EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ASSAMITES BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK (WITH GOOD REASON PERHAPS)

 By Bryan Rendell

(email via [email protected])

STORAGE AND BROKERAGE

"Living at home is such a drag.

 Your mom threw away your best porno mag"

 - The Beastie Boys, Fight for your Right

All Assamites are required to tithe 10% of all blood they receive

in payment to their sires. In cases where the sire has met the

final death, the clan elders at Alamut will accept the token of

loyalty in the sire's place.

The elders of Alamut will also perform certain minor tasks for any

Assamite, in exchange for a further tithe. The elders will safely

store any blood sent to them. This is an attractive option for most

Assamites, as the elders are far more capable of protecting such

precious vitae than any Assamite in the field. They will also

organise to have the blood exchanged for blood of a more useful

generation. This is also a very valuable, and time saving, service,

that many Assamites utilise.

These services do not come free however. Storage of vitae costs a

flat 10% of the amount stored. The cost of brokerage rises as the

required generation falls, as the availability of such potent blood

is low. The standard fee for brokerage is 10%. For every generation

earlier than eighth, this price rises by an additional 10%. Thus if

the requisite generation is sixth, then the brokerage fee would be

30%. Note that all fees are taken from the blood before any

brokerage takes place.

While the Elders of Alamut would never cheat a fellow Assamite,

they will always give themselves the benefit of the doubt. The

amount taken will err in their favour, and will tend to take more

of earlier generation blood.

Example: Al, a Seventh generation Assamite sends his earned blood

to Alamut with a polite request for brokerage and storage. The

gracious elders will tithe Al 30% of his supply for the privilege.

Al has 17 points of 11th generation, 19 points of 9th generation,

7 points of 8th generation, 12 points of 7th generation and 4

points of 6th generation. This is a total of 59 blood points, of

which 18 points makes 30%, rounded to the elders advantage. They

take 2 points of 6th generation, 4 points of 7th generation, 3

points of 8th generation, 6 points of 9th generation and 3 points

of 11th generation. In this case they took less than 30% of the

11th generation blood, because they would take no more than 30% of

the total pool.

Al is left with 14 points of 11th, 13 points of 9th, 4 points of

8th, 8 points of 7th, and 2 points of 6th. When brokered, this

becomes 18 points of 7th generation and 2 points of 11th. This is

placed in storage. In any further brokerage, although this blood

cannot be tithed again, it can be used in the process. The 2 points

of 11th generation blood can be combined with 14 other such points

to give 1 7th generation point of blood.

While it would seem obvious that by calculating ahead of time, Al

could have sent less than the above amounts and made more efficient

use of his resources, such practise is not recommended. The leeway

granted is a mark of respect for the Elders of the clan, as the

Assamites should be honoured that their elders would deign to aid

them. To send quantities of blood that don't favour the Elders is

insulting, implying that the Elders are somehow cheating the

Neonates. Consistently doing so will almost certainly lead to loss

of Clan Prestige. Rumours that the stored blood of offenders meet

with mysterious accidents are utterly unfounded, as well as

unjustly calling the honour of the Elders into question. Never,

never, never call the honour of the Elders into question.

One common form of punishment for Assamites not guilty of capital

crimes is to double all tithes in blood. Thus, tithes to ones sire,

tithes for storage and tithes for brokerage are 20%. Moreover, such

Assamites are expected to make full use of such services, to

demonstrate their continuing loyalty. Not to use such services is

to imply that the punishment was somehow unfair, calling the

judgement of the Elders into question. Never, never, never call the

judgement of the Elders into question.

PHILOSOPHY AND HUMANITY

"Hey man what hit my car?

 Don't know if it was a sheep or a dog.

 Maybe it was nothing at all.

 Maybe I've had just too much grog"

 - The Cosmic Psychos, Dead Roo

Assamites would seem to be in great danger of succumbing to the

Beast, considering they make death their living. However, just as

the Sabbat have found a way of keeping the Beast at bay, so too the

Assamites. However, they do not make use of Paths of Enlightenment,

as Assamites require continuing coolness and self control to pursue

their goals, something the Paths do not provide.

Instead, the Assamites have developed, over the centuries, a

philosophical outlook on life and death that does not replace

Humanity, as Paths do, but supplements it. By rigorous application

of this philosophy, the Assamite can operate in the field of death

dealing without loss of humanity.

Putting it briefly, this philosophy is related to the principle of

Golconda, which is acceptance. The Assamite accepts all facets and

connotations of the deed to be committed, accepts the separate and

distinct reality of the one to be killed, accepts his own role as

killer, accepts the spiritual quest upon which he is on. In this

aspect, it can be seen as remorse before the fact. However, this

"remorse" is counter pointed with the joy of spiritual epiphany, the

necessary re-discovery of the spiritual underpinnings of the Clan

that must be achieved over and over again. While in this state of

remorse/joy, the Assamites horizons expand, and he is capable of

performing the act of killing while keeping the Beast at bay

Note that an understanding of the reality of the intended target is

crucial to the process. The Assamite requires as much personal

detail on the target as possible, in particular photos of the

target and family, if any. Other documents which reveal the targets

history, such as school reports, lists of personal tastes and habits

and any other highly personalized items are ideal. When arranging

the hit, the Assamite will always ask to be provided with such

items, as well as all information pertinent to the actual hit

itself, by the one putting out the contract. If no such items are

provided, the Assamite may well conduct a little raid on the

targets house to furnish himself with the necessary items. If no

such items are to be found anywhere, this may well affect the

Assamites willingness to perform the deed, depending on how highly

the Assamite values his Humanity.

So how does this work in game terms? Firstly, it requires the use

of a new Knowledge, that of Assamite Philosophy (apologies for not

coming up with some really clever name). It is then a simple roll

of Perception + Assamite Philosophy at a difficulty of the

Assamites own Humanity. This reflects the Assamites struggle with

himself to attain the necessary state of mind. Each roll takes 2

hours to perform.

The number of successes on the roll determine the length of time

the Assamite can remain in this euphoric state. The more successes

gained, the more leeway the Assamite has on the means of

assassinating the target. A single success grants the Assamite 3

hours of time. Each additional success doubles this base time, so

5 successes would give the Assamite 2 days to do the job. If the

allotted time passes without the target bring killed, or if the

Assamite fails the roll, the Assamite can attempt another roll.

However, unless there is a significant change in the degree to

which the Assamite "knows" the target, the difficulty increases by

1. This can occur an indefinite number of times, with the

difficulty penalty accumulating each time.

