••••• ••• Prison of the Mind

Insanity is the root of inspiration. Some Derangements trap the afflicted in a world of their own mind. While Malkavians so touched rarely last long, the powerful amongst them share a deep sympathy. The elder can create a small patch inside their subconscious clan link and trap the victim there, creating realistic yet delusional environment for the victims’ mind.

System

The Malkavian must touch the subject with a bit of her vitae — feeding works best, but a smear will do (a Brawl attack). She then makes eye contact and concentrates completely on the victim for a full turn. The player rolls Charisma + Intimidation in a resisted roll against the subject’s Wits + Courage (difficulty 8). Success indicates that the victim no longer senses the real world, and interacts entirely with phantom people and illusionary events within his own soul, trapped in the shared cobweb of Malkav’s brood. As long as the target’s mind is locked in this cell, his body ceases all but the most rudimentary functions in order to maintain life (Cainites enters torpor). The length of time spent in the mental prison is determined by the successes obtained:

Successes

• 1 success 1 week
• 2 successes 1 month
• 3 successes 6 months
• 4 successes 1 year
• 5 successes 1 decade
• +1 success +1 decade

Vampires with Eyes of Chaos can always sense a victim afflicted by this power; an Auspex 4/Dementation 3 Combination Discipline can insert the vampire into the victim’s dream world, allowing them to interact with a semblance of normality (and find a way out, at the Storyteller’s discretion — though if that’s the case, the elder who afflicted the victim is immediately Called to the location of the meddling vampire).