Koldunic Rituals

Like Thaumaturgy, Koldunic Sorcery grants its wielder access to rituals of various sorts. These rituals, though magical, are not Hermetic, having no connection to the Egyptian/Latin tradition. Many rituals (not surprisingly) require blood to be spilled (a Blood Point’s worth per level of the ritual, from either the caster or a sentient sacrifice); some also require clumps of sacred earth (from a caern, node, barrow, graveyard or similar site). Koldunic rituals are rarely written down; practitioners rely on mnemonic cues.
System: Unless described differently below, these rituals are invoked in a manner similar to Thaumaturgical rituals. Typically, only one success is needed for the ritual to be successful.

One bloodpoint per level must be spilled, whether it is the koldun's or someone else, doesn't matter. Only a few rituals are presented here. (Storytellers and players are encouraged to come up with their own rituals, to reflect the unique bond between the Tzimisce sorcerers and their home soil.

Hospitality Level One

This is a simple Koldunic ritual, but an important one. This ritual, enacted nightly, allows the Tzimisce to “awaken’ the spirits in his haven. These spirits “manifest” themselves in objects, which assume sentience and individualism, often displaying unique personalities in the process. Thus, a Fiend’s gate might speak to the vampire in a dull, grating voice, complaining about the weight of the castle on its keystones; a mirror might slyly praise the vampire, while a knout might cackle with glee and beg to be laid across a victim’s hack. The Tzimisce may command any such house-spirit to silence, and the spirits generally display servility and obsequiousness. However, if ill treated (or if treated politely by an intruder), the spirits may fail to warn the Fiend of intruders in his domain (which is the primary function of the spell).

Conjure Lesser Demon Level Three

Simply put, this ritual allows the sorcerer to evoke one of the lesser demons that haunt the Slavic lands. These “demons” have no connection to infernal beings; they are most similar to the spirits revered by werewolves. Nor do the demons attempt to make a pact; the relation between sorcerer and demon resembles that between a master and vassal (albeit a highly malicious, intractable vassal). All Slavic demons have names, which must be learned by the sorcerer, and all must be “sworn” to the sorcerer by accepting a point of her blood. A koldun may "retain" a number of demons equal to her Charisma or Intimidation score (whichever is higher). Demons are not “bound” to the sorcerer; she must coax or (more likely) cow them into performing services.
A lesser Slavic demon can appear in virtually any shape; many take the shape of normal animals, though some appear freakish indeed.

The Inmost Tug Level Five

Unlike most Koldunic rituals, this requires no blood sacrifice or other dross; it can be activated with a single word and a gesture. This ritual allows a voivode, to manipulate the emotions of a being bound in the Blood Oath. For example, the love instilled by a Blood Oath could be debased to lust, or refined to fraternal devotion. This ritual can even be used to warp a Blood Oath into fear, hate or other negative emotions.

Conjure Greater Demon Level Five

This ritual is similar to Conjure Lesser Demon, except a mighty entity of the Old Country appears. Such a being is not generally subject to intimidation; it must be coaxed to serve, and has no qualms about destroying the sorcerer should the offer not be to its liking. For this reason, koldun rarely use this ritual.
Like lesser demons, greater demons have individual names and can appear in any shape.

Create Vozhd Level Six

This ritual, combined with Vicissitude, enables its practitioner to create a vozhd war ghoul. The Tzimisce must gather a sizable number of ghouls at least 15, though 20 or more are commonly employed. The ghouls may be human or animal, and all must be force-fed a concoction of each other’s blood (a Blood Point of the mixture will suffice). Once this is done, the ritual begins.
The ritual consists of a continuous chant, which the Fiend must utter while using Vicissitude to mold the ghouls into a composite creature. The casting Tzimisce does not have to be the “sculptor” of the vozhd, though most prefer at least to participate in the flesh-shaping. The ritual takes (the number of ghouls used - 7) hours to cast, and the caster must maintain the chant without interruption for the duration of the casting.

