Disciplines

Disciplines are used by Disciplined Immortals, and the odd mortal who learns the method. Disciplines are inherently tainted by the realm known as the Abyss, which give them a very strange manner of change and growth; The Abyss is between the High and Low Umbras, the Astral Reaches and the Underworld. The Abyss is close to the Underworld, and as such growth is impossible, but the Astral Reaches responds to thought and time, as such Disciplines grow with thought and focus. Disciplines are explicitly created, with individual powers and overall methods being made for specific purposes. As such there are theoretically unlimited Disciplines, though most are exceedingly rare. Most importantly, Disciplines are unchanging without work being put in to change them; The disciplines of 300 years ago would be the same disciplines of today without Disciplined Immortals taking time and effort to alter them.

There are broadly two types of Disciplines; Normal Disciplines, and Blood Sorcery. Disciplines are bought in 5 separate dot values, with multiple options at each level. Most Discipline-users are capable of learning multiple powers of each level. Blood Sorcery, so named because of it's prevalence among vampires, instead has a shorter list of powers which scale directly from level 1 to level 5, and further possess rituals of levels 1 to 5 which are learned separately. Each type of Sorcery is called a "Path," as opposed to disciplines or rituals.

## Disciplines

### Animalism

Animalism is the discipline which affects instincts and baser desires. It is most effective against animals, but any being with little Humanity is subject to Animalism's effects. A user of Animalism can communicate with and form mystic connections with susceptible beings, affect their attitude and actions, and share senses and other abilities.

### Auspex

Auspex is the discipline which grants the user supernaturally refined senses. Due to it's sharpening of the mind, Auspex is also the discipline which grants more generalized psychic abilities.

### Celerity

Celerity is the discipline which grants users uncanny speed. It is exceedingly common, like Fortitude and Potence.

### Dominate

Dominate is a discipline which allows the user to give commands and directly manipulate another being's mind and thoughts.

### Fortitude

Fortitude is the discipline which grants users impossible durability, upto and including their specific banes, such as a Cainite's vulnerability to the sun, or a Werebeast's vulnerability to silver.

### Obfuscate

Obfuscate is a discipline which manipulates the senses of those nearby. This is almost always used for stealth purposes, though some use it to cause hallucinations. Obfuscate is a sensory effect, not true illusion, and as such doesn't typically effect mechanical observers, like cameras.

### Potence

A common discipline, perhaps the most common, Potence grants users incredible strength.

### Presence

Presence is a discipline which allows the user to manipulate the emotions of those nearby, sometimes effecting their memories and thoughts directly due to the powerful sensations. It is distinct from Dominate due to it's inability to subvert the target's will; No matter how powerful the effect, Presence cannot influence the target beyond the most intimate of infatuation.

### Protean

Protean is a famously incredible discipline which allows the user to alter their physical body directly. Many Disciplined Immortals, such as Werebeasts, are connected to a single animal or form, with Protean forms being distinctly tied to this animal or shape.

### Striga

Striga is a rare discipline which draws the power of the Abyss to inflict curses and manipulate shadows. Many mistake it for Blood Sorcery, however it is not; Blood Sorcery twists the nature of the Abyss, using it's energies for dark, but massively varied effects. Striga simply unleashes it's destruction as it wishes to be.

### Visceratika

Visceratika is commonly associated with the Gargoyles' affinity for stone, but it is ultimately a semi-rare discipline based on the Shintai Qiao. It allows elemental transformations and effects imbued within the body.

## Blood Sorcery

### Blood Alchemy

A ritual discipline with ONLY ritual; It can only be used by Immortals, or at least, it uses the magic present within the blood of Immortals to conduct specific effects, as with true alchemy.

### Daimos

Daimos, or Damoinon, is a ritual discipline which deals with such beings as Angels, Demons, and Djinn, and the High Umbra. It is quite rare, but powerful.

### Mytheceria

A rare discipline, Mytheceria connects it's users to the Fey and the Dreaming. Most people don't even know the discipline exists, never mind it's true capabilities.

### Oblivion

Oblivion is a ritual discipline which manipulates corpses and the dead, also called Necromancy. It handles ghosts, of course, and the underworld.

### Ogham

An old ritual discipline, Ogham handles the spirits and spirit wilds, and more than anything simply allows it's users to access the spiritual.

### Thaumaturgy

Thaumaturgy, sometimes called "Blood Sorcery" for the exclusive purpose of being confusing, is the discipline which approximates Sorcery, worldly magic, though it is fundamentally powered by the Abyss. It also handles the general magic related to the user's physiology. This is the most common form of Sorcery, and as such has gone by many names, including Koldunism and Sadha.

### Yomi Mysticism

Yomi Mysticism, sometimes called Demon Magic (Not to be confused with Daimos), is a form of ritual discipline which handles the thousand hells, a space between death and spirit. It was said to be inspired by the power of the Rakshasa and Wan Kuei.