The Walden By: Mitchell Kelly (mk00nf@csl.gov.uk) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Blackjack Davy come striding through them woods, sing his songs so gay, That he play and he sang 'till them greenwoods rang, and he charmed the heart of a lady" -Steve Gaines, "Blackjack Davy" Nickname: Woodwoses History: The Walden are an extremely ancient English bloodline. Indeed, they claim that they are the "original" English Kindred, and that the Ventrue, who see themselves as quintessentially English, are "mere interlopers who came from Rome". Whatever the truth of this, the Walden bloodline is now confined to York, where it has both retreated and been driven to over the centuries. It seems possible that they are somehow an offshoot of the Gangrel, but this is mere speculation. The Walden have an affinity for plants rather than animals. At present, there are rather less than a dozen of the Bloodline all told, although this should not be taken as a mark of weakness on their part. No one has set eyes on a Walden and lived since a representative of the Bloodline came to sign the Convention of Thorns. Thus, the Bloodline is shrouded in mystery since most of those who might have seen one are either finally dead or else incommunicado. A number of strange stories have grown up around the Walden and their control over York. Appearance: Generally quite large, imposing physical specimens. Both sexes develop extensive body hair after the Embrace, and all males members have extensive beards. This body hair varies in form from soft and mossy to almost twig like in the beards of the male elders. The Walden's skins have a peculiar greenish tint, replaced by a ruddy brownish tone just after feeding. This in no way renders them unattractive, although their rough, earthy image is often an acquired taste. Background: Most are of the lower classes, and were associated with the earth or woodlands before their Embrace. Concepts include forester, hunter, and more recently, biologist, or new age mystic. Demeanors are widely variable, but are usually open and not devious. Natures tend to reflect the concept: survivor, loner, fanatic and so on. Human assets tend to be gained after Embrace, so can be anything, but Allies, Contacts and Herds among those who work in the woodlands are most common. Disciplines: Fortitude, Obfuscate and Lugharn are the Bloodline's own Disciplines. Of the others available, Animalism, Auspex and Potence are the most common. Creation: Physical attributes are generally primary, along with Talents. Skills common to the Bloodline are Animal Ken, Stealth and Repair, whilst Knowledges like Plant Lore, Biology and Occult are prized. In general, Walden have a high background in generation. Indeed, no Walden below eighth Generation are known. Allies, Contacts (especially local to York) and Retainers are otherwise common. Physical or Supernatural Merits are common, as is the Flaw, Anachronism. Walden cannot take the Flaw Taint of Corruption. Weakness: Walden are tied to a particular tree for their unlives. If this tree is destroyed, so is the Walden. If the tree is damaged, so is the Walden. At irregular periods, the "life essence" of the Kindred must be transferred to a new tree. This can only be accomplished by an Elder of the Bloodline, and is the cause for a long, serious ceremony. Walden take great care not to reveal which is their own tree. Walden must also wear a sprig from their own tree's species somewhere about their person at all times. If this is lost, the Walden takes a one die penalty until it is recovered or replaced. Organisation: Confine to the city of York, the Bloodline has less than twelve members, although all are of high Generation. The Bloodline is generally informal, and members get on with their unlives without any undue interference from the Elders. One exception is when other Kindred come visiting: the whole Bloodline acts in concert to remove them, dead or alive, without revealing itself. Lugharn The Discipline of Lugharn is a set of powers that allow the Walden to manipulate the trees that grow around them, using them to hide, to move and to spite their enemies. *Sylvan Bosom: By spending a blood point, the Walden can "meld" with a tree, provided that the tree is at least half a thick as the Walden's body. In this form, the Walden is safe from sunlight and can pass the day, but is totally unaware of her surroundings. If the tree is cut down or burned, the Walden will die. **Hands of the Forester: By spending a blood point, the user's hands develop sharp edges along the outside. These can be used as weapons or tools, to cut through materials as if an axe were being used. The edges gain no advantage over normal fists in combat except that all damage is aggravated. ***Sylvan Movement: By spending a blood point, and then melding with a tree as in Sylvan Bosom, the user can reappear from any large enough tree within a 50m radius, provided that it can be seen from the first tree. ****Knowledge of the Woodland. If the Walden rolls Charisma+Empathy, difficulty 8, she can learn what has happened in the vicinity of a tree in the immediate past. One Success: Vague impressions of the number of people within the last five minutes. Two successes: A fairly precise feel for the number of people within the last five minutes, and their direction of travel. Three successes: How many people, where they were going, and how quickly. Four successes: As for three, but a general feeling of the purpose of any group. More than four successes: As for three successes, but a strong impression of the purpose, ambition or goal of any group. *****Alliance of the Forest. By spending a blood point and rolling Charisma+Survival, difficulty 7, the Kindred can cause the plants behind her to rise up to slow down pursuers. One Success: Roots and branches push themselves out to hinder pursuers. Difficulties for rolls go up by one, failures or botches result in tripping or receiving a poke in the eye. Two successes: Roots and branches physically grab people as they go past. Difficulties increase by three. Anyone failing is held for one round, and anyone botching is held for a minute. Three Successes: The roots and branches, grasp, entangle and grip. Anyone caught must have Strength+Potence greater than four or be held, requiring a willpower roll for a feat of strength to escape. Anyone failing or botching this roll is held for an hour. Three or more successes: As above, but the Strength+Potence requirement is more than six. Level Six: Forest Prison. The Walden spends a blood point and rolls Manipulation+Empathy versus the target's willpower. If the target loses, she will be immured inside a nearby tree for a varying period. Number of extra successes Period imprisoned 1 One hour 2 One day 3 One month 3+ One year Target botches Indefinite (1-100 years) Walden botches one day per botch (self) Anyone trapped indefinitely will go into torpor and be released if the tree dies. Most who are so trapped are hopelessly insane when released. Discipline to level seven and eight are rumoured, but not known Level Seven Ritual: Restoring the Sylvan Spirit. The user spends five blood points and rolls Manipulation+Occult, difficulty eight. The other party must spend five blood points and a willpower point, then roll Stamina+Survival, difficulty six. If both rolls succeed, the other party's spirit is transferred to another tree, and she can continue her unlife. If either party fails, the ceremony is unsuccessful, and cannot be repeated for a week. A botch instantly kills both parties.