Voice of the Wild
A holdover from the ancient Yoruba Kindred, this is possibly the oldest Wanga path practiced in the modern nights. Originally intended to grant influence over the predators of the savannas and jungles, it is often overlooked in a culture of sidewalks and skyscrapers. Enough creative wangateurs have found the path sufficiently useful, however, that it has not died out.
In addition to vitae, Voice of the Wild requires the use of materials, much like certain rituals and the Flow of Ashe. These components are consumed by the magic during casting.
A wangatuer may attempt to influence the same animal as another Kindred using Animalism. Assuming successful rolls on both sides, control goes to whomever has the highest level in their respective Discipline. If the Voice of the Wild and Animalism scores are tied, victory goes to the user of Animalism.
1) Scent of the Beast
The magician can produce scents and pheromones appropriate to a particular species of animal. Used in ancient nights to attract game and ward off predators, it finds similar use tonight among more creative wangateurs.
System: The caster must have in her possession a sample (tuft of fur, whisker, tooth, drop of blood, etc.) from the animal she wishes to smell like. If successful, the Kindred gives off a scent identical to that of the target animal for the remainder of the scene. Three successes allow the wangateur to smell like that animal in a particular emotional state; she could, for instance, duplicate the scent of a scared cat or a dog in heat. With five successes, the power is effective enough to fool an animal ghoul. Five successes will also permit the caster to fool Lupines, Kindred in animal form, or Kindred using Auspex, but these received (sic) an opposed Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 6). If this opposed roll is successful, the Lupine or Kindred notices something subtly off about the caster's scent, and may well investigate further.
Any attempt to attract an animal must achieve at least three success to inspire the creature to overcome its instinctive aversion to vampires; fewer successes mean that the animal will approach to within a few yards, but no closer. Any attempt to create a scent strong enough to affect a human or a Kindred not using Auspex (duplicating the spray of a skunk, for instance) also requires three successes.
2) Hide from Hunter's Eyes
The cities of the 21st century may house the vicious guard dogs rather than hungry lions, but the effect of this power is much the same as it was in nights past. With this power, the Kindred causes animals to overlook her completely. This applies to scent and hearing as well as sight. Although few animals willingly attack Kindred, this is powerful protection against those that will. Perhaps more importantly, it prevents dogs and other guard animals from rousting the neighbors.
System: The wangateur must have a body part (fur, hair or a tooth will suffice) from the kind of animal she wishes to hide from, and a pinch of pepper, drop of perfume or any other strongly scented material. This must be rubbed on the sample as the blood is spent. For the remainder of the scene, animals of the specified variety (dogs being the most common in modern cities) simply don't notice the Kindred's presence unless she specifically does something to attract attention (touching the animal, making any noise louder than a low conversation or the like).
This power requires five successes to fool Lupines or Kindred in animal form, but the receive an opposed Perception + Alertness roll to see through it (difficulty 6). It functions on animal ghouls regardless of the number of successes, but they too are allowed an opposed Wits + Alertness roll (difficulty 7 for ghouls).
3) Marking the Prey
Working off the premise "I don't have to run faster than the bear, I just have to run faster than you," this power allows the caster to fix the attention of a given variety of animal on a specific target. The beasts in question will focus only on that individual, unless someone else makes a concerted effort to get their attention. This power does not automatically make an animal hostile.
System: The caster must have a bit of hair or other sample from the variety of animal to be influenced, and a pinch or drop of something that animal fight find attractive (catnip for cats, the fur of a small rodent for snakes, etc.). These must be combined at the time the blood is spent to invoke the magic. the target must be visible to the wangateur. If the roll succeeds, all animals of the chosen variety in the area will focus exclusively on the target for the duration of the scene, or until the target is able to escape their immediate vicinity (and avoid pursuit) for several minutes. Distracting their attention requires physical contact or an actual attack; shouting at them accomplishes nothing. Friendly animals will frolic and play around the target, whereas hostile animals will attack.
4) Guiding Spirit
This power allows the wangateur to manipulate the emotional state of an animal. This means more than just "angry" or "sad." The caster can achieve a specific degree of control by causing the animal to react one way to some stimuli, and entirely differently to another. Although not as particular as the control granted by Animalism, Guiding Spirit can create some truly impressive results.
System: The caster must have in his possession some body part (again, fur or the like is fine) from the type of animal to be influenced. The caster must make eye contact or direct physical contact with the animal as he spends vitae to invoke this power. The animal may resist with Willpower (difficulty 7) only if the wangateur is influencing it to do something totally against its instincts or training (attempting to make a loyal dog attack its owner, for instance). Animal Willpower can be found int he appendix of Vampire: The Masquerade. For every success, the caster maintains control over the animal's emotional state for a scene.
The target can be made to calm down, grow enraged enough to attack a specific target, become playful or any other emotional effect on which the player and Storyteller can agree. The animal cannot be made to perform specific tricks for which it has not been trained (like shaking paws or fetching keys), nor can it be made to place itself in the path of certain harm (though it can be made to take risks). The exact limits of this power are deliberately vague, as animals react on a much more emotional and instinctive level than humans. It is ultimately the Storyteller's call as to what is and is not possible with Guiding Spirit.
5) Mantle of the Beast
The caster may assume a single physical characteristic of an animal. The eyes of a cat allow vision in areas of very low lighting (though not complete darkness). The claws of a bear are sufficient for shredding opponents, and aid climbing to boot. The nose of a bloodhound can tell you exactly where that snooping reporter ran off to. And though Kindred aren't built for flight, a set of wings will at least break your fall, allowing you to glide to (relative) safety.
System: The character must have on her person a sample (as above) of the animal whose feature she wishes to duplicate. This power duplicates a single feature only. thus, the caster could not take a snake's ability to wriggle through small places, because this is a factor of the snake's body structure and not a specific feature; she could, however, take the compressible ribcage of a mouse and accomplish much the same thing; as that is a single physical feature of the animal.
Claws created with Mantle of the Beast do Strength +1 Aggravated damage. They also reduce climbing difficulty by 2. Wings require a roll of Stamina + Athletics against difficulty 7 to use properly. Kindred can glide for a distance of 100 yards per success rolled (further with a strong tailwind), and she can safely fall almost any distance without taking damage. A protective covering like a turtle's shell or an insect's carapace adds 2 to the character's soak pool; these dice can be used to soak aggravated damage. Advantages for taking other features are at Storyteller's discretion.
