The Hidden Master
Dominate •••••, Protean ••
There are Rötgrafen who are so domineering that they cannot rely on the members of their crew to complete crucial tasks under stressful circumstances. Developing this power in order to satisfy their urge to control all aspects of a ship’s function, they learn to transmit their will through the very hull of the vessel, allowing them to seize command of any mortal who touches it.
Worse yet, this power allows Rötgrafen to defend most insidiously against an attempt to board, subjugating the attacker the moment he touches the hull of the vampire’s ship.
Worse yet, this power allows Rötgrafen to defend most insidiously against an attempt to board, subjugating the attacker the moment he touches the hull of the vampire’s ship.
Effect
Dramatic Failure: The attempt is ended, and the victim is immune to the vampire’s Dominate until the next sunset.
Failure: The victim may attempt to break contact with the hull. If the vampire succeeds in restarting the process during the same scene, the contest picks up from where it left off.
Success: The character moves closer to gaining control over the victim.
Exceptional Success: The character makes significant progress toward the ultimate goal of seizing control over the victim.
Failure: The victim may attempt to break contact with the hull. If the vampire succeeds in restarting the process during the same scene, the contest picks up from where it left off.
Success: The character moves closer to gaining control over the victim.
Exceptional Success: The character makes significant progress toward the ultimate goal of seizing control over the victim.
Side/Secondary Effects
Once the victim’s Willpower is exceeded, the vampire may take control of her body, per Possession (Dominate •••••, see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 128). For the duration of the Possession, the vampire’s body is melded to the hull of the ship and enjoys the protections of Haven of Soil (Protean ••, see Vampire: The Requiem, p. 138).
Manifestation
To invoke this power, the Rötgrafen must first sink into the wooden hull of his ship using Haven of Soil, and then make the first roll. The mortal who is subjected to this power must be in flesh-to-wood contact with the hull of the ship at the time of activation. The vampire will instinctively attack the right person, even if there are many mortals in contact with the hull at the same time.
To completely seize control of the victim, the vampire must achieve a number of successes in excess of the victim’s Willpower. The victim is locked in a rigid, immobile state as soon as activation begins, and remains that way as long as the vampire’s player continues to win each contested roll.
To completely seize control of the victim, the vampire must achieve a number of successes in excess of the victim’s Willpower. The victim is locked in a rigid, immobile state as soon as activation begins, and remains that way as long as the vampire’s player continues to win each contested roll.
Material Components
Cost: 1 Willpower
Gestures & Ritual
Dice Pool: Intelligence + Survival + Dominate versus Resolve
Effect Casting Time
Contested and Extended; resistance is reflexive.
Applied Restriction
This power can only be used if the ship is constructed of a natural material (usually wood) that the vampire can meld with, per Haven of Soil.