Dur-An-Ki: Assamite Sorcery

Description

The main form of blood magic practiced by all Kindred. Practitioners do not impose their will on the world through abstract symbols of power. Instead they call upon ancient covenants with spirits, commanding them to fulfill their desires, though this is a very different practice to the long-lasting pacts made with demons by practitioners of Dark Thaumaturgy. Dur-An-Ki draws heavily on astrology, the use of amulets and talismans, and especially ecstatic practices. By entering into a trance, the ashipu ascends the "Ladder of Heaven" to meet ever more powerful spirits and gain more powerful magic. Assamite sorcerers usually use a drug called kalif for this purpose, but there are many other methods, including dancing, pain, meditation and artistic expression. Besides the Assamites, the other prominent faction to utilize Dur-An-Ki are the Baali of the Order of Moloch. Being in a unique position to know what Mesopotamian gods were masks for creatures of the Outer Dark and who were not, the Baali made covenants with the oldest, most primordial entities. In contrast to Assamites, who use kalif, the Baali mainly use pain inflicted by their own Clan Curse to achieve ecstasy. Dur-An-Ki is a form of magic that originated in ancient Mesopotamia that Assamite Sorcerers have incorporated into their own practices. However it is not confined to Assamites, or indeed Kindred, as it grew out of a mortal magical tradition, though it is likely only mages would have had any success using it.

An ashipu without their talismans or drugs is only able to cast blood magic by spending an additional blood point and a willpower and are not able to use any rituals.

(Source: https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/Dur-An-Ki, CC-BY-SA )

Paths

Dur-An-Ki does not have a set primary path – note that the most detailed paths are unique to Dur-An-Ki:

Awakening Of The Steel

This path allows the practitioner to use their knowledge in Melee or Crafts to further enhance the power of their blade. (Clanbook: Assimite (Revised) pp.74-76)

Basic

• Confer with the Blade: See events and information that have transpired around a weapon.
• Grasp of the Mountain: Mystically enforce the grip on your weapon.

Intermediate

• Pierce Steel's Skin: Direct your weapon to destroy any protective measures of the enemy.
• Razor's Shield: Allows to parry projectiles.

Advanced

• Strike at the True Flesh: Bypass any supernatural protection in your attack.

Blessings Of The Great Dark Mother

(V20 The Black Hand: A Guide to the Tal'Mahe'Ra pp.86-87)

Basic

• Cradlesong: Sense any supernatural pacts or spiritual ties, including the Blood Bond, that bind a target.
• Kessep: Sever one supernatural tie to a demon or spirit.

Intermediate

• Sotheq: Temporarily block all supernatural ties to a demon or spirit.
• Allah: Sever all supernatural pacts with a demon or spirit.

Advanced

• Memo: Purge a target from all supernatural pacts, as well as learning to whom he was indebted.

Covenant Of Nergal

(Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion pp.43-44)

Basic

• Maskim's Touch: Cause symptoms of influenza in a target.
• Breath of Ereshkigal: Breath upon a target, inflicting minor disease.

Intermediate

• Nergal's Blessing: Lessen the symptoms of a pathogenic illness.
• Nergal's Wrath: Inflict a disease of choice on a target.

Advanced

• Ill Wind: Spread a disease simply through your nearby presence.

Echoes Of Allah's Wrath

(Road of Heaven pp.70-72)

Basic

• Curse of Lifeless Mien: Curse a mortal to appear sinister and withdrawn.
• Curse of Heavenly Dolor: Curse a mortal to recoil from symbols of faith.

Intermediate

• Curse of Unfettered Rage: Curse a mortal to experience a Frenzy
• Curse of Boundless Thirst: Curse a mortal to gain only sustenance from blood.

Advanced

• Curse of Forbidden Sol: Curse a mortal to fear the sunlight like a vampire does.

Evil Eye

(Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion pp.44-45)

Basic

• Humiliation: Cause a victim to have bad luck in its next action.
• Loss: Cause a victim to lose a valued piece of property.

Intermediate

• Peril: Cause a victim to suffer a dangerous accident.
• Enemy: Cause a victim to lose Allies.

Advanced

• The Eye That Wounds: Inflict damage on your target.

Hunter's Winds

(Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy p.123)

Basic

• Scent of Deception: Alters your scent.
• Chameleon's Skin: Alter your skin and clothing to assume nearby coloring and texture.

Intermediate

• Unassuming Pose: Blend in a crowd of people.
• Whiff of Kalif: Appear physically intoxicating.

Advanced

• Ghost Body: Become invisible, inaudible, and intangible.

Keepers Way

(V20 Tome of Secrets p.42)

Note: This Path is only available to the protectors of the Heartsblood.

Basic

• Sense the Ripples: Use the accumulated knowledge of the Heartsblood to become aware of future events.
• Gift of Haqim: Make blood points drawn from the Heartsblood last longer.

