Sanguine Sands
Fifth Level Rituals
• • • • • Abandon the Fetters • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: See description
Visible Effects: See description
Through this powerful and taxing arcane ordeal, a target can be freed from the legendary Blood Bond. To perform the ritual, a blood from from the subject and a single Blood Trait from their Regnant and a blood point from the caster, which are used to fuel the ritual.
During the ritual the subject must be excoriated, flayed, branded, mortified, or some combination of the four. As injuries are inflicted, blood boils to the surface and evaporates in a scalding steam. By the end of the ritual the subject will have taken four aggravated wounds, that cannot be reduced by fortitude.
At the climax of the ritual, both subject and the caster lose a permanent point of willpower. The Blood Bond is then no more. All the blood is consumed by the ritual. The ritual has no effect on the blood bonds created by the vaulderie of the Sabbat or on the ritual blood bond to clan Tremere created by the Transubstantiation of the the Seven.
This can be used to remove 1/3 and 2/3 blood bonds, and works in the same way as a full blood bond.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.
• • • • • Asymmetrical Reproduction • • • • •
Casting Time: 3 Nights
Duration: 7 days
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Genetic material of another person
Visible Effects: None
The caster creates a near-perfect clone of the original, who will go insane after seven days and go on a killing spree
• • • • • At Our Command It Breathes • • • • •
Casting Time: 1-3 months
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: vampires of either the Tzimisce, Gangrel or Nosferatu Clan (others have been tested with no success), a sac for the gestation, alchemical liquids
Visible Effects: See below
The vampires need to captured and driven to the edge of Wassail. The parts of the captured vampires are thrown into the sac filled with the liquids, which is sewn shut. Over three months, various incantations have to be made over the gestating creature. When the creature is large enough to break free from the sac, the caster blows purifying smoke at the newborn.
This was the ritual used to create the original Gargoyles.
• • • • • Blood Contract • • • • •
Casting Time: 3 Nights
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
This ritual creates an unbreakable oath between two parties. The contract must be written in the caster's blood and takes three days to complete. The ritual is finished when both parties sign the agreement in their own blood, after which they are compelled to abide by the terms as stated. The only way out is to complete one's part of the bargain or burn the contract.
If one of the parties breaks the contract, they receive enough aggravated damage to fall into torpor (Fortitude can be used to resist the wounds, but they will continue to receive aggravated wounds until they fall into torpor). Storytellers may feel free to adjust the punishment as they see fit.
• • • • • Blood Phylactery • • • • •
Casting Time: 3 Nights
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
Binds a portion of the character's soul into an object. So long as the character holds or wears his Blood Phylactery, it grants the following advantages: Hostile magic directed at the caster is more difficult to perform. Character's ritual and path castings and Willpower rolls are easier to perform, especially his primary path. However, if the phylactery falls into someone else's hands, it becomes drastically easier to cast magic on the character, especially if the phylactery is used as a focus. Every full night the caster does not touch his phylactery, he loses one point of Willpower. However, he is always aware of where his phylactery is.
• • • • • Cobra’s Favour • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Duration: 1 lunar cycle / See description
Requirements: Occult 3; Arabic
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
The caster spills a point of their own blood into a prepared container, combining it with herbs and deadly poisons. At the culmination of the ritual they drink the concoction, causing themself an aggravated wound, as their own insides are boiled and corroded, before the poison is absorbed into their system.
For the next lunar cycle, or until they heal that aggravated wound, anyone who ingests their blood suffers a point of aggravated damage, per point ingested.
• • • • • Corrupt Soul • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 night to 5 nights to take effect
Duration: Varies
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: A building with hieroglyphs of corruption inscribed in the walls, blood spiced with soma
Visible Effects: None
The caster incantates over the hieroglyphs at the beginning of the night. When a person drinks of the blood or does an act that might contend their Humanity, their Behaviour is changed. After five nights, both Nature and Behaviour can be permanently changed by the caster.
• • • • • Court of Hallowed Truth • • • • •
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Duration: Until sunrise
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
The caster ritually prepares the room, placing a human skull and a pair of crossed human femur bones at each entrance to the room (window or door). Then then invite the ‘court’ within, sealing the last entrance with a final set of bones, and spend a number of blood equal to the number of people in the room. When they make the decision to expend this blood, if there are additional individuals in the room they are unaware of (hidden with Obfuscate for example), they must continue to spend blood, suffering a level of damage for each individual if they run out of blood.