If the Assamite botches the roll, then he can make no further rolls

regarding this particular target. However, by this stage the

Assamite has almost certainly agreed to the hit, and is honour

bound to make an attempt. The Assamite clan has a serious

reputation to protect, and don't like individual Assamites doing

anything to jeopardize that reputation. The Assamite will just have

to kill the target and accept the risk to his Humanity. Cest la

vie.

Beyond this simple roll, there are some considerations that must be

addressed. Firstly, it is part and parcel of the whole Assamite

position that they are assassins, not murderers. This roll can only

be made in the case of a legitimate assassination. It cannot be

made for any old killing the assamite may want to perform. For all

other actions, Assamites are just as subject to Humanity loss as

all other Kindred. Secondly, the process focuses on a single

individual and his death. Thus, the Assamites Humanity is protected

only against the death of that individual and the MINIMUM VIOLENCE

required to attain the individual's death. It does not protect the

Assamite's Humanity if he blows away the targets family when trying

to get the target. Basically, this requires the Storytellers

discretion as to when the assamite has crossed the line from

necessary to gratuitous action.

Their are also various modifiers that alter the circumstances of

the roll. These are as follows:

- Every time the Assamite doubles the time spent in contemplation,

the difficulty drops by one. Thus if the Assamite spent 8 hours in

reflection, the difficulty would be Humanity - 2. Often Assamites

with high Humanity will spend the daylight hours in contemplation

rather than sleep, to perform a hit the next night.

- An integral part of the process is the spiritual growth through

the blood attained. If the Assamite is working for anything other

than the blood of Kindred, the Difficulty of the roll is 1 higher.

- It is essential that the Assamite "knows" the target for the

attempt to be made. If the Assamite has had some personal

involvement with the target, then the difficulty is lowered by 1.

However, there is a point where intimate involvement becomes a

burden rather than an asset. If the Assamite has particularly

strong feelings for the target, then the difficulty is raised by 1

to 4 points, depending on the strength of the feeling, and the

degree of reciprocation. Note that these feelings can be positive

or negative. Utter loathing for a target can cloud the Assamites

mind as effectively as love.

HERESY

"Just wait until you touch the 'Pernicious Poem Place'!

 Oooh, you'll be sorry then!"

 - Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

Not all Assamites make use of the philosophy of the Assamites.

Indeed, it is believed that some Assamites follow Paths similar to

the Path of Caine found amongst the Sabbat. The Elders have no

problem with this. So long as one is loyal to the Clan, and to the

goals of the Clan, then how you go about it is your own business.

However, there has developed over the centuries a movement within

the Assamites which is viewed as inimical to the goals of the Clan.

This underground faction espouses the position that the Assamites

should not be the assassins of the dead, rather they should be the

defenders and warriors of the Kindred, as it is thought they once

were. This of itself is not a problem. The Elders of Alamut are

tolerant as to what Assamites do when not assassinating. What is a

problem is that these separatists dispute the existence of Caine,

and suggest that the quest of ascending to Caine by raising ones

generation is bankrupt, and a perversion of the understanding of

Golconda. Understandably, in such a fundamentalist Clan, this

suggestion does not go down well.

It is believed that the Separatists have developed their own

philosophy with respect to noble warfare, that works much as the

Assamite Philosophy does. The Elders of Alamut have made repeated

efforts to eradicate the movement where ever it was found. However,

their efforts have never been completely successful, as the movement

has always risen again after a time. Admittedly, only a small

minority of Assamites are members of this group. Further, very few

other Assamites have ever heard of them, as the Elders make

concerted efforts to keep other Assamites ignorant of the heresy.

While this policy perhaps keeps the number of Separatists to a

minimum, it makes it easier for the Separatists to remain hidden in

the body of normal Assamites.

QUIETUS

"Soon I discovered that this Rock thing was true.

 Jerry Lee Lewis was the Devil,

 Jesus was an architect previous to his career as a prophet."  -

Ministry, Jesus Built my Hotrod

same as the first power of Thaumaturgy. By

means of the emerging spiritual connection beaten the Assamite and

blood, a variety of information about the blood may be gleaned.

Such things as blood concentration, approximate generation and

diseases present may all be learned. The blood must be touched to

learn anything about it. It is by means of this power that

Assamites are rarely deceived as to the payments they receive, as

well as discovering if their clients information of the target was

a little lax.

SYSTEM: The player must roll Perception + Empathy (difficulty 7).

The number of successes determines how much information is received

and how accurate it is.

LEVEL TWO - BODY WRACK

The virulence of the Assamites blood is now sufficient to cause

extreme pain to anyone who takes any of that blood into their

system. The Assamite can actually bring some of their own blood

onto the surface of their palm. If this blood is touched to

another's skin, it is absorbed through their skin, and enters their

system. The Assamite could also add a little of their blood to food

or a bevrage which, if consumed, will cause the same effect. In

this case, the blood must be consumed within a few minutes or else

it's potency is lost.

SYSTEM: The Assamite must spend a single blood point, and enter it

into the victim's system in one of the ways described. Once the

blood is in the targets system, the Assamite rolls Stamina +

Empathy at a difficulty of the targets Stamina + Self Control. The

number of success is the size of the dice penalty the target

suffers to all actions due to excruciating pain. Note that the

Assamite can increase the effectiveness of the attempt by

increasing his Stamina with blood. The Assamite can make multiple

attempts to affect the target. Subsequent attempts will replace the

original, if more successes are achieved, or add 1 to the total, if

less or equal successes result. The effect will last for a scene

before the victim's system expunges the toxins. If the target is

able to resist the effect of wound penalties, then they may

similarly resist the effect of Body Wrack separately from any wound

penalties. A frenzying vampire, for example, can subtract it's

Stamina from the number of the dice penalty from Body Wrack, in

addition to subtracting it's Stamina from wound penalties in the

usual way.

LEVEL THREE - BLOOD AGONY

A character with this power can use his blood to cause aggravated

wounds. The blood is used to coat a weapon like a sword, a knife or

even fingernails. The weapon does damage normally, but each wound

thus caused is an aggravated one.

SYSTEM: For every blood point the character spends to coat the

weapon, it will do aggravated damage on a number of hits equal to

the rate the character can spend blood points per turn. If an

eighth generation Assamite were to coat his sword with 3 blood

points, it would be good for 9 successful hits. If a successful hit

results in no damage, it still uses one of the potential

aggravated hits. Note that the amount of blood one can smear on a

weapon depends on the size of the weapon. Fingernails can only

carry 1 blood point, while a sword might carry 4 or 5.

LEVEL FOUR - CRAWLING DEATH

The characters blood is now of such virulence that it can be used

to attack and kill its target directly. By entering some of the

characters blood into the victim's system, in one of the ways

described under Body Wrack, the blood will move through the victim

attacking his system and destroying his blood. This generally kills

any human target, and often puts vampiric targets into torpor.