Dracul Level Nine

Besides the obvious prerequisite (Koldunic Sorcery 9+), the caster must have a Vicissitude score of 6+ to employ this ritual; only two Tzimisce, including the Dracon of Byzantium, are known to have used it. This ritual imbues the Fiend with the primordial energies of the Old Country, transforming the vampire into a hideous dragon.
System: The Fiend’s Strength rating triples, his Stamina rating doubles, and he sprouts a scaly hide equal to Class 4 Armor. The dragon may drink blood normally, and may also choose to consume the flesh of slain foes; an entire human corpse (12 Health Levels) may be chewed up and eaten per turn, provided the dragon does nothing but eat. For each Health Level of flesh “digested,” the Fiend may regurgitate a fiery acid inflicting one Health Level of aggravated damage per “point” invested in it (maximum of six Health Levels vomited per shot). The Fiend gains an additional five “Bruised” Health Levels, but all difficulties to hit him are reduced by one (he’s enormous).

Reawakening the Dead Water Level One

With the destruction of the Tremere antitribu and as Koldunic Sorcery was rediscovered, new koldun searched for a means to spiritually reconnect themselves to their ancient predecessors. In accords with the fables of “dead water,” many of these new koldun begin their nights by performing this ritual, cast by dripping some of their blood into a lake, river or ocean and then ingesting the liquid. A koldun must drip one point of blood into the water source from which she intends to drink, then ingest an equivalent of one blood point’s worth of in water. This liquid mystically evaporates through the vampire’s body soon after being ingested. After successfully performing this ritual, akoldun regains one point of temporary Willpower. This can only replace spent Willpower points and cannot exceed the koldun’s maximum Willpower pool. Reawakening the Dead Water can be performed only once per night.

Ties That Bind Level Four

Before an ancient koldun could learn a new way, he performed this ritual and removed one of his ribs (through Vicissitude or other means). A mystical symbol representing the particular way the koldun intended to learn was inscribed onto the bone, then implanted back into the body. Koldun cast this ritual to symbolically lend part of themselves to the essence of the land. In return, they were granted the ability to practice the spiritual magic that is Koldunic Sorcery. In the present night, Sabbat koldun revised this ritual to serve a more practical purpose with less torturous requirements. Performed as often as weekly, this ritual reconnects the koldun with the eldritch magic of the Old World.
System: After spilling four points of blood onto a patch of dirt then ingesting this soil, a koldun may lower the difficulty of any Koldunic Sorcery rolls he makes over the next three nights by one. Multiple uses of Ties That Bind have no effect — the koldun gains no greater benefit if he uses this ritual more than once in three nights.

Dark Ages

Tzimisce have long been renowned (or feared) as master sorcerers, though their preeminence has been eclipsed by the rise of the Tremere. Most Fiends have forgotten the elder magic of long-ago nights, and few who remember teach it to their childer. Nonetheless, there are a few ancients who still practice the magical Discipline of Koldunic Sorcery.

System: Koldunic Sorcery resembles Thaumaturgy (and is cast in the same manner), though it has no connection to the Hermetic practices of the Tremere. It has its own paths and rituals, which are incompatible with the magic of the Tremere though recent cooperation with House Tytalus has allowed certain Fiends to develop Koldunic equivalents of the Paths of Blood, Spirit and Flames. This power is not considered a clan Discipline, though Tzimisce with an appropriate mentor may learn the power using the experience point costs for an outside-of-clan Discipline.

No Fiend would ever instruct a non-Tzimisce in the Discipline.

Koldunism survives into the modern age, but is exceedingly rare. The Fiends of the Oradea League are known to practice the Discipline, as are certain Sabbat elders and their childer.

Koldunic Paths

Koldun learn a path equivalent to Spirit Thaumaturgy, known as Spirit Ways, as their first Path. Other Paths practiced by koldun include Koldunic equivalents of Creo Ignem (Fire Ways), Rego Elementum (Natural Ways), and Rego Aquam (Water Ways).

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