Childer of the Morrigan
The Childer of the Morrigan are the orphans of a vanished army. Where once they were generals and war-chiefs of the covenant, tonight they are mercenaries and advisors in service to segments of pagan power.
Or so the legends say. In truth, because The Circle of the Crone has never had the cohesion necessary to facilitate the formation of a great fi ghting force — and has never been willing to violate the Masquerade to such a degree — it’s doubtful that the Childer of the Morrigan were ever much more than respected advisors, wise warriors or cunning leaders. (As if such roles were not legendary in their own right.)
What seems to have changed for the Morrigans is the assumption of their necessity. No longer is the blood of a Stormcrow widely recognized as an essential component in the defense of the covenant. It has been a century since the Morrigan name was synonymous with great rank and, therefore, given respect and fear out of refl ex. Tonight, many Morrigans are cherished and praised as leaders, protectors and visionary warriors, but just as many are anonymous vigilantes and forgotten veterans of forgotten wars.
The Morrigans blame the changing notions of war in the modern night. Although, on the one hand, a single warrior is still seen as a viable and potent force in battle, a warrior is so often cherished less than a weapon these nights. Why go to the trouble of funding and housing a Morrigan for the domain when any cheap hound can carry the very best weaponry against the enemy and is cheaper to replace besides?
The Kindred who say such things are short-sighted fools with no memory. The Childer of the Morrigan have swung swords in defense of The Circle of the Crone for three thousand years. The fi rst Morrigans were the warrior- queens of the covenant. They laid the foundation stones and raised up the tents under which persecuted pagan cults were unifi ed. The history of the Morrigans’ devotion and contribution to The Crone is sterling, tarnished only with age.
In the earliest nights of the covenant, the Childer of the Morrigan swore to defend it. Though stories of Kindred descended from the Morrigan go back beyond the founding of the covenant, it seems clear that this bloodline was formed on that night, when its blood was promised to the covenant for all time. Thus the Stormcrows became a part of the mortar holding the loose stones of the Circle together. Three unconnected, religiously distinct cults in a single city might not be able to agree on a name for The Crone, but they could agree to pay tribute to the Childer of the Morrigan to keep hostile vampires at bay.
But that was a long time ago.
Since then, the Morrigan have dwindled. By the Middle Ages, the notion of a whole coterie of Stormcrows residing in a single domain had become unrealistic. In place of three or four warriors to oversee Hounds and assist Sheriffs, average Acolyte domains kept a single Morrigan near the Prince and Primogen as the nucleus of a war council — a body of advisory vampires of which the Morrigan was just one member. The largest Acolyte territories boasted war councils populated entirely by Morrigans. These wise women advised Princes and Hierophants alike in the proper uses of violence and when the promise of violence was enough to secure victory. They were generals, but they were historians and poets, too. They didn’t just lead vampires to victory, they lead Kindred away from needless battles and toward precarious peaces.
But that, too, was long ago.
The number of Morrigans has dwindled in the face of more bloodlines vying for Kindred attention and the presence of more cities pulling Kindred factions apart. Tonight, the Childer of the Morrigan are as likely to reside as hermits on the edge of Acolyte society as they are at the side of a Hierophant. They are warrior-poets without wars to fi ght, supplanted by subtler power-plays and political back-stabbing. Acolyte cults, after centuries of religious change and mutated by decades of neopagan revisions, have grown further apart from each other. Tonight’s Circle of The Crone looks so little like that the first Morrigans swore to protect, but still their blood is bound to it.
But the covenant can never be wholly safe. The night when Acolytes need the Childer of the Morrigan again cannot be far off.
Or so the legends say. In truth, because The Circle of the Crone has never had the cohesion necessary to facilitate the formation of a great fi ghting force — and has never been willing to violate the Masquerade to such a degree — it’s doubtful that the Childer of the Morrigan were ever much more than respected advisors, wise warriors or cunning leaders. (As if such roles were not legendary in their own right.)
