Dam the Heart's River
- Quietus 7
Assamites who reach this level of Quietus become masters at controlling the flow of blood in an undead body. While Dam the Heart's River is most normally used to deny an enemy access to her blood (hence the name), it can also be used to force a victim to spend blood, depleting her store and possibly pushing her into a hunger frenzy. This last application can be quite a potent tool to use against an unsuspecting target, who can be driven into a frenzy at the most inopportune moments (say, at the prince's court).
Dam the Heart's River can also be used, with much reduced effect, on mortals.
System: This power requires first that the Assamite establish skin-to-skin contact with the target (possibly requiring a Dexterity + Brawl roll). She can then either choose to invoke the power immediately, or delay it by spending a number of Willpower points. The power can be delayed for up to one hour per point of Willpower and then invoked at any time within that interval, as long as the Assamite can see her target (all Willpower points spent to delay the onset remain spent no matter how short the interval may be). In order to activate this power, the player rolls Stamina + Medicine (difficulty of the target's Stamina + 3, maximum 9), and spends a Willpower point. If successful, Dam the Heart's River lasts for a minimum number of turns equal to the Assamite's unmodified Stamina, plus one turn per success. While this power is in effect, the Assamite has total control over the target's blood expenditure (subject to the target's normal generation limitations), and she can prevent the target from spending any blood at all. The Assamite instinctively knows whether or not the target possesses any Disciplines that requires blood expenditure, and can forcibly activate such Disciplines.
If used against mortals, Dam the Heart's River simply induces symptoms similar to very low blood pressure: dizziness, lethargy and reduced stamina. The target loses one die from both Dexterity and Strength, as well as all Stamina dice pools connected with endurance.
