Role Playing Heroes: Rift Discipline

Rift - Soul Discipline

Before Kindred of the East (KOE) books were released by White Wolf, the company had published earlier versions of Eastern Vampires, including two Western-style bloodlines: the Gaki and Bushi. These bloodlines went out the window when the KOE books surfaced, but that doesn't mean their disciplines had to. To learn more about the changes, check out White Wolf's KOE FAQ. The Bushi discipline of Kai (not to be confused with the KOE Companion discipline Kiai) is fairly easy to convert, but the Gaki discipline called The Rift was much more difficult. If taken literally the Rift power would allow the vampire using this power to access the Yomi Worlds (the 1,000 Hells that all Kuei-Jin escaped from before their second breath) at level two. I made changes and consider both disciplines to be Soul Arts.

The discipline, developed and taught exclusively by the Kuei-Jin of Japan, may seem at first to be a Demon Art, especially given its similarity to the Akuma Demon Art of Hellweaving. In actuality, the Rift techniques allow Kuei-Jin to confront their past sins and better understand enlightenment by re-experiencing, and re-entering, the Hell they existed in prior to their Second Breath. In learning to master this discipline, Kuei-Jin not only learn valuable lessons for their dharma, but powerful weapons as well. Inflicting visions or experiences of Hell on Kuei-Jin who thought they had left the Yomi-Worlds far behind, or on others who have never truly experienced such tortures, can be maddening.
Storytellers and players must determine which hell the character learning this discipline existed in prior to the character�s second breath.

Level 1 � The Joining (Tsutaeru)
Early understandings of the dimensional rift that separates the world of the living and the lands of Yomi allows Kuei-Jin to access the minds of others. This does not allow mind reading of any sort, but it does allow the Kuei-Jin to communicate with anyone within eyesight, it is up to the other person whether they respond or not (although the unprepared would find any contact disconcerting). This requires a Wits + Empathy Roll, difficulty 7. The number of successes determine the number of words that can be spoken. This power cannot be combined with any other disciplines.

Level 2 � Glimpse of the Pain (Tsukamu)
Once the first step of this discipline has been mastered, the Kuei-Jin must then re-live his own time in Yomi-World. This may only be a fleeting flashback, but even a glimpse can cause a person to risk Demon Soul (difficulty is Hun or Humanity + 2). After using this power on himself at least once, the Kuei-Jin may inflict it on others. To be clear: this is not a glimpse into hell, this is a glimpse into the discipline user�s memories of hell. The Kuei-Jin must roll Perception + Intimidation, difficulty 6, and may be resisted by the target�s Willpower roll at the same difficulty. If the target wins, nothing happens. If the Kuei-Jin wins the target is frozen in fear for one turn per success that the Kuei-Jin achieved over his target. Afterwards, the target must roll to prevent running in fear as if he had been affected by Dread Gaze (Presence Level Two).

Level 3 � Crossing the Iron Bridge
The Kuei-Jin may now attempt to cross dimensions. This first step at the crossing the rift is little more then stepping between dimensions. Although the Kuei-Jin does not move in relative location to the corporeal world, he disappears between dimensions, not quite on Earth, not quite in Hell. This requires an expenditure of one Chi point, and allows the Kuei-Jin to see and hear everything around his current location on Earth, but he remains imperceptible to almost everyone on Earth or in Hell. Some beings with powerful perceptive abilities (such as high levels of Auspex) can still locate the Kuei-Jin if they are looking for him. Once spotted, the Kuei-Jin must make a Willpower roll difficulty 8 to resist being pulled into the dimension of the one who spotted him (he better hope he wasn�t spotted by a powerful demon or worse yet, a Yomi King). The Kuei-Jin can remain in-between worlds for as long as he likes and is protected from all damage, including sunlight, although a day�s worth of sun without the ability to shut ones eyes can make it exceedingly difficult to avoid Wave Soul (Start at difficulty 1, and add 1 for each hour of direct sunlight). If the Kuei-Jin exists in this state during the day and is not in direct sunlight, he would have no problem �sleeping� through the day as any other vampire would.

Level 4 � Passing the Inner Realm
The Kuei-Jin may now finally enter Hell, if only superficially. With this power the Kuei-Jin and anything inanimate on his person can actually enter Hell and move short distances. Any travel in Hell is equivalent to travel on Earth, so when the Kuei-Jin exits he will have traveled whatever distance on Earth that he traveled in the Yomi World. In the Yomi World the Kuei-Jin is visible, but only partially so, not fully existing in that world yet. If not visually spotted, the denizens of Hell cannot locate the Kuei-Jin any easier then they could if he was simply Crossing the Iron Bridge. In this form the Kuei-Jin cannot attack or be attacked, but if a Yomi King finds out one of his escaped tenants has been freeloading in his dimension, he wouldn�t be very happy about it. To achieve this interdimensional travel, the Kuei-Jin must expend one Chi and roll Stamina + Survival, difficulty 6. The number of successes determine the number of minutes he can exist passing through Hell. Botches inflict the effects of Glimpsing on the one attempting passage.

