Stigmatica
This Discipline enables the Gethsemani to cause others to suffer wounds similar to those borne by Christ at the time of the Crucifixion. With a single light touch, a Gethsemani seems to imbue a target with a sense of religious rapture that most obviously manifests as open wounds. The Gethsemani, or any other, who imbibes the blood from these wounds discovers that along with any nourishment gained, certain special abilities are passed along. In most cases, the blood augments the drinker’s Strength, Stamina or Dexterity, but the enhancement from some wounds can be less visible, though no less substantial. Gethsemani of exceptional potency are said to have developed even more miraculous uses of Stigmatica, making statues weep blood and similar wonders.
Stigmatica is known to work on mortals alone, though higher levels may be able to affect Kindred and Ghouls. To use the Discipline, an Ecstatic need only place his hand briefly on the target and the player spends a Willpower point. (Making such contact invokes the “Touching an Opponent” rules, p. 157 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, assuming a subject resists. If the subject doesn’t resist, touch can be assumed to be automatic if within reach.) The Willpower is still lost if the activation roll for a power fails.
The exertion passes a spark of divinity from the Gethsemani to the target, whose body is overwhelmed by the spiritual transference. One or more wounds spontaneously open and blood begins to flow. The experience is a traumatic one for the kine, who not only endures pain but loses a significant amount of blood. The flow provides certain benefits to vampires or Ghouls who drink it, depending on the location of the wound and how much blood is consumed. Typically, the number of successes achieved on the Stigmatica roll determines how many Health points a victim loses to lethal harm. After the equivalent in Vitae has bled, the wounds begin to heal normally. If they are reopened by anything other than a subsequent use of this Discipline, any blood is considered normal and confers no special benefit.
The Gethsemani using a power may not conceal the Stigmata he inflicts by licking the wounds after taking his fill. The injuries remain evident and can be healed only naturally or via a supernatural curative proffered by someone or something other than one of the Damned.
A victim of a Stigmatica power is not necessarily forced into acquiescence to feeding. The horror and excessive blood loss of the event can allow him to struggle to survive. For a mortal to resist this kind of Kiss, two or more successes must be achieved on a Resolve + Composure roll, instead of the normal three.
Regardless of how much Health a victim loses — how many successes are rolled for the Gethsemani — the victim does not shed more than the equivalent of one Vitae per turn. If five successes are achieved on the Stigmatica roll, the victim suffers five lethal damage and bleeds for five turns. Thus, no more than one Vitae per turn can be consumed from the victim by means of this power. If blood lost is not consumed in the same turn, it loses its supernatural efficacy. After that point, it is a powerless liquid (it does not even restore spent Vitae if consumed later).
The special benefits gained from drinking empowered blood last for the remainder of the evening, vanishing with sunrise. If an Ecstatic awakens during daylight hours, he does not retain any special powers gained the night before.
Any vampire or ghoul — including the Gethsemani herself — who drinks the blood from a Stigmatica wound may gain its benefits. Only one blood-drinker may do so in a single turn. So, a victim could be passed from drinker to drinker from turn to turn for multiple Kindred to enjoy the results. A mortal victim can be subject to only one Stigmatica power at a time (assuming he survives the first).
No more than one of a drinker’s traits may be enhanced by the Discipline at a given time. A drinker might increase his Strength multiple, cumulative times in an evening by consumption of mystical blood. But if his Strength is currently heightened by Palms of Blood, and he consumes blood ushered by The Dolorous Nail, he loses all bonuses to his Strength and gains only the benefit of the second power (a Dexterity increase). The most recent drinking takes precedent over previous ones where different Attribute increases are concerned. No Attribute can be increased beyond the limit allowed by a character’s Blood Potency as a result of drinking stigmatic Vitae. A vampire with a Blood Potency of 3 is still limited to five Attribute dots.
Despite the claims of most of its practitioners, no definitive proof of Stimatica’s divine nature has been revealed. Certainly there’s a preponderance of evidence to support such a claim, but even Gethsemani who declare no faith in God and who deny the spiritual origins of the Discipline appear to be able to use it. The religious devotion of kine subject to the power seems to make no difference, either. While the faithful find it easy to dismiss such discrepancies, others see them as evidence of something less wholesome at work. Hysterics are quick to lay the blame at the Gates of Hell and regard any application of Stigmatica as an insult and challenge to God. Others of a less fanatic bent simply see a mystery worthy of scholarly consideration. Whatever the opinion, this Discipline creates controversy wherever it’s practiced.
Storytellers may wish to make Stigmatica rolls for players in some cases. For example, on a chance roll, a player is unlikely to know if the Stigmata that manifests will benefit his character or if it’s tainted.
