Book Of Nasty
page 4



Verbena: Keepers of the Sacred garden of Life
Rite of Spring Dawning
(AKA: Growing stuff on the hood of a dodge)
LIfe 3, Matter 3, Prime 2
This rote has been used to create some of the more beautiful gardens of the Verbena, weaving vines into existing structures, using trees as pillars for temples and homes, and turning  mundane junk into pots for plants that normally would resist such acts as growing on the hood of a Camaro. With this rote/ritual cast on one's garden, one can sleep soundly in the thought that there will be few, when and if any, unpleasant developments from some yahoo pouring motor oil into prized azaleas, or radiator fluid into a fishpond. By breaking down structures of Matter, and turning them into growth mediums, sculpting various objects, and initiating growth cycles year round, one can have a prized rosh bush growing.. almost anywhere. Even the Arctic is a possible location for "encouraged growth", although this variation requires Forces 3, as would a volcanically-active location (Mauna Loa).

:Game System:
Empowered with this Rote, any Verbena with an eye for style, and a taste for organic justice can render a foe's place of business, residence, or socializing into a beautiful, hip, and oh-so-funny landscaped nightmare. With one success on a Perception+Plant Lore (see new abilities), the Verbena can see the possiblities of growth in a given area. Granted, a toxic waste dump, missile silo, and Black Spiral breeding pit seem to offer few options, but then again, who said this was coincidental? For raw fun, try using it on a Pentex exec's playroon, turning his pretty-but-dangerous Venus Flytrap into a small, if immobile, killing machine the size of a Xerox copier. With each success, one portion of the land selected (10% with one, 20% with two, etc etc.) turns to the appropriate horticultural environment (up to the size of a two hundred foot square- 200' X 200', with a ceiling of the tallest object present). Every two successes add to the duration on a one-for-two ratio (two successes=20% of the land for 1 scene).

Regenerate Limb
(AKA: Pullin' a Starfish)
Life 4/5, Mind 1/2, Prime 2

This feat of vulgar magick allows the magus' chosen patient to regrow a lost limb or appendage. Some other applications are the spontaneous generation of multiple new arrays of fingers, eyes, or other similar concepts. By using the first rank of Mind, the mage becomes accustomed to the new physiology, via Multitasking, and with the second rank, it allows the new victim the opportunity to enjoy life, most likely with more limbs than they started with, and the knowledge of how to use them effectively. One humorous instance of this rote being used offensively involved a Man in Black interrupted in the middle of his normal routine of beating a young Hollow One's head into a brick wall by spontaneously erupting into a trio of additional arms, legs, and eyes, with the appropriate confusion that entails. The Hollow One, never knowing the favor was done by a camouflaged Verbena, took the opportunity to spend a few minutes giving the MiB the chance to hear every one of his new joints getting smashed by a cinder block, and left him, bleeding, confused, and in more pain than his five arms, legs  and newly enucleated eyes could have imagined. His distended body, upon discovery by his partner, was promptly incinerated. The loss of such a masterpiece of vengeance from within the flesh is considered a minor one to Life magus everywhere, but it is felt sharply by "Royal Blue", the permanently-camoflauged Verbena.. but, as always, that is another story....


:Game System:
 Regeneration, long thought to be the exclusive province of the Garou and Vampire set, is now an option avaliable to the enterprising Mages with a speciality in Medicine (Anatomy/Biology/Biochemistry), Herbalism (for the ever-famous "Potions o' Regeneration") or Stone Lore ("Wear this amulet, little one, and fear not getting your hand whacked off with a chainsaw". Funny thing, I think I heard *my* grandmother say this...) or other appropriate ability (excepting, of course, for the truly strange Ability roll Strength+Computers.. Our reasearch team never found a compelling enough reason to include it, so we have decided against it). Use common sense here, folks. :) With a few additions, the player might also wish to expand the regeneration into one's offspring... Eerie.

Camouflage Self
(AKA: Hiding in plain sight, Verbena-style)
Life 4, forces 2, Prime 2

This rote, while not being one of the oldest, is certainly one of the more useful ones in use by eco-terrorists. guerillas, and Amazon-based freedom fighters.  By forming shadows around the caster, and initiating growth in local flora, the mage may merge, visually-speaking, with the background, vanishing in a flash of palm leaves, wild orchids, and tall hedges filled with shadows. With one to three successes, the mage can remain unseen for about ten minutes, whereas with four to six, the duration goes up to a full hour. With seven or more, the mage, if they wish, can actually physically enter a nearby plant, provided they are of sufficient size, and the ambient temperature of the plant is no more than five degrees above their own body temperatures. The reasoning for this is that a burning banyan tree, while being of a good size, makes for a poor hiding place, as when they burn, they bleed. With a merging of bodies, the blood is also partially the mage, liquefied into a red sap.

:Game System:
 Judicious use of common sense is also highly recommended here, folks.  Keep the players's *thinking* they can't be seen. They will show up on infrared, RADAR sweeps, and motion detectors, if the elect to move around a lot. (Definition of "a lot": setting a bomb on something. Throwing anything. Dropping stuff. You get the idea.) Should they have the misfortune to botch on this one, skip finding a good Paradox flaw. Just make it permanent. :) For good ideas on how to make their lives miserable, watch "Memoirs of an Invisible Man". It'd be worth the price of admission to see them squirm and explain this to an angry Mentor, or worse.. a suspicious Technocrat. "No, really, Mr. MiB, we are only friendly nature spirits... Please move on in peace and tranquility..."

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