Level 5 � Collection
Now the Kuei-Jin can place inanimate (non-living or undead objects) into the rift between dimensions. While not actually placing the items in Hell, it does put the items in the same limbo that the Kuei-Jin learned how to enter when Crossing the Iron Bridge. Unlike Crossing however, the items do not remain in the same physical place on Earth. Instead, they remain within arms reach of the Kuei-Jin at all times. While this may seem like a great way to store tons of useful items in a place where no one else may find them, the denizens of Yomi World become understandably upset when human junk ends up in their world, even on the edge of it. Five small items (anything from a watch to a large spear or a laptop, anything the Kuei-Jin can normally carry unaided) can easily be held in-between worlds undetected, more than that and the Kuei-Jin risks detection. Once the junk is found (usually very, very quickly), the punishment is swift and brutal. To place items in the rift, a Kuei-Jin must burn a Chi point and roll Dexterity + athletics, difficulty 7. Failure means the object never left Earth, a botch sends the item to Yomi World � permanently.

Level 6 � Eyes of a Thief (transport)
At this level, the Kuei-Jin may manipulate items through the rift. Once an item is placed into the rift, the Kuei-Jin can release it from the rift at any point within eyesight. An item thrown into the rift would disappear the second it loses contact with the Kuei-Jin�s hand, and reappear (mid-throw) wherever the Kuei-Jin wishes. This power can also allow a Kuei-Jin to secretly pass an item to a cohort on the other side of a crowded room. As before, one Chi point is required to send the item through the rift, targeting with this power requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll, difficulty of 7. Botches send the item to another random location within eyesight. An alternate use of this power allows the Kuei-Jin to take any item within eyesight and place it into the rift without even touching it. This requires two Chi points and does not affect items held by other beings or otherwise restrained or secured. This requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll difficulty 8. Botches usually release the item from the rift prematurely, dropping it somewhere other then where the Kuei-Jin intended.

Level 7 � Doorway to Hell
Higher levels of this discipline can be frightening indeed, as this power allows the practitioner to literally create a doorway into the Yomi World that once imprisoned his P�O. This doorway is generally large enough for four or five people to enter side by side, and only those who entered it from Earth may exit the doorway, provided they make it back out before it closes. Opening the doorway costs 2 Chi and 2 Willpower points, as well as a Manipulation + Occult roll difficulty 8. The number of successes determine the number of hours the doorway remains open, but a botch creates a psychic backlash that gives the caster a permanent derangement. A second doorway can be opened at the same cost from inside of hell, but the difficulty is now 10, and anything inside of the Yomi World that wants out can freely use the exit for as long as it remains open. The doorway cannot be closed prematurely.

Level 8 � Open the Gateway
A more controlled form of doorway, the Gateways opened by the Kuei-Jin includes separate entrances and exits. At the cost of four Chi points and two Willpower points, the Kuei-Jin may now open a Gateway entrance for one hour (or less if desired) and a second exit at no extra cost. If the Kuei-Jin does not enter the gateway, he remains in involuntary telepathic contact with all who passed through, allowing the exit gateway to be opened wherever they are. If the group separates, or some members become trapped in Yomi and are unable to reach the gateway, a third gateway cannot be opened, and any tortures the tourist suffers in hell are shared by the Kuei-Jin that created the gateway. Without outside help, a being trapped in hell through the gateway has no hope of escape. (Kuei-Jin are �born� when their P�o�s escape hell to reach their Huns, but if a person�s Hun and P�o are trapped in hell together, there is no where else to go)

Level 9 � Touch of Sin (Imprison)
With this frightening ability, a Kuei-Jin can banish a person to the Yomi World with just a touch. By spending 2 Chi points and rolling Manipulation + Brawl while touching the intended victim, the Kuei-Jin can send that person straight to hell. If the victim is a non-mortal, or a mortal with high faith or occult, the victim may attempt to save themselves by making a Willpower roll, difficulty 10.

