•••• Crown of Thorns
The Gethsemani is able to cause a mortal touched to experience a rush of pain accompanied by the opening of dozens of small wounds on the scalp. In some cases, only a small trickle of blood seeps forth, but sometimes the bleeding is profuse and can result in unconsciousness or worse. In any case, the blood can make it difficult for the victim to see, as it streams down her forehead and into her eyes. Any Kindred or ghoul who consumes this blood experiences a sense of unearthly calm.
Effect
Dramatic Failure: Wounds appear on the victim and they bleed, but they’re poison to drinkers. After all possible Vitae has been consumed from a victim, the blood turns to ash inside the drinker, inflicting a point of lethal damage per Vitae consumed. No Vitae or other benefits are gained, either.
Failure: No wounds are inflicted on the intended victim, although a successive attempt may be made with the expenditure of another Willpower point.
Success: The victim responds as if a wicked wreath of thorns were forcefully placed on her head. She suffers a number of points of lethal damage equal to the successes achieved on the Stigmatica roll, and an equal number of Vitae are shed, one per turn. Each Vitae consumed from these wounds by a Kindred or ghoul provides an additional dot of Composure that vanishes at dawn. Both a drinker’s Initiative and Willpower are enhanced by this increase. For each Health point lost, the victim also suffers a –1 penalty to all rolls that require sight until the bleeding stops. (See “Fighting Blind” on p. 166 of the World of Darkness Rulebook.)
Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled are their own reward.
Failure: No wounds are inflicted on the intended victim, although a successive attempt may be made with the expenditure of another Willpower point.
Success: The victim responds as if a wicked wreath of thorns were forcefully placed on her head. She suffers a number of points of lethal damage equal to the successes achieved on the Stigmatica roll, and an equal number of Vitae are shed, one per turn. Each Vitae consumed from these wounds by a Kindred or ghoul provides an additional dot of Composure that vanishes at dawn. Both a drinker’s Initiative and Willpower are enhanced by this increase. For each Health point lost, the victim also suffers a –1 penalty to all rolls that require sight until the bleeding stops. (See “Fighting Blind” on p. 166 of the World of Darkness Rulebook.)
Exceptional Success: Numerous successes rolled are their own reward.
Material Components
Cost: 1 Willpower
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: Composure + Intimidation + Stigmatica
Related Discipline
Effect Casting Time
Instant for activation of the power, though the full effect of the blood is conferred only after each turn of drinking. Devouring the blessed blood requires an action each turn.
Level
4
Applied Restriction
Crown of Thorns cannot be used on Kindred or ghouls.