Damned's Day
Level-Five Theban Sorcery
This is the legendary ritual used by St. Daniel to brave the sunlight and deliver merciless vengeance upon those who cut down the pious soldiers of the Theban Legion. No sorcerer since has been able to bring about the magnificent darkness of that holy day, but a few, powerful Sanctified have come close. This much-revered ritual draws forth thick clouds to blot out the sun and render the daylight a soulless, monotone gray. These conditions allow vampires to move about beneath the sun with minor pain and superficial burns rather than enflamed flesh and hair. The ritual reduces the intensity of the daystar’s rays to that of “faint, filtered sunlight” (see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 173), and reduces the damage to vampires within the area of power. Kindred beneath the unholy canopy of clouds suffer lethal damage every minute, rather than aggravated damage every turn. In the event of an exceptional success, the sky darkens to such a grim depth that vampires suffer just two points of bashing damage per minute.
Unlike most Theban Sorcery rituals, it takes time for the power of the Damned’s Day to amass even after the ritual has been completed. For each roll the sorcerer made to complete the ritual, the sky spends an hour thickening with smoke-like clouds. Note that rolls to complete the ritual are still made every turn — the clouds gather over one or more hours after the ritual has finally been completed. The clouds persist for 20 minutes per success scored on the ritual’s activation roll, then swiftly, strangely drift apart. Incidental rain may accompany the clouds of Damned’s Day, but such circumstances are not up to the sorcerer.
The clouds of Damned’s Day gather directly above the sorcerer, and reach out to cover a region one mile in diameter. Though this grants a great deal of freedom to many vampires, it also draws much attention to the sorcerer. Experienced Sanctified know that a Damned’s Day tempts Kindred to test the limits of the Masquerade — any sorcerer who enacts this legendary ritual sacrifices his subtlety and secrecy in the process.
Unlike most Theban Sorcery rituals, it takes time for the power of the Damned’s Day to amass even after the ritual has been completed. For each roll the sorcerer made to complete the ritual, the sky spends an hour thickening with smoke-like clouds. Note that rolls to complete the ritual are still made every turn — the clouds gather over one or more hours after the ritual has finally been completed. The clouds persist for 20 minutes per success scored on the ritual’s activation roll, then swiftly, strangely drift apart. Incidental rain may accompany the clouds of Damned’s Day, but such circumstances are not up to the sorcerer.
The clouds of Damned’s Day gather directly above the sorcerer, and reach out to cover a region one mile in diameter. Though this grants a great deal of freedom to many vampires, it also draws much attention to the sorcerer. Experienced Sanctified know that a Damned’s Day tempts Kindred to test the limits of the Masquerade — any sorcerer who enacts this legendary ritual sacrifices his subtlety and secrecy in the process.
Material Components
Offering: The vampire’s own flesh is offered up, seared away, as he enacts the ritual outdoors in sight of the sun. A minimum of one point of aggravated damage must be suffered for each roll the character makes to complete the ritual, though on especially bright days even more damage may be suffered before the ritual can be completed. The sorcerer gains no special benefit to resist the Rotschreck during this time, but the rolls of the extended action to resist frenzy may be made reflexively by the sorcerer while activating this ritual.
Related Discipline
Level
5