Path of the Psychopomp (Eastern Necromancy)

Background fluff

### •  La vista dei morti (Deathsight):

The necromancer employing Deathsight can see with the perceptions of the Restless Dead (also called Deathsight). To such a manipulator of ghostly energies, the auras of surrounding beings give off tell-tale hints as to their health and even their ultimate fate; the necromancer can see the energies of death flowing through everyone, just as ghosts can. By looking at the entropic markings on a person's body, the necromancer can gain rough knowledge of how far that person is from death, how soon that person is likely to die, and even what the cause of her death is likely to be. The information thus gained is not exact by any means, but it gives the necromancer an edge over those she scrutinizes.

(Largely just Eyes of the Dead/Eyes of the Wraith from Vitreous 1, with an added mechanic to be used in combat)

(Medicine dots up to 2 at minimum required for use of this power.)

System:

The player rolls Perception + Occult, difficulty 6. One success lets a necromancer determine whether someone is injured, diseased, or dying, as well as whether the individual labors under any sort of curse or baleful magic. Further, the vampire can divine the target's eventual demise, depending on the successes scored. One success means the character can guess how long the target has to live to within a few weeks. Three successes means the character can estimate how long the target has to live and what the probable source of death will be, as the entropic markings show the wounds that will someday exist on that person. Five successes means the character can actually see where and when the event will occur by interpreting the black marks on the target's soul. This ability lasts for one scene, though the necromancer may choose to end the power early. It can be used to read the fate of only one target at a time. Storytellers should exercise judgement with this power, since the markings of death are typically unavoidable. He may decide to roll the dice himself, so that the player has no way of knowing whether her insight is correct. This power may be used reflexively in combat at difficulty 7 to add two to the damage. Such an attack counts as a called strike/shot and raises the difficulty to hit by one.

### • • La lancia dello Stige (Stygian Lance):

Haggard shafts of the Void strike the target of the necromancer's ire, shards of the Great Unmaking that tear at the victim's very soul.

System:

The vampire spends a blood point and a point of Willpower and rolls Dexterity + Occult (difficulty 6), each success dealing one dice of  damage that ignores armor. The damage type is dependent on successes rolled, if the activation of the power is only a net of 3 or fewer successes, the damage type is bashing, if the total net of successes is 4 or higher than the damage type is lethal. This attack targets creatures on either side of the shroud, but does not affect Wraiths.

### • • •  La veste del traghettatore (The Robes of the Ferryman):

Drawing in and infusing herself with ambient entropic energy, black blood pours out of the necromancer's eyes, mouth, and ears to coat her body; warding herself from blows.

System:

The player rolls Stamina + Occult (difficulty equal to the local Shroud rating +1 to a max of 10). She may then spend a number of bloodpoints (generational limits apply) to gain that many dice to her soak pool. This effect lasts for a scene unless dismissed earlier, and multiple applications of this power cannot be stacked. A failure means the blood is wasted with no further effect. A botch inflicts aggravated damage equal to the number of bloodpoints spent. Any mortal, or supernatural (Storyteller discretion), witnessing the use of this power must succeed on a Courage roll (difficulty 6) or flee the necromancer as per Rötschreck.

### • • • • Gli artigli delle Chere (The Talons of the Keres):

As the necromancer channels entropic energy through her body, starting at her fingertips, her hands begin to wither and blacken. Those with aura perception see her hands wreathed in the coruscating darkness of Oblivion as her very touch brings death.

System:

The transformation requires the expenditure of two blood points, takes a single turn to complete, and lasts for a scene. The character attacks normally in combat, but the talons inflict aggravated damage equal to the vampire’s current Strength rating. Other supernaturals cannot normally soak this damage, although a power such as Fortitude may be used. If the necromancer passes a Stamina + Occult roll (difficulty 8), the entropic energy she brings to bear makes healing of the wounds she inflicts more difficult, doubling the time it takes to do so. Living creatures who suffer such an attack are automatically affected, and their wounds become necrotised. A botch inflicts a level of aggravated damage on the necromancer as she becomes unable to will her hands to return to normal, and the damage will take double the time to heal.

### • • • • • Il casco del Psicopompo (Casque of the Psychopomp):

Calling Death energy into herself, the form of the necromancer withers as her body begins to look like a blackened, dessicated corpse of her age. Oblivion light flickers from her eyes, plant life withers, and diaphanous shadows swirl about her form as she looks like nothing more than an avatar of Death as waves of entropic energy wash out draining the very life from everything around her.

System:

The Casque of the Psychopomp costs two blood points to awaken and the vampire must pass a Willpower roll (difficulty equal to the local Shroud rating +2 to a maximum of 10). All Physical Attributes increase by two, but all Social Attributes drop to zero, except when dealing with other necromancers (the Stamina increase counts toward the soak pool, but does not stack with Robes of the Ferryman). However, should the necromancer attempt to intimidate someone, she may substitute Strength for a Social Attribute. Any mortals, animals, or supernaturals (Storyteller discretion), viewing this power must make a Courage roll (difficulty 8) or flee as per Rötschreck. The necromancer must then pass a Stamina + Occult roll (difficulty equalling the local shroud +2 to a maximum of 10), immediately after which, and for every 5 minutes in her presence, and for every minute she spends touching them, living creatures take two levels of lethal damage. Additionally, for every two points of health absorbed by the vampire, one level of lethal or bashing damage can be healed, as the vampire absorbs the lifeforce of the creatures around them. Vampires are exempt from this decay, but dead organic matter may be targeted. Anything or anyone destroyed by this power immediately falls to Oblivion. A botch on the Stamina + Occult roll inflicts three unsoakable levels of aggravated damage and inhibits the vampire's ability to return to normal, doubling the time to heal herself back to a normal appearance.