Once complete, every party in the room may only speak the truth. No falsehood can be spoken.
The ritual ends if the caster is incapacitated; if any of the bones are moved; if any of the entrances are broken.
• • • • • Curse of Clytaemnestra • • • • •
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: A personal possession and blood from the target
Visible Effects: None
The target rapidly ages unto the point of death, or near death.
• • • • • Dedicate the Haven • • • • •
Casting Time: Full night
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin; A haven
Components: A Haven, a thurible that contains a burning mixture of their blood, frankincense, and sage
Visible Effects: None
The caster must walk counter clockwise around the haven while carrying the smoking thurible, then return to the rough center of the haven and douse themselves in the remaining blood.
• • • • • Dominion • • • • •
Casting Time: Full night
Duration: 1 week
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin;
Components: A Domain/Haven blood, frankincense, and sage
Visible Effects: None
Creates a defensive barrier around an area no larger than 500 cubic feet. This ritual prevents all sues of Animalism, Auspex, Domination and Presence performed by anyone except the caster within its bounds. The ritual lasts a full week.
• • • • • Enchant Talisman • • • • •
Casting Time: Six hours per night, for a full lunar cycle (3 DT actions for this period)
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: An inscribed and ensorcelled object, at least a metre in length, carved with runes and symbols that signify the caster’s true name and the sum of their Thaumaturgical knowledge.
Visible Effects: See description
Over the space of a month, the Thaumaturge crafts and prepares their talisman, barely able to find time to do little else than feed.
Once complete, as long as the caster is physically holding their talisman, they gain the following benefits:
A two trait bonus when defending against thaumaturgy paths or rituals that they personally possess knowledge of. Once per night, they may reduce the willpower cost to cast a ritual by one, as long as it is neither invested or permanent. If used as a weapon, they gain bonus traits equal to their occult ability, rather than the equipment traits of the item. These traits are still limited by their ability in melee.
If at any point they are not in possession of their talisman, they may spend an action and engage in a mental challenge (difficulty 10). On success they will know the direction and rough distance to their talisman.
Whenever the Thaumaturge learns new ranks in Thaumaturgy, they must inscribe them onto the talisman, or they receive a two trait penalty when using those new abilities.
If someone else should be holding a character’s talisman, they receive a two trait bonus when using thaumaturgy upon the creator. If they possess Occult ability four or above they may spend a downtime action to study the talisman and decipher the occult runes. Success will tell them the creator’s true name and what thaumaturgy disciplines they possess (path and rank) at the time the talisman was stolen.
• • • • • Escape to a True Friend • • • • •
Casting Time: 3 nights
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: A personal possession of their true friend
Visible Effects: See description
More than one Tremere has escaped the clutches of certain death through the use of this ritual. This ritual must be prepared ahead of time, but can be of great use in a tight situation. The ritual allows the caster to vanish suddenly by stepping into a pre-prepared circle . The warlock is instantly transported into the vicinity of a previously designated person who must be a close friend or ally of the Tremere whom they bear no ill will towards. The character does not suddenly appear before their friend, but materialises someplace nearby and out of sight (usually within earshot of the friend's location).
A one-meter circle must be burned into the ground, and many arcane symbols must be precisely placed about it. The entire process takes three nights and costs five of the caster's own Blood Points. Once this is accomplished, the caster must step into the circle to invoke this ritual. Once invoked the circle loses its magical powers and the ritual needs to be recast.
A Thaumaturge may not have Heart of Stone and Escape to a True Friend cast upon himself.
• • • • • Ghost in the System • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Week
Duration: Until sunrise or until used. Also, see description
Requirements: Occult ability 3; Computer 1
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
This week long ritual consumes the caster’s time, allowing only breaks for sleep and feeding. At it’s completion, the caster must melt a pile of sand into glass and suspend an ant in the cooling silicon.
Upon completion of this ritual an entirely new modern persona appears across all records for the caster, allowing them to observe life as if they were a mortal who was part of the system. Birth records, Driver’s license, National Insurance number all spring into existence as if they had always existed, appropriate documentation for them arriving in the post over the week following the ritual.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.
