Lore of the Flesh
Description: The Lore of the Flesh is the Lore that allows the Divine to reshape their own fleshly bodies, or to do so with others. It differs from the Lore of Transfiguration in that it alters the body's chemistry and functions instead of its appearance only. It is similar to the Discipline of Vicissitude, but usually aims at physiologically possible creations.
The Lore of the Flesh is close to the Lore of the Beast in its 5-dot effect, but unlike Lore of the Beast, it can affect humans. Description:
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- ● BODY CONTROL
This evocation allows the Devourer to alter the body chemistry of her host body and others. She can purge poisons (both natural and manmade) and increase or reduce metabolism.
System: Roll Intelligence + Medicine. The difficulty depends on the complexity of the metabolic change. Purging the body of fatigue poisons is difficulty 6. Forcing alcohol out of a person's system is 7 or greater, depending on the level of intoxication. Putting the body into a deathlike coma is difficulty 9 or more. To perform this evocation on another, the demon must be able to make physical contact, and the individual can attempt to counteract the effort with a successful resisted roll using the victim's Willpower ( difficulty 8 ). The effects of this evocation last for the duration of the scene, after which poisons removed or normal metabolism takes effect again, This evocation can alleviate one instance of poisoning altogether if a temporary Willpower point is spent.
Torment: Monstrous demons use a brute-force approach when performing this evocation, putting a terrible strain on a subject. After rolling, total successes are compared to the subject's Stamina. Successes that exceed the target's Stamina are suffered as bashing damage, which may not be soaked.
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- ●● MANIPULATE NERVES
Like Body Control, this evocation allows the demon to manipulate a subject's nervous system. Strength and reflexes can be enhanced, senses can be dulled or sharpened, or the person can be subjected to waves of intense pleasure or pain.
System: Roll Intelligence + Medicine. The difficulty is determined by the complexity of the intended effect. Reducing the effects of pain is difficulty 6, while increasing the speed of a person's reflexes (increasing his Dexterity) is 7 or 8. Sharpening a person's senses (or dulling them) might require a difficulty of 9 or more. Each success increases or decreases a relevant physical trait or wound penalty by one, as appropriate for the effort. The effects of this evocation last for the duration of the scene. To perform this evocation on another individual, the demon must be able to make physical contact, and a resisted Willpower ( difficulty 8 ) can be made to counteract your character's effort.
Torment: A monstrous demon risks inflicting severe physical damage to a subject by crudely manipulating the victim's nervous system. After rolling, the total successes are compared to the subject's Stamina. Successes that exceed the target's Stamina are suffered as lethal damage.
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- ●●● MANIPULATE FLESH
This evocation allows the demon to manipulate a subject's physical form (be it her own or another's), adding muscle mass, increasing bone density or expanding mental faculties.
System: Roll Intelligence + Medicine. Each success is a point that can be added to any of the subject's Physical or Mental Attributes, There is a risk, however. Compare the total number of successes to the subject's Stamina. Any excess successes are suffered as bashing damage due to system shock. This damage cannot be soaked. To perform this evocation on another individual , the demon must be able to make physical contact, and the individual can attempt to counteract its effects — the Storyteller makes a Willpower roll ( difficulty 8 ).
Torment: Monstrous demons alter flesh and bone without regard for their subjects' frailty. If performed on another, a Willpower roll is made for the subject, with a difficulty equal to the demon's Torment. If the roll fails, the subject suffers a temporary derangement that makes him uncontrollably paranoid and prone to violence. If the roll is botched, the derangement is permanent.
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- ●●●● RESTORE FLESH
The demon is capable of restoring an animal or person's body to its original form, no matter how torn or mutilated it has become.
System: Spend one Faith point and roll Perception + Medicine. Each success heals one level of lethal damage or all levels of bashing damage that the subject has suffered. Lost limbs or organs are restored completely, and any illness or poisons are purged from the body. Aggravated damage cannot be healed with this evocation, nor can the power resurrect someone who is already dead. The Devourer must be able to touch the subject to perform this evocation.
Torment: Monstrous demons are capable of performing this evocation as well, but their ministrations are invariably tainted by hatred and pain. The Storyteller makes a resisted Willpower roll (difficulty 7) for the subject. If successful, the subject gains a temporary derangement. If the roll fails, the derangement is permanent. If the roll botches, the subject becomes a mindless, psychotic killing machine.
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- ●●●●● SHAPE FLESH
The demon is capable of transforming human flesh into any shape desired. Mortals or fallen can become monstrous creatures straight out of legend.
System: Spend one Faith point and roll Dexterity + Medicine in a resisted roll against the target's Willpower (difficulty 7). The player decides the form she wishes to create, along with its relevant physical capabilities, and the Storyteller determines the number of successes necessary to make the form a reality. These successes can be generated as part of an extended roll over a period of days (one roll per day) as the demon "tinkers" with her creation. As a rule of thumb, assume that each success confers or removes one Physical Attribute point or physical feature. The effects of this evocation last for a number of days equal to the character's Faith score, or they can be made permanent by expending one temporary Willpower point. Devourers can use this evocation on themselves or others, as long as they can touch a subject.
Torment: Monstrous demons' alterations are invariably warped by their Torment, creating grotesque deformities that transform victims into walking nightmares. Such a hideous metamorphosis causes the victim to gain a temporary derangement and to suffer a level of lethal damage each day as a result of the intolerable strain placed on his body. Mortals who witness these creatures suffer the effects of Revelation.
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ARURU, THE VISAGE OF FLESH
The angels of the flesh, who can alter their forms more completely than even the Defilers, manifest themselves as idealized versions of their own mortal forms. Their power exalts the mortal shells that they inhabit, removing any blemishes or deformities and refining their original features to perfection. In a way, this makes their appearance just as alien and wondrous as the shimmering apparitions of their Celestial kin.
The Visage of Flesh confers the following special capabilities:
• Enhanced Social Traits: The refinement of the character's features, mannerisms and voice provides the following bonus traits: +1 Charisma, +1 Manipulation, +2 Appearance.
• Immune to Poisons: The character is immune to damage or impairment from any toxins, including alcohol and nicotine.
• Improved Initiative: Add two to the character's initiative.
• Casts No Reflection: The demon's image does not appear in a mirror, nor can it be captured in a photograph or by a video camera.
Torment: High-Torment Aruru bear little resemblance to human beings, their original shape being lost in a swollen mountain of undulating flesh. Muscle, bone and organs roil and shift from moment to moment without the demon's conscious control.
The Visage of Flesh confers the following high-Torment special capabilities:
• Extra Health Levels: The demon gains three extra Bruised health levels for the purposes of absorbing damage.
• Armor: The demon's undulating mass of gristle and flesh provides four levels of armor for the purposes of soaking bashing, lethal and aggravated damage.
• Gaping Maw: The demon can chew and digest almost anything — metal, stone or flesh. The difficulty of bite attacks decrease by two, and a bite itself inflicts Strength +4 aggravated damage.
• Regeneration: The demon regenerates one health level of bashing or lethal damage per turn, automatically as a reflexive action.