What seems to have changed for the Morrigans is the assumption of their necessity. No longer is the blood of a Stormcrow widely recognized as an essential component in the defense of the covenant. It has been a century since the Morrigan name was synonymous with great rank and, therefore, given respect and fear out of refl ex. Tonight, many Morrigans are cherished and praised as leaders, protectors and visionary warriors, but just as many are anonymous vigilantes and forgotten veterans of forgotten wars.
The Morrigans blame the changing notions of war in the modern night. Although, on the one hand, a single warrior is still seen as a viable and potent force in battle, a warrior is so often cherished less than a weapon these nights. Why go to the trouble of funding and housing a Morrigan for the domain when any cheap hound can carry the very best weaponry against the enemy and is cheaper to replace besides?
The Kindred who say such things are short-sighted fools with no memory. The Childer of the Morrigan have swung swords in defense of The Circle of the Crone for three thousand years. The fi rst Morrigans were the warrior- queens of the covenant. They laid the foundation stones and raised up the tents under which persecuted pagan cults were unifi ed. The history of the Morrigans’ devotion and contribution to The Crone is sterling, tarnished only with age.
In the earliest nights of the covenant, the Childer of the Morrigan swore to defend it. Though stories of Kindred descended from the Morrigan go back beyond the founding of the covenant, it seems clear that this bloodline was formed on that night, when its blood was promised to the covenant for all time. Thus the Stormcrows became a part of the mortar holding the loose stones of the Circle together. Three unconnected, religiously distinct cults in a single city might not be able to agree on a name for The Crone, but they could agree to pay tribute to the Childer of the Morrigan to keep hostile vampires at bay.
But that was a long time ago.
Since then, the Morrigan have dwindled. By the Middle Ages, the notion of a whole coterie of Stormcrows residing in a single domain had become unrealistic. In place of three or four warriors to oversee Hounds and assist Sheriffs, average Acolyte domains kept a single Morrigan near the Prince and Primogen as the nucleus of a war council — a body of advisory vampires of which the Morrigan was just one member. The largest Acolyte territories boasted war councils populated entirely by Morrigans. These wise women advised Princes and Hierophants alike in the proper uses of violence and when the promise of violence was enough to secure victory. They were generals, but they were historians and poets, too. They didn’t just lead vampires to victory, they lead Kindred away from needless battles and toward precarious peaces.
But that, too, was long ago.
The number of Morrigans has dwindled in the face of more bloodlines vying for Kindred attention and the presence of more cities pulling Kindred factions apart. Tonight, the Childer of the Morrigan are as likely to reside as hermits on the edge of Acolyte society as they are at the side of a Hierophant. They are warrior-poets without wars to fi ght, supplanted by subtler power-plays and political back-stabbing. Acolyte cults, after centuries of religious change and mutated by decades of neopagan revisions, have grown further apart from each other. Tonight’s Circle of The Crone looks so little like that the first Morrigans swore to protect, but still their blood is bound to it.
But the covenant can never be wholly safe. The night when Acolytes need the Childer of the Morrigan again cannot be far off.
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Background: Though somewhere along the line the archetypal image of a Morrigan became that of a tough middle-aged warrior woman, the truth is that Stormcrows come from all ages of mortals. Likewise, contrary the ignorant notion that Morrigans are man-hating lesbian feministas, most Morrigans seem to be old-fashioned providers and protectors, part iron-fisted mother and part femme fatale. As many Morrigans were soft-skinned, shy bookworms in life as were weight-lifting power jocks.
For many of the Childer of the Morrigan, the idea of a harder demeanor and a more severe existence only becomes appealing after the social checklists of mortal life are relieved. Without all the bullshit that comes with a mortal life — job pressures, family issues, relationships, sex, money — a new Morrigan finds the razor-sharp simplicity of faith and ferocity attractive. For some, the appeal of the Morrigan’s Requiem is as simple as the appeal of change. The vampire is no longer the living woman she used to be, so why shouldn’t she try something new?