SYSTEM: As with Body Wrack, the Assamite spends a blood point and

enters the blood into the target, either by touching them with a

blood covered palm, or contaminating their food with the blood. The

Assamite then makes a Stamina + Empathy roll at a difficulty of the

targets Stamina + Self Control. The target can attempt a standard

soak roll to reduce the number of the Assamite's successes. The

number of remaining successes are divided evenly beaten levels of

damage done, and blood points destroyed. Left over successes

destroy blood points.

Each turn after the initial attack, the Assamite makes a new

Stamina + Empathy roll in a identical fashion to that described

above, reflecting the destructive course of the blood through the

victim's body. This continues until the target successfully soaks

all of the Assamites successes made in a single turn, until the

target has lost all their blood points, or until the target dies.

Note that with each passing turn, the target will be suffering from

greater and greater wound penalties, and must generally best the

attack in the first few turns in order to survive.

The Assamite can increase the effectiveness of the attack by

increasing his Stamina with blood, but must do so for the initial

attack. Increasing Stamina after this has no effect on the blood

already in the victim.

Example. The Assamite scores 5 successes on the initial attack, of

which only 2 are soaked. The target takes 1 level of damage and

loses 2 blood points. The next turn, the Assamite scores 3

successes, the target scores 2. The target loses a single blood

point. In the third turn, both Assamite and target score 3

successes. The target is not harmed, and the Assamites blood ceases

it's effect.

As with Body Wrack, the Assamite can make multiple attempts at this

attack. Every successful attempt after the first adds 1 to the

Assamites dice pool in subsequent turns. In the actual turn it is

initiated, if it is more successful than the attack in progress, it

replaces it. If it is less successful, or equally successful, as

the attack in progress, it adds 1 success to the total used that

turn.

LEVEL FIVE - BLOOD SYMPATHY

The character has by now a sufficient spiritual connection with

blood that he can cause other Quietus powers to affect a target

spontaneously, without the need for contact or placing some of his

own blood in the targets system. The Assamite can cause the

targets own blood to exhibit the qualities of the Assamites blood,

which then affect the target normally. Under the right

circumstances, the character could use Taste of Blood, Body Wrack

or Crawling Death. As Blood Agony requires the use of a weapon to

actually instigate it's effect, this power cannot be used

sympathetically.

SYSTEM: In order to use Blood Sympathy the target must be no more

than 20 feet away per point of Perception the Assamite has. The

Assamite must also have line of sight to the target. A target

behind a window is fair game, a target behind a wall is not. The

Assamite then spends a Blood Point and rolls Perception + Empathy

(difficulty of the targets Willpower). The Assamite must achieve at

least as many successes as the level of the power he wishes to use.

Crawling Death would require at least 4 successes. Note that the

Assamite must choose the power he wishes to use sympathetically

before the roll is made.

If the requisite number of successes were rolled, then in the same

turn, or in the turn immediately following, the Assamite can

attempt to use the desired power sympathetically. This power will

have the same cost in Blood Points as normal. However, the rolls

will substitute Perception for physical attributes on all rolls.

Example: The Assamite attempts to use Crawling Death

sympathetically. Spending a Blood Point and rolling Perception +

Empathy, he scores the 4 successes needed, achieving sympathy. The

next turn, he spends another Blood Point and makes the attempt,

rolling Perception + Empathy. If the attack proceeds beyond the

first turn, the Assamite will continue rolling Perception +

Empathy, instead of the usual Stamina + Empathy.

If some of the Assamites blood is already in the victim's system,

although not in the service of any other Quietus power, then the

Assamite need only score a single success on the initial Perception

+ Empathy roll to initiate any Quietus power. Thus an Assamite's

own ghouls are highly susceptible to the use of Blood Sympathy.

Assamites of the Seventh or earlier generations find it easier to

use Quietus powers sympathetically, due to the growing potence of

their own blood. The difference beaten a vampire's Generational

Maximum and 5 is the number of successes less that the vampire

needs to roll to initiate a power, to a minimum of 1. Thus the

Assamite Antediluvian can sympathetically activate any Quietus

power of up to and including the sixth level with only 1 success on

the initial roll, but would need 5 successes to use a Tenth level

power.

OBFUSCATE

"Mmmmmm, waffle run-off!"

 - Homer Simpson, The Simpsons

The Discipline of Obfuscate utilised by the Assamites is slightly

different from the discipline used by Camarilla vampires. Assamites

do not learn the first level power "Cloak of Shadows". Instead they

learn a different power, called "Silence of Death". Note that this

is merely contingently so. An Assamite who learns Obfuscate from a

Nosferatu or a Malkavian, for example, would have the "Cloak of

Shadows" power at the first level, as would any Assamites this

individual subsequently taught Obfuscate to. However, virtually all

Assamites learn Obfuscate at Alamut when Embraced, and "Silence of

Death" is by far the more common of the two powers used by

Assamites with Obfuscate.

LEVEL ONE - SILENCE OF DEATH

With this power the Assamite can create a zone from which no sound

may escape. For a minimum of 5 feet around him in every direction

there is complete silence. He could run at full speed, fire a

machine gun or set off 100 pounds of dynamite right where he stands

and no one would hear it as long as the sound was created within

that zone. Note that the character can still hear things going on

outside of this circle of silence, but cannot himself hear anything

going on within the circle.

SYSTEM: For the cost of 1 Blood Point, a zone of 5 feet around the

character is created. For every additional Blood Point spent, the

radius of the zone from the character increases by 5 feet. No roll

is required to achieve this effect. Unlike the case with other

Obfuscate powers, Auspex is of no benefit to counteract the effect

of the "Silence of Death".

ASSAMITES, QUIETUS & BLOOD

"Everybody knows that a Burrow Owl lives

 in a hole in the ground.

Why do you think they call it a Burrow Owl anyway?" - Dead Milkmen,

Stuart

Quietus is a reflection of two factors: an Assamites spiritual

connection with blood, and the growing toxicity of the Assamites

own blood. One might think that this last factor would prevent

Assamites from creating ghouls, or feeding their blood to other

Kindred for the purposes of healing. However, the two factors are

interdependent and largely inseparable. The toxicity of Assamite

blood is latent, dependant upon a conscious spiritual connection to

initiate the effects of Quietus, while it is the nature of Assamite

blood, beyond the merely vitriolic, that initiates the capacity for

spiritual awareness in the Assamite.

Thus for most Assamites, their blood is, for all intensive

purposes, normal Kindred vitae, capable of being used by mortals

and Kindred for all the uses other Kindred blood can be put to.

