Living Testudo
The Fiends well remember the effectiveness of the large shields used by the Roman invaders of their lands. Accordingly, Tzimisce at war occasionally make use of a similar though ghastlier, substitute. Grasping a victim, the vampire uses flesh- and bonecrafting arts to lay open the victim's back in such a manner that her vertebrae are exposed. The vampire then grasps the glistening spinal cord in the manner of a doughty warrior hefting a shield, and hoists the victim bodily by this makeshift "handle." Not only does the victim provide protection from attacks, but - for so long as the victim lives - the Fiend can manipulate the flesh and bone of the "shield" to provide an arsenal of offensive weaponry.
System: The Fiend must have a Strength of 5 - through any combination of nature, vitae and/or Potence - to use this power. The tetsudo-to-be must be immobilized and her back bared. The Tzimisce then makes a Dexterity + bodycrafts roll (difficulty 8) to lay open the victim's back. If successful, the victim loses only one Health level; if the roll fails, the victim dies hideously and a new shield must be sought.
The Fiend then lifts the screaming, twitching victim into the air, using her to block attacks as he would a normal shield. Attacks blocked in this manner inflict damage on the victim, who remains intact until she has suffered five Health Levels beyond the point of her death at this point, the victim is too mangled and tattered to provide further protection). Furthermore, while the victim lives, the Tzimisce can make a Dexterity + Bodycrafts roll (difficulty 7) to form the "shield" into an offensive weapon - for example, forming spikes from the victim's rib cage, making a whip or noose from the victim's skin, etc. Each weapon formed inflicts one Health Level of damage on the victim and creates an appropriate weapon (i.e. rib cage spikes might inflict Str + 1 normal damage, while a skinwhip would inflict Str - 1 normal damage and possibly entangle an opponent, etc.).
