King David's Blessing

Healer Valeren 4

This is another secret of the ancient Salubri that has largely been lost to history.

It is said that music has the power to soothe the savage breast. When you sing or play an instrument, your patients seem to heal better and relax more. This can help someone forget his physical pain, draw him out of depression, or even assist another healer in working her craft. Rayzeel was said to be the creator of this Discipline, originally crafting this to draw Saulot out of his depression after the Baali Wars. Those Salubri who do not come from a strong Christian or Judaic tradition often call this power Rayzeel's Song.

System: The music must be appropriate to the situation (a jolly country tune isn't likely to help someone relax, but it might help distract a woman in labor). The Salubri plays her instrument or sings; the player rolls Charisma + Performance (or Music). If the Salubri is singing to the accompaniment of another, both players must make the music roll. If the accompanist botches, each 1 removes a success from the Salubri's efforts; if the Salubri runs out of successes in this way, he may fail or botch.

If the Salubri is trying to draw someone out of depression, each success lowers the difficulty of the target's Willpower roll (no lower than 5), or allows him 10 minutes of relatively clear thought before he slips back into his depressed state.

If the Salubri is attempting this before working a healing, each success on King David's Blessing allows her to subtract one from the difficulty of her healing roll (difficulty no lower than 4). If the healing is meant to work against a Derangement, the difficulty may go no lower than 5.

If the Salubri is working in tandem with a doctor, midwife or another Salubri, the player makes his roll as normal, with each success granting the second healer another die for his Medicine/Valeren roll. Only five dice total can be granted in this manner.

Failing or botching King David's Blessing is very unpleasant for all concerned. Anything attempted after a failure has a +1 added to the difficulty, while a botch adds +2. The Storyteller may even deem that a botch inflicts a single level of bashing damage, as the subject thrashes in sudden distress. In the case of a Derangement, the subject makes a frenzy or Rotschreck roll. Furthermore, medieval thought is firm in the knowledge that disharmony has a way of inviting all sorts of terrible things, and spirits drawn to pain or disharmony may come sniffing around the victim.