Only by the conscious decision of the Assamite can the vitae take on

it's lethal properties. Evidence of this lies in the fact that

Assamite's can control the effect their blood has on others within

the purview of Quietus. An Assamite with Quietus of level 5 can use

his blood for any of the effects up to and including the fifth

level. He is not merely obliged to exercise only the most potent

effect he has reached, as if his body was nothing more than a store

for more and more concentrated poison.

It was the latent toxicity of the blood, requiring a spiritual

command for release, that the Tremere used to curse the Assamites

into their present state. Attempts to reach "scientific"

explanations for Kindred have been fruitless, and few would argue

the mystical/spiritual nature of Kindred in general. In particular,

the mystical nature of Kindred is contained within their blood, as

the centre of their birth and continued life. What the Tremere

achieved with their curse was a subtle alteration of the Assamites

blood, so that the presence of foreign Kindred blood in the

Assamites system would utilise the mystical properties inherent to

such blood and initiate the same spiritual connection that the

Assamite would normally make voluntarily. The nature of this

command to the Assamite's system was the rapid assimilation of the

foreign blood, followed by it's immediate destruction as it's

mystical potential was released into the Assamite, a release that

causes turbulence and disruption to whatever mystical power it is

that keeps kindred alive. This is why Assamites have found no way

to resist the pain caused by the consumption of Kindred vitae: it

is a spiritual, not a physical, pain, and cannot be soaked.

The inability of Assamites to imbibe Kindred vitae is virtually

total. Even the blood of other Assamites is sufficiently alien and

individual in nature to prevent consumption without repercussions.

The only exception to this rule is the blood of one's immediate

progeny. Assamites are able to drink the blood of Kindred they have

sired, but no other. The blood of an Assamite's own sire is too

potent relative to his own to escape the normal effects, while the

blood of his grand progeny is too weak, and has become sufficiently

individuated to cause pain and damage.

On a related topic, it is often believed by those outside the clan

that Assamites are immune to the effects of each other's Quietus.

This is partially true, although it is not the whole story. An

Assamite attacked with Quietus who takes some other Assamites blood

into their system will suffer the effect of both the Quietus power

as well as the spiritual consequences of having alien vitae in

their system. The Assamites system will then destroy the foreign

blood in the usual way, although at a rate of 1 Blood Point per

turn, rather than all at once. Thus an Assamite who unwittingly

imbibes 3 points of another Assamites vitae, initiating a Body

Wrack, will suffer the full normal effects of Body Wrack, as well

as losing 1 Health level per turn, for a total of 3 turns. At this

point, the Body Wrack disappears, and the assamite ceases to take

damage, all foreign blood having been destroyed. Note that this

only applies in cases where the Assamites system is invaded with

foreign blood. Thus, such powers as Blood Agony, which relies on

the caustic properties of the blood, and Blood Sympathy, which

turns the targets own blood against himself, affect Assamites

normally.

An obvious benefit of this intolerance to Kindred vitae is that

Assamites cannot be Blood Bound, at least in the normal run of

things. All Kindred blood is destroyed far to quickly to have any

effect, and although they can feed from their progeny, a sire

cannot become Blood Bound to his progeny (Vampire, PP 16, last

paragraph, written by someone who should know). It has been

theorised that the vitae of the earliest generations of Kindred is

potent enough that the Blood Bond can be established before the

blood is destroyed by the Assamite's system. This remains a theory,

however, and only the most ancient of Assamites would know for

sure.

The interdependence of blood and spiritual awareness for the

Assamite to use Quietus makes the Discipline an unusual one in

terms of being learnt by non Assamites. The Assamites are created

with the potential for establishing this two way relation by virtue

of the very nature of their blood. Other Kindred are not so

endowed, and Quietus cannot simply be taught by any Kindred who has

it to another who does not. The exact conditions for the teaching

of Quietus to non Assamites is uncertain, as the Assamites

themselves are loath to do so. It is believed, however, that much

like Vicissitude and the Tzimisce, the consumption of Assamite

vitae is necessary at some stage in the learning process. Although

Quietus is not a disease as Vicissitude is often seen to be, the

properties of Assamite blood is internal to the whole use of

Quietus as a Discipline. So the Discipline Quietus is only

regularly found amongst the Assamites, and in the Sabbat, where the

Assamite antitribu have shared their secrets. Outside of these two

groups it is extremely rare. Interestingly, it is not as prevalent

in the Sabbat, except for amongst the Assamite antitribu, as one

might suspect it would be. The reasons for this are not clear (See

"Unity" for more details).

UNITY

An issue that has troubled a few Kindred scholars, in particular

the Tzimisce of the Sabbat, is the inexplicable unity of the

Assamite clan. Although the Assamite clan has been described as a

fundamentalist religion, which explains it's cohesion, it's not a

description that holds up under scrutiny. The Assamites run the

gamut from inhuman killers to virtual pacifists who commit

assassinations. While they seem to be motivated by a quasi

religious appreciation of themselves relative to Caine, this often

does not appear to be a zealous religious conviction, as one would

except with a fundamentalist doctrine. Indeed, it often appears to

be no more than a mild belief they occasionally espouse, which is

even more confusing when one considers the single minded devotion

to a particular death the Assamites display.

Certainly, it is not a philosophical or religious conviction that

holds the Assamites together, for nothing within their codified

beliefs pertains to any such solidarity. Nor, as some have

suggested, is it the apparent alieness of their beliefs that hold

them together, as the only acceptance they will find is with each

other. One might argue the same point of the Sabbat, and no-one

would deny that it is only the Vaulderie that keeps the Sabbat from

exploding, regardless of their inhuman value systems.

The further fact that Assamites cannot be Blood Bound only makes

the situation even more incomprehensible. Prior to the Treaty of

Thorns, it was long suspected that the Assamite clan was a

structure of Blood Bonds, similar to the Tremere. Once the

Assamites were cursed, it was largely believed that the Clan would

fly apart at the seams. Instead, it continued on with scarcely a

ripple, instigating their role as hired killers of Kindred with

amazing speed.

