Churchtower Gaze
Nightmare ••, Majesty ••
The Nelapsi are credited with a countenance that can terrify or awe onlookers, driving them off or rallying them to a vampire for the protection he seems to offer in an otherwise terrifying world. Doubtless, the church tower part of the legend stems from Nelapsi seeking a high point from which to use this power.
Effect
Success when manifesting the Churchtower Gaze inspires a mounting feeling of dread in anyone whom the user can see with the naked eye, and culminates in the subject turning and looking upon the Nelapsi. The victim typically experiences chills, hair standing on the back of his neck, and a rising heartbeat (if mortal), before he finally, inexorably turns. While this effect has little other result, it does facilitate use of other Nightmare and Majesty powers as intended subjects look upon the vampire. The reflexive action of this Devotion allows other powers to be used in the same turn as long as total Vitae costs for them do not exceed the limits imposed by the user’s Blood Potency.
Churchtower Gaze must be resolved successfully through a contested action before another power can be activated in the same turn. If the intended subject cannot be made to look at the vampire (the Nelapsi loses the contested action), another power might not be applied in the same turn.
The Nelapsi can select one subject whom he sees, or command the attention of multiple subjects (as long as he can see them all at the same time). In the latter case, a contested roll is made for the group based on the highest Composure + Blood Potency among members. Specific individuals can also be picked out from a group, while the rest go unaffected; some turn and look while others do not.
Churchtower Gaze may cause a subject to look at a Nelapsi, but the victim suffers no direct mind control as a result. He can perform actions normally, unless another Discipline used by the Nelapsi in the same turn dictates otherwise. Someone running away from the vampire might look back over his shoulder, for example. Or one in a fight might look to the vampire momentarily, but long enough to be subject to another effect plied on him.
Naturally, a Nelapsi must be able to see his target to exert Churchtower Gaze. An Obfuscated vampire who isn’t spotted goes unaffected, even while others around him are.
Churchtower Gaze cannot be applied more than once on a subject in a scene, whether used successfully or not.
According to legend, Churchtower Gaze can be reflected if a subject (or someone in a group) raises a silvered mirror to his eyes. Doing so requires the intended victim to have the mirror in hand, and to delay his action in a turn until the Nelapsi uses this Devotion. If the subject manages to best the Nelapsi in the contested roll made for this power (the roll made for the subject gets a +3 bonus), then the Nelapsi suffers a –3 penalty to all actions for the remainder of the scene as he recoils from the horror inflicted upon himself.
Churchtower Gaze must be resolved successfully through a contested action before another power can be activated in the same turn. If the intended subject cannot be made to look at the vampire (the Nelapsi loses the contested action), another power might not be applied in the same turn.
The Nelapsi can select one subject whom he sees, or command the attention of multiple subjects (as long as he can see them all at the same time). In the latter case, a contested roll is made for the group based on the highest Composure + Blood Potency among members. Specific individuals can also be picked out from a group, while the rest go unaffected; some turn and look while others do not.
Churchtower Gaze may cause a subject to look at a Nelapsi, but the victim suffers no direct mind control as a result. He can perform actions normally, unless another Discipline used by the Nelapsi in the same turn dictates otherwise. Someone running away from the vampire might look back over his shoulder, for example. Or one in a fight might look to the vampire momentarily, but long enough to be subject to another effect plied on him.
Naturally, a Nelapsi must be able to see his target to exert Churchtower Gaze. An Obfuscated vampire who isn’t spotted goes unaffected, even while others around him are.
Churchtower Gaze cannot be applied more than once on a subject in a scene, whether used successfully or not.
According to legend, Churchtower Gaze can be reflected if a subject (or someone in a group) raises a silvered mirror to his eyes. Doing so requires the intended victim to have the mirror in hand, and to delay his action in a turn until the Nelapsi uses this Devotion. If the subject manages to best the Nelapsi in the contested roll made for this power (the roll made for the subject gets a +3 bonus), then the Nelapsi suffers a –3 penalty to all actions for the remainder of the scene as he recoils from the horror inflicted upon himself.
Note: This devotion is not taught outside of the Nelapsi bloodline. Chat with your storyteller if you want to learn this devotion and are not in that bloodline.