Vita is the greatest subject of debate and study in all the World, even more so than the race of Nephilim � although the two subjects are of course intricately related. Vita cannot normally be seen, with the exception of the occasional display of Nephilim power (although such an emanation is rare), and the Initium Occasus, which is said to be a towering column of pure Vita � again, however, such beliefs are based on conjecture and speculation. Renowned Nephilim scholar of Vita, Krantz of Tsheng-Haii, made the following reflection in his 1996 paper, �The Nature of Vita within Everyday Life�:
�Vita is, has and always will be. It remains a mystery to all, and at best we may only speculate on its nature and origin. What we
do know is its importance to the nature of life and the World. It exists in every creature, every action and every thought. Its
power, if harnessed correctly, is potentially limitless, and as such we must treat iut with great respect, for abuse of such power
could lead to dire and unpredictable consequences.�
What Krantz did not mention in either that paper of in any of his subsequent works is that Humans produce Vita naturally, while Nephilim � who need it as Humans need water � do not. Nephilim must therefore find ways of siphoning it from Humans. So far the only known generic means of Vita transfer is derived from fluidic exchange, from a Human to a Nephilim. The most obvious means of such an exchange is sexual intercourse, although there are others � intake of Human blood or urine are two such ways, although both are extremely foul in taste. Hence, sex is the most common means, and it is quite conventional to find Nephilim with Human �families� or �harems� � normally known as her Circle. These are one or more adult Humans, often related among themselves, with which the Nephilim regularly has sex. It is highly unusual for such interactions to have any emotional attachment beyond a business-like arrangement, or occasionally a sort of friendship; in fact, most Nephilim do not get any kind of pleasure from the act, and some believe that the very thought of linking with a Human as other Humans do to be utterly repulsive, yet unfortunately necessary.
Then there are those Nephilim who acquire Vita by force, by raping a Human victim. Almost all Zealots, for example, acquire Vita in this manner. Such behaviour is a large part of the reason for such distrust and even hatred among the Humans towards the Nephilim.
The vast majority of Humans are unaware of the Nephilim need for Vita, or of their natural ability to produce it, and most Nephilim want to keep it that way � knowledge of the Nephilim dependence on Humanity would alter the stakes dramatically � and so they spin convincing webs of deceit among their Circles to maintain control over amiable Vita intake. In 1976, an outspoken pair of Ba�ados Cultists proclaimed publicly the need for Nephilim to take Vita from Humans through means such as sexual intercourse; however, they were very swiftly denounced and ridiculed by several large and powerful groups of Nephilim, and the matter was quickly forgotten. The two Cultists disappeared soon after and were not ever seen since.
Using Vita
While all Humans are capable of utilising Vita in many ways, almost all lack the knowledge or skill to actually do so, the exceptions being Sorcerers, the latinus scholari, some Priests and Warriors, and a scant smattering across the rest of the population. Even so, only about one in a thousand of these Humans are capable of using Vita for anything other than powering their Aptitudes, although most don�t even realise they are tapping into the force of Vita at all, seeing their �mystical powers� as natural abilities and skills they have acquired.
Nephilim, on the other hand, can use Vita in several ways besides powering their Aptitudes, as described below.
Healing � the most common application of Vita besides Aptitude use. A Nephilim may spend 1 Vita point to heal 1 level of Bashing damage, or 2 Vita points to heal 1 level of Lethal damage. Aggravated damage, and some other injuries (such as that caused by poison and disease), cannot be healed with Vita alone, requiring either supernatural assistance, or simple bedrest. Healing with Vita counts as a passive action, and can be performed in a turn alongside another action.
Physical Enhancement � A Nephilim may use her Vita to increase her physical capabilities. 1 Vita point spent in this manner increases any one of her three Physical Attributes by one for the duration of the scene, up to her Attribute Trait maximum (in most cases, 5). However, she may increase her Physical abilities even further on a shorter basis; spending further Vita points can increase one or more Physical Attributes beyond her maximum, for just the current turn (i.e. for her next action). There is no limit to this very temporary increase, beyond her Vita Limit. Physical Enhancement with Vita counts as a passive action, and can be performed in a turn alongside another action.
Creating Zombi � Sadistic, manipulative, and often just bored or lazy Nephilim can use Vita to create Zombi out of Humans. More information on Zombi can be found here.
Link to the Initium Occasus � All Nephilim have a permanent mystical link with the Initium Occasus that birthed them, and as such they may spend 1 Vita point at any time to pinpoint their exact distance and bearing from it. Of course, unless the Nephilim has an extensive knowledge of cartography, this knowledge may be useless, but it can give the character a rough idea of where she is at all times. Link to the Initium Occasus counts as a passive action, and can be performed in a turn alongside another action.
Survival � Although most Nephilim can eat and drink as Humans do, which provide them with nutrition and energy, they do not actually require such substances to live. They do however require Vita to survive. As long as a Nephilim has at least one point of Vita in her Vita Pool, she can continue living normally (although she will probably be fairly weak until she eats or drinks something to get her energy levels up). For every day that passes when her Vita Pool is empty, she loses one Health Level permanently (until she regains some Vita), and suffers a �1 penalty to all dice pools. Regardless of how many Health Levels she has left, after seven days a Nephilim who still has no Vita within her dies.
Aptitude Boost � Aptitude powers are impressive enough, but a Nephilim may spend Vita points to increase the powers even more. Doing this requires the expenditure before any rolls are made for the power, and the Vita must be spent in the same turn as the power is used. The Nephilim may spend as many Vita points as she wishes, up to her Limit. Each point spent may be allocated, after the roll is made, to any of the following, on a point-for-point basis (note that some may be unsuitable, depending on the power being Boosted):
Damage/Successes: Each Vita point invested adds one die (if an attack power) or one success (if a non-combative power).
Area: Each Vita point invested doubles the area of effect (after all successes etc. from the roll are taken into account).
Range/Speed: Each Vita point invested doubles the range or speed of the power (after all successes etc. from the roll are taken into account).
Duration: Each Vita point invested doubles the duration of the power (after all successes etc. from the roll are taken into account).
Aptitude Boost counts as a passive action, and can be performed in a turn alongside another action.
Note that Vita points may be spent on any combination of the above uses each turn, but the Nephilim may only spend as many Vita points as her Vita Limit allows her. For example, all in one turn a character with a Vita Limit of 4 could heal a Bashing Health Level, check her Link to the Initium Occasus, and double the duration of the Aptitude power she uses that turn.
Regaining Vita
As has been previously mentioned, in order to regain Vita a Nephilim must engage in some act with a Human that results in fluid transfer. There are no mechanics to cover the act itself, and this is best either roleplayed or just left in the hands of the Storyteller � although he may call for a Social roll in some circumstances. Once the act, whatever it is, is completed, the player must roll her Vita Limit + Willpower at difficulty 6. Each success replenishes 1 Vita point into her Pool. If the player fails the roll, the Nephilim still regains 1 Vita point anyway. If she Botches the roll, however, the Nephilim actually loses a point of Vita, and regains none.
Humans regain Vita naturally, at a rate of 1 point per day, but suffer no penalties for having an empty Vita Pool, other than an inability to use certain Aptitude powers. Humans can never have a higher Vita Pool than 10.