Oath of Blood Focus
Some Kindred wish to fully dedicate themselves to a particular end, and the Oath of Blood Focus is one of the more extreme means of doing so. Uniquely among the Blood Oaths, this Oath is always taken voluntarily. If a Kindred is truly devoted to a given goal, this ritual provides several benefits with few, but drastic, drawbacks.
Some among the Invictus of England once had a long tradition of taking these Oaths, and had built an elaborate ceremony around them. The Oath Chamber was said to be a vaulted, gothic structure discovered underground in London, guarded by ghouls at all times and part of Elysium no matter which faction ruled the city. When a Kindred wished to take an Oath of Blood Focus, all London Kindred who wished to believe they were significant gathered to witness it, and the swearing vampire named two supporters, who verified his Oath before the masses. The Kindred swore in Latin, following a set formula into which his name and his goal were inserted.
One of the supporters must be capable of using the Devotion if the swearing Kindred himself is not.
At the other extreme, the Oath of Blood Focus sworn by Mathilde de Lorgne, quondam Prince of a French city, is still spoken of among the Invictus of France. Her coterie had all been destroyed by the faction ruling her city, and she had been brought before an assembly of tyrannical Kindred to face “justice,” though her crime varies with the telling. A sentence of Final Death was pronounced, and she was granted leave to speak some last words. She swore vengeance against all who had conspired against her, sealing her words with this Oath. Using the power it granted, she escaped from the gathering, and hunted her enemies down, ultimately taking their place as the ruler of the city.
Some among the Invictus of England once had a long tradition of taking these Oaths, and had built an elaborate ceremony around them. The Oath Chamber was said to be a vaulted, gothic structure discovered underground in London, guarded by ghouls at all times and part of Elysium no matter which faction ruled the city. When a Kindred wished to take an Oath of Blood Focus, all London Kindred who wished to believe they were significant gathered to witness it, and the swearing vampire named two supporters, who verified his Oath before the masses. The Kindred swore in Latin, following a set formula into which his name and his goal were inserted.
One of the supporters must be capable of using the Devotion if the swearing Kindred himself is not.
At the other extreme, the Oath of Blood Focus sworn by Mathilde de Lorgne, quondam Prince of a French city, is still spoken of among the Invictus of France. Her coterie had all been destroyed by the faction ruling her city, and she had been brought before an assembly of tyrannical Kindred to face “justice,” though her crime varies with the telling. A sentence of Final Death was pronounced, and she was granted leave to speak some last words. She swore vengeance against all who had conspired against her, sealing her words with this Oath. Using the power it granted, she escaped from the gathering, and hunted her enemies down, ultimately taking their place as the ruler of the city.
Effect
The Oath of Blood Focus has both immediate and long-term effects:
On swearing the Oath, the subject’s Willpower dots temporarily rise to 10. When the Oath is sworn, she immediately gains enough Willpower points to fill her expanded capacity.
The subject’s Blood Potency increases by two for all purposes except for determining viable sources of Vitae.
The subject does not sleep during the daytime, though she must still spend Vitae at nightfall as though she were rising from sleep.
Finally, her Oath temporarily becomes a part of her moral center. Treat the Oath like a second Vice for the character: she regains one Willpower point after any scene in which she draws closer to completing her goal.
However, to take any action that does not contribute to fulfilling the Oath requires the subject to make a successful Resolve + Composure roll. To take an action that goes against the Oath requires an exceptional success on a Resolve + Composure roll. Even if the Kindred manages to take an action outside the scope of the Oath, she cannot spend Vitae or Willpower to augment dice pools to complete such actions.
In general, self-preservation contributes directly to the fulfillment of any Oath. If it is possible to save oneself while furthering the Oath, however, the Kindred must choose that course of action if she fails her Resolve + Composure roll, even if it is more risky than other available alternatives.
These benefits last for a number of nights equal to the subject’s dots in Resolve. When the Oath’s period is over, the sworn Kindred loses all of her Willpower points, leaving her worn and exhausted. The character cannot regain any Willpower from rest or chapter breaks until she regains at least one Willpower point from enacting her Virtue or her Vice.
A Kindred may only swear one Oath of Blood Focus at a time, and is bound by that Oath until she fulfills it, surrenders all of her Willpower points to break it or the Oath expires.
On swearing the Oath, the subject’s Willpower dots temporarily rise to 10. When the Oath is sworn, she immediately gains enough Willpower points to fill her expanded capacity.
The subject’s Blood Potency increases by two for all purposes except for determining viable sources of Vitae.
The subject does not sleep during the daytime, though she must still spend Vitae at nightfall as though she were rising from sleep.
Finally, her Oath temporarily becomes a part of her moral center. Treat the Oath like a second Vice for the character: she regains one Willpower point after any scene in which she draws closer to completing her goal.
However, to take any action that does not contribute to fulfilling the Oath requires the subject to make a successful Resolve + Composure roll. To take an action that goes against the Oath requires an exceptional success on a Resolve + Composure roll. Even if the Kindred manages to take an action outside the scope of the Oath, she cannot spend Vitae or Willpower to augment dice pools to complete such actions.
In general, self-preservation contributes directly to the fulfillment of any Oath. If it is possible to save oneself while furthering the Oath, however, the Kindred must choose that course of action if she fails her Resolve + Composure roll, even if it is more risky than other available alternatives.
These benefits last for a number of nights equal to the subject’s dots in Resolve. When the Oath’s period is over, the sworn Kindred loses all of her Willpower points, leaving her worn and exhausted. The character cannot regain any Willpower from rest or chapter breaks until she regains at least one Willpower point from enacting her Virtue or her Vice.
A Kindred may only swear one Oath of Blood Focus at a time, and is bound by that Oath until she fulfills it, surrenders all of her Willpower points to break it or the Oath expires.
Prerequisite: Blood Potency •••+, Covenant Status: Invictus •+
This power costs five experience points to learn.
Related Organizations
Material Components
Cost: 1 dot of Willpower, supplied by the Kindred taking the Oath.
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: No roll is necessary to activate this power.
Effect Casting Time
Instant