• • • • • Haunting Breeze • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 hour
Duration: 1 night
Requirements: Occult ability 5; Latin
Components: Incantation
Visible Effects: See description
The vampire may summon a very cold breeze which carries the sounds of the dead (curses, threats and such), and in which the shapes of ghosts can be seen. This wind may even be summoned in an enclosed area. All those in the area suffer a +2 difficulty to Perception rolls, and a +1 difficulty to all other rolls. Mortals are also affected as per Fog.
• • • • • Mirror Prison • • • • •
Casting Time: A night
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult ability 5; Latin
Components: A polished silver mirror, at least ½ a meter in radius
Visible Effects: See description
The caster creates an astral prison cell, anchored to the real world by a specially prepared mirror. The mirror must be ritually polished with the caster’s blood and the tears of an innocent child, then a Willpower must be invested.
Once created, the Thamaturge may open the portal by spending a point of blood and touching the mirror. The opening lasts as long as the caster desires. Whilst open, the caster may step inside the prison themself, or pass an incapacitated prisoner through the opening.
The cell may contain up to three prisoners, but each occupant beyond the first requires the caster to invest an additional WIllpower. Individuals imprisoned within the mirror, require neither sustenance or sleep and are untouched by the passage of time. Prisoners cannot be detected through magical scrying, nor can they be communicated with Telepathically. Every lunar cycle a prisoner may attempt to escape by spending a Willpower and defeating their captor in a Mental/Occult vs Mental/Occult opposed challenge. Prisoners are also freed if the mirror is destroyed.
If the caster spends a blood point and touched the mirror she can increase or decrease the opaqueness of the mirror to allow their prisoners to see the outside world. If they make the mirror completely opaque, the prisoner with the highest current Willpower will appear as the reflection of anyone looking into the mirror and can communicate.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.
• • • • • Nectar of the Bitter Rose • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Hours
Duration: Instant
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: A torpid Kindred
Visible Effects: None
The mysteries of this ritual are held in strict secrecy by those able to cast it. The ritual's very existence is a threat few in the Camarilla would tolerate. During the course of this ritual, the life essence of a Kindred is drained and devoured by the participants. The victim must be present and somehow restrained throughout the entire process. The ritual requires the participation of the caster and up to five other participants.
The ritual caster chants how the victim’s soul will be divided up, whilst the other participants taunt the victim over their impending doom. At the climax of the ritual, the participants fall upon their victim and consume them in a form of group diablerie. Each diabolist may then benefit from the diablerie.
Only the caster need know the ritual, the other participants are not required to do so.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.
• • • • • Night of the Red Heart • • • • •
Casting Time: One full night
Duration: One full night
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: 1 blood point of the victim; an effigy of the victim, carved from bone or rotten wood harvested from a graveyard
Visible Effects: See description
This ritual is cast across an entire night, starting at sunset and finishing at sunrise. If enacted successfully, the target dies horribly upon the rising of the morning sun. Their heart boils and is consumed as if by the burning rays of the sun.
The target of this ritual becomes immediately aware that she is the target of a ritual after the first part of the ritual is completed, thirty minutes into it’s casting, at which point the caster spends a point of Willpower.
When the ritual is cast upon someone a Storyteller needs to tell the target the following: “You suddenly have this nasty feeling of being watched, and for some reason there seems to be an intense heat within your body, around where your heart is. You realise that you are under some powerful magical curse, which will kill you by sunrise, unless you flee the city or stop the ritual!”
The target can only stave off their death by fleeing the city or by disrupting the ritual before it reaches it’s culmination. The ritual has an effective range of 30 miles - if the target leaves the range of the ritual they will feel the effects lift - but if they re-enter during the rituals progress they will fall under it’s effects again.
Regardless of success or failure the blood used in the ritual is consumed. If the ritual is successful, the caster spends a permanent Willpower to complete it.
• • • • • Paper Flesh • • • • •
Casting Time: 30 minutes
Duration: One full night
Requirements: Occult 3; Arabic
Components: A piece of paper, inscribed with the true name of the victim
Visible Effects: See description
This Thaumaturge ritually cuts herself with the paper, then burns it at the climax of the ritual. The victim’s skin becomes brittle and dry and they feel a tightening of muscles. For the duration of the ritual the victim’s Fortitude rating (if they have it) is reduced to 1, +1 for every generation they are below 8th.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.
