Dark Thaumaturgy
Dark Thaumaturgy is the name given to Thaumaturgy learned from demons. Contents
1 Overview
2 Paths
2.1 Fires of the Inferno
2.2 Path of Phobos
2.3 Taking of the Spirit
2.4 Path of Pain
2.5 Path of Pleasure
2.6 Path of the Defiler
2.7 Path of the Unspoken
2.8 Path of Pestilence
2.9 Rego Venalis (Path of Corruption)
2.10 Video Nefas (Path of Evil Revelations)
2.11 Rego Dolor (Path of Pain)
2.12 Rego Manes (Path of Spirit)
2.13 Rego Calatio (Path of Summoning)
2.14 Die Herrschaft des Wyrms (Tyranny of the Wyrm)
3 References
Overview
Vampires may make pacts with demons in order to learn the secrets of blood sorcery, just as mortal mages do to learn other infernal magics; they do so at the cost of whatever soul they have left, sealing a bargain which is a quick route to magical power. The price of gaining knowledge varies depending on the demon bartered with, but even vampires generally consider any infernal cost too high. Dark Thaumaturgy is most often practised by the Baali bloodline and members of the Sabbat, especially the Tremere antitribu, who were considered to have created some of the better known Dark Thaumaturgy paths. Since the traitors' destruction, Dark Thaumaturgy has gained popularity in the Sabbat as it is now nearly impossible for the sect's members to learn Thaumaturgy by other means, but even the leaders of the Sword of Caine forbid its practice. Paths
Apart from providing faster and easier access to more common Thaumaturgy paths, Dark Thaumaturgy has paths and rituals of its own which can only be learnt from demons. While all Dark Thaumaturgy relies on an infernal pact, these paths draw on the power of Hell for their effects, and are greatly feared.
Dark Thaumaturgy is always learned at a price, whether this be a generic bargain with the demonic instructor, or a specific affliction relating to the path learnt. Known prices for the paths are listed with their entries below. Fires of the Inferno
Similar to the Lure of Flames, but the sickly green balefire conjured from Hell by this path has only one use: destruction. Like its untainted counterpart, the Path has no distinct levels, instead allowing for the creating of more dangerous fires. Price: Obvious balefire taints the user's aura.[1] Path of Phobos
This path conjures a foe's worst fears to assault him. Price: Horrific nightmares.[2]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Induce Fear: Cause a target to feel paranoid Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Spook: Cause a target to feel dread Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Terrorize: Cause a target to see illusions of their greatest fears Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Fear Plague: Cause a target to live through their most deep-seated phobias Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.png Leech of Fear: Transubstantiate fear into a vitae-like substance
Taking of the Spirit
Saps the willpower of the victim. Instead of distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to strip Willpower for more extended periods of time from a target. Price: Arrogance, manifesting as megalomania.[3] Path of Pain
Mastery over and the infliction of physical pain. Price: Addiction to pain.[4]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png The Numbing: Become desensitized from pain Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Anguish: Cause a target to feel pain simply by standing in its presence Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Shattering: Cause a target's bones to break or its organs to rupture Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Agony Within: Cause a target's blood to transform into hooked tendrils that shred their arteries. Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.png Hundred Deaths: Cause a target to be covered in a million small deep cuts that constantly heal themselves and reopen.
