•• Witch-Cloak
The Vedma are known for their sometimes bizarre appearance and use of trickery to protect themselves. With this power, an Old Witch can Disguise herself amid the weeds of an abandoned lot, vanish into a row of roadside trees or appear to change her shape. The Vedma has only a slight ability to control this power, however. Rather, it is a mystic effect that radiates from her own corpse to affect the eyes of others.
Note that this power does not actually change the Vedma’s shape in any way. Instead, it plays with the senses of an onlooker. A Vedma may appear to transform from a tree into her normal form, when in fact she was simply standing near other trees. A Vedma may appear to have a wooden post in place of legs, when in fact she is simply wearing a brown skirt. The images perceived by the subject become more dramatic as the Vedma’s proficiency with Zagovny increases.
Note that this power does not actually change the Vedma’s shape in any way. Instead, it plays with the senses of an onlooker. A Vedma may appear to transform from a tree into her normal form, when in fact she was simply standing near other trees. A Vedma may appear to have a wooden post in place of legs, when in fact she is simply wearing a brown skirt. The images perceived by the subject become more dramatic as the Vedma’s proficiency with Zagovny increases.
Effect
The Witch-Cloak allows the character to add her dots in Zagovny to Stealth and Subterfuge dice pools to hide or Disguise herself. Whereas a mundane Disguise allows a character to pass herself off as someone else, this power allows the Vedma to pass herself off as something else with an extraordinary success. Note that this power cannot compensate for the character’s Blood weaknesses or Humanity; a bestial Vedma may go so far as to Disguise herself as a wolf, but cannot pass for a normal human. Likewise, the character’s Disguise cannot dramatically change her apparent Size.
As a rule of thumb, a disguised Vedma does not seem more trustworthy or less monstrous unless she also uses a Skill like Persuasion to change the subject’s mind. This power only alters the subject’s literal perceptions.
A Vedma augmenting her Stealth Skill with the Witch-Cloak never appears to vanish using this power. Rather, she appears to be something else. A Vedma hiding in a ruined house might be mistaken for a man-sized patch of water damage to the wallpaper, while a Vedma sneaking across a playground might appear as a mass of blowing leaves.
The Vedma’s control over this power is influenced by her Specialties. The Vedma may combine her mystic prowess with other Equipment bonuses, as well. The mad witches of Slavic folklore seemed to wear their “alternate forms” as capes on their backs or leaves in their hair. No doubt some of those witches were simply fooling the eyes of their subjects with this power.
As a rule of thumb, a disguised Vedma does not seem more trustworthy or less monstrous unless she also uses a Skill like Persuasion to change the subject’s mind. This power only alters the subject’s literal perceptions.
A Vedma augmenting her Stealth Skill with the Witch-Cloak never appears to vanish using this power. Rather, she appears to be something else. A Vedma hiding in a ruined house might be mistaken for a man-sized patch of water damage to the wallpaper, while a Vedma sneaking across a playground might appear as a mass of blowing leaves.
The Vedma’s control over this power is influenced by her Specialties. The Vedma may combine her mystic prowess with other Equipment bonuses, as well. The mad witches of Slavic folklore seemed to wear their “alternate forms” as capes on their backs or leaves in their hair. No doubt some of those witches were simply fooling the eyes of their subjects with this power.
Material Components
Cost: 1 Vitae per scene
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: No roll is necessary to activate this power.
Related Discipline
Effect Casting Time
N/A
Level
2
Applied Restriction
Modifier | Situation
+2 | The character is standing still (for Stealth actions).
+1 | The character has successfully hidden in the same spot before (for Stealth actions).
+1 | The character has successfully fooled the subject before (for Disguise attempts).
–1 | Each witness after the first present when the character invokes this power.
–3 | The character attempts to Disguise herself as a person or creature one Size larger or smaller.
–1 to –3 | The character attempts to hide in an open or empty area (for Stealth actions).
+2 | The character is standing still (for Stealth actions).
+1 | The character has successfully hidden in the same spot before (for Stealth actions).
+1 | The character has successfully fooled the subject before (for Disguise attempts).
–1 | Each witness after the first present when the character invokes this power.
–3 | The character attempts to Disguise herself as a person or creature one Size larger or smaller.
–1 to –3 | The character attempts to hide in an open or empty area (for Stealth actions).