: The Aspirant may spend any amount of Essence. For each point of Essence they in- or decrease the Veil by 3 until the end of the round.

**Claw of Dust [10 points]-** *Allows the Aspirant to banish a Spirit back into the Underworld. The Spirit will slowly loose their connection to the material world and fade away. This spectral pull will also tear on the souls of mortals and Afflicted, although with less force.*

Active: The Aspirant must make an Evocation Roll before choosing a target they have physical contact to. It suffers *Mental Damage* equal to the margin successes of a contested Intellect + Manipulation + Spirit Binding Roll against their Composure + Inner Eye. Spirits double the damage recieved.

**Soul Tear [10 points]-** *Allows the Aspirant to force a soul out of a mortal, an object or Undead, resulting in a state of living death. Afflicted are immune against this.*

Active: This requires two Evocation Rolls and a full round of Absolute Focus. They must choose a mortal, haunted object or possess Gravespawn they have eye- or physical contact with before making a contested Composure + Willpower Roll. Should the Aspirant succeed the target soul is forced out of its shell, resulting in an instant death in the case of mortals.

### Master Powers

**Umbral Step [Requires two Powers of Prospection or Wraithcraft | 10 points]-** *Allows the Summoner to assume an incorporal form, allowing them to move through solid objects like a spirit.*

Active: The Summoner must make a successful Evocation Roll. Should they succeed the Summoner may move through a wall or an object of choice.

**Traveler of Eons- [15 points]-** *Allows the Summoner to open a temporary Umbral Gate. To do so they must draw a ritualistic circle on a wall or the floor using their Essence.*

Active: The Summoner must spend two points of Essence and make two successful Evocation Rolls. Should they succeed the Summoner may move directly to a chosen layer of Umbra or the Material World after a full round of Absolute Focus.

## Known Rituals

### Aspirant Rituals

**The Beckoning [10 points]-** *Allows the Aspirant to summon a Phantom (spirit of a deceised person). Spirits faded away or bound to a lich may not be summoned. To do so the Aspirant must sacrifice an animal, gathering its blood and burning its corpse. The resulting ashes must be used to draw any ritualistic circle and place nine candles on its edges. Then the Aspirant must place an iron bowl filled with the animals blood in the middle of the circle before adding an object associated with the chosen Phantom in the bowl. When the object has soaked in blood the Aspirant may recite a passage from the Book of Aberration and chant the Phantoms name three times. After that the bowl of blood will begin to boil and the arising fumes will be used to form a temporary body for the chosen Phantom. Should the ashen circle be damaged during the process or any of the candles go out, the Phantom will be free to leave and possibly attack the Aspirant. Otherwise it remains bound to the circle and may be questioned by the Aspirant.*

Duration/Requirements: 1 hour / 1 AP

Ritual Resources: Spirits Personal Object

Effect: After making a succesful Charisma + Willpower Roll the Aspirant may summon and speak with a Spirit for up to an hour. The Difficulty ranges between 3 and 5.

**Imprison Soul [Upgrades *The Beckoning;* 10 points]-** *The Aspirant may bind a summoned Phantom to an object. The Phantom may take controll over any power bestowed upon the object and perform slight telepathic movements. To do so the chosen object must be drenched in the Aspriants Essence for a full night. Afterwards it must be bewritten with a Passage of Binding from the Book of Aberration. When summoning the Phantom using **The Beckoning**, the chosen object will replace the typical bowl of blood. Once the spirit is summoned it is directly bound to the object. The chosen object may even be a house, turning the Phantom into a Spectre that will hount the chosen area.*

Duration/Requirements: 2 hours, 1/5 AP

Ritual Resources: Sacrifical (1)

Effect: Binds the Spirit to an object. They must make an contested Intellect + Willpower Roll against the spirits Composure + Willpower. They may spend their margin successes + Spirit Binding (Knowledge) on the following list:

* *Allow Movement* (only if the object is made from a flexible material) [1 point]
* *Allow Speaking* [1 point]
* *Allow Casting* (One of the Phantoms Powers/Abilites) [2 points each]
* *Improve Parry* [2 points per +1]
* *Increase Damage* [3 points per +1]
* *Spectral Damage* (transforms physical into *Mental damage)* [3 points]
* *Strengthen Artifact* (e.g. double the add. Evocation Rolls on Marduks Blessing) [Effect and Cost at the Storytellers discretion]
* *Other Effects* [Effect and Cost at the Storytellers discretion]

Since such a bound object requires regular attendance an Aspirant may only have as many as their Intellect Rating in modified objects. Should they be a *Summoner* the amount is doubled.

Note that undead flesh can not be modified this way as it conflicts with its binding. Imprisoning the Spirit in a Gravespawn will grant it full controll over the reanimated corpse however. Doing so will make the Gravespawn immune against *Danse Macabre*.

Effect: Allows the Aspirant to create a Spectre when choosing an area to bind the Phantom to. Doing so will put it in the first state, the speed at which they progress is determined by the Storyteller but influenced by the Aspirants Distortion Rating.

### Master Rituals

**Revise Reality [10 points]-** *Allows the Summoner to perform a ritual of binding on any object within Umbra. It may be taken to the material world without falling apart and will always retain its form in the chosen layer of Umbra. To do so they must wash the chosen object in a mixture of umbral water, ash and dust mixed with the Summoners Essence and Necrotic Salts from the material world. While it dries a passage from the Book of Aberration must be recited. Afterwards the object may be carried into the material world. However it still may interact with Spirits which would normally remain unharmed.*

Duration: 3 AP

Ritual Resources: Umbral, Necrotic (2)

Effects: The chosen object will not fall apart when taken into the material world. If it was created through ***Master of Shadows*** it will no longer fall apart. This can not be casted upon necromantic artifacts.

**Shelter of Eons [10 points]**- *Allows the Summoner to project a specific location in Umbra upon every Layer that will be created in the future. It will replace newer forms of the chosen location and all inhabitants will be moved to a more recent Layer every day. To do so they must draw a circle made from coal, dust and salt from Umbra aswell as Necrotic Salts and sulfur from the material world. The circle must be drenched in the Summoners Essence and ignited while reciting a passage from the Book of Aberration. After the circle has burned out the projection is complete. The resulting ash must be gathered and placed into five objects which function as anchors. As long as they remain unharmed the projection will continue.*

Duration: Several weeks, 5 AP

Ritual Resources: Umbral, Necrotic (2), Chemical (2)

Effects: The chosen location will always remain on the same level, being projected a layer above whenever Umbra moves down. *(For instance: Should the ritual be performed on an artifical location on the third layer of Umbra (thus three day from the current time), this ritual will make sure it will always remain on the third layer instead of being moved further in the past as time progresses).* At the expendure of additional AP they may shape Umbra to their liking around the area.