Septemi

**Parent Clan**: Daeva

**Disciplines**: *Abjurism*, *Auspex*, Celerity, *Majesty*

## **Bloodline Weakness: Holier than Thou**

The Septemi hold themselves to higher standards than most. When they do fall, a Septemi does not easily forgive herself. If a Septemi experiences a Breaking Point because of her own immoral, wrongful or selfish act, she takes a -1 to -3 penalty (depending on the severity of the act) to her Breaking Point roll.

Because of the sinful act, the Septemi becomes wracked with guilt and self-loathing. Or she may harden up to compensate, becoming just a bit more cold and ruthless in the process.

## **Bloodline Gift: Virtuous**

The Septemi retains a Virtue from her mortal life. She can continue to benefit from the Virtue, refilling her Willpower whenever it is fulfilled.

## **Discipline: Abjurism**

Abjurism is a Disicipline that protects against supernatural effects. It has persistent and active effects.

**Cost**: None or 1 Willpower per effect

**Dice Pool**: Varied

**Action**: None (for persistent effects) or Reflexive (for active effects)

**Duration**: Permanent (for persistent effects) or one action (for active effects)

#### **Persistent**

* Add dots in Abjurism to dice pools (Resistance Attribute + Blood Potency) to resist supernatural influence.

* If the Resistance Attribute is subtracted from the activation pool, subtract Resistance Attribute + Abjurism instead.

#### **Active**

Spend 1 Willpower for one of the following effects:

* Add dots in Abjurism as bonus to “Clash of Wills” rolls to detect or dispel supernatural effects. For example, Auspex + Abjurism + Blood Potency may be rolled to pierce Obfuscate, contested against the opponent's Obfuscate + Blood Potency.

* Ordinary Kindred may “Lash Out” to dispel the effects of Disciplines such as Majesty or Nightmare. The Septemi do not need to invoke the Beast to maintain their own mental integrity. They can instead spend 1 Willpower to roll Presence + Composure + Abjurism, dispelling the effects with their own dignity and force of personality.

## **Devotions**

### **My Cross to Bear**

*Abjurism • Majesty • 1 XP*

**Cost**: A Detachment roll

**Dice Pool**: –

The Septemi fancy themselves martyrs, and like the Lamb of God, they are willing to sacrifice themselves to atone for the sins of others. This Devotion allows the Septemi to make Detachment rolls on another's behalf. To save some poor soul from damnation, the Septemi must know the details of the Breaking Point event.

**Effect**: The subject of the Devotion treats their Detachment roll as an automatic success. They get off with their soul unscathed; in their place the Septemi makes a roll using the same number of dice as indicated by the Humanity/Integrity of the Breaking Point event. The Septemi gets to use their own modifiers, such as Touchstones (+2 to +3), Masquerade (-1), Requiem (+1), Virtue (+1), Banes (-1 per Bane), and others. No beat can be gained from using this Devotion.

On a failure, the Septemi's own Humanity drops by 1.

### **Warding**

*Abjurism •• Auspex • 2XP*

**Cost**: 1 Willpower

**Dice Pool**: Resolve + Occult + Abjurism

Protects a person or an area from the supernatural. Holy symbols are usually drawn on the subject to be protected, accompanied by rites or prayers. On a success, a supernatural entity coming in close proximity (arm's length or less) to the wards will activate one of their Banes. If multiple Banes are present, the Storyteller may choose the most appropriate Bane. If the supernatural entity has no Banes or if their Bane is non-applicable, a “backup” Bane will be activated, chosen by the Septemi at the time of casting.

The list of Banes can be found on Blood and Smoke: the Strix Chronicles p. 108-109.

One instance of Warding may only affect one type of supernatural. The Septemi can cast repeated wardings on the same subject to protect against different kinds of supernatural entities. The wards last for one night per the Septemi's dots in Abjurism.

**Exceptional Success**: Banes are activated when the supernatural comes within 1-2 yards of the warded object.

### **Cleanse the Mind**

*Abjurism ••• 2XP*

**Cost**: 1 Willpower

**Dice Pool**: Intelligence + Empathy + Abjurism

**Modifiers**: Knowledge about the identity of the caster and the nature of the effect (+2), Blood Potency higher than the caster (+1 for each dot higher), Blood Potency lower than the caster (-1 for each dot lower), Identity of the caster and nature of the effect unknown (-2), Trying to pierce an effect of Obfuscate (-3)

The character removes a single supernatural effect from the target. The effect must be something that directly affects the mind. Examples include Dominate commands, all Majesty powers and the powers of Obfuscate. (Cleansing a character of the effects of Obfuscate allows her to see an otherwise hidden character, even if her companions cannot. Attempts by the cleansed character to point out the Obfuscated individual fail, but if she interacts with the creature, by attacking him, for example, she can draw their attention to him.) Cleanse the Mind only cancels ongoing effects; powers that have a permanent effect after they have been completed are not affected. Septemi may not use this power on themselves.

### **Banish the Summoned Servitor**

*Abjurism •••• 2XP*

**Cost**: 1 Willpower

**Dice Pool**: Presence + Occult +Abjurism vs. Power + Resistance (if a spirit or ghost) or Resolve (if an animal)

**Action**: Extended and contested. Each roll represents one turn of ritual. The character attempts to garner successes equal to the target’s Willpower. The target’s goal is equal to the character’s Abjurism + Blood Potency.

**Modifiers**: Knowledge of the target's true name (+2), Using ritual tools and knows how to perform an exorcism (+1), Does not know the nature of possessing entity (-1), Believes that the entity is a type that it is not (-2), Target under Vinculum and Regnant is present at the scene (-3)

The Septemi can drive a possessing spirit or ghost from a body (whether living, dead or undead) or banish it from the Passionate’s presence. Similarly, he can command an animal either created through a supernatural power or under a supernatural compulsion to flee the area.

If the Septemi overcomes the being’s Willpower before it overcomes his Abjurism + Blood Potency, he either drives it from a body it is possessing (immediately ending any applicable Numina) or banishes it. A banished spirit returns to the spirit realm and a banished ghost is locked within one of its anchors. This effect lasts for one night per success the Passionate achieves on the roll (though destroying a ghost’s anchor while the ghost is locked within frees it, assuming that the ghost possessed another anchor, otherwise, it vanishes). If the target is an animal, it flees the scene, even if other magic (including a Vinculum or uses of Animalism) affects it. A swarm of small creatures (such as insects, rats or fish) is considered a single animal for the purpose of this power.

On an **Exceptional Success**, the banishing effect lasts for a week. If the summoned entity achieves their goal faster than the Septemi, the summoned entity remains unaffected by the power.