Intermediate

• The Distant Crimson: Use the Heartsblood to see through the eyes of any Assamite in a one hundred kilometer radius.
• Know the Fate of One: Use the Heartsblood to gain detailed knowledge of the fate of a chosen vampire.

Advanced

• Cast into the Pool of Blood: Use the Heartsblood to influence future events by either aiding or hindering vampires in the vicinity of the Heartsblood.

Music Of The Spheres

(Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.46)

Basic

• Song of Mercury: Deaden emotions through music.
• Song of Venus: Enhance affection through music.

Intermediate

• Song of Mars: Enhance aggression through music.
• Song of Jupiter: Allows to resist Presence and similar attempts of emotional control.

Advanced

• Song of Saturn: Inspire supernatural fear in an audience.

Whispers Of The Heavens

(Players Guide to the Low Clans pp.176-179)

Basic

• Map the Skies: Read the stars to determine your exact position.
• Read the Heaven’s Plans: See an omen of the future.

Intermediate

• Call Down the Hunter’s Moon: Determine the best course of action for specific undertaking.
• Trace the Soul’s Favor: Divine important aspects from a person whose birth date is known.

Advanced

• Ripples on the Sea of Stars: See parts of the world from aerial perspective.

Other Paths

As Dur-An-Ki shares magical roots with Thaumaturgy and many other magical practices, many of the common paths are available, though they are usually identified with a particular spirit or type of spirit, and called by a name which identifies that spirit. As with Akhu, in most cases these paths pre-date the Tremere versions. Thanks to many centuries of contact with other magic users, the ashipu may also know a few paths practiced by other Middle-eastern traditions. Where names differ, the original path name is listed along with the reference.

• Covenant of Enki (Neptune's Might; Camarilla Guide p.81
• Echo of Nirvana (The Focused Mind; Storyteller’s Guide p.50)
• Elemental Mastery (Rego Elementum; Faith & Fire p.204)
• Hand of the Magi (Creo Ignem; Faith & Fire p.200)
• Hands of Destruction (Laws of the Night, Revised p.183)
• Jinn's Gift (Path of Conjuring; Laws of the Night, Revised p.182)
• Life's Water (Rego Vitae; Faith & Fire p.199)
• Movement of the Mind (Rego Motus; Faith & Fire p.202)
• Path of the Ailing Jackal (Path of Father's Vengeance; Sabbat Guide p.127)
• Path of the Blood's Curse (Laws of the Night, Revised p.56)
• Path of Blood Nectar (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.62)
• Path of Duat (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion pp.26-27)
• Path of the Levinbolt (Clanbook: Tremere (Revised) p.51)
• Path of Warding (Dark Ages Companion p.95)
• Suleiman's Laws (Spirit Manipulation; Camarilla Guide p.89)
• Thaumaturgical Alchemy (Alchemy; Storyteller’s Guide p.47)
• Weather Control (Rego Tempestas; Faith & Fire p.203)

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Rituals

Many Assamite rituals revolve around contact between the reclusive viziers and worldly assassins. The latter exchange vitae for magical services. Also, invoking rituals requires one to ingest at least one point of vitae from a vessel under the influence of kalif, or to actively inhale large quantities of the smoke itself and consciously move it through one's body by forcing blood to circulate.

Invoking rituals requires one to ingest at least one point of vitae from a vessel under the influence of kalif, or to actively inhale large quantities of the smoke itself and consciously move it through one's body by forcing blood to circulate.

(Source: https://whitewolf.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Dur-An-Ki_Rituals, CC-BY-SA )

Basic

• Astral Portent (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.47)
• Bind The Heavens (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.48)
• Corporal Reservoir (Caine's Chosen: The Black Hand p.78)
• Earth's Blood Cry (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.48)
• Exorcise Fever (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.47)
• Gift of Mithra's Bull (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Horoscope (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.47)
• Kiss of the Asp (Caine's Chosen: The Black Hand p.79)
• Pebble From the Mountain (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Touch the Earth (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 124)
• Truth in Ink (Caine's Chosen: The Black Hand p.77)
• Warding Baptism (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.47)

Intermediate

• Approach the Veil (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Bull of Heaven (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.48)
• Directing Ahriman's Lance (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Kafir's Bane (Sins of the Blood, p. 102)
• Kudurru (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.49)
• Portrait of Passion (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.48)
• Rite of Marduk Triumphant (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Tamimah (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.49)
• The Sire Impotent (Sins of the Blood, p. 102)

Advanced

• Apsu Portal (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.50)
• Lilith's Vengeance (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.50)
• Rite of Marduk Slain and Risen (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 125)
• Seeing With the Sky's Eyes (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 126)

Elder

• From Marduk's Throat (Blood Magic: Secrets of Thaumaturgy, p. 126)
• Jacob's Kiss (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.50)

Master

• Turn Back the Skies (Blood Sacrifice: The Thaumaturgy Companion p.50)

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