Consolamentum
(“The Consolation”)
Perhaps the most iconic mystery of Choronzon is a rite known as the Consolamentum (“the consolation”) for the way it consoles the spirits of the Forsworn. Over the course of the rite, the Therion anoints the brow of each participant in turn — including himself — with a drop of blood, often from the communal Vaulderie chalice. Those who partake of this rite feel their spirits strengthened, as of a mystical grip settling around both Man and Beast.
This power confers two related benefits. Ordinarily, vampires risk degenerating into madness with each successive drop in their Humanity. As the systematic dissolution of Humanity is integral to the Forsworn, however, this power works to aid in that intentional descent. All participants in the rite gain some measure of protection from the usual risks that accompany Humanity loss. First, any time a participant commits a sin for which he must make a degeneration roll, that covey member may opt to use the Therion’s rating in the Choronzon Discipline (the current rating, not the rating at the time the rite was conducted) instead of the usual dice pool. Second, any time one who participated in the rite must roll for a derangement after losing Humanity, he or she adds the Therion’s rating in Choronzon as bonus dice to the Humanity roll (to a maximum of 10 dice).
Example: A Brood member who took part in the Consolamentum rite finds himself faced with a degeneration check after cold-bloodedly murdering a child. Normally, he would roll only two dice to see if he drops in Humanity, but the rite’s power permits him to use his Therion’s Choronzon rating instead. His Therion’s rating is •••, so he’d get an extra die in this case, but he decides he doesn’t want the help this time. He rolls just the two dice . . . and fails, falling from Humanity 4 to Humanity 3. Usually, he would now roll his new Humanity rating (three dice) to see if he gains a derangement, but since he was under the effects of this power at the time, he gets to add his Therion covey-mate’s Choronzon rating (•••) as bonus dice to the derangement roll, in this case doubling his chances of success.
This power confers two related benefits. Ordinarily, vampires risk degenerating into madness with each successive drop in their Humanity. As the systematic dissolution of Humanity is integral to the Forsworn, however, this power works to aid in that intentional descent. All participants in the rite gain some measure of protection from the usual risks that accompany Humanity loss. First, any time a participant commits a sin for which he must make a degeneration roll, that covey member may opt to use the Therion’s rating in the Choronzon Discipline (the current rating, not the rating at the time the rite was conducted) instead of the usual dice pool. Second, any time one who participated in the rite must roll for a derangement after losing Humanity, he or she adds the Therion’s rating in Choronzon as bonus dice to the Humanity roll (to a maximum of 10 dice).
Example: A Brood member who took part in the Consolamentum rite finds himself faced with a degeneration check after cold-bloodedly murdering a child. Normally, he would roll only two dice to see if he drops in Humanity, but the rite’s power permits him to use his Therion’s Choronzon rating instead. His Therion’s rating is •••, so he’d get an extra die in this case, but he decides he doesn’t want the help this time. He rolls just the two dice . . . and fails, falling from Humanity 4 to Humanity 3. Usually, he would now roll his new Humanity rating (three dice) to see if he gains a derangement, but since he was under the effects of this power at the time, he gets to add his Therion covey-mate’s Choronzon rating (•••) as bonus dice to the derangement roll, in this case doubling his chances of success.
Related Discipline