Venomous Bite
Level-One Mérges Sorcery ritual
An Iltani can distill her own emotions into specialized poisons that can be injected into her victims through the vampire’s bite. As described on p. 157 of the World of Darkness Rulebook, a character attempting to bite as a combat action must first achieve a grapple hold on the target. Then, on the following turn, the attacker can use the venomous bite ability. An Iltani may not consume Vitae from victims in the same turn that she uses Venomous Bite.
The Iltani can activate this ritual at any time in a given night, whereupon she is capable of using Venomous Bite until the following sunrise. She does not have to reactivate the bite to use different kinds of poisons (see below).
Traces of the venom remain in the victim’s body even after its effects have worn off, and are still present in the victim’s remains after death — unless the Iltani covers her tracks by using Antidote (see below). Once delivered, the victim’s player rolls Stamina + Resolve – Toxicity Rating. If the victim fails, the poison automatically takes effect and deals immediate damage equal to its Toxicity Rating, unless stated otherwise (see the poison rules in the Introduction to this book). The Toxicity Rating for Mérges Sorcery poisons is equal to: Blood Potency + Mérges Sorcery.
An Iltani can produce a number of venom doses per day equal to her Blood Potency.
Venomous Bite may be used multiple times on the same victim. If an Iltani chooses to do so, the victim may be affected by multiple poisons simultaneously. Similarly, an Iltani may administer multiple doses of a single type of poison to intensify its effects (see Compounding Poisons, below).
The Iltani can activate this ritual at any time in a given night, whereupon she is capable of using Venomous Bite until the following sunrise. She does not have to reactivate the bite to use different kinds of poisons (see below).
Traces of the venom remain in the victim’s body even after its effects have worn off, and are still present in the victim’s remains after death — unless the Iltani covers her tracks by using Antidote (see below). Once delivered, the victim’s player rolls Stamina + Resolve – Toxicity Rating. If the victim fails, the poison automatically takes effect and deals immediate damage equal to its Toxicity Rating, unless stated otherwise (see the poison rules in the Introduction to this book). The Toxicity Rating for Mérges Sorcery poisons is equal to: Blood Potency + Mérges Sorcery.
An Iltani can produce a number of venom doses per day equal to her Blood Potency.
Venomous Bite may be used multiple times on the same victim. If an Iltani chooses to do so, the victim may be affected by multiple poisons simultaneously. Similarly, an Iltani may administer multiple doses of a single type of poison to intensify its effects (see Compounding Poisons, below).
Effect
Compounding Poisons: Some Iltani poisons can be compounded, while others cannot. With subsequent doses of the same poison, the effects may increase or intensify, depending on the nature of the venom.
When compounding a poison, the concentration of the toxin in the victim’s blood increases with subsequent doses. The concentration of a poison within a character’s blood is measured by his Toxin Level. As the Toxin Level increases, the effects of certain poisons become more pronounced or severe. There are five Toxin Levels: levels 1-2 are considered low amounts of a particular poison, level 3 is a moderate amount, and levels 4-5 indicate high or lethal amounts of a poison within the victim’s blood. At levels 4-5, any vampire who drinks the blood of a poisoned victim might feel the effects as well. The player rolls Stamina + Resolve – the Toxicity Rating of the poison in the victim’s blood. If the roll fails, the consuming vampire also suffers the effects of the poison. Members of the Brothers of Ypres bloodline (p. 22) are not subject to this, and can drink from victims of Mérges Sorcery poisoning with no ill effect.
When a poison with a specific duration is compounded, the duration resets and begins again from the last dose administered, without weakening or losing previous effects. For example, Venom of Paralysis (see below) is a poison that can be compounded. Venom of Paralysis completely paralyzes a victim for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s rating in Mérges Sorcery. If an Iltani with three dots of Mérges Sorcery administers Venom of Paralysis, the victim would normally be paralyzed for three hours. Instead, the Iltani waits two hours and administers a second dose. The duration resets, and the victim remains paralyzed for another three hours (five hours total).
If a poison cannot be compounded, its effects last for the stated duration. The duration cannot be lengthened by additional doses, although an Iltani can wait until the venom wears off and then administer a new dose.
The effects of poisons may be compounded as long as the toxin remains within the victim’s system. In this way, an Iltani can repeatedly administer a poison to a victim night after night, slowly killing him or driving him mad.
Upon learning this ritual, the Iltani gains the ability to use a poison that causes muscle spasms, painful cramps and damage to the nervous system. In game terms, the poison simply inflicts physical damage based on the Iltani’s master of Mérges Sorcery:
Mérges Sorcery Level | Type of Damage
1 | Bashing
2 | Lethal
3 | Lethal
4 | Lethal
5 | Aggravated
A Viper can choose to inflict a less severe type of damage if she wishes to.
In addition, the character can learn to produce other types of poisons. Each of the poisons counts as a separate level one Mérges Sorcery ritual for purposes of experience points.
