Dementation

Disciplines / Discipline Techniques

Much Madness is divinest Sense -

To a discerning Eye -

Much Sense - the starkest Madness -

’Tis the Majority

In this, as all, prevail -

Assent - and you are sane -

Demur - you’re straightway dangerous -

And handled with a Chain -

- Emily Dickenson, (620)

Introduction to Dementation

Dementation revolves around inflicting madness and its side effects on other souls. Cainites who know Malkavians personally - and even those who have only heard stories - fear Dementation more than any other Discipline. Dominate might erase your memories, Vicissitude might reshape your form, but Dementation can destroy your soul. And although Dementation is presented here as having a fairly unified core of abilities, each Malkavian's use of Dementation is filtered through the madness that taints his soul. The application of Haunt the Soul will be quite different from a Malkavian who believes that he is the Devil incarnate than from one who suffers crippling phobias from crowds.

It is impossible to learn or use Dementation without possessing at least one derangement, in addition to any inflicted by a vampire's bloodline. Should a character attempt to do so, finding a Malkavian who is willing to turn a blind eye to his relative banality, he finds himself slowly going mad, blossoming one or more of his own derangements before he is able to learn even the simplest power of the Discipline. The ability is powered by madness, and intertwines with it; sanity is salt in the soil in which one plants Dementation.

Dementation is an obvious part of Caine's curse on the Malkavian's founder. Some legends claim that the Eldest Malkavian was a schemer and planner during the Antediluvians' revolt against Caine's first childer, and Caine cursed him with incoherence and madness to prevent this from ever happening again.

Dementation is commonly used by mystics, jesters, and the deeply disturbed.

Main Sequence

1 - Incubus Passion

2 - Haunt the Soul

3 - Eyes of Chaos

4 - Silence the Sane Mind

5 - Howling Lunacy

Alternate Powers (1-5)

Advanced Dementation

Level 6

Babble (CM3 60)

The Call / Malkavian Madness Network (CM3 60)

Devil in the Mind (PGLC 148-149)

Enigmatic Text (LH 137)

Kindred Spirits (SGS2 64)

Kiss of the Moon / Lingering Malaise / Derange (DAV 185-186)

Luna's Embrace (DAC 82)

Shattered Mirror (GS 104-105)

Level 7

Change the Soul (PGLC 149)

Childmind (CM3 62-63)

Delayed Delirium (DAC 82)

Mind of a Child (SGS2 65)

Mind of a Killer (SGS2 65)

Restructure (GS 105)

Sleep of Reason (CM3 63)

Wave of Insanity (SGS2 65)

Level 8

Coma (SGS2 45)

Deny (CM3 63-64)

Minds of the Children (SGS2 45)

Personal Scourge (PGLC 149)

Prison of the Mind (DAC 82-83)

Level 9

Blessing of Chaos (SSG2 45)

Mass Coma (SSG2 45)

Touch the Saints (PGLC 149)

Lunatic Eruption (GS 105)

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Proposed Dementation Powers

Bibliography