It is the inexplicable unity of the Assamites which particularly

troubles some of the Tzimisce. They wonder why it is that if the

Assamites are unified beyond our ability to understand, and attempt

to purge ant dissident elements that arise in their ranks, such as

the Separatists, then why did they fail to react at all to the

defection of numbers of Assamites to the Sabbat? The Assamite

antitribu have never been anything but unswervingly loyal to the

Sabbat, the Black Hand being the saving grace of the Sabbat Civil

War. No tests that have been tried, no thaumaturgical ritual that

has been cast has revealed any secret control over the Assamite

antitribu, or given any indication that they would betray their

sect. For the more paranoid of the Tzimisce, this does nothing but

heighten their fears. Such fear and speculation serve no purpose

however. Without any sort of evidence, few others in the Sabbat pay

much heed to the fears of the Tzimisce. Such wild speculations as

the spiritual connection the Assamites have with blood, and the

possible latent effects that the Assamite Antediluvian may have

passed on to his or her progeny through their blood, latent

commands and orders waiting like time bombs for the right moment,

are dismissed as groundless ravings

It has been rumoured before that when Gehenna comes, the Assamites

will be the shepherds for the Antediluvians. It may be that the

Sabbat have accepted the shepherds in with the sheep.

ASSAMITES AND THAUMATURGY

"Groovy"

 - Ash, Evil Dead II

In pursuit of their single goal of the perfect kill, the Assamites

adopt a wide variety of methods and means, often specialising in

fields such as explosives or poisons or "accidents". One of the

tools found most useful in enacting any number of these preferred

modes is Thaumaturgy, and the enormous range of capabilities it

grants. Amongst the Assamites, Thaumaturgy is slightly more

commonly possessed than amongst Camarilla clans, where the Tremere

jealously guard their secrets. For the Assamites however, there is

a critical difference in the manner in which they learn the

Discipline.

Basically, no Assamite will ever learn the Path of Blood. The Path

of Blood is seen as defiling and polluting the spiritual connection

Assamites have with blood. What this might mean in practical terms

is not known, as no Assamite learns this path. In terms of learning

Thaumaturgy, this limitation requires that any Assamite desiring to

acquire Thaumaturgy must be taught by another Assamite, generally

back at Alamut.

For most Kindred, the learning of Thaumaturgy is accompanied by the

automatic development of the Path of Blood. Obviously Assamites

cannot do likewise. Instead, in ages past, the Assamites developed

a unique Thaumaturgical path that is the automatic path learnt by

all Assamites. This path, described below, is the Path of Inner

Silence. Beyond this path, the most common paths learnt by

Assamites are Movement of the Mind and the Path of Conjuring,

although it is possible to find all of the paths represented in the

Assamite clan.

The restrictions on Thaumaturgy are believed to apply equally to

the Assamite antitribu. In fact it is known that Assamite antitribu

wishing to learn Thaumaturgy will travel to Alamut where they are

taught that which they wish to know, no questions asked.

Originally, the Sabbat was critical of this practise, but the

Assamite antitribu were completely willing to divulge the learning

of the Path of Inner Silence to their fellow Sabbat. Presently,

although the Sabbat disapprove of the practise, they do not oppose

Assamite antitribu from travelling to Alamut. Within the Sabbat,

the vast majority of Thaumaturgy practitioners outside of the

Assamite antitribu have the Path of Blood as their base path. Only

a handful learn Thaumaturgy from the Assamite antitribu, and not

many more learn the Path of Inner Silence at a later date. Not

considering Dark Thaumaturgy paths, it is probably the rarest of

paths practised in the Sabbat.

PATH OF INNER SILENCE

In understanding our awareness of reality, we appreciate that there

is no gap beaten ourselves and our perceptions. To speak of a

notion such as pain, we must speak of experiencing pain, for this

is exactly what pain is. However, the practitioners of the Path of

Inner Silence can achieve a dualism in their perceptions, inserting

a gap beaten their experience and themselves while still

maintaining both. Whether this path actually achieves this end, or

simulates the effect in another manner is a matter of debate.

On a practical level, when this path is learned as the inherent

path of Thaumaturgy, the powers operate as described below.

However, if the path is learnt separately, as other paths are, then

the Thaumaturgy must make a Willpower roll and spend a blood point

in the usual way for the use of Thaumaturgy paths.

1 - Silence of the Lower Senses

At this base level, the path enables the disjunction of the

practitioner from the senses of taste, smell and touch. While still

fully aware of the perceptions of these senses, they are also

distant and unconnected, as though belonging to someone else. Any

effects caused by these sensations are muted by the distance the

Thaumaturgy can achieve.

System: The Thaumaturgy rolls Perception + Meditation (difficulty

8) to determine the duration and extent of the effect. Each success

results in a duration of 1 minute. Each success will also result in

a difficulty shift or a dice pool alteration for all experiences

affecting the senses of taste, smell and touch. Thus the difficulty

of frenzy rolls inspired by the taste or smell of blood, and wound

penalties from injury are decreased by the number of successes

attained. Note that these are only two examples of possible

effects. The storyteller must judge other cases that might arise.

2 - Silence of the Higher Senses

This level of ability is identical to the Silence of the Lower

Senses power, but affects sight and hearing.

System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical

to Silence of the Lower Senses. Possible examples of the use of

this power are increasing the difficulty of frenzy and rotschrek

rolls. An interesting effect of this power is the ability to see

through a number of levels of Obfuscate equal to the successes

achieved. The dual effect of this power means that while the mind

may be fooled, the eyes are not.

3 - Silence of Unconsciousness

This level of ability is identical to the Silence of the Lower

Senses power, but affects the subconscious.

System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical

to Silence of the lower Senses. This power primarily effects the

acquisition and effect of derangements. As derangements are largely

role played, the storyteller must judge the degree to which the

derangement can be ignored based on the number of success achieved.

In the acquisition of derangements from botched humanity, frenzy and

rotschrek rolls, the successes gained with this power is the number

of botches that can be ignored, with the removal of all botches

resulting in no derangements gained. This power can also be used to

see through Obfuscate in the manner of Silence of the Higher

Senses. These two effects are cumulative.

In addition, the user is largely disjointed from his own past. This

is not in any paradoxical sense, but rather a disjunction of

association with past events. Such events seem less and less

relevant to the character, appearing to be the memories of another

person. Thus, traumatic memories seem less so, and it is even

possible to re-capture memories lost through trauma. Any other

logical consequences of being separated from one's past must be

decided by the Storyteller on a case by case basis.

4 - Silence of Consciousness

This level of ability is identical to the Silence of the Lower

Senses power, but somehow affects the conscious mind. When asked to

explain how the consciousness can be separate from itself, no

Assamites can provide an explanation. Regardless, the power works

quite well.

System: The roll, difficulty and duration of effect are identical

to Silence of the Lower Senses. Possible examples of the use of

this power are subtracting successes from any Dominate and Presence

used against the Thaumaturgy, ignoring wound penalties and

subtracting the difficulties of frenzy and rotschrek rolls. Note

that effects which double those of earlier powers are cumulative

with the use of Silence of the Lower and Higher Senses.

