Tomb

(• to ••••)

Vampire the Requiem - Ancient Mysteries
Effect: Tomb is to Haven as a vault is to a padlock. While both provide some measure of security, a Tomb is nearly impregnable. Tombs in ancient Egypt and Babylon were built beneath havens as a matter of survival. Throughout history, the Damned have needed a place where they could sleep without fear of discovery. Gravediggers, miners and archeologists bent on raiding sacred resting places could not be allowed access to a Kindred’s greatest secrets, so added security was necessary.
• | 1 room, earthen, with a crawlspace leading to primary Haven
•• | 2 rooms, some furnishings and a tunnel leading to primary Haven
••• | 3 rooms, furnished, security measures in place with multiple tunnels leading to the primary Haven
•••• | 4+ rooms, comfortably furnished, extensive security measures with multiple tunnel system leading to various locations, including primary Haven
In order for an intruder to access a Tomb, he must first gain entrance to the vampire’s Haven (and cope with any Haven Security measures that the vampire has in place). From there, any rolls to find or gain ingress to the Tomb suffer a negative modifier equal to the vampire’s rating in Haven Security + the vampire’s rating in the Tomb Merit. For example, a vampire with Haven (Size 1, Security 2) and Tomb 2 has taken over the basement of an apartment building. The basement is small, but serviceable, and the undead inhabitant has taken measures to hide his presence and keep intruders out. He has also dug a tunnel into the nearby sewer system and found a disused room with thick concrete walls — his Tomb. Anyone who breaches his Haven suffers a -4 modifier to find and gain entrance to the Tomb.
In addition, a vampire can seal the Tomb from the inside. This doubles the Tomb rating for purposes of figuring this modifier. In the example above, if the vampire decides to go into Torpor in this Tomb, anyone trying to get in suffers a -6 to all attempts (Haven Security 2 + [Tomb 2 x 2]).
Prerequisite: Haven
Drawback: No matter how secure the Tomb, once it’s breached, it’s breached. Tombs might have multiple escape routes, but once a Tomb has been discovered, it’s compromised. The player can add half the Tomb rating to the Haven’s Size (rounding up), but the security modifiers are forfeit.