FORTITUDE

Fortitude: On finding the rock within

Within all of us crouches the beast - ready to spring, should we let down our guard, for the briefest instant. Beside the beast, in the dark of our souls crouch others, waiting to be discovered, should you but be bold enough. Let me tell you of one you already know the rudiments of - that which others call fortitude; but they fail to understand - for it is more than mere endurance - it is the soul of a stone, it is more than that - it is the essence of adamant - it is the distillation of what it means to be a vampire - like you and me - eternal, unchanging, and truly immortal.

Some would have you believe there is a mystic element to Fortitude - this is false. You are a Vampire. Do you know what this means? It is a fearful and mighty gift and curse, for You are the chosen of Caine, and you need no further mystical explanation for something that is your right.


1. Seelenstaerke
At this most basic level, Vampiric skin takes on a rubbery feel, and is resistant to bruising. Any damage which would move a vampire from unhurt to bruised simply has no effect.

2. Ignoring the stinging of gnats
Now the vampires skin begins to feel hard, as if there were tensed muscle beneath the flesh. Any damage inflicted by a physical strike does not cause the vampire to stumble backwards if the damage is less than the vampires combined strength + potence

3. Deflecting the pain
This level of fortitude allows the vampire to lessen the debilitating effects of wounds - If the vampires dice pool is lessened due to injury, the penalty is one die less. Additionally, even if the vampire is incapacitated, he may roll one die for actions

4. Steinherz
When the vampire has mastered this level of Fortitude, he begins to bring the stone within to the surface, and in certain vampires, their skin begins to take on a grey tinge, and become rigid. Damage which would tear the skin, or relies on piercing the skin to do damage, automatically inflict one level less damage.

5. Agony's Release
At this point the the vampire may consign pain felt to the stone within, effectively ignoring any wound.

6. Pains fading fury
Upon reaching this level of power, Kindred may totally detach themselves from any pain at will, for as long as required. This means that anything which would cause pain still casues damage, but has no other effects. There are negative effects in that blood may not be spent to heal wounds while this level of fortitude is being maintained. Upon releasing the discipline, the vampire feels intense agony, and feels pain until all wounds are completely healed.

7. Sharing of the wound
Few Kindred reach this level of mastery, but those that do are indeed forces to be reckoned with, having an iron-like skin which is hard to the touch. Striking their flesh causes reverberations which may injure the attacker. On any attempt to inflict damage, if all damage is soaked, then the attacker suffers two damage levels, which may be soaked.

8. Forsaking the flesh
When the flesh is forsaken, the Cainite has truly taken the essence of the stone, forming a union which renders them nearly invulnerable. Bullets will riccochet of the flesh, and any creature can inflict no damage whatsoever.

9. Assuming the stone
Beyond the essence is the form, and kindred with this level of fortitude can become the stone, making themselves statues, which can absorb even the most terrifying forms of damage, sunlight and fire. When the Kindred chooses, they may make statues of themselves, with limited mobility. Entering a form of torpor during daylight, they may stand in the full sun and suffer no harm, yet retain a limited awareness even as the sun savages their rocky exteriors.

10. Blood of Iron
No kindred with this level of power have seen fit to describe it to lesser kindred, but tales persist of vampires who ignored direct bomb blasts, walked freely in the light of day, and whom even the mightiest of blows could not scar, let alone topple. Speculation has been forwarded of the ability to absorb minerals into the bloodstream, and use these to make a skin of steel, which yet retains its flexibility.