Level 10 � Manifest the Horror
This power enables a Kuei-Jin to open another doorway to hell, this serves as both an entrance and an exit for anything that crosses its threshold. This potentially disastrous power costs five Chi points and a Manipulation + Occult roll, difficulty 8. The number of successes earned determine the number of number of hours the doorway remains open, but it cannot be closed prematurely. The Kuei-Jin can attempt to control the creatures that emerge from the doorway with a Charisma + Empathy roll, difficulty 7, but the control only lasts for a number of hours equal to the number of successes earned (and must be attempted for each being). A botch on the doorway roll or the control roll results in a permanent derangement for the caster.
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Rift - Soul Discipline
Before Kindred of the East (KOE) books were released by White Wolf, the company had published earlier versions of Eastern Vampires, including two Western-style bloodlines: the Gaki and Bushi. These bloodlines went out the window when the KOE books surfaced, but that doesn't mean their disciplines had to. To learn more about the changes, check out White Wolf's KOE FAQ. The Bushi discipline of Kai (not to be confused with the KOE Companion discipline Kiai) is fairly easy to convert, but the Gaki discipline called The Rift was much more difficult. If taken literally the Rift power would allow the vampire using this power to access the Yomi Worlds (the 1,000 Hells that all Kuei-Jin escaped from before their second breath) at level two. I made changes and consider both disciplines to be Soul Arts.
The discipline, developed and taught exclusively by the Kuei-Jin of Japan, may seem at first to be a Demon Art, especially given its similarity to the Akuma Demon Art of Hellweaving. In actuality, the Rift techniques allow Kuei-Jin to confront their past sins and better understand enlightenment by re-experiencing, and re-entering, the Hell they existed in prior to their Second Breath. In learning to master this discipline, Kuei-Jin not only learn valuable lessons for their dharma, but powerful weapons as well. Inflicting visions or experiences of Hell on Kuei-Jin who thought they had left the Yomi-Worlds far behind, or on others who have never truly experienced such tortures, can be maddening. Storytellers and players must determine which hell the character learning this discipline existed in prior to the character�s second breath. Level 1 � The Joining (Tsutaeru) Early understandings of the dimensional rift that separates the world of the living and the lands of Yomi allows Kuei-Jin to access the minds of others. This does not allow mind reading of any sort, but it does allow the Kuei-Jin to communicate with anyone within eyesight, it is up to the other person whether they respond or not (although the unprepared would find any contact disconcerting). This requires a Wits + Empathy Roll, difficulty 7. The number of successes determine the number of words that can be spoken. This power cannot be combined with any other disciplines. Level 2 � Glimpse of the Pain (Tsukamu) Once the first step of this discipline has been mastered, the Kuei-Jin must then re-live his own time in Yomi-World. This may only be a fleeting flashback, but even a glimpse can cause a person to risk Demon Soul (difficulty is Hun or Humanity + 2). After using this power on himself at least once, the Kuei-Jin may inflict it on others. To be clear: this is not a glimpse into hell, this is a glimpse into the discipline user�s memories of hell. The Kuei-Jin must roll Perception + Intimidation, difficulty 6, and may be resisted by the target�s Willpower roll at the same difficulty. If the target wins, nothing happens. If the Kuei-Jin wins the target is frozen in fear for one turn per success that the Kuei-Jin achieved over his target. Afterwards, the target must roll to prevent running in fear as if he had been affected by Dread Gaze (Presence Level Two). Level 3 � Crossing the Iron Bridge The Kuei-Jin may now attempt to cross dimensions. This first step at the crossing the rift is little more then stepping between dimensions. Although the Kuei-Jin does not move in relative location to the corporeal world, he disappears between dimensions, not quite on Earth, not quite in Hell. This requires an expenditure of one Chi point, and allows the Kuei-Jin to see and hear everything around his current location on Earth, but he remains imperceptible to almost everyone on Earth or in Hell. Some beings with powerful perceptive abilities (such as high levels of Auspex) can still locate the Kuei-Jin if they are looking for him. Once spotted, the Kuei-Jin must make a Willpower roll difficulty 8 to resist being pulled into the dimension of the one who spotted him (he better hope he wasn�t spotted by a powerful demon or worse yet, a Yomi King). The Kuei-Jin can remain in-between worlds for as long as he likes and is protected from all damage, including sunlight, although a day�s worth of sun without the ability to shut ones eyes can make it exceedingly difficult to avoid Wave Soul (Start at difficulty 1, and add 1 for each hour of direct sunlight). If the Kuei-Jin exists in this state during the day and is not in direct sunlight, he would have no problem �sleeping� through the day as any other vampire would. Level 4 � Passing the Inner Realm The Kuei-Jin may now finally enter Hell, if only superficially. With this power the Kuei-Jin and anything inanimate on his person can actually enter Hell and move short distances. Any travel in Hell is equivalent to travel on Earth, so when the Kuei-Jin exits he will have traveled whatever distance on Earth that he traveled in the Yomi World. In the Yomi World the Kuei-Jin is visible, but only partially so, not fully existing in that world yet. If not visually spotted, the denizens of Hell cannot locate the Kuei-Jin any easier then they could