Thaumaturgy
“Magic is an exercise of disciplined will and the knowledge that, sometimes, will must be unleashed. The secret lies in knowing when to exercise control… and when to let go.” — Etrius
Thaumaturgy is a generic term that encompasses all blood magic and sorcerous arts. Those who practice the thaumaturgic arts sacrifice a small portion of their mystically-infused vitae in order to forcibly shape the world according to their will. In the modern nights, many Neonates credit Clan Tremere for the creation of Thaumaturgy via a fusion of mortal wizardry and vampiric vitae. Trained as hermetic wizards, the Tremere applied their knowledge of the secret principles of True Magick to codify vampire sorcery into a formidable tool to manipulate vitae to create wide-ranging effects, much like the powerful spells attributed to legendary sorcerers.
Other clans, such as the Tzimisce, the Assamites, and the Followers of Set, have counted powerful thaumaturges within their ranks for untold millennia before the Tremere became vampires. Their practice of magic ranges from the hermetic to the deeply religious, from summoning elemental spirits to incorporating the practices of mortal voudoun, enlightened mystics, or darker, more sinister methods.
Thaumaturgy has certain limitations:
• Thaumaturgy relies upon a thaumaturge speaking magical phrases and making specific gestures. Use of blood magic is easy to notice, and the methods used to activate such powers are rarely subtle.
• All Thaumaturgy paths and rituals are considered Mental powers, and as such, cannot be used during Celerity rounds.
• Specific Thaumaturgy powers that are resisted with your target’s Physical attribute can be repeatedly used against a target. This is an exception to the rule that prohibits a character from using a Mental power on the same target immediately after failing. Powers that are resisted with the target’s Mental attribute cannot be attempted repeatedly. You must wait 10 minutes before retrying such a power, as per the standard rule.
Thaumaturgy consists of multiple paths of study and expands into several individual rituals. To purchase a path of Thaumaturgy and Thaumaturgic rituals, a character must possess the specific merit that allows her to do so, such as the Thaumaturgic Training merit, or a similar clan-specific merit.
Primary Path: The first path of Thaumaturgy that a character masters to the 2nd dot is considered her primary path of study. To improve any other path of Thaumaturgy, she must first improve her capabilities in her primary path. A character can never become more skilled in other paths of Thaumaturgy than she is in her primary path of study; she cannot learn the 3rd dot of another path until after she has learned the 3rd dot of her primary path, and so forth. Characters of clans with a specific in-clan path of Thaumaturgy may choose another path as their primary path, as long as they meet the requirements as stated above.
Thaumaturgical Rituals:
Thaumaturgy does not have elder powers or techniques. Instead, practitioners of this art gain access to mystical rituals. Thaumaturgy rituals are formulaic and require a significant amount of time, as well as specialized implements and ingredients. You cannot buy a specific Thaumaturgy ritual until you have purchased the appropriate dot of Thaumaturgy to support that ritual. Learning a level 4 ritual requires you to possess 4 dots in your primary path of Thaumaturgy.
The cost to purchase a ritual is equal to double the ritual’s level. Therefore, a level 3 ritual costs 6 XP to purchase. A Thaumaturge cannot learn more thaumaturgical rituals than the dots of Thaumaturgy she currently possesses. For example, Regent Insolens possesses 4 dots in Thaumaturgy: Path of Blood (his primary path), 3 dots in Thaumaturgy: Path of Conjuring, and 2 dots in Thaumaturgy: The Lure of Flames, and thus may learn up to nine Thaumaturgy rituals.
Thaumaturgy Test Pool: The Thaumaturgy wielder uses her Mental attribute + Occult versus the target’s Mental attribute + Willpower. Powers that specifically target an individual’s Physical attribute, such as Flame Bolt and Force Bolt, are resisted using the target’s Physical attribute + Dodge.
