Eminence of Shade
Conquering Blood / Eminence of Shade
Dominate 5 and Vicissitude 5 (Conquering Blood) or Obtenebration 5 (Eminence of Shade)
These two powers are frighteningly similar in effect, though it is unlikely that practitioners of either know an alternate variation exists. Both powers allow a vampire to become insubstantial and physically enter a host, controlling her from within like an obscene marionette.
System: The vampire assumes the form of living shadow or animate blood with Tenebrous Avatar or Ascendancy of the Sanguine Humor as appropriate, spending one additional blood point during the transformation. In this altered state, the vampire may hunt down and grapple a potential host (requiring a standard Dexterity + Brawl roll). Once the grapple lasts three turns without being broken, the vampire pours into the victim’s mouth. The victim can only writhe in agony as the numbing cold of unnatural shadow or undulating blood courses through her veins. From within, the vampire may attempt to suppress the victim’s soul and assume full control of the host body with the Dominate power Vessel. If the possessing vampire botches, the victim spends a turn vomiting the shadow or blood of the Cainite’s form. The vampire immediately shifts to normal corporeal form, stunned and unable to act for a number of turns equal to (5 – his Wit’s rating). If the vampire strips away all the victim’s Willpower, he seizes full control. The vampire may relinquish and subsequently regain control at any time, allowing him to slumber during the day and use the host body at night. The only limitation on how long a vampire may remain in a host is his blood pool, which diminishes at its normal rate each evening and for other expenditures. Possessing vampires cannot regain blood under any circumstances. Once a vampire exhausts his blood pool, he is forcibly ejected from the host as outlined above for a botch. While inhabited by a vampire, a mortal gains the ability to soak lethal damage with his full Stamina. The vampire may heal bashing or lethal damage sustained by the host as usual. Vampires suffer the same damage as their hosts, relying on their husks’ augmented resilience to protect them both.
The Obtenebration version of this power may be used to possess living beings as well as other vampires of higher generation. If used to possess another vampire, the tenant may draw on the host’s blood pool to fuel healing and maintain the corpse. Any blood consumed replenishes the host’s blood pool rather than the parasite.
The Vicissitude version of this power cannot possess a vampire (since it would effectively cause the host to diablerize the tenant). Any mortal so possessed becomes a ghoul that draws on the vampire’s own blood pool. The vampire may also employ lesser Vicissitude powers to reshape the host body. Both forms of this power betray clues as to the presence of the tenant. In the case of Obtenebration, the host’s pupils descend into points of infinite empty darkness. In the case of Vicissitude, the host’s skin occasionally undulates in a ruddy ripple. These signs are extremely subtle, requiring a successful Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 9) to notice.
Experience Cost: 35
