Internal Chill
Level 5 Thaumaturgy, based on Hermetic and Spiritual/Elemental principles.
I've taken the liberty of re-writing this ritual to comply with DA2 rules. The old version is preserved after the comment line. If there is a problem, please comment below. Eventually, I'll remove this note, and the old write-up. -Jamie
This ritual provides the caster and his clothing a certain amount of protection from fire by projecting an aura of cold.
System: The caster must lie on a stone slab marked with runes that denote the interaction between earth and water, and air (cold) and fire. This slab may be re-used as often as needed. The other component is a large (about two square-foot) block of ice, on which the caster must carve hermetic runes that indicate a merging of Elements with the vampiric spirit. This process takes 25 minutes.
Once the block is prepared, the caster must lie on the slab with the block of ice on his chest. The block takes six hours, minus one per success on the casting roll to melt - this rate is set no mater what the temperature is, so long as the caster can endure it - the magic of the ritual takes over. During this time, the caster may meditate, read, or even carry on a conversation, so long as he remains lying prone beneath the block of ice. The ritual is complete when the ice has melted completely.
Once complete, the caster's body radiates an intense chill, mimicking the effects of the flaw Touch of Frost. The difficulty to soak flame and heat is reduced by one for every success the caster rolled. This protection is extended to the caster's clothing, out to a radius of one to two inches. In addition, while the ritual remains in effect, the caster may use a mental action to reduce the intensity of large flames that come into contact with his body: For each success he rolls on a Willpower roll (difficulty 8), the difficulty to soak the flame is reduced by one for anyone the flame contacts for one round. This is not cumulative with the static effect of the ritual - the greater reduction is used. If a fire is reduced to 3 or less, it gutters out.
In addition to Touch of Frost, pale, icy lines radiate through the caster's aura. The best analogy for these lines would be a colorless version of the lines indicative of Diablerie. While this mark is not immediately damning, it can certainly raise questions.
Original (2nd edition) Writeup
This powerful and dangerous ritual can grant the caster a deal of resistance to one bane of vampire kind: fire. In trade, the caster takes on significant flaws that mark him, and could lead to his death.
System: The caster must lie on a stone slab marked with runes that denote the interaction between elements. He must place a block of ice with an initial mass equal to his own on his chest, and meditate on a mantra designed to enhance the power of ice. The ice takes six hours to melt, minus one hour per success on the ritual.
If the ritual is successful, the caster may soak fire with his Stamina in addition to Fortitude. In addition, while the ritual lasts, he may take a mental action to diminish the intensity of any flame that touches him. To do so, he rolls willpower at a difficulty of 8. Success reduces the heat of the fire, and thus difficulty to soak the flame's damage for anyone affected by it by one per success.
While the ritual is active, the caster suffers from two flaws. The first is Touch of Frost: he is cold, and leaves a thin rime of frost on anything he touches, including in his footsteps. The second, and possibly more dangerous, is that while the ritual lasts, his aura contains what appear to be the lines of diablerie. There is a slight difference, noticeable to a particularly astute observer - those who achieve five or more successes in an attempt to read the caster's aura can tell the difference between the black lines caused by Internal Chill and the stain left by diablerie.
The ritual lasts until the next sunrise, plus one night per additional success.
This isn't actually what I had in mind - I proposed a ritual I called "Flame Ward," which would effectively use Extinguish on the first fire I contacted, just as Deflection of Wooden Doom destroys the first stake. Bruce talked me into increasing the level, and effectively coopting a Necromantic ritual. Overall, I've been happy with the results. -Jamie