Silence of Consciousness largely reflects a disjunction of the

character from his present, as Silence of Unconsciousness was a

disjunction from the past. Once again, the Storytellers judgement

on individual cases must be exercised.

5 - Silence of the Spirit

At this ultimate level of the path, the Thaumaturgy can divorce

himself from his soul, and the power that animates him as a

Kindred. While this power requires the judgement of the Storyteller

as to the effect of this, there are two particular effects that

need discussion: the ability of the Kindred to achieve Final Death

at will, and the effect on humanity.

System: The roll, difficulty and duration (where applicable) are 

  . identical to Silence of the Lower Senses. If the Kindred so

desires  . and achieves 4 successes on the roll, they can expire on

the spot    . as their soul departs the body. Why they may want to

do this is not  . immediately obvious, but if they do so want, they

can. This power can. also be used to reduce the difficulty of

humanity rolls by an amount . equal to successes achieved.

Interestingly though, frequent use of   . this capacity will of

itself reduce humanity. This fact seems to     . suggest that there

is not the separation of soul and self that this  . power is meant

to accomplish, although it is still largely effective . It has been

suggested that the logical nature of this power would    . include

the disjunction of the subject from his future, in terms of  .

association with future events pertaining to the subject. What the

 . hell this might mean is unknown, however nothing recognisable of

such. a kind has been observed, although someone once said that you

can't  . get much more disjointed from future events than by

killing yourself .

HIGHER LEVEL QUIETUS

LEVEL SIX

GOUT OF BLOOD: By now, the Assamite has attained sufficient

spiritual connection with his own blood in order to make it move

and flow in certain ways. With Gout of Blood, the Assamite can

vomit forth a stream of blood from his mouth, in order to cover a

target. While not having any other intrinsic potential, the

Assamite can use other powers related to attacking the target, such

as Body Wrack or Crawling Death.

SYSTEM: The Assamite can vomit forth a number of blood points in a

single turn equal to his capacity for spending blood points.

Obviously if the amount vomited equals the Assamites spending

capacity, he will have no points available in that turn to spend on

other characteristics. Medium range for this attack equals the

Assamite's Strength X 5 in feet. Long range is twice this. Note

that Potence adds to this range. The Assamite rolls Dexterity +

Athletics at a difficulty of 7. The attack can be dodged as a

firearm attack, at 1 difficulty easier due to the lower velocity of

the attack. Every success achieved equals two blood points that

have hit the target. It is thus prudent to make several small

attacks rather than a single long attack, where more blood will be

wasted. Further effects depend upon the accompanying power used.

SENSE OF BLOOD (plagiarised from Deird'Re Brooks): This power is a

far more potent version of the First level power, Taste of Blood.

It allows the Assamite to empathically "feel" a Kindred's current

generation, initial generation (before any diablerie or use of the

Thaumaturgy power Blood of Potency), whether the target indeed has

committed diablerie, to which Clan the target belongs, or has

affinity to (in cases where the target is Caitiff, but sired by a

Clan member), as well as all information covered by the power Taste

of Blood, and any other blood related information that one may

think of.

SYSTEM: The Assamite must touch the blood in question, and roll

Perception + Empathy (difficulty 7). The number of successes

determines the amount and accuracy of the information. This power

can be used Sympathetically.

CRAWLING FINAL DEATH: This power works identically to the Fourth

level power Crawling Death, but can result in the deaths of even

Kindred and Garou. It is no more effective against mortals than the

earlier power: dead is dead, after all.

SYSTEM: All rolls made and difficulties are identical to that found

under Crawling Death. However, with this level of power, all damage

inflicted is aggravated, posing a much greater threat to Kindred

and Garou. The destruction of the targets blood is the same in any

case. This power can be used Sympathetically.

LEVEL SEVEN

BLACK BLOOD: An Assamite can now make his blood so total venomous

as to be certainly fatal to any living thing, including Mages and

Garou. It cannot effect Kindred or Faeries. If the Assamite can get

the target to internalise any of the poison in one of the usual

ways, then death is guaranteed.

SYSTEM: The Assamite must use at least a single blood point and get

it into the target, either by raising the blood to the palm of his

hand and making a successful attack, or placing it in the targets

food or in any other way. Once internalised, the target makes a

Stamina roll (difficulty 6), with the number of successes attained

being the number of turns the target has until death.

The target has that long to do something about it. For mortals

there is little that can be done: there is no known antidote to

this attack. Mages and Garou have several avenues open to them.

Various Gifts and Rotes will neutralize the poison, if they have

the time to use them. If it becomes an issue of difficulty, the

poison should be a reasonably difficult one to overcome.

This poison is not a painful one, the target feeling more and more

drowsy and disjointed as the moment of death approaches. This power

can be used Sympathetically.

BLOOD FAN: The Blood Fan is a step up from the Gout of Blood,

allowing the Assamite to physically project his blood out of his

body. In the case of the Blood Fan however, the blood projects at

high velocity out of the skin of the Assamites neck in a 360 degree

circle, affecting not just one, but a number of targets around the

Assamite. Again this power has no intrinsic effect on the targets,

except when used in tandem with another power.

SYSTEM: The Assamite can project a number of blood points up to his

capacity for spending blood points in a single turn. The Assamite

rolls Dexterity + Athletics (difficulty 7). Medium range for the

attack is Strength X 2 in feet, long range is twice this, and

Potence adds to the range. The successes are not divided up, but

apply equally to each target. Targets may attempt to dodge the

attack as a firearm, with a 1 difficulty bonus. Targets the

Assamite cannot actually see receive another 2 difficulty bonus on

their dodge attempt.

Blood Points sprayed are divided equally beaten potential targets,

with any left over going to random targets. Note that no target can

have more than half of the total blood points sprayed allocated to

him, regardless of the number of targets available. For each

success the Assamite achieves against a target, a single blood

point has struck the target. If fewer successes are achieved than

potential blood points allocated to a target, then unused blood

points are wasted. Further effects depend on the accompanying power

used.

EMPTY OF VITAE: This power is largely the same as the Fourth level

Thaumaturgy power, Theft of Vitae, although it is more effective.

It is also different in that it is not some magically translocation

of the blood from one vessel to another, but rather a spiritual

siphoning of that which is important in the blood from the target

to the Assamite. However the effect is just the same.

SYSTEM: The Assamite rolls Intelligence + Empathy. The difficulty

is 6 if the blood is outside of a living (or unliving) entity, or

equal to the targets Willpower otherwise. This can be attempted at

a range of the Assamites Perception X 20 in feet, and the Assamite

must have line of sight to the target. Each success equals two

blood points that have been taken. Unlike Theft of Vitae, it is not

in any way apparent as to whom is stealing ones blood, although it

will be immediately apparent to anyone that something is wrong.

