Crown of Thorns

Level-One Theban Sorcery Ritual

Vampire the Requiem - Covenant - Lancea Sanctum

This ritual pains and disfigures a victim with a tortuous ring of bony thorns formed from his own skull. The victim suffers two points of bashing damage as tiny hooks of Bone burst through the flesh of his head in a ring running just above his eyebrows. The thorns do damage only in the turn when the ritual is first activated, but persist for one turn per success. So long as the thorns remain, the victim suffers a –5 penalty on all Social actions. Between the bleeding wounds and the visible, unnatural thorns, the victim is frightening to behold — mundane Social actions, such as most uses of the Socialize Skill, may therefore be impossible as a result. Afterward, the thorns quickly and painfully recede.
Though the damage caused by the thorns can be healed normally, the thorns leave behind gruesome, sticky scars for a number of days per success; these scars plague mortal and vampiric victims alike. These scars impose at least a –2 penalty on Social actions, though especially pious or superstitious persons may react more unfavorably (imposing a –3 penalty, instead).
The Sanctified use this ritual to punish those who violate the canons of the covenant, or to shock mortals and Ghouls with an agonizing brush of divine wrath. The pain punishes the victim, but his scars spread shock and sow fear among his kind.
The roll to activate this ritual is penalized by the subject’s Stamina.

Material Components

Offering: A thorny twig or branch swallowed by the ritualist in direct sight of the subject.

Related Discipline

Theban Sorcery

Level

1