Disciplines: What are they and how do they work?
Disciplines: A word used by Kindred (Vampires) to describe their supernatural powers.
A Brief History of Disciplines and their biblical origins: According to the best translated copy of the Book of Nod, Caine, first born of Adam and Eve slew his brother Abel in a fit of rage and jealousy. For this, the most grievous of sins, Caine was cast asunder. Failing to repent for his sin, Caine's "Father" cursed him with a mark and sent him to roam the land of Nod. During his exile, Cain is found by Lilith, Adams first wife, who was cast from the garden of Eden for her own sins. She sees that Caine possesses the mark, and welcomes him into her home. Over time, the two become lovers, and her many powers are revealed to Caine. Caine, in his lust for power, beseeches her to teach him her dark ways.
Lilith prepares a bowl, and during what can only be described as a ritual, gashed her hand and bled forth her life's blood, which was then offered to Caine for him to drink. Having drank of Lilith, Caine entered a haze, a dream of sorts, where he was visited by 3 of gods herald angels. Each offered Caine the opportunity to repent for the slaying of Abel, three times Caine refused, three times Caine was cursed. The first was a vulnerability to fire, the tool by which God cleansed evil. The second, doomed Caine and all of his children to walk the Earth at night for the sun's rays carry with them Gods light, which will destroy all evil. The third angel placed into Caine, and all of his children, a dark beast which hungers for the blood of innocence. Caine was then visited by a final angel, this one offering a way to the light. A way to Golconda. Again Caine refused. The haze then ended, and Caine awoke with the curses of the angels, and the dark powers of Lilith. The first Vampire. These powers came to be called Disciplines in modern nights, the gifts of our father, and his children.
How Disciplines Work: Each clan starts out the game with a list of 3 "Starting" Disciplines. These are the 3 disciplines inherent to that specific clan or bloodline. Each requires practice, and/or training to use and gets stronger and stronger the more they are trained. Some discipline powers simply happen on command, while others require the expenditure of blood points, and in some cases willpower is necessary to activate the power. In the following pages, you will find a list of available disciplines and the rules for using them.
Gaining new Disciplines: Providing the character has access to a Kindred who is willing to teach the new discipline (through whatever means) the teacher need only feed the student 1 point of blood to seal the mystical bond. The student then has access to spend earned experience to train the new discipline. Bear in mind that this is almost always a non-clan discipline and requires more experience to train, but the rewards are often worth the expenditure. Be sure to consult your storyteller before attempting to gain a new discipline.
A Brief History of Disciplines and their biblical origins: According to the best translated copy of the Book of Nod, Caine, first born of Adam and Eve slew his brother Abel in a fit of rage and jealousy. For this, the most grievous of sins, Caine was cast asunder. Failing to repent for his sin, Caine's "Father" cursed him with a mark and sent him to roam the land of Nod. During his exile, Cain is found by Lilith, Adams first wife, who was cast from the garden of Eden for her own sins. She sees that Caine possesses the mark, and welcomes him into her home. Over time, the two become lovers, and her many powers are revealed to Caine. Caine, in his lust for power, beseeches her to teach him her dark ways.
Lilith prepares a bowl, and during what can only be described as a ritual, gashed her hand and bled forth her life's blood, which was then offered to Caine for him to drink. Having drank of Lilith, Caine entered a haze, a dream of sorts, where he was visited by 3 of gods herald angels. Each offered Caine the opportunity to repent for the slaying of Abel, three times Caine refused, three times Caine was cursed. The first was a vulnerability to fire, the tool by which God cleansed evil. The second, doomed Caine and all of his children to walk the Earth at night for the sun's rays carry with them Gods light, which will destroy all evil. The third angel placed into Caine, and all of his children, a dark beast which hungers for the blood of innocence. Caine was then visited by a final angel, this one offering a way to the light. A way to Golconda. Again Caine refused. The haze then ended, and Caine awoke with the curses of the angels, and the dark powers of Lilith. The first Vampire. These powers came to be called Disciplines in modern nights, the gifts of our father, and his children.
How Disciplines Work: Each clan starts out the game with a list of 3 "Starting" Disciplines. These are the 3 disciplines inherent to that specific clan or bloodline. Each requires practice, and/or training to use and gets stronger and stronger the more they are trained. Some discipline powers simply happen on command, while others require the expenditure of blood points, and in some cases willpower is necessary to activate the power. In the following pages, you will find a list of available disciplines and the rules for using them.
Gaining new Disciplines: Providing the character has access to a Kindred who is willing to teach the new discipline (through whatever means) the teacher need only feed the student 1 point of blood to seal the mystical bond. The student then has access to spend earned experience to train the new discipline. Bear in mind that this is almost always a non-clan discipline and requires more experience to train, but the rewards are often worth the expenditure. Be sure to consult your storyteller before attempting to gain a new discipline.
Training a Discipline with XP:
New Discipline: 10 XP New Path (Necromancy or Thaumaturgy): 7 XP Clan Discipline: Current Rating Times 5 XP Other Discipline: Current Rating Times 7 XP Secondary Path (Necromancy of Thaumaturgy): Current Rating Times 4 XP |
Training a Discipline with Freebies:
All Dots in any Discipline or Path is always 7 freebie points. |