Note that with this power, Assamites can feed on the blood of

Kindred, draining the necessary vitality without the concomitant

spiritual repercussions. They cannot, however, diablerise a

vampiric target with this power.

LEVEL EIGHT

BLOOD MIST: This power represents another step up in an Assamite's

ability to project his blood from his body. However in this case,

the projection takes the form of a slow release of a fine mist of

blood which hangs in a cloud. Once again, this blood has no effect

on others unless used in tandem with another power. This Blood Mist

can be mentally controlled by it's originator, floating with him in

a defensive cloud around him, hanging in a single spot as a nasty

trap, or actively moving to attack others. While the blood is

finely dispersed when in mist form, it is attracted by "living"

things, and converges at a target in sufficient concentration to

take effect.

SYSTEM: The Assamite must build the Blood Mist gradually, spending

no more than a single blood point per turn towards it's creation.

However there is no limit to the total number of blood points that

go towards making a single Blood Mist. Each blood point spent

creates an area of Blood Mist in a cube, with sides of 5 to 10

feet, as chosen by the Assamite. A single Blood Mist must be

comprised of such cubes of equal size. These cubes are arranged in

whatever manner the Assamite desires, such as a 3 X 3 X 1

structure. This may seem artificial, but it helps for game

purposes.

The Blood Mist is not discriminating, and will effect anything

larger than a cat, although the Assamite can choose at the time of

creation to make this bottom level of effect even smaller. Each

time a viable target enters the Blood Mist, a single blood point of

the Mist will converge on the target and effect them with whatever

potential the Mist has been given. Each time this happens, the Mist

will diminish in area by a single cube of the appropriate size. In

this way it is possible for a single target to blunder their way

through the entire Mist and absorb the entire effect.

The Assamite can choose to alter the structure of the Blood Mist at

any time, including the size of each cube. This takes a single turn

to complete. However, he cannot separate an existing Blood Mist

into two or more such Mists. If he wishes to reduce the size of a

Blood Mist he must allow some of it to disperse, at which point

those blood points are lost. The Assamite can also choose to

reabsorb the Blood Mist, being unaffected by his own blood. This

works the same as for any other target moving through the Blood

Mist, although it is discretionary for the Assamite. With each area

traversed the Blood Mist shrinks and the Assamite regains a blood

point. The Assamite can also add to a Blood Mist at any time. A

single Blood Mist has a duration of a single scene, unless the

Assamite retains mental control beyond this point. If after this

point the Assamite drops control, as he will when he goes to sleep

during the day, then the Mist instantly dissipates. Note that while

engaged in active control, the Assamite cannot do much more than

move about and engage in conversation.

In order to gain mental control of the Blood Mist, the Assamite

must have line of sight to the Mist, although range is unimportant.

He then rolls Wits + Empathy (difficulty 6). The number of

successes is the number of turns before the Assamite needs to

attempt to establish control again. The Blood Mist moves at a speed

up to the Assamite's own maximum movement rate.

While an Assamite can create more than one Blood Mist at a time, he

cannot mentally control more than one at a time. If a Blood Mist is

not under active mental control, or the Assamite fails to renew

mental control, it ceases all movement and hovers until control is

again attained.

Blood Mist is unaffected by natural winds, although supernatural

phenomenon are another story. Whenever an Assamites control over a

Blood Mist is contested by a magical wind generated by a Garou's

Gift or a Mage's Rote, then the two play off in a resisted

Willpower contest (each difficulty 7). The one with the most

successes has temporary control, and if either gains 5 more

successes than the other, the other has failed to control the

Blood Mist, and cannot attempt again against that particular Blood

Mist.

CORRODING BLOOD: A particularly insidious power available to

Assamites, Corroding Blood is not used to kill a target, but

permanently cripple them. The vitriolic blood eats away at the

target, burning off parts of their body and causing wounds that

cannot be healed. This affects even Kindred, Garou and Mage with

wounds they cannot recover from.

SYSTEM: Having entered a blood point into the target, the Assamite

rolls Stamina + Empathy at a difficulty of the targets Stamina +

Self Control. Each success gained is a level of damage that cannot

be healed, and can only be soaked with Fortitude (difficulty 8).

However, regardless of the number of successes attained on this

attack, no target can be brought lower than Crippled, which is the

point of saturation of the toxin. The attack will also cause

horrific scarring to the victim, possibly even causing loss of

appendages, blindness, deafness and other such disabilities

(Storyteller's discretion).

Although it is a general rule that such damage cannot be healed, it

seems possible that the use of healing powers greater than the

destructive powers of the Assamite may be effective. The powers of

other ancient Kindred, Salubri, Oracle's and Incarna may be

effective, but would take some effort to seek out. This power can

be used Sympathetically.

MASS BLOOD SYMPATHY: Mass Blood Sympathy allows an Assamite to

achieve the usual Blood Sympathy, but achieve it with a number of

targets simultaneously. Otherwise, it is identical to the Fifth

level power Blood Sympathy.

SYSTEM: The power works identically to Blood Sympathy, only the

Assamite can effect a number of targets equal to his Wits. Only a

single roll is made, and compared to the Willpower of each target.

As with Blood Sympathy, the accompanying power must be chosen

before making the attempt. Those targets for which the Assamite

scores the requisite number of successes are affected, while the

other targets are not. The Assamite must have line of sight to all

potential targets, and must spend an initial blood point for each

target he hopes to achieve sympathy with. In order to activate the

actual sympathetic power, the Assamite need only spend the

requisite number of blood points for the power per target he

actually achieved sympathy with.

LEVEL NINE

SPIRIT BLOOD: By using this power, the Assamite can exercise his

spiritual connection with blood to such a degree that his blood

actually takes on a spirit form, at the discretion of the Assamite.

While it is so constituted, the Assamite cannot use his blood to

affect physical targets, such as mortals, Kindred, Garou and Mages.

However, the Assamites own blood cannot be drained by other Kindred

or by Thaumaturgy and he cannot be diablerised. Additionally, while

his blood is in spirit form, it can be used to affect Ghosts and

spirits in the Umbra, including Garou in the Umbra. Of course,

attacks against Umbra creatures assumes that the Assamite can in

some way perceive them.

SYSTEM: In order to effect the change, the Assamite must

concentrate for a turn and achieve a single success on a

Intelligence + Empathy roll (difficulty 9). The effect lasts as

long as the Assamite desires, even lasting during sleep, but not

torpor. The Assamite will continue to lose a single blood point

each day, and the moment he drinks a single blood point, his entire

blood pool reverts back to its physical state. Attacks made with

Spirit Blood operate normally, with any appropriate substitution of

attributes for the targets.

