The Flow of Ashe
Kindred who master the Flow of Ashé learn to draw power from sources of ashé other than vitae. The wangateur can perform supernatural feats without the need to spend the blood in his system. He instead draws the power - a "phantom blood point," if you will - from components carried on his person. These materials are consuemd in the process. Unlike other Thaumaturgical paths, the Flow of Ashé does not require the expenditure of blood to invoke, as that would largely defeat the purpose. If, however, the player fails or botches the Willpower roll, the character loses two points of blood in addition to standard penalties.
The player must invoke this path the turn immediately before he wishes to spend the substitute blood point (except for the level five power the Gift of Ashé). If the "blood" is not used in the turn immediately following, it is lost, and the path must be attempted again. The herbs and other components are still consumed. The Flow of Ashé can create only one "phantom blood point" at a time. Powers that require more than one blood point to activate are not affected by this path.
Most requisite powders and herbs are relatively rare and require that the wangateur frequent occult and specialty shops in order to obtain them.
1) Touch of Life
The wangateur may perform the most minor feats of blood - causing his skin to flush, causing his heart to beat and the like - without actually spending a blood point.
System: The character must have in her possession two handfuls of herbs and powdered minerals, including emenae (a Brazilian herb used to treat skin ailments) and copper shavings. The character may either cause her heart to beat or her skin to flush or any other single effect, as though she'd spent a blood point. This effect lasts for one scene.
2) Strength of Root and Stone
The wangateur may use Flow of Ashé to power in increase in Strength, Dexterity or Stamina, as though she'd spent one blood point to raise the given Attribute.
System: The components required include two handfuls of herbs and powdered minerals, including jurubeba (an herb often used to cure stomach and liver ailments, and for the treatment of general weakness) and pure iron filings. Otherwise, the effect is identical to that achieved by spending blood to raise an Attribute, and lasts for one scene.
3) Breath of Life
The wangateur calls upon the powers of Ashé to heal injuries to himself. Wounds close as though he'd spent a blood point to repair the damage. Note that this power does not allow the Kindred to heal aggravated damage, it has only the effectiveness of a normal blood point spent on a normal bashing- or lethal- damage wound.
System: In order to use this power, the character must smear a paste on the wound. This paste includes crushed cambara (a shrub once used for the treatment of cuts and skin injuries), powdered human bone and at least a few drops of blood (this blood may be human or animal, and need not amount to even a single blood point's worth; it cannot, however, come from the wangateur himself). The ingredients must be mixed into paste immediately prior to the invocation of the path. If it dries for more than a minute or so after mixing, the power fails to function. Unlike normal healing, a wangateur may not use this power to heal while engaged in any other activity; all her attention for the turn must be concentrated on applying the salve and activating its power.
4) Favor of the Orishas
At this level, the wangateur may substitute other sources of Ashé even when powering Disciplines, including other Thaumaturgy paths (but not rituals). This power may be used only to activate a Discipline; it cannot be used to maintain a power already active.
System: The wangateur must possess several leaves of tobacco (this must be pure; a box of cigarettes won't do) and a handful of powdered ivory. IN addition, the mixture must include at least a few drops of blood (though not an entire blood points worth). The wangateur may not shed her own blood to invoke this power, though the blood of a foe struck in melee combat is acceptable.
Once Favor of the Orishas has been used to power another Discipline, all rules and systems of that Discipline - including rolls required, maintenance costs, duration and so forth - apply as normal.
5) Gift of Ashé
At this level, the powders or pastes created by levels 1 through 3 of the Flow of Ashé may be imbued with enough power that they hold their magic for a time, and need not be used the following turn. Furthermore, the ashé in these components may be granted to other Kindred for their use if the wangateur chooses to do so.
System: The effects of the power may be delayed for an entire scene. At any point, the character may activate the stored power, either on her own person on another Kindred. For instance, a wangateur who anticipates combat might invoke the Breath of Life and mix the paste, then give the paste to a companion, allowing him to heal a single wound level without spending blood should he be forced to do so. A wangateur may have a number of pastes and powders prepared at any time equal to his Intelligence.