That said, there is no shortage of butch soldiers in the ranks of the Stormcrows. They simply aren’t the majority that some vampire jokers claim they are. In fact, the inherent change in the blood that comes from adopting the Morrigan bloodline may even be more appealing for those vampires for whom the transformation is more drastic. A former marine turned Acolyte has little need to tap into the Morrigan myth to think of herself as a soldier, but the churchgoing soccer mom turned Savage may want to commit to her new existence by becoming a Stormcrow.
As with several other Acolyte bloodlines, the Childer of the Morrigan are not strictly closed to vampires of either gender. Many Morrigans find the idea that their patron goddess would forbid herself to have sons to be absurd, but others maintain that the bloodline is meant to symbolically uphold the role of the goddess as the Great Queen and warrior-woman, which males simply can’t do. Thus in some domains all Morrigans are female due to unspoken assumptions and in others all are female out of tradition (or sexist custom), but several so-called Sons of the Morrigan can be found throughout the lands to which this bloodline has spread.
For many of the Childer of the Morrigan, the idea of a harder demeanor and a more severe existence only becomes appealing after the social checklists of mortal life are relieved. Without all the bullshit that comes with a mortal life — job pressures, family issues, relationships, sex, money — a new Morrigan finds the razor-sharp simplicity of faith and ferocity attractive. For some, the appeal of the Morrigan’s Requiem is as simple as the appeal of change. The vampire is no longer the living woman she used to be, so why shouldn’t she try something new?
That said, there is no shortage of butch soldiers in the ranks of the Stormcrows. They simply aren’t the majority that some vampire jokers claim they are. In fact, the inherent change in the blood that comes from adopting the Morrigan bloodline may even be more appealing for those vampires for whom the transformation is more drastic. A former marine turned Acolyte has little need to tap into the Morrigan myth to think of herself as a soldier, but the churchgoing soccer mom turned Savage may want to commit to her new existence by becoming a Stormcrow.
As with several other Acolyte bloodlines, the Childer of the Morrigan are not strictly closed to vampires of either gender. Many Morrigans find the idea that their patron goddess would forbid herself to have sons to be absurd, but others maintain that the bloodline is meant to symbolically uphold the role of the goddess as the Great Queen and warrior-woman, which males simply can’t do. Thus in some domains all Morrigans are female due to unspoken assumptions and in others all are female out of tradition (or sexist custom), but several so-called Sons of the Morrigan can be found throughout the lands to which this bloodline has spread.
Common Dress code
Appearance: Although men and women, young and old, have become Childer of the Morrigan throughout history, it’s a matter of fact that, tonight, white women over the age of forty are the archetypal Morrigans. Many of these warrior-witches led painfully mundane lives before the Embrace, coming to love the thrill of conflict only after their bodies died. Thus many Morrigans do not have physiques that match their true physicality — or their philosophy.
Morrigans seldom dress like “warriors,” whatever that means tonight. Rather, they dress to impress, often combining simple elegance and sturdy functionality. Many fights can be overcome by preempting them with a display of confidence and poise. Morrigans excel at this.
Common modern dress for Stormcrows combines comfortable jeans and attention-getting T-shirts with fur-hooded military parkas, or pairs simple slip-like dresses with oversized feathered jackets. Large outerwear increases the Morrigan’s perceived presence in the room and gets in an enemy’s way in a fight, but it can all be shed easily if need be. Just like a Morrigan’s calm demeanor.
Raven imagery is popular with Morrigans trying to attract attention. Black, feather-rimmed jackets are common tonight, painted wings on leather jackets or army coats have been traditional within the covenant and the bloodline since the ’60s. Black-blotted eyes, black nails and feather-themed jewelry is popular among the Stormcrows.
Morrigans seldom dress like “warriors,” whatever that means tonight. Rather, they dress to impress, often combining simple elegance and sturdy functionality. Many fights can be overcome by preempting them with a display of confidence and poise. Morrigans excel at this.