Stigmatica is known to work on mortals alone, though higher levels may be able to affect Kindred and Ghouls. To use the Discipline, an Ecstatic need only place his hand briefly on the target and the player spends a Willpower point. (Making such contact invokes the “Touching an Opponent” rules, p. 157 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, assuming a subject resists. If the subject doesn’t resist, touch can be assumed to be automatic if within reach.) The Willpower is still lost if the activation roll for a power fails.
The exertion passes a spark of divinity from the Gethsemani to the target, whose body is overwhelmed by the spiritual transference. One or more wounds spontaneously open and blood begins to flow. The experience is a traumatic one for the kine, who not only endures pain but loses a significant amount of blood. The flow provides certain benefits to vampires or Ghouls who drink it, depending on the location of the wound and how much blood is consumed. Typically, the number of successes achieved on the Stigmatica roll determines how many Health points a victim loses to lethal harm. After the equivalent in Vitae has bled, the wounds begin to heal normally. If they are reopened by anything other than a subsequent use of this Discipline, any blood is considered normal and confers no special benefit.
The Gethsemani using a power may not conceal the Stigmata he inflicts by licking the wounds after taking his fill. The injuries remain evident and can be healed only naturally or via a supernatural curative proffered by someone or something other than one of the Damned.
A victim of a Stigmatica power is not necessarily forced into acquiescence to feeding. The horror and excessive blood loss of the event can allow him to struggle to survive. For a mortal to resist this kind of Kiss, two or more successes must be achieved on a Resolve + Composure roll, instead of the normal three.
Regardless of how much Health a victim loses — how many successes are rolled for the Gethsemani — the victim does not shed more than the equivalent of one Vitae per turn. If five successes are achieved on the Stigmatica roll, the victim suffers five lethal damage and bleeds for five turns. Thus, no more than one Vitae per turn can be consumed from the victim by means of this power. If blood lost is not consumed in the same turn, it loses its supernatural efficacy. After that point, it is a powerless liquid (it does not even restore spent Vitae if consumed later).
The special benefits gained from drinking empowered blood last for the remainder of the evening, vanishing with sunrise. If an Ecstatic awakens during daylight hours, he does not retain any special powers gained the night before.
Any vampire or ghoul — including the Gethsemani herself — who drinks the blood from a Stigmatica wound may gain its benefits. Only one blood-drinker may do so in a single turn. So, a victim could be passed from drinker to drinker from turn to turn for multiple Kindred to enjoy the results. A mortal victim can be subject to only one Stigmatica power at a time (assuming he survives the first).
No more than one of a drinker’s traits may be enhanced by the Discipline at a given time. A drinker might increase his Strength multiple, cumulative times in an evening by consumption of mystical blood. But if his Strength is currently heightened by Palms of Blood, and he consumes blood ushered by The Dolorous Nail, he loses all bonuses to his Strength and gains only the benefit of the second power (a Dexterity increase). The most recent drinking takes precedent over previous ones where different Attribute increases are concerned. No Attribute can be increased beyond the limit allowed by a character’s Blood Potency as a result of drinking stigmatic Vitae. A vampire with a Blood Potency of 3 is still limited to five Attribute dots.
Despite the claims of most of its practitioners, no definitive proof of Stimatica’s divine nature has been revealed. Certainly there’s a preponderance of evidence to support such a claim, but even Gethsemani who declare no faith in God and who deny the spiritual origins of the Discipline appear to be able to use it. The religious devotion of kine subject to the power seems to make no difference, either. While the faithful find it easy to dismiss such discrepancies, others see them as evidence of something less wholesome at work. Hysterics are quick to lay the blame at the Gates of Hell and regard any application of Stigmatica as an insult and challenge to God. Others of a less fanatic bent simply see a mystery worthy of scholarly consideration. Whatever the opinion, this Discipline creates controversy wherever it’s practiced.
Storytellers may wish to make Stigmatica rolls for players in some cases. For example, on a chance roll, a player is unlikely to know if the Stigmata that manifests will benefit his character or if it’s tainted.
Related Ethnicities
Suggested Modifiers
Bonus | Situation
+5 | Victim is a “natural” stigmatic (without use of this Discipline)
+4 | Victim is especially prone to experiencing super natural phenomena (sees ghosts, has ESP, has done real magic). Possession of the Unseen Sense Merit does not necessarily qualify a subject for this classification.
+3 | Victim has frequently been subject to this Discipline
+2 | Performed in a holy or supernaturally powerful place
+1 | Victim is particularly religious or has already been subject to this Discipline before
Penalty | Situation
–1 | Victim is a fervent non-believer
–2 to –4 | Performed in unsuitable and/or irreverent circumstances, such as during combat or when people are laughing