Music of the Spheres

Thaumaturgy Paths

The Neoplatonist philosophers taught that planets radiated musical pitches as they circled Earth. Ordinary people could not hear this "music of the spheres," but highly spiritual people could. The medieval Arabs joined this idea to music's uncanny power to influence the mind and soul. In their quest to reach Heaven through trance, Assamite and Toreador sorcerers listened to the music of the spheres. They learned occult melodies that powerfully affected the emotions of listeners. The effects resemble a specialized version of Presence.

So far, no vampire has ever been known to have learned both the Music of the Spheres and the "Melpominee" Discipline of the small and obscure Daughters of Cacophony bloodline, but it's bound to happen eventually. The path and Discipline powers cannot add to each other's effects.

System: The path calls for the usual Willpower roll, but the character requires a Trait rating of 3 in Performance - either singing or playing some sort of instrument - to cast the Music of the Spheres. The magician can activate the Music of the Spheres through a single turn of melody, but everyone nearby can sense the occult power in the music. The magician can conceal the celestial melody within ordinary music, but this requires that targets hear the music for at least a full minute. Listeners also receive a Perception + Occult roll (difficulty 5 + the number of successes the performer's player received on the Willpower roll) to detect the unnatural force within the performer's music.

Each power affects a variable number of targets depending on how many successes the magician's player rolls, as noted on the chart below. If more people are present than the character can influence, the Music of the Spheres affects those with lower Willpower scores first.

1 Success: One person.
2 Successes: Two people
3 Successes: Six people
4 Successes: 20 people
5 Successes: Everyone in the vampire's immediate vicinity (an entire auditorium, a mob).

The Music of the Spheres does not enchant people who hear it in a recording, or transmitted by telephone, television or other electrical or mechanical means.

If two characters use the Music of the Spheres against the same target, the character whose player rolls the most successes has her effect take precedence.

1) Song of Mercury
The music of Mercury, the planet that rules abstract thought, deadens emotions. The swift cascades of notes distract listeners and calm their souls.

System: In game terms, the Song of Mercury negates the effects of other Music of the Spheres powers while the music continues. The power costs one blood point to activate, but the effect continues as long as the character keeps singing or playing. The Song of Mercury lacks sufficient power to counter frenzy or Rotschreck.

2) Song of Venus
The sweet music of Venus inspires feelings of affection that an occult musician can direct as she wills. The character can make people like her, or anyone else she chooses - for a while.

System: The power acts like the Presence power Awe, but the magician can direct the victim's warm feelings toward anyone she wants, to make someone else seem incredibly charismatic. The magician needs some way to indicate the recipient of the magical charisma, whether by words, admiring glances or other means. The effect lasts the rest of the scene. Affected people can resist the Song of Venus by expending one Willpower for every turn they remain within the target person's supernatural charisma. When a character's player spends a number of Willpower points equal to the successes rolled, the character shakes off the Song of Venus completely.

3) Song of Mars
The harsh chords and driving rhythms of Mars inspire feelings of anger and aggression. The magician can make his audience hate a particular target or actually drive listeners to fits of rage.

System: This power can have two effects. The magician can make an audience despise a target person or organization - like Awe in reverse. the target does not have to be present. This effect lasts a scene. Players can spend Willpower to have their characters resist the supernatural anger for a turn. If the asipu's player additionally expends a Willpower point, affected Kindred enter frenzy unless their players succeed at Self-Control rolls (difficulty 7). This augmented power can induce frenzy-like rage in mortals as well, but mortals resist at difficulty 5.

4) Song of Jupiter
The strong, steady chords of Jupiter, the planet of power and status, boost courage and strength of purpose. Listeners feel resolute and fearless, like unto kings.

System: This power renders listeners immune to all attempts to use Presence while the music continues; it does not negate Presence uses that have already taken place. Any other mind control (such as Dominate, other Music of the 'spheres powers, mortal magic or the powers of other supernatural beings) against an audience member suffers a +2 difficulty penalty (to a maximum of 10) for the rest of the scene.

The Song of Jupiter also strengthens the Man to resist the Beast. For the rest of the scene, characters resisting Rotschreck or frenzy have the difficulty of their Virtue rolls reduced by 2.

5) Song of Saturn
The menacing chords of Saturn, planet of death and restriction, inspire terror in those who hear them. People affected by the magical music need all their courage and will to resist the urge to flee or surrender.

System: Affected Kindred immediately enter Rotschreck unless their players succeed at Courage rolls (difficulty 7). Mortal listeners feel the same blind fear (and have the same difficulty to resist it), but their terror may take other forms than flight, depending on each individual's Nature.