Talk:The Path of Veille
2018 Commentary
First of all, let me say this. The path is not broken, but it is close in some respects. The path is half psychic-thaumaturgy and half binding sorcery. The powers are ok, especially 1 through 3, thereafter it breaks down and is a little too powerful. The English translations are...frankly...horrible. I feel that keeping the French spirit of the path is completely necessary, but it needs to be reordered and rewritten. I would stick with the idea of psychic-thaumaturgy because its original and has a lot of French flavor, 19th century France was obsessed with the entirety of psychic phenomenon. First of all, the level one power "Sentir le Dangereux" or "Enemy Ways" is a danger sense that should be activated with a blood point expenditure and willpower roll with duration determined by the number of successes. Second - "Percevoir le Surnaturel" or "Ways of the Warlocks" should remain a level two power minus the silver component, I would treat it as a very specialized version of Auspex 2, with similar limitations. Three - "Clairvoyance Radiale" or "Veille's Sense" is an interesting power that might need simplification, but should more or less remain intact; a single blood point should be spent and it should make surprise next to impossible for a number of actions equal to the players successes. The fourth and fifth power should be reversed. The fourth power should be the ability to pierce illusions and obfuscations. The fifth power should be a kind of psychic compulsion. Its possible to depart from the last two, which vampires can do with Auspex 4 and Dominate 1 - 3, and create two new and more useful powers. The current level 4 and 5 powers could easily be rituals, along with the psychic communion ritual which has been labeled a six, which resembles a Tremere level 5 ritual called: One Mind of the Covens. -- "The Magister 21:04, 31 January 2018 (MST)"
In reply to your question, Keith, let me ask a question. What purpose does level 4, 5, and 6 do for this path? From a different angle, how do these powers compliment the path that currently exists? Your level 4 seems to act as a "distress beacon" when the Veilleur caster activates it. It could serve other purposes, but doesn't seem to offer much flexibility to its user. I would suggest that each Veilleur can have a ritual cast that serves as a homing beacon and even a master ritual at level 4 that tracks those ritual enhanced agents on a 'virtual' two dimensional framework like Map the Location which is a form of Cartographic augury that maps a given character's location. Paths are 'quick and dirty' effects as outlined by the source book Bloodmagic and as such should serve as quick and dirty complimentary effects. It could be argued and there are examples where this isn't true, but in the vast majority of all paths, it is so.
So the path of Veilleur has just three path powers at the moment: 'danger sense', 'detect supernatural' and an 'anti-stealth perception effect'. These are all good, but finding complimentary powers in this vein is difficult. Perception seems to be key. The path powers move in a certain progression which prevents surprise and allows detection. My analysis of the path strongly suggests to me that the level 4 power should boost the Attribute of Perception by expending blood. Since all attempts by those who possess Auspex to see through illusions requires a roll of Perception + Alertness (or in V20 = Awareness) at a difficulty of 7. Sometimes this roll is contested, sometimes not, but always requires a difficulty of 7 which is moderately difficult. So if I may make a suggestion, the Veilleur (night watchmen) path should include a power at level 4 that boosts the Attribute of Perception by a number of points expended, limited by generation of course, for a single scene. Such a power would give a Veilleur a fighting chance to see those sneaky supernaturals trying to hide out in Paris.
As to a level five power, I would think the best thing the Veilleurs could do is extend all these great powers to their fellows who either don't have Thaumaturgy, this path or Auspex. The Path of Mars at level 5 allows the caster to extend the powers of level 1 through 4 to his fellows by casting for them. It is an expensive, but balanced way to grant other characters abilities to which they would normally not have access. This means if the Veilleur is willing to spend the blood, he or she can extend: 'danger sense', 'detect supernatural', the 'anti-stealth perception effect', and the ability to boost the Attribute of Perception to fellow team members at the cost of one blood-point per power per person.
The other 'powers' you have suggested are great as subsidiary rituals. But if I may make a suggestion? The Veilleur path seems to a standard anti-espionage package, if you will. The Veilleurs are an anti-terrorist force, and have a path that aids them in that mission. Which is not unreasonable. I think it is likely that there is a corresponding administrative package for managing the Veilleurs while they are in the field and in the office. This path would contain many of the powers you have suggested, but utilized from a management angle. A level one power might be the ability to detect if a Veilleur agent has been 'tampered with'. A second power might be analyzing what is wrong with the agent who has been tampered with. A third power might build bonds between team members. While a fourth power would allow the 'manager' to keep mystical track of his charges. The fifth power would network the team through the manager.
Anyway, these are my thoughts on the matter. I would like to say your efforts show promise and that I wouldn't want you to take anything here as negative criticism. It isn't easy building new and balanced paths or complimentary rituals. But I think you are on the right track. -- "The Magister 13:39, 9 February 2018 (MST)"
Nice work on Trouver Le Caché -- "The Magister 12:20, 10 February 2018 (MST)"
2024 Path Revision -- Chemin des Veilleurs
Introduction
Francois Villon's rise to power and his assumption of the princedom saw a number of modern innovations enter the Parisian court of the night. One such modernization was Villon's creation of Watchmen or Veilleurs. The Veilleurs originated as a counter-espionage branch of the new prince's secret police or Masques, but they quickly outgrew their parent institution and branched out specializing in thaumaturgic secrets stolen from Paris' banished Clan Tremere.
Clan Tremere's stolen lore was incomplete and difficult to utilize in the beginning. The aid of Setite sorcerers from the Parisian Setite temple greatly enhanced the Veilleurs fumbling attempts to use Thaumaturgy. But once properly tutored the Watchmen began to advance at a profitable pace. While all of the Veilleurs were experienced occultists who had dabbled in Thaumaturgy the addition of a occult prodigy in the form of a Corax Abomination spurred wild experimentation in blood-magic.
While many such experiments produced nominal results or went horribly wrong the Veilleurs did advance thaumaturgic lore with their creation of the Chemin des Veilleurs or the Path of the Watchmen. In keeping with thaumaturgic principles the Veilleurs created a path that enhanced the latent psychic potential of any Kindred who learns it; for this reason the path is a tightly kept secret known only to the most trusted member of the confraternity.
Perhaps in homage to the psychic discipline of Auspex the Chemin des Veilleurs simulates and stimulates the abilities of Auspex to a limited degree and allows for the piggybacking of thaumaturgic effects upon their respective Auspex powers which enhances the utility of that ancient discipline. However, the path was created to give those Kindred Veilleurs without Auspex a reasonable facsimile at psychic awareness.
The Path of the Watchmen is laid out as are all thaumaturgic paths in five ascending steps of power from the weakest to the most powerful. All the path effects are designed to enhance the Veilleurs psychic potential with regards to enhanced perceptions and a broadening awareness of supernatural powers and events as a means to counter the numerous supernatural factions found within the City of Lights.
* Sentir le Dangereux
I don't like this power for level 1. It seems like a much higher power than it it. I think for this to be a usable power you have to define the nature of "enemy" and why it is considered such. For me this is the one of the more broken powers.
System: The roll entails a difficulty of 4 and a cost of 1 blood point. With a successful Perception + Occult roll the Caster can pick up hints as to the nature of enemies in the area. Usually the caster who uses this discipline successfully can pick out the number and type of his opponents; with five or more successes sometimes more can be learned.
Sources
https://imaginespirit.com/what-are-your-five-psychic-senses/