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Biothaumaturgy
This macabre path, supposedly Grafted by Sabbat thaumaturges, deals with flesh, whether it's living, dead or somewhere in between. Biothaumaturges are the proverbial "Dr. Frankensteins," and are regarded with a mixture of curiosity and revulsion - this path has more to do with vivisection than mysticism and is a radical departure from the clan's Hermetic roots. Though not forbidden, Biothaumaturgy is generally only pursued by the strong of stomach or the slightly unhinged.... Biothaumaturgy does nor require any Blood Traits to be spent; instead, it has other costs that are listed under the individual powers. Additionally, while the biothaumaturge need not have a state-of-the-art facility, she must have some kind of laboratory in which to perform her tasks. The Tremere must have at least three levels of Science and one Medicine Ability in order to begin this path, and may retest it with the Science Ability.
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basic Biothaumaturgy |
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Thaumaturgical Forensics |
By taking a tissue sample back to her laboratory, and succeeding in a Static Mental Challenge (difficulty at Storyteller discretion), a thaumaturge may ascertain a wealth of information beyond what "normal" forensics or genetics would yield. This information will always be physical in nature, such as gender, clan, generation, age, diablerie traces or relative health, and it is up to the Storyteller how much is gleaned under a given examination. Thaumaturgical Forensics may be used on plants, but not inanimate objects, and requires a week's worth of study upon the tissue sample.
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Thaumaturgical Surgery |
The thaumaturge may use her abilities to increase a body's regenerative prowess, even those of the undead, so long as she and her target are in her laboratory. Once per evening, for every Mental Trait the caster spends (up to three), one wound level may be converted to a lesser type. Aggravated damage becomes lethal, lethal damage becomes bashing and bashing damage vanishes completely. The actual surgery takes about 10 minutes of work per wound level reduced, the target taking time to rest for the remainder of the evening or session. The thaumaturge may not regain those Mental Traits until the next evening, even with the expenditure of Willpower.
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intermediate Biothaumaturgy |
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Lesser Animation |
The biothaumaturge imbues an intact, dead being with part of his own life essence, although at this level the power is limited to plants or animals the size of a dog or smaller. These creations may be given simple instructions to carry out, which they will do so mindlessly until they are destroyed. Creatures animated in this way are considered to have the same Strength- and Stamina-related Traits they had in life, although their Dexterity-related Traits drop by one (but never below one). For obvious reasons, these zombie servants are considered to have zero Mental and Social Traits; they are, however, immune to Dominate and Social-based powers as a result. The automaton's wound levels are half of what it had in life, rounded up. It will immediately crumble to dust if struck by sunlight and suffer double damage from fire. Note that decayed, maimed or partially eaten corpses will be extremely ineffective as the corpse cannot regenerate any bits that might be missing If the caster succeeds in a Static Mental Challenge (the Storyteller may modify this to reflect the state of decay), the carcass is successfully animated and may be given a basic one-sentence command any time the caster wishes. Animating a corpse takes at least seven days of preparation and experimentation, and once an order has been given, the creation may not be given another.
At this level, the biothaumaturge has refined the process of reanimation to the point that she can now revive the corpses of humans and larger animals; additionally, modifications may be made to smaller creatures revived with Lesser Animation by grafting and manipulating body parts from other creatures. While the larger creatures and humans follow the same rules as Lesser Animation for instructions, Traits, wound levels and immunities, the thaumaturge may now begin to creatively alter the plants and animals she has previously animated. Plants can be given tiny snapping jaws, or a rat may have grafted wings. Before any vivisection may begin, however, the thaumaturge must first acquire the appendages she wishes to graft onto his creations. Storytellers should adjust the creations' Traits and damage levels accordingly. Animating a larger corpse will take two weeks of intense experimentation; altering an existing lesser Animation takes only one week. In both instances, the caster must first succeed in a Static Mental Challenge (difficulty at the Storyteller's discretion).
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advanced Biothaumaturgy |
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Cognizant Construction |
The apex of biothaumaturgical prowess, the animated creations the thaumaturge controls may now be given back a degree of the mental acuity they had in life. Although they now have a number of Mental Traits equal to what they had in life less one (but never below one), they will still serve their creator faithfully. Now, however, these creations possess some cognitive capacity - animate animals gain an evil cunning while higher lifeforms can reason deductively and strategically. Unlike the other animations, the biothaumaturge may change the orders given to a Cognizant Construction at any time; it will follow the most recent order. Cognizant Construction; take three weeks of work after a Static Mental Challenge.
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