Common modern dress for Stormcrows combines comfortable jeans and attention-getting T-shirts with fur-hooded military parkas, or pairs simple slip-like dresses with oversized feathered jackets. Large outerwear increases the Morrigan’s perceived presence in the room and gets in an enemy’s way in a fight, but it can all be shed easily if need be. Just like a Morrigan’s calm demeanor.
Raven imagery is popular with Morrigans trying to attract attention. Black, feather-rimmed jackets are common tonight, painted wings on leather jackets or army coats have been traditional within the covenant and the bloodline since the ’60s. Black-blotted eyes, black nails and feather-themed jewelry is popular among the Stormcrows.
Art & Architecture
Haven: Morrigans maintain havens as distinctive as their individual personalities. In general, personal comfort is not a major concern for these vampires, though Morrigans who consider themselves the childer of the Great Queen are liable to act like princesses. The majority of Morrigans who are able use the power of Protean (••) to make their havens in soil, Rock or even water.
This isn’t to say they shirk the benefits of modern protection that Kindred may enjoy. But a Morrigan’s protection can take many forms. Remote, difficult to reach havens in industrial parks, forest preserves and local ruins discourage random visitors. Colder, wetter or generally harsher sites can tire out or frustrate many would-be vampire-hunters as they make their approach — every little edge helps. Whenever possible, a Morrigan’s Haven should require an approach on foot, to prevent the sudden arrival of screeching enemy SUVs; even a short hike can go a long way towards discouraging searchers.
Obviously, Morrigans are more concerned with Haven Security than Haven Location. For these vampires, security means false doors, ghoulish raven sentries and sturdy doors with high-quality padlocks. A barred concrete shed with a thick layer of cold black dirt on its floor is an ideal nest for a Stormcrow.
This isn’t to say they shirk the benefits of modern protection that Kindred may enjoy. But a Morrigan’s protection can take many forms. Remote, difficult to reach havens in industrial parks, forest preserves and local ruins discourage random visitors. Colder, wetter or generally harsher sites can tire out or frustrate many would-be vampire-hunters as they make their approach — every little edge helps. Whenever possible, a Morrigan’s Haven should require an approach on foot, to prevent the sudden arrival of screeching enemy SUVs; even a short hike can go a long way towards discouraging searchers.
Obviously, Morrigans are more concerned with Haven Security than Haven Location. For these vampires, security means false doors, ghoulish raven sentries and sturdy doors with high-quality padlocks. A barred concrete shed with a thick layer of cold black dirt on its floor is an ideal nest for a Stormcrow.
Major organizations
Covenant: The Childer of the Morrigan have been dedicated followers of the Ac-o-lyte philosophy for thousands of years. Though some claim that their lineage predates the gathering of vampire cults into the covenant of the crone, it is undeniable that the Stormcrows are a distinctly Acolyte tradition. Morrigans who are not members of the covenant are likely to be ostracized — or at least thought turncoats — by their kin.
That said, these warriors know that they must often serve multiple masters. Childer of the Morrigan who act on behalf of other covenants, or even accept a degree of membership in other ranks, may simply be seen as respected experts enjoying the benefits of their authority. If The Invictus can recognize the value of the Morrigans, then good for them. As long as a Stormcrow remembers where her spiritual loyalty lies — to the Morrigan — all may be well.
Stormcrows become unaligned vampires with surprising frequency, however. When the covenant’s political or practical aims diverge too far from those of the Stormcrow (or her matron war god), the best she can do oppose her mother covenant is to cut her support of it. A Stormcrow who turns against the covenant her ancestors fought to forge is the worst sort of betrayer… as long as her enemies within the covenant remain in power. All may be rewritten by a victorious Morrigan after the battle is won.
Organization: The organization of the Childer of the Morrigan has collapsed along with their prestige. Their war councils are largely things of the past. It’s rare now when Stormcrows gather in groups larger than pairs or trios within a single domain — sisters, sires or coterie-mates.