Path of Pleasure
The creation of artificial, addictive pleasure and other drug-like effects. Price: The Beast's desires become harder to resist.[5]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Ecstasy: Make a target feel intense pleasure via touch Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Intrusion: Make a target feel intense pleasure via a telepathic command Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Daisy Chain: Cause your pleasure to spread memetically to several persons Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Deadening: Cause a target to become emotionally desensitized and apathetic Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.png The Garden of Earthly Delights: Cause a target to become catatonic from intense pleasure
Path of the Defiler
Mystical corruption; possibly an infernal variation of the Path of Corruption. Price: Jealousy, manifesting as possessiveness of the user's victims.[6]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Call the Weakness: Learn enough about a target via conversation to gain an image of their character Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Tainted: Cause a target to feel intense shame about something Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Degradation: Change a target's nature temporarily Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Poisoned Soul: Affect a target's Humanity or Path rating Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.png Cancerous Blossom: Turn the victim's self-loathing into an actual physical deformity
Path of the Unspoken
The Path of the Unspoken deals with the acquisition of knowledge via blasphemous means. Considered a myth by most sorcerers. Price: Memory lapses.[7]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Whispers of the Unborn: Listen to the forces of entropy to gain the answer to one specific question Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Scribing the Unknown: Transcribe any written information Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Shadow Thoughts: Learn more about a target by conversing with their shadow Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Fragments of the Forgotten: Transcribe information from lost works (missing passages are often filled in with misleading informations) Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.png Forsaken: Cause a target to vanish from the collective consciousness
Path of Pestilence
The creation and spread of disease. Price: "The Rot", an ever-worsening disease.[8]
Menu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Illness: Cause a target to display symptoms of common illnesses Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Infection: Cause a target's wounds to become infected Menu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu hover bullet.pngMenu bullet.pngMenu bullet.png Miasma: Exhale obnoxious gases that blinds targets and infects mortals with diseases
Parasitic Possession: Take control over a creature riddled by disease Vector: Infect a target with a virulent disease
Rego Venalis (Path of Corruption)
Mystical corruption. Possibly an earlier variant of the Path of the Defiler or the Path of Corruption.[9]
Night's Terror: Cow a target in fear by showing them images of personal damnation.
Poison Heart: Give a target inclinations towards their darker urges. Fool the Heart's Eye: Assume the appearence of a target's loved ones Name the Crime: Suggest a sin that the target has to commit Unleash the Dark Soul: Slay a mortal and resurrect its corpse animated by its darkest desires.
Video Nefas (Path of Evil Revelations)
The acquisition of secrets of mortals and demons.
See the Unseen: See into the spirit worlds Learn the Heart's Pain: See into a target's soul to learn its innermost regrets and grievances. Seize the Moment: Draw upon a specific memory of a target Casting the Bones: Use rune-carved bones to see into the future of a target Recall the Bloody Deed: Give a target's misdeeds and violence form as a minor demon that will exact retribution from them.
Rego Dolor (Path of Pain)
The infliction of physical pain. Note that this is different from the modern Path of Pain.[11]
Strike the Broken Limb: Cause an old wound to reopen Phantom Pain: Cause a target illusionary pain Curse the Senses: Shun one of the target's senses Feed the Corruption: Cause the victim to become infected by maggots and swarmed by flies Eternal Torment: Cause bleeding sores across the target's body that do not heal normally.
Rego Manes (Path of Spirit)
The conjuration of demons and the infliction of damage to all kinds of spirits. Rather than distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to summon larger and more powerful demonic entities. Rego Calatio (Path of Summoning)
The summoning and controlling of demons. Rather than distinct powers, each level of mastery allows the practitioner to have greater control over the demons they have summoned. Price: The area where the summoning has taken place becomes sickened and corrupted; The practitioner suffers horrific nightmares across a number of nights equal to the successes rolled in summoning. These nightmares force the infernalist to lose two blood points upon waking, and two temporary Willpower (if it faile Willpower roll, if roll is botched - nightmares duration is double). Die Herrschaft des Wyrms (Tyranny of the Wyrm)
Developed by a Malkavian cabal in Hesse, this Path draws upon demons in service to a three-headed dragon. Price: When resisted, the powers turn back against the thaumaturge.
Malfean Infection: Corrupt and lessen a person's True Faith Bane of the Soul: Graft a "Bane spirit" on a target to become a slave to its worst impulses Dissonant Miserere: Infect a target's mind with insane ramblings that attracts demons Feed the Wyrm: Cause a target intense pain that can only be alleviated by pledging themselves to the Wyrm House the Maeljin: Become temporarily possessed by an aspect of a Maeljin
