| Chimerstry |
| The Ravnos are heirs to a legacy of illusion, and none can say exactly why. The elders of their clan, when properly approached, speak cryptically of 'ghuls' and 'rakshasas', and the shapeshifting antics of their Antideluvian founder are the subject of many a dark campfire tale among the clan.But whatever the source, the nomadic Ravnos have a potent weapon in the form of their Discipline of Chimerstry. Chimerstry is an art of conjuration; the vampire may draw upon her inner reserves to bring phantoms to life.These false images can confound mortal senses and sensory equipment alike.If the Cainite's power is strong enough, illusions created by Chimerstry may even baffle the heightened senses of the vampire.The Ravnos are fond of using this power to seduce, swindle, or even enslave mortals, effectively purchasing their victim's souls in exchange for a sack of bouillon that isn't there. Illusions created by Chimerstry may be detected by Auspex.They may also be seen for what they are by a victim who 'proves' the illusion's falsehood.(e.g. a person who walks up to an illusionary wall, expresses his disbelief in it, puts his hand through it effectively banishes the illusion.) |
| Levels of Power |
| Level 1 Ignis Fatuus- The vampire may conjure a minor, static mirage that confounds one sense.For instance, he may invoke a sulfurous stench, the image of a curtain, or the feel of raw silk.Note that although tactile illusions can be felt, they have no real substance; an invisible but tactile wall cannot confine anyone, and invisible razor-wire causes no real damage. |
| Level 2 Fata Morgana- The Cainite can now create illusions that appeal to all the senses, although they remain static.For example, the vampire could throw a mirage over a dank basement, making it appear to be sumptuous boudoir, although she could not create flickering candles or a flowing fountain.Again, the dweomer has no solid presence, although it is easy enough to make a filthy matress on two sawhorses feel like a four-poster bed. |
| Level 3 Apparition- Not really a power unto itself, Appirition allows a vampire to give motion to an illusion created with Ignis Fatuus or Fata Morgana. Thus, the Ravnos could create the illusion of a living being, running water, fluttering drapes, or a roaring fire. |
| Level 4 Permanency- This power, also used in conjunction with Ignis Fatuus or Fata Morgana, allows a mirage to persist even when the vampire cannot see it. In this way, Ravnos often cloak their temporary havens in false trappings of luxury, or ward off trespassers with illusionary guard dogs. |
| Level 5 Horrid Reality- Rather then create simple illusions, the vampire can now project hallucinations directly into a victim's mind.The target of these illusions believes completely that the images are real; a hallucinatory fire can burn him, an imaginary noose can strangel him, and an illusionary wall can block him.This power affects only one person at a time; although other people can try to convince the victim that his terrors are not real, he won't beleive them. |
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