The majority of Stormcrows tonight are solitary women without childer or fellow vampires in their bloodline. That is, they are crones, waiting and hoping that some bold young warrior will seek them out for tutelage and make a commitment to the Morrigan’s lineage.
In the meantime, the Childer of the Morrigan serve their covenant as if it were their church. Many serve their Prince or Hierophant as if she were their queen. They are lonely (but not necessarily independent) warrior-women bravely patrolling the edges of Kindred society, where the orange glow of the streetlights turns into darkness, defending the domain against mortals and monsters. Without a war to fight, without Devoted followers to lead against an enemy, however, they sulk and sigh in the dark, uncertain what to do with themselves.
That said, these warriors know that they must often serve multiple masters. Childer of the Morrigan who act on behalf of other covenants, or even accept a degree of membership in other ranks, may simply be seen as respected experts enjoying the benefits of their authority. If The Invictus can recognize the value of the Morrigans, then good for them. As long as a Stormcrow remembers where her spiritual loyalty lies — to the Morrigan — all may be well.
Stormcrows become unaligned vampires with surprising frequency, however. When the covenant’s political or practical aims diverge too far from those of the Stormcrow (or her matron war god), the best she can do oppose her mother covenant is to cut her support of it. A Stormcrow who turns against the covenant her ancestors fought to forge is the worst sort of betrayer… as long as her enemies within the covenant remain in power. All may be rewritten by a victorious Morrigan after the battle is won.
Organization: The organization of the Childer of the Morrigan has collapsed along with their prestige. Their war councils are largely things of the past. It’s rare now when Stormcrows gather in groups larger than pairs or trios within a single domain — sisters, sires or coterie-mates.
The majority of Stormcrows tonight are solitary women without childer or fellow vampires in their bloodline. That is, they are crones, waiting and hoping that some bold young warrior will seek them out for tutelage and make a commitment to the Morrigan’s lineage.
In the meantime, the Childer of the Morrigan serve their covenant as if it were their church. Many serve their Prince or Hierophant as if she were their queen. They are lonely (but not necessarily independent) warrior-women bravely patrolling the edges of Kindred society, where the orange glow of the streetlights turns into darkness, defending the domain against mortals and monsters. Without a war to fight, without Devoted followers to lead against an enemy, however, they sulk and sigh in the dark, uncertain what to do with themselves.
Nickname: Stormcrows or simply Morrigans
Character Creation: Because so many Childer of the Morrigan weren’t raised to be warriors, they do not often begin their Requiems with traits that match bloodline stereotypes. Morrigans are a varied lot. By the time most would-be Stormcrows enter into the bloodline, however, they have had years (if not centuries) of undeath to learn Skills and hone Attributes more in line with their new roles.
Morrigans seldom put much importance on Firearms, whether out of a ceremonial appreciation for traditional weaponry or out of a practical desire to do more damage to undead foes. Crúac is regarded by some Morrigans as witches’ work, not the business of warriors, but others see it as just another weapon.
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Protean, Resilience, Vigor.
When a Morrigan learns Protean •••• (or when a Gangrel with that power becomes a Morrigan), her bat-form is replaced with that of a carrion-crow. The traits of this form are identical to those of the bat form, except that bonus dice apply to scent rather than hearing. With the Storyteller’s permission, a Stormcrow may spend three experience points to gain (or regain) access to the more traditional bat form bestowed by the Shape of the Beast power.
Weakness: Stormcrows suffer the same base affliction as their parent clan: the 10-again rule does not apply to Intelligence- or Wits-based dice pools for these vampires. Additionally, any 1’s that are rolled subtract from successes (see p. 107 of Vampire: The Requiem). As their Humanity scores erode, Stormcrows’ minds become more bestial and base. In the case of these warriors, elegant strategy gives way to brutal tactics. A humane Morrigan strives for the right victory for the battle; a monstrous Morrigan takes unnecessary risks to hurt the enemy and add suffering to defeat.