• • • • • Sanctuary • • • • •
Casting Time: Three nights
Duration: Permanent (ritual must be actively recast every year and a day to renew the protection)
Requirements: Occult ability 4; Latin or Arabic; Humanity 7+; Character must be actively religious
Components: A building not sullied by violence for 50 years
Visible Effects: See description
The caster must first find a building that has seen no acts of violence for at least fifty years. Then they must build a shrine, representative of their own faith and belief at the metaphoric centre of the building that all who visit have access to. Finally they must consecrate the building with their own blood and invest a point of Willpower.
Open completing the ritual, the shroud of sanctuary takes effect. Firstly, all souls, living or otherwise, cannot enter the building without the caster’s express permission. Any who are inside are protected from any use of Animalism, Auspex, Dominate, Dementate, Presence or related disciplines or supernatural powers.
The shroud of sanctuary comes at a price. Should any act of violence be committed on it’s grounds, then the sanctuary immediately drops and may not be restored for another fifty years.
• • • • • Sculpting the Perfect Servant • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 night
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Arabic
Components: A newborn baby, a pregnant woman
Visible Effects: None
Intrigued by the manner in which the Fiends bred their revenant servants and, improvising on those methods, a powerful European thaumaturge ritualized the ability to enroll an individual's service even before the child had been born. By manipulating an unborn fetus in the womb of a pregnant woman, a magus has the ability to grant exceptional aptitudes and attributes that develop in the child. These Warlocks may also be exceedingly cruel, cursing these innocents with scars and defects. This technique of creating ghouls was founded to increase the abilities of their ghouls, as well as the service of the mother. Children affected by Sculpting the Perfect Servant, though possibly growing up normally, always feel a supernatural connection to the magus. To use this ritual, the caster must rend a stillborn baby in half and allow its blood to flow over the belly of the pregnant mother.
System: While it takes only a moment to curse or damage a child, a caster who expends the time and energy in blessing (which requires five hours every week until the pregnant mother comes to term, starting in the first three months of the pregnancy) will reap the benefits. This results in the baby possessing exceptional Attributes (three or sometimes four points per trait, rather than the usual two points most mortals have) and gaining an extended life span (usually living for about 100-120 years). Unfortunately despite being strong, handsome and healthy, these mortals are also cursed by the lack of moral development; their Humanity can never be raises above 6. For every curse inflicted on the unborn child, one common deformity may be created as well, to bind the child to the magus.
The caster rips the baby in half so that its blood drips across the belly of the woman
• • • • • Severed Hand • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 night
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Arabic
Components: Complicated alchemical preparations
Visible Effects: None
Over the course of a night ritual preparations are applied to a wound (usually a severed limb, but sometimes a plucked out eye, or ear or other appendage). Upon completion of the ritual, whilst the lost health level can be healed, the limb or body part will not be regenerated, until the Willpower invested in the ritual is returned. If the Willpower is permanently spent, the only means to restore the limb are the blasphemous arts of the Salubri or the Sabbat.
• • • • • Stone of the True Form • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Night
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: A small spherical stone
Visible Effects: See description
Over the course of a night, the Thaumaturge enchants a small spherical stone with hermetic sigils.
To activate the power of the stone they must touch their target with it (usual challenges apply), then spend a Willpower and tell their target that they will revert to their true form. Their target may then spend a Willpower to resist this effect. The caster may then spend a Willpower to activate the effect. the caster and victim repeat this process until one of them is no longer willing to spend Willpower.
If the caster is the last to spend Willpower, the victim will be forced into their true form. A Nosferatu will drop any obfuscation hiding their true visage. A Gangrel or Tzimisce changed into an alternate form will revert to their human shape. Even a fearsome werewolf will revert to being a mere mortal. The victim must remain in their true form for at least a full round after their forced transformation, before employing shape changing/hiding powers again.
• • • • • Stone Slumber • • • • •
Casting Time: 2 hours
Duration: Until sunset
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: The blood from a corpse, dead less than 12 hours;
Visible Effects: None
This ritual, often cast by travelling elders, takes two full hours, and is cast immediately before dawn. The caster must smear themselves in the blood from a corpse, less than 12 hours dead and face East to watch the rising sun. At sunrise, when the first rays of sun hit them the ritual is completed, the caster becomes solid stone, and remains that way until sunset. Whilst protected from sunlight, the most extremes of heat, the majority of physical damage and staking, parts of the caster may be broken off by an attacker strong or stubborn enough. The caster cannot sense anything during this state, unless they are injured. The caster must expend three, rather than one, blood traits upon awakening. If she is injured whilst in this form she may also spend three blood to awaken herself.