When compounding a poison, the concentration of the toxin in the victim’s blood increases with subsequent doses. The concentration of a poison within a character’s blood is measured by his Toxin Level. As the Toxin Level increases, the effects of certain poisons become more pronounced or severe. There are five Toxin Levels: levels 1-2 are considered low amounts of a particular poison, level 3 is a moderate amount, and levels 4-5 indicate high or lethal amounts of a poison within the victim’s blood. At levels 4-5, any vampire who drinks the blood of a poisoned victim might feel the effects as well. The player rolls Stamina + Resolve – the Toxicity Rating of the poison in the victim’s blood. If the roll fails, the consuming vampire also suffers the effects of the poison. Members of the Brothers of Ypres bloodline (p. 22) are not subject to this, and can drink from victims of Mérges Sorcery poisoning with no ill effect.
When a poison with a specific duration is compounded, the duration resets and begins again from the last dose administered, without weakening or losing previous effects. For example, Venom of Paralysis (see below) is a poison that can be compounded. Venom of Paralysis completely paralyzes a victim for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s rating in Mérges Sorcery. If an Iltani with three dots of Mérges Sorcery administers Venom of Paralysis, the victim would normally be paralyzed for three hours. Instead, the Iltani waits two hours and administers a second dose. The duration resets, and the victim remains paralyzed for another three hours (five hours total).
If a poison cannot be compounded, its effects last for the stated duration. The duration cannot be lengthened by additional doses, although an Iltani can wait until the venom wears off and then administer a new dose.
The effects of poisons may be compounded as long as the toxin remains within the victim’s system. In this way, an Iltani can repeatedly administer a poison to a victim night after night, slowly killing him or driving him mad.
Upon learning this ritual, the Iltani gains the ability to use a poison that causes muscle spasms, painful cramps and damage to the nervous system. In game terms, the poison simply inflicts physical damage based on the Iltani’s master of Mérges Sorcery:
Mérges Sorcery Level | Type of Damage
1 | Bashing
2 | Lethal
3 | Lethal
4 | Lethal
5 | Aggravated
A Viper can choose to inflict a less severe type of damage if she wishes to.
In addition, the character can learn to produce other types of poisons. Each of the poisons counts as a separate level one Mérges Sorcery ritual for purposes of experience points.
Manifestation
Sample Venoms
Venom of Paralysis: The victim is completely paralyzed for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery. This poison causes no physical damage.
This poison can be compounded. With each dose successfully administered, the duration is extended in the typical fashion. No new effects are added.
Venom of Madness: A victim poisoned with Venom of Madness develops a derangement of the Iltani’s choice for every Toxin Level (see pp. 96-100 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). Each Toxin Level can either inflict a mild derangement or increase an existing derangement (whether one the victim already possessed or one caused by this poison) to severe. Therefore, a victim poisoned at Toxin Level 3 (with no preexisting derangements) could have three mild derangements or one that is severe and one that is mild. The effects of this venom last for a number of nights equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery. Venom of Madness causes no physical damage.
This poison can be compounded. With each dose successfully administered, the duration is extended in the typical fashion.
Venom of Lethargy: Venom of Lethargy inflicts no damage, but saps the victim’s drive to act, and slows his movements temporarily. The victim’s Speed becomes equal to his Strength alone (rather than the usual Strength + Dexterity + 5). The victim’s Initiative modifier becomes the lower of his Dexterity or Composure, and the Fast Reflexes Merit no longer applies. Venom of Lethargy lasts for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery.
This poison cannot be compounded.
Venom of Paralysis: The victim is completely paralyzed for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery. This poison causes no physical damage.
This poison can be compounded. With each dose successfully administered, the duration is extended in the typical fashion. No new effects are added.
Venom of Madness: A victim poisoned with Venom of Madness develops a derangement of the Iltani’s choice for every Toxin Level (see pp. 96-100 of the World of Darkness Rulebook). Each Toxin Level can either inflict a mild derangement or increase an existing derangement (whether one the victim already possessed or one caused by this poison) to severe. Therefore, a victim poisoned at Toxin Level 3 (with no preexisting derangements) could have three mild derangements or one that is severe and one that is mild. The effects of this venom last for a number of nights equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery. Venom of Madness causes no physical damage.
This poison can be compounded. With each dose successfully administered, the duration is extended in the typical fashion.
Venom of Lethargy: Venom of Lethargy inflicts no damage, but saps the victim’s drive to act, and slows his movements temporarily. The victim’s Speed becomes equal to his Strength alone (rather than the usual Strength + Dexterity + 5). The victim’s Initiative modifier becomes the lower of his Dexterity or Composure, and the Fast Reflexes Merit no longer applies. Venom of Lethargy lasts for a number of hours equal to the Iltani’s level in Mérges Sorcery.
This poison cannot be compounded.
Related Discipline
Level
1
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