if he was simply Crossing the Iron Bridge. In this form the Kuei-Jin cannot attack or be attacked, but if a Yomi King finds out one of his escaped tenants has been freeloading in his dimension, he wouldn�t be very happy about it. To achieve this interdimensional travel, the Kuei-Jin must expend one Chi and roll Stamina + Survival, difficulty 6. The number of successes determine the number of minutes he can exist passing through Hell. Botches inflict the effects of Glimpsing on the one attempting passage. Level 5 � Collection Now the Kuei-Jin can place inanimate (non-living or undead objects) into the rift between dimensions. While not actually placing the items in Hell, it does put the items in the same limbo that the Kuei-Jin learned how to enter when Crossing the Iron Bridge. Unlike Crossing however, the items do not remain in the same physical place on Earth. Instead, they remain within arms reach of the Kuei-Jin at all times. While this may seem like a great way to store tons of useful items in a place where no one else may find them, the denizens of Yomi World become understandably upset when human junk ends up in their world, even on the edge of it. Five small items (anything from a watch to a large spear or a laptop, anything the Kuei-Jin can normally carry unaided) can easily be held in-between worlds undetected, more than that and the Kuei-Jin risks detection. Once the junk is found (usually very, very quickly), the punishment is swift and brutal. To place items in the rift, a Kuei-Jin must burn a Chi point and roll Dexterity + athletics, difficulty 7. Failure means the object never left Earth, a botch sends the item to Yomi World � permanently. Level 6 � Eyes of a Thief (transport) At this level, the Kuei-Jin may manipulate items through the rift. Once an item is placed into the rift, the Kuei-Jin can release it from the rift at any point within eyesight. An item thrown into the rift would disappear the second it loses contact with the Kuei-Jin�s hand, and reappear (mid-throw) wherever the Kuei-Jin wishes. This power can also allow a Kuei-Jin to secretly pass an item to a cohort on the other side of a crowded room. As before, one Chi point is required to send the item through the rift, targeting with this power requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll, difficulty of 7. Botches send the item to another random location within eyesight. An alternate use of this power allows the Kuei-Jin to take any item within eyesight and place it into the rift without even touching it. This requires two Chi points and does not affect items held by other beings or otherwise restrained or secured. This requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll difficulty 8. Botches usually release the item from the rift prematurely, dropping it somewhere other then where the Kuei-Jin intended. Level 7 � Doorway to Hell Higher levels of this discipline can be frightening indeed, as this power allows the practitioner to literally create a doorway into the Yomi World that once imprisoned his P�O. This doorway is generally large enough for four or five people to enter side by side, and only those who entered it from Earth may exit the doorway, provided they make it back out before it closes. Opening the doorway costs 2 Chi and 2 Willpower points, as well as a Manipulation + Occult roll difficulty 8. The number of successes determine the number of hours the doorway remains open, but a botch creates a psychic backlash that gives the caster a permanent derangement. A second doorway can be opened at the same cost from inside of hell, but the difficulty is now 10, and anything inside of the Yomi World that wants out can freely use the exit for as long as it remains open. The doorway cannot be closed prematurely. Level 8 � Open the Gateway A more controlled form of doorway, the Gateways opened by the Kuei-Jin includes separate entrances and exits. At the cost of four Chi points and two Willpower points, the Kuei-Jin may now open a Gateway entrance for one hour (or less if desired) and a second exit at no extra cost. If the Kuei-Jin does not enter the gateway, he remains in involuntary telepathic contact with all who passed through, allowing the exit gateway to be opened wherever they are. If the group separates, or some members become trapped in Yomi and are unable to reach the gateway, a third gateway cannot be opened, and any tortures the tourist suffers in hell are shared by the Kuei-Jin that created the gateway. Without outside help, a being trapped in hell through the gateway has no hope of escape. (Kuei-Jin are �born� when their P�o�s escape hell to reach their Huns, but if a person�s Hun and P�o are trapped in hell together, there is no where else to go) Level 9 � Touch of Sin (Imprison) With this frightening ability, a Kuei-Jin can banish a person to the Yomi World with just a touch. By spending 2 Chi points and rolling Manipulation + Brawl while touching the intended victim, the Kuei-Jin can send that person straight to hell. If the victim is a non-mortal, or a mortal with high faith or occult, the victim may attempt to save themselves by making a Willpower roll, difficulty 10. Level 10 � Manifest the Horror This power enables a Kuei-Jin to open another doorway to hell, this serves as both an entrance and an exit for anything that crosses its threshold. This potentially disastrous power costs five Chi points and a Manipulation + Occult roll, difficulty 8. The number of successes earned determine the number of number of hours the doorway remains open, but it cannot be closed prematurely. The Kuei-Jin can attempt to control the creatures that emerge from the doorway with a Charisma + Empathy roll, difficulty 7, but the control only lasts for a number of hours equal to the number of successes earned (and must be attempted for each being). A botch on the doorway roll or the control roll results in a permanent derangement for the caster.