• • • • • Umbral Walk • • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Until exits
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin; Umbra Lore
Components: A magical circle
Visible Effects: None
Enables the thaumaturge to enter the Umbra. May bring others along with him.
• • • • • Unquenchable Flame of Mars• • • • •
Casting Time: 1 month
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin; Umbra Lore
Components: A bladed weapon
Visible Effects: None
Causes a melee weapon to PERMANENTLY inflict aggravated damage. This power also wears off at the next new moon. A wooden weapon enchanted by this ritual, used for staking, will cause two levels of aggravated fire damage per turn.
• • • • • The Verdant Blade• • • • •
Casting Time: 1 hour
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin;
Components: A sharp object, a vat, a freshly cutten stake, a gallon of water, tree sap
Visible Effects: None
emporarily enchants any sharp object with the attribute to paralyze Kindred as though the object were wooden
• • • • • Vires Acquirit Eundo• • • • •
Casting Time: 1 month
Duration: Instant
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin;
Components: An already cast ritual, an hourglass, a green flame
Visible Effects: None
This is simply a way of extending the effect of another ritual. The caster recites an elaborate incantation, then breaks an hourglass and casts the sand over a green flame while performing the other ritual. The only disadvantage to using this ritual is that it has different effects depending on what the caster uses it with.
System: The storyteller has the final decision on the effects of this ritual. Generally, it adds time or potency to another ritual in order to extend it's duration or prolong its effect. The efficiency with which it does so depends on the number of successes on the caster's roll.
• • • • • Ward versus Demon • • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: SHoly Water
Visible Effects: None
Any demon who touches the object feels intense pain
• • • • • Warding Circle versus Demons• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: SHoly Water
Visible Effects: None
Demons who attempt to cross the ward suffer intense pain and possibly death.
• • • • • Ward versus Ghost • • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Powdered marble from a tombstone
Visible Effects: None
Any ghost who touches the object feels intense pain.
• • • • • Warding Circle versus Ghosts• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Powdered marble from a tombstone
Visible Effects: None
Ghosts who attempt to cross the ward suffer intense pain and possibly death.
• • • • • Ward versus Magi• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Tass
Visible Effects: None
Any mage who touches the object feels intense pain.
• • • • • Warding Circle versus Magi• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Tass
Visible Effects: None
Mages who attempt to cross the ward suffer intense pain and possibly death.
• • • • • Ward versus Spirits • • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Sea salt
Visible Effects: None
Any spirit who touches the object feels intense pain.
A ward cannot be any larger than a medium size house.
• • • • • Warding Circle versus Spirits• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Blood of a person of Intelligence 3 or higher
Visible Effects: None
Spirits who attempt to cross the ward suffer intense pain and possibly death.
• • • • • Ward versus Technology• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Blood of a person of Intelligence 3 or higher
Visible Effects: None
Technology more advanced than a crossbow that touches the ward falls apart.
• • • • • Warding Circle versus Technology• • • • •
Casting Time: 2 Hours
Duration: Permanent
Requirements: Occult 3; Latin
Components: Sea salt
Visible Effects: None
Any technological object more advanced than a crossbow that are attempted to bring over the ward fall apart.
• • • • • Way of the Wendigo • • • • •
Casting Time: 1 Hour
Duration: Instant
Requirements: Occult 3; English
Components: See description
Visible Effects: None
The caster must first find a victim they believe to exemplify a virtue they admire, be it intelligence, purity or reverence. They must restrain the victim, anointing them with sage, oil and ash. At the climax of the ritual they must murder the victim with the thigh bone of a hanged man, then consume their flesh.
Upon consuming their victim’s heart, lungs liver and kidneys, the caster feels a sense of drowsiness and is at a one trait penalty on all challenges. However, for every ten minutes they rest, the caster will regain a point of Willpower and a health level (normal or aggravated), until both are replenished. For every ten minutes thereafter, the caster will lose a point of physical (or appropriate supernatural) flaws (these must be later bought off with experience, in accordance with the flaw rules). When they choose to stop resting, or the end of the night, they vomit up the remaining flesh.
A character completing this ritual must make a simple challenge. If they lose outright they gain the flaw Addiction - consuming human flesh.
This ritual is proscribed within clan Tremere’s ranks and to be found with knowledge of it would invite censure.