Hauberk of Blood
Level-One Theban Sorcery Ritual
The vampire sheaths himself in the Healing power of Vitae to protect himself from harm. For each success achieved on the activation roll, the sorcerer may infuse one Vitae with the power to protect himself or other Kindred from harm. This empowered Vitae instantly heals the subject, counteracting damage the moment it would be applied. A bullet might pass through the subject’s body, but the wounds it leaves behind mystically vanish.
The Vitae to be used is then splashed, brushed or smeared onto the vampires to be protected (Sanctified paladins who know this ritual often paint lances of blood on their chests or faces). Damage ablated by the miraculous Vitae is subtracted from the total damage dealt in the attack; damage that is not countered affects the character as normal. All damage done to a character benefiting from this ritual affects the magical Vitae first; the character cannot choose to “save” some of the empowered Vitae for use against particular attacks.
One Vitae counters one or two points of bashing damage or one point of lethal damage; a single point of aggravated damage is countered only if the character has five Vitae of protection empowered and painted onto himself when the aggravated damage is dealt. All forms of physical damage are subject to the Hauberk of Blood, even fire. The power of the ritual persists for one scene or until all the empowered Vitae has been used, whichever comes first. A character can wear a Hauberk of Blood invested with an amount of Vitae up to his Size, so an average vampire can be painted with a maximum of five Vitae empowered this ritual.
The Vitae to be used is then splashed, brushed or smeared onto the vampires to be protected (Sanctified paladins who know this ritual often paint lances of blood on their chests or faces). Damage ablated by the miraculous Vitae is subtracted from the total damage dealt in the attack; damage that is not countered affects the character as normal. All damage done to a character benefiting from this ritual affects the magical Vitae first; the character cannot choose to “save” some of the empowered Vitae for use against particular attacks.
One Vitae counters one or two points of bashing damage or one point of lethal damage; a single point of aggravated damage is countered only if the character has five Vitae of protection empowered and painted onto himself when the aggravated damage is dealt. All forms of physical damage are subject to the Hauberk of Blood, even fire. The power of the ritual persists for one scene or until all the empowered Vitae has been used, whichever comes first. A character can wear a Hauberk of Blood invested with an amount of Vitae up to his Size, so an average vampire can be painted with a maximum of five Vitae empowered this ritual.
Manifestation
Example: A Sanctified paladin is painted with a Hauberk of Blood made up of five Vitae. He is then struck in combat by a sword for two points of lethal damage, but the Hauberk of Blood counters that damage, reducing its total Vitae by two, from five to three. Later, the paladin is struck by an attack dealing three points of bashing damage, which is countered by two points of painted-on Vitae (two points of bashing damage are stopped by the first Vitae and the second Vitae is used up countering the third point).
The paladin now has just one Vitae left in his Hauberk of Blood when he is burned for one point of aggravated damage; because the Hauberk of Blood has fewer than five Vitae left, not even that single point of aggravated damage can be countered, so the damage affects the paladin. The last Vitae of the Hauberk of Blood still remains, therefore, when he is stabbed for three points of lethal damage. The first point of damage is negated by the last Vitae in the Hauberk of Blood. The two remaining points of lethal damage harm the paladin directly.
The paladin now has just one Vitae left in his Hauberk of Blood when he is burned for one point of aggravated damage; because the Hauberk of Blood has fewer than five Vitae left, not even that single point of aggravated damage can be countered, so the damage affects the paladin. The last Vitae of the Hauberk of Blood still remains, therefore, when he is stabbed for three points of lethal damage. The first point of damage is negated by the last Vitae in the Hauberk of Blood. The two remaining points of lethal damage harm the paladin directly.
Material Components
Offering: The Vitae used in the ritual is the offering, though it can come from any willing or unwilling source. Unlike standard Theban Sorcery offerings, this Vitae turns to ash not when it is used in the ritual, but when it finally counteracts damage.
Related Discipline
Level
1