Necromantic Rituals
Leer of Hades ( Necromancy ••, Serpentis •)
In Ancient Greece , the Harbingers of Skulls knew the Followers of Set as Childer of Typhon , the Serpents recognizing the Harbingers as kin of Hades . The close relationship the bloodlines shared led to their coordination of powers , to ensure the souls of their kin who met Final Death would go on serving their respective Clans . This technique was used to reward loyal kin with honored places in the afterlife , as often as it was used to punish errant vampires with eternal servitude .
System : The necromancer must successfully fix another vampire with The Eyes of the Serpent ( V20 , p . 209 ) up to one week prior to that vampire ’ s Final Death . The gaze of the necromancer is burned into the soul of the vampire , and if she dies within the week , the night following her death will see her reconstituted as a wraith in the necromancer ’ s presence . The wraith is not bound to service , unless separate powers are used .
This power costs 9 experience points to learn .
Sutekh Fathers Anubis ( Necromancy ••••, Serpentis ••••)
Developed by Lazarus , and the principal reason for his victory over Clanmates sent to kill him , the Cainite with this power can change form into a monstrous , rotting jackal over seven feet from foot to shoulder blade . This Anubis form grants the vampire greater damage from her bite , the ability to travel faster than a human , an enhanced sense of smell , and the physical fortitude of a corpse infused with necromancy .
System : The vampire spends one blood point and one Willpower , rolling Stamina + Occult ( difficulty 7 ). The metamorphosis takes two turns . Clothing and small personal possessions transform with the vampire . The vampire remains in jackal form until the next dawn , unless she chooses to revert . Difficulty on all Perception rolls related to smell are reduced by two , and the jackal ’ s bite inflicts an additional two points of damage , without need to grapple . The form can move twice as fast as a human , and benefits from the cadaver-like resilience bestowed by Gift of the Corpse ( V20 , p . 169 .) Any of the vampire ’ s Disciplines can still be used in this form .
This power costs 24 experience points to learn .
Necromantic Rituals
Generation of the Acheron Vortex ( Level Two Ritual )
Harbingers of Skulls who taste the blood of Lasombra find their link to the Styx reawakened . Under the new moon , the necromancer must spill blood comprising Harbinger and Lasombra vitae into any body of water ( from a puddle , to an ocean ) and listen to voices from across the Shroud with a ritual such as Call of the Hungry Dead ( V20 , p . 177 ). A vortex forms , with each point of blood spilt making the whirlpool last an additional turn . Stepping into the vortex takes the vampire to the Shadowlands equivalent of the body of water , and a single person ( mortal or vampire ) can follow for each turn the vortex is still active . The ritual works in reverse , but requires the expenditure of two blood points from each individual following the necromancer from the Shadowlands to the Skinlands , and can only take place on a night under the full moon .
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