Vicissitude

Vicissitude is the signature power of the Tzimisce and is almost unknown outside the clan. Similar in some respects to Protean, Vicissitude allows the Fiends to shape and sculpt their own or others' flesh and bone. When a Tzimisce uses Vicissitude to alter mortals, ghouls and vampires of higher generation, the effects of the power are permanent; vampires of equal or lower generation may heal the effects of Vicissitude as though they were aggravated wounds. Naturally, a wielder can always reshape her own flesh.

Note that while this Discipline permits powerful and horrific effects, the wielder must obtain skin-to-skin contact and must often physically sculpt the desired result. This even applies to the use of the power on oneself. Tzimisce skilled in Vicissitude are often inhumanly beautiful; those less skilled are simply inhuman.

Some younger vampires spread rumors of this discipline actually being some kind of alien parasite of the Cronenbergian fashion. While there is little evidence to show the truth of that claim, many elder vampires sensitive to such things will speak of (behind fiends backs) how they feel there is something wrong with that discipline.

Nosferatu Curse: Nosferatu always "heal" back Vicissitude alterations, at least the ones that make them better-looking. The ancient curse of the clan may not be circumvented through Vicissitude, except possibly by the Antediluvian of the Tzimisce clan (who is rumored to have been destroyed anyway).

Body Crafts (Medicine Specialty): Vicissitude is as much an art as it is a power, and vampires who wish to use it well must learn a particular specialty, known as Body Crafts. This specialty enables its possessor to make all manner of alterations to living and dead flesh and bone. The Specialty also gives insight into more mundane techniques; many Tzimisce are skilled at flaying, bone-carving, embalming, taxidermy, tattooing and piercing. Without the Body Crafts specialty many applications of Vicissitude take dice penalties. Because Body Crafts is a Medicine Specialty practitioners of Vicissitude need to take the "Interdisciplinary Specialty" merit for Body Crafts to use Fleshcraft or Bonecraft to their fullest potential, see the Merits page.

Extended Vicissitude Procedure: In many cases a Tzimisce uses a combination of Fleshcrafting and Bonecrafting to create creatures or alter the forms of herself or others. In such cases it is handled in the following way:

-An extended Intelligence + Medicine + Fleshcrafting roll with each roll taking 20 minutes.

-Penalties and successes needed set by the ST based upon the difficulty of the procedure.

-An amount of Vitae needed as set by the ST.

Sample Penalties for Precise Procedures (Applies to extended Body Crafts and to levels 1 through 3):

Small Changes to face -1

Changes to body size -2

Perfectly Mimicking someone's appearance or voice -5

Trying to gain the effects of a merit (i.e. Huge, small framed, striking looks etc) -10 and a Willpower for the attempt.

• Malleable Visage

A vampire with this power may alter her own bodily parameters: height, build, voice, facial features and skin tone, among other things. Such changes are cosmetic and minor in scope - no more than a foot of height gained or lost, for example. She must physically mold the alteration, literally shaping her flesh into the desired result.

Cost: 1 Vitae (For each individual change)

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Medicine + Vicissitude (Penalties based upon what is being attempted)

Action: n/a (takes a minute per change)

Duration: Permanent

•• Fleshcraft

This power is similar to Malleable Visage, above, but allows the vampire to perform drastic, grotesque alterations on other creatures. Tzimisce often use this power to transform their servitors into monstrous guards, the better to frighten foes. Only flesh (skin, muscle, fat and cartilage, but not bone) may be transformed.

Cost: 1 Vitae (For each individual change)

Dice Pool: Dexterity + Science + Vicissitude (Penalties based upon the difficulty of the task)

Action: Instant for crude crafts, much longer for in depth procedures.

Duration: Permanent

A vampire who wishes to increase another's Appearance Trait does so as described under Malleable Visage; reducing someone's looks is considerably easier, though truly inspired disfigurement may dictate a higher difficulty. A vampire may use this power to move clumps of skin, fat and muscle tissue, thus providing additional padding where needed. For each success scored on the roll, the vampire may increase the subject's armor by one, at the expense of a point of Strength.

Attempting to fleshcraft an unwilling victim is exceedingly tricky. The cainite must already be in a grapple with the victim, and have won the grapple roll for this round. The cainite rolls Dexterity + Crafts + Vicissitude penalized both by the strength of the person they are grappling, as well as the precision of the changes they are trying to make.

••• Bonecraft

This terrible power allows a vampire to manipulate bone in the same manner that flesh is shaped. In conjunction with Fleshcraft, above, this power enables a Vicissitude practitioner to deform a victim (or herself) beyond recognition. This power should be used in conjunction with the flesh-shaping arts, unless the vampire wants to inflict injury on the victim (see below).

Cost: 1 Vitae (For each individual change)

Dice Pool: Strength + Crafts + Vicissitude (Penalties based upon the difficulty of the task)

Action: Instant for crude crafts, much longer for in depth procedures.

Duration: Permanent

Attempting to Bonecraft an unwilling victim requires a successful grapple, and 'Bonecraft' simply becomes another maneuver the cainite can perform. The Bonecrafter can either choose to deal damage via having his bones rip, puncture and slice their way out of his skin, this deals lethal damage to mortals and bashing to vampires. With an exceptional successes you could even peirce a victim's heart.

This however is only the surface of the ability. The vampire can do ant number of things with bone. Claws, quills, armoured plates. Create intricate creatures with bizarre skeletal structures that could never exist in nature. The true power of Fleshcraft and Bonecraft is not in their combat potential but in how when used in tandem the cainite has the tools mold the world of meat and bone to whatever form she desires, mundane or alien. She's only really limited by time and imagination.

•••• Horrid Form

The Tzimisce use this power to become hideous monsters; naturally, this provides great advantages in combat. The vampire's stature increases to a full eight feet; the skin becomes a sickly greenish-gray or grayish-black chitin; the arms become apelike and ropy, tipped with ragged black nails; and the face warps into something out of a nightmare. A row of spines sprouts from the vertebrae, and the external carapace exudes a foul-smelling grease.

Cost: 2 Vitae

Dice Pool: —

Action: Instant

Duration: Scene

The Horrid Form costs two blood points to awaken. All Physical Attributes (Strength, Dexterity, Stamina) increase by three and she gains a point of armor, but all Social Attributes drop to zero, save when dealing with others also in Horrid Form. However, a vampire in Horrid Form who is trying to intimidate someone may substitute Strength for a Social Attribute! Damage inflicted in brawling combat increases by one due to the jagged ridges and bony knobs creasing the creature's hands.

••••• Blood Form

A vampire with this power can physically transform all or part other body into sentient vitae. This blood is in all respects identical to the vampire's normal vitae; she can use it to nourish herself or others, create ghouls or establish blood bonds. If all this blood is imbibed or otherwise destroyed, the vampire meets Final Death.

Cost: —

Dice Pool: —

Action: Instant

Duration: Permenant

The vampire may transform all or part of herself as she deems fit. Each leg can turn into two blood points worth of vitae, as can the torso; each arm, the head and the abdomen convert to one blood point. The blood can be reconverted to the body part, provided it is in contact with the vampire. If the blood has been utilized or destroyed, the vampire must spend a number of blood points equal to what was originally created to regrow the missing body part.

A vampire entirely in this form may not be staked, cut, bludgeoned or pierced, but can be burned or exposed to the sun. The vampire may ooze along, drip up walls and flow through the narrowest cracks, as though she were in Tenebrous Form.

Mental Disciplines may be used, provided no eye contact or vocal utterance is necessary - and if a vampire in this form "washes" over a mortal or animal, that mortal must make a Composure roll or fly into a panic.