Defeat, however, is not something a Morrigan makes peace with easily herself. Her dedication to the covenant is distilled in her blood. In addition to the afflictions inherent in her Gangrel blood, a Morrigan is subject to a terrible dread of the soul. Stormcrows suffer from a permanent, incurable case of Depression (as per the derangement, see p. 97 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). In addition to normal triggers, the following circumstances also prompt a Resolve + Composure roll to see if the Morrigan suffers the derangement’s effects:
Concepts: Battle maiden, blood-worshipping corporate warlord, cold-blooded marine, general in Hecate’s army, Hierophant by the sword, modern-night Joan of Arc, romantic warrior-poet, self-styled black-leather hoplite.
At the Storyteller’s option, the Childer of the Morrigan may enjoy a special benefit as a result of their bloodline’s unique devotion to (and dependence on) The Circle of the Crone: Any Morrigan with ••• in Blood Potency and Covenant Status: Circle of The Crone • or higher may be allowed to purchase the ••• Crúac ritual Touch of the Morrigan, even if the Stormcrow has no dots in Crúac herself. The roll to activate this ritual is therefore simply Manipulation + Occult, with a cost of 1 Vitae as usual. If learned in this way, the ritual becomes an instant, rather than an extended, action to cast — however many successes the Morrigan earns on a single roll is what the ritual power deals in damage.
This power costs six experience points to learn in this way. If the Morrigan later learns Crúac ••• or higher, she must buy the ritual again if she wishes to cast it according to the usual method (and thereby gain the benefit of her Crúac dots in her activation dice pool).
If the Storyteller creates other bloodlines, he might offer a similar benefit to them, as well, allowing the purchase of another single Crúac or Theban Sorcery ritual that is closely linked with the bloodline’s theme and abilities. This benefit shouldn’t be given to bloodlines with unique Disciplines.
This optional bloodline weakness may be too potent for some chronicles, and not potent enough for others. Storytellers with a sizeable number of vampires belonging to bloodlines in their chronicle’s domain may get use out of this optional bloodline weakness, possibly even attaching it to a bloodline like the Gorgons or one drawn from Bloodlines: The Legendary. If bloodline-based vampires are rare in your chronicle (or even if Kindred themselves are especially rare!), this bloodline may be too restrictive to be of use to you:
“For any vampire from this lineage to gain the benefits of the bloodline’s unique Discipline, there must be at least three members of the bloodline within a fixed mystic range of one another. This range is a number of miles equal to the highest Blood Potency of the bloodline’s local members — the vampire whose Blood Potency defines the range is known as the Matron. Unless three vampires from the bloodline are within range of the Matron, none of these vampires may use the bloodline’s signature Discipline. If more than three members of the bloodline are within range, each additional member beyond the third imposes a cumulative –2 penalty on all dice pools to use the unique Discipline.”
Parent ethnicities
Morrigans seldom put much importance on Firearms, whether out of a ceremonial appreciation for traditional weaponry or out of a practical desire to do more damage to undead foes. Crúac is regarded by some Morrigans as witches’ work, not the business of warriors, but others see it as just another weapon.
Bloodline Disciplines: Animalism, Protean, Resilience, Vigor.
When a Morrigan learns Protean •••• (or when a Gangrel with that power becomes a Morrigan), her bat-form is replaced with that of a carrion-crow. The traits of this form are identical to those of the bat form, except that bonus dice apply to scent rather than hearing. With the Storyteller’s permission, a Stormcrow may spend three experience points to gain (or regain) access to the more traditional bat form bestowed by the Shape of the Beast power.
Weakness: Stormcrows suffer the same base affliction as their parent clan: the 10-again rule does not apply to Intelligence- or Wits-based dice pools for these vampires. Additionally, any 1’s that are rolled subtract from successes (see p. 107 of Vampire: The Requiem). As their Humanity scores erode, Stormcrows’ minds become more bestial and base. In the case of these warriors, elegant strategy gives way to brutal tactics. A humane Morrigan strives for the right victory for the battle; a monstrous Morrigan takes unnecessary risks to hurt the enemy and add suffering to defeat.
