Pastoralis

by Stacey Lawless (22 Jul 94)

Pastoralis is a unique Discipline that arose with the Iscariot bloodline;
its powers are as follows.

[1] Loaves and Fishes: This power allows the Iscariot to effectively double
the amount of blood she drinks from a Vessel without damaging the Vessel
further. One point of blood drunk becomes two points in the Iscariot's Blood
Pool; two points drunk become four in the Blood Pool; and so on. This power
does not increase the Vampire's maximum Blood Pool, and any blood points
gained over the maximum are lost.

[2] Spear of Longinius: By coating a weapon with at least a point of his
blood, the Iscariot can use it to immobilize Vampires as though it was a
wooden stake. The weapon must be large enough to accept at least a point of
blood (bullets are right out) and can be anything that's capable of
impaling--shish kebab skewers, scissors, rapiers, fiberglass arrows, etc.
The blood does not come off the weapon easily, and the weapon will remain
capable of "staking" for the entire night.

[3] Blood Money: By expending blood points the Iscariot can temporarily
Blood Bond another Vampire to herself. The Iscariot must be able to see the
other Vampire, but her target does not need to drink the blood or even be in
contact with it; the Iscariot simply spends the blood points for the effect.
The Blood Bond lasts one night for every Blood Point spent. In all other
respects it is a regular Blood Bond, and is subject to the limitations of
normal Blood Bonds.

System: The Iscariot may spend up to three blood points on any given target.
The target then must make a Willpower roll with a target of eight, and each
success they get eliminates one blood point. The Iscariot can renew the Bond
as often as she likes, but must let the old one lapse first.

[4] Stigmata: This power allows the Icsariot to mimic the use of True Faith
against the supernatural. It has a price, however: when this power is used,
stigmata-red, raw wounds in the hands, side, and feet- appear in the
Iscariot's flesh. They close again when the Vampire ceases to use Stigmata,
but until then are obvious and painful. Many Iscariots believe that the
stigmata are a penance they must pay for faking the power of God.

System: The Iscariot spends a point of blood and his Humanity becomes his
"Faith" rating for the duration of the Scene. He may then repel or drive off
supernatural creatures by rolling a number of dice equal to his Humanity.
His target number is the Willpower of the being he is trying to repel. Each
success he gets pushes it back one step.

Note: People who do possess True Faith can generally tell that what an
Iscariot is doing is not the real thing. Also, Vampires and other beings who
have encountered True Faith might be able to tell the difference.

[5] Harrowing of Hell: By the use of this power the Iscariot may raise the
Humanity of another Vampire by forcing him to confront his sins. The subject
of the Harrowing of Hell is put into Torpor for three nights, during which
he wanders in a hellish dreamscape. His sins personify themselves as fiends
and attack him, while his misdeeds take on the forms of his victims and
torment him. If the subject is able to defeat his sins and atone for his
crimes he will awaken from Torpor to find himself purified.

System: The Iscariot must spend three points of blood and touch her subject
(this is often accomplished with a kiss). The subject may resist by making a
Willpower roll with a target of the Iscariot's Humanity; three successes are
necessary. If the subject does not resist or blows his roll, he falls
immediately into Torpor. While in the dreamscape the subject can use his
abilities and Disciplines, as well as burn blood. It is up to the
Storyteller what the attacking sins' stats and abilities are; one option is
to use the subject's own. If the subject loses a confrontation with a sin,
he gains a Derangement. At the end of the Torpor, the subject makes a single
Willpower roll with a target of ten, minus one for every sin overcome. Thus
if a character defeated four sins, their target number would be six. Each
success the subject gets adds one to their Humanity. The Iscariot may not
use this power on herself, nor may she raise the Humanity of any given
subject more than once.

[6] Sanctuary: By marking the lintels of the door (or a circle on the
ground) with three points of his blood, the Iscariot may prevent
supernatural beings from entering a room or area. Vampires or other beings
who would try must make a Willpower roll vs. the Iscariot's Humanity. If
they get three successes they may enter. The Iscariot may designate certain
beings who are free to enter. If a Vampire or other being succeeds in
forcing its way in, than it may continue to freely enter that area until a
new Sanctuary has been made, after which point it must roll as usual. The
Sanctuary lasts for one week, and the traditional time to apply the blood is
the Sabbath. Certain of the Iscariots claim that if the Sanctuary is made on
Passover, it will last for a year.

[7] Transubstansiation: The Iscariots use this power to aid themselves and
other Vampires in the struggle for redemption. By spending a point of blood
and mingling it with water or wine, the Iscariot may convert up to a quart
of the liquid into an equivalent amount of (non-Vampiric) blood. The Blood
Point is transformed along with the liquid.

[8] Kiss of Judas: By spending at least a point of blood and kissing his
victim with bloodstained lips, the Iscariot may turn the victim's closest
friends and allies against her. For every Blood Point spent, one of the
victim's friends, allies, or loved ones (determined by the Storyteller) must
roll Willpower with a target of eight and make at least one success, or they
will begin to despise the victim and seek to do her in. Those who do begin
to hate the victim will be aware that it is a sudden change, but will
rationalise it to themselves. The effect is more or less permanent, though
the intensity of the hatred will lessen with time. If the victim can somehow
convince her former friends that she and they are under a curse, she might
be able to win them back, but it will be a long, slow proccess.