TRUE BLACK BLOOD: True Black Blood is the same as the Seventh level

power Black Blood, but taken one step further. It will affect any

target at all: mortal, Garou, Mage, Kindred or Faerie. It will even

affect spirits and ghosts, if used in conjunction with the Ninth

level power Spirit Blood.

SYSTEM: This power is otherwise identical as the Black Blood power.

However, if the potency of the poison is a factor in determining

whether a certain power can overcome it, then True Black Blood

should be considered an extremely virulent toxin.

LEVEL TEN

BLOOD OF THE WEEPING WORLD: At this, the theoretical limit of the

Assamite's blood's destructive capabilities, the Assamite can use

his blood to affect all things: living, unliving, animate,

inanimate. Acting like a super acidic agent, the blood causes all

objects to break down to a similar residue. It might be speculated

that just as lower level Quietus powers attack living and spirit

things, Blood of the Weeping World attacks the "life" of reality,

what the Garou might call the Weaver. Certainly the power of such

blood to corrode does not seem to be a factor of the chemical or

atomic composition of the subject corroded: it has no more trouble

corroding diamond than it does wood or even paper. It can even

"corrode" liquids and gases in the same fashion.

SYSTEM: Against "living" targets, this power operates as a

combination of True Black Blood and Corroding Blood, with little or

no chance of countering the effect, and equally little chance of

healing the damage in the unlikely event of survival. Against

inanimate objects, it works as an entopic agent, causing things to

fall apart. A single blood point of this substance will destroy 1

cubic foot of any solid material, regardless of what it might be.

A single blood point will also destroy 8 cubic feet of any liquid

(2 feet cubed), or 27 cubic feet of any gas (3 feet cubed). Note

that the blood does not eat its way through the target, but rapidly

permeates the entire volume before destroying the entire mass in

one go. The entire process takes no more than a single turn.

Being so destructive, the delivery of the blood becomes a matter of

importance. So long as the blood remains in contact with the

Assamite, such as one the palm of the hand, it remains inert.

However the moment such contact is lost, it begins to attack any

substance it is in contact with, attacking a solid before a liquid,

and a liquid before a gas. So smearing the blood on a wall will put

a great hole in it, but will not attack the atmosphere around the

wall. If the Assamite uses such powers as Gout of Blood, Blood Fan

or Blood Mist to project the blood, it will attack the air directly

in front of, or around the Assamite the moment it leaves the

Assamites body. This power can be used Sympathetically.

The consequences of this destruction of matter is left to the

discretion of the Storyteller. It is generally impossible to

suffocate a target by destroying the air around them, or even

rupture their cardio-vascular system due to lack of air pressure,

as the atmosphere around them will rapidly rush in to fill the gap.

Some damage may result from the shockwave produced, although a

significantly large area of gas, or liquid, would need to be

destroyed to precipitate such an effect. More obvious consequences

of the use of this power would be the destruction of machinery, and

compromising the structural integrity of buildings.

The residue that remains after the use of this power is the same in

all cases: a quantity of grey dust and fragments, which are totally

inert, and appear to have no chemical composition or atomic

structure. It is speculated that such residue would make an

extremely potent component in entopic magic and mystical items.

Each "unit" of matter destroyed by a single blood point will yield

about a single small handful of this substance.

Used in combination with the Spirit Blood power, the Blood of the

Weeping World would have a similarly lethal effect on spirit

creatures and spirit substances. For this reason, it should be

noted that this power is not specifically "of the Wyrm" as the

Garou might say. It is not a power of corruption, but total

emptiness and end, and would be just as detrimental to the Wyrm and

it's minions as it would be to the Weaver or the Wyld. Of course,

the Garou would argue that as this is a Kindred power, it is

obviously of the Wyrm ipso facto.

HOUSE OF BLOOD: As a means to escape Final Death, the possessor of

House of Blood can send his spirit from his dying body out to

another specially prepared vessel. The virtually total spiritual

connection beaten the Assamite and his blood allows the Assamites

spirit to maintain its integrity and seek a new host if any of the

Assamites blood remains somewhere in the world. This transfer is

instantaneous and occurs at the moment of the Assamites death.

SYSTEM: The Assamite's vessel must be any living target that has

some of the Assamites own blood in it. Any number of such vessels

can be prepared ahead of time, and the Assamite can choose as to

which vessel it enters at the time of death.

The Assamite need do nothing ahead of time, except insure that

someone somewhere has at least one blood point of the Assamite's

blood in their system. At the moment of the destruction of the

Assamites old body, the Assamite and his intended vessel must

engage in an extended resisted psychic contest. The Assamite rolls

Charisma + Intimidation (difficulty 7) while the target rolls

Willpower (difficulty 7). Each success the Assamite achieves

reduces the targets Willpower pool by 1, which doesn't affect the

targets dice pool. When the target reaches zero Willpower, then

the Assamite has succeeded in occupying the targets body. However,

the Assamite has only 10 turns to achieve this. If the Target can

hold out for the 10 turns, then the Assamite has failed, and goes

on to whatever happens to normal dead Kindred.

Obviously, given the above system, the Assamite is rarely going to

lose such a contest. This is fair enough, considering that we are

talking about an Antediluvian engaged in psychic combat with a

human. However, certain complications can arise in the choice of

vessel, such as a vessel who is actually a mage, or who has true

faith. Such possibilities are too numerous and complicated to

detail their effects here. However, suffice to say that the

Assamite will choose it's vessels very carefully so as to avoid any

such unpleasant surprises. The target will probably be some absolute

nobody in the middle of nowhere in particular, who has little in

the way of Willpower.

Following a successful transfer to the new body, the Assamite will

need several weeks to reach his old potential. All his Physical

Attributes and his Appearance will drop to 1, and all Disciplines

will drop to half their usual rating. These will all rise at the

rate of 1 a week, until they have reached there old level. The

Assamite will have it's old Willpower, Humanity, Virtues,

Abilities, Derangements and so on. Even the Assamite's Appearance

will rise to the old level, although the Assamite will appear as

the vessel did, only much better looking (assuming of course that

the Assamite had a greater Appearance than the vessel).

During this period of recuperation, the Assamite is far more

vulnerable than at any other stage. However, he is protected from

any attempt to locate him via scrying with Auspex or Magic, unless

the one attempting to locate the Assamite knows exactly who the

vessel was. The leap from one body to another throws up sufficient

spiritual "static" to hide the Assamite in his new body. Only the

very most powerful of scryers have any hope of locating the new

Assamite, and one can assume that the Assamite Antediluvian has

plenty of contingency plans to protect himself in the unlikely

event of his "death".