Enhance the Wild Ride
Animalism 4, Protean 5
A Vampire that has this level of power has developed the art of Riding the Wild Mind to such a degree that he can even effect the body of the creature. The vampire's body remains in a motionless trance akin to torpor, but the possessed animal takes on some of the characteristics of the vampire.
This power is a closely guarded secret of Clan Gangrel. Even were it to become known, it involves passing over a great deal more of the soul to an animal possessed than other clans would find comfortable.
System: This power is essentially an enhanced version of Ride the Wild Mind (Animalism 4) that allows for physical changes to the possessed animal. The player spends a blood point and then makes a Ride the Wild Mind test as normal (Charisma + Animal Ken, difficulty 8). Use this table instead of the one for Ride the Wild Mind.
1 Success: Can use Auspex, Presence.
2: Dominate, Dementation, Animalism.
3: Thaumaturgy, Chimerstry, own Fortitude.
4: Protean, own Potence.
5: Celerity, can use blood to enhance traits.
The vampire-animal bond is much stronger in Enhance the Wild Mind than in Ride the Wild Mind. As such, the player need not spend Willpower to get the animal to go against its instinct and, with five or more successes, can spend blood (from the animal's blood pool) to enhance its physical Attributes. If blood point spending reduces an animal below half its blood pool, however, it dies instantly, with the vampire's mind in place.
This complete inhabitation has a side effect - its clouds the vampire's soul with the instinct as nature of the animal inhabited. The effect should be role-played, and continues for a long time after contact is broken. Spending eight temporary willpower will overcome the effect faster, but the vampire will only be entirely free of the animal's influence after the passage of years.
If the inhabited animal dies or experiences some great excitement (a fight or involvement in a hunt, for example), then there is a chance the vampire suffers. The player must make a Wits + Empathy roll (difficulty 8) to avoid the vampire losing her mind. Failure means the vampire's mind snaps back to her own body immediately, but she now believes herself to be the animal. A botch means the vampire returns and automatically enters frenzy. Any successes mean the vampire can continue to ride the animal, or can return without problems.
Using Enhance the Wild Ride during the day requires the player to make the standard roll for a vampire to remain awake. This power costs 15 experience points.
Experience Cost: 28
