Path of Lightning

By Raoul "Violence" Borges (paercebal@hotmail.com) (23 October 1996) for the Veilleurs.

Description

Paris, 19th century. Alexis, Toreador of the Seventh Generation, returns to the French capital. From Egypt, he lost the "Pierre de Rosette," but he could bring back more than that. He came back with an intact tomb of the First Dynasty. Not knowing it was one of the tombs of his secret Mentor, Alexis reconstructed the tomb below the Louvre (the same techniques were used by the UNESCO to move the Abou Simbel temples of Ramses and Nefertari, 1956). With the unknowing help of Champollion, he could translate, some of the hieroglyphs written on the wall of the tomb. He discovered then than Meryt-Neith was not the wife of Oudimou, and Queen of Egypt, but that she actually was the first female Pharaoh in the Egypt's History (see Nitocris and Hatchepsout). And he discovered that Meryt-Neith was a Vampire.

The Legacy of Meryt-Neith (now Masquerading in Paris as Laureen, Tremere of the 5th Generation), was two thaumaturgical paths, proof that the Thaumaturgy Discipline existed before the Tremere. As it was created by a non-Hermetic Mage, the verbals and somatic components of this paths were Egyptian in style and language. However, the Egyptian Thaumaturgical Discipline developed as the Tremere's. The Tremere's Thaumaturgical level and first path level is the same (2nd Edition), and the Egyptian's Thaumaturgy is distinct of any path, which must then be learned separately (see Dark Ages). The first one was the Path of Blood, The second was the Path of Lightning...

This path is only known by french "Veilleurs" (a French sect studying the Paranormal in Paris and it's violations of the Masquerade) and their Master, Alexis. But some Traitors, or some pawn of Laureen/Meryt-Neith could master it...

For the Fans of Highlander, the Veilleurs aren't the Watchers. The Veilleurs aren't about looking for immortals. The Veilleurs are Vampires who search for occult phenomena in Paris (in our Chronicle, Paris is inhabited by some occult corrupted force behind 50% of the intrigues of the Capital. Villon and Alexis decided to create a vampiric organisation to study it and discover how to hide (or destroy) this paranormal activity (who threaten the Masquerade!).

Some like to see Zeus, the Greek God of Lighnting, behind this path. While Zeus could have used it, this path was given by Meryt-Neith to Seth, in times when they were lovers, before the corruption of the Antediluvian: Seth was the God of the Desert, Storms and Lightnings. Sote that no proof of a vampire named Zeus exists. Some people like to make easy assumptions which are, in the World of Darkness, too simple to be real..."

I never wanted to have a NPC named Zeus. I've found that the principal greek gods aren't suited for Vampire (even if Laureen/Meryt-Neith was called Hecate in some time...). To put it bluntly: Zeus never existed in my chronicles, and he never used this path, which was created for the Veilleurs, not for some mythological god. Some ignorant vampires could mention Zeus when confronted with this Path.

System: As a Thaumaturgical Path, the character must spend one Blood Point and make a (Willpower, Diff: Level+3) roll to use one of these powers.

* Static Electricity

The Cainite can create a little static electricity shock. It's too feeble to have game effects (damage) but is really disagreeable (try kissing your girlfriend in these conditions!)

System: Automatic. A little electric arc can be created, to light cigarettes, destroy some electronic component... and explode methane.

** Electric Immunity

The Electricity can pass through the body of the Cainite without damaging it (no Joule effects, and no loss of power). Note: The Electric Immunity immunizes from magical electrical damage from the Cainite's personal power only. If another Cainite uses the Surtention to damage the First, the first one must soak this damage.

System: Automatic, 1 Blood Point, one Scene The Cainite is immunized to normal electrical damage and adds his Lightning level to any soak roll from massive electrical damage (natural lightning, Lighting sphere, etc.) Note: One obvious use with this power is to put his fingers in the electric parts of some object (battery) and touch some "friend" at the same time... Surprise.

*** Surtention

The Cainite can produce a little lightning arc from one of his extremities.

System: (Stamina+Science or Medicine, Diff: 6) Each success is one damage or five feet (1.5 meter) of range. One success only makes damage through contact. It's not aggravated damage, but it can destroy computer and most electical circuit.

**** Electrostatic Aura

The Cainite can burn his blood to create an electrical aura around him. Any one attacking him with a melee weapon will be affected by a lightning arc. There is a visual component of this power: The Cainite is surrounded by little electric arcs.

System: (Automatic) First, the Cainite must have activated the Electric Immunity (**). If not, he is affected by damage each turn (he must roll as per Surtention (***)). Any success in the Willpower roll is one Turn of activity of this power. Each time someone strikes him and roll damage, the same person is victim of electricity for the same damage, before it is soaked by the Cainite. Firing with a gun within a range of five feet is the same thing...

If someone touches the Cainite protected by the aura, the minimum Damage is zero (see level one). If the touch is powerful (push, or even strike) the minimum Damage is one, even if the only effect of the push was making the Cainite fall

***** Lightning Ball (or Lightning Sphere)

The Cainite puts some of his blood between his two hands, and uses it to fuel the Lighting Ball. Then the lightning flies at the target. If she can't dodge it, she's enveloped by lightning. If the Cainite is of the ninth generation or more, he will take more than one turn to create his Ball. Between the start (rolling the Willpower) through the end (throwing the Ball), the Cainite start to have electric arcs around his two hands, with a little Ball growing between them. The Cainite must use his two hands to use this power.

System: Roll Perception+Awareness, Diff: 7 and spend 2 Blood Points (for a total of three with the first used to fuel Thaumaturgy). The ball has a range of one hundred meters and the target has a -2 on its dodge roll (as if she were attacked by an automatic weapon). The Lightning damage is one per success the first turn and drops by one die each turn thereafter. The sphere extends in an aura a meter around the victim. If cast in water, the ball explodes, with a range of 1 meter plus .5 meters per success. The damage caused isn't aggravated but is more difficulty to soak (diff. 7).