Defeat, however, is not something a Morrigan makes peace with easily herself. Her dedication to the covenant is distilled in her blood. In addition to the afflictions inherent in her Gangrel blood, a Morrigan is subject to a terrible dread of the soul. Stormcrows suffer from a permanent, incurable case of Depression (as per the derangement, see p. 97 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). In addition to normal triggers, the following circumstances also prompt a Resolve + Composure roll to see if the Morrigan suffers the derangement’s effects:
- Defeat in battle: The Morrigan is a part of any battle in which Acolyte losses (including Ghouls, Retainers and the like) outnumber the opponent’s losses. In some cases, losses may not even be necessary, if the number of injured or routed Acolytes is very high or if the persons hurt or slain are very close to the character.
- Wasted effort: The Morrigan spends a Willpower point to augment any trait or dice pool outside of combat yet fails at the action she was attempting. A Morrigan shouldn’t devote herself so utterly to anything but the defense and safety of her fellow Acolytes.
- Disfavor: The Morrigan’s Covenant Status: Circle of the Crone is reduced to zero dots. Each night that a Morrigan spends out of favor with her people provokes her Depression.
Concepts: Battle maiden, blood-worshipping corporate warlord, cold-blooded marine, general in Hecate’s army, Hierophant by the sword, modern-night Joan of Arc, romantic warrior-poet, self-styled black-leather hoplite.
Optional Benefit:
Inherent Ritual Power
At the Storyteller’s option, the Childer of the Morrigan may enjoy a special benefit as a result of their bloodline’s unique devotion to (and dependence on) The Circle of the Crone: Any Morrigan with ••• in Blood Potency and Covenant Status: Circle of The Crone • or higher may be allowed to purchase the ••• Crúac ritual Touch of the Morrigan, even if the Stormcrow has no dots in Crúac herself. The roll to activate this ritual is therefore simply Manipulation + Occult, with a cost of 1 Vitae as usual. If learned in this way, the ritual becomes an instant, rather than an extended, action to cast — however many successes the Morrigan earns on a single roll is what the ritual power deals in damage.Inherent Ritual Power
This power costs six experience points to learn in this way. If the Morrigan later learns Crúac ••• or higher, she must buy the ritual again if she wishes to cast it according to the usual method (and thereby gain the benefit of her Crúac dots in her activation dice pool).
If the Storyteller creates other bloodlines, he might offer a similar benefit to them, as well, allowing the purchase of another single Crúac or Theban Sorcery ritual that is closely linked with the bloodline’s theme and abilities. This benefit shouldn’t be given to bloodlines with unique Disciplines.
Optional Bloodlines Weakness:
Triumvirate of Power
This optional bloodline weakness may be too potent for some chronicles, and not potent enough for others. Storytellers with a sizeable number of vampires belonging to bloodlines in their chronicle’s domain may get use out of this optional bloodline weakness, possibly even attaching it to a bloodline like the Gorgons or one drawn from Bloodlines: The Legendary. If bloodline-based vampires are rare in your chronicle (or even if Kindred themselves are especially rare!), this bloodline may be too restrictive to be of use to you:Triumvirate of Power
“For any vampire from this lineage to gain the benefits of the bloodline’s unique Discipline, there must be at least three members of the bloodline within a fixed mystic range of one another. This range is a number of miles equal to the highest Blood Potency of the bloodline’s local members — the vampire whose Blood Potency defines the range is known as the Matron. Unless three vampires from the bloodline are within range of the Matron, none of these vampires may use the bloodline’s signature Discipline. If more than three members of the bloodline are within range, each additional member beyond the third imposes a cumulative –2 penalty on all dice pools to use the unique Discipline.”
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