City of Shadows Mux City of Shadows Mux

AHRIMANES

Parent Clan: Gangrel Sobriquet: Witnesses Source: V:tM 20th Anniversary, p. 422 Disciplines: Animalism, Auspex, Protean, Resilience Revised by: Ganymede

Background

How the Witnesses came to be depends on who and when you ask. Some say that their progenitor was a Gangrel that lived among the indigenous people of North America when Europeans first arrived. Others say that the first Witness emerged long before then, in Meso-America, and lived among the Anansi people. For the modern Witnesses, it does not matter, for they have seen the past, present, and future through the Shadow, for spirits are the products of their surroundings, and tend to linger long after people have come and gone and died.

What is certain is that, before the Fall, the few Ahrimanes that existed lived in secrecy in the wildest areas of North America. They kept cordial relationships with other spiritual creatures that roamed the wild areas, like werewolves and Beasts. The Ahrimanes had no interest in joining the Danse Macabre; they found the transient nature of vampire politics to be shallow and pedantic, and the quest for true immortality purposeless. Their nights were spent contemplating the Shadow around them, and how it changed and adapted over time.

After the Fall, the Shadow crumbled and fell into shambles. Powerful spirits of pain and despair began to ravage the spiritual and mundane realms. The Ahrimanes had borne witness to the effects of the Global Wars, and the spirits that flowed from the grief and anxiety created by the same, but the Fall had no equal. The disruption was enough to awaken the idigam – those powerful spirits whispered in the darkest parts of the Shadow – and the denizens of the Shadow shook.

The Witnesses had watched long enough. Without intervention, there would be no stopping the idigam from utterly destroying the reality the Witnesses dwelled in. Slowly and inexorably, they sought others who would be open to help them, and found a world of humans desperate for direction. Of their best and brightest, they began to multiply and word of their coming – and powers – spread through the Midwest, evoking curiosity and dread in equal measure.

Bloodline Gift

The Witnesses are able to see and interact the spirits that have crossed into the mundane world simultaneously. This natural ability also allows them to easily spot werewolves, the Ridden, and other amalgams of spirit and flesh. They can understand spirits and the First Tongue naturally, and converse with them as well. If a Witness spends 1 Vitae, she may also physically affect spirits in the mundane world, as if they were corporeal, for a scene.

Bloodline Bane

The Witnesses have spent so much time interacting with otherworldly creatures that they find it difficult to deal with humans. They suffer from the Nosferatu Clan Bane in addition to the Gangrel Clan Bane. Also, a Witness may never have more than one Touchstone; it requires too much effort on the part of the Witness.

Bloodline Devotions

Consume the Spirit (Animalism ****, Resilience **)

The Witness can absorb a spirit’s Essence, and use it to rejuvenate herself. The Witness literally feeds upon the spirit to do this, which naturally can cause some problems if the spirit is unwilling.

Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Strength + Occult + Animalism vs. Power + Resistance Action: Instant

The Witness does not need to be able to touch the spirit to be targeted, but she must be able to see it and be in the same plane. Each success achieved removes 1 Essence from the spirit, which is converted into 1 Vitae for the Witness. A Witness can only gain Vitae up to her Strength via this method every time the devotion is used.

This Devotion costs 3 Experiences.

Rend the Gauntlet (Auspex ****, Protean **)

The Witness is now able to step into the Shadow, but the process is not quick. While the Witness is stepping, she is vulnerable to attack as she is unable to concentrate on anything except traveling.

Cost: 1 Willpower Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult + Animalism Action: Instant

Each turn, the Witness may roll her pool to gain successes towards stepping into the Shadow. A Witness must accumulate a number of successes equal to her Blood Potency x 5 to do so. While stepping into the Gauntlet, the Witness has a Defense of zero. Stepping back into the mundane world only takes one turn of concentration, and no roll.

This Devotion costs 3 Experiences.

Spirit Summoning (Animalism ****)

The Witness is able to call out to any spirits of a designated variety within an area, or a particular spirit if she knows its True Name. She may do so in the Shadow or in the mundane world, but her call will not be heeded if she is the other plane.

Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Presence + Occult + Animalism (vs. Power + Resistance) Action: Instant

If summoning generic spirits, a single success will suffice to call all spirits of the chosen type within a radius of miles equal to the Witness’ Blood Potency. If summoning a particular spirit, a single success will suffice to call the chosen spirit if it resides within a radius of miles equal to the Witness’ Blood Potency, unless the spirit resists. If resisted, the Witness must achieve a number of successes equal to the spirit’s Willpower in a contested roll against the spirit’s Power + Resistance.

Note that calling spirits does not mean that the spirits will obey the Witness.

This Devotion costs 2 Experiences.

Spiritual Aid (Animalism **, Auspex **)

The Witness is able to awaken the spirit latent in all inanimate things. This grants bonuses to the user, so long as the spirit remains awakened.

Cost: 1 Vitae Dice Pool: Presence + Occult + Animalism Action: Instant

The Witness must touch the item to be awakened before spending her Vitae. Each success on the activation roll grants a +1 equipment bonus to anyone using the item for the rest of the scene. This can be used on weapons.

This Devotion costs 2 Experiences.